Has to be the weirdest tag ever!

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
“Damn! Nalla kani…which means the day’s gonna be bad!”

2. How much cash do you have in your wallet right now?
Rs 2.50…and an electricity bill for 500!

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?
Bore…that’s what tags are!

4. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
I always delete miss calls from my phone…(I get those more than calls because I’m never near my ‘mobile’ phone)

5. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
Kill Bill

6. What are you wearing right now?
T-shirt and skirt.

7. Do you label yourself?
Oh yea…am my favourite

8. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently own?
Nike

9. Bright or Dark Room?
Medium

10. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
Happy (she just found a job!)

11. What does your watch look like?
Duh! It looks like a watch!

12. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Sleeping

13.What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
“Haha i didnt even enquire. Wait by even ill let you know whether i’ve done it”

14. What’s a word that you say a lot?
LOL

15. Who told you he/she loved you last?(please exclude spouse , family, children)
An anonymous sms! don’t know who the sender is!

16. Last furry thing you touched?
My hair…when I went to Chennai, my usually smooth hair became furry!! I  blame the coastal climate!

17. Favourite age you have been so far?
7 and 8 — at Guruvayur!

18.  What was the last thing you said to someone?
“Njaan Facebook-il UNO kalikkuaa” (means, I’m playing UNO on Facebook)

19. The last song you listened to?
Ikhtara — from Wake Up Sid!

20. Where did you live in 1987?
Thiruvananthapuram (was too young to venture out alone — I was 3.)

21. Are you jealous of anyone?
Naah!

22. Is anyone jealous of you?
Of course! Who wouldn’t be? I’m the most perfect anyone can be

23. Name three things that you have on you at all times?
Bindi, dress and watch

24. What’s your favourite town/city?
Thiruvananthapuram!

25. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
Last July — to my dad and mom — just saying I love them a looooot and that they’re the best parents ever.

26. Can you change the oil on a car?
Depends on where the oil is

27. Your first love/big crush: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
first big crush: is in the USA (currently in india on vacation);
first love: am not quite sure which that was; think i should play safe and say I’m married to him

28. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
Nope! But it will, soon! Am gonna pierce my nose

29. What is your current desktop picture?
Me n the husband

30. Have you been burnt by love?
Yep — whenever I cook for the husband!

And here goes: Verbivore, Ramya, Vimmu, Mahak and Smita

P.S.: Edited after Reema commented: You’re tagged too, girl!

Hybernation’s no fun…

…especially if you spend all that time being so busy you can barely spell out “Hybernation” to a kid!

And I must say, I had been in one of the busiest phases of my life! Due to a persistent backpain (an injury that has promised to be with me through thick and thin, right till I reach my grave; the result of a clumsy fall I had a few years back–i tripped on my own patiala and fell on the steps ), I stopped commuting to my office (which is 13 km from home) and began working from home.

I then found another job closer to home, joined there, quit within a week and went back to freelancing for the previous company. Alongside, I found out this great website where I could write, and earn in the process (alternate income, yey!). A couple of places where I’d went for interviews but had turned down (they were all either too far, or they couldn’t afford me) asked if I’d like to freelance for them…and I boarded this roller-coaster of jobs. Officially, unofficially and as a freelancer, I now work for 5 places

Though I was apprehansive initially on how to manage such diverse jobs together, well, I must admit it is fun…esp on those rare days when I have to commute to the office for special meetings — one day, I went almost halfway to the wrong place, before I figured out where I was intended to be.

Anyway, though all these required me to be online full time, I must say that I never found a moment’s time to open my blog! A few days back, someone commented on my blog, saying they had a hard time figuring out my contact id, and had hence decided to put in a ‘comment’: it was about yet another job opening (which, of course, I have no time to take up)! That’s when I realised I’d totally abandoned AlphabetWorld! I felt like someone who abandoned her favourite dog for a bunch of silly cats!

Anyway, with out much ado, I have come back to blogging…I will catch up on all your blogs pretty soon. And this time, I will stay — no more “i hope to be consistent” and “i hope to post regularly” and all that. Just a  simple “I will stay”!

Howdy, people?

P.S.: By the way, I love these new smileys!

P.S. of P.S.: My blog turned 1 on the 13th, last month. Poor thing didnt even get a B’day bash! Lemme at least wish it: Happy Burrrrday, AlphabetWorld!

yey! happiness is happening!!

Very little had been happening in life to be ecstatic about — of course, I’m generally a happy soul, so it takes unbelievably lovely news/things that’ll make me feel like I’m feeling now — about to burst with happiness!

