Profound Gibberish

I moved!

2011-04-30T18:30:00.004+09:00

It's been a while since I moved over to angelinebhavya.wordpress.com. I don't know how much profundity or gibberish I am letting out right now, but do hop over and find out!

Arbit

2007-02-25T00:06:00.000+09:00

I read a quote the other day, by Martina Navratilova, and it said "Go out there, and do what you gotta do."
Is it just me, or has someone heard this said before?
I like the simplicity and the rawness of this quote, but is it really a 'quote' in that it's a phrase we all have heard at some point in our lives? But as a friend told me the other day, as long as they aren't quoting Paris Hilton's 'That's hot!', it is tolerable.

I stop by again at the water cooler for a (surprise) glass of water. And as I gulp it down, I look at the map of the floor I work in, with a complicated colour-coded plan to exit in case of an emergency like a fire. And of course, it says 'Don't Panic'.
I think, in case of a fire, even the calmest person would not completely panic till he/she saw this map, and would freak out trying to look for the 'You are here' and then pass out before he/she figures out how to get out.

I was in a bus the other day, and there was this large lady who seemed like she could bully anybody if she wanted to. She occupied most of the seat she was in, and fumbled around with two mobile phones. Finally she called somebody, and within a few minutes, in the loudest voice, started talking in baby-ese. You know, how one talks to a baby? She was really loud and the whole bus had to pretend they didn't hear her. I, of course, could not hold on any longer, and so increased the volume of the music I was listening to. But hear her, I could. And I looked at another lady, who was a just about to explode with laughter, and I was just about managing the same, and she looked at me, and we burst out at once. Fortunately, BabyTalker didn't hear us.

If you think this post is random, you probably haven't seen some of the communities on Orkut. Yes, you hate that place. You are on it, aren't you?
Of course you are.

Changed

2006-12-03T20:36:00.000+09:00

"Have a great week, we'll see you next sunday. God be with you."

Lynn woke up from her seat, looking around for familiar faces, as the crowd walked out of church. Everyone headed for the food stalls right outside, where homemade lemon tarts and brownies waited for the mob. Being quite shy, Lynn waited for somebody, anybody to come up and talk to her. She fiddled around with her mobile phone, looking through the phonebook, reading old messages in her inbox. Every now and then, she looked up. She waved at a few folks, who smiled at her as they left the building. Time to leave, she thought, as she munched away at her brownie. Suddenly she felt small hands clinging to her waist. Looking down, she saw a little girl, with bright eyes and an infectious smile. Quite alarmed, Lynn looked around to see who this kid's parents were. When she couldn't find them, she looked back at the girl, who was still holding on to her.

"Hi!" said Lynn.
"Hi!!!"
"What's your name?" asked Lynn, smiling, as she pointed at the little girl's nose.
"Mira!" came the loud reply, as if the girl had just realised that her name was indeed a nice one.
"Mira! so where's mummy and daddy?"
"No mummy, no daddy" said Mira, still smiling away.
"Oh..." Lynn was now uncomfortable, not knowing what to say next.
As if she read her mind, Mira went on.
"I live at orphanage!!" she shrieked, and nodded, to say it was a lovely place.

They met again the next sunday.
"Auntie!!!" Mira screamed as she ran towards Lynn and hugged her tight. Lynn melted instantly and hugged her back.
"I have to go! bye!" Mira ran, holding her friend's hands.

One sunday, Lynn was greeted with a familiar hug, this time along with a question.
"Why you not come last week??"
Lynn smiled, very surprised that little Mira had sensed her absence.

These days, Lynn walks out of church, and looks for a pair of bright eyes. And smiles as soon as the spots them. Sometimes she's the one asking for a hug from the little one, when Mira forgets to promptly deliver them.

How to win blogs and influence bloggers

2006-09-01T21:50:00.000+09:00

Dear blog,
I know you have difficulty recognizing me. I don't update you very often, and sometimes I don't know what to say to you. I'm sorry for the times you felt embarrassed to show your sorry un-updated face to frustrated visitors who wanted something to read. I'm sorry for the couple of times I've written up things and backed out before hitting 'publish'. I hope that someday you will take pride in who you really are, and not gather your identity by who's reading you and who's not.
Sure, your buddies tell you that their bloggers type away at their text boxes and some others get lucky twice a day even.
But I want you to listen to your inner blog. Yes, the one that refuses to give up on its blogger. The blogger who cheated on you by pouring her heart out to some 'other' blogs to enjoy the benefits of anonymity, but still has come running back to you.
Always yours,
Angel

Mindfreak

2006-07-31T01:38:00.000+09:00

Jacko, my faithful tagger, has done it again. (this one's for TAAM, gimme five, man!)

On to more interesting people...ME, for instance.

I am thinking about...
how tags are SO last year!

I said...
It's not all okay. But it's all okay. (think about THAT!)

I want to...
Walk on a beach and feel small beside the majesty of the ocean.

I wish...
I could read the minds of some people.

I hear...
tomato prices have gone up again. (Is this true?)

I wonder...
why I just brought up the tomatoes!

I regret...
not having played enough sport in the past four years.

I am...
wondering who came up with this tag!!

I dance...
like no-one's watching. I mean...WHEN no-one's watching. I make sure they don't.

I sing...
all the time. Sometimes just inside my head.

I cry...
when I feel overwhelmed or extremely happy or helpless or deeply sad or...

I am not always...
This boring. Sometimes I am...*yawn* what was I saying?

I make with my hands...
two thumbs up to the guys who came up with the remote control.

I write...
whenever I feel like. (but you knew that already)

I confuse...
people when I try to tell jokes...I tend to get into the technicalities, hence killing the humour slowly but surely.

I need...
to make myself clear.

And finally...
how high ARE those tomato prices???

On demand, this tag is passed on to one busybee who's rather lazy these days.

More Gibberish Cometh!!

2006-07-25T05:57:00.000+09:00

After a series of fake-posts, I realised I couldn't fool my readers any more...(yes, the two of you who still come to check for an update...thank you!). Here's my little trial at a comeback...hoping to entice you with this new template. (AND buy time to think of material for a REAL post.)
Most of my blogger-buds who were very active back in those days when the Indian government didn't try to kill our fun, have become rather quiet these days. One of them was heard saying, "I'm trying to get a life offline." (yes, there IS such a thing, who knew??) I'm hoping he didn't take tips from Opal Mehta.

Here's me signing off, hoping to follow this post(!) up with yet ANOTHER tag, and then hopefully back to the usual posting. (yes yes I hear the cheering!!)

DAYdreaming

2006-03-24T05:04:00.000+09:00

I spent all of yesterday thinking it was wednesday when it was actually thursday. Although I was glad that I was closer to the weekend, I felt a little cheated...I was my wednesday self on a thursday.

Soulmate tag, Angel style

2006-02-09T05:53:00.000+09:00

Shrutz and I had a conversation once about characteristics we would like in our soulmates...and we came up with quite a list...mostly because I'm a list freak, and it kind of rubbed off on her.

After a while, here's what happened:

me: how many frogs will need to be kissed before THAT guy shows up!
shrutz: *sigh* millions

a little later:

shrutz: funny thing is, the guy who might satisfy all this will be looking for
shrutz: tall beautiful fair convent educated HOMELY girl

So, there you have it, people. Two cynical, single girls doing the standard 'the one' talk.
But of course, at the end of that conversation we agreed that no-one can be judged as a worthy or unworthy companion on the basis of a checklist.

Which is why I kind of twisted the funda of the tag!

My soulmate would be somebody I can sing these to:

You are the bearer of unconditional things
You held your breath and the door for me
Thanks for your patience

You’re the best listener that I’ve ever met
You’re my best friend
Best friend with benefits
What took me so long...
(Head over Feet - Alanis)

It's always been a mystery to me
How two hearts can come together
And love can last forever
But now that I have found you, I believe
That a miracle has come
When God sends the perfect one
Now gone are all my questions about why
And I've never been so sure of anything in my life

I wonder what God was thinking
When He created you
I wonder if He knew everything I would need
Because He made all my dreams come true
When God made you
He must have been thinking about me...
(When God made you - Newsong)

You see everything, you see every part
You see all my light and you love my dark
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed
There's not anything to which you can’t relate
And you’re still here ...
(Everything - Alanis)

Come away with me on a bus
Come away where they can't tempt us
With their lies

I want to walk with you
On a cloudy day
In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high...
(Come away with me - Norah Jones)

Darling did you know I dream about life together
Knowing it will be forever
I'll be yours and you'll be mine
And darling when I say
Till death do us part
I'll mean it with all of my heart
Now and always faithful to you...
(Wait for me - Rebecca St. James)

And of course, I wouldn't mind being serenaded either.

Musicology

2006-02-09T04:11:00.000+09:00

I got tagged by - Jax, the rhythm behind my vocals!

Total volume of music on my computer: About 8 GB

Title & Artist that I last bought/borrowed : 'This Generation' by Sonic Flood.

