Monday, August 25, 2008

a year and four months old...

Not me

No I dont have a baby

Belated 1st Bay Bloggie!

Sorry I forgot... But like you will know right?

Thursday, August 21, 2008

I kissed a girl

when the most precocious of people tend to change, it is the beginning of the apocalypse itself.

KATY PERRY - I KISSED A GIRL

Good morning ladies. today i heard this amazing new track by katy perry called i kissed a girl. and yes i have to admit that i have had the privilege of witnessing the same with two people i know. (non lesbians) so what is the big deal?

Really in india atleast amongst people i know its like some haram i guess when you actually tell someone you are lesbian. Hold on i dont think anyone even tells it across right?

But suppose you are to tell someone, say like your bestest friend about this what will be the reaction

Anju: I need to tel you something but i cant cal n tel it so here it goes... I'm lesbian

After a while and a 42 rs. meal combo from Sri Krishna Sweets

Aruna: Congrats

Anju: ok.. i dint expect that! i am serious

Aruna: Good d...

Anju: So your ok with it...not worried i hit on ya

Aruna: No problem. But i wont hit back on ya

Anju: Huh! Why not ? I am attractive! and guys in chennai suck!

Aruna: Lmao (Laughing my ass off)

Anju: Answer me! Am I attractive or what? I make a good companion and we are such good friends why not take it to the next level

Aruna: Lol U r hilarious. Hmmm ok gimme some time. I ve to think over t ok

Anju: Ok fine. I'll wait lowe ya!


a fly zooms about

Aruna:

fly

Anju: Boo! Im a lesbian

Fly: Buzzzzz (off?)

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Aruna:

Well hopefully I dint scare her off here... but what have i learnt from this today

Coming out of the closet idea doesnt exist.

Lesbianism is not taken seriously

People should be open to an appearance of any possibility of anything, anytime

I am not that attractive as I thought I was

What the hell

Welcome to the Good life!



P.S --- I prefer men. But I support lesbianism whole hearted-ly



Monday, September 3, 2007

Woman, Interrupted

INDIGNATION: FEELING OF ANGER WHEN SOMETHING UNJUST OR WRONG HAS BEEN DONE TO YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN WRONGLY ACCUSED OF SOME ACTION.

If destiny’s child would rechristen their 2004 Charlie’s angels OST as indignant woman, that would make my day. I always hated that song, and when the song references to the emotion that I have been able to associate with for the last couple of weeks, well all the more indignant I feel!

Now tracing back to the feeling of indignation. Take for instance last Saturday when I was on my way to an already becoming late test and took the first bus I saw. My class is a good 20 minute ride or so and hence I passed on 5 bucks to the khaki clad man who came upto me. A little while later, I realized that it wasn’t him but another who was issuing the tickets. Fuming (and being the miser I always am) I eye contacted my man in khaki and mouthed ticket. He gave me a very bored look and asked me to hold on. Time flew and so did my imagination. I kept looking at this man and he refused to acknowledge my existence even. Once in a while he threw a smirking look or an occasional leer, like he knew the tricks to aggravate me. I fantasized being pulled up for a fine by the sudden ticket inspector and as my imaginary story increased in amplitude ( with visions of me even clubbing the khahi man to death and being sent to prison) and tears sprung in my eyes against the injustice being met out, khahi man told the ticket collector bout me and once the green slip was in my hand I did feel quite silly thinking back on the Mother India part 2 that I starred in a while back in my head.

Go forward to the next evening. Going back from class after a marathon revision cum class, my tired legs collapsed into the first available seat on the bus. As we neared another stop, three old (say 55 – 60 )women got on. Two found a seat while one had to stand. Now by principle I always give up my seat when I see older people regardless of the crowd and the distance I travel. But today was just not it. So this middle aged lady behind me stood up instead. I hate cribbing people especially old ones. And well as she comfortably sat down, she thanked the other lady profusely ( and too loudly) and began this monologue about how its nice to see that some people do stand up for oldies and how certain youngsters ( aka yours truly ) don’t really care and blah. Well excuse my French was the exact words that I wanted to turn back and spit on her but unfortunately decorum got in the way and tears got in my eye(s). is it fair to judge someone on the basis of one particular action ? some may say no, others yes. No, because it is the circumstance that may force some people to react in the way they do. Yes, because, well the world is small, time is short and quick judgments are the order of the day, be it in business, business or well business.

