Mannahatta
Walt Whitman
I
I WAS asking for something specific and perfect for my city,
Whereupon, lo! upsprang the aboriginal name!
Now I see what there is in a name, a word, liquid, sane, unruly, musical, self-sufficient;
I see that the word of my city is that word up there,
Because I see that word nested in nests of water-bays, superb, with tall and wonderful spires,
Rich, hemm’d thick all around with sailships and steamships—an island sixteen miles long, solid-founded,
Numberless crowded streets—high growths of iron, slender, strong, light, splendidly uprising toward clear skies;
Tide swift and ample, well-loved by me, toward sundown,
The flowing sea-currents, the little islands, larger adjoining islands, the heights, the villas,
The countless masts, the white shore-steamers, the lighters, the ferry-boats, the black sea-steamers well-model’d;
The down-town streets, the jobbers’ houses of business—the houses of business of the ship-merchants, and money-brokers—the river-streets;
Immigrants arriving, fifteen or twenty thousand in a week;
The carts hauling goods—the manly race of drivers of horses—the brown-faced sailors;
The summer air, the bright sun shining, and the sailing clouds aloft;
The winter snows, the sleigh-bells—the broken ice in the river, passing along, up or down, with the flood tide or ebb-tide;
The mechanics of the city, the masters, well-form’d, beautiful-faced, looking you straight in the eyes;
Trottoirs throng’d—vehicles—Broadway—the women—the shops and shows,
The parades, processions, bugles playing, flags flying, drums beating;
A million people—manners free and superb—open voices—hospitality—the most courageous and friendly young men;
The free city! no slaves! no owners of slaves!
The beautiful city, the city of hurried and sparkling waters! the city of spires and masts!
The city nested in bays! my city!
The city of such women, I am mad to be with them! I will return after death to be with them!
The city of such young men, I swear I cannot live happy, without I often go talk, walk, eat, drink, sleep, with them!
Ah well, while I may not entirely agree with Whitman about New York, I have to give him credit for seeing it with beautiful eyes. New York is a marvellous city. It has a zest and verve that have not been dimmed for having been written about so many times. It is a city that truly lives.
It is also a city rich in dichotomies. New York hangs on to its past, even as it is wholely obsessed with its present. Like a girl wearing priceless antique jewellery carelessly. The modern jostles the ancient. And the country is contained in the urban surround. And no one is very surprised when they come upon a venerable obelisk more than 2000 years old right in the middle of Central Park. Itself a strange anomaly. In Europe, urban parks are tame, patterned affairs of riotous colour or large commons for meeting, greeting and running around. In New York, the urban park gives the urban jungle a run for its money.
It has taken me a while to digest the city. Folks keep asking, "What do you think of it?" and I am still groping for answers. In its vibrancy and chaos, it reminded me of Bombay. But a more controlled, sedate Bombay. In some neighbourhoods, NYC has a charm uniquely Viennese. Tree-lined streets, enchanting brownstones with breath-taking window gardens. But on the whole, NY is incomparable. It took me by surprise, it made me anxious, and I felt welcome, all at the same time. No city I've ever visited has discomfited me more. And for all that, no other city has been as easy to navigate and run around as this one.
And never before have I known with more certainty that here was a place I wouldn't ever want to live in. The urban sprawl interests, intrigues and even, at times, enchants. But it never feels like it could be home.
When I visited Dubai over Christmas, AB was annoyed that I didn't have much to say about it. Now I realise that it was because I felt comfortable, at ease. I felt I could handle the city's pace and its demands. With NYC, I had to keep talking, rationalising, or I would go under.
I guess most of you are wondering what I've been drinking :) Just that NYC is such a gigantic and mythic city that it calls for reactions on completely different levels. Plus there is the whole issue of being so visually familiar with the city that actually being there is like being inside a hologram. NYC really brought home Rushdie's contention that in a world as visually driven as ours, the image becomes so iconic that the thing itself lacks the power to impress.
Anyway, I did do all the usual touristy stuff. Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, The Met. Will describe all that in part 2 of this post. Will also try and upload some of the 135 photographs I took in NYC thanks to Priya's loan of her camera! Until Then!
