The 50th

Yayyy!!

Ladies and gentlemen, at the stroke of midnight, as the world sleeps, this blog shall complete its 50th post today.
Ofcourse, we shall ignore the part that it's already been almost 2.5 years this blog began its existence and I have 50 posts to show for it. Because you see, atleast I have not let it die. It has scraped through bouts of extreme won't-move-my-butt-unless-something-about-myself-who-else-is-interesting-enough and the 'I write when I am surrounded by chirping sparrows, misty clouds and nostalgia' snobbery. And I never promised that this will become a diary of sorts, I just said I'll try to have this survive. I set the bar low in typical consultant-style - underpromise and overdeliver. Yeah?
But I feel I gotta step this up now. Like cater to my audiences. Like write something meaty. Like make you think. Ok.
Ofcourse, this 50th post can't be something meaningless (as it is so far giving the impression of being). Here's what we will talk about today: Me. Surprised? Now, here's the deal: I'll put down - Seven things I like to do, Seven things I like to eat, Seven things I like to wear, Seven of my most prized possessions & Seven people I'd like to tag.

7 things I like to do:

Writing: I have written to vent, to express, to keep a secret and to let it all out from as long as I can remember. I find it therapeutic and complex at the same time. I also think that the childhood, adoloscence and old age are trapped in one's writings. My cousin and I recently read letters we used to exchange about 15 years back, and though the "Fly to" superscribed on envelopes must have made the postmen cringe, those letters are precious hard evidence of a good time had. Sample this: "Brother and I want to come to your house. But Papa is very busy. He cannot absent from office. Mum also wants to come. She will tell Papa we will all go and he can come later." Ahem.

Reading: For a child who would have been more than happy never making eye contact with anyone, digging her nose into a long long book was the easiest way of going through 24 hours every day. Every book I have read has transported me to a world I built all up in my head, the special effects all being mine. So special is reading and living in a strange world to me, that I remember dreaming about those worlds and imagining myself there, discovering new things. Ofcourse, the next day, all the new things were plugged into the plot of the book. No, don't go, I'm not crazy.

Eating: Well, now is not the time to rue this. It's a time to celebrate this. I love food and I am not ashamed about it - a well-roasted bhutta, dripping-in-oil chhola bhaturas, anything in pesto, homemade chicken curry, steaming hot momos from Dilli Haat - give me anything, and you have a happy girl. It poses minor problems like trying to find hippo-sized clothes in malls for human beings, or that of being someone who ends all arguments with "I need chocolate. Will you leave me alone?" But I don't think worries like inching away (mind the pun!) to size XL slowly but surely, and of not knowing how to deal with arguments in an amicable fashion hold half a candle to the state of nirvana achieved after a meal that begins with cheese jalapeno peppers and ends with chocolate brownies.

Shopping: I'm the person who feels like "Shhhh!! they only sent ME that message. I'm going to be the first one to get my hands on their 50% off merchandise. Yayyyy!!" You can show me how the shirt that was tagged 1k last week is marked 2.5 K now with a '60% off' written next to it in font 42 and big bold black, but my mind will not listen. Yes people, all ye advertisers, I'm the one with the dollars in my eyes whom you worship, lure and rob. I'm the one who looks on expectantly on someone else's b'day hoping that one little sidie gift will fly her way as well. I'm the one who has closet-fuls of precious useless stuff. And I'm the compulsive kind of shopper who doesn't even need a companion. Note: I have a wishlist that runs into three long HTML pages. Friends wanting to buy me stuff, mail me.

Blog-hopping: One moment I'm reading about what someone in Nairobi cooked the previous night, and the next I'm reading about Vidya Balan's fashion faux pas. Now I'm celebrating a new mommy's monthly birthday updates, and then I'll be exploring the travel exploits of a dear friend. The options are so many; the mind boggles. Ofcourse, alongside, I can read the status update of various friends on gtalk/twitter/FB - it's almost like knowing what a neighbour is doing, by not always having to ask. It's like a world each one of us carries on our shoulders - ever-expanding, ever-changing and always exciting. Ofcourse, I've been a management student and am genuinely curious as to how people wrote their projects without Google. Respect!

Travelling: Now this is going to be somewhat hard, because the farthest on my travelometer so far has been Kuala Lumpur. Ofcourse, in keeping with the tradition followed by all serious travellers of always seeking intriguing places to go, I have also been to Bhatinda. However, I aspire to travel to virgin beaches where one only sees the colours white, green and blue, or to hidden valleys where one can easily get lost or rainforests where animals of supposedly-extinct species will jump up from nowhere. Now only if that windfall I need (and deserve) will come through!

