Another book with the Indian angle that I've been reading recently. I came across a brief review of this one in Yahoo! sometime last year, added it to my list, and got a copy of it from the library last week.
The story revolves around Neel (Suneel, that is), a 34? year old doctor in California who, by the devious machinations of his mom, aunt and taatapa back in India, gets trapped in an unwanted marriage. That being said, one might assume that you would empathise with the guy. On the contrary, I was just sitting there fuming at him as I turned the pages initially. The spineless guy does not extricate himself from the mess, but decides to just bury his head in the sand like an ostrich and hope it all goes away! When I finished the book, however, I thought to myself: how many times have 20-30-something Indians fought against parents and 'well-meaning' relatives only to find their so-called 'independent' spirit sag at the whole emotional blackmail saga? Understandable, his predicament. Neel has a white-girlfriend back home, and simply does not know what to do with his new wife. Add to that his 'good luck'. No visa issues to dump the wife back home, no spineless wife who would slink away at a challenge, no language issues since she is a Lit professor at a girls' college.
Which brings us to the wife Leila (rebelling against Neel's 'Lee'). Rejected by several suitors, and 30 to boot, she is happy to be getting married finally. She is spunky, for sure; but bows down to the age old story that the daughter's duty is to get married and bring glory to the family name, and more importantly, stop being a burden to her parents. So when Neel comes along, she hopes the suave 'Amrican' doctor will have jumped straight out of a Mills&Boons novel! Slowly she discovers that everything is not as it seems, and figures out that he is cheating on her. Her reactions at every step along the way, her blind acceptance of some facts, her desperation to live the life she dreamed of, are all well written. She gains her independence left to her own devices, finds a friend in Rekha and influences her, all the time refusing to get intimidated by Neel's attitude. The part where she struggles to be 'a good Indian wife' as her mother has ordered her to vs. dumping Neel's cheating ass and running away throws a whole new light on her character.
The ending is pretty predictable. But towards the end of the novel, you empathise with most of the characters, given their back-stories that are revealed in small doses throughout the novel. The believable flaws in the characters are refreshing, and while I wouldn't rave about this book, it is definitely a one-time-read.
A notable thread in the story: Leila's matchmaking sarees, and their cathartic effect towards the end.
3 stars / 5.
2/27/09
2/23/09
The Deep End
Sometimes I forget the very fact that I have a blog. Like the last couple of weeks, for instance. But that is because life has been snooze worthy. Yes, that is the right adjective. Ever since we returned from Jamaica (more on that when I'm more feisty!).
2009, up until this lovely Monday(!) morning, was divided into the anticipation-filled 'Pre-Jamaica' and the blah 'Post-Jamaica'. I decided that I was going to have to try and line up something interesting, so that I have something to look forward to.
And voila. What else but swimming lessons? Yes, look at me like my colleagues do. Like I'm someone who stepped off another planet or something. Like I'm saying that I do not know my name, or that I do not know how to chew my food! Seriously, I don't know how to swim.
Chalk it up to the fact that when I was about 8(?) years old, I had to pick either dance or swimming. Of course, I started off with both, and did a successful summer stint when I was 6, at Park Sheraton. But then, with the Arangetram not too far away, and with a conscious decision to focus on dancing, dance won.
Of course, I still have some niggling doubts about the fact that my grandparents thought that too much of swimming might make me too dark, and I wasn't really one of those porcelain skinned things to start of with in the first place (already in line for a dose of Fair-n-Lovely every now and then!) What a hoot!
And then there was the episode with the SIET swimming pool. Our mom tried to get me and N back into the pool, and we did the whole 'Mom-n-Tots' thingie. Only to find that by then I was terrified of the deep end, and kicked and clawed at my instructor until she just threw me in with all her strength. Ah, the good times :)
I must add that N, to her credit, plodded on a couple of years even after that and now claims (read: claims) that she can swim to save her life. Cheers N!
So, after that swimming was all but forgotten. But here I am, in the land where summers are glorious, and its a shame to not be in a pool every now and then. I did take some initiative and try to get myself enrolled two years ago at NW. All I got to do was eat humble pie. 5 year olds looking at us like we were a different species altogether, and giggling at us floundering adults, as they dived off the deep end and we trashed around in the 4ft end! Needless to say, that was a closed chapter. Plus, the work and the timings were all wrong.
