tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20348941233343645572024-03-04T22:33:02.603-08:00Down the Rabbit Hole.Batman. Backpacking. Chaos Theory. And a little not there.scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-79032934536781122932012-10-29T05:40:00.001-07:002012-10-29T05:40:55.629-07:00If we compare the achievements of the week...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">My friend S</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Gave birth to a beautiful baby boy
Aarav. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Yours Truly</span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Cleaned room. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Brushed hair 100 times for 4 days
straight. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Did not withdraw money from ATM. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Went to bed at 11 for 4 days
straight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">....then in pure numbers I am still winning. </span></div>
</div>
scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-17874423667246516352012-10-01T07:38:00.000-07:002012-10-01T07:38:10.506-07:00"...No time for losers 'Cause we are the champions - of the world...."<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Comic Sans MS;">So the
officially-most-fucked-up-week-I've-had-this-year came to an end with two
retards I have for friends coming over with fruits (err...because I was sick and all that), me dropping an entire </span><i style="color: #365f91; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">handi
</i><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Comic Sans MS;">full of scalding hot milk all over my hand and tummy and four of us
(including roommate) playing a particularly savage and seemingly never-ending
game of UNO (two decks of cards and everyone screwing with each other; that’s
the trick) over butter chicken and Maharashtriyan style cooked minty biryani. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">I survived. And in
exactly 18 days I am headed home for <i>pujo</i>. :-) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">P.S: My reaction after kicking ass at UNO. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/04854XqcfCY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-7012820760148932162012-09-28T03:38:00.001-07:002012-09-28T03:41:59.574-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">In one week I have <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">i.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">come down with fever<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">ii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">blacked out thrice and
fainted twice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">iii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">uprooted my toe nail
and kept bleeding till I slept off and the blood coagulated sealing
the wound. Something like that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">iv.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">blacked out in the
washroom and fallen on my ass twice and almost sprained my ankle <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">v.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">suffered from extreme
dizziness and nausea caused by extremely low blood pressure <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">vi.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">been scratched by a
mad woman in the local <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">vii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">narrowly escaped
getting stung by a scorpion <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">viii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">gotten into two huge
fights with one friend <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">ix.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">watched people cope
with bad breakup induced depression<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">x.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">struggled to find
words to comfort a nineteen year old broken heart while remembering a time when
I was nineteen and heartbreaks were a dime a dozen and always swept under the
rug lest people found out and laughed <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xi.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">watched a friend deal
with brain tumor and homophobic parents while doing little more than standing
back and well, offering some well-meant, but clichéd and tired words of comfort
over the phone from office at 10 in the night<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">lived on only cold
soggy Maggi and Dunhill Switch<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xiii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">met parents splitting up with kids left to deal with the situation on their own<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xiv.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">argued with roommate
who came down with viral trying to get her to do the whole steam-Vicks-Crocin thing
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xv.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">dealt with clients
making your life look like a ppt on How-to-spot-the-workaholic <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xvi.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">realized my father is
growing old and I have not seen him in seven months and that these days the
only words I speak to him are “Had dinner? Yeah even I had. Going to sleep now.
Good night.” while struggling with a broken umbrella in Lower Parel station<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xvii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">spoken to journalists
abusing me in a language I do not speak and hence could not salvage the
situation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xviii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">effectively ended a
not-so-long but very intense friendship and did not have the time to give a
fuck about it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xix.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">realized one never
really <i>completely </i>stops being
sixteen; one simply learns to ignore and never talk about it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.5in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">xx.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">cried only
once when Gandalf the Grey fell into the abyss in the Mines of Moria<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Comic Sans MS;">I think I wanna go to Israel now. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-25762637566332606602012-09-24T06:47:00.001-07:002012-09-24T06:48:22.997-07:00I just realized...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">...I
don’t like weekends much. I mean people crave for weekends. Even I do. Sitting
in office till late at night slumming it out over reports that can bring dead
people back and kill them all over again out of sheer boredom, all I crave for
is glorious weekend when I can get an extra hour of well-deserved shuteye
before the <i>bai</i> comes at an ungodly
hour and wakes us all up with <i>Didi Rin
sabun khatam ho gaya</i> in such an injured voice that you almost feel sorry.
For her. Self pity comes later on Sunday night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">But I digress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Yes so I realized I
dislike weekends. You see on a normal office-going weekday I have to wake up at
7, take a shower, make breakfast, eat it, make my bed, iron clothes, deal with
bai-garbagewallah issues and I am out by 8.30 sharp. Even though it sounds
boring and mundane and I complain about it, I like it. (I complain because you
know, complaining is so much fun, sometimes.) This routine, this is almost like
a comfortable space. It is predictable, safe, comfortable. The nice kind of
predictable, if you know what I mean. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">You know it can’t go wrong. You shower on
time, you eat all your meals, you get enough sleep (actually *I* don’t but that’s
not the point I’m trying to make here), you are never late for work etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">But weekends? Bah. Your
Saturday morning goes in catching up on those lost sleep time. You wake up at 7
(because of aforementioned bai), get up at 11.30 feeling like a dump because
you haven’t showered or eaten any breakfast. Then you are too lazy to shower
and fix something you call lunch and your mother shudders at (read: cold, soggy
Maggi/cereals) and eat. Your face looks all puffy and you have bags under your
eyes. Your hair looks like vegetable. By 2.30 your head starts hurting again
and you feel woozy because either you have had too much sleep or not. If you have
a non-existent social life you stay at home and try to read/smoke/watch
something on your laptop but you can’t because that head-throb has turned
pretty bad by now and you feel tired and listless. But you cannot go back to
sleep because hey it’s Saturday and it’s a weekend and you are supposed to do
things you don’t get to do on normal weekdays-like staying up really late
reading/watching something/talking to people and by the time you do manage to
crawl to bed (or in my case, slump onto the sofa with the laptop on my tummy
almost burning my flesh) your eyes burn like hell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Sundays are even
worse. I mean, it is like Saturday only but somehow it gets worse because
probably you have been doing the whole
getting-up-late-not-eating-not-showering-nursing-headache thing all over again
but it’s been two days in a row and by Sunday evening you get that ‘what am I
doing with my life?’ feeling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">And if, you are this
social animal/person who really enjoys a healthy number of nightouts every
month/person who hates or sucks at socializing but will because someone told
him to get a life, you will go out on a Friday night which means you will spend
your Saturday morning at a friend’s place feeling that horrible feeling you get
when you really just want to get some sleep at your own place but you can’t.
