10 reasons to be excited for true blood season 4

1) Vampires and werewolves..
2) plus shapeshifters, fairies, maenads, and witches among other non-existing things
3) Blood n gore GALORE!
4) To hear bill go "sookie" once again!
5) Graphic sex!
6) Hunky Eric, Alcide and who knows if Quinn makes his appearance..
7) Jason gets supernatural
8) Cliched cliffhangers.
9) New music!
10) Fangs!

hoshang

I am an old man

with a white Dumbledore beard

who has come face to face

with his mortality today.

I did many deeds
and had a lot of fun
But now in my last hour
I am all alone.

Being accosted in public parks
by old fat men who have been closeted for years,
does not flatter me anymore.

Pointing to the thirty-something boy over there,
"Why is he not gay?" I ask.
Life is never straight!

The twisted roads I traveled on
stretch forth
but I
go not hence.

Stop this rambling – aimless, joyless
Put an end to it
Full stop.

My life like this sentence,
like this poem,
is soon over.

Only remember me for what I wrote

For an artist never dies.

Weep not, but laugh, for harm I never caused.

Although shock a few I did,

But that never killed anyone!

And shock I will

till the end of my days

with my written words.

So, be shocked with innocent eyes wide open

For I have always been like this.

new year scare

My dad went into anaphylactic shock yesterday night. The Disprin he took to relieve his headache reacted badly. It wasn't expired, nor was it fake (presumably!) and he'd taken disprin many times before, as prescribed, diluted in water. Who knows what happened this time!

He gave us quite a scare. My mom and sis tried their best to somehow keep him conscious and rub him into wakefulness. I ran about calling our neighbour with whose help we got him to the hospital. While the ambulance was coming I frantically called our Doctor uncles who were unavailable for what seemed an eternity! When finally I connected, dad had become better. Uncle asked me to ask dad to show his tongue and confirm what date it was to make sure it wasn't related to the brain. Dad was able to do and answer correctly, so we all heaved a sigh of relief. We were all thinking that he might have suffered cardiac arrest and become paralysed.. It was a terror-filled ten minutes which was really a walk-up call.

I thought about all the times dad tried to tell us where the important papers and documents and assets were. And the time when he seriously sat and talked about how we needed to know what to do if something happened to him. And I thought how unprepared we were and would always be because he is the pillar of stability in our lives and we are so dependent on him for everything. In those ten minutes, I hope, my life has changed. I hope I have learned to be prepared. I hope I will have learned to be more worldly. Only time will tell what I have learned...

My dad is fine now, and I hope I will not have to re-learn this lesson for a long time in the future..

nouveau-Patha Chitra

a great loss

One of my favourite teachers passed away this morning after having battled with cancer. She was always full of energy in class, and even though many a times she took the class in the afternoons when Delhi sun would make most run back home, we would stay on because Dr. Subbu was teaching Paradise Lost and we couldn't miss it for the world...

It's strange how just yesterday while reading the conclusion of Two Lives by Vikram Seth, I was thinking of her... how I never was able to visit her in the hospital, and I was regretting not having been more courageous to do so... In the book, Seth mentioned a visit to a friend whose illness and hospitalization isolated her from her friends.. I know Subbu was not isolated, but that doesn't mean that I needn't have made the effort to visit. I feel guilty, and now I will live with this regret that I wasn't strong enough to face her in the hospital...

Once I met her in Hindu, when she had recovered enough to rejoin, and my eyes had welled up right there in front of her as she boldly talked about the cancer while readjusting her wig. Now, this last image of her brings a smile to my face, it was so typical of her and of me, that it borders on the ironic. At that time, of course, I had to do all I could to stop from sobbing in front of her... I am never strong in the face of another's pain... I was a fool... and it proves my point that the gift of true empathy is also a curse.

This news of her death shatters me... not only because of the regrets, but because she meant so much. I knew when the cancer re-emerged that her chances of battling through would be greatly diminished. But I still wanted her to be cured. It is really sad. She was one of the best teachers in the world. She not only taught the text in a way that you understand it and remember it, but she also made us engage with it in a personal way that makes literature so relevant and crucial to human beings. Not many teachers can do this, and I hope one day I will be the kind of teacher she was...

