Staccato

I dont know

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:38:00 +0000

why are you not blogging? why are you in office so late? why have you lost weight? when are you getting married? when is the big day? why are you not coming out? are you saving money? have you become vegetarian? when are you going to bombay? are you moving to california? why are you working on weekends? are you doing your practices? when is tony coming? no photos on IDP? why are you not blogging?

-

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:57:00 +0000

. Someone I know attempted suicide a few days ago. Over a job. Painful shortsightedness.

. I'm going to California for 2 weeks in early September. Exciting, a whole new life is about to begin.

. Halfway through Jack Kerouac's Dharma Bums. Rollercoaster ride of Buddhism and beat poetry, hitch-hiking and California and stream of consciousness rambling.

. Feeling fevering, and touched my neck to check, and felt my pulse. The steady, rhythmic beat. The silent mechanism of life that goes on. I'm grateful to be alive.

. Saw Public Enemies. Loved it. Playing ridiculous facebook games like Mafia Wars in a retarded way.

. I've noticed my attitude towards cigarettes is getting more and more intolerant. It annoys me and hurts me when my friends smoke. I can't stop them, but I dont want to be around people who smoke. Seems to me like it's an act of great disrespect towards life. If suicide is such a terrible act and a crime even, so is suicide in installments.

time and space

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:03:00 +0000

what is this void

what is this rubberband

what is this that slips so fast

with skipping heartbeats

what is this that doesn't move

a thing. an inch. a minute.

time means nothing

so slow

and so fast

space is pointless

so close and yet so far

i give up

swallow me down

incomprehension.

Kahani Mein Twist Zaroor Aayegi

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Filmy expression. Kahani mein twist. 'Twist in the tale.' A phrase that I've said to myself over and over again, with acute disbelief at the twists that have presented themselves to me over the past year. Exactly a year since my life went upside down and, well, I can't really say that I expected any of it to turn out the way it did.

A year of being sober. And aside from maybe two times that I've really felt the urge to sip wine, a whole year of loving being sober. And not missing being tipsy one bit.

I didn't ever think it would be this easy. And, funnily enough, I've enjoyed going out when my friends are drinking, it's very amusing, to say the least, to watch people get drunk and be ridiculous.

A year of Sadhguru. And Isha. Presented to me with impeccable timing, easily the most precious aspect of my life. The most meaningful, and something I hold closest to my heart. Being in his presence, has made me realise what it is possible for me to be and experience. Just the possibility is overwhelming.

A year of this immense feeling of gratitude, clarity, joy and living the moment. A feeling of knowing that whatever life throws, is my own doing, and I can make whatever I want out of it. A feeling of absolute awe about how things turn out, a way of looking over the hurdle to see beyond, a way of not being trapped in momentary pleasures and pains.

Extremely precious.

A year of deepened relationships. A year of touching lives around me in ways I've never before. A year of listening to things I wouldn't have otherwise. Of seeing things I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. A year of saying things I wouldn't have dreamed of.

A year of gifts. Of twists. And knowing that the twists will come. Unexpected. Surprizing. But knowing that they can't shake me.

Random Updates, and welcome back.

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 05:48:00 +0000

Such a long time. More twists in the story. Trying to get back into the groove of writing regularly, hopefully, should be easy once I get started. Right? Some random updates -

1. I'm getting married. Soon. 6 months-ish.

2. It's not raining enough. It's July, and doesn't even feel like the monsoon.

3. I've been staying up late at nights - reading the 7th Potter book, and woke up in the middle of the night, seeing figures and dreaming of horcruxes. Dark dark dark.

4. Sadhguru is going to be in Hyderabad on Sunday. Can't wait.

5. I'm getting married. And, that, is definitely crazy.

Sneak Peak

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:54:00 +0000

Sneak peak she says.

Yesterday, I was atop Bhongir Fort (for the dozenth time probably) and I got a feeling that it was someone's birthday. Couldn't remember though.

Today, logged onto twitter after days and saw Dooce's sneak peak image. http://twitpic.com/7f49x

It's her baby.

I've been following her blog for years, and the knowledge that her baby is finally born made my heart skip a little beat.

And it skips again now, thinking of how the internet has given me/us such a way. To sneak peak. At someone else's life, someone I'll never meet. A complete stranger. But not really.

And I crown you..... Princess Zora

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:29:00 +0000

Geez, I wanted to have more than 200 posts this year too. And its almost the end of May and our count is a pathetic 50. Sheesh. SHEESH.

