And in Paradise I am

For the first time I have a guest post on my blog. Inaugurating affairs is my good old friend the "Bourbon Legend". He is many things - engineer , entertainer and Thalapakattu Briyani lover. But most of all a constant reminder that life is not meant to be taken seriously!
- Wanderlust

I sit with my head between my legs on the steps. The sun bores down and every time I blink, it seems my lids are too hot for my eyes. There is a pigeon on the ledge in front of me, eating vomit that is thankfully not mine, while another pigeon tries in vain to get up behind it and do the deed. It seems an apt metaphor for my life. Sweat continues to pour out of my body in a steady stream, while the fluids involved around the whole breathing part of me congealed further.

Class was going to be a bitch today

The attendant announces that it is time, longer and louder than he has any right to. And the great seething mass of dull young minds make their way to wherever they should be. I myself can’t face such a challenge right now, and head downstairs for a sly smoke.

I go to the basement and sit in my car, taking a moment to collect myself and light one up. Maybe it is the darkness or the steady flow of airconditioner exhaust, but right then, surrounded as I am by stale air and an intermittently blinking tubelight, I feel a moment of almost Zen like tranquality. It is no hard task for me just to lay my head on the wheel, and close my eyes forever.

My cell phone rings, an angry attendant signalling the end of registration rants on. I make my way back to the sunshine. Thankfully it has quieted down. I peer out, and make my way down the hall to sweet sweet freedom.

“L !” comes a harsh grating voice.

I turn slowly, doomed.

“Yes Mr V?”

“Shouldn’t you be in class young man?”

Young man. I want to scoff, he was only 5 years older than me.

“I am…just on my way.” I said turning around.

“I'll meet you in my office after the class”

“I look forward to it already.” I fake a laugh and side step to safety before he can say another word.

I find the hateful door and open it. The room of course is filled with un-drawable blinds which let too much light in through windows that face the sun full on. All beams seem to converge on my desk. Taking a deep breath, I stride in and face the music, noting with bad humour today’s lesson plan.


“Ok class” I say, returning the sun's glare with one of my own “Today's topic - Coordinate Geometry.”

Between August and November

Between August and November I have

Shifted cities and realized a city is its people.
Gotten back to working after a year's break and realized its not too bad.
Finished my first level of French and suprised myself by truly enjoying studying.
Missed Madras. Missed Colombo. Missed Home.
Been glad that I will still continue to talk to some people no matter what.
Repeated mistakes.
Had more midnight coffees than I have ever had.
Finally moved to an apartment of my own.
Pondered deeply if the bus 331A really does exist.
Been super grateful that no matter where you are, some friends are just a gchat buzz away.

When you are supposed to be working but instead choose to..

This fun post was inspired by dee

- If I were a season, I would be Monsoons
- If I were a month, I would be December
- If I were a day of the week, I would be Saturday
- If I were a time of day, I would be night
- If I were a planet, I would be er Earth
- If I were a direction, I would be going East
- If I were a tree, I would be a temple tree
- If I were a flower, I would be an orchid
- If I were a fruit, I would be a dragon fruit
- If I were a land animal, I would be a Horse
- If I were a sea animal, I would be a jelly fish
- If I were a bird, I would be a sea gull
- If I were a piece of furniture, I would be an antique rocking chair
- If I were a liquid, I would be portello!
- If I were a stone, I would be a diamond
- If I were a kind of weather, I would be rainy
- If I were a musical instrument, I would be a piano
- If I were a color, I would be burgundy
- If I were a facial expression, I would be a grin
- If I were an emotion, I would be contentment
- If I were a sound, I would be the tinkling of windchimes
- If I were an element, I would oxygen
- If I were a car, I would be a er.. ok no idea actually
- If I were a food, I would gyros
- If I were a place, I would be NYC
- If I were a flavor, I would be butterscotch
- If I were a scent, I would be the smell of hot coffee on a cold day
- If I were an object, I would be a lava lamp
- If I were a body part, I would be a nape of the neck
- If I were a song, I would be "all the world " by Correatown

What about you?

Love and friendship

If you had to choose one over the other, which one would you pick?

The bag story

Tring ! Tring!