Then you drag yourself home and do the whole not-showering-not eating thing
again because you feel sick and sleep-deprived. Then god forbid, if you again
go out on a Saturday night you wake up with an alcohol induced temporary
blindness/blackout/something to that effect on a Sunday morning. And because
pretty much everyone around you is in the same or much worse state of
inebriation, you don’t get the motivation to get up, shower, eat and sleep like
a human being who wants to live to see his/her grandchildren. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">See the problem? You
get no rest, something you have been pining for the whole week. You don’t get
to eat because, well, I just explained why so please scroll up and read. Your
whole weekend is a haze where even your existing bank balance on a Sunday
evening does not make you jerk into consciousness. And basically pretty much
all you think all this while is…well…yes the same old ’what am I doing with my
life?’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">I don’t know. Don’t
get all judgmental. I have tried reading on weekends but the headache gets so
worse and I feel so distracted all the time that all I manage to do is keep
reading one line almost thrice before I realize I am doing that thing where I
read one line thrice because I am plain distracted. I have tried getting some
sleep but even that doesn’t help much. I have lied to people who want me to
attend their parties that I have other plans just to stay home but even that
doesn’t help. (I am sorry and I love you all even though I really don’t
understand why some of you are still friends with me because you clearly see I
am lying and I <i>don’t </i>wanna come to
your party) Because even at home I feel listless. I make it a point to not
check my mail or go online even once during the weekend. I never ever make any plan unless it involves
me and only me going to a bookshop and reading quietly, not taking calls, not
replying to text messages or anything. But I don’t even have the energy for
that kind of thing these days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">And now with all the
religious frenzy the good people of Dadar have worked themselves into for
Ganpati (accompanied by loud beating of the <i>dhol
</i>and the loud singing of <i>bhajans </i>as
if their life depended on it), sleep is a distant never-to-be-fulfilled dream. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Don’t get me wrong. I
am all for festive euphoria and <i>shor
sharaba </i>during festivals. I mean, hell, I come from a place where during <i>pujo </i>we shut down offices, banks,
schools, colleges, maybe even hospitals and police stations going by the spiraling
crime rate at that time...so I am no one to judge. But you <i>do </i>get my predicament now, right? RIGHT?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">I should stop whining
and go beat up whoever gave me that stupid crap about my life being too
predictable and the importance of going out there and doing something and
feeling upbeat all the time. I want my weekdays. I want my meals on time,
regularly taken showers and everything. I
want my routine. I crave for my routine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Now go. Go start
judging right away. I won’t hold that against you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-64119432505171947062012-09-21T08:02:00.002-07:002012-09-21T08:04:15.895-07:00I just realized I like doing tags. No really. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.8pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">1. Pick out a scar you
have, and explain how you got it:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Right
ankle, fell on the floor from a desk which then fell on my ankle</span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">2. What is on the walls in your room?</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Posters.
Paintings (ahem) by roommate and yours truly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">3. What does your phone look like?</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">The
metal casing is chipped in places. The screen is scratched.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">4. What music do you listen to?</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Anything.
