Just a thought.

I had a conversation on Messenger today. Surreal is the only word I can use.
Participant 1: Death is pretty final, I'm collecting vinyl: That is me.
Participant 2: World is Suddener Than We fancy it : One of the people who have made me who I am.

I don't expect people to get this conversation. Or to comment. But Fishy! and little boxes probably will get parts of it. So will people who are as far gone off the tracks as I am. But I love the person I'm having this conversation with. Because I can speak to her like this and then expect her to talk to me tomorrow. You'll know why if you dare to read on.


Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

did u see the link i sent u yesterday?

You have just sent a nudge.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

which link, pray?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

wait

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

http://www.artofeurope.com/lorca/lor4.htm

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

dekhli????????????????????????????

You have just sent a nudge.

You have just sent a nudge.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

oh oh oh

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

this one?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

haan i've read it before

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

surreal na

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

very neruda-ish

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

yesh totally.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

has to be na... lorca neruda.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

all around the same time.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

all spanish-speaking types

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

exotic

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

sigh sigh

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

yeah che guevara looorved this guy.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

you mean shay guevara

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

ofcourse.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

accha anyway i'm logging out now feel like reading mohsin hamid

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

is my blog looking nice now?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

yeah. but ur more colorful than that

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i go through phases na

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

will change it soon

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

im going and reading "perks of being a wallflower"

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

achha u have ne idea how the book is.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

the perks of being a wallflower

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

that is a book?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

yes.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

yarki maarchhish?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

dhat

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

pretty well known book re.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

okay wait lemme go check

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

plus this is like a small book.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

wallflower is very salingerish apparently

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

dekhe ne, MTV published it

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

Oh ok.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

don't you have a flight to catch tomorrow?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

*hint hint*

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

yeah so?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

wats dat gotta go wid me wanting to read a book?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i need to go!!!!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

oh...

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

toh bol na saala!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

hahahhahaha

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

u knoe im dense.....

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

aami jai, oh dense piece of matter

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

baibaibaiabai

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

lalallalallalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i feel loooooooooooooooooooooooooonie

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

good bye existential piece of shit!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

that is not me, oh fleshy one

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

goo goo goo goo goo goo

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

blllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllaeuirg;sdoifn;kvbn;kscnv'lscmq

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

babibabibabibabibabibabi

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

what is babi?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

its actualy pigeon.....

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

OAAOE++++Pkodojwefm;lcmv'sd;kfs'dkfspdkfre-9w

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

you mean PIDGIN

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

you oaf

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

no pigeon

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

not pidgin.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

soidhf;aosimkcmvlasmd;flsoufpwr0uposlnvlnvcl;smv;sm;dmlsfmga;mgm;vfjg[wefowrjgm;/sdmf;msdf;smd[f

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

it isn not pigeon, it is traffic light

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

u shud join this community on facebook.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

"me and my best friend have conversations that are impossible to understand"

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

hahhahahahahah

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

are u really as happy as I think you are?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i am!!!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

*jumps jumps jumps*

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

booboo!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

galogalo!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

achha ok. go just get urself SOME WEED

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

And a BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

iodshfoishsihdfgishdgfioash

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

please

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

*prays*

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i love chickoooos

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

the fruit, you know, the brown fruit!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

chickoos!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

yum

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

hmmm. bye

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

chickoo chickoo chickoo

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

and passion fruit

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

BYE.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

although passion fruit looks like frogspawn once you open it

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

I LOVE U. BUT NOT THIS NOT NOW.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

but it is TASTY

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

you know you could copy/paste this into your blog.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

ill do that i think.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

on second thoughts, no. aamar reputation as an intelelctual khaaraap hoye jaabe

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

jay guroo deyvaaah owm

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

rite.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i am the eggman!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

dont u want your reputation to be kharap?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i am the eggman!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

u walrus!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

see how they fly like lucy in the sky see how they run

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

koyla!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

billboard.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

soccer.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

madhuri dixit!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

dhak dhak karne laga

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

tera dil roshan tera man roshan

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

AAAAAAAAAAARbiTTTT!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

*grin*

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

*lights up a city*

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

every day i want to fly... make sure theres a little pug beside me!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

yanna rascala!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

mindit

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i am Quick-Gun Murugan!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

grrrrrrrrrrr

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

sivaji!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

ganesan!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

this is SO going on my blog.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

why can't everyday be saptami?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

O MAA WHERE MY BAG HAS GONE?????

