Feb 22, 2010

Two Weddings, a Bride and Yum Yum Tree


Ah well I had an eventful week indeed and have been quite looking forward to penning the exciting happenings of my life down on a blog post. I have been travelling non-stop trans Delhi or rather trans the National Capital region almost every single day. This is what happens one of your closest friends and an old college mate decides to tie the knot the same week. So it began last Monday when I took the long long metro ride from Dwarka to CP waiting patiently for Miss Touch Me Not to get over with work so that we could make it on time for Maggie’s Mehndi and Sangeet in this hotel in Karol Bagh. Although we’d thought that we’d get thoroughly bored cos we wouldn’t know anybody but we were in for a pleasant surprise as we bumped into old friends/acquaintances and it was fun catching up with people you only ever see on your mini-feed page on FB or if you choose to snoop around their pages on FB again. Maggie looked all radiant in a pink and golden creation and yes she has a body to die for. We were buzzing on 2 drinks and had to hurry back home cos we had work the next day. I was dropped home only to be welcomed by the sight of Uncle snoring in the living room waiting for me to come home. I had asked him to leave the door open and not to wait up for me. Gawddd. A very sweet gesture I know but not needed really I can take care of myself.

Next day we guys had She’s youngster’s bash and Maggie’s wedding to go for. I almost felt like not going looking at the sorry state of my wardrobe but I still managed to jazz up my outfit with my funky silver neck piece and not to forget my pretty silver juttis bought at the Sooraj Kund Mela 2 days before with Preema. I wore the white kurti Motu’s Mommy gave me and I absolutely adore it and it has kashmiri embroidery work done all over it in the form of pink and blue flowers. Now She of course sent the wedding card sans any directions for the venue of the bash. Miss Touch Me Not, her friend Mohit , Maxi and I got lost for 2 hours just trying to make our way to some place called Neb Sarai. After a lot of confusion and directions on the phone we finally reached the place after 11. The theme of the party was Shammi Kapoor and we were not dressed to the occasion at all but only too happy that we reached before the alcohol got over. I was at a huge gathering with normal people after a long long time. And wow I actually knew quite a lot of them or at the least a lot of them seemed very familiar. Pardon my excitement but I have been leading a very socially deprived life off late.

We danced our hearts out and Miss Touch me Not’s signature dance with the glass on her head was performed with the usal bouhahah! By the end of it we were sooo tipsy and we still hadn’t gone for Maggie’s wedding. We reached the wedding venue after 2 at night and must have been there for half an hour 15 minutes of which were spent in the loo drunken dialing. I remember meeting Maggie briefly for 30 secs but she was busy getting married and the pheras hadn’t still gotten over. We came back home to Miss Touch me Not’s place in Gurgaon only after 3 and was back in office at 10 in the morning dog tired. I took a break for 2 days after that saying noooo I am gonna take it easy cos Friday was gonna be hectic with She’s wedding and I had taken the day off. I was up early in the morning with my bags packed to go to Anand Vihar for the chooda and the kaleerein ceremony. She made the happiest bride but sorry to say when I reached her place at 10 in the morning she was still in her t-shirt and shorts looking like she use to every morning all those years when were roommates in Pune. I had that aghast expression on my face when I saw her saying” You have to be in your boxers and ganda t-shirt today of all the days.” “You know me na. Pleasse this is my house and what am I supposed to wear to sleep at night? A saree? :p.”

