Words To Live By...

I had the profound privilege and pleasure of sitting in on a talk given by Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, the day before yesterday (or, as he put it, a bilateral meeting of minds) and found myself utterly fascinated by how he took the everyday, ordinary, even mundane facts around us and made everyone say "Oh...yeah...didn't see it that way. Huh. Wow."

Case in point being when a member of the audience asked him how he felt about being a "misfit in the Indian political scene" and whether that made him a "target of the press' taunts and his seniors' ridicule" his response was affable and disingenuous: "I find myself objecting not to the tone of the question, but to the single word 'misfit', which implies that there is only ever one fit for everything." It's never just about square pegs and round holes, but learning to accommodate, to pare rough edges, to widen smaller niches. I love that this is something EVERYONE knows, but it takes this man to say it for people in the audience to sit up, look around at their neighbours and say "Hmmm. Yes."

His following words were even better. "As for inviting taunts or ridicule, well, something new always does, doesn't it? There will always be minds that are sluggish to accept change. And as I often ask the veteran reporters who bombard me with these questions: 'Well, how would you feel if some new reporter came in and took the job you felt you deserved, along with all the accolades and attention?'"

Is it weird to have a fan-girl crush on a politician?

Finally!

I am a woman of means again! Not substantial means, mind you, and I'm not going to be gifting my friends Lamborghinis or Maseratis anytime soon (got that, N.M.?), but at LAST I got my work visa sorted out and started working!

Turns out finance companies don't deal with numbers any less than banks do...which is a fairly obvious conclusion. I'm so in the wrong line of work! Is it too late to erase the last few years of my life and sign on for an English or History major instead? I'm sure librarians get paid enough to keep them in a steady supply of Coke and strappy-little-shoes and Lindt Hazelnut chocolates, right? And really, what more does a woman need?

Although, to be honest, it might be more sensible to knock off the Coke and the chocolates - I've been going to the gym religiously for the past month and I've managed to PUT ON 2 kilos. The trainers are all mystified. The little fridge by my bed (which holds my secret stash of After-Eights, Toblerones and Patchis) explains it all, though... Then again, as my friends are always quick to point out: if I was more sensible, I wouldn't be me.

I keep trying to remind myself that I love them.

But sometimes it's hard.

"Days Go By...

...And still I think of you." Okay, that's how the 'Dirty Vegas' song goes, at any rate...not entirely apropos of my thoughts right now, but I find I always have to complete the lyric. And now the song's going to be stuck in my head for the next 3 days. At least it's not Britney Spears. Argh.

I can't believe it's 2010. Over a decade of the new millennium is gone. And I'm OLD. When did this happen?? I get tired by 1 a.m., I can't drink as much as I used to (well, I only really started drinking a couple of years ago, but nevermind), I can't dance for four hours straight in four-inch stilettoes, I get exhausted after an hour-long session at the gym (but at least I'm going!) and want to do nothing but curl up in bed for the rest of the evening, and my memory is most definitely going. Plus, horror of horrors, I've become one of those crabby OLD people who keep complaining, as evinced by this entire paragraph.

Right, no more. I'm counting my blessings as of now, which, when you think about it, is also something that OLD people do...but the nice ones, so that's alright :)

- My health, which is thankfully back on track after what seems like forever. I'm still susceptible to every bug out there, and my constantly runny nose makes the Niagara Falls seem like a pesky leaky faucet, but hey, no hospitals!

- My family, who are kick-ass and quirky and fun and supportive and everything, literally everything, to me. Especially my mom, who hasn't murdered me yet.

- My B'bay friends, who like me despite the 15 extra kilos, and seem to be handling growing old a lot better than I am! Maybe because they're all guys and don't obsess about crow's feet and laugh lines as much. Or maybe they hide it really well...

- My friends in this part of the world, who are the most entertaining people I've had the fortune to meet (although some of them are definitely the most annoying, obnoxious, irritating brats I've had the misfortune to meet...well, really only D). And NV and RV, whom I meet once or twice a year, but who make me believe that there really are sensible, fun, intelligent women out there who know their own minds and aren't just...sheep. And P and T, who make me feel like I would've liked a couple of little sisters. And K, who was by far the most sane person around for the last few weeks...despite his sheesha obsession.

- My local friends, who are loud and fun and sweet beyond belief...how amazing are you guys, Queen and Standy? Give yourselves a hand!

- My sanity, which is sometimes questionable, often shaky, but always present. At least in comparison to a lot of people I've met recently.

- My life, which, when reading over the last few points, really IS something to be grateful for.

Hence, no more complaining.

For now :)

In 2010 I Resolve To...

... Hit the gym everyday. Or at least thrice a week. Or at least enough to shed the sackful of blubber I managed to put on during my recent B'bay trip.

... Finally start on a damn Masters' Degree. GMAT - Check. IELTS - Check. So, London here I come...if you'll have me.

