Its been a while

...since I posted last but it was only because after 15th Feb life was fucking with me. First, ISB didn't want me and then just when I got over that slight, something far worse happened. Actually, it was happening for sometime, only I was not aware. And it took immense amount of time and effort to emerge out of this one. Can't say I am still out of it, but I am getting there!

One belief that has been reinforced in the past 2 and a half months is that God does look after me and everytime he screws with my life, he sends someone to pull me out of the shit. Either that or I am a very 'go-along' person and I can get along with almost everyone. Nah, I think the previous option is correct. God is calculating to the nano scale and maintaining a very fine balance in my life. He's like, I screwed with you for 15 nano units so, let me show you a good time of 14.5 nano units. Something of that sort.

And I say this because initially I was a mess. I wouldn't go out, I wouldn't eat, wouldn't sleep, would drink a lot (almost everyday) and wouldn't stop crying. I was a beeyach basically and I would just curl up at home and scream at anyone who tried coming close.

Then, very dramatically, just like that, one fine day, I found my happy streak. I cannot pin-point to that moment but I can definitely pin point to the person who indirectly, just by being there made it all happen. Here is one more person who gets credit for being at the right place at the right time. (I have a few more of such persons and I give them too much credit which some other people feel is undeserved).

I managed to be quite a fun person in the past 2 months despite the painful incident. I visited Auroville and Pondicherry. Auroville was awesome beyond words and also helped me clear my head of a lot of mess. I also drove to Ooty and Coonoor and saw the most amazing forests. I made a very good friend. I had some crazy party nights and some absolutely amazing evenings. I did not sleep for one entire night purely out of choice. I was having coffee at the airport instead. I also managed a week of vacationing in Mumbai. I finally went to Blue Frog at Parel. This was something high up on my list of things-to-do. And I had an amazing evening filled with humidity and salty sea breeze at the Aer lounge in Four Seasons Mumbai.

When this one lady walked into Aer at 12.30 in the night and asked for a table, I, for the nth time, felt that maybe Mumbai is sticky and smelly and hot, it is so much cooler. In other places, such as the one I stay in, I can only wish to be served after 11.00pm. And that wish doesn't go down too well with the waiters and I am threatened with police action. Way to go Mumbai!!

I do not know how the chain of thoughts has made me end up praising Mumbai. I guess its out of habit. Its also a good note to end this rambler of a post.

valentine's day

Anish got me these flowers on sunday, valentine's day.



He said that no woman should go without flowers on valentine's day. Isnt that so sweet?

God gulty strikes again!

God gulty called today morning and as always was going on and on about he is the don of warangal and the sexiest and most awesomest man on planet earth. Yeah, he does that in the most non-creepy sort of way.

I, then, very humbly interrupt him to share some of my mortal concerns such as: I am very tensed about my interview results which should be out in a couple of days. The pravachan that I get in response can only be expected from him: "What happens is not important. What is important is that you are happy. Even if you get into the MBA, what the hell are you going to do? Are you going to become the President of India?"

I was a little offended that he didnt think I was going to become the President of India but that's not the point. The point is that instead of saying "Dont worry, you'll get in." (which obviously does NOT make me feel better), he said this! He made all the MBA shit seem so insignificant. And made me realize that I'll be fine in any case.

And it is true. I have a thing for being happy. I can't stay in the dumps for long. Sad people don't look good.

Victoria might have started like this!

Was browsing and stumbled upon this. Ain't it lovely!

Honking is a sport in India

My trip to Hyderabad confirmed it. It was early morning, there was very little traffic and everyone was following his/her lane and all that. But my cab driver would start honking from 100 mts away as if he is possessed.

I could take it no longer - this guy honking in residential area at 6 in the morning. It reminded me of all the disturbance below my bedroom window when I try to sleep and I politely asked him if he could stop honking so much. The guy was like at this hour nobody follows traffic rules and the villagers come on the road from opposite directions and "agar unko thoda bhi touch hone ka toh main toh mara samjho".

What was really funny was how the guy tried so hard not to honk after that, but I could see his muscles reflexively twitching to honk and it was killing the poor guy to stop himself.

But then anyone who has spent 10 mins on our roads knows: honking is a much loved sport. That is how we entertain ourselves while driving. There is no such thing as 'a reason for honking'. Now, that would be blasphemy.

Su is getting married!

Update on one of my previous posts: "Su wants to get married"

Su is getting married. which is a good thing because she is getting married to a person who truly loves her. Cynical that I am about marriages and relationships, I firmly believe that love and familiarity are the only right reasons to get married.

It was around 8 months back that she called to tell me that Wisdom had proposed to her. Wisdom had been the topic of quite a few of our animated conversations prior to this, so the date was something that was just waiting to happen. But the sudden proposal was totally unexpected and I remember being as excited as a teen girl watching Robert Pattinson in twilight when I heard the news. But the real confirmation was not going to come for a long long time and everyone, including Wisdom, waited for a good 6-7 months.

Now that the d-day is just 2 days away, I am feeling all emotional and genuinely happy. Quite opposite to me, Su has always loved marriages and kids and happy little families who sing and dance together. And I truly truly wish her dream comes true for her.

And I am not feeling bad like last time when my other friends got maried because after marriage Su will live closer to my house in Mumbai. Fun.

Mugged in Mumbai

Light coffee table banter in office with people from a different team. Normal conversation ensues when suddenly one fellow says

You know, I was mugged in Mumbai?

All my life, I have been shouting from rooftops that Mumbai is the safest city in India. So it was quite an embarrassment for me.

The story goes that the guy gets down at the domestic airport, doesnt take the pre-paid cab, gets into one random cab. The cab driver tells him it will take 45 minutes to reach the international airport (?? The distance is around 15 mins). Then in one alley, he stops the cab and asks this guy to pay up Rs.2500. When our guy says he doesnt have this kind of money they ask him to pay up in dollars (HAHA). And even the inside locks are disabled. Our guy throws the notes on the cab driver's face who is distracted by this. Our guy then pulls down the window, reaches for the handle on the outside and escapes.

Now, the twist. It seems there were 2 guys in the cab. WHY? I mean why would you ever sit in a cab which already has an extra person? Doesnt it smell fishy from the word go? Infact, when I came to Bangalore for the first time, even I took a regular cab. After I sat in the cab another guy came and sat with the driver. I opened the door and told him in no uncertain terms that there can be only one person (other than the driver) in this cab. The extra guy got out. Smart eh?

Reminds me, this was one of the earliest lessons that my mom taught us and drilled it into our heads. Wondering if it really saved me from mugging that day and wondering whether I would have behaved in the same way if this was not there in the back of my head.