What do you think could be better than a mail (comment, in this case) from a friend you’d thought you ‘lost’, saying:

I need yu beside me no matter what(I/Yu) do, for I kno il never find another yu…..;)

Yey!!

Jaya, I  just cannot tell you how happy I am….how happy those words have made me. I had almost given up on being forgiven…and while I never expressed it much, it used to tear me apart that you’d lost that ‘connection’ with me! But now! Wow! I…I love  you! I am just so happy!

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For all you people who gave me consolation, chided me and assured me “it’ll all be ok” when I wept about what it takes to lose a friend…here’s what she said…here’s how she forgave Yey!

Its not everyday that you get a friend who thinks like you, acts like you, eats like you, sleeps like you, talks like you and what not like you… But when you know the other person like yourself, its hard to be angry with the other person for long. But when you do get angry, its even harder to get over it…. Cos, for my wedding I dint really care about the 1000-2000 ppl who came ter (I din even kno half of them). And above all my friends it was yu who mattered the most, cos it wos yu who i told first when I went bonkers for the guy, yu wer te first person to kno when the dates go t fixed for te wedding and yu wer te first person I expected to be at my home b4 te weddin. ……….…………………But I also know that I was tooo rude to you even though you tried a lot of ways to make it up. But I guess wot tey say bt time healing is true  Cos I just wnt to say I am all over it now and I am reelly SORRY for being so rude. Im taking back all tat I said n yur still my best friend.
Cos like te song goes,’I need yu beside me no matter what(I/Yu) do, for I kno il never find another yu…..;)I kno im bein a lil mushy here, but I don care.Lov yu loads diiii….;);)

I’m just so so soooo happy today, that I could even be convinced into liking Bangalore!

Yey!

five (x) five fortuitous facts :)

Vimal tagged me a few days back to reveal 25 random facts about me; that too, right wen I’d posted something at the end of which I’d written it’s too early to write about myself. So, I’d delayed this on purpose

Statutory warning : This post can be very boring; I’m already bored (because I can’t think of more than 5 things about myself…and I can’t imagine why anyone would want to know 25 — 25!! — random things about me). Whoever created this tag was bonkers!

Anyway, here they are.

1. I cannot survive without music. I sing/hum all the time — all the time — and I refuse to talk to/answer anyone who tries to communicate with me at that time.

2. I wear my watch on my right wrist.

3. I hate watching movies…and the thought stifles me and messes up all my good spirit!

4. I will not sacrifice my sleep for ANYTHING in this world. Not even for my brother — now that says it all!

5. I’m generally confused — and can never make up my mind.

6. I have a bad memory (I have a feeling I inspired the script writer of Memento/Ghajini)!

7. I hate going to hospitals / doctors.

8. I have the greatest stage-fright. I go into a dumb-spell if I have to face more than 3 people at a time.

9. I am claustrophobic. I cannot bear to be alone in an elevator.

10. No matter how cold a room, once I notice that all doors and windows are closed, I break into sweat!

11. I hate orderliness — and am most comfortable in the midst of utter  mess and disarray; ‘Laziness’ was probably discovered after I was born!

12. I love smileys (which is verrrry evident from this post! Sorry, Priya!)

13. I love travelling — prefer train to plane; bus to auto!

14. When I like a particular song, I can keep listening to it over and over and over and over and over again!

15. I’m highly unpredictable — I don’t know when and why I say what.

16. I keep having uncontrollable cravings for things I do not usually like — sweets, ice creams, etc — the craving vanishes immediately after I get these things in hand!

17. I cannot stand SRK, Mohanlal (since the last 5 years or so) and my grandma (oh, she’s no celeb!)

18. I hate doing the dishes.

19. I believe in a superpower — but not in any particular “God”.

20. I like myself a lot (this is to ensure that there’ll always be one person who likes me, at all times!) I love my name too.

21. I do not think smoking and drinking makes a person ‘cool’; I cannot stand such people (except for a few dear ones!)

22. I think my mother is the best thing that’s happened in my life — and in the lives of everyone who knows her!

23. Palatino Linotype is my favourite font! WordPress doesn’t have it

24. I love the colour blue — but I don’t have a single dress in that colour. Since green suits me very well, I have decided to make green my favourite colour.

25. I prefer incandescent lights to tube lights!

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Sorry, all you guys; but I warned you — I’m not that exciting a person! And I guess that was as random as it could get! Now, if you are tempted to take out your fury on someone, please get in touch with Vimal!

P.S.: Must be the only post that started and ended with the same word — a name!

Elections. Whose choice is it?

