No longer valid

They ate more than they went on specific romantic dates.

Between plates of pita and hummus, cheddar cheese and sometimes chocolate chip waffles, glasses of peach iced tea, pavlova or crème brûlée, three cheese and olive wraps, chicken sandwiches and chocolate mousse cakes, they spoke. Of sitcoms, work, food, sex and writing. Of other people at work, of bosses who came and went and of people they both hated. Their days of dating came to an abrupt end like the time when they found a cockroach in a plate of French fries: unexpected and too disappointed to continue.

Just like the food they consumed, relationships too have an expiry date; a date beyond which conversation and companionship becomes stale and unpalatable. Have you had milk beyond it's date? It's sour and curdled. Or cheese, perhaps? It smells, doesn't it?

Relationships are no different, except, maybe the smells vary. If it's not the conversation you run out of, it's the attraction and attachment: one person gets too close for comfort and expresses a desire to take things forward while the other had viewed this as a stopgap all along. Or the other person is 'confused' at what this has become or will become in the near future, and is afraid to venture into the realms of endless possibilities the companionship may offer. In short, everything comes to an end, whether forced or not.

So what's the solution here? Is there a solution at all? Perhaps not. But as one enjoys the company, comfort and the fleeting love that food offers, relationships are quite similar in nature: ephemeral and warm.

Lessons from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani

So the sibling and I saw YJHD in the theatre and it set me thinking and I have put together 11 points on what I learned from that movie.

1. Take off your glasses 
2. Wear skimpy clothes 
3. Have loads of money 
4. Marry an engineer boy
5. Keep drinking 
6. Travel the world 
7. Don't let the bridesmaid be hotter than you 
8. Gamble enough and you'll own a bar 
9. Get married at Udaipur (look up number 3) 
10. And go for a trek to Manali, and beginning where it started all 
11. Wear glasses
12. (added by Subhadra) make friends with people that are likely to get married in Udaipur.

Of course, I also came home to find tears streaming because Ranbir (in the movie) gets to go abroad and do journalism and ends up travelling (something which I've been trying to, but hasn't worked) and then I look at Facebook. People who don't know what MOMA stands for, or haven't heard about Halloween suddenly put up pictures of them in ridiculous costumes or "chilling" in New York. Sigh.

Good news, somewhat - 2

Remember the whole offer from two companies? Well, both of them HAD to get back to me today with their formal offers. And I have made a decision. Former. (Go check my earlier posts if you want to make head or tail out of this.) And some people are pissed by this. I know it's not conventional, to give it a tag; but it'll be different. I hope and I know. 6 months OK? If I fail I'll come back. But I won't. I want to do something different and what's wrong with that? Why must one always take the safer route? What happened to following Frost's poem in real life? Why should it stop with just reading and understanding?

23 things about turning 23

As long as I'm distracted, procrastinating and listening to jazz I might as well document this before it's too late. Who knows I might turn 24 in another 11 months!

1. The most obvious one goes first: Being a girl and seeing almost everyone on your FB getting married, I was swamped with pictures and updates. That's OK, because I didn't succumb to pressure. Just keep your head up and walk away, but don't forget to stop and appreciate the pictures!

2. I realized who my *real* friends are. Not just the ones who can make time for you, but the ones with whom you can be comfortably silent. Even if you go by long periods without talking, you both know where to start.

3. The big C affected my life in a big way: career. Changes things a lot. Currently being self-employed (my friend asked to me change it instead of half-employed) makes me appreciate the fact that a job is worth having. You may crib, rant and rave about it, but trust me it's worth having one; let's you take the focus off other problems.

4. Travel, travel, travel! Enough has been written, spoken and discussed about it. So travel when you can (this applies a LOT to me). I firmly believe that one shouldn't settle down before one has seen quarter of the world at least. Life experiences are a must.

5. I got my heart broken, and not just necessarily by the opposite sex. What I thought was real only got shattered, friends who seemed trustworthy showed their true colors.

6. Discovered that I'm an awesome wingwoman. Period.

7. Also realized that it's tough for me to say no to people I care about. Don't ask me why, but it's definitely not because I want to please people. I just love them way too much.

