Aaaaalll IZZZ Welllll

Yeah... I'm back... Sooner than I expected... Courtesy the return of my soul-mate, a more relaxing work and family environment, and ... an unconditional acceptance of life, the way it is.

So, I guess I can safely say AAAAAALLLL IZZZZ WELLLLL :-)

Yup, checked out 3 Idiots the day before. The movie, in one word, is EXTRAORDINARY.

What else do you expect from the brilliant Aamir "Perfectionist" Khan? The man has his own benchmark of excellence to live up to... And just as he says in the movie, "Aspire for excellence, and success shall follow anyway." He's definitely gona amass success in this venture, and how.

You know I'm a die-hard fan of Shahrukh - not just of his films but also of his personality and character. But that doesn't stop me from saying that Amir and Amitabh are the best things to have happened to the Hindi film industry. The guys have a league of their own, and they're above any kind of competition, man!

3 Idiots brings back the freshness of Sanju-baba in Munnabhai, and the background is the same - a college with a khadoos dean and a Southie guy at whose expense most jokes occur; an engineering institution this time, similar to Chetan Bhagat's Five Point Someone. The movie is based loosely on the book, and quite a few jokes are taken from the hundred of mails and smses that we come across every other day. However, these are minor hiccups that one can easily ignore given the magnanimous way in which the entire plot is handled.

The 3 Idiots (titled so by Director of ICE, Boman "Virus" Irani) are Sharman Joshi, Madhavan and obviously Aamir Khan. I know Sharman could not make his mark on Bollywood as an independent actor, but I somehow find him very endearing, be it in Golmaal or Style. He can crack jokes as effortlessly as he can shed a tear, and I loved him in this movie though he made me bawl more than a few times! R. Madhavan reminds me of the very genuine, very lovable Maddy in RHTDM, and I feel his role has been underplayed in this movie.

The film undoubtedly belongs to Amir "Rancho" Khan who breezes by making the lives of people around him very funny, very enlightening, and very live-able. He uses his brains in a way not many of us do, and the way he applies his knowledge is stunningly basic. No wonder then, that his college mates love him and his teachers hate him. Very Taare Zameen Par, eh? You bet. Special and unforgettable nevertheless.

Amir's love interest is played by Kareena. Now you know I don't admire snooty Bebo on teeny bit, but she's cute in this one. No nakhra no tamasha, she plays the simple bespectacled, helmet-wearing younger daughter of Boman Irani, who is at his usual best. With a movie comprising some of the finest talent in the industry, how could the production NOT be fantabulous? Even the minor characters have done an excellent job - like Mona (urf Jassi), Millimeter (don't know his name/lineage), et al.

The plot is simple - young students with different backgrounds, out of their own desire or their family's, land up at Imperial College of Engineering (ICE) with the aim of becoming a sought-after engineer. Life is tough and life is fun, and the audience is enchanted into the real lives of the thousands of youths who cannot withstand the pressure and end their lives, or mug up their syllabus to impress and triumph, or just go along with the flow even as their hearts lie elsewhere. And in this crowd comes the unique diamond, a single student who studies for the love of learning and leaves a mark on others' lives by being selflessly caring. So, even as the headmaster screams "Life is a competition", this miraculous boy goes around helping people in distress. Of course he scores top marks and bugs the hell outta the senior students and profs! He even delivers a baby using his keen intelligence and his doc gf's instructions... No points for guessing who this might be... A scientist in the making, who later starts a school with a unique teaching/learning methodology, and registers over 400 patents. Funny name, though... Oops, have I given out way too much?! :D

The movie is lengthy according to the usual standards, but trust m when I say you won't grudge it. The scenes are so beautifully created and enacted, you will find it hard not to like the film! I myself was a little anxious, given that the reviews I'd heard were outstanding, and each time I go with high hopes, I fall flat on my face. Yet, this movie didn't fail my faith. You MUST watch it. I insist. This is a 10 on 10!! Any less, and Aamir will commit suicide :-P

(If he reads my blog, I'm sure the 10 will look unreasonable to him; he must be expecting an 11 or 12!)

So, that's the movie review for you... Especially for Parimaula :-) Thanks for writing in.

What else have I been up to? Well, I visited a new place called Club Ecco in Fatima Nagar, Pune. I loved the ambience and "house" music, though there wasn't much crowd to appreciate it. I hadn't been to a disco in ages and I let my hair down (literally) like never before! Even won a holiday package as a prize for dancing well :-)

Belated Merry Christmas, fellas, and I hope you're planning for a dazzling new year celebration! I'm still looking out for go-able party places. Well, that didn't stop me from buying a uber chic tube top to wear for New Year's eve :-P

Drop a word if you know of any gigs in town!

Cheerio!

Princess

Hi.

Sorry been missing in action for the last one week. I was battling my own life which is posing more than my fair share of misfortunes. November and December have been extremely hard months for me in every way possible - work, health, relationships, future plans - you name it. It was all I could do to stay alive, let alone live peacefully. But I'm too sissy to kill myself, and so the suicidal thoughts that hovered on my mind remained unfulfilled.

Fortunately...

... Unfortunately.

Either way, I'm here.

Its admirable, isn't it, that the one who touts herself as God's favorite child should feel this way? I know someone who used to be very close to me believes that I'm fond of being miserable, I look out for opportunities to be sad. But given the circumstances, I did not have to try too hard.

I parted ways with my soul-mate over 7 weeks ago and haven't seen him since. He's left the void in me which Edward left in Bella... except that he wasn't as purrfect as Eddie! Hah... Wonder why it still pains when I think of him, or when I move about in places that we/he frequented. Wonder why I keep counting days since I've spoken to him (today is the 14th day) and why I hate and miss him simultaneously - a fact my friends find hard to understand. Surely I'm better off away from an individual who has only been abusing, hurting and misunderstanding me for the last 8+ months. Guess not... I don't know why I can't forget him, why I still mourn his absence... Apparently, his reason for kicking my a** was that I lead a merrier life without him to spoil things, but how far away from the truth could this statement be?? I don't know the metrics for so great a distance... God bless him, and I hope HE is having a roaring good time. I'll survive. Always have.

(And... no, my meeting and partying with friends, and discussing p***ses and v****as is not successfully deleting you from my heart even for a second... Nor am I doing this to seek sympathy from people known or unknown to me. In fact for this very reason, I shall disable comments on this post. If there's on thing I hate more than laziness, it's someone pitying me.)

As if this blow wasn't enough, I got the denial of admission letter from Kellogg. I know I was being over-optimistic when I thought I could be a part of this world-best institution, but I swear all my intuitions were prodding me in this direction. I was broken when I read the reject note. Lost all will... it didn't even matter that I still had a chance at MSU and NYU and probably even Texas Austin. I was crying every single day and this obviously affected my already poor health. Not a day has passed within the last 4 weeks when I haven't coughed or been ill. My resistance gave away back then and only my will power had me going to work and social dos sporting a wane smile as my heart crumbled every moment. My friends and family saw through my facade and they found it impossible that ANUJA could ever be this shattered and frustrated. I don't blame them; I myself never imagined I'd be so damned...

You can imagine my state. Plus I could not take off for a vacation as the boss insisted I be here to do things that were a far cry from my KRAs : read creating line-ups and recruiting recruiters. Some days were good, and some days were bad. And this task was complicated by my poor mental and physical health. I yelled at my parents, I shed bitter tears, I cursed God and I implored death. All to no avail.

My friends and family insist this phase too shall pass. They say the same things that I would normally say to any unhappy being. It doesn't work. My hope's dead and my faith lies slaughtered. I've stopped saying the Hanuman Chalisa and Ram Raksha that I religiously chanted daily as a "Hi God, how you doing, thanks for everything, keep up the good work" kinda gesture.

Smiling now seems an alien act to me, and I tend to treat everything as a favor. I break down at the slightest provocation and I have a constant head and eye and all-over-ache. My memory has gone for a toss as has my confidence and desire. Pardon me if you come back here and see the same post staring back at you. May not write in for sometime. Only wrote this time coz I did not want you to think I was dead and gone :-)

Still alive,

Anuja

Rejected by Kellogg

I've got Lal Bal, Pal !

Breaking News!!

