Things that....

...get my goat!
So it came to be last week that the light in my kitchen flickered, flickered some more and then went out... just like that. Now, I could have thrown a hissy fit and ranted and raved and so I did. Then, in true (wannabe) engineer style I proceeded to unscrew the shade, the holder and all was revealed. The holder was broken. No matter, we shall get a new one thought and I shelled out a whopping $7 for the same. Now come the minor issues - ensuring that the switch was off I proceeded to unscrew the wires from the broken holder and transfer them to the new holder. Simple enough - not really. The tools were ok, so can't really blame those. Can blame the shoddy wiring and the terrible holder screws that caused half the damn ceiling to fall down. Ok I exaggerate, not half, but enough.
Turned out that turning off the switch was not good enough since there were four bloody wires. Four! and one of them was still live so it proceeded to give me a minor shock and a major scare. So then I turned off the mains. Did I mention that I was doing all this at 7 pm (after getting home from work)? So I don't own a torch and blue LED on the key chain, though powerful was not enough. So efforts were put on hold till the morning.
Did the needful the next day and for some god awful reason the bulb lost all sense of switch and just stayed on! Turned things off, checked wires, found loose wire, put it back in, screwed back on as tight as I could.. no luck. Did I mention, also, that I don't own a step ladder so I was standing on a chair of questionable stability?
Finally put in a call to the electrician who came by and with brute force put the last annoying wire in and things worked like magic. He was also equipped with the right tools, a drill and a step ladder! He did applaud my efforts and say that I had done most of his job for him! However this whole rant was a digression.
What got my goat is that first off I was talking to a (male) friend and told him that the light was busted and he said 'wait till I get there, don't do anything yourself'. Why the heck not? Are you made of insulating material? Or do you have magical powers that can fix wires without touching them? I realise that the electrician that came along was a man and yes, I agree that he was able to provide that last push that I couldn't, not because I am female but because I am not strong enough!
In the same vein, it also gets my goat when women are overly thankful when their husbands cook or clean or take care of their children. Why? They're human, they need food, (some) need a clean house and its their child too!
So why glorify them as if they have made inhuman effort and why be grateful that they have given you time off?
Which brings me nicely to my final point - why are some jobs classified as male-worthy and others as female-worthy? When I pull out the ol' Swiss army knife and fix screws and bulbs why is it less acceptable than me pulling out some wipes and giving the kitchen counter a wipe down?
During my three years in Canberra I have heaved furniture, fixed appliances, clean rotten food and dirty linen and lugged groceries up the hill! I will do it if I can and I know how to. Because this is life. Life does not see male or female, life does not know if a man is in trouble or it is a woman. Life just happens and one has to deal with it whether one is male or female.
So maybe now is a good time to change the word 'handyman' to 'handyperson'.

Dark Knight

The Dark Knight was watched last weekend (and as I type that I realise that it was but obvious that the only thing needed for those words to course the veins was a movie review bah!).
The first stunner was watching Heath Ledger in action! He chilled me more than Jack Nicholson did as the Joker (Jack however did full justice to the role of the psycho in The Shining though, that was freezing!). Heath Ledger brings to the role a maniacal quality which of course Nicholson had but maybe I wasn't old enough to appreciate it. This calls for re-watching people.
Rumour has it (or is it fact now?) that Ledger prepared for this role by going into isolation, working himself up to such an extent that it caused him to have hallucinations and resulted in his death. Very very unfortunate for an actor of such calibre.
Back to the movie, well I liked it, perhaps not as much as Batman Begins but good all the same.
Felt it could have done with a tad slicker editing process.
The biggest shock of all was that Gary Oldman (of Sirus Black fame) played Inspector Gordon! Makes me wonder as to how the cast of the HP series will look by the time the seventh movie is made. Bring out the walking sticks and dentures!
While the chill of winter continues, Canberra temperatures are still oscillating between the early negatives and the false positives. So until next time I leave you with these words of wisdom by none other than the Joker himself - 'You either die a hero, or live long enough to become the villian.' Truer words have seldom been spoken.

