i expected…

There are a lot of instances when people walk up to you and start off something with an “I expect…”. It’s invariably things we never want to listen to. I usually act dumb :D—like I did when I joined in a PR company long back (and hated it from Day 1). On my first day, my boss told me “The fact that you are a scorpio tells me that you like working by yourselves and despise taking orders. I expect you to be ready to handle our new client from next week.” Aah…what did she know!? What’s the connection between a scorpio and me? To hell with astrology and zodiac maniacs who make such (obviously meaningless) statements. And yes, I acted dumb and quit the place after 2 more weeks—right on the day prior to the client’s press conference 😀 (That hopefully taught my boss a lesson or two on how different scorpios are from me!)

Anyways, the reasons I write this post are two: one, I really don’t ever understand why people should expect anything at all from others; and two, I found a certain ‘expectation’ statement made by a friend extremely strange—and hilarious!

I’ve been introduced to a lot of expectations from others…which I almost always don’t meet :D…and especially so, if it is anything to do with sacrificing my sleep, using my brain (mainly the part of it that supports memory) or cooking. I have missed many a bus/train (and a few flights almost!) because I find gravity at its strongest while I’m in bed—especially on the eye-lids. I have misplaced just so many things in life that if they’re all bought back to me, I could probably start a curios shop! And for the cooking…should I even dwell on this topic? Well, maybe just one instance, where I once let a fish curry get burnt out of recognition and had to tell my mother something to the measure of: “a lizard fell into the bowl, and I had to scrap the whole thing.” And then give her a sad face.

Well, in spite of being irritated at the fact that people always expect something or the other from each other, I have actually started seeing sense in it—apparently, that’s the way of life. But till date, the only statement that has made me see absolutely no reason or sense in it is when this friends of mine saw me and said: “I expected you to have straight hair with curls at the end!” And I said, “!!!!!!!!!!”. Couldn’t help, but that was the best response I could offer…and I wasn’t even acting dumb! As far as I know, that was one of the most stupefying remarks anyone ever made in the history of conversation! Why, why, why would anyone expect another to have straight hair with curls at the end?? If “wish” was used instead of “expected”, well, I see some reason in that…maybe that’s how he likes it. (Though it still doesn’t explain the fact that it might not suit me 😀 !)

Well, after my momentary surprise, I just could not control my laughter…and I had to actually suppress bouts of it and act normal and polite—I’m generally a polite person unless someone tries real hard to make it not so. How I laughed that night! Gosh! “I expected you to be taller…” (ok, maybe he is real tall); “I expected you to be fair/tanned…” (ok, maybe he is so); “I expected you to be a guy!” (ok, maybe he is gay!) But “I expected you to have straight hair with curls at the bottom”!!???  How does it matter in any which way?

Look forward to knowing the strangest thing someone ever told you! This one is, by far, the best in my collection!

 

thus occured the rebirth of Sherlock Holmes…

I guess A.C. Doyle knew there would, one day, take birth in the world of wordpress, the biggest mystery ever…and that a bunch of detectives would set out to solve it–>and hence the plural “Holmes” as opposed to “Holme” 😉 . But the author also knew none would be as sharp as him or his creation Sherlock–>hence the “lock” in the name (so no one would use the name freely 😀 ).

In case you are all wondering (I’m assuming I have new readers everyday) which this mystery is that is being discussed, its none other than the Mystery of the Mirrorcracked Vagaries of Love“. The story in brief:

The protagonist is a very popular citizen of WordPress, the most literate country in the World Wide Web. An author by profession, he is a self-proclaimed “decent guy, who deserves the good things in life…”. Well, apparently, one day he realises that grave injustice has been inflicted on him…he has been caught in the web of love–>only, the spider was already ‘taken’! The spider has spun the web, made a cocoon and captivated him within–>all his friends and well-wishers could see it; but the spider itself is invisible: making it a tough job for his friends, readers, admirers and the rest of WordPress to find the spider. They say necessity is the mother of invention…and this being an obvious and highly critical time of need, these people re-invent themselves…and become re-incarnations of none other than Sherlock Holmes!

