"Artsy Fartsy"

So here are previews of the piece that I'm working on...it's about everything that's happening in my life right now. Well, they're not great previews. But more photos once I get a new camera next week. Yayee!

The Happy Cat Writes

Life as I know it

Cosmic Love

It’s starting to feel like I can’t escape technology. Well, I guess my previous post about 'survival' does support this point. The whole 'survival kit' is based on the use of technology. I guess I don’t have too many options here do I? 

It's almost 3am and I’m in front of my laptop on my day off (half of which I spent, yes again, in front of my laptop). My laptop and I have become developed a strong bond. It knows almost everything I’m going through. Somehow it hasn’t given up on me. 

True Companion

The things, the technologies, that have given up on me, at this moment, are my phone and my internet connection. Actually I wouldn’t blame my phone. So let’s just say the damn internet as well as my phone service providers are messing with my life. 

I realise that I’ve become highly dependent on these two things. Internet - so I can catch up on the world around me. Talk to my friend in London and ‘Hi SAM’. I spend my night talking to the two Sams in my life. Every day is a whole new day with new things to talk about. The conversations we have are no less than EPIC! And then I also get to chat with some friends on Facebook. Some posting photos of school batchmates who are engaged and on their way to spending the rest of their lives with that special someone. 

The things life has to offer. And the choices you make, quite amazing. I wouldn’t judge but just sometimes, sometimes, you can’t help but think. Hmmm. Things. Let’s just keep it at that. 

So going back to technology and how I live in its kingdom - it rules my world at the moment. FULL STOP. I can’t seem to be occupied by anything else. I wake up to my alarm, from my phone. I feel like listening to music - switch on my laptop. Oh! I guess I’ll just check my mail - internet. Tap tap type. Reply to a few mails/messages. Ahh! The phone’s ringing. Oh hello :) …love you!

Moving on, I get ready for work. Music still playing through this whole process. I get to work, switch on my PC. Log on to my work email, check feedback from my editor. Hmmm. No copies? Hello StumbleUpon. This is an interesting link. Copy paste. 'Sam you've got to read this, its hilarious/really cute/we should make this'. The whole day, till late night at work, seems to be a loop of all these things with a major workload at the second half. It’s 1.30am. Done. Pack up. 

Back home. Switch on my laptop – because umm...I feel like listening to music. Ed Sheeran, Florence + the machine, Foster the People – all my latest downloads. Maybe I’ll stream an episode of House or Supernatural. Ohhh Look! Sam is online. 

I think I just reached a full circle. SO you get the point. HIGHLY DEPENDENT. Its not that I don’t like it. I would never say that. But yes, I’ve come to terms with the dependency. And the realisation that it’s a part of my life. Really can’t do without it, can I? I wouldn’t be writing this post if it weren’t for my dependency on my trusty lappy. But BUT for those who are judging this dependency and extremely skeptical about what they’ve read. Uhh...I’m not a 'bad'(?) person. The listening to music part is spent expanding an artwork. A very intricate artwork I must add. Will post it in a month. I repeat 'intricate'. Hehe. And of course, the other part of this awesome realisation, I get to write about it!

Note: The post’s name is inspired by my current favourite feel-good-song by Florence + the Machine. Love it!

A Speed Bump

I think I haven’t revealed where I live. I’m posted in Bhopal. Yes, duty calls. I expected this city to be at par with most state capitals in India. SOO not the case (even though, I’ve not been to most states). I was quite disappointed. Still am from time to time. Getting used to it though. Madhya Pradesh being one of the biggest states in India, I thought “Bhopal should be decent”. But nope. Looking at a map, it seems like one of the smaller districts of MP. It’s a small town. HUUUUGE change from Delhi (yes, that’s where I’m from). The difference was obviously understandable. But. BUT. Bhopal (as people always say) has its charm. Beautiful lakes. Lots of green cover. But all of this (in my opinion) is overshadowed by bad roads, even worse highways (continuous blame game between the state and Centre on the conditions of roads, one blames the other and vice-versa). 

Oh! How lovely they look

Public transportation is crap. Not “public” friendly at all. The government imposed a strict rule for all autorickshaws to have working meters and to use them, or face a penalty.  I use an auto every single day. Not even one auto driver voluntarily agrees to go by the meter. Not one. Buses are shady as hell, that’s all I can say. 

The other thing about living in a place like Bhopal is that an “outsider” really stands out in a crowd. Especially if you look a little different (I’m from North-east India. Totally different facial features. I’m serious). Even if you speak excellent Hindi and go about doing your own thing, you WILL stand out. But, thinking about all this, you realise this  happens mostly with the younger adult generation. The older (wiser?) people I’ve come across are the nicest people. No strange vibes, just limitless warmth.

So I’ll get to the point of this blog. I thought I’d list out what I’ve seen. Different experiences, perspectives, things I’ve noticed in my three-month stay in Bhopal. I always say “So far, so good”. Let’s take a look and see if it’s really been that or just “so far (from home), (not) so good.”

