#The One With The Serial Killers

'Serial Killer' is the title that I have conferred upon my elder sister, as I believe that it best brings out her love for soap-operas and sitcoms, which transcends her love for almost anything else when it comes to whiling away time. Yes, my sister is a Serial Killer. She loves watching daily soaps and all kinds of TV serials over anything else, despite her being a research scholar at one of the top-most technological institutions in the country. And quite contrary to my earlier beliefs, where I have to say I was heavily disillusioned, I have eventually come to learn that TV soaps are not something that can be generalized  to being watched by just bored homemakers, people who deeply enjoy hyper-drama or those who are less intellectually inclined.I know I sound like a massive snob here, and maybe I actually was one, but I assure you, I have come a long way since then. In fact, I now think that a person's intelligence, IQ, profession, age, gender  and interests have got nothing to do with them being daily soap lovers, or to say the least, watchers.

                                     

My 3 year old neighbour watches them and so do my very old grandparents. I keep hearing about various soaps from my friends at College and I swear one Sunday I heard my very macho neighbour humming the theme tune of  "Baalika Vadhu" as he washed his bike away !I also once read an interview in a science journal, where the interviewee was a very senior female employee at ISRO, and she proudly confessed that she too, at the end of the day, wanted her share of Saas-Bahus. 


I honestly still don't understand what makes then click, but one thing is for certain, soap operas are here to stay, love them, hate them or mock them.
Now this blog post is not an essay on "How Daily Soaps Have Become A Part ad Parcel of Our Lives" and this is where we come to the fun-part. Observing my sister, parents and close friends, I have come to derive a set of conditions, which, if regularly complied with by a person, can easily be used to classify him as a Serial Killer.


So readers, if you conform to three or more of the following conditions, then Beware! You have been doing some Serial Killing lately. :P


1. Can juggle between watching 2-3  shows running in the same time slot, without missing on any of their plots.


2. Stream and watch the missed out episodes of your favourite shows online.


3. Watch relay broadcasts on weekends, despite having watched all the runs in the week


4. Know (almost) all the characters of your shows by their real life names.


5.  Consider Maha-episodes and One-hour specials a treat!


6. Are thrilled by the prospect of guest appearances and cameos of other TV stars and actors on your shows.


7.Wittingly/unwittingly quote the signature dialogues of characters on TV shows in real life.


8. The show's theme song makes up your ringtone, or at least a small part of your music collection.


9. Come to know about world news, upcoming festivals and latest movie songs through a daily soap you watched.


10.Model your style statement on one of the show's main characters.


11. Think of watching daily soaps as a way of interacting with different cultures.


Author's Note: A lot has gone into softening my attitude towards daily soaps and serials, and I have my sister  and college friends to thank for it. I look at it as a reflection of what I may like to call my increased understanding of the fact that "People do not always have the same likes and dislikes as you do, nor do they always behave the way you expect them to.....but in no ways does that make them any less lovable." :)

#The One With The Small Little Things

Well guys, as today I hit the 20th milestone on this forever perplexing journey called life, I thought I would mark it with a blog post, about something that brings out the essence of what I have become as a result of all my travels, trying my best to learn whatever I could, as I have trudged along.  I couldn't think of any one thing in particular, so I decided to share with you a list of things doing/seeing/listening/thinking of which gives me immense joy. 
Things might come and things might go, but these are some things that have remained quite constant over the years.However unreasonable(and insane) they might seem, they are signature me!

                                                         

                                                     

   Hence, presenting, in no particular order, "The Small Little Things":


 *Running up to an elevator and pressing the up/down button before the people accompanying me, or those standing even remotely close to the elevator doors can!


* Stopping right in my tracks whenever I spot a gulmohar tree with its leaves within my reach, plucking the leaves, stripping the small leaflets off them...and blowing them away with a puff of air :P


* (Lightly) Pulling the hair of cute little girl and (softly) poking a cute little boy whenever I happen to be close enough to either/both of them to execute my intentions.I just have to do it.(No kind of injury was caused to any child for writing the above.I am pretty child friendly, I assure you).


