Slices of my daily life

There I was sitting in ‘The Chair’ with a plastic thingy in my mouth to keep it open while my dentist used frightening and noisy drilling and scraping machines to repair the damage caused to my teeth due to my phobia of visiting dentists. As usual, there was music playing in the background. When the first song ended and second one began, intently staring into a cavity, he asked me, “So, tell me, who is this singer ?” !!!!! My dentist’s a funny chap.

Other dentists say the usual ‘This won’t hurt at all’ or ‘I’m almost finished’. Although you know that it’s absolutely not true, you let yourself be fooled a little into believing it because hope keeps you going. But not so with my dentist. He believes in telling it like it is. ‘Brace yourself, this will hurt.’, ‘You have to bear with it because it will take another half an hour to finish.’, etc. are sentences he routinely says nonchalantly.  Once, just as I was sitting down in ‘The Chair’, he even said, ‘Make yourself comfortable because once I start the work I’ll only stop after it’s done and that will take around an hour.’ ! Err… ‘Make yourself comfortable…’ ??? In ‘The Chair’ ???!!!! My dentist’s a funny chap.

I have recently begun dental treatment after I could no longer ‘stoically’ bear with the pain. As expected, there’s a lot of work to be done. My regular (?) dentist is our good acquaintance from theatre. He is a dentist and loves to act as well. He seriously makes time for his hobby. We have known each other for long. There is a comfortable rapport. Plus he is a good dentist too :) That’s how he became TH’s and my regular dentist. As you go in, first he’ll have a long chat with you in the consulting room about a variety of topics, none of which are even remotely connected to teeth. Then he’ll have you sit on ‘The Chair’ and examine your teeth. Then he’ll take you back to the consulting room and draw elaborate diagrams and explain in great detail what is wrong with your teeth (without once telling you how it is all your fault !) and how he is going to treat it and how your teeth will be once he is done. Then he’ll ask you your favourite type of music. Then back you go to ‘The Cha

when you walk into her home one day to see her having a Skype video chat with her friend who lives in the same city, 'just because' and 'it feels like being in the same room together' !

Yes. It is true. Here's what happened. I have been following The 3Six5 Project almost since it began. The concept is essentially this -  Every day for 365 days, a different person will write an entry about their experiences that day.  Recently the editors of this site announced that they are closing it down at the end of this year. Suddenly I felt that I ought to be a part of this project. So I wrote to them requesting to be an author and Sunday October 14, 2012 was my designated date. The concept of this project is such that you cannot write your piece in advance. You have to write it towards the end of your day and send it across and the editors publish it right away. So you cannot really plan what you will write since you do not know in advance what will happen that day. Go read my piece on the3six5 :)

I decide to listen to some music while I check personal emails. The first two songs are 'Sawa Rupaya'   and 'Dreamum Wakeupum'    from the film "Aiyya". I realise that these songs are in such contrast to the work day I have just had.  It's been a mixed kind of a day work wise...up and down and up and down and rather dull.  I spent the morning doing some research for a work thing. I'm absolutely not feeling motivated to finish this task, but tomorrow I will have to. I had said this yesterday too. Ah well ! I did one task very well and that put me back in good spirits. I was assigned a task that actually doesn't fall in my purview, but will have to do it nonetheless, since there is nobody else in the company presently who can do it. Its a little tiresome to be in this position. Exclusivity isn't always good, I think to myself. I got an email related to some work that I have been wanting to take up and I'm very pleased about it.

I've compiled some PLOW for the benefit for all those bright-eyed, bushy-tailed youngsters (NO, I'm not old. I'm   mature   and   wise , OK?!) who can't wait to jump into the whirlpool called "Work" Freaky Friday Law : On Fridays you have the most work and the weather outside is magnificent and you are cooped up in office thus preventing you from enjoying it. If you don’t have much work, the weather is oppressive and you just don’t want to go out and you   have   to, for some office work. When It Rains, It Pours Law: This one is simple.   When you have work, you have a humongous amount of it and you feel you'd give ANYthing for having none. But, when you don't have work, there's absolutely none. So much so that you actively create some for yourself out of sheer boredom (and the need to look busy when the higher-ups come strolling by !) You Can't Beat Boss Law: This is an old and unbeatable one actually.   When you

I love… … Jumping to conclusions … Skipping my workouts …Blog hopping … Running away with my imagination How about you ? ;)

The Weather Bureau:   Light to medium showers  = Heavy downpour Any customer care call centre:   Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line. We will attend to you shortly.  = We don’t care a hoot about your call.  Please stay on the line to benefit your mobile service provider.  We may or may not attend to you before you wait in desperation for a good fifteen minutes and then hang up. The Maid:   I’ll do it right away = Don’t hold your breath Boss:   It is our responsibility to get this done on time = It is your responsibility to do it on time Mom:   Eating this is good for your health = It is going to taste awful TH (TheHusband):   I’m on my way home = I’ve not even left my place of work yet