Lazing: Duh! I mean, weren't ALL of the above hinting at this? What's a week of endless binges and exhausting shopping that doesn't end in a perfectly aimless Sunday. Waking up at 11 am, devouring newspapers till noon, having a big brunch, dozing off again and getting up in the evening for some hectic TV watching - something I do every third weekend. Helps connect with my senses that I lose at work every week. Also has proved very effective in stalling bankruptcy for me. Try it.

7 things I like to eat:
1. Spaghetti with insane amounts of pesto and sun-dried tomatoes, and a generous dose of olive oil.
2. Atta gol gappas @ Delhi roadside, brimming with green spicy paani and those over-boiled chanas
3. Piping hot pakodas with extra-sweet chai, that will always always remind me of the endless road trips made between Delhi and Punjab
4. Blueberry cheesecake with whipped cream
5. Momos - Chanakyapuri, Brown Sugar's, Priya's and Dilli Haat's. I have trouble respecting people who don't like momos with the suspicious looking red sauce.
6. Maggi and friends i.e. Cheese maggi, egg maggi, veg maggi, cheese egg maggi, cheese veg maggi, cheese chicken maggi.. you get the drift?
7. Indianized Chinese of all kinds
Disclaimer: The list above is in no particular order, and is by no means exhaustive.

7 things I like to wear:
1. Jeans. I prefer faded, extremely old and washed atleast a 1000 times.
2. Black. How can I not?
3. Flats. Ok, I am 5 feet nothing, but I still do love my kolhapuris, strappy flats and flip-flops.
4. Watches of all shapes and sizes.
5. Spectacles. I say so convicingly, because I h.a.t.e. contacts. Black half-frames for now.
6. Silver. Of the tinied kinds. I think I have one pair of earrings of the single studded kind, in every colour possible.
7. Kurtas. Fab India, Jai Ho!

7 of my most prized possessions:
1. The people in my life - mom, dad, bro and now the fiance. I always say it's not easy being me and it's even harder knowing me. I'm no diva, but I sure am a trouble child - I lose temper, I yell, I throw tantrums and the worst of all is that I remember and relive all arguments. Yet, there are some people in my life who love me and I am in awe of their patience. If I was them, I'd hate me. Enough said.
2. Greeting cards, wrapping papers, trinkets, bills, notes and other such random stuff - a bag full of these. It could be nostalgia, or it could be my hoarding tendencies, but I can't let go.
3. The oldest phone I ever had. The blue Nokia 3310. It is broken, chipped in all places and so not cool anymore - but it was the first phone I ever had.
4. All my books. All different kinds. But hopefully, the collection will be much larger and better cared for as the years go by.
5. Various certificates for extra currics in school and college.
6. Clothes and other mindless stuff I buy and never use.
7. My old diaries.

7 people I'd like to tag: I'm skipping this. Go ahead, and do this. Leave a link in the comments though :)

Armchair Philosophy on a Rainy Night

Seems like a lot has happened since I last wrote. Over the last few days I have learnt that:

- The idea of home is subjective. Home could be where the heart is. Where mom is. Where dad is. Or the city you grew up in. Maybe where one's friends / siblings are? This might be a part of growing up, but I really feel like I don't always need to be home, to feel at home.

- Whether one cares for the fun of the journey or for the doggedness of getting there, can be determined by how one chooses to lose weight (don't laugh!) So who'd you rather be friends with: the kickboxer or the starver?

- Insecurity is probably the most pervasive emotion. Religion. Sexual orientation. Class. Beauty. Wit. You name it, and you'll have met/heard of someone insecure on those grounds. Uski kameez meri kameez se safed kaise, could be the anthem for our generation.

- Words don't flow. They don't talk. They don't bother. They sit inside of you patiently waiting for ideas to rescue them. Ideas that can lend them purpose. A writer's block is almost always the absence of the perfect idea for the words to borrow meaning from and to be set free

- You can always learn something. Even at your workplace.

Goodnight for now, folks! Will be back here to share more soon.

