commuter announcement this morning:
"this is the last stop. please remember to take all your belongings with you. that includes children. 'cos if you don't want them, we don't want them either."
------------------------------
me and vin discussing how some men are blatantly cheap.
me: they don't even look at your face... they constantly stare down at your cleavage. i feel like snapping and saying "here... up here. down there - they don't talk!"
vin: i think that explains why they stare. at least down there, nothing talks back!
------------------------------
while at the cafe with a colleague, i ran into this moron i happen to know from one of my classes.
he smiled at me, 'waved' at the colleague (whom, he does not know at all) and continued to smile till we left from there. (this happened on more than one occasion)
colleague: is... erm... do i know the guy? is he your friend?? WHY does he wave at me?
me: oh, lord no! you don't even need to know him. and NO, not my friend.
colleague: oh... umm... is he special needs?!
i wish the explanation was that easy. really.
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Apr 24, 2011
just like that...
i love school. and i hate school.
with equal intensity. don't ask me how that's possible. it just is.
i miss my friends. a little more than i used to. and i still haven't made much of an effort to connect with them. i think i'm just a little too tired to reach out at the moment. and i hope they'll hang on. and be patient with me.
it's strange. how on some days, you want some friend to be there. not just any friend. you want 'a' particular friend on 'a' particular day for no particular reason.
when you start forging new friendships, you crave for the familiarity of the older ones. even while you're still trying to figure out how much you can rely on whom. and you realize that the traits you're looking for, the familiarity you're seeking, will never be found in another. that you have to get acquainted with people with a clean slate. a clear mind. no biases. because when you harbor biases prior to making friends, when you think "oh, that's so like XYZ..." you more often than not end up trying to be friends with the wrong people.
and it's so not worth the effort.
Jan 23, 2011
life...
life is not a fairy tale. or a movie. there is no one ending. there is no 'happily ever after'.
there are multiple endings. to the little beautiful moments that make you look back and miss 'those' days. as are there multiple beginnings.
it's life... you're allowed to make a fool of yourself. to trust and fail. to realize that people aren't all that you've made them out to be... to worship false idols. to dream dreams that will never be realized. to hurt people who matter to you. to let them hurt you. to know that we are all human... and to actually realize that. to know that everybody you count on will let you down at least once... and that doesn't mean you can't count on them. just that 'that' wasn't their day.
because life is not restricted to a couple hours. we make mistakes. we learn. we move on. we make new mistakes. and learn new lessons.
it's life. it goes on.
Apr 21, 2010
mindless!
vin and i share differing tastes in ice cream flavors. i like only the dark choc types. and while he likes almost all ice creams, he's not so fond of the chocolate ones. *this, of course, doesn't mean he won't eat it.*
y'day post dinner, we were pigging out on a large tub of dark choc ice cream. one that he got ESP for me, apparently.
he was eating it with a rather morose expression on his face. which prompted me to ask "why so serious?"
vin: this is REALLY good, you know? i didn't know i liked it.
me: i know. mast hai na?! but what's with the sad face?
slight pause while he contemplated being honest with me.
vin: you had to 'tell' me i like it. i have no mind of my own!
Mar 25, 2010
of love... and life
i read somewhere:
"every woman has exactly that love life, that she had decided in her mind, when she was 12 years old"
hmm...
as far as i can remember.. when i was 12, i had no love life in mind. but the nearest i can think to that age... was when i wanted a guy who would love me a lot, who would be smart & witty and who would have a walk-in closet to house my shoes. i would also have preferred it if he had a horse.
well, other than the horse, i got it all, then!
Sep 3, 2009
summer? really...?
so... we've settled in.
a little.
lots of boxes that still need to be unpacked.
but that's ok.
it IS feeling a bit like home already. even with the boxes.
and of course, the wise galadriel... who is obsessive compulsive about cleaning visits me this weekend. *wheeee!!!!* i think i shall make use of her OCD and let HER unpack the rest for me. as a house-warming gift? and hopefully, she'll make us sambhar this time.
anywhoo... the story so far... for those of you who don't know and would like to know *you would, wouldn't you?* is that we've shifted to a little hamlet in NY from a little bigger hamlet in texas. and summers - the way i knew them - have now ceased to exist. from a 100+, we're now living in temps that barely touch the 50s in summer. and i'm loving it!
the ppl are lovely, our apartment's really nice... and the place is gorgeous. and since words really don't do justice to it, i shall leave you guys with a few pics. all clicked near the new house.
the lake... vin's work-place is on the banks of this one...
one of the many mountains along the way...
one of my personal fave pics... :D
so.. that's that... shall see you guys soon. and get back to regular programming real soon.
p.s.: you may want to click on pics to see them without my background messing them up.
a little.
lots of boxes that still need to be unpacked.
but that's ok.
it IS feeling a bit like home already. even with the boxes.
and of course, the wise galadriel... who is obsessive compulsive about cleaning visits me this weekend. *wheeee!!!!* i think i shall make use of her OCD and let HER unpack the rest for me. as a house-warming gift? and hopefully, she'll make us sambhar this time.
anywhoo... the story so far... for those of you who don't know and would like to know *you would, wouldn't you?* is that we've shifted to a little hamlet in NY from a little bigger hamlet in texas. and summers - the way i knew them - have now ceased to exist. from a 100+, we're now living in temps that barely touch the 50s in summer. and i'm loving it!
the ppl are lovely, our apartment's really nice... and the place is gorgeous. and since words really don't do justice to it, i shall leave you guys with a few pics. all clicked near the new house.
the lake... vin's work-place is on the banks of this one...
one of the many mountains along the way...
one of my personal fave pics... :D
so.. that's that... shall see you guys soon. and get back to regular programming real soon.
p.s.: you may want to click on pics to see them without my background messing them up.
