I wanted to go for Watchmen...

1. but Adlabs screwed me over.

2. Boys should always keep a little facial hair. Tis hot

3. Life would be so much prettier if there were songs playing throughout. Like each person would have their own soundtrack at the end of it.

4. I should update my blog. but writer's block plus laziness is too much to handle. (www.drawingflies.blogspot.com, by the way) *

5. I hate roses. They stink. Daffodils and Lilies are awesome though.

6. Imagine a chick with my lips, kitty's smile, juls' legs, duck's butt, bala's boobs, dilu's hair, karu's eyes and tashi's sexdrive. What a bomb.

7. I love watching violence in movies. Almost as much as I hate watching romance.

8. I think egg should meet those marriage proposals and make them take her out on expensive meals before rejecting them. Food is good.

9. I used to think that the specks of dust floating around in a sunbeam were fairies.

10. I love to jive. I like boys who know how to jive.

11. The word 'conundrum' has a nice ring to it.

12. I love biting into ice cream, never lick it. That's why I never eat it if it's melted.

13. I want to be making out when Pearl Jam's 'Alive' is blasting in the background. I think it would be hot.

14. Four years ago, Julia and I stole a random huge-ass license plate from a car...we still don't know what to do with it.

15. I still don't know how to ride a scooter

16. I'm going to carve our names into the tree again on April 18th, 2018

17. I wish I still had at least one of my barbies left with me.

18. Someone once said to me, "whatever happens in Manipal, stays in Manipal". Let's see if this is true

19. I love the moon. Orange cheese or hiding behind a cloud or the smile of the cheshire cat, it always makes me happy.

20. Bala and I went around the whole day rating boys-on-bikes on our 'feel-o-meter' once

21. I like necks.

22. KC now is nothing like it was three years ago. They don't know what they're missing.

23. I want to sit with dude and talk about those times we invented everything in the world

24. I find pigeons hilarious. Fat, funny things who bob their heads in a psyched out way.

25. I still love Batman.

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

*P.S - Referrence to No. 4; This post was actually a note on Facebook and Ajinkya pointed out that it could be a blogpost. So yeah...

Hardly Tardy

We spent this afternoon lounging around at home and watching Grey’s Anatomy (because the boys ditched us on the road-trip plan), and we get an invitation from Mayank to come over for a pooja and Diwali celebrations at 7:45 pm. So as usual Kitty and I sleep off hoping to get ready and leave by the time Lala-girl comes back from the gym. Then comes 7:40 and no sign of gym lady (who always leaves her phone at home). With “Where are you?” phone calls pouring in and the clock hitting eight, Kitty and I decide to leave without her. We catch her just as we were running up the lane and tell her to get ready as fast as she can and to meet us there. So we eventually get there, the pooja starts, and my gorgeous roommate bounces in almost knocking Aunty over at the front door.

Now this sort of situation is normal for anyone who knows Bala and her fashionably late entrances (I’m usually accompanying them because I live with her). Now see, the fault is not hers. She just happens to be one of those ‘dawdlers’ I always end up with.

My issues with time started early (no pun intended), with my father being a strictly ‘on time’ person. We were always on time for school, for parties, for dinners, for church and for everything. And with being on-time, I mean early. He has this built-in alarm clock (which I’ve inherited) and being a light sleeper is no help. So later on, it would bug me that Julia kept the school bus waiting, or that mum got delayed in picking me up for tuitions, or that the girls would take ages to get ready when going out. Nishara was a blessing because she was always ready and too early for everything.

When going out for ‘family’ stuff, daddy and us kids would be ready and waiting in the hall for mum to come. Growing up with a huge family has trained us on how important being early is. During functions and weddings the kids have to be ready first and sit quietly so that they do not get under the feet of all the rushing-about adults. There was this one family who we always dreaded having a meal with. They would invite us over for dinner at eight, we would show up at nine and they would still be bustling around their house trying to get things ready till around eleven, while we sat around looking at each other. I always showed up prepared with a book to read while we waited.

When I moved away, my first roommate would lose track of hours or days on end. But it didn’t interfere with my life too much so I didn’t really mind. I just worried every time she overslept one of her exams. Then comes all those countless assignments which get done only at the last minute. I can’t stand it! Most of the time I prefer working alone, so that I can get it done with as soon as possible and not have to worry about it when the time comes. Plus, I am not someone who can work under pressure. So when I do have to work with other people…*sigh. Putting things off comes with being an MICian me thinks. We’re trained to do it.

Now see, I don’t mind taking my own time and enjoying getting ready and doing what I’m doing. But not while keeping someone waiting. Now that’s just wrong! If you tell me you’re going to meet me at six, then make sure you turn up at six. If you can’t, then just let me know. I don’t care, as long as I’m not left waiting. I’d rather do something else. This brings me to another prime example of a tardy someone in my life.

Now Ray will say, with all good intentions, that he will pick me up at three so that we get to spend more time together. I will agree, knowing that I can only start getting ready at three-thirty because he won’t show up until three-forty five. And yes the excuses! It’s either his mum telling him to run an errand, or a truck blocking the road, or his dog chewing his tyre, or a volcano that erupted just outside his house. Now he is a world-class dawdler. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Actually most boys are, for that matter. Another example being my brother. They’d be on the way to do something, but then suddenly there they go off on a tangent. It could be something interesting on TV, or an abrupt noise somewhere, or a very interesting conversation they suddenly have to be a part of.