Well, as an admirer of A.C. Doyle, I must say I’m deeply surprised by the ‘abilities’ of these detectives…they put 2 and 2 together and came up with 5! Hehe…just imagine Sherlock Holmes  following a case closely for a week and finally saying the culprit is Nancy Drew! LOL…i couldn’t believe it when i read through various people’s ‘clues’ and ‘hints’ and “i’ve got it!”s…and the most shocking was RJ’s question…hehe…anyway, let the game go on…!

Well, to any new visitior to my blog, this would be a mystery even to this alphabet…but to existing readers and occasional visitors from a certain friend’s blog, this would make perfect sense…dear detectives, Nancy Drew is just another amatuer detective–>she is nowhere close to Mr Holmes, of course…and she definitely is not a criminal by herself ;).

P.S: Mr Especiality, thanks for letting me know “the suspect” and grrrr…for not letting me know “how you solved the (still-unsolved) case”. And yea…here is the credit I said i’d give to the protagonist…

P.S of P.S: Mr Protagonist, thanks for the free publicity–>i already feel like a celebrity (your readers and many more would know why I’m feeling the way I do 😀 ). But I hope your readers know the difference between a Nancy Drew and a Phoolan Devi 😀 . I don’t mind being either, tho…both were celebs in their own ways 😉 !

P.S of P.S of P.S: Everyone, no matter how indifferernt you are to the world around you, a person’s love-life will always be of top-interest…and of contagious interest–>or so i’ve realised lately 😀 ! And now, i go off to bed, a much-enlightened celebrity! 🙂

those smells…those songs…and…… those memories!

Ever wondered how the most inconspicuous things in life bring you memories that matter most? Like a smell that reminds you of a certain day or place…a song that pull you into a time machine and shoots you back into the past…a scene from an ad/film that reminds you of a similar day/situation in your life…i dont know how many of you experience this and how often…but i do…almost everyday, all the time! Sometimes i wonder if i have a future at all 😀 …i always seem to be flitting between the past and the present 😉 .

The other day, i heard the song “agar thum mil jaaye” from the film Zeher, i was so reminded of the concrete paving at the park where i used to spend time with 2 lovely friends of mine in Dombivali, Mumbai. We used to go there every evening around 6…and just sit there staring at stars, guys and the love-bit couples who always used to find seats behind the board that said ” ” (yes, you guessed right; it was in hindi, which I don’t really think i read right)…

Then there is the feeling of getting wet in the rain…no matter where I am, i’m always reminded of GOA, PVR and Krishh…that day we were at the beach–my bro, ma best friend and my sunshine–we had so much fun till it started pouring heavily, and we had to rush off to PVR for cover. Wet from head to toe, we sat inside that freezing theatre, watching the worst film ever made!

The sight of the “next” electronics store reminds me of a broken foot and 100s of Mumbai’s foot-over-bridge steps that i crossed with it!! Oh the fun we had that June!

Tin Tin comics remind me of an Alliance Francais classmate whom i hated!

Barista reminds me of a slapstick joke that made a friend spurt out a mouthful of coffee over the clean walls there!

Odonil reminds me of a long-back crush!!!

All films that have babies and adoring parents remind me of Amma and Achan…and i wanna go home…to kerala…trivandrum…ooooh…i so miss them…i soo love them too!!!

Best of all: there is this weird smell (not a stink)…i dont know how to describe it (wish i could attach it to this post)…know what it reminds me of?? hehehe…you wouldn’t guess! it reminds me so much of my playschool bathroom!!! Hahaha…no, i repeat this isnt a stink. It was this squeaky clean place (where i used to spend most of my time to stay away from ABCs and I23s…)

And posts like this reminds me of my Alzheimers…i dont know what i’m writing…i logged in to write something i really wanted to let you all know…but it’s totally slipped ma mind…am not in the best of ma senses, i guess…missing home beeeeeg time….sorry for a bad time, guys! Imagine you never read this, please! 😀

P.S: This post will be edited and re-posted when the “senses” are bac 😀

There’s more….coming soon!

countdown to 21 June!

an exciting plan…a bunch of enthused friends…100+ excited mails…fixing of dates…fixing of venues…crosschecking availabilities and conveniences…and the countdown to June 21! 🙂

there were 15 of us in our PR&Ad class in college—5 guys and 11 gals…OK…wrong math…

there were 16 of us in our PR&Ad class in college—5 guys and 11 gals—and one year of togetherness: the joys, the suspension (!!), the unity, the rifts, the support, the quarrels, the fun-times, the bitching (fun again!), the backstabbing, the strong friendships, the new relations, the joys…well, life’s a full circle!

