Yesterday by the Beatles!!!

Yesterday,
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now it looks as though they're here to stay,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Suddenly,
I'm not half the man I used to be,
There's a shadow hanging over me,
Oh, yesterday came suddenly.

Why she
Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say.
I said,
Something wrong, now I long for yesterday.

Yesterday,
Love was such an easy game to play,
Now I need a place to hide away,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Why she
Had to go I don't know, she wouldn't say.
I said,
Something wrong, now I long for yesterday.

Yesterday,
Love was such an easy game to play,
Now I need a place to hide away,
Oh, I believe in yesterday.

Boom, bash, dhoosh!!!

Okie, for one, tat title has nuttin to do wid sense.. It's all about the nonsensical things happenin to me this one day..

ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF TABI (WELL ONE REALLY REALLY BAD DAY TO BE PRECISE)

4:45 am: I go to sleep post a long winded conversation wid my dear dear Sylvy (Okie Sheensi, hold onto ur horses, will tell u more bout him in our next convo)

7:00 a.m: TRINGGGGGGGG... Alarm rings.. I hit snooze!! (Well, dont we all love the snooze button)

7:30: Alarm rings again... Hit snooze again...

8:00: Alarm rings... I get up this time....

8:10: Groggy me (well, I hardly slept... Do the math) calls up Bhavik to wake him up.. Cheerful Bhavik (well, almost cheerful) answers the phone to temme he has been up since like 6:00 am...

8:15: Note to self - Bhavik's been up since 6, which means he is gonna be ready in time.. Dash to the bathroom...

8:20: Enter Bathroom (Well... DONT get too graphic here)

8:30: Exit Bathroom

8:45: Tabi is ready... (She cant believe it... She's never ready in time)

9:00: Call no.2 to Bhavik... Bhavik answers... Says he is shavin... Will take 45 mins more...

Tabi: "U mean 4-5 mins rite?"

Bhavik: "Nope... I mean 45 mins.. like 3/4th of an hour"

9:10: WTF... For the first time in my life I get ready in time and he has to be late...

9:15: Amrita (my sis in law) gets up... We sit n start our girly session (Well, there's more to life than gossip.. But well, who cares)

9:30: We sit to have coffee (Bhavik nowhere in sight as yet)

9:45: Call no.3 to Bhavik....

Tabi: "So wassup!!" (Pls note voice injected with drippin sarcasm)

Bhavik: "Gimme 5 mins.. I am leavin my place"

10:15: Bhavik calls... "Tabi come down quick... I have left my place"

10:30: Bhavik shows up (he stays 5 mins away from my place, eh!! Ahem Ahem)

10:45: Okie post tis we took a train to Dadar n then shifted trains to Bandra.. Luckily I bumped into a friend of mine called Prachi in the train... (I told her I wud add her blog to my blog list as well.. Shall do tat now) Time passed (Basically uneventful shyt)

11:15: We reach Bandra, we take a rick (well Bhavik n me, ofcourse) and when we reach our destination and are gettin off the rick, the strings on my jacket got stuck at some stupid juttin out nail and it just tore.. Yeah... It tore... It jus snapped... N there I was.. Wid a funny lookin jacket now, coz I had to pull off the strings..

A friend of Bhavik's had taken up a weddin event and he was lookin for us to work wid him on tis event... So we were headed to meet the clients and the clients wanted to brief us about some basics et al!!!!

11:30: We reach the house and the moment I enter, it's like the whole world around me went silent.. They were starin at me like I was some bloody alien!!! I went and sat my ass down in a corner.. Bhavik's friend came and Bhavik n Mr.K excused themselves... They needed to have a chat..

11:50: Bhavik returned... Said there was a problem... Said he wud discuss it later.. BUT like I needed to wait until later.. I already knew wat their problem was.. I am not ur typical PYST (Pretty-Young- Slim-Thing) and to add to tat I come under the category of 'not-so-fair' people!!! So tats like DOUBLE TROUBLE.. As luck wud have it, (or rather those prejudist richass fuckers wud) I didnt get the event... So no GOA for me.. (Yeah.. The wedding's at Goa)

12:10: Bhavik felt really bad bout the whole scenario... He blames himself for havin taken me there in the 1st place.. But its nt like he knew this was gonna happen..

Tat was jus the beginning... (Remember, jacket strings snappin and bein reminded of how my looks fitted the criteria of 'conventionally ugly')

12:15: Then we headed back to Bandra station.. And it began pourin... Since Bhavik had asked me to wear formal shoes, I was in heels, tat werent meant for the monsoons (Tats a lovely pair of heels ruined for life; and they were pretty new too)...

