Not a rejuvenating weekend. Summer has descended and with it, the withering, sultry heat. Spent Saturday shopping for an AC. Since i am of the opinion that the umbrella should be used only when it rains, i spent almost half the day walking around in the hot sun. Of course, i do know of UV, how harmful it is for your skin and all that but still, i adamantly refuse to use an umbrella unless it is pouring. i should get a prize for being the most well-informed idiot! Anyway, as befits every stupid action, i had to contend with a head splitting headache as my just reward. So Saturday saw me clutching my head and trying to enjoy a comedy show. Didn’t work so i plopped down on the bed and drifted away to dreamland (i should write about my dreams someday– such vivid and over-the-top dreams. Freud would have loved interpreting my dreams!)
Anyway, i bought a LG AC and, what with the installation charge and all, i am poorer by many thousands. The AC is for my sister because she cannot stand the heat. i, on the other hand, am “cold-blooded”. i sleep with a blanket even now!
i got my eyes checked and, to my utter disbelief, i was told that my power has decreased. i was like “how is that possible?” Well, here i was thinking i was going blind! i am wearing the new contact lens and everything seems to be fine. Sometimes, life does manage to spring a surprise on me!
Monday, March 26, 2007
Friday, March 23, 2007
american idol...
i watch this show just for Simon Cowell. i love his acerbic comments and his brutal honesty.My sister says it must be because he is so like me. i love the way he says "Forgive me for having an opinion" whenever he gets booed by the audience.
While on the topic, it is disheartening to see the better singers getting booted off. i mean, you still have that Indian guy Sanjaya Malakar among the top ten! i don't have anything against him.He is cute (but he should do something about his curls) but he is nowhere as good as the other contestants. Simon is right when he says it is torture to hear him sing. i wonder why he does not get voted off. Maybe it is again that indian-community-getting-together thingy, you know all Indians there voting for him. Just like what happened with Debojit (remember Sa ReGa Ma?). Honestly, he didn't deserve to win.
While on the topic, it is disheartening to see the better singers getting booted off. i mean, you still have that Indian guy Sanjaya Malakar among the top ten! i don't have anything against him.He is cute (but he should do something about his curls) but he is nowhere as good as the other contestants. Simon is right when he says it is torture to hear him sing. i wonder why he does not get voted off. Maybe it is again that indian-community-getting-together thingy, you know all Indians there voting for him. Just like what happened with Debojit (remember Sa ReGa Ma?). Honestly, he didn't deserve to win.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Going blind
Seems like long hours staring at the screen has taken a toll on my eyes. And the books.i have stopped wearing contacts because i am having trouble with them. i need to get my eyes checked. i was thinking of going in for LASIK surgery. i mean, it would be liberating not to worry anout taking off your lens when you are sleepy or putting on your lens. And yes, searching for your spectacles when you havethem perched on your dainty nose. But i read that there are chances that your vision might actually deteriaote. eeeeks.. The procedure would hardly take minutes and i would be able toreturn home and be functional on the same day. But i weighing the pros and cons..On one side, i have the vision of a specs/contact free life...But eyesight is such a precious thing. And ifsomething were to go wrong, i guess i would tear out my eyebrows in frustration.
One of my friends was successfully in chucking his specs after the surgery. But he did it in the States. Oh well, here goes that common but often misleading perception that anything "phoren" hasto be better.
Too many things going on in and around me. One thing i have re-discovered is that i still have the guts to stick to what i feel is right. My principles will be the death of me someday. Sometimes,just sometimes, i wish i was "normal". That i did not have a conscience that would prick in situations when "normal" people would not bat an eyelid. But then, i love myself the way i am.
One of my friends was successfully in chucking his specs after the surgery. But he did it in the States. Oh well, here goes that common but often misleading perception that anything "phoren" hasto be better.
Too many things going on in and around me. One thing i have re-discovered is that i still have the guts to stick to what i feel is right. My principles will be the death of me someday. Sometimes,just sometimes, i wish i was "normal". That i did not have a conscience that would prick in situations when "normal" people would not bat an eyelid. But then, i love myself the way i am.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Mob fury
This is something i have been meaning to write about for quite some time now but it got buried under the mundane worries of life. i read this article in e-pao today- http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=2..140307.mar07 and it goaded me to pen this.
