Scribbles

24th May 2012: Once more i find myself at that ugly place called writer's block. This time it's the size of and as ugly as a certain industrialist's south Bombay abode. And all i seem to be doing is sit next to it on a small wooden stool, the kind watchmen sit on, and stare up at the cold concrete tower, wallowing in self pity.

30th May 2012: Several hours after i wrote the above, I decided i couldn't sleep and so ventured out for a midnight stroll through the house. No. Not to the kitchen (though anyone who knows me would have to make that assumption), but to get the ebook reader from the living room. Now, for some reason that i forget now, i decided to conduct this *excursion* in pitch darkness, confident as i was in my ability to avoid walking into tables and walls. And i did. I got back to my room safely. Which was when i had a spectacular fall, tripping over the Fellow's suitcase (which, btw, was right in the middle of the doorway). Now you remember i had an expensive gadget in my hand? Yeah. To save that, i sacrificed the right side of my body, landing quite efficiently, on my right palm. Where was the Fellow in all of this you ask? Snuggled under his blanket, snoring lightly. Anyway. I dusted myself off, cursed the man who was oblivious to his wife's predicament and crawled into bed. 

I spent the next 5 days with my right wrist in a bandage. The doctor i visited was mighty amused and a little concerned about my mental state because the last time i went to her was because I'd walked into a rusted metal peacock and needed a tetanus shot. Which, at my age, apparently, is a little weird. I want to know who decides these things. 

2nd June 2012: All day was spent recuperating from a dinner party the day before. I'd spent all day on my feet, first cooking a meal for some 8 people and then playing host. Thankfully we'd I'd make a good decision about the guest list and so not too much effort was spent entertaining them. Alcohol and embarrassing stories were enough. Of course, they also had their children to entertain/distract them as they went about systematically trying to break my new super cool coasters (and all because they had chickens drawn on them. But that's another story). Oh, and in other party related news, i'm now the italian food expert around here. Though credit goes entirely to the friend who very kindly gave me his red sauce  and lasagne recipe, which the Fellow has now requested i make at least once a week. Yes. I have my own Garfield.

5th June 2012: Here i am. Procrastinating. Hoping like hell i can get off that stool sometime soon.  

#856857

This is attempt number 856857 at writing a blog post. The number of drafts i have saved could make half a terrible book or a full not so bad one.

Anyway, this time i'm keeping it simple. No rambling or digressing *way* off the point. Okay, maybe a little rambling. Where's the fun otherwise right?

So, i'm having a little love affair with watermelons. Never, in all my life, have i shown so much fondness for this fruit like i am this season. Maybe it's because it really is hot. Or maybe it's because this year, i have a maid. It makes so much of a difference if all i have to do is reach into the fridge and pull out a bowl of chilled watermelon pieces, as opposed to attacking a whole watermelon with a giant-ass knife. Takes the whole summer fun out of don't you think?

There is also a little Pak Choy love in the air. Now I've always loved this chinese green. It was the Fellow i was a little sceptical about. But i guess it was all about finding the right recipe and the right time in which to introduce the taste. That done, i now have a convert on my hands. Yay! But it also means that we're the couple that picks up all the pak choy from the vegetable section in department stores and appears all gleeful about it. Oh well.

Bangalore was visited last week to spend some quality time with the brotherinlaw, his wife and their 4 month old lab, Hobbes. It was a nice little holiday where we had no plans, no list of things to do or see. We could just float around the house in our pyjamas all day, feeding the dog bits of carrot in exchange for tricks. Fun. Apart from the road trip to Pondicherry (which is my next post).

Pune is as hot as it comes. Which is a bit unfair given that north India is having some pleasant weather, totally unexpected for this time of the year. Needless to say, the cooler is my best friend. Yes. Cooler. Not AC. I'm a simple person like that. Also i hate being cooped up in one room all day. It's enough that i have to be alone at home all day. But that's enough of that.

A small medical scare happened last week. But at least i can explain my weight away now. Of course, with the medication, if i'm still fat, it's laziness. And no will power when faced with awesome food.