12:30: We then got into the train and I sat down to call Diksha and mom.. (I had to talk to someone!!!) As I was talkin to Mom, I didnt realize when Dadar came n went and I missed my station.. Luckily I realized it soon enuf to get off at Elphinstone.. (Bhavik waited back at Dadar station)

12: 45: When I got off at Elphinstone, since the height of the platform was very low, I had to literally jump off the train; and given the fact that I was wearin heels I twisted my ankle... Its still hurtin like a bytch!!!

12:47: I walked ahead n went to wipe the beads of sweat formin on my brow... My bangles got stuck on my nose stud and it got pulled out... REALLY REALLY HARD.. It started bleedin.. I didnt care bout the blood.. I cared bout the stud.. Tat was my fav stud... I hunted and hunted and found it... But I couldnt put it back on until I was home, coz I needed a mirror to do the same..

12:50: I walked up ahead to the bridge and crossed ova to Parel (Okie Okie... I bought a ticket.. Spare me the moral policin) And as luck (or rather lack of it) would have it, I had to slip on the stairs of the foot-over-bridge... Dham karke giri main... Landed on my ass.. Shyt.. So now tat hurts too!!!

1:10: I meet Bhavik at Dadar stn... We are talking bout the entire mishap when the train arrives.. Bhavik runs to get in.. By nw, am in no condition to run (skirt, heels, bleedin nose, et al)

So I get into the ladies (Yeah.. It had to be a 9 car train when they had announced 12... It was all about that day...)

1:11: We get into the train... And this blessed woman (well it was more like $%##%) who was rushing to get off the train, rams into me and stamps my foot wid all her might.. My toe nail cracks and the next thing I know is this... Would u ever guess it?? Yes... It started bleedin.. WOW...

Okie... So the list didnt end here.. A lot of shyt happened post this as well.. But aint even goin there... I think we all know wat happens next...

Talk bout me remebering the hymn we learnt as kids in Sunday School:

"This is the day that the Lord hath made,

We will rejoice and be glad in it"

Yeah Rite!!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Okie... Am pissed... Super pissed, in fact.. This wretch of a thing called 'A' who considers me like his 'younger sis' or somethin lik tat calls me up and starts questionin me bout my drinkin habits..

A: "Tabi, how drunk are you today?"

T: "No, A; am not drunk... I was out wid family the whole day".

A: "No Tabi... U dont get it... Words out tat u hav been drinkin a lot these days!!"

T: "Wat nonsense!!! Who told you this?"

A: "Hav you quit drinkin?"

T: "That can never happen"

A: "Had you gone to Club X the other day"(not mentionin the name for obvious reasons)

T: "Yes I had"

A: "Do you know wat hpnd that day? This random guy who I know as an acquaintance calls me up to inform me tat ur really drunk and tat ur misbehaving"

T: "Ridiculous.. I was sane enuf to control my overly drunk female friend who was wid me... N u call me drunk!!!"

A: "I dunno girl.. I dont want any explanations.. Henceforth, ur not gettin drunk unless u hav me around"

T: "Whaddaaaaaa"

A: "Am serious... Tom when u get married..."

T: "Okie... Hold on a sec.. Y r v talkin marriage??"

A: "Someday or the other you are gonna get married, aren't u??"

T: "Noooooo.. I dont c the compulsion for it"

A: "You know ur parents wud want you to... You will HAVE TO GET MARRIED atleast for their sakes"

T: "What do you want me to do next? Get pregnant for their sakes?"

A: "How can you even speak like that?? Today you're so outspoken n all.. Tom you wil hav to be submissive wid ur husband around"

T: "Wen did I give you the impression that I am the kind of girl who is gonna sit at home belofying rotis for my husband"

A: "Not like you will have too much of an option... All women end up doin that..."

(Losin it completely by now)

T: "I will not get married coz others want me to, get it!!! N I will only once I get a man who is man enuf to share the household chores wid me.. Got anyone in mind?"

A: "Would you like it if my (future) wife wud ask me to do the household chores?"

T: "I would love it if she asked you to...."

A: "But Tabi...."

T: "Fuhget it!!!"

*click*

Is this wat I live for??? To get married to some moron who thinks its below his dignity to help out wid the household chores?? Am I goin to be tied up to the house like a cow tied to a post, lest she runs away?? What will I run to?? Another man?? A better future???? I wonder what??

Atleast one thing I know for sure, if I ever do end up with a man, he should be least bothered bout me runnin off to another man.. Coz for me that will be like jumpin from the pan into the fire!! No intentions of doin tat!!!

Doggie Dearest

I must have been like 11 or somethin when tis happened!!! Mom hated dogs (well not technically, she was just as scared as one can be)... She was the only one partially 'anti-dogs' in the family... The rest of us (Dadda, Toncha, Tess n me) were game for a pet... (Although Tess and I always wanted a monkey for a pet... N mom refuted it under the pretext of 'I already have 3 monkeys... Cant deal wid one more') Yeah!! Whatever!!