Song I am playing right now : "Hey Jude" by The Beatles

Five+ Songs that I like/have been hooked onto:

Audio Adrenaline - "Ocean Floor"
The Archies - "Sugar, Sugar"
Dave Mathews Band - "Everyday"
Jamie Cullum - "All at sea"
Jennifer Knapp - "A Little More"
Mariah Carey & Westlife - "Against all odds"
The Fugees - "Killing me softly"
Joss Stone - "Fell in love with a boy"
Bruce Springsteen - "Secret Garden"
Oasis - "Champagne Supernova"
B.B King feat. Sheryl Crow - "Need your love so bad"
U2 - "The sweetest thing"
Jars of Clay - "Unforgetful You"
Switchfoot - "Meant to live" and "Let that be enough"
Lifehouse - "Hanging by a moment"
John Mayer - "Daughters" and "Why Georgia"
Norah Jones - "Nightingale" and "Humble me"
Sixpence none the richer - "Kiss me"
Alicia Keys - "If I ain't got you"

I pass on this tag to those who feel like doing it.

The price of a tag!!!

2006-02-03T20:57:00.000+09:00

I've been tagged by Jax(thanks a LOT, man!). It's that 20 things tag that I've been reading on other people's blogs. I remember feeling all relieved that I hadn't been tagged with it. I mean, I'm the one who thought "7 is a LOT!" when I got tagged with the 7 tag.

Tags are the cyberworld equivalent of Reality T.V, are they not? They're attempts at getting to know the blogger behind the blog, and later the readers realise they were better off NOT knowing the real blogger!! After all, there is such a thing as "a little too much information".

But, I shall stop being the partypooper and join in the festivities!

So here are 20 totally random things about yours truly that you never asked for:

1. One of my favourite childhood recollections involves an act of audacity that I still can't seem to believe I commited. It was the annual day programme in my school, and I think I was in the second standard.
So, here I am sitting in the second last row, and having trouble getting a good view of the stage, so I do what every little kid instinctively does: I stand up on the chair.Stage visible, problem solved. What I don't know is that the last row has the big gang consisting of 12th standard 'bhaiyas', all known for their rowdiness and bellbottomed pants( yeah, they liked to personalise the school uniform). They're quite amused and a little irritated with this little girl blocking their view. So, they all cry in unison "Hey kid, sit down...can't you hear us? SIT DOWN!!"
And there I was, all engrossed in the play or folk dance or whatever it was, and getting a little annoyed with the mean boys and their low voices screaming at me. And then, I do what no kid has ever done before. I turn around, give them a cold look and say "WHY DON'T YOU STAND UP?"
*silence*

True story, people.You heard it here first!
Can you believe it? I still can't.

(For those of you who're scratching your heads, going "you call that BRAVE?", shut your traps and stop ruining my fond memories :) )

2. I once had a Mariah Carey phase. When I was 13, I had memorised most of the songs on the #1s album. Believe me, my rendition of 'one sweet day' is something that American Idol nightmares are made of. I also thought her duet with Brian Mcknight "Whenever you call" was really romantic. I still do.

3. I can't dance. I wouldn't say I have two left feet, and I do enjoy busting a move occasionally (mostly when no-one is watching), but I have to admit that I'm not a natural. In school, I was part of a 'fairy-dance', complete with white flowy gown and magic wand, but that doesn't count.

4. I love to sing, read and think.

5. I like taking online personality tests. (Tickle.com has found a regular visitor in me!)

6. Till I was about 14 or 15, I would pride myself over the fact that I'm not the sentimental idiot who cries while watching movies. And then I saw 'A river runs through it' in which Brad Pitt dies. And then it happened folks, Angel shed a tear!! It took Brad Pitt's death to get ME to cry. Then of course, there's Jerry Maguire and the whole "you complete me" scene which always manages to get me.
So yeah, now I am one of those sentimental idiots. But I mean, not every movie...only if...well, not exactly....what the heck, you're already laughing your head off.

7. I slapped a boy when I was in class 6. (And I did feel sorry about it later...but it still is a fond memory!)

8. I once took part in a T.V contest, and won a 'Star Plus' umbrella, keychain and cap. Yes, each thing had 'Star Plus' written all over it.

9. I am very curious by nature and like to google almost everything.

10. I love masala dosa, vada and strong coffee that one can only get in those south Indian fast food restaurants.

11. I am a foodie.

12. I enjoy animated movies, romantic comedies, as well as fantasy and adventure movies. I'm not really a fan of horror and action movies. I don't like sad endings, and I hate when people walk away from a theater while the credits roll...I find it disrespectful. Besides, those bloopers are fun to watch.

13. I can sometimes be annoyingly idealistic.

14. I once e-mailed a radio show requesting for a song, and they did play it. I screamed when I heard my name and later cringed when the R.J read out the long list of friends that I had dedicated the song to. To my relief, not many people I know had tuned in that day.

15. I am a closet romantic (and by saying that, I have negated the first part of that term). This means I utter my share of awwws, and secretly love movies like 'Ever-after' and 'Beauty and the beast'. But if you mention this the next time you talk to me, I'll probably laugh it off...hence the term 'closet'.

16. Once when I was about 15, while playing the recorder for 'Away in a Manger' during a christmas programme, I suddenly got nervous, and stopped abruptly. The crowd went silent, I heard gasps, and I wanted to crawl under a chair and die. Then I heard a calm voice from behind me, saying "Start again".I did. I still have no idea who it was ( A fellow-angel, perhaps? Although logic tells me it was someone from the choir). But somehow, it was a profound and special moment for me.

17. I have rapped twice, publicly...once for a large audience, and once for a smaller one. In my defence, I was young and impressionable and I won't do it again.

18. I have two older sisters, and I totally love doing midnight girltalk with them!!

19. I have really straight hair, and although I do like my hair, I think straight hair can get boring. Curly-haired folks seem more effervescent...but that doesn't mean I'm gonna perm my hair!

20. I am not too fond of tags. They make me talk, and worse, confess! I can't believe I got to #20.

Phew!

This tag is passed on to:

1) Doctor Pissed (THAT'S gotta piss you off)
2) Sahil (what was that you were saying about tags being revealing?)
3) Savitha (Let it all out!)
4)Lizzypooh

P.S : Shrutz, I'm on it...!

You've got a friend

2006-01-19T02:54:00.000+09:00

[*Nostalgia and mush alarm*. Don't blame me for the warm and fuzzy feeling you might experience. OR the ewwy feeling!]

Have you ever laughed really hard?

When I ask myself that question, I can think of myself when I was around eight or nine years old, and I had a 'best friend'. E and I were inseperable. I had the best time when I'd hang around with her.

We were dreamers, both of us. Every other day, we would come up with a new plan to make history, to inspire. So, come lunch break, we'd grab our little pencils and write songs, that would later be turned into catchy tunes. Then there was our Childcraft phase. We'd ask the tall kids to get us the Childcraft books on the top shelf of the Reference cupboard at the library, then we'd lose ourselves in the glossy pages, thinking of substitute ingredients we could use and make our version of the crafts. Whenever there was an opportunity to sing on stage, we'd go together, and sway as we crooned into the mic. My sister still imitates that and tells me how funny we looked.

We'd talk about a lot of things, like how both of us wanted to get locked in, inside our school library, so we could read all we wanted, without our librarian telling it's time to close. In the classroom, we'd sometimes have our little 'boys vs girls' fights, the way only nine year olds can. We'd try to go explore the 'forbidden areas' of the school campus, where no primary school kid had ever been before.

After five years of knowing each other, we had to part ways. She had to move to another school, and needless to say, I was shattered, for I hadn't imagined a world without her. Five years is a long time, and longer in kid years! I felt a part of me die when she left, even though she was moving to a school in the same city.

What unravelled next was another dimension of our friendship, when we'd write each other letters, (yes,snailmail) and we'd try to cram up all our experiences into that inland letter, sometimes scribble little drawings. We did visit each other in person, but by then we'd grown older and had become more like penpals.

By the time we both turned thirteen, and later went to class ten, the frequency of letters dwindled down.We learned by then that we hadn't shared our crucial years together, and our lives were pretty much on different paths by that time.

Nevertheless, that ocassional phone call brought back some of our memories together. The last time I met her in person was about three years ago, a little before she joined medical college. I remember that day, we both talked and talked, realising just how different our personalities were.

I haven't spoken to E in a long time, but I do have with me all the letters she wrote, and with that, childhood memories that refuse to go away.

Yet another useless questionnaire...

2005-12-23T03:33:00.000+09:00

Are you online 25 out of 24 hours a day?? Are you out of control? Have you forgotten that there are windows in your house...other than the one you keep typing nonsense into??
As you read this, are you saying to yourself,"Nah, I'm not THAT bad!"
Well, here's how to find out!

Answer the following in Yes or No.(and no, there's no 'don't know, can't say' option...why not, you ask? Well, don't know, can't say!)

1)You have introduced yourself to someone using your IM username.(in the real world)
"Hi, I'm netfreak2000, nice to meet you"

2)You include emoticons on your answersheet in the exams.

"The Indian guns slackened their fire because their powder was insufficiently protected :|, but when the Indian cavalry charged in the hope :) that the British guns had suffered similarly they were sharply repulsed by heavy fire :(( ."

3)You cried the last time you saw "Cannot find server".

4)When someone asks you,"So, tell me more about yourself"...you give them a link.

5)You think 3 hours spent looking for a cool free font is time well spent.

6)You check this blog for an update everyday.(100 more points if you say "Of course not.I have a bloglines account!")

The 'real world' is highly over-rated, don't you think?

Seven

2005-11-18T00:11:00.000+09:00

Is the season of the tags over?
I was in the mood to do something other than what I was supposed to be doing...and then I remembered, Neil had tagged me...with the scary SEVEN tag...
I couldn't think up seven points for each of the questions... and if I were to answer the same questions tomorrow, I doubt I'd give all the same answers. These are just right off the top of my head...

