Rants of a kitchen toaster

Yay me! Oh... and Pochi!

2012-02-18T20:33:00.000+05:30

GUESS WHAT! GUESS WHAT!!! GUESS WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!

I PASSED MY JLPT N4 EXAM! KYAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Ahem... I'd really like to thank every single person out there who was praying for me or rooting for me! I would especially like to thank my Sensei - Ramesh-sensei and Shimizu-sensei. Both of them had such immense trust in my abilities and thanks to the gentle motivation I received from them, I felt loved and truly inspired to give it my all!
有難うご座いました、清水先生、ラメシュ先生！お蔭様で合格しました！

And I'm really really happy that I've finally managed to be good at something! Oh so happy! So very very happy!

皆、合格しましたよ！万歳！

Oooo... and there's a wee little puppy near my institute! I've decided to call him Pochi!

♫ ♥ Pochi-chan! Pochi-chan! ♥ ♪

To the special ones in my heart!

2012-02-14T22:23:00.001+05:30

Everyday, I go there early in the morning. I'm greeted by her dazzling smile and her crinkling eyes that make her the most beautiful person in the world. And then, she guides me to my work. There's never a harsh word and never a stern glare. All mistakes are so gently explained and taken care of. She treats everybody like they mean something and in turn, she is immensely respected! Ah... if only there were more people like her!

And then there is her... so fragile and yet so very strong. I wonder if she realizes her own fortitude as she sits there, worrying about appeasing her mother-in-law. After miseries that would have left me broken for life, she moves on - she shows me that nothing is permanent. Her eyes are sad at times when she thinks of those days. But there still lingers that deep note of silent strength that makes her elegant beyond words!

She walks in with her eyes straight ahead and her heart with a purpose. No question is silly. And no answer is accepted without some insight from her end. And in those little insights, she shows us all just how intelligent she is. She is witty. She is assiduous. She has the kindest things to say and she tires not. She makes those around her happy just by being there!

She's seen my darkest secrets and still smiles when she lays her eyes on me. She makes fun of me and yet has gentle reprimand for me when I go wrong. She knows our days together are numbered and yet puts on a cheerful smile. She is innocent enough to let a cricket match get to her and has wisdom that could solve disputes between nations!

These women... they are truly worth loving. And on this valentine's day, I would like to tell them - forget romance! Forget all that weird connotations that plague this day! I love every one of you and it's in no way any less important than what romantic folks could feel!

On chillies and childishness

2012-02-12T14:32:00.001+05:30

Today, we had fish. Extremely potent and spicy fish! And if anyone is interested, I almost fainted eating it.

This had mom tell me how fish is supposed to be spicy and how I can't keep telling my husband that I can't cook spicy fish when he could love rolling around in chilies. This had me thinking. What is it that makes everyone just automatically assume that I will change my habits once I have a guy in my life? Sure, adjustments have to be there. Like getting the bowel movements organized and the extra laundry and all those things. But to actually tell someone that they should change everything about them and take up things that could give me extreme discomfort is not what I would call adjustment. And in the society where I come from, it's always the girl who adjusts. It's always the girl who takes care of all that her husband needs. The girl intuitively knows what her guy wants and needs and follows his uttered and silent commands to the T. In other words, she automatically becomes docile and obedient.

Now, if the guy likes it hot, I'll most probably divide my portions from his before I dump the chillies by the cartload and serve him his dish from hell! But apparently that just goes on to show I'm not adjusting with his tastes. Come on now! They can't be serious!! I've been called "spoilt" by people who have hardly known me and it amuses me even now. But to hear such backward a thought process from my own mother, that was an eyeopener!

It makes me wonder. If peanuts make me swell up like the Mardi Gras float and my husband happens to love peanuts, will they tell me that I should "learn to accept" peanuts even if I end up in the emergency room with a face swollen beyond recognition?

Strange... very strange!

Happy news!

2012-02-11T21:18:00.003+05:30

I know I haven't been the most judicious with updates as far as this blog is concerned but pray forgive! I have a valid reason for not posting for so long!

Get this!

I've finally managed to get a job that's just tailor-made for me! I'm officially a Translator! And I've never felt surer about what I am good at! This job, it's made for me, baby!

This must also explain my inability to contribute as much as I'd like in my blog! And not to mention that the classes for N3 have started and believe me, now I see why they call this language difficult! But it's all so interesting! It feels like I'm discovering a part of myself that was lost long ago... in some other lifetime! It feels like homecoming to me.

A chocolate bar that's earned... at the cost of equality!

2012-01-16T12:01:00.000+05:30

Advertisements have become an inherent part of our lives. Ever so slowly, we've acclimatized ourselves to the fact that sometime in between the really interesting movie we're watching, there's bound to be a commercial break and we need to be prepared to suspend our thought process for as long as the ads are running and learn to pick up from where we left when the movie does the same.

But once in a while, we stop and think. And thank God we do that! Because when we do, we realize just how banal these advertisements are in reality. Okay... there are a few good ones here and there. But in general the majority out there seem to cater for the fact that the person watching the advertisements doesn't actually watch them. They merely see them and the people behind the advertisements hope that with sufficient repetition, their message will get through to the deeper parts of our brain. And in a way, they probably don't want us to think while we see their claims of being the best because if we did, they no longer would be!

The other day, I happened to see an advertisement for a chocolate bar. And the tagline was how one had to earn that particular chocolate and one can't buy it. Here's what I'd like to tell the people behind that tagline -

"Okay, hotshot! If that's what you really believe I don't think you're aiming on kids with no income of their own to try your product. Okay... maybe you want to be considered the crème de la crème of the chocolate industry. Good for you."

But their recent ad seriously got me mad. And I'm sure many would know of the one I allude to. It has this man who seems to be some connoisseur in cocoa beans and how he takes up one cocoa bean after another and examines them like he's examining diamonds. The local farmers wait expectantly to hear his verdict on their produce when the man removes his monocle and proclaims that the cocoa bean he had been studying was perfect and that it would be that particular brand of chocolate some day. And the locals are really happy. And then, the man examines another cocoa bean and just gives up calling that bean "a nothing". And in predictable advertisement fashion, that bean starts crying and the man asks the local elder to tell the bean that he is sorry. And the banality just gets bigger with one of the locals throwing the bean away.

Now, for those of you who're wondering what's gotten me so mad, it's the fact that this ad has such undertones of discrimination and contempt for the 'imperfect ones' that it just makes me see red. The cocoa bean was not good enough to be a part of the company's overpriced hookum that I can personally say isn't anything out of the ordinary (Just a little more chocolatey!). Fine, they have standards. But to call it 'a nothing' is little uncalled for! What do they know? The bean wasn't perfect in size and aroma, big deal! Maybe sowing it would yield them more cocoa beans without which there wouldn't be a chocolate company that utterly discriminates even cocoa beans!

Am I being too paranoid? Well... I guess I can't help but notice that the connoisseur was white while the ones who probably know the best about cocoa are the people who grow them - the African farmers. And isn't it a little too racist to expect them to come to the "white man" to get their products assessed?

I call that company discriminatory and racist. What about you?

On painting the walls and the inherent need for a life

2012-01-10T10:36:00.002+05:30

We're planning on overhauling the entire house for the impeding wedding. And I've taken it upon myself to overlook the painting that's sure to follow the building! I've lived in a house surrounded by creme walls for as long as I can remember. And I'm so tired of that particular color that right now, I'll gladly take any other color that's horrible by normal standards but isn't creme! Yes, that's a tad bit weird but you underestimate the power of having to stare at the same wall colour for more than a decade! And the cheap distemper type of paint that was 'oh-so-great' back in the early nineties has surely given way to the new swanky emulsions! And thanks to the little project that I'd taken up with the prayer room, my parents seem to have atleast the rudimentary amount of faith in my vision. You've no idea how much I had to struggle to have them accept my terracotta for the prayer room with ethnic designs idea! And now, they say it's the best room in the whole house!

Alrighty... enough with the drabble from the past. I'm thinking of having some simple designs stenciled along the walls in a way that would make it all the more alluring. Now, I sense another huge blockade in the form of my folks finding it too extravagant! But I must persevere! I'm sure it will look splendid! Absolutely splendid, I say!

Ah... I need a life!

My day with Kawai... Totoro... and life

2011-12-23T22:50:00.000+05:30

How often is it that we realize that what really matters in life isn't something that can be bought with money. And yet... it can be? Confused? Well, I'm talking of those instances when we lost ourselves as children in the frolics of Tom and Jerry, cheered Popeye when he gave Bluto a beating and laughed merrily when Charlie Chaplin tripped the bad guy non-chalantly! Those moments are stuff that cannot be bought no matter how much money you brandish. But one can get close! And if you're like me, you can get asymptotically close! You can get the DVDs or the Blue Rays of these cartoon series and atleast for a while, lose all inhibitions and become the child you once were.

I had the wonderful opportunity of doing just that a few days ago. I'd gone over to my cousin's place and she has the cutest and the naughtiest boy on the face of the planet! And he has one weakness - a weakness he shares with me! He loves watching "Tonari no Totoro". If this name means nothing to you and you were born in the eighties or later, I pity you... Your childhood has been depraved! But if you know what I'm alluding to, good for you!

I watched the DVD version of the movie and for the amount of time that it ran, everything was perfect with the world. I envy Satsuki and Mei from the movie! Their innocence is something that children these days seem to lose so fast! And Totoro... my darling Totoro! How I'd love to cuddle up to that huge mountain spirit and sleep like a baby!

And then there's the Catbus! That's hands down the best way to travel wherever one wants to go! And to think that Appa from Avatar was inspired by the Catbus! Excuse me while I have a moment of pride here! :P Seriously though, if we really did have something like the Catbus, wouldn't it be the AWESOMEST thing EVER?!!!!! Why can't it exist, god?! WHYYYYYYYYYY????!!!!!!

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It's Catbus!!!!

As expected from Hayao Miyazaki, Tonari no Totoro is such an enjoyable watch! The lessons one takes home from the movie are simple but to the heart. And in an age where fairy tales are misconstrued left right and center, one needs to go back to movies like these to remember what fairy tales were really like! This movie literally put Miyazaki into the spot light and he in turn shared that attention with the Japanese animation industry. And the rest... as they say... is history!

And speaking of Anime, I have another source of inspiration to share with you, my darling readers! If you've heard of Kenji Kawai and the kind of music he makes for Japanese animation series and films and numerous other movies and video games, you'll know what's coming up next! If not, don't worry... you don't know what's coming up next but you'll enjoy it none the less!

Kenji Kawai is the maestro who composed music for the Ghost in the Shell series and he infused traditional Japanese Shinto music to Western musical arrangements and the result is spellbinding! I find that the more I listen to his music, the more I am at peace with the world and the more I mourn for those around me... the more selfless I become!

Do give it a listen and you'll know what I mean!

Life's more or less like a see-saw right about now. But hope, I have! Bucketful of Hope! Do you want some? :D

My trip to God's own country! Part 1

2011-12-20T10:22:00.002+05:30

Ahoy folks! I'm back from the trip to 'God's own country' and boy...was it fun! It's weird, actually. We go into vacations with at least a part of us wondering if we should just chuck the idea of travel and sleep in our houses till kingdom come (or the vacation ends) but then, we go anyway (the tickets are not refundable, I hear! :P) and then, when it's time to come back, we sulk like a three year old with no money in front of the candy store!

We traveled from Chennai (where I live) to Coimbatore by train and changed trains from there to Palghat. The journey was one of a kind! By the time we reached Coimbatore, we'd reached Nirvana! Everything was one... we'd become one with our hineys... the pain of having sat for so long in such cramped seats was no longer existent! As a matter of fact, to me, nothing existed anymore! Now I know how those sadhus in the cold Himalayas get to be so badass!

We were supposed to meet my in-laws for dinner that evening. So, one can imagine how I looked when I turned up for the meeting! My father-in-law wondered if I was sick and bless his soul, was concerned. But seeing my future sis-in-law's family got rid of some of the tiredness already. I should say, the folks we had dinner with were wonderful! And the pretty lady who was to be engaged to my brother-in-law was perfect. Demure... lady-like and pretty! If my brother-in-law was there, I'm sure I would have hit him light-heartedly on his back and congratulated him on the good luck he's sure to have.

The engagement the next day was a blast as well! The brides to be and the grooms' cousins, we got along famously and I'm sure we made quite a lot of heads turn with our shenanigans! I just hope they think of us in good spirits! All in all, it was great and in a way, I was sad to have the day end. But then again, we had a few relatives to meet and they don't brook late arrivals well and so, we were off once more!

The next day, we went to the famous Kalpathi Shiva temple and did you guys know that they serve the heavenliest prasadam there? Mom and I had a debate as to what it actually was! She opined that it was curd rice while I felt it was more of an amalgamation of Pongal and something else! Whatever it was, we had seconds and thirds before we were satiated!

The journey back was another fiasco on a thousand wheels! My advice to anybody wishing to go the Kerala - Don't take the chair car trains! How they manage to seat three people in seats meant for two is beyond me! And most of them aren't exactly thin! It was excruciating, I tell you! And by the time we arrived in Chennai, I felt our journey towards Kerala was nothing compared to what we endured on our way back!

But not minding that, I should say I enjoyed the visit and the celebrations very very much!

Psssssst: I heard that my bro-in-law and his lady (tee hee) read my blogs! :D

In the posts to come, I shall give my expert opinion on fine dining in Palghat, dogs and their humungous heads and hearts and drivers of KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) buses and why they should be given compulsory personality training classes!

Yay... I'm not dead

2011-12-15T20:14:00.002+05:30

I know it has been awfully long since I've updated this space of the world wide web. And it's even a wonder if there's anybody out there who actually gives a damn! Aaaanyway, I've been sick as a dying canine and tomorrow, I'm off to attend my brother-in-law-to-be's betrothal. Convoluted? Not where I come from!

Ah well, at least this should serve as proof in court that I was alive when it was written.... or not! Whatever world!

JLPT N4 is finally over!

2011-12-05T18:11:00.001+05:30

Yes.... I've done my JLPT N4 exams to the very best of my abilities and as though the gods were happy with my earnestness, I was the first number in the hall, I got to sit close to the tape recorder and there were no graph related questions in the listening section! But still... I'm feeling really tired!

All in all, it was a moderately easy exam. I keep hearing my friends go on that they found it difficult and this is beginning to scare me! Have I really done well or am I missing something here?! And furthermore... are they being honest when they say they found it hard? I know quite a lot of people who just downplay their well written exams because they fear the "evil eye"! That's ridiculously stupid!

Ah... to wait till March... it's agony! (T-T)

You'll always be my family!

2011-11-30T19:16:00.001+05:30

My best friend of twelve years got married today. And as can be expected, it was a glorious day! And this post, I dedicate to her,

My dearest friend,
We've been through so much and we've stood strong in the end. We've been silent and we've seen friendships fall to dust. And we've still smiled at each other with a knowing look that not all the gold in the world could compensate for. I know I haven't always called you... I haven't always texted you... we've never had sleepovers and we surely never baked cookies together. But I also know that even when we haven't been in touch for months together, the very sight or the very sigh in our voices manage to convey all that we want to and not all the texts and phone calls and sleepovers can ever manage to recreate the same magic that innate understanding invokes in us.

You have been a pillar of support in every trouble I've faced. I don't know if I've ever been that perfect friend that quotes are written about. I can only hope that I've been at least half the person that you truly deserve for a friend!

And my dear, I know it is unfair of me to cling on to you when you take flight with the one who'll be the closest to you henceforth. I cannot be jealous! He has truly done good deeds to deserve a wife as beautiful as you. And I also know that it is only natural that the birds take flight to distant corners so that the nest is left behind as a reminder of the good times that were spent there. And those good times, I shall enshrine... always remember that we've been best friends and shall continue to do so. Even if your new family requires your attention more than anything else... even if newer additions come into the family... I'll always keep you in a special place - one that cannot be compared to anything or anyone else!

My dearest friend,today when you sat there, the very image of the resplendent bride, I can say that there were none other who were more beautiful and divine than you! And for a moment, I felt so proud! Knowing that someone so beautiful had graced me with the honour of friendship, how can I not feel so?!

