dedicated to diva undecided.

The day I met you, I thought, "God, she's so cool."

And you are. You are hands down the sweetest, coolest girl I've met in Kuwait.

We've been friends a few months at best, but after spending time with you, whether panting by your side during the Friday morning runs, or conversing while we stuff our faces with delicacies in a restaurant or samosas and chai in Souk Safat, I've gotten to know you a lot better and now look up to you like you're my older sister (stop taking this in the wrong spirit; it's not like I said you're a wise old aunt!).

It was with you and only because of you that I made my greatest and most cherished achievement so far in 2013: completing a 5k run. A memory that always reverberates in my head when I'm running and feel like I can't go on is this: you once asked me how I was doing during a run and I said, in between my gasps for air, that I'm good. And you said, 'you're not good, you're excellent.' This pretty much sums up the positivity that you exude that is such an inspiration to me. It keeps me going and reaffirms my faith in myself.

One thing I admire about you is that you prioritize and manage your time like a boss! You're committed to so many different things yet manage to keep everyone involved happy. And no matter how long your day has been or how little sleep you've had, you're always ready with your infectious smile, and it never fails to lighten my mood.

You're one of the few people I know that is so in touch with their humanity. I have never met any girl as empathetic as you in Kuwait. Each of the Q8FS inspires me in different ways—you inspire me to do good and be good, and I love you for it.

Happy Birthday chameli. Here's to tons more conversations, runs, and disastrous musicals. 

(for Diva Undecided)

the conspiracy.

I need atleast a couple of days to recuperate when I get back from India.

It's not that I get jet-lagged. India is just 2.5 hours ahead of Kuwait for Heaven's sake. But the Kuwait Airways flight departs from Chatrapati Shivaji Airport at 6:10 am, and the entire night prior is spent trying to stuff forgotten bits and bobs in the suitcases and then at the tedious check-in and immigration at the airport, in a lousy mood throughout.

But besides that, I don't get much sleep in Bombay. Unless I'm on an adrenaline rush, I'm in a constant state of exhaustion.

I stay at my aunt's house wherein every single inhabitant is a raging insomniac. We spend half the night talking, convulsed with laughter, and then sleep by 3 or 4 am. I settle into bed, setting the alarm for 11 am on my iPhone, forgetting in my naivety that I was in India.

My cousin begins his morning karaoke session at about 8 or 9 am, i.e. he cranks up the volume on his speakers and sings along in his room, shattering my sweet slumber. I wake up groggy and tousle-headed to him blasting LMFAO's Shots while playing Guild Wars 2, and close the door to the room I'm sharing with his sister (who continues sleeping peacefully). The door is mysteriously ajar despite my having shut it before turning in. I then settle back to sleep, my eyes wincing in the sunlight peeking through the curtains.

An hour of very disturbed sleep later, the doorbell peals incessantly, penetrating into my dreams. I wake with a start. The house and everyone in it, including my sister beside me, is still, except for my lunatic brother who is now passionately singing Coldplay's The Scientist at the top of his voice, oblivious to what's unfurling outside his lair. Shaking my head in disbelief, I take in a deep breath, trying to muster the energy to walk to the hall and open the front door. It's the milkman asking for his dues. I politely ask him to come back later in the afternoon. I bring in the paper and nariyal pani* left on the doorstep and then struggle to go back to sleep.

Barely thirty minutes later, the doorbell unfailingly rings yet again. Nobody in the house has stirred. No sound of music from my brother's room; I assume he's finally turned in. Disgusted, I open the door with a ferocious scowl. It's a delivery from Flipkart, a few books I'd ordered online have arrived. Only slightly mollified, I make arrangements for the payment, dump the package on my suitcase and head back to bed, falling asleep.

The doorbell rings once more.

I swing open the door with murderous intent. It's the servant. I let her in while singing praises of the Lord, now she could open the door for the next disturber of the peace! I climb back into bed and collapse, dead to the world.

Ten minutes later, my 11 am alarm rings.

*nariyal pani: coconut water

(Bombay, Feb '13)

just me and the road.