I streaked my hair... Had them streaked at a parlour I mean... (It's also called highlighting, for those who don't know.) Which means I now have strands of red hair (not the fire-van red, it's a maroonish kinda tinge,similar to this font color) on my crown (that's the top portion of the head). It ain't done as abundantly as I'd planned, but no sweat - I'm happy! :-)

Somehow any kinda beauty/body therapy makes me feel nice. (Proves I'm a woman, eh?!) Be it the last time I had a massage at Four Fountains Spa over a year ago, or the facial I had at Urvashi beauty parlor about 2 years ago, or the time I decided to crop my hair and return to my bouncy-hair look a couple of months ago... Giving yourself a makeover rocks, and pampering your body and soul sure makes one feel divine. We deserve it, ladies! Can't keep waiting and expecting men to make us feel good all the time!! Not to mention, your hopes are shattered half the time...

Well, the last time I colored my hair was about 2 years ago, a day before my M.A. Statistics paper. My friends were stunned coz they had less than enough time to study the rules and formulas of Stats while I jauntily strutted about with burgundy (coffee-shade) locks. This happens the first time I've colored my hair reddish, though I've contemplated it several times, and I'm hoping it continues to look good (to me and on me) after the initial novelty fades :-D

Amen.

Waise I am a very simple girl... And I feel all the more frugal when I see women around me dressing up for work everyday. (How will lining and kohl-ing your eyes and painting your lips help you be efficient and effective at tele-calling?) Of course, I tend to go overboard with my minimalism; even for parties, all I do is apply some earthy-colored lipstick and I'm all set, even as my gal-buddies blow-dry and iron their hair, paint their barn with foundation and rouge, color their eyes in dazzling blues and pinks, and outline their glossy lips. Whew! Each to their own; I inherited my no-nonsense-no-makeup attitude from my mum. But well, she is an angel to look at, whereas I could do with some help...

Anywaysssssssss...

While the hairdresser was Loreal-ing my tresses, I glanced through the numerous issues of Femina, Filmfare and other mags stacked on the counter. I read Sallu's cool-dude comments on his paintings and his hostility towards Shahrukh, I checked out fashion scares Mithun-da and Sonam Kapoor, and I read gossip about Hrithik and Barbara (Kites), Shahid and Amrita Rao (I thought she was going to get married and happily quit acting), etc.

I set hands on a Woman's Era magazine (November issue, I think), and staring at me out of the front cover were the words - HOW TO GET YOUR MAN TO TALK (or something to that effect.)

For ages I have been pondering over this very subject - why men gel so well and chat for hours with their buddies and colleagues and neighbors and roomies, but recoil every time their wife/girlfriend asks them to "talk" to her.

So, this article seemed God-sent, and I glanced through the words I've murmured a million times : Why men consider monosyllabic replies and grunts as perfect conjugal conversations, why they find nothing wrong in reading the newspaper as their disgruntled lady makes their chai / coffee in the kitchen, why a women's expression of her feelings or need to resolve relationship problems bores and irritates and annoys them, and so on and so forth.

Of course, the article did not answer these queries in anything more than a gender differences way; the usual "genders are wired differently" solution. However, reading the statements there assured me that I am not the only one who broods over these topics. The writer went on to relate how you can get a man to talk... And these ways are : just sit with him quietly (ahem!) and observe/understand as he goes about his tasks and activities, ask him about cars/bikes/politics/sports/gadgets or anything else that he's passionate about, avoid talking about his family, and the sort.

Nothing akin to rocket science, and all quite do-able, but my question is HOW LONG? You can do something a few times, and it's not unnatural to expect that the other person will also go a little out of the way to ease things... Taali ek haath se nahi bajti dost! You can rave on and on about gender differences and not head anywhere, and you can both understand and try to make things wonderful... Not impossible, right?!!

Anywayssss... The deal is I'm waiting for the admission results of Kellogg, Michigan State Uni (Broad), and NYU Stern with tremendous hope and faith. Not including Texas Austin Uni in this list coz they have told me they can do nothing about my application until I submit TOEFL scores. Hoga kaha se? Maine exam hi nahi di hai! First available date is Jan 31st, 2010... And if I get a Kellogg admit before that... Hee haa haa haa!! Khallaaaasss...

Baaki toh attending weddings and functions. Most people from my school and college and office and apartment and family circle are getting married. Good for them. Not good for me coz I hate these family dos. Compound it with the fact that there are horny old men lurking about and trying to grab a handful of you as they stare at your boobs and talk about stupid things. Grrr... It's all I can do to stop myself from slapping them... And then when some woman comes and starts inquiring about your profession as if she is planning to propose a billion-dollar business deal...

Time out.

Happy weekend!

-Princess

The Most Bestest Ever

Marvelous.

Simply outstanding.

The movie I was planning to not watch, is abso-flippin'-lutely fantabulous.

I'm glad the movie buff inside me overcame the hesitation I initially had on seeing Big B in such a scary, pitiable state.

Paa.

Dude, how can anybody be so darned gifted?

Amitabh is magnificent (as always)! He played the senior Buddhadev sporting a pony tail in Cheeni Kum with as much ease as he acts Auro, the witty child afflicted with progeria* in Paa. (Progeria is a rare genetic condition where patients age rapidly; so soembody who's 10 would probably look like he's 70, though his mental age remains 10.)

Incidentally, both the movies are by R. Balki, and I must say, they're two of the best things to have happened to the Hindi fillum industry; apna Bollywood has grown with these films. Way to go, cast and crew!! Dhaasu acting and mast make-up... Too good!!

The movie stars the very pretty Vidya Balan (wearing lovely sarees) and the handsome Abhishek Bachhan (no longer am I gona call him AB baby; he's proved his mettle and avoided being shadowed by his father in this brilliant venture), as Auro's Maa and Paa respectively. There is also a bunch of tremendously talented kids who keep the movie alive and interesting. Their innocence, humor and witty audacity create insights that are mind-boggling.

Say what, I failed to find even a single blunder in the fim - it's that perfect. I was afraid this would be one melodramatic torture, but the way the situation and varied incidents have been tastefully handled stuns me. So what if somebody is not normal, so what if there is an anomaly in an individual? Why stare at him with pity and murmur sympathetic questions/remarks? Treat him as a human, with respect and maturity, and you can see the beauty inside the person. And that's what this film teaches us. Respect and acceptance.

I am so tempted to divulge a few incidents and jokes in the movie, but I shan't. I want you to go and see this yourself - whatever your age, whatever your gender, whatever your preference in movies or hobbies. I promise you a lot of laughs and some superb food for thought. No wonder my rating is gona be excellent - 9.5 on 10. I'm gona cut half a point for the political rigmarole surrounding Junior Bachchan. You cannot get enough of the smart, lovable, sensible and adorable Auro... Obviously, the "breaking news" bits get into the way... Must watch regardless.

I was eager to catch New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, but the release got postponed by a week. So, you shall hear that review next week :-) And my take on the latest/last book in the Twilight series: Breaking Dawn - it's terrific... I was dazzled by the remarkable script and description. Steph Meyer, you rock! I always knew vampirism would suit Bella, and I can feel her elation (and relief) at having taken to this new life so gracefully and effortlessly. Making me wish for the nine-thousand-and-eighty-fifth time that I was a vampire myself - pretty, powerful, and proficient in every way possible... And the cherry on the cake would obviously be a loving mate like Edward... Sighhhh!!! And of course, their adorable daughter Renesmee... And a great mate like Jake... Super sighhhh... I would face the Volturi anyday given my lovely pale-skinned family.

Here I go again... What an obsession!

My acquaintances have been pushing me to take glimpses of the abilities of Russell Peters and David Blaine, and I must agree these guys are great! I don't think Peters is really extraordinary though quite a few folks think so; to me, his humor quotient is as good as apna Raju Srivastav (recently knocked out of Bigg Boss 3). However, R.P. deserves credit for his reach - the guy's got fans across the world, and his confidence is unbelievable. Fancy cracking racial and terror-related jokes about Arabs and Indians in front of an audience comprising every community in the world! Not a quality in my kitty for sure!

David Blaine and the things he does are amazing as well. His endurance, both mental and physical, is stupendous. Whatta creator God is... endowing different people with so many different and unusual abilities!

Right then. That's about it for today. I'm running out of superlative expressions :-P

But hey, I have one (two actually) superb news up my sleeve - my darling Scooty Pep completed three years yesterday, and my Abba has stepped into his 64th year. Happy Birthday, sweethearts! Mwaaahhhh :-) And a zillion thanks for being there...


