Of tingling fingertips and the better India

My fingertips are tingling - a sensation very much like what my sister calls "the meetha waala dard" (the sweet pain) after an unexpected game of badminton. I am on the verge of getting some clavi (umm... that's the plural for callous and I just learnt it too!) but I should just keep practising my guitar to get them soon. Then I won't feel the pain anymore - or so they say... For now, I am enjoying this tingling sensation. :)

Continuing with the updates of my life this year, I became a anime fan. I watched almost all the Studio Ghibli movies - My Neighbor Totoro, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Only Yesterday, I Can Hear the Sea, Whisper of the Heart, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle. I've also seen some series like Scrapped Princess, Full Metal Panic! (all parts), Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne. I absolutely love the imagination and creativity that goes into these things. Now, in addition to knowing some basic Japanese words like Hai (Yes), Iie (No), Gomen-nasai (I'm sorry), arigatō (Thank you), Wakarimashita (I understand), etc I know what to gift my niece for quite a few of her birthdays :D

With my admission offer, came peace of mind. I resigned on the 1st of this month and was happy with the encouraging reaction at work - only because I am going to do my Master's. Had I been leaving to join a competitor, it would have been another story, I am sure! I am now catching up on my reading with a vengeance. I have been staying up ungodly hours like 3:30 am just to finish a book - just like in school and college! Only difference is that over here I have to ensure that I get to work, have something to eat and do all the mundane stuff of "living" by myself. :-s

Just one more thing before I sign off this Sunday evening: I came across this site recently - http://www.thebetterindia.com/ Before you dismiss it, let me tell you that it is NOT a site trying to make you feel guilty about not giving enough charity. Like a breath of fresh air, this site publishes positive news-worthy stories about India - stories that inspire and pleasantly surprise. According to the "About Us" page - The Better India is an attempt to bring out those happy stories, those unsung heroes and heroines, those small good deeds, and showcase them to the world. Over here, you will be able to read about the incremental progress being done by the industrious people of this country, the developments happening on the social and economic front. We hope that by showcasing these here, we might be able to inspire at least one amongst you, the readers, to do something that leaves an impact. Small or big. But, an impact.

ISB ahoy!

Alors! I am going to be doing my Masters in Business Administration next year - at ISB, Hyderabad (India). I got the news yesterday and I have been celebrating it since! :) I was never so unproductive at work before. This week was spent as a bundle of nerves - first reading the posts at a forum of aspirants with the blood pressure threatening to skyrocket at every 10 minutes and then the uncertainty of the time when the results were to be declared. And then, finally, because of the news :D
Moving on to another topic, last evening, I saw Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance! It was awesome! Don't miss it if you get a chance to see it in your city. Here's a tidbit of information about this show:
In Season 4 of Friends, when Monica is asked that "According to Chandler, what phenomenon scares the bejeezus out of him?", her correct answer is "Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance!" because, according to Chandler, "[Flatley's] legs flail about as if independent of his body!" For the use of the word in a general sense, see Friendship. ...

Updates - Loads of them!

So, now that I found my vagrant steps back here, I have loads and loads to tell, which I will proceed to do without further ado and in no particular order:

1. Since my last post, I travelled to UK for Easter (London and Edinburgh, to be precise) - Thanks H, S and K! I loved this trip! :)Then, I went to Copenhagen on a roadtrip on a 3 day weekend with my Swiss friend (who is now working in India, with my previous employer) - J! I miss having someone as impulsive and foolish as me over here! I also travelled all over Switzerland over spring and summer with friends and clocked up many many kilometres in my reliable little Lupo.:)
2. I have got bored of watching movies on the net. I know! I can hardly believe it, but life does go on, you know!? :D Given that not all Hollywood movies are released here, if at all (Eg: Wall-E premiered here after 2 months) and finding distributors for Indian movies is a lost cause, I get enough time to... umm... watch serials (*grin*) :D I am hooked on to How I met Your Mother and for some time, even watched Two and a Half Men diligently. However, a broken link ended my precarious enthusiasm for the latter. Although, I still watch HIMYM because I love Barney (always have, since his Doogie Howser days) and because I hope someday I might find a guy like Ted. By the way, the guy who plays Barney is a case in point about my theory about handsome, single, humourous and comfortably well-off guys being gay. *sighhhhhhhh*
3. I made a lot of friends since then. I have become more outspoken and less inhibited. :) I am surprising even myself with the ease with which I converse with random guys. I am even talking so much at work these days that my teammates comment immediately on the lack of that on my "off" days.
   
