Are we in touch?

“Keep in touch” – our fingers automatically type these words when we send an email to our friends. But if we ask ourselves the question, “Are we in touch?” the answer predominantly is a strong NO. I was lucky (or unlucky!) because I had the opportunity to study in different places. Eventually I met up with a lot of people and had made them friends. When it was time to shift base, I would be feeling very bad to leave the place and my hard earned friends. It is really hard to make friends with someone in a short span of time and given my reserved nature, it is even harder, and hence I use the phrase, hard earned friends. I would be rendered totally speechless when I part with them. The only words that I could manage would be, “Lets keep in touch”.

As a software programmer would put it, the above scenario will be executed in a loop. I change places, I change schools, and I make new friends but never ever try to keep up my words. It is not that I didn’t want to but I never cared to. Yesterday, I got a call that made provoked me to think about this. My 10th classmate called me all the way from India. It had been close to 4 years since we had any kind of communication between us. I barely could recognize his voice. I was ecstatic to speak with him. We spoke for nearly an hour and before we hung up, he asked me, “When you left Madurai, we decided that we would keep in touch but it has been close to 4 years since the last time I called you up. You didn’t even bother to inform me that you are going to the states. I had to call aunty (my mom) and get your number. What kept you all this while from not calling me?” All I could say was a SORRY!

We make good friends in life but we are so much lethargic to call them up or send an email once in a while to let them know that you still remember them. I’ve decided to give life to the words, “Keep in touch” from now on. Guys, if you think, you’ll know with how many good friends you’ve lost touch. The count would be alarming. Is it not?

Funny!

I was rummaging my mailbox for getting hold of an email. Suddenly this forward caught my eye. Thought of posting it here so that you could also enjoy!

A Mother had 3 virgin daughters. They were all getting married within a short time period.Because Mom was a bit worried about how their sex life would get started,she made them all promise to send a postcard from the honeymoon with a few words on how marital sex felt.

The first girl sent a card from Hawaii two days after the wedding. The card said nothing but "Nescafe". Mom was puzzled at first, but then went the kitchen and got out the Nescafe jar. It said: "Good till the lastdrop." Mom blushed, but was pleased for her daughter.

The second girl sent the card from Vermont a week after the wedding, and the card read: "Benson & Hedges". Mom now knew to go straight to herhusband's cigarettes, and she read from the Benson & Hedges pack:"Extra Long. King Size". She was again slightly embarrassed but still happy for her daughter.

The third girl left for her honeymoon in the Caribbean. Mom waited for a week, nothing. Another week went by and still nothing. Then after a whole month, a card finally arrived. Written on it with shaky handwriting were the words "British Airways". Mom took out her latest Harper's Bazaarmagazine, flipped through the pages fearing the worst, and finally found the ad for British Airways. The ad said: "Three times a day, seven days a week, both ways."

Mom fainted.

Am I hot?

What are you supposed to say when a girl asks you this? I don’t know how guys would have reacted to this but I was clueless.

This happened on Saturday. I had received a package on Friday and since I was not there in my house, the parcel had been handed over to my apartment manager, Tina (she actually manages the office in the after hours). She is a girl in her early 20s. To be true, she is pretty attractive. In all those revealing attires, she sure does make you throw a glance at her.

I went to her on Saturday to collect the package. But she was not there. I waited for sometime and then started heading back to my apartment. On the way back, I saw her coming out of one of the apartments. She smiled at me and I smiled back (It’s a formality here, smiling and saying hi to everyone!). I wanted to ask her about my parcel but suddenly I changed my mind and I questioned her if she was living in the same apartment building.

Now, I dint know the implication of this question. She smiled at me and asked, "Why? Do you think I’m hot?" I was embarrassed to see the weird expression in her face. She was giggling. Then I realized my mistake. She mistook(or otherwise took the cue smartly!) that I was interested in her. Damn! I have never been asked such a question by a girl before and so I was a bit shocked. I tried to keep my cool and stammered, "Of course, you are Tina, but all I wanted to know was if I could come over to your place and collect my parcel."

She blushed and led me in to her office and handed over my package. Guess, I should be expecting such off-guard questions when I speak to an American girl who is in the prime of her
ages. Well, see what happens the next time when someone tries to bowl me over like this :)

I live inside a freezer!


Gosh! I feel like a packet of frozen meat sitting inside a freezer. Chennai has not taught me to endure this cold. It has let me down !!

Valentine’s day and all huh hah!

I thought of abstaining myself from posting something on this. But then, things are really driving me up against the wall. What on Earth is Feb 14? For me, it is just as any other day. Did somebody say that this is an auspicious day for proposing one’s love? What the heck? If a girl or a boy really loves you, he/ she is going to accept you even if you are proposing on Jan 14th or Mar 14th or for that matter any day of the year. Then, why all these unwanted drama?

I went to the groceries yesterday and was annoyed to see that tomatoes were sold on a discount – Valentine’s Day special! What the hell is the connection between love and tomatoes? May be if a freak bugs a girl on this day with his love proposal, she could use these tomatoes to scare him away. I really can’t think of any other solid reason for all these stupid Valentine’s Day specials. Businesses have started using this day to market their goods and our love-bug bitten people never seem to understand this. Did Cupid ask you to be stupid? As far as my limited knowledge goes, I don’t think so!

