Thursday, September 27, 2007

rush hour

It is 7:30 in the morning and i have a flight to catch at 10:45. And i am in the office!! Can you beat that? i need to turn over something before i take a hiatus. And the system let me down yesterday. So here i am, not so bright and chirpy --and for a change, all alone in this big room -- rushing against time.

i am feeling sleepy --and the system is being a bitch. If i miss my flight, i will sue it! i have another 1 1/2 hr left.

But i am consoling myself right now with vision of chagem pomba, nagki jou, hanggam...yummy yummy. Now only if the system is nice to me....

Next time, i blog, it would be from home--imphal. If i can catch the flight, that is.

Friday, September 21, 2007

amused...

A funny thing happened. Somebody had screwed up my existing code and i saw red and mailed the client – L, he is a nice guy who tells me i am a mean girl because i called him mean once! He was in a training and did not reply. i told S that i was sad that L did not take my side. Since i was going to leave without seeing him, S asked me if he wanted him to tell L that i was hurt. I told him that he would not be able to say that to L. So we had a bet. i got a mail from L telling me that he heard from S that i was mad at him. He said he didn’t mean to ignore me but he was in a training! And he said he was mad at me for not going away without telling him and that we are even now. This guy is notorious for his one-liner answers so i was touched to see him write two paragraphs to me!!! Maybe S is right – he likes me! But then, S thinks everybody likes me – which must be furthest from the truth. i have the knack of wounding people’s ego.

i will be taking a sabbatical from work for about a month – have got my ticket. After college, this must be the first time i will be in Imphal for so long. It is going to be a testing and tiring time for me. i hope his presence will help—i hope. i am thinking of driving over there – maybe i will end up in sajiwa jail for reckless driving!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

back to base

Landed here on a balmy monday night. My apartment looks bigger -after all the days in the hotel room. Slept in my own sweet bed after so many days. i skipped office yesterday to get my body back into working mode. We went and visited Bachou and Emaibem - gave them the things i got for them. Watched a bit of the 20-20 match going on - i wasn't even aware what 20-20 is, i am so out of touch with sports.

i watched so many hindi movies on the flight – snatches of Chini Kaam, Just Married, Baabul and Dhoom 2 (god, Ash is so irritating in the film – everytime she went “like”, i cringed.). i watched a bit of 300 but it was gory – not my kind of movie.

All of my suitcases were way beyond the weight limit of 32 kg– one was 40 kg and another 36 kg. So in the airport, S and the gang went about dumping some of my stuff in the juniors’ suitcases while i went around fluttering from one m/c to another weighing myself - i think i have lost about 2 kg. In the end, they managed to make my suitcases weigh a decent 33 kg each! My cabin luggage was also overweight but the guy at the check-in counter was nice to me and didn’t weigh it – thank god! Oh, and i lost my copy of “One hundred years of solitude” in the airport – i had in the pocket of my jacket and it simply vanished! S and i went back to the car to search for it but could not find it..sob sob… We were there gossiping for about an hour with the gang who came to see us off. By the time we were done with the hugging and adieus, we were the last passengers to go in for security check. We were the last to board the plane!

i nearly got harassed by the Customs – but my Bengali got me out of it! i had all the electronic stuff in my cabin luggage – 3 cameras, 5 mp3 players, three phones, one ipod, a digital photo frame and when they scanned it, i think they got suspicious seeing all the wires! This guy stopped me at the gate and asked me what i had inside – i replied in Bengali and he was like oh, you can speak Bengali. i told him that i have cameras and mp3 players and i acted pretty cool about it – S told me afterwards that having more than one stuff of the same brand makes them go wild with suspicion! The guy let me go without opening my bag – becche gelam!

Monday, September 17, 2007

In transit - from singapore

About 4 hours left for the final leg of the journey. The juniors went for one of those guided tours of singapore. i have had enough of them so i stayed back -the next time i see Singapore, i want it to be at my leisure instead of sitting in a bus listening to someone droning on.

