I am so ronery.
It's all a by product of sitting in my eyrie and watching the wind and rain blither about me all weekend, I'm sure. But it doesn't take it away from me, that I'm feeling ronery. Sar and I stayed up talking till late yesterday night. Then when I lay down to sleep, I couldn't sleep. A thousand things were on my mind, simple questions had such complicated answers that I wouldn't let them go half way, as much as I tried.
Example of things on me mind
1) Saranya's friend is being pressurised to marry. Her boyfriend isn't ready to commit yet. He's 25. He's being touted as scum for not consenting to even agree to marry in the future. But my sympathies were with him. And what is this undue importance on marriage. It does not complete one. The sooner our parents and elders realise this, the better (my parents excepted because they've been darling on the issue, bless them). But others. I can't help but take up the war cry. All those women and the stupid biological clock issue. As if there aren't enough children in this world.
2) I'm supposed to write on what is most important to me and why. This little thing has precipitated such a crisis in my life, you wouldn't believe. At every moment, I'm second guessing myself, watching myself slyly through half averted eyes, hoping to catch me give myself away as to what really is important. So I was really putting myself through the wringer, trying to combine brutal honesty with being succint
3)follow that flute. I have a longing to play on my flute. My hand has been sprained slightly for the last week, so I haven't been able to try. But last night, what with the weather, I just wanted to play odd warbling tunes on my silver sweetheart. I do love my flute. It deserves a lot better than me.
4)Timmy came to mind yesterday. These dogs of my life will leave me insane if I keep remembering and missing them. They were worth it during my times with them.
I was so tired and alone thinking away, I was afraid the sun would rise before I could sleep. As it so often happens, I was asleep and I don't know when it happened.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Agatha Christie
Finished reading her autobiography. It was a really good read. It starts off a little insipid, but it grew better as the chapters progressed. The things she did, the people she met, her relationships are all detailed, but the best part was hearing her voice through it all. Its one thing to read her books, quite another to listen to her tell you things. She emerged as a charming, shrewd woman who enjoyed herself. There is surprisingly little conceit or arrogance in her words and she never seems to take herself seriously.
It was good really. However, some things are not addressed, her disappearance in 1926 is glossed over, her second husband's infidelities are not mentioned. She's entitled to her privacy, I guess. I can imagine it all anyway, these are small gaps that one can fill in. Her disappearance is easy to fill in and I imagine she tolerated Max Mallowan's infidelities, she was really so much older than him, she must have been wiser and more mature. They seemed to have a good understanding and seemed to have stayed friends at least to her death.
She says she was ready for death, in her epilogue, written in her final illness. I almost understand that. Hers was a full life.
It was good really. However, some things are not addressed, her disappearance in 1926 is glossed over, her second husband's infidelities are not mentioned. She's entitled to her privacy, I guess. I can imagine it all anyway, these are small gaps that one can fill in. Her disappearance is easy to fill in and I imagine she tolerated Max Mallowan's infidelities, she was really so much older than him, she must have been wiser and more mature. They seemed to have a good understanding and seemed to have stayed friends at least to her death.
She says she was ready for death, in her epilogue, written in her final illness. I almost understand that. Hers was a full life.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Everyone knows it's windy
Woke up this morning to really stormy winds. The curtains were horizontal with the force of the wind, things were flying everywhere. When I got up to look outside, the wind hit me. It was such a shock feeling the slap and shove of the force. I got the window closed with some effort, arranged the room. The high whistle of the wind was replaced by a howling as it whipped around the house. I went outside to take a look. It was splendid. A storm was brewing, clouds dark as sin and up here on the 20th floors, the wind was really ripping.
Really, I felt like Dorothy in Kansas. Pity, its raining now, so the wind has fallen. I do love my house.
Really, I felt like Dorothy in Kansas. Pity, its raining now, so the wind has fallen. I do love my house.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
A Life
I read Maupassant's 'A Life' yesterday. It was supposed to be a part of the reading balance, must keep to high-brow a while after all that SW trash. The thing is, I expected to do it as a duty. Instead, it was wonderful.
It follows the life of a girl, Jeanne and her expectations from it. Her illusions fade and she becomes more and more cynical of life. Her eventual marriage is a farce and everyone she loves seems to become tarred. Through it all she still seeks to bestow her love on something. The book ends with her looking down upon her granddaughter and another character says "Happy things come in their own time."
How did he do it? How did he put himself so well under the skin of a woman like her? It was real. His characters are changeful, diversion-seeking and layered. I disliked almost every one of them as people, but that's me, I don't like people. And in spite of my disliking everyone and shaking my head over all of them, I loved the book. I'm thinking of it all the time.
It makes me think. Relationships are sacred and fragile. Good ones are rare. And life just is. Illusions are one's own fault. Sometimes one has to take the shit.
There's a point to all this moralising, Bloggy. I tend to think that happiness happens. I think you have to make happiness happen and take every little bit of it you can find because it is not the usual fare.