Saw the Avengers. Loved it. But now don't know whom to have naughty dreams about - Tony Stark or Bruce Banner or Robert Downey Jr. or Mark Raffalo. Seriously. Add to the mix Kunal Nayyar (from TBBT) and David Boreanaz (From Bones) and i'm behaving like a 16 yr old with braces who has absolutely no control on her hormones. Although, i have a theory. Since i didn't have any of these gushy, swooning, sighing feelings when i was actually a 16 yr old, i'm making up for it now.

We leave for Delhi in a couple of days. The Fellow has some work and i'm tagging along. It's been ages since i've been to the capital and now i even have an awesome friend there to hang out with. So looking forward to this next week, yes.

And now that the words are coming again, expect a lot of posts in quick succession. I have to make up for lost time right?

Questions Normal Girls Ask

Continuing from Mudra's list of questions, here is my own:

Another one for Palladium - Why no ladies restroom on the ground floor? I was directed to the first floor where, as Mudra pointed out, there are 4 cubicles. Maybe south bombay snootiness doesn't permit peeing in a mall and hence you didn't think it necessary to cater for us. But i'm from north bombay. I go when i have to. 

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

What the eff is/was Teddy Day? Who the hell comes up with/starts this crap? 

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

Older people who insist on being on Facebook and/or Twitter, why do you *all* put up passport photos as display pictures?

Also, girls who talk to their mothers on Facebook, do you have to *heart your mumma* all the time? Alternatively, mothers, do you have to be proud of your baccha on every one of her photos? Even when she's wearing a leather skirt and fishnet stockings in the snow?

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

Talking about fashion, all these fancy-pants shoe stores have come to India. But why the hell do they insist on putting 5 inch heels on everything they have? Also why the clunkiness? Or are their shoes only meant for the lollipop figured girl and hence the heavy shoes are required to weigh her down to stop her from tumbling over? 

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

Bombay Store. What is with the prices? Also Fab India. Seriously? 

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

Is being gay/lesbian/bisexual in fashion? Or was my generation just too busy doing other stuff in college (like studying. So lame, i know), and so didn't get a chance to explore own sexuality?

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

Oh, and if every man i meet (in real life or on twitter) complains about simpering, whining, Twilight watching, Edward loving, damsel in perpetual distress type girls, why are all the intelligent, funny, well read, Tolkien reading girls single? 

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

Several more questions are in the head but they are mostly those that i've ranted about several times earlier. In brief (and feel free to talk about them on your own blogs or in the comments) here they are:

Why do TV channels insist on showing the new Umrao Jaan with Ms.Plastic Bachchan every second day? Her performance is an insult to the memory of the whole profession really.

Why are doughnuts addictive and fattening? Ok so this is a rhetoric, for the universe really. 

Why the hell won't people stop talking about 21st Dec.2012 in hushed voices? I remember the same excitement about Y2K and look what happened. 

Why won't you leave that Beiber boy alone? All of you sing *baby baby baby oh* when you think no one is listening to you. Mainly because all the malls play that song. 

What is with the mass panic before a dry day? It's not like all of you are swimming in alcohol every non dry day. And if you do, give your liver a break. And if you can't stand the thought of an entire day without alcohol, might i suggest rehab? 

Off The Grid

Two weeks back we moved houses. And with that we moved our phone and internet connection. Now since BSNL works on its own timetable, we spent several days devoid of the pleasures of the World Wide Web. Of course, before smartphones arrived, this would have meant no access to email, Twitter or Facebook, not an entirely comfortable feeling. Unfortunately, the new house is anti-communication – seeing as there is not cell phone coverage inside the house. You only have to cross the threshold of the house for the bars on your phone to disappear – something that took getting used to. And once we did, it was quite easy to lose track of where our phones were, considering they were now nothing better than glorified alarm clocks.

Anyway. Since I was a little caught up with setting up house and settling into it, I really didn’t have time to miss the internet and/or my phone. And then the BSNL phone chap turned up. We were connected to the internet once more (and had a landline number where people who really wanted to, could contact us). But I hadn’t accounted for my laptop and the troublesome Wi-Fi adapter that I’d been dealing with for some days. And so even though the internet was up and running, the only way I could browse the web was by using the laptop like a desktop. Not fun. Not even a bit. Considering I’m used to multitasking (a fancy term for saying I have ADD), I need the television, the laptop (and internet) and my worktable all in the same space.