Cheerio!
Anuja

As Long As You Love Me...

Although loneliness has always been a friend of mine,
I'm leaving my life in your hands,
People say I'm crazy and that I am blind, Risking it all in a glance.
And how you got me blind is still a mystery,
I can't get you out of my head,
Don't care what is written in your history,
As long as you're here with me.

I don't care who you are, Where you're from,
What you did, As long as you love me...
Who you are, Where you're from,
Don't care what you did,
As long as you love me...

Every little thing that you have said and done,
Feels like it's deep within me,
Doesn't really matter if you're on the run,
It seems like we're meant to be.

I've tried to hide it so that no one knows,
But I guess it shows, When you look into my eyes,
What you did and where you are comin from,
I don't care, As long as you love me, baby...


Backstreet Boys - my favorite boy band when I was a teenager; the songs make me smile and sigh even today coz the lyrics are so amazing...


And here's a short little addition from my side... Doesn't exactly rhyme, but matches the mood...

I try to immerse myself in things to do,
But I know even before I start,
That I won't be able to stop thinking of you...
All the faults seem small, my need for you so large,
As I imagine us hugging and kissing endlessly...
As long as you love me baby...



-Princess

Holiday Complaints

Hi,

I'm not feeling too cheerful today. The holiday I've been planning for the last couple of weeks may not be approved. I've been waiting to escape this city (despite the fact that my social life is rocking like never before courtesy a million lovely reunions - the most recent at KIVA in Koregaon Park), my work (despite the fact that I'm quite liking it), my family (despite the fact that they frankly don't do much to bother me) and my routine (which is actually quite decent, though I don't get to exercise much). In sum, my life is going good, but it sure would have got better had I been granted a short sabbatical. All down the drain.

Unless there is a sudden windfall. Quite possible.
God loves me. Most humans do, too.

But let me not kill your fun factor and weekend bliss by discussing disappointment and all that jazz. I'm gona share with you this hilarious post called "Holiday Complaints" that I found while surfing for some English training material. The site's called www.fun-with-english.co.uk and they have a list of educational (and amusing) articles that help one learn better English.

Now this list was allegedly compiled by Thomas Cook Holidays, listing complaints they had received. (Survey by Thomas Cook and ABTA)... Enjoy!!

"I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."

"The beach was too sandy." (Hehehe...)

"We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as yellow but it was white." (ROFL... Faaaaaantastic!)

"Topless sunbathing on the beach should be banned. The holiday was ruined as my husband spent all day looking at other women." (Ahem, I heartily empathize!)

"It's lazy of the local shopkeepers to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time - this should be banned." (Couldn't agree more... especially in Goa!)

"On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food at all."

"We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels." (No comments, this sounds logical; there's always have stuff on hire!)

A tourist at a top African game lodge overlooking a water hole, who spotted a visibly aroused elephant, complained that the sight of this rampant beast ruined his honeymoon by making him feel "inadequate". (Grin!)

A woman threatened to call police after claiming that she'd been locked in by staff. When in fact, she had mistaken the "do not disturb" sign on the back of the door as a warning to remain in the room. (Stupid styuuuupid!)

A guest at a Novotel in Australia complained his soup was too thick and strong. He was inadvertently slurping the gravy at the time.

"We bought 'Ray-Ban' sunglasses for five Euros (£3.50) from a street trader, only to find out they were fake."

"No-one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled." (LMAO!)

"It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England it only took the Americans three hours to get home." (Pity!)

"I compared the size of our one-bedroom apartment to our friends' three-bedroom apartment and ours was significantly smaller."

"The brochure states: 'No hairdressers at the accommodation'. We're trainee hairdressers - will we be OK staying here?"

"There are too many Spanish people. The receptionist speaks Spanish. The food is Spanish. Too many foreigners."

"We had to queue outside with no air conditioning."

"It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel."

"I was bitten by a mosquito - no-one said they could bite."

"My fiancé and I booked a twin-bedded room but we were placed in a double-bedded room. We now hold you responsible for the fact that I find myself pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked."

Keep laughing!

-Princess

December 2009

Hay Allah, there's so much to tell you and so little time... And this stupid keyboard with all the keys smudged sure doesn't ease my troubles...

(I am a good workman honestly assessing my shitty tools. Just for the records.)

So, I've watched 2012 and De Dana Dan over the weekend, I've visited Madhouse Grill, Malaka Spice (Street?) and Foodlink, and I've caught up with a few of my bestest pals. Quite am exciting inventory, eh? 8-)

But before that, leme do my duty - that of telling you it's World AIDS Day today. This day is observed on December 1 each year and is dedicated to raising awareness about HIV and AIDS. (GK titbit : The first ever such day was in 1988.) Do your bit - wear a red ribbon today to support people living with HIV; this simple act is a powerful way to challenge the stigma and prejudice surrounding HIV and AIDS.

2012 is a magnificent movie to say the least. The sense of doom I felt in Final Destination is comparable to the numbness I felt when I saw the world as we know it collapsing like a helpless castle of cards. The brilliant direction and graphics coupled with the authentic emotions of the main characters made the movie a fantabulous watch. I'm so glad I didn't miss this one... It could've been shorter, though. I personally don't like lengthy English movies (anything over 110 minutes figures as "lengthy"), that is the forte of Bollywood with it's song and scene rigmarole. But I repeat, 2012 is a must watch. A cool 9 on 10 from me. Excellent. Scary.

De Dana Dan is OK. It had the potential to be super, but they killed the fun by mixing too many characters with too many plots. Everybody seems wasted in their role - Akshay Kumar, Rajpal Yadav, Katrina Kaif, Archana Puran Singh, Suniel Shetty, Sameera Reddy... The only folks who landed meaty bits are the inimitable Johny Lever and Paresh Rawal. I must say the plots are woven intricately together to form a hilarious climax, but as they say "too many cooks spoil the broth". (This seems to have become a day and post full of proverbs!) The film definitely bestows a few laughs akin Hera Pheri and Hungama, but Priyan really needs to buck up if he wants to live up to his hit comedy brigade... This is a 6 on 10 from me. Decent timepass types.

Partying with the gals is the perfect way to blow away the cobwebs from your brain, and that is exactly what I've been doing. Met my college sweethearts (girls, obviously - didn't you read the above line properly?) and had a terrific time talking about everything factual, hypothetical, biological and rhetorical. Deepti, Natasha, Sana... you rock, ladies!!! I hope we do this more often :-)

And oh foodies, you may visit Foodlink to enjoy the Indian starters and Italian fare with some sensational drinks. It's located on Senapati Bapat Road in ICC - Wing B. What made my visit awesome was that I met a dear long-lost friend there. He's the Ops Manager, and he ensured my evening was wonderful. The staff is very sweet and young (handsome, too!) and the music was just what I wanted to hear - classic, relaxing and fun! It got chilly towards midnight but I didn't want to leave... Knowing that my amazing weekend is over... and I have to get back to work... slog all week... Shucks!

Will cope... I'm a survivor...

-Princess

Koi Mil Gaya

I am in love.

I want to spend my entire life with him.
Maybe get married to him.

Him and nobody else.

I don’t want to make compromises.
I know I deserve the best.
He IS the best.

Edward.

A vampire.

The heroic monster in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series.

Did I scare you?
Well, can’t say I’m kidding.

Why would I?

He’s cute and handsome.
He never gets angry with her, whatever her action or emotion.
He is extremely romantic, I get goosebumps even as I imagine his actions...
He is so caring, it makes me cry with love and pleasure.
He is ALWAYS there for her.
He can be possessive and short-tempered, but he is very sensible and trusting.
He loves his partner like crazy and doesn’t even LOOK at other females, be they pretty or sexy.
He gives you those lovely jitters the way he loves and speaks and looks at Bella.
He’ understanding and patient.
He is polite in the most challenging situations and he’s always brave in times of crisis.
He is well-behaved, witty and jolly.
He pampers his lover and makes her feel complete.
He can do everything perfectly – kissing, driving, studying…
Even in the worst of situations and tempers, he is always civil to people, so what if they're enemies?
He spends all his time with his partner.
He can be impulsive but he is strong and protective.
He can stand being hurt if his partner is safe, comfy and happy.
His possessiveness is irritating yet adorable, yet he is controlled and reasonable.
He knows his lover inside out, and is very NICE.
He is SO wantable.
He makes me feel awesome even as I read about the things he does and says to Bella!!
He is ready to do anything for his lover. And THAT is a HELLUVA LOT!
He made a mistake once and for that he is forever guilty and apologetic, trying to make amends...

