START AGAIN! :)

It's an all new year that's coming our way! An entire year of failings, success, happiness, and sorrow is once and for all over! 2006- a totally muddling year that saw me grow up in every aspect! And… the LONGEST bloody year in my life!

JANUARY

The new year of 2006 was spent in Mumbai with a senior- Nithya and I taking the places of our unit secretary and designee in the National Architects' meet as the original 2 had to rush back home. Sitting in a meeting and attending debates on NASA wasn't my idea of a New Year but sadly the year began its lessons of 'get used to life's mundane ways' from there! At the stroke of midnight, Nithya and I gave each other a big bear hug and I got my first wish from her for a 'happy and sweet New Year'! After the meeting got over at ten minutes past twelve, we rushed down to join our unit of 60! We were pleasantly surprised to see that they hadn't started the celebrations just so that we could join them! :) What continued was a frenzied cake-smashing and loads of yells and dances! It feels AGES away! January continued with me returning to Chennai after NASA and back to the grinds of my IV semester.

FEBRUARY

A delightful PERFECT month where entries in my diary/journals record simple sweet events! Ah… it's blessed to have a perfectly calm day and I've had a month!!! God be blessed! I vividly remember one day when 'Gypsy' Jibi and Fahem had come home in the morning for finishing a group assignment and how we had a lovely lovely talk in the terrace for some 5 hours! Wow... I treasure it! :)

My brother (by word of mouth! :D) Sundar got engaged and I had to do all the holy ceremonies as the 'sister of the groom'!!! Felt THRILLED beyond words!

Met Vani a day before her sister's wedding and spent a totally memorable day with her- the last one in Chennai, though!

Went for the rural case study- to Villivalam, a village near Kanchipuram. Till date this has been the most best of trips and the best of times I've ever had!!! Just the 26 of us from class and 2 of our teachers! We had a lovely time…4 days of it! The whole class will sit in one single hotel room and we'll have the most lovely conversations, fights and eats! :D ah… I feel like crying happy happy tears! I so understand what Browning mean when he said "God's in his heaven and all's fine with the world".

MARCH

11 March 2006- My pinnacle in Architectural education!!! I got my results and got 81%- a very excellent score in B.Arch! :D

21 March 2006- a lovely birthday! Very memorable and sweet. :)

26 March 2006- birthday treat at my place. Spent the previous night worrying my head off! "Oh My god! Will amma be able to finish the cooking? Will the space be enough? Will my periamma and A 5 aunty be able to finish their cooking? Oh God! Oh God!" But ultimately everything went smooth and it was good fun! My dear class surprised me with the yummiest of yum pineapple cakes and they left only at around 6:30! Stayed in my place for almost 7 hours-almost 21 people!!! :D

APRIL

Got my gift cheque from college for 1000 bucks for topping and splurged at Odyssey! :D Feels so nice when you can buy all you want right? Though I couldn't really buy ALL I wanted with 1000! ;)

Had a nice celebration at Shabnam's place for her birthday.

20 April 2006 – Sat up till 1 in the night watching a cricket match(sadly I haven't mentioned the touring country! :P) all alone and had the time of my life!!!

Kept working very hard on our rural study. We'd conducted a socio-economic door-to-door survey at Villivalam and now we had to organize our studies and draw conclusions. Our study was lauded on its content but fell low on presentation! :(

MAY

Sundar's marriage took place... :) We had soooo much fun!

Exams forced me to stay back from a trip to Ahmedabad with family. It was study holidays time. A friend of mine was getting married! She was as old as I was but being a Jain, she was now to enter into what I call 'finished state'! ;) yeah… every single joy and independence is finished or so I believe! I had a superb time in her marriage- meeting old friends and eating the most scrumptious of foods! I came home at 9:30 in the night with my friend who seemed to have forgotten the rules of driving! :P

The year took a turn the next day. I didn't know that 6^th May 2006 would be the last day I was going to be a child! 7^th May morning, I switch on the cellphone and I see a message from a common friend that my very close friend Anita Sharon Jeyaraj had been murdered the previous night in her house. I attended her funeral mass. The first time I was losing a friend forever, the first time I was seeing a corpse and the first time I had to face all the pains without my mother for support! I cried toher on the phone. I felt so hopeless and hurt and God… I'm noteven trying.