Anyway, whats really inspiring this possible spate of blogposts is something I remembered in the middle of the day, a memory of a deeply imprinted and very beloved movie (actually movies) that we used to watch in the summer vacations many, many years ago.

The one single TV channel we had, at that time, had something called Disney Hour, at noon everyday, and for ages, as far as I remember, they screened the loveliest children's shows and movies - I clearly remember He-Man, Lauren and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, something I remember as 'telegames', and then series of movies - The Frog Prince, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, The Beauty and the beast, and oh boy, some of these movies have been stuck somewhere in my head, and my mind in a vague way, all these years.

Mommy had recorded a couple of VHS cassettes and so, a few of these series were immortalized in our heads - watching them hundreds of times.

Today, I found - The Frog Prince. The whole goddamned movie is on YouTube! in 10 parts. Of course, I couldn't stop watching, and couldn't help the little hiccoughs of bliss and tears escape my throat at the appropriate parts. The songs! I sing them unconsciously sometimes! The characters and the dialogues and the tone and actions and dramatic gestures, all down to the way the Prince holds up the arm of Princess Zora when he walks her in, finally. The way she plays with her lucky golden ball, and well, oh boy, I could go on forever.

Yes, silly pieces from my childhood maybe, but excuse me now, while I call my sister and exclaim to her about what I found.

Er, how does this blogging business work?

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:21:00 +0000

Boy, its been a while. Can't remember the last time I had such a long break from ze blog. And I'm not sure what I'm about to say on zis post - but a few things have been taking my time and attention.

Working on the weekend - sort of turned the life a bit haywire, but in a nice way mostly - working on Saturday and Sunday is chill and lazy and slack, and then I get to take Tuesdays and Wednesdays off, which is a treat.

Moving apartments soon - moving in with some lovely friends, closer to office and far away from the noise and chaos of center Hyderabad.

Had a mini vacation last week. Gorgeous fun. Wonderful time. Trains and buses and jeeps and doggies and insects, and forests, and rivers and cameras and butterflies.

And well, something that's been on my mind for a while, and I've just not known how to say it - Anandha Ala - the wave of bliss has begun in Hyderabad. Inner Engineering programs across the city, back to back. I have a couple of links that I will share soon.

And that sums up this very tasteless blog update. Guess I need to have these fingers moving again. More often.

Global WARNING

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:28:00 +0000

Our gift to mother nature - global warming.

I've seen it all

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:32:00 +0000

Amazing amazing track. From a movie called Dancer in the Dark.

Bjork acts in the movie, and this song features Thom Yorke (from Radiohead.)

Couchsurfing! Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:51:00 +0000

Thanks to PS for his enthusiastic ranting about couchsurfing, I signed up a week ago and pretty much at once received my first request to host - a Portuguese woman traveling in India for 2 months, and visiting Hyderabad, requested to be hosted for 2 nights.

With my flatmates away in Goa for the week, and the house to myself, how could I say no?

Filipa arrived Tuesday morning, and after a couple of hours of resting and talking and freshening up, I set her up and ready for a day of sight seeing. Armed with my trusty map of Hyderabad, a list of places to visit in the vicinity of the Charminar area, and vague but hopefully helpful instructions to survive in the city, I saw her board a local train heading to Nampally from Begumpet railway station and went back home to cater to my aching stomach and awaited the arrival of a friend visiting from Bombay. The Shammi himself.

I had some errands to run, and when I came back home, both my guests were home, sitting at the table, talking and chilling. I barged into the conversation - Filipa's day, some talk about yoga, and many, many travel stories.

Something that amused us a lot was Filipa's experience with the local folk. They would usually stop her and directly ask - where are you from?

When she said - Portugal, they'd just scratch their heads, and walk away, not knowing how to take the questioning further.

Some, however, would go on to ask

- Are you married?

- No.

- How old are you?

and then exclaim that she should hurry and get married.

She experimented once - saying

- Yes, I'm married.

- Do you have children?

- No.

- Then why did you get married anyway?

No words.

While talkingnit started lightening and a fabulous thunderstorm began. The electricity went off. We sat on my 5th storey balcony, with the nice view, and looked over the sky, exclaiming and excited with the fierce cracks lighting up the sky and thundering down at us.

This went on for a bit, and then Filipa softly said that this was by far the most thunder and lightening she had ever seen in her life.

It stopped in a couple of hours, and then we went out to dinner to my favourite take-my-guests-to restaurant - Angeethi. Filipa tried the risky jaljeera, and I picked us some great veg food. Shammi was trying to explain to Filipa who Amitabh Bachchan was, and translated the names of the many movie posters on the walls.