Why wouldn’t I want to be with him?

Tell me ONE good reason.

I’d lose my soul?

Who cares…

I’d trade my everything for love any day…



Sincerely,
Princess

The Divine Crossing

As much as I love talking about myself, people, relationships, movies, TV shows (and a host of other topics), I can't deny that a good blog, an interesting blog deals with a wider variety of subjects and themes. Of course, there are people who argue that one blog should have one single theme.

Whatever... I've written too much about love and heartbreak in the past 2 weeks, and I'm feeling guilty about not giving you guys more chow to chew on...

So, this time round, I'm gona write one of my favorite bhajans :-)

Yeah, you heard right. I love devotional songs, especially when my mum sings them melodiously and sincerely... And I sing them myself, too. Not as well, for sure, but certainly with dedication.

This one particular bhajan was originally sung by the adorable Anup Jalota. It's called "Jaana Tha Ganga Paar". It tells a story in the Ramayana, when Shri Ram, Seeta and Lakshman reach the Ganges and want to cross it with the assistance of the boatman Kevat.

Let me jot down the lyrics first, and you can always check out the tune online (unless you want to set your own rhythm.) It goes like this...

कभी कभी भगवान को भी भक्तो से काम पडे,
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे,
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे। (That's the chorus)

अवध छोड़ प्रभु वन को जायें,
सीया राम लखन गंगा तट आये,
केवट मन ही मन हर्शाये,
घर बैठे प्रभु दर्शन पाए,
हाथ जोड़ कर प्रभु के आगे केवट मगन खड़े,
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे।
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे।

प्रभु बोले तुम नाव चलाओ,
पार हमे केवट पहुचाओ,
केवट कहता सुनो हमारी चरण धुल की माया भारी,
मैं गरीब नैय्या मेरी नारी ना होई पडे,
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे।
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे।

केवट दौड़ के जल भर लाया,
चरण धोये चरणामृत पाया,
वेद ग्रंथ जिन के यश गाये केवट उनको नाव चढाये,
बरसे फूल गगन से ऐसे भक्त के भाग बड़े,
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे।
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे।

चली नाव गंगा की धारा,
सीया राम लखन को पार उतारा,
प्रभु देने लगे नाव उतराई केवट कहे नही रघुराई,
पार किया मैंने तुमको,
पार किया मैंने तुमको,
अब तू मोहे पार करे,
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे।
जाना था गंगा पार प्रभू केवट की नाव चदे।

Lovely, eh? I get goose-bumps as I hear or sing the final line - the "ab tu mohe paar kare" one... You should listen to this once, I promise you won't regret it...

Shall tell you the story next time in case you not well-versed in Hindi or mythology :-)

Take care!
Princess

Uff Ye Utopia

Sadiyon se kitni tanha rahi hun... Ishq tera bhool gayi hun...

At times, Bridget Jones ceases to be a fictional character.

I often meet women who seem a perfect twin of this character created by Helen Fielding.

Sometimes I think it’s me.

Being a spinster at 25 is a dilemma. You don’t know whether to rejoice coz you’re enjoying your freedom and boosting your career and hanging out with friends with no restrictions and blah and blah. Or to be sad coz you aren’t married like the rest of your troop and producing babies as you cook for your husband and experience other fringe benefits of conjugal life.

I mean I had this friend in college who got married in the last year of graduation and came to give her final exam with sindoor in her hair and a mangalsutra on her neck. As she keeps uploading snaps of her baby (now about 2 years old), I can’t help feeling awkward when I realize she is my age. For that matter, even my sister-in-law is barely a year older to me, and she was married 2.5 years ago.

As my peers and juniors keep announcing their marital plans on Orkut and Facebook, I raise a toast for them and wonder when and how I will join the bandwagon. Not that I’m dying to get married. I’m just eager to begin a new life, with a soul-mate who understands me and is always there for me. And yeah, my own room to stay in… Sick of sharing my room with others…

(Not that I’ll shoo my husband out, but at least it’ll have more privacy than what I have to endure at the moment.)

Of course, I know wedded life has its own troubles. Yet, at the end of the day, you know that whoever you are fighting or celebrating with, is yours truly and shall remain so forever. Breaking up after marriage is never an option, as far as my views are concerned. This reliability is what is so attractive after marriage. Of course, it seems like shackles at odd times. Nothing’s perfect! But I think I'm ready to take the chance. And I know I shall make a wonderful life partner, a little cranky but very lovable and caring.

It's funny how my generation believes more in arranged marriages than love marriages. I mean this was the normal attitude in the 60s and 80s, but given the modernization and westernization, one would believe that love marriage would be here to stay. I guess the increasing number of failed love marriages is proving to people that life is not as lovey-dovey after the wedding as it was during the dating days. Sad, but true.

I myself have undergone a transition from the very first time I thought about marital bliss and said "arranged", then changed my views in college, and finally now I'm back on the "family knows best" bandwagon. I've realised that the men I meet are not as dependable and sweet as they seem in the first few meets, and hence, this change in perspective. At least with the family involved, one can be assured of the past and the future. The responsibility is not the couple's alone!

I'm feeling terribly empty inside, I don't know why... I checked out this site called www.netdoctor.co.uk and there are a lot of issues that are discussed here in a very sensible yet empathetic way, Check it out if anything's bothering you :-)

Or you can always turn to me.

Forever,
Lonely Princess

P.S. Hey! I have not just aced the Psychology department at the Pune University, I've actually topped the entire M.A. exam!! Now how cool is that!! And another news is that Kellogg has waived my interview, which means my application has moved on to the next round. Cheerio! IF I GET ADMITTED TO KELLOGG... Man, life ban jayegi! Shall keep u updated! :-D

Men's Rules

Hiya!

Did you know that today is celebrated as International Men's Day?!!
Best wishes gentle (and not so gentle) men!!

This post comes out to all you poor males who are sick of handling your women and bugged of their zillion complaints.

(Hardly an exception, is there?!!)

I agree, ladies are just TOO complicated!!

(Though I gave you some fine tips in The Secret. Hope you've used and benefitted from them.)

We always hear "the rules" from the female side. How men always do the wrong things, and fail to fulfil basic expectations...

Now here are the rules from the male side. A forward that I recently received (from an unknown man, who I requested to remove me from his forwards mailing list; but I'm glad he sent me this one!!)

These are the rules...
All numbered "1" ON PURPOSE! ;-)

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
JUST SAY IT!

1. 'Yes' and 'No' are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. Any illness that lasts 17 months is serious; go see a doctor.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colours, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a colour. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine, Really.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round is a shape.

Tee hee hee... Rib-tickling and side-splitting...
That's the way men are, and we love them for it, now dont we girls??!!!

(Okay, we don't... However, lets just say it this once... It's their day, ladies!! We'll give them hell for this starting tomorrow. Fine?!!)

Love,
Princess

Snob-itis

A new disease that deserves a mention in the medical and personality nomenclature...

Hitting the youth with increased vigor.

The deadly, the ugly... SNOB-ITIS.

I hate snobs. What do they think of themselves? That they’re one in a million? Of course they are. Just like everybody else… Or one in 1.15 billion, to be more precise (that’s 1,150,000,000… fantastic, eh?)

My office has more than its fair share of snobs. People throw attitude as if they were born monarchs and happen to be here just because of some cruel joke that destiny played on them. Crazy folks strutting around glancing at others out of the corner of their eyes with a silly, insulting smirk on their ugly lips… What’s to be gained by looking down on everybody around?

I seriously don’t understand. I myself am pretty outgoing (though I don’t talk half as much as most people I know) and I make sure I talk to anybody and everybody, regardless of age, gender, caste or whatever. I think it my duty to be nice to new joinees or those who are uncomfortable in a new situation. Snooty people think it lowly when they approach someone and so they stay aloof, projecting an ice-queen/king image, waiting for others to get friendly. And then there are some who dislike it even when someone makes an attempt to strike a conversation. As long as one’s safety and dignity is not jeopardized, what’s the harm in being courteous??? Height of haughtiness.