I can only say this... I know we shall remain just as close as we ever were even if we're divided by continents...by oceans... by worlds in between us.

I love you!

Ah... it's such an bittersweet experience when your best friend gets married... you know they're there. But you also know that it's not the same thing. And it's totally unfair expecting it to be so, either! I cried... yep! Bawled like a baby once I reached home, thinking of all the wonderful times we had! And knowing her, she knows how I feel... We're special... that way!

Anyway, I wish her all the very best of everything that is humanly possible! And if she ever needs a ear to rant to or whisper fears in, all she needs to do is turn my way.

What else are friends for? :)

Studying... burning out.... but studying! :D

2011-11-24T16:20:00.001+05:30

For everyone out there who's been wondering where I'd vanished off to, worry not... I haven't found a secret way to Khonan nor have I managed to entice the fourth emperor of Khonan; neither have I managed to forge an alliance between Khutou and Khonan. And I have most definitely not managed to break the icy barrier around Nakago's aching heart! *le sigh* what wouldn't I do for an adventure as that! ;)

Anyway, this post is just to let everybody out there know that I'm pretty busy preparing for my JLPT exams and believe me... I suddenly realize that this is actually tougher than what people claim it is! ARGH... So much to study... so little time! And to make matters worse, I keep forgetting most of it... but I remember it at the same time! Am I even making sense, I wonder!

Anyway, people, wish me luck ne! I most definitely NEED to get through if it's the last thing I do! To fail in this would be like tearing my beating heart out of my chest and presenting it to Huitzilppochtli! (Cute name...barbaric fellow!)

P.S. For anyone wondering if I'm actually complaining about learning for JLPT, you've got it wrong! I've never enjoyed anything more than learning Japanese! So, if you were concerned, here's a hug from me for your sweet thoughts!

P.P.S. I'm wondering if I should make a headband like the ones they wear before exams! You know... the ones that help you concentrate more? LOL

A hug for you!

2011-11-16T11:32:00.001+05:30

I was just going through my blog stats when i noticed that one person had stumbled upon my site because they googled for "pregnant and my friends abandoned me".

I sincerely hope that person is feeling better. And here's a hug from me!

I have no idea who you are...or where you are. But this post is just to let you know that you're not alone and that there's always something better out there in the world. I hope you find the courage to face the world in the situation you're in right now. And if you always need a hug (even if it's just an e-hug!), you can count on me!

I hope you're feeling better there! :)

I has a sad.... Please to help?

2011-11-15T16:52:00.001+05:30

Okay... It's kinda blue here...very blue... You know what blue reminds me of? I'll tell you.
Blue reminds me of water...water reminds me of lakes...lakes remind me of the particular awesome scene I'm writing for a fanfic...and that reminds me of the fact that I posted a chapter two days ago and can't seem to get any reviews for it...and that reminds me of the fact that I've not updated in the longest time and have only myself to blame...and that makes me feel so blue!

Ah! It's that endless cycle of blue-ness and it never ends!

WHY WON'T THEY SAY SOMETHING?!!!!!ANYTHINGS?!!!!!!!! I has a sad...naturally...

To everybody out there who's a fan of Yuu Watase's Fushigi Yuugi, head over to Fanfiction.net and read my story! Ne? I'm in the middle of reconstructing the whole thing into something that makes better sense, ne? Ah... that calls for legal action, you say? Ahahahahahaa....I've no idea what you're referring to here, sir! Have a nice day! And don't forget to declare all baby aliens when you come visiting!

BAKUHATSU DATTAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

2011-11-13T19:32:00.001+05:30

How often is it that you follow instructions to the T and then have all hell break loose around you?

Well, if you're wondering what I'm blabbering on about, I'll have you know that I narrowly escaped a very painful death (or dis-figuration at least!) today.

It all started with Mom and Dad leaving to check on our land that's in the middle of nowhere. And I, being the person left behind to cook for everybody, decided that I'd follow everything that my mother said about using the pressure cooker to the dot! And I'm mortally scared of messing up the kitchen (explains my lack of...er... interest to learn too complicated dishes).

As luck would have it, mom had fixed everything and all I had to do was light the stove and wait for six toots from the cooker and then switch the bloody thing off. Ah... if only things were this simple! I did light the stove and after three minutes, there wasn't a sound when normally the cooker goes "toot..toot...tootgetmyassoffthestovebitchtoot!!!"
As can be expected, I went to investigate and found that the lid didn't lock properly. And so, getting the thing off the flame, I fixed that and placed it on the stove once more. Now, at this opportune moment, Mom decided to call me and so, I told her about how the cooker seemed depressed and if I should just kill the flame. She told me to do just that and that she was getting back and would be there soon. Gleefully, I placed the receiver down and turned around only to hear a moderately loud THUNK and then complete silence.

Fearing the worst possible case, I walked towards the kitchen to find the cooker off the stove, the chimney above it in shambles, uncooked rice all over the walls, ceiling and refrigerator and sharp pieces of wood from the chopping board that was near the stove! I freaked out, my darling reader. I freaked out like it was nobody's business. Of course it was all silent. A silent cry of desperation like that of Gintoki and Shinpachi!

It was only when I saw the bloody shrapnel that was my chopping board that I realized the clear and present danger I'd narrowly escaped from. If my mother had cut the phone line a mere fifteen seconds earlier, I'd probably look like Yamcha from DragonBallZ!

Now before people start tut-tutting about my lack of culinary finesse to tackle a situation as this, we had the bloody cooker checked and it turns out that the thing was akin to a Chernobyle waiting to happen. There was a clogged valve and that was the reason why a rule abiding tennyo like me barely escaped having my face rearranged in the OR!

Moral of the story: Check your cookers periodically for faults. A messed up cooker is worse than Otae Shimura on PMS!

P.S. For anyone interested enough, bakuhatsu in japanese means "Explosion"... you know the whole KABLAM....DOOM....BOOM.... the works!

Does it really matter?!

2011-11-12T09:02:00.001+05:30

I've been bombarded with news from every possible channel that there are heavy speculations about a certain actress and the time she might go into labour! And there are also rumours doing the rounds that her labour will be telecasted on TV. And I hope I'm not the only one who finds this entire debacle distasteful!

Seriously though, it's because these channels telecast these kind of irritating and useless pieces of unwanted information that we see so much of what really matters go unnoticed. An actress and her unborn babe have managed to generate crores in betting pools while the case of a person who's been fasting for the past eleven years is just a side story! This is what makes me abhor TV channels so much! For once, I wish some of them would have the balls to show what really matters. And I'm sure that when actresses give birth just isn't as important as a person who's fighting for human rights.

Seriously, how star-crazy are we? We construct temples for celebrities, faint when they even deign to smile at us and fight among ourselves comparing two actors or actresses and make points why one is better than the other. And all this leads to nothing but a few minutes of distraction and possibly a whole lot of dissension among us. It is a general ruse that the channels provide only those things that we wish to see. Does that mean they take us for imbeciles who cannot think beyond the mundane news of some random celebrity giving birth or the orchestrated drama of a silly reality show? If it is so, I swear to God, they underestimate us grossly. Yes, there are people who don't give a rat's ass what made that famous actor have diarrhea or wonder when that actress is going to give birth and NO, I've not the slightest intention of gushing over some celebrity's desperate cry for attention. Stupidity is not a handicap; park it elsewhere, people!

Apple is so evil!

2011-11-09T18:34:00.001+05:30

My sincerest condolences to the family of Steve Jobs. But seriously, I must say that Apple on the whole is evil!
My iPod seems to have taken a mind of its own and shows the quintessential "White screen of Death!" and nothing I do can change the gosh-darned display! I hear the clickity clickity when I use the buttons but since I didn't memorize the menus and am not even sure if things play, I'm stuck here... with a 3rd generation device that Apple has long given up on. And for anyone who says it's time for a new swankier device, I shall gladly accept the same or the monetary assistance required to procure one from the said person.

Seriously... eeeeeeeeevil I tell you! Eeeeeeeevil!

And I definitely don't need this silliness right about now! I have a test to prepare for! Does the world and the fates know no mercy?!

Edit: Finally, I seem to have found the solution. And strangely, it just worked on its own. On the nineteenth attempt to reset, it just automatically worked! I shall never understand iPods!

7aum Arivu - a detailed review

2011-11-05T21:34:00.002+05:30

It's raining here in Chennai. And as can be expected, the monsoon is worse than the summer seasons here. After washing two full loads of laundry, we had absolutely nothing to do at home yesterday evening. And so, we decided to go see a movie. Mom suggested 7aum Arivu and that settled it. We drove on; the three of us.

To be honest, I was anticipating the release of this movie but mom suggested we wait for the reviews to surface before plunging in. And strangely, they appear to be mixed. That was when I decided that I would form my own conclusions on the movie and now, having seen it, I call tell you what it is.

The review is long. Proceed if you wish to read on...

Recipes in Japanese! And why does Indesign cost so much! T-T

2011-11-04T11:57:00.000+05:30

As is the case with most of the women who're readied for marriage, it has become my lot to learn the culinary arts of feeding people without killing them. And so, I've been asked to learn as many of the basic dishes as possible before I'm shipped off for good. It's a boring task, let me assure you! I've as much interest in cooking sambar and rasam as Tolkien had in GoGo dancing!

And so, in a bid to inculcate more interest than I was genuinely feeling for the art of cooking, I decided to do something that would challenge me as much as teach me the right proportions of spices and vegetables! I decided to take the recipes down in Japanese! Now that, my friends is a sure shot way for me to take up just about anything! Imagine... learning cooking while at the same time getting to know so many new verbs and adjective and not to mention.... KANJI!!!!!!!!!!

And sooooo.... I've managed to translate the recipe for the staple sambar completely into Japanese complete with pictures and stuff! If it actually is even half as good as I want, I'll make sure to post it online. Who knows? There might be a few Japanese folks out there who're looking for the recipe for Sambar in Japanese! :D
I'm writing them all using Adobe Indesign CS5. I should say.... it's awesome! I get to make really pretty PDFs without having to turn to MS Word! Ah.... but this is a trial version ne.... I'll need to get the original thingy ne.... but that's so expensive ne.... Ofcourse not many I know in real life would see the difference it makes to document preparation ne.... these are just my silly ramblings that are lost like the 'blub-blub'blub's of a drowning person ne... it sucks being poor ne.....

Musings on comic sans and the philosophical ramblings underneath it all!

2011-11-03T16:02:00.000+05:30

Imagine being brought into the world with so much expectations; with hopes that maybe you'll change the way the world sees things! With a million dreams shining in your eyes, you set your goals on that summit yonder! You see the population before you adore you and worship the very ground that you tread upon! Nothing could ever go wrong in this paradise of yours... in this Utopia of pure awesomeness! And then... the lightning strikes! Chasms open! There is darkness everywhere! It dawns upon you that unfortunately, things aren't as wonderful as you supposed them to be and people are getting too fed up with your way of doing things. You are that failed legacy that everybody 'tut-tut's over. Nobody wants to be seen with you. Oh the agony! Oh the pain!

If you can relate with the paragraph above, you know how the font Comic Sans must feel. Yes, I am talking of the very same font that has been used and abused for two decades and counting! It was initially designed to emulate the feel of comic books. But too bad things got out of hand and soon, the comic book makers moved away from it and the rest of the populace decided to take things into their own hands. This led to that and Comic sans was seen everywhere! And I mean, everywhere! From University exam papers to flyers for Day care centers, almost everybody wanted a piece of the poor font.

As the saying goes that Familiarity breeds contempt, people started hating the very sight of the font. It was labeled juvenile, frivolous, immature, puerile and silly. The people who still used the font were deigned to the lowest echeleon of taste and elegance. They were and still are viewed as those who considered themselves a child but in reality appeared every bit like a 40 year old man with a bib and a diaper.

While all these poo-slinging was happening, not one of these pro- and anti-comic sans factions thought it necessary to think of what the font had to say! I wonder what Comic sans would say in light of the humongous hatred and revilement it seems to garner.

All I can say is, poor comic sans... I wonder if it is right to hate a font for the stupidity of the people who use it. But then again, is it better to be ill-used than to be not used at all?

Wow... that's a very heavy philosophical topic there!

My first student and an infernal itch!

2011-11-01T21:19:00.003+05:30

I had my first student today! And that too in Japanese! (Well... technically it's only for Japanese phrases. But whatthehellI'mnotlisteningtoyouplz!)

And it's really nice when someone actually trusts me enough to come learn from me! :D My student is to go to Japan in a few months for a few days and I'm going to make her the best there is! I'm being overenthusiastic now! LOL Don't mind me flailing here!

Aaanyway, I'm sending her the day's phrases all tabled up and highlighted. It's so wonderful planning the day's classes and sending out resources! It's the best thing ever! :3

Well, thanks to the fact that I have a cold and have not washed my hair in three days, I feel like I'm having weird lifeforms in my head! I sincerely hope that's just my imagination playing with my senses. I have had cousins almost smother me with affection and I cannot exactly vouch for their scalp hygiene! I swear if I find even a single *unmentionable* or white flake, I shall seriously lose all hold over my sanity! But gods... how it itches! I've worn my scalp red with the scratching! It's not fair... seriously not fair! I don't care if I contract the flu because there's not a chance in Angband that I'm leaving things be! Hah! Let's see how these infernal things like the good 'ol shampoo and good scrubbing!

P.S. I love Lucky Star! It's the funniest anime ever... Oh wait... that's Gintama! Well, it's the second funniest anime ever! On second thought, there could be funnier anime out there - AUGHHHH!!!! AN ITCHY SCALP MAKES ME THINK WEIRD STUFF!!!!

I'm back!

2011-10-31T12:07:00.002+05:30

For those of you who have been wondering where I've been these past few days, I am happy to report that I've been having the time of my life down at Kerala. We had a very important family get-together and as I am not sure when I shall be able to attend the next reunion, I made it a point to be present for the current one.
We burst crackers, shouted at silly drivers, sat on for long journey in car, suffered horrible cramps, experienced toilet deficiencies like never before and more!

I am dead tired thanks to a long car journey back to Chennai and am going to rest my butt till sensation returns there! :) The trip and all its quirks shall be elucidated further in the subsequent posts!

I had a roadrage! And boy, do I feel good and bad!

2011-10-24T22:42:00.001+05:30

Today, I indulged in a bit of road rage! :) And I cannot lie... it was liberating!

Dad and I were getting back from my uncle's place when we encountered a road-block in the form of some sort of construction going on. Since my country is known for the idiots that are let loose on the roads, Dad is ever the cautious driver and he kept to one lane, unmindful of the dunderheads who zipped this way and that. Suddenly, we hear incessant honking from behind us and we realize that the jerk behind us seems to think we're out on the singular mission of hindering his path. The truth was that if we were to move to another lane, we would probably knock a dozen motorists and probably create a car pile in the process. But since he, like the million other cerebrum-deficient dodos on the road, never bothered to imagine a situation where we didn't have the liberty to move away to give him the way like he thought he deserved, the honking never stopped.

Now, I am a person who believes that the vehicle's horn is only for correcting another driver's error or maybe to alert other pedestrians and cars if there is a possibility that they might not be paying attention. And when stuck in traffic, Dad and I tend to refrain from honking the horn the moment the lights turn green. We know that no car can immediately just take off! But too bad for the jerk behind us, he probably never had the brain function capacity to process such complicated thoughts and he overtook us the minute he could only to stop for a red signal. He lowered his window and started shouting at us, telling us that we've spoilt his day and that we should've just moved away to let him pass. This got me mad... so mad, I wanted to get out of my car, slam his face into his steering wheel and slit his throat! But, I merely let out a few shielded expletives that weren't exactly profane but according to my dad, were a shocker! I'm happy to convey that he didn't see it coming and drove off, seething. The way he was driving, I'm wondering if he ever reached home safely. If he keeps up this attitude, I doubt if it will be too long before he either loses his vehicle or his life or even better, both!

Well, I'm not justifying the fact that I shouted at a person. But I'm pretty happy with myself that I didn't take it lying down. And furthermore, I remained within bounds as far as profanity was concerned; I used none. But I still feel bad that I had to get involved in a fight.