Friend: Ah hello. So I’m buying a bag for N. I need a second opinion. Let me describe it to you
Me: A guy describing a bag? O no!
Friend: its one foot by one foot.
Me: Can actually hear Louis Vuitton turn in his grave. Are you describing the bag???
Friend: Yes shut up and listen.
Me: Sigh ok
Friend: It’s burgundy
Me: Now I have new hope in my friend. Not many men even know burgundy is a colour.
Friend: It’s got a coaster like thing on it.
Me: Previously mentioned hopes come crashing down. Er
Friend: Which I think is made of bamboo AND wood.
Me: Wondering if this is the right time to point out bamboo is wood. Decides against it.
Friend: But the bag is kind of small.
Me: What kind of bag is it?
Friend: mumble mumble
Me: Ok is it like a formal bag that you would carry for a dinner or a play?
Friend: Deafening silence
Me: Er hello?
Friend: Who has separate bags for dinners and plays?
Me: The bag lover in me cringes Most women do.
Friend: What! (in a tone like i just told him Scarlet Johanssen used to be a he). I have a bag for a phase in my life. I cant believe you have bags for occasions.
Me: Bag lover in me is dying a slow and painful death.
Friend: Ah ok enough of this, let me send u a MMS and then let you let me know.

Phew, the world is beautiful again. Thank god for technology. Bag lover is me is resurrected from the dead.

p.s. The actual bag turned out to be nothing like the description. K if your reading this, its ok we still love you :D

Its that time of the year again

I woke up this morning and was disoriented for a bit with the extreme silence around me. I then realize the ten day feast at my church down the road has drawn to an end yesterday.

Every August, my church celebrates this grand and colourful feast. Since I live four doors from this church, I can hear the festive singing like the choir was in my living room. For ten days prayers and hymns are offered throughout the day. On the other 355 days of the year, my road is one of the sleepiest in the city. But during the feast, the whole road is lit up with fairy lights and hundred of stalls selling everything from egg bhajis to glass bangles pop up.

Ever since I moved out of my hometown for studies and work, I have not had a chance to experience the whole ten days. This time around, I was surprised when i realized I missed these festivities. Every day on my way back from the evening prayers, I browse through the stalls. Though I have no intention of buying pink plastic guns or glittery purple bangles, the riot of colors is fun to watch. I was amused to note that this year's hot selling item were neon lit horns that every other person from grown men to little girls had perched on their heads.

Apart from the fun and festivities it amazes me how some of the traditions associated with this feast have been carried for more than a hundred years. Simple things like this about my town never cease to amaze me.

I was super excited to be experiencing all this after a long long time and decided to enthrall my sister on the phone. As I rattled on, she dryly replied that I sounded like a wannabe booker prize writer. Ah well I am going to pretend she meant it as a compliment.

Girl with a dragon tattoo

I have been hearing rave reviews about this book for some time now. Normally when the world is talking about a book or movie it usually disappoints me thanks to the high standards it has to meet.
This one however was quite the opposite. I had ordered it online and it arrived on a perfect day. The TNEB was once again was playing with my life and had decided to gift us with a day-long power cut. Just as I was wondering what I should do, this book arrived. I do not remember the last time I read a book for nine hours at a stretch. It truly was an engrossing piece of work and it had spooked me out enough to make me forego my nocturnal walks for a while.

The story is of my favourite genre – mystery/thriller. Set in Sweden , it not only is a classic murder mystery but also gives you a peak into modern Swedish economy and the country ‘s role during Hitler’s regime. None of the characters in the book are a clear black or white , they are all shades of grey including the protagonists.

Unfortunately like Heath Ledger, the author of this book Stieg Larsson did not live to see what a global phenomenon his work has turned out to be. The book is the first of a triology and I can’t wait to lay hands on the other two.

I was mortified to see that the books had already been made into movies (Swedish dubbed in English). I use the word mortified because i have seen many a beautiful book butchered by heartless film makers. Curiosity got the better of me and I watched it. As expected the movie was not as half as good as the book. My heart bleeds as I read yesterday that Hollywood will be re-making the movie next year. I already know that this movie will not have the essence of the original story. Yes i am little prejudiced. Something about a murder mystery in a East European country with a dark history lends it an eerie touch. I strongly doubt Americanizing it will have the same impact.
Really the movie has been dubbed in English, why cant you be happy with that? Why make an American version? Sigh I shall soothe my bleeding

A Wedding to remember

S had been planning her five day wedding for months now and when the day was finally near I was more that geared up for several reasons. I had always wanted to visit her home town, this was my first Muslim wedding and well of late I have been bored out of my brains.