Life lost its flavour for the first time.

JUNE

'Zendagi Migzara'

Life moves on! It did.

2 June2006- I got 'theAnneof Green Gables' calendar from the L.M.Montgomery Institute, Canada as the prize for the contest they'd conducted and in which I'd been one of the 30 winners! It was a priceless gift that I cherish!

Holidays came. I went for a trip to Coimbatore to my grandparents.Appa and amma couldn't join me.So the Best part was my best guy friend in the world- a late entrant to my class(joined only in the II year!)- Fahem was coming with me!!! Both of us are talkative and we had 8 whole hours at our disposal! Conversation never was better! :) Sadly, any conversation with Fahem, till date, has felt so microscopic after that marathon yap session!!! :D Aw.. I miss it!!! :(

At Coimbatore I had a sweet time- touring the fast-developing city with my uncle on his splendour. I stayed in my Chithi's place for 2 days and had a helluva time with my two darling cousins- Adith and Sujju! :) Then I attended my cousin's marriage. I had a good time there too! The trip had so many firsts! First time I was traveling just with a friend! First time I was staying alone with my grandparents and uncle. First time I was attending a relative's marriage alone! First time I saw my father being so depressed due to diabetes(when he joined me in Coimbatore later).

Pratyusha came home one day and we had a nice 'girly' time! :)

JULY

College again with its store of new syllabus, new staff and stuff. We went for a 16 day tour to North India with our immediate seniors! The trip was an eye-opener in many ways! It was the most longest trip in my life and needed extraordinary amount of luggage! Next- we were to spend a whole lot of time together and might lead to a lot of squabbles. It DID! Three major fights an dmany minor ones later, our class emerged stronger and closer and ties with the seniors- more delicate and distant! Now of course, we're better off with them but we've realized that there always is a thin line separating our own with the others!

Yes… a thin delicate line that separates people who truly care for us to those who don't care enough is ALWAYS there! This has been one other thing that this year taught me! Do not trust people too easily and do not give them too much room, because a few may deserve that space in your heart and life, but the others shall just make that very space 'a graveyard of buried hopes' (to quote an Anne-ism)! I DID experience that a lot this year. Many people I knew misused the space I gavethem and left me hurting.All for the good,actually!

I had an architecturally awakening North(actually only West and Central) India tour. We visited Delhi(urghhh!!! I hate the city though it's architecture's fabulous), Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer and Ahmedabad. Jaisalmer, Fatehpur Sikhri and Ahmedabad were the pick of the places. The Thar Desert, the havelis at Jaisalmer, Fatehpur Sikhri's various buildings, Jawahar Kala Kendra, IIM-Ahmedabad(what an architecture!! Louis.I.Kahn… I bow before thee!!!) and of course… Taj Mahal- India's rich heritage and history stood before our eyes in a silent beautiful testimony through these buildings!

AUGUST

We had Zonal NASA coming up at Trivandrum and had so much of work! We put up a cultural extravaganza! Three dances and two songs! And I was dancing in all three! First time I realized I had enormous strength of mind and will and stamina! I had to drive a bunch of unruly, non-cooperative juniors as Cul-sec and somehow I managed it and we put up a brilliant show- lauded to the extremes by the public, but sadly not by the judges!!!

I was adjudged Personality of Zonal NASA 2006. This TRULY was the epoch in my life-to be given the prized title among a bunch of 750 people!

August was truly lovely in another way- I met Navin Anna after ten whole years! He'd come to attend a friend's wedding in Chennai and he stayed with us! What followed was a fabulous two and a half days FULL of fun and leg-pulling and secret-sharing and sweet sweet times! :) (THERE Navin Anna… You truly deserve this praise! I might be a cruel sister but truth does hold me captive!) :D

August was when I joined Chennaiist.com as a contributor! It was another high-point in life. I was working, getting paid and best part- I LOVED it! :) Thank you God for these joys!