Maybe it’s the upbringing. Maybe the personality. The ancient nature-nurture controversy. Whatever, I really hate it...

In fact, I’ve often felt that belonging to a group of guys is a wonderful thing. Most males are cool, unbothered and affable. They invite and adjust with anybody, and one can become a part of the group without doing/proving too much. Women crib a lot about being “similar” and having “matching wavelengths”. And I say it’s irritating. Yes, I do show attitude at times, when I really don’t want someone to approach me, but I ensure that I openly state my feelings most of the times. I hate dragging things and creating issues. My being upfront occasionally lands me in a soup, but I don’t regret it. I’d rather not let things cook in my and others’ minds.

Back to gender benders. Guys DO gossip (no use your squealing and vehemently denying this), but it’s the sharing-fun-incidents kinds, not the who’s-dating-whom so typical of girls. And no “Aah”, “Ooohh” and “Omigosh” that women frequently use with reference to make-up, dressing trends, and this-freaky-guy-asked-me-out-the-other-day stories. With men, it’s easy and effortless. They laugh, they chill out. No wonder most of my good friends are guys. Of course, their maturity and sensitivity level isn’t exactly as splendid as females, but no one’s perfect!

Check out this quote I found in the midst of my silly googling sessions…
“…I like snobs. A snob has to spend so much time being a snob that he has little time left to meddle with you” – William Faulkner
“The true snob never rests; there is always a higher goal to attain, and there are, by the same token, always more and more people to look down upon” - J. Russell Lynes

Catch ya later!

Be GOOD!
-Princess

Happy Children's Day!!

And Happy B'day Chacha Nehru :-)

A cat crosses my path every day.

(Just remembered a stupid joke I received the other day – what does it mean when a cat crosses your path when you are going somewhere?....

… It means the cat is also going somewhere.

Tee hee hee. Very funny. Thanks for nothing, Ameya.)

Well, I’m not superstitious really. But you know how it is. Such things tend to stay with you and you think of them even if you actually don’t believe in them. Which is why each time I see a cat that crosses my path, my heart gives a lurch. And I ponder for a second, will it be me who crosses that crossed line first? Shall I wait till somebody else passes?

Of course, now that it happens daily without fail, and obviously something bad does not happen to me every single day (now that would be so horrendous and unfair!), I hardly spare a thought. Yet, it’s irritating. Say, a guy crashed his bike on a pillar last week as I was riding to work. Maybe the cat DIDN’T cross his path…

There are these other superstitions. Like when you leave the house, don’t utter the word “chappal” or “water”. Or when you sneeze, don’ leave the house immediately. Or if you see an empty bucket/pail while going somewhere, it means your purpose is futile. Really psyches me out. Wish I didn’t know these things at all, coz now that I am aware of them, I can’t help but recognize them and say an extra prayer. Just in case.

Anyways, I ain’t writing this post to discuss superstitions and silly traditions. I was just thinking, how time has flown! It seems like a few months that 2009 began, and lo! It’s almost over. It is as if someone’s put the clock on fast forward. And boy, whatever was happening in the city over the past week? It was pouring like crazy and it was so windy I was afraid I'd get blown away with my Scooty! Courtesy a cyclone (Phyan) alert in the Arabian Sea and adjoining areas i.e. Mumbai, Pune, and other places. Even otherwse, Pune's getting quite chilly, and it as pleasant. But, I hate it when people all around me (including myself) keep falling sick due to the weather.

It’s been three and a half months since I joined Yellow Box. At the moment, I am doing three different levels, one for absolute beginners, one for intermediate and the other for advanced. Know which one I’m enjoying the most? The first one, where there are 4 students, all in the age group of 20-25 years, and they didn’t even know how to write A-Z correctly! After teaching them the alphabet, I did some vocabulary with them, and boy, I’ve realized I can be TREMENDOUSLY patient when I want!! Yet, this resolve fails when I see insincere or casual attitude. Two smart Alecs who really test my tolerance end up being verbally bashed by me almost every single day. I ain’t perfect! But I try when I see the other person trying… Taali do haath se bajti hai mere dost!

Been going crazy these last few days trying to locate someone with a Mastercard or American Express. The University of Texas at Austin accepts only these two cards for fee payment, and everyone I know has a Visa. Only recently managed to get the payment done. Didn't get an accept from Cambridge UK :-( Now anxiously awaiting a buzz from the other univs where I have applied. Touch wood!

Watched Jail last evening with the family. I'm amazed to say that the film was not as violent or bad as I'd imagined. Looks like my keeping my expectations down has really helped me enjoy my movie experience! Neil Nitin Mukesh, unfortunately, has proved yet again that he can't act; his dialogue delivery is especially horrendous. But, his expressions are pretty heartrending. Mugdha Godse looks pretty but has very little to do. Ditto the marvelous Atul Kulkarni and the fantastic Manoj Bajpayi. The movie, like other Madhur Bhandarkar creations is very real and conceiveable. Especially when you see the unfair, inhumane and hopeless legal system in India as well as the poor conditions of our jails and prisons.

I had read about this in Shantaram, so it was a deja-vu for me. However, I still shed a few tears like when Neil finally gets released, and a few times before that, when he gets frustrated and suffers for it. Indeed, the human heart hardens when dealing regularly with corpses and criminals, innocence dies and the animal in us comes to life. Happy ending in the movie (that too, after 2+ years of undeserved punishment). Happy endings in real life? Doubtful. Movie very watchable. Go for it.

Re-reading Bridget Jones Diary and That Thing Called Love simultaneously to kill time before I sleep. Need to go book shopping sooooooooon...

Ciao.
Princess

No Demand, No Complaint

I’ve found the mantra for a peaceful and cheerful life – no demands, no complaints.

Guess where I stumbled upon this wisdom? In Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.

I sincerely think I should stop getting excited about Bollywood movies and expecting too much from them. I manage to get disappointed when people around me find the movie “good”, “nice”, even “wonderful”.

I mean anybody would think that the brilliant Rajkumar Santoshi, with movies like Andaz Apna Apna, Damini, Ghayal, Ghatak and China Gate behind him, would come up with something extraordinary. What he’s whipped up this time falls short of spectacular by just about a 100 light years.

The music certainly is good; I’ve been humming “prem ki naiya hai Raam ke bharose, apni bhi naiya ko paar tu laga de” and “tera hona lage hoon, jab se mila hoon” all day… But, is that enough? The plot is really stale and it is only the beautiful Katz and adorable Ranz (whatever) that make the movie watch-worthy.

Interested in the story anyway? OK. Ranbir is a happy-go-lucky chap, an uneducated fellow who believes in enjoying life and making others smile. He meets Katrina and instantly falls in love with her. He tries to patao her, but she mistakes this as pure friendship and mentally romances her high-class boyfriend Upen Patel (as dim-witted as usual). Obviously, the brainless brawny hunk cannot marry her without causing trouble as his dad is a politician and fears losing Hindu votes if he welcomes a Christian bride. Our hero selflessly plays matchmaker and tries to unite the loving couple. All to no avail, coz Katz realizes (finally) how much the seedha-sadha Ranbir loves her. And then it’s living happily ever after.

The climax is typical Andaz Apna Apna style, where the audience is tickled by the crazy antics of a don and the different characters that make up the plot. That don’t impress me much, and I am giving this movie a 6 on 10. Not a must watch, good for a dekko on the lappie.

No wonder, I’m eagerly awaiting (and crossing my fingers) for 2012 and New Moon that are releasing next week. And of course, 3 Idiots by the inimitable Amir Khan. Hits screens December 25.

Oh by the way, India has lost the series, a very pitiable and disgusting defeat if I may add... Kudos to the Australian team! How I wish racism hadn't marred the country's image...

Well, we're racist in India as well, and what's worse towards our own countrymen! The MNS hooligans created ruckus when an MLA took his oath in Hindi. Isn't that supposed to be our national language?!! Sickly, stupid people...

Catch ya later!
Princess

Too (Bad) Timing

I can’t see my mother cry.
One, coz my eyes are full of tears.
Two, coz she’s an adorable sweetheart and the people who trouble her are jerks.