... Stay away from the drama. My little corner of the Middle East seems to be aspiring to be the next "One Tree Hill" or "The Bold and The Beautiful". Or, as one of my friends so succinctly put it - "It's The Hills, with ugly people." Heh. So, steer FAR away from arguing couples, couples-in-secret, cheating couples, airheaded women, psychotic women and chronic pull-a-move-but-then-blame-it-on-the-alcohol drunkards. That leaves me with about 3 friends.

... Attend as many friends' weddings as I can. After missing out on ohhhh 30-odd weddings in 2009, I'm pretty sure my friends will shift from mere verbal abuse to proper shoe-throwing if I miss anymore of their nuptials.

... And not grit my teeth when asked about my marriage plans. Which are, and always will be non-existent. It's here in writing!

... Call my B'bay friends more often. Because my recent trip just made me realize that not having them around everyday is a severe detriment to my sanity. And, as NM says, my waistline too. Yeah, I love the bastard.

... Blog more. Because there's always so much to say.

... Bitch less. But then that sort of negates the resolution to blog more.

... Hit the gym. I'm so serious about this, I'm writing it twice. I WILL STICK TO THIS ONE. I hope.

...Get my life in order. How's that for ambitious?

Happy New Year in advance, everyone! Happy partying, and I'll see you on the flipside :)

Yeah, Who's The Terrorist?

Thesaurus.com states that one of the synonyms for the word "terrorist" is "thug." Although far too mild for my normally profane vocabulary, I can't think of a more apt word for, well, several Indian politicians when one sees what's been happening there:

- MNS goons slapping a member of the Maharashtra Assembly for taking the oath in Hindi instead of Marathi

Raj Thackeray seems to be delighting in the crop of moronic Frankenstein monsters his 'Maratha Pride' tirades are generating, since he's positively cackling with glee that his political party (which will soon be along the lines of the SS, if it isn't already) is getting away with slapping a respected member of the legislative assembly for swearing in in a language other than Marathi. Why not just convert all schools to Marathi medium, have the banks conduct business in Marathi, do away with Bollywood and focus only on Marathi cinema?? (Does that have a name? Mollywood?) Let's see how well Bombay's economy does then.

- MNS warns of violence if non-Maharashtrians sit for SBI clerical exam

No, really. The State Bank of India, the largest bank in India with almost 12,000 branches, is going to take orders from a trumped-up, obviously bored, probably-never-been-laid jobless little nobody on whom they should permit to sit for their own internal recruitment exams? Really? Hell, why not say that no non-Maharashtrians can sit for the CAT exam in Bombay? Why not tell IIT-Powaii that they can only admit Maharashtrians into their hallowed halls? Because that WILL be next.

The same threat was issued in to candidates appearing for the Railway Recruitment Board exams in Bombay, and this time it was carried out...non-Maharashtrian candidates were dragged out of the centres and assaulted. Please, let's just start installing gas chambers in convenient locations around Bombay. That might be easier.

- MNS objects to Karan Johar's use of the word "Bombay" in his film

Shock, horror, dismay! An actor used the dreaded B-word (which will soon be as feared as the name Voldemort in the Harry Potter books) instead of the MNS-approved (more like enforced) Mumbai, and the director is threatened with "remedial action" (which, let's face it folks, is their delightful euphemism for violence) if it isn't rectified in 2 days. Obviously these are people with way too much testosterone, way too little brains and no gainful employment, if THAT'S what they choose to nitpick over.

- Shiv Sena objects to Kareena Kapoor's bare back in "Kurbaan" poster

Raj Thackeray's uncle's political party, the Shiv Sena, threatened (see a pattern here) to stall screenings of the much-anticipated movie as they deemed the poster "vulgar" and "un-Indian". Protesters actually marched to the actress' house to present her with a sari to cover up. Hypocrisy at it's best...let's cover up anything remotely sensual or connected to sex...hmmm, a country with a population of over 1 billion, and they'd like us to think ALL of that was achieved via immaculate conception??

- Bal Thackeray's objection to Sachin Tendulkar's "cheeky" comment

So the great batsman of India, on completing 20 years in the game, states that he's "an Indian first and a Maharashtrian second" and all hell breaks loose. Shiv Sena head honcho Bal Thackeray is all over him like slime on a slug about his comment. Mercifully, it appears the old dingbat has bitten off more than he can chew this time, and he's had to lie low to avoid the backlash from several groups and individuals (both Maharashtrian and non-Maharashtrian) following his bizarre combative statements to one of the nation's most beloved sportsmen.

- Jessica Lall's murderer gets parole, is seen in nightclub

Manu Sharma, for those not in the know, had been awarded a life sentence for murdering model/waitress Jessica Lall in a New Delhi nightclub in 1999 (shot her at point blank because she refused to serve him a drink after the bar had closed), and his parole plea was supposedly rejected by the Supreme Court in 2008. However, Chief Minister Sheila Dixit is defending his parole, although keeping suspiciously mum on the circumstances surrounding its apparent approval. Some politicians may like to say "well, he was caught and he's back in jail now, so the argument is moot" but I'll say it bloody well isn't when murderous rich kids can buy day passes out of prison to slurp down a few drinks with buddies.