So off I went to Kayalpatnam. I was quite looking forward to going to a place that literally meant city of fish. And I wasn't disappointed. It is the cutest little small town ever. Despite being just forty minutes away from my hometown, it couldn't be more different.

With a predominant Muslim population, the town comprises traditional style houses built around the mosque. All houses have separate entrances for men and women. The streets are a maze of quaint alleys and courtyards linking the houses together.

The wedding went on for five days , of which I stayed on for three days of undiluted fun. The wedding ceremonies were an eclectic mix of colorful clothes, yummy food and traditional rituals. My favorite part was when tambourine bearing girls danced around the bride and the women folk sang Arabic songs. I felt like I had been transported into a middle eastern movie!



Some of us guests took some time off to visit the famous Murugan temple in the neighboring town of Tiruchendur. A fifteen minute drive away from Kayalpatnam , Tiruchendur is a world apart. The temple situated on the beach may not have the grandiose of several other famous ones, but it does have a rustic charm of its own. We did an unsuccessful attempt to visit Valli's cave. A long queue in a claustrophobia enticing area discouraged us. Not before I was fascinated to notice that the cave had ceiling fans! This is something that I totally love about India, in matter of fifteens minutes you can be transported to a whole new world all together.

This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning two lovely people I met at this Wedding. Cat, English by race but Sri Lankan by heart. Choosing to work in Colombo she has embraced all things Sri lankan - Buddhism, black tea and iddiappam. The second blog worthy person was little Zain. Before I met this five year old gentleman, I had no clue who Ben-10 was or how cool he is.

So S thank for you the funtastic weekend and here's wishing you a fabulous life ahead!

500 days of summer

Colombo is underwater. We are sitting on the verandah of my grandparents house and watching the pool of water which until a few days ago was our lawn. My sister is cursing the rains which has deprived her of a visit to the mall. My aunt is cursing some cousin who has apparently betrayed her trust.

I hear the baker on his tricycle with his trade mark tring tring come down the street. Rain or shine, the "bread man" is at our doorstep every afternoon. And every afternoon my aunt buys me a sticky chocolate doughnut. She feels its her duty to carry one what my grandmother used to do. I have no heart to tell her that i actually hate the doughnut. As a child the only reason i insisted on those chocolaty buns was to squash it between my fingers till chocolate oozed all over. A messy ritual that annoyed my mother to no end.

My aunt is ranting about the evil cousin, but i am more focussed on trying to figure out what those little silver balls on doughnuts are called. I know i am going to be asked for an opinion so I start paying attention to the rants. My aunt exclaims in her exasperated fashion that just when you think you know someone they spring a surprise on you. I pause midway through my chocolate bun examination as I realize this is exactly what I had been thinking about a few days ago. Except mine was on a slightly more positive note. Have you ever had a friend who you sort of knew on a "hello how is the weather" basis. And never really ventured beyond that. But one fine day you really get to talk to this person and voila you actually have a wonderful conversation. You realize this friend is like that box on your loft - full of surprises and you wonder why you never saw that before. This enlightenment may be because your finally taking time out or may be its just Facebook. What ever it is, I'm raising my doughnut to the little surprises in life.
--

Reason number 324 why I am grateful for my small town existence

I have lived in a small town for two thirds of my life. I confess, my town has just one traffic signal which was inaugurated with much pomp. And yes when I first came to Madras as a child I thought the Anna fly over was like the coolest thing ever. This has often been a source of amusement for my city bred friends. (yes yes you know who you are)

But I wont complain much staying in the middle of the spectrum between the urban life and rustic village life isn't too bad. Last week actually gave me a chance to thank my stars for my small town roots. We had to attend my driver's daughter's engagement at a nearby village. So off we went on a hot Sunday afternoon.

Once the groom side arrived, all the men of both families sat around in a circle with a basket of salt in the center. While the entire village stood in the sidelines. I was truly fascinated by now. The "nattamai" (village head) then announced that they could start. I thought this was where the engagement ceremony begins. But no I was wrong, here was apparently the most important part of the day. The proceedings started with a random lady from the crowd shouting "so how much dowry are you giving your daughter?".Apparently directed at the bride's father. Random aunt's friend added" speak loudly we all want to hear". My fascination gave way to horror when I realized, the brides side was expected to answer in detail to all the questions thrown at them. My poor driver answered patiently on how much gold and cash he was going to give.