A zephyr blows tirelessly, accompanied by a drizzle. The light rain patters down on my hair forming an effect of early morning dew on a spider's web. Toes clutching onto my cousin's chappal* two sizes too big for me, every step I take is accompanied by a risk of the abysmally large footwear flying off and exposing my feet to the dirt, grime and muck that lie in plenitude on the streets of Bombay.

Damp hair hurriedly pulled into a wild bun with a side ponytail while they're still manageable, make for a bizarre 'do. Having forgotten my scarves in Pune in the last minute rush to leave, I had to make do with a peach chiffon scarf my nani** lent me to mismatch on a light grey tee which on account of its stretchable cotton material, had grown a size.

Completing my ensemble with a nonchalant scowl, I walk fearlessly like I own the road, enjoying the gorgeous weather that is so hard to come by in this city. People go by unconcerned; everybody's minding their own business. It's just me and the road.

I think that's what I miss most.

*chappal: flip-flop.
**nani: maternal grandmother.

(Bombay, July '11)

Howdy 2012?

My instinct couldn't have been more right when, on the eve of New Years Day 2011, it whispered to me that this was going to be a year of promise and that there were great things in store for me.

It was honestly the BEST in a long, long time, only ups, no downs.

But I didn't feel anything this time. There was no excitement, no adrenaline rush. Only a dim curiosity as to whether I grew at all as a person the past year. I did a bit, I became a little less reticent because of which I met some truly wonderful people.
I didn't believe any of the hoohah about the world ending in 2012, but just brooding about an Armageddon (not necessarily at the end of this year), death in short, made me wonder if I was ready for it.

Definitely not.
During the course of 2011 much of humankind was subject to some natural disaster or the other, it was hardly any less of an apocalypse for those that died as nature took its course. We all have a vague inkling that we could kick the bucket at any time, which is why we prepare bucket lists, selfishly obsessed with living life to the fullest. In the end, most of our lists are quite shallow. Which is okay, but they shouldn't remain thus. How many items on our lists would benefit anyone but ourselves?

Two days post New Year's, at the risk of sounding emo (and a little cheesy), I have finally come up with something simple, something worth keeping. I won't call them all resolutions, but the timing is ideal, as it gives me a year to track my progress.

1. Remember back in kindergarten your teacher encouraged you to perform three good deeds everyday? I don't remember doing that in forever. No, I'm definitely not a total self-absorbed moron. But I would like to be more altruistic.
2. Never. Stop. Learning.
3. Exercise complete capabilities and mental faculties in the execution of a task. 
4. Continue having awesome experiences and meeting awesome people.
5. Read more classics. 
6. Get published. 
7. No rice. No bread. Which is going to kill me 'coz I friggin' LOVE bread.
8. Dream. Write. Blog. As soon as an idea creeps into my noggin... WRITE IT DOWN!!

This should do for now. Since my instinct is silent on the subject (which is a bit of a letdown), all I can do now is continue taking things in my stride.

Tracking the progress made on the resolutions (these were resolutions) made on the dawning of 2011:

1. Find a job by Jan end.
Well, I didn't find a job per se. By mid-year, I altered the deadline to Dec end (still no job). But, I got into freelancing for social media marketing, got some experience, earned some dough. That's got to count for something.

2. Move base to a country where I know no one and no one knows me. And keep it that way.
   And if THAT doesn't work out, visit atleast ONE country that isn't India, Kuwait or the UAE.
Needless to say, the first option didn't work out. BUT!! I visited, not one, not two but SIX previously uncharted lands! Uncharted on my map anyway. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Germany and Turkey.

3. Write something remotely decent that'll throw the world into shock and awe.
I'm going to tweak this one a bit. I wrote this, which is definitely my best piece so far, and though it isn't published anywhere except on this blog, it received a lot of adulation from the people in my world.

4. Make memories doing something totally unconventional, innovative, avant-garde. Things so thrilling, I'll never have trouble remembering them and will relish the thoughts of. Coz life is too short to be taken seriously.
Euro trip, bungee jumping. 'Nuff said!

5. Never, ever leave home without the camera and take a picture every time the thought 'I should take a picture of that' crosses my mind.