On-time people, like me, invented and follow the ‘sharp’ rule. If it says 8pm sharp, that means you have to be on time. Now, the loiterers are the cause for the ‘ish’ syndrome. An invitation which says 8ish is godsend for them so they can show up at anytime after 8. Don’t get me wrong, I love turning up to parties and clubs late because that’s when things start to get interesting, but when you know there are people waiting, you bloody well get yourself there.

So yeah, I’ve learnt my lesson. I’ve stopped rushing people, or depending on them because it doesn’t do any good. Although I still send a whole lot of shrill “Let’s go!!!” to Bala every morning. I’m going to continue doing my bit, not wait for anyone, and panic every time I over sleep or forget to do an assignment on time.

P.S - I really love all my tardy fluffs. They keep me on my toes. Or on the edge of my seat.

Dilu-isms

D: “ooh Jo, you look so porcelain pretty!!”
Me: “erm….Thanks I guess.”

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

D: “Jo! Look, that guy is so hot! A little ugly, but still hot!”

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

Me: “So I drop you to your mum’s office right? Do you know the way?”
D: “Nope. Just drive around to wherever you know and we’ll figure it out from there!”

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

D: “Oh I hate traffic…I got an idea! Lift up your top, he’ll get distracted and give us way!”
Me: “Considering size, wouldn’t it be more effective if you do the lifting of your top?”
D: “Hmm…maybe. But you should do it too! Cos two is better than one. Or actually it will be four is better than one. Oh no wait… it’ll be four is better than two right? No! I got it! Two pairs are better than one pair!”
Me: “Pair of…umm…boobs?”
D: “YES!!”

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

D: “Is your headache still aching?”

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

D: “So what if I’m in a relationship? There is no harm in appreciating male beauty. Guys do it all the time!”

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

D: “I’m the real Thomas because my grandfather was British”

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

D: “Laundry is very important. It makes life smell less funky”

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

D: “Oh Damn. I just told my editor I’d do a story even though I had a feeling I won’t do it”

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

D: “Jo, can I be loud in here?”
Me: “Yes, as long as you don’t walk into anything”
D: “Ok!”
(2 secs later)
D: “woopppss…I just walked into that pillar”

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

D: “Eww…that guy is staring at us. Let’s take his picture!”

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

D: “I’ll do my exam at breakneck speed so I can go get my eyebrows done!”

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

D: “I’m so used to getting arrested and jailed by now; the police just let me walk in and out. I’m a regular”

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

D: “I’m so bored. The only person online is the President’s son and he’s not entertaining anymore”

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


All above statements are accurate and based on true events, and were said by a real person.
Thanks to Dilu, my bestest Sheep.
I love you.

Of Rails and Ways

I don't think I've ever liked travelling. Like I've mentioned before, the whole process of packing my things up and shifting out of my comfort zone really does not appeal to me. Unless I'm really looking for a break.

I despise airplanes. Being in them, that is. Watching them fly high above when I'm safe on the ground is exciting, but being inside one of them with all those smells and suffocation is really gross. The person seating next to me, unfortunately for them, usually has to bear the brunt of my frustration. Just ask Nida.

But whatever the mode of travel, as long as Shirley is with me, I've made through it comfortably.

I love trains. The feeling of travelling by a train is unlike anything else. The gentle rocking and background chugging makes for very good thinking and reflecting atmosphere. I have realised lots of things at various points in my little life, while amidst a train journey. One of the earliest train journeys I can recall, is one I took with my family to Goa, from Bombay if I'm not mistaken. This was over 14 years ago, when I was about 7 years old. I don't think my train experience at this time was all that wonderful because the only images I can recollect are from the Bombay station, which was dark, smelly and scary. And the train which was also dark, smelly and scary. I found the chai seller on the train to be very amusing though, because all the change he handed back to us was drenched and soaked in milk and tea so that it didnt really look like currency anymore. We let him keep the change...

One of my favourite things about staying in London, has obviously been the ease at which anyone can get from place to place. The underground subway metro system was so much fun during each of my visits. Hopping from one train to another, looking at the maps, trying to figure out each of the coloured codes assigned for each line was such an adventure. One train adventure I'll always remember is the Eurostar, the train from England to France, which went under-water through The Channel Tunnel, and then emerged onto the sheep-filled fields of Northern France, half an hour later. When travelling in Europe, I think everyone should remember that the trains and tubes are always on time. To the minute! A not-so-nice experience was when we got pick-pocketed on a subway train in Italy...

Before I moved here, I used to find travelling alone in this country absolutely frightening. I'm so lame that my first ever time in a public bus was from Mangalore to Manipal about two years ago. Last year I managed to travel to Kannur with my friends, which I consider as my first ever Indian train journey, because I was either too young, or too fussy, to remember any of the previous ones. The excitement was exhilarating, and taking in the different sounds, tastes and smells from the rickety window made me appreciate my life even more. Don't ask me why, it just happens.

Last semester, on my second trip to Cochin, we got to see a drunk man get bitch-slapped ten centimetres away from my face, for trying to 'get it on' with us while we were sleeping. Needless to say, I stayed wide-awake for the remaining five hours of the trip.