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

oi choitali! yoo are so chaildish!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

swagat aapka kar rahe hain hum

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

*Braless revolution*

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

HAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHA

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

rajma-chawal!! jiggy!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

CATFIGHT!!!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

meow fm!

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

huh?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

MEOW?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

why meow?!?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

cat fight

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

meow.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

I am joey tribiani *sobs*

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

zonk!!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

wasnt our band supposed to be called that?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

hahahhaa

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

*maa dekha de, noy trophy de*

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

that was our open quiz team name

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

accha, how do sea horses procreate?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i mean i know the father carries the babies

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

oral sex?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

but when they have orgasms do their tails uncurl?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

just imagine it.... i mean, kichhu to hoye

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

they dun really have orgasms?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

and it must be pretty special if the guy gets all knocked up.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

no but they SHOULD

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

i knoe.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

Just like we should.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

then their tails can curl and uncurl

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

like a cartoon

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

ewwww.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

hahah like we should

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

ofcourse we shud. Shouldn’t we?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

I WANNA BE A SEA-HORSE!!!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

i won't ever get pregnant!

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

true

can u imagine wat wud happen to our butts if we did?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

eeek.. erom shob kotha bolte nei.. shubh shubh kaha karo.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

ok i wont put this up.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

hahha

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

no no put it up TILL the relevant part

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

which is where?

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

*Finds a cure for cancer meanwhile*

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

*Comes back to humanity* WHERE?

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

till "joey tribiani…..

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

till joey tribbiani reads an encyclopedia for fun.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

dont put in the sea-horse bit

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

no no.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

dat made me proud of u.

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

that was just, like, a thought.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

i knoe.

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

But THAT was the closest we came to being relevant

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

haha

World Is Suddener Than We Fancy It. says:

okay put that up

Death Is Pretty Final Im Collecting Vinyl says:

i shall, love.

Yeah that is pretty much as much as I can put up on a public forum. Not public really. For that people would have to read my blog.

How long is this blog supposed to be?

I possess the memory of a goldfish... as most of those who know me are only too aware of. So from Doubletake's borrowed memory and my unreliability...
My childhood for the most part has been characterized by experiments of all kinds. And since I am after all, a Science student, I must follow certain regulations, enumerated as follows:

Life Ten years ago:

• OBJECTIVE:To prove beyond a shadow of doubt my incredible stupidity.
• MATERIALS REQUIRED: A hair band, my eye
• PROCEDURE:
• Take a hairband and pretend it is a toy.
• Accidentally poke yourself in the eye with it.
• Cry out in pain.
  

RESULT: Bandaged, very painful eye for over a month and unwanted visits to a doctor whose chamber smells like the Corporation's garbage vat.

• OBJECTIVE: To show I am perfect
• MATERIALS REQUIRED: A paper, pencil.
• PROCEDURE:
• Use your pencil to make a perfect oval. In Upper Infant.
• Show it off to everyone else.
  

RESULT: Continued taunting by Doubletake till this day, for knowing what an oval was.

• OBJECTIVE:To prove I am unparalleled fashion diva.
• MATERIALS REQUIRED: Yellow mini-skirt, or frilly pink birthday dress.
• PROCEDURE:
• Turn up to best friend's class 5 birthday in bright yellow mini-skirt.
• Best friend gets a fashion lesson.
  

OR

• Turn up in frilly pink dress on birthday in school.
• Pick up your dress and break into impromptu butt jig in school toilet.
• Make sure Doubletake is present.
  

RESULT: Photographs of first experiment are still paraded around for positive proof.
Doubletake narrates second experiment as "one of those moments that tainted me forever" to my mother!