Ramblings of the Sleepless Mind

So, yours truly has moved to Mumbai. The city of dreams. The sea. The spirit. Slumdog Millionaire. And well, it's all been fine. I am beginning to like it, but dare I say, Mumbai will never be Delhi. The city that's rude, bitchy, pompous, unsafe... yet keeping safe the romantic winter in its January fog, the history in its neglected monuments and the cheekiness in almost everyone.
**********************************************
I figure I am a sucker for correct spelling. Don't you go nosing in my archives to prove me wrong! It's so bad that I am unable to take anything with an instance of misspelling, seriously. You see, you'd never find me in one of those "Kwik Kabs". I know, it's supposed to be a smart twist to the correct spelling or some BS like that, but their seemingly harmless play with phonetics doesn't quite cut it with me.

Oh, and I figured this after I couldn't focus on a document at work that contained "judgementle". Or that's my explanation for it. Yeah, I'm JUDGMENTAL like that.
***********************************************************
So, I was listening to the very creatively-titled news bulletin "Balanced Views" on A.I.R., and the really nonchalant way in which they announced the killing of 6 people in the Naxal attacks on polling booths in Bihar was rather disturbing. Are we slowly becoming a nation that pushes single-digit death counts to the end of the news bulletins, right after the latest on IPL and the movie reviews? Also, while I quite prefer the stoic and graceful Usha Albuquerque of yore over the Arnabs and Rajdeeps of our bulging-eyes, pen-in-hand-being-pointed-right-into-the-camera, bursts of hysterical yelling times of news reading, I thought the radio non-chalance smacked more of indifference than anything else. A little emotion would not have been misplaced, given that the incident is, well, the worst fear come true for the recent flurry of "Let's Vote" campaigns. I was wondering if the TOI front page photograph of smiling women sporting their freshly inked index fingers had anything to do with doing some damage control on that. But then, TOI is not that smart.
*************************************************************
Do you think Varun Gandhi looks pretty dumb almost all the time? Even in that much infamous hate speech, he looks and sounds dumb. You see, atleast Advaniji and Modiji could have taught him how to do the unethical and illogical in complicated Hindi or loud Gujarati, yeah?
*************************************************************
I have work to do right now. On Friday night. At 1 a.m. To finish by 12 noon. I want to kill someone.
*************************************************************
Someone wise once told me, "When you find yourself planning out your Friday evening at Monday lunch, it's time to change your job." I've got news for Mr. Someone Wise. That way, I won't be working anymore. Profound huh?
*************************************************************
How, how, how do you work around politics at work? Well, I just make rude, sarcastic remarks when approached to comment and end up being on neither side. And that works!
*************************************************************
I found myself wondering about my grandparents today. I've never met them; I know them through pictures and through my parents' accounts. It sure is freaky when someone tells you that you said/did/believe in something uncannily similar to what your grandparents (whom you've never met) would have said/done/believed in.
************************************************************
I figure I won't ever be incorrigibly unhappy as long as there's Maggi in my kitchen and F.R.I.E.N.D.S. re-runs to watch. Comfort in small things? Shallowness? Can't say!
************************************************************
Well, alright, I gotta scoot. If someone's still here after all these days, would be good to hear from you!

What me needs

Saw this tag doing the rounds, and was tempted to try it out. The results had me laughing, so thought I'd put it out here.

I was supposed to Google "MY NAME needs" and paste the top ten results Google throws up. Now, my name is Neha (No, I am not divulging much because that's what the name of 1/6th female population in Delhi is) and NEHA also stands for "National Environmental Health Association". I am inflicting this seemingly pointless information onto you, so you can appreciate the results of the tag:

1. "Neha needs to be more generous for fans and associates.. "
If only I knew I had "fans", darling!

2. "Neha needs to strengthen the stature of the REHS/ RS credential.." - whatever that is! This was immediately followed by "Neha needs to better define its niche in the international community and..." - hmmm!

3. "Neha needs to strengthen its presence and visibility in the area of terrorism..." - Hahahahahaha!

4. "Neha needs to establish a committee to determine the implications of genetically..."

5. "Neha needs Fizza's fizz" - Huh?

6. "GUYS NEHA NEEDS OUR HELP"

7. "At the end of the day, Neha needs to understand that this film is as much hers as Sanu's or mine."

8. "I think Neha needs to shed weight." BUT this was immediately followed by "She has been Miss India and she has the capability to do it, probably she isn't focusing at all." I hear ya!

9. "Neha needs to be more generous."

Summing it all up with

10. "Even the best case scenario is short of what Neha needs."
Profound?!

Happy 2nd Bloggiversary!

