Ever since I have started going to the gym alone, I wish I had B for company. Wouldn't she love making comments about all those bony-bummed gym-rats? I wonder how they sit comfortably... they probably need a lot of cushions to make up for the lack of fat on their posteriors!
But these are people I admire for their dedication. Then there are those I admire for the lack of it. They are the hoarders of fat. People who look for any opportunity to stop exercising. They catch hold of anyone who passes by, to chat. They try not to make eye contact with the trainers and give excuses to the nutritionist for not following the diet plan. Then, they look at the clock and commend themselves for an hour well spent in the gym... who cares how they spent it!
These days I see an elderly couple (really fat ones) coming in to exercise together. While the husband seems sincere, the wife is just passing time. She sits on the cycle slowly moving her legs and staring into the distance. As soon as she sees her husband approach she speeds up. It's cute really!
Then there is this really old man who walks with a stick and has an attendant with him always. He is very regular and recently I saw a picture of him in the papers - he had participated in the marathon (elderly category). Apparently he has Parkinson's disease and took part on the insistence of his granddaughter. She couldn't run because of a fever but he decided to go ahead and run for her.
You might think that all I ever do at the gym is sit and observe people. No, I sit-up and observe people. 3 sets of 15 each.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Crusade against profanity
What is this addiction to profanity that has taken over the world? Song lyrics mention the unmentionables, actresses are clamouring for roles where they can swear to their hearts' content and kids start and end their sentences with the F-word. Even my maid who has only studied till the 4th standard says "Oh S***"... yes, in English and LOL has been replaced with LMAO.
One might argue that these are just words like any words and the dictionary meaning probably just makes them more popular. So if you happen to just invent a word and attach an obnoxious meaning to it, it will become extremely popular.
I for one, cannot help my ears going red when I hear profanity. It actually produces an extreme physical reaction in me. Embarrassment and anger at the speaker for subjecting me to it. And most of the times the person doesn't even realise that he/she has said it.
There was this young male colleague who was in the habit of using the f-word to describe everything. One day, a very senior lady from my organisation, this colleague and me were travelling to a campus interview. On the way there the three of us shared a car. The young man was so delighted by the company that he began a long speech about his experience in campus recruitment and so on. Invariably the f-word crept up and kept showing up in every other sentence. My senior colleague and me went red in the face, but the young man didn't notice. Finally I interrupted him and requested him to watch his language and if he can't then keep quiet on the campus recruitment drive. He was genuinely surprised and apologised profusely saying that using the word had become such a habit since his college days that he used it sub-consciously.
I refuse to believe that argument. If you want you can use different words instead of a bad one. Read and educate yourselves in vocabulary and don't restrict your speech to a few bad words. This is a sincere request.
One might argue that these are just words like any words and the dictionary meaning probably just makes them more popular. So if you happen to just invent a word and attach an obnoxious meaning to it, it will become extremely popular.
I for one, cannot help my ears going red when I hear profanity. It actually produces an extreme physical reaction in me. Embarrassment and anger at the speaker for subjecting me to it. And most of the times the person doesn't even realise that he/she has said it.
There was this young male colleague who was in the habit of using the f-word to describe everything. One day, a very senior lady from my organisation, this colleague and me were travelling to a campus interview. On the way there the three of us shared a car. The young man was so delighted by the company that he began a long speech about his experience in campus recruitment and so on. Invariably the f-word crept up and kept showing up in every other sentence. My senior colleague and me went red in the face, but the young man didn't notice. Finally I interrupted him and requested him to watch his language and if he can't then keep quiet on the campus recruitment drive. He was genuinely surprised and apologised profusely saying that using the word had become such a habit since his college days that he used it sub-consciously.
I refuse to believe that argument. If you want you can use different words instead of a bad one. Read and educate yourselves in vocabulary and don't restrict your speech to a few bad words. This is a sincere request.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Vacation
This time our Goa experience was different although we stayed near the same beach we go to every year - Baga. We stayed at a resort which was supposed to be 4 star but didn't really match up to those standards. We didn't mind too much because most of our days were spent outside. As always we hired a scooter and drove around, but discovered new places this time.
The best part was that we discovered the Baga riverside and a quaint little restaurant called Le Poisson Rouge run by a Frenchman. We also visited Taj village which had a coffee shop overlooking the sea... very pleasant.
Then we went to Bangalore for two days... the best two days in a long time. Bangalore has changed so much... although I can't say it's for the best. Too much crowd and noise. But, we still enjoyed walking around early in the morning when there was a nip in the air. We went to some of our old haunts and also explored new ones. I enjoyed the Metro ride.... when will Mumbai ever get one???
