Category: General

So much for my world err plane domination plans.

gmail’s gone nuts. I’ve been getting like 3/6 invites to give away each day for the past few days, and it’s annoying. You begin to realize you don’t even know so many people.

Thank you, gmail, for reminding me in YET ANOTHER way I ought to know more people by now. You know, considering so many years of existence on this planet and all.

Update: Make that two invites to spare.

Agitated:

Tranquil:

And unrelated, my stuff’s arrived. And nothing major’s missing.

Not.

Since I’m not particularly in the mood to write about my trip, here are some pictures, you know, since they say a thousand words each and all.

I still don’t have my stuff, and it’s getting quite annoying. Quite inaptly,

Yeah, right.

Fun fact: It’s illegal to take pictures inside Indian airports, and from planes over Indian airspace.

Fun fact: Posting self incriminatory evidence is very dumb.

And actually quite well. I’m home.

It’s just, with all the delays, missed flights, lost luggage and so on due to NorthWest’s incompetence, jet lag, creepy bugs, Madras’ heat, water situation and superior air quality resulting in an “instant” sore throat, and… general things of this nature I won’t care to detail, I’m not great.

But I am very good, and home.

For the stalkers in the audience, who have to know my every move, here is my ultra-detailed itinerary:

* I leave Ann Arbor sometime on 14^th evening.
* <blur>
* I reach Madras in the wee hours of the morning on the 16^th, I think.

Oh, and our friends from Germany, welcome. I don’t really have the time for anything more elaborate, considering I need to pack.

It is all beginning to make sense now – my agitation I mean.

For those who don’t know, I don’t live in the real world, usually. Not to sound like some supernatural being or weird alien creature or something, but that’s quite an accurate way of putting it. I take refuge in my ivory-towery-“world” that I build for myself, far far from the details that I assume plague yours.

(No, not real ivory. No elephants were harmed in the creation of my habitat. Animal rights people: Shoo.)

In this happy place, everything real is trivial, and doesn’t deserve thought. Timing, location, actually having to deal with new people in varied surroundings, the risk of something going wrong… stuff that’s fairly commonplace in reality, is conspicuously absent in my bubble. Basic needs are about as real as I am willing to get. The rest is all fluff.

All of that is fine and dandy when your life involves a few scripted activities whose exact specifics don’t really matter. So when I am picked up from that cosy set up, and forced to deal with the real thing occasionally, it takes some getting used to. I freak out internally and I tend snap a lot more, but for the most part, on the outside, I seem too laid back (to downright dispassionate) about the task at hand. This tends to annoy some folk.

And everyone who knows me know I need help. They just have no idea how to show it without annoying me further. Here’s a poor person who’s already struggling and will not stoop down to things like asking you for your hand (guy thing?), but expects you to be all understanding and supportive. If not, at least sshh and act like you believe he’s handling it all fine.

In summary.
– I need more help than most when it comes down to real life situations.
– You know this.
– Instead of asking me “whether I’ve already done this or that” (knowing fully well I haven’t, because I don’t know how), help me do it.
– Or STFU, it bothers me. Being constantly reminded of inadequacies or issues is not fun.

But, at the end of the day, I am more devious than you and I will get it done. Scheming takes time and I get this way when I sense there’s a high probability of failure.

Don’t mind me.

I have no idea what’s come over me. I’m just.. angry. You know those days when you’re happy for no real reason, or the others when you’re down? I’m having one of those, except I’m continuously wild for no reason.

No, not wild as in show my bare chest wild (as seems to be the commonly used definition of ‘wild’ on TV), but wild as in I am furious. It’s like pure anger’s flowing all over me, and anything anyone says or does causes it to worsen. I hate it. Shut up, everyone.

No, I DON’T know what I am doing. I AM NOT prepared. I will screw up.

I DON’T NEED YOU “CHECKING IN” ON HOW UNPREPARED I AM. Shut up.

Great, if something not entirely pleasant happens to any of the three flights between the 14th and the 16th (yes, it’s that fishing far away), this outburst will be the post that resides here forever.

Forever being as long as the domain and hosting last anyway.

I cannot believe I am going to be home in a couple of days.

*Points to ultra jazzy counter thingy above*

I, obviously, haven’t finished shopping, or packing or even deciding what to pack. I haven’t seen my tickets carefully enough to figure out when it is exactly I am leaving. Even if I do, I am bound to see AM as PM or some other such thing. I don’t know how I plan to get to the airport. And I’ve already assumed I’m going to get stuff stolen from my bag in Bombay, and have exhausted my quota of being mad. Weird huh?

But I am finished with most of the work work I wanted to do. The past few days I have been quite… god like. Anything I’ve wanted to get done, I’ve gotten done. Even cooler, when I was cleaning my desk at work I found a couple of TODO lists I’d written about 8 months to a year ago. It seemed insanely ambitious at the time, and was quite depressing to look at considering I assumed I wouldn’t ever get close to finishing it.

I’m happy to announce I’ve done all that, and more.

Woah, totally extremely pleasant surprise. I just had something vaguely analogous to an orgasm, no bodily fluids being involved. People have told me they’ve had similar experiences during a particularly delectable meal. I achieved said state listening to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing some Oasis classics.

*Sniff*

I have a couple of gmail invites left to use. Would you like one?

All requests are processed in a first-come-first-serve basis, suitably fudged by how much I like you.

Giving up your first born might not be necessary.

Update: They’re long gone. Sorry.
And by sorry I mean please stop spamming me.
And by please stop, I just mean stop.

Totally weird stuff going on. I’ve had this annoying twitch in my right eyelid that doesn’t seem to want to go away. And when I asked an expert, I was informed the usual causes are lack of sleep, going overboard on caffeine, and stress. Sheesh, considering I’ve had nothing to do with any of those causes, I wonder why I’m having an issue.