SEPTEMBER

Blogcmp.in- I presented 'Oh My God! What Do I blog Next???' in the personal blogging section. I met so many fellow bloggers and had a great two days there!

9 September 2006- I got my OWN cell phone.

I got my visiting card from Chennaiist.com

Read 3 of Bharti Mukherjee's novels-The Tiger's Daughter, Jasmine and the maddening 'The Wife'.Jasmine was very beautifully written but story wise it had traces of Danielle Steele! :P

Akki and I having fun doing Swethu's birthday shopping and gifting her a skirt and top.

Introducing Anoodha to the world of Anne.

OCTOBER
The month of dreams come true… My most favourite month in the year! :)

Celebrated 'Fourth anniversary of Meeting Dravid ' with cakes and other eats! He he! We're mad-caps and LURVVVV being just that! :)

My Mama got married… had a lovely time at his marriage!First time someone sooo close was getting married and it was fun, really! :)

Otherwise a simple sweet month I guess. Don't recollect much nor does my journal have any other mention!

NOVEMBER

First brick laid into my quest of training under B.V.Doshi after getting inspired by his lecture at NASA in Mumbai in Dec 2005-Jan 2006.Exam month. Studied hard. Had a mixed bag actually- some were bloody easy and some were confusing and bizarre! :|

DECEMBER

Celebrated a belated Maude's day with cakes and cookies and fruit rolls and my hand made iced tea!!!Had helluva fun!

Met Ravi uncle and showed him my work. He liked my enthusiasm and willingness to work but seemed to hold my college responsible for my bad designing! I think even I'm to be blamed. He's so kind! And so's architect Durganand! Both of them are guiding me about my training. They seem to believe they aren't doing anything. I believe they are angels in disguise! God bless them and shower them with happiness! :)

We're all working really hard for NASA, to be held at Manipal from Jan 9.We're designing af Conventional centre at Delhi.

Read 'The Kite Runner' by Khaled Hosseini and fell in love with the author's simple and honest narrative.

Met up with old friends and cut my hair. After the no-result colouring of my hair that took place somewhere in mid-2006, I think experimenting with hairstyles shouldn't have taken place. But the devil in me made me cut it and here I'm stuck with this hair-style that is getting contradictoy reviews. Some are raving about it and some others are laughing! Sigh… so is the world!

Attended the premiere of TFLW and had a nice time watching the movie. :)

I just moved 'Dreaming On' to the NEW blogger! :D

I've been having a tough time fighting to safeguard my sanity due to the piling up to-dos. Present moment- with a pile of work on my head, a portfolio of design to be completed, NASA to be looked forward to, books to be read, movies to be watched, paper to be cleared, desk to be cleaned, stories to be written, mails to be sent, etc, I'm at my most muddled best! Missing Anoodha loads! :( Arvind wouldn't talk! Fahem's also busy and so are Abishek, Chandra and Pratyusha! Been feeling soooooo low!

I've realized a hell lot of things after the bitter and good experiences. Inwardly- this year's been a goldmine of experience. Externally- I'm still batty me! :D

I just hope the New Year brings in more sanity, self-control, time managing skills (I used to have them once! Dunno where I left them stranded! Sigh!!), cheer, a more stony heart that does not get affected with any bitter occurrences and more laughter and a lot less tears! I've NEVER cried so much in any year as in 2006! I don't ever want a repeat. At the same time, I've never had a more professionally, intellectually satisfying year EVER in my entire life! And yeah… I want this to repeat every year through! He he!

I just want a nicer year for the whole world with a lot more love and smiles exchanged between people!

May 2007 be an year that will make 'the most happiest moments in the past, the most saddest moments of my life'(to loosely quote Cary from TFLW) Isn't that a gem of a line?! :D

My NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS:

Write more with the pen

Smile more

Stick to your ideals

Never let people trample you

Never let others hurt you

Treat others with love and care

Believe in yourself

Take the immense self-confidence you have to ALL fields.