So first there was the traditional chooda ceremony when the Bride’s Mama and Mami made her wear the chooda that has to be kept on for a time period upto a year. Then we all tied the kaleerien to the choodas or was it the iron bangles we tied it to? Anyways the bottom line being that the single women were asked to come and bend their heads while She rubbed both her hands together for the kaleerien to fall on the next bride. Obviously if the bride pounds both her hands together then at least some of that pretty flimsy golden stuff has to fall on our heads. ;-) The Bride’s parents were lovely and warm including all her aunts who made us feel completely at home. For not even a second did I feel that I wasn’t a part of the family. I have to mention She’s brother Fungus who is by far one of the coolest guys I know. He is so bindaas and the man of the moment who managed everything with such poise and excellent planning. She, her cousin and I went to the salon after all the ceremonies to get dressed. Okie so this was the first time ever I was getting my make-up done professionally and She too probably will never ever put on so much make up ever again. She looked beautiful in her red, green and gold saree. Her make up too was light, not over the top, very natural, very She. She wasn’t the overdressed, overly made up, uncomfortable bride. She was happy, bubbly, posing for pictures with such gusto that we had to ask her to stop smiling for the shutter bugs and go ahead with the shaadi.

I had worn a sea green saree and for once I handled it tolerably well. Coming back to the festivities She and her husband to be had the usal fotu session whereby the photographers made them pose in the most filmy poses that we couldn’t stop laughing. Meanwhile Vicky, Gokul and I ate and drank to the hilt. The food was out of the world. We couldn’t have enough of the starters and later on when I saw the lavish main course I really regretted my binge starter eating. The pheras were over in an hour and ten minutes flat and the pandit was the funniest pandit ever cracking jokes while chanting and explaining the mantras. Both the bride and the handsome groom were giggling even while reciting their vows. Of course Vicky had to go fall in love with She’s cousin and drive Miss Touch Me Not and me up the wall with his confessions of love. For christ’s sake he only just met her and they hadn’t exchanged even a word between the both of them. To think he actually approached She later about his new found love for her cousin while she sat down for dinner with her newly wedded husband and the entire family while Miss Touch Me Not and I looked on disbelievingly. Hahah!

Last afternoon we guys met up for lunch again with She and now hubby at this place called Yum Yum Tree in New Friends Colony. Doesn’t the name Yum Yum Tree have a mysterious musical note to it? Vicky was the subject of all jokes while we teased the cousin asking her to call him up hahaha! The food was scrumptious and anybody who is a fan of South East Asian Cuisine should try this place out. We collectively had Sushi, Sweet Friend, Pork, Chicken and Fish Satay, Tom Yum Soup( I loveeee), Thai Red Curry, Thai Green Curry and something called a Cambodian Khmer Prawn Curry. I wish I could describe how divine the food was or maybe it is only because I love Lemon Grass and Coconut milk based fare. So that was my week and I was mighty kicked about it even though all the festivities are over and we go back to our daily mundane lives looking forward to the smaller things like an extended weekend.

Feb 13, 2010

Secret Society of Happy People :-)


Secret Society for Happy People it seems.Yes yes there is such a Society and I happened to chance upon them while reading a funny article on USA Today about how people are programmed to be happier on weekends and given my current phase of “I wanna be happy by myself” and “I am not gonna feel bad about this unwelcome loneliness” that I was tempted to check out their website and some of the stuff they said actually made so much of sense. For instance :-
Purpose: The Secret Society of Happy People encourages the expression of happiness and discourages parade-raining. Parade-rainers are those people who don't want to hear your happy news. And no, we don't tell people to be happy if they aren't or how to be happy.
Mission: To help you create a happier lifestyle.

Motto: If you're happy and you know it ... tell somebody!

Members: Thousands from around the world.


I know all of this sounds so cheesy but maybe this is also about inspiring myself each day to count all my blessings, to do one small thing that could possible make me happy or take those tiny steps towards the happy ending. Believe me it really helps because happiness isn’t a permanent state of mind like all of us have realized but once you achieve it maybe we have to work hard enough to maintain it. The tiniest of things make a difference like yesterday I met Batty’s friend Becky for lunch and we were meeting up after 2 years and he hasn’t been my closest buddy yet he greeted me so warmly and those 2 hours passed away happily gorging on ham sandwiches and French fries at the United Coffee House talking about life, love, work, travelling, quirks etc.

