Swords, dragons and dietcoke.

Too much chocolate can make anyone look like a turkey on the dinner table on Thanks giving. I closely resemble one of those now. I've given up on me... like my "wise" cousin says - a moment on the lips is forever on the hips! So prophetic. Everyday in every way I'm looking more and more like a fat turkey. Moving on to more happier topics, July was a month of mixed events...the month isn't over yet so The Panic Princess (yours truly) is not ready to make any comments on it.. except, so far so DAMN good.

Somehow everyone in my class gets a rude shock when I tell them I'm single...then they try to set me up with their friends. Geez leave me alone!! Its more fun making theories on the "Utopian man", Anuja and I came up with that one, its hilarious. As much as I'd love to put it on my blog, I must take into consideration the values and morals of the reader, hence I shall refrain from doing any such thing.

Things to do before the month is up:

• Find time and space to freak out (vent pent up energy).
• Write a bucket list.
• Flush it down the toilet.
• Call Nimma more often and yell at someone else for a change.
• Take lessons on covering up my tracks.
• Find some more time for my frequent escapades into the parallel universe.

It was a month of birthdays, internals (I pause to swear under my breath at this point) and whole lot of eating outs....I'm usually broke by the fifteenth of the month. Apoorva's 20Th was so much fun, it was simple and so damn sweet! Under the pretext of buying shoes for Nazia's sis, we took her shopping and brought her the prettiest kelly green tube top. Had it not been a gift I would have stolen it and runaway. So, she takes us to Mainland China for a buffet, we were in cahoots with the hostess there, Apoorva didn't know that. From the million appetisers to the desserts it was brilliant! I can't decide which part I liked best, when they taught us how to use chopsticks or Apoorva's surprised cum embarrassed expression when the waiters came with sparklers, guitars and chocolate cake (on the house) and sang for her.

All of us kept up our usual coaster signing ritual. I even plucked up the courage to compliment the chef...I'm so proud of me! We went bowling after that and I emerged as the least pathetic one, but at one point I had a sneaking suspicion that my hand might come right off its sockets with the bowling ball....my hand is going to throb like crazy for the next one week. I better get my act together and start running before I start resembling Queen Latifa!

The next chapter!!

All is well that ends well. Sadly that couldn't be said about my mind numbingly boring summer vacation. The last leg of it was fun though with all the makings of a soap....laughter, tears, shopping (it doesn't fit in, I know) and a lot more drama than usual. I lost my mobile and after a lot of unfounded accusations it was restored to me by a good Samaritan who found it in an ATM. Apparently my mobile travelled all over the city before actually being returned to me. Thank you Sangeeth, you restored my belief in miracles. I thanked him a million times in my head and in person!!! I wanted to get back to college ASAP. Never knew I'd actually say that sentence.

I couldn't wait to get back to MCC and rag the unsuspecting juniors. Little did I know that one of my juniors would be Sandhya......she turned the tables on me...and now instead of being the scary, growling senior I turned out to be a senior who was actually bullied by juniors. Yes, I am a shame to the cult of Seniorhood. But now I'm the proud owner of the world's prettiest stilettos.....not taking into fact the self coined phrase "sticks and stones may break your bones but stilettos kill you". sigh. I don't care if I fall from it and break my neck. I'll still love it! Its great to be back though.....the usual pee-in-the pants kinda laughs, helping friends sob over Ex-boyfriends, displaying new wardrobe, exchanging notes on new hangouts etc.

I've already been twice around the city doing nothing in particular except "hangout". That's the fun part,a simple word can contain a whole bunch of actions. LOL. Even bought 61 red roses for nuja's dad on his b'day, it was the prettiest bouquet ever. I fell in love with it and had a hard time parting with it.....anyway happy b'day uncle!! I have a full calendar already with credit courses lined up (don't ask if you value your life, because I'm done explaining what it is). I miss the old union looks like they were better than the new one. I am pathetic at concluding, I really am. Here's hoping for a brilliant year....better than before!!!

Confessions of cousin IT!!!.

For the past month and a half I've been sitting at home with little more than staring at the wall and drooling to do. I was getting more depressed by the day. You see I'm not used to such inactivity. I drove mum up the wall. Told her I was already on the edge and inactivity would push me right off it! I took to reading a women's magazine. And to kill time, they (the very active magazine people) had suggested a new haircut for the summer. I warmed up to the idea pretty quickly, considering the fact that I and everybody else around me had gotten tired of my so called "grunge" look! So I went to the salon with a broad smile on my face...........I had taken time out from my I-wish-I-were-busy schedule to do some frantic research on my new look, I liked what I saw in the above mentioned magazine.

So I walk into the salon and explain to the stylist in detail what exactly I wanted. She nodded and said something about layers (she had a weird accent probably north eastern considering the fact that shes from Mizoram!) I nod approvingly. I wanted French pedicures too. Pedicures first. It looked great and lasted for about three days!! Damn those pretentious French!!

Back to the point which pains me the most now - my haircut. It took the stylist nearly an hour of cutting and shearing to get the desired style. I was mortified at the result!! I could have gotten that look if i gave my 3 year old niece a pair of garden shears. The stylist hurriedly told me that it would look much better if it were washed and dried!! There was no need to cry!! Easy for her to say!! Her non-butchered hair looks just FINE!!! And she doesn't have friends who guffaw cruelly at bad hair cuts!! Only mine didn't look like any hair style I had in mind........... it looked like ROADKILL!!

To put it mildly I look like a shampooed and blow dried Cousin It from the Adam's family!! Damn that filthy rag they call a magazine!! Hair extensions anyone???