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Why I've not written and other things...
The Trees (2 June, 1967)
Philip Larkin
The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said;
The recent buds relax and spread,
Their greenness is a kind of grief.
Is it that they are born again
And we grow old? No, they die too.
Their yearly trick of looking new
Is written down in rings of grain.
Yet still the unresting castles thresh
In fullgrown thickness every May.
Last year is dead, they seem to say,
Begin afresh, afresh, afresh.
It's been almost 2 weeks since I've updated, and some people are wondering whats up. First of all, I've been enjoying the spring. Everywhere here new things are in bloom. Tulips, pansies, bluebells, daffodils, hyacinths! Every flower that ever was written into literature seems to have sprung up to afford me the pleasure of its acquaintance :) I'm having fun walking around looking into people's yards identifying plants while my little cousins think I've gone completely bonkers :)
Also I've been looking at and using some stunning libraries. As anybody who knows me will say, most notably my mom and dad (who by the way, are using this blog as a replacement email/messaging board service, parents!) books are my passion. And boy, this country is good to its books! Went to the gianormous Boston Public Library, which is not only an incredible sight but also an amazing treasure trove. And am using extensively the excellent services of the Lexington Library, which although more modest than the Boston one still has some amazing material on its shelves.
And finally I've been busy planning trips. So this morning I go into Boston, catch up with Usha aunty and then take the Chinatown bus to Noo York! Am excited to be seeing Priya again and she sounds really thrilled to be having me over so that should be fun! I return on Thursday the 11th only to go to Cape Cod on Friday morning :) Mamu and family are going for a conference and I've been invited along! So a whole week of fun and games coming up! As you can see I've been busy! Will try to update while in Noo York but no promises. More later!
Philip Larkin
The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said;
The recent buds relax and spread,
Their greenness is a kind of grief.
Is it that they are born again
And we grow old? No, they die too.
Their yearly trick of looking new
Is written down in rings of grain.
Yet still the unresting castles thresh
In fullgrown thickness every May.
Last year is dead, they seem to say,
Begin afresh, afresh, afresh.
It's been almost 2 weeks since I've updated, and some people are wondering whats up. First of all, I've been enjoying the spring. Everywhere here new things are in bloom. Tulips, pansies, bluebells, daffodils, hyacinths! Every flower that ever was written into literature seems to have sprung up to afford me the pleasure of its acquaintance :) I'm having fun walking around looking into people's yards identifying plants while my little cousins think I've gone completely bonkers :)
Also I've been looking at and using some stunning libraries. As anybody who knows me will say, most notably my mom and dad (who by the way, are using this blog as a replacement email/messaging board service, parents!) books are my passion. And boy, this country is good to its books! Went to the gianormous Boston Public Library, which is not only an incredible sight but also an amazing treasure trove. And am using extensively the excellent services of the Lexington Library, which although more modest than the Boston one still has some amazing material on its shelves.
And finally I've been busy planning trips. So this morning I go into Boston, catch up with Usha aunty and then take the Chinatown bus to Noo York! Am excited to be seeing Priya again and she sounds really thrilled to be having me over so that should be fun! I return on Thursday the 11th only to go to Cape Cod on Friday morning :) Mamu and family are going for a conference and I've been invited along! So a whole week of fun and games coming up! As you can see I've been busy! Will try to update while in Noo York but no promises. More later!
Friday, April 21, 2006
About me and the fish...
I went to the aquarium the other day,
Not specially, just by the way,
I was in for a shock,
It was all chocablock,
For more kids than fish held sway!
Thursday was aquarium day! The aquarium again was awesome, but this is spring break week for the kids! And all of Boston and most of Massachusetts was there that day! But I saw some really cool fish and met Myrtle, the 65-year-old turtle as well as Gerbie the sea lion. :) What can I say? I'm reliving my childhood. Check this time next week, I may have grown up :)
Not specially, just by the way,
I was in for a shock,
It was all chocablock,
For more kids than fish held sway!