Anyway, the blah ends there. Great book. A little disturbing, but full points for realism and naturalistic portrayal of men and women. Guy, you had me from the go..
It follows the life of a girl, Jeanne and her expectations from it. Her illusions fade and she becomes more and more cynical of life. Her eventual marriage is a farce and everyone she loves seems to become tarred. Through it all she still seeks to bestow her love on something. The book ends with her looking down upon her granddaughter and another character says "Happy things come in their own time."
How did he do it? How did he put himself so well under the skin of a woman like her? It was real. His characters are changeful, diversion-seeking and layered. I disliked almost every one of them as people, but that's me, I don't like people. And in spite of my disliking everyone and shaking my head over all of them, I loved the book. I'm thinking of it all the time.
It makes me think. Relationships are sacred and fragile. Good ones are rare. And life just is. Illusions are one's own fault. Sometimes one has to take the shit.
There's a point to all this moralising, Bloggy. I tend to think that happiness happens. I think you have to make happiness happen and take every little bit of it you can find because it is not the usual fare.
Anyway, the blah ends there. Great book. A little disturbing, but full points for realism and naturalistic portrayal of men and women. Guy, you had me from the go..
Cambodia
Now that I vented angst in my earlier post, here are some nice little piclets of my Cambodia trip. These aren't my photos, hence I am in them
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Clueless
Sexism, I can't escape it. Being female I have to speak about it sometime.
Yet what I want to speak out about is not about sexism inflicted on us by men but by other women. It is easy, almost comfortable to start viewing oneself as a woman deserving of privileges and comforts because of the notions of the kind of company one keeps. It becomes right, suddenly, to accept luxury. But as I've believed and always will believe, if I accept this, I am giving up some part of my freedom. I will then owe some part of this to someone else. Whereas what someone else owes me will be an intangible, difficult to argue and to secure in times of need.
I am not going to retire early and live off any possible husband's earning. I am going to split my bills fairly. I am not going to whine about presents. I am not going to expect anything. In return I will have my freedom. At a whim I will leave to see and do all that I need to before I eventually die. As afraid as I am of dying, I am more afraid of not doing everything I ought while I live. How could I do that with the trapping of luxury which are not rightfully mine? I'll be fine so long as I don't suddenly start expecting anything from anyone.
I often imagine a really equal society. An equal society is one where a daughter of mine will not have to hear people dismiss her moods as PMS, her ideas as fanciful, her tastes as girlish. She will have to do a bit to earn it, sure. But rationality and sensibility are not unfairly denied one sex or the other. She can do it.
Sometimes people say women are not ambitious. Hm. Some men want to earn more as a proof of superiority. They want to achieve great things on their respective ladders. My ladder isn't a corporate one. My ladder wasn't decided by my hormones. You could say my ladder was decided when I was one and was forever bringing stray puppies and toads home. I'm ambitious in my own way. I want to think I will eventually change other peoples lives.
What bothers me most is the mathematics and the common perception women are not good at it. I am not bad at mathematics. I am even good at it. But I know I'm not brilliant at it. No flashy insights, no blinding realisations, no look-and-I-already-know-the-answer. I got really good marks in school and in university. But because of not being in the top percentile I feel like a failure to women. I was cribbing to Shivani who said "Ha, I'm really good at maths." Abashed, and not really feeling up to matching up grades and stuff (infantile, that would be) I admitted defeat. But how I'd love to be brilliant in maths. I fall short of Rajesh by a bit. I say it's due to impatience and sloppiness. He'll just smile smugly at you.
Why am I so competitive.? What do I have to prove? I was so smug myself with my stupid sudoku time (of 10:38 minutes at the Evil level of difficulty;, ugh ), I have to hold on to some dignity here. I am not stupid, I don't have to prove anything to anyone. Why am I so insecure in my own abilities? Its there in everything except my actual work. I am over-competitive in games, crosswords, scrabble, writing, art. Every tiny thing I do, I hate to be judged inferior. I won't let myself be a slur on anything I represent.
I haven't a clue. It's like I am fighting what I imagine are other people's perceptions of me. I haven't a clue what I'm trying to do.
Yet what I want to speak out about is not about sexism inflicted on us by men but by other women. It is easy, almost comfortable to start viewing oneself as a woman deserving of privileges and comforts because of the notions of the kind of company one keeps. It becomes right, suddenly, to accept luxury. But as I've believed and always will believe, if I accept this, I am giving up some part of my freedom. I will then owe some part of this to someone else. Whereas what someone else owes me will be an intangible, difficult to argue and to secure in times of need.
I am not going to retire early and live off any possible husband's earning. I am going to split my bills fairly. I am not going to whine about presents. I am not going to expect anything. In return I will have my freedom. At a whim I will leave to see and do all that I need to before I eventually die. As afraid as I am of dying, I am more afraid of not doing everything I ought while I live. How could I do that with the trapping of luxury which are not rightfully mine? I'll be fine so long as I don't suddenly start expecting anything from anyone.