My sincerest plea to any person who drives a car or a two wheeler or any other thing that's on a shared road -

Kurosawa's High and Low

2011-10-23T19:28:00.001+05:30

Today, we had the screening of Akira Kurosawa's High and Low.

I should say, after watching Ozu and Naruse, coming back to Kurosawa feels akin to hopping onto a speeding train from a stationary platform. The way the camera moves is slick and as expected from Kurosawa.

The movie starts out slow and in the most natural way, gains momentum until the end is nigh. There are times when we reacted verbally to what was happening onscreen. And by principle, I tend to not do that. But this movie was one of the few that managed to get an opinion of the story's happenings while I was watching the movie. Toshiro Mifune is one actor who has always managed to bring in an inexplicable energy into the scene with his mere presence. Whether is it just him standing there, gazing at the scenery before him or speaking animatedly to an extortionist who demands his entire life's savings for the life of his chauffeur's son, Mifune manages to do it with elan.

But in this movie, the most endearing character (or characters, rather!) happen to be the bunch of police officers who go through such extreme situations just to nab their man. It was one of those times when I laughed while at the edge of my seat! Little tidbits of humor that never offsets the pace of the story are things that are a rarity in movies that are made where I come from!

Many of us felt the ending was a little abrupt. Just envy could drive a man to such measures was something many of us could not comprehend. But I feel the ending is perfect. The way the kidnapper seems to try in maintaining a facade of arrogance and nonchalance in front of the man he hoped to destroy was probably the only way one could've ended this movie.

P.S. Sensei was really happy that we were trying our best in reading the kanji credits that was displayed before the movie! Too bad we did a really horrid job at that! :P

N4 test... tanoshikatta yo!

2011-10-22T19:19:00.000+05:30

The test today was a riot! We ended up mooting our answers and points and surprisingly, I learnt so much and I'm sure most of my friends from class are feeling the same way. It was such fun. It was so different from the usual "Gosh, I have to get better scores than him or her! I need to show I'm the best!" nonsense.

And I'm really grateful for the wonderful sensei that I have. Both Ramesh-sensei and Shimizu-sensei are such nice people! It really is a blessing that I can attend classes with teachers who are as passionate about what they do and can convey their passion for the language and the people in such beautiful ways! My sensei inspire me to be a good teacher myself. (This is true if I ever get the honour of teaching people Japanese, when I get better!)

Anyway, N4 Kikitori is challenging and tiresome. But at the same time, it's intriguing. I hope I get better at this before I give my actual exam! :D Ah, tomorrow is movie day and conversation. Now that, is what I call, a double bingo!

Of preparations, distractions and inspirations

2011-10-21T17:53:00.001+05:30

I have a test tomorrow and for the love of all things Japanese and kawaii, I am unable to concentrate. It is almost like someone is willing me to flunk this test as though they hold a long held grudge against the few things I've been doing well! (Okay.... that sounded a lot crappier outside than in my head! ^_^;;)

And I was wondering if I would ever get the will to study again when, lo behold! I chanced upon a few pencil cases on the interwebs! These wonderous creations of humanity were accompanied by many a writing instrument. Pencils, pens, liquid correctors, rulers, sticky notes - the list is endless! As I saw these beautiful things, my attention turned unbridled towards my Japanese notes and I saw the various seemingly illegible pointers I'd scribbled in class! Clever one liners... references to manga and Anime... proclamations of undying love to nonexistent characters who are at times the only people I have around! It was all that was needed to rekindle my love for the language and I've been working diligently for quite some time now. I'm merely taking a breather before I dive right back into verbs and adjectives and whatnots. And I wanted to let everyone know of one surefire way to beat boredom in studying. Rather than concentrate on the study aspect of it, I find myself more equipped with concentration when I bend my thoughts a little away from the subject and towards something that's connected with it but in a rather tangential way. In my case, it's stationery.

Now if only I could convince my dad to take me to the department store where they stack Staedtlar and Tombow pencils! Okay... I promise to treat myself to a brilliant box of pencils if I get the best mark ever in the test to come! :D Now that, my friends, is inspiration good enough to earn me a PhD!

A new banner on its way. And which is the shiniest key?

2011-10-20T17:37:00.001+05:30

I've managed to design a banner for my blog's header. And truth be told, I seem to have a love-hate relationship with it! I might tweak it a little bit so that whatever little bits that bother me now will look and feel much better. I'm seriously envious of all those other blogs that seem to have everything in place and looking so adorable. But then again... with me, I never think the same thing two weeks in a row and paying for that kind of an upgrade would mean I'll go bankrupt in a month.

Oh well... I've been trying a bit of CSS and the works. So, I might not have a spanking new site or anything! But I'm sure there will be changes for the better in the future (distant or near, I cannot answer!).

And I noticed that the 'I' key is the shiniest in my keyboard! It could be that I use that particular alphabet the most! The other shiny keys are C, A, T and O. But none are as shiny as I! It practically sparkles! And it feels so good... so smooth and squeaky!

So, what's the shiniest key in your keyboard? ;)

Life is a female canine in ways you can never imagine!

2011-10-19T17:40:00.002+05:30

Imagine this... you dream a singular dream... you know you ought to do something to make it a reality you could enjoy in the tactile sense. But it seems as though the entire world is against you. And then, you see someone who didn't even wish for your paradise, get exactly that and smile benignly at you as you slog harder than ever before, wiping the fecal unmentionables that the world in general has thrown your way. Oh, fey fate! Why would you tempt me so only to push me deeper into the mire of endless desolation? And why, pray tell, must I see what I wish the most in life flicker in front of me and then die? Like a moth that singes its wings trying to reach the one bright spot in the whole damned world?!

Truly... there must be an end to this madness! I am caught in that place where I never imagined myself to be... even in my harshest nightmares. And yet... now, it seems as though the whole world closes its claws around me, suffocating me and smothering my dreams and hopes and I can only sigh... that precious wisp of air is also taken until my lungs turn blue and I'm left in death.

Lost in Austen: A Review

2011-10-18T10:26:00.000+05:30

In my recent expeditions to have as much Jane Austen related things around me, I've been viewing most of her novels made into movies. The ones adapted from Pride and Prejudice hold a particular place of importance as usual. And so, the other day, as I sat there, twiddling my thumbs, wondering what to view next when the TV series Lost in Austen caught my attention.

For those who're wondering what it's all about, let me explain. The story portrays a 21st century bank employee who's an avid Austen fanatic. She dreams of the world of the Regency era and yearns for an escape from the mundane things in her life. And as predictable as it gets, her prayers are answered. One day, she finds none other than Elizabeth Bennet in her bathroom and discovers that here's a hidden portal behind the plumbing that connects her world with that of Elizabeth's. And they decide to swap places. Up until this point, I was all in anticipation. But I should say... the moment she went into the other world, things started going a bit downhill for me.

For starters, she most decidedly wants to maintain the flow of the story but takes really drastic measures with no consideration for the times she's in to achieve what she desires. For a fanatic of Austen as the character is claimed to be, one would expect her to be aware of the ways in which things were dealt with in the time period of Austen's heroines. But nay! She acts brash and spunky and in her decided fashion of doing things, ends up complicating things more than they ought to be complicated.

For starters, why would she snog Bingley when she so righteously has taken it upon herself to actually bring him and Jane together? And then claim to be a lesbian to get away from him! I am sure there must have been another simpler way in which she could have achieved that and not alienate herself from half the population of the book. Any person with a grain of common sense would realize that the very act of being in a place where you aren't supposed to be alters that time and space. Ah... I guess I'm nit picking too much into the play now!

But there were good points as well. The characters of Austen's world for example. I am impressed with the way the story explores the unsaid assumptions that Austen left to her readers to ponder over. Wickham was one such character that I'm impressed with. Oh, and Mr. Collins. If I'd disliked him in the books, I positively loathe the one Lost in Austen portrays. Ugh... spending a lifetime in a monastery would be infinitely better than being married to that specimen! And it broke my heart to see his presence in the plot for more than what he merited in the books! And Darcy! Darling wonderful silly Darcy! I believe Elliot Cowan has done a wonderful job of usurping Collin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen to covet the title of my favorite portrayal of Darcy. Sigh... Too bad Amanda Price ends up looking like a swooning fan-girl everytime Darcy does something romantic. Yes, I understand resisting that man is futile. But, girl! One need not wear their hearts on their sleeves!

But all that said and done, I should say I enjoyed watching Lost in Austen for most of its duration and if you're a die hard Austen fan, you'd do well to pick this one up on rental. And for those who're hopeless romantics (or closet romantics like me), you could invest in a purchase as Mr.Darcy's passionate proclamations of love could melt frozen chocolate half a mile away!

Jane in love... In love with Jane!

2011-10-13T20:15:00.000+05:30

As my previous post illustrated, right now, I am immersing myself in the world of Jane Austen. I've been doing almost nothing (other than Japanese classes and other household chores) but reading about this wonderful lady and the world as she must've perceived it. My mother is reading Pride and Prejudice right now and I am only hoping that she finds the book as magical as I did. In the midst of my queries regarding the lady, I managed to stumble upon a really interesting article about speculations about Ms. Austen's love life. For a lady who wrote such enchanting and believable romances that never bordered on the perverse but rather charmed the populace with the fluid gentleness and chastity that's lost on the world these days, one is made to wonder as to where her inspirations must have come from.

Picture © The Republic of Pemberly

And I believe I have something very interesting to share! Apparently the lady did have a gentleman at heart. Now, before people go jumping at me saying that they've known of it all along and there's even a movie made to that effect - Becoming Jane, let me clarify myself. The movie seems to take a few things for granted like the fact that Tom and Jane never eloped and maybe Tom wasn't as flirtatious as Mr. McAvoy portrayed it to perfection! (I somehow wish everyone gets someone like the Thomas Lefroy that James McAvoy played!)

But that aside, the article gives an insight into how Austen must have dealt with the romance that never could happen. This article also shows insights into what might have happened. I should say, my respect for the lady has gone up in multitudes when I realize that she was a person who seemed to have a subtle wit even when her world was unraveling around her. And it also takes away some of the "joy" I must feel when I read her works because, well... she probably was living her wishes through her characters and that is such a sad thing to happen to anyone!

It makes me wonder if we would have these wonderful creations had her lot been a happier one. But then again, would I prefer her happy? Can I, without an ounce of selfishness, declare that I would rather see her married to the man she loved than become the immortal legend that she became in reality? I don't know.

Ah... Sadness.... such a beautiful emotion. I wonder if life would be half as beautiful without this feeling of a huge lump in our throats!

Pride... Prejudice... and Sensibilities!

2011-10-12T10:17:00.001+05:30

I have finally managed to read the Complete and Unabridged version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. And I should say, I've been floored! Absolutely overcome! I've read Austen's "abridged" versions but to read the original version was such an eye opener. It gave me an insight into the customs of those times... of the sensibilities that were most appreciated when Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (or people like them) must've walked the earth. And it also - I don't know - kept me enraptured in ways the abridged versions couldn't.

Le Siiiiiiiiiigh!

Ah... I must say I've rekindled the fondness I had for Mr.Darcy after reading the book. No wonder the entire feminine populace goes GAGA over him! Hmmm.... It's such a close competition between him and Colonel Brandon! As for me... well, I cannot choose either of them for none would choose me! Thank goodness for arranged marriages!

Depressing thoughts aside, if you can, do try the unabridged versions of Jane Austen's masterpieces. I'm sure you will not be disappointed! I'm off to get the unabridged version of Sense and Sensibility next! Too bad they didn't have Persuasion!

P.S. Every single time that I tried to type Jane Austen, I inadvertently typed Jap and then corrected myself! (T-T)

Toryanse....Toryanse....

2011-10-11T12:02:00.000+05:30

I'm sure most of us have had that feeling of anxiety and utter desperation as we search for something that eludes our grasp the more we try reaching for it! (Gosh... this sentence sounded awesome in Japanese! T-T)

The other day, I was watching some arbit news channel when the commercials kicked in and voila! They were playing the new (comparatively) advert for the Japanese tourism board. It had a song for background and for lack of another adjective, it sounded divine! I've been hunting that particular song ever since then! It has been months and it feels longer than that since I'd first heard that song. But with only the tune in head and a warbled sense of the words, I couldn't ask my sensei what that song was or of its origins. And so, yesterday, having conveniently forgotten about that song or the sleepless nights it had given me, I was at my grandpa's house, watching anime and practicing kanji when in the anime that I was watching, the same song started to sound! It was almost like someone had opened the floodgates of my memories and I just positively HAD to find out the name of the song.

And so, I launched my search with the name of the anime - Shangri La. I knew the episode number and searched in vain to spot some forum thread that spoke of this particularly interesting piece of music interwoven into the story. But not many were interested in that minor detail and almost everyone wanted to express their approval on how good the anime was progressing! But then, there was one entry where the person asked if anyone knew what the music that played from the very scene I was interested in, was! They also gave out the info that the traffic signals in Fukuoka play this one when the pedestrians have the green light to cross! That was quite the lead I was hoping to find! Another search on traffic lights in Japan showed me pages upon pages with info on how the Japanese played music so that visually challenged pedestrians could safely cross the roads knowing that it was green when the music was played! And without a doubt, the most favoured music was the one I was searching for!

It's called "Tō ryan se" (Please let me pass) and is apparently a very famous rhyme from antiquated times in Japan. For the full song, click here!

Apparently, in ancient times, there was a lot of poverty and people had a lot of children. Sometimes parents found it extremely difficult to rear all of their progeny at one go and would choose to abandon their children at Shinto shrines where they hoped that the shrine would take them in and give them a living. But since children are thought to be the children of the Kami (Gods) until the age of seven, they couldn't be abandoned until then... doing so was a very heinous crime! Now, mothers found a way around this whereby they would take their children to the Shrines and would lie to the Public officers that they wish to go into the shrine to buy an amulet (ofuda) for her child who has completed seven years of age. They did this because the officer would not let her pass otherwise. But once inside, she leaves the child there and returns alone.

Moral of the story: To go somewhere without problems does not mean one can get back just as easily!

There's another legend that says that due to high infant mortality rates in Ancient Japan, this song celebrates a child having crossed seven years of life without problems! This song is also fashioned into a childrens' game. And it has become quite famous as a Warabe uta which literally means "young child song".

To listen to the song, click here!

Aaaaaah.... it feels so good when one finds what one searches for!

I got to help!!!!

2011-10-09T19:50:00.001+05:30

Today, there was a test at the Japanese center and listening practice! N4 Kikitori is so much tougher than what we had for N5. The people who speak in those clips just keep going and going! Most of us had to say "Mou ichi dou!" which means "One more time!" to Shimizu-sensei and she, being the epitome of patience and goodness indulged us by playing a few of the clips for three or more number of times! Seriously... she must be one of those really nice people who're actually undercover angels! :D

And I also got to help sensei with a few Malayalam translation works. Not much, actually... but I felt so good being helpful to her for once! :)

And I'll be more than happy helping her again and more so in the future! :)

I am Azu-nyan! :3

2011-10-08T11:26:00.000+05:30

I was getting a little bogged up with the preparations for my Japanese test what with random Kanji popping up and me conjugating verbs in the middle of my dreams, I think I truly deserve a slight distraction! And so, just for the heck of it, I took the "Which character in K-On! are you?" quiz! I was secretly hoping I'd get Yui or Ritsu because I'm more like them! But... surprise! After answering all the questions honestly, I got..... *cue drumrolls*

I got Azu-nyan! :3

That was unexpected! But I guess it does make sense in a way... And I think she has the cutest name ever! Azu-nyaaaaaaaaaan! :3

So, do you guys watch K-On!? Who's your favorite character?

For the love of all things holy!

2011-10-07T10:48:00.001+05:30

What does one do with people who say they're going to give you some really important information that you don't want to begin with and insist you check your mail, putting emphasis on your need to go through whatever they give you and then suddenly, you realize they're not that very interested in the whole thing themselves.... especially after you make time for their pursuits and then turn around to see them standing there... a few miles behind, yelling "IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE! I JUST CHUCKED THE IDEA!"