AUTOWALA

• Auto guys charge like craaaaazy! Well. I guess that’s the case in A LOT of places. So I guess it’s okay.
• Autos are awesomely decorated with colourful patterns and this rather odd-looking furry seat cover. Definitely a plus. Would make for some great photos. (If only I had a digital camera)
• Roads. As I’ve said before. WOW! You’d find such disparity (can’t think of another word) between roads is huge. A kilometre stretch would be totally different from the next kilometre. Old Bhopal is really bad.
• There’s a whole different air/atmosphere in Old Bhopal as compared to New Bhopal. What I’ve seen of New Bhopal is extremely commercialised, while old city is just dusty and disappearing (seems like it’s literally getting really old).
• I’ve heard Bhopal has a lot of people-stalking-people cases. And a lot of internet love crimes sorta things. Apparently. Also, from the stories I edit, I’ve realised there are A LOT (a disturbing amount) of “chain snatching cases”. Men on motorcycles driving by and snatching gold necklaces from women. How odd. No I don’t wear necklaces and no gold. Thankyouverymuch. Saved from this one.
• Okay again about autos. (I should’ve made this list about autoriskshaws instead) Bhopali auto speed: dead slow or deadly fast. (I was trying to do some fancy play on words thing, kinda think it failed hehe) You can never calculate how much time you’re going to take to reach wherever you’re going.
• The following point I thought I’d write a post about. May be the next post. I’ve noticed that Bhopalis and people visiting Bhopal react the same way when they see a mall. Yes, there’s one fancy. I mean FAAAAANCY mall in Bhopal called DB City Mall. It’s a big deal. And yes, I do secretly love it. My Fridays are spent at DB City. I don’t need to go anywhere else, other than may be New Market to this awesome shop called Sanghamitra. Oh how I love that shop! :D Going back to the reaction. People are in awe of that mall, not kidding. I met up with a friend of mine (from Leeds) at this mall. She couldn’t believe that there was an “ACTUAL Body Shop” at the mall.

All these are what I think. I may be wrong or totally spot on. And it’s just a three-month review. The longer I stay, I’m sure some of these are bound to change and I hope to add more (as always) to the list. Also, I had a few more points that I was thinking about while writing the others. But I totally spaced, can’t remember.

Working Boots

These boots are new, but may be wearing thin (a little bit).

It’s not all it’s made out to be.

(Especially if it’s a TOTALLY new place where you don’t know everyone)

For those who thought living away from home would be the best thing that would ever happen to you…I would say think again. There are so many “comforts” of living at home. SO little to worry about, so little to think about. I moved away for a year last year, it seemed like such a big deal at first. And it was, because it was right after college. (I moved to Chennai for around 10 months to do a post grad in Journalism) Living in a hostel with friends (people your age/classmates) is TOTALLY different from living on YOUR OWN. 

Spiral staircase to
my new "home"

Now, a year later, I’m again away from home. But this time left without friends/classmates/people my age. I realise how different and sometimes difficult it is to be alone in a new place (FYI where I don’t know a single person). I started work (yes, time to get serious), my best friend called me a “real person”…whatever that’s supposed to mean. HAH! I got a small flat with a nice Mallu aunty living downstairs (and now a RAT as a roommate, hopefully only for a while – I might have some evil plan in mind hehe). Bought a fridge, microwave, stove and all that you need to “build a home” (quoting my Dad). It’s been nothing less than hard. But as far as it’s been, I think I’m doing pretty well. Yes, I do breakdown (and meltdown) and call the people (mostly this one person) I miss. 

SO with all that I thought (actually JUST NOW) I’d come up with a list. A survival kit. Less a “kit”, more about surviving. Might now work for everyone but so far it’s helped me. Here goes (this is how I survive):

• Calling people helps (bug the hell out of that someone “HI SAM!”)
• Internet. Mails. Messages. Chats. Anything and everything. Oh StumbleUpon <3
• Facebook <thumbs up> is a major way to vent, helps prevent meltdowns (or sometimes you just meltdown while facebook-ing. I say it’s all cool as far as it helps)
• Whatsapp. Chat with friends from across the globe. Such happiness. (Globe is a funny word)
• I have one day off from work in a week. Friday. I spend it as a ‘Me Day’. I know it sounds stupid. I go out buy grocery. Eat out. Watch a movie or two. It works.
• Skype. To see faces of your loved ones.

(I might add more to this list) 

I tried getting involved in some sort of work besides WORK. But I couldn’t manage the timings. It would work great for some people though. Volunteer with an NGO may be once a week. Meet people. See new faces. That’s one more to the list.

There is always some holiday or the other in a month. So plan a short trip. Tell your friends/family to visit you. But I should warn you, the after-effects of this is not good. Homesick-ness or a major home hangover. Yes, it’s two totally different things. Call me I’ll explain it to you. HAHA.

That’s all for now!

How do you decide when to leave a party?

I just came back from a party. Well, not really a "party" but just some drinks with colleagues at the boss' flat. These kinds of "drinking scenes" always go on forever. Someone tries to leave, everyone will convince that person to stay a little longer. It's a never-ending circle. You get up to leave, someone says "it's still early (at 4am), just sit" and then you sit, get yourself another drink. You get done with this drink, you're determined to leave this time. You've even called a car to pick you up. You go to the host (the boss) to tell him that you're leaving. AGAIN! "Stop acting like a fool, just sit". This is when I start thinking - how does this always happen, how do I always fall into the trap. If you're wondering, this luckily didn't happen today. We (another colleague of mine) escaped. This is starting to sound like I'm trying to escape from something horrid and 'not funn'. These "parties" are great funn, it's just that sometimes you just want to leave, get home, sleep or watch an episode of Weeds or Parks and Recreation. SO today, while on my way back home, I thought - how do you decide when to leave. Wait for someone to leave before you? And another one? This could take ages. (I just realised, I somehow leave the party last. Hehe.) You can't really decide can you? It was so much easier when you had curfews. Haha. Not better, but easier. Any suggestions on how you decide? I'm still thinking, trying to come up with something.

First Post

I'm at work. Finished editing copies and just edited a page for tomorrow's edition. Multi-tasking at the moment. Stumble(upon)-ing. It's my saviour when there's nothing to do. I never thought I'd be "blogging". It never seemed like my type of thing. I've always thought of writing though and this seems like a good way to start. (Now that I don't have 'Weeds' to watch, keep me busy at night). Think my next post is going to be about moving to a new city. Being away from home. Thoughts on starting a new project.