Seven things I plan to do before I die!!!
1. Accomplish that which I was created for.
2. Master at least one musical instrument.
3. Learn french.
4. Travel a lot.
5. Take my nieces out to the zoo or some such place that kids like to go to...
6. Sing a lot.
7. Probably write a book.

Seven things you can do!!!
1. Sing.
2. Smile/giggle for no reason.
3. Daydream.
4. Remember names and faces.
5. Talk loudly when I'm excited.
6. See the lighter side of a situation.
7. Watch cartoons back to back. (Sometimes even Nick Junior!)

Seven things you can't do!!!...(YET!!)
1. Cook good food.
2. Get up early every morning.
3. Talk long hours on the phone.(There are always exceptions!)
4. Hold a grudge for too long.
5. Knit.
6. Listen to Daniel Bedingfield's 'If you're not the one' more than once.
7. Stop organising music into playlists.

Seven things that attract you to the opposite sex!!!
1. Sense of humour.
2. Calmness.
3. Positive attitude.
4. A fashion sense that's classy and funky at the same time.
5. Chivalry.
6. Good conversation.
7. Creative outlook.

Seven things you say most!!!
1. Oh puhleeez
2. Yeah right
3. DUDE!
4. Hmmm
5. Errr...

Seven celebrity crushes!!!
1. Peter Gallagher. (the guy who was sleeping in 'While You Were Sleeping')
2. Rob (one of the guys who won the first 'The Amazing Race')
3. Harry Connick Jr (in Hope Floats)
4. Keanu Reeves (in Speed).
5. How could I forget MATT (Damon, who else??)...Loved him in Good Will Hunting...
(I better stop at that!)

People that are tagged with this now are:
(*drum roll*)
1. Vig ( I know you won't do it, I double-dare you to do it!!)
2. Densel
3. Doctor Pissed
4. Loonie

Peace!

Elevation

2005-11-07T03:53:00.000+09:00

Goa was everything that I expected it to be. I've been talking about it ever since I came back.Some good listeners became the victims of my animated minute-by-minute commentary of every single day of the trip.(God Bless Y'all!).
And strangely enough, everytime I sit down to write about it, I feel like I can't seem to do justice to the good times.

Maravanthe beach Dolphin Boat ride Singing Calangute seabreeze walking into the sea scary waves shopping midnight walks fish markets silly games portugese architecure seashells temporary tattoo Cashews tamarind toffee bright colours seafood Evening cruise Dancing Hooting Miramar birthday chocolate cake fine, white sand 3AM all truth no dare Jog falls
French lessons Kannada movie Shimoga 8:45 pm
Built up your curiosity on that last one, haven't I?

[P.S: Yes, Vig.Your idea ;)]

Go(a)ing away!

2005-10-11T23:32:00.000+09:00

- I went out and got a LiveStrong bracelet. I understand how something like this becomes a trend or a status symbol, but for me, it means hope and I'm with her on this one. Maybe two months from now I won't know where I left my bracelet, but I'll know that one can't afford to lose hope. For now, I am encouraged when I look at the bracelet, to live outside of myself and to live on purpose.

- My good friend has something up in her life, it's something significant that could change the course of her future. I know something's up, she knows she can tell me, but we've been out of touch for long.Maybe too long. And so when we met up, she couldn't even tell me about it, except that there is something up. And I couldn't keep asking her, because I felt like I'd lost that position in her life, to have that right to know...because we're not in school anymore. Things have changed.

And at the same time, I meet someone for the first time and discover that there's no ice to be broken, we're on the same page from the start, and within a few moments, a most satisfying conversation is had, meaningful stories are readily exchanged.

- Here's an update somewhat related to this post. No, none of it is coming true, not yet anyway ( Any wellwishers, sponsors, ANYBODY??). But I am going to Goa this weekend, with my classmates. It's that final year thing, you know. Suddenly everyone starts having that 'US' feeling. And so, fun events are being organised as I write, by the ones with enviable leadership qualites, so that we can be spontaneous and unwind (when we are scheduled to, of course! what part of FUN did you not get??).

Anyway, I shall come back with some good memories. Some of which might actually be blogworthy!

Breaking the long silence...with 55 words.

2005-09-24T04:06:00.000+09:00

Shrutz thinks it's time I got back to blogging.
And as a Welcome-Back gift she gives me no bouquet, but a tag!
The tag asks me to write a 55 word story that has to make sense.
Well, the must-make-sense part was as challenging as the word limit.

------------------------------------------

They walked into the hall.

“So, where do you want to sit?” he asked.

“Well, anywhere, I’m not fussy” she replied.

“Okay, let’s sit here then.”

“Hmmm, no. Let’s sit there, those seats seem nice”

He was confused, and stayed silent.

Later.

“So, where shall we eat?”

“Well…”

He was silent. Not confused, just silent.

-----------------------------------------

And that's 55 words. As for making sense, I never said I succeeded.

OH and I want to pass this tag along to Neil, since he asked for it ;)

P.S: Neil, your tag's a toughie!

Dare you to move

2005-09-02T20:13:00.000+09:00

Let's call her Priya. When she walks into a room, people stare, not because they think she's gorgeous, but because they think she looks weird. She walks strange. She bobs her head a little too vigourously when she speaks. When she finds someone to speak to, she tries to keep their
attention, while the other person makes up an excuse to get away from her. She isn't their 'type'. So she's not picked and put into the friend basket, like others that are their type.

Priya doesn't want sympathy, she wants a friend. Not even a best friend. Just a friend.

Priya comes up with a million things to talk about, hoping someone with those interests will come up to her and make conversation. Sometimes she will go to a random person and crack a joke that no-one will laugh at. Sometimes, a 'group' will call her over and ask her questions and laugh at her answers. She'll laugh with them, pleased that she's being heard, oblivious to the fact that she's the joke.

Priya isn't underconfident. She isn't attention-seeking. She's just different.

Yesterday, Kriti went up to her and said, "Hey, Priya, wasn't it your birthday last month? Sorry I couldn't wish you. I know it's late, but Happy Birthday!"

Priya stood there, shocked that someone actually remembered her birthday.
"Thanks, at least you remembered." she said, still surprised.
"So, how was it?" asked Kriti.
"Oh, my mom's abroad, so I spent it alone, at home."
"Oh..."
"You know, I used to remember birthdays when I was in school." recalled Priya.
"And then what happened?"
"I don't know...." she said, as she tried to find an answer.
Soon, someone yelled for Kriti and she was back in her little clique, giggling with the others.
She turned around and saw Priya walking off alone.
"Hey Priya...bye."
"Bye."

Between who you are and who you could be.
Between how it is and how it should be.

I dare you to move.

Disappear within my mind

2005-08-16T21:16:00.000+09:00

1. You know how you listen to a song once and then feel like you have to hear it at least 5 times every day? My current dig is All at sea by Jamie Cullum. Totally love the feel of that song.

2. Had a wonderful friendship day, getting wishes and hugs at midnight, as I was at this lovely little getaway in the outskirts, complete with a lake and treehouse, fish pond et al. Made my way back to the city by evening, and my cousin offered to take us out for pizza. Me and my sisters shamelessly exploited his offer and ate till the cheese gave us rashes. It was really a fun time and we ended up having quite a few hurts-in-the-belly type laughter moments. Then, in the cold of the night, we had icecream as we discussed absolutely crazy things like "how do you think they put one inflated balloon into another?"
These are the kind of days that make you smile when in bed at night. *sigh*
(My cousin's gonna have a little hurts-in-the-belly moment himself when he reads this!!)

3. Do not pluck and eat tamarinds when they're not ready to be eaten. Just don't do it.I had a whole lot of green, sour ones that made me wink and make funny sounds while eating. But the next day...oh, you don't wanna know.

4. Meeting teachers from school is a very uplifting experience.As long as you do so rarely and have little brief conversations.Because after they're done with stuff like,"ohh look at you all grown up...what do you do now? I still remember when..." there's pretty much nothing left to talk about.You smile, they smile, you smile some more, and then nod your head
and move to the next teacher, answering the same questions.
It's uplifting because they actually believe you've become that responsible citizen...something you want to believe too but Ohhh, ma'am you have no idea.
That said, love all you teachers, noble profession you chose! More power!

5. Have been having a string of fish-out-of-water experiences for quite a long time now.Getting used to that feeling, is that a good thing?
It is, sometimes.

If you don’t need it every day
But sometimes don’t you just crave
To disappear within your mind
You never know what you might find
So come and spend some time with me
And we will spend it all at sea...

You talkin' to ME??

2005-07-01T21:00:00.000+09:00

I got book tagged. That should be a good thing for someone like me, who is currently either running short of things to say or is thinking twice before saying certain things.
We shall see if it indeed turns out to be a good thing, and so shall poor Vig and Swaroop, who were the eager taggers.

After reading other book tag posts, I've learnt that it's tradition to mention these points:
1. I haven't read as many books as I've wanted to.
2. My taste in literature is not as sophisticated as that of some of my other well-read blogger buddies.

I'm the kind of reader that reads prefaces, forewords and acknowledgements, album dedications, a bazillion blogs and sometimes what's on the back of a carton. As a child, I remember reading abridged versions of Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, in those days when books were given away as prizes on 'annual day'.

I have fond memories of curling up with large hard-bound colourful books full of Russian short stories like 'A Handful of Stars' and 'The Adventures of Teeny-Tiny'.Those days I would devour the 'primary' cupboard of the school library and frequently ask the librarian things like "Sir, is the 'Ninth Bedtime Book' available right now?"