Jun 22, 2009
problem-solving music
issue:
one of the boys that stay upstairs, plays the tabla *or something that sounds like it* THRU the day. and really late into the night. i don't know what he does for a living or how he survives. but it's rather silent here... and the noise annoys me.
usually, i ignore it. but i've been home alone and have enough difficulty falling asleep without that irritating noise!
also, normally, i'm rather forgiving. but the reason i now p'larly do not like these boys is that they shoved stuff down the kitchen sink and clogged up the entire line; affecting mine, of course. and i had to run around looking for maintenance ppl - coz apparently, they only care abt the music, not backed-up sinks or roaches! but that issue's been taken care of by the maintenance guy who came by last time. so, coming to the current problem of too much tabla noise...
possible solutions:
a. go upstairs and tell them to keep it down.
b. call the main offc and complain. so, they can send a huge guy to warn them and/or stick a notice on their door.
c. go upstairs and stick a post-it on their door.
excuses for not doing any of the above: i'm not whiny. i AM lazy and don't wanna climb up stairs or change and go out. it's too hot to go outside in the day. i don't want to go knocking on strange boys' doors at night when i'm alone. and i prefer solving my problems myself.
so, my solution:
after two days of tolerance, i play himesh. non-stop.
from 8.30 a.m to 7.30 p.m.
then, i pause the playlist and take the trash out. when i realize that it has already borne results.
result: he has stopped playing. and has stuck a post-it on our door saying "sorry if we were noisy"
well... peace. and i hope they don't start off again, or i'll have to find himesh's version of gayatri mantra and play it real loud early in the morng.
Jun 15, 2009
for 'better' or for 'worse'?
after a really genuine attempt at seizing the cheese fries out of vin's hand... i failed. i don't take that very nicely - not winning, that is. so i did what i do best. i used the claws.
and then, i did what i do next best. i made puppy faces, so he won't get too bugged. *yeah, that still works - depending on the seriousness of the damage.*
he looks at the gash, then at me. and quips:
"thank god you're the better half. wonder WHAT would happen if you were the worse."
and then, i did what i do next best. i made puppy faces, so he won't get too bugged. *yeah, that still works - depending on the seriousness of the damage.*
he looks at the gash, then at me. and quips:
"thank god you're the better half. wonder WHAT would happen if you were the worse."
May 8, 2009
'catch' me if you can?
when i'm traveling or away for a while, i often tend to forget to call vin. it's not that i don't miss him. it's just that i don't like the phone much. and even if i call, it's cursory and to-the-point. i prefer telling him in person.
he's been my opposite, so far, where it comes to calling. if he had a one-stop flight, he'd even call from the stop and let me know he had a good/bad flight and he was hopping onto the next. and of course, i would tease him and call him a little boy.. but well, that's another topic!
but then, everything changes. this time when he's off. i've been nagging him every couple hours. while he has made his absence rather conspicuous by the lack of phone calls! even when i'd called, i got replies in monosyllables or single sentences.
later, five phone calls later, he called...
vin: just got to the hotel. it's...
me: what took u SO long, eh?!
vin: eh? it's 2.30? how long should it take?
me: oh. different timezone...
vin: yeah.. lissen, if the net's not working, u can use dial-up, okay?
me: net's fine. i'll be okay.
vin: okay... talk to u later, then. bye.
okay bye???
that is all i get for calling?!
sigh! i now know how it feels to be on the other side of the coin.
i'm not so irked by the lack of calls... as i said, i am not much of a call person myself. what bothers me is the fact that HE was the one who believed in calling. and now, i've gone ahead and affected his programming.
oh geez! i'm contagious...!
wonder what he'll catch next!
Apr 10, 2009
thought for the week.
titled thus, coz i can't think of a title for this piece... will change it if and when i do.
every girl dreams of getting married. at some point of time in our lives, we have all fantasized about our very own knight in shining armor/tux... on horseback or in convertibles... who'll whisk us away to the happy land of forever. those disney fairy tales, bollywood and chick-flicks only add to it as u're growing up. but life is not a fairy tale. and it doesn't end at marriage. it begins there.
and it is something that nothing conditions us for. we are not in the least prepared for what happens after. of all the expectations from us. of all the so-called responsibilities. and yes, it is more difficult for the woman. she is "expected" to embrace an entire new family. overnight, everything is supposed to change. and i agree, it changes for both... but it's the woman who has left her "home"... she's the one who can't expect tea in bed anymore. if the couple lives out of the country, when they go back to the country, they're supposed to stay at his place - visiting her parents. not fair? well, heck no! but that's the way it is, isn't it? i know, for a fact, that when i have gone back to india... and stayed with my parents... i've raised eyebrows.
things like "a woman should go to her in-laws house first" or "she must change her name when she marries" or "she now 'belongs' to her husband" or "her parents shouldn't be living with her permanently" are things that sound EXTREMELY regressive to me. but apparently, they're not. most parents of ppl i know "believe" that their daughter's house is not their house once she's married. they wouldn't stay there unless it's a visit or they have no other option. and i've heard this from so many relatives and family friends *wrt their daughters/sons* that it really stopped being funny.
