In the middle of all these exam confusions, I badly wanted to escape into fictional characters and have fun for a few hours. I was itching to buy Chetan Bhagat's new novel Two States-the story of my marriage, the latest of his work and more cinematic too (though three mistakes was equally bollywoodish). This book is no different than his earlier novels like Five Point Someone or three mistakes. Infact its a continuation of five point sumone hari, who is now doing a mba in IIM-A though this time he is Krish!! :) The heroine, Ananya is a Tam Bram iyer from mylapore who eats chicken n will do anything to get a glass of beer..! A beautiful girl (of course, for d hero) who is also in IIM-A n lives with our hero krish ( literally live). Then the story goes on to explain how they convince their parents to accepting their marraige proposal. Since I am from Chennai, it was refreshing to read familiar street's n place's name as against some english name. It was heartening to read that "Nungambakkam" was considered the toughest word to pronounce for a North Indian guy!!
The author has captured the mood of tamilians in a pretty partial kinda way but his acknowledgment page includes an apology for taking a go at the "madrasis". He justifies that he takes a go on these ppl cause he feels they are his own. o much for justification!!!!
I dont know anything about a Punjabi family but i can relate to a lot of things he has described here. Like for instance, in Chennai, he says, people dont talk while eating but in Punjabi if such a silence is followed, then it will be construed that something has terribly gone wrong or someone had died.!! Now i can relate to this statement cause in my UG class, the most talkative gang was that of a North Indian gals gang and we(South Indian gang) have often got irritated because of their non-stop talking and high powered energy to chatter on.
In the initial few pages where the story is set in IIM-A, I found it quite interesting to note that even at IIMs non-commerce students keep quiet while d commerce students answer nu.. Cheers!! ( I wish my class would reflect the same kinda environment too.. *sigh*) Oh yeah I forgot, there is quite a superb mention of citi bank and its operations.Whoa! I think the author is a victim of the "citi never sleeps" bug. Citi bank is one of my dream mnc where i would like to work someday in future. But this is the second time I am hearing about Citi's work place and how very different they are. (First time being when i attended a guest lecture on work life balance, the guest(a former citi bank employee who quit citi bank after she gave birth to a beautiful girl baby), told the crowd that citi bank is very understanding about women who are carrying. They understood their problems and gave them two options to consider-1. Either be a citi banker or 2. be a housewife..!!??!! How very understanding!!) Chetan Bhagat here tells d readers that when a citi bank manager says "You have a great future" that means you have no life at all now!! see my point??
Overall an interesting read throughout but its the same old masala about convincing parents.
I had a chance to watch this movie a couple o days back and it is a typical romantic comedy drama of the hollywood but with great cast. it gave me a few things to wonder ( These things are lot more easier to think about than the pending cwa syllabus!!) There were two characters who impressed me most. 1. that Beth, who was in a relationship for 7 years with a guy so perfect and understanding except for a minor flaw that he didnt want to get married. He was of the opinion that marriages are for people who feel very insecure about their relationship and that tey get married just to confirm that they will not go behind another person. Now thats a strange thought. often we have looked at marriage as the final thing to a wonderful relationship.Atleast thats what our culture has taught us. But this thought is the beautiful other side of the coin.( if my mom gets to smell even d slightest of these thoughts of mine, i would be in the streets before i can even blink my eyes.) Now talking about beth, like any other girl she wanted marriage and left the guy because he was not ready to give that to her. during her days alone, she realised that the guy she had was tons better than the "husbands" her sisters had. so bak to the heron all is well :) But the guy was damn sweet. he proposed marriage saying that if he even wants to have a shot at happiness, then he wanted beth happy. wow. That was so romantic!!!