At one point of time I all I wanted to read was the Childcraft series.I went on to become a serious Blyton fan with the usual Famous Fives and the Secret Sevens, and was most fascinated by the St. Clare's and Malory Towers series. Then I had a Shashi Deshpande phase where I wanted to read all her childrens' books. That was soon over and Nancy Drew arrived with the Hardy Boys. I particularly enjoyed the Supermysteries where Nancy would flirt with Frank Hardy and Ned would be enraged.

Since then, I've had the Sidney Sheldon phase, the self-help book phase, and the non-fiction phase while being addicted to Reader's Digest all the while.

My dad used to order 1 large DIY type book each for my sisters and I through RD every year as new year presents.This included books on Sketching, Painting, Ikebana, Origami, Bonsai, Tailoring and so on. I treasure these books and can't thank my dad enough for them. He's turned me into a 'how-to' freak now!!

Oh, I almost forgot that there's a format for this post.

1. Total number of books owned: I guess as a family, we own about 700 books in all. This includes those RD reference books, RD issues dating back to '77, some christian literature, novels and some childrens' books that we can't seem to give away.

2. Last book bought: Do puzzle books count? If yes, then it's the George Summers I got 2 months ago 'coz I misplaced the one I owned.(hey, stop yawning!)

3. Last book read: 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' by Robert Kiyosaki.A book on developing financial intelligence with the usual gyaan about dreaming big.I can't say that I was moved by it, but it did make sense to a certain level.

4. 5+ books that mean a lot to me:

(i) This Present Darkness, Piercing the Darkness, The Prophet all by Frank Perretti.
Great books that talk about the fight between good and evil. Perretti does a good job of depicting the present culture with different perspectives.Lots of angels and demons in these books. Read them at night if you're sure you have your guardian angel around!

(ii) To sir with love - E.R Braithwaite.
This I like because it's about the role that only a teacher
can play in influencing the choices made by a young mind.The same reason I liked movies like Sister Act 2 and Dangerous Minds.(also because this book reminds me of my english teacher from class 9 who influenced me greatly)

(iii) The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy and Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri. Love both because the writers have captured the Indian way of living and life itself in all its awkwardness and glory.

Swami and Friends - R.K Narayan.Everyone has felt like Swami
at least once in their lives!

(iv) Sniglets- Rich Hall and Friends. This is a collection of funny words that 'don't exist in the dictionary but should'.(Example: Anananany- The inability to stop spelling the word 'banana' once you've started.)

Peanuts - Charles M Schulz. I love Peanuts. Charlie Brown is a loser one learns to love.
I particularly enjoyed 'Snoopy stars as the literary ace' which was classic laugh-out-loud material.

(v) I just HAVE to mention these:

Treasury of Courage and Confidence - Norman Vincent Peale: This is a rich collection of quotes and anecdotes that I believe are worth reading.

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers - Sean Covey : I read this when I was 16, I think. As I said, I'm into self-help books (giggle away!!).By the way, can someone tell me WHAT the 8th habit is??
And if you're asking, YES, I read Chicken Soup for the Soul and Who moved my cheese?

(vi)Some Christian books that have touched me:

When God Whispers Your Name and The Applause of Heaven - Max Lucado.Nobody expresses heart stuff as well as Lucado, I believe.
( notice I just said 'heart stuff'?? that's why I'm not a writer!)

What's so Amazing About Grace? and Where is God When it hurts? - Philip Yancey. Admire his reporter, seeker style of writing.He's very non-preachy and also very brave in his pursuit of truth as a person and as a writer.

The Purpose Driven Life - Rick Warren. For its practicality, simplicity and richness.

Victory Over the Darkness - Neil Anderson. An excellent self-discovery book that brings God into the picture.

Of course I must mention the Bible itself, for the source of comfort, hope and encouragement that it is to me.

Done. Now I must pass this on to some other book-lovers who happen to be bloggers.Let's see:
Shrutz, Amit, Loonie, Neil ,Vishnu, Liz, Eddie and L.Hyena.

And remember,
'Call him/her not friendless who has God and the company of books'

(...and a blog, and a pet, and lots of cash. Call him/her unsocial!!)

Update(?)

2005-06-21T02:11:00.000+09:00

I read somewhere that it is highly uncool for a blogger to post about why he/she hasn't been posting for so long. A pro blogger just moves on and pretends like nothing happened.It kinda gives everyone the impression that he/she has a life.

So, if you're reading this, this post never happened.

"Do I??"

2005-06-06T02:12:00.000+09:00

Inspired by the bloglet king himself, I figured I should probably try posting little amusing thoughts I think to myself and erase all doubts regarding my weirdness. Never too early to do THAT, huh!!

Anyways, here goes:

Brides-to-be, are you unsure if THIS is the man you want to marry??
Then, ask yourself: When I say "I do", will I mean, "He'll do"?

hmmmm. Think about THAT.

Breakaway

2005-05-26T00:01:00.000+09:00

I am from no small town. I didn't go from a cocktail waitress to a well-known songbird. I am not even Kelly Clarkson's biggest fan. But these words somehow make so much sense to me.
There comes a time when one needs to make changes for the better.Try something that's very unlike what one would usually do.Surprise others by doing something no-one would ever think you would do.
Taking chances, making wishes, making changes are all new territories for me. I am quite predictable, cautious and yet I am adventurous.( don't ask ME, I've been trying to figure this out for a LONG time!!)
These days even when I try out a new flavour of icecream, or wear something totally unlike me, it liberates me.I love to see people react and say, "hey, what's happened to YOU?"
"you NEVER do that!!"
"you NEVER wear that!!"
"THAT isn't your style!!"
(it does get weird when I tell myself these things sometimes!)

Don't you just love the words,"SO, WHAT?"

So, you know what? I'm taking that leap. I'm doing it afraid.I'm facing it head-on.
Sink or swim, I'm diving in.

I should really get some sleep before this starts making sense to me.

Little Pleasures

2005-05-14T14:43:00.000+09:00

A combination of factors had compelled me to inhabit the real-world and abandon the virtual for a little while, giving me time to take in the little things in life that bring joy when you least expect it...

1. Remembering a tune you used to hum LONG ago, and discovering that you remember most of the words...and as you sing it, that time of your life becomes all so clear before you...the people, the experiences, the little victories, promises you made to yourself and others...

2. Reading your diary from when you were thirteen , laughing at your follies and pleased that you are much wiser now. Much.

3. Meeting an old friend after a long time and realising you still get along, in the same way you used to, everything clicks, the brand of fun is same as before...priceless.

4. Discovering that your best friend is also your sister.

5. To see someone else more excited and expectant about your future than you are.

6. To listen to your 6 year old niece praying...asking for others to be blessed ...her parents, teachers and all those friends of hers...she mentions their full names so God won't be confused.

Come to think of it, these things are not SO little...are they?
Considering all these joys, I must be able to let go of nineteen and enter the big two O.

11 woohoo things to do!

2005-04-14T04:02:00.000+09:00

I've been watching too many travel shows lately. I think it's great that someone goes to these incredible places and does these FUN things....
Oh, who am I kidding....I don't think it's great....I want to switch places with them.I want to complain about jetlag and sleeplessness because of the travel.I want to touch that aqua-blue water I see them playing around in.I want to eat an octopus in Korea...(I MIGHT be getting a little carried away here)...OK OK, I just want the moon.

1)Go to Hawaii.Surf on a 13-foot surfboard.Buy one of those loud floral shirts.Learn to play the Ukelele and sing a song sitting on the beach.

2)Go to Thailand, Ride on a white elephant while his ears flap over my leg.Take him to a river and pour gallons of water on him and scrub him clean.

3)Go to DisneyLand when it's Christmas.Eat from a gingerbread house when no-one's watching.

4)Go to Hard Rock cafe, Nashville and get my picture taken next the huge guitar.Pretend to be a struggling vocal artist looking for a record deal.

5)Go to Hershey and eat a lot of chocolates.

6)Walk in the shade of a dozen Redwoods.Look up and strain my neck.

7)Go to Australia .Reef.Kangaroos.Koalas.Didgeridoos.Opera House....WOW!!

8)Go to Israel. period.

9)Go to Africa. South Africa.

10)Go to England. Pose next to celebs in Madame Tussad's.

11)Go to Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur.Ride a camel, shop for rich, colourful ethnic stuff.

Hope at least #11 happens soon.
As for the rest, sponsors, well-wishers, friends (soon to become bestest friends).Contact me.
(note:1-10 not necessarily in the given order)

Ready Maid

2005-04-04T04:46:00.000+09:00

There is no dearth of interesting personalities on this planet and I have done my share of observing, analysing and smiling quietly.
There's those people who don't know what a frown is, and there are those six-o-clock long faces that say...nah, they don't talk a lot, do they? Then there are saintly people like my sister's hostel mates who wake her up and offer a steaming hot cup of tea..angels, they are. There are those back-benchers who sit behind me (I would be a back-bencher if I didn't arrive late!!!)...I like to listen in on their extremely interesting conversations when I'm not day-dreaming in class. Not to forget those entertaining lecturers with amusing accents and intriguing gestures.

Belonging to this enchanting sliver of characters is my maid.She is a fascinating lady who can add spunk to the most colorless of situations.She does household chores with such a zeal that one almost feels jealous of her responsiblities.She is passionate about work and often strolls the extra mile.Housework is this woman's calling and she was born to do it.(And aren't we glad!!)