Three weeks ago, we went to Goa. The journey was complete with free on-coach entertainment from ''The Professor of Majeek, all the way from Tamil Nadu, The Great Deva!'' (this has to be said in a very strong and loud Tamilian accent). This strange man, with even stranger teeth, practically forced Surbhi to take a picture of him, and then performed one of the 'greatest', and creepiest, magic trick we'd ever seen. He took a 500-rupee note, set it on fire and then ate it. It was a lot grosser than it sounds. He then started to make these sickly barfing sounds, stuffed his hand down his throat and brought the note back out again. The silence which followed was broken after 10 very, very long seconds. The ''magician's'' side-kick starts clapping, or rather clabbing and forces all of us to "CLAB!" and hoot for the brilliant performance. So that was a brilliant start to our trip.

Our journey back from Goa too, had it's own entertainment. Thanks to Kavya, but that's another story.

So anyway, trains rock. I hope I get lots more rail adventures before I leave by next year. I also hope that I never have to face an adventure while flying.

Summer Lovin'

I'm suddenly in the mood to watch Grease!! It's been a while since I saw Travolta shake that butt and flash those baby-blues.

I think the exam fever is getting to me. I'm also in dire need of mum's cooking.
Just need to get through the next 10 days, and then I'm off baby! Yeah!

Lulu? Mahesh? Vincent?

When I finally broke the news to my folks, that I was actually going to move out into my own flat, I did not get the reaction I expected. I mean, they were always the ones who were like, "Go on, be independant you pampered daddy's little girl". But with this little shocker, they along with the rest of my gazillion family members, went all, "What the hell you moving out for?" on me.

Being the thorough analyser and too-much-thinker that I am, you would assume that I would have the perfect answers to the most common questions expected in such a situation. Questions like:

"Why do you want to move out of the hostels?"

"What exactly is wrong with the way you're living now?"

"How can you take on such a huge responsibilty along with managing your studies?"

"Do you really think living with other people and sharing a house with them will be easy?"

Ok. So I didn't exactly have an answer to these questions. We just felt like we wanted to move out ok. We had absolutely no problem in living our lives of luxury in the hostel...but we needed a change. Responsibilty you say? Well...hmm, I'm 20 years old. I'm sure I can handle it. I hope. And as for tolerating other people? Please, we do that all the time anyway. It's not like I'm moving in with my arch-enemies, they're my friends for heaven's sake. Plus, those bloody matrons were totally screwing up our social lives.

When lovely daddy finally gave in (psshhh, him refuse me? Unthinkable!), we were already half way through to finalising the flat. And since then there's been no looking back. Sure the first two weeks were absolute hell, (but that's a story for another time), but now it's all good.

Money, money , money. Never before have we managed our finances like the past month. And it's been absolute hell I tell you. First thing you've got to know if you're planning to move out. You'll end up spending a whole lot more than you think. Seriously. Expenses are never-ending...especially the initial ones. And it's an issue that gets on everyone's nerves. I'm just glad we all talked about how we're going to handle payments way before we moved in. Otherwise it would be chaotic. Not like it's all running silky smooth now...give us back our money you hostel! Before we eat up our fingernails worrying about making next month's rent.

Teehee...ok. So I'm the kind of person who likes getting her own space by the end of the day. A little difficult with four other girls in the same house, but we're all getting used to it now. Everyone has their own little mood-swings and cranky spells. And with a few deadly-dialogues, slamming of doors, blasting of music and killer looks, we easily slide by. No problemo! Hehehe...unless of course our dear Y-chromosome friends decide to crash. Which is 24/7 by the way.

Now, you must understand something. We love our boys. Really we do. But these creatures you see, are like pets. Needing constant cleaning-after and feeding. And so, since their own places of residences have begun looking like, and smelling like, a barnyard, our apartment is a palace to them. A palace where they would always get food, water, and a television.

But we've adapted. Since we have 3 bathrooms, one of them has been made into a boy-bathroom. Bleh, a place none of us girls would even think of stepping into. If we're hungry, we either cook and finish eating how much we can before the boys attack, or order-in before they arrive. They're welcome to finish it, as long as we eat first, otherwise we would never get anything. As for keeping the house clean. *sigh...Boys seem to drag in all the dirt on the street upon their arrival, no matter how much we try and hose them down.

Mind you, we love having them around. After all, what else would we do for in-house entertainment? The hot guys next door have just recently started doing something about it though...

In the end all that matters is, I love it! Squabbles over washing the dishes, leaving the heater on, the tap running, taking out the trash...it's all good. And if it's not, well...our folks are not gonna hear about it.

learn french

So far, college hasn't been too bad actually. So yeah, there were a few bumps here and there at first, but not as bad as I expected. Everyone's come back looking gorgeous, well-fed and full of plans (none of which work out anyway). But it's been good.

Well mostly because I had a blastful summer. The weddings were awesome, the crowd was sexy and plenty of drinks and music meant a rocking time altogether. Plus plenty of new faces to remember. Shame everything had to end all of a sudden with bloody college beginning.

Teehee, every weekend brings back holiday mood though, thanks to my brilliant timetable this sem.
OH yes how could I forget...the freshers are here! MUHAHAHA.

*sigh, yes my lame attempt at an evil laugh (no one can beat Mandark though)

No, no I'm no bully. Ok, not a big one anyway. Just a little torture doesn't hurt anyone. The poor fluffs jump at the sight of us, it's a waste to just let them go...