Let me tell you, that's the single most irritating thing ever! First, they go on and on about how what they have in mind will make it big for everyone around and then weedle you into agreeing to whatever it is that they want you do when you would like nothing better than to run for your life and sanity! And then, when you actually convince yourself mentally that maybe it wouldn't be that bad helping them out, they just leave you there... hanging on... without a word of explanation as to why they're backing out.

Why do they do that? Whyyyyyyyyyyyy?!!!!!!

Memories of a happy day!

2011-10-06T20:31:00.002+05:30

Today, we had a blast at the Japanese school! Shimizu-sensei had invited me and a couple of other students for the Vijayadashami Celebrations. There was a lot of press and not to mention photos! We had the Consul from the Consulate General of Japan, Kayako Furukawa. We also had Tetsuo Suzuki from Kubota Agricultural Machinery and Noboru Kato accompanying her.

By the time the new class was inaugurated, we were ready for the webconference with Japanese students and Professors from Iwate Prefectural University! It was unlike anything I'd ever done before! I got to talk to them in Japanese and they got to talk in English! It was funny... I kept answering their questions in Japanese while they answered ours in English. And they were all such wonderful people! :)

And Sensei has promised to lend me more movies and I'm really looking forward to seeing more Ozu and naruse movies in the year to come! :) Awwww... now I wish I didn't have to move out of Chennai! I'm gonna miss this city so much! And the wonderful people here... So... very.... much! :)

Swarna-saaaaaaaaan! Arigatou!

2011-10-04T11:21:00.001+05:30

I've an all important test coming up in my Japanese class and though I've been studiously preparing for it, I'm that type of person who tends to forget everything at the right moment and end up staring in despair at the crack in the wall at the exam hall! And so, for the sake of not embarrassing myself in front of the people who think that I am really interested in Japanese (and that's a fact!), I'm putting in extra effort this time! And for every single person out there who's ever doubted my resolve in Japanese or has thought of this vocation as something bereft of monetary advantage, this would be a wonderful chance to get back at them and show them that I'm truly happy doing this!

But... as though the fates were testing me, I was sitting with the mails that my sensei gave us when I had an idea to clear the sent folder. Now, the tech savvy amidst you might already be having the "LOL" face but for the sake of the others, I'll describe what happened next! I didn't think that when I deleted messages that were my replies to emails, it would send the entire conversation with the original mail into the bellies of a horrid Black hole where it's shredded into indecipherable 1s and 0s! And the moment I saw those messages vanish from my Japanese folder in Gmail, I felt like the entire world was coming to an end. There are other resources out there and I'm sure my sensei must've sourced it from somewhere out there in the Interwebs himself. But still... I cannot bring myself to ask him again! It was my own fault for not saving them beforehand. And so, when I'd lost all hope of ever seeing those precise and condensed resources with pearls of knowledge scattered for me to partake, I have my darling friend Swarna-san call me!

It was almost like the gods were feeling sorry for me and had sent me a saviour! And after hear me incoherently blabber and rant about the missing resources, she has promised to mail me her copies! Isn't she the best?! :)

ｽﾜﾙﾅ-さん,本当に有難うございました!

Dilly Dally Shilly Shally

2011-10-03T11:30:00.000+05:30

There's more to life than just those serious thoughts of a career. There's more to a smile than the next salary on its way. There's definitely more to an act of learning than to just trying to make money out of it.

I guess we've lost true meaning to all of what really matters for the few grimy bills and coins that the ones above throw for whatever we do. We've slowly become the true harlots that we warn our children about.

Late Spring and me

2011-10-02T23:04:00.001+05:30

I'm one happy camper today! Absolutely happy. Today, in Japanese class, we watched Yasujiro Ozu's (晩春Banshun or Late Spring. And to be honest, I'm moved... I'm more than moved... I'm happy... sad... invigorated... and a plethora of other emotions that I can't begin to express.

I'd heard of the ethereal beauty of Setsuko Hara. But it wasn't until I'd seen her in the movie that I realized what they actually meant. She's the sort of woman for whom the world could yearn and yet never hope to attain. She smiled as she expressed her disdain... in a way that made one feel as though she were teasing. And when she's sad, her face changes like a full moon behind the clouds. If we could have one actress like her, I swear cinema would take on an entirely new meaning!
Ah... I wish I could explain poignantly what transpired between the story and I! It was almost like for three hours, I was a silent spectator in the middle of the lives of a doting daughter and her kindly father... the little quirks... the tears that flowed... the friends that came and left... it all seemed so real! And sometimes, I wished I'd remained in that world forever!

Even after class was over, I still could not bring myself out of the movie. And I cannot thank my sensei enough for what he's done for us today. By showing us this movie, he has given us something to cherish for the rest of our lives. And hopefully, I'll get to see Banshun somewhere else at another time... And for everybody who hasn't seen the movie, please do go see it. You will not be disappointed!

And in other news, after Japanese class, Mom took me for some impromptu shopping where I got a few tops and a pair of jeans aaaaaaand.... the most beautiful wallet ever! It's purple and has Sakura blossoms printed on it. And it's sooooooo roooomy! It has a gazillion compartments but everything folds right away to form the cutest wallet in the world. Right now, I'm googling wallets and scoffing at everything I see because my wallet is so much cuter and prettier!

Of copycats and.... copycats!

2011-10-01T10:00:00.002+05:30

My mom had gone out for a movie with her office friends yesterday and it was some Tamil movie that had released on that day. First day... not quite the first show! My mother had wanted to see this particular movie for quite some time. As a matter of fact, it had two of her favorite artists in it. Since I was battling a butt ugly stye in my eye and dad had some really pressing matters to attend to, she decided to go on her own. And when she got home after the movie, I automatically assumed the movie wasn't that great. Because, if something impresses my mother, she gushes about it to me the moment we meet and well, she was just being normal.

So, when I asked her about the movie, she shrugged... "It's inspired by Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train." She deadpanned.

And that was all that took to have comprehension dawn on me. There it was... another over-hyped movie that's so heavily inspired by some other older one. My sensei the other day had promised that he would treat us to some really awesome Japanese movies by stalwarts like Ozu Yasujiro, Kurosawa Akira and Naruse Mikio. And when we asked him where he got these movies, he smiled and told us of his source who happened to be a guy from Bangalore who in turn sourced it from Taiwan. Apparently, that man's primary clientele happened to be really famous movie directors of the south. We all laughed though deep down in our hearts, we knew it.

To tell the truth;I feel insulted in a way. Sometimes the fact that it was taken, plot for plot from somewhere else is so blatant that it makes me wonder if the film maker is making fun of our intelligence... as though they're of the thought that unless the original was tempered to suit the Indian palette, it shall not see. Hello! Sure, there are folks who might find watching an English or foreign movie to be quite taxing. There are more people out there than those willing to accept that sometimes, they find even accented English hard to follow. And though I find it disconcerting to have these copies being marketed as something that's really wonderful, I've no problem with directors and writers trying their hands on adapting a foreign movie... see... I said adapting...not copying! And for anything to be adapted for something else, it is only right that the person give credit to the original idea.

And to all those idiots and jerk faces who are still in denial, worshiping their respective artists on a pedestal, GET A LIFE! Your hero or director is famous mostly because he decided to spend two hundred rupees on a CD that he thought would look good when it's improvised. And he's still making money, taking somebody's work, mutilating it in all probability and then regurgitating that mutilation with a heady number of songs and fights (something I just don't get!). While he gets richer and more rotund with all the joys money brings him, it is cinema that suffers.

And don't even get me started about the music industry! The day some d***ead decides to steal some composition by Yuki Kajiura, there'll be blood, I swear!

On how the gold makes me see RED!

2011-09-30T19:30:00.001+05:30

The other day, I was on Facebook when I saw some random mallu lady bedecked with an overload of jewellery in traditional Malyalee attire.

She was wearing so many necklaces that upon closer inspection, seemed stitched on. I've heard of affluent families having their bride wear as many jewels as humanly possible and have the other sets sewed onto the saree and have her look like she raided some elephant's hideout and wore the gaudy thingy mahouts put over their elephant's forehead to make them look grand.Refer to the piccie for further illustrations!

Looks good on the Pachyderm ,not on a human.

So, really...they have it and they flaunt it. What's the big friggin' problem, you ask? Seriously? I've no issues if people want to flaunt their entire bank lockers on their big day. I mean, come on! It's your day. You're getting hitched and you've all the right to look like an idiot if that's what you want! But just because someone sent their daughter away with enough gold that could be used to feed the whole of the starving children in Africa, does not mean I have to wear that when I get married.

HURR... DERP!!!!!111RAGE1

And I'm on the verge of losing my sanity when I hear the n-th dickhead ask how much gold I'll be given away with. Suck on this, asshole! I am a person. And as a person, I don't think my evaluation should be done based on how much Au my parents can provide for me. I mean, suuuure... I can almost hear those people bristle up in defence as they say the Gold's for my security when things get rocky. Really now! So, are you saying that the guy I'm marrying is actually a jerk who's not good at earning a living for his wife? Or that the family I'm getting married into will treat me so badly that I'll have to go my separate way, selling my gold to fill my stomach? Or are you inherently a douchebag?

I'm a person who's of the belief that wealth is not to be flaunted. Sure, your opinions are yours and mine are mine. But since this blog is mine, deal with it! Not all the gold in the world can equal to a single loving person . And if you're obtuse enough to know that and live by it, you deserve to be anally raped by a rabid Grizzly Bear.

P.S. I'm aware my recent post have been...er... a little on the brazen side. But whatever!

The author is fuming right now. Please insert custom title here!

2011-09-30T12:01:00.004+05:30

There's been quite a lot of activity around these days. Most of those folks around seem to think that I'm learning Japanese for the LULZ and nothing more.

When will people be kind enough to actually stop opinionating about things they've no idea about?

I mean, sure. I've not an inkling of what some of you do with your lives but to just randomly go about and demean something that I really know is dear to you would make me a Douchebag of sorts, wouldn't it?

It's weird how people take offense really easily when someone demeans their hobbies, career, hair style, choice of deoderant and whathaveyou! But the very same people don't think for a moment before they shoot their mouths about other people's interests and passions.

And like they say,

災いは口より来る
(Wazawai wa kuchi yori kitaru) - The words that leave our mouths cause great harm.

And seriously though... for everybody that I know who seems to think that I'm wasting my time with Japanese, I've just two words -

Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen!

Ugh... the dumb.... it hurts!

2011-09-27T17:15:00.001+05:30

Dad and I are having quite the argument right now! Before people think we're not in talking terms, let me get this straight. We're as conversational as ever and aren't angry at each other but there's been an issue that requires immediate attention and somehow, the way he is planning on going about it is unfortunately..well... dumb!

Imagine that you have a video file that is 3GB in size. And you're required to transfer it to a relative of yours who lives on the other side of the world. Now, my dad seems to think it's best if we were to divide the files into chunks of data that are 25 MB in size and then send it as individual mails. And what about the fact that the person receiving it might not actually enjoy getting the file in so many chunks? Well, he wants me to number them all up so that the when the person there receives all the files, they can join 'em back together and view what one can only hope is the original video without any sort of mishap that might've occurred during the splitting or the transferring part.

I understand Dad is trying to be helpful. But he just doesn't seem to understand that what he's asking me to do is probably the most impractical way of transferring a file. If I had my way, I'd probably fed-ex the darned DVD to the person and if that's not viable, probably store it in Rapidshare or Megaupload and mail them the link! But Dad doesn't seem too privy to that idea for the reason that he doesn't know of these sites. Oy vey!

Men in general seem so dumb these days! Why oh God?! WHYYYYYYYYYYY?!

Aaaaargh!

2011-09-24T11:10:00.001+05:30

It's not everyday that when you wake up, you feel sick enough to find a shotgun and end the suffering with just a pull of the trigger! I was feeling that way this morning. Thanks to a late night movie and the unpredictable weather, I suspect I might have caught a cold or worse... a throat infection. This is horrible. Now, I cannot comment on the stupidity I see around me and can't sing along with Keiko Kubota when she croons Houseki in my iPod!

Ugh... and just for the record, my Dad is a hypocrite. When we were heading out to the movie, he complained about how people did not have the patience to wait for the lights to turn green. And then, when we were heading back, he shot a red light just because it was late and nobody was coming in the other roads! Seriously... does it matter? A rule is a rule and breaking it whether anybody is watching it or not does not make a difference! I've lost hope on Humanity in general today. Indian roads will be infested with idiots and surprisingly, my dad is one of them... ashamed to admit it... but that's the truth.

Gossamer keepsakes of yesterday

2011-09-23T17:22:00.002+05:30

Today, I slept... I slept like a baby! And as I did, I left all my worries behind... wrapped in gossamer bundles, embellished with pretty ribbons with the hues of the rainbows. And yet, a few, I carry with myself. A keepsake from yesterday. Have they not warned us enough of forgetting our past? And in those treasured bundles of the figments of bygone times, I hold all those moments that were almost perfect. As I grow old, maybe these bundles shall be the treasures that might hold me together.

Keepsakes from yesterday...

The Exorcist... and my views on Evil.

2011-09-21T20:54:00.002+05:30

Disclaimer: This post does not condone to any sort of religion in particular and are based entirely on my views. I express my deepest apologies in advance if this post hurts anyone reading it.

I saw The Exorcist yesterday. It's touted to be one of the scariest movies of all times! And well, since I've always been game for a scary movie, I decided to watch it alone. Unfortunately, I found that the movie did not scare me as much as I'd expected it to. It all comes down to the person watching it, I suppose. As an Advaitin, I follow the principles that there is no absolute Good or Evil and that if something exists, it's because we perceive it. I've has so many friends who've tried to get me to fear the Evil One and have also gone as far as saying I'm an idolater. I have no issues with people having their own version of Good and Evil. But when someone decides to push their views onto me, that's when I really get wild.

Abrahmic religions have such a wealth of wisdom that there are times when I find no wonder in believing that the world's most practiced religion happens to be one derived from the same source. But then, there are times when I wonder why people of a particular religion would have to torment followers of another just for the sake of proving them wrong? I'm talking about centuries of torment, stigma and hatred that people of the Church had for anyone who did not follow them. I really doubt if the Inquisitors of the Dark Ages are really in Heaven at this moment. But then again, according to me, there is no Heaven and Hell... just complete realization of the Truth. Maybe this is why I find it extremely difficult to have Horror movies affect me too much. Sure, I get the inital chills and then I have my spiritual Guru (Swami Vivekanada) kick me in the rear and warn me that there is no absolute evil and all of it is subjective, and then I smile.

The second thing that got to me is the fact that how the Church had taken it upon themselves to demonize almost any deity that stood as an opposition to their progress! Coming to think of it, Ishtal, Baal, Ra, Kali and numerous other gods who were portrayed as deceivers. But to give the early church it's due, the Christians were also pretty much persecuted by the Jews and the Roman Empire, so it could all have been done in the mode of revenge. Though I understand their emotions of wanting others to see how wrong they are, it would've helped them to actually try seeing things from the other's point of view. Oh well, that's water under the bridge now, isn't it?

Anyway, if one were to ask me, I'd say people were a lot close minded in the Dark ages and it's sad that their lack of understanding (or their blatant refusal to try) has painted many philosophies with the dark taint of Evil. If only they could've understood that everything leads to the same destination and that everyone was getting there in their own way...

P.S. I found the demon's name Pazuzu from the Exorcist too funny to be scared... poor dude, if he were in India, he'd be teased like there's no tomorrow. For, you see, pazuzu rhymes with kakkoozu. And Kakkoozu means... well... google it out, why don't you? :) Oh, and Pazuzu was once again an Assyrian deity who was later "demonized".

Power Plants and Protests

2011-09-21T19:10:00.001+05:30

There's been a lot of hullabaloo about a proposed Nuclear Power Plant in Koodamkulam. The project has been under construction for quite some time now (more than a decade ago!). But recently, thanks to the Fukushima incident in Japan and the erstwhile Chernobyl. I cannot deny the fact that a Nuclear disaster is a really horrible thing to happen and if one were to happen, it could do a lot of damage!