It’s ludicrous how people don’t realize and appreciate that others are going out of their way to do something for them. They believe it is their right, their privilege. They think they’re entitled to being treated well. And it’s SO infuriating!! Seriously man, such people need to be taught how to be thankful and gracious.

I feel very bad for mum. I wonder what she’ll do when she has nobody to stand up for her when I get married and move away. In the last 10 years, she sure has outgrown her timid nature, but she still acts like a helpless baby when times are tough. And I end up protecting her. No wonder I’m so blunt and fair all the time. My reputation reeks!

As if I care…

People who know me understand me and my actions. Without explanation and justification.

The rest won’t get it anyway. So why bother?!

(As if I haven't said that before...)

Anyways… I’m done with Eclipse. (350 pages in less than a week's time, not bad eh?) Quite a novella, this. I got a little bored with the ancient sagas about vampires and werewolves, but obviously they were crucial to the storyline. What really triggered my sentiments was the crazy love triangle between Edward-Bella-Jacob, further complicated by the fact that Isabella loves both, the vampire as well as the werewolf. And of course, both of them are adorable and worthy, that the reader can’t help but feel sorry for the one who Bella rescinds.

Poor Jacob Black.

Poor, poor Jacob Black.

The final epilogue describes his reaction and feelings when Bella plans to marry darling Eddie and become a vampire, bidding goodbye to her human life.

I identified with the story too easily for my own liking. I know how it is to love two people at the same time. Not in the same capacity, to the same degree, but similar nevertheless. And having to choose, is as bad as having to decide between losing your hand versus losing your leg. You need both, don’t you?

Well, I do…

Yet sometimes you really can’t have both. And you end up hurting one individual who means the world to you. The one you hurt more is yourself. Coz no matter what/who you choose, you feel sad, guilty and defeated.

However, now I've understood that one is better off opting for the option that is sensible, even if it may not be the most exciting.

Life isn’t rocking all the time, na?

Well, the timing for one thing is perfect - that's the release of Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani. The movie hits theatres today, and I am very eager to see it. Katrina and Ranbir make a very attractive couple, and I'm sure fireworks will fly...

And hey, there's another piece of good news - I've won 3 prizes at the Pune University M.A. level for scoring the highest marks in Psychology. It's not much, about 750 Rupees, but what matters more to me is the (non-existent) certificate. I'd been waiting for this (without hope, actually, coz I was told there's no such recognition) and here it finally comes. Der aaye durust aaye... Will have to preserve the letters as proof. Cheers anyway!

Oooohhh... and Roadies is beginning this Sunday 7 pm... Wild Africa is the location. Sighhhh... Rannvijay man!!!

Love,
Lonely Princess

Yours Un-Emotionally

Nanak aaya, Guru Nanak aaya...

I used to go to the gurudwara every year on this day... Haven't done that in the last 2 years; had a split with a Sikh friend...

Anyway, wish you all a belated Happy Guru Nanak Jayanti...

Cheers, buddies! Mum's back! Yippeeeeee... And double cheers coz India lost the match yesterday. I knew Australia would kill it. Not that I ain't patriotic, it's just that I don't have much faith in our Indian cricket team. Don't blame me : half the people I know agree with my viewpoint.

Awrite time out. Don't be wild at me just coz we may not think alike.

So, I told you about this essay I had to do for NYU Stern. Not an essay exactly; anything to describe yourself creatively. I can’t believe how many people this essay has made me hostile towards…

I mean, seriously!

Now, I’m not the absolutely creative and funky types who can come up with something grandiose and out of this world. I think reasonable and I plan practical. When I read this essay topic that said I could use any means to show my interests and achievements to my potential MBA classmates, I really did not know what to do. I was sure I did not want to just WRITE an essay, but beyond that I was clueless.

I asked a few friends for ideas, and I browsed the net. I read that people had sent photo albums and collages, even cereal boxes! This sounded interesting but not my style (as I said, I go with handy and smart).

So, I toyed with the concept of using a T-shirt (a brand new one, as clearly indicated by the university) to showcase my talents, qualities, etc. But what exactly…

SOS-ed friends and relatives. A few of them gave some witty and many vague ideas, nothing too direct and helpful. I had to salvage from their scattered points and do something that looked “Anuja”.

(Thanks Sibi, Denis and Ajay for your inputs. Appreciate it.)

Abba, ever the Devil’s Advocate, managed to scrap all the ideas that I was bouncing off on him, but he could not give me even one constructive point to work on. (Thanks, anyway. For a lot of things. I’m forever indebted.)

The point being, when you desperately need help, there’s few people who will be willing to be of assistance. Frustrating, but true.

Even after I put in a thousand efforts and came up with a piece that looked outstanding to me (from an objective perspective), there were hardly any people to make me feel good about it! I borrowed Dad’s pen to jot a poem on the rear, and when I invited him to look at it, he said in a pompous tone, “Isn’t the pen nice? All my friends keep asking me to get them one.” I looked at him dumbfounded. What about my hard work and impeccable script?

I called a friend and proudly displayed my kaarigari to him. As luck would have it, we happened to have a skirmish (a very stupid one, if I may add) right before he saw the T. Obviously, his anger meant more to him than my intense need for feedback. And he walked out after poring over my work without even a "Hmm" or "Wow!" or "This is cool!" or anything to that effect. I felt awful... With friends like these, who needs enemies?!!


I thought Abba would be more thoughtful. If not, Ammi was always there.

Mistake.

I carefully towed my craft from my home to theirs and opened it with suppressed delight. I watched their faces as they read through all the matter and saw the visuals.

And then Abba opened his mouth; I was barely breathing.


"Don't you think," I cringed... "this could be less boastful?"


"I've just written the truth - my achievements in school and college, at work, outside..."


"I know."


"And then I pursued modelling so a few snaps, and my personality traits."


"Ya."


"And my interests and hobbies..."


"Hmm."


"It's all true."


"Ya, but should it not be more modest?"


"Would they accept me if I projected a mediocre picture of myself?"

"I don't know. It's my opinion. If you don't like it, just ignore it..."


Sigh.


I wish he'd said something nice before he said this. Don't people know that when you give feedback, you always use the Sandwich technique : Good-Bad-Good? Or am I asking for too much? How can you so completely disregard somebody's honest effort and intention?


I'm feeling truly horrible man. I seem to be surrounded by idiots who have no emotional intelligence. Missing my mom... She's the one who peps me up so well and flatters me no end (and that irritates me as well at times when I'm looking for criticism. But she loves me ya... Forgiven a thousand times over.)


And yet again I think why EQ is not made a compulsory subject in school...
Shall come up with a test one of these days, just so you know where you stand and where you go wrong...


And...


I know my work's good... whether anyone appreciates it or not...


(I hate my approval-seeking nature!!)


But I'm GOOD... and there's no changing that.


Love,
Princess

Such is life...

A phonebook and cell memory full of contacts,
But no one to call when you desperately want to speak your heart out.
Such is life...

A million bucks to spend, and no friend to blow it with,
When you had that someone, you were too busy trying to make an extra buck.
Such is life...

At times I think homosexual relations make sense,
The depth of emotions of each gender can only b understood by another of the same kind.
We fight over our differences and keep expecting to be understood.
Such is life…

The very son who dotes on the mother,
Becomes devoted to the wife in days so few.
The mom still prays for him.
Such is life…

You crib about the bad things,
And then you adjust to living in situations worse.
Your optimism and energy disappear with time.
Such is life…

When everything is wrong the smallest thing brings delight,
Something that goes unnoticed in rosier times,
Becomes the single reason to live for.
Such is life…

Good things don’t really happen to good people,
Though we would sure like to believe so.
The wicked and wayward laugh more often.
Such is life…

You smile for the world,
And show you really don’t care.
But you nurture the hurts within you…
This is life...

Happy Halloween :-)


-Lonely Princess

Jaanam Samjha Karo

Sometimes I think you're an illusion,
Yet the tears rolling down my morose face are so real.
I wanted you though you made me cry with each breath…

Just a few lines that passed through my mind and left a mark… Thought I’d share with you…

"No one knows why some things work out and why some don't." A lovely line from the movie Notting Hill. A lovely movie, though I don't like Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant looks silly when he repeats every word/sentence twice.

