Wednesday 19 September, 2007

Holothurians...ugh!!!!!

I hate sea cucumbers! To start with what a silly name! The only neat thing about them, in a yech kind of way, is that they can shove their intestines out to escape predators!

Sorry about the bio lesson but I have been trying to write this story on sea cucumbers- they are a Schedule 1 species, which they are an untouchable species in trade/fishing terms. The problem with my story is no one has any verifiable information on the darned things. GRRRR! Ah, well that is my problem..but I just have to say it...I HATE sea cucumbers!

Thursday 13 September, 2007

I am a cool, gay Tambram!

The parochial dude of my last post asked me if i was a tambram. I, of course, said I didn't believe in such labels. And that was the end of that conversation.

I later regretted it. I should have owned up to my tambramness because it turns out the Northies respect tambrams. They consider us cool! I've never heard that word associated with us! This is due to our undisputable brains and ability to land well paying corporate jobs. So, I missed out on asserting my coolness though I have been assured that since I am a gay tambram, I'm extra cool!

Monday 10 September, 2007

Nude lipsticks and six pack abs...

Life in Haryana can get so that one is reduced to reading some unknown chick mag. There was fascinating article about how to put on your face in 5 minutes in the morning! It actually sounded like an hour’s work. the best part of the article though, was the endless range of products which were NUDE! Me cousin and I had a great time imagining ourselves asking the shop guy for naked lipsticks.

Went for a talk on an extinct bird that may have been rediscovered. Unfortunately caught only the last half of it thanks to blade colleagues who delayed us. Dislike people who function eternally on IST. And then had the cheek to say, "It's okay. Don’t be mad"! Sorry, but I’m actually INTERESTED in wildlife and wanted to listen to this talk! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. And then the same soul, who after asking what some south Indian sweet was went, “gadagadabuda” when told what the sweet was! Talk about rude! Sorely tempted to make stupid noises when next someone talks in Hindi! Talking of the north-south divide, some random dude who I hardly knew starts off about how you southies always talk tamil to each other! Jeez, who doesn’t talk their language when they meet fellow whatevers? Parochial idiots.

Yipppppppeeeeeeeeee!!! Got my first byline...check out the September 15th issue (www.cseindia.org). Actually have 2 bylines- the floods story and a piece on kala-azar.

I seem to be living at IHC and the international centre. Went for a conference on the Indo-US nuclear deal. This was by the anti nuke camp. All very fine except they were preaching to the converted. I did however learn a little more about the issue and got out of the office for 2 whole days!

Had nightmares the other day, came out of it to realise it was actually a video on mtv. There was shekar suman with these scary six pack abs, drawn face and terrible hairdo (which tried to scream I’m cool and young). On top of all this he was doing a salman khan with an unbuttoned shirt and was pretending to sing. This should come with a warning! No fair springing it on an unsuspecting public.

p.s. Had another painfully one track (not to mention one sided) conversation with you know who... Have decided to buy a bell and ring it after 5 minutes – its time for a change in topic. Your alloted time is up.