After A Long, Long Time...

...I'm back. Back again to blogosphere, back to this sometimes-familiar, sometimes-neglected blog of mine. So much has been happening over the past few weeks that it's difficult to write about it all. I've been through a messy incident, I've cried over the trauma and the embarrassment - but I've also decided to do something about it. I've never been one to take anything lying down, and I'm not about to start now. 

I live my life by a simple diktat - "Stand up for what's right. Make a difference." And it's this simple rule which has been giving me strength over this time. You can read all about the Safe City campaign online - check The Telegraph or the Facebook group.

And then, there are people. So many different types of people. Hypocritical people - the armchair philosophers who spout poetically-constructed sentences on why change is impossible, and the people who promise to be there, but don't. Corrupt people - people so embedded in their own greed and own agendas that anything else around them seems unimportant and trivial. Clingy people - people who don't take no for an answer, who refuse to believe that some things are just not possible, and that walking away is the best option. 

And then there are the people who do stand by you, who comfort you with words or hugs , gestures or inappropriate jokes. People who run with you from pillar to post to make sure your protest goes somewhere. People who book you expensive plane tickets at a few days' notice to help you get a change of scene, to make sure you don't lose your sanity.

Sometimes, dignity, happiness and life are so fragile. All it takes for your dignity to be threatened is being grabbed by an unknown man. All it takes for your happiness to show cracks in its surface is the indifference of people you regarded as close. And all it takes for life to start crumbling is the constant onset of unwanted things - a hard disk crash, an eye infection, a series of bad assessments.

But the beauty of dignity is that no one can take it from you, if you don't let them. The beauty of happiness is that it's a state of mind - it's within your control. And the beauty of life is that when it comes crumbling down, you have the strength to build it up again.

Because I Like Bullet Points.

• I watched Julie & Julia last night. The movie reminded me just how much I like cooking, how food makes everything worth the while. And now I want to live in France for at least a couple of years.
• Am reading Mulk Raj Anand's Coolie. It's a good book, well-written, but somehow I'm having trouble sticking to it for long periods at a time. However, I have resolved to finish it - I leave too many books unfinished nowadays. No more of that.
• I have so many movies to watch, and so many books to read. Everything is piling up. Soon I'll be like Jim Carey in Bruce Almighty, who was nearly drowned in Post-It prayers, except I'll be surrounded by mountains of DVDs and books.
• Delhi-bound on the 25th of March, with Ma! I can't wait to see my brother and my sister-in-law, and their cat. I'm counting down the days till I get on that plane, and fly off to my brother.
  
• Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is coming to theatres soon. I am excited, can't wait to watch it!
  

Random Thoughts.

1. KFC rocks! I went there for lunch today, after ages. Mmm- fried chicken is the cure for everything!

2. Started watching a movie called The Prestige in the evening, then the power went off, and I missed most of it, but I watched the end. True, I didn't follow much, but it's a brilliant movie, and I am going to watch it again. I recommend it very highly. Hugh Jackman is an added bonus. *wink*

3. Playing the Random-Questions game is fun. I'm sure the person who this is meant for knows what I'm talking about. Heh.

4. My latest favourite song is Keane- Everybody's Changing

5. Booze-party at Neeli's place was good fun- surreal, to say the least, but great fun. Right from the emotional trips to guys passing out all over the place- it was a day to remember!

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! :)

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.

Licensed to Kill.

Got my Learner's Permit today.
Took the Zen out for a minute or so, then got freaked out and let my driver take over. Cars coming from all directions- it's freaky!
Today's T2 carried an article about how times are changing- how women are driving better than ever before...
Coincidence? ... I think not.
*grins*

The Weekend.

1. Finished J M Coetzee's 'Foe' - it has good rhythm in the writing, and the constant suspense is quite addictive- makes you turn the pages pretty quickly.
2. I can't believe I studied this weekend! (Only for an hour, but still!) What is the world coming to??
3. Monkey-Man is on Facebook, and now on Blogspot! He uses Superpoke for obscene things too. Whoever is behind it has way too much time on their hands. (Neelu and Somdev- are you listening?)
4. Watched 'Top Ten Best Johnny Depp Movies' on Zee Studio. Must really get hold of the ones I haven't seen, and watch them- like Chocolat, Finding Neverland and Donnie Brasco! To think I consider myself a Johnny Depp fan, and haven't even seen these- shocking!
5. Cooked 'Ilish Maacher Bhape'. It was pretty good, actually.
6. This weather rocks- I mean, really. Nothing beats curling up under the blanket with Obelix! (My cat, in case you're scandalised...)
7. Had Vegetable Hot And Sour Soup last night. Damn- no chicken. When will this blasted bird flu end? It's getting mighty annoying now.
8. Tried to bully Ma into taking me shopping at the new Landmark (I refuse to call it Starmark) at South City- she didn't take kindly to the suggestion, but muttered something about 'much needed relaxation'. Heh.
9. Been on a Western Classical music downloading spree- Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, even a little of Pavarotti. Now my latest obsession is 'Beethoven's 9th Symphony'. It's just BRILLIANT- how did a deaf man compose such music?? (Come to think of it, Stevie Wonder's blind, yet he's a whiz at the piano... *sigh* Some people are just too gifted.)
10. Tried reading a bit of Dominique Lappierre's 'City of Joy'. Bloody book is sooo unbelievably negative. I know I read just twenty pages or so, but he makes us come off as poor, illiterate, superstitious, uncouth people! Shall try finishing the book, maybe it shows us in a better light towards the end..?