Well not really, but I am too lazy to elaborate</span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">5. What is your current desktop picture?</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Benedict Cumberbatch in
and as Sherlock with a violin<br />
<span style="background: white;"><br />
6. What do you want more than anything right now?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Go home for Durga puja, earn more, go to Israel.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">7. What are you listening to?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Some
electronic music (I think it is called EDM) being played on co-worker’s
computer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">8. The last
person to make you cry?</span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Last
time I cried it was because a friend was sick. No one made me cry per se. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
</span><span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">9. What is your
favourite perfume/cologne?</span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /><br />No such things as favorite yet<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">10. If you could eat anything right now, what
would it be?</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Meat. Fish. Alu posto. Pasta from Mumbai Deli. Salad. Roast chicken from Piccadilly.<br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">11. Who was the last person you made mad?</span></span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">I don’t
remember. No really. I don’t remember the last time I cared enough to get mad
at someone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-36869463778270299352012-09-04T20:53:00.001-07:002012-09-04T20:57:11.160-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Today someone I once used to be very pally with randomly pinged me on Facebook. Normally I do not bother
to reply to Facebook chat messages (or text messages, mails, missed calls….and now
I seriously wonder how I still have people in my life who I call ‘friends’. But
I digress.). But this is someone I had once decided to share an apartment with
and we bonded big time over our futile attempts at house-hunting in town (err…not
so much of a <a href="http://bloodybighead.blogspot.in/2011/07/where-i-consign-mumbai-brokers-to.html" target="_blank">rookie mistake</a> this time as a stubbornness to accept our church
mouse poor state and a desperate attempt to not leave town and move to
*shudders* Sion.). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">But the moving in
together bit did not happen since we disagreed over rent, location and
logistical issues (she refused to leave town; I realized I cannot afford it etc
etc.). And I chose to stay in this suffocating, minor claustrophobia-inducing,
plastered-with-saffron-political-posters-propagating-distrust-of-the-north-Indian-immigrant-influx-in-this-city,
cacophonous crowded urban hell hole called Dadar (which, btw I like. Call me
mental but I like Dadar.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">We had a minor
argument. And then we stopped talking. Or rather I stopped all forms of
communication with her because I have the attention span of a 2 year old and
very very limited capacity of caring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Today she pinged me
out of the blue and I was pleasantly surprised to note that the old camaraderie
which I thought had effectively died that one unpleasant evening was still
intact. I was happy. And immensely sad. And it is not my neurosis speaking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">It sucks to know a
person your age does not hold back grudges and can sort out past issues
(however trivial they may be/sound to an outsider...which in this case is you
dear non-existent reader) and you cannot. It sucks to know there’s someone your
age who does believe in getting in touch with people he/she once fell out with and
all you do is cut people loose from your life if things do not go your way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> It sucks to know you are not one of them.</span></div>
</div>
scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-79570456507539101792012-08-30T02:49:00.001-07:002012-08-30T03:07:48.619-07:00Where I bore you with boring snippets of my life. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">A non-functioning internet
connection in office is a cause for much celebration right? Even if work shit
has hit the ceiling? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">That’s precisely what people are
doing. Some are working from home (read: sleeping); some had gone to Phoenix
and in all probability are not coming back, (same goes for the internet
connection methinks) and the ones who stayed back are either huddled near the
tv watching the coverage of the aftermath of SC verdict on Kasab’s death
sentence or playing Angry Birds. My friend G is so frustrated that he cannot clear
some level 10 thingy (I have never played this game in my life.) that he keeps
muttering some really choicest cusswords. Once he banged the table in sheer
frustration and the coffee spilled out of the cup and fell on my white kurta.
Bleddy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">(Again, I have never played this game in my life so I wouldn't know what it entails or whether lives are at stake here or something but YOU DON'T SPILL COFFEE ON MY </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="color: red;">WHITE </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">KURTA and then hold a grudge against me for smacking you.)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Comic Sans MS;">But I am in no shape to celebrate. I am ill with food poisoning. Yesterday some people were making fun of my <i>pudina goli dabba </i>(best 60 bucks every spent) and then queued up to help themselves to it. I counted that as bad karma for them and wished them all food poisoning. Sometimes the universe gets a kick out of screwing with me. Now I can't even hold that against the universe and wish something bad lest I come down with flu or something now. Bleddy bleddy bleddy. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Comic Sans MS;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">And Dear Google Chrome, <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Pliss to explain how is the page
below in Malay? Are you a retard? Or have I finally gone blind? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Lj3TeHrUPcVfyzpUmAK_unOT3d4Y-3VKDSFiLmhSfK8oidGSQLHwEpV0RugNZFsYjc_zWk4gSh6Pw205akiiU8vk19BbPsQ0D_6EigcLIP8GWXtnH0LwRNaUVBTbKche63vJjPW9PHTb/s1600/Malay.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Lj3TeHrUPcVfyzpUmAK_unOT3d4Y-3VKDSFiLmhSfK8oidGSQLHwEpV0RugNZFsYjc_zWk4gSh6Pw205akiiU8vk19BbPsQ0D_6EigcLIP8GWXtnH0LwRNaUVBTbKche63vJjPW9PHTb/s640/Malay.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75"
style='width:468pt;height:339pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\Royston\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.png"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">P.S: I should stop obsessing over
petty things and get a life. I just spent 10 minutes cribbing to someone (with
an equally sad life, pliss to note dear readers, I am not the only one out
there) that G has spilt coffee on my white kurta and there’s an ugly
brown shapeless stain on it and my perpetually cranky <i>bai </i>will simply refuse to wash it. I am ashamed. Really. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-43928897754388566752012-08-16T21:10:00.002-07:002012-08-16T21:32:05.095-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Right now, at this moment I am missing Kolkata so much that I feel like
taking the next flight home. except that I can't. I can't even afford a decent
looking rain proof choppol to wear to office; the ones I have are torn beyond repair. I am
painfully hobble my way to work everyday. I am digressing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">When I left I had no intentions of returning ever. Only a few weeks back I was
actually contemplating going back. not because I have outgrown this city.