why does this seem so normal to us.. that we either don't think about it much or totally dismiss it as a part of life? i know that i'm the wrong person to be doing this piece or asking these questions... i have accepted most of this... willingly, even... and i am quite happy. but that doesn't change anything, does it?
i never had issues about it. in fact, i never thought about it. it was the way i was conditioned since i was a kid, i guess. everything in my upbringing conditioned me for the fact that someday i would leave my parents' home. not for a career, but by virtue of marriage. *i don't think "love" would be the appropriate word here* i still do not have issues. but that is because i've ended up being really lucky about my decisions. not smart, as i say i am... but merely lucky.
i did leave behind my parents, my friends, my career and everything that i called "life" till that point... to be with vin. and i was scared. the first 2 days in vin's home were terrifying for me. i've never said this before... but i wanted to run away to the security of my own house. my own room. everybody was really nice... but it was all so new for me. and i was SO unprepared. even the sharing a closet. yes, silly tiny detail... but i had NEVER shared my closet with anyone! and it was a big deal for me. i need some space when i wake up in the morng... and i didn't know whether i could still get it. whether i was wrong in expecting it. and i had NO idea how to deal with it. but, as always... i digress.
what i don't u'stand is this: why is it that we are "okay" with moving out of our own homes... leaving our parents behind, so to speak... why don't we expect a guy to do all of this for us? and if we do... is that so wrong? if it's not wrong, why is it frowned upon?
or are we taught from a young age that we have to someday, move out of our homes, "adjust" to living with someone else's family...? it's the 0-point-something women living in metropolitan india who would understand *if, at all* that adjusting is not compromising. what about the rest? and we... the so-called educated, urban, smart... liberated and mostly, intelligent women. would we raise our children without such stereotypes? or is there some logic to all of this 'this isn't your home once u're married' crap, that maybe, i'm missing?
suruchi did this post on bidaai... and we got into a discussion. on marriage. and now i'm rather confused. and she's abandoned me and gone off! so i'm posting this here... as an open discussion. let me know what you think.
every girl dreams of getting married. at some point of time in our lives, we have all fantasized about our very own knight in shining armor/tux... on horseback or in convertibles... who'll whisk us away to the happy land of forever. those disney fairy tales, bollywood and chick-flicks only add to it as u're growing up. but life is not a fairy tale. and it doesn't end at marriage. it begins there.
and it is something that nothing conditions us for. we are not in the least prepared for what happens after. of all the expectations from us. of all the so-called responsibilities. and yes, it is more difficult for the woman. she is "expected" to embrace an entire new family. overnight, everything is supposed to change. and i agree, it changes for both... but it's the woman who has left her "home"... she's the one who can't expect tea in bed anymore. if the couple lives out of the country, when they go back to the country, they're supposed to stay at his place - visiting her parents. not fair? well, heck no! but that's the way it is, isn't it? i know, for a fact, that when i have gone back to india... and stayed with my parents... i've raised eyebrows.
things like "a woman should go to her in-laws house first" or "she must change her name when she marries" or "she now 'belongs' to her husband" or "her parents shouldn't be living with her permanently" are things that sound EXTREMELY regressive to me. but apparently, they're not. most parents of ppl i know "believe" that their daughter's house is not their house once she's married. they wouldn't stay there unless it's a visit or they have no other option. and i've heard this from so many relatives and family friends *wrt their daughters/sons* that it really stopped being funny.
why does this seem so normal to us.. that we either don't think about it much or totally dismiss it as a part of life? i know that i'm the wrong person to be doing this piece or asking these questions... i have accepted most of this... willingly, even... and i am quite happy. but that doesn't change anything, does it?
i never had issues about it. in fact, i never thought about it. it was the way i was conditioned since i was a kid, i guess. everything in my upbringing conditioned me for the fact that someday i would leave my parents' home. not for a career, but by virtue of marriage. *i don't think "love" would be the appropriate word here* i still do not have issues. but that is because i've ended up being really lucky about my decisions. not smart, as i say i am... but merely lucky.
i did leave behind my parents, my friends, my career and everything that i called "life" till that point... to be with vin. and i was scared. the first 2 days in vin's home were terrifying for me. i've never said this before... but i wanted to run away to the security of my own house. my own room. everybody was really nice... but it was all so new for me. and i was SO unprepared. even the sharing a closet. yes, silly tiny detail... but i had NEVER shared my closet with anyone! and it was a big deal for me. i need some space when i wake up in the morng... and i didn't know whether i could still get it. whether i was wrong in expecting it. and i had NO idea how to deal with it. but, as always... i digress.
what i don't u'stand is this: why is it that we are "okay" with moving out of our own homes... leaving our parents behind, so to speak... why don't we expect a guy to do all of this for us? and if we do... is that so wrong? if it's not wrong, why is it frowned upon?
or are we taught from a young age that we have to someday, move out of our homes, "adjust" to living with someone else's family...? it's the 0-point-something women living in metropolitan india who would understand *if, at all* that adjusting is not compromising. what about the rest? and we... the so-called educated, urban, smart... liberated and mostly, intelligent women. would we raise our children without such stereotypes? or is there some logic to all of this 'this isn't your home once u're married' crap, that maybe, i'm missing?
suruchi did this post on bidaai... and we got into a discussion. on marriage. and now i'm rather confused. and she's abandoned me and gone off! so i'm posting this here... as an open discussion. let me know what you think.
Mar 31, 2009
at ease...