I often imagine a really equal society. An equal society is one where a daughter of mine will not have to hear people dismiss her moods as PMS, her ideas as fanciful, her tastes as girlish. She will have to do a bit to earn it, sure. But rationality and sensibility are not unfairly denied one sex or the other. She can do it.
Sometimes people say women are not ambitious. Hm. Some men want to earn more as a proof of superiority. They want to achieve great things on their respective ladders. My ladder isn't a corporate one. My ladder wasn't decided by my hormones. You could say my ladder was decided when I was one and was forever bringing stray puppies and toads home. I'm ambitious in my own way. I want to think I will eventually change other peoples lives.
What bothers me most is the mathematics and the common perception women are not good at it. I am not bad at mathematics. I am even good at it. But I know I'm not brilliant at it. No flashy insights, no blinding realisations, no look-and-I-already-know-the-answer. I got really good marks in school and in university. But because of not being in the top percentile I feel like a failure to women. I was cribbing to Shivani who said "Ha, I'm really good at maths." Abashed, and not really feeling up to matching up grades and stuff (infantile, that would be) I admitted defeat. But how I'd love to be brilliant in maths. I fall short of Rajesh by a bit. I say it's due to impatience and sloppiness. He'll just smile smugly at you.
Why am I so competitive.? What do I have to prove? I was so smug myself with my stupid sudoku time (of 10:38 minutes at the Evil level of difficulty;
I haven't a clue. It's like I am fighting what I imagine are other people's perceptions of me. I haven't a clue what I'm trying to do.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
a-HA-ha-ha
I seem to have developed an extremely irritating polite laugh. It happened like this
When I was sane and more anti-social I used to smile politely at social inanities. Then I realised that it gave me a severe reserved air. You can see it, can't you? Some one cracks a joke and Ipshita smiles politely. So I thought it would be better if I laughed politely. It was. It seemed and was more appropriate. Only now I can't stand the sound of it. no one else seems to mind (yet) but it drives me mad when I hear myself.
Silly person makes silly comment. Ipshita flashes teeth and "a-HA-ha-ha"
I'm not got going to be a Pavlovian dog. Ring the "social joke" bell and watch Ipshita "a-HA-ha-ha".
When I was sane and more anti-social I used to smile politely at social inanities. Then I realised that it gave me a severe reserved air. You can see it, can't you? Some one cracks a joke and Ipshita smiles politely. So I thought it would be better if I laughed politely. It was. It seemed and was more appropriate. Only now I can't stand the sound of it. no one else seems to mind (yet) but it drives me mad when I hear myself.
Silly person makes silly comment. Ipshita flashes teeth and "a-HA-ha-ha"
I'm not got going to be a Pavlovian dog. Ring the "social joke" bell and watch Ipshita "a-HA-ha-ha".
Monday, July 16, 2007
It's probably code
"Korto is probably too old to be Krayt if what Krayt himself says in his holocron is taken literally. Also Krayt being Korto would mean that Quinlan would have failed to keep the promise he made to his son and that would be sad."
Don't you just love fanboys? I got lost on a SW site (I was trying to find out more about EU HS) and found this. I don't know what it means either
Don't you just love fanboys? I got lost on a SW site (I was trying to find out more about EU HS) and found this. I don't know what it means either
loud laughter
a prophecy from one of the SW books..
He will remake/rename himself
He will know brotherhood
He will fabricate a pet
That's the funniest prophecy I've ever heard.
He will remake/rename himself
He will know brotherhood
He will fabricate a pet
That's the funniest prophecy I've ever heard.
Worst books ever
My god, I'm such a kook.
I read the crap new jedi order books. Oh, they are so much crap. I can't emphasise it enough. I like star wars but its always been a girly thing rather than a legitimate Science fiction interest. Its not legitimate science fiction because it's too childish, barely any science and contradicts itself wildly. And my interest is girly because, I mean, I liked Han solo, never quite bought in with all the crap force philosophising. Now these books are 40 years down the line. More Han Solo, yayyy. And more random handsome pilots, yayyyy.
Sometimes people think I have good taste in books. This just sank the Lusitania, people.
In my defense, I read both crap and good books. Only I need both. Handsome, witty, debonair pilots shooting down evil scum written by two-bit writers as well as deep multi layered rounded characters facing difficult and unusual times penned by skillful observers of human nature.
Though the star wars books are really so bad. I was literally flipping through them to get to the bits I wanted to read. the entire SW universe lacks imagination. Crap names scatter the pages, caedus, sidious, Shawnkyr, jagged (though he's one of the pilots)... Crap terminology: potentium heresy, younglings.. yadda, yadda
Sooooooooooo bad. Give me my time back! I demand a refund. (Erm.. I'll keep the pilots bit, though, thanks.)
I read the crap new jedi order books. Oh, they are so much crap. I can't emphasise it enough. I like star wars but its always been a girly thing rather than a legitimate Science fiction interest. Its not legitimate science fiction because it's too childish, barely any science and contradicts itself wildly. And my interest is girly because, I mean, I liked Han solo, never quite bought in with all the crap force philosophising. Now these books are 40 years down the line. More Han Solo, yayyy. And more random handsome pilots, yayyyy.