Two days didn't seem like a lot but we filled in as much as we could and met up with quite a few old friends. Then back to Mumbai it was ... thankfully not as hot as we had left it a couple of weeks ago.
The best part was that we discovered the Baga riverside and a quaint little restaurant called Le Poisson Rouge run by a Frenchman. We also visited Taj village which had a coffee shop overlooking the sea... very pleasant.
Then we went to Bangalore for two days... the best two days in a long time. Bangalore has changed so much... although I can't say it's for the best. Too much crowd and noise. But, we still enjoyed walking around early in the morning when there was a nip in the air. We went to some of our old haunts and also explored new ones. I enjoyed the Metro ride.... when will Mumbai ever get one???
Two days didn't seem like a lot but we filled in as much as we could and met up with quite a few old friends. Then back to Mumbai it was ... thankfully not as hot as we had left it a couple of weeks ago.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Why does a show of intense rage (without violence) raise objection and a show of love doesn't? Why must I be discreet with my anger and open with my love? I am mean sometimes (actually most times) and I wish to have the freedom to express my meanness just as I have the freedom to express my affection.
If being in "civilised" society means that I must mask my real emotions about a person or situation to "maintain decorum", I'd like to go live in the jungle.
If being in "civilised" society means that I must mask my real emotions about a person or situation to "maintain decorum", I'd like to go live in the jungle.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Thoughts...
I have decided not to click any pictures on my next vacation. It's true that pictures serve as a sweet reminder of the fun times we have had, but sometimes we are so engrossed in clicking photographs that we fail to savour the moment.
This time I just want to be in the moment and later recollect from memory. It's like trying to remember the taste of a delicious dish you've had. Let the brain build up it's own visual bank without a photograph trying to help it.
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This time I just want to be in the moment and later recollect from memory. It's like trying to remember the taste of a delicious dish you've had. Let the brain build up it's own visual bank without a photograph trying to help it.
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In these times of the smartphone, I have realised that I have lost patience to read a book in one sitting. I am taking much too long to finish a 200-300 page book!
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I don't know if we should be called humans anymore when a half dead man is left sitting on the road with his limbs scattered all around, pictures are clicked, questions are asked with no hurry being shown to take him to a hospital. Did they instantly know he was guilty? Does that mean he didn't deserve medical aid? #imphal
I don't know if we should be called humans anymore when a half dead man is left sitting on the road with his limbs scattered all around, pictures are clicked, questions are asked with no hurry being shown to take him to a hospital. Did they instantly know he was guilty? Does that mean he didn't deserve medical aid? #imphal
Thursday, August 25, 2011
5 years of wedded bliss
Five years with you have been a great adventure. Look forward to many many more. Happy Anniversary :)
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Things we don't hear in Hindi films anymore
Chrys is a big fan of the 70s and 80s movies with high octane drama, a love story with villains and a long drawn out climax.
These films have their appeal in their outrageous story lines and awesome dialogues. They don't write these kind of lines anymore.
1. "Kaminey, chod de mujhe" (I gotta keep myself pure for the hero)
2. "Marne ke liye tayar ho jao" (Wait, I need to touch up my makeup)
3. "Tumhari maut mere haathon likhi hai" (The villain always dies a horrible death after spouting this dialogue)
4. "Main samajhta tha tum mujhse pyar karti ho lekin tum bewafa nikli" (The heroine will immediately speak about her majboori)
5. "Tum ne hamare khandaan ki naak kata di" (Now I gotta spend a bomb on a nose job!)
6. "Prem naam hai mera, Prem Chopra" (Bond naam hai mera, James Bond)
7. "Main tumhare bache ki maa banne wali hoon" (You idiot, I wanted to go on a back-packing trip across Europe and now this has spoilt all my plans)
8. "Ek maa ka dard tum nahi samajh sakte" (Just shut up and rub in the Zandu balm)
9. "Police ne tumhe charon taraf se gher liya hai" (And we will fall like bowling pins when you come thundering out on your horse or jeep all guns blazing)
10. "Yeh to bas shuruvaat hai. Aage aage dekho hota hai kya" (This movie is 4 hours long. Stock up on the popcorn and samosas)
These films have their appeal in their outrageous story lines and awesome dialogues. They don't write these kind of lines anymore.
1. "Kaminey, chod de mujhe" (I gotta keep myself pure for the hero)
2. "Marne ke liye tayar ho jao" (Wait, I need to touch up my makeup)
3. "Tumhari maut mere haathon likhi hai" (The villain always dies a horrible death after spouting this dialogue)
4. "Main samajhta tha tum mujhse pyar karti ho lekin tum bewafa nikli" (The heroine will immediately speak about her majboori)
5. "Tum ne hamare khandaan ki naak kata di" (Now I gotta spend a bomb on a nose job!)