Arghh. There were many instances wherein I cursed myself for not carrying my camera. So let's not count this one.

4 out of 5 accomplished. That's pretty good. Best track record so far! =D

I hope I stay true to the ones made for 2012. Here's wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

So long, farewell..

auf wiedersehen, goodbye..
No blog not to you, you silly goose!

It's been a delightful month in Europe. A long adventure in the 5 countries we visited -  the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria and Germany. We saw splendid sights, marvelled at the glorious castles and palaces and the exquisite taste and imagination of the royal families and architects that designed them, learnt to greet people in three more languages, meandered in landscaped gardens, posed with scantily clad but awesomely buff sculptured fountains, clicked millions of pictures, expressly ignored the 8 degrees Celsius temperature of the limestone caves of Moravsky Kras while going nuts walking past the gorgeous stalactites and stalagmites, persistently nagged and heckled the patient persons behind the information desk in every town and city from Budapest to Munich for hours on end, sang with fellow fans in the Sound of Music Tour at Salzburg, eagerly devoured any information or tidbits on the local history and culture, breathed in the crisp mountain air of the Alps, ran down lush green meadows dotted with wildflowers wet from the rain, mentally swore at ourselves for packing terribly having to lug impractical luggage while changing trains under severe time constraints, ambulated through the forests of the Šumava, befriended wonderful people and finally, we are now prone to severe tooth decay from gorging on one dessert too many (two words: apple strudel. In vanilla sauce..).


It's my last night in this continent and although I am saddened at the thought of leaving, I can't help but long for my own bed and shower and most especially the WASHING MACHINE. Oh Lord, bless the man that invented the washing machine..


Nashledanou Europe. You've been good to me.


(chronicled blog posts and pictures to follow when I am back in Kuwait, well fed and rested and all my laundry done)

a flashback, a social media success story and a craving for doughnuts.

I was never too fond of doughnuts. A little doughnut franchise in Bombay changed that.

Mad Over Donuts. (M.O.D.)

Their doughnuts (I can't bring myself to spell it as donuts) redefine delicious. They are unbelievably and irresistibly scrumptious. My cousins introduced me to M.O.D. during my stay in Bombay at my aunt's place. We'd go to the Juhu branch at midnight (funnily enough I've never been there earlier) with my Khalu (mom's sister's husband) and spend about twenty minutes debating on the flavours and delectable appearance of the batch displayed and finally select two each. In a couple of minutes there would be no trace left of them except for the melted chocolate smeared around our (my) mouths and this too would miraculously vanish as our tongues were stretched out to the limit to get every speck of frosting that had escaped, back into those salivary glands.

The bff and I, about to dig in.
My flavour? 'Color Me Bad' - sprinkles on melted hazelnut chocolate. Deeelish.

Then, heaving huge contented sighs, we'd select another dozen or so doughnuts for the rest of the family at home. The family at home receive their wares joyfully, and hurriedly call dibs on their favourite flavours and put the box in the fridge for the next day (as it is now past 2 am). Unfortunately they never get to sink their teeth into the ones of their choice (or at all) as by morning, there are just a couple of doughnuts left from the dozen, the rest having been devoured up in the dead of night. The perpetrators are blameless of course. It is not their fault. You cannot leave a boxful of the world's most heavenly goodies unguarded and expect it to remain untouched, lying in wait for you.

If I'm not wrong, this is the first and only Indian brand of doughnuts. And oh boy, their lil hole 'n ones are the best in the whole friggin' world.

What makes them the best?

1) Great service and fresh stock even at 1 am (which is when they close for the day).

2) Home delivery till midnight.

3) They have awesome promotions - buy 2 for Rs. 99 and get a cappuccino free, buy 9 get 3 free.. We'd never leave with less than a dozen.

4) THE VARIETY.
5) No one makes doughnuts like them. NO ONE. Not Dunkin', not Krispy Kreme.. Do you dig? NO ONE! Formidable competition to say the least.

Besides that?