Finally a lady from the groom's side stood up (Who in my humble opinion should audition for Ekta kapoor's monster mom in law teledramas) She thundered "what only so much? this is disrespectful" . The bride's side squirmed and continued their negotiation. Eventually they came to a consensus that they would give the groom a gazillion grams gold chain. Ladies, how many of you out there would marry a man who not only demands but also wears something like that?OK we digress. As ridiculous as it looked, I really felt bad for bride's family.

Thankfully the negotiation drew to a close and the rest of the ceremony went on less melodramatically. As we drove back, I realized how clean the entire village was and how much relatively cooler it was. Mainly thanks to the rows of Neem trees. But still I am grateful for my small town existence. Thank you.

The man in the arena

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

Real life drama.

I have often amused/annoyed/entertained friends and family with my borderline obsession with television drama series. More often than not, the ones that top the list do not top the TRP ratings.

Recently I sent my friend into a fit of cackles after I told her that sometimes I get the most pragmatic advice from my drama series. So to prove to her that I don't need help, here I am picking three "pearls of wisdom" imparted to me this week.

““Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free til they find someone just as wild to run with them.”
From Sex and the City

I've had to say good-bye more times than I may have liked, but everyone can say that. And no matter how many times we have to do it - even if it's for the greater good, it still stings. And although we will never forget what we've given up, we owe it to ourselves to keep moving forward. What we can't do is live our lives afraid of the next good-bye because chances are they are not going to stop. The trick is to recognize when a good-bye can be a good thing - when it's a chance to start again.
From Ugly Betty

"The problem with fairy tales is that they set a girl up for disappointment. In real life, the prince goes off with the wrong princess."
From Gossip Girl (hey the show isnt as shallow as it sounds!)

Only in Bangalore

Would you see men, women and farm animals stand at a signal and wonder when the traffic in this city will improve.

They dont call me blunderqueen for nothing..

Me: Hey I was just watching this song on tv.. im in love with it but have no clue what movie its from. I have been googling with no luck
Friend : Hmm..which one
Me: This guy is following a girl in the rain and
Friend: ok stop kidding now
Me: huh?
Friend: Thats my song.. I sang that for the movie Renigunta.
Me: sure ok.. im gona continue to search
Friend : er.. i did sing that song
Me: (after a google enlightenment) oh..

So that was my faux pa for the day, what was yours. While I let you ponder on that, here is my latest favorite

In my head right now

The week has been rather weird and random, hence it would unfair if my post doesn't follow suit.

Five random thoughts in my head right now:

1)People are like kaleidoscopes. Your always bound to see new colours. You might think knowing a person for a year should give you a fair idea. Boy can you be wrong or what.But not all of it is bad!

2) Did a movie marathon, to make up for the abstinence. Ayirathil oruvan, avatar and NY I love you. I started off by disliking AO, but towards the end actually quite enjoyed it. Avatar was ok, probably because I was the last person on the planet to watch it. And finally NY I love you - reminded me why I want to go back there.

3)An island awaits with bated breath for election results. Though I am far away now, my thoughts are still with the twenty million hopeful hearts. Absence of war after all does not mean peace.

4)I abhor making decisions, especially when it feels like the world is breathing your neck and pushing you to do so. My heart truly bleeds for the proverbial cat on the fence. I know how that chap felt.

5) And finally, a sadly funny (if there is such a phrase) quote i saw on somebody's blog " Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love"- Charles M. Schulz

Better super late than never

I know I am slightly late with this post, but then somebody said its always better late than never. So keeping to tradition, here is what 2009 was to me

People: Made new friends, lost a couple of old ones to time and distance. Most importantly I learned that you can never know anyone too well.

Places: Though the travel gods amused themselves by messing up a few of my plans, I did good. Visited three beautiful countries and realized travel can teach you so much. Like Twain said " Travel is hazardous for narrow mindedness". Or something like that.

Beginnings and ends: I spent a good deal of time in hospitals and came to respect doctors and nurses a whole lot more. And also fear a few. The time spent here made me realize that titling your blog Carpe Diem didn't cut it. You really have to seize the moment or your going to really sorry. It was a much needed wake up call. As a result I shocked a lot of people including myself by giving up my job and deciding to experiment on my own.

28: I am for the first time in my life actually feeling my age. Still deciding if that is a good thing or not. I had my moments when life felt like the rubic cube. But of late I have come to realize that you dont have get over some heart breaks and losses. Learning to live with it is good enough.

So that was my rather mixed year. 2010 here I come!