Give importance to everything and everyone

Give up wasting time on messaging and Orkut(achieving a bit of success but nothing laudable! :P)

Revamp your wardrobe

Here's wishing you a very prosperous, happy New Year with loads of promises of cheer and fun and a cartload of dreams!

Spread the smiles. It's infectious.

Cheers!Enjoy!

:)

A VENT OF EMOTION!

A momentary lapse

Of thought,

Concentration.

A second’s break

In human conception.

A sudden emptiness

A blank expanse.

No words flow out,

No visions scanned.

Rhymes gather sometimes

But all nonsensical.

The inherent germ of

Wisdom seems quelled.

Suddenly an outburst

A wake, an explosion.

A torrent of thoughts emerge

Seeking expression.

The pen dances wildly

In relief, in passion.

A day after a very long night,

A vent of emotion!

THAT FOUR LETTER WORD!

Check out my review of the movie! Had helluva fun at the preview but SADLY couldn't see Surya!!!
*sob sob*

Yeneway... catch it here ppl...

THAT FOUR LETTER WORD

:)

BOB

Nope... This is not a post about some spammer on the loose!!! :D I'vebobbed my hair... suddenly had an inkling to...went..cut it off!!! :D

Been getting mixed reviews-mostly negative! I don'tgivea damn! I like it...the world better!!! :D

Life seems positively nice now that I have crossed what seemed like a never ending sea called 'EXAMS'!

Just got lotssss of work now- dance, music practice, sheets to be done for NASA, chennaiist work, CPC meeting, Read the helluva lot of books lying at home, watch KANK, Bluffmaster,Charlie & teh choc Factory(new! already seen the old and loved it), American pie series(Dhruv...are u listening?! :P ), Mr.And Mrs.Iyer, watch the DOHA Asiad(caught snatches of it today and Lurvvvved it!), write write and write more, take more of my walks in the terrace, avoid the cell as much as possible AND the comp ANDDDDDD ORKUT!!! :D

Saw 'Mixed Doubles' and 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota' back-to-back today!!! Whoa man... wat fun!!! :D Mixed Doubles was fun... 'Yun Hota...' was brilliant! A masterpiece that didn't get its due!!! Really, every movie buff OUGHT to watch it! Also catch 15 Park Avenue and Shwaas- two brilliant movies!!! God..... I've been watching way too many movies! :P

To use a Vani-ism, this has been a total 'random' post!!! :D lol! Just wanted to key in stuff to mentally clear myself... my blog's become my pensieve! :)

Okie... tata now... gonna lay the bait to kill the rat that's torturing me and my poooor li'l comp!!! :(

byeeeeee!!!

P.S.: Will come up with serious grammatically-correctand decent posts soon!!! :D

THE DAMSEL IN DISTRESS!!!

I really am 'The Damsel in Distress'!!! I'm feeling sooooo low! Just spoke to ravi Uncle(architect)- My mom's friend's husband. He was telling me my portfolio's very important. It should be of half an A4 size and of max 20 pages!!!

WHAT do I have to fill 20 goddamn pages???!?!?!

I have NEVER wanted anything so badly as to get into Doshi's firm!!! :(

Guys… please pray that I fulfill this wee dream of mine!!!

Oh God…….. Please grant me this!!! I wanna go there……

:(

HAUNTS

The embers of yesterday's wild fire

Still burn the fingers hot

The cool wave splash of today

Seems a balm, not!

Time and again, unwaveringly

Echoes of yesterday come to haunt

Masking today's glory

Forever a memory coming to taunt!

I LOVE ME!!! :)

Well, it's not new, I guess, this burst of self-appraisal! :D I've always been someone wholly and totally Narcissist in nature and spirit with not an ounce of modesty! Many people have amused at this stark lack of modesty and many others have detested the absence of that wonderful virtue! All I say is- I cannot pretend to be what I am not, neither can I hide what I happen to be!!! :)

So now what am I trying to say in this second post for the day- a record after an absence from dear darling blogsville?

