Nightmares for rent

“Where will I keep the garbage? Will someone come to collect it?”
*no…we usually used to eat it the next day*

“Can I move the furniture around?”
*dude, you decide. Stop calling me for every simple thing*

“Who hung all these pictures here?”
*they got bored and hung themselves*

“Whose picture is that?”
*go figure instead of wasting my time*

“The stars in that room scared me. Who stuck them here?”
*thank god you’ve never looked up at the sky!*

“There’s a weird sound every night. What’s that?”
*probably the neighbours’ reaction when they saw you*

“What have you told the tenants upstairs about me?”
*the truth…which explains the weird night sound*

“What will I tell them if they ask me how I know you?”
*there isn’t much, is there? :P*

“Blah blah blah…”
*tearing my hair out*

“You know what? I don’t have Gtalk or Gmail at office :(”
*overjoyed at the prospect of limited bugging*

“I took a phone connection with 400 free messages and low-rate calls.”
*tearing the remaining hair out and thinking ‘why oh why did I do this!?:roll:*

“Blah blah blah…”
*keeps telling him my parents are the house owners, not me, but he doesn’t seem to hear*

.
When you know a crazed man, you generally stay away. You try and be polite (though you snub him every chance you get), but you generally keep away, keeping your family also away from him. You try to limit your connection with him to a few words over a chat or across a blog.

But at times, your sense of judgment fails you, and you break those rules, become friends, introduce him to your family… and WORST of all, rent out your house to him! 😮 That too, a good house in a good locality. And what’s more!? It’s fully furnished, fully furnished, fully furnished (there you go: three times over :P) too!

Damn! Now, before long, the house would be virtually invisible. All that passers-by would be able to see would be a huge blob of cobwebs 🙂 Serves you right, Priya, for renting out your house to that wannabe, pseudo-spiderman whom you’re always at war with.
😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀

Oh…  Hi Vimmuuu… hows life? It’s always a pleasure talking to you!

a strange weekend…actually, two!

No no… I did not disappear again. Had made an impromptu trip to Trivandrum, my hometowncity.

The trip turned out to be one of those “totally unplanned, outright fun” ones! All the cousins and second cousins and uncles and aunts were cooped up under the same roof — and we all had so much fun there! Apart from marriages, Onam, and a once-in-a-while first-birthday party, we don’t get together like this: and I can’t really remember the last time we all were together like this…the last time we all had such fun. About 40-odd people — adults and us ‘kids’. Everyone forming tiny little groups in every single space available and chattering, laughing (and even singing), merry-making…

Occasionally, when our laughter crossed the allowed decibel level, aunts and uncles came barging in, admonishing and ordering us to behave ourselves. Yet, at the same time, we could see the ‘elders’ in the family sitting around and sharing old-time stories…their childhood and their pranks — and laughing their hearts out!

But it was all very strange throughout — this merrymaking in the family; the neighbours must all think we’re a bunch of sadistic, barbaric  tribals! Well, can’t really blame them: because it was not really one of those “planned get-togethers”; and I was not really on an “unplanned, fun” trip. I had hurried off to Trivandrum to attend my grandmother’s funeral…

Grandma’s death was much anticipated…and entirely “prayed-for”, I might say. She was slowly entering a phase of immense suffering…and everyone was hoping she’d be called away before too long. So, in a way, we could defend ourselves, saying we were celebrating her ‘escape from sufferings’ or such crap.

Granma

There! She was the last member of that generation’s lot. Now, apparently, “we all” will never ever get-together like this anymore. Grandma had perhaps been a unifying factor: the reason why everyone got together under that roof occasionally. Now, each to one’s own.

Guess it’s true; four of my cousins are in the middle east; one’s in Delhi; one’s in Cochin; one’s planning to go off soon to Australia; two of us are here in Bangalore; one is off to UK…and God knows when we’ll all see each other again. Unlike those good old days, none of us seem to be really pulled home by force, excitement and urge to attend to weddings and childbirths in the family any longer. We all have our excuses: projects to be completed; horrid bosses who grant no leave; new job, so no leave; exams, so can’t skip school/college; low attendance, will get into the professor’s black list ; out of the country, can’t be bothered to make a presence…and so on. Somehow, a death seem to bring a jolt to each one of us (and to the bosses, teachers and professors as well, God-knows-how!) and everyone turns up somehow or the other.

