Exterminate

                  Chennai is home to a disproportionately large number of what can only be called as "unhealthy" rank-holding students. This population of students, who are clearly different from the "healthy" rank-holders, conform to the academic system and have a veri for coming first due to family (and thus self) demands of "first rank."
Not only do they slog for for this, but also try to pull down others who they know are competition. These people seem to know that they are so unimpressive personality-wise and otherwise, that the only way they can stand out is by being "first-ranker."

We have two choices: put up with and sympathize with these prize morons or destroy them. 

Where is the Extermination Squad already. 

P.S: Reminiscing about people I have observed in various schools and educational institutions in Chennai and other parts of India.

Y to the Z

So here's whats happening:

• Saw Chocolate Krishna. Good stuff. Crazy hasnt lost it. yet.
• Finally got back in touch with my paatu guru. Had a nice long discussion about music and yoga(!). Was great to see her again.
• Saw a semma hot my-type guy at Citi center couple of weeks back and have been fixated on him since. Looks like one of those in-U.S-on-visit-back-home types. Overheard him talking. Is a graphics designer it seems and likes Kafka. whoa! talk abt 'for a change'. Might go back just to try and see if i can see him again. :D
• Dreamed a bit about Darvaz (the Russian thing-doorway to hell and all).
• Deflected romantic attentions of Chennai Public Transport employees. I can now write a book on this topic.
• Friends are down from the States. And got back in touch with some solid, old ones in Madras. Awesome hang out+discussions happening.
• Saw Amelie thanks to a certain someone's comment abt its music.
• Realized that its music is good. Also listened to DiMeola and saw Malgudi Days. Brought back old memories when life was less complex. And when internet did not exist. yet.

Pilgrim's Progress

It is not everyday that one gets the opportunity to do yeoman's service unto others. So when my chance came along, I didnt want to pass it up.

A relative wanted me to drive 3 elderly maamis to a certain temple for them to, in turn, do yeoman's service unto others by way of charity. I agreed with cheerful enthusiasm.

When the maamis arrived, their initial enthusiasm regarding their temple visit and my initial eagerness to drive them were both dampened a little due to mutual fear and nervousness.
"How can this child drive anything except a tricycle?" said L maami. Admiring the maami's honesty and almost complete lack of tact, I proceeded to whet my appetite and theirs for the journey with tales of my exploits on the road. "Appidiya? Appo daily naan R__ hall ku bhajans ku poven. Yenna daily kondu udariya?" said M maami. "Kandipa mudinjiduna udaren maami" i replied with lying tact, shooting L maami a "thats how its done!" look. Sadly, L maami did not notice as she was busy trading poornam recipes with the cook.

As the maamis filed into the car complaining about everything in general and nothing in particular, P maami said "These days i am unable to sit still for long periods...." "Dont worry maami, the car will be moving" I said and quickly revved the engine while maami figured out how to respond to the statement.
Once on the road, things got a little better as the maamis became their usual chatty selves and gossiped, laughed and remarked about everything from Sandhyavandanam to technological advantages that favored the daughter-in-law.

Now, I was following the maamis instructions on how to get to the temple. However, it soon became apparent to me that we were lost. "Perhaps we shouldve taken that exit..." I murmured. This remark, in turn, caused what can mildly be described as extreme panic. "Are we lost?" asked L maami in a shrill voice. "Your directions are not correct, maami." "Then let us use this!" screamed M maami, fishing out a map of Aruba from somewhere in the backseat. Marvelling at M maami''s "Any map will do" logic, I decided to get off the highway before P maami bit completely through her lower lip.

After a few misses punctuated with the maamis' helpful remarks ("We have seen that crane before!") we finally managed to backtrack. Realizing that we had not wandered far from the correct the road, I made a few quick calculations and we were soon on the road that would take us straight to the temple. We were in time for the darshan, and the maamis were in time to complete the itinerary they had in mind.
The return journey was uneventful and peaceful.

Later that night, M maami's son called me up and said,. "Amma said she had a very exciting and enjoyable journey with you to the temple."

I'm glad you did, maami.

Put Phil.Fundaes

What is the meaning of life?

Not a Word

One of the most liberating experiences, according to me, is driving alone at night with good music.

In one of the theaters in town, which was located in a rather quiet part of town, Manoj Shyamalan's Lady in the Water was running in theaters well past its sell-by date. Considering the fact that fantasy movies had always had a strange appeal to me, it was not surprising that I decided to go watch this movie.

I got my chance soon enough. In no mood for crowds and desperately craving alone time that night, I decided to catch this movie when a party was being thrown.

A weekday, the theater was quiet and almost empty with me and just a few others.

The details of the movie escape me.

What I do remember was my drive back home along on one of the most dimly lit and loneliest streets I'd ever been on, with Alan Parson's Silence and I playing softly on my car stereo.

We're two of a kind

Silence and I
We need a chance to talk things over
Two of a kind

Silence and I

We'll find a way to work it out.

My only company was Eric Woolfson's quiet voice singing about silence inside the car;

and the silence of the night outside: carefully quiet, and sublimely hopeful.

Alpam

Alpam* is as alpam does.


*cheap and silly; stupid and inane.

Update: I just realized that bloggers explain long absences and/or apologize for them. I did not know this was a kind of etiquette. Forgive me, I'm new. My reason? Because mobility means social life.

Cooking 101: Rubbish Potatoes

Image Source: my kitchen.

Just like any other person who is undergoing physiotherapy and who accidentally hurt the same foot which was healing, thereby causing a nasty, bloody bruise which caused swelling all over again, I boldly ventured into the kitchen yesterday to make myself something to eat as I was hungry and I was also reveling in my new found mobility.

Now I believe it is of paramount importance to not delude yourself.
Therefore, knowing that the culinary dept. was not one of my strengths, I decided to make the simplest dish known to man a.k.a baked potatoes. Let me categorically state that it all began well and I was successfully able to skin and cut the potatoes while ignoring the mild throbbing on my foot.
Emboldened, I proceeded with what can only be described as "great enthu".

After following my mother's instructions thus far, I forgot her instructions on how to set the oven and place the potatoes in them (refer 25 things about me- point 17).
Playing by ear and going along with the flow, I made some (later revealed as nowhere in the vicinity of the ballpark) guesstimates and pressed on. I waited for a bit. The throbbing was mildly irritating and so I sat down and started dreaming and salivating in anticipation of my meal to come.
It was at this point that I smelt something burning. Hastily, I got up. A sharp shooting pain in my foot due to recently acquired wound made me plop back down again completely unable to get up.

Realizing I was in rather a predicament, I somehow managed to switch off and open the oven with a walking stick. Only to be greeted by a charred sight (refer pic. above).
However, I believe in taking responsibility for one's actions and ate the potatoes after removing the charred bits and coating what was left with some rubbish "lemon-drizzle" dressing.

Just for the record, I offered it very kindly to other human beings who refused after grimacing.
Yes, they all grimaced. Every single one.