But this particular protest smells very fishy. For one, the protesters did not protest when the project was initiated a decade ago. And contrary to popular belief, an investment of these proportions (U.S.$ 3.5 billion) is not just carried out on a whim. The people who protest are citing Chernobyl and Fukushima. Sure, they are horrible reminders of what happens when Human negligence happens or when Nature decides to take the upper hand. But that's hardly a reason to stop work there. The fishermen around the area claim that the effluents from the power plant would contaminate fishes and the ilk and reduce their livelihood in the area. Fair enough... only that they knew the power plant was coming up so long ago. And if they had a problem with it, they should've brought it up way earlier. And saying that a Nuclear Power Plant is a disaster waiting to happen is almost similar to saying "Putting on a light switch would kill you!" There are adversities everywhere and when one sees the advantage of greener energy and better power distribution, it almost seems silly to think of stopping Nuclear power plants for some person's unfounded stigma about it. Do they think that a project of these proportions would be implemented without proper research and safety precautions?

I suspect that this entire protest has a political tinge to it. And if that is true, it's sad. Being a science student, I know how much of an advantage having a Nuclear Power Plant would be. Then again, there were folks who thought switching on the LHC would bring about the end of the world! Oy vey, it's a sad time for science, folks!

Someday... you just wait!

2011-09-19T07:44:00.002+05:30

Condescension... that's one of the worst things a person could throw at another person. And right now, I'm having this ugly little critter thrown at me left right and center!

Right now, I'm being condescended by people who I'd hoped would never in my wildest dreams would and so, it's a little disconcerting. But I'm holding my ground! Oh yeah! They can be all high and mighty and treat me like I'm nothing! They can just assume that I have it easy. They can do whatever the goddamned hell they want and I just am not bothered about it.

So... if I'm not bothered about it, why the post, you wonder? Good question.

Because, in the heart of hearts, I am a little. I find condescension something that's extremely insulting and demeaning. And so, cannot stand it at all. But rather than feel little or depressed, I tend to scoff at the condesender and give them the symbolic "finger".

P.S. I can't cook well and all that's fine! But if anybody is expecting a "kitchen slave", they're going to be in for a nasty surprise, aren't they? >=)

JLPT N4! Here I coooooooome!!

2011-09-18T08:24:00.001+05:30

♬Today is the day! Oh yeah.... Today is the day! Today I'll have my way. Oh yeah! Today is the daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!♬

Ahem...As most of us on this side of the planet struggle to get our peepers open so early on a Sunday morn, I'm full of beaming energy! Today, I submit my JLPT N4 application form! There's another reason why I'm so super-cali-fragalistic so early in the morning! Yesterday in class, I was actually able to understand the Kanji and the context of the story more easily than most in class. It could be because I knew the story of Urashima Tarou beforehand but still... I feel elated that maybe I am not as hopeless in this new class as I had feared! And, I also realized that the few who were really good (one guy who seems really nice but is a little "show-off"y at times) actually was taking this class for the second time! And yesterday, Swarna-san and I managed to garner some attention towards ourselves in the positive sense! There were enquiries of where we did our N5 (though we mentioned it at the first class itself!) and how long ago we'd started learning! Swarna-san was able to crack N5 with just two months of preparation! Hah! Take that, you people who think we're not good enough in what we learn!

Hmmm.... Shimizu-sensei was so happy for Swarna-san that I still grin like an idiot when I think back at how her eyes shone with pride when she gave her the mark scores! And I seriously cannot let her down! So, henceforth, I am going to become the bushi of Japanese and shall take down anything that stands in my way of complete Japanese mastery! :D

On a completely disconnected note, the folks who're staying as tenants at our place seem to be intent on breaking the doors before they leave! There's this really old man with them and by the gods above! If he weren't old... I swear I would've given him quite the lashing for all the garbage he spews around the house! *sigh* I shalln't spoil the good mood I'm in right now and shall reserve these issues for another post.

Japanese classes and my random ramblings

2011-09-17T22:58:00.002+05:30

Today in Japanese class, for the first time that I can remember, we dealt with an actual story rather than the usual "dialogue" format of sentences. Does this mean we're actually being gauged as capable of handling more than three sentences at one go and not have our head explode? That's a daunting realization to say the least. For I don't believe I'm quite as good as they hope I am.
Anyway, today, we dealt with the story of Urashima Taro and Otohime of Ryuugu castle. For those who're unaware of the story, you can read all about it here! (Though they refer Ryugu as Rin Gin there!)

Now, when Sensei was explaining what Ryugu was, he told us that almost every kid in Japan would catch the drift the moment the name Ryugu was mentioned and that kids in India aren't so when someone tells them of some mythical place from Indian folklore. And it got me thinking... is it because we don't value our traditions and the folklore that comes as a part of it as much as the Japanese do or is it just because there are so many religions around and every religion has a set of folktales and everyone knowing one thing is quite... impossible! Aanyway, it was interesting and I should say that the story caught my fascination so very much! :) And to finally be able to understand the nuances of the language in the form of a story... it's amazing! So very different from the usual fare!

And the strangest thing happened today in class! On my way there, I was wondering what the Japanese word for crow was and I'd made up my mind to look it up once class was over. And then strangely, out of the blue, sensei remarked that the Japanese word for crow was karasu (烏). I might be wrong but it almost seemed like the one thing I was searching for had come up to me. Clearly something beyond human comprehension was at work there... the quantum universe perhaps heard my call for information and supplied it to me? Or maybe there are kami out there who listen to mortals and aid them in ways both little and big. I would never know!

La Tomatina in India? Oy vey to Oh yay!

2011-09-17T12:25:00.002+05:30

Remember when I told you guys they were planning on having the La Tomatina festival in Bangalore?

Well, thank God the government had the sense to ban this atrocity in the name of revelry! The Deccan Herald carries a detailed report on how it happened.

Strangely though, no news of this ban seems to figure in the official webpage of the event and somehow, I feel they might be thinking of going along with it in spite of the ban. I know I hate stereotypes but has the Yuppie culture really gotten to us as well? I sure hope not!

Image Courtesy: Wiki Commons

Major rehaul ahead!

2011-09-16T11:31:00.000+05:30

As a few of you must've noticed, my blog's down to the basics once more. I'm thinking of rehauling the whole thing once more and as with any rehaul, I'm finding more kinks wherever I turn! So, until then, please bear with the ugliness, if any! :D

La Tomatina in Bangalore...what were they thinking?!

2011-09-15T19:06:00.000+05:30

If anybody has even heard of the name "tomatina" before, I'm sure they'll have visions of people drenched in Tomato pulp, throwing the crushed tomatoes at each other by the cartload!

Yes... it's fun. But when you have a festival like that happening in India, where there are so many people out there who die of starvation and a majority of those hapless victims being children, I wonder if anyone can actually throw those vegetables with the same grin as from the brochures they're supplying.

The supporters claim that they're helping farmers when they buy the tomatoes. But if their intentions were to help them, they could do it in another way where the produce that the farmer takes pride in actually satiates some child's hunger than lie discarded on the roads! I understand that watching recent Bollywood flicks has people going gaga over foreign customs but they need to realize that there's a limit to how much one can emulate of what one sees on celluloid!

What's next? Strapping wailing children on ostriches? Having a homeless man fight a beast for the goddamned crowd to jeer? Does an increased earning mean one can do as one pleases? People... when did we lose sanity to the Devil?

If you're one of those who believes this is an atrocious waste of money and not to mention good tomatoes, please spread the message. Sure... it might not be "cool" to dislike this sort of fun but there would be some starving kid out there who'd thank you for your abstinence.

Of Viral posts and the beehives they stir,

2011-09-15T18:26:00.001+05:30

It all started when a friend of mine decided to share a link to a rant about some random person thrashing another person verbally. Well... it was a funny read. But then, I found that the post has gone viral and suddenly, that post alone has comments that've crossed one thousand. There are a few of my friends who seem to think that the post is offensive. Well, there were a lot of stereotype bashing. And I've always been a person who never believed in stereotypes. So, I found the post funny but not exactly the type to have me wetting myself with excitement (I've never had anything that garnered that sort of reaction...ever!).

I'm sure the person who posted the rant probably had someone who fit the stereotype be rude to her and this is probably her way of reacting to it. Well, good for her! But to take that post as a blatant standard for how everybody in a place would behave... that's taking things too far. And that reminds me of my post on why I hate the French language. I should say, that was just my way of reacting to how french was introduced to me. For the record, French might be the best thing after Toasted Bread. So, I'd rather not go there. And thank you to every single person who did not take that rant out of context! :)

Coming back to this issue, sure... I hate a few people. If I had my way, I'd have them commit Seppuku every day! But that does not mean I hate everyone who has a cultural or academic background similar to them. If that's the case, I'd probably have to hate three quarter of the world's population! And that's a lot of hate.

Now, what am I getting to? Well, I'd just like to say that the blogger of that particular rant is probably wondering whatever made that post go viral. And if people found it interesting enough to share, power to them. But one cannot say that it was silly of people to have done so. If that was the case, everything that went viral wouldn't have gone so. Let's take these things with a pinch of salt and a tumbler of good old filter kaapi and let things be!

A little thank you note

2011-09-14T09:22:00.000+05:30

This is a thank you post to my best friends Mrinalini, Vinitha and Harini who'd attended my Betrothal and made it so much special for me! And a special thanks to Pavithra who so desparately wanted to come but couldn't for joyous reasons of being heavily pregnant! Thank you girls! You make me so happy! You know that? :D

And my heartfelt thanks to every single one of my friends who sent their wishes and prayers my way!

Reports of a festive day... and my aching joints!

2011-09-13T10:28:00.002+05:30

I got engaged yesterday. And for all those romantic souls out there who are thinking of the guy being on his knees with a huge diamond ring in his hands asking me to be his wife and me standing there in a flowy gown, feeling all surprised and teary eyed, please wake up!

Things of that sort happen only in movies where I live! It was a full throttle traditional "arranged" engagement. And the guy, bless his soul, wasn't even there! Now I know what you're thinking! How on earth does one get engaged to someone who's not even there? Well, you can! I just did! :D

Aaanyway, it was a tiring affair with me falling at a lot of feet to get the blessings of August Elders and getting fed with sugars and raisin to make sure all things in my life will be "sugary sweet"! And though I enjoyed all of it, right now, I have lost sensation of my feet and my thighs feel like they're always contracted and right now, I walk like a robot with a malfunctioning locomotor wiring!

My hands were bedecked with henna and bangles and my being glowed with the jewellery that was passed down from generation to generation. And in a resplendent saree of varied hues and motifs, I was the princess of the occassion! Or so... I'd like to think! But in reality, I wanted nothing more than to have it all end and go back to my room and remove the jewellery and the ridiculously heavy hairstyle and just lie down and sleep till Eternity was over!

And today, the day after the festivities are all over, I feel like a sack of cut up beets! Ah... I am for once thankful that the wedding is still a year away! I'll have enough time to practice the "Falling at feet" and looking demure acts by that time... I hope! But then again... I'd never been able to act ladylike... even when surrounded by nine yards of silk and gleaming gold! I'll forever be that little tomboyish child who thought it fun to run around the house catching cats and challenging the neighbour's kids for a match of Gilli-danda!

Ah Lord, Take me... NOW!!!!

2011-09-10T18:14:00.001+05:30

I've been observing a lot lately.... A LOT!

Isn't it weird that mostly on Indian roads, the folks with the really expensive cars sometimes behave like they have not an ounce of dura mater up their heads?! I mean, seriously! Here are folks who're rich enough to own a Porche or an Audi. But fey fate! They weren't exactly blessed with a matching common sense to drive these cars on the roads! It's almost like they have an inner voice telling them that if they were "smart" enough to get some really awesome cars, they're smart enough to flout rules and do as they please on roads. When I see people with that sort of mentality, I have this picture in my head!

When will people ever learn?

On another note, if you're getting a weird font for some inexplicable reason when you view certain websites, you might find this discussion useful!

Serif font appears weird!

Rants... nothing more!

2011-09-08T10:30:00.000+05:30

When someone is getting married in your family, it involves so many chores! So many Goddamn cleaning chores!!!!

And I'm absolutely hating the fact that almost everybody in the family is pushing their chores towards me just because I don't run around with the preparations! I mean, come on! They say they need to go somewhere and have me do it or wash half a window and then sit down to watch TV while I have to work their parts as well! This sucks! This sucks so bad that if I had a shotgun right now, I'd be on a random shooting spree! (mostly avoiding all living creatures, :P) Just this morning, I had to hang onto a goddamn window like a goddamn monkey to clean it while my sire so stupidly decided to blow off the cobwebs with the goddamn fan on! Now, I've to clean the whole goddamn room! I did try telling him doing it with a goddamn cloth will be better. But did he listen? NOOOOOOO! I still had to use the goddamn wet cloth anyway so right now, I miffed, royally pissed and wish all the stupid and uttery stubborn people of the world could be whipped within an inch of their lives!

Aaaaaaah.... I feel much better now! :)

P.S. I have no idea who the actual artist behind that image is. But if you know the person, do let me know! Just looking at that image made me calm down! :D

Don't you just hate it?

2011-09-05T11:08:00.001+05:30

Everybody has a list of pet peeves that they can't seem to get along with! These things make people really see red sometimes! And I, being as pervious to those emotions of the Human Psyche as ever, have quite a list of pet peeves!

I absolutely hate it when -

People talk with food in their mouth. I mean, come on! I do not want to see the initial processes of digestion, thank you! So, if you'll just keep your food to yourself and your words afterwards, I shall be eternally indebted to you.
People who don't wait in a line. It's utterly irritating when someone who comes in after you and a gazillion people before you and automatically assumes that it's okay to just go up to the front and get whatever it is they want. This happens so blatantly in India that it's almost an accepted norm these days! I absolutely cannot stand when people just decide to disregard laws when they see fit.
People who're basically hypocritical. Follow what you preach or preach what you follow. And if you can't, just don't bother telling the others around about your double standard idiosyncrasies that we've no use of!
Arrogant know-it-alls. Has it ever occurred to you that when you're in a classroom, there's always this person who just has to answer all the questions? Well, there's absolutely nothing wrong being a know-it-all. I mean, I laud your thirst for knowledge. But it is when they start being all high and mighty about it that it starts to bug me. The one who go as far as flaunting their grads while putting down the less fortunate ones seriously need some help in the department of "Life"!
People who just cut in when you're talking. I am a person who patiently waits for the other person to finish speaking so that I can put my views across. But if I'm cut off abruptly, it can be assured that I shall be seeing the most vivid red in the whole wide world! I've had the misfortune of having to endure this behavior with my own family and I try being civil in pointing it out... but to no vain! They think I'm being impolite. Oy Vey!
People who don't understand a thing about what you go through but still assume they know you well enough to give you shitty advice about it. I've had so many instances when friends and relatives have thronged me with unwanted advice on all topics thinkable! And I generally tend to listen to them with a patient ear even if I don't intend to follow through some of them. But the one thing that gets me all worked up is when some random person decides that they shall take it upon themselves to actually micromanage your life and see to it that you do things as they see fit. This also includes those instances when they put down something you hold closer to your heart even when they don't have a clue about what they're talking about. This, I'm afraid, is one of my worse peeves ever!
People who can't keep up their promises. If I had to choose one peeve that I absolutely cannot change, it would be this! I hate it when people break their word. If only those who can't keep promises were a little apologetic about it, but I hate it when they think it's okay to have broken their word and your trust in them at one go. I hate it when people get all angry when you question them about this behavior of theirs. I ABSOLUTELY HATE IT when someone expects something from you and then promises to do the same but just walk away with nary a word of explanation. People like that are the worst!

Ah.... was that a long enough list? Then again, there are a few other "tiny" things that get me but all of that falls within these points so, it would be redundant expressing them again.

Ai Elbereth Nuin Oiolose!

2011-09-04T12:01:00.000+05:30

Well, ahoy there! As my previous post indicated, my system had finally lost her fight with the demons of Circuit board malice inspite of a valiant fight.

Thank goodness for External Harddrives! But too bad that most of my program setup files were in the internal one and right now, I'm using a borrowed one from the PC repair guy. And well... I can't install random porgrams that I might find useful.

