Oct 31, 2008

snip-snip

hectic week. snippets for thy info and entertainment. i said some, i heard some... i overheard none. enjoy. coz that's the biz now, innit?

"i'm here to ensure she pitches for business, and not her job"

"is that not your picture?
hain..?? THAT..?? erm... NO. that's priyanka chopra. we have a policy about employee pics."

"i'm going for nemo on ice. you have kids?
erm.. no... but i could borrow some if they're mandatory"

"let's work together in the coming future..."

"never thought we'd bond over trashy hindi film music... but is nice"

"u solved the entire sudoku grid in 23 minutes??"

"u're lucky for us."

"felt the chill. saw some snow. YAY."

"your mp3 player thinks it's damn smart. THAT is the problem"

"either i'll get him to sign. or i'll take his job and sign it for u myself"

"what do i do with THIS? i haven't seen a device that plays this in a really long time"

"this is to bring to your kind notice that i have successfully managed to schedule a meeting for Mo.."
"let me successfully bring to your kind notice that MO has left."

"am listening to amrinder gill..."

"am reviewing dostana & yuvraaj... for pleasure"

"i've lost 2 kgs. i should be back in shape by the time i get home"

"the tattoo will peel off. like a wound." *WTF*

"its really, REALLY nice to be back in touch with you"

"go & blog, bitch!"

"you want katrina's gown?"

"rub neigh banaa di joedi? that's a name, eh?"

"thanks. you have a weekend too"

LOL! yes, you have one too, my friend. :)

Oct 26, 2008

sliding blues...

so far.. in all the years of working, i've always had friday evening blues.
for one, it was the day my content refreshes happened across circles. and i was dying to know how a certain piece was doing over the weekend.
secondly, i used to hate weekends. the only thing alluring about them was that I could possibly sleep in late over the next two days. but if u've worked where i did/do... you'd know that's quite a remote possibility. in all probability, there will be some client working, who'll want to discuss fortnightly plans on a saturday morning.


so i'd come to hate friday evenings. when i used to get back home from work and think of the impending weekend, i looked forward to monday mornings. and actually was excited on sunday evenings, that i had to go back to work the next day. i always used to wonder what it was about monday mornings that people hated *except monday morning meetings and mail-filled inboxes ;)* i had made myself believe that if u liked what u did enough, there would be no monday morning blues.

i still have them blues. but over time... and age, i guess... they've shifted. from friday to monday. i'm actually dreading the forthcoming week. the week is so busy that it seems to justify why i'm here.
has the passion for work dimmed? i sincerely doubt that. i don't think i'd be here if that were the case. and considering that i still categorize movies by "ours" and "crap", i have reason to believe that i'm still the same workaholic. and yes, i still love what i do.

but maybe, over the years, i've realized i need "me time". more than work needs me. also, i've had a fabulous weekend. and despite my current state of missing home desperately, i had fun. the last two days passed away in the blink of an eye. i have ticked off one item on my "to-do-in-10-years'" list. and now, i'm dreading monday. experiencing what is addressed by mortals as monday morning blues.
sigh.
how the mighty have fallen. or... have they?

Oct 21, 2008

racism or desi-ism?

i've lived in the middle east, US and now in london. i'd heard that a lot of these countries are racist. but had never come across any racism.
until of course, i walked into stores manned by desis.
have u ever wondered why it is that these people - of the same race/color/caste - whatever the criteria may be... are so biased towards us?

initially, i felt it was something about me. that they felt they should treat me differently. and not, good different, mind u.
for instance, when i'd walk into a desi-manned store, pick up whatever it was that i went in to buy and move towards billing. i'd always give a broad smile and say hello! irrespective of what colored person was manning the billing counter. now, if this were a firang, the person would always - no exceptions - smile back. and we'd chatter about random stuff and go about our days.

but god forbid, there be a desi at the counter.
forget smiling, they would refuse to even LOOK at me. in the 2 years of my masters, they taught us that "customer was king" in this case, queen. and that it was basic appropriate-ness of the nature of their business that they should SMILE at me. but well, they seemed like they were doing me a favor by selling me stuff. even if the "stuff" was potato chips!