She is definitely not the silent type.She has something to say about everything.Homemade remedies for smooth and flawless skin, how to make that perfect cup of tea, what's on TV, the weather, stories about her other satisfied customers.Highly motivated, she often stays for a couple of extra hours to make murkus especially for me.(that explains why I'm going on and on about her!).
The other day, on April fool's day, to be exact, she came up to me and told me to go see what special fried item was waiting in the kitchen for me to munch.This happened when I was narrating my account of how I got fooled in class that day.Sucker that I am, I didn't even realise she was inspired by the topic of conversation.
I delightfully said, "really??" and rushed to the kitchen, lifted lids and tossed around some containers.Nothing fried, fatty or special was found.
"April Fool!!!" she yelled, as she got intense joy from torturing my easily tempted tastebuds.

This woman might sometimes be silly, loud, even exasperating.But never boring.

The soothing effects of retail therapy!!

2005-03-29T17:29:00.000+09:00

Some people go to Dr.Phil, some people shop!
Yes, they hop around and shop around, from boutique to showroom to 'ninetynine only' to the local supermarket...they've got it ALL covered.
There's all KINDS of shopping:
- Intentional shopping: "I really NEED stuff, let's go shop"
- Serendipity shopping: "Oh, let's JUST take a walk, we'll look around, that's all...wait..what's that...SO CUTE....I've been looking for this EVERYWHERE..I NEED it"
(In such cases, the very cute object could be a teeny tiny colourful box that you can't use for any purpose, and yet at that moment..it's all you need(read as 'want').
- Indirect shopping:"K wanted to buy some stuff..will just accompany her...help her choose...K,how does this look on me?"
- Gift shopping: This, I believe, is quite a challenge.It's best to take someone along...someone who can make up his/her mind.(I am reminded of a VERY crazy situation when this friend and I were in a gift shop for an HOUR...sniffing perfumes, striking the chimes, giggling at lovey-dovey greeting cards, discussing feng shui...just COULD'NT make a decision!!)
- Shop-lifting: No need to freak out...I have NO experience in this field.

A biblioFILE

2005-03-23T04:02:00.000+09:00

_____________________________________________
The Los ANGEL's times:"So, what are you reading these days, Angel?"

me:"Ahh, funny you should ask, I am currently reading a literary master-piece...the play of words, the imagery, the satire...brilliant read."

Currently on my bed is "The silly little book of 'Jokes about Girls'"...saw it at a friend's place.HAD to borrow it.
This is a colourful little book, with pictures and everything.(for those of you who look at those 2000-page books and ask, "BUT where are the pictures??")
The jokes have been cleverly categorised into:

*jokes about girls
*sisters
*girlfriends
*darling daughter
*she said that, did she?
*the love bug
*friends
*knock knock
*graffiti about girls
*girlish riddles
*there was a young lady from...
*tongue twisters

Here's the introduction :
"Whether you've got a face like a million dollars(green and wrinkly), your favourite band is "The Lice Girls", or your name is Annette Curtain, this book is an education!
For the girls amongst us, there's nothing better than having a laugh at your own funny little habits(honest!).For the rest of us, there's a treat in store.All you need is a girl to try them out on..."

LA times:"Why would YOU, a girl, want to read this book?"

me:"That's a good question.The reason is simply because of that morbid fascination...like when one watches the granny in 'The kumars at No.42'.Add to that the fact that I have sisters to try these on.A whole section dedicated to 'sisters'.Why would I let that go?"

Without further ado, Ladies and not-so-gentle men, I present to you samples:

Jayne: Do you like me?
Wayne: As girls go, you're fine.And the sooner you go, the better.

Q:What did one magician say to another?
A:who was that girl I sawed you with last night?

Q:What did the Eskimo schoolboy say to the Eskimo schoolgirl?
A:What's an ice girl like you doing in a place like this?

My sister is so dim she thinks that a cartoon is a song you sing in a car.

My sister is so stupid she thinks that aroma is someone who travels a lot.

Brother: How do you top a car?
Sister: You tep on the brake, tupid.

Q: Why couldn't your sister spell mississippi when the teacher asked her?
A: Because she didn't know if she meant the river or the state.

MY girlfriend talks so much when she goes on vacation, she has to spread suntan lotion on her tongue.

Two cannibals were having lunch.
"Your girlfriend makes great soup" said one to the other.
"yeah" agreed the first. "but I'm going to miss her terribly"

How does a witch-doctor ask a girl to dance?
"Woodoo like to dance with me?"

What did one centipede say to another?
"You've got a lovely pair of legs, pair of legs, pair of legs..."

What did one amorous fly say to another?
"I love you aw-flea"

How did the octopus lovers walk down the road?
Arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm in arm.

What do you get if King Kong sits on your best friend?
A flat mate.

Knock knock.
who's there?
Olive.
Olive who?
Olive in this house-what are you doing here?

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Elizabeth.
Elizabeth who?
Elizabeth of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

knock knock
who's there?
Sophia
Sophia who?
Sophia nothing...fear is pointless.

There was a young lady one fall.
Who wore a newspaper dress to a ball.
the dress caught fire.
and burned her entire.
Front page, sporting section and all.

WHOA!! lots more jokes that I haven't mentioned here...
if you don't think they're funny, you're just a freckle-faced florence.(see, I'm already learning!)
Oh, right.You're too smart to laugh at these eh? I bet you can't say this 3 times...and fast! :
I saw Esau kissing Kate.
I saw Esau, he saw me.
And she saw I saw Esau.

LA times:"what's the time, ma'am?"
me:"It's just 1:26 am, why do you ask?"

In conclusion, this is ONE book you MUST hide from your pesky little brother.
_________________________________________

[P.S: I typed out ALL those jokes, so you better be laughing out loud, mister!! bonus points if you fall off your chair.]

It's not the end of the world...

2005-03-19T01:41:00.000+09:00

The End -Matthew West
Well it was raining when I woke up this morning
So, to escape it I went back to bed
But then the rain started leaking through the ceiling
And pretty soon it was pouring on my head
Sometimes it follows you home
Like an old stray dog, it won't leave you alone

Chorus:
It's not the end
The end of the world
It's just another day depending on grace
It's not the end
The end of the world
It's just another day, don't sleep it all away

So I jumped into my car and hit the freeway
Found a sunny spot so I could work on my tan
But just as soon as I stepped one foot in the ocean
From out of nowhere it came pouring down again
Sometimes it rains all over your parade
It's like you're reaching for the sun, and you're landing in the shade

Bridge:
Well, the moral of the story is
Sometimes life takes so much more than it gives
But the one who makes the air I breathe
Is the one who'll fix the ceiling when it starts to leak
It may look like the end but it's only the beginning

Cause It's not the end
It's not the end of the world
It's just another day
It's not the end
It's not the end of the world,
No, it's not the end
It's not the end
Still not the end
It's not the end
I bet you're wondering when this song's gonna end
But it's not the end
Cause I'm singing this song and I get to decide when it's the end
And it's not the end
Well it's almost the end
I guess you could say it's nearing the end
But it's not the end
It's not the end
It's not the end
It's almost the end
Ok I think it's the end

Hmmm. That is one song that's fun to listen to.This song is one of those travel songs...you can play it in your car and look out the window(if you're not driving) and think "this is the life!!" while you laugh at this singer's bad day.
Bad day.Hey! that was today....

I woke up at eight.I looked at the ceiling fan for a good ten minutes, thinking.."a new day, new beginning, new opportunities!!" (yeah, a melodramatic beginning).
And then, I slowly rubbed my eyes and realised "today is not monday, not tuesday........it's friday!!" UP UP UP!! wake up!
This is the reason why I have never understood the phrase 'up-at-dawn'.

Friday is a full day at college, 9 to 5.As I get ready in the morning, I wonder if I've forgotten to do SOME work that had to be done by today...
I pull out something to wear while I tell myself I need more clothes.I do that every morning.
I look at myself in the mirror.No zits today.So far, so good.OR not.I look at my hair.No, no silky shine today, folks.It's the wispy unkempt look today then.It's one of those dreadful BAD HAIR DAYS.I remind myself to get a funky haircut this weekend.
My mom is trying to fix me breakfast...time's ticking...I tell her it's too late and manage with some grape juice and watermelon.And that would've been a 'healthy' breakfast if I was a salad person.Except,I'm not.
I reach college JUST in time...I enter Graphics Lab and then it hits me...I had to prepare the programs for today.By the time I think up a good reason for not doing so,
I hear my very stern lecturer telling me to "go to the library, write the programs and THEN enter the lab."
OK sir, I will.I walk out of the lab...not emotionally hurt, just bummed.I look back to find two of my kind, marching to the library.We're a team against the system.We crib about the management and the 'infrastructure'.We all know we've been careless and lazy and irresponsible(err..is it just ME?)...but hey, it's the wrong time to talk about that kinda stuff!
Well, we somehow make it through lab and I even find time to grab a chocolate bun for my poor tummy.Soon, one theory class is out of the way.Time for lunch!A large group of us, all talking at the same time, and passing food around...someone asks ant-elephant questions, someone asks questions from Shakuntala Devi's 'Puzzles to Puzzle you'(imaginative title, too!), some discuss movies and books.Not me, I'm in a small group discussing hair.My eager-to-help friends tell me I need a "feather cut. no wait, your hair is thick, you should try step or maybe razor cut.it's in."
Some nitwits clarify if it's 'razor cut' or a 'laser cut'..."they cut your hair with a laser beam??"Go on, roll your eyes.
Speaking of cuts, cut to me.At four pm.Last hour cancelled.My buddy and I take two cups of coffee to the brood of bored youth.The cups are passed around quickly and somehow, as always...I end up with empty cups in my hand. Why me?? Because I want to save the world.I can't throw crushed plastic cups on the grass.In my book,it's a sin.They know it.And that's why my bag is full of chocolate and gum wrappers.I don't sit down on the pavement.I explain that my new cotton pants might get dirty...I hear the usual 'oohs' and 'aahs' and I shrug.It would've been a cool thing, too.BUT NO, this is me, remember?? Good old, animated me.I shrug with too much vigour and coffee from the SUPPOSED-TO-BE-EMPTY cups spills over my new pants.GREAT.A few mocking laughs later, the nuts actually help me get rid of the stains.I tell myself I'll live.
An hour later, I get home, knock on my door and guess who opens the door?My 9 year old niece.She's visiting with her sister, a six year old.I tell myself "today's not over.YET."
My nieces are a joy to play with, but babysitting them is a job for the valiant.They cling on to me and ask me questions.Most of them, I don't want to answer.Some of them, I can't.
The six year old has just learnt the art of entertaining a crowd with a game of Dumb Charades.She makes gestures in the air and tells me to guess.I try to give smart answers.
I could go on about the rest of my day...but I won't.