But here I am again. Round 2. This time I had the sense to pick out classes later in the evenings that I could actually go to, and they are so close to home. Maybe I should get a new thread going on 'Deeps At The Deep End'.
2009, up until this lovely Monday(!) morning, was divided into the anticipation-filled 'Pre-Jamaica' and the blah 'Post-Jamaica'. I decided that I was going to have to try and line up something interesting, so that I have something to look forward to.
And voila. What else but swimming lessons? Yes, look at me like my colleagues do. Like I'm someone who stepped off another planet or something. Like I'm saying that I do not know my name, or that I do not know how to chew my food! Seriously, I don't know how to swim.
Chalk it up to the fact that when I was about 8(?) years old, I had to pick either dance or swimming. Of course, I started off with both, and did a successful summer stint when I was 6, at Park Sheraton. But then, with the Arangetram not too far away, and with a conscious decision to focus on dancing, dance won.
Of course, I still have some niggling doubts about the fact that my grandparents thought that too much of swimming might make me too dark, and I wasn't really one of those porcelain skinned things to start of with in the first place (already in line for a dose of Fair-n-Lovely every now and then!) What a hoot!
And then there was the episode with the SIET swimming pool. Our mom tried to get me and N back into the pool, and we did the whole 'Mom-n-Tots' thingie. Only to find that by then I was terrified of the deep end, and kicked and clawed at my instructor until she just threw me in with all her strength. Ah, the good times :)
I must add that N, to her credit, plodded on a couple of years even after that and now claims (read: claims) that she can swim to save her life. Cheers N!
So, after that swimming was all but forgotten. But here I am, in the land where summers are glorious, and its a shame to not be in a pool every now and then. I did take some initiative and try to get myself enrolled two years ago at NW. All I got to do was eat humble pie. 5 year olds looking at us like we were a different species altogether, and giggling at us floundering adults, as they dived off the deep end and we trashed around in the 4ft end! Needless to say, that was a closed chapter. Plus, the work and the timings were all wrong.
But here I am again. Round 2. This time I had the sense to pick out classes later in the evenings that I could actually go to, and they are so close to home. Maybe I should get a new thread going on 'Deeps At The Deep End'.
2/10/09
To Pink Chaddis.
So, I was on FaceBook and spending quite a while there since I'm new to it. And one of the status feeds from my friends indicated that she had joined a new group: Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women. Grinning to myself, I sent her a message saying that sounded like an interesting group to join. And then I was curious. I went to the homepage of this group, and that effectively wiped that grin off my face.
Here we were again. Yet another incident courtesy the 'Saffron Brigade'. This time, an off-shoot named "Shri Ram Sena". I loathe them. I don't want to come off as one of 'those feminist beyotches'. But, my rant may end up showing me in such a light anyway. Who cares!
The background here, for the uninitiated, is the fact that around Republic Day 09, they had decided that women who were found in pubs and wearing 'western' clothes were of loose morals. And that said women deserved to be taught a lesson. So, they took the law into their own hands, and attacked (read: beat and molested) these poor girls.. who from eyewitness accounts were not even indecently dressed! Their only fault - their presence at the pub that day.
Now let me state for the record that I'm not a "pubber" or a huge fan of the whole drinking every weekend thing. But, I have the occasional cocktail. So what if some women decided they deserved a night out? Who gave them the right to beat these women up? What were they even thinking? Their leader, Pramod Muthalik (who by the way has 53 legal cases pending against him in a number of districts in Karnataka), explains: "... those girls who flouted the traditional Indian norms and levels of decency" deserved it. What!? Are you kidding me? Just because some women dumped their salwar-kameez for a jeans-and-tee, they became 'corrupt'?
And when did it become only the women who were wayward? What about the male population that drinks and smokes, streaks its hair blond, wears low slung jeans, and shirts tighter than the women themselves! Didn't Samaksh, Bharath and Baburam become Sam, Barry and Bob? Going beyond the basic "Americanization" of the names, there is so much that is happening to India as the youth take a step out of the country and experience new things. How else is a culture supposed to evolve? Are they going to clamp down on all people watching anything on TV that is not Indian? Or close the shores up and insulate everyone, and end up a stagnant mess?
But again, why the women? Just where do they get off on their whole macho 'we're here to preserve the sati-savitri-blah-blah' crap? Such a deep-rooted, misguided movement. Heaven help us all until the day they realize that such atrocious deeds are never going to stop a country from changing. For better or for worse!