The blog turns 2 today, and is much neglected (what's new. also refer to my sick attempts at making it a respectable blog, in the post below). I read somewhere that a decline in blogging frequncy is good and usually means that one now has more real people to talk to, and now I've proved that it's not so true. A decline in blogging frequency could also mean that you're neck-deep in shit, and are taking your time wallowing in there. Or that usually thoughts dart in and out of your head at supersonic speed - never to come back to you , leaving you wondering if you've turned senile already. Or that one's looking to sort quite a few things and blogging figures at the bottom of the pile. I guess I have really ruined the birthday wish to perfection now. Anyway, here's a quick update on myself (note the single focus in my life) to anyone who cares:

I hate my job now. Officially. I got engaged to the lurrrve of my life last month. 'Twas good. Loved the family fussin' around and good times, till I got back to work the next day. I'll be moving to Mumbai soon-ish. Yay! I saw Delhi-6 and loved it. I went to Bangalore after a loooong time, and now I'm sure which city I love the most in the whole wide world. I've been catching up on all my favourite blogs almost every second day, and I wish I could comment on all of them.

Quick update over. I will be back here soon.

PS: For some stupid reason, Blogger insists on marking this post under Wed, March 4. But eet eez Thu, March 5 today.

Counting down to glory!

I need 6 posts in 8 days, so that my blog can make it to 50 posts on its second anniversary.

And now, I need 5 in 8.

So, hurry! What would you like to read?

Round-Up

[This is a month-old post. New one coming up.]
Yes, after a series of two-word long drafts, I am back with this creatively titled post. But what the hell.. aren't tags the tried and tested way to come back to life (so what if the tried and tested way is fast becoming the only one, in this blog). So, I came across this one at Broom's and quickly decided on shamelessly copying. Here goes:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Graduated from B-school. Duh!

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Well I didn't exactly keep ALL the resolutions for last year - which means some of them get carried forward to 2009. The new ones are to do with changing a lot about me - physically, mentally and spiritually. (Note the unmistakable vagueness used to hide the term 'weightloss' pliss)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes. Favourite cousin and wife be parents to bonny boy.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. May 2009 let this stay.

5. What countries did you visit?
None at all.

[at this point, I can't fathom one reason why anyone would want to read any further. i'm so boring!]

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Peace of mind. Love for work. Good health. Spare time. Frownless face. Determination. Life?

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March: For the promises it brought.
September: For the lovely birthday I had not had for a long time.
December: For the longest Mumbai trip this year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Quite a letdown I have been, no big achievements.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Being uncertain and indecisive for the larger part of the year.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yes. Once.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Now you're a-talking. The phone.. Nokia 6600 slide... I looooove it. Since there can be never be only one thing here, there's also the perfect knee-length black winter coat I bought.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Ma and A. The two people who have been the recipients of my frustrations, my worries and my crazy outbursts. The two people who love me despite it all.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

The boss'. Yet to see another person so selfish and so ruthless.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Cabs. Don't laugh.

15. What did you get really, really excited about?

Weekends in Mumbai.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Time of Your Life

17. Compared to this time last year are you

Happier or sadder: Sadder. For sure. Thinking of last year makes me smile.

Thinner or Fatter: The same.

Richer or Poorer: Richer. Thank God for small mercies.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Reading, Watching movies, Working out.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Introspecting, Worrying, Being difficult.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Err.. this question makes me realize that I'm writing this one at least a month late. But, I will be celebrating Christmas the same way each year.. it's the anniversary.. YAY!!

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Stayed in love.

22. How many one-night stands?

[Is it me or is this questionnaire really hopeful of getting some scoop on people] None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Re-runs of How I Met Your Mother

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Yes, someone I didn't know last year.

25. What was the best book you read?

I think the recent one I read, The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar was a captivating read.

26. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery?

Nothing, really.

27. What did you want and get?

Love. Independence.

28. What did you want and didn't get?

Time. Peace.

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

Many many.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 25. I had the most fun in the longest time, with family.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Work I'd enjoyed. Being around friends.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Three quarter-sleeves, and the colour black.

33. What/ who kept you sane?

Only one person. A. I can't thank him enough for it.

34. Which celebrity/ public figure did you fancy the most?

No one in particular. Ok. Ranbir Kapoor, maybe.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

The indifference / insanity after the Mumbai attacks demonstrated by our politicians.

36. What did you miss?

I missed (and still miss) campus. I miss student life. I miss having options.

37. Who was the best person you met?

Someone old and wise.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Learn to roll with the punches, as soon as you can.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

So take the photographs and still frames in your mind

Hang them on a shelf

In good health and good times

Tattoos and memories and dead skin on trial

For what it's worth, it was worth all the while