:: lying around in bed... too lazy to wake up... too awake to go back to sleep...
planning an unplanned day... waking up once u decide to 'take it as it comes'...
:: randomly bickering abt mucking up the kitchen over the dinner he made last evng... not really caring abt it tho...
:: morning session of nat geo/discovery/animal planet... discussing if you should relocate to africa...deciding against it.
:: lazy languid afternoons... on the couch.. surfing channels... watching arbit movies that interested u once-upon-a-time...
:: beautiful day outside... mild sunshine... pleasant breeze... the joy that spring brings with it...
:: a nice drive around the countryside... conversation bringing as much pleasure as the silence...
:: meeting friends for dinner... the laughter that stays with you... makes you apppreciate what you have rather than dwell on what you don't...
:: a walk in the evng breeze... over lit path-ways which will soon be insect-infested... over unlit paths which make it all the better...
:: watching movies till late... without so much as a glance at the watch....
no haste.. no hurry... no worry...
just togetherness.
been a while... will be a while again... till there comes a day that'll be so peaceful... so relaxed...
the little things, that make happy memories. completely unexpected... unplanned... simple... beautiful.
planning an unplanned day... waking up once u decide to 'take it as it comes'...
:: randomly bickering abt mucking up the kitchen over the dinner he made last evng... not really caring abt it tho...
:: morning session of nat geo/discovery/animal planet... discussing if you should relocate to africa...deciding against it.
:: lazy languid afternoons... on the couch.. surfing channels... watching arbit movies that interested u once-upon-a-time...
:: beautiful day outside... mild sunshine... pleasant breeze... the joy that spring brings with it...
:: a nice drive around the countryside... conversation bringing as much pleasure as the silence...
:: meeting friends for dinner... the laughter that stays with you... makes you apppreciate what you have rather than dwell on what you don't...
:: a walk in the evng breeze... over lit path-ways which will soon be insect-infested... over unlit paths which make it all the better...
:: watching movies till late... without so much as a glance at the watch....
no haste.. no hurry... no worry...
just togetherness.
been a while... will be a while again... till there comes a day that'll be so peaceful... so relaxed...
the little things, that make happy memories. completely unexpected... unplanned... simple... beautiful.
Mar 20, 2009
just a thought...
they say that it takes adversity to bring out the best in a couple. that if a couple stays together... stands by each other through difficult times... then they will stay together no matter what.
i wonder how a couple would know that they've been through enough? it's one thing to say "i know we will be happily together, forever" and it's another to really really understand and mean it.
and once they know... do the tough times stop? or is it like the GRE... if you manage to survive through the tough times... going forward.. they only get tougher?
edited to add:
'forever', for the purview of this post, refers to "till death do us part".
i wonder how a couple would know that they've been through enough? it's one thing to say "i know we will be happily together, forever" and it's another to really really understand and mean it.
and once they know... do the tough times stop? or is it like the GRE... if you manage to survive through the tough times... going forward.. they only get tougher?
edited to add:
'forever', for the purview of this post, refers to "till death do us part".
Feb 5, 2009
i want my mommy!
over a period of time, this blog has lost the essence of why it was started.
the main reason this space was created was so i could confess.
not just those confessions that would entertain or amuse. but those that i refused to accept while i was in my senses.. or those that i'd never tell anyone to their faces.
coming to the point -
i still hanker for parental acceptance.
there. i've said it. publicly.
almost all my life, i made it very clear that my mom's opinions or decisions about me were not applicable to me. that i didn't care what anyone else thought. i would do exactly what i thought was right for me.
but even then, deep in my heart, i always wanted my mom to understand why i was doing what i was. of course, i was too egoistic to explain or say that to her. but i wanted her to know i cared. while putting on an act of not caring one little bit!
yeah, i never said i was an easy kid.
a lot of water has passed under the bridge from the days of "i'm not asking u, i'm telling you" and "i've already done it. look!" to "yeah, sure! i'll marry him!" today, she even understands that i do love her and will continue to, no matter what! but that's a different topic.
NOW...after all these years... i STILL need her to approve of what i do. to say nice things to me, though she may not understand or mean it! i refuse to stop being the little girl who knew that her mom would still make her fave dinner. despite the fact that she had stomped off into her room and slammed the door shut!
which is why when she tells me how unhappy she is about me "wasting my life" *translated to not working*, or how she believes i should have kids now. i get defensive and yell at her!
this morning, we had a rather heated discussion on how she thinks i should have children. after a few minutes of trying to keep my peace, i told her
"talk to vin. he's more tolerant. will hear you out. and he will say something u would like to hear"
ma: why should i talk to him?! i will talk to you only!
me: i presume that you want me to have kids with him... no?
at this point, she kind of lost her cool and told me to do as i pleased. like i always had. and that she's giving up on me. *i heard this EVERY week when i refused to get married bcoz she wanted me to. i actually missed that line.*
and then, i spent the better half of the morning sulking.
and being nasty to whoever tried to ping me on chat. and then, ultimately realized... no matter how old i am... i'm still gonna need ma to approve of what i do!
now that i'm done with the rant... lemme go burn dinner!
the main reason this space was created was so i could confess.
not just those confessions that would entertain or amuse. but those that i refused to accept while i was in my senses.. or those that i'd never tell anyone to their faces.
coming to the point -
i still hanker for parental acceptance.
there. i've said it. publicly.
almost all my life, i made it very clear that my mom's opinions or decisions about me were not applicable to me. that i didn't care what anyone else thought. i would do exactly what i thought was right for me.
but even then, deep in my heart, i always wanted my mom to understand why i was doing what i was. of course, i was too egoistic to explain or say that to her. but i wanted her to know i cared. while putting on an act of not caring one little bit!
yeah, i never said i was an easy kid.
a lot of water has passed under the bridge from the days of "i'm not asking u, i'm telling you" and "i've already done it. look!" to "yeah, sure! i'll marry him!" today, she even understands that i do love her and will continue to, no matter what! but that's a different topic.
