New blog...

Ok, the blog fever's catching on with me. I've created a new blog called 'Managerial Mumbo Jumbo.' It's all about my experiences as a newbie manager. I'm learning so many new things everyday, and I gotta write it all down. Read and feel free to share your thoughts too!

Hyderabad Woes

Yeah, that's right. I'm sick of it now. I wonder how I stayed in that city for three years. No offence here to anyone, it's just personal opinion. But seriously I've seen the safety levels dip to abysmal lows in the past three years that I was in Hyderabad. I was back in Hyderabad last weekend and I realized why I hated it so much. Some reasons:

- The stares: Trust me, those wretched eyes of a lot of men on the roads in Hyd go straight from your face to your chest. (It feels sick!)

- The verbal abuses: It's strange how they take to verbal abuse as a form of eve teasing. I remember going home late one night when a gang of guys started calling me a bitch and laughed out loud after that. (Wonder how they found it funny.)

- Anything can happen: This time it was a limit! I'm sitting in an auto thinking I'm safe when a group of guys pass by. I get to hear the usual comments (darling, sexy...etc. etc.and it's not flattering!) and one of them actually musters up the courage to extend his hand into the auto and reach out for my face! I was shocked.

- Spit on the pants: Most people disagree with me but I've faced this three times! All the time while walking on Banjara Hills Road no. 1, near City Center. Some random biker would come and spit pan on our pants! At first, I thought it was an accident but it's too much of a coincidence to face it three times. I tried to find out the reason for this from some Hyderabadi locals. Apparently, there is some telugu B-grade movie in which the villain does this act. And some fuckers think it's cool to do it in reality!

- Crazy following: I used to ride a scooty when I was there. Lately, it had become difficult to go out on the scooty after eight. Random guys in cars would follow you until your house!

Some of you would find these extreme opinions but I'm outraged! It's becoming increasingly difficult to stay in Hyderabad especially if you're a north Indian. The city would be far from becoming an IT hub if this continued.

Thanks for the love!

Never got a chance to thank my followers and the ones who read my posts carefully and comment. Thank you guys! And Mania! Thought I'd send you a message or a comment but couldn't find a way to get to your blog. Nevertheless, thanks for the follow :)

Turning 24...

Ok people, I've turned 24. Which means i'm one step closer to the quarter life crisis. Didn't get time to write this on my birthday but like it's the in-thing, i was thinking about the 24 years that passed. I still remember the proud and ecstatic me when I had turned 4. I would promptly tell my age with my name when people asked me for...well..just my name. :) What an achievement it was to get one more year added to your age. It was like a lakh added to your salary. Umm..ok, that's an overestimation. So without wasting much time, here are 24 things that I find funny about myself.

1. My fat. :|
2. The fact that I go blank when I see a lot of numbers.
3. Ok, finally making it public. I'm scared of people in the finance sector (Because they seem to know a lot of Math.)
4. The name 'Obama' makes me think of an overfried 'aaloo tikki' (patty for the ones who don't know hindi)
5. The way I assure people that I know something when I don't know shit about it.
6. The way I run on the treadmill. (Lips pursed tight, no exhalation)
7. The way my face get twitched when I sing (Looks quite like 'ooooooooooohhhhHuzoooorrr'...Himesh Reshamiya)
8. As a two year old I used to threaten people (old and young alike) that I'll claw them with my nails.
9. I called one of my neighbors a witch on her face. (She used to be very generous with make up on her face, so I couldn't help but tell her the truth) Hehe
10. The way I got drunk and fell on the dance floor three times in Firangi Paani one day :D
11. Phew!! That's it for now. Will keep updating it as soon as I recall more things.

Ciao!

I echo...

That's what I feel as I read this...

Long Distance

I have a long distance relationship! And, man it sucks! Yes, with my parents. The only disadvantage about Bengaluru is that I'm so far away from home. Just can't hop over to meet Ma, have a good cuppa tea, chat with Dad, or attend a friend's engagement :(. Wonder whether this is all worth it. I'm sorry Anda. It's really a pity that I won't be there. And sorry Mum and Dad that I couldn't be there to celebrate my birthday with you. I still love you all. (Ma, Daddy, Anda, Chadhu, Mehta):)

The importance of a hug

Someone once called me a hug master. Well, not that I really am but after reading an article on the importance of hugs, I think I'm close.

The opening lines say "We need 4 hugs a day for survival, 8 hugs a day for maintenance and 12 hugs a day for growth" I couldn't agree more. And they also have a full one page theory on how to hug. Wow! I think I've found my calling. I want to be a 'hug therapist'!