why am i bringing this up today? because after a week in london, i entered a store manned by a desi woman. all i wanted to do was top-up my prepaid card, so i could call home. i hand over the card and the money - so she knows i'm not just looking around there - and i smile at her and say 20 pounds, pls? she frowns at me, takes the card and the money and walks off reluctantly to the machine towards the back of the store. then, 2 minutes later, she looks at me suspisciously and says "this doesn't work".
me: ermm... sorry?
her: this doesn't work.
me: i heard you. what do you mean it doesn't work?
her: i can't top it up. it says it's invalid.
me: OK. what do i do about it now?
her: i can give you a voucher. do you want it?
me: well, as long as it tops up my card, yes. i do.
her: sigh. ok.
she goes back.. does something... and gets me a receipt-like paper.
i look at her waiting for an explanation, since i'm obviously new to this.
she doesn't get it.

me: what do i do with this?
her: oh. u call 150. and do the needful.
me: thank u. *trying to figure out what the hell "do the needful" would imply!*
and i "do the needful" and finally have a topped up card.

now, compare this to the scene just a couple of days back - friday, i think.
i walk into a cyber cafe. there's a brit running the place - i don't know if he owns it. i ask him "how much per hour?"
he smiles at me and says "ek pound"
i stare at him.
he smiles again and says "aap kahan se hai"
i almost faint.
then, i gather my wits, smile back at him and ask him "achchi hindi bol lete hain aap."
him: oh! i'm born here. par hindi aur gujarati bol leta hoon. punjabi aur bengali samajh leta hoon. bolna nahi aata.
me: how about english, eh?
him: oh yes, that too! so where are you from?
and we have a pleasant conversation - he shows me what PC i can use. and then proceeds to play songs from "tashan"
i am MIGHTY impressed. and leave the place feeling nice. *and of course, selling him a ringtone worth more than what he charged me - thereby making myself feel prouder*

if someone who's not an indian can go to that extent to make his customers feel comfortable for a mere ONE pound, why is it so difficult for indians to make other indian, paying customers feel comfortable? is it really mandatory to frown or snigger at other indians???
and you know what - it's only the indian store owners who have this issue. the pakistani ones are usually nice too. in fact, they even enquire about where u're from, if you need any help etc.
i fail to understand WHY this is so. for people from a so-called "hospitable" country, they sure seem to have a lot of issues being hospitable to fellow countrymen.

Oct 18, 2008

i will it to thee...

when Ike had hit houston... galadriel had called to check whether i've died. and if i had, she wanted to know what i'd left for her in my will. so i thought... let me actually make a will. and make it public. so here goes. and i'm excluding family from this list.
suruchi: she gets ALL my stationery. all my books, except the dictionary. and my shuffle alongwith my music collection. she's the only person who can appreciate my music collection. aside from poonam. but then, i want to leave my shuffle to advika. so...


vibha: ALL my skimpy clothes. and my stirrers.


minal: my photos. and my passwords.


poonam: she gets vin. and everything that goes along with him. :D it's a long-standing arrangement between us. she also wanted my shoes, but they won't fit her. oh yeah, she also gets my non-skimpy clothes. ALL of them.


galadriel: well, u want my jewelery. so u shall get it. as a speshul bonus, i'll also give u my hand-bags.


dewdrop: she gets all my footwear. she also gets my bags. since she called them 'funky' :D see? flattery will get u almost anything. once i'm dead, of course! :D


joy: u get back the pre-paid card u got me! LOL!! and u can keep my phone with it. actually, no... let vin keep the phone.


ambarish: my dictionary. not that he needs it. but i think he would like it.

that's it. short and sweet. i can't think of anything more that i treasure.
all of u who've got stuff... lemme know if u're happy. the rest of u... like there's a hell lot reading, but still... if someone were to leave u something in their will... NOT money, obviously.... what would u like?