NOW...after all these years... i STILL need her to approve of what i do. to say nice things to me, though she may not understand or mean it! i refuse to stop being the little girl who knew that her mom would still make her fave dinner. despite the fact that she had stomped off into her room and slammed the door shut!
which is why when she tells me how unhappy she is about me "wasting my life" *translated to not working*, or how she believes i should have kids now. i get defensive and yell at her!
this morning, we had a rather heated discussion on how she thinks i should have children. after a few minutes of trying to keep my peace, i told her
"talk to vin. he's more tolerant. will hear you out. and he will say something u would like to hear"
ma: why should i talk to him?! i will talk to you only!
me: i presume that you want me to have kids with him... no?
at this point, she kind of lost her cool and told me to do as i pleased. like i always had. and that she's giving up on me. *i heard this EVERY week when i refused to get married bcoz she wanted me to. i actually missed that line.*
and then, i spent the better half of the morning sulking.
and being nasty to whoever tried to ping me on chat. and then, ultimately realized... no matter how old i am... i'm still gonna need ma to approve of what i do!
now that i'm done with the rant... lemme go burn dinner!
Feb 1, 2009
nuggets of vin-dom
uttered in the past week. by the other half, of course.
how and why he always wanted to get married:
"i wanted to get married when i was in 3rd standard.
i thought if i get married, i won't have to study."
*this from someone doing his PhD... 2 years post marriage!!!*
on DDDs gtalk mesg of "eh kabootar, khau kya terko?"
"she should cut an album...
title it the eh kabootar series..."
*and then he went on to elaborate songs, customising them to fit the album. more on this here on her space.*
"we won't pay galadriel for singing. we won't tell her we're recording.
we'll requeshht her to sing for us... and discreetly record while she's singing.
that way, we won't have to pay her!
hee hee."
*AND, they think i won't tell her!*
on waking me up at 6.00 am every morng and finding me rather slow & grumpy. while he's rather alive and alert!
"this suits us perfectly. our IQs are at an equal.
and u don't have comebacks for everything i say!"
to his mom who asked him to stop troubling me:
"what other work do i have to do?"
on a suggestion from dewdrop that we call our dog "item"
"then what do we call her?"
on galadriel's suggestion that we call our dog "matar paneer"
"erm... what if we accidentally eat him someday?"
on him preferring dewdrop over suruchi as his moral support:
"i know suruchi would be more on my side if ever the need were to arise.
but i can't be scared of my moral support no?"
*i think dewdrop and he are hiding the fact that they're related*
on mail:
"i'll get late today... say 6/6.30?"
*he comes home EVERYDAY after 7. and this was late...?*
this sunday - when he dodged me around the chair saying "kabaddi kabaddi..." touched me and ran to the other corner saying "i got the entire team out... by myself!"
me: you DO know i can blog this, eh?
vin: you won't. if you do, then everybody will know you're not the only mad person here!
*well well... :D*
how and why he always wanted to get married:
"i wanted to get married when i was in 3rd standard.
i thought if i get married, i won't have to study."
*this from someone doing his PhD... 2 years post marriage!!!*
on DDDs gtalk mesg of "eh kabootar, khau kya terko?"
"she should cut an album...
title it the eh kabootar series..."
*and then he went on to elaborate songs, customising them to fit the album. more on this here on her space.*
"we won't pay galadriel for singing. we won't tell her we're recording.
we'll requeshht her to sing for us... and discreetly record while she's singing.
that way, we won't have to pay her!
hee hee."
*AND, they think i won't tell her!*
on waking me up at 6.00 am every morng and finding me rather slow & grumpy. while he's rather alive and alert!
"this suits us perfectly. our IQs are at an equal.
and u don't have comebacks for everything i say!"
to his mom who asked him to stop troubling me:
"what other work do i have to do?"
on a suggestion from dewdrop that we call our dog "item"
"then what do we call her?"
on galadriel's suggestion that we call our dog "matar paneer"
"erm... what if we accidentally eat him someday?"
on him preferring dewdrop over suruchi as his moral support:
"i know suruchi would be more on my side if ever the need were to arise.
but i can't be scared of my moral support no?"
*i think dewdrop and he are hiding the fact that they're related*
on mail:
"i'll get late today... say 6/6.30?"
*he comes home EVERYDAY after 7. and this was late...?*
this sunday - when he dodged me around the chair saying "kabaddi kabaddi..." touched me and ran to the other corner saying "i got the entire team out... by myself!"
me: you DO know i can blog this, eh?
vin: you won't. if you do, then everybody will know you're not the only mad person here!
*well well... :D*
Jan 20, 2009
complimentary
flicked from DDD's space. i know i have a few tags and stuff pending - will get to it next week - once i'm back to regular internet speeds!
till then, to remind y'all that i aint dead yet. and to feel good abt life!
compliments received and r'bered:
you somehow manage to retain your friends, friendships and professional relationships despite being competitive to the point of cut-throat. i wish i could be like that.
(ex-colleague. during a rare heart-to-heart)
she has employers lining outside while she's interviewing with one inside.