8. After being in an unrewarding friendship for 4 years, I realized I *can* be as patient as, to mildly put it and no offence, nature. In that period, I wasn't all that short tempered, rash and hasty as I used to be. I've learned to be patient for the good and also sometimes during wrong situations (which I'm trying to remedy)

9. Some people, no most people, aren't worth it.

10. I've made peace with my past, which in turn has worked out to my benefit! I've accepted things as they are, especially in tense situations. When you embrace it, nothing can worry you!

11. Hostel life has taught me a lot. Late night parties, talking with friends, soul searching conversations during power cuts, getting high, losing weight, falling in love with a new city and its dosais and all that will always remain in my memory. I don't know about friends for life, but there are a couple of them who I believe I will walk a long distance with.

12. I think I've finally found what I want to do. My passion and a way to earn my daily bread: Writing. I know I'm not that all that great, my blog doesn't have a million followers neither does my Twitter account, but there are some kind people out there who love the way I write and that's enough.

13. Sometimes people want to help you, no matter how much you dissuade them from doing so. I've tried arguing with them, but they refuse to budge. But I guess that's all right.

14. I have also found a person who patiently listens to me and then disagrees with me, a person who tries not to get angry with me but then has that moment where the person loses control, and then gets back to normal and forgets all about it, a person who smothers me with affection and encourages me to talk about whatever bothers me (and then advises me) and a person who cracks insane-but-bearable mokkais.

15. Started to jog and trying to keep a routine in place. I miss it on some days but I try to keep up.

16. Even if it's a cliche, travelling alone is a revelation even for short distances. For instance, I made a bus-friend, a Manipuri who loves Tamil films! Our bus got delayed by 3 hours and we reached Chennai by 1 am. Helped her get a cab and saw to it that she reached home safe. Now if that's not an adventure, I don't know what is!

17. I love my mother with each passing day and I miss my father (even though we fight a lot and end up yelling at each other, him at me more than the other way around). My sister is one of the funniest and beautiful persons I'll ever meet.

18. Strangers make an impact. While covering a story, mother of the subject was shocked to learn that I had left music after 6 years and urged me to take it up.

19. I've realized that books are my greatest comfort and are only the permanent inheritance I can pass on to my children/near and dear ones.

20. I have mixed reactions about children and I don't know if I want to have in the near future. Pets are a bigger and firmer no.

21. I absolutely adore cooking, especially for others. When it comes to me I'm really lazy to get up and make something. But if anyone else is hungry or wants to something to eat, I find myself whipping something up for them. Gives me the greatest joy!

22. As much as I'm a tomboy in certain aspects, I'm a total girl in others. Like shoes and bags (maybe not designer ones but cheap imitations are good enough for now).

23. Life's too short to have a grudge, a drink can solve most problems, laughing at myself is fun, a sarcastic comment does wonders, taking revenge is childish and overrated, sometimes being a bitch is necessary, gossip takes my mind off things, letting go is the best decision I've ever taken.

Can't wait to turn 24!

Good news, somewhat

Three people have started following me. But what is surprising is that when I had written a flurry of posts, even my usual followers didn't read. But when I took my hiatus (make that; became lazy) I gained three new followers! *gasp*

I think the universe is trying to tell me something.

Also I have got an internship offer from a company that was the pioneer to search engines but has now gone into oblivion, slightly but is trying to revamp itself (good for you!) and attended an interview at a place I interned before. While the former is an internship, the latter is a full-time job. The former has it's office in a neighboring state and the latter is in Namma Chennai. Former is  new media, latter is print. And so on. But what I do know about the latter is how much they will be paying me, something I don't know about the former.

I have to pick one and it is difficult, or as the Twitter junta put it #tuffmatch. Or not.

Will the ground split into two and make the decision for me?

Oh and speaking of decisions, a certain someone accused me of never having taken a decision.

Why I still get up at 5.45 am

To see something like this.

And sometimes, this.

















But a whole lot of joy!

Travel for travel's sake and all that

I think my rants deserve a whole new blog, one isn't enough. Of course, for me the grass is always greener on the other side; the stars are brighter in another country and the cake tastes better when someone else is having it.