My internal clock is now totally screwed up - i didn't sleep that well on the first leg - and now, i find myself drifting in and out of sleep, as if my body can't decide what it wants.

i am yawning away to glory and waiting for the bacche to come back. Then i will go shopping - buy some chocolates and mementoes - and find myself a corner to park myself with my book till i can dump this tired ol' body in the plane that will take me home.

i saw on the news that there has been a crash in Thailand. There was a phase of heavy turbulence when we flew from sfo. i am normally cool about this kind of stuff - hey, i have jumped off a plane, to brag again - but today, i was wondering how it would feel like to crash. And trust me, it is not a pleasant thought - i am not too scared of death but i would rather die in my sleep than have pieces of my mangled body scraped off from the wreckage. Like everyone tells me - shub shub bolo bey. But like i tell them - if whatever i say/want comes true, the world will have less people burdening it!

OK, they are back. i think it is about time i dragged myself and freshen up - i probably look like a dead sparrow but sparrows are so cute! Such inane thoughts.

From Hong Kong

2 and 1/2 hrs stop over in Hong Kong and we discovered that they have free wi-fi! Wowie to technology! So my first blog from Hong Kong...i am feeling half sleepy, my body is confused again - is it night or day? And my arms ache from dragging my too heavy strolley and the laptop. Next time, i swear i will travel light.

We were the last passengers to board at SFO. We literally ran to catch the flight! It was fun. More about that later.

It will be time to board again. Oh well, if the plane does not crash or get hijacked, i will blog from Singapore.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

adieu CA

My last night here - my last night alone. And i am feeling morose. For the past two months, this room has been my sanctuary. And even though it is but a hotel room, hell, i can't help but feel blue. i think it is because i have really loved staying alone by myself. This is not the first time i have stayed in this hotel but somehow, this time it seems different. Is it the knowledge that maybe i will never have the chance to be alone again - that i will always be surronded by people? This visit has been different, tinged with a bit of guilt for leaving him alone and the thought that this could have been so different. This visit has shown me that , yes, i still love being a loner - that i love my own company -maybe too much for my own good!

S has started the packing for me. i don't know what i would do without him. Still not done with the shopping. Have the whole day tomorrow for picking up the knick knacks. Gave away all my candles to S - he is probably the only one who loves them more than i do. Have tons of stuffs to leave behind - i can start another life over here even if i come empty handed next time! S's apartment has become my dumping ground.

i will miss this place - i will miss the morning tea-time adda, lunch with S and M-da, the bitching sessions. But i know after a few days i will get used to life back home. My sister is right - my life is scattered over too many places...

To soothe my blues a bit, the clouds parted a little. i was supposed to go meet the client-manager to say bye. But she had already left for the day by the time i got around to it. So i called her up and she told me that the higher management has been really impressed with my notes and work and if i am ever interested to come here permanently, they would love to have me here! oh gee, i am so flattered! And it makes it even better because i know she is not an easy person to impress - not that i have tried. Maybe that is the secret to impressing people - never try to impress them. i guess i treat her like i treat everyone else - with a little bit of sarcasm.

Will sleep in this bed for the last time in my life-- i hope to have sweet dreams and hope that this won't be the last bed i sleep in.

Friday, September 14, 2007

yudho joy...

i am the kind of employee that employers love - i forget to submit claims for taxi fare, medical claims etc. As long as my salary gets deposited at the end of the month, i am OK - well, sometimes i don't even bother checking when they take a big bite out of it as tax!

So very uncharacteristic of me, when M-da told me i should claim for the taxi fare to the airport, i decided to do just so. Well, never before in my previous visits have i claimed taxi fare - for one, S always drive me to the airport and i am way too lazy to run after the HR people. But, sometimes, i get all enthusiatic about something and so, just to spice up things, i mailed the HR manager asking her to include the taxi fare in my pay check. Pat came the reply that it was not company policy! That got my goat - it is only about 30$ and i could easily forfeit it without feeling a thing - but her reply really made my blood boil---well, blood tah e haigatle. S dug up the HR policy manual wherein it was clearly stated that we were eligible to be reimbursed for transportation expenses. So i wrote a sarcastic mail, attached the document and asked her when the policy was changed. She gave up and i will get the fare- it was so fun making her eat her words!