(alas. not true anymore!)
you're one of the most secure people i've known. and i love that about u.
(dewdrop in london.)
i didn't realize it while working with you - but you're the best boss i could have ever had!
how can you be so clear about what you want to do with your life?
(an ex-friend. ages ago)
i've always admired your sanity, levelheadedness and the discipline to not spread out your emotions in a weak moment. it's extremely rare.
(one of the nicest things i've heard about me. said by someone whose opinion matters.)
there's a lot you can learn from her.
(suruchi to another colleague who was thinking of sharing a house with me)
there's still hope for her. seeing you reassures me.
(my bhabhi in austin, on realizing that her daughter has my eating habits.)
you keep me sane.
(vibs. on mail.)
b'bay will never be the same without you.
(said on two diff occasions! by vibs and suruchi)
meri beti par uski kaali parchai padi hai
(suruchi to her mom, explaining why advika has my habits. and knowing how much she loves me and advika, it IS a compliment)
you know what to say and when
(MIL, recently!)
you're the best friend one could have.
(J, in a mesg)
P.S.: compliments from Vin are not included under the purview of this post. :D
till then, to remind y'all that i aint dead yet. and to feel good abt life!
compliments received and r'bered:
you somehow manage to retain your friends, friendships and professional relationships despite being competitive to the point of cut-throat. i wish i could be like that.
(ex-colleague. during a rare heart-to-heart)
she has employers lining outside while she's interviewing with one inside.
(alas. not true anymore!)
you're one of the most secure people i've known. and i love that about u.
(dewdrop in london.)
i didn't realize it while working with you - but you're the best boss i could have ever had!
how can you be so clear about what you want to do with your life?
(an ex-friend. ages ago)
i've always admired your sanity, levelheadedness and the discipline to not spread out your emotions in a weak moment. it's extremely rare.
(one of the nicest things i've heard about me. said by someone whose opinion matters.)
there's a lot you can learn from her.
(suruchi to another colleague who was thinking of sharing a house with me)
there's still hope for her. seeing you reassures me.
(my bhabhi in austin, on realizing that her daughter has my eating habits.)
you keep me sane.
(vibs. on mail.)
b'bay will never be the same without you.
(said on two diff occasions! by vibs and suruchi)
meri beti par uski kaali parchai padi hai
(suruchi to her mom, explaining why advika has my habits. and knowing how much she loves me and advika, it IS a compliment)
you know what to say and when
(MIL, recently!)
you're the best friend one could have.
(J, in a mesg)
P.S.: compliments from Vin are not included under the purview of this post. :D
Dec 31, 2008
who i am is who i wanna be...
the year's seen me do some very uncharacteristic things.
- it's made me live up to my responsibilities. in ways i'd wished i never had to.
- it's helped me find a friend in someone i'd known for a long time... but never really known. and i'm glad for cliches like "it's never too late".
- i've made some good friends online. u know who you are - all of u... and i sure will catch y'all online soon! :)
- two of my now-closest pals have graduated from being blog-pals in this very year.
galadriel: i know how difficult it is to listen to me crib, whine, rave, rant and still be there for me! :D thanks, babes! MUAH!
dewdrop: u made london feel like home. fly down SOON! keep meowing! and heyy... get rid of the ramu kaka merchandise ;)
- i ran off to london. despite having said "never again" last year. fortunately, this time was a lot better!
- i questioned my own decisions. usually, the doubts are before the decisions are arrived at. not after i've decided and gone ahead. but well, there's always a first time!
- vin and i have managed to live through a lot of uncertainties. but i'm not sure the worst is past us. but i do know that it doesn't matter. that if we could tide over these two years... we should be able to tide over the next as well.
- i went ahead and got a tattoo. something i'd been too chicken to do since i was 20. and guess what - it doesn't really hurt!!
- i've realized who my friends are. and people who have their own motives behind being friends with me.
- i've begun appreciating my girl friends THAT much more.
vibs: someday, i'm gonna blog those mails we'd exchanged all those years back. makes me feel real sane today! :D
suruchi: u're probably THE person i'd turn to if i ever need to talk about anything. miss ya tonnes. and i wish i could come down to bbay. and oh, btw... vin now thinks u're on his side. but he's still scared of u! :D
- i'm looking forward to the changes anticipated next year.
on the whole, the year's been an absolute mixed bag. it went from not-so-good to uh-oh to horrible to okay to good to great... all within 12 months! they say all's well that ends well. and we're still here.. living and blogging. and the hope still survives - for a better 2009. and i'm happy with who i am... and the fact that i'm still open to change.. with myself and my life. i love the fact that i've managed to sustain the positivity despite everything that's happened. i am happy and content with the way life is shaping up. and with myself. so i guess it can't be all that bad.
here's wishing all of u have a better 2009! :)
Nov 18, 2008
all i want is...
a couple days back, dewdrop asked me whether vin was the exact opposite of what i wanted in a guy.
and then we spotted some shiny blue boots and ran into a DM store. and the shiny blue boots had really icky plastic/rubber BEIGE soles... EWWW... yeah, i
know! can't even find decent footwear these days. sigh!
but well, since i didnt answer her, and i KNOW she reads this blog, i shall do it here.
if you'd asked me 10 years back, as to what i wanted in a guy, i'd say:
:: good looking. as well as well dressed.
:: intelligent.