While I'm stuck at home with nothing to do (okay I can join some classes to keep myself occupied) people are traveling. You heard that right! My inner Parisian-Spaniard-Italian has desires too, you know. I've always wanted to travel since I learnt how to read and write. I've also wanted to be a chemist since I learnt the word (no, not "medical shop owner" as some of you know it and make it a point to tease me with) but that didn't happen, marks in Chemistry weren't THAT great. But traveling I can do no? Just have to cough up some money, that's all. I'm also open to people who are willing to sponsor me, so if you're out there please drop in a message or something. Don't dally. Chop chop and all that.

For a long time I didn't quite understand the obsession with Paris, frankly (the city, not the girl). And then Gossip Girl happened. I know, I know I can see a lot of you raising eyebrows. But the serial did have some gorgeous views of the city. And after that "Midnight in Paris" happened, it pays to be a Woody Allen fangirl! The scene where Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard walk and share their thoughts about Paris, I think I became a convert.  As many of you know I'm not a big fan of rain (I hate rainy days actually) but hearing Wilson describe how beautiful Paris is in the rain made me fall for the city hook, line and sinker. Darius Khondji's cinematography is to die for. Paris in the rain is breathtaking! (Quick Google some images and you'll see)

Spain's party life intrigues me the most. I took Spanish classes for a year for the sole purpose of visiting the country so that it becomes easier for me to converse and make my way around it. But it has been almost three years now and I haven't got a start. Our classes involved how to ask for help from strangers, how to order food in a restaurant-especially if you're a vegetarian, understanding football commentary and watching movies.  Ten years from now if I haven't visited this beautiful, hot country I will shave my head and pierce my nose. This is a sathyam-on-burning-karpooram.

And Italy for food. Bellissima and La Dolce Vita is all I can manage for now. If I remember other words I shall call. I also make excellent pasta. Don't believe? Ask the sister, mother and fraands (they always have my back or so I assume). I'm attempting Tiramisu and once I perfect it, I'll call David Rocco to taste it. I'm sure he'll come and bring his hot wife (sometimes I watch the show only to drool at her, she is HOT ok!)

Oh oh how can I leave UK out of the equation. To me the land is all about books, castles, charming men in plaid and tweed coats with elbow patches, self-deprecating humor and accents that floor you till no end. No? Sigh, I've always wanted to study there and I came *this* close to studying there in 2008 (I think) but financial problems happened, story cut short. My secret desire is to be educated in Oxford and  assist Woody Allen with script writing. #Posh, as someone I know would call it. But a girl can dream.

I guess United States of the Amrika has to be mentioned. One word: Manhattan. Two words: Gossip Girl. Three words: Upper East Side. See you at the other end! 'Ta!

Mark Twain always has this uncanny knack of saying the right things, don't you think so? So it's only fitting that he sums up this post. (It's like he meant this quote for me)

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

A platonic, hidden love

Is it possible to love a city, which I once disliked? A city which I preferred for shopping and small visits. A city which wooed me with its variety of restaurants and nightlife (OK, restricted nightlife). I vehemently declared that I'd be back once my course gets over and there were times when I complained that Bangalore wasn't Chennai and that life here was absolutely boring. (Of course, it helps my cause that I've been removed from the city and I reside a good 20 km away from it) 

Now, however, I've slowly started to like Bangalore. I'm suddenly OK with finding work in Bangalore, because let's face: what's life without a change? 

There's something enticing about Bangalore: long walks at Malleswaram, crispy dosais at MTR and Kengeri, idli, sambar, upittu and coffee at Press Club, buying books wherever I find them, and I find them everywhere! (I end up buying more than I can carry sometimes and I can never have enough books!) street shopping for clothes and shoes, buying magazines and going broke for the rest of the month. 

Hell, I'm enjoying the bus rides from KR Market to my college! You know how KR Market can be with those cows taking up the entire stretch of the road to themselves while they nonchalantly *do their business* - all this whilst chewing cud. 

On the other hand there's the Victoria Hospital with people scurrying about here and there, vendors with their fruit and flower baskets spitting paan on the road (no matter where it lands!), and big buses having no concern for the common man's plight - ready to ram you in a second.

All this makes a city what it is: livable, busy, noisy, full of life. 


Bangalore, you'll never be like Chennai, but I love you all the same.

Ah the distance

My blog looks like a ghost of my former self. I hardly recognise it anymore. For a person who *loves* writing and swears by it, I'm hardly following my passion. Or thats what I called it.