For an exotic land that spawned the Kama Sutra, we are a bunch of hugely prudish people. Outwardly, of course! They claimed that they were trying to "preserve Indian culture" and refused to apologize. And that the whole 'aping the West' thing was degrading our society. And to top it all he had the nerve to claim, "We will stop at nothing until we return the land to the Hindus". And they've promised to be on the prowl this Valentine's Day to make sure the Hindutva triumphs!
While I love my country, I'm deeply disturbed by the political climate that lets such violent groups go ahead with their propaganda. Unchecked, these uneducated, pan-chewing (and spitting!) goondas could very well lead to the ultimate degradation of our society. While I'm no George Orwell capable of painting a 1984-esque picture, I shudder to think of the possible outcomes of such groups running rampant, and a hapless society forced into apathy. Why, here I am myself, in a country far away just griping about it; but what would I have done had I been there? What if one of those girls was someone I knew?! Scary indeed.
Find me this Valentine's Day at a pub in Jamaica raising a toast. Salud!
Here we were again. Yet another incident courtesy the 'Saffron Brigade'. This time, an off-shoot named "Shri Ram Sena". I loathe them. I don't want to come off as one of 'those feminist beyotches'. But, my rant may end up showing me in such a light anyway. Who cares!
The background here, for the uninitiated, is the fact that around Republic Day 09, they had decided that women who were found in pubs and wearing 'western' clothes were of loose morals. And that said women deserved to be taught a lesson. So, they took the law into their own hands, and attacked (read: beat and molested) these poor girls.. who from eyewitness accounts were not even indecently dressed! Their only fault - their presence at the pub that day.
Now let me state for the record that I'm not a "pubber" or a huge fan of the whole drinking every weekend thing. But, I have the occasional cocktail. So what if some women decided they deserved a night out? Who gave them the right to beat these women up? What were they even thinking? Their leader, Pramod Muthalik (who by the way has 53 legal cases pending against him in a number of districts in Karnataka), explains: "... those girls who flouted the traditional Indian norms and levels of decency" deserved it. What!? Are you kidding me? Just because some women dumped their salwar-kameez for a jeans-and-tee, they became 'corrupt'?
And when did it become only the women who were wayward? What about the male population that drinks and smokes, streaks its hair blond, wears low slung jeans, and shirts tighter than the women themselves! Didn't Samaksh, Bharath and Baburam become Sam, Barry and Bob? Going beyond the basic "Americanization" of the names, there is so much that is happening to India as the youth take a step out of the country and experience new things. How else is a culture supposed to evolve? Are they going to clamp down on all people watching anything on TV that is not Indian? Or close the shores up and insulate everyone, and end up a stagnant mess?
But again, why the women? Just where do they get off on their whole macho 'we're here to preserve the sati-savitri-blah-blah' crap? Such a deep-rooted, misguided movement. Heaven help us all until the day they realize that such atrocious deeds are never going to stop a country from changing. For better or for worse!
For an exotic land that spawned the Kama Sutra, we are a bunch of hugely prudish people. Outwardly, of course! They claimed that they were trying to "preserve Indian culture" and refused to apologize. And that the whole 'aping the West' thing was degrading our society. And to top it all he had the nerve to claim, "We will stop at nothing until we return the land to the Hindus". And they've promised to be on the prowl this Valentine's Day to make sure the Hindutva triumphs!
While I love my country, I'm deeply disturbed by the political climate that lets such violent groups go ahead with their propaganda. Unchecked, these uneducated, pan-chewing (and spitting!) goondas could very well lead to the ultimate degradation of our society. While I'm no George Orwell capable of painting a 1984-esque picture, I shudder to think of the possible outcomes of such groups running rampant, and a hapless society forced into apathy. Why, here I am myself, in a country far away just griping about it; but what would I have done had I been there? What if one of those girls was someone I knew?! Scary indeed.
Find me this Valentine's Day at a pub in Jamaica raising a toast. Salud!
2/9/09
Three days to take-off.
Dee is at her desk, working on something. Look at her, sitting there like its just another day! Nitwit. I, on the other hand, am TOTALLY pumped. We have just 2 more days before we leave for Negril. Ah, 'Negril - Jamaica'.. the name rolls off your tongue.. like something exotic. Something that promises to be so much more than what it seems!