4. I have done a lot of dancing in the past two months - between going for the dandia night held here and *ahem* increased clubbing. :D
5. O gave me his song collection which is 120 GB. Awesome!
   
6. I went to India in June - for a measly little week - to see my adorable niece, who was, then, only 15 days old. Aunt and niece hit it off immediately much to the wonder of all and sundry - she didn't pee or poop even once in her aunt's arms. :D Given that the general rule of the house was that the person in whose lucky arms she would perform her un-cute duties would have to clean up, I was doting on her by the end of the trip. I will be going during Christmas again. This time, as concluded by listening to her vociferous opinions on the phone, I would be meeting a decided 6-month old personality. :D
   
7. I have begun learning to play the guitar. Finally. :) Getting the guitar here from Mumbai was an interesting experience. I can't tell you how handy an excuse for conversation carrying a musical instrument can be. :) From the lady officer who scanned me at the Mumbai security check to the Swiss Passport Control Officer - everyone spoke to me and were very kind and helpful, as well. My tutor is an American student here who's been playing the guitar since junior high. He's good and says that I will be playing decently well by Christmas, if only I practise everyday.
8. Gym - ummmm... I have not been the model member (forgive the pun) off-late. Curiously, one of my colleagues spends 2 hours everyday in the gym and says she doesn't notice a difference, while I continue to reduce weight :D We concluded that she's working out for me as well and since then, I have made it a point to make her feel guilty enough about skipping gym so that she doesn't miss it and I can blissfully binge on créme brulée :D I know I am wicked!
9. I am continuing to work hard and play hard. I will be skiing this season... and - I want to go for the 6 km sledge run at Pilatus as well.
   
10. And finally, I haven't yet given up on my plans to study further. I am applying seriously now for the next fall. My family has happily given me the freedom to reach for the stars (wherever they be) by agreeing not to shackle me by matrimonial bonds until then.
    

Donc! J'ai terminé pour maintenant! à bientôt, mes amis! :) :)

Random

I saw the 1999's version of Mansfield Park today. Jane Austen lifted my spirits, yet again.

I started this post with a purpose - which is lost now. So, I am just going to ramble on. The song playing in my head is Rabbi Shergill's Tere Bin, thanks to a Punjabi friend who translated it for me. I've copied the lyrics from someone's blog and you can find them at the end of this post.

I've had a busy time at work the last few weeks, though it is alright. I am not complaining because I like busy times better than those when I sit twiddling my thumbs, pretending to work. At home, my family has been having a difficult time coping with a lot of things. At times like these, I feel like leaving everything behind and going home. I'm planning a short vacation soon...

I'm supposed to be Elizabeth Bennet - character of Jane Austen - according to a Facebook quiz. Since I like her too, I am happy :D "You are a spunky, vivacious person with wit to spare... and a bit of a temper." A-ha! :) According to Orkut, my fortune reads: You are going to have a very comfortable old age... Well, that's a relief!

I realised something yesterday - It is NOT a good idea to listen to REM's Everybody Hurts when you are feeling a teensy-weensy bit down.