* Not being able to eat a chocolate in my possession all by myself, however hard I may try !
(chocolates, I believe, are strictly meant to be shared)


* Almost literally licking the Maggi masala  off my plate, until the very last remains are gone!


* Drawing a smiley besides my name, whenever I write it on the front page of a book(or anywhere in  fact)!


* Writing and underlining the 'Hence,proved' after solving even the silliest question from the most stupid subject that might have ever been created!


* Doodling about in the flour scattered on the kitchen slab, as my mother makes chapatis and I try my best to be a nuisance. I call it "Aatta Art" :P


* SUFI MUSIC.Period.


*Quizzing.....will always remain a favourite, however good or bad I might be at it at any particular time!


* The coffee, the free time and the Harry Potter book(or any good book for that matter)!


* Travelling alone in an empty-ish metro compartment, listening to FM radio and mild sunlight pouring in!


* Singing a groovy song with friends, complementing it with beats produced on any nearby surface! Jamming wihtout instruments basically.. :)


* Creating something entirely new on a whim! 


I am sure I am missing out on a real lot of things here, but insanity too has its limits!! :P


Author's Note: I began writing this post on my 20th birthday, which happened to be around 4 months ago, but couldn't eventually publish it since I am such a lazy bum, too lazy to even exucute minor edits.But I'll let the thing out now......comments and reviews are most welcome!

#The One Written Just Like That

I SEE A MILLION FACES, EACH WITH A STORY TO TELL,

I WOULD BUY EACH ONE WITH MY TIME,

IF WITH THEIR'S, THEY WOULD SELL :)

# The One With The Most Difficult Task

Yes, the most difficult task.The task of getting back to where I lost contact with this blog and taking it forward from right  there. This(read:blogging) has been something that I have wanted to do ever since I was in the ninth grade and first heard about blogs.To regularly dedicate some part of my time to it ranked high on my to-do list when I was about to start with college. 

But college, as I have happened to register, is actually a different world altogether. { I guess I now know that all those people mentioned in my seminal post on this blog(if by any ghastly chance you happened to read it) weren't exactly wrong( though I still maintain- overenthusiastic) in their views about college life!} 

So I guess the thing that basically kept me away from it is precisely the thing it was supposed to be about - my life, once I began with college.Its been a dizzying,exhilarating,exciting and at times nauseating roller-coster ride to say the least, with me learning something new(or letting go of something old) at every twist and turn.

This post has been building up in my head for over two months now...and I just haven't been able to find the right words to express the amazing time I have had, the wonderful(and not-so-wonderful) people I have met and all the crazy things that have happened to me over the past one year, in a single blog post.I won't try very hard either.'Coz like I said, its time to take it forward from here and I will certainly try my best, with whatever frugal literary capacities I have. 

I welcome you aboard, my dear reader, on this sojourn through the metaphorical pages of "THe CoLLege DiaRIEs". :D

Author's Note: Making a comeback to this passion of mine has taken a lot more courage and effort than is apparent. I had entirely given up on it and have a seriously long list of people to thank, who made me believe that whatever I write is of any kind of interest to anyone at all. So I take this opportunity to thank:
* A very close friend, who is amazingly gifted with words and never ceases to tell me that my posts make for intereseting reads.She recently revived her own blog.INSPIRATION.

*An equally gifted friend of the abovesaid friend(who eats,drinks and breathes literature),who read the blog and made me feel extremely nice with the reviews.MOTIVATION.

*A few old friends, who have asked me more than once about my next bog post.Specially one particular friend, who wouldt stop badgering me about it from time to time.AFFECTION.

*A very new friend, who said "You must write more often, and share too!"COGNIZANCE,GRATITUDE.

*And last but in no way the least, a very old friend again, who threatened to sit on a fast at Ramlila if he didnt happen to see a new post in two days' time.DEFERENCE.

THANK YOU EVERYONE! (I do sound like a Booker winning author,I know, but what's life without a little drama,huh!?)