What a loss to Hindu College and to all who knew her...

Restart? Refresh? Renew?

I need to clean up this blog... there are many useless posts on it. And I need to have a new start... Am BORED to death with it...  So I am setting a DATE - the Autumnal Equinox - 22nd September 2000 - when all old useless posts will fall like yellow leaves... NET is on the 27th of June... So, can't do anything till then... See you later, folks!

excuses

It has been a while since I wrote on this blog. Its not that I have had nothing to write.... believe me, I have had plenty of things to write about in the past two months. It's just that I was:

1. very busy. December 2009 was the busiest month of my life it seems. Can't recall another time when I was this busy. Juggling the three places of work was not easy.
2. very lazy. when I did have some time to rest I was too lazy to get up and write. I would end up catching up on lost sleep instead.
3. very cold. January was so cold! I already posted the blue nails evidence on FB, so you know how terrible it was for me. And typing or using the Computer made it worse, because the internet connection is in the coldest room of the house. Want to get WiFi but have been 1. too busy, 2. too lazy and 3. too cold to get it.

But, I did do some exciting and fun things while I was so busy, lazy and cold too. I shall tell yopu about those soon. Just wait for it!

\(^o^)/

Becoming or not Becoming? That is the Question

We wish to explore the details of an author’s life, digging into the letters written to friends and family, reading the intimate details within their journal and delving into the secrets of their personal life, thinking that it may provide further explanations for what that author has penned in his/her work, that it would highlight some subtle reference or unearth some hidden meanings and uncover subtexts in the writings which would somehow heighten the experience of reading and analysis. When all we really want through it is to know is the love-exploits of these classic authors. This invasion of privacy we do in the name of historical authenticity or deep research is enjoyable and yet disturbing.

I felt this deeply while watching Becoming Jane. The intrusions into the life of Jane Austen were almost disconcerting. The underlying hints of sexuality and not so subtle sexual politics while vastly amusing on one base level, caused a bit of a dilemma in me. Is it right to intrude in someone’s life this way, why not let the author in peace in their grave. Their immorality is based on the continuation of their memories and their works. People die a second death when the people who knew them also die, or so said Gabriel Garcia Marquez quoting his grandmother. By passing on the knowledge through the literary canon, we never let authors die, for we cannot do so. It would be a grievous sin against literature. Yet, what is the limit? Where do we stop? Must one make films on their lives, which will always only be a version of truth of reality? Must we mar their memory with our insights? With even thorough research and detailed presentation, we can never know what really came to pass. Is it enough to say that this is only ‘based’ on their life? That it is an ‘adaptation’?

There will always be an idiot who will foolishly think that the version he saw was real.

Vipin begins where Tanvi ends..

Tanvi, one of my hostel friends got married to Vipin on Monday. It was a very beautiful church ceremony. The bride looked gorgeous, as you can see in the pictures, and she looked completely natural, as if this was meant to be what she was born to do! I have always been to weddings where the bride was either too demure and shy or just bogged down by everything going on about her looking hassled and frustrated with the weight of makeup and outfit... Tanvi was so natural that it was even more wonderful to see her married.

Meeting the guests at the door, taking blessings and greetings..

Clicking pictures with friends and family..

Last minute dressing up for the Ladies Sangeet the day before the wedding (helpers: Mausi, Maid of Honour, and friend)

The Bride and Groom at the Ladies Sangeet

change

today I mark the change of my blog title. no longer the M.Phil. Chronicles, these are my thoughts and memories, in my Pensieve...

I felt it today. The crispness in the air that tells you that seasons are changing.. that the festive spirit is near at hand. I don't know if it is the smoke from fire-crackers or its just the shorter days which lend a smell and a feel to the air. I look forward to Diwali more than any other festival and since it comes around the time of my birthday, it seems as if the year is coming full circle. There is that sense of rounding-up, conclusion, closure. It is a bit depressing, since I always associate my birthday with death somehow. Strangely, it is still one of my favourite times of the year!!

Running on Thin Luck

Luck, I would think, is cold, like ice. It is dispassionate. It is stiff. It can soothe, but it can also burn. Mine sorta felt like it was burnt out last Wednesday.