But it's been almost a week and I'm bored of them already.

To-do list:

> Tolerate same roommate again.
> Watch more movies I like.
> Read.
> Learn french (imp)
> Take risks.
> Get more music.
> Think about moving out.
> Get addicted to a show.
> Maintain decent attendance in class.
> Bond with people.

Love Today

Oh no. A month of my holiday is already up!
Bah...here are the highlights:

Food - dinner at The Pizza Company: very loud and heavy, but a good start to the holiday.
- wine, steak and sexy chocolate desert at JAL Beach Resort, Fujairah: very, very classy.
- pasta at Mrs Vinelli's: exactly what i've been waiting for.
- Zen Japanese restaurant, Abu Dhabi - watching that chef make shushimi can turn anyone on.
- Mum's cooking: nothing can beat that.
- I like baking.

Gigs - Aerosmith: men in tight pink and red satin look extremely hot on stage. (plus, I got to meet Ali again, with his hair longer and smile cuter...)
- the Rock Off: not too bad for a Sharjah gig. SaffireFix and SunKing nailed it.

Shopping - cheap stuff in Karama and Ajman still rock
- I look bad in spots, green and yellow.
- I like shopping with Nida, but not with Em. Eating with both of them is good.

:(
I realise how much I miss driving. I'm not getting out of the car for the rest of the holiday.
Another thing, sleeping is a luxury I'm completely spoiling myself with.
--------

So yeah, the UAE has sufficiently sufficed (heehee!) my holiday requirements for now.
Next stop: Mangi wedding season. And a Cochin one. Let's see what this summer brings...

Kill me quick...

…before I die of insanity.

I’ve been made to listen to Akon’s ‘Smack That’ (don’t you dare ask me how I even know those names), about 5.7 million times in the past week. Why am I putting myself through such torture you ask? I’ll tell you why. ‘Why’ is my roommate, who can’t get enough of that freaking song. Over and over AND over again. Non-stop. To add to my suffering is her crooning along with Akon, to please smack that and give her some more, up on the floor (or whatever these rap guys sing about).

So please if someone could just freaking smack that for her and answer her prayers, maybe I can refrain myself from smacking the daylight senses out of her, her laptop or Akon.



Please note, no offense to my roommate or her laptop. Just her taste in music. And Akon.

Ouch

I got bitten. On my face and neck. Before you get all pervy and naughty, I have to clarify that it was by an annoying little microbe, affectionately or commonly known as the Manipal Bug. This insect thingy decided to crawl all over half the side of my face, especially around my eye, leaving behind burn marks, swelling, monstrous amount of pain *plus i think turned me into a monster, and left me looking like Freddy Krueger.

For those of you who have forgotten who Freddy Kreuger is, here's something to spark your memory:



Remember Nightmare on Elm Street? Or does no one watch teenage Johnny Depp movies anymore...? But hey, even though Freddy killed him in the movie, he still looked hot!! Ah yes, Johnny Depp...



Me thinks in order to balance the picture of Krueger, I really have to post up a picture of Depp over here. Really in the interest of my readers of course. Honest!

Tee hee...

*sigh...gimme a moment to drool over Mr Depp...




Sorry, now where were we? Oh yes, the bug bite thing. So yeah, I woke up on Saturday (or at least tried to, considering i hadn't slept that night) with a tingly sensation all over my face, around my eyes in particular. I obviously blamed it on not sleeping the previous night, and also due to the tension caused by the AM Plus assignment due. But the next morning my eye had swollen up like a rotten tomato, making my face look like a disfigured pumpkin merged together with a brinjal...please excuse, no direct attacks on vegetables or vegetarians of any sort. I love them really. I sincerely thought I was going to get a horrible stye on my eye (*giggle that rhymes), like I usually do with lack of sleep and stress. But how wrong I was...

Come Monday morning and I'm unable to get out of bed because of the tremendous pain, and I look in the mirror, and instead of screaming in horror which is a normal reaction considering the hideous sight staring back at me, I burst into tears and tell Karishma and Kriti that I might, just might, have to go to the hospital...imagine me wanting to go to a hospital. Has to be something serious right? See mummy, I had to do it some day...unfortunately it was because of a bug.

So yeah, we go to KMC, stand in queues, argue with nurses, hold our noses and all that jazz, and finally learn that it's the Manipal Bug. Karu goes "see, see I had it tooooo". now I really know how much pain the little critter had caused her. So that was that. I couldn't stop crying the rest of the day, partly because of the pain, partly because I wanted mummy, and the rest because I looked like a cheap Halloween mask. I couldn't take it anymore, made Karu get me a taxi to drop me to M'lore and called Aunty to tell her what happened and that I was coming.

So yay! I got here last night and loving Aunt took me to her good friend Dr. Harold, who turned out to be the biggest jackass of the century. He showed up only at 11:30 at night, leaving us waiting for over an hour with his four trainee nurses who stared at me like I was something they'd never seen before (probably like a cute boy, an eyeliner or even sunlight maybe) He comes strolling in, making the nurses jump up quickly and smoothen their hair and skirts like they've been caught doing something naughty, and looks right into my face and says,

"Right, what happened to you?"
"Well, I got bitten. By a bug"
*stop staring at me and do something you lame-o
"WHAT? what do you mean bug??"
*dude, why are you yelling at this time of night?
"They called it the Manipal Bug. Sir...er..at KMC. In Manipal...where I study."
*is he interrogating me???
He gets out his torch and sticks it in my face and yanks open my eye. I yelp in pain and he tells me to shut up...all the while i'm cursing the daylights out of this sadistic maniac. He then spots the lesion on my neck.