I finished work rather late last night. Of late I don't feel like leaving home in the mornings and don't feel like leaving work in the evenings for fear of the cold. So as I got into the car in the pouring rain I suddenly had the urge to go to the Indian grocery store (which is not too near!) and pick up aamras (mango pulp) and eat it with hot rotis. So off I went in the pouring rain, bought the aforementioned mango pulp and six movies to boot. So it came to be that late into the night I watched Dor. It is a beautiful movie and it manages to be so essentially in simplicity. No gaudy make-up, no strange accents, no eccentric old men or bikini-clad women, no blaring songs and lavish sets.
It captures beautifully the inner turmoil of two women brought together by the strangest twist of fate. It delivers in that one feels empathy for the characters and their pain is real, so are their reactions.
Might I add that Mr. Kukunoor, for all his directorial skill, has not been endowed with acting talent and he sure as heck cannot pull of a 'Mr. Chopra' so in the interest of viewing pleasure he must refrain.
And most importantly it has a happy ending in the not-so-usual sense.
The dvd's sold here are the two-in-one kind and so there was also Dil Chahta Hai. This movie was a turning point in Indian movie history. It was blatant without insulting your intelligence and it was fresh in every positive sense of the word.
Anyway my thoughts elude me now so I will abruptly end this post! Enjoy!

Movies

The movie Jaane Tu ya Jaane Na seems to be more than a blip on the radar and everywhere I read, people seem to be about it.
I haven't seen it yet. Although I did watch the lead actress, Genelia is it?, in Mere Baap Pehle Aap and very surprisingly she did not annoy me! She has all the makings of annoyance, the hyper activity, the voice and the general disposition and potential to be annoying but she falls short.
Word has it that the movie is about the age old, done and exhausted concept of two best friends falling in love (or rather realising that they are meant for each other or some such...). Exciting stuff. However, since it starts Aamir Khan's nephew and is produced by Aamir Khan himself, it warrants a watch.
Incidentally, has anyone watched Tashan. If so, would anyone care to explain to be what the bleep it was all about? If the producers had money and the directors had time to squander, why not channel it towards a cause like world peace or poverty or world hunger? Although, I do think that they managed a tiny bit of population control because I'm willing to bet that it caused mass suicide somewhere!
I have been watching hindi movies for as long as I can remember but no movie has managed to do to me what Tashan did. Believe you me when I say that there were times when I had to rewind dialogues and scenes to hear them again, just to be sure that I wasn't hallucinating. Reviews of this atrocity claim that it was Bollywood's masala answer to Tarantino's Kill Bill. Well for one Kill Bill was a far superior effort which showed exquisite planning and execution and for another Kill Bill was far a far superior effort which showed exquisite planning and execution. Tashan is found seriously lacking in... well just about everything! It borders on the bizarre and hopes to cash in on crap like 'Dil Dance Maare re' and a size-zero, bikini clad Kareena.
Call me over critical, I mean it is a hindi movie after all and one is rightfully expected to leave their brains behind in a safe place for the three odd hours of 'entertainment'. And even though I did, I could feel my abandoned brain writhing and threatening to die and early death if I continued to watch.
However, on to bigger and better things as we always are, once I had washed out the remnants of Tashan from the mind I able to function again, and more than merely thankful for the same!

For the love of the game

A few moments define history and any tennis fan will tell you that the Wimbledon final of last night will go down in tennis history.
I am still getting over it all. The excitement, the pulsating energy and finally the disappointment. Being a fan of the Fed-man myself I think I speak for Fed fans world over when I say - 'what a game' and 'Darn you Rafa'! But to give the devil its due Rafael Nadal has done the unthinkable and what some deemed, the impossible.
Newspapers, sports channels and journalists world over have waxed hoarse about the game and so it will suffice to say that the quality of tennis was second to none. No one feels that it is time to start writing Federer off. Or maybe they feel it but don't want to say it. It is reminiscent of the time Sampras lost to Hewitt. These turn-overs are 'normal' and 'expected'. But Federer has never been normal and has always surprised us with the unexpected.
To me last night's game was a test of experience against age. But the loss hasn't sunk in and I will leave with the same words I told my friend's father at the Aussie Open this year
'You all came to watch the tennis, I came to watch Federer'.

