now that was unexpected :D ...

It's an established fact that my gang is made up of, with all due respect, absolute 'namunas' (ppl who are one of a kind for all the wrong reasons) . one such 'namuna' (or rather 'namuni'. let's call her G), gave me yet another reason to laugh today. so here we are at the bus-stop waiting to go home after a strike has been called in college . A guy (probably G's classmate), walks upto her and begs her, and all of us, to lend him 2 rupees each for some silly reason. Little miss G empties the contents of her purse in an attempt to fish out 2 rupees....bus tickets, a paper, then a few more papers, and anything other than money....The guy's expression changes from radiant hope to disappointment to downright pity, and he actually ends up giving HER 2 rupees!! we think he's joking, and try to return the coin, but he quips : " vecho di. ninte kaaryam entethilum kashtama" ("keep it. you need it more than i do").
G : ???!!!
now this is why i love G. with her, life's like a sitcom :D

Foolish dreamer, you want to escape
you want to skip through the pages
without ever reading them
You watch life from the stands
cheer, clap and analyze the game
but refuse to play, for you might lose
You live a lie everyday
building moats around your heart
waiting for someone to break them down
but no one can
You laugh with your gang
all the while wondering
if they're laughing with you or at you
but you wouldn't dare find out
You live in an illusion where
everything is perfect,
your mistakes can be wished away
and you can be never be hurt
Foolish dreamer, you walk blindfolded
wake up and taste life
don't wait for the sunshine
learn to dance in the rain....

'caste' away

Now that the whole OBC reservation in higher education issue has surfaced again, I thought I’d post a few related funny forwards that did the rounds last year when the issue first sprung up.(u guessed it - I’m bored and I couldn’t think of anything else to write about) Here’s the first one –

“Read the following Story ....and then the modern version

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MODERN VERSION...

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.

BBC, CNN, EURO-NEWS, NDTV, FOX NEWS show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.

The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house.
Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticizes the Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper.

The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the grasshopper.

Opposition MP's stage a walkout. Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh" in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.

Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act [POTAGA]", with effect from the beginning of the winter.

The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Bush Government and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony covered by BBC,CNN, AAJ TAK and NDTV.

Arundhati Roy calls it "a triumph of justice".
Koffi Annan invites the grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly...
Yes... You Got It Right...
Some call it RESERVATION n some call it QUOTA! ”

The next one’s a series of jokes about Arjun Singh, the HRD minister who spearheaded the whole reservation thing:-

WHAT IS AN ARJUN SINGH SALE ?
Ans 49.5% off.

WHICH IS ARJUN SINGH'S FAVOURITE CITY ?
Ans Kota

WHY DOESN'T ARJUN SINGH HAVE TOO MANY FRIENDS?
Ans Because he's 'reserved' by nature ..

WHY DID ARJUN SINGH LEARN ARABIC?
Ans So that he could read 'backwards'.


ARJUN SINGH WAS MADE THE LAW MINISTER. HE ZAPPED
EVERYONE BY CREATING ANOTHER SUPREME COURT. HE
CALLED IT THE SUPREME TRIBUNAL. WHAT WAS HIS LOGIC?
Ans For every SC, there should be an ST ..

IF ARJUN SINGH WERE TO MAKE A CAREER IN FILMS, WHICH
JOB WOULD HE OPT FOR?
Ans choosing the caste

IF ARJUN SINGH OWNED A MOVIE THEATER, WHAT WOULD
THE BALCONY BE CALLED?
Ans Backward class


IF ARJUN SINGH WERE A HISTORIAN, HOW WOULD HE DIVIDE
TIME?
Ans AD, BC & OBC.

try and try again, till you give up....

Today put an end to several months of me complaining about getting stuck with engineering, while I thought that medicine is where my true calling lay. Why?....coz today I gave my All India Pre-medical entrance exam, this being my second attempt at it, and no doubt, my last attempt at anything related 2 medicine.

Needless to say, my ‘preparations’ for it started only a week ago (and that too b’coz mom kept nagging me). Having had no touch with biology for a year, my head spun on seeing the book. I read just one chapter, before concluding that the dustbin was probably where the book rightfully belonged. For physics, I was counting purely on whatever I’ve been taught so far in engineering. And chemistry, well, that was left to god….