"What's this??"
"It's part of the Manipal bug bite"
*like duhhh
" Ah...hahaha, I see lots of college students being taken to hospitals with these type of marks on their necks..."
*you evil loony of a quack!! Are you actually suggesting that I've come to you with a hickey on my neck, with my Aunt escorting me???
"This is from the bug bite. See, the marks are similar...!"
"Ok, but i've never heard of such a thing. A Manipal bug!! ha!"
*cos you're an idiot

So I guess he finally believed me. Or had to cos we were all tired, and he probably had to flirt with his weird nurses or something, and he prescribed me some pills and we could finally leave.

So, other than going through a self-image bearkdown, scary trips to the hospital and an encounter with a psycho doctor, this whole thing hasn't been THAT bad...I'm getting thoroughly pampered at home and don't have to do anything. Plus, I'll get better eventually, it's just my face after all. Things could have turned worse right? Right? I don't care about the scars, I just want my eye back to normal...at least close to normal. I'm still me.

Good night fluffs of the world. Sleep tight, and remember, don't let the bugs bite!

I’m on the verge of completing the 20th year of my life. Two decades of my existence have past… or has it? (furtively raising one eyebrow) No no, that will be the topic for some other time.

Back on track, what has it all come down to?
Do I have some sort of goal? I think not…
Is ‘childhood’ over already? If so, did I dose off during the ending?
Am I finally ready to face the world? The world, which society, family and media have been molding me to embark. There has to be more. A lot more to be learnt. Right? 20 years has done enough. It has made me me.

Daddy always says that I’m the most spoilt of the three. He also says that I’ve been disciplined the most. I like being daddy’s little girl. Always being asked what I want, “New clothes? Jewellery? Shoes? Ok, how about a car?” He’s totally lucky I’m not really the shopping kind.
I guess some things will never change. Tee hee…

So my birthday’s coming…ho hum. My birthday doesn’t interest me really. Big deal, I was born, I’m turning a year older. I guess it used to excite me a long time ago. Back when we got to wear ‘coloured clothes’ to school on our birthdays, bring bags and bags of sweets to distribute to everyone; friends, enemies, strangers, all were one to you, wishing and treating you with importance on ‘your’ day. We got to pick our one special best friend to accompany us on the grand ceremony of distributing sweets to the other teachers and friends in school, while everyone else looked at them in jealousy, and begged you with pleading eyes to take you along. *sigh, what a bizarre, tiresome ritual… wonder if it still exists.

I look back at that little curl-topped, wide-eyed girl, who didn’t speak to anyone till she was about 10. The only difference now is that I’m able to talk quite a lot when I’m in the mood. Being heard is another issue. First day of kindergarten, Sacred Heart School, Bahrain, clutching my pink Minnie Mouse bag, I’m dumped on a green, wooden chair, staring at multicoloured chunks of smelly modeling clay. Sitting next to me on a red wooden chair, is the chubbiest boy I’d ever seen (who I much later find out is called Sahil), with the chubbiest hands ever, holding on tightly to the chubbiest crayons in the world.

So yes, I’ve come far from the imaginary, dress-up, Barbie-doll games, and also through the awkward and embarrassed, geeky-looking-braces-on-teeth, lanky adolescent stage…*thankfully. And managed to make it through the amazingly wonderful and glorious years after that.

Insignificant and random things still amuse me. My loves include flowers, earrings, movies, nail polish, coffee and music. I have an infatuation for Mickey Mouse, Batman, Winnie the pooh and Johnny Depp. I don’t care much for the rain, but I love the sky. I still cry the same way; silently and heavy. I still laugh, smile, grin, and giggle the same…for almost anything. I have loved; I have been loved. I have been hurt; I have caused pain. I have danced about like a crazy person. I have embarrassed myself in public just for fun. I have prayed with utmost sincerity. I have wished, and I will always continue to thank.

Family is my priority. Music is my life. Art is my passion. Spirituality is my essence. My closest friends define aspects of my personality.

These 20 years have given me myself. There isn’t a single thing I regret doing in my life, and given the chance I would love doing it all over again. No matter how much I crib and moan about things, the journey keeps getting better.

Wow, all these reflections and stuff are making me sound pretty old…Which I’m not, by the way. This just happens to me at this time of year…plus there have been other ‘things’ happening this week.



Satisfaction. Happiness. Fortune. Bliss.

Do the evolution

Don't confuse yourself with the title of this post. I'm not really one to talk about evolution or anything of the sort, that's just the title of the song I'm listening to.

I really don't have anything to say to you tonight, but since I clicked on the New Post button, I might as well do this...plus, I don't even know who you are so I don't know what will interest you right now. Hey, maybe there is no 'you'. I mean, what if no one ever reads this post...it will be floating around in cyberspace waiting to be read and disocvered by a 'you'. But since you're obviously reading this right now that never happened, and I have found a 'you' to read this and, well, I forgot what my point was. Ha, you know what? I think I need to sleep. Funny, I've slept for 32 of the past 48 hours and I'm still sleepy. but then I'm always sleepy so...