Anyways, one fine day, Dad n Tess decided to go 'subzi shoppin'.. When they got back, they handed the bag with all the veggies to mom... N all we heard later was a loud scream..

"Yikeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssss!!! What on earth have u done Tom!!!" screamed mom...

All this while am still wondering wat all the fuss was about... So I decided to go take a sneak peek into the bag n there she was... My angel.. Tat furry lil creature; lookin up at me, wid her moist innocent hopeful eyes... Gleamin wid mischief and life... Waitin to be rescued... Wonderin wat the fuss was all about... She was about the size of both my palms cupped together and had the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen...

There... In the flash of a second (and mom's scream that could have given the Ramsay brothers a run for their money) our family had expanded... She was now a part of our family... An indispensable part... A new member.. Our very own baby... I was personally thrilled... Bein the youngest of the family, I had never had the chance of havin a younger sibling.. So this was my 1st shot at bein 'responsible' or whatever... So I took great pride in sittin alongwith the others while we thot of a name for her... TRIXIE was a unanimous choice!!

So Trixie it was goin to be... She was the new baby of the house... She slept in a shoebox... (It was the cutest thing) And then she chose an alternative spot... the bottom of the teapoy... She jus chose it, willingly, voluntarily, wid absolutely no probin at all... That place is still hers for the taking...

I will never forget this one time when dad, a couple of my friends, trixie n me went out hiking... We regularly used to (once upon a time) scale the hills close by.. (I stay like 5 mins away from Yehur Hills) We took like a never before taken track while comin down, and dad n trix were leadin the way... Dad used to always take the leash off her.. So she used to keep prancin around like a lil deer... Somewhere along the line, a few of the girls noticed an interestin flower and asked my dad about it (The man is quite knowledgeable in this field)... So they stopped to study it.. And Snega (my bldg pal) and me moved ahead... Trixie thot I was behind em and on comin down the tracks n not findin me ran back all the way up till the top of the hill to look for me...(Since there were no mobile phones durin those days) Dad came runnin down and told me wat was happenin... All I had to do was whistle once and she came galloping down; as fast as she could... Oh, I couldn't help but hug her... My cuddly lil girl!!! Oh, how I love her!!

N then there was the time when a friend of mine came over in the evenin to meet me.. it turned out, he was really good at mimicking animal noises... He started imitating a yelping pup... Trixie went bonkers... She practically started lookin around the whole house and wonderin 'where the hell is that damned pup tats makin life miserable for me' !!! Hilarious shyt..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zseOQDop6I

And then there was the time when mom n I decided to watch 'MARLEY AND ME' much to the dismay of my father... Coz he was sure we were gonna cry buckets in the end... N no prizes for guessin who won.. WE DID CRY BUCKETS... Anyone (well anyone and everyone wid a heart) who has a dog would have loved the movie.. You can relate to it and connect with the characters and their emotions... Especially the parts when the dog starts showin difficulties in climbin up the stairs.. I so can relate to tat (I stay in an older bldg, so we dont hav a lift; we have to climb up 3 floors) One day, in the process of racin up the stairs (like she used to do when she was a pup) and she lost her balance or slipped or somethin and landed flat on her stomach... She refused to get up for like 10 mins.. It was almost like she had attained enlightenment (well, a rude shocker kinda enlightenment; the kinds we hate)... Reality struck her and struck her hard... She knew she was old now.. She didnt like it... She wanted to be able to race up the stairs like ole times.. But she didnt have it in her anymore.. As I picked her up and climbed up the stairs, I could almost feel her crouchin lower and lower in my arms.. On reachin home, when I placed her down, she ran under the bed and didnt come out the whole day... I am not lyin when I say this.. I cried tat day... I cried like a baby...

I so love this girl.. When my folks were away, she was the only one to keep me company.. I have cried wid her, laughed wid her.. She knows when am happy (she wags her tail in excitement); she knows wen am sad (she hangs her head low and her tail is no longer perched up) and when am angry, she tries to calm me down... My very own mood reflector.. I love it when she constantly nudges me to pet her... She has these lil ways of tellin me exactly wat she wants (I dont need one of those stupid gadgets that they have come out wid... The dog interpreter thingie... Silly idea)

In short, she has stayed for me for almost half my life now (am turnin 22 this yr)... I really dunno how I would hav made it widout her!!! Love u trixupixu!!! Muahs...

P.S: I know a lot of dog lovers will connect wid this post at some level or the other.. I hope I mirrored ur thots as well!!!