“Why vote you say? The youth make up a majority of our billion plus population, but how many of us vote? We complain about bad roads, corrupt politicians and unfair reservations, but what are WE doing about it? The first step to resolve these  issues is to vote.” – This is what jaagore.com says.

These statements by jaagore.com sounded lame to me! Haven’t we been voting for many years now? Is not corruption still rampant? Unfair reservations keep sifting out deserving candidates everywhere! And bad roads…well, gone today (when elections loom ahead); back tomorrow (when somebody gets the throne!). So, is voting the ultimate solution to these problems? Bah! I don’t think so.

Again, is voting a right or a duty? Nowhere does it say in our constitution that voting is a duty; it’s a right. That gives one the freedom to (or not to) abstain from it. Most people seem to think that voting is a duty, and if not followed, can lead to legal issues! Such people need to be informed that voting is a right, not an obligation/duty. They should do it after logical reasoning — and not emotional thinking: like succumbing to petty attractions (like an offers of money/property/job)!

Now, irrespective of it being a right or a duty, how much choice does a voter get? In an election where none of the candidates represent the voter or his interests, what should the voter do? Is there an option of voting for “None”? No!  So, the ideal/moral thing to do would be not to vote. If you ask me, in such a case, by not voting, I’m declaring that I do not find any of the candidates acceptable.

They say the Rule 49-O allows this. The rule says: If an elector, after his electoral roll number has been duly entered in the register of voters in Form-17A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon as required under sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to record his vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form 17A by the presiding officer and the signature or thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark.

Now, the ballot paper / voting machine has only a list of candidate names. So one who wishes to make use of this Rule will have to inform the presiding officer at the election both — so where is the secrecy!? And taking into account the number of goondas who loiter around in the area, one can only imagine what safety one would have if such a thing is informed! So, that ‘option’ becomes a joke!

The e-mail doing the rounds — claiming that if the ’49-O’ votes more than those of the winning candidate, then that poll will be canceled and will have to be re-polled, and that the contestants will be banned and cannot contest the re-polling for their life time — is apparently a hoax! Personally I feel a rule like this would mean a lot of national waste: considering the amount of public funds spent to conduct an election!

And what makes a person eligible to be a candidate? Why, even the post of a “stenographer” requires some minimum qualifications for a person to get that job. But any Tom, Dick and Harry can get into politics — and then lead the nation! I don’t say all leaders should be MBA graduates, but the least one can expect are candidates who have a ‘clean’ portfolio! Is that asking too much!? Along with the right to vote, people should be given the right to demand certain “minimum qualifications” of the contesting candidate!

Apparently, it’s the responsibility of eligible voters to enroll the names of eligible contestants. So, if people hate all the politicians, who is to blame for the state of affairs? The politicians or the citizens ? But for quite a few years, have the young voters had a choice, really? I mean, politics has become a family business mostly…and everyone knows who’ll contest for the next 10 years! (OK, I’m exaggerating; but even if a new comer contests, people now seem to have no faith. They still go on voting for ‘those who’ve been in the business for a while’ now.) What I mean to say is…the ‘chance’ to enroll new contestants at the grassroots level seems to be a distant dream!

Hehe…we seem to need a fresh start! Like.. lay offs in politics! Send all the existing ones home — with a nominal pension, of course! — and start afresh with younger, competent people. Who? Well, I don’t know!

“The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don’t have to waste your time voting“, said Charles Bukowski.

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I agree with him. I will not vote!

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Now that you know what I think, let me know what you think! Tell! Tell! Tell!

all it takes to lose…

Doesn’t matter how many years you’ve been friends for; doesn’t matter how many times you’ve stood by each other; doesn’t matter how many jokes you’ve shared; doesn’t matter how long you’ve been there for each other; doesn’t matter how many jokes you’ve shared; doesn’t matter how many pranks you’ve played; doesn’t matter how many, many times you’ve told each other “You’re my best buddy!”. All it takes to lose a friend is not to attend her wedding!

I learnt this the hard way. May none of you ever!

P.S.:

My apologies! You’re still my best friend! :’(

recession and youngsters!

Everyone’s talking of recession. Be it jobs, pay checks, a much-wanted vacation, a shopping extravaganza, a beauty therapy, a movie in a multiplex, an evening in the mall, a new pair of kurtas, a much-awaited tatoo…everything gets ‘verbally’ delayed or postponed “in this time of recession”. Apparently, even the blind man’s cut down on the choice between the blue pill and the red pill (see Comment #19) !

But how true is this??? A few excerpts from real-life experiences!

