Iron(y) Maiden... :|

I reached office listening to the radio. It played, "I believe I can fly.."
What if I could? With all that flight sickness I have! I would be flying around with a ton of air sickness bags. Ewww.

I am no good at the sea either. In fact, any mode of transportation, extending beyond a few hours at a stretch, leaves me bundled up in one corner with a pale face. This is so ironic because I love to see places. I love seeings new places, new things, finding beauty in the simplest of things.

My stomach; hates me for this liking of mine. I am the kinds who can spin into bouts of retching at the sight of an unhygienic place. Leave alone touching the food there. But then again, I love food. I love trying new dishes. I envy people who have the tummy of a stone crusher and relish even the road-side chat.

This is absolute Irony. Its like your favorite piece of cake falling down face first. Or, the last nut in the bag turning out to be stale. Or, the electricity going away just when you gather your lazy bones to iron your weekly quota of clothes. Or, the only shoe you loved in the shop of thousands, not having your size.

:|

I have been onto novels now for a little while. I guess its because although I cribbed and whined about doing my MBA, it has sort of got me used to reading before I go to sleep. ;)

Suchitra has been my library. Right now, I am reading, "Eat, Pray, Love".



Beauty. Love. Desire. Realization. You can't stop thinking of these if you ever get to read this. I have never been the novel-reading kinds. Those who know me well, will swear by that fact. And guess what, as I proceeded in the novel, I see the novelist say the same things as me, she's a traveler with a constitution as weak as of a premature fetus. But, she travels.

I suddenly feel good about myself. I keep the book aside and sleep with a smile.

On the table top...

You just can't deny it, meetings can be a real dud sometimes. Especially, corporate.
I have seen an instance where it was supposed to be a day-off-work meant for employees to rewind and relax. They were taken to a beautiful resort with amazing landscapes, a swimming pool, board games, outdoor games and (behold!) a big conference room.
Conference ROOM!? You must be wondering my dear friends. Yes, everyone was locked up there for the next four hours and presented slides by all managers about how to make the place fun.
...No comments.

Don't be judgemental and conclude that I don't pay attention in meetings (I even take notes as proof!). But, there are so many distracting agents and lets accept it, monologue meetings are the undisputed winners in this category.



Things you DON'T want in a meeting:
1. Coffee slurrrper sitting next to you.
2. Nail-biter sitting next to you, for that matter anywhere in your frame of vision (Eww gross!)
3. Leg shaker anywhere near the table. The last thing you want is to feel the seismic vibrations coming all the way from a restless colleague while you're already battling a post-lunch meeting.
4. A "Same-Word-Repeater-Speaker". "OK!", "You getting me?", "Basically". I know we all do it, but as audience, by the time you're done with the hour long talk with all the OKs, you are ready to shoot yourself at the next "OK!". :|
5. What you DEFINITELY don't want is; to be the last person in the row. Here's the thing, the first person at the table bends over to see the projection ahead. So, does the next and next and so on. So, you better be sitting on the table top if you are the last person at the table!!

Fashion ka hai yeh jalwa..

The last time I had participated in a fashion show was back in school.
It was a cheesy, wanna-be, teenage performance. But, it was fun.

Well, I did it again. This time at work and with just double the crowd. Although I have always loved dressing up, I would say the conditions around me weren't that flattering for the occasion.

1. Thirty-minutes-FLAT to change.

2. Loads of make-up. I've been told natural goes the best on me. At least most of my close ones tell me not to scare them with red lipstick.

3. Rain. Rain. Rain.

4. A kaput Green Room. Now I must say, that the organizers took the term 'Green' Room too literally, coz it was on Grass! People, someone's wearing a two grand stilettos here!

5. Two-Grand Stilettos. Not the price. But, the height.

6. The wind. Wind is welcome when it flies kites, not skirts.

Putting all the above factors in a blender and what do you have;

1. Wet stage...Get ready to see some skating championship!
2. Drenched green room remains.
3. Me running around with stilettos in hand and skirt tucked between legs.
4. Make-up? Who cares! Didn't you read the point 3!!!

However, things are always not as bad as I make them sound. Although last picture is the supporter of my 'Go-Natural strategy'.

I, Robot.

Rigourous aerobics after a month-long break; you'll agree I look robotic today.

My legs won't move. I am skipping few breaths here and there cause my abs can't take all that breathing motion. I almost screamed along with my sneeze. My calves scream in pain almost making me wish I could slide down the stairs on my chair.