Sometimes people think I have good taste in books. This just sank the Lusitania, people.
In my defense, I read both crap and good books. Only I need both. Handsome, witty, debonair pilots shooting down evil scum written by two-bit writers as well as deep multi layered rounded characters facing difficult and unusual times penned by skillful observers of human nature.
Though the star wars books are really so bad. I was literally flipping through them to get to the bits I wanted to read. the entire SW universe lacks imagination. Crap names scatter the pages, caedus, sidious, Shawnkyr, jagged (though he's one of the pilots)... Crap terminology: potentium heresy, younglings.. yadda, yadda
Sooooooooooo bad. Give me my time back! I demand a refund. (Erm.. I'll keep the pilots bit, though, thanks.)
Friday, July 13, 2007
Family
Bad dreams yesterday night. Woke up in the middle of the night, telling myself they weren't true. Couldn't sleep for a long while afterwards. In my dreams I was crying profusely. Oddly enough, when I woke up, my face and pillow were wet with tears.
I love my family more than anything or anyone else in this world. Without them I'd be nothing, with any other people in any of their places, I'd be a lot different and a lot worse. I can never never do without them.
And you know when I say family, I mean Ma, Baba, Tia and our darling Brutus. I love you all.
I love my family more than anything or anyone else in this world. Without them I'd be nothing, with any other people in any of their places, I'd be a lot different and a lot worse. I can never never do without them.
And you know when I say family, I mean Ma, Baba, Tia and our darling Brutus. I love you all.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Revenge
In the 1970s-1980s you watch them kill your mother, your grandmother as your cries are ignored. You are left alone to grow up with teenagers who do their best to bring you up. And there is hatred in your heart. When you grow up, you will kill those who killed your family.
It sounds like a movie, it sounds hackneyed and overused, but here's the clincher. I'm talking of elephants. There is an entire generation of "teenage delinquent" elephants in Uganda who've grown up without the support structure of a herd due to excessive poaching in the 70s and 80s. Now there have been higher rates of attacks in these areas from elephants and this is the prevailing view:
The elephants are suffering from post traumatic stress and are wreaking vengeance upon human settlements. "They are certainly intelligent enough and have good enough memories to take revenge", I quote Joyce Poole, the research director at the Amboseli Elephant Research Project in Kenya.
It is chilling. These intelligent animals suffer and react just as we do. If we ever learn to understand and communicate in the future, if we ever come to the consciousness that being human is not being superior, how will we ever beg their forgiveness?
It sounds like a movie, it sounds hackneyed and overused, but here's the clincher. I'm talking of elephants. There is an entire generation of "teenage delinquent" elephants in Uganda who've grown up without the support structure of a herd due to excessive poaching in the 70s and 80s. Now there have been higher rates of attacks in these areas from elephants and this is the prevailing view:
The elephants are suffering from post traumatic stress and are wreaking vengeance upon human settlements. "They are certainly intelligent enough and have good enough memories to take revenge", I quote Joyce Poole, the research director at the Amboseli Elephant Research Project in Kenya.
It is chilling. These intelligent animals suffer and react just as we do. If we ever learn to understand and communicate in the future, if we ever come to the consciousness that being human is not being superior, how will we ever beg their forgiveness?
The real fears of Mayank
Mayank is getting increasingly more worried about having agreed to join the Cambodia trip. My enthusiasm is now in full swing and I pass on any information I think is relevant in email updates. Today, they've been almost hourly ranging from restaurants to malaria. The last one was warning him to stay fit coz all those temples have steep stairs. I've already persuaded him to be at Angkor Wat at 5am..
Monday, July 9, 2007
Why the emerald?
Bloggy dearest, you've been asking me for a while, how it was that I came up with your distinctive name. It all began in 8th standard when we were going through our reader. We had the first half Rime of the ancient mariner. An odd choice. I understand that the poem is a little long for kids of our age (then), but they could have chosen a shorter poem. The first half of the Rime is calculated to drive despair into the reader's heart, the redemption is never reached.
Thanks to baba, who loves poetry and quotes it constantly, I was not new to any of the classics, but this is the first time I was reading it and it sounds oddly to one versed in modern English. I pored over it making sense of the words. The poem really swings into pace with the words:
Listen, Stranger! Storm and Wind,
A Wind and Tempest strong!
For days and weeks it play'd us freaks--
Like Chaff we drove along.
Listen, Stranger! Mist and Snow,
And it grew wond'rous cauld:
And Ice mast-high came floating by
As green as Emerauld.
Can you see it? I can see it.
The poem is thought to be based on James Cook’s second voyage. I love it more for that, it makes it more real than an opium driven fantasy. Cook dipped below the Antarctic circle several times to see the fabled continent. Fabled continent… It’s beautiful, simply beautiful. I laugh at your Atlantis. Give me the real thing. The Terra Australis of Ptolemy. The fabled land that really was and is. Can you see it?