From bruised knees to broken hearts... The journey

(P.S.: This is generally at the end... But am gonna put it rite up here for everyone's benefit.. This post is partly fictitious and partly truth... figure out the parts for yourself)

Well, if you're expectin this particular post to be profound (Am assumin u get it from the name); BEWARE... Am known to fool (very easily infact)

Life sometimes moves faster than you can even comprehend (Well, atleast the first line seems profound.. Lets c how this goes and more importantly, where it goes) When I look back at my school days now, some memories seem blurred.. You mite never remember who you shared a bench with in your fourth grade or who that annoying boy was who kept squirtin water at you.. But there are still some memories that stand out, as vividly as can be.. You will never be able to forget things like your last day at school, fillin out those numerous slam/autograph books, receivin that award from the principal (best student of the year, et al); or playin that crucial inter-school carrom board competition that you won eventually and the ecstacy you felt when u did win...

A couple of days back, as I sat down to clear out my shelf (Well, I can almost hear my mom say 'FINALLY'!); I came across this one folder... I always knew my certificates were in it (the numerous inter-school and intra-school were hidden there)... Neatly stacked according to the years in which I received em... I opened the folder (nostalgia hittin me already) - Memories floodin me... That 1st relay race that we won... The skippin race in the 4th grade, where I came in 1st.. The dance competion that I won... All of those thoughts rushin back to my mind..

I dug further into the folder, and another envelope came tumbling out.. It (the envelope) almost seemed to find a sweet spot on my lap and plop itself there...

'Hmmm.. So what's in here, I wonder!!!'

No prizes for guessing what the contents of tat half torn envelope looked like... They looked like old photographs.. Yeah!! I had finally found em.. My class pictures from school.. (NOT somethin I would wanna show anyone else though) Shaite... Can't believe we all looked so silly in school, wid the tied up oily hair n glasses et al... Today that has been replaced by highlights and contact lenses.. More painful, yet attractive (or so we believe!!! Hav u seen some of these Mulund women wid blonde highlights.. Yikes!!!!!)

As I went through those pictures, I knew I had to write a post about school... BUT as usual, like most ardent bloggers wud agree, we sometimes are jus so friggin lazy to get our asses down to our writin seat!!! (Yeah.. I can almost see some of u grinnin wid agreement)

Today, however, was a different day.. (Same Shyt Different Day)... I went to pick up my niece, Tia, from school.. She has started goin to the same school that we all went to (My bro, my sis, me, our neighbours, etc etc etc - U get the point, dont u?) When I was there, standin outside the gate of the school brought back old memories... Rushin, gushin, pushin.. I had to call someone... Someone from school... Couldn't think of anyone who would be free... (Well, we have doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, event managers, photographers, but we dont have lukkhas... Dammit!!!) I eventually managed to remember one person who might have been free.. It was worth a shot... I called him... He answered...

Me: 'Hey... Wassup'

Him: 'Nuttin much... Kya chal raha hai?'

Me: 'Hmmmmm.. (long pause) Wanna meet up kya?'

Him: 'Sure!! Par kidhar?'

(Shyt, I havent been so tongue tied while speakin to a prospective guy)

Me: 'Mere ghar pe'

Him: (Reluctantly) Okies

*click*

It was done... The most dreaded conversation was finally over... Why was that so weird... Didnt he n me like share a bench somewhere like a decade back.. N now, here we are... Findin it weird to invite each other home... So much changes eh!!!

My niece came outta school jus then... I dropped her at my sis-in-law's... And I rushed back home to meet the man!!!! On seein each other, we HUGGED!!! Gosh!!! That felt good... Reconnectin wid an old friend, like this... (I was beginnin to feel a lil more comfortable by now)

We headed back to my place... We were climbin up the last flight of stairs before my house, when I stopped to remove the keys from my bag... That's the time when he realized we were gonna be alone, in my house... He almost started sweatin.. Dammit, I hadnt realized this wud be so much of an issue... Given my background and the familial backgrounds of my college friends and all, an empty house always meant loud music and alcohol...

Finally we settled down, in our respective seats and started 'catchin up'...

An hour passed and then another and then another... The 'catchin up' had begun wid us discussin our academics and work lives... Gone onto love lives... Gone onto sexual histories... Gone onto us discussin sexual fantasies... Gone onto gossip... (Well, men love it too) We were actually having fun.. I couldn't believe we were the same 2 people who had initially taken around 2 yrs to begin talkin to each other, another 2 yrs (post school) to lose touch wid each other and another 2 min conversation to get back at it again...Weird eh??

A good ten yrs back, it had all started with a silly bruise... I had fallen down while playin dodge ball and had scraped the skin off my knee... We were almost 12 then, but I was still a self proclaimed cry baby... I used to like it when people noticed that I was in pain (Well sometimes I still do.. But let's not get there) He had sat on the bench behind me the entire year, but it was the 1st time we spoke... He asked me if my knee was troublin me a lot... (Awwwwwww... Shoooooo Shweeeetttt) He used to be a very shy boy; so this comin from him was unexpected!!!