The beauty is, you never realize this while you're doing it. With every crunch I did, I smiled at my reflection saying "Not bad at all, eh".
My reflection smiled back at me saying "We'll see tomorrow, toughie!".

And it was just a matter of time, before I tried to get up from bed in the morning and OUCH, that HURT. :|
I remember being told that Lactic Acid is the culprit here.
But, Google begs to differ.
Let's not blame the poor acid. The muscle stiffness that we experience after hard or unaccustomed exercise is the damage/stress to the muscles and not the crystallisation of lactic acid. In fact, its not even called Lactic Acid, its rather Lactate.

I think the only body part which doesn't hurt right now is my mouth. Infact its begging for a morsel of food. So signing off for tonight then, tomorrow I'll be BACK with a smile just like this one..


Found this picture from another blog, just apt :)

Why does it have to be THAT bad!?? :S

I was setting up my cupboard, today being a Sunday; when I came across some of my fasion disasters. Purple scarfs, maroon pants, green skirt. I'm not saying these are BAD, probably can be used for dressing up the Grinch! :|


The only thing crossing my mind while folding those clothes was; "What was I thinking!!?"
I remember myself dressing up like Mary Poppins for this one occasion. A Cow-girl (almost) for another. Thank God I was just ten or so at that time else, people would have recommended some medication for me.

But then, when I think about it. EVERYONE has done it. Right?
Just look at these following pictures..





We ALL know these people. No body knew ME!
THEY ARE ON TV! FOR GOD"S SAKE! The WORLD is watching them!!
I was on my own. But, these people had a team of designers behind them.
Suddenly, I feel good about myself. I mean come on, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!!"

How far would you go to protect a secret?

Friday night. Cup of Tea. Piece of cake. Comfy tee and pyjamas.
FINALLY I DID IT.
One more down in my MUST-WATCH-MOVIES-AFTER-FINISHING-MBA list.

Prasad had almost given up on me. You see, he's a complete movie buff and movies for him, mean serious business. I love movies too, but not to the extent of holding up my eye-balls to finish a flick. O.O

The Reader.

As always, Kate Winslet was brilliant. What I love about this lady is how natural she is! I don't think I can be that natural even in real life. I had loved her in Revolutionary Road. I had loved her in Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind. I want to see the Holy Smoke, sometime real soon.

I hate it when people die in climax of any movie, especially if one of the lovers. Its simply unbearable. But, somehow most of Kate's movies conclude that way. :'( The Revolutionary Road was again one of my favorites but, I would never want to see it again. Why? Because it was so real that it makes me cry. The Reader goes to the same category.

You see her movies don't have a major plot. Its almost always about the small and tiny things in life which we actually care about. Feelings, pride, shame, aspirations, ego, jealousy. Do you realize HOW difficult it is to base a movie on these? I just realized that it is so true how we always assume any well spoken person to be well read as well!

Sleeping like a dog...

There I was...knocked out cold when suddenly something landed on my face with a thud.
Yes..My younger sister's hand missile.
She's one active sleeper. By that I mean, she kicks, punches, rolls over and sometimes even deposits herself on top of me.

I have survived most of these occurences. Because...I have things keeping me busy.
I talk. I talk in my sleep. Not one or two sentences, I chit chat to myself, I laugh and conclude my self dialogues.

I have almost freaked out my sister, mom and yes, Suchitra dear in China, where we happened to share a room and in the middle of the night I let out my ghostly laugh. Suchi, being the light sleeper, went, "Excuse Me?". No response. I was busy talking you see. )o)

During teenage, my mom would tease me that she would get to know all my secrets through my sleep talk. But, soon I realized I only spoke gibberish. Phew... ;)


Kicking. This according to me is the MOST ANNOYING Sleep Habit out of all. More so, when you're the victim!
My sister used to kick. For that matter, any younger sibling of mine who has been put to sleep next to me eventually inherits the kicking genes overnight. E.g. this lil' sis has turned out to be a Bruce Lee descendent.

But, whenever God closes all the doors, he opens a window (As they say).
So, point to be noted is that, I sleep like a log. As my sister puts it, you could have the Mahabharat next to me, I wouldn't even change sides. Come light, come sound, my eyes don't even wrinkle. And the best part, I have successfully accomplished my record of sleepin at the drop of a hat. I have done it in a single seater bus, twin seats of aeroplane, taxi back seat, sofa, office chair ;), driver's seat (not while driving), even in a crowded-semi-shared-bus seat.