The marketing is bloody brilliant.
Never having lived in Bombay, I can only comment on the internet marketing. Being a marketing graduate, I am in awe. The website kicks traditional out on the street. M.O.D. has positioned itself as fun and extremely lovable and that's the secret behind its mass appeal (the vision statement will tell you all you need to know). From cute graphics to an extensive and intelligent play on words (employees are called M.O.D. Partners-in-Crumbs), the offbeat site is pretty darn neat.

I haven't even started on their Facebook page. It has GOT to be my favourite company fanpage. Judging from the escalating fanbase, it's a significant contributor to building their brand equity.
What's so special about it? The entire page brims with creativity. It's fun. It's interactive. There are promotions and contests specifically targeted towards Facebook fans, pictures just for the page (this one being my personal favourite), endearing status messages that encourage fans to partake and express their ardent love for doughnuts while M.O.D reciprocates the love.

Their recent status message inspired me to blog about them.
"We like the 'likes' of you!"

That dear readers, is how a brand should use social media.

Now, I languish for a Color Me Bad.
M.O.D. needs to expand to the Gulf. Starting with Kuwait.


Picture courtesy: Logo 'borrowed' from M.O.D.'s Facebook page. I'm sure they won't mind :)

dedicated to the twa

HAPPY BIRTHDAY B^2!!

For the friend, the awesome ever-encouraging friend, current twin, sole companion throughout the 4th sem,  proof reader, critic, faithful follower - being the one person in the world (as far as I know) who has read my blog completely and gives me feedback after thoroughly enjoying each post (=P), self-proclaimed maverick..

Here's to the discovering, exploring, bargaining with nariyal pani walas and every other wala, intense book analyzing, movie criticizing, vocab enhancing, mouth watering discussions of chicken and crab and the everlasting yearning for the same, testing the elasticity of our imagination, trudging through the city streets, exaggerations, heated ego disputes, excursions over the hills breathing in fresh air gazing at the view in awe, side splitting conversations whiling away Vodafone minutes..

Here's to a lot lot more of that.

And of course a heartfelt wish for you to inevitably succumb to the shackles of matrimony, hopefully by year end =D

Hope the new year brings in everything you want, deserve and more.

Cheers mate!

musings.

In the city I call home*:

- Nariyal pani is the best drink around for a parched throat.

- Every rickshaw wala is out to get maximum wallet share.

- It's more trying to get into mba than to get through it.

- It's possible to love a wi fi connection more than your cellphone.

- There can be no adequate substitute for family.

- A rick will still take an extra 10 bucks to drop you to your destination even if it is on his way to home, simply coz he won't get any fare thereon to his. Truly infallible logic that I've grown tired of arguing with.

- You don't need company when you're in a store full of books with nothing but time on your hands.

- The rick will be stumped to argue if you show your fare calculation on your cell's calculator.

- My best Ramadan ever was the one during the Career Forum days, opening fasts in Brio, Crossword, with a chocolate croissant and a Calvin and Hobbes book to go with it.

- My olfactory receptors craved and smelled more often than not the aroma emanated by the rain hitting dry earth.

- You can have a hell lotta fun without spending a dime. Or a rupee.

- The retail scene out here is a joke but I'm not laughing.

- There are people out there who would go wayy out of their way for you.

- Just 'coz some restaurants are highly recommended, doesn't mean they're going to go down well with you.

- And if 'coz they're not, doesn't mean they won't.

- Turns out not all of the male species is immature.

- You canNOT hold the same expectations you've been used to in the Gulf (if you've lived in the Gulf). You're just going to have an atrocious time if you do.

- I found friends to enjoy the little things in life with and had a blast each time.

- You don't need fans atleast 6 months a year.

- Even if all good things do come to an end, it's not necessarily a bad thing.

- I'm still incapable of approaching people on my own just for the sake of making conversation. But this is changing.

- I'm also incapable of ever being on time for anything, be it a lecture or a movie.

- The view from my window has a serene effect after a spot of rain, when the foliage thrives.

- If you don't build tolerance of blatant grammatical errors on signboards, hoardings, fliers, shop windows etc, it's highly probable you'll lose your mind.

- Cornflakes is the only way to start the day. And sometimes, end it.

- Bugs cannot be avoided. Mosquitoes can, with Odomos. And if you do get bitten, a bit of hand sanitizer helps.

