sticky note humour

I didn't want the blog to melt into oblivion so I thought the least I could do is to keep you entertained with someone else's words, if not mine.
So, here you go. Laugh now and thank me later.


This is life, one block at a time.

I have this interesting new liaison with an HR company. So, this is for them, with many thanks!

Haha!! I promise to do better than this copy - paste job soon, ok?


-gatsby

And I'm back after a long, unexplained hiatus.
If you're lucky, posts will soon follow.

For now, I'm back home in good old Madras for about 3 weeks and I couldnt be happier.

Until next time,
-gatsby

IHOP yay!

Before I came here, I was not looking forward to the trip at all. The very thought of going away from Madras was just killing me. Also, as my avid readers would know, I had the big problem of what to do with Oz. But that worked out well, thankfully. Ozzy is nice and happy in his new home. Da went to visit him and looks like he has settled down nice and comfortably. The people who are taking care of him give me delightful stories about his charming, quirky behaviour and i couldn't be more happier about my choice of homes.

So, anyway, to make myself look forward to this trip more, I made up a checklist in my mind, of all the things that I should do here. One of them was having a classic American (vegetarian) breakfast.
My brother and I were driving around the area a few days back and he pointed out a blue and white board that said IHOP. International House Of Pancakes. If i were a Disney cartoon, my face would light up and my eyeballs would turn into golden-brown pancakes. Ah, the very thought of it.....
So, the next morning, i slyly talked my brother into taking me to IHOP. We placed two orders of
Cranberry juice
Garden Omelet which comes with a plate of short stack pancakes
Hash brown (a slab of grated and grilled potato)

It was the best meal ever!!!! The cranberry juice was so flavorful. It was refrigerated so the glass was not half stuffed with ice cubes. The omelet was huge! One serving of it must have been made with at least 2 eggs! And the pancakes........ short stack means 3 pancakes. They were beautiful to look at with the aromatic steam raising and the generous topping of butter (which i scooped out and put into my side plate after a woeful look at my tummy... sigh). I thought the hash browns would taste boring since they were just potatoes but the grilled side was so nice and crunchy!

A forkful of pancakes, eggs and some hash brown = 1 big mouthful of joy!

You know, they serve huge portions here. This is a picture of my meal after I am done with it.





In conclusion, everything is bigger not only in Texas, but in the whole of the USA. *BURP*

-gatsby

updates

I have successfully reach the US of A after what could possibly be the longest flight ever.

We (mum and I) boarded a domestic flight at Madras to Bombay. We had to change flights there. We boarded our connecting flight at the very last minute thanks to the mess that is the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Turns out, the flight was making a stop at Delhi as well..(?)... Anyway.. after Delhi it was thankfully London and then to New York.
So that is
Madras - Bombay- Delhi - London - New York
all with about 2 hours halt. God!! i DIED. The food was yummy and the inflight entertainment sucked. Fortunately i didn't feel the brunt of that because i made a friend!! :-) That's right! I am social! I never knew!

So now here i am in Stamford, Connecticut.. one of the most picturesque places i have ever seen. There is this area called New England in northeast USA, comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. This little town where I'm staying is so English with the huge old cathedrals, one synagogue and plenty of eatouts. There is this one place pretty close by which just captured me when i was walking by it. It was a restaurant and bar that spilled out into the pavement. The decor was mostly dark wood with dark red flowing drapes all around it. The lighting was dim, the place was spacious and the music was beautiful jazz. The choice of music could not have been more fitting. Ah i felt totally carried away by the silky sounds of the saxophone, the mild chatter and the intoxicating smell of glorious red wine that engulfed the place. I don't know if i will be able to eat there but if you do come to Stamford, do try it. If the food is as good and the place looks, then i guarantee you, you will not be disappointed.

This is a picture of a cathedral near my place.. is gorgeous!




Oh I went to New York and its just like how you see it on TV. The Grand Central station is gorgeous though. I will try to upload a picture of that too.

More updates and pictures will follow.


Bye, now.