Thursday was aquarium day! The aquarium again was awesome, but this is spring break week for the kids! And all of Boston and most of Massachusetts was there that day! But I saw some really cool fish and met Myrtle, the 65-year-old turtle as well as Gerbie the sea lion. :) What can I say? I'm reliving my childhood. Check this time next week, I may have grown up :)
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Man is a social animal!!
At The Zoo
A. A. Milne
There are lions and roaring tigers,
and enormous camels and things,
There are biffalo-buffalo-bisons,
and a great big bear with wings.
There's a sort of a tiny potamus,
and a tiny nosserus too -
But I gave buns to the elephant
when I went down to the Zoo!
There are badgers and bidgers and bodgers,
and a Super-in-tendent's House,
There are masses of goats, and a Polar,
and different kinds of mouse,
And I think there's a sort of a something
which is called a wallaboo -
But I gave buns to the elephant
when I went down to the Zoo!
If you try to talk to the bison,
he never quite understands;
You can't shake hands with a mingo -
he doesn't like shaking hands.
And lions and roaring tigers
hate saying, "How do you do?" -
But I give buns to the elephant
when I go down to the Zoo
Tuesday was zoo day! Mami, Rohan, Maya, and I drove down into Boston with Mitra and her kids, Nema and Donya, to go to the Franklin Park Zoo aka New England Zoo. Now the last zoo I went to was Rani Laxmibai Praani Sangrahalaya in Mumbai somewhere in the 1980s. So this zoo was a great experience! There was a tropical section with macaques and mandrills, and some lovely birds. The lion was out in the sun, basking in regal splendour, while the zebras munched away contentedly in the adjoining enclosure. The giraffes were, very unfortunately, resting in their barns and were not on view since it was too cold for them. :( The hippos, on the otherhand, put in a very lazy appearance as they wallowed in their own pond in the tropical section. :) There were tapirs and warthogs, and turtles and snakes. I walked around in a daze, feeling as though I had walked into the National Geographic channel! There was even a separate bird house with flamingos!! And peacocks roamed around free. The day itself was sunny and bright and I felt like a kid again. :) I know, I know, it doesn't take much.
A. A. Milne
There are lions and roaring tigers,
and enormous camels and things,
There are biffalo-buffalo-bisons,
and a great big bear with wings.
There's a sort of a tiny potamus,
and a tiny nosserus too -
But I gave buns to the elephant
when I went down to the Zoo!
There are badgers and bidgers and bodgers,
and a Super-in-tendent's House,
There are masses of goats, and a Polar,
and different kinds of mouse,
And I think there's a sort of a something
which is called a wallaboo -
But I gave buns to the elephant
when I went down to the Zoo!
If you try to talk to the bison,
he never quite understands;
You can't shake hands with a mingo -
he doesn't like shaking hands.
And lions and roaring tigers
hate saying, "How do you do?" -
But I give buns to the elephant
when I go down to the Zoo
Tuesday was zoo day! Mami, Rohan, Maya, and I drove down into Boston with Mitra and her kids, Nema and Donya, to go to the Franklin Park Zoo aka New England Zoo. Now the last zoo I went to was Rani Laxmibai Praani Sangrahalaya in Mumbai somewhere in the 1980s. So this zoo was a great experience! There was a tropical section with macaques and mandrills, and some lovely birds. The lion was out in the sun, basking in regal splendour, while the zebras munched away contentedly in the adjoining enclosure. The giraffes were, very unfortunately, resting in their barns and were not on view since it was too cold for them. :( The hippos, on the otherhand, put in a very lazy appearance as they wallowed in their own pond in the tropical section. :) There were tapirs and warthogs, and turtles and snakes. I walked around in a daze, feeling as though I had walked into the National Geographic channel! There was even a separate bird house with flamingos!! And peacocks roamed around free. The day itself was sunny and bright and I felt like a kid again. :) I know, I know, it doesn't take much.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Ringing In the American Revolution!