I had my M.Phil. viva voce on that day. I was running a bit late because I had to make myself presentable at the beauty parlour. The Metro decided to stop for the 10 minutes at Dwarka Sector 14 that day. If it had stopped for longer, I would have been seriously late. But it didn't, which meant I would be at the Department of English on time, even with some time to spare. I usually take a rickshaw from the Metro station to the Faculty of Arts. I thought I would flip through my dissertation during the ride.

Then suddenly out of nowhere a car took a quick turn and my rickshaw swerved to avoid a head on collision, the turn was so sharp that the rickshaw tilted and fell over sideways. I was screaming while it was happening. Before even falling I knew I was about to fall and then swat like a fly I was flat on the ground. I got up, don't remember if anyone picked me up or not. I checked myself while someone came to pick up my things for me. I realised that none of my clothes were torn, I didn't have many scratches. My knee hurt a little. It was nowhere like the scooter accident I had in Okinawa, when I had lain on the ground conscious but unable to move for quite a while.

I don't know where I got the courage from but I wanted to shout at the car driver. Now there were two cars, and it was the second which came out of nowhere. The first one stopped but the second -the culprit- ran off. I was furious, moving towards the car which had stopped, I asked loudly to no one in particular and the world at large whether it was that car who caused the accident. When people told me no, I think I ranted in the middle of the road about who knows what...

Then a motorbike came fast near where I was standing and I shouted at them to kill the rest of me that happened to survive! I then stormed to my rickshaw, sat on it and ordered the rickshawala to go. I sobbed on the way a bit and when I reached the Department I wanted to breakdown completely. I was still in shock. Interestingly I didn't cry much (very unlike me). But I didn't want to stand in front of all my teachers like that! The Dissertation was so far off my mind at that moment. I could only think of how much worse it could have been.

I asked the office peon, who is a lovely gentlemen, one of my favourite office staff at the dept., to tell them what happened if they asked for me, that I was going to the bathroom to wash my face, that I need five more minutes. The convener of M.Phil. came out and asked me whether I wanted to sit down while they met the second candidate before me. (Did I mention I was the first person in the whole list?)

I sat and calmed down. Spoke to my friends. The story spread around and I kept saying, " It was nothing really." But it was something. I was shook up and I didn't really do a good viva in there. I was not confident anymore. I was nervous. I answered the questions but I wished I could have been more forcible and articulate, not stumbling looking for words..

Interestingly, I could still manage to joke when leaving. Trivedi told me to take care, and hoped I would be alright soon. I replied I'm already feeling better, and that my bag seems to have suffered worse physical damage. It was my favourite red bag that I got from Tokyo. And its strap came out.

* I may be a little superstitious, but I forgot to carry the Japanese charm I bought on New Year's day. I got the 'education' charm so that I can finish my Dissertation without ill-luck...

** on the Happy side, my Dissertation grade was A. Let's see what my overall grade, including the viva result, would be. It should be out soon. Keeping fingers crossed!