Roti, Kapda aur Makaan - food, clothing and shelter

Sharabi - Drunkard

Khoon Paseena - blood and sweat

and my favourite

Kaala Paththar - Black Stone.

Very filling dinner, and then Filipa exclaimed that the mouth freshener that most indian restaurants provide with the bill, saunf, is terrible. I added yes, it does taste like soap, and popped some in my mouth, while Filipa maintained the expression of how-can-you-eat-that-thing on her face.

Then home and called it a night, with an agreement to laze in late the next morning, and the plan of action being limited to visiting the Hussain Sagar.

Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 17:58:00 +0000

"When you do not know how to keep your body peaceful, when you do not know how to keep your mind peaceful, when you do not know how to keep your energies peaceful, world peace is just a joke."

_ Sadhguru

He conveys so easily something that is so strong, and will knock you on the head and make you wonder.

Intimately Detached

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:09:00 +0000

holding hands

touching fingertips

tousling hair

letting be.

something intimate

and special

natural

and free.

talking

telling

letting be.

rubbing noses

tickling toes

blowing kisses

saying bye

see you soon.

Half a dozen reasons

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 01:34:00 +0000

to celebrate:

1. My first ever couchsurfing guest is here. From Portugal. With a big yellow bag.

2. It rained last night, the sky is pink and clean and fresh.. and it's a bit cool - I'm holding my breath and hoping it lasts.

3. I have two days off - today and tomorrow - I had worked the weekend, and my weekend is today.

4. I have a friend visiting from Bombay.

5. My big fat package from Lush is expected to arrive in 48 hours.

6. I have an earworm that I'm loving - Billy Joel's Piano Man, and I sing it very loudly. (which may or may not mean I sing it well.)

7. My flatmates are out of town, so we have the house to ourselves.

Bonus reason to celebrate: My orange hair is looking fabulous now, I think.

Definition: (wikipedia)

Earworm - is a term for a portion of a song or other musical material that repeats compulsively within one's mind, known colloquially as "music being stuck in one's head."

Yipes, they also say: Medications that are used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder or anxiety can alleviate the symptoms of earworms.

Son can you play me a memory.. I'm not really sure how it goes...

but its sad and its sweet, and I knew it complete,

when I wore a young man's clothes...

Preview. Do View.

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:21:00 +0000

10

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:20:00 +0000

I'm not sure that I'm really going to finish doing this... I'm sleepy. We was tagged by the Shuunya man.

Have to do something like this.

1 is the number of DSLRs I have lost. Yes.

2 is the number of times I've coloured my hair red. (= orange sometime later.)

3 is the number of coconut waters I would like to consume in a day.

4 is the number of times I have been to the Isha Yoga Center.

5 is the number of apartments I've shifted to in Hyderabad.

6 is the number of blogs I write to. (write on, write for?)

7 is the number of songs I can play on the guitar.

8 is the number of children my baby sister said she wanted to have (when she was 6 years old).

9 is the number of tattoos I would not want to have.

10 is the number of puppies my doggie had had. (Dobermen puppies. Beauties.)

Not tagging anyone, am horrid with them myself.

PS: I wanted to title this post Dix. Which means ten in french. However...

Pranav Shah

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:52:00 +0000

Meet Pranav Shah. The guy with the funny hair, as he is also known. Or used to be known. Sadly, the lovely tresses have been shed, and a funky short crop of curls now rest on his head.

The hair is legendary. (Legend says that one fellow on a cycle was so taken aback by the sight of Pranav on the street once, that he crashed into a tree and fell down.) (Pranav recollects laughing his heart out on that occasion.) (Pranav is funny, he will make you laugh.)

Anyway. I dunno why I'm writing this post actually. My new favourite hobby is making portrait photos (if I told you the details of what kind of portraits, you wont believe me and think its April fool's joke, so I'll leave it at that.) Does seem like I want to make written portraits too...

Pranav is co-founder of India Daily Photo with me (I still like to take 100% credit, but I'm feeling generous on Fool's day.)

Pranav was in the same college as me. And we became friends when he came to me with a detailed plan and suggested that we make a business of pirated DVDs. (Which we didn't, eventually, just for the record.)

Pranav is one person who I would imagine is capable of doing things that most people would find either impossible or ludicrous, or pointless, and he'd do it with style.

Pranav's enthusiasm and appetite for knowing things is extremely contagious.