Though Dee and I are at odds with each other every now and then, the one thing that we can never disagree on is the thrill of travel. New places, cultures, people, sights and sounds. Bitten by the wanderlust bug. I have plans. Grand ones. They involve doing nothing all day but lie on the beach. Watch as many sunrises and sunsets as possible over the four days we're there. Revel in the glory of having no work to do. No agendas, no worries. No laptops, no cell phones.
Dee blinks. She knows I'm talking about her here, and she lets herself smile slowly. She knows she is looking forward to the trip so much. But, she plays it cool. Nervous about jinxing the trip. A little cautious about being over-enthusiastic about the whole thing.
Ah, forget it. I'm celebrating, and so will she. And when we're back, look out for (drumroll please)...
'Sun, sand and Speedos'!
Though Dee and I are at odds with each other every now and then, the one thing that we can never disagree on is the thrill of travel. New places, cultures, people, sights and sounds. Bitten by the wanderlust bug. I have plans. Grand ones. They involve doing nothing all day but lie on the beach. Watch as many sunrises and sunsets as possible over the four days we're there. Revel in the glory of having no work to do. No agendas, no worries. No laptops, no cell phones.
Dee blinks. She knows I'm talking about her here, and she lets herself smile slowly. She knows she is looking forward to the trip so much. But, she plays it cool. Nervous about jinxing the trip. A little cautious about being over-enthusiastic about the whole thing.
Ah, forget it. I'm celebrating, and so will she. And when we're back, look out for (drumroll please)...
'Sun, sand and Speedos'!
1/30/09
My most expensive haircut. Ever.
- We've just opened a new branch of our S* Salon. Its over by North Ave. Why don't you stop by sometime, we've got 50% off on all hair services.
- Sounds good S*, thanks!
- B, I need to get a haircut. You know, so I look sexy and all, in the Jamaica pictures.
- Won't it be better if you wait until the week before we leave?
- No, I feel like it today.. hey, why don't I also try to color my hair while we're at it?!
- Sure, whatever makes you happy :)
- I'd like some partial highlights please, with a haircut.
- Oooh, this 'Cinnamon/Burgundy' looks good..
- Nah, not so much. How about this 'Nutmeg'
- Oh yes, that will look good on you.. We'll take it down with a bleach, and then add the toner.
- You know what, I'm doing more than partial highlights so it looks better on you.
- Ah *gulp* (Post-bleach-wash)
- It'll look better with the toner, you just wait.
- Ah *gulp* *gulp* (Post-toner-wash)
- It'll look good with a haircut done.
- Thanks so much, LOVE it. (Out the salon, 80$ and three hours later)
- *Wail*. I hate it. I look like a tramp.
- You're just not used to it, it doesn't look bad
- But it doesn't look good either does it?
- Why are you always so dis-satisfied with such experiments you do? Let me be brutally honest. Its not great, but its not bad either. Lets look at it in the morning and see.
- Serves me right, 50% off, and off I go like an idiot.
- Holy Crap, I HATE it this morning, more than I did yday night.
- Yea, I hate it too. Don't worry, we can set it right.
- In fact, I look lilke Kovai Sarala, remember when she turned her hair an awful color?
- Hmm.. now that you mention it.. Yea!
- *Wail*
- I'm nervous now. I read all these articles online, and they paint the worst possible picture.
- Come on, I read some too, you'll be fine.
- Hi, I have a hair-color-disaster-emergency. DO you guys have an appointment for this evening?
- 6.45pm (Gordon)
- 7.00pm (Michael Anthony)
- 4.00pm (Sine Qua Non)
- 4.00pm sounds lovely.
- Please help me Bridgett.
- Oh, poor you. Its turned all Orange-y. Its easy to fix. We'll get an even black all over for you.
- I've never been happier to see my natural black hair! (Post-wash)
- Ooh, I look sexy! (Post-blowdry)
- Thank You SO much. (Out the salon, 100$ and one hour later)
- You look lovely.
- I've NEVER been happier.
- That turned out to be the single most expensive haircut you've had.
- I was just thinking that. *Sigh*
- Hey, atleast, now you know. Consider it an experiment gone wrong :)
- I could've conceivably fed some orphans instead. Shame.
- Sounds good S*, thanks!
- B, I need to get a haircut. You know, so I look sexy and all, in the Jamaica pictures.
