- Re-read Rebecca, loved the experience. need to hunt down my old copy
- Dancing in Cambodia, At Large in Burma- Very interesting read
- Ah Sweet Mystery of Life - Passable-not Dahl's best work
- Squeezed in Rule of Four-so far, ok!
- Grappling with Catch -22(sigh)
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
Odors
Being myopic confers one with an innately sharp sense of smell.
I wouldn't call that a very good thing,because, there is a wire connecting the nasal nerve to the head and the extremely sensitive nose in contact with unpleasant odor triggers a headache, when it gets irritated by any odor which,well, irritates it:-).
Sequence of events as it occurs:
Odors wage war on the nasal nerve (I think some knowledgeable types call it Olfactory or something)
Odor Type: Happy/ Unpleasant
Result: Peace/Jangling
Result (Result): Tug at the connecting wire
Result (Result(Result)): Sniff seeking out odor/Irritating headache.
Its interesting, the number of odors that I encountered today. I probably paid too much attention to them today.
In retrospect, must have looked quite a mutt, sniffing and crinkling my nose :
I try holding my breath, the entire time the chloriny affair prevails, but when I exhale a li'il, the odors attack with a vengeance. So I am going to throw all that unwanted effort outta the window.
I only just discovered that dried sunflower has an extremely earthy, herby smell- likee
I also like the smell of green tea and aloe and so the folks in Bath & Body Works stopped making it!
P.S: Also discovered a connection between the odors and the throat.
I am one hypochondriac mutt- my olfactories (yes that's what they are called) rest!
I wouldn't call that a very good thing,because, there is a wire connecting the nasal nerve to the head and the extremely sensitive nose in contact with unpleasant odor triggers a headache, when it gets irritated by any odor which,well, irritates it:-).
Sequence of events as it occurs:
Odors wage war on the nasal nerve (I think some knowledgeable types call it Olfactory or something)
Odor Type: Happy/ Unpleasant
Result: Peace/Jangling
Result (Result): Tug at the connecting wire
Result (Result(Result)): Sniff seeking out odor/Irritating headache.
Its interesting, the number of odors that I encountered today. I probably paid too much attention to them today.
In retrospect, must have looked quite a mutt, sniffing and crinkling my nose :
- Shampoo and conditioner on freshly washed hair (happy odor) -sense of freshness
- Warm vanilla sugar (ditto)- ditto
- Filtered coffee at 7:30 am - zingy
- Crisp toast-delicious
- Dusty road- puky
- Chlorine/sulfurous odor on the factories belt- terrible, nauseous, puky.
I try holding my breath, the entire time the chloriny affair prevails, but when I exhale a li'il, the odors attack with a vengeance. So I am going to throw all that unwanted effort outta the window.
I only just discovered that dried sunflower has an extremely earthy, herby smell- likee
I also like the smell of green tea and aloe and so the folks in Bath & Body Works stopped making it!
P.S: Also discovered a connection between the odors and the throat.
I am one hypochondriac mutt- my olfactories (yes that's what they are called) rest!
Friday, August 26, 2005
I ask myself
...if there is a specific reason, why I was put where I am and if anybody thought up a good enough reason to answer this question.
Am I here as part of a mission that I am not yet aware of?
Am I a just a miniscule speck in the bigger scheme of things?
If yes, what the hell is the "bigger scheme of things"?
And am I really that "miniscule"?
Is someone watching while, my life unfolds with each passing day, to reveal, more people, things, emotions, secrets,activities.
Is someone, checking stuff I do, off a general list of human flaws?
Does this person, insert a little smiley, against a particular horrible deed, and annotate " I knew she'd do this ".
Is someone taking stock?
Am I here as part of a mission that I am not yet aware of?
Am I a just a miniscule speck in the bigger scheme of things?
If yes, what the hell is the "bigger scheme of things"?
And am I really that "miniscule"?
Is someone watching while, my life unfolds with each passing day, to reveal, more people, things, emotions, secrets,activities.
Is someone, checking stuff I do, off a general list of human flaws?
Does this person, insert a little smiley, against a particular horrible deed, and annotate " I knew she'd do this ".
Is someone taking stock?
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
"How long does a journey have to be before it qualifies as one?
I ask because I've had some that were four feet long, some 25 feet, others that were the length of India, and yet others that, with a slender needle of a silver plane, tacked together great sheets of ocean and continent.
The four-foot journey was the longest.
Four feet is the breadth of an average surgical cot.
For two years it was the breadth of my world too-a world that smelt of cold, canned oxygen, and sweetly sickening ether.