Because I wanted to prepare for masters et al.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">One taxi ride through my favorite part of Worli on a rainy afternoon and I realized it'd be a
cold day in hell before I leave this city so soon. More on that, later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">But right now, at this moment, I want to go home. where no one will laugh
at my gender-confused, south-Calcutta<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Bangla<span class="apple-converted-space"><i> </i></span>accented Hindi. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Not that it matters much. The being-laughed-at bit. But still. I wanna go
home and sleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Meanwhile, good days ahead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpOv5pzFnY9mqCzZVq66MhQ7184PcD0vr2TWajwgo7uyoIQrbEcGo2IoiJBkrKZuw8oT7cCLsHDc0HG4ewVf3OC2vv6-0QoxeLNFvajgm0wUCK9p46fPBAmvOU4ie_B4LD4CzzEFUT8as/s1600/306763_10151027702567707_807601191_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpOv5pzFnY9mqCzZVq66MhQ7184PcD0vr2TWajwgo7uyoIQrbEcGo2IoiJBkrKZuw8oT7cCLsHDc0HG4ewVf3OC2vv6-0QoxeLNFvajgm0wUCK9p46fPBAmvOU4ie_B4LD4CzzEFUT8as/s320/306763_10151027702567707_807601191_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">That's my work table. It is
generally not<span class="apple-converted-space"> <i>this messy. </i></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">That yellow cup is my
favorite. </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I love drinking my hot </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">chocolate out of it everyday. </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">One day I didn't find it in
the pantry and </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">actually bugged</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">Banwariji<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">to no end </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">before he found another one
from the messy confused </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">assortment of pots,
pans, plates, cups that is the pantry. </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It seems I have some form
of OCD they haven't come up with a name for yet. I googled and none of the
types mentioned fit. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="background-color: #f8faf7; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">P.S; </span></span><span style="background-color: #f8faf7; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I really like to draw people's attention to unimportant
details.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="background-color: #f8faf7; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; text-align: center;">P.P.S; </span><span style="background-color: #f8faf7; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m going for </span><i style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Iftar
celebration tomorrow.</i></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</div>
<br />
<br /></div>
scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-45555673205065601242012-07-11T05:48:00.001-07:002012-07-11T05:50:07.827-07:00"...there is a moment when you say to yourself, Oh, there you are. I've been looking for you forever...."<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjtj04Zi7RpQQJwQyk4SEGQg5_yx_hPdJqxUhZp5Nc_Pm0JV-JQ-ZwFMWP5mAic3Qnx-kAaHAAJ7gPGQuRdivm8Ns2sLsnlLDfuoh7nB35VE6G0btyFoCwxts_SmpfsO_wluBlZLdPyB2/s1600/429161_335729369795712_173679732_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjtj04Zi7RpQQJwQyk4SEGQg5_yx_hPdJqxUhZp5Nc_Pm0JV-JQ-ZwFMWP5mAic3Qnx-kAaHAAJ7gPGQuRdivm8Ns2sLsnlLDfuoh7nB35VE6G0btyFoCwxts_SmpfsO_wluBlZLdPyB2/s640/429161_335729369795712_173679732_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3182094/"><span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><br />
</span><b><span style="color: #984806; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;">Kurt Hummel</span></b></a></span><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">: </span><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: accent1; mso-themeshade: 191;">We're young, so we got
all the time in the world to get adventurous.<br />
</span><b><span style="color: #984806; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2023050/"><span style="color: #984806; mso-themecolor: accent6; mso-themeshade: 128;">Blaine Anderson</span></a></span></b><span style="color: #548dd4; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">: </span><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themeshade: 191;">Don't you think now is
the time to be adventurous? While we're still young. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themeshade: 191;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themeshade: 191;">P.S: It is not a See-I-told-you-this-blog-is-not-dead post. It is more
like a I-will-die-gushing-now-I-love-Klaine-so-much post.</span><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themeshade: 191;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-62576102540095391952012-04-08T01:05:00.002-07:002012-04-08T01:06:57.046-07:00How does the world's BIGGEST jackass work for a person with zero tolerance for bullshit?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">How? </span></div>
</div>scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-2597522193417939842012-04-07T13:53:00.000-07:002012-04-07T23:02:28.421-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Okay so my roommate
talks in her sleep. And not just that, she speaks complete sentences that make
perfect sense. She also frowns and has intense arguments with someone that involves
a lot of shaking-hand-violently gestures. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">That is perfectly acceptable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">But last night right in the middle of one of her argument monologues she suddenly opened her
eyes and looked at me with a deadpan face. Like that Sadako girl in the
Japanese Ring. And when I asked her what happened she simply smiled a very
knowing smile, rolled over and went back to mumbling in her sleep. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">And of course in the
morning when I asked her she had no recollection of it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Weird? No. Creepy? Hell
yes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #17365d; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Now if only the mind hadn't zoomed into an imagination overdrive. </span></div>
</div>scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-5783172437933327942012-03-16T23:11:00.000-07:002012-03-17T02:35:45.970-07:00The one where you get to know....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RywdCLcwYdWuFdY45-wCFu1hlsPJQ4SGX94hspXIBk1gyVN5jGwY_1ihlwbYI5x2v5IC75MOcQX4snVm06GZyClIxXbV7QVYCnhit-eedfMU3B-LEk9_1EkTAjOw-8W0qP5JvcG50WUK/s1600/392814_10150348677452041_728432040_8500719_2028522064_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RywdCLcwYdWuFdY45-wCFu1hlsPJQ4SGX94hspXIBk1gyVN5jGwY_1ihlwbYI5x2v5IC75MOcQX4snVm06GZyClIxXbV7QVYCnhit-eedfMU3B-LEk9_1EkTAjOw-8W0qP5JvcG50WUK/s320/392814_10150348677452041_728432040_8500719_2028522064_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763;">....<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">What
happened since I disappeared:</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">i.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I got a job. I am also incredibly happy it’s <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2034894123334364557" name="_GoBack"></a>with an
organisation I have always wanted to be a part of two months into the course. People
tried to convince me that it’d pay me peanuts and I should go back. My father
even offered to support me for the next two years if I agree to do an MBA. I
mulled over the proposition for some time and decided to stay back. I think I
am too much in love with this city at the moment to leave it now. Did I hear
someone calling me ‘stupid’ and ‘irrational’? Yes, my entire clan back home. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">ii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I went
home twice only to realise that I was feeling like a tourist in my own city.