Rewind to a week back. On a bus ( again) I was staring out the window, when I felt something black creep up out off the periphery of my eye. I turn to my left, by the window…nothing. And I keep looking ahead, but this time a little more alert. What do I see. A very determined young (&^*%) man, with very twichy fingers and a very suitable target ( yours truly takes a bow) I give him a fierce stare, but mr. twitch seems to suddenly find the corporation bank building the bus passes, an interesting piece of architecture. Oh naïve little me! Should have realized he was merely “stretching” his fingers, a want of exercise. Men!

Again then I wanted to break my shoes sole on his face, but then I didn’t. I was what I term an “ all speech but just gas”. I will just talk about anger and retaliation but will not do anything about it. Again there it was. Indignation. Not at mr. twitchy but at my failure to respond. If I had in all probability there would have been an ugly scene. But now that I didn’t whats to say that he wont try this at another unsuspecting traveler. And this time, God Forbid, find the target!

In all these cases, my indignant self was not mocking or laughing or angry with the three cases, but at myself, for not standing up and raising my voice ( or as in the last case, my slipper). When do we all as people feel indignant? When someone like Allistar Pereira walks away with a bail bond, over the bodies of dead migrants. When Sanjay Dutt’s every step onto Vaishnavo Devi being tracked, when Salman khan waves from his balcony, stars safe in their haven not wanting to spend more than a night of their sentence away from Air Con, when one man does spend 25 years in jail inspite of being released decades ago. When congress and BJP play tag over an apology for that kids death. When (and always as I hate them) any of the so called “top” Indian news channels ask for another sms poll/call/”expert talk”/blah. When truly talented athletes struggle to get a sponsorship in contrast with 11 over paid men gape stupidly on field. When parties disagree soo much that our country may just miss the last bus (!) forward. When we see acres being landscaped by people who would not even have a million nth part of it to call home.

What is the point of feeling indignant when some things can be changed by the people. Its just that instead of merely looking down, look around. There will be a change that you can cause, however small it may be, but significant enough. Stand up against what you think is wrong. Reach out even when it is not expected the most. Refuse to accept what is thrown at you if you feel it against your right ( yes and in my case that would be tuning out particular channels). Even if it is to pick up a rusted bottle cap off the path so that others don’t get hurt, remember good begets good. And only if one decides to change, will another follow.

And meanwhile I’ll stay off the buses. Or is it just my PMS?

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

City

The sun dawns on the city early Monday morning but the city shall still continue to sleep. But in this city, deep in the alleys lies someone who has been awake through the night. A small boy lies looking up into the sky watching as the sky is set ablaze with the suns rays. He ponders for he knows that this is probably his last day on earth and wonders as to how and when he shall end his miserable existence for the last eight years.

He hears the call of the newspaper man as he goes on his rounds, tossing a mélange of the previous day within sheaves of paper on to the porches of the people who will probably never even read past the main important headline. Will they read through a small by line in the inside page which talks of a mud hut which was razed to the ground as a part of the city’s beautification project. They will never hear about a woman who with her heavily pregnant body ran about trying to convince the so called higher authority that this hut has to stay... that she and her younger son will have no place to call home if the authorities where to take away their roof. Where will she move to if they were not to show pity on her? She yelled, she screamed, she raved, she ranted. But all fell to deaf ears.

Pain struck her heart as she watched in faint, her home being made a part of land. Soon the pain moved to her swollen middle as she left the need of her infant to enter this world. She prayed that this would not happen, for she has seen where life will lead the infant to. Her son watches her weeping, for he cant stand to regard his mother in such agony. He watches as a river of emotions flow from her, her pain evident for there is no one to care for her agony. She withers and groans on the constructed road. The night reacts unkindly; it shows to none the miracle that was happening.

She lies breathing heavy. Her daughter lay still between her legs. The Lord heard her prayer, she smiles. Now she wishes that the prayer had included her son also. The boy sleeps hungry not knowing that in a matter of minutes he would be a loner in the city, in his life.

He cries a few soft sobs watching the only two entities that he could ever relate with. The city wakes up and moves on.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

The pursuit of a "Higher" Happyness


When we are asked to write down what our ambition back in the 5th standard, most of us filled in the blank with Doctor, Astronaut, Engineer and many such stereotyped professions (Unlike my brother who wrote train engine driver!) now when you ask the question to us (as in people going to or at crossroads in life) we would say well an MBA graduate from IIMA, or PhD from Berkeley, a degree from Oxford, CA, Blah blah Actor blah.