The last time i was home, i was flabbergasted when i watched the clipping on ISTV of meira paibis tearing down somebody’s house because he had committed a crime (what crime i don’t remember). It was arson, plain and simple. And the policemen stood around watching with nary a pretense of fending them off. i was dumbstruck. Why do we have the legal system? OK, it may be flawed but that does not justify taking the law in your hands, does it? It was painful to watch those women destroying things. Who are they to decide what punishment to mete out, even to people who have wronged?
This article left a bitter taste in the mouth.
Read this:
“Apart from substantially damaging the house, all the household properties of the family were taken to the ground of Irom Pukhri Mapal Social Club and set on fire.Even as the mob was dismantling the house, the grand father of Bungthoi came out and told the crowd that they can give whatever punishment they want to his grand son, but added that since the house was built by him (grandfather), those involved in the demolition should compensate.
Not surprisingly, this only added to the ire of the mob and the grandfather was physically assaulted and his house was also attacked.”
What is “not surprising” about it? i mean, is everyone condoning this? The man was right. Why would you punish the whole family for a crime committed by a single person? i know his crime was particularly heinous. But how could any civilized society behave in this way? For a crime committed by a single member, the whole family’s existence has been destroyed. Why?
It was also reported that the man has been executed by the “naharols”. Isn’t this punishment enough for the family? And no, i am not condoning this execution.
We seem to be a people going backwards in time. Sometimes, there is this overwhelming sense of sadness, as if you are watching something you love waste away. And this feeling of impotency. And angst. Impotent rage. So much have been said and written about the power of the individual. But i wonder what anyone could do about this? If i scream and rave, would i even get this into their heads?
If these self proclaimed “well-wishers” of the society are so concerned, why don’t they do something about the despicable way of things – the stinking rampant corruption, the load shedding, the quality of education… Why don’t they protest about these things? i know of one locality that has gone without power for 4 bloody months because a transformer got fused. Where were the meira-paibis then? If only people were interested in doing something constructive. If only..
Am i the only one who feels this way?
The last time i was home, i was flabbergasted when i watched the clipping on ISTV of meira paibis tearing down somebody’s house because he had committed a crime (what crime i don’t remember). It was arson, plain and simple. And the policemen stood around watching with nary a pretense of fending them off. i was dumbstruck. Why do we have the legal system? OK, it may be flawed but that does not justify taking the law in your hands, does it? It was painful to watch those women destroying things. Who are they to decide what punishment to mete out, even to people who have wronged?
This article left a bitter taste in the mouth.
Read this:
“Apart from substantially damaging the house, all the household properties of the family were taken to the ground of Irom Pukhri Mapal Social Club and set on fire.Even as the mob was dismantling the house, the grand father of Bungthoi came out and told the crowd that they can give whatever punishment they want to his grand son, but added that since the house was built by him (grandfather), those involved in the demolition should compensate.
Not surprisingly, this only added to the ire of the mob and the grandfather was physically assaulted and his house was also attacked.”
What is “not surprising” about it? i mean, is everyone condoning this? The man was right. Why would you punish the whole family for a crime committed by a single person? i know his crime was particularly heinous. But how could any civilized society behave in this way? For a crime committed by a single member, the whole family’s existence has been destroyed. Why?
It was also reported that the man has been executed by the “naharols”. Isn’t this punishment enough for the family? And no, i am not condoning this execution.
We seem to be a people going backwards in time. Sometimes, there is this overwhelming sense of sadness, as if you are watching something you love waste away. And this feeling of impotency. And angst. Impotent rage. So much have been said and written about the power of the individual. But i wonder what anyone could do about this? If i scream and rave, would i even get this into their heads?
If these self proclaimed “well-wishers” of the society are so concerned, why don’t they do something about the despicable way of things – the stinking rampant corruption, the load shedding, the quality of education… Why don’t they protest about these things? i know of one locality that has gone without power for 4 bloody months because a transformer got fused. Where were the meira-paibis then? If only people were interested in doing something constructive. If only..