This sucks... and to make matters worse, my Japanese N4 level classes are being a little trying on the cerebrum! My new sensei is a really nice person. But I can't say the same for the other people who've come to learn there. There's one guy who seems to be hellbent on disproving everything the sensei says and well... it's a little irritating at times. Ah... what I wouldn't do to have my old class back... Madhumitha-sensei and the three pupils who treated each other with respect and didn't scorn others and always had a smile for the others.

There was an affinity before that was almost spontaneous from our first class that seems to be missing here... almost like Swarna-san and I are looked upon with a tinge of suspicion. Or maybe I'm just being paranoid here. I'm hoping that's the case!

Right now, I don't like what's happening around me much. I can't seem to find what's annoying me so much but I just wish I could be done with everybody around and crawl into a cave and practice Kanji till I feel better! :D

P.S. The next person who belittles the fact that learning Japanese is not very easy will be promptly kicked and thrown to rabid Nyan-kitties!

Thank you, RevolverOfTheLoom, for this wonderful piece of illustration - it proves my point here! :D

I'm alive! But my computer? Barely!

2011-08-27T09:51:00.000+05:30

Hello there! I hope I was missed! :) Well, I feel like a secret agent living on borrowed time as I sit in front of my dying system, trying to get the message out before the timer runs out! The problem is, I don't know when it will! Oy vey! My system's SMPS (Switched mode power supply) has broken down and thanks to the ridiculous importance that piece of hardware has in the grand scale of things, I'm finding that most of the circuitry in my computer has either died or is dying. This means that I am in for a major re-haul! I don't think I shall be getting a new system as I won't be around in these parts of the world for too long. And moreover, a new system wouldn't be the same.... So, Iris stays! :)

Ah, I see the lights flashing here! I've very little time left! Please do pray for my computer.... and for the numerous animals that are homeless in this monsoon.... and for those affected by the hurricane, and... well.... for the whole wide world! :P

Ciao.... for now!

Dearly Beloved,

2011-08-14T15:18:00.000+05:30

I'm sorry...

For being that investment that just did not work out...

For not earning my own bread... and for not being capable of getting that jewellery I don't need but must wear because people will speak ill of you.

For not being the wonderful person you thought you deserved...

For thinking for a moment that you were happy with what I was... for not being what you wished I were...

For being a burden that you wish you could send off in style...

For actually thinking you gave a damn when in the end you confided in me yet, I find myself unable to.

For being the pathetic, weird, silly, stupid ingrate that you accuse me of being.... for being me.

I truly am... Sorry.

Hmmmmm moments

2011-08-13T18:31:00.000+05:30

Today, amidst the numerous blogs that I surfed, I noticed the darnedest thing! There are quite a lot of blogs out there which are really good and seem to capture the heart of the blogger so innately. The style of writing employed is almost excellent and yet, they seem more like pretty bowers nobody visits! And this got me thinking.... how important is getting noticed for writing? I mean, in case you're trying to actually make a career out of it, you might as well leave the blog behind and start writing a book or a play! And if you need to make money and yet continue to have a blog doing it, you might as well try writing about a particular aspect of the world. But seriously... should we really get worried about lack of patronage for blogs? Does it mean that a blog's not good if it does not have comments?

My personal opinion? I don't know if I speak for all bloggers out there or just for myself, but I feel that one should write for oneself. And yes, some external encouragement is always a welcome thing. But ultimately, one should not write for the reviews! And don't worry.... if you don't get comments, it does not mean your blog is bad. It just means you're being too anxious about it!

Twinkle Twinkle...er....not quite little star! :)

2011-08-12T21:48:00.001+05:30

Check out this wonderful poem on the old nursery rhyme "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"! I so shamelessly nicked it from the Wikipedia!

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
I know exactly what you are

Opaque ball of hot dense gas
Million times our planet's mass
Looking small because you're far
I know exactly what you are

Fusing atoms in your core
Hydrogen, helium, carbon and more
With such power you shine far
Twinkle twinkle little star

Classed by their spectroscopy
Oh, Be A Fine Girl Kiss Me
Bright when close and faint when far
I know exactly what you are

Smallest ones burn cool and slow
Still too hot to visit, though
Red stars dominate by far
Twinkle twinkle little star

Largest ones are hot and blue
Supernova when they're through
Then black hole or neutron star
I know exactly what you are

Our Sun's average as stars go
Formed 5 billion years ago
Halfway through its life so far
Twinkle twinkle little star

Forming from collapsing clouds
Cold and dusty gas enshrouds
Spinning, heating protostar
I know exactly what you are

Often forming multiply
Clusters bound by gravity
Open type or globular
Twinkle twinkle little star

So, How is it? I only wish I knew who the original author of this poem is! I swear, I'd hug the person and gift him a rubber mallet! :D

Shh.... I'm hunting Fonts!

2011-08-11T20:44:00.000+05:30

For anyone out there who's still reading my drabbles, I'd like to inform that I'm not kicking dirt nor am I pushing up daisies of any hue!

For those who're wondering what in the name of God's bunny rabbit slippers I was up to,

TA DAAAAA!!!!

I've been hunting all sorts of fonts! I don't know why.... but just that I seem to have developed an Obsessive Compulsive behavior of sorts that compels me to download every single good looking font that I see! And there are so many good fonts out there! :) But fey fate! There are a few that aren't free! Oh.... the pain of not being capable of getting those fonts.... *sniffle*

Aaaanyway, I'm thinking of doing one collage a week where I use one of these numerous fonts that I have and showing it to you! This way, I get to let my mind run free! And who knows... we might be onto something here! SOMETHING BIG!!!! (>__<)

On how I lost control and found it again!

2011-07-26T12:54:00.000+05:30

Why is it that when something has the probability of going awry, it does most of the time? And why is it that these things happen when you're least expecting them?

Yesterday, I was busy reading my Japanese vocabulary words and practicing my Kanji when I absolutely had to find the kanji one used in the word "Omawari-san". I didn't find it in my dictionary and so, decided to hit the internet. And you know what happens when we go online, looking for some specific piece of information... I'm a person who has the attention span of a housefly! And so, one thing led to another and soon, I was downloading opensource fonts!

That's when my mother decided to call me. I only remember turning around in my swiveling chair and then a loud CRASH! My computer table's protrusile desk-ette lay on the floor and my mouse and keyboard seemed to have taken to bungee jumping!

My mom had the sagacity to ask me if I was okay. And that was when my eyes fell on the shiny thing on the floor beside me... Keyboard keys... worn away with years of typing to a brilliant sheen. They seemed like tiny damsels in distress. I believe this was when I screamed. And my mom seemed to think I must've amputated a finger in the accident. She rushed to where I was, kneeling on the floor, scouring it for any other keys that I might've missed.

I heard her ask me once more, what the matter was when I shouted,

"I lost my Control! Help me find it, mommy!" She stood there, staring at me thinking I'd finally lost my noggins when I gave another cry and held out the retrieved item for her to see.

"I got back my control! The gosh darned key went missing! Imagine trying to cut, copy or paste without the control key, amma!"

I distinctly remember her glaring at me and then pick up the pillow. But everything beyond that... is a very hazy blur.

So... why do things go awry all the time?

My wishlist of jewellery!

2011-07-25T22:12:00.001+05:30

Despite the fact that I cannot distinguish an NC from an NW (They're skin tones apparantly... don't ask me, I'm stumped!), and not being capable of applying the basic foundation or concealer without ending up looking like a yurei from Ju-On, Aaaaand despite the fact that I am not the greatest fan of bubblegum pink (I run in the opposite direction whenever I encounter this colour!), I do love cute things... and if that makes me a girly-girl, so be it!

I was just going through the internet, unmindful of where my browser took me (my browser is overrighteous and shall never stray from the path of goodness... or so I hope!), when I chanced upon one of the most beautiful pieces of jewellery every crafted!

Now, I'm a real sucker for hand crafted jewellery and though I hardly have the monetary means to pay for these babies, I would love to buy them one day... when I can afford them. It sucks to be stuck with little money... especially when your materialistic dreams are not that very avaricious! I mean, I don't ask for gold or diamonds! Why can't I afford to buy something this cute once in a while? And why do the brands at my place overcharge just because they have an air-conditioned store in a posh mall?! Not fair...

Aanyway, just to let the entire world know what I love, I'm posting pictures of the jewellery I was drooling over a while ago. And for the makers of the jewels, I'm giving you guys some free advertising! Can't you spare me a piece? :P And for all the others who can afford to buy them and wear it for everyone to see, darn you!!!!!! Ah... have fun.

The first one is from Enchanted Leaves. I've always had a thing for Autumn! And somehow, the name Enchanted Leaves reminds me so much of burnished foliage and the general magic that surrounds that time of the year. Unfortunately, we don't have autumn where I come from. It's Summer all through the year with muggy rains in between. Ah, one of my life's dreams is to be in the midst of the maple and oak trees when their leaves turn!

Site: www.enchantedleaves.com

I found their website to be incredibly awesome! Like I said, everything seemed so autumn-y. And since it's one of my favorite seasons (the other being winter), I was instantly hooked! Aaaanway, all pictures below are from the enchanted leaves website and clicking on any of them will direct you there! :)

A cute little acorn that'll brighten your day!

I've a thing for Seahorses!

Like I said, I've a thing for Seahorses!

And feathers... pretty feathers!

And leaves!

wings... mothwings! Who doesn't love these whimsical things!

And lastly, this is from Etsy. I'm definitely not the only one who goes through the shops drooling over the very pretty and cute things they have there! And how can I not have one featuring one of my all time favorite creatures? The Dolphin! I love these wonderful beings from the bottom of my hearts! It is also said that dolphins bring good luck to travellers... I mean, how can they not? What with their sweet dispositions and the ever present earnestness to help? Bless their doplhiny souls!

This beautiful necklace is from AgHalo.

It's a DOLPHIN! I LOVE DOLPHINS!

There you have it folks! My love for all things jewellery! :D Now, if only grooms in India and their parents accepted brides decked with such jewellery! Oh well... wishful thinking!

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with any of the sites listed above and these are just my personal opinions. I am not being paid to write about them.

And thus I sign my mails!

2011-07-25T16:56:00.000+05:30

It seems like the "save the environment" movement has finally got the people's attention here where I stay. They're making a move to ban all plastic bags. I say, it's about time someone did that! And the next best thing would be to utilize recycled paper for printing newspapers and for government funded textbooks! Oh, and using recycled rubber and aluminium for road construction. Oh, if only they choose to do so, there are so many ways one can make a difference!

And I, in my own little way am doing my bit. Sure, I don't use plastic bags when shopping and I also make sure to send all my plastics and papers (those that can be saved) to be recycled. And then I decided, if there was a way in which a teeny tiny message was conveyed to everybody I corresponded with, it would be great, ne?

And thus was born, my new mail signature!

You guys can use it for your mail signatures as well. If you like what you see, do donate whatever you feel like donating to your local NGO or Animal Shelter! To have been a cause for your good deed is more than enough for me! Oh, and also do let me know in comments! :D

If anybody likes these kind of things and would like more, let me know... I'm thinking of creating banners, buttons and things of that ilk soon enough. Some inspiration is always welcome!

A new Favicon!

2011-07-23T12:43:00.002+05:30

Yep! I guess nobody noticed but I've changed my favicon. That's the usual icon that comes before a webpage's name on the address tab or on the top of the browser... you know what I mean! :P It was about time my blog got it's own favicon! I mean, the old one from blogger seemed so drab and did not distinguish my blog from the million others on the site! Now, every time you see that cute little toaster in a backdrop of black, you'll know Kikyo's close by, typing posts away in a frenzy! :D

Where's the love?

2011-07-23T12:17:00.001+05:30

Nope... this isn't an article about some love lorn teenager or about some PMSing lady blasting her ex. This is about an incident that happened a few days back and it set me thinking.... a lot!

It was raining here and the two kids from upstairs were at my place, wanting to play. Now, I was busy with some work and asked thme to play between themselves till I could join them for a game of Uno. As it happened, they went their separate ways and the younger one went outside and played in the rain while the elder one stayed with me and kept asking me questions about what I was doing. As we were talking, the younger one drops in fully wet and wanting to play. I had her march back to her mom and dry herself, lest she catch a cold. I was just returning back to my work when the elder one remarked,

"Why do you trouble yourself so much, let her catch a cold! Who cares?"
The tone was casual and bordered on spiteful.

And I asked her in return,"I'm concerned. That's why. Aren't you?"
And pat came the reply, "No. I don't care."

As I tried to regain composure over my shock, I asked her, "Don't you love her? She's your sister, isn't she?"
The eyes went cold as she replied, "Nope. I just play with her. Other than that, I don't love her."

I decided not to carry on with the topic and changed it to lighter veins. But I could not stop thinking about the incident.

Sibling Rivalry, much?

I'm an only child, so the dynamics of a sibling relationship are altogether alien to me. But then again, I've had cousins who're just as close as real sisters and we do love each other and care for each other. What is it that caused that child to be so vehement in her proclamation about her indifference bordering on hatred for her younger sister? Is it sibling rivalry? Does she feel threatened that everybody seems to dote upon her younger sister and that leaves her to do desperate (read nasty) things to get the spotlight back on her? Is she feeling lonely?

I wish I could ask her these questions. But I don't know if she'll open up. Maybe there is no problem at all and I'm just over sensitizing the issue. This is when having a sibling would've helped! I have no personal experience to actually give an opinion. A single word to their parents might have them looking at me with scorn. I mean, they would take it in the sense that I'm trying to teach them parenting! Not a good idea! Ah... I hope age mellows her down and makes her wiser!

Aid for Ariel.... in my little way!

2011-07-22T10:51:00.000+05:30

I'm in desperate need here! I am broke.... I've mostly been. But right now, I seem to feel my inability to do a few things like never before! And so, I'm doing the next best thing possible!

As many of you might or might not know, there lives a lion in brazil who goes by the name of Ariel. And he is in desperate need of Funds. What would a lion do with money, you ask? Well, Ariel has a rare autoimmune disease that paralyzed his hind legs. And so, he depends on humans for survival. And as if this wasn't bad enough, his monthly medical expenses leave his caretakers dizzy with anxiety. I wish I could donate. But right now, I'm not exactly in the monetary freedom to do so. This is why I'm spreading the word. And well, I'm not even sure how many people actually visit my blog! But something is better than nothing, right?

Visit this site and if you can donate, please do. And if you can't, spread the word! :)

Help the Lion

Whatever little we can, we should!

Harry.... just doesn't seem to age!

2011-07-21T20:53:00.000+05:30

I finally managed to see the latest Harry Potter film in 3D. If only they could make these glasses lighter! By the time the movie was over, I was sporting a headache so huge, it felt like Voldemort was tap dancing inside with all his Death Eaters!

And what's with everybody looking the same 19 years later?! I mean, come on! It is so difficult adjusting to the fact that they're old... and actually.... OLDER THAN I AM when only a moment ago, they were 17! ARGH.... It's just not natural! But my mom was actually glad they retained the younger actors with a few prosthetic double chins and wrinkles because it would apparantly be confusing with difference actors! That's where a good screenplay comes into picture... isn't it?

Aaaanyway, when I was watching the 36 year old Harry and his similarly aged friends, I couldn't help but think of small kids putting on their parent's clothes just because they feel it's cool... it's cute but something's definitely off. Something like this -

I should take up Illustrating, don't you think so? :P

My observations of the day

2011-07-20T17:28:00.001+05:30

Yesterday, we had two kids at our place. They're sisters and stay on the first floor as our tenants. For as long as I could remember, I was always told that the elder sibling always is very considerate and nice while the younger one is more pampered and hence is a little difficult. But you know what? I think that's pure bollocks!

The elder one was very pushy, tried to boss her sister around, got on my nerves, being extremely spoilt and twisted her words around just to get away with bad behavior. And surprisingly, the younger one was sweeter, kinder and always seemed to think of her sister when asked if she wanted something to eat or do something fun; a trait that was absent in the elder one, who always tried to isolate her younger sister from games or other activities. This just goes out to prove that being kind is not circumstantial. It comes from within irrespective of what the circumstances are. You could be rich or poor, pampered or abused, but to be kind or not to be does not depend on these things.