I wonder how a red Rose or a box of Ferroro Rocher impresses girls on this day and not to mention the heart-shaped balloons. Thankfully, I don’t see the balloons here in the US. I’m perfectly Ok, if people use this day just for pure fun. Just like how the kids have fun on the Halloween’s day. But, I don’t think people take this day that lightly. I see reminders in my friends’ calendars to send flowers/chocolates to their GFs, Is that so important? What would happen if you fail to do so? Break-Up? If your lover girl or boy were so stupid, I would rather say break up happily. If it were “Happy Valentine’s Day” for others, it would be “Happy Independence Day” for you.

You might think, I write all these because I’m single. No. I would be practical even if I’m in love with someone. To me love is feeling that does not need any worldly expressions. I don’t have to send love notes often to my girl friend reminding that I’m in love with her. (This doesn’t imply that I’m not romantic!). I don’t need a red rose or the Feb 14th to affirm my love. When I’m in love, I would feel exactly as Ronan Keating sings,

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart

Without saying a word, You can light up the dark

Try as I may I could never explain

What I hear when You don't say a thing

PS: View expressed above is strictly my personal opinion and I’m not responsible if it had brought any impacts on your lifestyle :)

Oops, the weekend is coming to an end!

Why does it happen this way always? I plan so much for the weekend and finally when it comes, I bust it royally! This weekend was no exception. Had lots of plans like visiting the world famous "Mall of America" and then going for a long drive. But all I could manage was to watch the movie "Firewall" and sleep the rest of the weekend. *sheepish smile*. What else could I do, when the weather is horribly chill and getting up from my bed in itself is kind of a penance?

One of my friends had invited us for lunch today. We had a great food. Ambrosia, wouldn't be an exaggerated word to explain it. Naan, Prawns curry, Chicken 65, Bhaigen Bartha, More Kozambhu, Urundai Kozambhu etc etc..Wow! What a food? I just came back home. I feel as if I dont have to eat for eternity :)

We have received "Troy" DVD from Blockbuster today. Hoping to watch it for the 5th time! Hectar, the tamer of horses and the great Greek hero, Achilles are an absolute delight to be watched over and over again.

The thought of going back to office tomorrow is kind of boring, I still have 12 hours of my weekend left and so I dont want to spoil it by thinking about the chores of tomorrow!

Either more or less but never even!

I was feeling like a 7th grader who wonders how to name his preci-writing passage in the exam. Well, I wanted to write something but the content that was in my mind was so diverse and digressed that coming up with a suitable title had become a Herculean task. But after careful analysis of the content, I figured out the central theme of this post and named it accordingly.

For the welfare of you guys who are wondering what this is going to be all about – it’s about my JOB!

There have been days when I’ve felt that 12 hours is really not enough to complete even 30 % of my work. I have sweated all through the night to finish it. On the other hand, there have been days (like today) when I have literally nothing to do. This drives me real crazy. Tell me, what would I do sitting before my computer all day long?

I can check my email. May be I could refresh it every 10 minutes to check for a new mail, which I know for sure wouldn’t have come. All my friends are super cool, they flood my box when I’m busy but leave it dry and desolate when I’m looking forward to mails. I can’t blame them because I know they are also experiencing the same problem.

The next thing that I could do is to check my blog and see, if any gracious soul has been kind enough to read my rantings and have left a comment, but for how long? I guess I would hurt my index finger by striking the F5 key very often!

I’m just wondering, is there not a way by which people can have work evenly distributed across the days? I’m not asking for more nor am I asking for less, all I’m asking is work for 8 hours. Well, if this happens, it would be a dream come true!!

I don’t know if this happens in other industries but this is what is happening in the s/w industry. God, bless the pour souls who call themselves IT professionals from going bonkers due to the lack and lakh of work.

This time – a four thingy tag!

Tagged again by Fraulein Rita. Here goes the list of my fours,

Four Jobs I’ve had:

S/W Engineer
S/W Engineer
S/W Engineer
S/W Engineer

This isn’t funny right? After writing this, I’m seriously thinking about a switch!!

Four movies I could watch over and over again:

U – 571
Ben-Hur
The Great Escape
Lagaan

Four places I’ve lived:

Now, this is a very simple one. I’ve an endless list but I’m forced to restrict to four!

Chennai
Madurai
Tirunelveli
Salt Lake City – US
…

Four TV shows I love to watch:

Err..I’m not a regular TV watcher. So PASS!

Four places I’ve been on vacation

Again, this is a piece of cake!

Kodaikanal
Ooty
Mussourie & Dehradun
Indianapolis – US
….

Four of my favorite foods

Chicken Biryani
Murukku
Vadai
Bhajji

Four places I’d rather be right now:

With my parents
Chennai
Switzerland
New Zealand – I’m dying to visit this beautiful country!

Four sites I visit daily:

Deals2buy.com
My Blog and my friends’ blogs
My official mailbox
Rediff.com

Four bloggers I’m tagging:

Shikha
Ricky
Akshay
My Ramblings

Hiyaa!

I have got a Subaru Outback :) It drives very good and more importantly it has a 4 x 4 drive train :) I'm all excited now!!