Disjointed thoughts

My thoughts are disjointed. So will this post be. If you look at the comment to the last post you will see the one that tells me to keep my chin up. That's my mother for you. Recovering herself, she's up and about and asking me to keep my chin up no less!
If only I had half her spunk... actually I'm' going to stop this rant about 'If only I had half the...'. If I want 'half the..' then I should go get 'half the..'. Or 'all of the...'. Wow! punctuating that was hard!
The 'show and tell' went of grandly yesterday and all the tension was unnecessary.
In other happenings I am so exhausted that I cannot open my eyes before nine am each morning. It helps that the supervisor is away all of this week but it does not help as he is coming back and I need to be in for Monday morning meetings!
Canberra weather is freezing as usual and so is the water in my bathroom! Somehow between 8 and 10 each morning the water heating system seems to take a break and pour out cold water! Is there anything worse than a cold shower on a cold morning. I think not! Actually, there is something worse - the house-agent doing nothing about it!
Does anyone else suffer from really cold hands and feet? How do you get by - it's a mystery!

In fifteen minutes I have to gather my troop here and head off to meet two visitors for lunch. I'm not usually nervous about speaking to people or speaking in front of people or speaking in general but of late (read last three years) a certain uncertainty sets in at the wrong times and I find myself fumbling with the smallest details. I forget words and names and the words aaaaaaaaargh come rushing to mind!
Oh and I'm also nervous about eating around unknown people in a formal environment. Wish me luck!

To my father

I did a Mother's day post in May and realised that I absolutely have to do a Father's day one too!
I have always been a Daddy's girl and even though my father's traits that I displayed earlier in life have now been taken over by my sister, I can safely say that my father has taught me things that I will hold dear for as long as I live.
My father exudes silent strength. He is brilliant, calm and dignified and also an excellent story teller. His tales have become famous within my friends circle and at a gathering he is frequently asked to recount his time in as a youngster in Calcutta or as a captain in the Army. His passion, however, is his work. Needless to say he has made quite a name for himself in Auckland teaching and practicing medicine.
To the family my father is a silent and determined individual with a very strong sixth sense that has served all of us well during the years. To me he is just Baba - who has given into my every whim over the years, who has taught me the true meaning of being sincere at work and the importance of education and learning, who has always treated me like an adult and given me freedom of thought, speech and action much beyond what an Indian father gives his daughter even in this day and age, who would wordlessly go out at 10 pm to look for blank maps for school and who is very good with his hands and has built a number of things in our home.
And finally he is the father who has brought up his two girls with so much care that the thought of us getting married scares him to his very core!
Happy Father's Day Baba!