Another character i loved was this one guy called Alex. i mainly liked him cause he was damn cute!! i wouldnt call him hot though. He is this cute lookin guy who just lives life and have fun. he goes out with a lot of girls but always maintains it at an arm's length that he doesnt realise when he actually finally fell for one of the girls. He will finally call her "his exception". :)
Very girly movie but after all its fun to be a girl :) :)
Yesterday when I was on my way to college in the ungodly hour of 7 in the morning,I was not exactly feeling my usual cheerful self for various reasons. Fought with a friend of mine ( I always fight with someone or the other but few ppl affect me!). Then I wanted to bunk coll but had to come because if I bunk often then i might lack attendance. whenever I attend college just cause I cant bunk, I mostly am indifferent to whats happening around me and will b quiet and totally touchy. Yesterday was one such not so glorious day and I was sleepwalking from the nungambakkam railway stationto the choolaimedu bus stop to take a share auto to my college. And thankfully I didnt wait long. Got into one auto and the auto stopped at a stop some 50mtrs before loyola.There were 4 girls who wanted to get in. tTere was space for three ppl to sit. The girl who came in last stood near the step and was struggling to stand. suddenly a guy who had been sitting got out of the auto, paid and started walking. I opened my eyes for the first time that morning (the guy was looking good actually :P) and took a good look at the guy. He need not have gotton down at this stop. Assuming that he was going to loyola, he could have very well gotten down at the next stop. I honestly dont know why he did that but i think he got down cause that girl was standing uncomfortably. It made me smile. Strange how this small incident made me smile. I kept turning around to see that guy much to the discomfort of the lady who was sitting near me( 4 of us were cramped in the last seat) till the auto turned the corner and I had to contend with just the image of him and look ahead for a bright day.
Certain people make an impression in you whether you know them or not and it will stay forever. They wont even know that they have left a lasting impression in you. Its life.Who knows, somebody is blogging about you at this very moment about how you made an impression on them. (I'm fairly sure that the friend i fought with would be cursing me at this very moment and thats the impression i left on someone :P. Mind you, i still feel happy. and yes, that guy was really looking good!! :))
To all these people I owe, not just my life but something more..
In no particular order..
Sowmiya Devi: My friend for the past ten years. Always sporting a smile and never “Unavailable” for me. Aunty’s chapathi rocksJ and uncle’s kalsaifyings:-). Do you remember that photo session at your place when we were in 8th? Ur bro took d pics n I was looking like a “kid lost in a storm” and u like a “latest fashion sensation” n datcha looking so serious as though a bomb is about to fall over our heads (I have the pic with me). For all those wonderful times at your place and outside, thank you.:-)
Ps: At some point in life, do visit my place at least once. You owe that to me!!!
Dhanayanthi: That serious looking tall girl whom I befriended some ten years ago and since then I have been entitled to the pleasures of doing things “together”. Be it studies or cycling or chatting or shopping or anything. I never forgave you for being better than me at math when we studied with my cousin sis at my place. I used to wonder how u got all the ans right when I couldn’t even remember the sum. Those kiddish days! Do you remember that day when v almost ran(read as rolled) over from the bus stop to my place at 9 in the nite? We were late coming back from sow’s place n we lied to my mom that ur bro accompanied us. Ha ha ha. That was when I found out that I could walk so fast and hey u will always be my walking partner. Honestly I have never found someone keeping such a fast pace with me while walking, in all these years.
Mithun. Do u remember him? Wow. His one player shuttle game in his house motta madi when we were playing in your house motta maadi. Those early morning classes to that “akka” ‘s place for math and that sir’s house opposite to your place. I once walked out of the class cause u challenged me to leave. lol..! stay the same d :-)
Janaki and Aparna: Last benchers, excellent singers. Aparna- I will never forget your vasantha raga varnam which u sung in cca class. I’ve lost touch with u but u prat, u never gave me your phone no. during that rare chat we had some 2 months back. Janaki my hp-discussion partner. I still remember that Sanskrit revision tests where we outscored even Swaminathan cause we already knew the questions from that book (I forgot d name:-( ). You have not changed much d. Stay the same but u can occasionally notice other ppl’s earrings and listen to arr’s latest songs:-)
Sangeetha: My first friend in a then alien place. It seems so long- 5 years ago- when I came here and everything looked so hazy and so fast. It seemed stranger that a girl would extend her hands to me to introduce herself. Well, then it was no mystery that u are a a awell bit “nuts”. Btw did you finish that Nancy Drew book you got? All those cycle trips to school in d hot sun and your whining and laughter! Don’t I miss those fun days?!? The very first person to call me “Priya”. Funny how that name caught on. Hey I love that swing at your place even after I have got my own!!