Now...How's that for a sleep habit. :D

I came across this adorable pic of lil' cousin of mine. Thankfully he doesn't kick, he only spins around the bed like a Minute Hand. :)

I love to singaa...

I sang on the stage after eleven years.
I wouldn't say that I have the stage fright. But, singing is altogether a different game. The last time I did it, it was a pure disaster. I still remember how people's faces twitched when my pitch went from high to higher till a baritone came out.

That's my nightmare.

Now, only difference is, I am a twenty five year old. So, a failure will be only little more humiliating. The office crowd won't really mimic me! Although, I might go away from public sightings for a while. Which is Ok. Right. So analyzing the risk involved, I signed up.

Nevertheless, Sis, Mom and Dad were supportive as hell. But you know, somehow, you cannot believe your own Mom when she praises you. Cause, she'll ALWAYS praise you. :)
So, I relied on Prasad. He is a true critic and can't help himself in telling the truth. I know he wouldn't praise me AT ALL if it wasn't genuine. :/

So, when Prasad gave me the green signal. I went ahead. \m/
The show was on Sep 11. I practiced and practiced. I practiced till my throat went sore, till my Mom knew the lyrics, till my neighbours in Office had the song on the back of their hand, till the song run in my dreams as well.

The show began. I swear I could have given ANYTHING if they let me sing from behind the curtains. I requested that the lights be dim when I go on stage. Atleast not having to face the audience staring back at you would help in this situation.

But, the audience was smart. And I don't like that.
They requested that the lights be ON! :O
I mentally took a note of my friends who were part of this mischief. :X

I began to sing.
But hey, this time it wasn't THAT bad. I wasn't all hands and legs. Words flew out smoothly, the person in first row was ACTUALLY enjoying the melody. I can bet I saw some people swing along as well! Before I knew, I had finished the song and the audience was applauding. :')

I can't believe it even now, that after spending days and nights of restlessness and anxiety; it went by so swiftly. But, my joy was short lived only until I saw the video recording of the show...

Ok. Why was I moving like a swaying coconut tree?
Here, have a look.


P.S. And feedback is welcome, as long as its positive ;)

First time Guardian! :S

My younger cousin sis is now supposed to move to Hostel and start her college. A new phase for her. But, let me confess, more than her, I'm having butterflies in my stomach...well, I'm going to be the local guardian for this little girl!
I still remember my first day at college so vividly. That silly short-harido.
Those jeans which I thought fit me perfectly. I even wore sunglasses now that I remember. What was I, like 17? :)
I was accompanied by Dad. He went and met all teachers, introduced me to them as well.
The usual advice of studying well followed.
Its going to be nine years since that day, its still so fresh in my memories. I don't remember many things out of college perhaps because of being a day scholar or, maybe just because my memory sucks. But, I do remember I always felt back then that the children staying in the Hostel had all the fun. Late nights, friends always around, bigger pocket money, outside food, sharing snacks...had to be more fun than just coming back home and eating home-made food with parents.

But, now that I've grown past those years and work has forced me to stay away from parents. I realize, how important parents are during those college days, not just for making your life easier with the food and money but, the morale support!
God knows how many times I would come home in a stroke of panic. It would be some assignment, a project, just a fight with friend, or some shoutings from lecturers.
Just an hour or so with family, would make me forget everything and focus on bigger & better things in life.

Now, what makes me anxious is will I be able to provide that sort of support to my lil' sister who'll be staying away from home?

I suppose I will learn it myself with her. After all, despites of all possible Guides, parents never have a prior hands-on experience as well :).

Check out this one I found for first time parents!!

Male Vs Female Control

Its a BIG sigh after finishing all my MBA papers which had been looming on my life for the last two years. It almost equivalent to the relief you get on relieving yourself after holding back peeing for a LONG...LONG...time. Honestly.

Remembering that feeling, my thoughts bumped onto a fact that a LOT of my friends mentioned to me, that Girls could control pee for a whole lot longer than Boys(!!) I was astonished. In my twelve years of science, not once had I come across this biological difference between Male and Female physiology! How was that possible. When more than five people swore by this fact, I started reasoning to myself. It could be the fact that females were designed to tolerate more pain. Hmm... Nah..

I asked Dad, my anytime Medical Dictionary. He said, False.
It is solely the fact that men have got so used to using the availability of the "Universal Urinal", the Nature; that their brains are conditioned not to hold back for long.
Whereas, girls have been "trained" not to do so! As simple as that.

So the next time, any guy whines about having a small bladder and being a poor Male. Just give them The Dirty Look.

(The pic is for representation only.. plus for practice ;) )