- Won't it be better if you wait until the week before we leave?
- No, I feel like it today.. hey, why don't I also try to color my hair while we're at it?!
- Sure, whatever makes you happy :)
- I'd like some partial highlights please, with a haircut.
- Oooh, this 'Cinnamon/Burgundy' looks good..
- Nah, not so much. How about this 'Nutmeg'
- Oh yes, that will look good on you.. We'll take it down with a bleach, and then add the toner.
- You know what, I'm doing more than partial highlights so it looks better on you.
- Ah *gulp* (Post-bleach-wash)
- It'll look better with the toner, you just wait.
- Ah *gulp* *gulp* (Post-toner-wash)
- It'll look good with a haircut done.
- Thanks so much, LOVE it. (Out the salon, 80$ and three hours later)
- *Wail*. I hate it. I look like a tramp.
- You're just not used to it, it doesn't look bad
- But it doesn't look good either does it?
- Why are you always so dis-satisfied with such experiments you do? Let me be brutally honest. Its not great, but its not bad either. Lets look at it in the morning and see.
- Serves me right, 50% off, and off I go like an idiot.
- Holy Crap, I HATE it this morning, more than I did yday night.
- Yea, I hate it too. Don't worry, we can set it right.
- In fact, I look lilke Kovai Sarala, remember when she turned her hair an awful color?
- Hmm.. now that you mention it.. Yea!
- *Wail*
- I'm nervous now. I read all these articles online, and they paint the worst possible picture.
- Come on, I read some too, you'll be fine.
- Hi, I have a hair-color-disaster-emergency. DO you guys have an appointment for this evening?
- 6.45pm (Gordon)
- 7.00pm (Michael Anthony)
- 4.00pm (Sine Qua Non)
- 4.00pm sounds lovely.
- Please help me Bridgett.
- Oh, poor you. Its turned all Orange-y. Its easy to fix. We'll get an even black all over for you.
- I've never been happier to see my natural black hair! (Post-wash)
- Ooh, I look sexy! (Post-blowdry)
- Thank You SO much. (Out the salon, 100$ and one hour later)
- You look lovely.
- I've NEVER been happier.
- That turned out to be the single most expensive haircut you've had.
- I was just thinking that. *Sigh*
- Hey, atleast, now you know. Consider it an experiment gone wrong :)
- I could've conceivably fed some orphans instead. Shame.
1/26/09
Born Confused (Tanuja Desai Hidier)
This book had many things going against it when I picked it up.
- Teenage angst
- Desi tableau
- First person narrative
But, it blew me away. Dimple Lala is a shy, confused teenager. Confused about her looks, her parents, her friends, her nationality, and how she fits into the grand scheme of things. And then comes the summer when she turns 17, and its a long process of 'finding herself'.
My favorite characters in the story are her parents. Yes, you heard right. Quintessential depictions of first-generation Indian parents in the US, the on-and-off accents, the traditional clashes, the 'Hai Rabba' phases. For me, they made the story what it is. The situations where their reactions come from 'way out of left field', colorful stories of their heyday from their childhood friend Rhadha's perspective, and their worry about losing Dimple slowly are priceless parts of the storyline.
Dimple, Gwyn and Karsh weave in and out of the story fluidly. Her photography hobby, Karsh's DJ-ing, and Gwyn's 'wannabe-desi'ness allows the author to sneak in several metaphors that don't terribly detract from the storyline. I love how the author ties in Dimple's love for photography with her love for her grandfather.. the way they cannot speak a common language except through photographs.. so much so, that they end up communicating via pictures eventually!The phase where Gwyn and Dimple fall-out and need their own space to grow apart and come together again makes for a believable arc. Karsh, a sweet boy, for the most part is a fixture around whom the events unfold slowly.
There are, of course, some parts where you feel the story drags.. but they're mostly the above-mentioned metaphorical stuff. But, I always read a book and visualize it at the same time, which helped me almost 'watch' it like a beautiful montage in a musical-movie.
After a long time, a girl-meets-boy story (and desi, to boot!) has several layers to it, and makes for an interesting read. No stereotypes, no done-to-death cliches.
Oh, and the type-written letters for the so-called Secret Saturday Outings, simply priceless.
4 stars/5.