edited to add: alice gets any and all cat pictures that i possess. by the time i die, if i have any cats, she gets them too. i'm sure u'll take good care of them :)

Oct 17, 2008

squirrel whisperer..??

ok... r'ber i told u about how the uncle where i was currently staying at was a psycho? ok. here's why i said so. and yes. he was very entertaining.

for starters, he would REFUSE to let me enter the kitchen. he insisted on making me b'fast and bringing it to the table... AND serving it. so far, so good. i'm not one to complain abt comforts. but last morning, over breakfast, i was looking out onto the garden and noticed two really fat *and i mean REALLY fat* pigeons. so i commented - more to myself - that the pigeons were so fat they couldn't fly. THAT set off uncle on a spiel. he said, and i quote :
"there are squirrels also that come. they used to cause lot of trouble before. throwing nuts around on the lawn. but then i trained them. i would sit out in the garden every morning till squirrels came. then when they tried to put the nuts down, i would tap stick in front of them. took seven months, but i trained them. now they drop nuts in the corner only."

i rest my case. also, i pack my bags and shift off tomorrow morning. to a house of promises. for starters, it's near dewdrop's. secondly, i will be better connected to the internet. and most importantly, i can move about without worrying whether i'm upsetting the "system" of the frikkin house!

Oct 13, 2008

greetingz from the dark side.

i have reached. safe and sound. and the madness has begun. as already documented HERE. please read that if you actually want an update. :P

to fill in the pieces she left out... i HAVE to tell you the finger-bowl story.
so we're at this swanky italian place for dinner. it was my first night there, and jet-lag disorients me. so i do not remember the name of the restaurant. however, there was a vespa contest which dewdrop entered after much sniggering about "who would want a vespa?". and erm.. she really WANTS the vespa now. for classified reasons. so we shall hope she gets it, won't we? YES, we will.

ok... coming back to the story... so we're waiting for the bill. which, btw, we haven't asked for. and daftish-looking italian wannabe doesn't do anything unless he's told, i guess. so he doesn't get us the bill. i DO mention it to ms. dewdrop. that we should TELL the moron explicitly to get us the bill, but she has a different agenda. she has just had the entrepreneurial break-through idea of the century!
she's focussed on the candle on the table. and she wants to pour water into the candle stand around the candle. the neembu in our water could then be added to the thus-warmed water and THEN used as a finger bowl. tada! brainwave of the century!!! and i tell u, she better copyright it. someone's gonna read this blog and steal it. and then they'll earn all the monies... and we'll be left washing our dirty fingers in candle stands! and then they'll say, women aren't inventors. hmph!

of course, dewdrop has already told you about the cute driver boy she'd arranged to pick us up at the airport. and of course, we DO identify fiat logos.. but unfortunately car logos aren't on the side of cars. so we couldn't see it. so we waited till driver boy got out of the car and picked my luggage. then of course, he told us we could leave the trolley where it was. felt like india to me! :)

and that feeling only heightened when we reached my temporary place of residence. for one, uncle wouldn't stop talking. for 2 anti-social women like us, this was a bit much. also, he has a "system" for placing the spoons on the table. i could go on, but no, thanks. erm.. yeah, i shall let y'all know when i move out.

i HAVE to mention that dewdrop was kind enough to write a nice, detailed mail to vin as well. since i didn't have net access. and the next day, when vin called me he said i should learn mailing from her!

and yes, the cocktails we had on evening one didn't really affect us much. coz i managed to reach home from the tube station by myself. of course, dewdrop made sure i got onto the correct tube. :)
and right now, i'm "abusing her hospitality" to quote galadriel. and am finding myself a place near hers. SOON.

and oh yeah, did she mention we howled at the moon last night and then meowed for a while at Victoria? well... this is just the beginning.

