Status report for August

- Comparatively (not that anyone complained or noticed, but) a quiet month as far as posting goes. For most part, this was intentional, though it was a busy, eventful month interspersed with a lot of brooding and introspection. September appears to be a busy month at the workfront.

- Recently upon reviewing the visitor stats, I have figured that "is aditya narayan vegetarian", "was idi amin a taurean", "khara biscuit", "clothes folder buy" and "magic geranium" are popular search phrases that result in visitors chancing upon my posts, specifically one where I'd asked why aditya narayan wore shades on the show, that I'd watched the last king of Scotland, presented a khara biscuit recipe, calling for people clothes folder(found out there is a device that helps folds clothes, right- its not a robot that actually does it for you!!!) and which book to find the magic geranium story in. The khara biscuit and the Magic Geranium one are probably the only ones that had useful info in them. Its heartening to know that the recipe is much sought for. For the rest, my blog is plain misleading, I must say.

- My good friend S had her surgery and is doing just fine...just another hurdle successfully crossed and plenty of hugs, hope , prayers and wishes to her that there is no more spreading of the cursed disease.

- Its frustrating when you wait for more than a month for some interesting reading material and then finish the new release that you've been waiting for all this while in 48 hrs during the week and then you are back to square one over the weekend- pining for something else all over again. Finished Robin Cook's Critical in a few critical hours.

- Labor day weekend is right around the corner, cant believe its September already! All I see are quiet afternoons, lazy reading, some spur-of-the-moment shopping and plenty of couch time.

Footnote : Some Lucy for the long weekend.

Life support

When a pair of crutches
Decide to play hide and seek
One frail frame
Curses at the cheek

It aint just the body
Immobile and helpless
When good friends are out on a break
The mind is just as spineless
Yes, crippled and weak
Days drag along, weary and bleak.

Annapolis in pictures

Trail mix 1

Ramble
Earlier, when I'd declare I had discontinued the practice of having roommates and live by myself, the variations of questions that'd be directed my way would go :

1. How do you live by yourself? Arent you scared? I feel so scared sleeping alone.

2. What do you do? How do you spend(kill) time?

3. How are you motivated to keep a schedule- like go to gym, cook, clean, groceries. Heck when I am left by myself even for a day, I don't feel like doing anything. I survive on cereal.

Are these just rhetorical questions that warrant no answer/explanation? Sometimes I am sorely tempted to say, yes I have one room with a noose ready- so I can kill myself when the boredom is overwhelming.
These days I casually shrug and say when one has no choice, one sucks it up. And to be quite honest, my days(both during the week and weekend) are so full that I hardly have time at hand to ruminate over what to do with my solitude. But I dont wish to dignify the stupid question with any sort of justification.

But the larger question that looms in the background is firstly why would and how can anyone ask such a question? Secondly can an adult seriously be unable to keep oneself entertained for a few days/weeks/months, specially when one has a job to do? Aren't there married couples whose spouses take them away on travel related trips, sometimes for extended periods of time?

Alright, I don't have any more time to dwell on such questions . But the answers to those listed above can never be a yes or no, black or white. Its somewhere in between. Sure there are pockets of time where one feels "alone", "lonely", scared, frustrated etc etc. But one is well equipped to distract oneself, we surely aren't children and have enough dimensions in our personality to be able to divert our minds.

And the right answer surely can never be "Ok let me go find someone to live with so I'll never have to sleep alone at night." Frankly, to me, living with the wrong person in a wrong relationship is a scarier thought than sleeping alone at night. This country abounds with gadgets and services to provide that security. Granted it costs some money, but then nothing is free. And to some extent, the price for one's personal safety can never be too much.

++++++++++++++++ End of ramble++++++++++++++++++++++
Side story
Earlier when the pedicure lady would try to clean under the nail of the big toe, I'd wonder how easy it would have been if we could detach the nails, clean the crevices without hindrance and re-attach.

I guess the toe Gods up there decided to teach me a lesson for wishing for such grossness.

So I tripped and ripped my big toe nail a couple of months ago. And when the doctor that was bandaging the toe declared that he'd nip the entire nail off so it didn't dangle and bother/hurt, I gladly agreed. "Ha, its only a nail- I am sure I'll grow a brand new one" I thought to myself as the doctor nipped the last remnants of said nail.

Its been 2 months, and I don't see any growth. (NN- I know, I know) I promised not to gross out the handful of regulars or even the ones that chance upon my blog by posting a picture, but I really don't like wearing open toed footwear with one big nail missing. Oh, I did discover the undersides are mighty clean. So if anyone out there wishes to uncover this piece of information, s/he doesn't have go any further. Please to learn from another's mistake. The other day when I was at a pedicure(which I refrained from going cos I felt the Asian lady would snicker and giggle as she gossiped with her coworker and this missing toe nail would only provide additional fodder), much to my surprise, she was sympathetic and patted and wiped the said toe with extra care and concern.

With pretty red toe nails, I really want my big toe nail back!!!!!! The pedicure feels incomplete, to say the least.

++++++++++++++End of side story+++++++++++++++++++++
This and that
Watched 'Chak De' in the theaters last week. After DDLJ, this is the next movie I absolutely loved SRK in, with none of his stereotypical "ham"ming. The girls exude raw energy and some of the dialogues are "whistle" worthy. Only I never learnt how to!