Dental woes

I have a deep dark secret. I am, what is medically termed as, a gagger. Which means the roof of the back of my mouth works overtime and results in a terrible gagging reflex everytime anything other than food touches it. These things include toothbrush, dentist's tools, doctor's flat ice-cream stick type thing used to check the throat, throat swabs and all other manner of things.
Now this obviously results in a phobia of dentists. I remember when I was about seven (I think) I needed some teeth extracted and so my father marched me off to the dentist. The dentist proceeded to stick all sorts of things into my mouth and I gagged uncontrollably and the final straw for me was the anaesthetic injection - I bolted. Out the door of the dentistry, down the two flights of stairs and all the way to the car. The dentist's cries of 'you are a bad girl' were useless. I didn't care - as far as I was concerned I would rather my teeth rotted in my mouth than have that monstrous injection put in there!
This phobia only got worse and as luck would have it I have been cursed with a set of rather oblique teeth that needed several extractions and braces. Each visit was as unpleasant as the previous and after the braces came off I vowed never to have to go to the dentist again!
My diet is decent, I don't eat much chocolate, don't drink fizzy drinks often and also brush twice a day. I also floss when needed. So I had convinced myself that all was under control. Until last month. I woke up to a slight (very slight) pain in the left gums and some tenderness so I went to the dentist here in Canberra. She checked my teeth out, pronounced that all was well but I would need an x-ray. Now, I had no idea that a dental x-ray is taken by shoving a film inside your mouth, against your teeth and the dentist had no idea that I'm a miserable and chronic gagger. So she proceeded to shove this contraption in my mouth and I proceeded to gag it right out. She tried again and I persisted. So finally she gave up and packed me off to get a dental x-ray from the diagnostic medlab (not before charging me a whopping $110!!).
Needless to say the x-ray never happened, the pain however persisted and kept nagging at me whenever it got the chance. So in NZ this time I literally gritted my teeth and went to see another dentist. My teeth turned out to be fine but I was told that I needed a clean and I dragged myself across the corridor to the dental hygienist. She took one look inside and said it was the oddest thing she had seen in a long time - the left side of my mouth was in pristine condition but the right side was rapidly going down-hill. Bizarre she said.
Now this lady was the sort who needed not only to clean things but also to figure out why they were dirty in the first place so through some rapid questionings she realised that since I was right handed and since my right shoulder had been stuffed for the last two year I have not been able to bend my toothbrush at the right angle to brush hard enough (or something) she also figured out that I gag so much while brushing that flossing every tooth is totally out of the question!
Anyway, it was a reasonably pleasant visit and everything is all cleaned up and back to better than normal. I picked up an electric toothbrush at duty free and also a special head that.... wait for it... flosses the teeth for you! Oh joy!
The gagging still remains but one just has to power through it all I guess so till next time folks here are some words of wisdom from the fantastic dental hygienist - 'Floss only the teeth you want to keep'!

The Haul - wrapped, sealed and delivered!

The Finale!!: Megz's gift finally arrived and I picked it up from the PO and eagerly opened it up to reveal a lovely fondue maker complete with Belgian Chocolate!! Needless to say it is going to be a weekend filled with chocolatey goodness. My parents gave me a gorgeous necklace with a diamond pendant (among other things!) and Vatsa and the MOTH added to it with a Borders gift card!
A BIG HUGE THANK YOU to everyone, honestly this has been a very very memorable birthday. I do not measure the success of the event in monetary terms (although even if I did, this birthday would win hands down!) instead, it has surpassed all others in terms of thoughtfulness and the sheer effort put in by the people dear to me, to make it special for me! *sniff sniff* - just for this I want to turn 25 again next year! *wide toothy grin*

- afterthought: The 'bro-in-law' referred to cousin yes, G is not yet married!

...

So it has happened, I have crossed over, am towing the line - I'm a quarter centurion!
Yesterday was excellent and a big hug and thank you to everyone who called, emailed, texted, orkutted and Facebooked with wishes!
It hit home harder than ever before that I have so many people who think of me and wish me well. It is rather overwhelming but mostly it is - reassuring.
I'm off home tomorrow for the long weekend. NZ beckons and much as I would like to say that it won't really be time off since I have to write thesis and other things that I've (stupidly) got myself into - its home and if I can get past the long chats over cups of tea in the balcony and watching TV and generally lazing around in the cold - I will try to get work done.

The haul - updated 5.02 pm

I'm halfway through the birthday (as of midday today) and the haul thus far includes two more Famous Five's, a Billabong woollen golf cap, a Benetton wallet and a beautiful cable-knit sweater dress! But more importantly it includes lots and lots of wishes from all over the world! *signs off grinning like the Chesire cat* - add to that a grey knit billabong scarf, 3 cards, gift vouchers and a beautiful bouquet of roses from the sister and bro-in-law!