…you and your friend are sitting at her house chatting, when suddenly her mother bursts into the room saying, “Its beginning to rain. Come quickly to the terrace. We must remove our clothes.” (remove our clothes from the clothes-line where they are drying or else they’ll get wet in the rains, she meant) …you walk into a toy store to buy something for your three-year-old nephew when a man who’s already looking at some stuff says something to the salesperson and suddenly the salesperson shouts out to another, “Sir wants big balls…show him some” …in the theatre, two rows ahead of you, a six or seven year old, thinking that she’s whispering but actually loud enough for all to hear, says to her mother, “Mom, I can’t see anything because of this fat aunty sitting in front of me” …the woman standing in line ahead of you at the laundry, after an impatient wait of ten minutes, indignantly shouts out to the person manning the counter, “Why won’t you remove my clothes ? I’ve been w

This is what my pseudonym should be actually. I am the best you could find. If anybody entrusts me with a secret, they can rest assured that it will never be revealed unless and until they expressly ask me to. On the one hand, this takes your credibility way up and your esteem in everybody’s eyes is always high. On the other, it means that you can frequently find yourself in really tricky situations and your acting skills are tested to the limits. Sometimes it becomes really burdensome. You know something serious about somebody. You are not supposed to know it. So each time you interact with them or refer to them in interactions with others, you have to remember to NOT know that secret about them and tailor all your reactions accordingly. Sometimes the secret-teller tells you that you are the only one who ‘knows’ and asks you to seal your lips. So you guard that secret diligently. Then some day you find that the secret-teller himself / herself has been telling it to ot

for shows of a play in which he has composed the background score, has designed the lights and will operate it for this show and has designed the set. So I asked him to bring back petrol. Somebody had recently told me that the petrol price works out to approximately Rs. 13/- per litre in Dubai . Compare that to the Rs. 78/- per litre here in Pune and you’ll see why. So the grand idea is, to buy a whole lot of liquor bottles on landing in Dubai , finish them off (with the help of the entire team of the play, of course !), fill those bottles with petrol, get them sealed and bring them back. Simple ! TH, naturally, laughed at this uproariously like I was cracking a joke ! I tried to din some sense in him… look at the spiralling prices of petrol, when do I ever wear gold ornaments, we’ll enjoy a few guilt-less days of roaming around aimlessly on the bike … so on and so forth ! But to no avail :( I earnestly told him, “I mean it ! I really do.” This appeal prompted

I must share this incident. It happened for the second time today, but since I was alone, I was saved of some embarrassment. So, naturally, I am compelled to share the similar but more embarrassing incident that happened a few weeks ago. My friend S and I were leaving office together one evening. We started chatting as we walked out and while chatting we signed out of office and came to the elevator. Luckily it was at our floor and we didn’t have to wait at all. So the moment we pressed the elevator button, the doors opened and in we walked, still talking. The doors closed and the lift started descending. The doors began to slide open as we reached the ground floor and in that very instant both S and I realized at the same time that neither of us had pressed the ground floor button upon entering the elevator ! The lift had descended by itself ! We did a slow-motion double-take like they show in the movies. That was the moment the door opened complet

In our world of theatre, I always experience the amazing complexity of the human brain. Today I was conducting rehearsals for a one-act play I'm directing. It is an intense play. The actress in it and I were chatting a little before we began rehearsals and laughing about something. Then I said, OK, Let's begin. I spoke to the actor and the actress about their characters' motivations and gave them some character history - small incidents that I made up to help them build their emotions on. Then I just told them to wholeheartedly put their belief in it as their characters. They began rehearsing and eventually at an appropriate point in the play she began sobbing for real, as is required. Just like that. In a matter of ten minutes. The girl who was joking with me a little while ago was, due to her belief in what I told her, was sobbing. I too have experienced this magic of make-believe as an actress. Should we 'choose' to believe in something, it becom

Until quite recently, my first feeling when new people jumped into my life was - "Attention!" (as in the position that soldiers are supposed to stand in during inspections or before they begin marching). I am no longer that 'jumpy' around new people, but still I'm initially somewhat guarded. I am not somebody who makes friends quickly. I get uncomfortable with people who get friendly too much too soon with me. Also, I cannot approach an unknown person just to make friends. If the other person takes the first step forward, I do respond, politely and kindly, but not very enthusiastically. I take a lot of time to get on back-slapping terms with people. Those whose patience can last that long do gain a fiercely loyal friend in me. Only they get to see my crazy sense of humour, my fun-side and also my vulnerability. I have, several times, attempted to understand why this is so. So far, the answer that I have arrived at is that I feel vulner