....The way I was positioned lying on my side like a child's rag doll, and looking through the railings of the surgical cot, it seemed to me that the world had bars superimposed on it and life could be viewed only in segments, if one had to make sense of it."
-Geralyn Pinto, Re-Routing
I ask because I've had some that were four feet long, some 25 feet, others that were the length of India, and yet others that, with a slender needle of a silver plane, tacked together great sheets of ocean and continent.
The four-foot journey was the longest.
Four feet is the breadth of an average surgical cot.
For two years it was the breadth of my world too-a world that smelt of cold, canned oxygen, and sweetly sickening ether.
....The way I was positioned lying on my side like a child's rag doll, and looking through the railings of the surgical cot, it seemed to me that the world had bars superimposed on it and life could be viewed only in segments, if one had to make sense of it."
-Geralyn Pinto, Re-Routing
Crash Triads
I knew it was waiting to happen.
When the Cypriot crash , was followed in quick succession by the Venezuela plane crash, I told friends, "There is going to be a third - plane crashes in the past have always been in threes", and today, I read about the third crash- the Peru crash.
Sad, spooky, but hell a triad ...
When the Cypriot crash , was followed in quick succession by the Venezuela plane crash, I told friends, "There is going to be a third - plane crashes in the past have always been in threes", and today, I read about the third crash- the Peru crash.
Sad, spooky, but hell a triad ...
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Things about monsoon I only just noticed
- There are 5 little waterfalls on the dirt track to the office - very pretty.
- Occasional cows on this dirt track, are the brazen types, who stare the car in the face and dont budge, even on honking incessantly - talk about feeling cowed!
- Lanky stray dogs, have their paws splattered with slush on account of splish-splashing about in the potholed streets- they look like teddy bears with painted paws.
- When I step out of the car just outside the office, it rains really hard and stops as soon as I get into the lobby - also interesting to note is the fact that it doesn't rain all the ways from home to office.
- You spend much more on pot-pourri in monsoons trying to get the musty smell outta the house.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Books I am reading
Joseph Heller: Catch -22
Roald Dahl: Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life
Amitav Ghosh: Dancing in Cambodia, At Large in Burma
Roald Dahl: Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life
Amitav Ghosh: Dancing in Cambodia, At Large in Burma
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Week 1-back in Mumbai
At the end of week one in Mumbai, I have to my credit the following:
Tue, 2nd Aug '05, 7:45 am.
Step out from shower. Need to blow dry hair, to make it look unlike raggedy doll. Discover that hair dryer is broken- motor burnt while self was away across 7 seas. Sigh exasperatedly, about looking like raggedy doll on day 1 in Mumbai office. Keep grumbling about broken hair dryer through breakfast. Mom gives me a piece of her mind: do you realize that Mumbai has just faced a natural disaster where people have lost lives ,among things, all you worry about is a "Hair Dryer". Feel ashamed. Mom goes on about a lack of civic responsibility. Feel more ashamed.
Cellphone with outgoing barred:
My cell phone operator decides to bill me for charges incurred in Feb' 05 in Jun'05. I take my time understanding that delayed billing scenario. Operator loses patience, sends several warning messages that outgoing shall be barred-self ignores messages, outgoing barred, continue to receive messages about incoming to be barred if payment not made. Finally, shake myself out of lazy stupor and walk in to make appropriate payments. All credit cards declined and debit card not accepted. Sheesh! My cellphone woes continue until, I go pay cash now.
The rickshaw wallah piece
Walking around with only indian currency notes of denomination 10, 20 and higher. No small change. Rainy day, 7 pm IST, rickshaw meter display : Rs. 11 . Apologetically explain to rickshaw man that have 10/ 20 and will require Rs 9 in change. He hears change jangling in my wallet (i.e quarters, dimes, pennies etc..). Explain that I cannot transact with that kinda currency. RM (rickshaw man) gives me withering look, grumbles loudly about losing a Rupee, shoos me out of the rickshaw. Feel embarrassed and walk away.
Another rickshaw wallah, explained to me that I have absolutely no sense of direction, on my way to a friend's pound party luncheon. I argued otherwise and told him about having lived in the locality for at least 18 years. He was not convinced, said he had not seen me in the last 6 months. Sigh !
One rickshaw wallah who was actually nice to me was an old Allahabadi man, who chattered on incessantly about the changing times and explained that, "beti..zamaana kharaab ho gaya hai". Faced with the same change trouble while getting off, I let him keep the change, for fear of making another enemy in the Rickshaw wallah community. He blessed me and said that I'd have a wonderful day.:-)
The eve-teaser.