It’s been more than a fortnight and we’re all settled into the new place. I have nothing urgent occupying my time and attention anymore (unless you count worrying about the rain over-watering my plants as urgent). My laptop is yet to be fixed and I don’t miss the internet a bit. Honestly. For someone who was nearly addicted to StumbleUpon, Twitter, randomly Wikipediaing everything I could think of and being on chat 24X7, I’ve gotten used to not being online quite comfortably. In fact I’m as surprised as the Fellow is about the lack of withdrawal symptoms. One would expect me to go slightly cuckoo and antsy about it. Instead I’m astonishingly content.

I’ve been off the grid for more than 2 weeks and am in no hurry to get back on it. I don’t know when I’ll post this and it doesn’t bother me. Life is good and there are gobhi parathas for dinner.

Excuses. Reasons. And Hope.

Too long has this blog been ignored. And i'm nothing but ashamed. Truly. For starters, i've crossed over completely to the darkside of microblogging - something i was so sure i would never do (i blame my android phone, but thats another post really). Then there is all the travelling i've been doing for the last 3 months which has not only exhausted me physically, but has apparently also drained me of that skill required to put thoughts into words and words into sentences that sound wise and correct. Seriously.

And so this post, written as the first firecrackers appear in the Bangalore sky on Christmas eve, is my way of making a come back. Or at least of reminding myself this space exists. It is also a pre-new year resolution (since new year ones are meant to be broken) to exercise those writing muscles and make sure 140 characters doesnt become my limit.

PS: It's post-midnight. Santa Claus is coming to town folks. Be good.

Excuses

It’s been too long. And I can only plead laziness. Of course a lot of stuff has been happening since I wrote my last post, but that’s no excuse is it? Or is it?

Since I was in Bombay last, the sister has gotten engaged (in the big fat Marwari way), a first cousin also got engaged a week later, I returned home after a near two month long vacation (not a happy feeling at so many levels), my garden has turned green from brown and is now full of flowers and butterflies, the weather has dropped from the high forties to the mid-thirties, making life so much better and I’ve attended at least two parties a week since I’ve been back. Then there was my decision to make (and not buy) rakhis for my brothers this year and so a lot of my time was spent in paper quilling and being all excited about the pretty results. I’m also making lots of rum-raisin chocolates for the neighbours (much to the annoyance of the Fellow who doesn’t get to eat any) almost every week. There is also the lending of time to the aunts who live here and help them with their various independent ventures and stuff (basically giving them motivational speeches and showing how to give a good sales pitch to customers). Oh, and I’ve also been hit by the photography bug and am now the neighbourhood nut who can be found stalking the butterflies in her garden at all times of the day (to be fair, I’ve also stalked some of the kids and now have some pretty good portrait and action shots).

And if I don’t stop now, I’m sure my list of excuses will require a blog of its own and then I will have two blogs which I don’t update regularly.

300

This is my 300^th post. Woohoo! Usual gyan giving continues from the next post, once my semi-euphoric state subsides and I get my ice-cream (and I convince the Fellow that I truly want to go on a weight loss program).

Baking It

Ever since i saw the movie Julie/Julia, i've had this super-strong urge to cook. At first i waited to see if it would die a natural death (in a couple of hours after watching the movie). But it didnt. It just got stronger. And so i decided to give in and stocked up ingredients (mainly chocolate and cocoa) and tools (measuring cups, pans etc).

Then i went in search of recipes. And did i find them! I had to finally come up with an exclusion criteria to make life simpler for me. So i simply excluded all those recipes which had more than 7 steps and which listed even one exotic ingredient (due to problems of unavailability mainly). Once i had a couple of recipes which i thought looked doable, even for a baking novice like me, i took a minute to pray to the oven and cake mix gods and did my thing.

Suffice to say, my first cake was a success (owing to the fact that the Fellow loved it...and not because he loves me. His love for chocolate cake is much stronger and very finicky). I was totally thrilled. And it gave me the confidence to try more stuff out.

So in the last couple of weeks i've made chocolate chip and walnut brownies (twice), chocolate chip, walnut and oatmeal cookies and chocolate pudding. I'm now developing the urge to make some caramel custard. And it's not all about desert. I have at least half a dozen recipes for bread, including French bread, Whole wheat bread and bagels. But i'm still trying to build up the courage to make something as simple yet difficult as bread. And once i start, i know i'm not going to stop. So i need to be careful.