Here's wishing me

As the big two-five approaches my friends came over to spend the weekend in Canberra for some pre-birthday partying. If that in itself does not tell you how special I' am to them - nothing will.
The weekend passed by in a blissful blur of good food, drink, music and conversation. We laughed, mocked, joked and ribbed each other to no end and at the end of it all, returned to our respective homes. Considerably sombre and inevitably sadder for the weekend having come to an end.
The big day looms and the plans as of now include early-to-work, seminar till 8 pm and then dinner.
My wonderful sister has been giving me gifts for the last two days, and I am eagerly looking forward to the finale. The haul thus far includes a Famous Five and ..... a Moleskine notebook!! It feels like velvet to touch and I don't really feel like writing in it. When she gave it to me and I finished screeching with glee, I promptly proceeded to smell that new-book smell and then I just held it for ever so long. Ah the love affair with stationery!
About that Famous Five - About three weeks ago I chanced upon one of the FFs I had bought when I first moved to Canberra. Enid Blyton is my refuge. When I want to relax for that half hour before falling asleep I savour the familiarity of Enid Blyton's books. What can I say - I'm just a bespectacled little ten-year old at heart! So I read through my FF and that weekend I went to a few book shops looking for an omni-bus or so to buy, only to be told that they are no longer is fashion. Most of what was on offer for ten year olds was beyond comprehension and I just left with a sense of immense loss and pity for these kids who will miss out on so very much!
Even the local library does not stock them anymore!
And finally, quarter-century, in-my-prime, biological clock ticking, expiry date, shelf-life and a million other cheap shots will be taken at my expense soon.
I just shrug, I like aging, mostly because I can still pass off for 15 and still asked for a school ID card on buses and matronly air-hostesses offer me the same 'apple juice mixed with sprite' that they reserve for the 'kiddies' and partly because it gives me a license to impart knowledge without being asked for it.
Mostly because I can look around at things and say 'been there done that' and partly because I know that I'm still young enough to it all over again if I want.
Mostly because everyone around me is going through the marriage-interview process and I don't have to and partly because I know that the day I want to get married I can do it my way.
Mostly because I'm almost where I want to be in life and partly because I can just walk away and start afresh.
Mostly because I'm 'old enough' and partly because I'm 'young enough' to be transported back 15 years with a book, a song or a friend.
Mostly for all the life experiences and partly because there is so much more waiting to happen!
But most of all it is because the growing up is done and partly because I can now do whatever the heck I want, whenever I want, however I want and if anyone questions me pat will come the reply 'I'm going to be 25 on Wednesday!'.

My Musical

Tagged by Vatsa - so here's presenting my life as a musical! This has got to be one of THE hardest tags ever and I already know that I will want to change my mind about the songs the second I hit publish. Yet in the spirit of things... here goes.

Rules of the tag: Various situations are given. You have to come up with a song ( or a couple) that aptly describe those situations in YOUR life.

Opening credits: Its' my life- Bon Jovi

Waking up: Beautiful Sunday -Daniel Boone

Average day: Main Zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya - Hum Dono

First date: Tere mere sapne - Guide/ Fire - Babyface and Des'ree

Falling in love: Can’t help falling in love - Elvis Presley / Have I told you lately- Rod Stewart

Love Scene: Hungry Eyes - Dirty Dancing/ Father figure - George Micheal

Fight Scene: Woman in Love - Barbara Streisand

Breaking up: Must have been love - Roxette/ Nigahen Mastana - from the movie Paying guest

Getting back together: Nothing's gonna change my love for you - Bryan Adams

Secret love: Abhi na jao chhod kar - Hum Dono/ When you say nothing at all - Ronan Keating

Life’s ok: Wouldn't it be nice - Beach boys

Mental Breakdown: Sounds of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel/ Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day and Achint!

Driving: (Right now) Tokyo drift - Teriyaki boys, la gasolina - Daddy Yankee

Learning a lesson: Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell/ Achint

Flashback: Yesterday - The Beatles/ Fernando - Abba

Partying: Hips don't lie -Shakira/ Indi pop/dance numbers

Happy Dance: Summer of 69 - Bryan Adams/ Time of my life - Dirty Dancing

Regretting: Din Dhal Jaaye - Guide/ Hum bekhudi mein tum ko - Kaala Paani

Long night alone: Tadap tadap - Hum dil de chuke sanam/ I'll be there for you - The Rembrandts

Death Scene: (on G's suggestion) Hotel California - The Eagles

Closing Credits: Bitter sweet symphony - The verve (sorry Vatsa but it has to be this one for me too!)