Oct 8, 2008

my bags are packed...

and i'm ready to go. well, almost.
most formalities are done with. and i have no further excuse to not go. though leaving vin here should be excuse enough. but well, i guess it isn't.

so, let me make this official.

i leave for London on the 10th. i may not have access to internet at least till the 14th. so i'll see y'all here post then.

and dewdrop - i'll see u. real soon. :)

Oct 3, 2008

share spare bed?

the english language is very phunny. i was house-hunting on an online site. this is what i come across.

"nice, spacy double room in 3 bed house. good located. nearing tube 5 minutes. two bed taken. we look for female to share other bed with. non-smoking only please. if you interest, mail to me. also you can call --- *number*"

if u must ask, i got scared, and didn't mail her. also, i couldn't pronounce her name.

p.s.: this is post # 301. somebody stop me!

Oct 2, 2008

happy b'day galadriel!


we don't only laugh at people. we also wish people, who provide us good laughs and promise to provide us with porn * here, here AND here*, a VERY ROCKIN' BIRTHDAY!!!
DO wish her luck as well. what with blinds falling on her head, she sure needs it!


image: gettyimages dot com

T20: the tag

RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

RULE #2 Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by continue this game by sending it to other people.

loca tagged me. am not linking to her.. u can reach her blog by clicking on her name in the comments section!

1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?
figure out what "betrayal" stands for there... and then, if need be, take him out or move on or leave it. *that, in the don corleone way of "taking out"*

2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be?
i dream of both of us being employed in the SAME country with jobs that we'd like to be in. *YES, i'm very self-centered.*

3. Whose butt would you like to kick?
i have a list, actually. but today, erm... well, can't name the person. he/she reads my blog. but they know that i want to kick them today.

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
travel, buy a house *so i can get my pet*, save the rest. *u thought i'd say "i'll give it away to charity", didn't u? HAH!*

5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
and what good would THAT do me now...?

6. Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
being loved. completely and selflessly. it's empowering. and divine.

7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you love?
hain? wait for what? for him to come home from work???

8. If the person you secretly like is attached, what will you do?
then, it shall remain a secret. where's the rocket science in that?

9. If you could root for one social cause, what would it be?
is peace on earth a social cause? i'd like to root for that...

10. What takes you down the fastest?
that's for me to know and you to guess.

11. what resurrects you the fastest?
a hug from someone i love. it tells me that all will be well. soon.

12. What’s your fear?
that i'll make the wrong decisions and then insist on living the consequences.

13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
honest, easy to get along with. very genuine. wish i can meet you, gurl!

14. Would you rather be single and rich or married and poor?
if i'm single and rich, why will marriage make me poor? i already have the money don't i? oh wait, u're implying i marry a con-artist who runs off with my money???

15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
make vin bfast and check mail. *sometimes, simultaneously*

16. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously who will you pick?
neither. i'll pass and wait for the higher love. BLECH!

17. Would you give all in a relationship?
if by all, u mean my individuality, my self esteem... then no. i am incapable of that.

18. Would you forgive and forget someone no matter how horrible a thing he has done?
i don't hold grudges. i believe if someone mistreats me, it's bcoz i let them. and yeah, i never forget either. i may pretend to, but i don't.

19. Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?
i loved being single. and i'm loving being in a r'ship right now.

20. tag 6 people.
galadriel, suruchi, pixie, lavs, pavi, K3.

there, done!

Oct 1, 2008

"blind"-folded

let me tell u the story of a friend of mine. a blog-pal at that too. so some of you may already know her.

so, galadriel's on a sabbatical. she'd like ppl to believe that it's because she's going thru a "bad phase"

but let me give u the real story.
the blinds in her apartment weren't functioning. so the maintenance guys came and fixed them. NO, nothing happened with the maintenance guys. she's a good (??) gurl and this isn't HER porn blog. so.

the blinds were fixed. and the curious cat that she is, she had to play with them. like a cat plays with a ball of wool left around? that way.

and while this cat was playing with the window blinds... they fell down. ON her head! HAHAHAHA... !!!

and THAT is why she's on a break.
so there.

no, this story has no relevance for any of u. but i could visualize the blinds falling on her head and i found it hilarious. also, i have nothing else to blog about!