Khana Peena Jeena

Hi.

One of my college-mates who got married a year and half ago is now 4 months pregnant. This news made me feel a little sick. I mean I know a lot of girls get married in college and most of them have babies by the time they turn 24-25. But hey, I did not expect sucha thing in my batch!

Everybody used to teme that me being a Marwari would be the first to get engaged and married. And now when I look around, I see more than a few of my school and college mates tying the knot and getting ready for parenthood! Makes me feel like Bridget Jones... or the protagonist of Almost Single for that matter... Being unmarried was making me feel great a couple of months ago, and now suddenly I'm feeling left out as if I've flunked some exam!! Hard to explain, but I think God knows what he's doing, and things will work out when the time arrives...

The time to finish Chamundi Hill is nowhere in sight. It's right where I left off, coz I just don't seem to have the zeal to read those kiddy stories however profound their meanings and morals might be. I hope it doesn't meet the fate of The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari - the only book that I've left midway...

The Associate is finally over, and I'm sorry to say I cannot recommend it to you. The book keeps you aching for some hardcore action, and all you end up with is disappointment. The story (if I haven't shared it with you before) is about this boy from Yale who's blackmailed and asked to join a big law firm in order to pass on trade secrets to the blackmailer. He does join the firm coz he's afraid of the consequences if he refuses, but midway he decides that he's had enough and he ought to ask for legal help. He is guided to the FBI and the climax shows how the blackmailer outsmarts them all and runs away, albeit without any secrets... And Kyle McAvoy restarts leading his life the way he initially planned it... In brief, he just takes a silly detour... an doubles back. HOW terrific, eh?!!

When I purchased Grisham's novel, I was expecting some courtroom drama and excitement. It has been a dud in that sense. I'm mising Perry Mason, Prisoner of Birth and other action-oriented scenes. And so, I dug out from my book-rack a book that I'd bought exactly 2 years ago and never read. The Complete and Unabridged Omnibus of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle's 3 books are compiled in one, and I hope to get my suspense-hunger satiated by this monstrous paperback.

I start my new job as a full-time corporate trainer with an HR consultancy in August. It promises to be hectic and challenging, and my only hope is that it is exciting and satisfying. I had a great time freelancing and chilling out throughout June and July, but it's not something I'd want to do forever... And hence, I planned to take up this post. I pray this turns out to be a good decision. If nothing else, it's certainly going to keep me busy as hell... Even Saturdays, which I ain't too kicked about...

My swimming is on hold currently, coz the pool's shut due to water scarcity. I hope this 2 week break doesn't wipe out the water baby genes... I still can't breathe out underwater, and I really want to learn a few other strokes as well.

Hey, did I tell you about 22nd July? I can't remember if I did... It's a solar eclipse that day, the last one any of us shall see in this lifetime. Don't get too excited about that coz it's not see-worthy unless you have solid protection for your eyes. A mere 6 second viewing can burn your retina. So keep off... It won't be too tough to avoid it though, coz it's going to occur between 6-8 am on Wednesday.

Apparently, the last such eclipse that happened was during the Kurukshetra war (Mahabharata) and the one before that was when Ram slay Ravana. Ominous, right? I hope I get to hear you wish me a happy birthday the next day... Shan't be too joyous if something goes wrong... Anywhere in the whole wide world... All said and done, we're all one, hai na?

My Ammi's gone on the Amarnath Yatra. She shall be seeing the gigantic shivling that automatically gets formed from ice every year somewhere in the Himalayan range. Vaishnodevi is also on her agenda, and I hope she has a good time and returns with blessings for us all.

Hey, forgot to tell you about this - I visited two new places last weekend. The places aren't really new. They've been here for donkey's years, but somehow this donkey didn't get a chance to land up there ;-) Apache Next on Ghole Road and Mahesh Lunch Home in Camp.

Apache, as most of us from Pune know, is a fluid lounge that serves snacks and booze, plays rock and retro, and screens the big matches on large screens. Apache Next is from the same gang, and the place is better in ambience than Apache on FC. The service wasn't too prompt (maybe coz it was a Saturday night), but the music was decent. I had Go2Hell on the insistence of a pal, and it turned out to be Rooh-Afza on the rocks. Ok place, good to go with the gang.

Mahesh Lunch Home - the name sounded like the typical dabbawallah joint that frequents Pune's streets and college areas. However, I was shocked when I walked into this restaurant that specialilzes in seafood. They also serve chicken, alcohol and snacks, but only a fool would pass the fish and crab and other dishes that adorn the menu. The prices can be steep, so choose with care, and a decent meal for two can cost you anywhere between the range of 500-800. A must-visit for people who love samundar food. And a good joint for those who like a change...

Adios!

-Princess