So I named you after one of my first literary moments. I didn’t know about Cook then, all I saw was the green iceberg in mind's eye.
The Electrician Cook
I feel the cook's urge on me again. I feel like making fabulous dishes and surprising everyone to bits. I'm going to make palak paneer (ho-hum, been there, done that), naan (aha, I have you sitting up, but that's easy really) and rasmalai.
The rasmalai is going to be the difficult part.
I enjoy cooking and shamefacedly I avow that I enjoy the praise even more. That's why after I am done, I can't eat my own food. It's like an examination. I've taken it incumbent upon myself for all my guests comfort. I do have a serious fault. I can't abide cooking heavy red-meaty foods, nor can I serve oily creations. I am stingy with oil. And why not? I wouldn't touch those things, it would be hypocritical to offer such unhealthy stuff to anyone, dessert is unhealthy enough. Besides; I'm cooking, I get to pick. It doesn't deter anyone from coming to eat. I usually end up cooking for 8 or more people.
Dunno what came over me. I love cooking, I love making things.
Strangely enough, I haven't really cooked for Rajesh that much or any of his friends; just twice. I can't remember how that went off. I just remember Mayank and his aggravating Barbarella. Argh.
I put up a wall lamp yesterday. I didn't really mean to do it. I just bought a simple lamp from Ikea never realising it was just the lamp. No bulb, no wires nothing. I went and bought a bulb and studied the fittings. There were screws and fixtures for wires. Went and bought a length of normal neutral/live electrical wire for a two pin plug, a two pin plug, a precision screw set and pliers. I screwed the whole contraption together, fixed the lamp to the wall and plugged it in. It worked! It just goes to show how sheltered a life I lead. I'm so excited over such a small project. I now feel like doing more electrical work in my bedroom. Like have a whole row of lamps and wire it up with a dimmer switch.
And I know why I feel extra proud. The man at the DIY store thought I was mad to do it without an electrician. So until my lamp goes up in flames, its ha! to him
The rasmalai is going to be the difficult part.
I enjoy cooking and shamefacedly I avow that I enjoy the praise even more. That's why after I am done, I can't eat my own food. It's like an examination. I've taken it incumbent upon myself for all my guests comfort. I do have a serious fault. I can't abide cooking heavy red-meaty foods, nor can I serve oily creations. I am stingy with oil. And why not? I wouldn't touch those things, it would be hypocritical to offer such unhealthy stuff to anyone, dessert is unhealthy enough. Besides; I'm cooking, I get to pick. It doesn't deter anyone from coming to eat. I usually end up cooking for 8 or more people.
Dunno what came over me. I love cooking, I love making things.
Strangely enough, I haven't really cooked for Rajesh that much or any of his friends; just twice. I can't remember how that went off. I just remember Mayank and his aggravating Barbarella. Argh.
I put up a wall lamp yesterday. I didn't really mean to do it. I just bought a simple lamp from Ikea never realising it was just the lamp. No bulb, no wires nothing. I went and bought a bulb and studied the fittings. There were screws and fixtures for wires. Went and bought a length of normal neutral/live electrical wire for a two pin plug, a two pin plug, a precision screw set and pliers. I screwed the whole contraption together, fixed the lamp to the wall and plugged it in. It worked! It just goes to show how sheltered a life I lead. I'm so excited over such a small project. I now feel like doing more electrical work in my bedroom. Like have a whole row of lamps and wire it up with a dimmer switch.
And I know why I feel extra proud. The man at the DIY store thought I was mad to do it without an electrician. So until my lamp goes up in flames, its ha! to him
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Shukla's wedding and my new house
Was in KL on Thursday and Friday, where our own Julina created complications I didn't consider could exist. F&S has a guest house in KL now. That was what we booked for our 2 day stay. We informed Julina who was to pass us the keys. She sent 2 envelopes down,one to pass to the KL office and the other with the mail box key. The keys to the house would be left inside the mailbox. So Yandan (my colleague) and I arrived in KL and went straight to work. by the time we were done it was 8:30. So tired, we tramped to the condo. We tramped to the mailbox area and ripped open the envelope.. a couple of brochures fell out. No key.
We flipped through the brochures in the wild hope the key was hidden there, we searched the flagstones of the floor if by chance it had fallen, we shook the envelope, lest it was still hidden in its depths. No key.
I walked to the guardhouse if perhaps an envelope had been left for us there. No key.
We could have called Sanjay or someone from the team to find out what to do next but I was really pissed off. So I picked the mailbox lock and miraculously it worked. wonders never cease.
Got back to Singapore on Saturday. Had to shift in to our new place. Most of Saturday morning was just shifting and the afternoon in rapid unpacking. Evening went over to Shivani's place. Shivani hadn't slept the night before coz she was up with Shruti, Anish, Karan, Udhayan and Venkat(there may have been more ppl in attendance). They were up all night, they played golf all morning, had lunch and were nearly off to play pool before their energy reserves gave out. I want what they're having!