In turn, I tag the following people:
Megz, Ashanka, Amruta and Achint

All the things she said....

all the things she said
running through my head
running through my head

My head is a right potpourri of thoughts! I wanted to write about a conversation with my sister yesterday where we established that Canberra hardens you physically, mentally and emotionally and the scars remain etched on your being forever. I also wanted to talk about the caste system and its relevance in modern day Indian society. But the demands of daily k are calling and I will have to go and model a shoddy waveguide on an even shoddier computer simulation tool.
Woe is me.
On a brighter note, as Canberra hits sub zero temperatures, I'm off to reasonably warmer Sydney to see my dad who is visiting for the weekend! :-) Can't hardly wait.

Of this, that and the other

So it was another average day and since my eyelids started drooping shortly before tea time I decided to hit the gym a good 3 hours before the customary 6 pm. As I walked toward the changing rooms this rather good looking guy walking behind me caught up with me and I gave him the once over (approvingly) in my head as my eyes moved from head to toe I saw that he not only had a good looking face and a well cut body but he had .... well cut, waxed legs! Now I don't know if this is a common occurrence but the gym is usually filled with well toned guys and none of them, till date, has strutted about flaunting waxed legs! That was a complete and total what-the moment for me.
Incidentally, can someone please pass a law against shorts so short that they don't cover anything and I'm sure it is already a law that one must wear something inside the shorts too! I'm going to the gym to work out and feel those calories burning. As you stretch, I do not want to be accorded with a view that will make me squirm and generally feel disgusted for, possibly, the rest of the evening!
Now before you start thinking that all I do is look up people's clothes and at people's legs ... please don't think it.
Other than all that it is Friday again and I can't believe how the week has flown! Seriously people there has got to be a better explanation for how time flies. Hope you all have a good weekend and .. err.. a happy new year?

To Ma

It was Mother's Day yesterday and when I wished mine last night she first paused for a moment and said 'About time!'. There you have it folks - presenting to you - my mother!
Strength is the first word that comes to my mind when I think of my mother. To me she is the epitome of strength - mental, physical and emotional. I have been told that I have grown to become a lot like her and this has, time and again, resulted in many a conflict between us. She believes in fierce loyalty and brutal honesty. She is nothing if not real and sincere and while there are several things I wish she had done differently - like looked after herself a little more and us a little less - I realise that she was just being a mother.
I believe that we are all evolved versions of our parents (for better or for worse, time will tell) and even though there are marked differences between the way my mother and I think - every time I do anything her voice rings in my ears.
She might not believe it but my home is clean (to her standards!) and my dishes are done and my life is organised - thanks to her. She has taught my sister and I the finer things in life like simple living and high thinking, music, dance and appreciation for art and fine language. She has taught us etiquette and the importance of manners. She has taught us to hold our head high and never fear if we are right. And all this she has taught by example.
I know that over the years I have caused her much elation and some disappointment and I'm sure that the years to follow will be no different. So without much further ado I would just like to wish her a very Happy Mother's Day and tell her that I really have been craving her presence (and food!).

I absolutely *heart* these! To my utter disappointment, couple of weeks back in Sydney at the Dymocks Stationary store (which, might I add, is a haven on earth!) that you get these city specific. I wanted to kick myself for not picking them up before travelling last year. Guess I will have to do it all over again armed with Moleskins.
Sigh!

Its Friday evening and whilst most people are thinking TGIF - I'm pretty meh about it. I am looking forward to sleeping on the newly acquired bed. Needless to say it has done wonders for my aching back and shoulder. I'm also looking forward to cake - which I will get in about five minutes - right after I hit 'publish' and head to the tea room :-D.

My orkut fortune for today reads: You are talented in many ways. I know this and so it hurts even more to know that these many talents are being wasted.
Of late my writing talent has given me the slip by fading into oblivion. I have been racking my brains to come up with something as simple as chapter titles for the PhD thesis and this still eludes me. A fervent prayer to the Gods of writing - rain your blessings on me.