Friday, March 30, 2007

I've been away

And the reason I've been away is because I'm busy blogging about the 2nd Annual International Business Tech Strategy Case Competition. Be sure to check it out and see what some of the best b-school students are up to this weekend. There are pictures too!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Thand pai gayi

"Kahan jaa rahe ho?"
"Ek mint aata hoon"
"Cheti aa"

"Ik gal sun"
"Suna"
"Tu milne aa"
"Kyon?"
"Yaara, tera rehnda intezaar"

Doors will open on the right

"This is ridiculous", she muttered, swaying dangerously on one weak ankle. The doors opened and more people poured into the already packed train. Six people pushed against her causing the precarious balance to tip. She crashed into Rob. She didn't know it was Rob because the hood of her eskimo jacket covered most of the bit of her face left uncovered by her unruly hair. "So sorry", she said, squashing Rob's toesies. "'Soright", said he. She looked up in surprise. "You can't say that. I'm the only one who says that". "Sure I can. You don't own it." The doors opened and 8 people climbed into the train causing a ripple squashing effect resulting in her being shoved into Rob's arms. "So sorry", she blushed. "'Soright, you smell nice", he grinned. Headphones were, comically, playing 'Mere haath mein'. "In fact, you smell very nice", he said. "Thank you, I try", she melted. The train rocked on. "Your eyes are very blue", she fumbled. "You're nervous", he observed. "Rubbish", she countered. "I like you", he smiled. "Because I smell nice", she reasoned. "Catch on fast, don't you", he smirked. The train turned. "Entering Packard's Corner, doors will open on the right", bellowed the train. "Tomorrow?", he said, eyebrow cocked. "Tomorrow", she simpered. The masses unceremoniously threw her out of the train.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Now I want an elephant

Proof that advertising was high in the 70s



Oh no, too many egg rolls! Now I'll never be a mind-sticker and then my hard-working man won't come home after a hard-working day and love me anymore. I'm devastated.

Very powerful advertising



Released by the Child Health Foundation.

A very sad love story

Although the translucency of the lizards is very icky.

I have a feeling this will not work in Boston



Just a wild guess.

Mumbai's Everest Y&R came up with this one.

Remember the Holocaust

Sunday, March 11, 2007

"Darling, I could never be your mother"

The wonderful thing about being on vacation with Bi and Vijlet is that you never have to worry about anything. It's the perfect step-out-of-the-plane into open arms scenario. Very heartwarming.

So the flight from Boston was delayed by 1.5 hrs because of bad weather in Chicago (it was drizzling). As we waited at the boarding gate and I watched Gilmore Girls Season Two Disc Two, my ears were assaulted by the sounds of loud and rather rude conversation. There was this one guy talking to another chap and a cow of a woman who were yelling speech at each other even though they were standing together. It was very annoying. They went on to complain about United, how the service is always bad, how they're always late, how their stock prices should be falling, how the company should just fold and go away because they're the devil-incarnate and how United has a personal agenda to make their life miserable. On full volume. In the middle of the boarding area. I wanted to slap them. So then, they were asked to keep it down by the woman sitting next to me working on her laptop and the main obnoxious bastard, without breaking the flow of conversation, actually glanced at her derisively and said, "sorry to interrupt your AOL chat session lady". I wanted to slap him. Then he looks at me and winks. I really wanted to slap him. I looked him up and down and made wot I hope was a face of distaste and went back to Gilmore Girls, wanting to slap him.

So we board. The nice United man moved my seat from 20E to 6F which is always nice. There was a man with a heavy German accent sitting one seat away with, unfortunately Obnoxious Man in front. No matter, I said. I shall put my headphones on and read my book and not let him bug me I said. German Accent Man had very odd boots on. They were heavy, almost like military boots and he was wearing dark green trousers, a brown shirt with a long brown coat. He walked funny too. Very stiff. He had a briefcase - a brown patent leather bit of business. He was short. With a toothbrush moustache.

I'll let that all sink in, shall I? So anyway, GAM spent the entire flight staring at me as I napped. It was very disconcerting. Well probably not the entire flight but every time I woke up he was looking at me. I had bad Hitler dreams.