One of my dictums

And so, if you're one of those people who's nice out of choice, power to you! :D

On Why I Hate the French Language

2011-07-19T12:39:00.000+05:30

Firstly, let me tender an unconditional apology to any person who might be offended by this post. And might I also add that these are my personal views... they aren't meant to showcase any trend or spread any sort of animosity between the people of the world.

Ah... Now that, that's out of the way, let me continue with the post on

I've been an avid learner of the foreign tongues and let me assure my darling readers that I find learning a country's language is surefire way of getting to know the way that country's people think. And having said that, you can ask me what is it about the French language that I hate so much. I shall explain.

This might sound weird and even irrational to many of you out there. But it's just that any person who's even distinctly connected with that language, that I know has turned out to be an a**hole of gargantuan proportions.

I had a friend from school who shared similar interests with me in Anime and Japanese. And well, we got along well. Then, I noticed that she was quite the dominatrix and did not brook any challenge to her superiority. Now, I've always been the renowned pacifist among my friends and put up with this person for somewhere close to five years. In those five years, I defended her idiosyncrasies, her misplaced ideals of self-worth, her haughtiness towards me whom she thought of as a vassal, her tantrums, and her French.

It all started when, after we left for college, she decided to take up French. Now, I was surely excited when I got to know of this from her and was even thinking of learning the language myself. And thanks to the interest in Anime, we'd enrolled for Japanese classes as well. Now, don't get me wrong. If I were to meet any of you, I'd introduce myself in English and only when I know that the person who's talking to me is proficient in Japanese will I switch to Japanese. Most of my friends ask me to speak something in Japanese when they come to know that I know the language. But with her, that was not the case! I was bombarded with so much French and snootiness that within a week of Japanese classes, I was sporting a migraine and a general viciousness towards most things French. In the end, I stood up for myself and she moved on to other minions whom she could terrorize. That was the first time when I encountered French.... and well, it left a very very bad taste in my mouth!

The next case has to do with another friend of mine who took it as a sort of personal mission to teach me French. That involved having hourly revisions of declensions and pronouns and not to mention, construction of simple sentences. The fact that both of us were working at the time and this meant I couldn't concentrate much on my work didn't seem to make a dent on my friend's enthusiasm. He gabbled on and on in french and his lessons were always laced with anecdotes of how his super-rich girlfriend had gotten him a flying saucer and how she had fifteen different cars to choose for her daily ride. This also meant that I had to put up with his incessant drabbling about how rich she was and how rich he was and how they didn't need to slog hard for money to go around.

As it turned out, he was kicked out of the company for nonperformance (How do you say, "I saw that coming!" in French?). Aaaaand, almost everything he told us turned out to be a lie. He'd been spreading discord amidst a few people in the office and since I seemed like the closest friend he had (how did that happen?!), they were a little wary of me as well! But then, they realized I wasn't wily enough to harm a gnat let alone spread rumours and act bitchy. Even now, the jerk tries to call me and I'm dreading if he might just want to continue the French lessons! Eurgh!

The third case happens to be of a milder sense. And strictly speaking, this is the only case where I might be a little prejudiced. But what the heck! This is in relation to a friend of mine who's currently working in France. And though I actually have nothing against the bloke, sometimes the way he talks and the way things go, it makes me wonder if he even wants me around as a friend anymore. And the fact that this "rift" happened after he moved to France might just be a coincidence! Or he might have become one of those afflicted Parisians who're notorious for looking down on tourists and anybody who's not similar to them to such an extent that there's actually a psychological disorder named after their city!^[1] If it's the latter, well... all I can say is, peace out!

Pssssst....

I jest you not when I say they have a psychological disorder named after Paris! Google "Parisian Syndrome" if you don't believe me!
And does all of this seem harsh? Are you French and feel insulted? Please don't! I did not say I hate the people... just the language. I'm sure there are many out there who'd kill Sanskrit if they could! :D

It ends here!

2011-07-18T23:20:00.000+05:30

Today, I have been completely disillusioned! And I'm thankful it happened now! Seriously... it's never too late to get away from someone who's just trying to use you for their own selfish ends, right? Well, I deliberated if I should actually write about this episode... you know, considering it involved another entity other than me. But maybe... just maybe through this post, there might be hope for others who might be ensnared by this vicious beast that I had the misfortune of being acquainted with!

For those still in the dark as to what I'm talking about, it's about the cosmetics industry. I should accept. I've never actually been too much of a cosmetics addict. As a matter of fact, I still don't know what the difference between a foundation and a panstick is. I don't know why one should spend a fortune on some silly brand that is overhyped and goshdarned overpriced!

But even then... recently, thanks to a gazillion of my friends getting married and getting all prepared for that with make up shopping and what not, my interest was piqued. But even that rudimentary interest has waned away to disgust and disbelief after reading this Blog - Beauty and the Bullshit

I've known the cosmetics industry actually didn't give a rodent's hiney about the real women out there (irrespective of what they claim) and all they're after is money... but I never knew they'd stoop this low! And to think that they pay reviewers for good reviews with freebies or paid vacations, my disgust level has just hit a record low.

So henceforth, I am not giving a damn about cosmetics. I'm sure I'll survive. And if and when I want something desperately (read: threatened to purchase a lipstick, with a cattle prod while suspended above a vat of boiling oil), I shall go for some brand that is not in the list comprising of "companies" that are so despicable in what they do that I shalln't despoil any language in the world by calling them names (except perhaps French.... that's a lost case, anyway!).

And an itty bitty plea, do spread the word and have everyone you know how these "people" are taking consumers for idiots! Seriously... the nerve of those people!

She gives little... but she gives all she has...

2011-07-18T11:14:00.000+05:30

How often do we gnash our teeth and throw sand over our foreheads claiming that love has departed from this world and that nobody actually gives a damn what happens to his fellow being? These days, people find it extremely difficult being magnanimous and kind to the ones from the same species. So, it is only imaginable how extremely hard it is for someone to be kind to something supposed as trivial as a dog or a cat! WRONG!

I was going through the morning paper when something caught my eye. It was the story of a seventy year old lady from Ambattur who was finding it extremely difficult to make ends meet but still went out in the sweltering weather to feed stray animals near her place and another place where she used to live before. She had a broken marriage but instead of just hating the world for it, she decided to love... unconditionally... completely!

It was heart-wrenching reading her tale when she said that when the biscuits for the dogs got over, she'd give them her food, stating she could live on water for days but she couldn't bear seeing the strays go without food.

It's amazing how the truly great at heart can give so little but they give everything they have. And truly, God lives on in people like her. I should be thankful for having had the opportunity to come across this dame and her work. And if there's anyone from Thiruvanmiyur who's reading this and has a house for rent, wouldn't you consider her for a change? :)

For more on this touching tale, go HERE.

My nails... are being weird and my mom's being weirder!

2011-07-17T10:36:00.002+05:30

Ah fey news, my friends!

It seems like some sort of infection has set in on my little finger nail on my left hand. The nail seems a little detached from the skin and has this weird domed appearance with void between the nail and the skin. And this is halfway from the nail bed. The nail seems to have developed a conscience of its own and is growing at an angle to the rest of the healthy nail. It doesn't hurt much. But at times, there's a sense of tingling and numbness that sets in and is discomforting at most. I had reasonably long nails (read one centimeter) and I've cut it short, thanks to it snagging random stuff and driving me insane with pain and causing me to break stuff! Ah... how hard I'd worked to get those nails... and how pretty my fingers looked! Now they just look like shorn lambs.... cute... but not quite there!

If anybody knows what one can do to alleviate this awful malady, do write in!

In other news, my mom's threatened to write a suicide note implicating me of ruining her life if I were to develop pimples and end up crashing the wedding because of it. Really... wow! And now, she wants me to call my in-laws-to-be just for the heck of it. I have no idea what I should be talking to them about and suddenly, having my mom screaming at me for being so detached... it's a tad bit unnerving. What will I talk to them about?! Why can't they call them and then direct the conversation my way which will seem far more convincing. They seem to be those sorts who frown upon pretentious people and me calling them when I have nothing to talk about makes me feel all wannabe. Oy Vey! God help us all!

Selfishness was never a virtue

2011-07-16T11:54:00.000+05:30

DISCLAIMER: I know this post is a bit harsh. But it's about time I did this! And anyone who's going to send me correspondences arguing against my views shall be patiently listened to. I shall be that gracious, worry not!

I read a post on one of the blogs I follow and it dealt with the author's inability to actually stay with a specific group of people. About how nobody was good enough for that person. And it got me thinking... When is something good enough? Why do we have such impossible yardsticks to measure someone's worth?

If I don't like what someone's doing, I tend to not tell them and just grin and bear it. I know it's not a nice thing to do. I know it's much better to actually voice your irritations when someone calls you at two in the morning to ramble on about their ex-flame and their general distorted views of life. And honestly, when all they do is complain, it does tend to wear one's patience to a fine strand.

So, here's to everyone who thought they were misunderstood by the world and actually called someone in the middle of the night to tell the poor half-asleep soul that "arrogance is the only true virtue and to be selfish is the only way to actually get what you want", GROW UP! Arrogance is a vice. It always has been. It always shall be. Just because you inhaled a full cylinder of Helium, it does not make you the surveyor of all that moves and all that doesn't! And the next time you walk away to rant about how people actually don't give a damn and disappoint you because they're all that you thought they were, remember... the line has two ends and more often than not, they moved away because you told them "selfishness was in!" I sure am no communist! But if I found someone who actually celebrated selfishness and was being all haughty just because they believe they've accomplished so much in whatever field they're working on, I'd gently tap their shoulder and point them towards a myriad others who thought the same and are lost in the crown when a few who still held their heads firmly on their shoulders ended up famous and actually doing something worthwhile.

Of Illustrators and Tablets....

2011-07-15T11:43:00.000+05:30

My feelings exactly when I draw!

If you haven't noticed it yet, I'm currently focusing a lot on drawing stick figures and other...erm... illustrations for my posts. I'm quite proud of the fact that I can actually draw coherent images that don't resemble a mammoth's hiney when in reality I intend to draw someone's face!

But all that being said and done, I must also admit that drawing with the mouse is quite the pain in the nether regions! Oh, how I long for a wacom tablet! :) Will there be no one for me who can gift me that? Hmmmmmmmm......? Will this artistic talent be left to rot in the back alleys for the simple fact that she could not afford a tablet? Will there not be a saviour who shall provide the said tablet and release onto the world, a talent so pristine and wonderful that the world shall look at that person like a messiah?!

Okay.... I know that's pushing a bit too far... So... yeah... that's about it!

Of susuwatari and those silly childhood dreams

2011-07-14T10:44:00.002+05:30

How often is it that we realize that in this rat race that we call life, we sometimes lose sight of the things that matter the most? I remember a time when, as a wee sapling, I'd play in my own world filled with imaginary friends. I had one particular friend who had kept me company throughout my childhood and adolescence. She was an awesome, witty and kind person who was like me in appearance. She guided me through moral tangles and had a word of rebuke whenever I did something I ought not to. She and I had fights... we danced together, she was always my sidekick when I was a super hero. And her name... I called her Muse. Why that? I never knew.... somehow, that name personified her.

The other day, I watched Tonari no Totoro and Spirited away for the hundredth time and somehow, this time, I was really attracted to the teeny tiny little soot sprites... the susuwatari... or as the little sisters named them, the Makkuro Kurosuke. After watching the movies, it got me thinking... Isn't it saddening to know that the innocent worlds of our childhood is so abruptly demolished by the "accepted world" of the teens and adults? Back when I was fifteen, it was okay not to have a boyfriend. It was okay to still play with the boys, it was perfectly fine to be a child. But these days, children as young as ten claim to have boyfriends, claim to apply makeup and get dressed the way adults do. And parents, amidst their busy schedule, forget that their children are still... children. They want them to grow up as soon as possible. They want them to be ready for a world that's unforgiving and brutal. And yet, they fail to realize that when they're out there in that cruel world as adults tomorrow, it's only those memories of a carefree childhood that keeps them going.

I should say that I was blessed to be born when I was. I didn't know the internet before I finished school. School reports were meticulously researched and hand written. Wikipedia was unheard of and the only source of information was the old "Tell Me Why" books and the jolly old library. Cell phones were unheard of and reality TV meant the live news. It was a glorious time to be a child. Too bad the kids these days lose that sense of innocence and child-likeness the moment they're seven or so.

What I wouldn't give to go back to those days... those days of wanton bliss when I didn't have to worry about outward pretenses and mortgages... I didn't need to care about dinner and running a family... when I could be me... with my muse and the tiny susuwatari for company.

Indeed they are...

Where's a paper bag when you need one?

2011-07-09T22:51:00.001+05:30

Today, we'd gone to the temple for the monthly prayer customs (vazhipaadu) that we do from our side. And I seriously wished I had a paper bag to wear!

As many would know, arranged marriages these days happen over the internet through a few matrimonial sites. Now, for those who're thinking about sites where men try for easy pickings, these are not dating sites. These sites do the job of the erstwhile broker who matches the girl and the guy based on specifications. The only difference? This broker has really powerful computing speeds and a very exhaustive database and a secured interface. And so, getting married these days isn't exactly as difficult as it was during my parents' times. (yeah right!)

My parents had registered a profile for me with one of these sites and we'd been getting quite a few messages where the boys or their parents expressed interest in my profile and well, most of them had to be rejected because of some or the other criteria not matching - if it wasn't the height, it was the age; if it wasn't the age, it was the horoscope; if it wasn't the horoscope, it was the family and so on...

Thus today, when I saw one of those "rejected" guys standing just a few feet away from me at the temple, you can be rest assured, I did a double take and ran for my life (read: walked fast). It was quite the coincidence, actually. And so, I told my folks about the guy all the while unmindful of a black tee shirt clad guy who was giving me strange looks. After our duties at the temple were done, I turn around to find the same black tee shirt-wala and the other guy I was so earnestly trying to avoid staring at me, talking to another elderly lady, whom I assumed was his mother. This had me so flustered and I half dreaded that they'd come and try talking to me (that's plain paranoid, I know!) that I nearly bumped into another guy. And to make matters worse, I said "Oh gomen nasai!" (in japanese! I never learn!) and then openly hit myself on the head for that, completely forgetting the fact that, that guy was still there, wondering if my cranial screws were missing!

By the time we'd started back for home, I was sorely missing my handy paper bag!

It was soooooo embarrassing! >__<;;;

Minu's getting engaged! Yayness galore!

2011-07-09T11:18:00.000+05:30

My friend is getting engaged tomorrow! Everybody, please pass your best wishes and prayers her way! It's about time she got some happiness in life!
And I prepared a silly little card for her. This is the first time I tried my hand out at stick figures. Believe me... I am NOT a great artist. But it's the thought that counts, right?

Yay you, Minu! :D

On why I am literally scared of the common cold!

2011-07-08T17:57:00.000+05:30

I hate the cold... I absolutely positively hate the common cold. I despise it. The very thought of that vile disease makes me want to make punching bags in the shape of the rhinovirus and beat the crap out of it!

Yesterday, I had the dams of my nasal cavity break and that made me sound more like a blue whale than a person. Dad, being the wonderful conjurer that he is, conjured up a tub of steaming water, some really pretty green capsules and a huge blanket. I'm not sure how many of my darling readers know this fact... but I'm acutely claustrophobic. Put me in a closet and I might just scream and claw myself to insanity. And so, as can be imagined, covering my head with a blanket and taking in the steam wasn't exactly the most appealing prospect for me. And I had been putting it away for as long as I possible could with discretion. But fey fate! My excuses ran out faster than the snot that oozed from my confounded nose and soon, I had Dad stand there with the blanket on his shoulder and his hands on his hips, his foot tapping at the floor with an impatient rhythm.

If being stuck under a blanket, dreading suffocation which could be mere seconds away wasn't enough, my dad had to hold my head in place just to "the steam would effectively clear my nasal passage"! It was almost like he was holding my head underwater! A word of caution to all those who've never tried this method, it makes your gooey thingies crawl out and if you're someone like me who can't stand having anything trickling down your nose, you'll be tempted to go "Ew! Ew! Ew!", don't! It only makes it worse! There is a very great chance that you might end up letting it into your mouth. Ugh.... the very thought of it makes me want to puke!