The parent is being transferred to Vatakara for three years. Kerala yet again. (Last time it was Thiruvananthapuram). Atleast he had his sister and uncle for company and more importantly, for food. Kerala being Kerala with all the strikes and bandhs cannot be depended upon for hotels to be open at all times. And Vatakara being a coastal place reeks of fish. Appa being vegetarian is feeling orey helpless. Cha I shall really miss him. 

We've never had the usual father-daughter relationship. It's more like a father-son relationship. But rest assured, I have always been able to discuss any topic with him, and I mean any!

Now whom will I discuss politics, cricket and food with? Fight with 24x7? From whom shall I grab the remote and hide it? Who will address me with silly nicknames and wake me up early in the morning? (make that try to wake me up) Who will irritate me with his antics? And give me valuable advice on how to eat mangoes (I, on the other hand, teach him how and when to eat oats).

I now feel guilty that I haven't spent enough time with him. Also now that I'll go back to pursuing my studies, hence putting me in a different city, I'll have less chances of interacting with him (when he does come to Chennai). Sure, we have phones and we can talk and all that (I'm really bad at phone calls, really. Barring a few I can't talk to most) but nothing beats talking in person and shouting at the top of our voices. 

Come back soon, appa.

(A website informs me that Vatakara is the land of Kalarippayattu. This is the land where warriors like Thacholi Othenan once lived. Hmm maybe appa can come back well versed in Kalarippayattu and kick-ass. Hiyeaaa! Oh wait, that's karate no?)

Towenty-ten and beyond - I

First things first. 2010 was not what I expected it to be. Not one bit. There's still 4 more days I left though and anything can happen.

At the beginning of the year I was in college, doing my undergrad and blissfully charged through it, unaware of what the year had in store for me. And believe me I never thought I'd be where I am today. Not that I'm complaining.

College was one hell of a ride. With so many twists and turns (yes, I might sound a bit melodramatic, but its all true) I wanted to get over with it. Looking back, it did have it moments and so did I. College taught so much about life and people, their behaviour, character and the changes. I've always been a change-embracing person (so much so that I look forward to them), adjusting and adapting to it. So college was just another lesson in life (sniff). There might be a whole lot of people I'm not going to see or keep in touch with, but I'll always remember them!

Post April, after exams, came the hard part: What to do next? Study, work or take a break? (The third option would've never happened, but its nice to list the choices no?) So after much persuasion from parents and also the lure of travelling, I signed up for universities in UK. Got through one of them and was looking forward. Went on a whirlwind shopping spree and got all ready. But the news about how UK isn't stable and all that came through, from friends, family and well-wishers. So half-heartedly I had to postpone the trip and chose my last option: a job.

When this confusion happened, I also applied for jobs simultaneously. So N and I (both of us applied) got a call from Kingfisher's lifestyle magazine and they asked us to take a test before the interview process. After writing a really easy test, they asked us to fly to Bangalore for a selection-interview-process. (This coincidentally became my first visit to Bangalore! and more visits ensued of course). We did end up going by train of course.

Once we reached there and got settled and all (at cousin's beautiful place in Bannerghatta Road, which has become our all-time option whenever we visit Bangalore) we went straight to the interview. Results were announced immediately. We were given an option to take the job within a week (and find a place to stay as well, madness only). We said yes at first and happily shopped around Bangalore for the two days we were there. Then we started missing Chennai and wanted to get back as soon as we could. Which we did. And after much call-dodging and all that we refused what-could-have-been-our-first-job.


To be continued....

Hmm

Check list for 2011:

New glasses. Check.

Haircut. Hmm thinking,

Sibling thinks the new glasses gives me a nerdy look (she said intellectual, but I knew what she meant. hmpf)

Oh well. I guess there's no turning back.

One more day for new year. And still no plans. Hmm

Why the vacuum cleaner sucks

You've caught me. The title has nothing to do with my post, I just wanted to indulge in some err wordplay, perhaps. You can't blame me you know, its 8.46 pm and I'm at work, persistently (if I may add) for the past 5 days. Including Christmas eve, Christmas and Boxing Day! I'm no Christian, but when the whole world takes off and lazes around, its only fair that I long for one! (Especially when you have a sibling who sleeps tight till 10 am while I trudge off to work). Oh and its a Sunday today. No one I know works on a Sunday! And add to it the sleeplessness of 4 nights in a row - there you have it! One grumpy child. Waiting to get away.