-gatsby

Madras, my love

Hello, all.
I'm typing this post amidst the flurry of last minute packing and also last minute panicking. Yes, I am leaving on my holiday tonight. Its going to be month long trip and i am back in Madras on the 2nd of July, which (of course) is the day my college reopens. So my battle with attendance starts right then. also, 3rd is chub's birthday so... my battle will probably continue on to the 3rd too. aiyo.
I want everyone to know that i love Madras. there is no other place in this world where i will find myself as comfortable or as heart-warmed. I'm touch by the beauty of this city. I was on my way to Spencer Plaza from Parry's the other day and i was at the signal where Spencer's is diagonally opposite on your right. On the left side of the road there were these beautiful ancient brick-red buildings with these ancient shops. It seemed so fitting. it would have definitely been paradoxical had there been some swanky designer store there. Instead there were these lovely antique artifact shops and all. There was also a Globe Detective Agency. Somehow that too made sense there. This rows of old lovely buildings, some renovated, some not, with domes, mirrors, carvings on the window panes and balconies with arches. What a sight it was. This old Madras architecture kept me absorbed in that long long wait at the signal and for that i was grateful. I even told my companion that we live in a beautiful city and we don't even know it. We really don't. There is so much more to explore and i hope i get the chance to do it.

But for now, i have to go and "explore" what is possibly the most advertised country in the world. Woo hoo.

By the way, i found a great caretaker for ozzy. She is a sweet delightful girl who was gracious enough to help me out. I owe her. And orkut is actually useful. Shocking.

that's it for now. Next post from CT, USA. Ta!

-gatsby

As all you faithful readers(Du) may have guessed, my damn exams are finally over. Don't ask me how i did them. All i know is that they are over and frankly that's all i care about, at least for the next two months.

It has a been a busy last few days. Kit is leaving to japan tomorrow. Loads and loads of shopping and eating out! Its been pure heaven i tell you. Man i don't know what i would have done without Kit for one whole month in Madras. But since i am leaving town too, its not so bad.
Which brings me to my next thing, I am leaving the big US of A. Thankfully its only for a holiday and I should be back in good ol'Madras within a month. I am going to Stamford, Connecticut so if any of you have been there, please tell me about the off-beat interesting things the place has to offer.

Most of you know, that i have a little cat called Ozzy.





That's him being cute as hell in his Santa hat.

Now here is the problem. Since I'm going away, there is no place for me to leave him. Apparently shelters like SPCA or Blue cross don't take cats. They are all dog people. I need a place to keep him safe or otherwise I will never be able to enjoy my vacation. So if any of you have a big heart and want to look after my baby cat for a month, please let me know. He is thoroughly litter-box trained and very well mannered. Or if you can even suggest some solution, please do feel free to drop a line and tell me what I can do. I am truly desperate.

It has actually been a good month for me. Lots of friends, lots of good times, lots of fun and laughter. So despite these exams, I will look back on this month of May with fond memories.
Also, I have been going to Amethyst wayyyy too much. Good fun that place is. All you fellow vegetarians, try the Vegan sandwich there. Its yummy. If you order any of their hot coffees, they give you these little cone shaped candies with a tiny little bit of crunchy coffee bean embedded in it. Also yummy.

Well, that's that for now. Do let me know about any ideas you might have about Ozzy. It will not go unrewarded. Thanks.

-gatsby

4 down. 2 to go. And I'm feeling much happier.

I study in a precious college that puts their students' comfort above all else. That's why during the semester exams, they take only 2 or 3 busses out to drop us back as opposed to the 10-odd ones that pick us up in the mornings. Obviously these 3 busses are not going to be able to cover all the routes. So they boot us off at Adyar and most graciously ask us to find our ways back home.
I stay in Mylapore. So everyday, after exams, i take the college bus to Adyar and catch an auto rickshaw from there. Personally I'm not a big fan of auto's. But these last few days have made me develop such an aversion to travelling by them.
As you know, i have finished 4 exams. On all these 4 days, i have managed to pick embarrassingly large fights with 4 separate auto rickshaw drivers. One on each day. All half way through my journey. All in the hot (and how) summer afternoon. 2 in which i had to get out of the auto half way because i just could not tolerate the insanity that are Madras auto drivers.

Just why cant my college send their busses to drop us back just as they picked us up. Why do we accept this without even feeling of being deprived. They take Rs.13,000 (i kid you not) from us every goddamn year. Why cant they do the right thing and give us our money's worth?

Anyway, so that's 4 auto stands i have to avoid in the next two days. I will let you know if two more add to that list. Sigh.

This is me, signing off, feeling utterly robbed, tired and disappointed at my inability to protest. And panicky too since i should be studying and not blogging.

-gatsby

3 down. 3 to go.

Yay! Finally we have reached half way through. This is when you realise these horrors might actually end. Until now it just seemed to stretch on forever.

I had a paper today. Have one tomorrow and the day after. Then one on friday. And thats that.
Its going to be a slow next few days in blog-dom.

-gatsby

2 down. 4 to go. dammit!