I really should stay away from pistachios.

Fwd:

Last week I received one of those “answer the random questions below and forward it to 200 people” kind of email from someone who had answered the questions and sent it to me….SO, here are those much awaited answers to random questions.

1) Do you have a crush on somebody? Of course I do

2) Do you hate more than 3 people? I do not hate. Dislike yes, but not hate

3) Least favorite school subject? Chemistry

4) Do you own a Britney Spears CD? yes, along with my Backstreet Boys, Westlife, Spice Girls, N'Sync and Christina Aguilera cds...

5) Have you ever thrown up in public? Loads of times…

6) Name one thing that is always on your mind. Music

7) What's your sign? 'No parking'

8) Do you like beer? Is this a trick question?

9) Have you ever made a prank phone call? Yes

10) Are you sarcastic? I forget

11) Is anyone in love with you? Yes, my kettle

12) Have you ever slapped someone? Yes

13) What was your first pet? A rock called Blue

14) Ever had braces? Yes, for a whole year

15) Do looks matter? Unfortunately it is a superficial world

16) How many children do you want? About 67-72

17) What did you do 3 nights ago? Took a train from Kannur to Udupi

18) Have you ever been in a castle? Yes

19) Nicknames? Jo, JoJo, Joey, Jonny, Annie, Chicku, Fuzz, Sloggle, Button, Fluff, Sheep

20) Are you thinking about somebody right now? Yes

21) Ever called somebody Boo? Yes

22) Do you smoke? No

23) Does anyone have a crush on you? Yes

24) Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? Dunkin Donuts

25) Favorite physical feature of the preferred sex? Smile

26) Do you chat online often? My msn’s not working…

27) Pringles or Lays? Neither

28) Full House or The Brady Bunch? Full house, if I must…*sigh

29) Do you like your high school career guidance counselor? No, she was utterly useless

30) Money or love? For now, money

31) Do you enjoy scary movies? No

32) Who was the last person that said they loved you? Venk

33) Who was the last person that made you cry? Karishma

34) Who was the last person that made you laugh? N.T Bhatt

35) Who was the last person that messaged you? Cedric

36) Who was the last person that called you? Nida

37) What is your best friend's Mom's name? Crystal

38) Who was the hottest teacher you ever had? Mr Dawson, Business Studies

39) Do you parallel park or drive around the block? My parallel parking is one of the worst sights ever…

40) Which shoe do you put on first? The right one

41) Have you ever had a poem or a song written about you? Yes

42) When is the last time you played the air guitar? Last night

43) Have you ever peeked in the opposite sexes locker room? Oh please…I walked right in

44) Do you have any strange phobias? Clowns

45) Have you ever stuck a foreign object up your nose? Tissue, but local brand, not so foreign

46) Have you ever done something you totally regretted? I have no regrets about any action or decision I've ever done

47) When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? Coffee saves

48) Who is the fourth person on your missed call list on your cell phone? Jerk 5

49) What were you doing at midnight last night? Making fun of people at the hostel gate

50) What is your current desktop picture? Johnny Depp

51) The last song you listened to? My Favourite Game

) Where's 52? I ate it


i shall now go attempt to study for the test on the constitution...

Starring: Jo

Ok so it’s been exactly a month since I’ve come back to…*sigh. Yes, good old Manipal. But has it all been good? I mean, it’s not been bad. It’s just…well…different.

Things seemed different at first. People seemed different. But then I kind of realized that it was me who was different. But what had changed in me? blech…Ok so I kind of solved those insecurities. Rather silly insecurities they were. I’m me. I like me. I can’t compromise myself; I’m all I’ve got. Thanks to Janis for that. And Dilu, of course. So that’s over then.


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


Something Kriti said last week really struck me. She said that my life’s become a movie. And that I’m playing the 'lead role'. But I’ve never been the drama queen-actress type! Really…Nishara and I used to spend our time laughing and making fun of the all the ‘girls’ around us who had so much of drama in their lives. Every time we saw them, they had a new dilemma to deal with…you know, the usual… boys, friends, social life, relationships, emotions…blah blah blah…it was all pretty pathetic.

Ok so, if I’m NOT in a movie, then why am I behaving like I’m in one? No no...not just me. I'M STUCK IN A MOVIE!! What’s the deal with all these icky emotions-and-feelings nonsense attacking me all at once? It’s bloody confusing is what it is. I’ve never felt so many things all at once before. And all that emotional crap is forcing me to think. And me thinking, which is also something new, is really not good. So, the solution would be to just stop thinking altogether. And to do that I have to keep myself constantly occupied with something. I guess my laziness will have to be sacrificed for my sanity, if I intend on making it through the next three years…

You know what? I never actually mentioned what the difficulty is…or rather who the difficulty is…and if you're reading this, you know who you are...let’s just say that the person in question is someone I care about very much, and so not really talking about it will make everything good in time. But I didn't think about that person like that before...Or did I? I mean, this is soooo not happening to me. Why me? Meh...I don't like this one bit.

It can't be all that bad right? Everything can still be the same. Can it?

