Onam Fever August 23, 2007

I sit here and keep thinking about Onam back home. Anyway, this post is dedicated to my uncle who made the festival really special for me with a small gesture. He sent me the Onam edition copies of Vanitha magazine through courier. I am especially happy cuz it has tons and tons of onam sadya recipes. Donno if I will have time to make them all this weekend though.

Anyway, here is a pic of the Vanitha magazines – Onam Edition. Thank you Radhmams You made my day.

And while am here, let me also write about the horrible experience I had with taking a personal loan with Citibank. I am not really blaming them cuz they provided me the finances when I needed it. I applied for the loan and their representative came to office, helped me fill out all necessary docs and I got the money on the third day after applying. The interest rates were also good since we have our salary accounts in Citibank and I fell under a particular scheme. Beginning of this month, I decided to preclose the loan when I had enough. And that was the ordeal. I had to stand in line in front of their collection centre in Hyderabad and the office was way too small to cater to the tens of people sweating and waiting outside. The entire process of handing over my cheque took over an hour, in a non-air conditioned, tiny, ventilation-less room with just one person to look into all our needs.

Isn’t it funny that they were all enthusiastic about giving you the money and not too enthu about taking it back? I understand its all about the interest money and them losing out on my business. But giving back the money you borrowed is a noble (ahem!) thing right? So shouldn’t they atleast have some chairs around there for us to sit on?

The point of all my rambling? DO NOT take a personal loan if you have atleast a teeny weeny plan B.

Things on the to-do list as of now (and when things get done, or not, edit the post) July 3, 2007

1. Train a batch of new hires – running behind schedule – giving myself some more time before hitting the panic button – which incidentally is so worn out right now by constant hitting.

Update: Training still going on – still behind schedule – think I can make it up with my rich experience and considering the company has been paying me for this for the past one year, I damn well better do it!

2. Pack the stuff at home in an evening cuz we are shifting – tenants in destination house moved out on a Monday – landlady of current house wants us to move immediately – the entire house has been dismantled and has to be shoved into boxes – in 2 evenings! Where the heck is that button again?

Update: Shifted. Tired. Nauseous (courtesy: late night Biryani from Surabhi Restaurant). Dry hands. Numb back. Cribby Mood.

3. Attend the get-together organized for my MBA friends – the catch, its in Bangalore! – tickets are booked – issue, no time to unpack this weekend.

Update: I am so going for this thing. I wanna I wanna. God, give me the strength and the health (ok, throw in some wealth also.). I had to. It rhymes!!

4. Remember to take all the things I bought for S from Dublin and Dubai. Not much, but nothing I want to forget. I have no clue where I packed what.

Update: Have to search today and pack tomorrow.

5. Find packers and movers who will help us move the things without robbing us (literally and otherwise) of a lot of money.

Update: chuck all packers and movers. Get a trolley and shift your things for 500 bucks! For side effects, refer point number 2.

6. Pay the new owner a helluva lotta money as advance and blah blah.

Update: Paid. He reduced the rent 500 rupees on the spot. Just like that. And did I tell you he was amazingly awesome and helped us move all the things? Like stayed with us throughout and helped us pack, move and settle in.

7. Call Citibank and close off the personal loan taken some time back.

Update: Called. Annoying ‘machine voice’ asked for my debit card expiry date. Hung up. Interest for this month already gone from account. Damn!

8. Notify of address change to gas agency.

Update: Yet to do. Have time since we have two cylinders and the first one has lasted 10 months and still has some gas left. Second one full and waiting.

Ok, I am too tense now to write or think anymore. Let me get back to class.

Update: Just tired and nauseous now. Guess I am beyond tense. Still have to get back to class though.

April 20, 2007

The most amazing thing happened just now!

I had created a website (using GooglePages, you should try that if you haven’t yet, its pretty awesome!) for new trainers that join our team. Had all the resources in one place and it took me around 5 days to do it (cuz I was doing other stuff too ).

I sent out the site to the team and I had even left provision for other teams to have similar pages linked within this site. I had sent it out yesterday asking for feedback and to point out anything I had missed out.