BACK TO THE PRESENT :

What struck me the most about our conversation was the fact that we both looked highly beaten up when we spoke about our respective broken relationships from the past... Well, I almost saw a tear roll down, and him wipin it off just in time... I wanted to hold him, hug him and tell him that it would be okay... Just as I put my hand on my knee (one of those reassurin touches that women are good wid) realization dawned upon me... It was a bruise on my knee that had made us friends.. N here we are today.. Almost a decade later, nursin each others wounds, only the wounds r of a different kind this time...

My favourite quotes of all times is this : THIS TOO SHALL PASS...

I know he and me will get over our past and move on... But in the meanwhile, it has made me think of all the things we lose along the journey.. Innocence - lost, hair - lost, ability to trust blindly - lost, friends - lost, questioning mind - lost, the ability to understand the value of someone's lovin touch - well, partly lost...

The journey from bruised knees to broken hearts does take a lot away from us... But what it leaves us with is a brand new person on the outside, wid essence of the same old person inside...

What once 'WAS', now 'IS'... A journey from bein ma BF to ma BFF

My internet escapades turned out to be fruitful for me in more than one way... I have made some extremely close friends in the past... Today I am goin to write about one relationship that took birth in the online world and soon transformed into more than just a 'virtual' friendship...

This isn't some online datin saga that I am goin to write about, it's definitely more than that...

I dunno how many of you (the one's who know me personally I mean) know this; but here goes... Bipin (the guy i dated for 3 yrs until somewhere in Feb this yr) and me met online!!! Yeah.. I know!!! (I can almost see some of you cuppin your mouths, some gapin in horror, etc etc) A few of you already knew this fact and I hadn't told the others since I wasn't sure how people would react to it...

Bipin and I met online somewhere in 2003 I believe, I was freshly into Xavier's and he was still in Ruia then...

My version: We met in a Yahoo chatroom and clicked... However, the click wasn't loud enough for us to sustain it... We did add each other, but we hardly used to chat ever (that's thanks to me and my perennial invisible mode option) I never had him catch my attention long enough to wanna chat with him again the next time... And ever since he told me his name was Bipin as opposed to Stephen (his nick said so) I was a lil turned off... Alongwith the name Bipin came a plethora of stereotypical characteristics... I pictured him as one of these 'galli ka goondas'... Lol...

His version: He had added my friend Preeti Baruah on hi5 (which at that point of time was as big as orkut and FB today) Yeah!!! I know Preeti must have almost fallen off her chair on readin this one line.. LOL... He apparently saw me on her friend's list and randomly sent me a friend request... I accepted and we started sendin each other msgs randomly sometimes... And that's when we exchanged our yahoo IM ids and started chatting...

Now, we still don't really know which version is reliable... However, the point at which we stand today, it all seems irrelevant...

Am sure till now, by now ur convinced tat am still hung up on the guy... And depression is causin me to lose it!!! HELL NO!!! Tats the last thing happenin to me!!!

Last nite there was a miracle tat transpired when all of you were perhaps busy snorin in ur beds (respectively i mean, unless there was more than one miracle) Bipin and I met up last nite, only to find out that we were both respectively over each other... I found closure last nite... Absolute closure (Sorry to disappoint u Diksha)

We spoke and we laughed and we cried (well, atleast I did, tears of joy)... I was soooo happy to be connecting with this man again... N then we told each other about the respective better halves in our lives and incidentally how we started datin our respective partners on the same day (N I know I will have to keep remindin him about anniversaries and monthaversaries)

For me, this is like a sign, that this is how it's meant to be... I can't wait to speak to his chick... She seemed wary at first, but is gettin comfortable with the idea of him and me bein friends....

I seem to have met the perfect guy (He is adorable)... But then again, am wary given the fact I have seen men leave my life even before I can say the word 'Zyzybalooba' (What?)

Bottomline is this:

• My workscene looks good...(I love my work hubby Bhavik)
• My family life is gettin better (Spent a good amount of time wid mom n dad when they were down here, hav Tony and fly stayin wid me these days, had lunch wid Tess, Minty and Sheena the other day, etc etc etc)
• My love life seems to be at the beginnin of somethin new and real (I am extremely fond of this man; pray it works out)
• Bipin, who is a man, who has known me for the longest and closest that anyone can, has come back wid a bang and is turnin out to be BFF material if not BF material!!! I am lovin it!!!

I keep fallin in love with him - Over and Over

You have taken from me -

A part of me that I didnt even know ever existed...

The depths of my soul, unexplored,

Its purity intact, I was to give it to you on a platter

But alas! The invisible hands of your love leapt right at it

Even before I could ready myself for the impact-

I knew I was fallin

I was fallin in love

To fall in love is one thing

But to stay in love is another

Each day we speak

Your voice continues to have this mesmerising effect...