Soundarya: I don’t know exactly how I became friends with this girl. My only close friend outside of my section in that new school. I wouldn’t tell that we were close when this girl suddenly brought a friendship band n a card for on d friendship day. That was when I realized that we are friends. Until I came to your house I didn’t know what it was to go to a friend’s place and talk to her entire family. I really owe that to u soun for I still cherish all those times with aunty, uncle n your bro.
Preethi (aka) bulb: Sorry de couldn’t resist from calling u bulb. You are more familiar as bulb than as PreethiJ. A tsunami and an earthquake rolled into one. Yeah. I have always admired your happy go lucky character, the way you seem to accept things and be satisfied with it-Amazing! You lite ah irritate me at times but I don’t think anyone can stay angry with u for more than five mins. U absolutely rock:-) And for heaven sake stay d same. Don’t get serious for any reason.:-)
Vaishnavi: You still puzzle me Vaish. I won’t tell that I have understood you like I have understood my other friends. May be cause u have always kept your thoughts to yourself. But I realized that I didn’t know the real you at all until that fight broke out a few days ago. You were more matured than I’ve ever been and that’s when I understood that I have loads more to learn in life. I respect you for telling all that u told me on that “not so great” day. In a way I am thankful that we fought, for otherwise, I would never have really known you.
Ashwin: My “tall” friend. I think even Amitab Bachchan would look short if he stands next to u. How did you grow so tall? Do tell me cause I wouldn’t mind growing a bit tall. One person outside of my family who has seen my transition from school days to what I am now. I know that you don’t like me the way I am now. But I can’t help it! You are one of the reasons why I am like this. Do stay in touch and I will always remain ‘Preethi’ to you.
Vinoth: My cousin bro. ha. We have argued and one person with whom the argument remains as purely argument and the next minute we are partners in eating ice creams. I have always looked upto you since when I was a kid. Do you remember that SAV van? U came to check if I were safe, on my first day in van. (I was studying 1st std then n u were in your 8th I guess). Those bangles from kanyakumari. You once broke open a battery in that Maruthi Nagar house and I thought you were “cool” and I wanted to be like you!My only bright spot in coming to Chennai five years ago was that you would be there to give company. My days with you n Nirmal still remains to be some of the best days of my life:-)
Nirmal: aha! Here comes the hero. Nah the villain! Lol. I don’t know. May be u are a hero-villain to me. A perfect bro! Ever fighting and the most helping. You are partly to be blamed for my being so lazy! My inspiration to listen to Hindi songs (nobody to tell me which song to hear anymore:-( ). And one important thing- I look kinda good (no tension) in a lot of photos is cause of this guy. If not for u, I wouldn’t have had so many photos to show off in the first place. So at least for that I will say—u r d best bro anyone can every have:-):-)
Pavithra: ha ha ha ha! Ok d.. no tension. Pavi is one unique friend of mine. When I was hating college for what it is, I found this girl and since then life has never been the same for me. For one reason, I realized that I was sane after all cause this girl is THE LIMIT for every thing there is in the world. She is one monkey (honestly d so much happiness while telling this). She is happy with what ever she has and she sees the world wearing these pink glasses and guess what, she manages to survive wearing those glasses without hurting others or herself. Talk to her for five minutes and you will be rolling on the floor laughing. Until then you would never even have considered such a funny side to a spsdly very serious issue. Do u get an image of a clown in your mind? Well u r not even close to imagining pavi. There is this strange thing between us. We can relate to each other better than any two ppl in the world simply because we are equally insane when it comes to “life”. We have many things in common-independent, highly distracted, take big serious things in our stride and break down for smaller things of life and I can go on. One of the many amazing things bet us is that what ever happens in life, it seem to happen to both of us at the same time. Its just too much that even our moms are similar!!I have learnt a lot of things from you d.. like appreciating the good in everybody, looking at the lighter side of things however grave they may seem, to live today, to act on impulse and most importantly you showed me that being a monkey can after all be fun!! Bundle of laughs and smiles!!