The weather in Pune is going from bad to worse. It's cold one evening and burning hot the next. It rains without reason at times, and I'm suffering for it! Caught a horrible cold... Sick of sniffling and sneezin... I hate being unwell! Benadryl is my knight in shining armor at the moment ;-)

The Bacardi Megamix party was not as great as I'd anticipated. DJ Suketu played stupid tracks and kept admonishing the people when they weren't shouting loud enough. Why would they when the music was so tthanda? The crowd was pretty chic, but the turnout was low. Considering Pune's sad night life and few good parties, I'd expected a higher attendance. They'd have been disappointed though, coz the party wrapped up at 11.30 pm. Why make people drive so far to Wagholi when they wanted to adhere to city time deadlines?

I am now addicted to Facebook courtesy its many fun applications. So, I now own a Café and even a Zoo :-) I’m not into Farmville and Mafia Wars yet which most of my friends play… Quite a craze!! Oh, I finally bought some earrings and the third book in the Twilight series - Eclipse. I'm afraid it won't be as exciting as the previous two, but gotta read regardless!! Downed 100 pages already and still very much in love with both Edward and Jacob... And sorry for Bella... Poor gal, stuck between love and friendship; I know how that feels...

I met a friend last week and we were just chatting away about our GMAT and MBA abroad stuff. He wanted to do dhuaan-dhuaan so we landed up at Mocha near Symbi / Law College. (One thing I hate to do is spend money at Mocha. The prices are outrageous! The bill was close to 850 bucks and what did we order – just a pasta, chicken starter, shake and of course, hookah. Silly ruffians! We could have caught some drinks and a full meal someplace else at that price...)

Anyhow, we got talking and he lapsed into the tale of his college days. While reminiscing about his girl-adventures and guy-pranks, he told me he was “kinda desperate” at that point of time for you-know-what…

I didn’t bat an eyelid. I am dead sure I would have cracked up had this incident occurred a few years ago. In fact, I appreciated his candor and his willingness to share such personal feelings with me. I find myself able to “hear” (and not just listen) a lot of unnatural confessions these days. I seem to understand a lot of unsaid emotions. Guess I’m really becoming mature! I even try to rein in my dirty temper when I'm truly annoyed. Of course, I do lose it in that split second, but I feel bad for the other person and make amends soon after. I'm nice, na? :-)

Even at work, there are so many people who come up to me and start sharing their personal experiences and hurdles without an invitation. As a trainer, I’m merely supposed to brush up their communication skills and confidence. However, more than a few of them get pally and thank me for being a good listener. Feels good :-)

And I might as well confess, I have even made 3 of my students cry… (2 women and a man, for those interested in details... No, I did not hit them.)

I don’t know how… I think I was a little harsh on them coz they JUST weren’t understanding the basic stuff despite having been taught for ages. And there’s the carrot and stick approach, right? Some people just don’t learn until they’re shouted at and pushed. One thing I can’t stand is laziness and lack of dedication. Awrite that’s two things, but you get it, right? I did apologize to them later, and now I try to be calmer… Quite a challenge given my raging temper, but if you don’t do your best (be it in class or in a relationship), you’ll have to deal with me…

People show care through anger, which is sweet, but not exactly the best way to express your concern. Wouldn’t you be spoken to softly and lovingly when you’re sick in bed rather than be yelled at coz you don’t take good care of yourself? There’s a time for everything, and there’s a way of doing things. And if you cannot judge a situation and act appropriately, then you are not worth being human. The next time you find yourself experiencing ANY emotion, please ensure that you state it truly and express it correctly. You will notice that the situation is markedly more different and positive.

Have you watched Bigg Boss lately? The place is a mess. The participants this time round are truly boring. Be it Vindu who is Dara Singh’s son, or Rohit Verma who is a crybaby fashion designer. I was unsure till the day before who exactly Kamal Khan was and what his claim to fame was, and then I saw that he had produced and acted in a film called “Desh Drohi”, which irked the MNS and obviously crashed at the box office. (Apparently, he’s making a sequel now. LOL, some people never learn!)

The guy is such a jerk! He’s mannerless, vain, irritating and repulsive. The way he speaks and behaves on the show is nothing short of revolting. He did get evicted from the house of BB but I'm guessing he'll be brought back through a “wild card” entry. Big Boss needs somebody to create ripples and excitement, can't afford to let the TRPs drop… The world’s a sly and selfish place…

Here's your respite and confidant!!

Me.

Princess

Anuja Times

A round of applause, fellas. I finally bought new shoes. Nike. White. Very simple. Very stylish. Yeah.

Still no progress with the jeans though. Spent over 2 hours at Mega Mart the other day, checked out a variety of jeans. All types – slim fit, straight fit, stretch and tapering. Hated them all. Quite a few sizes, too. (Let’s skip the details about this!) No luck. Shopping for jeans and shoes is a guy thing, and I find myself extremely in need of a man when I have to shop for such stuff.

The matter was further complicated by a colleague who expressed that boot-cuts (my favorite style in bottoms) are outdated, and the latest in fashion are skin-fitting jeans. After my unproductive trip to the jeans section, the verdict is – trend or no trend, it’s boot-cuts for me. Spykar, here I come…

Hey, check out this awesome piece of information – Dorabjee now sells Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream! It’s obviously dear, with a single can costing anywhere between 400-600 Indian Rupees. But, I’m sure a special occasion deserves a Ben and Jerry’s! Go for it…

Also, the Landmark sale is still on. At least it was on Saturday. I desperately want to purchase the third book in the Twilight series - Eclipse. I was dying to watch the film (just like I've been dying to swim, but as you can see, I'm very much alive yet.) As luck would have it, one of my colleagues was dowloading the first movie at work and I've managed to catch part of it during my breaks. OH MY GOD... I dunno when I've felt SO excited before... The print is awesome (way to go, Torrent!) and Bella is verrrryy pretty - quite like Hermione in the Potter series. Jacob is a disappointment, my imagination was much better than his real character. And the Cullens... Goodness, they took my breath away... Rosalie looks mean, though and her walk isn't exactly as graceful as described in the book. But what's a screwed up gait as compared to a fantastic movie?!! Edward looks delicious, and te way he looks at Bella gives ME goosebumps! Thanks, Ameya... I owe you one... After you download the second part ;-)

By the way, I finally visited Costa Coffee. It’s such a marvelous place! I completely fell in love with it. The ambience is great, the sofa in the corner is bootylicious and the music is lovely. The prices are comparable to Barista, and the eatables aren’t too great. But the drinks are nice (obviously I mean coffee) and the crowd’s chic and mature. No rowdy teenagers, no cranky baccha-log. Must visit. Located near Zafraan and Aquaa in Panchsheel Tech Park. Close to the airport, remember?

The movie updates are like this – Blue seems to have done too much publicity yet not garnered enough interest. The movie has received very average reviews (as I’d expected). Sanju baba has loads of style and paunch, while Akki is as daredevil and boastful as ever. Zayed and Lara (expectedly) have little to do, and Kylie has created ripples with her “chiggy wiggy” track. The story is about a sunken ship that holds a treasure known by Sanjay Dutt, which Akshay Kumar is eager to set hands on. For some reason, Sanju hides the secret until he needs to save his own brother Zayed. Finally, they set out and create some cool action sequences. The climax is thanda, and so is my keenness to watch this film. Akshay is pretty monotonous these days, and too much publicity really psyches me out.

I watched All The Best, though. The trailers looked good, and I thought this Golmaal-lookalike might be interesting. Wasn’t. At least for me. My family loved it. Fardeen is as lost as he was in No Entry, and the ladies (Bips and Mugdha Godse) merely adorn the sets. Seems like changing the name hasn’t wizened Ajay Devgan (oops, I mean Devgn) much. Must give him credit for his new look, though. Sanju baba, as usual, is endearing and elegant. What sure disappointed me was that the fantabulous Johny Lever plays a dumb (I mean mute) thug. Nobody can do comedy like Lever bhai, and to make him mime is to shoot a prize horse in the leg. He makes up for it in the climax, thankfully, when one chamaat by Sanju re-starts his voice-box.

There’s no plot as such in the picchar. Sanju is a maha-rich NRI and his step-brother Fardeen keeps hoodwinking him so that he and his friend Ajay can lay hands on some extra pocket money. As luck would have it, Sanju lands in Goa unannounced one day, and then starts the series of crazy bhagam-bhag. Certainly not hilarious if you’ve watched and loved Andaz Apna Apna and Golmaal. The fun quotient of the movie is strictly average and the songs are unremarkable. You do join the uproar at times thanks to the “Just Chill” guy and some crazy misunderstandings. Definitely not a must-watch, but OK if you are bent on watching something or the other on a rainy day. Apparently the cash registers at the box office are rejoicing. Good for them all.