I never imagined it possible

But reality continues to dumbfound me;

I am fallin in love wid you

Each and every day

Over and over again!!!

Of women and more

I am gonna begin this post with a statutory warning : All characters bear resemblance to people alive (and kickin) and the stories are NOT fictitious.. However, I refrain from mentioning the time and place to avoid identities being revealed (I don't think they would want the world to know it was em)

I was in for a culture shock the other day... I have been familiarised (quite early on) with the concept of orgies and Lesbian threesomes (Yummmm.. I hear the guys say) However, we bein the quaint lil creatures that we are, we never ever indulged in more than we cud handle (our def of handle - enough of profanity and vulgarity for our parents to faint... We dont wanna kill them....)

But what I have seen in the past coupla months has been enough to kill anyone's parents man!!! Whooooooooo.... I have seen perceptions and images of people that I have created in my head (after years of knowin em) get shattered in less than five minutes...

Demure lil girls, (formerly viewed em as the perennial celebates, one-man-woman kinda creatures) now have turned into anythin but that (sexual predators, one-man-at-a-time kinda chicks - note: at a time can last anywhere btwn a coupla dances to a coupla weeks, am not even talkin months here).

I dont refer to jus one person here.. I refer to an entire bunch (invariably I have to say am a part of the bandwagon myself)

Women my age, datin married men older than em (wid wives n kids et al... Women datin men and dumpin em faster than u can say the word 'Next'; women dating their friend's EXes (in my world unacceptable) ... Women two timing... Women dating minor boys... Women datin divorcees... Women datin jus to date... Women datin since they cant deal with the 'single' tag... Women dating coz they want someone else to foot the bill... Women dating coz they are in love!!!!

(Note: Am not tryin to be judgemental, except for in a case or two, I'm just puttin down my observations here)

Moreover, these are women I have known for years.. Had certain lasting impressions cast in my head (well cast in stone, to be precise) and hav had all those impressions broken... Shattered... Mixed with the dust!!!

I can deal with women datin several men at the same time, et al...But the one thing I cant deal with is women datin married men.. I dunno y, but I jus cant stand the thot of not havin the tag of bein the ONLY WOMAN in my man's life!!! I would hate havin a thought tat sounds remotely like this every morn 'He has a wife for God's sake!!! You're not the only woman in his life... YOU ARE SHARIN YOUR MAN'

Retail therapy

Personally speakin, I have never ever been a big fan of shoppin (and neither is Bhavik)... But it was a different ball game altogether the other day... Bhavik and I were pooped out... As tired as can be... Meetings with the brokers all day had left us broke (well energywise, and otherwise)...

Sneha (Kataria) had spoken wid me ova the phone a coupla days back... And we had decided to meet on Friday (or was it sat) ... Anyways, she dutifully reconfirmed our plans a day prior to our meet; and i said yes... SO there was NO WAY I could back outta it...

I pushed the fatigue outta my mind (it took a lotta pushin) and I went to meet her at Nirmal Lifestyle... She had to wait for me (yeah, i was late as usual... but atleast this time, it was the broker's fault).. Like any true blue book lover would, she chose to wait at Crosswords... (And obviously ended up buyin some books in the bargain) Finally when we met (Bhavik was also wid me) we decided to settle down somewhere for awhile... But where? We wondered n pondered n roamed n hunted... Finally we decided to move outta Nirmals.. Believe it or not... We ended up sittin in front of a pan tapri, talkin, chattin, havin a ball...

I was nicknamed Hanuman by Bhavik (had happened a long time back); but we narrated the stories to her... It seriously felt like the good old days... When we used to sit at Jhunka's... Our pocket money sufficin in order for us to hav a gala time... :P

Okie okie... I know u guys are burstin to know why he nicknamed me Hanuman.. It has nuttin to do wid my face or me havin a tail (stop laughin u sickos) Apparently Hanuman used to be unaware about his powers until he was shown so or somethin like tat... (Bhavik knows the story n so does Sneha, they were noddin their head in unison) So I am like Hanuman, coz i seem to know all the right people with the ultra-right contacts, but I realize that we can use their help only at the last minute (But I still manage to save the day :P)

Okie then... We decided to head back towards the mall (we were at nirmal lifestyle, remember)... Why, you ask? Coz Sneha wanted to check out the yellow shoes we noticed earlier in the display window... YELLOW SHOES and SNEHA in the same sentence.... How the world changes.. *sigh* (Anyone and everyone who remotely knows Sneha wud also know that she is a self-confessed experimentophobic person - if there is even a word like tat... She has never ever gone beyond the normal colours that she's used to wearin.. N those r generally solid earthy tones...)