I read a blog post recently that talked about loneliness and that no man is an island and we should reach out to our fellow beings when you find loneliness consuming you and that is what has started happening to me. Though a couple of days back it hit me that damn if I keep behaving the way I am and keep feeling bad about myself that I landed up in Delhi minus all the older perks of a huge circle of friends, a lovely house and someone to go out with anytime I want to then all I shall do is to keep wallowing in self-pity. Nobody is gonna come rescue me from my present state in life. Besides I don’t even need rescuing. It isn’t gonna be an easy ride all the time and sometimes we need to get out of your comfort zone and just call people saying “Hey you wanna meet up for a drink?” or “Hey what about catching for lunch this Sunday?”.

I have never ever been short of friends and I always thanked God for that but suddenly I find myself all alone in the same city where once upon a time I was surrounded with people. I don’t remember feeling friendless even for a fraction of a second those 2 years in Delhi and all I remember from last month is getting up in the morning and wondering okie so what do we do today after work? Well we come back home and sit on the net, hmmmm read for a while, talk on the phone and maybe sit on the net for some more time and hmmm talk some more on the phone… And when you are feeling the way I had been feeling you almost hate it when your friends come up with suggestions like go mix with new people, make new friends or even better find a hobby, go explore the city, do something you love. Honestly one feels like giving ONE TIGHT SLAP to them cos they aren’t in your shoes and it is very easy for them to say so. But on hind sight they do make sense just that it is easier said than done.

At the end of the day you are the only one that can help yourself out. People can lead you towards a particular way but it is up to you to follow it. Hence the bottom line being you have to find ways to make yourself happy and if it means going and catching that soppy romantic movie alone then do so. I did that yesterday. I actually went and saw “Valentine’s Day” alone and I was the only person not in a group watching the movie but loved it and I wouldn’t have missed a Gary Marshall movie. I am glad I went ahead and saw it instead of waiting around for people to come with me and see it. I am even making that extra effort with strangers like Finoo’s friend Mr. Morgan Stanley who apparently is socially inept. Hahaha! Not a problem I went ahead and messaged and made a plan. I even called up my old friend Pixie from Bangalore whom I hadn’t been too nice to that time rather I’d been indifferent but she was so warm and sweet saying that she’ll make a plan and I have to come out with her and even asked me to stay over with her in Gurgaon at night cos Dwarka is unsafe. I felt like such a jerk cos one time in B’lore I had been downright mean to her and she hadn’t wanted to drive back to Brigade road after a particularly exhausting evening and I didn’t even suggest that she could spend the night at my place. Oh I even got back in touch with this blogger pal of mine whose office use to be 2 buildings away and we had been soooo surprised and met up for chai at a tapri. Guess we’ll be meeting up real soon.

I promise myself that I shall visit one new place every month even if it means going of alone cos maybe all my life I took travelling as a part and parcel of my ordinary wandering life since I come from an army background and someone told me that nothing like seeing new places and observing different lives to take your mind off trivial things like irritating colleaugues, bosses, deadlines and of course heartbreaks. I shall not ditch Miss Touch Me Not or Preema as and when they make plans. If I have to make that extra effort to go hang out with them or travel that extra mile to meet them then I shall do so because you know what I like having people around and all these years maybe I took it for granted but now as I get older it strikes me that I won’t always be encircled with people who’ll love me for me and wanna hang out with me all the time or make plans with me excitedly. Growing older is also realizing the value of your friends and family. Sometimes I don’t believe that this is me sans a social life but hell who cares as long as you get to hang around with someone funny over drinks in the evening. Hmmmm so these are my rather feeble attempts at being happy.What say?;-) So do you wanna make frandship with me? :p

I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see
Painted faces fill the places I can't reach
You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody


Kings of Leon:Use Somebody

Feb 8, 2010

And I have a history....


Source:Aivazovsky-Sunset At Sea

"I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism."

— Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love)


True to the last 'T' for me. Heheheh!