R and I have several conversations (he calls them discussions, I call them arguments) where he slags off on various things in India, and I jump to its defence (especially if it concerns Bombay) because, whatever it is, it's home. But instances like the ones above make me lose all hope for any future India might have.

Ah, Screw It

So I'm abandoning any grandiose plans I had to blog a rant about Raj Thackeray and his MNS goons and how they're going about systematically trying to ruin B'bay. Partly because honestly, I'm not the most political-minded person around, and I'd hate to get a lot of facts wrong. And mostly because I can't work up enough of a rage right now. Perhaps if I come across another arrogant-as-shit interview of his, the ire will rise and I'll quickly jot down every slow, painful way in which I'd like to see him tortured :) Oh, did you know his website proclaims him the 'King of Mumbai'? I kid you not, that's actually the slogan there. I'll pause for a moment to allow you to laugh derisively at the sheer wrongness of that.

Meanwhile, mid-unemployment laziness is getting to me. It's all very well to go for interviews and doctor's appointments, but at the end of the day, I'm left feeling like I haven't really accomplished anything. The boredom is crippling, CRIPPLING I tell you. I've become addicted to Facebook Scramble (sort of like Boggle) and apparently I'm 3rd amongst my friends, which is unacceptable, so of course I'll be playing till I'm top dog! Not to mention I've severely depleted my savings by nearly cleaning out the bookshelves of the local Borders...but I'm quite pleased with my finds:

1. Rosemary Clement-Moore

Author of the Maggie Quinn: Girl vs Evil books. Very YA, of course, and something I should've been reading when I was 16, but I've never let that stop me! Kick-ass female protagonist - something I love in any genre, fast paced witty dialogue, great supporting characters, and demons! What's not to love?

I picked up the first of her novels - Prom Dates from Hell (yes, yes, it does sound a little too young for me) and was thoroughly entertained from start to finish..so much so that I practically pitched a fit when I found out Borders didn't stock the follow-up, Hell Week. But I found a very helpful site to download it from, so all is right with the world again :)

2. Kelley Armstrong

She writes the extremely popular 'Otherworld' series, dealing with everything that I love in fiction - ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches and sorcerers. It's amazing that I haven't discovered her work before now, but I rectified that by picking up the entire lot of her books, from 'Bitten' to the most recent one that I could find, 'Living With The Dead'. Unfortunately, her latest work, 'Frostbitten', isn't on the stands here yet.

Branching off from the Otherworld, but still in keeping with the supernatural theme, is her 'Darkest Powers' trilogy, which is again more YA but as usual with the very relatable (um, unless you count being able to raise the dead), very strong female lead. Only two of the three books have been released thus far, but I'm looking forward to the third one with an eagerness that all too clearly shows I have no life!

3. Kim Harrison

Famous for the Rachel Morgan series, which, most lamentably, is not available here. I did however manage to pick up her first foray into YA literature, 'Once Dead, Twice Shy' and found it delved into the world of a supernatural race previously unexplored by me - the Nephilim, or angels. So we start with the premise that all angels actually act as reapers (or soul-gatherers) for their respective bosses (either the Lord or the Devil) and throw in one very human girl caught in the middle - it makes for a very different, very enjoyable read.

4. Buffy and Angel books!

Look what I found!

....any many many more! These should be enough to tide me over until the next bout of reruns! Excuse me while I do a little happy dance!

...Actually, with all this available to me, why the hell am I bored?

Apparently I'm A Shameless Praise-Whore...

...since all it took was a few complimentary words from Abby to get me back to my neglected blog after almost a month. Shallowness, thy name is Namrata.

This recuperation business is for the birds, I can vouch for that...sitting at home twiddling my thumbs and going "la la la la la-di-da" is most definitely not for me. And now that I'm unemployed, there's even less to do! About the unemployment - the governing bank authority here has deemed that the banks in this country have not been giving enough opportunities to the local population, so to build up the levels of local people (the ratio has to be 90% locals, 10% expats), the banks have had to cut short the contracts of expatriate employees. Guess who that means? (Here, envision me taking a bow and then shooting myself in the head). However, the monetary compensation was well worth it, the recommendation letters are superb (they should be, since I supplied all the complimentary adjectives myself...refer to title of blog-post), and I have a slew of interviews lined up for the coming week. So really, I'm complaining for the sake of complaining. Good at it, aren't I?

Honestly, though, it's REALLY boring being at home when everyone else is at work! My mom's always said I had too much energy and too little sense to enjoy a well-deserved holiday (and I would take offence to that, but sadly it's true)...so of course I've been driving her nuts everyday by waking up and saying "What are we doing today? Huh huh huh? Where do we go? What do we do? Tell me tell me tell me!" It's only a matter of time before the poor woman cracks and murders me. She staged an act of mini-vengeance today, though, by taking me to the fish market. May I just say, ugh? Smart lady, that.

Until something exciting happens, I guess I'm just going to have to be content with watching TV and hurling shoes at it when Raj Thackeray's interviews come on. More on that turd and how he's ruining my beloved Bombay in the next post.