Today morning, after checking my email, I was casually wondering “hmm.. no one has responed to that thread? How come? Did I actually send it to everyone or..” There my thought was broken by Nitin who came up to my desk and said “Hey Nagalakshmi, that website was really good, we will see how we can add more teams into it” and I couldn’t even thank him for his complement cuz I was so wonderstruck how he came to me and said exactly the same thing I was thinking about!!

I mean, what are the odds?

I don’t care if you don’t think it is amazing, I do!! (What is it with me getting defendant at the end of every post? Sheesh!)

Another one on my weight April 4, 2007

This blog is turning more and more into an ‘i-am-too-fat-let-me-blog-about-it’ venting area. But this, this experience I had today, I have to blog about.

Its been over two months since we’ve had a gym set up in our office building itself. In an attempt to restart gymming (though it made me put on more weight last time, I decided to give it another shot), I go to the gym instructor cum doctor for the membership card (or so I thought). I walk into the room, which is icy cold like almost all conference rooms in our office and see this guy sitting on a chair doing pretty much nothing. Ah, I came at a good time.

“Umm.. I want a membership to our gym.”

He looks at me as if to say “why else would anyone walk in here anyway”.

“Err.. Is there a form or something I need to fill in”

He gives me a ‘duhh’ look and asks me to sit.

Out come 2 forms (front and back, mind you) and he puts them ceremoniously in front of me, taking out the pen with a flourishing gesture. I glance at the first one.

Hmm.. Name, age, height, weight (ouch), blood pressure, pulse, biceps (hehe), triceps (oooohh) and… the longest list of illnesses I have seen. I certainly hope there is a ‘none of the above’ at the end of the list or else I will have to score off each saying ‘no, I dont suffer from this’. Lucky me! There is no ‘none of the above’ so I spend the next 5 minutes (ok ok 2 minutes) saying no to each in the list.

Then comes the fun part. He takes out a flat thing that looks something like a vernier calliper (yes, I threw in the word to show you that I still remember stuff from school). He pinches (say it with me – pin-che-s) my arm and measures the part of flesh that comes between his fingers!! Now I thought that was the worst part. He also did that to my waist!!! Oh, the embarrassment!! And to top it all off, he tells me the regular number is 26 and I am 56 (not inches, you nuts! This is some other god forsaken measure).

Finally, after filling in the address, employee number and other details, I stumble out on my fat legs carrying my overweight self.

Anyway, going to start gymming from Monday. So help me God.

The World Through His Eyes March 17, 2007

This incident happened on the 10th of March. I typed a post as soon as I could but did not post it because of other stuff that came in between. So here it is now.

I live on the fifth floor of an apartment building. I use the lift, all the while thinking I should take the stairs, though that never happens. On this particular Saturday afternoon, I was meeting friends for lunch at Indijoe. As the lift descended to the third floor, there was a boy, not over 4, standing quite close to the lift doors. I thought he wanted to get in, but the lift did not stop, he watched me intently and I stared back. Just as the lift went slightly lower than the third floor, he spat on me. Yes, he SPAT on me. I saw him quickly run off to the right hand side. His spit hit bang on my right shoulder and I felt the wetness go through the thin dupatta and touch my arms. I felt anger and sadness (for some reason) fill me as I reached the ground floor. As a woman looked at me curiously, wondering why I wasnt getting off, I asked her to get in and pressed the button that read three. Got off the floor and looked around. There were a couple of women standing near the railing and talking. They didn’t even glance at me. My mind kept on saying ‘you have to find him’. I walked towards the two people and suddenly caught a glimpse of him moving towards the stairs and running up. He hadn’t seen me. I walked up after him and found him standing the exact same way near the lift door and waiting for the next victim. I caught him by the ear (something I have never ever done) and looked down at him. He tried to wriggle out and said in perfect english “I am sorry aunty, I will not do it again”. I was not convinced, I wanted to be sure. I caught him by the wrist and asked him to take me to his mom. He was terrified and I could feel his pulse beating so hard against his tiny wrist I had a tight grip on. I asked him if he goes to school, is this the way he behaves there, this is how street kids behave and I haven’t had an experience like this even from them. He kept on repeating that he will not do it again and maintained silence when I asked him his flat number. I had a firm grip on his wrist and insisted he take me to his house. His eyes turned red and I expected him to cry. He didn’t. I kept on repeating ‘take me to your house’ and after around 2-3 mins (though it felt much longer, I am sure it wasn’t) he said ‘third floor, flat number 309′. That’s when he gave up and he knew this monster woman was going to bring disgrace to him and his parents and he is going to be grounded for some time. I walked with him to his flat and rang the bell. He strongly shook off my grip and this time, I let go. I asked him “what’s your name?”, trying to bring in some gentleness to my voice. His face was set in a very angry and determined manner as he mumbled ‘Savanth’. He still didn’t cry.