In a college predominant with north Indian students, ours had been the only class with an only-Keralites population! Though we were all 16 totally different people—in the true sense of the word ‘totally’—probably because of the ‘spirit-of-the-Malayali’, we had a strange unity which was lacking in all the other courses/classes taken together!! And so, even when we got suspended (for bunking our half term exams!), all 16 of us were in it together! (Actually, no…there was one guy who didn’t; but we managed to get him dismissed forever! The things people do in colleges!!)

It was a strange year…that one year at SCMS. Within a small group of just 15 (not wrong math…remember one went off forever?), we somehow managed to have the number of ‘issues’ and quarrels you’d actually expect from a group of 50! Within the class, most of us had problems with the other; but between us and the college management, we were one! Between one group of friends and the other, there were never-ending troubles; but between us and the rest of the students in that college, we were one! Even after college, rifts between individuals continued; but when it came to a meet-up after two loooong years, we were all game!

Of this 15, though only 13 were invited (along with their spouses/future-spouses) for The Meet (TM henceforth 😀 ). Of that 13, one was in Bahrain, one in Dubai, one in Chennai, one in Hyderabad, four in Kochi, and the remaining five in Bangalore. Since “majority wins” is a universally accepted slogan, we decided TM should happen at Bangalore…the dates 21 and 22 June were blocked in everyone’s calendar…and awww…the excitement that went into it…

Jaya started the mail-threads…telling everyone to gear up • Gulfu took charge of booking the venue • Leena and I contributed to the mails…doesn’t cost anything to motivate people, does it? • We fought with Manju—for saying she might not be able to come because of a company review (and gave her sound advices: there are a million other companies you can get into, but friends like us, there’s jus us!) • We implored Raju, who’d come from Dubai for a short stay with his folks, to extend his visa up to 25th • Biju, as always, was game—any day, any time, any place: just tell him and he’ll be there! • We told Poornima to make sure tickets from Bahrain are booked well in advance…and to even pre-pone her university viva if possible 😀 , so that she can make it to India! • We told Siji to make sure her 3-month old baby is all fine—and make it for TM • We told Rakhi to ditch her first film’s music launch (she’s a singer) and come over to Bangalore • We told Deepti to book flights from Hyderabad to and from Bangalore for at least one day (since her dad wasn’t too happy with the idea of sending her over for ‘a weekend’) • Breeze had her MBA exams going on…and was all teary-eyed (we’re sure) for missing out on the fun! • Merlin is always waiting for a chance to escape from the heat of Chennai…she doesn’t need any coaxing!

the thrilling plan…13 enthused friends…100+ excited mails…fixing 21 and 22 June…fixing venue—a jungle resort (!?)…crosschecking availabilities and conveniences…and the countdown to June 21…until it all boiled down to nothing!

It never happened…hehe…yes, you read it right, it never happened!!! We are still that same group of 16—well, 13 according to the new statistic—13 totally different individuals; though as a group we were all excited and united, guess within everyone (knowing each other as well as we do) there was a guarantee that it’d finally be all smoke and no fire! 😀

It’s always like this…when we do/plan something with all excitement, especially if it is well in advance, like a much-awaited film; a highly anticipated trip; a dress given at the tailor, which you are so looking forward to get back (this happens to me every single time, damn!); anything, anything at all that you are hopeful of—Murphy is sure to mark his attendance!!! But well, we are all still positive…we still hope…we still anticipate; and so I’m still hopeful we will have TM someday, won’t we, friends? Unless 13 is that bad a number!! 😉 (It’s good to always have a back-up excuse; let’s point fingers at 13!)