# The One With All The Photography

It all started with the rain. Yesterday, all of a sudden we were engulfed in a stream of great winds, wonderful rains and the finest weather there could be.Since I had nothing more engrossing or demanding at hand(how could there be!), I decided to make the best of the day. I went outside my house and hardly had I set foot outside that a sudden thought flew straight up to me. I felt like it had always existed somewhere but had never bothered to present itself to me before. I wanted to photograph the rain.
Now, the thing with photography is that no one in my family is particularly enthusiastic about it. They believe that it is better to enjoy the moment right then, than lose the entire fun of it in trying to capture it. I beg to differ, I try to capture a moment forever so that just a look at the snap can take me back to whenever and wherever it was shot.I always try to shoot with a subject. I dont know why but people along with landscapes or in the middle of them appeal more to me than just plain landscapes.So I naturally asked my mother to pose for me along with the rain.She obviously refused.(" Let me enjoy the weather", She said in the manner in which she would ward off a fly).I started looking for other subjects.What happened next is for all of you to see.


1. I started with  a few school children who were crossing the park that lies right in front of my house. I knew one of them and called her out to stop.None of them did, saying they were already late and were also getting soaked( though I can bet the world they were loving it).

Walking away, or rather running away from me!

2. I then called out to a hard working gentleman who's working at some construction or renovation or repair or whatever it is, near my house. He gave me a look which told me he believed I was incapable of saying anything sane and kept walking.He too was loving the rain, I am telling you.

He thinks I am mad.

I was already two pics down and I couldn't see the rain in any of the shots, though it was raining considerably well at that time. I thought that taking a close up might do the job.And hence resorted to some self-photography.Please don't laugh.


3.This is me obviously, being clicked by my camera which at this point of time was sitting atop a tower of tables and stools.

Me.

4. I hadn't zoomed enough, tried again.

Zoomed Me.

Still no rain to be seen. Bad shot anyways.


5. I turned back to the park, where a few guys were macho-ing about on handle bars. I have to admit that by this time my interest had completely diverted from trying to capture the rain to just clicking about randomly.I tried to zoom enough to capture their faces. I was unsuccesful of course, actually my camera was.

Iron Men.

6. My lovely neighbour then came out to take in some drying clothes. I just love her smile.So naturally I had to click her. My snooty neighbour-next got caught in the frame too, talking on his phone.

My Sweetest Neighbour.

7. Focus shifted back to rain. More pics, of grilles and ground.

 

Here I guess I could see some rain.

Here, I guess, I could see the rain to some extent.


8. I took a break. Decided to go and buy some samosas.They had been finished. Headed back home. Thought of taking some final few shots.
I found a most interesting subject this time, a rain-frog. I call him a rain-frog and not just a frog is that 'coz the only time during the year that I get to see him is during the rains. Well this part was the most interesting as he wouldn't stand still and also 'coz my father was home by this time. He always enjoys watching me do silly stuff like this and this time around he himself turned into an accomplice and even held an umbrella over my head as I went on to photograph the ever hopping froggy! How I love my DAD!
Meet Mr. Frog.

Don't take this dude wrong. He's throwing no attitude, just a little camera shy ;)

Author's Note: Sorry all readers for boring you with this random, whimsical photosession of mine. It actualy had to be put up here 'coz of two reasons, firstly it marks a very memorable day in my life and secondly, the draft had been ready for over a month and only minor changes had to be made, so it would  have been unfair to now not put it up, when its been in the queue for so long. Saayonara.

# The One Where I Made Tea

In someone else's kitchen. Without any help from whom it belonged to. And if any of you have ever tried this or something similar, you might not exactly disagree with me if I say that a plumber in a cockpit might be much better off.

Lets start with the start.

I, with my mother, went to visit a very old friend of hers.Now this lady and her family are the earthiest people I know, straightforwardly simple. So I make it a point, or maybe I dont, 'coz it kind of works out subconsciously, that I leave all my baggage of formalities behind me when I am out visiting them.

Once there, it took no time for the two ladies to get busy with their gossip. Since aunty's children were not around, I was feeling a little left out, more so as they ventured onto topics and people(basically other aunties and their families) I had no idea about.

So I drifted towards an inner room to find something interesting. "Maybe I should fiddle with Smita's(her daughter's) stuff.", I thought( shameless I know, but cant help it when I am there!).Just then I heard aunty call out my name. "Go make some tea for us if you are getting bored!"." Tea, yeah that sounds nice.",I thought and went on to bellow an "Okay, I'll just get it for you." from the other end of the house.I didn't realise I was signing up for half an hour of total confusion and chaos.