Life five years ago:

• OBJECTIVE:To prove my exaggerated feminism.
• MATERIALS REQUIRED: Scissors, bad Chinese hairdresser.
• PROCEDURE:
• Reach salon in a fit of exaggerated feminism.
• Chop off locks to get hideous boy cut.
  

RESULT:Be identified as good friend's boyfriend in my birthday snap. And be accused of being Doubletake's lesbian partner.

• OBJECTIVE: To try and like someone.
• MATERIALS REQUIRED: Boy/Man, Me. And my dependable friends.
• PROCEDURE:
• Find most unsuitable candidate and start liking him.
• Tell one friend. Friend shall turn out to be Radio Mirchi.
• Turn up in ridiculous outfits to meet friends(and candidate). With boy cut. Resemble Nirmal Pandey in Daayra (where he played a eunuch). Except look even less feminine.
  

RESULT: Be tainted for life. Get fact thrown in face every second day. Uninterrupted sarcasm. humiliation.

Life tomorrow.

OBJECTIVE:Get over with Board Exams. Get drunk without getting drunk. And inhabit my parallel universe with all my GHMs. Watch American Idol. And curse all 16 year old prodigies.

RESULT: Still under observation.

Five locations I would love to run away to.

1. New Zealand:Lord of the Rings taught me something apart from the fact that elves were super-edible---New Zealand is pretty. Very.

2. Machu Pichhu: Incas and Che Guevara both found their freedom here. So why shouldn't I? Adding salt to my wounds of possibly never making it there, is the fact that my sister's boyfriend gets to choose any location in the world to visit just cause he is in ONGC. And he chooses this!

3. Egypt and Istanbul.: I want a houseboat on the Nile where I can smoke up without thinking of tomorrow. Mahfouz seems to think its a good utilisation. And Istanbul just sounds sexy.

4. Prince Edward Island: My introduction to Montgomery has been late but so rewarding.

5. Prague. Pretty cathedrals. But prettier name. Plus Kunal Kapoor looked hot in a sherwani running around here. That is reason enough, right?

Five bad habits I have.

• Giving running commentary on what is going on on sad Bangla satellite channels while trying to conduct a conversation with people.
  
• Laughing like Chucky doll in the middle of the night and scaring my friends.
  
• Never admitting I am high or drunk.

Well, that's because I'm not.

• Polluting divine Beatles songs by messing up the lyrics. In public.
  
• Being incredibly mean to certain specific people for no valid reason. The worst part is I don't feel guilty. At all.
  

Five things I will never wear.

• Eyebrow or navel ring. Painful and creepy.
  
• Blue eyeshadow
• Glitter. On my face. It will just look like someone spraypainted me erroneously.
  
• A Livestrong or Fug band. Strangulate people with them. But don't pretend its fashionable.
  
• Anything that requires me to show off bra straps. Ugliest fashion trend ever.
  

Five biggest joys at this moment.

• Ranvir Shorey in Mithya.
  
• The Bingo Mad Angles Ad. The most delicious concoction of pure genius and innocuousness.
• This incredible movie called Once. Gives me concrete proof that the Oscars are terribly overrated.
• American Idol. They had a Beatles-themed episode yesterday. And someone did a WOW cover of Eleanor Rigby, without strings and She's A Woman in a bluegrassy sorta way.
  
• My Ipod... Since I don't have a dog and in all likelihood will never have one, thanks to my mother, my Ipod makes up for it. On the plus side I don't have to clean up after it. And it makes me happy. But its still not a dog.
  
• Night-time and bhor-raatir conversations with Doubletake and Mithunda (that is a codename, btw) about nothing and everything. And sometimes about sleep disorders.
  

Something to achieve by next year

Prove scientifically that phuchka can increase a person's willingness to survive. And endure anything.

Something that impacted me last year

Disease. Lots of it. Malaria,pneumonia. Gael Garcia Bernal. And Novak Djokovic.

What will I miss about 2007

That we'll never have a 2007 again. Not till we start counting backwards, I mean. And Class XII.