I dedicate this post to all members of the SCMS PR&A—2005-06 batch! 🙂

Finally, I saw GOD…

Yes!! I finally saw GOD. When GOD crashed down into my room and right on to my bed (from which GOD toppled over and crashed on to the floor again), GOD gave me such a scare! I was rather rude to GOD (excuse me for using ‘GOD’ all the time: I’m not quite sure if it’s a he or a she—GOD’s not even human-like, for that matter—floating around, not touching the bed, but making lil’ folds on the sheet…)

Hmmm, so as I was saying, I was rather rude to GOD because I had no idea who/what ‘it’ was…and in much irritation I said “Oh God, what the hell?”. And GOD didn’t react. GOD just stared at me (awed at my vocabulary, GOD said)! That was it! In my irritation, I didn’t even notice the floating body (the only reason I wasn’t scared to death)…and that awesome, soothing voice failed to console me.

Then GOD said “Ennodu kshamikkanam…oru valya ocha kettaa veenathu.” That’s Malayalam for “Please forgive me. I got scared by a really loud sound…and that’s how I fell down.” (Yes, GOD is a multi-linguist.) Then GOD went on to tell me that GOD was passing above my roof when a blaring sound from a funnel-shaped thing screamed out something—and GOD was caught off-guard, lost balance and crashed down. The funnel-shaped thing, I found out in due course, happened to be a loudspeaker attached to the pillar of the mosque near my house!

Apparently, GOD comes floating down once a while to see how things are going on on this earth…and trust me, the expression on GOD’s face when GOD told me this wasn’t all that great!

GOD went on to say GOD was happily watching beautifully-lit small trees, with stars in front of most houses the last time GOD came down to Earth (sometime late in the year, GOD said) when suddenly at the stroke of one midnight, everyone rushed into a place called “Church” and started bending down and murmuring things, looking up at another carved, human figure! Yes, GOD admitted GOD was shocked. “What’s happening to all you humans?”, GOD asked.

Before I could even answer GOD’s doubts and questions, (I’m even thinking GOD is dumb; isn’t GOD supposed to know everything? Who’s GOD trying to fool here anyways?? aha!) well, GOD goes on…GOD says GOD sees people pushing and shoving each other in this place adorned with lit lamps, floral garlands and the smell of something nice all around (I gave him an incense stick for reference, and GOD nodded; Ok, so GOD is talking about a temple!!)—what surprises GOD most is a small carved human-shaped (again!!) stone being washed with water (sometimes even with ghee and milk!) and then adorned with a cream-coloured paste (sandal, yes) and covered again with more flowers!

GOD said GOD had also witnessed people killing animals at these places (GOD uses the phrase ‘flower-garland place’), pouring money into small boxes, rolling around the entire flower-garland place—on the stone floor, that too—fasting day-in, day-out, walking around with spears right through their tongues and cheeks, walking all the way up through thorn-adorned mountains…and at the end of all this, they bow before a small carved human-shape!

GOD finds it preposterous that humans form groups and fight with each other, calling out words like (GOD apparently keeps hearings these) Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Jesus, Vishnu, Allah, Koran, Bible…and then a lot of them fall dead before the fight is over… GOD didn’t even finish saying the word ‘bombs’…just shruddered!

GOD said “It’s unbelievable…preposterous! I know you are too young to answer my queries, Priya (yes, we got intro-ed to each other and shook hands a while ago) but I really don’t understand what all these things are…why do people keep bowing and praying before human figures? Do they not think of me anymore? Have humans become more powerful than me? For the record, I keep hearing and seeing you use the word ‘GOD’…that’s why I chose to fall through this particular roof… and well, it’s about time I left…I hear another person saying “GOD”. You know, it’s easy to hear that—while everyone’s screaming Jesus, Allah and Vishnu, a one-in-a-million “GOD” is very audible”.

When we complain that our prayers are never answered…well, now you know why! When we say “How many poojas I did…what was the use?” well, now you know why! When you say “How many candles I lit…what was the use?” well, now you know why! When we despair that “All that namaz yielded nothing…” well, now you know why!

