Lazing around near the jheel.

Attending Rhetoric and Composition class after watching 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is JUST not possible. I'm sorry, Rimi-di, but Depp is too delectable, and we needed to mull him over in our mind after watching the movie for the Literature and the Other Arts course. *grins*

The day.

Went to college. Headed to KMR. Unbelievably long walk. Waah! Filled up Fee book. Picked up Examination form. Walked to Department, filled it up with R's help. Trotted back. Got the form verified. Stood in line, munched on a Fish Chop, waited for a while, got tired and walked off. Ki hobe? If I give it tomorrow, do I have to get it verified all over again? M says I have to take a whole new form, and repeat the process! *bites nails in anguish*

Sat at Milon-da's, worried about what to write in the Christian and Classical Background test. Did that even during the test. ADG will hit the roof when he sees my answers! But thank you, S! *wink*

After college, walked lethargically back to the Information Counter. Bloody long walk. Grrr! (but there is a very beautiful rainbow in the sky!) Find out that forms can be given tomorrow. Kind man at the counter says I need not get it verified again. Yayness!

Headed with group to Dominoes. S and N's birthday treat! Yummy pizza, lots of noise, complete rubbish talk- *sigh*.. What an enjoyable evening! Sucks to the SPHS people who tried to drown out our noise by cranking up the TV volume!

On a different note, Happy Birthday to you both- have a wonderful year!

Brought home lots of oregano and chilli flakes- all the better to make my ommelettes and pasta with! *grins*

Lovely day. It rained too, and there's a beautiful chill in the air. Winter doesn't want to leave this year... Let's hold on to it as long as we can.

Point to be noted: My name, apparently, is no more... I am being called Arindam! *wails*

Another point to be noted: The Racoon Lord is such a joker! :)

Books galore!

The list of books right now:

1. Dan Brown - Angels and Demons - Just finished reading it for the second time.

2. Kenneth Grahame - The Wind In The Willows - Always wanted to read it, finally bought it last week!

3. George Orwell - 1984 - Bought on the recommendation of Esmo.

4. Frederick Forsyth - The Veteran - Same as above.. And I kind of like his stuff. (Forsyth's, not Esmo's... Aah well, Esmo's too, maybe.)

5. Charles Dickens - Great Expectations - I loved the story when I read the teeny-tiny abridged version! Now to read the unabridged one! (Ahem.. I AM a Literature student, after all!)

6. Charles L. Friedman - The World Is Flat - Book gifted to me, about how the world is becoming a smaller place, what with chat, advertising, and blogging. Should make for an interesting read.

7. M. Mukundan - God's Mischief - Apparently some Post-Colonial book I have at home, must read it!

8. Roald Dahl - Charlie And The Glass Elevator - Lent to me by Esmo, I adore Dahl's stuff! (I may be too old for it, but what the heck!)

9. Dominique Lappierre - City of Joy - Hated the first ten pages, but I have promised to take it up again, and finish it! (And consequently see if the rest of the book is as insulting as the first bit!)

10. Victor Hugo - The Hunchback Of Notre Dame - Lovely story, now to read the book!

I was sketched!

Had gone with Ma to this event at Weavers Studio on Saturday night, was helping out with welcoming the Press, etc etc etc. They're bringing back the Indigo dye, by organising an exhibition called 'Neel'. Anyway, I'm not going to bore you with all that, but just cut to the main part of the story. There was this French fellow who had come, and was sketching everything. After a while he went and sat outside, under a tree, and started sketching random people. I was getting bored inside, and went out for a minute, to get some fresh air. The fellow started sketching me! I wasn't aware of it, I wasn't even looking at him, but my sister called me inside and told me. I was a little freaked out, so I struck up a conversation with him, asked him whether he was an artist or not. He replied, "Beeg artisth!" (Presumably meaning "Big artist!") It was at that very moment that I caught a glimpse of his drawing of me. It looked a bit like this: (I labelled the parts I found rather insulting...)

Maybe he was being sarcastic when he said he was a 'beeg artisth'?

Note: My drawing isn't good (I'm not very artistic), but consider that mine is a Van Gogh masterpiece compared to his!!

Peer Pressure.

This girl, not in my department, was seen smoking near Milon-da's today. Now one might think, Oh, smoking in JU isn't such a big deal- everyone does it. That's not the point. The point is that this girl always seemed to be so NOT the type. I've seen her hanging around with a group who regularly smoke, and perhaps even smoke 'up', but never once have I seen her with a cigarette in her own hand. Today really opened my eyes.

(I don't have a problem with smoking as such- people are free to screw up their bodies if they wish- it's nothing to do with me. But it was so evident that this girl was doing it just to fit in. Sad. Really sad.)

I've seen girls who seemed oh-so-prim-and-proper in school to become part of 'bad' groups in college, and become complete sluts later. Girls who swore they'd never smoke- they smoke now. Girls who said they didn't believe in multiple boyfriends- that they'd be with one guy for life- to change boyfriends as frequently as they brush their teeth, just because their friends are doing the same. Does the repression just get to them after a while? Do they forget all the promises, good intentions and philosophies that we start life with? Or do they just vanish when they meet the wrong kind of people? Or does the freedom go to their head?

Why do something just to be cool? Why do something just to fit in, just to make sure no-one thinks you're a loser?

I don't get what suddenly happens. Is it an urge to be cool, to be 'in'? A need to follow the group? A sense of obligation towards your peers? I've seen very few people to have a real sense of individuality.

Wow. Peer pressure sure is one nasty thing. It makes you do the most terrible stuff. (I'm not talking about smoking- there are worse things than that.) Terrible stuff - like compromising your principles.

No Broadband!!!

Something's wrong with the Broadband! I am on from my BSNL connection.

Just a quick how-de-do.

Finally finished 'Things Fall Apart', by Chinua Achebe. It's too brilliant for words. Okonkwo is definitely one of THE most complex characters I have come across. The book's great. The ending really makes you think- that's probably the best definition of a good book. A must-read.

Bought two books last week- Mary Shelley's 'The Last Man', and Somerset Maugham's 'Of Human Bondage'. Have started reading the latter. Liking it much-much so far. :)

Need to take membership of a library soon.

What else is new? Umm.. I can now make proper rice, getting rid of the 'phana'! Quite an achievement.

3 more driving classes left. Wheee!!

Mustered up enough courage to try my hand at our Zen again. It was pretty good. Smooth as butter. Compared to the rickety old Maruti 800 I've been driving at the training classes, ANYTHING would be good. *smirks*

All for now. Connection is acting up.