- Teenage angst
- Desi tableau
- First person narrative
But, it blew me away. Dimple Lala is a shy, confused teenager. Confused about her looks, her parents, her friends, her nationality, and how she fits into the grand scheme of things. And then comes the summer when she turns 17, and its a long process of 'finding herself'.
My favorite characters in the story are her parents. Yes, you heard right. Quintessential depictions of first-generation Indian parents in the US, the on-and-off accents, the traditional clashes, the 'Hai Rabba' phases. For me, they made the story what it is. The situations where their reactions come from 'way out of left field', colorful stories of their heyday from their childhood friend Rhadha's perspective, and their worry about losing Dimple slowly are priceless parts of the storyline.
Dimple, Gwyn and Karsh weave in and out of the story fluidly. Her photography hobby, Karsh's DJ-ing, and Gwyn's 'wannabe-desi'ness allows the author to sneak in several metaphors that don't terribly detract from the storyline. I love how the author ties in Dimple's love for photography with her love for her grandfather.. the way they cannot speak a common language except through photographs.. so much so, that they end up communicating via pictures eventually!The phase where Gwyn and Dimple fall-out and need their own space to grow apart and come together again makes for a believable arc. Karsh, a sweet boy, for the most part is a fixture around whom the events unfold slowly.
There are, of course, some parts where you feel the story drags.. but they're mostly the above-mentioned metaphorical stuff. But, I always read a book and visualize it at the same time, which helped me almost 'watch' it like a beautiful montage in a musical-movie.
After a long time, a girl-meets-boy story (and desi, to boot!) has several layers to it, and makes for an interesting read. No stereotypes, no done-to-death cliches.
Oh, and the type-written letters for the so-called Secret Saturday Outings, simply priceless.
4 stars/5.
Bookworm
I've always loved reading books. So much, that I always end up finishing them at the rate of a-book-a-day. Ask Easwari Lending Library, good summer business they've had from the account E-633 (I think?).
And so, after the reading-lull in my Pilani days, I got back to it once I landed in Chicago. Come on, who can resist such a great public library? And, all for free?! I was over the moon :) And then came the second no-books phase. Finally, I'm back in business, and faster than ever. Even if I hate the book, I end up reading it all the way through, just because.
This past week, I was on an inspired Indian-milieu/author spree. And boy, was I overwhelmed or what! For some reason, I have never really done much of these type of books. I haven't been a fan of most Indian authors because more often than not, to me, it seems like they just try too hard. The vocab, the premise, the cultural exaggerations.. everything. On the one hand, English is, after all, their second language. Some words they end up using thus clash with my usual Archer/Sheldon/Ludlum/Grisham jargon which is much more mainstream. And several authors use broken sentences or use heavy first-person narratives. Like the way I type stuff on this blog at times. In all, its a mix that has always put me off, at the risk of sounding snobbish!
One book took me completely by surprise. The other two, not so much. Maybe I'll pop up a review of sorts sometime soon.
And so, after the reading-lull in my Pilani days, I got back to it once I landed in Chicago. Come on, who can resist such a great public library? And, all for free?! I was over the moon :) And then came the second no-books phase. Finally, I'm back in business, and faster than ever. Even if I hate the book, I end up reading it all the way through, just because.
This past week, I was on an inspired Indian-milieu/author spree. And boy, was I overwhelmed or what! For some reason, I have never really done much of these type of books. I haven't been a fan of most Indian authors because more often than not, to me, it seems like they just try too hard. The vocab, the premise, the cultural exaggerations.. everything. On the one hand, English is, after all, their second language. Some words they end up using thus clash with my usual Archer/Sheldon/Ludlum/Grisham jargon which is much more mainstream. And several authors use broken sentences or use heavy first-person narratives. Like the way I type stuff on this blog at times. In all, its a mix that has always put me off, at the risk of sounding snobbish!
One book took me completely by surprise. The other two, not so much. Maybe I'll pop up a review of sorts sometime soon.
1/19/09
2008/09.
My last post was a month ago?? Really! Time has certainly done a number on me. But here I am, in 2009, finally. Ah, 2009, I have grand plans for you.