Poor GOD thinks we are all praying to some super-powerful human!!! We think GOD looks like us… But GOD doesn’t look like us…no similarities at all…GOD stares for hours together at an idol of Jesus or Vishnu (or the zillion other Hindu idols) or the view (even if imaginary) of Mecca, and GOD is absolutely clueless! All GOD knows is that GOD is never called on… The poor thing is even a bit in despair that we have all taken to human super-powers and are devoted to them!

Now we know…or do we? Will we ever know at all?

P.S.: And now I know why GOD didn’t react when I said “Oh God, what the hell?” (when GOD initially crashed in). I know why GOD didn’t correct me as “What a contradictory statement” or “Did you mean to say ‘Oh God, what the heaven?’ and all those smart remarks…’coz GOD does not even know what heaven or hell is!

Tag Heur…oops…more like “tag hour”!

A fellow blogger tagged me on a real interesting post. On brands! Well, in my short span in the wordpress world, this happpens to be my first tag…thanks fellow blogger…hehehe…so here goes:

Every morning, i wake up from a Kurl-on mattress that overflows from a rather cute Indroyal cot. With sleepy PRIYA eyes (a real happening brand 😉 )  i look at the time on my SonyEricsson phone; am always shocked at how late I am…and then cross check the time on my Titan/DKNY watch ! Damn, cant afford to lie down for another minute! then i waddle over tu the bathroom, pick up my Oral-B toothbrush, smear some Colgate paste and brush off the stink from ma mouth…and its time for a beauty bath! i enjoy my bath amidst the aroma of my Pears soap, Dove shampoo and Elvive conditioner. After a while, the smells are too intoxicating. So i put on my brandless ( 😀 ) jeans, my Fabindia kurta/shirt, my Dr Scholls/Nike (depends on my top, which depends on my mood), grab my lock and key and rush out!

Yes, again i realise i’m not that stunningly beau tu go to office without make up! So, i’m back in a jiffy…dab on some Nivea cream, sprinkle some Ponds talcum powder, dab my lips with some Vaseline (am allergic tu lipstick! 😦 ), put some Livon on ma damp hair, brush it…and rush out again!!

Back home after work, i use a Compaq lappie, watch a Sharp TV, use Reliance internet conn, and use a Pilot pen to make ugly sketches :D. I’m, addicted to pencils…and they are the only things which i don’t sort by brand 🙂 ! Now, lemme tag this tu a few people…here goes, Manu, Aswin, Keshi, La vida loca and Ajay!

A visitor from nowhere…

…well, not exactly. The visitor was from wordpress all right. But not to AlphabetWorld; it was to Cucumber City. The visitor came in with a huge sense of humour and left a comment…in response to which i visited his space…

There were lots of cracks; but strangely, i could see distorted reflections. Obviously, the cracks did not give a perfect view of myself in the reflection; but in bits and pieces of glass here and there, I could see parts of myself…and I liked it. An eye here; a nose there…pieces of me all scattered around; but not complete, so not entirely myself. Strange coincidences…strange links…strange similarities…and a strange feeling!

But the alphabets there were fun-filled; sensible; humourous; interesting; captivating; simple…and so i’ve shifted base from the “City” (cucumber city) to the “Press” (word press)…

If you are wondering where you’ll get distorted reflections…well, where else? it should be in a mirror that’s shattered…at MirrorCracked. 😉

Damn difficult to “have a life” !

Whoever coined the phrase “have a life” had no relatives and friends. Thankfully (for him/her)! You know what I mean? Everyone has an opinion on anything and everything you do…while you just try being a ‘non-everyone’ by trying to live your life happily without treading on anyone’s life. And sometimes, even that’s a mistake: “Why aren’t you calling on me/us?” “Why don’t you at least tell me/us before taking decisions?” “I/We know you don’t care for my/our opinion, but still…” “I/We really think you should involve yourselves in others a bit…be human.” And some other times: “What do you think I/we should do?” (“Its your life, i have no idea”; “But don’t you have any concern??”) And at others: “You stay out of what I/we do; don’t tell me when I/we can and cannot interfere in things” (“even if it means interrupting your life!”).