On waking up today, I found that my mom was more worked up abt the test than I was. Poor mom! So many expectations…whereas I - I couldn’t care less, coz I knew writing the test was pointless….anyway, I said a little prayer (for the first time in several months) (Nope, not for doing the exam well, but so that I wouldn’t meet anyone I knew), and with the air of going on a picnic, set off for the exam centre….The next thing I know is I’m getting the paper. All the rest is a blur. The very first question in biology stumped me, and so did the next and the next....there were so many blank bubbles on the answer sheet, I was tempted to make some good design with all of them (but damn the negative marking system!!)….I also vividly remember wanting to tear the paper into tiny little pieces, but then I thought, “what if by some bizarre turn of events, I actually do get through this exam?”...and that inspiration kept me going. When it came to physics, it was a case of ‘so close yet so far’…these equations and stuff were taught ever so recently in engineering, yet my head was blank. And chemistry – well, I don’t even wanna talk abt it...When the time was up, everyone, including me, was beaming, but for different reasons – the others bcoz they found the paper fairly easy, and I because I cud finally get out of the dingy classroom.

If ever I get thro this exam, I swear I will pray twice a day. I know that my friends who’ve been encouraging me to write the exam will thrash me when they read this, but what can I say?- I’m incorrigible :-D. To wrap up - what has this experience has taught me...?.... ‘engineering may not so bad after all’ :-D

tale of two cities

After several unsuccessful attempts at pseudo-skeptic comical writing in my blog, I’ve decided to take a stab at something more personal and honest – my first experiences in the city of trivandrum.

Having been born and brought up in Mumbai, coming down to trivandrum was a unique experience; if not scary. It’s ironic that despite being a keralite by origin, I felt like an absolute stranger. The differences were visible right from the time I touched down in this city. The lush greenery lining both sides of the road, and the clean air were so alien to me. In Mumbai, this would be seen as a luxury...hehe...
The very next day after I arrived, I learnt that a strike had been called for. I exclaimed “wow” to the surprise of my aunt at whose place I was staying. I soon learnt that, unlike mumbai, where strikes were a rare delight (when I say “delight”, I mean only for students), it was a way of life here. Considering how many holidays that would mean, I was pretty sure I was loving the place already…[:D]...However, the terribly humid weather made me change my mind. I had no idea my body was actually capable of producing so much sweat! Phew! Thankfully, I quickly got used to it.

The differences that were a bit more difficult to adapt to, were the differences in culture and pace of trivandrum and mumbai. The language, the people, the places were so intimidating. Fitting in didn’t seem too easy. In the beginning, I used to have nightmares about my new classmates secluding me, and jeering at me as “the Bombay-girl”. First of all, I barely knew any Malayalam (I know; shame on me…:D). I almost got a heart-attack when I realized that students used pretty much only Malayalam even inside school (so much for “English medium” school …). Initially, my sentences were a weird mix of English, Hindi and what I hoped was Malayalam. And it was impossible for me to take the bus (the bus destinations being written in Malayalam). Fortunately though, I didn’t actually have to study Malayalam as a subject because I came here in 8^th std, and 3^rd language is not in the curriculum after 7^th. Anyway, thanks to the classmates I once was terrified of (imagine that!), I was able to slowly learn the nuances of the language. Now I’ve even begun to swear in Malayalam :-D.

Something I really liked about the place was the teachers; their friendliness and approachability (a far cry from how it used to be in Mumbai). However, because of having seen teachers as a group that needed to be respected and kept at a distance for so many years, I was never really able to learn the art of “soap-idal” (maska maarna / flattering), (which I find is somewhat necessary in college…)

But one thing that annoyed me about trivandrum initially was the fact that the city goes dead by 9pm; no shops; hardly any vehicles on the road. And on top of that, everything is closed on Sunday ( aaarrrghhh…). For a last-minute person like me who got used to buying stuff for assignments etc only in the 11^th hour, it was kinda a little frustrating at first. But 5 years here, and I think I’ve got the hang of doing everything well in advance (well ok maybe not exactly "well in advance” , but u get the point, right?)

Then there were the diwali celebrations that were conspicuous by their absence. Though a few people here do burst a few crackers, it’s a long way from the 3-week vacation and the festival food and lighting that I was able to enjoy living in mumbai. But then again, that is made up for by onam here, which though subdued in nature, has its very own charm and beauty.

Then, ofcourse, the houses...while the apartment style of living in mumbai allows better interaction between people, the secluded villa style here, according to me, sorta builds up invisible walls between people as well (no...i mean it symbolically).