I entered the kitchen and thought it would be wise to first get the things together, unlike in my own kitchen where my hands just move about mechanically and tea is ready before I know it! 
I looked first for mugs, there were almost half a dozen of those, some here some there. I didn't know if all of them were meant to serve tea.So I took two most likely candidates along with me to where the two ladies sat.They were so busy talking and looking at some new clothes of Anamika's{(aunty's elder daughter),fresh development in my absence} that they took no notice of me, and finding it impossible to break their conversation I headed back.I then went out to bring milk from the refrigerator, which ,to my horror, also contained 3 different containers, all carrying milk. After much thought I chose the one which contained the least amount of milk, considering it to be the one that was currently being used.Back to the kitchen, I looked for tea and sugar, which I luckily found soon enough.I didn't know which water to use, the one in the jug or in the RO.Played safe,decided on RO.Count find the pan in which to make the tea. After five minutes of searching to no avail, I settled for a pateela.
Lit the stove and put the tea up. It had come to full boil and it was time to take it down just when I realised that I had forgotten to find the sieve. Fearing that the tea might overboil if I kept the stove on or cool down before I sieved it if I shut the stove, I looked frantically in all directions without moving away from the pateela. My eys finally found the sieve, I took it and shut the stove.New horror: I didn't know how to get the pateela down from the stove, I did this with a chimta( it was very dangerous and stupid of me, now that  I think of it) and also managed to spill some tea in the process. Finally the tea was through. I served it nicely, I had managed to find a pack of biscuits!

I looked at the watch. I had been in there for nearly 40 minutes.Besides cleaning the kitchen slab with the kitchen floor mop(it was hung on the tap above the sink,and not  the one underneath it, how was I supposed to make out!) I managed to avoid any major disaster, which infact,is a rare feat for me.

I sighed with great relief.Almost all my mental capacities had been totally drained.

The two ladies just laughed.

#The One Where This Blog Comes To Be

"Tu abhi college nahi gayi na isliye tujhe pata nahi hai!"( You haven't been to college as yet, so you really don't know!)-Friend,

"Tujhe kya pata hai college ke baare mein,chup kar!"( You don't know anything about college,so shut up!)-Elder Sis,

"Tu college to jaa fir poochungi tujhse"(You go to college once, I'll ask you then)-Another Friend

"College alag hi hota hai yaar, school se bahot alag "( College is something different altogether, pretty different from school)-A lot of friends

"Itni badi nahi hui hai tu abhi, sirf admission hi hua hai, college jaana shuru nahi ho gayi hai"( You are not as grown up as you think you are, you have only been admitted yet,you have not even actually begun attending college)- MOM( who else!)

"What gibberish is this?", you might be thinking. Well,These are just snippets that have been jumping in quite regularly in any conversation I have been having with anyone for almost the entire past two months.

It was mildly interesting in the beginning but has become downright irritating these days. Okay,I am going to start with college this year,in a few days' time, and it feels great but guess what, everybody else is more excited than me! I mean, I know entering college marks the beginning of a different phase in one's life altogether, which is why,to mark the new beginning I am also setting up this dear blog of mine,  but I would really appreciate it if my loved ones could be a little downbeat about it, 'coz all this hype and hooplah is giving me more jitters than the entire thing is worth.

Anyways, A big Hello to everyone who happens to come across this blog.Thank You for stopping by. Please dont take me for a snooty teenager who's too arrogant to like her dear ones to be involved with the little joys in her life, 'coz saying the above doesnt mean I am any less excited about college and honestly, not just college but life in general, its just that I want it to be the most normal thing to do.

This blog is a tribute to the glorious years gone by and an attempt to capture the wonderful ones that are yet to come. It is my way of journalising all the strange,funny,crazy and unbelievable( I might be missing a lot of categories here) things,people,moments and incidents(here too) that I might encounter on this upcoming roller coaster ride.Please join in.

You might consider me to be sitting on the pole right now.