- A girl's handbag MUST carry the following: hand sanitizer, wet wipes (lots of them, 'coz as soon as you refresh yourself with one everyone else wants to too), chewing gum, hair clips, change for the rick (if you travel by rick) right down to one rupee coins, safety pins..

- Moms are always right. Pity we insist on realizing the hard way.

- Indifference, if nurtured consistently, helps in overcoming every emotional tumble without you coming out too badly.

- It's often that people comment on your weight loss as a conversation starter.

- Japanese animated films kick Disney's ass.

- I'm not as heartless as I thought I was or tried to be.

- Every bakery and cafe is clueless as to the true succulent taste of cheesecake.

- McDonalds' has the best equipped loos. Now Gold Adlabs (I refuse to call it 'Big Cinemas') does too.

- The cultural environment is one that I've never been exposed to before, making it an invaluable learning experience.

- Lived here four years now and I still sight a vegetable I've never seen before.

- There are only a handful of friends you never want to lose touch with and many more with which you can't wait to lose touch. In this case, Facebook is more often a bane than not.

- Too many people can't tell the difference between 'lose' and 'loose'.

- Time is of the essence so don't waste it preaching the difference between right and wrong to people who don't care to learn and are old enough to know better anyway.

- I've been told my train of thought somewhat resembles that of a guy's. Interesting statement.

- I have resigned myself to the fact that never will I find a pretty yet well fitting top in any Indian department store.

- Shopping from export surplus shops has a unique thrill. Especially when you pick up one of your favourite brands at less than quarter of the price.

- Some of the absolute best times I've had here are when friends or family have come down to stay.

- Every other season pales in comparison to the monsoon.

- My therapy to clear a boggled mind? An episode of Naruto Shippuuden. Provided it's not a filler. Even a Tom and Jerry (Fred Quimby ones).

- Fruit tastes better here for some odd, inexplicable reason.

- I never got to enjoy huddling in sweaters because of the inexplicably hot afternoons in the so-called winter months.

- Everytime I get home, I wash off atleast three layers of grime from my face.

- I never loved walking anywhere as much as here and it's an activity I never get tired of.

- No chocolate tastes better than Dairy Milk just rightly melted.

- No pizza tastes better than the Hawaiian Volcano at Papa John's.. now discontinued.

- No mocktail tastes better than the Sweet Sunrise at Hard Rock Cafe.. now discontinued.

- My hunger for classical music was fed by attending the concerts held by the Poona Music Society.

- The recent most fabulous memories I have of here are of Sundays, living the moment.

*Inspired by a particular bff's facebook notes :)

for Them.

With them,

I was myself,

I never found the need to withhold

I experienced and rediscovered old loves of things,

be it fine dining or stargazing, biryani or pani puri, world cinema or books,

even new,

like the deliciousness of ripe gooseberries,

and raw tamarind,

chasing butterflies,

stretching the limits of the imagination,

driving,

posing,

roaming streets,

ever ready for the unknown,

running on impulse,

free, no worries,

'hakuna matata' as the phrase goes.

There was a newfound confidence within me,

my ribcage was no longer under threat of succumbing to my heart's

incessant hammering when I faced a horde of people;

they encouraged me to write,

to participate,

partake,

share,

cry,

and more.

From them,

I learnt more about people,

even myself,

about the male and female psyche,

how each thinks,

and doesn't think,

how to save yourself from yourself,

the art of how much to say when,

the depth of emotions,

different cultures,

maintaining relations with people,

networking,

forgiveness,

letting go.

To them -

I pray that you accomplish everything you wish to achieve and more,

that you have fulfilling careers, rewarding lives

and remain the way you have been with me,

the sui generis that you are,

not allowing life's trials to embitter you,

but refine you.

And as the time to say dasvidaniya draws nearer,

regardless of whether we remain in touch till the end of our days,

do remember,

that I will always carry you all wherever I go.

dedicated to the soon to be 24 year old half Iranian.

Memories flash. Not necessarily in order.

The relief and joy of meeting someone who speaks my language.