Running an errand in the locality, a man, who looked at least 45-50 years old, passed a cheap comment on me. I bristled with anger and uncharacteristically turned back, walked up to the man and told him in Hindi, " Out of respect for your age, I am not going to say this rudely, but, please talk with a little more decency". He said " Sorry Madam". I felt good and surprised at my self. I know, that 6 months ago, I would have ignored the comment and walked on in embarrassment. I feel empowered.
Lighter wallet
I got myself, expensive rain shoes from Catwalk. For the rains, for sloshing around in Mumbai type potholed roads - Rs 900. Insane freaking idiot. Still like shoes.
- Peeved Mom
- Cellphone with outgoing barred
- A totally pissed rickshaw wallah( make that 2)
- One eve-teaser less in my side of town (I hope)
- Lighter wallet
Tue, 2nd Aug '05, 7:45 am.
Step out from shower. Need to blow dry hair, to make it look unlike raggedy doll. Discover that hair dryer is broken- motor burnt while self was away across 7 seas. Sigh exasperatedly, about looking like raggedy doll on day 1 in Mumbai office. Keep grumbling about broken hair dryer through breakfast. Mom gives me a piece of her mind: do you realize that Mumbai has just faced a natural disaster where people have lost lives ,among things, all you worry about is a "Hair Dryer". Feel ashamed. Mom goes on about a lack of civic responsibility. Feel more ashamed.
Cellphone with outgoing barred:
My cell phone operator decides to bill me for charges incurred in Feb' 05 in Jun'05. I take my time understanding that delayed billing scenario. Operator loses patience, sends several warning messages that outgoing shall be barred-self ignores messages, outgoing barred, continue to receive messages about incoming to be barred if payment not made. Finally, shake myself out of lazy stupor and walk in to make appropriate payments. All credit cards declined and debit card not accepted. Sheesh! My cellphone woes continue until, I go pay cash now.
The rickshaw wallah piece
Walking around with only indian currency notes of denomination 10, 20 and higher. No small change. Rainy day, 7 pm IST, rickshaw meter display : Rs. 11 . Apologetically explain to rickshaw man that have 10/ 20 and will require Rs 9 in change. He hears change jangling in my wallet (i.e quarters, dimes, pennies etc..). Explain that I cannot transact with that kinda currency. RM (rickshaw man) gives me withering look, grumbles loudly about losing a Rupee, shoos me out of the rickshaw. Feel embarrassed and walk away.
Another rickshaw wallah, explained to me that I have absolutely no sense of direction, on my way to a friend's pound party luncheon. I argued otherwise and told him about having lived in the locality for at least 18 years. He was not convinced, said he had not seen me in the last 6 months. Sigh !
One rickshaw wallah who was actually nice to me was an old Allahabadi man, who chattered on incessantly about the changing times and explained that, "beti..zamaana kharaab ho gaya hai". Faced with the same change trouble while getting off, I let him keep the change, for fear of making another enemy in the Rickshaw wallah community. He blessed me and said that I'd have a wonderful day.:-)
The eve-teaser.
Running an errand in the locality, a man, who looked at least 45-50 years old, passed a cheap comment on me. I bristled with anger and uncharacteristically turned back, walked up to the man and told him in Hindi, " Out of respect for your age, I am not going to say this rudely, but, please talk with a little more decency". He said " Sorry Madam". I felt good and surprised at my self. I know, that 6 months ago, I would have ignored the comment and walked on in embarrassment. I feel empowered.
Lighter wallet
I got myself, expensive rain shoes from Catwalk. For the rains, for sloshing around in Mumbai type potholed roads - Rs 900. Insane freaking idiot. Still like shoes.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
A particularly sweet gesture
Retrospect:
I picked out a customized number plate for my friend's Merc: AETOS.
AETOS- Eagle, almost defines his glider of an E430. I was going through a particular "Greek words are so cool" phase, when I chose this for his plate. A fairly effective phase, involving rummaging through Greek name sites. Truth be told- the phase lasted for 3 days, after which, I was sick outta my mind of Greek/Latin/ Hebrew names et all.
Getting on to the gesture, which is the subject of the blog- I never thought I'd get to see the plate before I left Charlotte for Mumbai. But the plate was ready the day before I left, and my friend made me a "I'm goin to miss you card" with the picture of the plate- 'AETOS 9' , it said.
It feels nice to have christened something - Almost parentesque!
Is this how you feel when you name a baby or a pet???
