At a store near you...

I thought updating your blog three times a day and punching in a new status message on Facebook before the ink even dries on the old one, had there been ink to dry, was the ultimate egotistical exercise. Who’d want to hear about your lame life when I’ve got my own to gripe about?

But taking narcissism to a whole new level of grandiosity is the phenomenon of The Book, where every academic worth his half-a-dozen degrees thinks he’s doing a great literary service by compiling a lifetime’s worth of lectures, during which time actually stopped, into a book. His mother has bought a few copies to display on the table by his graduation photos and to hand out as Christmas gifts, and his colleague has picked up a couple to burn; the rest are stocked in dusty corners of university libraries until someone decides it’s time it went on the essential reading list for his hapless students.

It’s another example of an education system gone mad. When I write my book, a whole chapter shall be devoted to just exactly what I think of this.

Still here

So yes, I've been too busy to update this blog.
But as always, I've more excuses as I defend myself.

It's one thing to fill up white paper. When the paper becomes coloured, the pressures of creativity and relevance are that much stronger.

Plus now I hold too many crayons, so much to write about, I don't know which ones to start with, which stories to tell....

The 'Nays' Have It

For a couple of months now, I’ve proudly been wearing an ink blot on my pointer finger, proclaiming to the world that I Voted. But this unabashed display of enthusiasm in the democratic process is slowly growing out (and getting somewhat overshadowed by nail-paint).

Just in time, I think. Now I can go back to being an honest, tax-paying citizen who is much too morally superior and, surprisingly, still surprised at the extreme hypocrisy and self-serving attitude of the men and women voted into positions that allow aforementioned hypocrisy and self-serving attitude to run unchecked.

So, In The Interest Of The Nation (hey, why should I be the only one without the IotN at heart) I'm going to pretend I want nothing more to do with trust votes and horse-trading and waving money inside Parliament. I'm might watch the news and shake my head in disbelief (tut-tut) and then I'm going to hide behind a lame joke that says Britney Spears is more stable than my Government.

In Remembrance

It be time almost to sharpen them pencils and eulogise another rich and fruitful mango season.

Sigh.

Fortunate for us that a stuffed and satiated stomach makes the heart less heavy.

Some football cheer

This Euro I find myself more than a little interested in Turkey's fortunes and thinking more than a little fondly about that superlatively sweet and kinda-cute receptionist in that Sultanahmet hotel (with the lift that takes you to floor -3) whose name I could never quite catch, but who now knows, thanks to me, the approximate room rentals in Bangalore two years ago and the Muslim demographics in India. The poor dear was still mourning the fact that Turkey had failed to qualify for the Football World Cup that was on then, and diplomatically picked no favourites but was uncharacteristically emphatic that Brazil would not even reach the finals. Too bad he'll never know that the England match we watched on the tiny TV in his tiny lobby was one of the highlights of my holiday and that I'm cheering for Turkey this time!
Woohoo!

Art Classes - 2

I needn’t have blamed my family or even swallowed my pride and accepted responsibility for a nearly wasted week – apparently it was all Guruji’s doing. He wanted me to do the course.

So I guess more than his garlanded photo was there all along as I walked up to strangers and told them Hello, I Belonged to Them (and then proceeded to volunteer information of where I lived.) And the time when I held my partner’s hands, looked into their eyes and Saw Love in Them. He was definitely around as I Found My Aura.

In search of good health and peace of mind I became a lioness that roared when called to do so, I embarrassed myself before an audience while learning that I need not be embarrassed in front of an audience, I swayed Like a Coconut Tree with my eyes closed while more robust coconut trees bumped into me with every beat of the music, I shopped at the Divine Shop to buy gifts for others who were shopping for gifts for me, and I was party to a solicitation program that beats Amway square (it was Homework after all.)

Point being, I’m too young to be jaded. I’ll hanker after the good things in life for a while - none of which involve sitting in silence with my eyes closed.

Trust me Guruji, happiness right now is a pair of shoes and the pursuit of happiness.

Maybe in 25 years when my kid is an incorrigible adolescent, I'll run to Art Classes for peace of mind and drag the poor kid along too.

Art classes - 1

I've been learning the Art of Living this last week.
For the SECOND time in my short life.
Yes - why.

As usual, I blame my family. Mum didn't want to go alone, granmum insisted "Journalists need Art of Living," and general consensus was that I'd die cold, alone and out-of-breath in far-away England without Guruji's guidance. Now you can't argue with illogic like that so I went, wishing I was related to at least one old-fashioned cynic who'd side me on this one.

I'll be woman enough to accept some responsibility - I kept an open mind and was willing to give this one more shot. Hey, everyone's searching for Answers. Plus I didn't want to die cold, alone and out-of-breath.

So I went. Day One itself - 'I am Joy, I am Peace' and I'm not sure I can handle it....

Just.

"For you, a thousand times over!"
-The Kite Runner

That'd be a truly exciting refrain for a life song.

That question about being or not (being)

One fears that insanity is the rule rather than the exception.
One also believes it wise to play by the rules in this case.

Quod Erat Demonstrandum.

Meant to be

Some fairy tales just come alive.
It's easy to ignore too-good-to-be-true when you Know happily-ever-after is around the corner.