To cut a long, very detailed story short, I somehow made it to a music event in the evening...dragged my nieces along, too.They had a blast.And soon, I was singing my way out of the blues.

Sometimes it follows you home
Like an old stray dog, it won't leave you alone.

But it's not the end.

A Tryst of monumental proportions

2005-03-11T20:28:00.000+09:00

For most of my month long vacation I was glued to my computer, Gracy.Yeah, we named her.My cousin also took pains to clarify if we actually meant 'crazy'...come to think of it, maybe he was referring to us.hmmm (note to self: whack wisecracking cousin later).Yeah, so I've been mailing, chatting, blogging(what's with the giggling??),gathering information(and grogginess)...

Then came the highlight of the month. A trip to Delhi, not that I am crazy about the city, but anything that's different from the usual schedule gets me excited.Since I (in some spaced out state)had declared publicly that I like folding clothes...my sis somehow got me to do the packing...I did enjoy it..but of course, a whine here and there added to the merriment.

So, here we were, My sis N and me, somewhat ready for our LONG journey.
My parents come to see us off at the station..my mom , as usual was offering her last minute advice:"don't talk to strangers" "drink only bottled water" "don't react to any glances" "keep your sweaters ready when it gets cold" and N and I replied with an embarrassed,"YES, we know, maaaaa"
Our little family meeting was in full swing, when my mom saw our journey buddies...Six men, all soldiers(or future soldiers)clad in the green army uniform...each giving N and I looks that said,"HELLO, there". "bon voyage to US"
And motormouth N was talking nonstop so mom would stop worrying about us, and my mom was silent, staring at the faujis, trying to think of some reason for us to unboard the locomotive that very instant.Something about the train whistle told her it was too late for that.

Time was SOMEHOW passed on the train... surviving loud soldiers, cold stares, smells of undeterminate origins, diluted tea and coffee.Even conversations in the adjacent compartment became boring, that's how long the journey was.But yeah, Dan Brown was keeping me occupied...and of course after every 5-6 chapters,I narrated 'the story so far' to my sister...she's gonna scream the next time she hears the term 'albino monk'.
When we finally reached Delhi,I wanted to kiss the platform.(I did NOT.If you don't know why, you've been travelling by flight for too long!).
We spent a week there...shopping,socialising, sight-seeing(Does window shopping come under sight-seeing??).Since I insisted on never leaving Delhi till we went to Agra and saw the Taj, we HAD to go.(the youngest ones always win!!).So, we got up early one morning(nah, not 9, even earlier, try 5)and boarded the train to Agra...once there, we boarded a rickety cycle rickshaw, reached the entrance to the Taj, and my sister says,"let's grab breakfast"...I was THIS close to the Taj...and she's talking about breakfast.I've never eaten SO fast in my life...

Have I mentioned I get hysterical when I'm before a monument?
I tried photographing at never-before-tried angles, staring at the mausoleum for the longest time, nodding at nothing and trying to find hidden meanings in the symbols on the building. Actually I was nodding, thinking, "geez, look at ALL that marble!!".I also listened in on tour guides' LONG lectures on Shah Jahan's workers, Akbar's wives, Aurangzeb's fondness for liquor AND, I've heard, sometimes they even add in some film and politics for that complete INDIAN experience!

From what they've left behind, it's quite clear the Moghuls really were very excellent, diligent, creative and passionately extravagant. It was really very inspiring to catch a glimpse of this edifice.More than a glimpse actually.In fact I just couldn't walk with my back facing it.I walked backwards, facing it, 'coz I couldn't take my eyes off it.
I know, I should go out more.

patience is a virtue!

2005-03-07T21:53:00.000+09:00

.....and I know you're ready to beat me up.....heehee!!
Sorry folks, I was away for about 10 days....went to the Capital for an official business meeting thingy...yeah yeah I'm lying...went to meet my sis and also made a trip to Agra to (finally)see the TAJ...which,even though cliche, I must say is SIMPLY INCREDIBLE...beautiful...and HUGE too, should I continue and talk about the emblem of undying love that it is??
*yawn* maybe later!
A fun trip altogether!!
I have some ideas for future blog posts...a result of spending 1 1/2 days in the train...can we say BORING!!!!
Thanx to the train journey I know about a hundred ways to say 'chai'( "chayeee", "chaayaa","chaaaa")phew!
and I have NO idea how I survived ten days without the internet...there IS life out there...who knew??
and I was SO touched by the comments on my blog, that shout out loud about how I am missed(that's how I took it...).So this is my "I"M BAAAAAAACK" post...will post more soon....
thanks to all you guys for waiting...
So, while I hear you say "THAT'S IT???"...I must bid farewell...only to return with something worthwhile...or maybe stick to my pattern of posting little scraps of nothing.

it's AMERICAN, I'm IDLE

2005-02-19T18:51:00.000+09:00

Last year, I caught the third season of American Idol...which Fantasia won, yes, Fantasia who said,"My lips are big, but my talent is bigger"..and that worked well for her!
I initially had the misconception that the show is about music,and yeah, about fifty percent of it is.But then there is the other fifty percent consisting of insult,tears, hyperventilation, surviving Simon, and perfecting the airbrushed 'image'.
So, if you have nothing else to do and you've not already written off reality TV as 'blah'(thanks to the after-taste of shows like 'My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance')...you will probably end up watching this show on the tube, the fourth season of which is currently on air.

In the prelim auditions,thousands of crooners(and *ahem* croakers)try to impress the judges so they can advance to the next level held at Hollywood.This stage of the competition proves the following points:
a) It takes a LOT of wrongs to make a right!!
b) Three fourths of the world's weirdos have shown up for these auditions.This involves an over-confident psychic, a youth-obsessed 44 year old, a girl who thinks she is the female version of Elvis, about a gazillion hip-hop wannabes...
All this gets responses from the judges such as:
Randy:"that was just aight for me,dawg."
Paula:"that was just wonderful, honey, it was beautiful...but we don't think we can put you through, but know that I love you and you have talent and..(goes on)" (what she means is "it's a NO")
Randy:"you would do well in Broadway"
Paula:"you are..err...different and unique."
Simon:"that.was.horrendous"
Simon:"you're not a very good psychic, are you?"
Simon:"do you have a day job?"
Simon,Randy and Paula:*uncontrollable laughter*
Simon:"you couldn't carry a tune if it was in a bucket!!"(I don't think he has ever said this, but can't you just imagine him saying it?!!)

Of course, heart-broken hopefuls rush out of the audition hall, hysterically yelling stuff like this into the camera:"I have seen the kind of people who have been selected, and I am WAY better than all of them"
"I have a voice and a dream and nothing's gonna stop me, not even Simon"
Even parents scream,"My son sounds just like Brian McKnight..."
"My daughter's a superstar.I know it"

My favourite moment was when Simon promised to give this guy fifty thousand dollars if, in the next six months, he brought out a #1 record.This guy accepted the challenge, quite arrogantly too.But somewhere you could hear a voice drowning out...that of Brandy, guest judge, saying "but err...what about William, he..err.."
Of course, she was referring to last year's most shocking contestant, William Hung, who made a fortune off his talent( the lack of it,actually).
So, these days, the show is at stage 2 where the better of the lot fight it out.This stage is safer for people with heart conditions.

Back home, there is the Indian counterpart 'Indian Idol'...which is almost nearing it's end.What is most unforgetful about this show:
1. Anu Malik's 'shero-shaayari' that amuses no one but him.He says weird stuff like:
"Tu hai Amit Sana,
tune gaaya aaj gaana,
Iodex lagaana"
Something like that...
2. Sonu Nigam's hair ...curly, forehead-hiding straight, forehead-showing straight..
phew!!
3.Farah Khan is of course, the desi Paula Abdul, who can never be mean.She compliments, saying,"you are looking glamourous today", "you look great in kurtas"...and other things that have nothing to do with music.

Thus,the idle watch the wannabe idols.... some make complete fools of themselves, while others actually end up making music.
That's it for now...it's Angel...out!!