:: good sense of humor
:: should speak GOOD english. and hindi. *i was a complete sucker for people who speak well. more so, in english. u know when mugdha godse says to piggy chops in fashion "tum small town girls ki problem kya hai? achchi english mein maang lo... kuch bhi de doge?" yeah, i used to be somewhat like that... though not that daft. i think!*
:: should be able to "understand" me. by this, i mostly meant it literally. that he should understand what i speak.
yeah, shallow i was. and condescending.
if u had asked me about 5 years back, i'd say
:: the ability to make me laugh. with him, not AT him *which happened a lot*. also, without either of us having to try too hard.
:: no potbelly, no moustache, no beard... well, not that i wanted adonis... but yeah, if we stand together, he shouldn't look like i'm trying to get back at my parents for something. if i were someone of fewer words, i'd say "presentable". but apparently, i'm not.
:: good conversation skills. the ability to "hold" a conversation. and make me seem interested. very difficult, given that i was mostly self absorbed. but that i know now... then it was amazing if a guy could get me to speak to him on topics other than work.
:: had to be able to drive a car. don't ask me why. but this WAS a valid, legit criteria.
:: should not be over-possessive and insist on me not talking to my friends bcoz they were guys. well. i knew guys like this. and i realized i did not want them! :D
:: did not have an ex gurlfriend who would then make it the purpose of her life to mail me and tell me that i had stolen her boyfriend. yes, i knew women like this too. and no, i could do without the drama. really.
but all of that changed over time... as did i. i lost some of my extreme superiority complex *lost the extreme bit, i think*. and i became a lot more human. and realized that it was okay to give people a chance. sometimes.
and then, i met vin. and i realized that i COULD indeed get a guy who undoubtedly is in a much higher league than i was. or would ever be. he was what i hoped to be, someday. of course, he doesn't know this. and i wouldn't have ever agreed to it, but still. this is confession time. and i don't lie on this space. i merely evade the truth when necessary ;)
but it was then, after meeting him, that i "knew" that as long as my guy:
:: was passionate about his work and wasn't working coz he "had to"...
:: understood that respect had to be earned. by both of us....
:: knew what he wanted. from himself. from me. from life...
:: was secure. with himself. with me. with "us"....
:: could make me smile simply by "being there"...
:: realized the importance of accepting me the way i was and giving me my time & space....
:: could hold a conversation. or make me feel comfortable with his silence...
:: loved me. enough to want me for an entire lifetime...
nothing else really mattered.
of course, factors like he didn't have a potbelly, moustache or beard, wasn't an alcoholic, spoke good english, did not wear rubber chappals on a date, knew his bollywood films... DID help his case. quite a bit.
and of course, so did his dimples!
to answer dewdrop... he may not have been what i wanted at 18. but he was - and is - everything i'll ever need. :)
and then we spotted some shiny blue boots and ran into a DM store. and the shiny blue boots had really icky plastic/rubber BEIGE soles... EWWW... yeah, i
know! can't even find decent footwear these days. sigh!
but well, since i didnt answer her, and i KNOW she reads this blog, i shall do it here.
if you'd asked me 10 years back, as to what i wanted in a guy, i'd say:
:: good looking. as well as well dressed.
:: intelligent.
:: good sense of humor
:: should speak GOOD english. and hindi. *i was a complete sucker for people who speak well. more so, in english. u know when mugdha godse says to piggy chops in fashion "tum small town girls ki problem kya hai? achchi english mein maang lo... kuch bhi de doge?" yeah, i used to be somewhat like that... though not that daft. i think!*
:: should be able to "understand" me. by this, i mostly meant it literally. that he should understand what i speak.
yeah, shallow i was. and condescending.
if u had asked me about 5 years back, i'd say
:: the ability to make me laugh. with him, not AT him *which happened a lot*. also, without either of us having to try too hard.
:: no potbelly, no moustache, no beard... well, not that i wanted adonis... but yeah, if we stand together, he shouldn't look like i'm trying to get back at my parents for something. if i were someone of fewer words, i'd say "presentable". but apparently, i'm not.
:: good conversation skills. the ability to "hold" a conversation. and make me seem interested. very difficult, given that i was mostly self absorbed. but that i know now... then it was amazing if a guy could get me to speak to him on topics other than work.
:: had to be able to drive a car. don't ask me why. but this WAS a valid, legit criteria.
:: should not be over-possessive and insist on me not talking to my friends bcoz they were guys. well. i knew guys like this. and i realized i did not want them! :D
:: did not have an ex gurlfriend who would then make it the purpose of her life to mail me and tell me that i had stolen her boyfriend. yes, i knew women like this too. and no, i could do without the drama. really.
but all of that changed over time... as did i. i lost some of my extreme superiority complex *lost the extreme bit, i think*. and i became a lot more human. and realized that it was okay to give people a chance. sometimes.
and then, i met vin. and i realized that i COULD indeed get a guy who undoubtedly is in a much higher league than i was. or would ever be. he was what i hoped to be, someday. of course, he doesn't know this. and i wouldn't have ever agreed to it, but still. this is confession time. and i don't lie on this space. i merely evade the truth when necessary ;)
but it was then, after meeting him, that i "knew" that as long as my guy:
:: was passionate about his work and wasn't working coz he "had to"...
:: understood that respect had to be earned. by both of us....
:: knew what he wanted. from himself. from me. from life...
:: was secure. with himself. with me. with "us"....
:: could make me smile simply by "being there"...
:: realized the importance of accepting me the way i was and giving me my time & space....
:: could hold a conversation. or make me feel comfortable with his silence...