I owe a lot to you for everything d. You have made me a better person er perhaps monkey!! :p
Karthika: Opposite poles attract. May be that’s how we became friends! You are everything that I am not- intelligent, professional, thorough, and sophisticated. I admire your ability to talk anyone into considering anything. You know what, I completely agree with you kar, “Always be careful for you never know whats on the other side of the keyboard!” I am following this piece of advice to the last letter. I would like to tell you that, despite all the misunderstandings, you are one of my bestest friends who made a difference to my life.
Prem: well. I have known this guy for the past 3 years and I should say that he turned my life topsy turvy. Without you I would have never learnt what it means to love, hate, be happy, be sad and all other human emotions. You made me grow up from being a girl and face life like a woman. You were the one who got me started on English songs and yea I have progressed from pop to other genre:-). And yeah I think I know to keep my mail ids n pw safe, thanks to u:-). I wish you have a great life and good luck for GRE and CAT.
Vimal: I’ve never fought with anyone as much as I have fought with this guy and I have never made up as soon with anyone else either! We fight on and off but I always respect this one. Can talk about anything under the sky with him and he will respond in that leisurely pace as though he has nothing better to do other than chatting with you about that really stupid topic and what more he will make you feel like the most important person in the whole world. I would like to know one day how you do it nuJ and I would also like to know how u actually manage to multi task so many things and still spend so much time with your friends? Really man! You just rock!:-) Remember that prank you played on me? And that quarrel in the guindy station? You walked out on me!!!
To me, you will always remain spl for you made me happy and helped me realize that love is indeed “unconditional” and it need not always be ‘showcased’.
Swaminathan: If I could change one thing from my past, I would gladly erase that period when I deliberately avoided you. I was completely an idiot and I apologize with all my heart for being that stupid! You are one person who makes me realize that I am more a monkey than a good girl!! grrr.. And I must tell you, I have always admired your patience with me. However foul my temper is, you seem to hear me out patiently. All d accusations included! That is really a tough task for I can be really rude when I’m in a rage! Thank you for everything and yes you owe me Swiss chocolates. Don’t you forget!!
Karthik: At first I thought he is just another guy. Then I ‘happened’ to get to know him better and voila! He is just one of the best! Someone who has strange theories about every little thing in the world.. You were the one who taught me that the point of living is to show life that we are smarter! I’ll never ever forget that lesson I learnt. Hey I’m absolutely bowled over as to how to word my thoughts! Anyways I don’t think I need to say for I can trust you to understand that you will always remain as that ‘Someone spl’ to me.
A few others..
-Haripriya- That first English class in 11th std when I knew absolutely nobody, you called me to join your group. I owe you one for that!!
-Aarthee- I would have never liked any of my 12th std English class had it not been for you and Sumathi. Remember that song list you guys created?
-Pavitra.K- I learnt a new definition for friendship from you and I tell you, your attitude towards people is just awesome!
-Subhashini- shubha! My cat prep partner!! Apart from Pavi, you are the only person who has actually identified that I have poor ‘reaction’ skills.
-Sreemathy & Vat- My business plan partners. And best team any person can imagine to work with.
-Revathi & Ramitha- Without these two brains sitting next to me in class and invariably lending notes(also sharing answer sheets during exams) to every subject, I would have been chucked out of my PG course on day one. I really owe them big time :)
-Sowmya- We share not just our birthdays, but a lot more complicated things!