In my opinion, there’s hardly any good movie running. Even Aladin that released yesterday, I fear, starring Big B and Riteish Deshmukh and Jacqueline will crash at the box office. I plan to watch it, regardless. Love the man called Inquilab Srivastav. Hail Amitabh!

On my MBA abroad front, the updates are that I have finished applying to Kellogg and Cambridge. I now have to work on my other applications to Michigan Broad, Texas Austin and NYU Stern. I'm feeling very positive about the entire process, so let's hope the admission decisions are in my favor. What is sure keeping me busy is the 3rd essay at Stern (on creative description of self). I must admit I'm quite pleased with my efforts and I'm praying the admissions committee is too... After all, I've risked having my fingers stuck together each time I used Feviquick! What an awesome glue, man!! The makers deserve a pat on the back :-)

I've spent over 30,000 greenies on the applications, plus 1500 to courier my stuff to the US... And I'm wondering how I shall manage to fund my study abroad that can cost anything between US$60,000-90,000 per year for 2 years. There are quite a few b-schools and universities that are encouraging me to apply and promising waivers and scholarships to a priority candidate (coz I'm a woman and I have a pretty good GMAT score). Unfortunately, they are not choices I would voluntarily make...

Add the fact that mum's outta station for 2 weeks starting today and I'll have to shoulder all the household responsibilities single-handedly as Bhabhi's at her maika. Where's the time, people?!!!
Oh ya, almost forgot - tonight's the Bacardi Megamixx party (previously Bacardi Blast, which used to be the best party in town) at Kapila Resorts, Wagholi. DJ Suketu and Medieval Punditz will rock the show. I wasn't planning to go but a friend won free passes and it appears like I'm going. C ya there...

Catch ya later.

-Princess

Sweet Pain

Ek ladke aur ek ladki kabhi dost nahi ho sakte…

Quite a cheesy line, eh? I used to hate this sentence when I was a teenager coz most of my best buddies were guys. And each time I hung out with them, people used to tease me and smell something fishy. While the guy and I were very sure of our status, the public had a gala time cooking up stories and gossiping to no end. I was bugged of them all… Why can’t a guy and girl be just friends, for Pete’s sake?!!

Now I think it is right. A girl and a guy cannot be friends. Pyar kahi na kahi se tapak hi padta hai...

I mean come to think of it… A guy who understands a girl is a jackpot… And if he also cares for her and is there for her anytime she needs him, then it’s an offer any woman would be a fool to refuse… Similarly, if a guy finds the right kind of girl who can let him live his own life and yet make life together productive and fun, then he would not want to let go of this lady. Right?

Right.

So, you see, be it Maine Pyar Kiya or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, the friendly couple always fall in love and end up tying the knot. And we all rejoice, coz they look so good together and they’re meant to be… And they shall be happy ever after… Blah blah blah… Right?

Wrong.

I met this woman at work. Shan’t tell you who. What’s in a name anyway?

She met this guy and fell in love. They were like a house on fire together, and they envisioned themselves the perfect made-in-heaven couple who just could not stay apart. Both their parents were against the wedding and society made sure they humiliated the families when the children eloped.

Six months went by. The girl realized that things had changed. The guy was not what he used to be. (Doesn’t that happen with every couple?) He himself dressed up and roamed the streets but he did not like it if his wife so much as removed the mangalsutra from her neck. To add to this, the guy;s mother made life hell for the girl. She forbade her from going to her mother’s place and set all kinds of silly restrictions. The girl was stressed and lost. She did not know what to do.

Matters went from bad to worse, coz the guy supported his mom. “What happened to our love?” the girl asked the guy. No reply. Almost at the juncture of divorce, the girl returned to her mother’s house. I don’t really know what happened during this time, but now the girl is returning to her husband’s place again. She is still not sure if she will be treated right or will be loved. She went as far as to say that she wished she was not married, and even if she was, not to her husband…

When I asked her why she was going back, she said she had already shamed her family once and she could not do it again by seeking divorce. She had to make this work. In fact, could I lend her a thousand bucks coz her unemployed hubby needed money and her salary was almost over?

A guy told me that guys love forever and girls don’t. Girls move on easily and their love isn’t as deep as a man’s. I didn’t say a word. I didn’t know what to say. Some things are just proved in the course of time, not argued and debated over. Of course, matters of the heart are not gender-specific. I am not claiming men love less than women or gals are better lovers. No sirree… This is an era of equal opportunity and equal deceit.

But I sure know for a fact that those who love truly, whether a man or a woman, carry the love within their heart for ever. They may not always be with the one they love, but they cherish their memories till eternity.

Even if it hurts.

Coz love is a sweet pain…

-Lonely Princess

Tagged!

I have been tagged in FB before (FaceBook you dummies!) but for the first time ever I was tagged on my blog by Ms. penandpaper. This comes pretty late (she tagged me on July 26), but as they say, better late than never...

A – Available/Single? I'm a spinster, and I don't think the wedding bells are ringing anytime soon. Does that answer the Q??

B – Best friend? Myself.

C – Cake or Pie? Cake, you bet!!!

D – Drink(s) of choice? Mum-made hot ginger chai, Zaika hot coffee, cold coffee at most places or orange juice without sugar!

E – Essential item you use every day? It used to be Vaseline lip-guard, not so often these days... And how can I forget saunf (=fennel seeds)...

F – Favorite colour? The entire spectrum - I'm a colorful Cancerian... Blue, lavender, yellow, green, pink, red...

G – Gummy Bears Or Worms? Who cares...??!!!!

H – Hometown? Washim in Vidarbha, but I've been in Pune forever.

I – Indulgence? Good hangouts, good food, movies, hookah and keychains :-)

J – January or February? February... fewer days to work plus Valentine's day!

K – Kids & their names? Jai and Jia if it's a girl and a boy, Dev if there's another boy, Ria if another girl... All combinations and permutations satisfied ;-)

L – Life is incomplete without? Love, for sure.

M – Marriage date? Ahem... Shall consult the pandits when an eligible bachelor appears!! The forecast, by the way is 2009-2011...

N – Number of siblings? One big brother

O – Oranges or Apples? Apples if fruit, and Orange if it's a juice.

P – Phobias/Fears? Lizards and rash riding/driving. Hate 'em both.

Q – Quote for today? My Quote for everyday: Live Life Queensize.

R – Reason to smile? Love, success, peace, humor... Life!

S – Season? Winter... Love cuddling into the sheets and dressing up in colorful sweaters!

T – Tag 3 People? Sibi, Ani, Vishal.

U – Unknown fact about me? I can't control my smile/laughter. Even if I am annoyed with a person, I still end up grinning like a dumb cow.

V – Vegetable you don't like? Capsicum and Coriander.

W – Worst habit? My insistence on everything being perfect (as defined by me!) and clean.

X – X-rays you've had? Stupid Q... I had one done when I sprained my ankle, and another when I was being tested for employment in Tata Motors.

Y – Your favorite food? Italian, Chinese, Punjabi, South Indian... I'm a foodie!

Z – Zodiac sign? Cusp - Leo and Cancer

And here's the Award for successfully completing this Tag:


So now, you too have a chance to be a Proud Member of the 'International Bloggers Community'. Here are the Rules:


1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Copy the image above, the rules and the questionnaire in this post.
3. Post this in one or all of your blogs.
4. Answer the four questions following these Rules.
5. Recruit at least seven (7) friends on your Blog Roll by sharing this with them.
6. Come back to BLoGGiSTa iNFo CoRNeR (PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THIS LINK) at http://bloggistame.blogspot.com and leave the URL of your Post in order for you/your Blog to be added to the Master List.
7. Have Fun!

Questions & Your Answers:
1. The person who tagged you: penandpaper
2. Her site's title and url: Mentally Present Physically Absent; URL: http://penpaper.blogspot.com/2009/07/tag-here.html
3. Date when you were tagged: 26th July '09
4. Persons you tagged: Sibi, Ani, Vishal, Vaidehi, Sourav, Bips, Ranu