So, maybe sub-consciously, we all knew it was one of those “this-wont-last-too-long-and-may-very-well-be-the-last-time” times together…and must’ve taken full advantage of it. Bonded with each other asap…sang, danced, wrestled, fooled around, had palmistry sessions, had PJ-sessions…had “tonne kanakkinu fun, fun” (like the tagline of a local radio station goes)!

.

Now, its all over. Everyone’s gone back to whatever they were up to before 3.00 a.m. on July 16th!

back to work…

…but feels more like I’m back in school! 😀

Strangely, I had been a school-goer (wonder what my parents were thinking!)…and I vividly remember trudging back to school every June 1 — when the monsoon sets in, full force, in God’s Own Country. Wet uniforms and wet socks, which causes incessant chills and itch-under-the-feet respectively, was never an issue for the teachers and parents. Students were expected in class everyday! Bah!

The situation is more or less similar now as well. After a break of 157 days from work (!!!), I joined back this monday — and I feel like I used to on those June 1sts, long back 😉 .There’s no time for anything. Time seems to fly — and in Concordes, that too 😉 Before I know, it’s morning and I’m struggling to wake up. Before I’m ready to be awake, I’m already in the bus. Before I’m settling into my seat, I’ve reached office. Before I even take in the jobs for the day, it’s time to catch the last bus home. Before I’m properly seated and letting out a tired sigh, I’m stepping into the kitchen. Before I finish chewing the first tid-bit, it’s time to sleep…and before my eyelash-neighbours kiss each other goodnight, it’s time to wake up!

And being married doesn’t help at all. Hehe…I can’t be lazy anymore. Can’t over-sleep. Can’t quit breakfast anymore. Can’t quit dinner anymore. In fact, there’s no point in doing all that — because I have to prepare food, no matter what I  choose to do.

Either I shift this house (it’s a really nice one!) somewhere close to Race Course Road; else, I get my boss to shift office to J.P. Nagar (highly unlikely 😀 ). Living 13 kms (read as 1.30 hours one-way travel) away from your workplace is not the most intelligent thing to do in Bangalore. Sigh!

All this translates into ‘no time for blogging’! That’s what I’m hating the most about this entire arrangement! And once you take a break from blogging, it’s damn tough to come back (as I’ve proved more than once already! 😀 ). And New Year Resolutions are just not meant to be!!! Like any other genius, I also took one — to blog everyday. So far, I’ve hopelessly failed in that!

From what I see, the year has started on the wrong note…or was it me? Ummmm…now let me re-cap — which side of the bed did I wake up on Jan 1? The foot-side, I guess! See… I’m not even making any sense here in this post! First post of 2009. And this is, so far, my worst post ever! I pity all you readers for the rest of the year. But swalpa adjust maadi; keep visiting, keep reading! 😀

Happy New Year again, folks!

P.S.: All you people who are single, remain so forever! Enjoy life. 😉 😀

if they had a life…

am as bored and lazy as this bored and lazy doggie here 😀

I’m so lazy these days, I’m wondering if I’ll ever ever be able to ‘work’ again….I think my career has gone for a six already 😀 😀 😀 (I’m due back in office in a couple of months’ time…but I’m not sure any more that’ll be an intelligent thing for my boss to do! 😛 )

Boredom and laziness can always work towards giving you weird ideas and crappy imagination. And it’s wonders had started working one me. Anyway, I was so out-of-mood and bored that I began telling myself “Have a life, Priya! Go out with friends, shop, read something, do some work…don’t just sit there like a lifeless chair (now, since when have there been chairs with life?)“, when I started wondering what all other lifeless stuff would do if they ‘had their lives’ 😀 😀 😀

Well, in my limited imagination and perspective, the hitherto ‘lifeless’ stuff around me would probably behave in the following ways: (I am sure they won’t approve of my perspective and will have better things to do. My bed would probably prefer walking around the house aimlessly and plopping on me every once in a while 😀 )

Yea, to begin with, the bed! I’m sure it’d love to turn upside down and lie on me with all its weight if it had a choice. I’m sure the cot would be extremely touchy, walk over to the nearby shop for ‘Super Glue’ and stick itself to the floor! 😐

The table in my room would probably put up a board “Do not litter me, use the waste bin instead!”, and the waste bin would feel bored and neglected (unless the table and the bin gets into a deal!) Am sure I give them enough opportunity for a decent barter system. 😀