Five things I want to do before I die

1. Find a like-worthy man who is not a fictional character.
2. Meet Thom Yorke and/or Chris Martin.
3. Watch a Wimbledon Men's Singles Final at Wimbledon. With Djokovic and Federer hopefully.
4. Learn to live a little.
5. Finish this goddamned post.

I tag Scheherazade and Heh?Ok! and Little Boxes. Enjoy!

For the lack of something better.

I tasted chicken today. The grin on my face right now will put Alfred Neumann to shame. I finally KNOW what they felt like...

• Roger Federer after winning the Wimbledon for the fifth straight time
  
• Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon. (even if it was recreated in a Los Angeles studio)
• Tolkein after putting an end to his saga( although he had probably gone insane by then...)
  
• Peter O' Toole on finally winning an Oscar.
• Radiohead after completing OK Computer.
  

And I'm telling you its the same thing.




Well, almost.

Of Serbia and Mamunis.

First things first, since this is somewhat of an online diary, I must, once in a while keep in phase with reality and write about things that ACTUALLY happen in my life and not things I make up(which I seem to do surprisingly often, nowadays)

GOOD THINGS

1. Djokovic won!
Hail all hot Serbian men with unpronounceable names. They make your life and my life a little more scrumptious and livable-worthy.


2. I met Samit Basu. *waits for the applause*
So, he is unlike NewageScheherazade's and Doubletake, Doublethink's GHM,for the uninitiated--a Georgette Heyer Man. And looks like a Software Engineer with a nickname like Bumba. But he is still pretty brilliant. And capable of making women go weak in the knees. And capable of turning normal women into an escort( i.e Double take) or Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction( Naughty Naughty! As Mrs. Sen on Radio Mirchi would tell our Scheherazade)

3. Calcutta is having its first REAL winter in years. And I'm supposed to turn up on my Farewell in a sari, with BBC predicting temperatures to be as low as 8 degrees tomorrow. Spoils the entire purpose of such a season--curling up under my favourite blanket with one of THOSE books--The ones which read like something as delicious as Eatable Marshmallow Pillows from Mr. Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

4. I finally managed to get more in Maths than in Bengali. That makes everyone happy, I guess.
Apart from my Bengali teacher I think

5. A cousin of mine is staying with us. He's come down from New Zealand and speaks with an Australian accent, which makes it nearly impossible for my mum to understand anything he says in English but he is pretty conversant in Bangla( much to the relief of the cow-like herd of relatives he's being exposed to, of late--but he is surprisingly sporting about it)
I, for one, was two when he left for NZ but my other cousins and he pretty much relive old times everyday. Its so much fun to be a Bangali with a hot cup of coffee amidst random recollections of ancient, embarrassing memories . Because surprisingly, those are the memories you'll always remember...

BAD THINGS

Not surprisingly this clearly outnumbers the Good Things. But just for the sake of Doubletake's patience I'm keeping it to five.

1. No Book Fair this year. At least as far as I know.
I'm all for a clean environment but somethings are downright unacceptable. Like no Book Fair in the middle of this fairy-like winter time. And its NOT because of the absence of Georgia Tea and "Cutlet Bhaja" !

2. Chickens, which have taken it upon themselves to behave like Nicole Richie. Pricey, Anorexic. And diseased for the most part. I have also often thought our CM resembles a spectacled one. It makes explanation, of a lot of things in this state much simpler.

3. Wedding Season: It is time for all the Mamunis and Rijus of West Bengal to come out in their best Rainbow-Saris and Dhuti Pajama for Biyebaari and Boubhat(Wedding and Reception, respectively. But they sound so much grander this way, na?) In the absence of our chickens, Bangalis are forced to pledge their allegiance to mutton.
So the menu MUST consist of:

Fried Rice/Pulao: Extremely damp. Reminds me of the In-Laws.

Motton Kosha: Cooked in so much ghee that the Mughals would be put to shame. Resembles the bride-to-be all decked up.