Yeah. I'll just forget everything and it will all come back to normal. *please please


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

ok time for a song-

This is my time
This is my tear
I can see clearly now
That this is not a place
For playing solitaire
Tell me where you want me
This is my time
This is my tear

Comin on strong
Baudelaire
Seems to me like
All the world gets high
When you take a dare
Let it rise before you
This is my time

[chorus:]

All in all im
Loving every rise and fall
The sun will make and I will take
Breath to be sure of this
In the end
All will be forgiven when
Surrender rises high and i
Gave what I came to give
Say it now because you never know

Devil may cry devil may care
Distillers got a scream
And now I know just why
When shes movin air
Can you feel the voltage
This is my time

California skies
Got room to spare
This is my time

[chorus]

Take it outside
Take it out there
Seems to me like
All the world gets high
When you take a dare
In the final moment
This is my time

[chorus]

g'night

i'm back i'm back i'm back i'm back!

bliss!

let's see how this goes!

:)

wall

What i learnt during first semester:

-- To actually study for my exams.

-- No matter how late you wake up, and even if it somehow takes you forever to get yourself to college, you can still be 'early' for Human Communications lessons.

-- People in college are even more/just as immature as people I knew in high school.

-- People discriminate. A lot.

-- Sitting in the front bench can make you sleepier than sitting at the back.

-- People actually care about what other people think.

-- The walk through KC smells prettier in the mornings and evenings than the afternoons.

-- We have to get our own paper to print in the computer labs.

-- Environmental science should be banned.

-- Girls are totally messed up. Boys are a little less messed up.

-- The value of fines.

-- People think it's cute to correct my pronounciations, but get offended if I correct theirs.

-- The library isn't very impressive.

-- Sleep is the most wonderfullest thing ever.

-- Shoulders are the most important part of the body.

-- Working in a group isn't what you expect it to be.

-- If you lend a pen to someone here, don't expect it back. This applies to any piece of stationery actually.

-- Coffee still saves.

-- Girls here use abbreviations a lot. Eg- LS, ST, MCP

-- Don't worry. Just smile. Or hug.

"fuzzy bead bangles"

A big 'thank you' to Venk, my snickers, for his contribution:

About grass

1) Grass is good (henceforth weed)
2) Cows eat grass
3) Setting grass on fire, when it's in a tight, clean bunch, is Good
4) Dreams are realities when having grass
5) Touching sky/horizon is possible
6) It doesn't hurt that much when you kick the wall
7) So smoke it, eat it proudly

Adapted from "Venki's Crappy Philosophies"


I shall go study now.
Tra

busy-ness

yes, i know..i'm all alone. all my friends have gone home...
*sigh
and i'm sitting here writing this when i'm supposed to be working on the reporting assignment, Evs assignment AND the history project..
maybe i'll go sleep for a bit.

song playing in my head:

Hello.
Is there anybody in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.
Is there anyone home?

Come on, now.
I hear youre feeling down.
Well I can ease your pain,
Get you on your feet again.

Relax.
I need some information first.
Just the basic facts:
Can you show me where it hurts?

There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant ships smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I cant hear what youre sayin.
When I was a child I had a fever.
My hands felt just like two balloons.
Now I got that feeling once again.
I cant explain, you would not understand.
This is not how I am.
I have become comfortably numb.

Ok.
Just a little pinprick. [ping]
Therell be no more --aaaaaahhhhh!
But you may feel a little sick.

Can you stand up?
I do believe its working. good.
Thatll keep you going for the show.
Come on its time to go.

There is no pain, you are receding.
A distant ships smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves.
Your lips move but I cant hear what youre sayin.
When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse,
Out of the corner of my eye.
I turned to look but it was gone.
I cannot put my finger on it now.
The child is grown, the dream is gone.
I have become comfortably numb.

Peace.

Toadstool

What is it about cats and their high and mighty attitiude problem? Dogs are alright. They come running at you like you've been best friends with them for the past 52 years...BUT! I've never had a pet. Never gotten close to an animal. So I make do with whatever is around me. Although, the time I spend bonding with insects and naming them has greatly reduced, due to constant ridicule from my friends...*sigh

modern times

And I thought I wouldn't be able to watch movies while I was here...tsk tsk
Our Communication Club lessons provide us with a weekly dose of 'oh cool. i'm finally out of my bubble' kinda thoughts, not very common with my peers, but is proving to be something I'm enjoying very much. Quite like being back in the Cambridge common room again. Yay! *sigh...I miss those meow-ish sessions

You know what? I just re-read my previous posts...and although I haven't been too pleased with being labeled with the 'spoilt-gulfy-brat' stereotype, I realise that I DO very much sound like one. Daym, have I really changed that much in three months? I mean after living here for such a short time, the old dubai-living, cambridge-going person seems so...so...well to put it,so 'firang'. teehee, how's that for a 'desi' touch?

But come on, I'm not all that alien! Sure I've switched my bug shooing and swatting habits to making a few creepy-crawly friends and naming them, much to the delightment of my friends (Gary did come with me on the plane though). Plus I'm learning the local lingo too. But I'm still the same person. Gulfies are a bit pampered I do admit, but me spoilt?? Oh come on. I've seen spoilt, and there's absolutely no way I'm spoilt. I just miss home ok. Nida is right, we just miss the place we spent the past 19 years in. It was the only home we've known...But yes, I've adjusted here. Everything is so real. There's a very natural, greeny, plant-smelling kind of prettiness about, which tops way over dubai's fakeness. Even the air is real, and not manufactured. I do miss seeing flowers everywhere though...In the end, I'm kindof glad I decided to come here, rather than being the 'AUD going daddy's little girl, who drives around in her little automatic car' (to say in Derek's words) I might have been..