++++++++++++++End of titbit++++++++++++++++++++++++

In this weird world and age we live in, aisa BHI hota hai :
Wanted ad

DUBAI (Reuters) - A one-legged Emirati father of 78 is lining up his next two wives in a bid to reach his target of 100 children by 2015, Emirates Today reported on Monday.

Daad Mohammed Murad Abdul Rahman, 60, has already had 15 brides although he has to divorce them as he goes along to remain within the legal limit of four wives at a time.

"In 2015 I will be 68 years old and will have 100 children," the local tabloid quoted Abdul Rahman as saying.

"After that I will stop marrying. I have to have at least three more marriages to hit the century."

The United Arab Emirates newspaper splashed its front page with a picture of Abdul Rahman surrounded by his children, the eldest of whom is 36 years old and the youngest of whom is 20 days old. Two of his current three wives are also pregnant.

Abdul Rahman said his large family lived in 15 houses. He supports them with his military pension and the help of the government of Ajman, one of seven emirates that comprise the UAE, which includes the Gulf trade and tourism hub of Dubai.

Islam allows men to marry up to four women at a time, though most marry only one. The UAE is a Muslim country but is home to migrants from around the world.

+++++++++++My prayers have begun to survive till 2015 to check on this Emirati++++++++++++++

Video for the week

Tryst with destiny

Recently I met someone who has emerged out of an abusive relationship. I refrain from saying successfully, because there is never a successful and complete transition. Time works in its own weird ways, the pain goes away, but scars probably stay for a longer time...unless of course one indulges in plastic surgery!

The underlying complaint or fault appeared to be just ONE and quite simple when spelt out. What I recently discovered to be termed as "passive control". While I listened and we ignored the ticking of the clock, while hours, minutes and seconds flew by.....a lot that was said sounded familiar. And this term surfaced rhythmically...until it was unbearable to hear it any more.

Passive control, I am told, is a weird way to achieve control over strong personalities. When one is not able to actively override over another, one resorts to passivity. And that is a tougher challenge to face. Its about constantly burderning the other with obligations, listing the little so called "sacrifices" and "adjustments" made and demanding returns. Point is, solution to living a relationship cannot be upon obligations and demands of duties and must/must nots and be judged upon how obedient one is to the others wishes. If "discipline" is the requirement, better to adopt a pet, tame it, and call it a day!

Coming from families where daughters(nah, children) are told to believe that the sky isnt even the limit any more, that one has every freedom to chase every wildest dream, its gut wrenching to find oneself in relationships where mantra chanted is that your biggest fault is that you go after everything you dream of. Does that make one selfish? I dont know, sure one can be faulted for chasing one's dream. Is it an unwritten law that one never speaks one's mind...that one is just required to say "yes" and agree? And does disagreement spell rebellion? And for most part, its not about earth shattering decisions on whether or not to have kids, its simple things, simple day to day things that one wishes to do. And giving in to that wish means surrender. And thats unmanly. So if one wishes to be adamant about it, then make life hell, COS YOU CAN.

I find some girls/women tell me that it is one of the unwritten rules. Never to openly wish/desire for anything, but to manipulate and convince the other half to believe it was their idea in the first place. My point is...why? Why the trickery? Can we not be adult enough to say whats on our mind and be open about it? And if thats not how things work, then some of us are defective pieces.

I remember many moons ago, one of the prospective grooms was "bold" enough to ask for a private talk after the initial "meeting and greeting". "Wow" I thought to myself. "How original, how bold and broad outlooky!". (Pliss to note, I had just finished my undergrad and was a prime candidate for one of them "get married and go abroad" brides").

He : "So what do you plan to do going forward".

Me : (Whoa! This guy actually is concerned and is interested to know about my plans/dreams/bla bla mushy sentiment here) "Oh, I actually want to pursue further studies....masters...then if I can, even a PHD. I have always wanted to do this...bla and bla and bla and bla........"

He : (Some 2-3 lines of mumbled politeness)

And then we were done.

Two days later his parents call back to let us know that they have found a better candidate and Mr. SuperHero felt the "girl"(ahem, yours truly) was too ambitious and didnt exactly fit his requirement. My only question is, if one were so hell bent on "requiring" just a maid and fancy doormat, why not just say that first and not go through the rigmarole, wasting everyone's time, energy and groceries like rava, sugar and veggies?

Ya, when someone figures that out, pliss to let me know!

Anyway, I digress...this post was intended to commemorate our nation's 60th birthday...yes an India poised......at the turn of even greater things to come, where every dream is fulfilled, where child/domestic abuse has been eradicated, where dowry and dowry related deaths is a long forgotten vice, where religion means one God, where literacy is mandatory, where civic sense is rampant, where a vaccine has been invented for curing corruption.....



Where the mind is without fear
and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been
broken up into fragments
by narrow domestic walls; ...
Where the clear stream of reason
has not lost its way into the
dreary desert sand of dead habit; ...
Into that heaven of freedom,
my Father, let my country awake.
- Rabindranath Tagore

Jai Hind!