But to give the heathen practice it's fair share of credit, it did make me feel better and I should say I can actually breathe through my nose now! But if you'd pay me a million bucks to do it again, I'd just scream and run away.... far far away! Oh the Horror!

P.S. When I tried opening up the PNG file of the rhinovirus in Photoshop, it froze..... Like I said, I hate that stupid, rotund, bundle of proteins to Tatooine!

What's so wrong with my salad?!

2011-07-07T11:52:00.001+05:30

It's a sad sad day for me, folks!

As many would be aware of it, I'm on the verge of kissing single-dom goodbye once and for all! And well, culinary lessons seem to be in focus right now. But somehow, nobody at my place wants to taste my cooking! How am I supposed to get better if I don't know how well I am already? Something tells me they're being over cautious! My parents feign headaches and diarrhea to get away from tasting my soups or salads... Everybody who's feigning diseases just to get away from my cooking are such meanies! Something tiny in me just died today..... :(

The weather and women are so much alike.

2011-07-06T09:44:00.000+05:30

The common cold is the vilest disease ever to plague Mankind! The climate at my place right now is exactly like that of a PMSing lady. It's sunny for a while and then, as though the the sudden floodgates of hormonal hell had been unleashed, we have torrential rains. And in the middle of it all, like the poor henpecked husband who can't seem to figure out what hit him, we have.... ME!

And to make matters worse, it feels as though the right side of my face is revolting to be a completely separate entity altogether! It hurts like all the cells there have finally had enough being just the face... it's almost like a revolution! As if that's not enough, the nasal snot is showing some pretty weird properties! The darned thing is really viscous but still free flowing. I've already done a post on that, so for the sake of my own sanity, I shalln't got there again!

To every single soul out there who's traumatized by cold or the weather or PMS-ing wives or girlfriends, Keep your spirits up, folks! That, and pass the broth, if you please! :)

To the "duuuuuuuuuude" over there!

2011-07-04T14:02:00.001+05:30

I watch them as they flit about.... their hands wave in articulation though the ones they speak to shall never see it. I smile as I am wished happiness and express my gratitude as best and honestly as I can. It has been nearly a week now. The fates have decided. And almost everyone around smiles when I daydream. They think I dream of him. How can I tell them that I do not? That my dreams are not fettered to a single person? That not every person who is in my position needs to think of it all the time? That... I have a life?

To that other soul out there who's probably going through the same... or not, I have just this to say,

"Duuuuuuuuuuude! I feel the pain, man!"

Official rant of the day!

2011-07-04T10:38:00.000+05:30

Alright.... All right..... AL&*#(&%RIGHT, DAMN IT!!!!

There's only so much crap any person can take and from the way things are happening around me, I've half the heart (and the entire mind) to perform some serious "Tameshigiri" on a few folks that call themselves my relatives.

For once, after a horrible time of two years, I have some sort of good fortune smiling my way and I don't ask these uncouth specimens to actually sigh dreamily and wish me happiness. But the least they can do is not bitch about it! Why is it that we have so many people smiling at us in what they think is "an understanding empathetic smile" when we have boulders falling from the sky? And why is it that they suddenly turn their noses up and dismiss you like some common arthropod crawling around in their kitchen sink when you tell them something that even remotely resembles "good news"?!

Seriously... Grow the F#*@! UP!

And so..... it happens!

2011-07-02T18:20:00.000+05:30

Well, yesterday was heckling of sorts and today, as I sit in front of the system, yesterday merely a memory, I am happy the way things turned out.

Hmmmm.... Looks like the tale moves to swifter tidings now. Some very interesting days lie ahead for sure and I shall be in the midst of it all... hope to see you there! :)

Oooga Booga Booga! Plaga plaga plagaaaaa!

2011-06-29T12:23:00.006+05:30

Plagiarism.... it's a funny word, ne? I've just witnessed folks biting and clawing each other in a battle of bloggers where one claimed that the other stole things from her blog while the other just didn't bother replying. Hate posts ensued from both ends as things heated up further and I, like the shameless Homo Sapien that I am, sat by the sidelines and watched them sling mud at each other.

Now, my two cents in this whole affair? Well... after careful analysis of both sites in question, Judge Jud- er I mean Judge Kikyo has reached the conclusion that both of them have stolen their ideas from other places.... All of them are makeup blogs and well... let's just name them blog A, blog R and blog K.

Blog R accuses Blog A of plagiarism but funnily, seems to have stolen most of the ideas from an older Blog K. And well, since Blog K hasn't joined the mud-slinging, no comments can be garnered from that point of view. Aaaaanyway, just as a hindsight, the ones who stole things from another definitely needs to reassess the actual benefits for the act. I mean, does it really really make it all worth the effort? Stealing is not an easy thing to do... I mean, it requires so much effort... so much concentration and atleast a half-filled cerebral cortex! *discretely puts away the stolen toilet paper behind her* And so, ahem.... where were we?

Yes... and the ones who got their stuff stolen have all the justified reasons to huff and puff. But I seriously think it would be better if they take action at the first instance rather than give the sly ones all the rope they need and a few extra yards besides.

So, is anyone stealing things from my blog? Hmmmm? Hmmmmm? Hmmmmmmmmmm?

*random crickets chirp* o_O;;

I shouldn't be too worried about that now... I hardly have anyone reading my rants anyway... *mumble grumble* Riiiiight... nobody ever wants to read what a silly weird cooky girl writes, now do they? *sniffle* yes, yes... it's alright. I'm not hurt by the silence! Not at all! T_T I'm used to all this by now... *bawls openly* that's more pathetic than anything~!

*Sigh* and just to make it perfectly clear, the images of Ali are from his makers site where it is encouraged that we use them. :) And the jab about the "toilet paper" was a joke! I do not steal toilet paper! We live in tough times if a simple joke needs to be explained so as to not be misconstrued! Not that I don't trust you, my darling readers... reader.... *sniffle* Let's not go there... Okie?

Disclaimer: The author had injested two cups of extra sugar coffee before writing this post and so was in an extremely volatile "state". All rants and complains shall be cordially listened to. :D Tee hee! And I know the title is a little dumb. Blame it on the sugar, folks! :P

Oh, and I'm playing the Angry birds app that comes with Chrome! Yayness! And I never knew catapulting birds and destroying piggy hideouts could be this much fun!

Lookie! Ali playes Angry birds too!

Oh, and I guess everybody sees that +1 button thingy at the end of the post. Wouldn't it be nice if you were to press it? Hmmmmm? Hmmmmmmm? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Come on, you know you want to! :P

Peace out, people!

The Ten Commandments.....Canine ishtyle!

2011-06-26T17:45:00.000+05:30

I came across this picture when I was just crawling through the Internet a few hours ago. It has to be one of the most touching things ever... and true to the last bit!

Awww... this brings back such memories about Appu and Tsuyoshi... I teared up a little when I found Tsuyoshi's old leash today. Ah... I guess I'll dedicate another post to all her antics that endeared her to everyone into whose life she sauntered into.

Updates! Updates!

2011-06-24T20:51:00.000+05:30

If anybody is wondering if I am alive and well, I am. My house is in the middle of a major makeover. We're dusting, polishing, cleaning, painting, arranging, breaking, beautifying.... the works!

And I seem to have the worst case of Dysmenorrhea! There, I said it! :)

The groom hunting is going pretty well! Apparantly, there're folks who wish to marry even the likes of me! Yay!

The greener side of the fence on a Mobius world... is greener?

2011-06-20T11:00:00.000+05:30

Isn't it weird? You aim for something with all your heart and then suddenly you realize that by some cruel twist of fate, you can never get it. And then as though to add further sleepless nights to your pathetic life, you realize those around you with whom you shared equal footing managed to get it. Everybody is happy and you're happy for them. But sometimes, in the dead of the night, you lie awake wondering if you truly are all that! And in some cynical rite, the entire world around you goads your misogynist ego.

Then, you see them suffer... The thing you aspired for wasn't all that great. You see them lament and spew ash around in despair as they cry out in agony. They wonder why they wanted it in the first place. They wonder if they had committed a mistake taking this up. They look at you and your simple preoccupations and the green scaly beast claws their innards. And as you sit in your little world of uncomplicated pleasures, you wonder if not getting it was that bad.

Like they say, "The grass is greener on the other side of the fence." But in a world whose topology is closest to the Mobius strip, is it really greener? Or more importantly, is it really the other side?

Purettsu ahn ahn... Hey ahn ahn! :D

2011-06-19T14:22:00.000+05:30

I should hand it out to the Japanese. They can come up with some really weird but oddly addictive adverts. Check this out!

I'll buy you dinner and give you ten bucks over that if you can figure out the pun in this video! The hint's in the title of this post! :P LOL... awesome!

Yessir! Yessir! A refrigirator full!

2011-06-19T13:55:00.000+05:30

Happy day! Happy day! I went grocery shopping at Nuts 'n' Spices and managed to get all the sauces that I love in Subway! And sooooooooo, right now, at my place, I have -

Mayonnaise! Well... we always have mayo here but still, yay!
Barbecue sauce! Yay again!
Vinaigrette! This was such a lucky break... I wasn't even looking for salad dressings today but this baby just wanted to come home with me!
TERIYAKI SAUCE!!!!!!!! Yes! I have it finally! So there! I'm doing the happy dance here. :)
Italian Seasoning! I've been wanting this for the longest time and just recently managed to procure it.
Lychee juice! I love Lychee... Absolutely love lychee! If I get enough arable land, I'd plant the entire place with Lychee! I'd sleep in a bed of lychee if I could! That's how much I love lychee!

So, thank you to every single one of you who'd sent positive vibes my way to aid me in the quest for the elusive sauces and salad dressings! And another big thankies to everyone of you who thought of places in Chennai where I'd get these and were about to let me know after their Sunday brunch! :D I still love you guys!

Hmmmm.... now comes the task of finding room in my 冷蔵庫 for all these babies! :D

I need help!

2011-06-18T18:43:00.000+05:30

I saw a friend of mine throw an apple at another guy just to have it sliced in midair with a Katana! A Katana!!!! Can you believe it?! *sigh* Ah well...maybe there shall come a day when I will be honoured with a katana...*dreams away*

On a pleasanter note without the tinges of green, I absolutely love dining in Subway! I am aware not many that I know actually like that restaurant but I don't know... I love it there. Especially the one closest to my house. the staff there are really nice and sweet! And they serve the best subs in Chennai.

I don't mind whichever sub it is, I love adding those sauces to the sandwiches! Mayonnaise, teriyaki sauce, barbecue sauce and vinaigrette! All my Subway sandwiches have an illegal amount of teriyaki sauce... that and Vinaigrette! And Barbecue sauce! Ah... heavenly!
Speaking of which, does anyone here know where one can get Teriyaki sauce in Chennai? I absolutely love Teriyaki sauce!

P.S. Those who say Subway shall be escorted to the Gorilla Cage and shall have to endure countless Tameshigiri! BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!

I'm going to paint! :D

2011-06-13T19:47:00.000+05:30

It has finally been decided! We'll be repainting the prayer room. And if anyone's ever seen a Hindu Prayer room, you'll know that most of the walls tend to blacken thanks to the camphor and the diyas (oil lamps) that one lights up.Right now, our pooja room(prayer room) looks like someone had tried arson there!

It took some cajoling from my end to get my folks to agree to do the repainting without calling any of the professional painter folks! I mean, it's a teeny tiny room and if we can't even do that, it would be a saddening fact brought to light that we can't be self-reliant!

So, starting from tomorrow, Dad and I will be repainting the room. And I already have some ideas regarding the project! Yay! I'm going to be allowed to get messy paint all over me for once!

P.S. Mom actually let me have ice cream for breakfast today! Did I just die and go to heaven?

Arbit thoughts about an arbit event

2011-06-11T16:44:00.000+05:30

In countries like mine, arranged marriages are the norm. It involves the parents hunting for that perfect bride or groom for their children and having a match that's based on so many different parameters. The horoscopes, the caste, the religion, the lifestyles... the list is next to endless! And when one finds all these parameters matching to a certain extent, (a perfect match is a hypothetical phenomenon!) the prospective bride and groom talk to each other. Now, there is the question of compatibility. Does the girl go on and on about her favorite saas-bahu serial? Or does he talk about work and very little outside work? The proposals are dropped then and there. And then, if the two people find that there is a very good chance of them being capable of cohabiting a room without boring the other person to death, they move on to the next step which looks like a business negotiation. Sure, there are quite a few families that don't expect anything from the girl's side and vice versa but there are an equal number of other folks who put their demands out into the open with not an ounce of compunction. Sometimes the talks stop then and there and sometimes, the negotiations are made and the marriage materializes on middle ground.

And after all this is over, the engagement happens. This is like an unwritten deal between the two parties signalling that the boy and the girl are reserved for one another and they can now talk freely and work out the kinks if any. Sometimes the engagement is the day before the wedding and sometimes it is a year before the wedding. And the girl and the boy are expected to get to know each other by then (read: the girl must memorize all of the boy's likes and dislikes!).

And then the marriage happens and the girl and boy are left alone to do what they will with their lives together. the grownups will interfere only in the gravest of cases (though the mother-in-law is more than happy to decide everything for the couple... she knows best!).

In the midst of this pandemonium, the girl and the boy are sometimes (more often than not), overwhelmed by it all. I'm in a way happy that arranged marriages these days involve more of the ones getting married than from my parents' times. But still... it is so overwhelming. If the guy is someone employed in some other country, then the girl needs to adjust and adapt to the new place immediately!

Then again, if all of this is so troublesome, why do so many people choose to get married? Why don't they just choose someone for themselves and then bring in the family at a later stage? The answer is quite simple. Irrespective of how advanced we might pride ourselves to be, there remains one corner in every one of our hearts that yearns to hold onto the frayed strands of a yesteryear age. One where everybody had a say... one where we were all one big family. One where selflessness was a virtue that wasn't just preached. And we know, in our wisest moments, that those were some good old times!

Who I am is not exactly who I should be... apparantly!

2011-06-09T19:51:00.000+05:30

Forget the adage of ages old that professed the virtue of being true to yourself. Forget the sincere yearning to be accepted for what you are. It is all about showing the world what the world wants to see. Oh, you just saved a dying puppy and gave it a fresh leash at life? Isn't that just commendable? NOT! That means you're going to be dabbling in the mud with flea-ridden mongrels. Did you just smile at someone who happens to be working at your place and offered a kind word or two? Dear me! You haven't the slightest inkling on how the rungs of respectable society are fashioned!

And if you're on the verge of getting married, this applies especially to you! You do not want to be seen in unfavourable light in front of the family of the groom who is looking for the epitome of grace and finesse in their prospective bride!

Ai Elbereth.... what I wouldn't do to just let my hair down and have things be the way they are... I am what I am. I rescue mangy mutts from the road. I don't give a damn how much my "maid" earns and I couldn't care a rat's fart if I were to be seen hugging her or giving her a friendly word or two. And yes, I detest calling her by her name. She is my mother's age and that means she deserves equal respect! Can't handle all this? I suggest you indulge your locomotory organs in an exercise that shall take you the farthest from me! And Adieu to you too!

On how my test went and how I suddenly feel the urge to throttle somebody!

2011-06-08T19:50:00.000+05:30

My JLPT models went pretty well. I managed to score a 85.6% score and apparantly, that's pretty good.But seriously... I am aiming for a score above 95%. This is because, if I cannot manage a strict score above 90% at least in all my JLPT lower levels, I can just forget about taking it further! It is bound to get harder!

Oh people of Japan! How on earth do you guys manage with the grammar and the Kanji?! Then again, I learnt Sanskrit and compared to that, Japanese Grammar is pretty simple. Ah well... A long way to go still! I need to study hard!

And don't you just hate it when people reply to your long mails in a single word?! Seriously... What's the matter with folks?! Seriously, sometimes I wish I could march up to them and shake them by the collar and ask them what the problem is! Ah, more details in later posts! :)

Yikes!

2011-06-08T08:24:00.002+05:30

JLPT Model tests are happening today! And me? I haven't studied a thing! This is going to be very interesting indeed! :(