I don't think I can take anymore of this MIC politics though. People gossip too much.

Ban hate. Throw a party for your enemy.
Peace

click click

Yeah, so here are some of my pics and some I stole from Mel and Uncle Ben.






<--This is where we bought bangles from. yay!

















That's me on the swing in uncle Tavi's estate --->







Pizza in cones! guess what they're called? Conizza...! And they taste exactly like you would expect.

<-- Wedding feet! Mine are the red toenails

raining curry and dosas

WOW. So the wedding is actually over. It's still pretty hard to digest. 13 days in Bangalore was just not enough. It was brilliant. The weather was yummy, the people were great, and the shopping was cool. In conclusion, the trip so far has been way better than I expected. Maybe I'll take up Saad's suggestion and post a few photos, when I get them.

But guess what? We arrived in Manglore this morning, and it already sucks. Mostly because I didn't sleep at all last night, and plus the rainy weather is too pathetic. blech

Ooh, but we so have to go see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest :)
*sigh ...Haven't seen my baby's face in ages other than the bookmark of his face I keep in my bag. Yay! something to look forwad to.

I'll leave you with a joke I heard down here:

A man, his wife, and seven children where waiting in a bus stop. After some time a blind man joins them. The bus arrives. The blind man and the large family find themselves walking because of the crowded bus. The blind man starts tapping his stick on the road, which seems to annoy the husband who shouts at the blind man...
"Can't you put a rubber to the end of your stick to avoid that irritating noise."
To this the blind man replies...
"If you would have put a rubber to the end of your stick we all would have been in the bus."

haha. hmm

blink blink

So I finally cleaned out ALL my stuff . Yup, everything I own is now arranged, organised, labelled and put away.

In the nine years that I've lived in this place, I never realised how brilliant my life has been. Although, at the time it seemed horrible. I found notes, letters, writings, drawing and reciepts from people I forgot I was friends with, and places I thought were really horrible. My childhood was way cooler than I remember. Plus I've known and still am friends with like the coolest bunch of people.

Meh, enough of this soppy crap. India here I come.

Eddie was right

Holidays..hmm. I don't like them too much. I like the staying at home-no school-can do anything part of it. That's alright. But it's the going away bit I can't stand. I'm not one for traveling. With people. And movement. And schedules. And I don't like aeroplanes. Or is it airplanes? I forget... Trains are awesome though.

So anyway, it's that time of year again. We're leaving for Bangalore in 9 days and I am so not ready for this. My exam's aren't even over yet...I think this is the first cousin's-wedding I'll be attending (on the father's side ofcourse, since we made it to Roy's one last December). The reason we (Juls and I), don't seem too psyched about this, is because we're going to be the 'youngest' ones there. But the wedding and the parties are the least of our worries. Heck, we have each other so we'll survive. What I really do not like is the idea of spending the rest of the vacation in Mangalore. It's pretty and all, and we still get all the comforts of city life we're accustomed to, but come on! Just thinking about all the 'visits' we have to pay, to every single family in town, gives me a migraine. Plus my cheeks are already hurting from thinking about the number of kisses and squeezes I'm going to get for "growing up so fast!"

I'm in no mood to hear any cute tales from my childhood, or meet my mother's third cousin's sister's son's nephew thrice removed. Or get made fun of my 'accent'. The worst part is, Mangy's are obsessed about food, booze, food, music, food and weddings. Oh, did I mention food? We are forced to eat 15 different types of pork, chicken and mutton three times a day. And if we do make the mistake of saying something along the lines of:
"Oh, no thank you. I had a very heavy lunch. I'm really not hungry" ,
poor Mummy gets hauled into a conversation which starts with all or most of the following:
"Don't you feed your daughters?"

"So skinny! And still so fussy over food!"

"Don't they eat Indian food in Dhubaey (I think they mean Dubai) ? Do they find it spicy?"

"Ah! Young girls these days! So figure-conscious!"

But I think the trips to India get bearable with each passing year. I think I've just grown tolerant to everything.

*sigh. 9 days left. I better start practicing my fake-polite smiles and bug-killing moves.

Whatever, at least they get better television there.

Oh yeah, I also don't like the rains.

contemplation

Things I learnt this year:

• I'm allergic to milk/dairy products.
• I like Batman.
• Girls love chocolate. Boys love chicken. Everyone loves food.
• My spelling is terrible. I am not articulate. I have problems with apostrophe's.
• I don't have a self esteem problem.
• I hate Disco. Can't stand it. It's dead because it sucks.
• Everyone's weird.
• I like my hair.
• Boys should have fuzz on their face.
• Girl's give in to their feelings too easily, and are very 'touchy-feely'.
• I like photos.
• The 80's are back.
• Dilu's right, I care too much.
• My first impressions of people are usually wrong.
• Nishu's not a movie person. I am. So is Saad.
• Flowers are cool. Except for roses.
• Simon and Garfunkel are not gay.
• The word 'cuticles' makes people laugh.
• New Indie bands aren't indie.
• Dude doesn't get angry.
• Petrol is expensive, even for the middle-east.
• Short people tend to be very successful.
• Mr Roberts paints.
• St Michael's church needs a new strategy.

That's all I can think of for now.