Hmm, I wonder.

Anyway, trying to see the light (or rather not see light), I went to bed caffeine free before 10 last night. But that was easily the most unfruitful thing I’ve tried in ages. I just lay there, vaguely drifting off to what could be called sleep for a teeny bit, just to wake every 45 minutes or so. It was so annoying. I’d just see the clock tick (or rather blink or whatever). This happened pretty much all night, and before I knew it, it’s 9 in the morning, and instead of being all refreshed, I am all groggy.

And what’s with the weirdness in the dreams? I’m beginning to think <someone> (name withheld for privacy) is a very very angry man trapped in a pleasant enough exterior.

Although some might argue the exterior isn’t all that pleasant either.

*twitch* *twitch*

Arggh.

Maybe not, but it sure is easier on me.

Here’s “Haloed clock tower”, as a sort of peace offering.

It’s like, if you were pretty much silent wrt her, you’ve got to be silent to the world. That’s just the way it has to be.

Good night.

Ahh yes, what’s the fun having new housemates if you can’t crib about them? Life, in the past few days, has undergone a lot of changes. For one, I don’t live alone anymore. I now have not one, but two other housemates. And it’s beginning to bother me to no end already. You know things aren’t getting off to a great start when your first conversation goes something like so,

They: [ Insert vague blur I claim not to understand. ]
Me: *Blank stare* (yes, Oscar-worthily faked)
They: So, you don’t speak the Hindi?
Me: No, I don’t respond in Hindi.
They: Oh, so you can’t the respond in the Hindi.
Me: No, I don’t respond in Hindi.
They: the Why?!?
Me: [ Expletives deleted for the sake of the children. ]

Ok, not to make any sweeping generalizations or anything, but what’s up with northies and their oh-so-annoyingly-frequent theing? I mean, COME ON. And the accents.. “Can I use your [ blur ]”. I’m like, “Umm.. sure” and hope desperately they aren’t asking for some clothing of mine or some such. But then again, at least that’s ok, considering they ASKED permission. Or so I thought. Within a little bit that stopped also. Do whatever, we’re close to him, he won’t mind.

Yeah, right.

They: Are you looking for shoes?
Me: Huh? What’s with the stupid question? Umm.. no?
They: No, it’s just, we were using your computer earlier and ..
Me: WHAT THE?!?
They: And you had a browser window open with a shoe in it.
Me: *Gives up, shrugs, nods*

(Note to self, never leave windows open with any content that could probably be embarrassing, unlike shoes. I can see it now,

They: Are you looking for mail order brides from Russia?
Me: It’s a freaking popup I didn’t request for you fools.
They: Oh, but we just thought..
Me: Oh, brother.)

And there is a reason there’s a bathroom attached to your bedroom. It’s so that YOU USE IT and not mine you insensitive clods.

Now, the bigger generalizations. What’s with Indians and taking arbitrary liberties? Why do they just assume they can do whatever and you’ll be ok with it? But, I the kind and benevolent mentor sorts, realize they’re new here and just need a hand. I’ve been spending most of my days showing them around, showing them essential places, getting them stuff they probably need to be comfortable, and being all smiley and helpful.

It’s like being a mom, without the ova producing capabilities.

But the best thing that’s come out of taking these kids around buying them the essentials, is that a lot of pretty things have caught my fancy. Yes, I’m talking paintings and wall hangings and the sorts of things that make a space shift from seeming like a “house”, to a “home”. I’m making this huge list of things now, which I will eventually buy and populate my new home.

I can’t believe I’m so excited thinking about it. That’s it, I’m ending up aiming for the ever elusive “perfect apartment”.

It’s like being Big (from Sex and the City?) except not rich, powerful or sexy.

(I’m middle aged, balding, and bellied. Not yet, but probably will be in 15-20 years. You’ve been warned, you stalker-who-turn-admirer sorts.)

And the sweetest thing happened a short while ago when I was out to grab a bite to eat. This sweet old lady in front of me was having some trouble with the cashier lady (who was pretty rude and inconsiderate. Actually, she was pretty, rude and inconsiderate, but that’s a different story). Either she wasn’t carrying enough money to pay, or was taking too much time to find it in her purse (I probably meant sweet old old lady). So I cut in front of her (much to her initial chagrin) and payed for her before she had a chance to realize what was going on and could refuse. Once she got it, she was all, god bless you child and had the hugest smile. People ought to be nice to sweet old ladies (and men, and young people too). It was pretty sweet, and I felt all do-goody.

It’s like being a super hero, without superpowers.

(Ok, annoying roomie two just entered my room and isn’t leaving, so I must go. I think he wants my computer to watch a movie, which he’s rummaged from my DVD collection. Without permission, of course. No NO.. THAT’S MY BED.. ARGGH. God damnit!)

For the past couple of days, I’ve been carrying around the camera I got for my dad instead of my usual trusty one. It started off as a need to test it, as I figured I might as well catch any obvious problems here. I soon realized how simple it really is to use. It’s amazingly quick also – from the time you see something, take it out of the pouch, turn it on, and shoot. In all of this, I was under the impression that at least “the pictures that this will capture won’t be as good”. Or something like that, seemingly justifying to myself the price tag for the lenses and other equipment expended so far. But that isn’t really the case either. This, for example, is a point-and-click shot I took during my walk home last evening.

Clickey clickey

Maybe it does have more to do with the photographer than the camera. Then again, maybe it’s more to do with what’s being photographed than the photographer.

Update: For those less inclined to notice such things, notice there are subtle drop shadows beginning to appear around all recent pictures. It is a bit more work per pic, but I do plan to keep this up for a while. Even a simplistic ‘frame’ like this seems to add to it somehow, you know?