Ring Out, Wild Bells
Lord Alfred Tennyson
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkenss of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Monday was Patriot's Day here in the US. A day to honour every soldier who ever fought for the country, starting with the very first during the Revolution. Now, Lexington, where my mamu is based, is the place that the famous Paul Revere came riding into to inform the Americans that the Brits were attacking. So, of course, a special re-enactment was arranged. Which meant that four of us, Maya, Rohan, mami, and I went into the town centre at 5.30 in the morning to hear the bells ring in the American Revolution. We drove in, and ran up to the belfry only to have the attendants (dressed in authentic old-time gear) ask if Rohan and Maya wanted to ring the bell! Of course, they did!
Flushed with success, we then ran back to the kerb around the town green to watch the Brits march down main street while the blue coats waited. And then there was battle! The muskets were loud, the clothes were great, and the fighting was spirited! My height prevented me from seeing too much, but what I saw was fun!
We went home and returned in the afternoon to watch the parade that marched through town. Also great, good fun :) Baton twirling cheerleaders, smart firefighters, war veterans, everyone was there! I barely made it home to crash!
Lord Alfred Tennyson
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkenss of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Monday was Patriot's Day here in the US. A day to honour every soldier who ever fought for the country, starting with the very first during the Revolution. Now, Lexington, where my mamu is based, is the place that the famous Paul Revere came riding into to inform the Americans that the Brits were attacking. So, of course, a special re-enactment was arranged. Which meant that four of us, Maya, Rohan, mami, and I went into the town centre at 5.30 in the morning to hear the bells ring in the American Revolution. We drove in, and ran up to the belfry only to have the attendants (dressed in authentic old-time gear) ask if Rohan and Maya wanted to ring the bell! Of course, they did!
Flushed with success, we then ran back to the kerb around the town green to watch the Brits march down main street while the blue coats waited. And then there was battle! The muskets were loud, the clothes were great, and the fighting was spirited! My height prevented me from seeing too much, but what I saw was fun!
We went home and returned in the afternoon to watch the parade that marched through town. Also great, good fun :) Baton twirling cheerleaders, smart firefighters, war veterans, everyone was there! I barely made it home to crash!
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Here I am!
Yay! After travelling for almost 24 hours in real time and about 12 hours in virtual time, I am now in Lexington, sitting next to Maya as she plays with magnetic stones!
The flight to Milan was uneventful except for some stunningly bad food. Milan airport itself was nice, but not very interesting. The flight to Boston was more fun. Sat next to a Justice of Peace for the entire duration and got thoroughly entertained! She was amazed I spoke English and asked me whether I was having an arranged marriage! :) Americans!
Anyway, got off at Boston, breezed through immigration, baggage, and customs and was welcomed at the airport by Rohan, Maya, and Bink Mamu. Rohan even made me a poster informing me that I was now in the United States! When we got home, I found another poster, this time made by Maya, with yellow chicks on it! Fun!
Had lunch, and a long bath. Tea was interesting with some serious political conversation over awesome blueberry bread (I'm SO not going to lose weight!) with mamu, mami, and a couple of their friends from Iran. And now am writing up the blog as Maya reads over my shoulder and dinner is getting cooked in the background.
Am missing the warmth back home, but Boston looks like a really nice city. And on Tuesday we go to the Zoo!! To see hippopotami and giraffes! Yay! Also tomorrow morning, Monday, we're off to watch a re-enactment of the beginning of the American War of Independence on the Boston Green. The whole Paul Revere things with actual shooting and stuff! At 5.30! Am not too sure if I'll make it! fingers crossed!
Am little upset that no one has written me yet!! Write me people!! Or I won't write you! :p
Hope all is well with everybody!
The flight to Milan was uneventful except for some stunningly bad food. Milan airport itself was nice, but not very interesting. The flight to Boston was more fun. Sat next to a Justice of Peace for the entire duration and got thoroughly entertained! She was amazed I spoke English and asked me whether I was having an arranged marriage! :) Americans!
Anyway, got off at Boston, breezed through immigration, baggage, and customs and was welcomed at the airport by Rohan, Maya, and Bink Mamu. Rohan even made me a poster informing me that I was now in the United States! When we got home, I found another poster, this time made by Maya, with yellow chicks on it! Fun!
Had lunch, and a long bath. Tea was interesting with some serious political conversation over awesome blueberry bread (I'm SO not going to lose weight!) with mamu, mami, and a couple of their friends from Iran. And now am writing up the blog as Maya reads over my shoulder and dinner is getting cooked in the background.