So anyhow, Satchit warned me we needed to be on time as this was a seated reception and we needed to be in place. I assured him I had nothing much to do. Once I got the sari on, I was good to go and could leave early with him if need be. As things turned out, Shruti and anish only woke up at 5, the sisters had to go to the beauty-parlour and I was waiting till 7, for shivani. Shivani and I got dressed quickly. But we had to wait for shruti and anish, who had the car that day. They picked up Satchit on the way back from parlour, therefore satchit was waiting this whole while at his place, this just made the logistics a bit easier. Anyway, bored of waiting, Shivani and I were just trying on all her jewellery. That was a hoot.
To cut a long a story short, by the time we got there, it was 8:40. The time we were supposed to get there was 7:00. The wedding reception itself was very good. Shukla called while we were in the car. Embarrassing that the groom should need to do that, but it showed an attention that was very pleasing. We were seated together and there were plenty of speeches from both sides of the family. Shukla's speech was wonderful. He did it impromptu and it had a simplicity and spontaneity lacking in most things of this kind. Water-spout that I am, I got teary through it (so did shivani later, she confessed, mwaha!) . It was a good wedding, not for the pomp and show, (there was little showiness in fact, everything was well done, tastefully, food was good, people well dressed, nothing gaudy) but for the fact everyone was really happy. Shukla and vandana looked happy, the families looked happy, there was an undercurrent of joy through the event. We congratulated shukla and vandana once more after the event when we were taking our leave. He urged us to stay longer but generally satchit had to leave, it was becoming a more familial gathering etc etc...
I crashed at Shivani's place after changing from the sari. Long day with all the shifting etc etc. The other went to Terry's and then later crashed at shruti's place.
Sunday was one long unpacking day with several trips to DIY stores and IKEA. In fact, I can't believe I did so much in one day. I unpacked ALL my stuff, got new curtains for the room, installed a wall lamp all by myself (I'm impressed even if you're not :p), set up a mirror in my cupboard, arranged my books and photos. The room looks lovely. Kavita who has the fortune of sharing the room with me is a nice girl whom I'm only well acquainted with (as opposed to being best-buddies), she's very shy and reclusive. I think we'll get on splendidly together. She's very neat, so this will be a good chance for me to equal that score and practice neatness. Our room looks lovely, it does. With cranberry satin-cotton sheets, and dark red curtains with gold edgings. The walls are cream and the furniture in pinewood colours. The only clashing thing is my bookshelf, which is a baby blue. Which, you could construe as a statement, or which I will spray paint into a better statement. I feel like using stencils and reddish shades. So, yes. we're all set up. The house will be ready to viewing by public next week onwards as the living room is a perfect mess of cardboard boxes, paper and string, amongst which nestle objects we go into frenzies trying to find. once that is in order, we'll ask people over to admire our handiwork.
Hari is behaving well. We'll report any discrepancies promptly. Oh, but I do recall something. I was telling him about the new house. I seemed to have said "It's an hdb, but it's opposite raffles hotel." He went and told shikha (who told me this) that "Ipshita seems really image conscious, She said the place is an hdb BUT it's opposite raffles hotel." I'm a bit embarrassed. That came out all wrong. But anyone who knows me, would know that raffles hotel could be torn down so long as the dear library was left standing. So I don't really think it's an accurate reading of my character. Blllllllllllb to Hari.
Yesterday Satchit experienced much happiness when Federer won Wimbledon. Otherwise also, I think he's doing good. Rajesh is pining in Delhi. I think he's bored. Shivani is giving her GMAT in around 5 weeks time, the date was not vouchsafed to me. Anish, shruti and she have been busy with Karan and friends as they are all leaving shortly. Venkat was a little miffed as shukla seemed to have forgotten to invite him (so says Shivani, I haven't seen him for a long time).
We flipped through the brochures in the wild hope the key was hidden there, we searched the flagstones of the floor if by chance it had fallen, we shook the envelope, lest it was still hidden in its depths. No key.
I walked to the guardhouse if perhaps an envelope had been left for us there. No key.
We could have called Sanjay or someone from the team to find out what to do next but I was really pissed off. So I picked the mailbox lock and miraculously it worked. wonders never cease.
Got back to Singapore on Saturday. Had to shift in to our new place. Most of Saturday morning was just shifting and the afternoon in rapid unpacking. Evening went over to Shivani's place. Shivani hadn't slept the night before coz she was up with Shruti, Anish, Karan, Udhayan and Venkat(there may have been more ppl in attendance). They were up all night, they played golf all morning, had lunch and were nearly off to play pool before their energy reserves gave out. I want what they're having!
So anyhow, Satchit warned me we needed to be on time as this was a seated reception and we needed to be in place. I assured him I had nothing much to do. Once I got the sari on, I was good to go and could leave early with him if need be. As things turned out, Shruti and anish only woke up at 5, the sisters had to go to the beauty-parlour and I was waiting till 7, for shivani. Shivani and I got dressed quickly. But we had to wait for shruti and anish, who had the car that day. They picked up Satchit on the way back from parlour, therefore satchit was waiting this whole while at his place, this just made the logistics a bit easier. Anyway, bored of waiting, Shivani and I were just trying on all her jewellery. That was a hoot.