I'm just here to declare to the world that yours truly is back to her 'wunnerful' spirits and her soul sings and does a jig within! :D Reason 1: A tryst with dear Anne-o-mine! Ah… I feel drunk in bliss! I'm well… 'Blythe'!!! ;) he he…

Reason 2: I completed making my resume and feel all important and thrilled and happy and elated and oh…. I could go on forever!!! I'm giddy with this triumph of mine! To have a nice-sweet-dear- all about myself resume is the best-est thing I the world!!! It looks sooooooo nice to see all the hallmarks of my life etched in a few sheets of paper! Of course… many a beautiful, poignant, unforgettable moment have not been recorded in that…'cause achievement ain't only those of marks and honours but also that hoard of memories that you hold close to the heart and revisit every grey day to boost up those sagging spirits with a smile at the sweet reminiscence!

Reason 3: Words… Oh words FLOW now after my leetle rendezvous with L.M.Montgomery! My 'Alpine Path' is all set to be conquered… My writer's ambition's sprouted anew and all the past cobwebby vines have been brushed away! My jealous goddess beckons me to submit more of my itsy-bitsy fanciful 'trish-trash'(as I call my writing fondly!) at her 'high-altar'(to use an 'Emily-ism'). A new door has opened a world of possibilities to me and for all you know… I might climb a few more teeny-weeny notches up my 'Alpine Path'! I shall work and toil till my name's writ on that 'shining scroll'! Ah…. How dreams feed the spirit!!!

Reason 4: As you all know I just have two sides- Happy and Sad! NOOOO shades of gray! :D The happy part of me is 'The Dreamy Dryad' and the sad one has at onct been christened 'The Doleful Dame'!!! Yes… when in her spirited self, Sandhya R is full of bursting fancies and rose-coloured dreams and when otherwise, she's dispirited, dejected and feels like an old old old woman 'with rheumatism in her soul', as Aunt Jimsie would say!!! So now…. Sandhya R is back to being 'The Dreamy Dryad' with a million frothing possibilities and a zest for life and living! No matter what happens, she's decided to keep this split of her personality going till NASA gets over at Manipal in Jan! yeah yeah… I'm off to Manipal in mid-Jan for the 3-days annual architects' convention!!! We're gonna dance too!!! And I might dance and sing this time!!! Let's see….

"Oh life's so full that a drop overfills it"

:)

I'm the happiest person alive!!! :)

ANTZ........ GRR....... X(

I HATE ANTS!!!!!!!!!!

They're all over my house all of a sudden... and surprisingly these idiotic creatures swarm even on inedible stuff!!!

X(

Be it a pen or a scale or caps or computers- where they are, there are ants! I've spent the past few days in the sole pursuit of exterminating their tribe from the face of my house...

Urghhh...

I squish one's life out and two others pop out of nowhere and torture me and fray my nerves!!! With my design exam going really bad(remember the nursing home design that got appreciation in my review?!?!?! The very same got brickbats this once and I was left feeling like a loser!!! :( ), the next thing to get me depressed are these creatures called ants. Theri miniscular selves scurrying about my house irks me to no end and I do NOT find peace till I, with all my hoomo sapien-ic might, don't crush and annihilate them!

Lakshman Rekha real ought to be a divine benediction given out of HIS benevolence! Never ever has any chalk-piece like utility product ever been so grossly under-estimated and unsung!!! I owe my happiness to that single item of mass destruction of ants and armed with it, I now am setting off to my Mission: Ghar se baahar jayega YA marega! Either they walk outta my dwell or they get killed!!! Yes your little highnesses... HERE I COME!!!!!!!!!!


*The battle begins...*

Sparkle! Glitter! Burst! Gleam!

Happy Deepavali!!!

:)

May the festival of lights bring to you loads of happiness and sparkle!

OH MY BABY!!! :)

A little baby was born this day two years ago… a dimpled, cute baby grinning a toothless grin and stretching its wee arms to embrace the big beautiful world.

She had her own reservations, her own illusions about this strange new place she had suddenly beheld…It was a fascinating place, alright but strange people visited her telling her stranger stuff- sometimes saccharine sweet, sometimes brutally bitter! She bore them all with an innocent expression and kept learning from her li'l falls and stutterings that all is not easy in the beginning!