The past few days, i have been at my argumentative and bitchy best - i have been shooting holes in other people's code, writing sarcastic mails to people who just can't seem to have enough sense to understand when things are explained to them. And i am absolutely loving this - i have been getting pretty sick of dealing with dumb people and it is so satisfying when you can take a dig at them. Maybe i am mean but hell, being mean is so fun. And ain't gonna give it up!!

Thursday, September 13, 2007

cafe dhaka...

S took us out for dinner today - his treat for getting a bonus and an EC in his appraisal (EC- Exceptional Contribution but i tell him it is Exceptional chorano!). Cafe Dhaka. i decided the list of invitees - weeded out people to include only the ones i like (wickedness in my every pore). The food was OK - but somehow i never get to eat good briyani here; what is served as briyani seems more like undercooked rice with just some pieces of meat. i cook much much better briyani than any i have tasted here. The dal poori was good. More than the food, it was the adda that made the dinner special.

S is one of my closest friends. He has always been there for me through thick and thin - and i know i can count on him always. God knows why but he thinks i am special and a rare specimen. Here is to a special friend - thank you.

i am stuffed and can hardly keep the words in my head from falling asleep...i..zzzz.am..zzzz

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

....forgiveness

Why is it so tough to forgive? Does loving someone means that i am bound by love's ethics (if love ever has ethics) to forgive that person? Is forgiveness interwoven with love?

Is love supposed to transcend all other emotions? Is somebody's atonement reason enough to forgive or do we need time to heal before we can forgive?

Monday, September 10, 2007

dinner..dinner....

My last weekend over here, and i have been invited to dinner two nights in a row. Well, to be honest, i did ask M-da to give us a treat for his wedding anniversary while i was here - and he indulged me. Shameless me! i would be going there in a while.

Yesterday night's dinner was at S's. And of course, i planned the menu and cooked everything except for one dish. i relegated him to cutting the vegetables and cleaning up after i cooked! We started cooking at around 2 in the afernoon and in 5 hours, we were done - kelichana as entree, elish with kochu (the only dish i let S cook), mutton with posto and cashew, dal, pumpkin and mango mishti doi. i came back, showered, call up home and went back again as the guest! The food was good and it was good to see everyone stuffing themselves. We were till 2 in the night blah blahing.

Woke up around 11 today and went to walmart. My room is piling up. i need to start paking or at least stuffing the things in the suitcases (S, as alwyas, will do the final packing for me. i am so blessed - either my sister or he will pack for me when i am home- i have never really packed for myself ever. And over here, i have S.).

Oh, the casio exilim camera for baba arrived at long last. And i am floored by it. It is even better than my existing one - which i adore - and S and i ordered two more for ourselves. The pictures are amazing. i know baba is going to love it. i got a 2GB memory card for it. Memory cards are so cheap now. i remember i bought one the last time - 512 MB for around 50$. ouch...

And a funny thing happened. One of the juniors who joined recently called me up yesterday - and he called me by my name. We have this work culture of da-ing and di-ing everyone. So i was amused to hear this kid address me by my name. My sister and S said it is not his fault. i am to blame for looking so much younger than my age. This is one thing that bugs me. i know it must be every woman's dream to appear younger. But i have had people tell me i look like i was in class eight when i was in my final year in college. Would it help if i let my hair grey?