I saw Subhash Ghai's new film called Black and White. It is an honest attempt, but I wonder why Indian cinema tends to blow things out of proportion in order to make them believable. It doesn't work that way with me. I saw Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain, too. Nice movie! I should watch it again, so that I concentrate on the French and not on the English subtitles. :P

That's all for today, I guess. I'll log off now.

tere bin / besides you

sanu sohnia / my love

koi hor nahio labhna / i shan't find another

jo dave / who'll give

ruh nu sakun / peace to my soul

chukke jo nakhra mera / and indulge me

ve main sare ghumm ke vekhia / i have gone and seen it all

amrika , roos, malaysia / america, russia, malaysiana

kittey vi koi fark si / there wasn't any difference

har kise di koi shart si / they all had some condition

koi mangda mera si sama / some asked for my time

koi hunda surat te fida / some were fascinated with my face

koi mangda meri si vafa / some demanded my fidelity

na koi mangda merian bala / none wanted my demons

tere bin / besides you

hor na kise / no one else

mangni merian bala / wanted my demons

tere bin / besides you

hor na kise / no one else

karni dhup vich chhan / shall shade me in the sun

jiven rukia / (the) way you paused

si tun zara / slightly

nahion bhulna / i shan't forget

main sari umar / all my life

jiven akhia si akhan chura / you said, looking away

"rovenga sanu yad kar" / "you shall weep in my memory"

hasia si main hasa ajeeb / i laughed a strange laugh

(par) tu nahi si hasia / but you didn't

dil vich tera jo raaz si / you had a secret in your heart

mainu tu kyon ni dasia / why didn't you tell me

tere bin / besides you

sanu eh raz / none shall tell this

kise hor nahion dasna / secret to me

tere bin / besides you

peerh da ilaaj / what druid

kis vaid kolon labhna / has the cure to my ills

milia si ajj mainu / i found today

tera ik patra / a note of yours

likhia si jis 'te / on which you had scribbeled

tun shayr varey shah da / a varis shah couplet

park ke si osnu / upon reading which

hanjnu ik duliya / a teardrop fell

akhan 'ch band si / what was locked in the eye

seh raaz ajj khulia / was revealed today

ki tere bin / that other than you

eh mere hanjnu / these tears of mine

kise hor / won't be kissed by

nahio chumna / none else

ki tere bin / that other than you

eh mere hanjhu / these tears of mine

mitti vich rulnha / will wither in the dust

A crazy evening!

This evening deserves a blog of its own. Read on, if you are curious. (And please don't forget that most of the conversations were in French - with me struggling along).
In my building, some work has been going on (since more than a month) to install the heating and radiators. Earlier, in January, the project manager equivalent of the team had requested my house keys since I am not at home during the day and they needed to enter my home to set up something. When he saw me hesitating, he assured me that the concierge of the building would be present and nothing would go amiss. So, we arranged that I would hand my keys over to him the next morning and he would put it in my post-box when he was leaving. (I usually never come home before 6:30 pm and these guys stop working at 5:30 pm - So, that was the best option). Being a bit paranoid about keys, I checked so many times before leaving home, that I had the key of my letter-box with me and it was not kept safely in the key-rack. Later, in the evening, I found that they had left the keys, as promised. By some stroke of luck or plain laziness, the key to my letter-box stayed with me since then, and never found its way back on the key rack.
Fast forward to Monday - The team-lead guy of the team of technicians told me that they needed the keys again on Wednesday (aka today) and asked me if I have a duplicate set, since he wasn't sure how long they would take to finish the work. This guy happens to know English, which was great for me! I explained that I have just one set of keys (Ya, I told you I am lazy) and we can have the same arrangement as before. He readily agreed and this morning, while leaving, I handed him my keys, reminded him once again to leave the keys in the letter-box and went to work with a free mind. I returned home at 6:40 pm, parked my car and went to a supermarket nearby to buy some groceries, before it could close. On my way, a horrible thought struck me - Have I got the key to the letter box?? All thoughts of haste for the groceries just vanished while I rummaged in my bag and pockets of the coat for the little key. Surprise! Surprise! It was with me! Smiling, I continued to the shop. The anti-climax was when I entered the building and found out that my keys were not left in my letter-box....