Am missing the warmth back home, but Boston looks like a really nice city. And on Tuesday we go to the Zoo!! To see hippopotami and giraffes! Yay! Also tomorrow morning, Monday, we're off to watch a re-enactment of the beginning of the American War of Independence on the Boston Green. The whole Paul Revere things with actual shooting and stuff! At 5.30! Am not too sure if I'll make it! fingers crossed!
Am little upset that no one has written me yet!! Write me people!! Or I won't write you! :p
Hope all is well with everybody!
Thursday, April 13, 2006
How Old is Old?
You Are Old, Father William
Lewis Carroll
"You are old, father William," the young man said,
"And your hair has become very white;
And yet you incessantly stand on your head--
Do you think, at your age, it is right?"
"In my youth," father William replied to his son,
"I feared it might injure the brain;
But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,
Why, I do it again and again."
"You are old," said the youth, "as I mentioned before,
And you have grown most uncommonly fat;
Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door--
Pray what is the reason for that?"
"In my youth," said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,
"I kept all my limbs very supple
By the use of this ointment - one shilling a box--
Allow me to sell you a couple?"
"You are old," said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak
For anything tougher than suet;
Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak--
Pray, how did you manage to do it?"
"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law,
And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw,
Has lasted the rest of my life."
"You are old," said the youth, "one would hardly suppose
That your eye was as steady as ever;
Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose--
What made you so awfully clever?"
"I have answered three questions, and that is enough,"
Said his father. "Don't give yourself airs!
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
Be off, or I'll kick you down stairs.
Sometimes, that is exactly what I feel like doing! Kicking some silly, young goose down the stairs! Especially when I meet up with old friends, like I did this week.
In the process of saying goodbye to everybody, close to the top of my list were two old college friends. One of them is getting married in May and I'm really sorry that I will be missing her wedding. So, on Monday, I traveled all the way to Inorbit Mall in Malad, by local train even. Those of you who know me well will realise how much I love these girls by the mere fact that I took a train to meet them! Anyway, train taken, destination arrived at all of 40 minutes early. (Another miracle!) I browsed around at Crosswords before I met the two at Rajdhani for lunch. And when we met, it was as though we were back in college. We chatted non-stop, interrupted each other, laughed like a pack of hyenas, and generally had a great time. And somewhere in that conversation, I realised I was growing old. Old as in the dreaded settling-down-having-kids-becoming-boring old! Yet, it wasn't all bad. Here were two of my pals also on the verge of growing "old" and frankly, we were all quite excited, and happy for each other. So it couldn't be that bad, could it?
As I mulled over the question on my way home, I thought of college and work and everything in between and became quite maudlin. Until that is, I got home and met my cousin who is all of 13 and just entering into the horrors of adolescence. All thoughts of being younger evaporated :)
I'm now thinking of subsiding into elegant and wise oldness, as against senile and incontinent oldness which comes much, much later(hopefully!) . And if elegant and wise is asking for too much, then I guess I'll settle for smart and not-looking-my-age oldness. All in all, I've reconciled myself to it.
That reconciliation has taken up the better part of this last week. Although I did manage a trip to the office in the interim. Another round of goodbyes were said. Jokes about returning were made. And somebody complained about the Comments policy on the blog. I was just happy that someone was reading it!! And wanting to comment! So as of now, the comments are open to all!
Nothing much else really. Bags are almost packed. And all is set! Come Saturday and I take off for the US. I'm soooo excited!! I'm going to be on a plane!!
Sigh! Guess am not that old after all!
Lewis Carroll
"You are old, father William," the young man said,
"And your hair has become very white;
And yet you incessantly stand on your head--
Do you think, at your age, it is right?"
"In my youth," father William replied to his son,
"I feared it might injure the brain;
But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,
Why, I do it again and again."
"You are old," said the youth, "as I mentioned before,
And you have grown most uncommonly fat;
Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door--
Pray what is the reason for that?"
"In my youth," said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,
"I kept all my limbs very supple
By the use of this ointment - one shilling a box--
Allow me to sell you a couple?"