It seems like yesterday that i was dropped in the primary school with two pony tails and a micromini lunchbox. It seems like yesterday that i got my 10th std results and planned for d biggest change of my life-shifting to chennai.. It seems like yesterday that i, in an alien place(chennai), cycled my way to a strange school studying brand new subjects in hsc.. It seems not long back when I looked at those hi-fi girls in coll, wondering if i will ever fit there.(actually hating it for joining there) It seems like just now that I stepped into second yr and then third yr with attendance struggle and semester blues.. And today, its all over!!Having Completed my Under Graduation, currently halting at the crossroad of my life---important one at that!!
Today I was looking back on all those things that have happened over the years. those people who have made me the way i am.And I wished a lot of things had never happened and a lot more had happened.. I wished I was still that "reserved girl". I WISHED a lot of things and suddenly I realised-- I am not living this minute by wishing for something that just cant happen how much ever I WISH!!
We are all carried away by our past or worried about what the future may hold at any given time. Its perfectly natural but we 'grow up' when we realise that v have to live in the present and that no matter how much we worry, things that are 'meant' to happen WILL happen!! so whats the point of worrying about the past or planning too much for the future?
Today is the greatest gift and lets enjoy this very minute. We will never get it again. I came across this version about life in one of my friend's profile in Orkut- "The Gods envy us. They envy us because we're mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is much more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again."
So go ahead and live ur to the fullest..:) Simple things that can really make ur day-
Laugh aloud
Indulge in things u absolutely love; however silly it might be(b it jumping into a puddle or singing on top of ur voice in d middle of a road!!)
Give a pleasant surprise to someone
Break silences
Write with both hands
Dance ur way to glory(doesnt matter if u r as bad as me in dancing! v will create a new style)
NEVER REGRET
Dont bother with trivialities..
Eat colorful ice creams:):)
If u feel like doing something, do it that instant-cause when u pause to think, the moment might b lost forever.. that is, after all, "The Present Tense of Life!!"
Life is simple and lets not complicate it (philosophy borrowed from pavi :D)
‘Ha.. life is beautiful!’ varsha thought as she walked along d road near her house. She quietly smiled to herself. She hurried a few pace, her face radiant and exhibiting her profound happiness. She wanted to tell this to someone. Someone, who will be truly touched by this news. Someone, who cares n who will be as happy as she is now. Ya... She will tell her best friend sowmya. Varsha’s mind reeled back into the past.She had met sow (that’s how varsha called sowmya) during her higher secondary studies and some people stay forever in your life and for varsha, sow is one such person. Always calm, quiet and supportive in what ever varsha does. When they met they knew instantly that they r going to b friends for life. And they are.
A small frown crossed her face as she thought about what happened yesterday. One would call it silly and dismiss it. Varsha didn’t though. She had not messaged sow properly for the past two days. The reason she didn’t msg was that this aircel had limited the no. of free sms to 100 and varsha is having a tough time reducing her msgs. “Why r they doing this???” she thought angrily, scowling at a dog which ran past her. She wanted to msg everyone but its not possible now. And the worst is she couldn’t fit sow in her daily msgs.
The 100 msgs get over by the noon n she even tried replying at 20p per sms after that. But now she has no balance either. So she must think of sum way or other to reduce her msgs to others. She didn’t like the very idea of telling this to hari.
Her face had lost a little bit of the happiness that was present while walking in the street, as she now climbed the stairs to her house n punched on d doorbell.
A tall guy opened d door. he was not wat u wud call handsome at d first meet. But he had a charm which attracted people towards him. Athletic, a bit on d darker shade (he has it as a complex- being dark. But he never seem to realize dat gals love dark guys better. “wink”) He didn’t even look up as she entered. He was busy operating his mobile. He was her cousin arun, staying in her house for his studies. They used to fight always and home would usually b quiet if either of them is missing. Varsha had always yearned for an elder brother and when he came along some two years back she was so happy though they had not talked much before that. Just a hi n a little formal chat had all that had taken place between them before he came along. But now they shared many things(but arun often complaints that varsha never says anything to him and that she is not spending much time with him).Varsha once again smiled and went into her room. She was very happy and she wanted to relive the conversation she had had earlier that day with hari. She quietly closed the door and switched on the pc. She hummed her favorite song as d pc slowly booted. She didn’t even c arun noticing her, through d crack of d door, from d hall. She was in her own small world.