To cut a long a story short, by the time we got there, it was 8:40. The time we were supposed to get there was 7:00. The wedding reception itself was very good. Shukla called while we were in the car. Embarrassing that the groom should need to do that, but it showed an attention that was very pleasing. We were seated together and there were plenty of speeches from both sides of the family. Shukla's speech was wonderful. He did it impromptu and it had a simplicity and spontaneity lacking in most things of this kind. Water-spout that I am, I got teary through it (so did shivani later, she confessed, mwaha!) . It was a good wedding, not for the pomp and show, (there was little showiness in fact, everything was well done, tastefully, food was good, people well dressed, nothing gaudy) but for the fact everyone was really happy. Shukla and vandana looked happy, the families looked happy, there was an undercurrent of joy through the event. We congratulated shukla and vandana once more after the event when we were taking our leave. He urged us to stay longer but generally satchit had to leave, it was becoming a more familial gathering etc etc...
I crashed at Shivani's place after changing from the sari. Long day with all the shifting etc etc. The other went to Terry's and then later crashed at shruti's place.
Sunday was one long unpacking day with several trips to DIY stores and IKEA. In fact, I can't believe I did so much in one day. I unpacked ALL my stuff, got new curtains for the room, installed a wall lamp all by myself (I'm impressed even if you're not :p), set up a mirror in my cupboard, arranged my books and photos. The room looks lovely. Kavita who has the fortune of sharing the room with me is a nice girl whom I'm only well acquainted with (as opposed to being best-buddies), she's very shy and reclusive. I think we'll get on splendidly together. She's very neat, so this will be a good chance for me to equal that score and practice neatness. Our room looks lovely, it does. With cranberry satin-cotton sheets, and dark red curtains with gold edgings. The walls are cream and the furniture in pinewood colours. The only clashing thing is my bookshelf, which is a baby blue. Which, you could construe as a statement, or which I will spray paint into a better statement. I feel like using stencils and reddish shades. So, yes. we're all set up. The house will be ready to viewing by public next week onwards as the living room is a perfect mess of cardboard boxes, paper and string, amongst which nestle objects we go into frenzies trying to find. once that is in order, we'll ask people over to admire our handiwork.
Hari is behaving well. We'll report any discrepancies promptly. Oh, but I do recall something. I was telling him about the new house. I seemed to have said "It's an hdb, but it's opposite raffles hotel." He went and told shikha (who told me this) that "Ipshita seems really image conscious, She said the place is an hdb BUT it's opposite raffles hotel." I'm a bit embarrassed. That came out all wrong. But anyone who knows me, would know that raffles hotel could be torn down so long as the dear library was left standing. So I don't really think it's an accurate reading of my character. Blllllllllllb to Hari.
Yesterday Satchit experienced much happiness when Federer won Wimbledon. Otherwise also, I think he's doing good. Rajesh is pining in Delhi. I think he's bored. Shivani is giving her GMAT in around 5 weeks time, the date was not vouchsafed to me. Anish, shruti and she have been busy with Karan and friends as they are all leaving shortly. Venkat was a little miffed as shukla seemed to have forgotten to invite him (so says Shivani, I haven't seen him for a long time).
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Some shade of blue
Blues, blues, blues. Baby I got some shade of them blues.
My house is no house and their house is no house and noone I know is waltzing about. Alone, alone.
Tomorrow I go to KL. 2 days there. I'm not into this.
Saturday I shift. I'm not into that.
Saturday Shukla gets married. I'll look portly and maternal in my sari.
Sunday I'm going to stare at the ceiling and sigh.
Monday work and dinner with the docents.
Who knows about tuesday.
And everyone is telling me about my focus, when really, I'm losing mine.
Don't be nice, be mean, be mean, pour your scathing meanness upon my blues.
Nicenesses make me pour my blues upon you
They catch, they catch.
Be nice to me. I'm so bored, so tired, so not meant for any of this.
Plus I ate a whole pizza. I am SO going to look maternal in my sari. Gag
My house is no house and their house is no house and noone I know is waltzing about. Alone, alone.
Tomorrow I go to KL. 2 days there. I'm not into this.
Saturday I shift. I'm not into that.
Saturday Shukla gets married. I'll look portly and maternal in my sari.
Sunday I'm going to stare at the ceiling and sigh.
Monday work and dinner with the docents.
Who knows about tuesday.
And everyone is telling me about my focus, when really, I'm losing mine.
Don't be nice, be mean, be mean, pour your scathing meanness upon my blues.
Nicenesses make me pour my blues upon you
They catch, they catch.
Be nice to me. I'm so bored, so tired, so not meant for any of this.
Plus I ate a whole pizza. I am SO going to look maternal in my sari. Gag
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
A no good useless day
I slept at 12:30 yesterday. barely as I slept I was woken up again. it was S and A, they were getting ready to leave and it was 5ish! I didn't feel the passage of time at all. And barely did these facts register, that the urgency also registered and I did a frankenstein awakening. The kind where you rise from horizontal to sitting up like a spring hinge is installed in your hip.
