Notes From the Past Week

1. Last Tuesday, we were told we're on break till 31st August (Swine Flu protocol). Whee! So off I came to Delhi because I had some entanglements with CrazyV which needed to be sorted.

2. Delhi is HUMID. Delhi's public transport is screwed up. Delhi cannot take TWO HOURS of downpour without getting all jammed up, whiny and horrid.

The fateful day when Delhi made news because it rained from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on a Friday afternoon, CrazyV and I were at this library right in front of the Supreme Court which is like 30 minutes from the place where I stay. Post-downpour, the streets were clogged, most autos stopped working, buses refused to show up at bus stops and people got really cranky! CrazyV and I were left stranded on the streets of Delhi for some 3.5 hours during which we hitchhiked, yelled at autos, walked all the way to Khan Market, asked 1893462684902 people for directions to Khan Market, made conversation with a police guard person who (after telling us off for not knowing the way to Khan, and giving us incorrect directions observed that I looked like I "about to burst into tears" any time soon), and finally ate and ate and ate at Khan. We first celebrated with blueberry cheesecake at Big Chill. Then windowshopped for a while. Then had pizza at Chicago Pizza. Finally went to Coffee Day and asked for the veg burger which looked YUM. But they were out of burgers. So we had this clubsandwich which was ok. All this while, my phone had conked off and her phone was in an about-to-die-DEAD-resurrected-about-to-die-again mode. Finally her parents made it to Khan, picked us up and deposited us in the safety of our homes.

I realized then how much cooler Bombay really is. All this while I thought the whole "Bombay resilience" thing was overrated and that any city would be that way during strained times. WRONG. First, Bombay's public transport doesn't just stop functioning because of 2 hours of rain. Second, regular people on the streets of Bombay are soo much more helpful. And they're not always out to get you. Sigh. And they're NICE to you when you ask for directions instead of scoffing. Also, they can even be chivalrous at times. Such courtesy cannot be even dreamed of in Delhi. As in, ok, I like the city for its shopping, nice wide roads (which it is lucky for having solely because it's the capital and because of the Games (construction for which is any way majorly screwed because of general incompetence)) and movie halls and malls etc., but it lacks niceness and unity and love and affection and sunshine and stars and flowers and the smell of fresh cotton... you get the drift. As in I like the city and all that jazz, but well, I think I like it a little less than I used to.

3. I went to this huge huge mall called DLF Place yesterday. I must go there again. More importantly, I must go Sarojini Shopping.

4. It was CrazyV's surprise birthday par-tay yesterday which was lots of fun. Vegetarian food can be really, really yum. There! I've said it. She was actually surprised (thank god). It was good fun to meet her friends and cousins. I'm generally this awkward person in social gatherings where I don't know most people present. But this wasn't awkward at all because there were connecting friends and connecting factors and common goss. So good fun. Plus CrazyV is a good host :D *giggles*

I think I should have a label called "Delhi Times" given I visit this place so often. Gah.

Saturday Feels Like Sunday

This Saturday morning feels like Sunday morning. Fish and I were up quite early (830ish) and have been working like good children. We cleaned our room, changed bedcovers, put things where they belong. Sigh. Feels good. Need to derive joy from simple things in life (like room cleaning).

Pengs has been in hibernate mode since last night and Woogs is perpetually in hibernate mode. Pengs has moved into Woogs' room since Aats is away for the weekend. So you can imagine how much hibernation must be happening in that room. Quite funny.

Among other news, I read this fascinating thesis on the history of hair removal in America. Here: http://www.barnard.edu/history/sample%20thesis/Kirsten%20Hansen%20thesis%20pdf.pdf

Plus, an economic analysis of bus accidents in Delhi: http://ourdelhistruggle.com/2009/07/23/blueline-bus-menace/

Never Let Me Go

As you may have noticed, I am done with Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Credit to Fish for introducing me to Ishiguro (and Woogs for lending me her copy of the book). Loved it. I think I'd have cried* towards the end of the book had I not been in class while reading the last 120 pages. What I do think is that it wasn't really all that mysterious because I could guess... what was happening. But that really doesn't take much away from the book because it's beautifully written. Simple. Straightforward. But not quite.

*- It's not very uncommon for me to cry while reading. Hee.

Long Weekend (May skip if in cheerful mood because this is a dampener)

Long weekend is here and I am on campus. Working. I don't particularly mind it given I don't really have any such "home" to go to, but I could have gone out with friends and chilled. CrazyV and half the world I know is going home. I want to go out but can't because of the darned flu and work. I really, really, really want to go out. I even have a town list.

Among other depressing news, my phone's "simtray" has stopped functioning which is why it doesn't recognise any sim. I've given it off for repair and am now using Pengy's spare for the time being. Thanks, Pengs.

I told you "Rants" would be receiving a steady stream of posts.

Blurry

The past few days were a blur given the amount of work almost everyone in law school had. Every second person was dying to meet some deadline or the other. I don't think I've ever taken this much upon myself. Ever. And yes, I have taken it upon myself. It all sounds like fun when you're signing up for it, it is fun when it comes through, but the interim is sheer agony. The good thing is that most of us are in it so you're not the only one who's up late into the night trying to figure out which test you should use to prove a conflict is "international" in nature or whether the crimes committed have nexus with the armed conflict. Also, since most of us are working on different areas, it's interesting to talk about (and bitch about) what we're working on with the others.

Among other news, I haven't heard from BFA in a very long time, but I guess it's justified given he's got most exciting things happening in his life right now.

I think "Rants" is going to receive a lot of entries in the near future.

Fish S (Say it out loud!)

Spoke to S for ages but it felt like 15 minutes. No amount of time is enough to catch up. We shared crazy stories from our lives and gave and took advice. Obv, sister knows best. The point of this post is to drill down the fact that I wish she were here. Sigh. It's scary to think that we might never again be living in the same city.

Wish you were here.

On the brighter side, Fish has been shoulder-to-cry-on-person today (and in the past also, during those rare moments when I've been bugged enough to need/want one). Quite literally. It wasn't my best day and ideally, I shouldn't be putting it up here because of the whole shouldn't-focus-on-negative-energy thing. However, this is a positive thing really because I'm actually talking about how super Fish is when she's in console-mode. She gets it. We get each other. Which is awesome.

So here's to all things happy and I hope all the annoying little flies in our lives are swatted by the hands of the universe.

Association

Songs
Places
Movies
Lines in books
Books
Food
Fragrances
Clothes
Scenes off movies/TV series
Phantom conversations (!)

What can you NOT associate things with?

Must not associate. Must not associate. Must not associate.

At times I have SO many phantom conversations that I tend to forget which ones were for real and which ones were in my head.