Delhi Metro is doomed

On Wednesday, 12th August, I was stuck in the Metro for over 2 and half hours. I boarded the train at around 5:45pm from Vishwavidyalaya but did not reach home until 8:30. A route that should have taken less than 1 and half hours, took over 2 and a half. Reason, around 4 o'clock a train got derailed at the Dwarka station. The driver of the train switched to manual and the train overshot the tracks which were still locked. Thankfully there were no casualty and the train was travelling at a low speed, otherwise it would have jumped over the elevated ramp onto the road. In the whole network, apart from the stations from where the train goes to the depots, there are only two sets of tracks, one coming and the other going. No extra track has been made for emergency. Due to this, the whole train schedule was running late, and there were very few trains running. The number of people queued up to board trains which didn't show up, and when they did, they were already full to the brim. At Rajiv Chowk, I stood and waited for two trains which were so packed that I refused to step into them. I chose instead to go back a few stations from where it wouldn't be so full. That was my mistake. I was unaware of the derailing and thought it was just some minor delay. The authorities hardly made any announcement, and when they did, they said the delay was due to some technical error. There was no procedure to stop passengers from entering the stations, commuters piled up with nowhere to go. It was stuffed but shockingly many people still stayed in line! When I was in the train, I had a seat but those standing were squished. With swine flu on the rise, who knows how many viruses were transmitted.. In the heat and humidity, the A/Cs hardly had any cooling and once the power went out; it was excruciating. Our train was halted for 20 minutes at a station with the doors closed. No announcement was made to inform us why it was stopped, even to regret the inconvenience caused. People fought off those trying to board the train when it did move to the next station. One guy in my train started shouting press the emergency button, lets talk to the driver and ask him whats wrong. and they did, which halted the train for another few minutes until some officials came to see to the problem. It could have been a medical situation.
In another 5 years or so, Delhi Metro will become obsolete. In its construction, there has been a unfortunate lack of foresight. Many things have not been thoroughly thought out before execution. If there had been extra tracks, this chaos could have been avoided. Not only that, but they could then have run rapid and fast trains which stop at only major stations, just like the Japanese system. In the present system, the train stops at all stations of the route taking an unneccessarily longer time! Also, they made Rajiv Chowk big, but not big enough to handle the load that will soon be added when the trains to Noida start. They need to add two more bogeys, but they still don't have them ready. Who knows how much time they will take for that. and even when they add them, the no. of people coomuting will also have increased. which means that trains will still be stuffed. I wonder what can be the solution?

new blog?

so... am wondering what to do about my blog.... I am on the last leg of my M. Phil. Chronicles... the viva dates have been announced. As some of you may know through my Facebook status, I am the first person on the list. I don't think its a good thing, all the profs of the department and the external will probably be too enthusiastic in the beginning and thus, they will fire off questions at me.. I donno what it'll be like and have been terrified of this moment since I first started M. Phil. I am not even ready to re-read my dissertation and long papers just yet! and its next week on Tuesday, 18th August!! Which also means that the grade on mydissertation should be coming out within this week! Gah! its moving too fast for me to be comfortable...

Which brings me back to my blog. I don't think I want to start another blog... I already have one for Oki and 2 others.. that's the trouble with titling it with a portion of one's life. I knew Okinawa Times would get over someday, and the M.Phil. Chronicles must come to an end too. So why did I name them such? Right about now I can't think of a new title. But I suppose I can wait until my final result comes out which would be by the end of August I suppose. But after that I will have to change the name. Still thinking on it. Maybe it will come like a flash as it did with my dissertation title. But I wouldn't mind suggestions! :) so, friends, do you have any?

News:

1. The Dissertation is over and done with. I decided the title on the final day! It is: "Anarchy in the UK! Punk Rock, Racism and Hanif Kureishi: A Cultural Study" How does it sound?
   
   
2. I saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to celebrate the completion. I loved the movie, but wanted more! I also felt that it would be confusing for a person who hadn't read the book. I had read it a long time ago and hardly remembered the story. Wanted to re-read it before watching the movie, but am glad I didn't have the time to do so, coz then there was some amount of suspense!
   
   
3. Last week, I attended this 6-day orientation for new teachers of the English Language Proficiency Course that will be run by Delhi University for the second time from August 10 to mid-December. Needless to say, that I am one of the teachers... Lets see how it will be trying to teach nearly-adult learners the correct usage of English.
   
   
4. On the 5th day of the Orientation, I started coughing. The constant AirConditioning finally got to me. As the day progressed, I felt a dull ache in my head coming along. My back started aching as well and I knew I was gonna get sick. The next 3 days were spent trying to bring down my temperature from the 101-2 degrees Fahrenheit that it was. My cough still hasn't completely gone.
   
   
5. On Sunday, 2nd of August, I moved out of the hostel. I was still very sick at the time, but I didn't ask for another extension since the International Students House for Women authorities suck majorly. They have been trying their best to kick old students out so they can fill it with new unsuspecting ones since we oldies know their dark history. The hostel is not the place it used to be, and I am glad I am out of it. The way they behaved especially with my friend, Aditi, telling her to move out in a day on her birthday(!!) was nothing but DESPICABLE. I'm very disgusted with these women and a full rant will follow soon enough.
   
   
6. I am now living at home and looking for a job (besides the ELPC).