His dad opened the door and he ran in to one of the rooms. The dad looked at me and smiled curiously. There was a girl not over 2 years, sitting on the sofa and smiling toothlessly at me. I looked at the father’s face and said “I saw Savanth standing near the lifts and he looked a little upset. I was just worried whether he was lost so thought I will bring him back.” He gave me a wide smile and said ‘thank you very much’ as I stepped out of the house and walked towards the lift again.

I don’t know whether he will go it again. I don’t know whether he had nightmares that night (like my roomy said he will). I don’t know whether the dad knew his son had been up to something. I hope I did the right thing. And I was reminded of all those guys who have teased, passed comments, nudged, masturbated, in front of me. The amount of intrusions of my space I have gone through, especially back in Kerala. I wish I could hold each one of them by their wrists and take them back to their momma and papa. That should make a difference I guess.

The ‘My Life Now’ Post February 9, 2007

I wanted to write about the way my life is heading right now and so, in my typical style, drew up a flowchart in powerpoint (yeah, a flowchart as in diagram with shapes and arrows). Sadly, I don’t know how to convert that into an image that can be uploaded into blogger.

Things are going great at work and I am getting more than I had imagined I would, when I joined. A small-town girl in awe with the wonders and splendors of the corporate world. When you join a place like Google, it just increases. Its a great place to work with and they really take care of you. Pamper you, yes, thats the word. So yeah, things are great at work and thats a blessing, considering the amount of time I spend here.

Then there are friends. A variety of them. Of all kinds. I have never had a huge group of friends. All my friends are sprinkled here and there and I have enough people to call up when I go to a strange place (provided the place is towards southern India, and a city). So yeah, I am happy with the friends I have too.

Family. I have always been strange that way. Terribly homesick the moment I step out of home and can’t wait to get out when I am at home. A year and a half in Hyderabad, homesickness has been well taken care of. There is only so much time you can pine for something knowing nothing is going to come out of it. Now its more like food-sickness (missing home food) and place-sickness (missing familiar places and the language).

Love. I am so tempted to say ‘no comments’ and move on. But then its unavoidable anyway. (I just got an overwhelming feeling that this post is weird and shouldn’t be published, I hate that feeling). Yeah. So, love. Hmmm. I want it (duhh). There are some conditions associated with my want now, as opposed to how it was a year back. Conditions like I want it from a specific person, a specific kind of person and nobody else (ok, I don’t know what I am talking about)

I am going to be brave and publish this.

The One Where I Am Looking For Excitement, In Me. February 7, 2007

I don’t know what I want to write. Just have this weird mess of words in my head. I think I want to write about how people are different. But we know that already, right? Well I guess I am thinking more about their needs.

I have been wanting (is that right per grammar?) an mp3 player for quite some time now. So I did the obvious by letting my brother (who is in Dubai. Yeah, lucky me!) know about this wish and it was granted. He got me one. I knew an ipod was out of the question cuz he always goes for utility and value for money and practical use and blah blah rather than just a brand name. I was never too particular about an ipod anyway. So, here is my new mp3 player, a Packard Bell vibe 300 that has a lot of features and looks pretty cool too. I used to visualise me listening to cool music while sitting in the cab staring out the window. But now that I have it, I am not as excited as I thought I would be. What the heck is wrong with me?