For all those who were really worried, math went off decently. Might actually pass. Might. Yay! Big treat for whoever is nice enough to comment and share my joy. And all this just because there is a chance for me to pass. How easy am i to please!!

Kit, my bestest, has decided to grace us with her priceless thoughts. Expect nothing less than a witty funny blog of groundbreaking literary value. hehehe. I do louw her.
Here you go,
http://www.kit-tabularasa.blogspot.com/

She just started it so be patient. But the first post should keep you entertained plenty. Hehe.

Anyway, a good friend of mine, Du, has com down from Singapore. I have known him for ages now. Well, for about 7 years to be precise. But i made his acquaintance on the internet (it was not as cheesy as it sounds) so i never got to meet him since he has never been to India.
Until now.
And i met him for the first time yesterday.
You know when you're gonna meet someone, you imagine it to be a certain way? And when it happens its just how you imagined it and more?
That's how yesterday was. I had the best time.

Here's to Du and estranged friends everywhere. I wouldn't know what i would do without you guys.
Cheers!

-gatsby

I wanted to start studying by 11am and finish at least 4 units by 10pm. 2 hours revise. Crash at midnight.
Its 10:20pm. Completed one unit. Contemplating when to start unit 2.

Fail fail fail fail fail

-gatsby

Exams exams exams.
1 down, 5 to go. Best part, the next one is a problematic paper... uh uh.. that's right..maths!!
retch with me people... *ugh*
And yet i was out last night. No,no..not what you're thinking. Just a quiet evening which turned into a quiet night with Kit, my bestest. Only because she lured me with her food.

To see Kit cook is a pleasure. She is so methodical and particular. Watching her cook, one understands how cooking can be seen as an art form. Kit's food looks yum... really does. One of these days ill put up a picture and you can all drool with me.

Right in the middle of dinner, her area had this major power failure. Yeah i know its been happening often of late. But i live in a far too happening area so these things don't affect little old me. heh. yay.

So we were indulging away and suddenly, out of nowhere, I went blind. I don't know what your interpretation of *pitch dark* is, but, yeah, that's what her room was. Pitch fuckin' dark.
You know, normally when there is a power failure, some smart prick will rev up his happening generator so one never gets to see pitch dark or pin-drop-silence. But not yesterday.


we had the perfect foodie conversation yesterday right there, right then.
munch munch munch munch
swallow
repeat
what more does one need to make for a perfect evening. :-)

when a person is handicap of one of the senses, the others are heightened apparently.
i was wondering, if one is blind, does one's food taste better?


what do you think?

-gatsby

Love, love me do,
You know i love you,
I'll always be true,
So pleee-eee-eeeese
Love me dooo.

I love John Lenon. Seriously, only he can write this stuff and get away with it!
I love The Beatles. yes yes their music is nice, catchy, psychedelic at times and all that but what really endeared them to me, is "Hard day's night".
With lyrics like
"its been a hard day's night and i have been working like a dog
its been a hard day's night, i should be sleeping like a log".. its clearly not their best work!

But the movie! its sooo cute (please excuse the girly wording). John Lenon is an absolute dream In that movie. the boys come across as a cheeky, fun group of friends which i guess they were at that point. Lenon is hilarious with his antics.

Its a must watch for all witty, British comedy lovers.
Its a must watch for those who wish in fall in love with Lenon again. And you will.

-gatsby

Who you are?

(All you Star Wars enthusiasts, no, I'm not trying to talk like Yoda...)
So.. Martin Scorsese has won as Oscar for the movie "The Departed". He has been nominated plenty of times previously.. about 6-7 times if I'm right.

Now, are we to assume that this is his masterpiece? His "Mona Lisa", if i may say so. NOT AT ALL. Scorsese has always been brilliant. He has directed many, many great movies like The Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, The Age of Innocence and how can i ever forget Good Fellas.. my personal favorite. I have seen The Departed.. believe me, despite its dark, intriguing name, it is just abut watchable. It comes nowhere close to Raging Bull or Good Fellas.

So why didn't Scorsese win this well deserved "honour" earlier on? May be, just may be, his counterparts were just as good? So its not that Scorsese has finally become good enough, its just that the quality of cinema is rapidly deteriorating. Sad, i know.

If you think about it, you are not really who you are. (corollary to "you are who you are"..hehe)... you are only who you are with respect to others.
UGH!!

Mister Scorsese, hearty congrats. This is long overdue.

-gatsby

Empty

Well??
What did you think, Snoopy?
The title is "Eternal darkness of the unimaginative mind"... One can hardly expect profound thoughts or even mindless,seemingly intellectual rantings...!
SCRAM, YOU!!!