I don't know yet , how that feels, but this sure feels good!
I picked out a customized number plate for my friend's Merc: AETOS.
AETOS- Eagle, almost defines his glider of an E430. I was going through a particular "Greek words are so cool" phase, when I chose this for his plate. A fairly effective phase, involving rummaging through Greek name sites. Truth be told- the phase lasted for 3 days, after which, I was sick outta my mind of Greek/Latin/ Hebrew names et all.
Getting on to the gesture, which is the subject of the blog- I never thought I'd get to see the plate before I left Charlotte for Mumbai. But the plate was ready the day before I left, and my friend made me a "I'm goin to miss you card" with the picture of the plate- 'AETOS 9' , it said.
It feels nice to have christened something - Almost parentesque!
Is this how you feel when you name a baby or a pet???
I don't know yet , how that feels, but this sure feels good!
Monday, August 01, 2005
On my way to Mumbai
29th July '05
My friend Suds, gave me a GW notebook and pen. Kinda cool...
I started writing/sketching in it...on my flight from NY to Paris to Mumbai
It feels good to pen thoughts...and re-read them back to yourself.
I like the sound of my thoughts..."Narcissa" or getting there!
Excerpts from my scribbles
My first entry in the book was a sketch, badly drawn, but hell, it was a visual imprinted on my mind while peering out of my cramped window seat on the Charlotte to NY leg. It is an aerial view of NY, taken while waiting for landing clearance at JFK. I compared my sketch to the Google satellite map, and well, I was looking at the Fort Wadsworth area which ran through the middle of the New York Bay and created an Upper NY and Lower NY Bay Area.
My friend Suds, gave me a GW notebook and pen. Kinda cool...
I started writing/sketching in it...on my flight from NY to Paris to Mumbai
It feels good to pen thoughts...and re-read them back to yourself.
I like the sound of my thoughts..."Narcissa" or getting there!
Excerpts from my scribbles
My first entry in the book was a sketch, badly drawn, but hell, it was a visual imprinted on my mind while peering out of my cramped window seat on the Charlotte to NY leg. It is an aerial view of NY, taken while waiting for landing clearance at JFK. I compared my sketch to the Google satellite map, and well, I was looking at the Fort Wadsworth area which ran through the middle of the New York Bay and created an Upper NY and Lower NY Bay Area.
Google has the most awesome satellite pictures...
Woman at Security Check In at JFK: Very nice!
Seeing that I was having a hard time saying BYE to Avi and Prach (I walked in and out of the security check-in queue 3 times), this nice lady said, " Don't worry, I'll let you know, when you absolutely HAVE to go in. Talk to your friends till its time."
Me (all gushy): You will???, thanks that's awesome!
Thank you, 'nice lady'!
29th July'05 (Airborne between NY and Paris)
Misty eyed after reading Sud's letter. Immediately thought of our common mantra 'b**** to the world' and new 'happy me' and dismissed angst.
30th July '05 (Towards Paris)
The sky (somewhere on European territory): Whipped cream over blue granita.
30th July'05 (5 mins before landing at DeGaulle)
Neat, symmetric, triangular,trapezoidal and several unnamed bounded spaces created by straight lines. French meadows huh? Undulating...
Smooth touchdown in French territory...(9:21 am Local time, 3:30 am EST, 1:00 pm IST)
Taxiing....
Number of times re-read all received cards and letters : 3 times.
Misty-eyed: equal number of times.
Still Taxiing...
Acutely aware of pain in back and lower back.
Long awaited "Welcome to Paris message " in French and in English.
Finally got off the freaking plane (a good 30 minutes after touchdown).
De Gaulle, Paris ( 11:00 am Local)
My Nextel phone miraculously rings.. displaying Avi's number. Talk to him until battery dies. Happy Girl. (For the joy of communicating in English...)
Pick up a KENZO parfum for MA. Scent is "Rice Steam"- I have a thing for weird scents. Dismissed Ginger as ORDINARY and Bamboo (spinach smelling) and White Lotus (stale flower smelling) as over the top.
Ran into French family from NY-Paris leg. The kids still vying for 'Papa's attention'. (Screamathon- 9 hours straight). The Papa in question was my travel companion (in the aisle seat) who spoke only one English word- Good Morning (ok two!).
Sitting right across from an ABCD family on its way to a Bandra wedding. Hear snatches of choli, zardozi and ghaghra type conversation. Also hear a forceful piece on conservative dressing in India from Mom to 3 daughters. Daughters SIGH.
Sleepy...Tired....Switch off.
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