Now she's older- 2 whole years… my my… that's pretty decent an age… how grown-up! She still has her failings and misfortunes; but she also has her victories and elations and she's now wise enough to take them with equanimity!

Here's wishing her a 'Bright bubbly beautiful dreamy birthday'!!!

My dear dear 'Dreaming On…', you've been to me what none else on earth could be- unfailing, trustable and absolutely lovely!

Thank you for bearing all my rants and raves all the while and I must say… you're going to have to bear it for quite a lot more time from now!

:D

Here's to me and my darling blog…

THREE CHEERS!!!

:D

PASSING THOUGHTS

The sky was velvettey violet early morn,

It turned a misty yellow at dawn.

In the afternoon it was blazing copper and gold.

At dusk, I saw a variety of hues unfold…

Photo courtesy: Flickr

UNEARTHLY HOURS…

At 2 in the morning, when the world is snugly snoring under their blankets, architecture students like us would just have begun our designs! On one such occasion that fell day before, when yours truly had to start from scratch her nursing home design for an external review the next day, she had what could be described best by the post that follows…

It was one of the longest days in my life( excluding the last day of my North India tour at Ahmedabad when about ten of us stayed up for a straight 24 hours and the last semester design crit on a Students' Convention centre and the Study of the village of Vilivalam, Kancheepuram District (critical examination by University officials)). I had bunked college as I had not done even a little work on my design due to the fact that my kattaveral swathed in bandages was not letting me use my drawing board(sadly I should have bought a drawing table!).

From 9 in the morning I began to study the problem and piled up magazines, reference books, dictionary (I can't do without it! Its just essential… I'll suddenly find some need for it!! :D ), water, Wrigleys' Double mint(wow!), pens, markers, paper, butter sheets, A2 sheets, T-Scale, set squares and all other stuff around me. The room was a total mess! :D Not that it's anything else EVER! Being a strong believer of having a 'method in my madness', I believe in jumble-tumble! :D

Poring over my books with some of the loveliest songs playing on my stupid dumb CD player, the work I began at 9 did not end till 4:30 the next morning! It was really BACK-BREAKING!!! :(

At 10, I switched off my CD player and put on my radio. With a zillion new FM stations like Big FM, Radio City, etc, one or the other station always plays music. So you kind of escape the talking bit (which I can't bear generally, unless it's Radio Mirchi RJs! And then, Kadhal Doctor Shiva is an exception! I dunno why but he kind of irritates me! ). From 1 till 4:#0 in the morning, I listened to the most amazing music! Sooooo many nice songs… so many of my favourites played in continuity… I fell in love with music all over again! :) (but yeah writing and Dance still rule over music in my list! :) )

Music maddens me.. Takes me on a high… really! And warms the cockles of my heart! I was totally transported to a different plane at those unearthly hours listening to those FM stations dishing out mellifluous music!

Imagine at exactly 12, when the new day was just about to arise from the embers of the night, 'New York Nagaram' played! Wow…. I wanted to scream in delight! That 'hmmm…hmmm…" beginning sent a ripple of joy through my heart!!! :D

He he… I'm grinning like an idiot at the reminiscences of that second! It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!! :D Really… stepping into a new day with Rahman's music is like… sheer ecstasy! (Note: As I write this, 'Khalbali' plays on my comp! A.R.Rahman rocks!!! :D )

The best part is that I need music to inspire me to do design! And my design rocked! The external loved my approach to the design and concept! (There goes modesty into thin air! :D) Actually I think it’s the fact that I was totally happy that day that made me come up with such a good design! First, my friend had surprised me by calling me. I was thrilled! Then I had surprised another friend by calling and we had a great conversation going, My toe was normal and I was slightly dancing listening to the music( Actually all through the night with my ears plugged to the radio, I was swaying and doing my design and also singing. He he he… *giggle*) God… this is such a foolish post! ('Khoon chala' playing… God I'm elated!!) I dunno… I'm slightly high on life! Totally rocking life… everything back on song…(and my comp pplaying my most favourite song in RDB… 'Khoon Chala'…… )

I feel drunk in bliss!