Cribbing Mallu, falling coconuts!!!

Its been almost a year since I have been officially displaced from my home, kerala. I find the term "mallus" and "malluland" quite offensive because we've given ourselves proper respectable names! Considering the fact that of all the people I've come across, without any bias, mallus are definitely the funniest people, that's besides the fact that they can laugh at themselves (this does not include me). Every time I go to Kerala or someone I know from kerala comes to meet me the first thing that my non-keralite friends ask me is "How many coconuts did you get, dude??". OK!! I can think of a million other places where you get coconuts and a jillion other things that you can get from Kerala!! Yes "Kerala" does mean land of coconuts, but please if I hear the coconuts question one more time, I'll beat/bite that person repeatedly without any mercy!!

I would like to take time to clear all the misconceptions surrounding mallus and their highly complex relationship with coconuts!!
1) We do use coconut oil for cooking but NOT ALL THE TIME!!!
2) Not all mallus are "CRAZY" about tender coconuts and products from coconuts.
3) Mamooty is not my uncle (its not a coconut related misconception, but a misconception nevertheless).
4) Yes, there are a lot of kerala dishes made out of coconuts but not ALL of them.
5) All mallu freak accidents aren't because "a coconut fell on his head".

Home sweet home!

Being away from home is the most painful event so far!!! The city of Kochi calls out to me every time i hear or see anything vaguely related to Kerala. Yes to a large extent the city is blissfully unaffected (not ignorant, mind you) by whats going on abroad!! The smell of freshly fried pakodas, biryani, and masala dosas brings back vivid memories of Nandita and me after Iyer sir's class. Every time a friend calls I cannot help but let tears well up in my eyes (that is besides the shock about the fact that they actually called). I miss everything about the place....... riding the school bus, yelling at Anil and David, discussing fervently about EVERYTHING with Nima and laughing with Ramya and at Dipthy!! All that was school, and outside it was a city of wonders!! Unimaginably low prices, sunsets worth dying for, coffee at coffee beans are some among the million things that i miss!

And when I think of the coming monsoons, I feel like crying.....there is nothing like running out when it rains, or sipping hot coffee while sitting near the balcony when the wind is howling and the rain makes the coconut palms bend!! Wherever I go I can hear songs that remind me of the good and better times I've spent in Kochi. There is no place like home!! I burn with envy when friends talk of get together that I'll probably never can attend. Like, what Nimisha once said "Nina is a fool for having runaway to bangalore, leaving her friends behind!!" How painfully true. I took it for granted, never once realizing the fact that maybe, maybe i might not get to relive those days again.

The time we had our hands read was so scary, because the man could not have been more accurate!!! How skeptical I was when he offered to read mine and how much I regretted the fact that I refused! The day we spent rolling on the floor laughing at a perfectly good romantic movie thanks to dipthy's antics.....LOL!! I miss them so much!! The only two people who could make me laugh were David and Anil, I still refuse to admit it though (at least not to their faces!!) how I wish they were around. Those were the days. I dwell so much in the past that sometimes I freak myself out.

I love my life in Bangalore, but i love my life in Kochi a whole lot more. Even after living in Bangalore for nearly a year I cannot get over the fact that I'm no longer a Bhavanite but a Carmelite, I guess heart of hearts I'll always be a student of BVM(G).

Its that time of the year!!

Its that time of the year when you see carmelites running wild looking bedraggled, its time for cul-ah.... the three day college fest. It begins tomorrow and I'm keeping my fingers crossed, I bet the place will be run over by tall & hairy testosterone reeking metal heads, screaming their lungs out!! They've set up three venues leaving not even an inch of space for innocent and indifferent passersby. But there are plus points too......like we can give proxy attendance by bribing the class-rep, shoving down our throats all kinds of eatables....and shopping for clothes and shoes within the campus!!
Of course the teachers will be on the look out too...to see if they can catch the girls with their boyfriends in campus, (all the best!!) and also to get the best buys. I'm just praying real hard I've been set a project for my credit course and it requires me to write a report on the fest (all three days!!), that annoucement knocked the wind off me, i had planned in detail my schedule for the three days (it basically includes watching TV and eating popcorn), having no desire in being asked out by perverts and hit on by horny lesbians. Ok I guess I'll just have to accept the fact that I've been given no other choice and might as well try and have fun!

New year and free hugs!!

So its 2009 and so far so good. I hope I haven't spoken too soon! Having brooded a lot on what this year's new year resolution ought to be, I've narrowed it down to two :

1. will listen to more carnatic music (having heard being talked about as musically handicapped decided to turn that around....i love the genre of music nevertheless);

2.I want to spread the love....for that I will give out more hugs( so I'm sporting a FREE HUGS badge, drawing inspiration from Juann Mann).

Everything has been going smoothly with some of my friends joining me in my free hugs campaign. A lot of curious stares, whispered comments, pointed fingers and a hell lot more hugs later....I'm feeling great!!

So today one of my seniors who majors in journalism wants to do her portfolio on me. OK! That was kinda weird but in a nice way. She seemed genuinely interested, that made me all the more happy. I'll be sporting the badge for some more time and hope that more people will pick that up.
"You get what you give" and it feels great to be hugged......makes me feel happier.
The only problem being that my lesbian stalker looking really really weird!! So I've been trying to make myself look inconspicuous (NOT HAPPENING!!) I don't have anything against gay people, but this one freaks me out!!

And now I've been bombarding myself with carnatic music and am LOVING IT!!