Anyway, here's the technique, with full credit to the writer:

HOW TO HUG

Hugging may sound like the simplest thing on earth, but it will help to keep a few things in mind. Non-hugs are no good. In his book Caring, Feeling, Touching, Dr Sidney Simon describes five non-hugs:
I. The A-frame hug, in which nothing but the huggers' heads touch.
2. The half-hug, where the huggers' upper bodies touch—while the other half twists away.
3. The chest-to-chest burp, in which the huggers pat each other on the back, defusing the physical contact by treating each other like infants being burped.
4. The wallet-rub, in which two people stand side-by-side and touch hips.
5. The jock-twirl, in which the hugger, who is stronger or bigger, lifts the other person off the ground and twirls him.

The real thing, the full body hug, touches all the bases. Dr Simon describes it like this: "The two people coming together take time to really look at each other. There is no evasion or ignoring that they are about to hug... You try as hard as you can to personalize and customize each hug you give... With a full body hug there is a sense of complete giving and fearless. Communication, one uncomplicated by words.

"It is the attitude that is important," says Vikas Malkani. "It need not be a full, frontal hug. It could be sideways. Generally, hug only friends and people you know."

"Many people do not like their personal space to be invaded. Still others may feel too vulnerable at times to like to be touched," warns Dr Bhagat.

The stereotype of men being less demonstrative than women in their love and affection is by and large true. "But men are more open to hugging after a few drinks at parties," says Pommi Malhotra. From her experience she says that even the tough ones respond to hugging.

Many people feel embarrassed or uncomfortable when hugged, but Malkani's advice is to still go at it because they are bound to feel good afterwards and may even feel grateful to you. When you feel the need to be hugged, ask for one. Any place is good enough for hugging: home, office, school, church, a party, a conference. You may, however, feel uncomfortable hugging, for example, at work. In that case, prefer a more intimate environment, such as at home with friends or at a party.

Bengaluru Babe

So here I am...everything set. Bags unpacked, house...check, workplace...check, indira nagar...check. Just bought some books...'Fragrance of Osho (I'm a big fan), Laws of Manu (The laws set by the first man on earth according to Hindus or something like that), All things wise and wonderful (written by a vet in Ireland..well i got sold by the cover). Sitting at home and taking in the fragrance of Osho. Saturday evenings were never so peaceful. I love it! Who says you need to party on a saturday. A nice cup of ginger tea, my balcony and a book in hand is all you need.

I love Bengaluru already.

Tragedy!

Tragedy strikes on an idle Tuesday when you're least expecting it. So true! On an idle Sunday, as I was rejoicing my increased capacity for sleep and dragging myself out of the bed, I saw it. A red dot at the tip of my nose. It was dormant yet prominent. I couldn't believe my skin. I got a boil! Right at the tip of my nose!! I mean I know I'm not supposed to behave like a teenager but what the hell! Today, it's been a week and it refuses to go; feels like a headlight! Am I being too girlie? vain? thrifty? cranky? Hell Yeah! Tragedy does strange things to you. Come on girls, I need support, sympathy and loads of soframycin!!!

Taliban vows to take over Pak

I can feel goose pimples all over as I read this. "Taliban on Monday vowed to capture Pakistan if the democratic leadership does not alter its stand on North Atlantic Treaty Organisation" As an Indian citizen, it's not just some news to amuse, it's an outright alarm, a note of suicide. The Pakistani government has recognized Taliban rule in the Swat Valley region in exchange for a temporary cease-fire and they're not far away from the Indo-Pak border. It might sound silly but the thought of myself and my peers in burqas getting no form of entertainment or education whatsoever and being denied basic human rights doesn't seem unreal anymore. It could happen tomorrow, day after or next week. The most disturbing is the complacency of the Indian Army. The Indian Army Vice Chief Lt Gen Noble Thamburaj is of the view that it is not a "direct threat" to India. Yeah right! The ruthless rats blew our cities to pieces and we couldn't do anything and you still have the balls to say that extremist forces like Taliban are not a direct threat to India?

Our neighboring country is breathing fear of being taken over completely by Taliban and we can still afford to sit in peace. What if Taliban has already established it's presence in India?

Seeing the public protests and peace marches in the recent past by Indian people, I'm confident that the public of India is capable of coming together in a state of emergency. We just need to wake up and realize the threat before it's too late. Otherwise, we may not 'live' to regret.