Tuesday, May 27, 2008

In my own world...

...Havent done much other than sit at my comp working on this course that needs me to listen to DVDs and type out the content, work out presentation techniques and basically make it into an online course. Not being used to transcripting content, I had tensions bordering on panic attacks for a few days until today, which is when I feel more in command of my work than the other way round. So far, it's given me a leave of absence from house work which is sometimes welcome.

I dont like sunlight pouring through my window trying to fry me to a crispy crunchiness, I want rain! A cloudy sky, storming a bit, and pouring rain over the earth would be a perfect scene to watch while one is working. I never got this luxury with a full time job when I'd be in some corner where one doesnt know whether it's day or night outside. Now that I have a room to myself and a corner of it serving as an office with a beautiful view of an old village settlement in the middle of gigantic buildings crowding around it, I want the right kind of scenery to go along with it.

Hope it rains!

Sunday, May 18, 2008

First Showers

It rained last night. Arriving stealthily, like a robber in the middle of night, it left several clues to its presence in the morning. The air was cool and there were moist patches on the road, quickly drying up as the sun climbed the eastern sky. My husband, lucky devil, had heard the rain falling at night. I missed it and only knew it had rained when he told me.

It’s much better walking out at 6:15 am than at 7 am. It is twice as hot, the later you go out and 8 am would have been nothing but torture.

Torture was doing the assignment I’d promised to hand in by end of Sunday. After a lunch of Hyderabadi Chicken, while my husband had a three-hour siesta, I was hammering away at my computer. I hate having to work weekends, weekdays is more or less expected but weekends was a bit much. And I have a sneaking suspicion that there’s more waiting for me in the wings.

I missed going to the library. I haven’t been there for a long time. Had bought two books which had to be finished before I could go and get new books so there wasn’t any time to visit the library. I haven’t even finished one of the two books I’d borrowed; don’t think I want to either. Am currently in the middle of ‘Snow’ by Orhan Pamuk. I missed reading it over the weekend and falling asleep with it in my arms, dreaming of a snow-filled small town of Kars and a man in a black coat.

Sunday was a missed opportunity and Monday seems to have arrived too soon.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

The Sun, Moon, and Clouds

After a few months of soaring temperatures and impossible heat, it's lovely to see some signs of a let up, in the form of fluffy clouds with an undertone of a dark, rainy promise. The hot afternoon suddenly turns cloudy and one is filled with a burst of energy to go out and enjoy. Only, one remembers the humidity levels and steps back into the cooler vicinity of the drawing room with a tiny balcony of plants providing a verdant tone.

The summer months belong to walks at Colaba, the array of icy-cool fizzy drinks at Churchgate station, the carts carrying hunks of ice and many colours of sherbet, fountains of sugarcane juice and earthen pots of cool, refreshing kulfi with a few spoons of rabri soaking it. Taking in the sea at Marine Drive, getting a bit lost amongst the stony foundations of the University area and the Fort is what I really wish to do on a cloudy day like this.

One day, I'll probably end up doing and writing about it than just wishing I was out there doing it.

:)

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

It's a hot sizzling day...

...and I'm dreaming of an ice-cold peach flavoured iced tea at a cafe facing the Marine Drive Chowpatty scene. I was talking to my best friend and she mentioned a restaurant that I'd already been to when I was about to be engaged or probably after...it's a bit blurry to me now. Going there again while not being very exciting a prospect as is going to an undiscovered brilliant restaurant, will not be too bad either as it does make yummy pepperoni pizza and the iced tea is HUGE and refreshing. Plus, it has a great view of the promenade. I'll probably visit it during the afternoon which is not as nice as visiting it during the evening, but doesnt matter anyhow. I'll be catching up on gossip with my best friend and does scenery matter at such times? Oh no.

Work-wise I'm not too busy which suits me fine. I just received this lot of pages that cannot be saved to file, it has to run on my comp displaying text bit by mini-bit and is a bit hard on the ol' patience pile.

An ex-colleague I thought was ignoring me is getting married. Didnt receive a congratulations for my wedding, thanks very much. Anyway... I sent in my congratulations and will probably send in my postal address very, very soon.

Arlington Park is making a very slow and steady impact on me. After many days have passed, I now feel icy cold dread stealing over portions of my heart and making me into an Arlingtonian.

eek!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Hmmm....

Today's a hmmm day with a hmmm post. A day to ponder and reflect and revise. At first glance it looks like I'm free to spend the day reading Snow by Orhan Pamuk and yet... a black cloud of uncertainty threatens to rain all over my sunny parade. Gloom personified by bad news and cloudy skies is all around me.

I loved Saturday. Hubby and I went on our very first (Chinese) bus ride to Victoria Terminus. These are special A/C buses with seats elevated every few rows and the back of the bus made us bounce a bit giving a spectacular view of the moron autos inching towards our speeding bus. Going over bridges was an experience in itself...breathtaking views included in the package. I saw the old Byculla station, the old chawl systems of Parel still standing tall and proud, the shanties of Ghatkopar and grand dame of Bombay - Victoria Terminus. Going around Mumbadevi, Mahalaxmi, Prabhadevi and Bandra were huge big treats although the weather was muggy and very very humid. A drive around Carter road, a cold coffee at a cafe overlooking the torrid Bandra seas, coming down to the shopping district of Linking Road for lunch at Waterfield road... I miss them all very much today on a Monday morning, sitting at the ol' workstation and waiting for work.
Talk about gloom!