In other news: N is having fun with person-I'm-not-naming-here. Let's call him anon. N and anon are having the best time, I hope it really works out for them :) They make sucha cute couple!

D, my colleague, is pregnant and might take leave only in May end. What a huge sigh of relief! She's one of the most efficient worker and awesome gossip-person and partner-in-spitting-crime. I shall miss her when she is gone. I might leave by May also. Sets me thinking.

T's quiz is not loading. Damn, now how do I kill time at work? Also I've seen it a million times. Just trying to check if I know all the answers every time I view it.

Craving some extra dark chocolate. (Why do all my posts of late contain a reference to chocolate?)

That little voice inside my head

The above video just about describes my chocolate craving on a normal day. On special days it doubles. 

The recent rains in Chennai have done nothing to stop me from craving chocolate, also (note) visiting cousin from US of A who's brought bags of those sinful delights. Argh! How the HELL am I supposed to stop then? So I don't! I just go on :) Someday I hope to own a big larder, mind you a BIG one at that, filled with copious amounts of chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. And pasta. And more such scrumptious items. Oh yes my dreams are big and delicious. 

I also dream of cooking all day, with fancy pots, pans, ladles and ooh knives. Stirring here, marinating there, chopping and sautéing (I kinda like the way its pronounced). Gosh that makes me sound like a house-wife, but I'd like to disagree. Cooking all day does sound strenuous, but fun all the same. I cannot wait! 

In other news: The above-mentioned cousin from US of A has also brought me an ipod Touch. Ha!

--- Linkin Park on the loop ---

Prancing and pondering!

This post comes at a time when my emotions are in full swing. Happy to say at the least. Actually it goes through phases. Really happy-happy-sad-sadly sad-hyper happy and so forth. Till I'm confused. I actually don't know what I feel. Then it hits me and I start analyzing. And I over analyze till things can upset me and so I stop.

Why do some things happen? Why do you see certain people in your life but not meet them? Or why do you meet them and not talk (but you want to talk to them). Or you talk to them and nothing happens. Is it all a carefully planned out route-map that has a pot of gold at the end of it. Or a life plan. Or whatever.

There are some people who come and go in your life. People who you think make a difference, a significant one at that, but actually don't. Then there are people who teach you a little something about life and its operations. 

Sometimes, two people are not meant to be together, even if one of them really wants to. It's for the best maybe.  You just slowly pick up the pieces and move on. Working your way out of the maze.

And eventually you'll find life has many things to offer, keeping you occupied on the way.

Wheeeeee :)

You Are Soap Bubbles

You are free spirited and a heck of a lot of fun. You refuse to act your age. You can always find a chance to play a little. You bring whimsy to an otherwise boring day. It drives you crazy to be cooped up inside for too long. You need to be outdoors to be able to breathe. It's likely that you crave a nontraditional life. You have to do things your own way!

What Kind of Bubbles Are You?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

As good as it gets

It's been almost 2 weeks since I started working, and I'm feeling dreary already. The routine has got to me. And to top it all, my computer refuses to work. And I have to shuttle from Nungambakkam to Guindy, 6 days a week. By the time I'm home, I'm bushed. 

But on the other hand it keeps me occupied. From 8 to 8, round the clock. I've learnt a good lot about commerce and economics (still no expert on the subject, though) Covering events are part of the routine. Which means: Good food at almost every event. Especially when the invite mentions Taj, Le Royal Meridien etc.

Almost quit watching television. For starters I have no time and even if I do, the TV is hogged by dad/sister/grandparents. Meh. And even if I do watch I'm honestly getting tired of watching news. Who wants to watch Arnab-in-your-face-shouting-with-papers-in-his-hand when you're home from a tiring schedule? Or Sagarika and her nonsensical questions and self-made replies. Really. I'd rather watch some cooking shows and ease off, or some football. 

Bottom line is: I'm glad I have something to do. Whether it's travelling round the city or sitting at office (and goofing around) life's going good :)