What do I have to say?

What I am is not necessarily what I want to be. I am a film student with one film screened internationally. I have a great career option of joining films with enough and more resources that shall only be a dream unto others. I have a strong family background in the same field. I am also preparing for my CAT (which I seem pretty ok in) to join MICA by next June.

But what is it that I want to be?

In fact what is it that we really want to be?

When you place a track, you can say after an MBA, then work, then senior manager, then VP, then CEO. Else branch out start your own company. I can keep drawing and drawing the lines as vertical as I want to go. Sky also shall never be the limit.

But how many of us feel an empty space yet…

After an MS in engineering and a great job….then what?

After CEO, where should you go?

After marriage and kids, what more is there to expect from another?

Maybe the fact that most of us merely think of short term goals ( I mean a 10 year benchmark) is in fact a blessing in disguise. Its better to think what the immediate future holds than to worry of global warming will melt all the ice caps and sink us in a Water World. We anyway will be long gone before that, so why worry right?

I mean, does no one feel a sense of loss…of incompleteness…that there is nothing beyond the silver lining. Personally living this life for me feels like the Truman Show. Like someone is sitting and watching us all and we merely play out the parts that are etched to us. But how much can you deviate from the path chosen to you?

But then why should one deviate…why cant one merely enrich the path that one is presented with?

Should we not seek a higher meaning to life?
Or merely join the great hype of life and burn out in the end.

Just imagine, Mittal might be one of the richest Indians in the world, but how much of it does he stop to enjoy?

We run the rat race, but like they say we all are merely rats in the end.

Perhaps it’s not the fault of the people; it’s the necessity that society has created – the survival of the fittest.

I have been in a work environment too and I have loved every inch of it.

Then what is the meaning of all the rush and garble that follows when a person has to shine the brightest?

Is it better to shone brightly once in a billion years and then fade away…or is it better to just remain steady and watch the other stars run out of life then and now.

Should I be a spectator or the player?

Should I live or should I excel?

What is that I want to be?

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Leading Men

Hmm today a friend of mine said that I was a trouble maker… I am prone to create problems where ever I go. She said that in a capacity for I started a talk with a particular boy we knew and when it seemed weird I put an end to it. Now it seems quite unfortunately he has assumed that she asked me to stop the chit chat and has directed his irritation toward her (read he doesn’t reply to her anymore) sigh that was how the comment came into being. She just asked me this one question “could you not have left it way before in the first place?”

Should I have left it in the first place itself?

Well I have been accused of that in the past… that I lead men into believing that I like them , when what I merely do is be open and direct about a lot of issues where women skirt around delicately. I’ve never been much of a girly girl and men are plain idiots to think that if two and two click it becomes plenty!

Most of you who read this will agree that yes she should have quit what she did was merely leading that fellow on… ah yes another word that applies to me… leading men…

I’ve seen people saying that if a girl gets raped, it was her fault that she led a man to attempt something on her. It’s that girls should wear salwars in college so that they don’t provoke men. Girls wear burkas and cover themselves from head to toe to help man abstain from desire. Then those fuckers should have just moved into a desert without women. And considering the new age where homosexuality is gaining more and more prominence shouldn't men also be asked to do the same?

That’s the problem with men. Their easiest excuse is that men don’t have the self control and self abstinence that women exhibit. Well excuse me, but that’s just an eye wash, men are quite capable of several exorable feats. It’s just that they are too lazy to exercise their control. Tell me if men lack that much will power, how is it that they manage extreme physical feats which include brain and brawn, for example like mountaineering. Its not just strength, its extreme determination and will power. Please if they can scale Mount Everest how bad can handling your testosterone be?

Another thing is the “untouchable” time with a woman. In Hindu customs, when a woman is in her period, in homes where a temple is placed, she is asked to sit out, not touch any thing in the house for then everything in her path becomes “impure”. Not entering a temple is understandable, for if a woman bleeds in a temple it is impure (please not like she will mop up the temple someone else has to do it!) but then the untouchable part? Why are we treated like some leper when all we need is some rest? That is how it originally began. Women were asked to sit aside during that time because; she needs maximum rest to recuperate her loss of blood. Now rest is read as Impure. Strange are the ways of men.