Feb 5, 2010

No one can find the rewind button girl.


Source:Aicha, a woman of Morocco. Oil Painting by Fredrick Arthur Bridgman

I am incredibly sleepy and somehow time is passing by oh so slowly today. Was super busy yesterday working on some stuff but today there doesn’t seem to be much action happening from my end at work. So day before yesterday I was at a meeting with a Subcontractor trying to sort all their claims and issues out when I came across the most charming Portuguese man ever. For the record I think this is the first Portuguese I have come across. Heheh! Anyways what I also wanted to say that this man looked like such an average Joe, the kinds you wouldn’t even cast a passing glance if he walked past by you, and to top it all he was bald and an albino but when he got down to talking Business across the table I was floored. He wasn’t even a technical guy but a Finance Analyst but he seemed to be so much at ease discussing and arguing it out with the Engineers that my Project Director too was compelled to discuss the figures rather than the nuances of the claims. What a brilliant guy! Sigh! I am sure he has a hot model type wife hidden away somewhere in some mansion in Lisbon. ;-)
Guess what I think I am finally gonna get my own place. I am keeping my fingers crossed. So if things work out as planned I just might be coming back to a cheerful, prettier and my very own place, a month later every evening after work. Red Head was down for a couple of hours on Sunday and we met up for the first time after her wedding. She, Bean Pole and I went out for lunch but not before she checked out my place and the scary uncle I stayed with and asked me to get out of it asap. She wanted to take pictures of me with the background of the peeling paint of the walls and the unattractive interiors to send it to Fino but alas in all our excitement of meeting up the pictures were promptly forgotten. She said even our Bhosle Nagar house in Pune was better. Yeah I agree that tiny place was more cheerful than this. Batty left for Bombay and I lived in denial for 2 days saying everybody has to move on and yada yada yada until it hit me day before that she is gone and you are all alone for a little while before you settle down and get your groove back. I guess I am planning a trip to Bombay, Pune in June whereby one shall meet up with Red Head and Fino together in Pune for the very first time in 4 years. Three of us haven’t gotten together since 2006. It has always been us meeting each other individually. This should be a blast.
Of course Bombay for me shall only ever be Batty now but I do remember a time when I use to dream of working in Bombay and at 22 I almost fell in love in that city and with that city. ;-) Think we never quite followed that love up so come June we shall rediscover Bombay. I remember Bandra so well. I remember sitting in Bandstand patiently waiting for Frankenstein to come and pick me up or eating in one of those small Udipi restaurants right outside the CNBC office at Lower Parel or just hanging out at phoenix Mills first with Piyu and then with Batty. I remember that one last trip to Bombay after the final year exams with Fino and our nights out at Hawaiin Shack and Soul Fry I think. That was a small karaoke place in Bandra again. Damn its been so long. I remember the apple juice Fino and I kept drinking cos her cute cousin was working for Kingfisher(correct me if I am wrong Fino) and they had just launched their apple drink and she got cartons of it complementary as a part of her job.
How could I ever not mention Frankenstein? The lau of my life at 22 and the bane of my existence at 22 too. How many more catastrophes God? Pray tell me. Sometimes me thinks I am tired of all these wrong ones who seem oh so perfect initially until the true colours crop up and all you are left with at the end of it are questions as to how could I not see through all of that. Did I miss out something over here? Yes I did. I missed out this big elephant in the room. It wasn’t just you and me but her too. To think I only saw her ghost yesterday silently present all this while when I thought it was only about you and me. You only remind me of you then why would my actions remind you of her? I don’t need another complicated presence in my private sanctuary and I definitely don’t need a ghost from someone else’s past in my life. And you know what I am enough for me. More than enough for me.

"But you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable,
And life's like an hourglass, glued to the table
No one can find the rewind button now
Sing it if you understand.
and breathe, just breathe
woah breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe,
Oh breathe, just breathe.
"

Song: Breathe(2AM) by Anna Nalick