Saturday, September 08, 2007

countdown...

the countdown begins for the trip back...just a week left. Called up the airlines to confirm the ticket. i would have to start packing. As always, i would have to leave behind some things - all my candles..sigh - my stuff over here is piling up. Would have to leave another of my now notorious jumbo suitcases with S. Maybe i am growing old, but i am getting tired of this constant relocating - maybe i am no more a gypsy, how disapppointing - my soul wants to settle down in a place i could call home. But i am still undecided about where home is. i am one hell of a confused bitch. One part of me wants to wander to the ends of the planet - cross the sahara, conquer mountains, brave storms - and the other part, well, it is still confused about what it wants.

Still so much things left to buy - hell, i wish i could outsource my shopping to somebody.

M is going to come with her brother to receive me since the flight is going to land at some unearthly hour in the night and i don't think travelling alone in a taxi with all the stuff at night is a good idea. My sister offered to come but i would have been more worried about her coming alone.

Am i excited? i don't know. Of course, i am looking forward to meeting everyone again, to taking up newer responsibilties at work...And i would be with him again. But somehow, i am going to miss this solitude, the pleasure of only being with my thoughts. i think i am growing too fond of myself, too much in love with myself. Narcissist. i think i want to spend a year alone - all alone. Maybe i should be marooned on an uninhabited island - with a good supply of food and books. And a wireless connection. And yes the elusive sexy mac notebook. That is all i ask for...!!

Friday, September 07, 2007

my sweet sis...

Today is my li'l sister's birthday. And i am feeling morose because i am not there with her.

We are so different from each other - even though she is years younger to me, she is more mature than me; she is good at managing money, she wears heels (i refuse to wear anything with heels), she loves jewellery (i am emotionally allergic to any kind of ornament) - but we love each other. Of course, i always bully her because i am stronger than her - i am a born tyrant but hell, i love her like crazy. And i am so glad she is my sister and so proud of her.

She is a beautiful person - both inside and outside. She is as good as i am wicked - sometimes it is hard to believe we are sisters.

We have been through so many things together. We have been staying with each other for the last 5 years. i miss her terribly right now. i miss the weekends together when we laze in front of the TV, bitching about this and that. i miss the silly computer games when we have crazy bets like who will clean up after dinner, who will make the tea.... oh hell, i miss her...i miss my family. i wonder whether this is worth it all, staying away from your family. In the end, who cares how much my bank balance is or how far up the corporate ladder i am? But then, this has been my choice, my call. And so i have to grin and bear it till i can free myself of these materalistic shackles. Amen.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

phire elum - i am back....

Life has been hectic, to say the least. The weekend was fun though. We went for a picnic on Saturday to the beach – a barbeque party. i grilled pork chops and baby pork ribs and everyone love them. And we had grilled pineapples – they taste sinfully delightful, try them someday. The weather was great and we had a great time wading in the water, playing baseball and just lazing around. By the time i got back, i found i had sunburns – i will never learn to love sunscreen lotion – and i had a headache. The price we pay for the joys of life!

On Sunday, we went to the flea market – i buy my larger-than-me jumbo suitcases from there. It was so bloody hot but we braved the heat. i like the variety of things you get at the flea market - almost everything starting from toys to lingerie to fresh veggies.

On Monday, we went mall hiking. There is a mall i religiously visit before going home to complete my shopping agenda. Sale, sale, sale everywhere – gap, guess, van huesen, banana republic wagera wagera. We had a whale of a time picking out good bargains – for a short amount of time i actually overcame my allergy to shopping! Seven hours and several hundred dollars poorer, we ended the spree. The car was packed with all the goodies – gifts for everyone (my, i am such a nice person!!). I think I have done my share of shopping for the entire year. i know i am going to exceed the weight limit yet again for the nth time. Maybe i should take an extra luggage, that way i would be able to take home all my books with me. My collection over here has more than hundred books now.

On the net, i have been buying things left, right and bottom! i bought an apple ipod for him. i am thinking of buying the canon s3 is digital camera for him. It is a tad bit expensive but what the heck, i can afford it , if only for him. Such love, honey!

Work has been really frenetic. i have been working late into the night – no time for books and candles and yes, blogging. Life is fun – if you know where to look for it!