Anyhoo. What i really wanted to say was that i'm thinking of starting a food blog. You know, just to share what i make and tell the drama that ensues behind scenes (including burnt cookies and stakeouts in the kitchen).

But then, i also thought of starting a photo blog. Hmmm i think my new hobby shall be starting up new blogs, and then getting newer hobbies to keep the blogs running.

Another Year, Another Post

So according to my resolutions for this year i should blog more. And i wanted to. I really wanted to log in a post for the first day of the year and all that. But since resolutions are made to be broken (c'mon, you know i'm right) and i suffer from chronic procrastination, things turned out otherwise (obviously).

Anyhoo. The date has changed and people have hopefully finished going hyper-excited about another year of their lives going by in a jiffy. This also means that the phone lines have finally opened up and I stop getting corny messages from people.

Now since I really hadn’t thought about what I want to write about in this post, and was aiming primarily to fulfill at least one of my resolutions, I’m going to end here.

Happy 2nd day of the new year everyone.

Continuing...

I just realised that my previous post ended quite abruptly. I blame the medication.

Why I Havent Been Blogging

Travelling across north india.

Moving house.

Stressing about all the mess that had to be organised.

Figuring out maid politics and staying away from it.

Dealing with all the dust and super-sensitive immune system.

Preparing for a family function.

More travelling.

Three days of family, fun and food.

Missing the Fellow.

A whole day of walking around the bazaars of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal and City Palace.

Nodding and smiling at the titular Maharaja of Jaipur.

Gossiping late into the night with the sister and aunt.

Waking up to an aching body, heating up with fever.

Spending an entire day in pain and coughing like im dying.

Missing the Fellow even more - no one to press my aching legs.

Drinking hot water and eating hot halwa courtesy the grandmother.

Thanking the stars that the family is entirely made up of doctors.

Discussing the possibility of infection with Swine Flu.

Thanking the stars that the family is entirely made up of doctors.

Being handed a mask for the safety of everyone else around me.

The dog taking one look at a masked me and whimpering away under the table.

Cancelling travel plans.

Preparing for another 3 days (at least) in pain and away from the Fellow.

Sigh. Can you blame me for not writing?

Drawing Inspiration

I’m a regular follower of Full2Faltu’s blogs. And I have to say I simply love his photo blog. The colours, moods and moments captured by his lens range from the nostalgic to the brilliant and more often than not, make you stare in wonder (and in my case, awe at the sheer simplicity of the subject matter).

Going through his photos today, I suddenly had the inspiration of starting a photo blog of my own. Seeing as I’m getting increasingly interested in photography (according to the Fellow I’m fast becoming a Japanese tourist, no offense meant), it seems like a good way to practice huh?

And if nothing else, I’ll at least get to post my click-happy products up somewhere other than Facebook!

And So it Begins Again...

(Countdown to 31st December. Why? Because everyone likes counting down to the year end. And I'm in the mood to conform.)

Yesterday I decided to pay more attention to my blog, and the only way I know of doing it, is by having a countdown to something. The last time I did this, I was counting the days to being with the Fellow again. Thankfully (for my readers) this time round, I wont be complaining and whining about missing the husband. My scope of topics is going to increase and I’m not going to be choosy about what I grumble about. There will also be liberal doses of super-excitement at random stuff, lots more photographs (my newest hobby) and of course, my opinionated gyan on everything I bother to think about, for more than a minute.

Today it’s super-excitement at random stuff.

I fired real, honest to god weapons today. Guns. Three different kinds. At a firing range. With real, live bullets. The kind that can kill. And I’m psyched about it!! I guess I’m not as non-violent as I thought I was. The thrill I got at pulling the trigger and feeling the bullet leave the gun (with a deafening sound) cannot be described. Just the weight of the gun in my hand was something else! I swear I felt what is dramatically described as the killer instinct!! *grin*

Anyhoo. After a long, dusty and noise filled day, the excitement has finally settled (I’m not jumping around anymore). Now all I have to do is wait for the ringing in my ears to stop and normal hearing to resume. Cheers!

Time for Another Countdown

I haven’t posted anything for 10 days now, and after writing everyday for 112 days, I feel a little guilty. But I have good reason (actually reasons) for being rude to the few readers I have and my blog – I’ve been making memories and soaking up experiences like never before (I’m also trying my hand at being a little more poetic).