However, this time Bhavik n I managed to convince her about the shoes (oh, yeah, they did really look super hot) Bhavik Bhavik Bhavik... That cutiepie hates shoppin and here he was; givin fashion advice to Sneha as I took care of a work related phone call (Shyt, some serious role reversals happenin) But it was all worth it...

But before Sneha settled on the pair of yellow pumps (the one's she had originally seen in the display window); she made sure that we went through the painful ordeal of sorting through like a million wrong shoes only to go back to the one tat brought her to the store(we women always do that... this is why men like Bhavik hate shoppin)

I never thought some good ole shoppin wid an old college friend wud do me so much good.. But it did... Bhavik now likes ma friends... he doesnt mind shoppin (and seems to have developed a fair amount of fashion sense too)!!! Oh, this is a memory to reckon wid... For a 3rd person (in this case 4th) it may have seemed like jus another day, bt for me it wasnt.. It was a day that brought me closer to both Bhavik n Sneha!!! In their own lil ways, they reminded me of the everyday joys that make life worth livin!!! That's what a lil retail therapy can do for u!!!

Thanks to both of em!!! Bear hugs!!!

P.S.: Sneha, tis is my FM wid u... (Favourite memory)

What's college without ma girlfriends...

I must start out writin this post with an apology to the millions I may forget to mention here... Pls dont hate me... My memory fails me sometimes!!!

This is an ode to all the women who made life in Xavier's easier (or sometimes tougher) for me!!!

Pls note - FM stands for Favourite Memory

ANDRIA: I dunno wat i wud do without the woman... I cant think of college life widout thinkin of her... My girl.. I still have her no. saved under that name on my cellphone...

FM: There are a million, but I had to choose this one... Walkin down that Sterling street tryin to do wat u remember!!!

VIVEKA: She's ma soul sister... One year wid her and I knew Xavier's as a totally different world... She changed ma life, as so did she change me... I miss hangin wid her!! Make a trip soon woman!!!

FM: The towel ramp show at Veka's place and the Autorickshaw dance!!!

JANICE: She was my pillar of strength... She stood by me when I needed her the most... I still remember the lengthy discussions we used to have... Nothin frivolous about any of our conversations..

FM: Goin over to her place to discuss our notes and endin up on a conversation bout our future plans...

NATASHA MONTY: Good things do come in small packages... She is livin proof for it... I owe it to Andu for havin introduced her n me.. This is one woman I am still in touch wid.. N i love her for it!!! Thanks nats (ma dancin partner)

FM: The back rub in the train.. This one has to win hands down!!!

TINA: This woman knows how to get her way... Zingy and zestful, she's ma mallu sis... I love u girl... A dancer by nature, she sure knows how to live life kingsize...

FM: Spendin those 3 days at ur place.. We were upto a lotta shyt, but I love bein around u all the time!!

SOHINI: This dynamite met me really late in ma college life, but we've held on even a year after we really started socializin... A woman who knows how to speak her mind, u cant definitely mess wid her!!!

FM: Definitely the farewell nite and post that the nite out at Akshata's!!!

AYUMI: I never liked her in the beginnin... N later, I never liked people who didnt like her? My sister from another mother (doesnt rhyme I know, but who cares).... Oh, I also remember us beginnin to co-write a book!! Still have the manuscripts from all those PEARL classes??

FM: Discussin the characters of our yet to be published book and all those dance sessions!!

SANCHA: I met this woman in my 3rd and her 1st year in Xavier's... We grew to love each other the way we did... I miss u girl!!!

FM: Her first day of college and our Ambattha trip!!!

NEHA: Who would I travel wid had it not been for her?? Lolz... But there is lot more to our relationship... Common friends = Common gossip... She also introduced me to Ruju...Love u for tat girl!!!

FM: Strugglin to get into the 8 o'clock fast every morn n searchin for tat Byculla loser guy!!!

RUJU: Ma Gujju Ruju made the one hour commute to college easier for me... Laughter galore... Wid her impromptu 'SALE SALE SALE' ads... A gem of a person... Worked wid me on the college mag as well as all those inter-collegiate fests...

FM: Those dance practices for Malhar.... LOlzzz... N all those lazy afternoons in the CC office!!! Lets not forget the day we got stuck at Wadala as well...

SALOME: I met Salome through Andria and I instantly loved this woman...This chubby sweetheart I have always treated like a younger sibling... Love havin her around... Wud give anythin to see her smile...

FM: Those singin sessions in the train and tat one nite out at ur place where we all got zonked!!!

KETKI: Met this woman in FYJC, n we hit it off almost instantly... I wonder where she is these days?? Any clues people??

FM: Goin to crossroads wid Ketki n a few other chicka friends

AMEETA: Woman full of joy... This stick-thin woman (no offense meant there girl) is a bundle of bubbliness... Enjoyed the Ambattha trips wid her and am lucky to have Akshata as our mediator now!!!