Varsha is a b.com grad, now preparing hard for her cat exams. She is a topper in her school and has an aggregate of 85% in her college. She is intelligent (dull at times),a bit reserved with strangers. But once she gets acquainted with people there is no stopping her. She goes into mood swings often and one moment she wud b this cheerful girl appreciating life for its great things while the other minute she wud miss someone terribly and talk philosophy about life and its cold hands. She is short tempered and easily provoked. Her family shifted to Chennai from coimbatore during her 9th std because her mother got transferred. She had often wished she was still in coimbatore. That place holds so many loving memories-from silly to sad for she grew up in that place.
Having come to Chennai she stubbornly thought she wud find no friends here and vowed she wud not b close with anyone because she did not want to experience the pain of parting again. But life has its own way of muddling people’s views and feelings. Fate brought 4 wonderful friends to her here in Chennai and now she is praying she wont lose them at any cost. During her college days she got acquainted with this hari. He seemed to bring in everything she missed in her life. He was loving caring n bla bla. All d qualities a girl wud look for in a boy. More than that, he was someone special. She slowly started hoping that she was that someone special. In simple words she fell in love with this hari and one fine day she proposed him. He didn’t accept but he didn’t reject either. He was in a dilemma and wanted to savour the pleasure of being single. So she waited and now he has accepted. Varsha felt as though the world is made for her and hugged the air. Even the people who passed her on the road knew that this girl was happy. It was written all over her face and she felt it too. A sense of belonging to someone, secure in his love.
I know I have been posting crap for so long. I am not blessed with good writing and creative thinking skills to keep updating my blog by building up one sappa matter to extra large posts. Today I have reason to write.
I suddenly wanted to know what it is to love someone unconditionally. I read somewhere that “To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. To just give.” It takes more than courage if u ask me. It should just happen. Some weird stuff I can guarantee.
U find yourself hitting on d strongest wall u have ever seen for talking to a certain person and loving him (for convenience purpose I use ‘him’. It can well be ‘her’ too) and then u ask out of frustration ‘why did I ever love such a damn selfish idiotic (feel free to fill in what ever bad words u know) and then finally end up finding no reason and still feel u love them and a certain strange weird feeling grip u n u find yourself loving that person more at that moment and then BANG ON u got it. U love him or her unconditionally. Bravo!! It doesn’t matter to u if they are selfish or love someone else or its someone who don’t even bother to think that u have a heart of your own. What still matter is, u love that person with every single beat of your heart and u feel at peace and contended that they just exist. It doesn’t matter if they r near u or far away, if they feel your love or not. What matters is u find a strange peace in knowing that u love that person.
Its very rare to c such love. I read somewhere that it is common among siblings. The bond lasts forever even if it sustains severe damages. If u get it, u can consider yourself lucky. For those of u who don’t have siblings, don feel bad, the love of your life is just round the corner and is waiting for u to spot him or her!
Love doesn’t just mean relationships and marriage. It can be anything.Sometimes certain relationships cannot be defined. Love can be anywhere. It will hit u when u least expect it.
Guess I am getting too philosophical.. newayz.. Just had a chance to feel what that ‘unconditional love’ really is and I fully appreciate it only now..
So… c u then.. until I find something that interests me enough to sit up n write…
Ps: I had a ‘serious’ argument with one of my close friends on this topic who seem to think that “there is no such term as unconditional love”. In a way he is right. He had valid arguments (trust me). But perhaps he has not felt what I did. Again like I said certain things can’t be put in words (rather I am not proficient enough.) so that’s it for now.