Ok, I'll end this essay here. Hi PS.

(Photo courtesy a Googler from the bike ride to Sri Sailem. Yash?)

Happy Fool's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:33:00 +0000

I always fall in double in love with Google on April 1st.

http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/chrome/cadie/

Lush Lust

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:36:00 +0000

I've narrated this story before here, but I'm not tired of it yet. So...

I had spent three times more than I should have, shopping in SF when I was there in November 2008, and was telling myself, loudly, that that was enough. As I was saying this to myself, I passed this store that ... was just so beautiful. The lights... there was some fragrance in the air... candles... and something fabulously colourful and inviting on display. My feet navigated themselves into the store.

LUSH.

My romance with Lush products is still thriving. Some of the stuff I bought is still around and oh, so well worth all that money.

As we speak, a big fat package is being delivered to a friend who's going to bring it to India for me. Gifts from my cousin brother. Who I very unabashedly passed on my wishlist to. So, yes, I'm lusting for lush.

Just as a demo - I'm going to post examples of what I think is fabulous copywriting. Really after reading, I would buy the stuff just for how they describe it. Full marks for brilliance.

Too Drunk to . . .
is not its full name. Its inspiration was a song by the Dead Kennedys, but specifically the version by Nouvelle Vague played and sung in a groovy 60s giggly style by the cool French group with an extraordinary collection of percussion instruments. Anyway, back to the Emotibomb. This is for the day after you got too drunk It has essential oils of peppermint, marigold, fennel and reviving sweet orange to refresh you, wake you up gently, soothe a sore head and slowly bring you back to life. Just stick one in the shower, turn on the water and stand there - or sit if you can`t manage the vertical - getting drenched until it all feels a bit better. Of course, you don`t have to have a hangover to use one. (At Lush Times Towers, we don`t bother with hangovers. Too busy.) Shower with one of these when you`re already feeling okay and wow! It really gets you grooving.

American Cream
Double Strength Conditioning Cocktail American Cream was inspired by a vision of 1950s US milk bar, bright red-leather-and-chrome, neon-lit cafés where teenagers went to meet each other and drink frothy, fruity, thick, creamy milkshakes. Our fruity, creamy conditioner is what the girls would have used to make their hair soft and strokeable before going out on a date, all dressed up in their bobby socks and circular skirts. The scent of honey, vanilla, strawberries and oranges is so sexy and sweet that dates can’t stay away. If your hair gets a bit messed up, American Cream makes it easy to brush through and smooth out again.

Honey I washed The Kids
The irresistible toffee and honey one. Once you've sniffed it, you've got to have it. On paper it's difficult to portray the full effect of this honeycomb toffee scented soap. Suffice to say that people who fully intended to walk past a Lush shop find themselves unable to resist its tempting, mouth-watering fragrance. They inhale and say 'Mmmmmm' then they exhale and say 'Ahhhhh' then they pick up a big chunk and join the queue for the till.

So yes, I was hanging around on the Lushindia website, and a little bit of fine print made my eyes pop out.

Also opening at shortly at INORBIT Hyderabad.

Isn't that the best news you've heard all day? Now excuse me, while I go away to jump up and down in excitement.

Harry Potter Friend - Story 1

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:44:00 +0000

I was sitting in a classroom. 'Bhatia's Classes.' This was before my 12th standard exams, I was amidst a group of people who were all aiming to top the university, go to the best colleges, score full marks, etc. They mostly didn't notice me. And I didn't fit right in with the chatter during breaks, and I used to look at the vast class around me and feel like an alien. Hopeless.

Until one day, I noticed that the alien next to me was casting similar hopeless glances to the other aliens. And I slowly looked at her, and felt a tug of hope in my heart.

Maybe just maybe....

I don't remember exactly what I said but I remember it to be like this:

- Do you read books?

- A bit surprised. Yes, I do!

- Have you read Harry Potter?

- Oh yes, I love them.

Her name is Pooja Shah. My first Potter buddy. From that day on, class was fun, and I didn't feel alien again.

Silly I guess. 17 year old. Harry Potter criteria to make friends? Well, the friendships have stuck. Almost 6 years since.

Harry Potter Friend - Story 2

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:16:00 +0000

17 year old me. Sitting on a chair in the first week of the first year of my degree course. Bachelor of Mass Media. At St.Xavier's college, and to me this was like a dream come true - I'd hardly expected to get through to this college.