I checked the letter-boxes of my neighbours (just by peeping in, of course) thinking that the guy would have got confused and I could just request someone to open their box and give me my keys. No luck! None of the boxes that I could reach had my keys in them! Now? What to do? I called the project-manager guy of that team (Yes, his number was up on the notice-board of our building with some old announcement)! No response. I was directed to the voicemail. Hmm... If you have seen me speak French, you would know that I can manage to stumble over words, punctuate with hand gestures and convey my message. But, speaking on a phone to leave a recorded message while I was entering the panic mode - I will leave it to your imagination... I, then, called the concierge. He stays across Geneva from my place. So, though it wasn't the best option, I still had hope that he would have mercy on me and would come with his key. And what do you know? No answer.

The glimmer of hope now turned to despair. I tried the concierge again. And, wonder of wonders, he rejected my call!! $*%&/@ Now, that I knew someone was there on the other side (though he was a heartless creature), I kept trying his number, until that horrible horrible person switched off the mobile... :(

Then, I called one of my friends here. She stays with her colleague about 10 mins from my place. She told me to come over and they'll find some place I can spend the night. Ok! While I was walking to the bus-stop with my bag of groceries (which was steadily growing heavier - the irony of buying the stuff and not being able to use it was getting to me), I thought of calling my other friend, who is Swiss and would know if I had any other option in such a scenario. I explained my predicament to him and he came up with 4 options :
1. Bunk at his place - Although he stays with his family, I was not in favour of this idea.
2. Call a locksmith service - I could consider this as a last resort. I was not wholeheartedly in favour of this since the agency might refuse to pay the bill and I would have to foot the cost - and if you know Switzerland, you would know that I am not joking when I say "cost".
3. Spend the night at a bar, chatting with him - This was just crazy!
4. Try to call the concierge at his landline number. He volunteered to search the number in the directory, provided I give him the full name.

I was already at the bus stop, but the fourth idea sounded sensible. So, I walked back to my appartment because I didn't remember the full name of that guy. He searched, but could not find a number - apparently, that mean fellow had kept his number unlisted!! Back to square one! As I walked back to the bus-stop, I even toyed with the idea of spending the night in my car. My friend dissuaded me saying that the idea is not a good one during winter. So, I thanked him for his help, promised him that I would call him if nothing works out and ended the call. After buying the ticket to my first friend's place, out of sheer desperation, I called the project-manager guy again. And voila! He answered the call! The tram came while I was trying to understand what he was saying and I missed it. Apparently, the team-lead guy "forgot" and was coming with the keys in 10 minutes!!! I flew back home and waited.

All my resolve to shout and rail at the guy had seeped out in the wintry evening, leaving me numb and tired - so much so that all I did, when he finally came and was profusely apologising, was to thank him!!!!!!!! Uff!! We began talking and he asked if I am Indian and why I do not wear the bindi and some such inane stuff. To top it all (and this kind of shook me out of the numbness settling in), he even insisted on my number after telling me how finding a partner who speaks a different language makes it easier to learn it quickly. Apparently, he was more than willing to help me find a boyfriend, so that my French improves. Sighhhh!! C'est la vie!!

So, now that I am cosy and at home and have documented this weird evening, I'm going to enjoy my pizza with chilli flakes. Bon appetit et bonne nuit!

Happy endings go on for ever more!

Mika's is an amazing collection, isn't it? Anyway, that was not the reason I logged in to blog when my back is hurting and feels like it is gonna snap in two (lest you get alarmed, let me explain that it is because of spending a whole Sunday cleaning the house).

So, the big news is that, yesterday, one of the online Indian matrimonial sites registered a new user - yours truly. After months of thinking about it and being told to do so, I finally finished creating the profile. I went shopping soon after that, with the satisfaction of getting something unpleasant out of the way. I called up my mom and told her the happy news (happy for her) and was amused by the surprised tones. Ha!

The smugness, however, soon transformed into panic when I came back home and saw 2 "interests" waiting for my response. After frantically messaging my mom to chat with me the next day (when I would put up my usual and futile fight against the whole damn thing of marriage in this way and even show them this), I decided to delete my profile. As luck would have it, the server did not respond. While I was trying to get the message through to the server, my friends (who were online) managed to calm me down. I was, again, amused by the excitement shown by my friends - "Finally, she's doing something about it. We got through to her!"

So, the profile is still up and hope's alive.