That day we watched three heavy films back to back during the PIFF including that weird Finnish(was it?) one we couldn't understand the point of.

Sitting in your society garden or that day in Jogger's Park, gossiping about the debauchery of people I have never met or even knew existed before you mentioned them. So much fun xD

The numerous offerings of Fa deos I got to sample coz of you :P

The ease of correspondence when I was in q8 through a blessed medium by name of Facebook. Logging in and always expecting my inbox to be one msg fuller when I was there and never getting disappointed.

Popping by E-square after Dhruv to catch Cafe Settareh(I think?) and walking into that damn weird everlastingly long movie where that guy/girl kisses that dead guy/chick and he/she comes to life??

That iftaari where we got complimentary fruits! Yea yea sooo sweet of them.

Admonishing you for always answering with a lifeless 'Hello?' giving the impression that you're too shortsighted to see the caller id.

Our fabulous business plan that gonna set the world on faiyaaa!! ;)

Having Iranian roots in common :)

Always, always being able to rely on your wallet to get me out of a financial crunch.

Shopping excursions on MG Road. Funny, I can't recall ever buying anything.. except that piece of cotton for a kurta which turned out to be a complete disaster.

Cultivating and embellishing our conversations with newly learnt business jargon ;)

Struggling to drape that miserable sari and surrendering myself to you and your mom with usually just ten minutes to spare to wherever needs to be going to.

Turning to you whenever I needed help editing something, knowing your touches and

suggestions would render it fabulous.

Whispering conspicuously about Iranian guys when Iranian guys would happen to pass by ;)

Indulging at your favourite restaurant in East Street.. just twice! Financial and taste constraints making it difficult to visit more often.

ALWAYS exasperatedly having to hear your cribbing about walking up to the library even if we're on the same floor.

Automatically coming to the inevitable conclusion whenever we spotted a strange species of Man. 'He's Iranian!'

Studying/discussing/complaining about accounts, sqm, mis and of course transfer pricing that had us so agitated and all for no reason.

Acing French, knowing every damn thing in that text and brandishing it in class excitedly :D

Spending the first year sullenly accusing you of spending your weekends only with your other friends and the second year smug and triumphant coz I had replaced them. (If your friends are reading this, hard luck suckers!)

That amazing, hilarious, victorious expression you threw me during the mom exam when you got the paper, assuring me that we didn't study that whopping big answer in vain.

Being there for each other for the grueling mcs lectures.

Your word being the final word on every single restaurant in the city.. except Hard Rock. That's my zone :P

I may have been (alright I was) a lil weird at times and I'm sorry about that.

Truth is life got a little better after we became such firm friends.

And you've taught me a couple of things for which I'm grateful.

That it's ok to forgive.

If you take something up, put your heart (and sometimes your soul) into it.

That it's not beneath a person to be nice to people just for the heck of it.

And that being too nice can make one wonder which planet has this woman come from coz it sure as hell can't be earth.

and yes you're a superstar.

:* (right cheek)

:* (now left)

:* (right again)

and we're done.

Happy Birthday babydoll. May you be blessed with every happiness. I. A. SA. :)

unmasked

Just when you think you can no longer recall all those memories worth remembering or what it was that actually made them worth it, and you think maybe that mightn't be such a travesty, there comes a day that triggers it all. That reservoir once jogged unleashes a powerful surge of memories making you wonder how the hell could you ever have let yourself forget those awesome times and how complete they made you feel in the first place.

This was the day that triggered it.

Whether it was avoiding dung(buffalo or human who really knows) or trying to push each other into it(and successfully without knowing it), discovering and following a kind of bird that resembled a crow but with more elan, taunting each other, vowing solemnly never to fall in front of particular people and stumbling (twice) in front of those people, laughing at asinine remarks, taking in the breathtaking view from the point we were at, feeling the wind in my face making me feel more alive, mocking the 'leader', the endless arguments (the only one that stands out being the one over UNO rules), finding me a rick (always an irksome experience especially for them) or that conversation making an attempt at the philosophical.. exuberance as B^2 put it, exuded every step of the way.

It made me remember. And realize what I've been missing out on. And that I still care. I really do.