I feel as if my life’s a play and I’m simultaneously acting in it and watching it I wonder if I really am or is this just one big elaborate dream I imagine living various lives in alternate universes by making a single different choice in each life I long to be truly free - of everything and everybody – even though I have a happy life

The rains are here and that means… …Hot tea and pakoras (fritters) enjoyed over conversations with fun friends …Getting drenched to the bone on the way home and changing into warm, dry clothes and drinking hot chocolate …Wading through the water and jumping unexpectedly to splash some water on your friend …Sitting by the window with a book in hand, staring at the rains and not turning a single page …The clean and bright look of the sky after the rains …The shivering sparrow on the window sill …The mountains turning colour from a staid brown to a riot of shades of green …Listening to rain songs and feeling all warm in your heart …That smell of the first rains falling on the parched earth…I’d wear it daily if somebody made it into a perfume I love the rains :)

I'm nobody big. So it is highly unlikely that 'A day in the life of' feature would be done with me. And yet if you were to take a look at the last three days of my life, you'll find that they were about as alike as chalk and cheese. Day before yesterday I was in office, processing the payroll, making business calls, doing documentation. Yesterday I was rehearsing and performing. Today I spent the day at the hospital with my poor friend who and her husband are down with a severe case of food poisoning. I'm drained. I have more experience than I'd like of being in hospitals as an attendant with a dear one. Mentally and physically I have the routines down pat. I never feel exhausted. But no matter how much experience I have, being in a hospital drains me emotionally. Sometimes I fret that 'nothing is happening in my life'; And almost immediately, so much begins to happen that I regret wishing for something to happen. So today too, l

Actually this morning I was doing just fine. I had a lot of work to do but I knew that I would manage everything properly and on time. What I didn’t anticipate was how other people would have an impact on my plan. I had planned that I would get ready and prepare notes for the program I was to be a Master of Ceremony at. This was the concluding program of a theatre workshop that I taught at for the last 22 days. In this very program, I was also the director of one team's skit out of the four teams that would perform skits. The final rehearsal of my team was scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at my place. So I would prepare my notes a little before and a little after rehearsals. By 2 I'd be ready with the notes and the final rehearsal would already be over. From 2 to 2:45 I would write my NaBloPoMo post, eat while re-reading my notes and get dressed and leave. I would reach the venue at 3 p.m. sharp. Then, till 6 p.m., along with another girl, I would be the make-up artist,

I am guessing that in other countries you might be spared of answering this question since it would fall in the space marked “private” and thus not be asked at all. In India, not so. Indians pretty much ask each other anything. Nothing is considered off limits. I usually find it very difficult to answer this question whenever anybody poses it. My true answer goes beyond a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. I can’t explain to people, to their satisfaction, what I mean when I say that I’m spiritually inclined but not religious. In my experience, many people do not (cannot?) distinguish between spiritualism and religion. To them if you are religious, which is proved if you follow prescribed rituals in the religion, you are automatically spiritual. When you say you are spiritually inclined they will ask you which spiritual leader you follow and which religion you practice. It is very difficult to explain to them that I do not associate being spiritual with following rituals or any particular r

I often say this to younger people whom I advise, especially to my students in theatre, particularly to those who are more than a little afraid and do not trust themselves while I can clearly see their potential. I tell them that it is possible because they are more capable than they think you are. It is also my way of telling them that I trust them and that they should too; and if they can’t trust themselves, they should at least trust me because they have come to me for advice :) The truth is, many times I have to repeatedly tell this to myself too. There’s a funny thing I’ve observed about myself. I am quite the risk-taker in theatre. I am an actress and I am always willing to put myself in a vulnerable spot to explore my character or play deeper. Yet, when it comes to all other areas of my life, my risk perception is quite high. I have to push myself. Or give myself pep talks or sit down and rationalise my fears and plan for the worst-case scenarios so that I feel secure enoug

I've gone ahead and joined the   BlogHer Network   and signed up for   NaBloPoMo   for June 2012. This essentially means that no matter what, I shall post once each day throughout the month of June. Easier said than done...but then a life without challenges is merely a peaceful existence ;) So   here is the post I wrote today   on BlogHer since I joined the network today. Like I have said in that post, here I reiterate: With my day-job and theatre work, I haven't the faintest idea how I shall be able to write daily and yet I'm going to make an effort, taking one day at a time because I'm excited by the theme "Jump". So yes, I'm jumping right in.  See you tomorrow ! :)