Am i the only one who feels this way?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
women's day??
When did this concept of having a day dedicated to women start?But why have a day dedicated to women at all? It is not like we are an endangered species who need to be remembered just once a year.
The girls/women in the office organised a party for the women to celebrate this "blessed" event. We were all supposed to wear pink. Since i had been out of office, i didn't know about all this. i was a bit intrigued when i saw almost all the women in varied hues of pink! If i had known about it, i would have definitely worn my all-black outfit! Good thing i was not in pink. i didn't go to the party because i don't subscribe to the concept of having to contend with just a day as my own. Everyday is my day. i celebrate my existence 365 days a year, thank you.
i heard people on the radio raving about how they pampered the women in their lives on this day. And women gushing about how they were being pampered. Crap.
Why am i spilling my bile over this? i think it is because the whole idea escapes my understanding. Maybe i should find out how and why this concept originated.
After 5 minutes:
Wikipedia enlightens me thus:
International Women's Day (IWD) is marked on 8 March every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women.
The rest of the stuff can be enjoyed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women
The girls/women in the office organised a party for the women to celebrate this "blessed" event. We were all supposed to wear pink. Since i had been out of office, i didn't know about all this. i was a bit intrigued when i saw almost all the women in varied hues of pink! If i had known about it, i would have definitely worn my all-black outfit! Good thing i was not in pink. i didn't go to the party because i don't subscribe to the concept of having to contend with just a day as my own. Everyday is my day. i celebrate my existence 365 days a year, thank you.
i heard people on the radio raving about how they pampered the women in their lives on this day. And women gushing about how they were being pampered. Crap.
Why am i spilling my bile over this? i think it is because the whole idea escapes my understanding. Maybe i should find out how and why this concept originated.
After 5 minutes:
Wikipedia enlightens me thus:
International Women's Day (IWD) is marked on 8 March every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women.
The rest of the stuff can be enjoyed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women
Friday, March 09, 2007
travelling with maugham
Took some days off to visit his relatives with his parents.Was pampered sick by everyone there. You begin to realise the importance of breaking the language barriers at times like this.They told me how apprehensive they had been about which language they would communicate with me. They were quite taken aback when they heard me speak fluent hindi!
And, at long last, i did manage to travel long distance by train. No one can mock me now for never having that experience. i know it sounds pretty weird - i mean, you would think what is so
great about it. But i have never had the chance to travel by train - long distance, that is. And now, i can say, yes, i have spent 24 hours cooped up in a train!! The return journey was particularly enjoyable because i had Maugham for company. Travelling alone is great fun because you don't have to indulge in small talk with anyone. i was perched on the upper berth with the book and knew no want! One thing i was wary of was the toilet. i was scared it would stink. For once in my life i was glad to be constipated!! And of course, i discovered i had to share the berth with cockroaches - even in 2nd AC!! (by the way, i was upgraded from 3rd AC to 2nd AC--must be to lure me into travelling by train more often :) )
i rejoined office only to discover that one of my fix was acting up in production. Nice welcome, ni? Have managed to fix it and now i can have a nice weekend!
"The tragedy of love is indifference"
--Somerset Maugham
How true, how very true!
And, at long last, i did manage to travel long distance by train. No one can mock me now for never having that experience. i know it sounds pretty weird - i mean, you would think what is so
great about it. But i have never had the chance to travel by train - long distance, that is. And now, i can say, yes, i have spent 24 hours cooped up in a train!! The return journey was particularly enjoyable because i had Maugham for company. Travelling alone is great fun because you don't have to indulge in small talk with anyone. i was perched on the upper berth with the book and knew no want! One thing i was wary of was the toilet. i was scared it would stink. For once in my life i was glad to be constipated!! And of course, i discovered i had to share the berth with cockroaches - even in 2nd AC!! (by the way, i was upgraded from 3rd AC to 2nd AC--must be to lure me into travelling by train more often :) )
i rejoined office only to discover that one of my fix was acting up in production. Nice welcome, ni? Have managed to fix it and now i can have a nice weekend!
"The tragedy of love is indifference"
--Somerset Maugham
How true, how very true!
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