A boy who almost bounced when he walked, and was holding a big, fat, hard-cover copy of Harry Potter's 'Order of the Phoenix' came and sat down next to me.

Harry Potter was the only boy in my life then. I instantly asked the boy if I could look at his book, took it into my hands and held it, smelled the familiar fragrance.

- How far have you gotten?

- I'm about halfway through... have you read the book?

- Oh yes... I loved it... you wont believe what happens to Sirius in the end!

He took one look at me, read my face and said in a hard tone - he dies, huh?

Big mouth. Fully dramatic expression I'd had. I felt pathetic that I'd revealed the end of the most exciting book, and he didn't seem too pleased either. My feeble attempts to cover up didn't work.

His name is Shamindra Marc Angelo Francis, and we became friends, lovers, and Harry Potter children.

Midnightey Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:31:00 +0000

The karma

of tired eyes

i don't like.

Good night.

Minor Updates:

Discovering the joy and amazement of nude photography. I'm a good photographer.

Watched The Revolutionary Road. Fabulous.

Missing my ex flatmates. Hi Peekaboo.

Drinking buttermilk to beat the heat.

Waiting for next week. Holidays and guests. Did I mention summer is here?

Dragons on Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:50:00 +0000

I was outdoors in the mid-afternoon heat of Hyderabad summer. Yes, the summer is here, and it's hot.

And then, a huge grey dragon-shaped cloud came and ate away the sun. I could see the sun rays slide around over the edges and nooks and corners of my dragon-shaped hero. And I was listening to Chris Cornell sing Sunshower. Those rays of light did look like a sunshower.

And I felt grateful to a cloud.

Weekend Weekly

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Two awesome weekends. The Sharc-in-Hyd stories maybe narrated later, this is a Bombay weekend special post.

It's nice to be back, as usual, but it was such a complete thrill to be in Bombay again after so long.

The first day, I was lucky to have the house to myself for the day+night, so I lazed for a few hours, ate cheese pav bhaji from the best pav bhaji joint in the world, announced my presence to a few, went met Khushnuma, went to Merwans and ate the yummiest yummies, took a train to Dadar, walked to JJ Mehta, bought my brand new 50mm 1.8f Nikkor lens, took a train to Bandra, hit Carter road, met Aarohi, found Hakim's Aalim, got a fancy haircut, walked back to Carter Road, ate at Crepe Station, ate like a pig, went home, umm, had fun. Nevermind what.

Day 2: Woke late, scrambled eggs, train to Marine Lines, went to the firetemple, met Mommy, walked to college, took photos, got yelled at for taking photos of college, ate pani puri in the canteen, looked at the kids who now inhabit the foyer, took a cab to Colaba, had lunch at the regular 'Food Inn', met Granny, slept for 2 hours at granny's, woke up, walked to the Taj and Apollo Bandar, walked to Marine Drive, saw the sunset, took photos, took a bus to VT, stayed until the light was right, took photos, train to Thane, met the boys at band practice, heard some awesome new tracks, regular Split nonsense, various dramatic announcements, bike ride to Mel's house, met the girls and Kabir, watched the others drink, shared the recent developments that are still surprising me, stayed over at Mel's.

Day 3: Home early, met Dad, saw the family's beloved music concert DVD - Scorpion's Acoustica, spent time with mommy and daddy, ate dhansak, got packed, rushed to bus-stop, saw parts of Om Shanti Om in the awesome-luxurious sleeper bus (we had mini screens on each bunk-bed) and arrived late to Hyd.

On the go

noreply@blogger.com (Afrin) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:45:00 +0000

Running down 11 floors of a building. Had a head-rush of bliss.

Because... am going to Bombay tonight. Haven't been home since October-November-December-January-February-March.

Rough things-I-want-to-d0-list:

It's Parsi New year tomorrow. So, will do the do.

Eat truckloads of sev puri, pav bhaji, vada pavs.

Take the train to Marine Lines, walk to college with my camera, and live the old life for a bit.

Meet the various girls.

Meet the various boys.

Finally, the big story of the week is, my sister brought news that my parents are beginning to think its time for me to think about getting ready to think about getting settled. Etc. They have heard of a Parsi boy and they want me to 'talk to him on the Internet.' The story has entertained me and friends all week - hearty laughs and guffaws.

However, obviously, there is a need for me to sit my parents down and explain matters to them. I'm sure their intelligence will start functioning again, after this temporary lapse.

Anyway, time to run. Bombaaaaaay is waiting, calling, dreaming.

PS: I might be indulging in some new camera gear. Back on Monday.