At first my intention was just to say bye, but S was going to the airport, so I went along as well. Zany few hours, due to general sleeplessness, but well spent. I don't even have to tell you how I felt when we said bye. Now A's off. The first of us all. Good for you! New horizons, new things, new people. Take a good look at it all for me.
Life is full of partings.
I am so bad at knowing what other people think and this only proves it. Someone has said they consider me a friend. I am quite touched but I'd have never believed it if I was told so. People forget me soon. I wonder if I extend the same discourtesy to them and if that is the reason why?
I met my Amazon today. Far from the admiration I felt seeing her the first time, I was actually a little frightened. If she was to hit me, I'd break a bone. The picture in the lift could be titled "the athlete and the cowering sissy". She was deep in thought but there was a sneer on her lip and a disdain in her eye which kept me well to my side. How soft, how gentled I was, in a dress and heels and with only enough muscle to walk from A to B. She? Brawny, tall, frightening, strong in a nondescript floppy clothes. Scary.
H is making himself at home at Rajesh's house. He's unpacked and is buzzing around with energy. Unpacking, shopping, gym, all in the space of a day. Is nothing impossible for H-man? Find out in the next issue! Well, he's alright. Only not very original.
Rajesh finally called. He needs to come back. I feel too mopey and I've grown used to telling him things.
Tia is still very stressed out. Talked to her today for a while. Dearest little sister of mine. It is unfair that the "thenardiers" should be so insensitive. Grade A asses.
And so this day comes to an end. A no good useless day. Those who've gotten things done today should thank their stars. Great things have unpleasant or slow beginnings at times and the greatest thing is to have made that beginning. I am longing for my turn.
At first my intention was just to say bye, but S was going to the airport, so I went along as well. Zany few hours, due to general sleeplessness, but well spent. I don't even have to tell you how I felt when we said bye. Now A's off. The first of us all. Good for you! New horizons, new things, new people. Take a good look at it all for me.
Life is full of partings.
I am so bad at knowing what other people think and this only proves it. Someone has said they consider me a friend. I am quite touched but I'd have never believed it if I was told so. People forget me soon. I wonder if I extend the same discourtesy to them and if that is the reason why?
I met my Amazon today. Far from the admiration I felt seeing her the first time, I was actually a little frightened. If she was to hit me, I'd break a bone. The picture in the lift could be titled "the athlete and the cowering sissy". She was deep in thought but there was a sneer on her lip and a disdain in her eye which kept me well to my side. How soft, how gentled I was, in a dress and heels and with only enough muscle to walk from A to B. She? Brawny, tall, frightening, strong in a nondescript floppy clothes. Scary.
H is making himself at home at Rajesh's house. He's unpacked and is buzzing around with energy. Unpacking, shopping, gym, all in the space of a day. Is nothing impossible for H-man? Find out in the next issue! Well, he's alright. Only not very original.
Rajesh finally called. He needs to come back. I feel too mopey and I've grown used to telling him things.
Tia is still very stressed out. Talked to her today for a while. Dearest little sister of mine. It is unfair that the "thenardiers" should be so insensitive. Grade A asses.
And so this day comes to an end. A no good useless day. Those who've gotten things done today should thank their stars. Great things have unpleasant or slow beginnings at times and the greatest thing is to have made that beginning. I am longing for my turn.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Groan
A time of more stress than usual.
-moving from house to another with some new housemates
-New housemate at Rajesh's place. I'm reacting in a very hidebound manner and am quite ashamed of myself. I automatically feel I won't like him. Talk about stupid prejudice.
-Went to get hair trimmed. Now have very little hair due to overenthusiastic trimming. Cross beyond words. Well,... within some words as I found myself groaning to A, but he's got his own troubles which rank a lot higher than some one's bad hair cut. Fair enough, I groan to you, bloggy. Groan.
-Rajesh is away. he hasn't emailed or called in the last few days. His absence is specially notable coz of stress factors above.
I've been lying in bed for the last 3 hours almost, trying to sleep. My body aches with tiredness, my eyes droop, but my nerves are jangling and I'm worrying about everything.
Groan.
-moving from house to another with some new housemates
-New housemate at Rajesh's place. I'm reacting in a very hidebound manner and am quite ashamed of myself. I automatically feel I won't like him. Talk about stupid prejudice.
-Went to get hair trimmed. Now have very little hair due to overenthusiastic trimming. Cross beyond words. Well,... within some words as I found myself groaning to A, but he's got his own troubles which rank a lot higher than some one's bad hair cut. Fair enough, I groan to you, bloggy. Groan.
-Rajesh is away. he hasn't emailed or called in the last few days. His absence is specially notable coz of stress factors above.
I've been lying in bed for the last 3 hours almost, trying to sleep. My body aches with tiredness, my eyes droop, but my nerves are jangling and I'm worrying about everything.
Groan.
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