Not a nice realisation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">iii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I came
close to murdering my religious nut of a landlord and his wife. At least
thrice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">iv.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I’d
like to believe that as the years add up I keep getting wiser and have realised
that what I want and what I can have are two <b><i>entirely </i></b>different
things. But only yesterday I made a shopping list for love and it turned out my
idea of The One is a cross between Michael Scoffield and Cumberbatch’s
Sherlock, or Gregory House and Richard Castle. What? You cannot have a rational
argument with that part of my brain which makes these decisions. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">v.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I
think I have screwed up my karma and earned <i>Yaamraj</i>’s
wrath; my days are numbered and I am on my way to meet my maker soon. I almost
fell off a ridge in Lonavala. My day feels incomplete if I haven’t got electric
shocks from the iron. I got literally thrown out from the ladies’ compartment
in the train twice. I was two minutes away from getting run over right by a
Bentley in front of college. <i>(“Wow! You’d
have died a Bentley-crushed death!”</i> was the exact words spoken by S after
that. Good to know I have people in my life who will not only spot the silver
lining in every goddamn cloud but will also hold me by the neck and point it
out to me.) My friend G’s boyfriend tried to kill me by drowning in Kashid,
thereby leaving me auditorily impaired for two weeks and emotionally scarred
for a lifetime. Pointless exaggeration aside, keep me in your prayers this year
will you? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">vi.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I
shifted to the suburbs only to have my heart broken in the process of leaving
South Bombay. I have decided when I am insanely rich/married to an insanely
rich man/successfully pull off my first bank robbery and somehow get away with
it (I am still working on the plan so kindly do not sneer), I will buy a house
overlooking the sea that looks <i>exactly </i>like
the David Sassoon Library or one of those gorgeous old <i>Parsee </i>buildings on Princess Street or in <i>Cusrow Bagh</i> and live there. Some time in the next forty years I see
this dream coming true so I feel partly mollified. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">vii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">I
spent ten grand on books. My mother called me up to say that back home, my
books are dying a silverfish eaten death and that she wants me to take them
with me. I have no clue how to shift them all from one house to another. Plus
there are three hideously large suitcases to shift too. I wish I hadn’t bought
anything. I wish I hadn’t lived so close to Colaba. The part of the brain which
always screams “I told you so” keeps getting increasingly and annoyingly louder
every day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">viii.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">We had
a red carpet awards night in college and I was made the Head of Logistics. The
work basically entailed going without food for fourteen hours at a stretch,
trying to make vendors and workers understand your bad South Calcutta
Bong-accented Hindi, spending two sleepless nights back-to-back, screaming
matches with your teammates, wearing harem pants and Hong Kong t-shirt (my ‘Chhotu’
t-shirt. You know, the kind servants named ‘Chhotu’ of the house or chai shops
wear. I can easily pass for Chhotu. Put a <i>gamchha
</i>on my shoulder and I see an alternate career opportunity right in front of
my nose) during the event when everyone else is looking extremely pretty/dapper
(depending on the gender) in their dresses and suits, running frantically and manning
the backstage, doing last-minute damage control etc etc. The event was a huge
success (this, an understatement); we got excellent media coverage too and our
professor personally took the three of us, Chadha, Reetika and me out and
bought us beer and kebabs. My first meal of that day, yes you got it right. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">ix.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> I travelled. Not as extensively as I’d have
liked (‘I am still living off parents’ and ‘college is pretty anal about 75%
attendance and all that’ being some of the reasons). But I went to Coorg in October
followed by Lonavala and Kashid. I went to Kanheri on a beautiful rainy day and
got dragged to the same place exactly two days later by Chadha. We trekked to
the top, soaked to the bone; the orgasmic view of the Powai Lake and the
surrounding greenery was worth the cramp in Chadha’s cuff muscles and my