My cupboard would sue me for choking it (even in its present lifeless state, it throws up throws out every single clothing of mine every time I yank the doors open. The cupboard doors, am sure, will have high blood pressure (holding the weight of all my clothes when its closed 😀 )

The bathroom would be the only happy ‘person’, I guess. I’m a pretty good singer and am always in full-throated musical extravaganza every time I enter in there (even now, it supports me with a lot of echo 😀 )…and well, not to mention the opportunity of seeing me naked, countless no. of times 😀 😀 😀 . But the washbasin would be a perpetual pneumonia patient (and suffer from high degrees of humiliation 😀 ). I refrain myself from thinking aloud of the EC’s (european closet) feelings! 😀 😀 😛

My toothbrush will probably think I’m a skunk of sorts 😀 . My comb would die of overwork. My handbag would probably wish it were born as a waste bin and do the same job it does now, but with dignity!

The PC would constantly swear at me in digital languages (!!) and sent out sparks (its way of kicking, since it has no legs 😀 ) The mouse, am sure, will wish there was a cat around and could attain salvation! Combined, the whole system would curse me for leaving the stinking deadbody of my UPS unburied for such a long time (read as years) 😀

My phone…ah! Its reactions and feelings, I got no clue about. For all the injustice I do to it (frequently dropping it; spraying it with water; almost-killing-it-by-leaving-it-chargeless for too long; leaving it around, making it scream for me endlessly when someone calls; and sitting on it now and then), I’m sure my phone will send out SMSs that say “save me from this moron(ess)” to my friends’ phones !

The TV would probably feel giddy at all times from too much channel switching…and would lose its mental stability (making it two maniacs in one house 😀 ).

My house will move out of town! 😀

…am not even getting to what these ‘lifeless stuffs’ would do in vengeance 😀 😀 If you ask me, I’m sure my bed would love to bulge its belly and burp out loud, throwing me off it! And the cot would probably grab me by my leg and swing me this way and that! The dirtiest (pun intended) vengeance would be of the EC :D:D . I shudder to think of it! 😀 😀 😛

Now, what do you think stuff in your house/office would do to you?

all my bags are packed, i’m ready to go…

The perfect song for me now…

“Going home” is generally a very happy feeling…especially when you have super-lovely parents! And till about a week back, I was all excited and doing the countdown. But well, now that 31 July (that’s my last official working day) is just 4 days away, I’m already feeling the 😦 that has set in…

Resource Communications…i still remember the day I first heard about it from a friend in Bangalore. I was in Trivandrum then, on the lookout for a job. The website implored me to apply and make sure i get through. But when I actually send in my application and got called for a ‘copy test’ (I applied for copywriting), I was thrilled and anxious at the same time. After the test, I booked my return ticket–I decided that it was the worst test I ever attended (blame my lack of talent) and wouldn’t get through 😀 And so, when a call came for the third round of interviews, I had a better opinion about myself! 😀

How a whole year, and a month after that, passed…i cant imagine!

Today, Resource for me is a totally different experience…its all about a lot of passion, hardwork, dicussions–heated and otherwise–ideas, blastings, dressing downs, meetings, reviews, trips…and most importantly, a mix of totally different kinds of people with a lot of passion!

And perhaps, the only organisation where food plays a high and mighty role in each one’s lives 😀 😀 😀  There are daily meetings where we discuss what food is yummiest where…organise breakfast trips, lunch trips and dinner trips 😀 😀 😀 And being an integrated ‘Indian team’, we have had our share of North-Indian, Karnataka, Andhra and Maharashtrian lunches till date.

But nothing matched the excitement we all had on the day our MD made masala dosas for all of us!! Hehehehe…yes, you read it right…our’s is a small team…12 main people and 5 support staff…so, anything that’s done in office, is done collaboratively! Again, the most striking thing about the MD-cooked-lunch was the passion and integrity with which he did it !! Well I still owe everyone at office a Kerala lunch 😀

Will probably do it when I come back from Kerala in a few months’ time and join back in this same lovely company!!! Well, when bosses refuse to accept resination letters, what else to do? 😀 (I’m so glad he did that! 😉 ) It will be like “coming back home”…

Lunch and food are just  of the few things in a typical Resource-day…if you set out to find a better place than Resource, you’ll invariably land up in front of a green-gated cosy building called Resource 😉