Fish Fry: Is meant ideally to be crispy. And stuffed with all the fish humanly possible. But turns out to neither. If you look close enough, its much like the groom -to-be with a topor on his head much like this...


Papad bhaja/ Chutney: Not really necessary. But have to be there. Much like the five hundred people, including me, who turn up at a wedding for people they don't quite know.

I had three weddings to attend, in case you didn't realise the source of all this frustration. One day of thanda luchi is fine. Three days--not quite...

4. I had my first Board Practical today. Biotechnology--the only subject I am remotely confident at. My examiner, on the other hand, had other plans. He looked conspicuously like Dawood Ibrahim, answered questions he asked us himself, and seemed more interested in his lunch than anything else.
Did I mention he asked questions which even our own teachers didn't have answers to?

5. Heath Ledger died. Now he probably was a little stupid, ODing and all(because I guess you have to be quite a dolt to OD). But he was pretty darn good. As Casanova, as Ennis Del Mar, as Bob Dylan and hopefully, as the Joker. And had one of the nicest smiles. And although sometimes he superceded Marlon Brando in his next-to-impossible to understand dialogue delivery, he more than made up for it in other ways. May the Overdoser's Heaven accept him in all its glory.

I'll Be Back

I can't quite believe that I am quoting Arnold Schwarzenegger here.

Anyhow, there is something called my selections for which I apparently have to study. And rebelling against authority is quite passe now so I might as well study. But its strange how somehow I just can't. Call it an overdose of Samit Basu or Taare Zameen Par, the textbooks lie open awaiting some sort of entertainment or interest which I am, unfortunately, unable to provide. And the Australian Open started yesterday. Its not my fault that a tennis tournament HAS to have gorgeous Serbian men in shorts running around.

But its 3 in the morning. I owe myself some sleep. My body requires to digest the copious amounts of paatishaapta, and pithe and other Bengali delicacies that I have subjected myself to in the last couple of days. Plus the chickens are on a strike now. So I shall go back to sleep. But I owe myself a post. Its long overdue. January 21 here, I come!

P.S.: Date is subject to change.

Marianne, let the ghosts sleep tonight. Although I don't know why

Rules:
1. Put your MP3 player on shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write the name of the song no matter what. No cheating!

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY?” YOU SAY?
Scarborough Fair-Simon and Garfunkel(I mean Are You Going to Scarborough Fair)

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Karma Police- Radiohead( She Talks in Math...detuned radio.... This IS what you get when you mess with US---me and my evil twin I mean)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
The Start of Something-Voxtrot( Not one lyric in the song is the same)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Something in the Way-Nirvana

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Arriving Somewhere But Not Here-Porcupine Tree

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor( I HAD to put this in!)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Warning Sign-Coldplay(Heh. I Hope that you choke. Miss Nayar)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking-Snow Patrol

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds-The Beatles

WHAT IS 2+2?
Matt Damon's rendition of My Funny Valentine. There couldn't be a more symmetrical number than 4.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Jigsaw Falling Into Place-Radiohead. This is fun.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Another One Bites The Dust-Queen
Naina-Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
You Know That I'm No Good-Amy Winehouse
Eleanor Rigby-Beatles

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Papa Kehte Hain-Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. I've wanted to write that for like ever.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Coming Back To Life-Pink Floyd

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Map of the Problematique- Muse

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Dekha Jo Tujhe Yaar Dil Mein Baji Guitar. Heh. In memoriam 16th December 2006.

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Blackout-Muse
Exit Music for a Film-Radiohead( Now We are ONE in everlasting peace)
They have to. If they don't I shall die all over again.

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Staring at Kunal Kapoor. So O Re Piya--Rahat Fateh Ali Khan
Bohemian Rhapsody-Queen

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
I Saved The World Today-Eurythmics. HAHAHAHAHA

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Drops Of Jupiter-Train.
The Rite Of Spring-Igor Stravinsky.
Im Being EXTRA nice here.

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
The Grand Duel(Parte Prima)-Luis Bacalov

Thank you Ms. Nayar for the one good deed you have done in life.Apart from writing my peer evaluation ofcourse.