bleeding toe. Really. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16e4u-i6j6LjevlI4JqhSS_N9Ofm91t4cp9k5hsJYIiJ_RZgIGLPwdt8PhSyC_7vdj4m2CsAwcT0lmIN_h-KQMHvXLx57rfpEx71TJPZxLicsB3f_LLktVgRncrvVrG7v2qud6EYgU7ON/s1600/297980_10150432585662586_718737585_10970825_145159_n+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16e4u-i6j6LjevlI4JqhSS_N9Ofm91t4cp9k5hsJYIiJ_RZgIGLPwdt8PhSyC_7vdj4m2CsAwcT0lmIN_h-KQMHvXLx57rfpEx71TJPZxLicsB3f_LLktVgRncrvVrG7v2qud6EYgU7ON/s320/297980_10150432585662586_718737585_10970825_145159_n+(1).jpg" width="256" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Way to Kanheri.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckRd3J0kPmJDmuzf5B8I69kvvxE8Atg6vyElUPP1F34st_pJyjggZO_kbZXQg6saUtTm4AaWhv7p2D93gB-kxoTJY4CO87DW3VbaKdhfF2VOYii2EOHIimMIkxZ550PMEHu2pJ2V49Np0/s1600/300779_10150431453747586_718737585_10958780_3339773_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhckRd3J0kPmJDmuzf5B8I69kvvxE8Atg6vyElUPP1F34st_pJyjggZO_kbZXQg6saUtTm4AaWhv7p2D93gB-kxoTJY4CO87DW3VbaKdhfF2VOYii2EOHIimMIkxZ550PMEHu2pJ2V49Np0/s320/300779_10150431453747586_718737585_10958780_3339773_n.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #073763;">Chadha. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsofgxE18ICHhK8ojvr2GIOHKUF42G8GcZwo3US59A-8yNIaJ7_5ozUm3RJCshAtU21ChZKRUAkzRfDi_TQAVygsz_AAtDt6J3mqjSpjNX_ljDw9p-1g2fENqU_KWQvDaCiFr0DoCRUpqq/s1600/300757_10150432587112586_718737585_10970845_2340806_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsofgxE18ICHhK8ojvr2GIOHKUF42G8GcZwo3US59A-8yNIaJ7_5ozUm3RJCshAtU21ChZKRUAkzRfDi_TQAVygsz_AAtDt6J3mqjSpjNX_ljDw9p-1g2fENqU_KWQvDaCiFr0DoCRUpqq/s320/300757_10150432587112586_718737585_10970845_2340806_n.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #073763;">We tried to be all brilliant and stuff with the camera. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYE2GCESz-L3pZEGfhETq1AtAAxqYHLa8qsur6LkVp1Dbn4jR62lHclIpcZ7IJ4R4-JtMpPp5q7PLDcQE2NodSK-LOnfxqTAVCeLW0FEA6z-YQJ95mmeUNO5vEN0OlJTgk06EXmH4-km5O/s1600/389172_10150348775432041_728432040_8501598_1937450268_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYE2GCESz-L3pZEGfhETq1AtAAxqYHLa8qsur6LkVp1Dbn4jR62lHclIpcZ7IJ4R4-JtMpPp5q7PLDcQE2NodSK-LOnfxqTAVCeLW0FEA6z-YQJ95mmeUNO5vEN0OlJTgk06EXmH4-km5O/s320/389172_10150348775432041_728432040_8501598_1937450268_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">My 'Jack Torrance' moment in Coorg</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;">x.<span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyysIqtsgDAnqYDNre-3RSBqDixW0kmG0h7Evj-7jrOvXof7E-kNU5agc4FBO5s-Nh4f0PTgk0UkLjYuflg7POXgUQTf3UWlZZ_QwReL7YoTHTC-6fLevPyz5cQl3qT7F-HxsUwJsxsNp/s1600/303743_10150348797767041_728432040_8501712_1176313386_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZyysIqtsgDAnqYDNre-3RSBqDixW0kmG0h7Evj-7jrOvXof7E-kNU5agc4FBO5s-Nh4f0PTgk0UkLjYuflg7POXgUQTf3UWlZZ_QwReL7YoTHTC-6fLevPyz5cQl3qT7F-HxsUwJsxsNp/s320/303743_10150348797767041_728432040_8501712_1176313386_a.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Pretty Kushalnagar</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibODzpi3j3TQlkHQiz2h6-MoToeRTS1psPvSROxWiWmaCi4lb2_JsGXlV7aWgMj8i7N3EvsMZWpmiNRU1X1umv3Cy0PKBpDK1QAYW5f7JmozWSYJesThk4TuT0chqKG_HeyUz2liw6uTTN/s1600/392285_10150348797217041_728432040_8501705_1552537198_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibODzpi3j3TQlkHQiz2h6-MoToeRTS1psPvSROxWiWmaCi4lb2_JsGXlV7aWgMj8i7N3EvsMZWpmiNRU1X1umv3Cy0PKBpDK1QAYW5f7JmozWSYJesThk4TuT0chqKG_HeyUz2liw6uTTN/s320/392285_10150348797217041_728432040_8501705_1552537198_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Random lake beside Harangi Dam, after a heavy shower</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnGe3h2J_NgbwNlt-SftclHZ_q6GObudFgu9o48qWRe1Gq33M18f_FLOckvpGdYasQFTfX-B0JsjXe-Z7rjNO8WpAo18HRwc5TcwK0R7wXjpRjkfN9w5CW0rwTtD1yHR-RKeD74QZLPR5/s1600/389539_10150348797157041_728432040_8501704_604887478_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnGe3h2J_NgbwNlt-SftclHZ_q6GObudFgu9o48qWRe1Gq33M18f_FLOckvpGdYasQFTfX-B0JsjXe-Z7rjNO8WpAo18HRwc5TcwK0R7wXjpRjkfN9w5CW0rwTtD1yHR-RKeD74QZLPR5/s320/389539_10150348797157041_728432040_8501704_604887478_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">that disturbing moment when after taking the photo you realise</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">subject is...err...relieving himself</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyWcxbY1892RyE3PsYoBemHRlFwWiGJemClFEYMedtCQ63vUBF-LDbYwFuZyOMh2E9jTpkPndJvjJ8SoB0LtoUo5gzAKTPJsrhMqADHh_pvhJMQYzaRRqcbO2TUuW9sWt-XEwuvEVpPkS/s1600/378931_10150348774512041_728432040_8501580_431636022_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvyWcxbY1892RyE3PsYoBemHRlFwWiGJemClFEYMedtCQ63vUBF-LDbYwFuZyOMh2E9jTpkPndJvjJ8SoB0LtoUo5gzAKTPJsrhMqADHh_pvhJMQYzaRRqcbO2TUuW9sWt-XEwuvEVpPkS/s320/378931_10150348774512041_728432040_8501580_431636022_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Random</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36.0pt;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-size: 7pt;"></span>x.<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; text-indent: -36pt;">i.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; text-indent: -36pt;">It’s
been a tough year. But one I was looking forward to since December 2010.