Another interesting thing I have to write is what I saw at my friend’s home recently. I had been invited over for lunch and his mother was a wonderful woman, very kind, sweet and generous (I walked away with three boxes of sweets :D). She though kept complaining that her son never tells her what happens in college or at work. I was surprised and my friend just gave a wane smile.

Later I happened to learn that the similar fate is shared by all the women in that family. The multiple membered joint family patriarchs felt that with already too many problems being caused by many (male) voices, it would only create havoc if the women were also allowed a say in matters. In fact, these men make sure that when they marry, they marry from families where women are taught that the husband’s word is the bible.

No people, I’m not trying to be a feminist here. But it irks me to see that certain basic rights are being deprived just so we are a woman. I agree that equal opportunities are not accomodatable in certain situations. But seriously how bad can a woman’s say be. Don’t push us down… the more you keep us suppressed, the more we come out to swallow you. So give us an equal footing wherever possible.

Dear Government: We still look forward to the 33 %

And please not all of us are bad drivers!


Sunday, May 20, 2007

Learn A Different Lesson Today

I want to study.
A free world.
About freedom
And dream a happy dream in
A world of my own
I want to learn.

When the world stresses on education, when our nation grapples with the issue of reservation, there are some voices that really dont matter. the quality of education which our literatti are facing with should be of prime concern. well, you say, first why not think of people who are deprieved of education. let them be educated then we shall think of the type of education that they receive. well to my defense i can say, the quantity has its own spokesperson ( and they are doing a pretty good job about it ) now let me campaign for the quality.

The quality of education that we are engulfed in cannot be limited to the amount of information upload that takes place. never confuse quality and amount. amount is learning about the statistics of the BPL people and their lifestyle, the extent to which it affects the nations ecomony and the opinions and synthesis from across the world. Quality will give you the essense to form your own reaction.

When an engineer learns about pipes and cisterns, when a law student learns of the Indian Constituition, when the media student learns of the various genres in film studies how effectively does that education or learning allow them to compare and contrast with the vagaries that life throws at them every instant? mathematics is not about two plus two. it is about how you can save yourself the gulibility of being cheated for change by a shopkeeper. physics is not all about quantum mechanics and sound waves. It is merely just explains why you have to shout to be heard at a far away distance. the very core of all the syllabi of studies was born out of the need to understand why nature ticks and turns in such a fashion. a deeper understanding of what we see and hear at every waking moment is the basis of our textbooks.

Then why are we reduced to mere scores and scores of theories and equations that are required to be produced at the whim of a lecture just for a pat on the back or an awe that you solicit from your classmates. Is it with pride that you can say that AUB equals n(A)+n(B) even before the professor completes the equation on the board or is it better to understand the reason why a visual representation like a Venn Diagram was necessiated to understand basic grouping in humans and objects? the carrot is won but with what honor can you relish the taste?

The whole fault can be pin pointed to various factors but the quintessential factor being the error committed from a teacher to a student. ancient days saw the Indian Gurukul system where the values of life was taught to the students thwough examples and folktales to underline the primary message or the moral. i wonder how many of us actually stop to think of the moral behind all the bed time stories that we have heard or tell to children. perhaps the Indian system of education should take a leaf out of the book written by our own ancestors and incorporate more examples and method based pedagogy into our curriculum.
oh yes the arguments. its an obvious fact that Asians ( i shall not merely point fingers at us) in general benefit more from text based education than method based. when compared to Westerners who are more oriented to learning lessons from life we are surely ahead in terms of IQ and Brilliance. but then what we should do is compare the lifestyle between the two stereotypes - an Indian engineer and an American freewheeler. the Indian engineer ( nowadays) works hard, parties harder but then lives a life that can be encapsuled in a page. Whereas the freewheeler, with no education, no skills whatsoever, merely trudging along the way , moving continuoulsy lives a life that can run into volumes equivalent to the Brittanica Encyclopedia. of course both countries have their share of each other and there have been a lot of changes happening in the life styles but it is merely to illustrate the point.

We cannot do without the arduous school system of teaching but what we should propose is a slight case of lineancy. it never hurts for teh child to remember the best things of their school days as the project work they undertook or the rehabilitation camp they visited rather than the ever increasing number of tuition centres they visited since time immemorial for their 12 th boards. An excuse for a refreshment such as tennis, dance and Art classes are now marketed more fiercely as the largest competitive grounds for children forgetting the main reason why it was introduced out of curriculum for a student. this change can never be possible unless the glory hungry mindset of our parents change. and perhaps all the better more reason to start at the grassroots.