Well, its funny at times…you actually start wondering who you are and whom your life belongs to. If I care for my feelings and happiness, does it make me selfish? Ok…then if/when I care more for others and their happiness, how do I become a duffer-with-no-individuality ? 😐 Wierd, I say. Well, right now, am going through such a situation…half of I am selfish; the other half (or so it will appear to the ‘others’) has no individuality! And as always, that leaves me confused: what do I do?

Any suggestions, readers ?? Willing to individualistically implement them and unselfishly share the results (as long as you dont find it ‘tiresome’ to suggest.

Waiting…waiting…waiting…

Those people called ‘parents’

Age 3: Amma (mom) pets and pampers me enough, keeping away troublesome cousins, aunts and uncles. Achan (dad) brings home sweets, doesn’t force me to have food that I don’t like and even scolds Amma if she scolds me! Amma is working, and is never at home when we (my brother and I) come back from school. Must be the stress…but she scolds a lot.
Age 8: We have shifted to a new place. Amma is not working anymore…she’s always at home…and narrates stories and anecdotes in the evenings and at night. She’s never angry these days. Achan goes to work, but takes us to his friends’ houses occasionally…and at the supermarket, allows us to buy any number of :).
Age 10: We are back in our hometown. Amma’s started working again…and is again angry most days…must be the stress. Achan is still in the other town, and comes home only during weekend—that too, not all weekends. I keep asking or a lot of things, but he never buys. Forgets, maybe. Amma scolds a lot. I think she likes my brother more :(.
Age 14: My friends keep telling me about new dresses and bags and fancy pencil and geometry boxes. How come I never get them so often? I think I have very bad, insensitive parents. And they like my brother more. My best friend’s mom is a housewife. I think Amma should quit work.
Age 16: I have a lot of friends and hang out with them a lot. Amma doesn’t like it too much…she likes my friends, but not the amount of time I spend with them. She thinks I should be more at home. I don’t like it when she behaves like this. My brother goes around with his friends; yet Amma says nothing…in fact she tells me that he’s more loving and ‘homely’. Dad never interferes in anything that we do…is he too detached or is he just leaving us to be independent? And I think Amma should quit work.
Age 17: I hate being at home these days…even my brother is away at the college hostel. Dad is kind of angry these days…and too distant from us. I think Amma should quit work. She is also stressed out and irritable. I wish I could get away from home…and from my hometown ! I’m not brilliant at studies…and I think Amma despises me for that…she always says my brother studies very well. I think she likes him more :(. I failed miserably in the engineering admission test. Am sure Amma will hate me even more. Who cares…I have enough friends!
Age 18: Achan and Amma surprised me tremendously by making me feel good about not getting into engineering. They told me to join for Arts…English Literature…Amma even said she knows I’ll excel in that. Wow…she thinks I can be good in something?? WoW!
Age 19: Am doing well in college…my professors had called in Amma for a meeting…and she told me she’s proud of me…from what she heard from them. Dad is super cool. When I told him I had got into a relationship and ow wanted to back off, he stood by me and helped! Amma and Achan takes every chance to encourage me in whatever I do…whatever decisions I make…but they guide me if my decision is wrong—with delicate words…they are really lovely people. Only lucky people gets parents like them!
Age 20: Something tragic happened at home…my brother had a mishap…everyone is scared. But he’s ok. My college life is over. I went to Mumbai to seek admissions for my PG. Achan and Amma has agreed…they are really good. Was there for around 45 days, with my bestest friend…though I had a lot of fun, I keep missing Amma and Achan terribly (not to mention my brother). I can’t believe this…I thought I’ll be happy to be away from them! How wrong I was…they are the best human beings I ever saw. As parents, they are ideal! A dream come true!
Age 21: I did my PG in Kerala itself…but away from my home town. Oh how I kept missing Amma and Achan. I still remember how she cried when she left me at my hostel. She loves me too! And when I fell terribly ill, Dad drove all the way from our hometown and took me home! They are such loving parents. I was the one who’d been bad all the while…for never understanding them.
Age 22: I am in love…this is serious. And the guy is a Christian. I thought they’d never agree. But they told me they value my happiness more than anything. If I’m sure he’s the one, so are they! And they are ready to sacrifice anything for my sake…