You: What a surprise! How come you are in a bus??
Friend: Recession, re! No money. Wallet’s almost empty.
You (nodding in agreement): Yea…I know. So, where you off to?
Friend: Am meeting an old ‘friend’ (winks) in CCD at 5. Haven’t seen each other in a long time. So, thought could catch up over a coffee.
You: Uh…uh. (Cafe Cofee Day’s the only place for a coffee??)

You: You sure you wanna come in my car? I thought you hated car-pooling. Friend (sheepish smile): I do. But well…one has to change with the times. When the wallet’s empty, that’s when saving becomes important!
You: Hop in! Where can I drop you?
Friend: At the mall. Have some shopping…and am catching a movie with my girl! (beams)
You: Uh…uh. (Mall and multiplex??)

You: Dude, can you lend me 5k? I’ll return it in 15 days.
Dude: Jeez, no! I just bought a car.
You: What? In this time of recession?
Dude: Yea! Dad wanted me to buy a house. But what good’ll that do now,when I’m staying with them? A car’s what I need now. Helps us friends hang around and go places together. Anyway, it’s an investment. So, rather invest in somethings that’s most useful now!
You: Uh…uh. (Investment?? Car over a House? Really?)

You: Hey buddy! How’s it going?
Friend: Not too good. Mom called up yesterday too. She’s vexed that I’m not sending home any money! What does she know about recession!
You: Hmmm… but maybe you could…
Friend (cutting you short): Hey! Check out my new hairstyle! I coloured it too! Spent a fortune on it at L’oreal! Phew!
You (gaping): But you just said…well, never mind! (After a pause) Oh, it’s stunning!

Has Recession hit only the Management, that hard? Because even though lay offs and salary cuts are happening, Coffee Days and Baristas and Pizza Huts and Malls and Multiplexes and Branded Outlets and Fancy Restaurants and Boutiques and Professional Salons and are all always full of people!

And more interestingly, they are always full of young people! Is there something that makes these Hargrave-types so confident of a brighter  (financial and economic) tomorrow?

So, how many of you are saving? And how? Would love to get some tips…because I seem to be one of those indifferent ‘youngsters” (though I have no confidence in a financially better tomorrow; this is just how I am).

A post a day keeps the block away…

…but if the block lasts too long, better throw the blog block away!

I have forgotten to write; people think I’ve died; and Google and Technocrati doesn’t throw up show my ‘alphabets’ any longer.

Disgusting state of affairs. Really.

All these days, I convinced myself that I’m overworked and can’t really spare anytime for blogging. I was just fooling myself, I guess. I realise that every blogger who’s consistent and active, is not sitting at home full time

But well. Never having even washed a plate at home, managing a whole house by myself (even with a hell lotta help from Suraj) is definitely stressing me out. I kept telling myself that it’s a phase in life, which’ll pass.

What almost passed away was ME! I have been sick in bed for 2 weeks now — with a broken back! Thank God, my job profile allows me to work from home — else, we’d have ended up financially broke as well.Anyway, in this 2-week running is when I realised that even though I’d been sitting at home, I haven’t been blogging. Disgusting, really!

So well, bad back or block, I decided that blogging shouldn’t be affected. Am sure all the bloggers who used to read me have forgotten my existence by now.

Hope to hang in here for more than a week at a stretch. Then I’m sure I’ll come back to blogging full-time!

In the meantime, I hope to be alive in this crazy city (for me to be blogging everyday!). I pray that random people don’t burst into my house and stab me to death (if they try looting me, they’ll probably stab me 10 more times; Attention, thieves: there’s no money/gold here!); I pray that we don’t get waylaid on empty roads and robbed of our bike (which is almost falling apart now); I pray that Hindu activists who protest against everything ‘non-hindu’ don’t protest against my existence; I pray that those find-whatever-excuse-you-can-to-beat-up-people types don’t catch me in a jeans and beat me up; I pray that I’ll be fortunate to leave Bangalore soon, while life and sanity are still there in me

The only good that’s come out of the-latest-violence-in-Bangalore is that I don’t lose my arguments anymore. Every argument that I usually have with Suraj always ends up in some consensus or the other. The only one that never does — which is better: Bangalore or Bombay? He’s always for the former; me, the latter. And the last point always was “Bombay’s too dangerous.” Now that topic is dormant. Period.

P.S.: My blog crossed 10,000 hits! I’m surprised, happy, ecstatic! Thanks a lot, all you people, for making that happen! Since I hadn’t been active, I’m sure a lot of optimistic people kept visiting, hoping I’d write something . Sorry for having let you down; hope never to do that again

P.S. of P.S.: Thanks a ton, Harsh and Sahaja, for considering me worthy of the “Cute’s Blogger Award” and “Lovely Blogger Award”. It meant a lot! Thanks again!