Im having fun. FINALLY.

Autumn Non-Sannata

Its pretty difficult to observe the onset of a season, especially when you happen to be as visually impaired as I am. During the monsoons, you realise that the rains have finally arrived when your glasses-your window to the world, decide to put on a tantrum and behave like a diva(in other words, get covered by raindrops). You know summer exists because of the anti-glare spectacles you spent a fortune on, which you pretend are like the latest fashion statement just to make yourself feel a bit better. So how does a person like me know that autumn or more specifically a phenomenon called 'pujo' is here?

It happened last evening finally, while driving to my math class, that the it finally dawned on me the pujos are days away. It wasn't because I suddenly learnt to see billboards screaming "Ektar shonge charte free' or "Chhottirish Palli Sarbajanin Durgotshab" or millions of those garish, "denger"ously spelt bus advertisements with men who like to pretend that they have some purpose in the world. It came to me, strangely through a smell.

They call it Raat Ki Raani. Yes, yes, perverted notions aside, it never fails to surprise me. There is something so vivid about the smell, that all you need to do is close your eyes and within moments see a dalan, a parikrama, the third eye, a chalchitro, a bisharjan and red, and even if you have never been sure about anything else in your life, this smell doesnt leave much to conjecture. It's self-assured, confident, and brash. Everything you're not. And yet, you can't help but fall in love with it.

So, how do you explain the concept of a Pujo to someone on a "Discover India" trip? Well, if you're me, you don't--you just snort and walk away. If you're a tour guide carrying truckloads of Japanese tourists, you make them wait outside Pantaloons pretending that only with purchase of items above Rs. 5000 will the deity in question bless you. And if you're me in a sympathetic mood, you say--
If you want to see a city clad in yellow, try Shoshthi; if you need to observe a city breathing, gasping, panting for breath, Shaptami to the rescue. If vermillion is your choice of poison, look no further than Ashtami and before you have time to catch your breath, Nabami will follow your every move in its multi hued splendour. And you tell them that, if there ever was a mourning, there was a Dashami.

Imagine, if you will now, a structure made of bamboo. Call it a pandal, if you will. Imagine now, plain green drapes that cover this 'pandal'. Let it resemble a house. Complete with windows. Now imagine if you can, a deity with long flowing tresses,a technicolor rakshas and observe around this pandal a huge unused space. Let it be called a square. Now imagine a beehive. And see each and every bee that is a part of it. Start with the queen bee--the lazy one, the one with the power and move onto the workers. Now imagine the bees are in a fight. For what reason, no one knows. Nobody cares about who is the queen and who is the slave. Because everyone is fighting for survival. Now, imagine, if possible, a vast congregation of "pati bangalis" -the biggest that you possibly can. And imagine this 'square' to be the beehive. No one is fighting here. But everyone is still trying their hardest to survive. Because every breath you take here, you should be thankful for. You don't know when the next one may come along. And if you dont manage to die this way, look around and see the riot of colours that greet you. Mismatched pinks and violent purples, electric blues and rangoli yellows. Shiny sparkly jewellery designed to permanently blind you. See then, men in the famous bangali 'Lal Ganjee' and bandanas. Don't miss out the Livestrongs and most definitely the potbellies. And of course, the colors. And of late, the bling.And, for the first time, you're not ashamed of being a pati bangali because you get away with anything.

Oh and before I forget, lets call this place Maddox.


Pujos in Calcutta are like a Radiohead song. Its arrival is strange- almost unexpected; the buildup is immense-- almost earth-shattering,in anticipation of what is about to come. The lyrics are inexplicable and sometimes they don't even fit in logically but by the end of it, it's seeped into so much of you already, that the rest doesn't matter. And both are adept at the art of leaving, an art which only few can master. Its the art of saying goodbye at just the right moment--when euphoria is at its peak and you cannot imagine your life without it. Its the art of an endless wait--a longing for the last verses, for the last sensation, the last call.

Samit Basu,I owe you one. Thank you, for Sambo, Kirin. And everything else.