The recent petrol price hike is actually a good thing. I think the hidden motive of our Government behind the constant and big hikes in the petrol prices is concern for this country's citizen and their environment. Their ultimate goal is, I believe, world peace. They want us to eventually stop consuming petrol altogether thus saving a precious, non-renewable resource. No vehicles on the roads = no pollution and no accidents. It will also mean the end of corruption in traffic policemen since, no traffic means no traffic policemen. In fact, for want of get-away vehicles, many crimes won't be committed at all. We will have a nearly crime-free society. Without any means of transport, all produce will have to be sold locally. So the choicest of mangoes will not go abroad. Prices of all produce, including mangoes, will not rise due to rise in petrol prices. All produce will be sold at affordable prices. People will need to walk everywhere. This will make them h

I give excellent colour suggestions…for homes, clothes, etc. I have a good eye for colour. When my parents were getting their house painted a couple of years ago, I insisted on painting one drawing room wall (the largest) a bright red and all other walls in an extremely light shade of pink. Also, I made them paint the bookshelves fixed on that wall (three decently large ones) stark white. Initially they were reluctant but I managed to bully convince them into listening to me. The struggle to convince the painter was an altogether different business, but I managed it. All were sceptical. But when they saw the beautiful white bookshelves against the bright red wall which was offset by the other light pink walls, they felt relief more than anything else. Of course, my stand was redeemed only when visitors to the house started praising the drawing room’s colours. I routinely “help” out other people with the colours they should be wearing. What can I do ? I  strongly feel, just

Recently the newspaper Lokmat ran a campaign called HBKB  - Horn Bajane Ki Beemari - to create awareness about the ill-effects of excessive honking on the roads. They created a teaser campaign wherein they put up posters asking if people had heard of the HBKB disease. That really piqued people's interest. I think it was a fabulous teaser :) I can't talk enough about people's incessant honking on the roads. There are types and types of honking (and horns, but more about that some other time) and consequently 'honkers'. Sample a few - The Worry Wart - S/he constantly worries about which vehicle is  going to hit them next. They have an anxious expression and keep darting looks to the left and to the right to protect themselves from all others in the traffic. They honk in short spurts at equal intervals for the entire length of time they are driving. Methinks instead of being scared / annoyed and keeping away from them, somebody in the traffic ( don't look

एक वाट  ... पुसट  पाउलखुणांची. एक वीण ... विसविशीत धाग्यांची.  एक घाव ... मिटून गेलेल्या व्रणाचा.  एक डोह ... भेगाळलेल्या तळाचा. आठवणी ! Fading footprints. Threadbare fabric. A parched lake. A cracked mirror. Memories ! I wrote it in Marathi first and then thought of the English version which I'm calling an adaptation since I changed the third and fourth line :)

It has been excruciatingly hot for the last couple of days. Last evening, all of a sudden it started raining heavily and rained for quite a while.  Here's a free-form poem I wrote...in Hindi for the first time ever :) मोटी मोटी बूँदें, और कुछ नन्ही भी... दौडती हुई निकल पडी आसमान से... जैसे के जल्दी हो किसीसे मिलने की... भाग के आ गयी ज़मीन पर... प्यासी मिट्टी में समा गयी... अब बस खुशबू बची है...यादों की.   Here's a loose translation of it in English: Big fat drops...and some tiny ones too Rushed forth from the skies As if in a hurry to meet somebody Quickly ran to the earth Got absorbed in the parched land What remains now is just the fragrance...of memories.

It is official now. I am addicted to Sudoku. There, I said it ! How do I know it ? Well, My eyes are red, Can’t get out of bed, I've been up all night, Imagine my plight ! On my new phone Each night I hone, My logic and skill With infinite will. I pity them all Who give in to the call, To embrace food and sleep, While awake I keep. I cut no slack, I can’t hold back, I heed Sudoku’s call, I WILL crack them all ! So many puzzles, so little time ! When I solve them all, only then I’ll feel fine !

The White Cloud. Floating above everything. Staying nowhere. Orange. Pink. Red. Purple. Pretty. Reflecting light. Metamorphosing with imaginations. Pregnant with possibilities. Never will burst.

So another one is archived to bring out later and reminisce about…all the good things and bad…to compare with the current one and, depending on the mindset at the moment, lament or rejoice. For the last couple of years I have been feeling increasingly apathetic about New Year celebrations. Of course, I have celebrated with friends on some occasions and enjoyed it too, yet that happens only when initiated by others and my participation remains quite limited. This year seems to indicate a pattern for the years to come. This year TH and I returned home from rehearsals for our new play at about 9:00 p.m., I made roast chicken, we enjoyed dinner with some good wine, listened to old songs, had comfortable and easy conversation and hit the sack by 12:30 a.m. I enjoyed the evening. The next day TH and I discussed how we didn’t feel like being in bright, noisy places and were content to be by ourselves and at home too. We think we might be getting older (and, hopefully, wiser) :) P. S. Ha