Informal guidelines...

2005-02-14T20:19:00.000+09:00

[edit: the following post is meant to be taken light-heartedly.This is not a psychology paper or a list of expectations women have for men.I am in no way a sexist person, neither do I intend to generalize or portray men as being half-witted.If you enjoy gibberish, please read on!]

Yeah, I know.It's Valentine's day..."how's it going?", do I hear you enquire?
Doesn't the fact that I'm here reporting my views on my pathetic..err...unique lifestyle give you a slight hint??

OK, I do have a 'valentine'...my sister.Get back on your chair, reader...I have more to say.So, she was the first(and only) one to ask me..so I picked her.Anyways I'm waiting for her to come home...so we can go out or stay in...either way, spend some quality time yacking about everything from over-rated movies to conflicting doctrines.

Agreed, I am not the best person to advice guys on how to treat ladies nice...but is that going to stop me?? *an-all-knowing-grin*

So, you're a guy and you want to be a nice guy...probably even score with the ladies.I know some of you are saying,"not really".That's OK...you will read all the way through anyway...you know you want to.

1) Two-timing:
Take a deep breath. You can't 'see' two girls at once.Yeah, it's true...who knew?? Someone I know is in a dilemma right now coz he has two 'establishments' going...he thought he liked that one, now he likes this one...and can't tell that one that this one is in the picture...you get the drift, right?
And if your next question is,"well, what about 3??", look away, I'm not talking about you.

2)Commenting:
Repeat after me, "Think, then speak". Did you get that? Yeah, ALWAYS a plus.Rude comments are funny only to the guy uttering them. Women don't like to be told that their make-up doesn't suit them...(ex:If she is wearing dark lipstick, you DON'T ask her if she kissed a coal-miner.A HUGE no-no).
Yeah, so psychologists have shown that a guy expresses his fondness for a girl by pulling her hair and making crude remarks about her...but research a little more and you will find they were talking about guys below age 12.
And if you're asking,"So, I can't tell her she looks like a pumpkin when she wears her Orange sweater?".NO."what if it's a really cute pumpkin I'm referring to?".
Did I mention that dimwit questions are a turn-off?

3)Chivalry:
OK dudes,first off,

chiv·al·ry
1. The qualities idealized by knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women.
2. A manifestation of any of these qualities.

Call me crazy, but a good chunk of senoritas like to have doors opened for them.Some of them might deny it, even, but the fact remains.
So, am I asking you to stand up everytime she goes to the ladies' room and raise your hat when you say hello??("but I don't have a hat", "what does ladies' room mean??".At this point I am choosing to ignore people asking these questions, as, clearly they are not the target audience)
Well, not if you don't want to...but just saying the good old 'thank you' and 'please' have become rarities.If you can change that, you should.

4)Listen.Talk:
There is a difference between someone who says "how are you doing?"(or nowadays, the minimal "'sup?") and actually waits for you to answer and someone who doesn't.
Increase your range of interests and your vocabulary, because quite frankly, EVERYONE doesn't like the phrase "RAW IS WAR" and after a while, 'cool', 'hot' and 'whatever' just don't cut it.

5)Be nice to everyone:
I have noticed quite a few times that guys treat that one special girl very well and other people, guys and girls alike, are just blurry shapes to them.
Yeah, it is understandable that he might want to treat her extra-special...but not at the cost of losing out on his existing friendships by cutting them off totally.

Am I saying that guys should treat girls like princesses?? Well, yes!(check the name of this blog!*giggle*edit:this blog was formerly 'The Princess Diaries").But can girls treat guys really badly? Of course not...
My purpose for writing this is to let guys know that there are certain things that are a real turn-off.If this applies to you, good.If it doesn't, you are obviously in denial...ok ok I'm joking.

I guess this means I can't use this as a signature:
'Boys are like lava lamps: fun to look at but not so bright.'

....and there's more!!!

2005-02-10T20:32:00.000+09:00

I've been resisting the temptation to add SO much more to the list below...but I'm sure if I really bring everything out in the open..I'd be at the risk of having a rep like that crazy cat lady who shoos away the kids playing in her garden...

just-have-to-say stuff:

1 'welcome to my life' by Simple Plan is quite a nice song, lyrically and otherwise.Maroon 5's 'sunday mornings' has a fresh catchy tune that stays in your head.'penny and me' by Hanson is simply brilliant.I didn't give a chance to these bands before...not bad, all of them.

2. There are more voice hunt shows on TV than there are ideas in my head for an interesting blog right now.

3. Travelling adds to your personality...especially if you're anything like me.I went nuts looking at the India Gate for the first time, patriotic sentiments flooded my being...till those guys next to me started cracking jokes about how I didn't know to take a decent picture.I handled that with a mental "whatever!". I can only imagine what will happen to me if I ever see the pyramids...hope paramedics will be standing by...and Victoria Falls will probably kill me!

4. Over-used terms are so...over used!Like 'metrosexual' and 'page 3'.Guys learn to comb their hair and they become metrosexual?Aren't they supposed to take care of themselves...I guess metrosexual really means 'civilised'(no offence, fellas!)

5. I will have an aversion for cellphones till of course I get one!...I've always said "no one needs to be available all the time".My sis, for one hasn't been the same since she got hers...which was gifted to her(not ME) by my cousin(hence intensifying the existing hatred for the gadget)
It is absolutely a menace hearing a phone ring in a theatre or in church(once at church, the pastor said "keep your phones on only if God is going to call")
And there are times I am having these meaningful conversations with someone and their phone rings...it's really difficult to get back to the conversation after that.Also, when someone listens to you and reads a message at the same time..it is SO annoying!
The worst part is getting a message at midnight saying,"just thought I would say good night"this accompanied by some kind of art made up of special characters.
And what's with multitasking mobile phones that take pictures, videos, check mail, do your laundry, wash your dishes, polish your shoes.....

hmmm I think when people say that I have an opinion about everything...they might be right(just a tad!).

Of things I don't particularly enjoy...

2005-01-25T20:47:00.000+09:00

It's one of those days...not exactly down-in-the-dumps but I've-had-better kinda days...many things are on my mind right now and I'm thinking of all the things I don't like...so I thought while I'm miserable, why not blog about it and throw a pity party.CHEERS!
(DISCLAIMER: the writer is not passionately pessimistic.The exaggeration is solely for shock-effect)
SO...I've deduced after some soul-searching that I am a list person...nah that's not a mental illness, I'm just saying I like lists...to-do lists, where-to-go lists, friends-to-call lists...the works...
I prefer clear, easy-on-the-eyes lists as opposed to long, neverending paragraphs...

Ok, stop yawning..here's my things-I-don't-like list:

1. googlemania : when I do these Google searches, which is pretty often...I end up with these pages that give u a list of related sites...each of which gives you another list of websites and so on.Before you know it you're opening windows and tabs and have forgotten what you wanted.That is one exception when I am NOT a list person!

2.LEARN the words!!: Have you heard people when they sing a song they don't know the words to..they're like "da da da da da...." and when it's chorus time they belt it out like it's no-one's business.."Now I'm FREEEEE, free fallin'!"
I don't REALLY like that, but let's face it, there are a lot of songs we would love to know the words to...but don't.
With my sister, it's a totally different story. She will make up the words as she goes along...and not even realise that she is a lyric-factory...what's more annoying is that she sings like she is SURE those are the EXACT words.Talk about annoying.

3. "No, YOU tell me" : I am not really into speaking on the phone.I find it really unnecessary and I use the phone just to keep in touch and not really for those "so, what were you doing?" type conversations.
And HOW awkward is it when you have nothing left to talk about and you're like "what else?" and they're like "I don't know, you tell me"...
sometimes I feel like saying. "yeah that's it. let's hang up".But I'm too nice to do that!:)

4."Hi.Liked your profile.mail me":Recently, I got this mail from a guy who said he liked my profile on Orkut and asked me to mail him if I want to get "impressed".what do YOU think I did?? If he doesn't like replies, he's most impressed with me right now.
Occasionally on Orkut, I get these people adding me without asking me or writing a scrap first.I think that's really disrespectful.but maybe, that's how you make friends...I still don't like this way of doing it though.
I think some other people share my view on this too.

5.Mediocre television: sometimes when I indulge in this rare ritual called studying,
I take a T.V break.And what do I find? "world poker championships" OR those infomercials with some exercise machine that starts with 'AB' (as in "ab-pro", "ab-master"...those washboard abs are YOURS for Rs 49999999 ONLY, call now and it's a rupee lesser!)
not to mention, these super-hero shows like Black-Scorpion, She-Spies.The world is SICK of being saved from GRAVE danger...over and over again.
then there's those supernatural(but not in any way divine)shows that give you a peek into wicca, witches, vampires and the like.
There's also reality T.V...that continues surprising me!
By the time I'm done surfing for what I wanna watch, my list tells me it's time to go study.

6. "please send this to 100 of your closest friends" : I don't like forwards.Of course, there are those occasional nice ones, but more often than not, the words FWD: cause my eyes to itch! especially when they say "send this to 5 people and you will get 100 dollars", "you will find true love", "If you delete this, bad luck will come your way".The one good thing forwards do is that they magnify the usefulness of the delete button.

ahh!!
I feel a lot better now!Yeah, there's obviously a lot more stuff I don't like...
but there is a lot more stuff I like and can focus on...
you know what??
It's gonna take a lot more than "FWD:" to tick me off!!

there! jabber of a blog plus a pep talk.:D

P.S: I may have violated the never-ending paragraphs rule :P

RANDOM RANDOM

2005-01-19T19:02:00.000+09:00

Did you know??
...that I found these random facts:

More redheads are born in Scotland than in any other part of the world.