To begin with, I’m revelling in the fact that I’m in Shimla with the Fellow. It just seems a nicer place with him. A lot of it has to do with the fact that wherever we go, he has a story to tell– where he bunked school and ate parathas (and then went to check out the local chicas), where he went to eat strawberries and stuff tiffins with them too, the route he took to school (when he went), where the best momos are available, where he played video games etc.

Then there is the cold – and my constant efforts to deal with it. Thankfully even the locals are feeling it, and so I can complain without hurting my pride (not that it mattered really). The only concession I’ve made is that I’m not adding gloves to my outfit of a sweater (and a heavy coat), muffler and ear guards. The gloves will make me a sissy you see. The rest of it is just cool winter fashion!

Oh, and there was a three day trip into the interiors of Himachal Pradesh. The trip can be summarised into a few words - a wooden house, apple orchards, pine forest covered mountains, snow covered peaks, brooks, winding roads, slate roofs, leaves changing colour, cool breezes and the warm sun. Sigh. Even my city girl soul was moved (something the Fellow had given up on). Of course, this trip needs a post of its own, but I guess that will be only photos (I obviously went click happy…how could I not right?)

For now, I’m planning on a countdown to the new year…or at least my first wedding anniversary. Anything to give me a purpose on this blog again.

And Then There Were 112

(Day 112 of 112)

Can you believe that we’re done? I’ve lived through 112 days without the Fellow and am still relatively sane (well…at least I haven’t gotten worse!). In almost 12 hours from now, I will be grinning stupidly and with barely controlled excitement at the Fellow (who hopefully should be in time and waiting for me at the railway station).

I’m so thrilled at the idea of finally being with the Fellow again that it’s taking immense self control not to jump around and sing about it to anyone who cares (or not) to listen! Yay!!

And now comes the award-winning-acceptance-style-speech. No, I’m not going to thank the family here. I’ve done that in person, though they assured me it wasn’t needed. But it was. I mean, they had to live with a nomad – and an often sulky one at that. It can’t have been simple I’m sure.

What I am going to do is thank the 3 regular readers I have here (this, excluding the Fellow) and who have been really nice about commenting on all my complaints and whiny behaviour. Thank you, Jhayu, Vivek and PK. It can’t have been easy reading my daily dose of sulky writing. I mean, reading back to day 1 of 112, I realised that the amount I complained here is ridiculous! What was I thinking? Ok I know what I was thinking, but really!

Anyhoo. It’s all over. Tomorrow shall bring renewed happiness.

Ps: Give me a week or two and I’m sure the complaining me shall emerge once more. It’s inevitable.

Why I'll Never Tweet

(Day 91 of 112)

I signed up on Twitter after coming across it on someone’s blog and before Hollywood made it big. But since I couldn’t figure out what to do with it, I didn’t go back even once and then I forgot my username and password.

Now the whole world is tweeting and it’s what all the cool kids are doing. It just convinces me that I’m the uncoolest kid on the playground. Of course I did give it about 5 minutes of thought and even framed an answer to “What are you doing now?” But then several things stopped me from becoming a twit .

To begin with, I don’t understand why I would even want to be followed. I mean do I really want to tell the world what I’m doing all the time? And then have them comment on it? I don’t think so.

Secondly I don’t think I do enough with my life to be making it public (this blog is a different medium of communication and not the focus of discussion here). And I’m definitely not deluded enough to think everything I do, think, want to say should be discussed.

Thirdly, if I have something to say, I want to be able to say it properly. I mean I worked hard at acquiring a vocab and learning how to spell the right way. Might as well make use of it right?

Fourthly, I have avoided using my phone to access the internet. And if I tweeted, I would have to use my phone (I mean how else can I be sitting in a theatre and tweet about how bad the movie is right?). But since I’m addicted enough to my laptop and the world wide web (read: Facebook and my blog) not tweeting is the only way not to cross over to the dark side.

Finally, and most importantly, I’m not self involved enough to believe that anyone would want to follow me. And I’d rather not get validation of this belief by starting to tweet and then having no followers. I don’t think anything would be more depressing and damaging to self esteem.

I mean I’ve had enough trouble getting readers for this blog (now numbering 5, one of whom is the Fellow) without worrying about how many people are following me!