"You are old," said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak
For anything tougher than suet;
Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak--
Pray, how did you manage to do it?"
"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law,
And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw,
Has lasted the rest of my life."
"You are old," said the youth, "one would hardly suppose
That your eye was as steady as ever;
Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose--
What made you so awfully clever?"
"I have answered three questions, and that is enough,"
Said his father. "Don't give yourself airs!
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
Be off, or I'll kick you down stairs.
Sometimes, that is exactly what I feel like doing! Kicking some silly, young goose down the stairs! Especially when I meet up with old friends, like I did this week.
In the process of saying goodbye to everybody, close to the top of my list were two old college friends. One of them is getting married in May and I'm really sorry that I will be missing her wedding. So, on Monday, I traveled all the way to Inorbit Mall in Malad, by local train even. Those of you who know me well will realise how much I love these girls by the mere fact that I took a train to meet them! Anyway, train taken, destination arrived at all of 40 minutes early. (Another miracle!) I browsed around at Crosswords before I met the two at Rajdhani for lunch. And when we met, it was as though we were back in college. We chatted non-stop, interrupted each other, laughed like a pack of hyenas, and generally had a great time. And somewhere in that conversation, I realised I was growing old. Old as in the dreaded settling-down-having-kids-becoming-boring old! Yet, it wasn't all bad. Here were two of my pals also on the verge of growing "old" and frankly, we were all quite excited, and happy for each other. So it couldn't be that bad, could it?
As I mulled over the question on my way home, I thought of college and work and everything in between and became quite maudlin. Until that is, I got home and met my cousin who is all of 13 and just entering into the horrors of adolescence. All thoughts of being younger evaporated :)
I'm now thinking of subsiding into elegant and wise oldness, as against senile and incontinent oldness which comes much, much later(hopefully!) . And if elegant and wise is asking for too much, then I guess I'll settle for smart and not-looking-my-age oldness. All in all, I've reconciled myself to it.
That reconciliation has taken up the better part of this last week. Although I did manage a trip to the office in the interim. Another round of goodbyes were said. Jokes about returning were made. And somebody complained about the Comments policy on the blog. I was just happy that someone was reading it!! And wanting to comment! So as of now, the comments are open to all!
Nothing much else really. Bags are almost packed. And all is set! Come Saturday and I take off for the US. I'm soooo excited!! I'm going to be on a plane!!
Sigh! Guess am not that old after all!
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Common Cold! Bah!
Common Cold
Ogden Nash
Go hang yourself, you old M.D.!
You shall not sneer at me.
Pick up your hat and stethoscope,
Go wash your mouth with laundry soap;
I contemplate a joy exquisite
I'm not paying you for your visit.
I did not call you to be told
My malady is a common cold.
By pounding brow and swollen lip;
By fever's hot and scaly grip;
By those two red redundant eyes
That weep like woeful April skies;
By racking snuffle, snort, and sniff;
By handkerchief after handkerchief;
This cold you wave away as naught
Is the damnedest cold man ever caught!
Give ear, you scientific fossil!
Here is the genuine Cold Colossal;
The Cold of which researchers dream,
The Perfect Cold, the Cold Supreme.
This honored system humbly holds
The Super-cold to end all colds;
The Cold Crusading for Democracy;
The Führer of the Streptococcracy.
Bacilli swarm within my portals
Such as were ne'er conceived by mortals,
But bred by scientists wise and hoary
In some Olympic laboratory;
Bacteria as large as mice,
With feet of fire and heads of ice
Who never interrupt for slumber
Their stamping elephantine rumba.
A common cold, gadzooks, forsooth!
Ah, yes. And Lincoln was jostled by Booth;
Don Juan was a budding gallant,
And Shakespeare's plays show signs of talent;
The Arctic winter is fairly coolish,
And your diagnosis is fairly foolish.
Oh what a derision history holds
For the man who belittled the Cold of Colds!