So then I wake up at a point and I see we're about 20 minutes to land so I buzz mine hostess to get a drink and OM in front yells out that he wants another whiskey (another?! it's a two hour flight!). She brings it to him glaringly. He strangely realizes that he's lonely and must commune with his fellow man and gets onto his seat on his knees and peers over at me exuding whiskey breath. I ignore him, waving my hand in front of my nose. He begins to speak and sadly I can hear him through my headphones. I take headphones off and look at him questioningly. He grins like a deranged monkey. I say, "What?" He says, "What's that you're reading over there?" I say, "It's a novel concept. It's call a book." He swigs whiskey. I resume reading. "Is that the Osama fellow?" I look at cover where there is nice picture of Sidney Poitier. "How does this look like the Osama fellow?!" "Well he's black in't he?" I look at him in awe of his stupidity. He swigs more whiskey. I say, "this is Sidney Poitier, yes, Barak Obama is also black but that means nothing in this context and Osama is the man they're trying to find, I hardly think he would have written a book that has the words 'a spiritual autobiography' on the cover that could be bought at any bookstore in the US." He swigs more whiskey obviously not comprehending. I want to slap him. Seat belts need to be fastened and he goes away. I shake my head. GAM is smirking at me. I look out of window hoping for quick landing and speedy exit. We land. Everybody stands up to queue in the aisle to leave. I don't. (I'm in a window seat and there is no question of having enough head room for me underneath the oxygen mask compartments to be able to stand straight and they haven't opened the doors yet so why bother). OM leans over and barks, "so you're going to Minneapolis?" Same flight was carrying on. No, I says, I'm getting off at Chicago. "This is Chicago" he says. I want to slap him. "Hey give me your number so we can hook up sometime" he says. Mind you, he's dressed like any other travelling salesman in his khaki pants and blue shirt and striped tie with grey jacket and looks about 35. "You've got to be kidding me," say I. He does not respond but as he walks down to the exit he is heard clearly muttering, "stupid c*nt... needs to get laid". At which point I tapped on his shoulder and when he turned around, I slapped him. Then I picked up my bag, pushed him aside and walked out of the plane. I think I saw the air hostess grin at me in sister solidarity. Now, I'm not the slapping kind but I have to say that was quite satisfying. I highly recommend it.

Vijlet was there to pick me up and towards their new home we went (Lincoln Park, beautiful duplex condo, very nicely painted). Bi was there waiting with open arms and lots of yakking was done over some wine and very spicy lamb curry.

Yesterday we went to Devon St. for some shopping for the home and then to watch Eklavya and eat Indo-Chinese at Hot Pot Kitchen. Very delish food. Very disappointing movie.

Time has shifted ahead this morning and as usual I'm up at the crack of dawn waiting for the bedroom door to creak open and footsteps to be heard on the stairs going towards the tea preparation area.

Hello! I hear water being poured into a kettle. That's my cue.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

I'm in Chicago

With B and Vijlet the Piglet.

I'm quite pleased.

Sunday, March 04, 2007

As seen on TV

What is it about Sunday movies? I've seen Barbara Streisand's The Mirror Has Two Faces and now I'm watching Never Been Kissed and they have this unsettling undercurrent. If you spend most of your life being unpopular because you're a geek, you'll be alone in your 20s and 30s but that will have given you lots of time and opportunity to study hard and do double PhDs and so then you'll be brilliant and still live at home with your mother and then suddenly one day some guy will come up and want you for your plainness and brains and then you'll discover makeup and the gym and become all svelte and sexy and then the movie ends. I mean, is this supposed to make us geeky girls feel better about ourselves?

Yes, I know, I could always switch the tele off but that would mean having to work on my paper and study for midterms and I really don't want to do either.

Oh and I've watched so many of the Space Bag and Proactive ads that I have convinced that I actually need them. I mean who wouldn't want to manage their closet space and have clear skin?

Laser advertising

I want to be a rogue physicist.

Nissan commercial

It's nice. Very snazzy.

Oh fuck it, I'm depressed and couldn't be bothered to write about it. Just watch the damn thing.

Saturday, March 03, 2007

I want egg rolls

Lots of them. Crispy ones.

I think I shall make some.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

It just gets worse

So well I figure, the paper discussion isn't until Saturday so I could technically do it tomorrow night after my client meeting and I'm sure the lawyer won't mind if I FedEx stuff on Monday I was supposed to do by March 1st and so if I quickly zip through my presentation and think really hard on the drive up to Billerica tomorrow, I should be alright. No?

Lord help me, now I have ennui in addition to chronic laziness.

Ah the flushing spiral of procrastination

So like I have to work on my country analysis paper, write down notes for tomorrow's client presentation, put paperwork together for my lawyer and sort out my desk and of course I don't want to do any of it so I cleaned the kitchen and refolded all my clothes and changed the sheets on the bed and swept the floor and then mopped it and now I'm thinking about making dinner only I'm not hungry and there is no meat in the freezer and we all know I can't eat an entirely vegetarian meal so I'm tempted to go to the store and get shrimp so I can make chili shrimp and watch teevee and go drinking with the MBAs because it is Arjun's birthday and I mean, shouldn't we be with our friends on their birthdays to drunkenly tell them repeatedly that we love them?

Help me. I need motivation. I am a weak weak woman.