The Earth gets 100 tons heavier every day due to falling space dust.

Porphyrophobia: Fear of the color purple.

In Arizona, Hunting camels is prohibited.

2005-01-12T19:05:00.000+09:00

sticking to the on-again-off-again studying theme...
this is a result of my 'quality time'spent on the WWW.
I'm a sucker for these silly tests/questionnaires...

ME NOT NERDY!!

WEIRD...me??nah!

I'm not a brat.NO NO NO I am not!!!!
ok, maybe a little!

OK, your turn
find your learning type

what kind of a friend are you?
find out

phew!now, haven't we learnt a lot from this...exams aren't the only 'tests' you
know...

2005-01-12T16:24:00.000+09:00

If you're in Bangalore and don't have a copy of Coffee Beanz (a 6 page mag that has very little to do with coffee...everything to do with fun and it is UNPUTDOWNABLE)...you are NUTS!!..go get one!

2005-01-08T18:10:00.000+09:00

P.O.D

2005-01-07T20:09:00.000+09:00

greyish blue, bluish grey....blah blah OK,OK...enough pics I know...it's just that I got bloggerbot and went crazy...and NO, they will not pay me for this.

(using brushes from here)

2005-01-07T20:05:00.000+09:00

It's a muted monochromatic look.you like?

2005-01-07T20:01:00.000+09:00

John Reuben."DO NOT!"

2005-01-07T19:59:00.000+09:00

TOBY MAC!!! these are extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeme days.

2005-01-07T19:58:00.000+09:00

The Newsboys."let this song remind you that they don't serve breakfast in hell"

2005-01-07T19:56:00.000+09:00

DC TALK.need I say more!!!

2005-01-07T19:53:00.000+09:00

gift me a digital camera.look I'm begging you.

2005-01-07T19:50:00.000+09:00

If you don't like dogs, coffee is your best friend.

the 'study' in study holidays is silent.

2005-01-07T00:08:00.000+09:00

OK...here's the thing...when you're saying "study holidays" I hear "vacation"...

how to know you're distracted:
1. When your sister tells you you're the type that is "easily distracted"...you reply,"define 'distracted'!"
2. You DON'T LIKE her answer to that question.
3. You take a 2 hour break after every 1/2 hour of studying.
4. You christen every T.V show as a 'must-watch'.
5. You check your mail every 2 hours...("what if there's a REALLY important mail!")
6. You answer ALL of the following questions
"wanna go to the park?"
"are you free?let's all go out for lunch"
"wanna catch a movie?"
with a resounding "OK!"...without giving it a second thought.
7. You make a new study plan everyday.
Give me another week and I can add a lot more to this pathetic list...
and if you're going "oh, c'mon, you're exaggerating!"
I reply,"define 'exaggerate'!"

The other side of the radio

2004-12-19T13:34:00.000+09:00

check out these lyrics of "the other side of the radio" by Chris Rice

Here I am on the other side of the radio
Wonderin' why I'm here and why anybody cares what I say
No I’m not a better man cause I'm singing my songs on the radio
Cause were all the same, at the end of the day

Now I imagine you on the other side of the radio
Doin' your homework or driving with your windows down on the freeway
I see you tappin' the wheel I see you bobbin' your head to the radio
Oh and it makes my day, to see that smile on your face
And in some small way, I remember my place

Cause it's you and me singing the same song right now
And maybe this will bring us together somehow
And maybe there's a million people all singing along
Somebody started thinkin' about the third line
And maybe somebody's saying a prayer for the first time
And that's enough reason to keep me singing my song,
Singing my songs, on the other side of the radio

Crank up the volume sing at the top of your lungs with the radio
Tune it in to some good news and laughing along with the DJ
We're changing someone's world from the other side of the radio
Oh and it makes my day to see that smile on your face
And in some small way, I remember my place

Cause it's you and me singing the same song right now
And maybe this will bring us together somehow
And maybe there's a million people all singing a long
Somebody started thinkin' about the third line
And maybe somebody's saying a prayer for the first time
And that's enough reason to keep me singing my song
Singing my song, on the other side of the radio (2X)

Dah Dah dah dah dah dah dah dah
Other Side of the Radio (3X)

How creative is that huh? and FUN to listen to too...

Music has a way of influencing its listeners..some ignorant, some very knowledgeable..some just pleasure-seekers...
personally I feel the lyrics of a song make it what it becomes...
Be it the anthem-like "youth of the nation" or the wailing from the microphone: "somewhere I belong" ...

every style of music has its defenders, admirers...(hmm although I don't sympathise with 'techno' lovers...*rolls eyes*HOW???)

But yeah ...sometimes I find myself listening to some artists/genres that are not THE happening stars...like I'm not such a great fan of country..but the touching "wide open spaces" by Dixie Chicks made me wonder otherwise..also "I love u this much" by Jimmy Wayne(btw, u gotta check out his life-story..)

But I guess what makes music music is the reason why its played...some may use it to get fame and believe me ..it shows..("hit me baby one more time" WHAT??!)

I guess that's what creates one-hit-wonders ( "where is the love") ..somewhere among the 10-12 songs per album...a group/band/artist ends up singing that one song...that has just the right rhythm..the right words and the right emotion....
I don't know if you, the reader got anything out of this...so I will sum it up in this...
"talk less, say more" and if a song can do that...I guess its job is done...whether it gets an AMA or a Grammy or not.

TIME:the stuff life's made of

2004-12-07T21:38:00.000+09:00

BUSY...that's a word most people use...
"Can you come to the show?".."nah, I'm busy"
"Wanna come home and chat?".."busy."
Whatever does the word mean??
I'm just clueless coz I use the word to say anything from "I wanna stay home and Google about the very cute Evan Farmer" to "I want to complete my project coz tomorrow's the deadline"
So, here's the thing...I THINK i'm busy when I'm not...
24 hours always seems less..could that be a sign that there may be time-waster activities in my schedule??Like say...blogging?? ;)
And there is something about the computer that makes me feel I'm doing something worthwhile when I'm finding out what happened to the forgotten child stars of yesterday
or hoping to find that first-bencher from school on Orkut...(although I wouldn't have a clue what to say if I did find that person!)
And although I'm the kind of person who wants to know everything...it is time to stop when it's 1:30 AM and I'm trying to figure out if that rumour about Tommy Hilfiger and Oprah has any element of fact in it...
It is a feeling of under-achievement when you lie in bed at night and can't even think about how the day went coz a)your eyes hurt and your head aches. b)you're preoccupied with plans of completing that report due tomorrow...
Here I am, with a desire to have a wee bit of discipline in my schedule...so that I have those five minutes of peace in the morning when I can sip that walnut coloured beverage prepared by my sister(she insists on calling it 'tea'...)
you know ..just a moment when nothing is particularly on your mind...you just have some extra time to sit down and do nothing....
Gosh I miss times like those....
So, it is time, I guess, to make a paradigm shift, and get accustomed to a more flexible schedule with time scheduled to be wiled away with glee...

speechless?!!

2004-11-29T22:18:00.000+09:00

OK this is really weird ...I'm at a loss for words...my initial blogcitement(:D) has dwindled away...what about the millions of u ...my faithful fans *waves and blows kisses*...how could I have kept u waiting for my next master-piece...
and surprisingly enough...this blog is about how I have nothing to say in my blog...hmmm.
I've been thinking of things that I can blog about...here is a little peek into my thought-process:THE BLOGS THAT DID'NT MAKE IT
1.How I miss school
Nah!too cheesy...and I didnt want to get all teared up and ruin my keyboard(which I have already done once...A large glass of water , and my half-asleep movements..DON'T ASK!)
2.How our education system fails to bring out the 'real' person in a student
hmm....lots to say...but I am trying to be positive about all my assignments and projects...and ENJOY student life, so I think I could do without the bitterness right now...
3.How it is to let go of friends and make new friends and do it all over again
Well, mostly the same reason as 1, but also it is fun to meet new people and meet old ones..different joy altogether...
4.How my new anti-glares look great on me.
GREAT TOPIC...but ok,I agree..too vain..but believe me...I look intellectual (which I am,by the way :))and it's magic..the moment I put them on...I feel like doing something about my project and probably that assignment that was due last week...cool huh?
5.How cool it is that launchcast is free
yeah...another great topic...but I thought about it and all i had to say was "YIPEEEEEEEEEEEE"
6.On being spontaneous
would make an interesting blog....so why not?
Well,I have kept u reading haven't I...
So,there u have it people...we have a winner!

blogblogblog

2004-11-19T07:12:00.000+09:00

Hmmmmmmm.
So............. I finally figured it would be a good thing if I got the hang of this whole 'BLOGGING' business.
yeah, so I'm not the next Pulitzer Prize winner...but words are all I have....
My life is about as interesting as a makeover on Oprah...but does it resemble the 'before' or the 'after'???
One thought that's fresh in my mind is ...
"Courage is not the absence of fear but the knowledge that something is greater than that fear"
Well, so anyway..IT's pretty clear that my thoughts are as random as the lyrics of the backstreet boys...
so, why blog??
A.Improves your typing speed.
B.Lets others see your typos.
C.Helps make you more expressive
D.U can tell others..."I blog".
SO...................that's it for now.