FM: Those random Marathi classes in the JC and our Ambattha trip!!The Ambattha reunion wid Ternan!!!

MARTINA: A dog lover, jus like me, this woman is as soft spoken as can be... She and Ameeta share their love for terrible Marathi.... Heheheheh

FM: The Security bash that got ruined coz of inadequate plannin, but then we did have a great time at Boats and the Ambattha reunion wid Ternan!!!

MUKTI: This is a woman with a lot of ZING... She added that spice to everythin around her... Rite from our 'RICKSHAW' song to those fun Hindi lecs wid Asha, we seemed to spread cheer wherever we went... N how can i forget Sancha, her n me posin as Cha-me-li!!!

FM: Cha-me-li!!! Need say more?

SATI a.k.a SNEHAL SHETTY: This tiny lil thing has the energy of a nuclear bomb inside her... A brilliant leader by inherent nature, she was a lot of fun to work wid and was a good role model... Wonder how she will react if she gets to know I have started my own events company now?? Proud of me girl?

FM: Sati dressed up as the idli girl in that stupid play we put up at Sydenham!!!

ATIYA: A woman who knows what she wants, when she wants it and how to get it... Woo hoo... Go power girl... I love hangin wid this girl... Opinionated for the right reasons, she is someone to reckon wid...

FM: Workin on Umang...

VALLARY: This slender beauty is capable of some serious damage, especially when it comes to dancing... She is someone I can talk to, especially about dancing... Keep those dancin shoes on baby...

FM: The dance sessions at my place wid Paul Paul n her!!

NIDHI: AICUF played an important role in the formative years of my college... She was amongst the 1st people to talk to me!!! Thanks girl!!!

FM: She teachin me the ghoomar!!!

AILEEN: She is and was and will always be my role model.. Right from the time I met her in Chennai as a full time AICUFer I loved bein in her company...

FM: Our trip to Manor, was it?

MARY: My sis in crime on the Chennai trip; she, joel (now Br.Joel) and me had a ball!!! She is a woman with a heart of gold.. Could never imagine her angry!!!

FM: Seein the joy on her face when we visited her home in Chennai and met her parents

STEPHANIE: She was the first friend I had in college... Met her durin the orientation... Fell in love wid her instantly... One helluva crazy woman!!!

FM: Takin tat bus to Wadala to go watch some crazy movie in the dome theatre, jus coz we won free tickets!!!

SHAMARA: She, Steph and I were inseperable initially... I loved callin this chick n talkin to her!!! A woman of substance, you feel the warmth when ur in her presence!!!

FM: The long talks on the phone!!! N then meetin up durin Malhar rehearsals for the play!!

PREETI: This woman literally saved our lives.. She gave us a house when we needed it the most (26/7 floods) LOLZ.. This sweetheart here is one gem of a person.. Love u girl...

FM: Traditional day fiesta at Leopolds, wid Aditi, Andu n me!!!

SHARMIN: She may have spent only one year in Xavier's; but I think she is a true blooded Xavierite at heart... Love this whacky girl, inspite of all the scratches and bruises she leaves me wid!!!

FM: The wild arse house parties at her place... Loved every one of em!!!

SONIA: This mallu girl here has the bestest hugs to give everytime she sees me!! My huggable baby... She's one wreck when she's in high spirits tho!!! Lolz!!!

FM: Goin ova to my family friend's place coz she needed to pee.. LOLZ... Andu surely remembers this one!! N her talkin to herself outside PIZZA HUT and the people inside lookin petrified!!!

MOUSHMI: All those long (sometimes shorter) conversations we had, in the foyer, in the SSL office... I remember them all... Our joy when we spoke about animals, the media, etc etc etc!!! We still share all that... Thankfully

FM: Us workin on Arun's project together!!!

EESHA: Ma sister from JC college, tis woman was my objectified definition of 'tongue in cheek'...Never afraid of speakin her mind, she was one strong woman(literally n otherwise)

FM: Eesha gettin drunk on Irish Coffee at Mocha!!! Lolz!!! That was impossible!!!

VAIDEHI: This small lil powerhouse always seemed to know the right answers... Quite a bookworm, I would say.. She was really nonchalant bout the rest of the world (barrin friends ofcourse)

FM: Goin to Goregaon, all of us, jus to chill!!! Was some random fun!!!

I THINK AM GONNA BREAK THE LIST UP HERE... ITS GETTIN A LIL TOO LONG TO PUT INTO ONE... N ALL U WOMEN I DIDNT WRITE BOUT,DIDNT MEAN TO LEAVE YOU OUT..MADE LIFE SO MUCH BETTER FOR A WRECK LIKE ME!!!