Remember how you are as a kid? When your dad brings you that packet of gems and how you jump up high in glee, trying to snatch it out of his hand which keeps going higher as you jump higher? Or later, when your mom gets you that salwar material that you always wanted in that same colour you wished for? The excitement and the joy you experience when your friends chip in money and get you that book for your birthday, which you always wanted to read? I miss that. I miss that excitement and that feeling of joy when I get something now. Why is that missing? Why don’t I feel that way anymore? Age? Part of ‘growing’ up? A feeling of having ’seen it all’?

I don’t like it. Not a bit. Anyone wants to pass on some excitement?

Sand through my fingers January 23, 2007

10:10 am – God! Its past ten already? Where did the morning go? I hardly logged into my system.

11:15 am – Ok this is ridiculous. I am sure my system time is wrong. And my watch. And my cell phone. Damn! Who am I kidding?

12:20 pm – Hmmm.. skipping lunch seems very professional and busy-like but thats not for me. I have to eat.

12:48 pm – I should seriously consider taking shorter lunch breaks, this is a lot of time gone and the flowcharts are waiting. My to-do list keeps getting taller.

1:15 pm – mad rush to the scanner to get necessary stuff done. Integral to travelling abrod plans happening in office.

1:23 pm – madder rush to finish chat conversation with friend so that I can concentrate (??) on the flowchart. I remember telling someone I like them , not too sure anymore. I am talkin about the flowchart!

1:34 pm – 3 calls to the ticket agent to finalise bus tix to bangalore. Wide grin on face when thinking of Bangalore and all the fun there. Wheeee.

1:48 pm – Ah well, if I have to blog, I have to blog.

1:56 pm – eeks! too much time spent in blogging about spending too much time on things

PS: the title denotes how I feel about time these days. Its no longer under control, I am telling you.

The one where I don’t talk about myself. Well, not much. January 12, 2007

6:06 AM : I woke up from a deep sleep for no apparent reason. Kept trying to snuggle back into my warm blanket but something was missing. I think it was a dream, where Soumya was very indifferent to me. That surely is disturbing. Soumya is my cousin, younger by a year and a half, married, pregnant second time. Due any minute. We had this closeness that was difficult to define or even ackonwledge. Even now we do. I am still disturbed. Tried to reach her number a couple of times but can’t get through. I am telling you, my network does a bad job at the ‘following’ that it promises.

6:59 AM : Yessss!! I called her. I spoke to her. Have a wide grin on my face now. She is fine, has her c-section tomorrow and she is getting admitted today. She sounded nice and happy and said she was slightly nervous. Her first baby, the naughty brat, kept yelling into the phone. He is almost 2 now. She said it might be a girl this time but she doesn’t want to get her hopes high because they said that last time too and look what happened!

7:01 AM : Love you Soumya, for your strength, your courage, for thinking you can take care of two kids below 2 when you are barely 24 yourself (well the mom’s age doesn’t really have anything to do with it, actually!). Go girl!

7:03 AM : After all the excitement and the nervousness I am sleepy now. Ahhhh, hot water waiting, office, trainees, life…

7:04 AM : Here I go. WHooooooooosh!!

This is Soumya and Pranav. I don’t have a pic in which both of them are not blurred. Either one always is. Both can’t stay still, you know. Like mother, like son . Love you both.

***UPDATE:*** Its a GIRL!!!

December 20, 2006

Had some spare time today and was wondering what to do. The obvious answer was bloghopping. Went through a few random blogs of people who had commented on mine and this particular one caught my attention. Her comment was “could totally relate to a few posts. Its true, life is not easy always..” I was curious to see what she blogged on so went through her posts. It was quite disturbing to see she was only 18 and so many posts about pain and separation and loneliness and love and heartbreaks and marriage and .. all the rest of it. It was sad.. I remember myself when I was 18. Didn’t have a care in the world and not even a single problem in life (except math which was my major and mannn that was a problem!). And that makes me wonder how an 18-year old can feel so..so.. mature about life. So disconcerted. I feel for her. I feel for her generation. Cuz though I may be just 5-6 years older than her, I belong to a different generation. I had it easy. Easier than her, and all the rest of them out there.. who are looking for companionship, and solace.. because the world has lesser to offer them..

**Can you believe I actually started typing a post on strikes and hartals? Now that would have a been a joke!!