I'm blithe!!! (Wish it were Blythe! ;) he he… )

Tra la la la laaaaaaaaaaa!!!

:D

*bear with this nonsensical post. Happiness makes me giddy!!! ;) *

* PS: Dryad Songs…(my poetry blog) dryadsongs.blogspot.com updated….(Lukka Chuppi… :D on now… )

PICTURE COURTESY:TAS GREETINGS

THE SONG OF THE DREAMY DRYAD

Let’s walk through the woods my dear friend,

Dwelling in beauty-wild and grand.

Let’s listen to the chirp, the rustle, the croak,

Nature is whispering tales to us both.

Isn’t that the loveliest rose that bloomed?

Bejewelled with grandeur, in pink crowned.

Oh! Let’s dance to the nightingale’s song,

You and I-merrily along.

The wild florid expanse breathes fragrance,

Filling our paths with its enchanting presence.

Let’s gather those flowers prettily dimpled,

And like little dryads play in the woods.

Let’s dream we dwelled in those treetops,

Where airy breeze and fairies flock.

Oh! My dear friend-do come along,

Let’s walk through the woods singing a song.

'APPY 'APPY BUDDAY!!! :D

To my dearest Pisa...

Wish you a very very happy happy birthday...

I may not have told you how much you mean to me or what a great girl you are... but now I'm telling you- You've been one helluva friend always around to share that giggle or to stop the tear- be it all the way from Singapore thru dear msngr or Ahmedabad on that one-off meeting there(wow! :D weren't we lucky?) or good ol' Chennai in your house or mine or sitting in your garden!

Anywhere, anytime... you've always been there for me...

Here's wishing you, dear dear Vani...

A VERY HAPPY BUDDAY!!! :D

May all your dreams come true! Have a fabulous day!

*hugsssssssssssss*

:)

THE DREAMY DRYAD

The distant star gleams,

On a blushing pink sky.

The world seems drowned,

In the lark’s melodious cry.

The trees are ablossom,

With dimpled dainty flowers.

The Dreamy Dryad dreams,

With her eyes gazing afar.

Little Dreams slowly evolve,

From the swirls of the soul.

One by one they emerge,

Crowning the day in gold.

The moon is all aglimmer,

As the sun slowly sets away.

The sky is a hollow of dreams,

Churned by airy hands for the next day.

The fairies flock the rippling pool,

To drink to their heart’s content.

The elixir of life-so sweet so eternal,

Flowing as dreams all along dreamt!

The horizon is drenched,

In velvet purple and gold.

The wind god plays the breeze

Singing tales of new and old!

The Dreamy Dryad beholds with

Her spirit drunk in bliss

As with a sudden sweeping blow,

The sky with stars is kissed.

Magic brewed in the sky, in the land,

An orison is played by nature’s hand.

The Dreamy Dryad whispered along in pray,

“God be blessed, blessed be man!”

Photo :Jim Warren's, 'Nature's little helper'

Dreaming On... 150*

technically speaking... since 'Men are from Mars' got published twice and even before i could correct my fault, you dear ones came and posted your priceless comments, my blog's scorecard reads,

Dreaming On... 150*

Cheers!!!

:)


As a celebration, I present before you my offspring... "Dryad Songs"... My new poetry blog... a replacement of 'Lyrics for the Incurably Music Mad"-my inactive Lyrics site!

http://dryadsongs.blogspot.com

welcome her with open arms!!!

:)

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE A BROKEN RIGHT BIG TOE(fondly called the 'kattaveral' in Tamil)???

AWFUL!!!!

Really awful!!! :(

Imagine even after attempting to get down from an MTC bus 47 to Thiruvanmiyur from the conductor's side and even without the conductor blowing the whistle, the stupid driver starts the bus just as YOU step out and you fall off the bus with a 'THWACK!!!' on to the hard tarmacked road!