2008 was such a mixed bag. I was at all possible mood-points that could be plotted on any kind of graph. That being said, I went around trying to filch a random 'mood graph' from Google Images, and pop it in here (of course, giving due courtesies, as required!). I thought I'd come across something like in those comic strips of the PhDHumor variety. Guess what were the first few links that came up:
www.psychsupport.com.au
www.mentalhealthclinic.org
www.gatewaypsychiatric.com
www.psycheducation.org
Umm, okaaaaaay (scratching my head). Thanks then! I don't want to further classify myself as requiring much help in that respect. I'm going to state unequivocally at this juncture that I, D.R.T, am extremely sane, and of a more-often-than-not-sunny disposition. Now that we have cleared the air on that issue..
New Years eve just came and went. We were so cold and tired that we just ordered in some Pizza and watched old runs of James Bond on cable!
Chi-city has been getting some real bad weather recently. So much so that last Friday was 9 degrees colder than the northernmost tip of Alaska, and just three degrees warmer than the South Pole. Three cheers to that! This drove us insane, and swoosh (creeeaaaakk, rather) went the credit card. Now we're booked on an all-inclusive at Negril, Jamaica for five days mid February. See, 2009 is already looking up!
Now, I'm sitting here, counting down to those 5 days of sun, sand and leisure.. its like I've been transported back in time to my school days, tiny me sitting on my desk, waiting for the bell to go before summer vacation starts! The wait seemed interminable then, and sure seems the same now :)
2008 was such a mixed bag. I was at all possible mood-points that could be plotted on any kind of graph. That being said, I went around trying to filch a random 'mood graph' from Google Images, and pop it in here (of course, giving due courtesies, as required!). I thought I'd come across something like in those comic strips of the PhDHumor variety. Guess what were the first few links that came up:
www.psychsupport.com.au
www.mentalhealthclinic.org
www.gatewaypsychiatric.com
www.psycheducation.org
Umm, okaaaaaay (scratching my head). Thanks then! I don't want to further classify myself as requiring much help in that respect. I'm going to state unequivocally at this juncture that I, D.R.T, am extremely sane, and of a more-often-than-not-sunny disposition. Now that we have cleared the air on that issue..
New Years eve just came and went. We were so cold and tired that we just ordered in some Pizza and watched old runs of James Bond on cable!
Chi-city has been getting some real bad weather recently. So much so that last Friday was 9 degrees colder than the northernmost tip of Alaska, and just three degrees warmer than the South Pole. Three cheers to that! This drove us insane, and swoosh (creeeaaaakk, rather) went the credit card. Now we're booked on an all-inclusive at Negril, Jamaica for five days mid February. See, 2009 is already looking up!
Now, I'm sitting here, counting down to those 5 days of sun, sand and leisure.. its like I've been transported back in time to my school days, tiny me sitting on my desk, waiting for the bell to go before summer vacation starts! The wait seemed interminable then, and sure seems the same now :)
12/18/08
Highlights from the India Trip
- Watching 'Mamma Mia' with my dad and N, with N discovering the magic of ABBA for the first time; and my dad, on the other hand, re-living those glory days. Dancing queen, indeed.
- Food, food and more than enough food to keep me happy :)
- Torrential rains, that put our best laid plans to shame.
- Shopping like it was nobody's business. Esp the DVDs at Pondy!
- Family, and more family. Yay.
- Prithvi Avenue. Precious.
- Plunging in Thermal Shock from 85 in Chennai to 7 in Chi-city.
- Food, food and more than enough food to keep me happy :)
- Torrential rains, that put our best laid plans to shame.
- Shopping like it was nobody's business. Esp the DVDs at Pondy!
- Family, and more family. Yay.
- Prithvi Avenue. Precious.
- Plunging in Thermal Shock from 85 in Chennai to 7 in Chi-city.
11/21/08
Butter-jeenie.
I finally made it. The 'Adai'. It was SO delicious, I couldn't believe it!
Suddenly, I was back to being a tiny girl in Prithvi Avenue.. my short legs dangling from the dining chair, with my initial-engraved plate, rationing out my butter-jeenie, and savoring the adai. Of course, today needs a multiplier for the 'savoring' part of it. I think the last I had an adai was about a year ago!
And I even managed to pass on the butter-jeenie funda to B. Sweet.
Suddenly, I was back to being a tiny girl in Prithvi Avenue.. my short legs dangling from the dining chair, with my initial-engraved plate, rationing out my butter-jeenie, and savoring the adai. Of course, today needs a multiplier for the 'savoring' part of it. I think the last I had an adai was about a year ago!
And I even managed to pass on the butter-jeenie funda to B. Sweet.
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