Ah well, it doesn't make any difference that my doctor is a woman! They're all silly anyway! From Monday to Thursday this last week, how I have suffered! And how it helped to know Ogden Nash suffered it too! :)
Anyway, things have gotten better since then. Lots of hot drinks, some major allergy medication, and many prayers later I have emerged unscathed from the jaws of a monstrous cold. And there was so much to be done that I could hardly afford not to! So on Friday I went off and applied for my international driving license at the WIAA. And to add even more virtue to the mix, I did my accounts for the year. After which I was so pooped I crashed for 13 hours straight! Then on Saturday, I did the one thing guaranteed to fight off the last vestiges of the Cold that was. I went shopping! Got myself some very pretty stuff, and it cheered me so much. I finally felt able to talk about that horrid, horrid cold. So there you are!
Apart from the cold though, quite a few things have happened since the last post. I finished with work on Friday and was given a farewell that made me cry. I've been very happy with work these last almost-three years. And that's only because of the people. They've been there for me through thick and thin and I'm sure I'll never meet another gang quite like this. I feel very proud and lucky to be this privileged. So farewell cake was cut, some unbelievably gorgeous presents were received, and many sad goodbyes were said. Only temporary, mind you.
Also, I had my first couple of kelvans. Now, for those of you who do not know maharashtrian customs, this is a sort of bridal shower thingy given by sundry family and friends when the wedding date has been fixed. In the old days this was done so that everybody could help out with the dowry and get the bride all the stuff she needed. Now, it's more of a fun lets-eat-till-we're-stuffed event. Although, they do still give presents to the bride!! So anyway, the first one was held at home with major relatives and stuff. Had awesomely good bisi bele bhaat and puranpoli! Enjoyed the attention thoroughly :) The next one was at some friends' house on Wednesday where, unfortunately, I didn't eat much due to aforementioned Cold of Colds. did have some nice gulab jamuns though. :) And that was that.
Everything else is coming along swimmingly, as the Brits would say. (Sorry, just watched Gosford Park on T.V.!) Only, once in a while, I long for A.C. all day and suffer caffeine withdrawal. Then I miss work. :(
Ogden Nash
Go hang yourself, you old M.D.!
You shall not sneer at me.
Pick up your hat and stethoscope,
Go wash your mouth with laundry soap;
I contemplate a joy exquisite
I'm not paying you for your visit.
I did not call you to be told
My malady is a common cold.
By pounding brow and swollen lip;
By fever's hot and scaly grip;
By those two red redundant eyes
That weep like woeful April skies;
By racking snuffle, snort, and sniff;
By handkerchief after handkerchief;
This cold you wave away as naught
Is the damnedest cold man ever caught!
Give ear, you scientific fossil!
Here is the genuine Cold Colossal;
The Cold of which researchers dream,
The Perfect Cold, the Cold Supreme.
This honored system humbly holds
The Super-cold to end all colds;
The Cold Crusading for Democracy;
The Führer of the Streptococcracy.
Bacilli swarm within my portals
Such as were ne'er conceived by mortals,
But bred by scientists wise and hoary
In some Olympic laboratory;
Bacteria as large as mice,
With feet of fire and heads of ice
Who never interrupt for slumber
Their stamping elephantine rumba.
A common cold, gadzooks, forsooth!
Ah, yes. And Lincoln was jostled by Booth;
Don Juan was a budding gallant,
And Shakespeare's plays show signs of talent;
The Arctic winter is fairly coolish,
And your diagnosis is fairly foolish.
Oh what a derision history holds
For the man who belittled the Cold of Colds!
Ah well, it doesn't make any difference that my doctor is a woman! They're all silly anyway! From Monday to Thursday this last week, how I have suffered! And how it helped to know Ogden Nash suffered it too! :)
Anyway, things have gotten better since then. Lots of hot drinks, some major allergy medication, and many prayers later I have emerged unscathed from the jaws of a monstrous cold. And there was so much to be done that I could hardly afford not to! So on Friday I went off and applied for my international driving license at the WIAA. And to add even more virtue to the mix, I did my accounts for the year. After which I was so pooped I crashed for 13 hours straight! Then on Saturday, I did the one thing guaranteed to fight off the last vestiges of the Cold that was. I went shopping! Got myself some very pretty stuff, and it cheered me so much. I finally felt able to talk about that horrid, horrid cold. So there you are!