6. "Prem naam hai mera, Prem Chopra" (Bond naam hai mera, James Bond)
7. "Main tumhare bache ki maa banne wali hoon" (You idiot, I wanted to go on a back-packing trip across Europe and now this has spoilt all my plans)
8. "Ek maa ka dard tum nahi samajh sakte" (Just shut up and rub in the Zandu balm)
9. "Police ne tumhe charon taraf se gher liya hai" (And we will fall like bowling pins when you come thundering out on your horse or jeep all guns blazing)
10. "Yeh to bas shuruvaat hai. Aage aage dekho hota hai kya" (This movie is 4 hours long. Stock up on the popcorn and samosas)
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Mujhse Fraandship Karo
Being friends in today's day and age means patiently tolerating endless vacation photos and updates(occasionally being asked to eat your liver too), driving the person home when he/she is drunkenly singing in the back seat, cooking up a delicious meal only for the person to inform you that he/she hates chicken/mutton/bhindi or is on a diet, being sworn enemies in your childhood and the dearest of friends when adults.... and much more. I love you all my dear, crazy bunch of friends :)
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Hunterwali in Rajasthan
While Mumbai was being pounded with rain, Chrys and I were boiling in the heat of Rajasthan.
On our second night in Jaipur we visited a place called Chokhi Dhani for dinner. It's an artificial village where they have puppet and magic shows, dance performances, sale of locally made artefacts and a dinner of rajasthani dishes. There we were being taken around the little village when we chanced upon some guys dressed up as tribals holding sticks and drums. One of them walked up to us and handed Chrys and me a stick and said "Jhingalala"... no further explanations required. We took the sticks and danced in a circle to drum beats.
This was one of the high points of our visit to Rajasthan. Of course the Jai Mahal Palace deserves a mention. It's beautiful with Mughal styled gardens and wild peacocks, parrots and squirrels having a fun time in them. It also helped that it rained while we there and the peacocks went crazy crying out "Meow meow" (yeah that's what peacocks sound like).
I didn't quite enjoy the two minute camel ride in Chokhi Dhani, but Chrys was whooping away plucking leaves from the high branches of nearby trees just coz he could!
We saw a LOT of forts, palaces, museums and what nots. We also visited Jodhpur and Jaisalmer which are small cities in comparison to Jaipur. This was probably not a good time to visit Rajasthan but we were blessed with pouring rain on one of the days and that cooled the temperatures a bit. I still cribbed about the heat and took repeated showers depleting the precious water resources of that region.
On two occasions I almost beat up guys for taking pictures of me while they were pretending to click some museum piece or something. The first time Chrys made a half-hearted attempt to come to my rescue and the second time he just stood around like a spectator while I fought with the guy. Maybe he thinks my Jhansi-ki-rani act doesn't need extras. I wish I had a hunter with which I could whip those perverts and accidentally strike Chrys too with it.
On our second night in Jaipur we visited a place called Chokhi Dhani for dinner. It's an artificial village where they have puppet and magic shows, dance performances, sale of locally made artefacts and a dinner of rajasthani dishes. There we were being taken around the little village when we chanced upon some guys dressed up as tribals holding sticks and drums. One of them walked up to us and handed Chrys and me a stick and said "Jhingalala"... no further explanations required. We took the sticks and danced in a circle to drum beats.
This was one of the high points of our visit to Rajasthan. Of course the Jai Mahal Palace deserves a mention. It's beautiful with Mughal styled gardens and wild peacocks, parrots and squirrels having a fun time in them. It also helped that it rained while we there and the peacocks went crazy crying out "Meow meow" (yeah that's what peacocks sound like).
I didn't quite enjoy the two minute camel ride in Chokhi Dhani, but Chrys was whooping away plucking leaves from the high branches of nearby trees just coz he could!
We saw a LOT of forts, palaces, museums and what nots. We also visited Jodhpur and Jaisalmer which are small cities in comparison to Jaipur. This was probably not a good time to visit Rajasthan but we were blessed with pouring rain on one of the days and that cooled the temperatures a bit. I still cribbed about the heat and took repeated showers depleting the precious water resources of that region.
On two occasions I almost beat up guys for taking pictures of me while they were pretending to click some museum piece or something. The first time Chrys made a half-hearted attempt to come to my rescue and the second time he just stood around like a spectator while I fought with the guy. Maybe he thinks my Jhansi-ki-rani act doesn't need extras. I wish I had a hunter with which I could whip those perverts and accidentally strike Chrys too with it.
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