Isn’t it amazing—and a bit weird—how we fail to understand some of the most important people in our lives? Comparison being one of the prime characteristics of humans, we always look at what others get and wonder why that never happens to us…it’s only when you start understanding what others don’t get, that you realise the blessings you are laden with. A series of life experiences and situations made me realise how extremely lucky I was to get parents like mine. If there’s something I’d never give away for all the goodness in the world, it’s them…my Dad and Mom…they are a dream come true!! Lov ya both!!

Earlier comments.

I am a girl…and i just love being one!

Speaking for a moment for all girls, it is understandable when one of us say “i hate a girl!”…understandable that one (or many) situation or the other at that moment made her say that. What i just dont understand is why guys perk up immediately and say “yea, being a guy is much better!” If you ask me, being a guy is always better…but only for guys; and being a girl is best…but only for girls! If one of us were to ever get a chance to be the other one, i’m sure it’d be hell.

I grew up to very supportive and broad-minded parents and an adoring, adorable elder brother. Like a girl (am not using ‘typical’ as a prefix, since I feel there’s nothing ‘typical’ about girls!), I used to be weepy and shy. Then I slowly grew up to be a tom boy—all my friends were actually my brother’s friends; the games I played with them were all cricket, wrestling-in-the-mud, war-games and all typical Indian games that boys usually play. Then I grew up again to be a girls-only type! For
almost 4-5 years, I never had a single friend of the male type! And again, back to a mixed crowd I jumped…and became hugely popular with guys again…this time, mine own friends, along with my brother’s.

In spite of all this, I still remained a girl…and even when I’m in the midst of guys, I’m a girl by myself…I am not sad I cant talk about cars or cricket—I have a goldfish’s brain for these things, apart from many other 😉 …I’ve never learnt to drive (feel ashamed when my mom makes fun, but am thankful I don’t get sent to shop after shop to buy stuff for the house :D) and to answer one of the popular mails floating around, I’m not sad I cant jump into a pool wearing a white shirt…that I cant jump into a pool wearing no shirt…that I cant pee anywhere on the road…that I cant pee while I’m standing…buf!! but still, I love being a girl…and I love everything about being a girl…being who I am…

Am not a feminist…I hate that genre and drear to think of being one. I don’t think guys are chauvinists…its just that they are proud of being guys—and just don’t realise that we re proud to be girls ourselves!! Am I making any sense at all? Ok, here’s why I’m writing this…

A friend spoke to me a few days back…and when I told him I had decided to take a break from work for a while and go home, he told me “look, don’t be a fool and act like a girl. You are not just a girl, you are more than that”!! Hello, now do you want me to do specifics and prove that I happen to be a girl? The “more than that” part is appreciated, thank you; but what about the “not just a girl”? I really don’t understand why guys think it’s a compliment to tell a girl “you are not just a girl/don’t act like a girl” Act??? Did you actually use that word??
I had barely come over it when, while out shopping (I had bought one dress from an outlet and was heading towards the next) another friend asks “why are you behaving like other girls? (implying that I’m ‘different’!) Do you have to go to more than one shop to buy a couple of shirts??”. Dude, if you got a problem, head home…I can shop without you!!

Now what is all this? What do “other girls” do?
• Weep when they are sad? Despair over a snub? • Cry when in pain? • Enjoy the rain? And the wind and the smell after that? • Take more than 30 minutes to buy 4 shirts? And go to more than one shop for that? • Prefer books over sports? Generally? • Giggle over silly jokes? • Giggle over no joke? • Like stuffed toys? • Keep a diary and write in it?

Well I also do all these things…and crazier stuff than this…call me unpredictable; call me eccentric; call me a girl…but please don’t call me “different” and don’t ask my why I behave like a girl! The answer is right in your face, dodo!!
And yea: if you find the way girls behave to be funny, get yourself tested…maybe you really dont know the difference between the genders. By the way, we don’t think guys behave funny! Period.

Earlier comments.