Apart from the cold though, quite a few things have happened since the last post. I finished with work on Friday and was given a farewell that made me cry. I've been very happy with work these last almost-three years. And that's only because of the people. They've been there for me through thick and thin and I'm sure I'll never meet another gang quite like this. I feel very proud and lucky to be this privileged. So farewell cake was cut, some unbelievably gorgeous presents were received, and many sad goodbyes were said. Only temporary, mind you.
Also, I had my first couple of kelvans. Now, for those of you who do not know maharashtrian customs, this is a sort of bridal shower thingy given by sundry family and friends when the wedding date has been fixed. In the old days this was done so that everybody could help out with the dowry and get the bride all the stuff she needed. Now, it's more of a fun lets-eat-till-we're-stuffed event. Although, they do still give presents to the bride!! So anyway, the first one was held at home with major relatives and stuff. Had awesomely good bisi bele bhaat and puranpoli! Enjoyed the attention thoroughly :) The next one was at some friends' house on Wednesday where, unfortunately, I didn't eat much due to aforementioned Cold of Colds. did have some nice gulab jamuns though. :) And that was that.
Everything else is coming along swimmingly, as the Brits would say. (Sorry, just watched Gosford Park on T.V.!) Only, once in a while, I long for A.C. all day and suffer caffeine withdrawal. Then I miss work. :(
Friday, March 31, 2006
The Gadabout is Off!
Travel
Edna St. Vincent Millay
The railroad track is miles away,
And the day is loud with voices speaking,
Yet there isn't a train goes by all day
But I hear its whistle shrieking.
All night there isn't a train goes by,
Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming,
But I see its cinders red on the sky,
And hear its engine steaming.
My heart is warm with friends I make,
And better friends I'll not be knowing;
Yet there isn't a train I'd rather take,
No matter where it's going.
And so after almost-three years, 8 or 9 projects, 20 or so dear friends, several late nights, and many hundreds of cups of coffee in the pantry, it is now time to balance the accounts and straighten the books. I’m leaving TIS with a full heart, some very precious numbers in my phone book, and some incredible learnings about the serial comma. :)
I guess it still hasn’t quite struck me how much I’m going to miss this place. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to moving on. But before I leave, there are goodbyes to be said. None are final, but they’ll all be heartfelt.
So for everyone at TIS, Goodbye & Thanks for all the Fish! (Can’t better Douglas Adams now, can I?)
Edna St. Vincent Millay
The railroad track is miles away,
And the day is loud with voices speaking,
Yet there isn't a train goes by all day
But I hear its whistle shrieking.
All night there isn't a train goes by,
Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming,
But I see its cinders red on the sky,
And hear its engine steaming.
My heart is warm with friends I make,
And better friends I'll not be knowing;
Yet there isn't a train I'd rather take,
No matter where it's going.
And so after almost-three years, 8 or 9 projects, 20 or so dear friends, several late nights, and many hundreds of cups of coffee in the pantry, it is now time to balance the accounts and straighten the books. I’m leaving TIS with a full heart, some very precious numbers in my phone book, and some incredible learnings about the serial comma. :)
I guess it still hasn’t quite struck me how much I’m going to miss this place. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to moving on. But before I leave, there are goodbyes to be said. None are final, but they’ll all be heartfelt.
So for everyone at TIS, Goodbye & Thanks for all the Fish! (Can’t better Douglas Adams now, can I?)
Monday, March 20, 2006
To gad: intransitive verb
The Merriam Webster defines the verb gad as "to be on the go without a specific aim or purpose." And a gadabout is a person who does just this sort of thing.
I'm in my second last week at work (only 8 more days to go!!) and I'm looking forward like crazy to being a gadabout. But there is time yet for me to pull on my backpack, and I'm hoping to use it well.
A few last purposes to fulfill before I become completely purposeless.
I'm in my second last week at work (only 8 more days to go!!) and I'm looking forward like crazy to being a gadabout. But there is time yet for me to pull on my backpack, and I'm hoping to use it well.
A few last purposes to fulfill before I become completely purposeless.
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