Anyway, despite all the differences, I’ve loved the life I’ve had here - the friends I got, my first crush(s), my first taste of college life, and a sense of belonging that I never got before.
One thing sadly common between the two places is that the people are a bit lost – mumbaiites lost in a mad rush for money and time, and the trivandrum-dwellers lost in their own insecurities. Due to this, concern for other people is either never expressed or expressed wrongly, couched deep within layers of pride and jealousy. But, I shouldn’t complain. I mean, mumbai has given me my identity, and trivandrum has gifted me the best friends I could ask for. Therefore if someone asked me which city I love more, I would gladly and truthfully say both.

P.S.:- the above article is not meant to hurt anyone’s cultural sentiments. It’s just an honest account of my experiences and my views. I sincerely apologize if anyone has been culturally offended by anything mentioned in the article.

hartal zindabad!!

Mom :” switch off the tv already and go study something. Don’t you have a test tomorrow?”

Kid : “don’t worry ma…some association has declared a bandh tomorrow for some reason. They said so on the news just now”.

Mom : “well then atleast go write the assignment you have to submit on Thursday.”

Kid : “don’t u remember? Some other association had declared a hartal for some other reason on that day….i forget what it was for…oh! Who cares?! As long as there’s a strike…”

Mom sighs; kid goes back to watching tv

In a place like kerala, this sort of stuff isn’t uncommon. No two weeks go by without a hartal or bandh being called for, sometimes for the most unusual reasons. One can’t help but feel that the “god’s own country” tag should be replaced by “the land of hartals”.

Don’t know about the rest of the population, but the students are definitely not complaining. I mean, what better opportunity than a strike, to make up for all the sleep lost in watching tv and chatting late into the night (or viceversa)? What better excuse to further postpone stuff that we’ve been putting off for weeks anyway? And as far as college students are concerned, the additional strikes declared in the college, are an added bonus. (there’s just so much to do- movies, hanging around,etc)

Who cares if the purpose of the strike isn’t achieved anyway? Who cares if public convenience is tossed out of the window? Who cares if the government (or the concerned authority) is too fed up with these strikes to give a damn (can’t blame them really…).
As long as it’s a holiday for us students! Hurray hartals!!

The one and only - House M.D.

“EVERYBODY LIES”

Those familiar with the popular tv series HOUSE M.D. will recognize the above quote as the basic principle on which the central character of the show ie Dr. Gregory House functions on ie – ‘everyone is basically evil’.

The series charts the medical adventures of the highly intellectual, yet annoying, skeptical, almost antisocial doctor, and his team. Though he is a brilliant diagnostician with amazing observational skills and killer logic, capable of solving the most complicated diagnostic puzzles; he is himself emotionally and socially ailing; his crippled leg being the least of his problems.

He possesses absolutely no regard for social norms, and has a killer sense of sarcastic humour. He would do anything to avoid visiting his patients in person even while diagnosing their medical condition. He would rather kill himself than believe in the existence of God and genuine intentions. To quote him – “Isn't it interesting... religious behavior is so close to being crazy that we can't tell them apart.”

The other characters in the series; House’s best(and only) friend, Dr. Wilson, his team members, and his boss Dr. Cuddy, are as much a life of the show as House himself.

The series is a perfect mix of everything – humour(plenty of it), drama, and the medical thrill of solving nearly impossible diagnostic puzzles, all unfolding through the clash of mindsets of the various characters.
All the actors do a great job in portraying their respective characters, especially Hugh Laurie who plays Dr. House.

What’s beautiful about the show is that it portrays people as they are. It does not project any single person as righteous or always correct. Each character in the series is damaged in his/her own way, yet the viewer grows to love each one, especially House, who is as miserable as he is skeptical. HOUSE M.D. makes for a great watch, but it comes with a statutory warning- “not for the weak-hearted, and definitely not for people who can’t tolerate outrageously goofy behaviour”

Musings of an introvert

"oh! she looks exactly like you! But she doesn't talk as much as you do, does she? Maybe you could give her lessons on that" ...... I don't want to remember the number of times i've heard people saying that about me to my mother, and then laughing like they just cracked the joke of the century. While in response, i simply smile mechanically , as if in agreement, what i would really like to do is to jump off a cliff, or better still, push them off one! Now it's true that I'm no extrovert, but that doesn't mean i don't even open my mouth. I'm generally a reserved person, opening up honestly only to my favourite few. But for some reason, people prefer to construe that as shyness and in most cases, snobbery. Oh! come on... Just because i don't hold a record for the number of words spoken per hour, it neither means that i have a superiority complex nor that i'm a timid fool..... so to those self-appointed, self-satisfied judges of mine - LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY!!