Assignment shit hit the ceiling so many times we felt like running away. The professors
kept saying that this is nothing and that it will be worse when we start
working; if it was meant to motivate us to get our asses moving, it clearly did
not help. August to October was a blur of presentations, agency visits,
last-minute submissions, sleepless nights, endless fights, people falling sick
(from common cold to massive strokes, we’ve seen it all.), breakups, shouting matches,
fallouts and whatnot. But this city is also officially my first home outside
home...you know ‘home’ as I’ve known it till now. It feels like home too. There’s
something for everyone. It gives you a lot of personal space. Much has been
said about its incredibly fast pace. People back home arch eyebrows and mutter
something about “Bombay girl...short short dresses...<i>o toh bokhe gechhe</i>” under their breath. The city is made out to be
an indifferent heartless monster in movies but my experiences have been very
different. The people I have met, my two roommates (more on them, later), some
of the professors, random people on the road, in the train, in old Parsee cafes
with whom I have struck up conversations- the unforgettable motley experiences
made it very difficult for me to leave the city for Delhi or go back to
Kolkata. It is a heady mix of everything; It is home.</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 54pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; text-indent: -36pt;">I am glad it
happened. </span><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; text-indent: -36pt;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4i8fEO2_7y7mnlyYkBYDrHErgDKM4qdPufnUXsjGSAHOdaHQB8bQ3yCvD6K_V2WB-CBWIcaokrbg2-b_jiUlcTsttpH1ZDpU4t0ubrdOh0cv9LHDRuoilmBfUsbA0whXUtjLumIkShUe/s1600/396570_10150534504937707_798907706_8696346_1638767124_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv4i8fEO2_7y7mnlyYkBYDrHErgDKM4qdPufnUXsjGSAHOdaHQB8bQ3yCvD6K_V2WB-CBWIcaokrbg2-b_jiUlcTsttpH1ZDpU4t0ubrdOh0cv9LHDRuoilmBfUsbA0whXUtjLumIkShUe/s400/396570_10150534504937707_798907706_8696346_1638767124_a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763;">Maratha Mandir. One rainy afternoon. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #073763;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">P.S: The gorgeous Coorg photos have been taken by friend, momma and fabulous artwork creator Suryaa Bhattacharya. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 54.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-419493666770060212011-08-01T02:09:00.000-07:002011-08-01T02:20:19.185-07:00The One Where I Come Home.( And throw up in the station loo etc etc. )<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">One month in Mumbai and if you still haven’t figured out the train routes and how to read that big electronic board with incomprehensible codes that is supposed to make your life much easier but only gives you a headache (from all that frowning as you try to understand what the hell it is trying to say), you are in BIG trouble. Especially during peak office hours and people are running like mad from the ticket counter to their respective platforms. You dare walk up to anyone and ask for directions and they are sure to give you that look that makes you feel like the cat that still hasn’t learnt to use the toilet.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">Before I took my first train ride in Mumbai I had heard a lot of hair-raising horror stories about Mumbai trains-how you get groped, pushed, kicked in your ‘private lady parts’ (my landlord’s mother is a very sweet old lady who lowered her voice and looked appropriately embarrassed while saying out those three words), have your hair yanked off etc etc. My uncle once had to get down at Mahim but the moment he kept his one foot on the station he was unceremoniously pushed right back into the train. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">Nothing much really happened though. Yes my body and the lungs, in the process got constricted to the point where I was preparing myself to meet my maker (not exaggerating), my feet got badly stamped and yes I got poked in the back by a particularly nasty looking umbrella and while getting off at Bandra, someone scratched me in the neck and left a mark that everybody in college thought was a hickey, I survived. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">The view from the locals when it is raining is breathtaking. I know I complain about the rain all the time but the moment you reach Charni Road or Marine Lines and catch a glimpse of the sea underneath the overcast sky you feel a little light in the head. (More if you have a bad hangover at 8 in the morning like yours truly). The cold wind lashes against your face (btw warning in advance: that doesn’t feel so good when you’re two seconds away from throwing up all over the seat or passing out in an empty compartment. Just so you know.) and you feel as if you have always been here; you never left. You just can’t. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #073763;">I never thought I’d say this but one month in the city and Mumbai suddenly feels like home. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-73724000630735908702011-07-15T08:34:00.000-07:002011-07-16T10:52:56.921-07:00"Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahan....zara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan..."<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 21px;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Mumbai. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Much has been said about the dehumanizing quality of this city. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Maybe it’s a way of life here. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Like some kind of a basic survival instinct. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">When you know that you can be just 60 seconds away from mortality the moment you step out of the house yet you can’t do anything about it, because that’s the way it is here, you kind of understand why the city demands that you hide your fear and helplessness behind a garb of the now-famous ‘Spirit of Mumbai’. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">‘Resilience’ and ‘moving forward’ seem to have become the other names of ‘Denial’ in this city today. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">When it rains at 10 in the night and you are stuck in the insane traffic and all you hear around you is panic, chaos, ambulance sirens and screams rending the air and your mind has blanked out and insides have gone numb, your friend turns around, smiles and says ‘Welcome to Mumbai’.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Deal with it. Or bugger off.</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #17365d;"></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Mumbai, 2011. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">You are scary, incomprehensible. I may have begun to slowly understand you but I am not sure just how much of that so-called ‘spirit’ of yours I can imbibe. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Mumbai, 2011. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif;"><span style="color: #17365d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;">We did not deserve to live like this. We just didn’t. </span></span></div></div>scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2034894123334364557.post-80359793972338800342011-07-09T23:57:00.000-07:002011-07-16T10:54:52.187-07:00Where I consign Mumbai brokers to the lowest layers of Hell.<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">“</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Bart, with $10,000, we'd be millionaires! We could buy all kinds of useful things like...love!”</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d;"></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Yes. True story. You can buy all sorts of stuff with that kind of money. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Almost </i>everything. <i>Except perhaps</i> getting someone decent (and by decent I mean someone who at least doesn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">look like </i>he/she runs a human trafficking business in the heart of Mumbai) to rent out his/her apartment. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">So I arrived in Mumbai on the 30<sup>th</sup> morning with a splitting headache, a perennially suspicious and paranoid mother whose cinematic imagination, fuelled by too much exposure to Bollywood ‘gangster’ movies, had pictured every cabbie in the city as a gun-totting, coke-snorting, cheap <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">desi </i>whiskey-guzzling gangster and a father whose idea of a great way to start the day is to point out the errors of my ways in the past four years. By the time we had reached the hotel I was pretty much non-functional; the cabbie was having a hard time figuring out my dad’s terribly guttural heavily Bong-accented Hindi and my mother had read somewhere that there was an attempt on Dawood’s little brother’s life and was contemplating taking the next flight home. If I thought that the universe was playing a conspiracy on me I had no frigging idea what lay in store for us. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">My (the-then) future roommate Sonya had reached on the 29<sup>th</sup> only to call me up and whine about lack of cheap and decent places to live in Mumbai. I assured her that I had the contacts of a couple of brokers so we would figure out something in two days, give or take. Who the hell knew that we would be such 'sleazy-broker' magnets? </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">To all you Mumbaikers who might be reading this eventually, rookie mistake. It happens. To all non-Mumbai people looking for cheap decent places for accommodations in Mumbai, don’t even bother looking it up in the internet. I bet my monthly allowance, (which isn’t much btw; it’s just a figure of speech) that if you google ‘cheap decent apartment in Mumbai’ you will simply see a page that says </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Your search - <b>cheap mumbai apartment</b> - did not match any documents.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">. Don’t believe me? Huh? HUH?! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">(Okay, solid solid amount of pointless exaggeration maybe. but what the heck?! I am in grieving. )</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d;">We met Shady Broker #1 who took us to this ‘housing complex’ in Colaba, assuring our paranoid fathers that ‘</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">it is very safe sirjee. Only good good families you will get there. No boys jee just no boys</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d;">.’ </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Now of course I appreciate the weak but honest attempt at assuring the fathers that no boy who’s hit puberty (and by this I mean someone who falls in the age bracket of 22-25. A few recent developments have convinced me of the veracity of this fact but more, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">much much more</b>, on that later. ) with raging male sex hormones in his body will be around to play with their daughters’ modesty (even if the one of the daughters is somewhat your archetypal ‘fallen woman’). </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">What he forgot to mention is that there will be insanely, tall, brawny, mustachioed men (Okay do not for one instance picture Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach etc etc. Think potbellied, gold chain, bell-bottoms and polka dotted shirt wearing, villains from alpha z-grade Bollywood movies you were *this* close to watching in a shady hall once just for the heck of it. Not proud. So what?) will be around the building inside the “complex” 24x7. Added to an already difficult situation was the fact that the whole apartment was terribly shady and dingy and looked like a front for human trafficking and one of the men’s breath stank of cheap whiskey and he wore a horribly retro shirt in vivid hues that hurt my eyes and bore an uncanny resemblance to a cheap Kollywood villain.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">“They are good good people sirjee. For babyjee’s safety”. Poor guy had his heart in the right place but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">babyjee’s </i>father was slightly apoplectic by then and hence we had to leave. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Also a </i></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">flat</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> in a </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">house</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> is </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">NOT </span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">the same thing as a housing fucking complex. Why is it that your understanding of a customer’s demands and such other technical nitty gritties fail you whenever convenient?!!) </span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Next stop: Marine Lines Station. Enter Slimy Broker #2 Mr. Joshi.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">PDs(Paranoid Dads): So?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Mr. J: Sir, do not worry. I will give you </span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #307e1e; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">master bedroomwalla</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"> flat. The madams will be very comfortable. (Madams???!!! WTF!) </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">So we entered nice, respectable looking housing complex (notice absence of quotation marks here) bang opposite Wankhade Stadium thinking ‘okay this place looks nice and safe’ etc etc. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Mr. J: Aiye aiye (come come)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Pin-drop silence. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">PD#1: Where is the flat?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Mr. J: Aiye hum aapko dikhate hain. Andar to aiye. (come come I will show you. Come inside first)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">PD#2: Is this the flat?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Mr. J: Haan jee. Badiya flat hain madamlogo ke liye. (yes sir. Good flat for the madams.)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Collective gasp.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">It was a store room. With an incredibly low ceiling and a whirring fan that looked all set to behead us when we stand up. It stank of rotten eggs, dead cat's meat, beer puke and every single thing under the sun that can possibly gross you out. The <strike>room</strike> store room was partitioned horizontally by a wooden board and you have to climb up a rickety old ladder to reach the what-he-referred-to-as-the-‘master bedroom’. It looked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">exactly </i>like that wooden attic where the corpses of the Williams were discovered in the movie Grudge. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Sonya: He’s kidding right?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Except that he wasn’t. He looked like someone with no measurable sense of humor as he earnestly tried to explain to us why we should take the place.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">“You see there sir. There are good family people living over there. Very safe people. Safe area sir. Mumbai mein to aise hi log rehte hain sir”</span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Except one of the aforementioned ‘good safe family people’ turned out to be a lungi-clad extremely hirsute smelly boy in his early twenties, picking his nose and brushing and ogling at us. (Not surprising. He looked like the type whose mother tells him to not ‘mix with girls beta’. People with two X chromosomes in their system are people from an entirely different universe.) </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">So, long story short, nixed. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">Mumbai, there is a special place in Hell for your brokers. I tell you that breed is just one lab accident away from being a supervillian. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">But Mumbai, </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS';">You’re like the feeling inside your mouth when you drink water after pointlessly chewing a juiceless, tasteless piece of gum for hours simply because you were too lazy to spit it out. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>scaramouchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530724150704800792noreply@blogger.com8