the butt-end of the affair!

so, I went and took the UGC NET again! This was the fifth time. One of my friend was saying that we get 30 goes at it. I don't think I shall be wasting time trying to reach that target!! I have become fed-up of this bi-annual pain in the ass. It so frustrating. This time, there was a question -
How many keys are there at least on the keyboard? a) 91 b)101 c)111 d)121
Yes, my future as a university lecturer depends upon whether I have sat down and counted the number of key on the keypad of the computer I am using because I have no other meaningful thing to do in life!
I am so sick of taking this stupid exam! Also, when I said "pain in the ass" I didn't just mean it figuratively. I meant it literally as well! I actually suffered from a big fat rash on my buttocks each from sitting on a tiny hard wood bench in this dilapidated school which was the exam center. They always have this exam in the worst centers and in the worst weather conditions, last Sunday of June is boiling and last Sunday of December is freezing.
If I don't clear it this time, I don't know if I have the will left in me to give it again! I did relatively better than last time I gave it. Well, I heard last time nobody we know cleared it, so there! That exam was particularly bad. Keeping my fingers crossed...

I do have a piece of good news. After I came back home, I went for a medical check-up downstairs. The Medical team of an NGO had come to our apartment building. They are trying to make people aware of making healthier lifestyle choices to combat the most commonly found illness of modern middle class of Delhi, like heart-diseases, obesity, diabetes etc. And I found out I have grown taller. I used to be 5 feet 4.5 inches tall, but now I am 5ft 5"! :) nothing to be so glad about actually.. but whatever. it made me happy for a while. Weight-wise I still need more time and effort.

counting calories...

After a really long time I ventured out to the center of the city on Tuesday to hang out with a dear friend. We went to Khan Market - apparently one of the most expensive markets in Asia. We went to Cafe Turtle, and had their famous Rs. 180 New York Lemon Cheese Cake piece. It was quite good, maybe not worth 180 bucks for some (that a lot of money for a poor student in Delhi). I know that it was too rich - not money-wise, but rich in calories for me to be having frequently.

Yes, I am becoming one of those people who start thinking about Calories and Glycemic Indexes of food items before thinking of eating them! And, and, when I reached the most happening Metro Station - ie. Rajiv Chowk, there were banners everywhere with health tips and "use the stairs to stay fit" signs. It was like the whole world is telling me, "Go join the gym for heavens!" I have actually lost some weight gained in Okinawa since coming back, but I feel I really need to do more than just yoga! See I found out that I have a blood sugar problem. It was probably due to the food (or lack of it) in Okinawa. Before going, I had a good diet composed of all food groups (excepting meat and fish) and it was great. Once in Oki, everything went haywire. When I cooked for myself at home, it was ok. But when I went out - which was a lot, I relied on rice and veggies (read - kappa maki). At school I was sometimes given a heap of rice by pitying teachers. And its not like basmati rice (ie, non sticky) I would force myself to finish it coz I hate throwing food. I ended up eating more sticky rice for one lunch than I could eat in a week at times. Many times I took a bento of instant noodles to school - clearly the worst type of food choice! Some days at restaurants, I would go hungry for real food and just have a dessert. I ended up eating more carbs, starch and sugar eventually. And my alcohol consumption there also went up tremendously! I remember being tired and grumpy and moody a lot! After an ice cream, I'd be cheerful on a sugar high like never before! David even told me bluntly to get my blood sugar tested. Wish I had done it sooner! All the signs were there, and had I known sooner, I would have made wiser and healthier food decisions in time. But, better late than never... I am now doing all these and exercising too, so I can be the healthier me that I used to be 2 years ago. Just have to go join the gym now to speed up the progress, and also, to guarantee that occasional lapse in the form of a lemon cheese cake. :)

Baby Lizards Addendum

You will never believe what more mischief these little creatures can get involved in!

Yesterday, My mom was directing a new housemaid as she cleaned the house. My mom lifted the cushioned seat of a small settee and Lo! Behold! a tiny lizard squished betwixt wood and foam. Someone must have sat down on it when it had smuggled itself within. The strangest part is how it got underneath the foam cushion in the first place as the settee has a square seat of stiff foam made with exact precision to fit the seat rendering absolutely no space for it to crawl within unless someone actually lifted the cushion and waited while it climbed into it to put the cushion back in place. Thus, when my dear mother saw it, she called me and asked if someone had brought a plastic lizard and placed it there to scare people. A prank I was guilty of when I was 15 years my junior.

(Don't I sound Victorian? It's because I am re-reading Villette with much enthusiasm!)

Thus my dear friends, beware of the baby lizard you may not even realize when you have killed these house gods! I no longer worry. Ever since one crawled up my precious guitar... I can't bother to take care not to kill them if it so happens to be written in their fates.

Baby Lizards...

They are popping out of shells; they are crawling on the floor exposing themselves to sudden death under your feet; they are pooping crapping shitting everywhere; they are hiding behind my books menacingly; and they give absolutely no warning before dropping from the ceiling and crawling in the nicely made bed you are about to sleep in.

I am trying, trying extremely hard to co-exit with these creatures. After all they are considered house gods in Okinawa and they eat the disease-spreading mosquitoes. But seriously, these tiny lizards are driving me nuts. I am not completely phobic about lizards, but I am nonetheless always surprised by their appearance and I just wish they would be invisible to me! Some years ago, one dropped on my head as I opened the door to enter the bedroom to sleep and the tiny thing got caught in my hair and I had to take a shower in the middle of the night! Two more times before lizards have fallen and crawled down me. Can anyone blame me for not liking them??

There is another big fat one that lives atop our television set. I think its a she, and a she which produced all these tiny ones. This big fat momma always jumps out when you go near the TV to switch it off. And it jumps with a plop that makes you jump out of your skin! I may be a vegetarian and an animal lover, but I hate lizards. And all creatures are cute as babies, EXCEPT LIZARDS!!!

nothing to say...

I have at least 5 entries saved in the drafts and I am unsatisfied with all of them. It seems I have nothing important or worthwhile to publish over the world wide web. can only think of selfish needs at the moment and sound utterly pathetic in doing so. a couple of days back, my mom knocked on my door saying, "your Okinawa is on TV." It was a documentary called Modern Marvels on the Discovery Channel. The episode was about the reconstruction of the new Churaumi Aquarium. I learnt some more information about my aquarium (no-one can make me stop calling it mine!!!) But more than the info, it was the memories that got recharged. I miss Okinawa so much, it breaks my heart. When will I stop missing it this much? I do deeply regret not staying on, even though I have been enjoying M. Phil. as much as it can really be 'enjoyed.' My blog is useless. It comes off as a collection of depressive grumblings of regret. Sorry folks, won't happen again!