:: loved me. enough to want me for an entire lifetime...
nothing else really mattered.
of course, factors like he didn't have a potbelly, moustache or beard, wasn't an alcoholic, spoke good english, did not wear rubber chappals on a date, knew his bollywood films... DID help his case. quite a bit.
and of course, so did his dimples!
to answer dewdrop... he may not have been what i wanted at 18. but he was - and is - everything i'll ever need. :)
Nov 3, 2008
what did u say again...?
it has been proven. my friends are mad. all of them. also, they're REALLY entertaining. so reproducing chats - mostly with permission. suruchi/vibs... i don't need ur permission :P
me: how old is she?
X: 24
me: child marriage!! heyy bhagwaan!!!!
X: arre no, i am actually one year younger
me: what? as compared to...???
X: than my official age.
eh? ever heard of anyone like this?
suruchi: are u allowed to legally keep pubs at home there?
me: PUBS? u mean CUBS, right? well...
typos are an interesting way of life now... :)
A: when're u having kittens, catty?
me: not yet. but will let u know. y the sudden concern?
A: then i'll gift them a yarn of wool.
dewdrop's addition to this conversation:
when they're kittens, they can play with it. once they grow up, u can knit mittens for ur kittens.
conveniently forgetting that I can really not knit. and my kittens will be human!
me: main tumpar book likhungi
J: likho. it will be a bestseller. loyalty mujhe dena
me: ???
uncertain pause.
me: loyalty u have. Royalty, i'll pay u.
hmm.. forgetting R is just not done, is it?
me: arre the n'bours cat - chocolate - stalks me, u know.
A: he must be discussing with his friends over a pint of milk at the cat-bar later... of how there's this hot indian cat who's shifted into the building.
me: yeah right! arre he's scary.
A: poor chocolate. you'd make a great couple, u know... chocolate and rayshma.
me: hahaa... u've lost it!
A: purrfect pair. it'll make a great movie also.
me: ???
A: presenting... a love story of 2 cats, in a world that's gone to the dogs.
me: hahaa! u're gonna make it?
A: yeah. and i'll get pussycat dolls and snoop dogg for the soundtrack.
i should've pitched for digital rights! ;)
i get a mail from J saying "am online, login?" so i do.
me: am so happy u're online! :)
J: 4 minutes.
me: what?
J: i'm online for 4 mins.
WTF!!!
me: i was watching chocolate *refer above* attempt to stalk a bird today.
dewdrop: then what happened?
me: by the time he could move, the bird had flown off. going by his size, he should hunt deer.
dewdrop: hehe... what would u do if he'd caught the bird?
me: well, nothing. what did u think?
dewdrop: you could have snatched the bird from him actually.
okkk....
Vibs: WHERE are the skimpy clothes u are giving me?
me: arre i have to die for u to get them.
Vibs: oh. i thought because u're in london u're giving them away.
me: no no... later. there'll be more till then.
vibs: i'll wait, then.
silence...
me: :(
vibs: not for u to die, idiot!!!
well, anyone who thought otherwise here???
me: how old is she?
X: 24
me: child marriage!! heyy bhagwaan!!!!
X: arre no, i am actually one year younger
me: what? as compared to...???
X: than my official age.
eh? ever heard of anyone like this?
suruchi: are u allowed to legally keep pubs at home there?
me: PUBS? u mean CUBS, right? well...
typos are an interesting way of life now... :)
A: when're u having kittens, catty?
me: not yet. but will let u know. y the sudden concern?
A: then i'll gift them a yarn of wool.
dewdrop's addition to this conversation:
when they're kittens, they can play with it. once they grow up, u can knit mittens for ur kittens.
conveniently forgetting that I can really not knit. and my kittens will be human!
me: main tumpar book likhungi
J: likho. it will be a bestseller. loyalty mujhe dena
me: ???
uncertain pause.
me: loyalty u have. Royalty, i'll pay u.
hmm.. forgetting R is just not done, is it?
me: arre the n'bours cat - chocolate - stalks me, u know.
A: he must be discussing with his friends over a pint of milk at the cat-bar later... of how there's this hot indian cat who's shifted into the building.
me: yeah right! arre he's scary.
A: poor chocolate. you'd make a great couple, u know... chocolate and rayshma.
me: hahaa... u've lost it!
A: purrfect pair. it'll make a great movie also.
me: ???
A: presenting... a love story of 2 cats, in a world that's gone to the dogs.
me: hahaa! u're gonna make it?
A: yeah. and i'll get pussycat dolls and snoop dogg for the soundtrack.
i should've pitched for digital rights! ;)
i get a mail from J saying "am online, login?" so i do.
me: am so happy u're online! :)
J: 4 minutes.
me: what?
J: i'm online for 4 mins.
WTF!!!
me: i was watching chocolate *refer above* attempt to stalk a bird today.
dewdrop: then what happened?
me: by the time he could move, the bird had flown off. going by his size, he should hunt deer.
dewdrop: hehe... what would u do if he'd caught the bird?
me: well, nothing. what did u think?
dewdrop: you could have snatched the bird from him actually.
okkk....
Vibs: WHERE are the skimpy clothes u are giving me?
me: arre i have to die for u to get them.
Vibs: oh. i thought because u're in london u're giving them away.
me: no no... later. there'll be more till then.
vibs: i'll wait, then.
silence...
me: :(
vibs: not for u to die, idiot!!!
well, anyone who thought otherwise here???
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?
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.
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.
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