Then you'll know how it feels! You'll be left with shivering hands, thumping heart, prayerful lips, a bruised ego at having made a fool of yourself opposite Chennai's brain factory- IIT( again!!! ) and with a hair line fracture on your right big toe(fondly called the 'kattaveral' in Tamil)!

Such is the ill-will of the Gods above that I'm now stuck with an ugly white cast bandaging half my feet and a sore butt due to inability to move out of my place! X(

Yes… can you believe it? I'm stuck to ONE place! Me who keeps prancing about and jumping and dancing from room to room now sitting quiet, inactive and glued to on goddamn spot! Sigh… there sure is some 'Ezharai Sani' on me! I'm not to strain my leg too much by hopping about and I should always place my now dirty bandaged leg, fingers pointing upwards and leg at right angles to the top half of my body ALL the time!!!

Forget college for a week. Forget dance for a while- the Ortho said!

Forget oor suthifying forever. Forget traveling anywhere alone- my parents said!

I'm doomed- I say!!! :(

So.. What do you do when you have a hairline fracture in your right big toe (fondly called the 'kattaveral' in Tamil) and are bed ridden for a week? Here's what you do… or rather… I'm doing…

1>>> Contribute your bit to reduce the excessive mosquito population that seems to take your home as its very own!

2>>> Count the number of cracks (excluding that hair line wide one on your toe) that have sprouted on your graying walls!

3>>> Read the innumerable, incongruous, unintelligible novels that have gathered dust in your shelves-say 'The scarlet letter' by N.Hawthorne for example.(No offence meant to the author. It's justa personal non-preference!) And geeks out there, this is for you, Novels are not equivalent to college books even in Afrikaans!!!

4>>> Place your chair next to the window and count the number of sottais and mottais and womenfolk in jataks colours that walk the railway station platform or your street. And yeah… you better know at least till 10038734190598!!!

5>>> Learn the magic art of the sages- hopping on one leg without falling and breaking the left big toe(fondly called the 'kattaveral' in Tamil) and managing to cross a one meter stretch in an astonishing record time of one hour!!!

6>>> Find 1001 ways to use a cell phone- call people up, message, chat with them, send them ring tones, send picture messages with super quotes like 'Hey there' and 'Good mid-evening to you!!!', change screensavers every nanosecond, play the super mentally challenging game of Snakes, give miscalls,…..

7>>> Manage to sleep flat on your back with toe straight up, sleep on your sides with your leg twisted and toe still straight up, sleep on your tummy with your leg in a 360 deg turn and toe still straight up, sleep….

8>>> Listen to ant farts, observe crawling patterns of lizards, find out the secret-hiding places of cockroaches, distinguish between smells of mustard cracking and curry leaves being friend, differentiate sounds of fall of a pin and a water bubble burst!

9>>> Endlessly chew gum, munch on kadalai urundais, hog on home made hot spicy sundals, escape golu-hopping, sit in one place and order your sister to fetch you 30^th February's Hindu newspaper or that 0.5 thick nib Steadtler pen from the yellow purse in the green bag kept in the bottom left shelf's right hand corner! *evil grin* >:D

10>>> Write such utterly useless, extremely non-intellectual long lists that make absolutely no sense to anyone save you and blog it!!!

:(

PICTURE COURTESY: My beautiful webcam that loves to take fuzzy snaps as if its lens is perenially drunk!!! X(

MEN ARE FROM MARS...REALLY!!!

Where else could they have come from if not from that planet about which everything is ambiguous-be it existence of life or the origin of name?!

Now here's the 'MEN ARE FROM MARS…REALLY!!!' for dummies- First Edition, published by Dreamodrome Publishers, ISBN *!~%^@ Copyright Sandhya Ramachandran a.k.a. The Dreamy Dryad(regd.)

1> They have SIMPLE BASIC tastes.

Meaning- all they can have are BASIC INSTINCTS- animal ishtyle!

2> They are DUMB.

They cannot get it when a girl is interested in them and they never get it when the girl throws them off her back. They insist on behaving contrary to requirements.

3> They are INSENSITIVE JERKS!

They think not of your feelings, figure not your thoughts, care not about your image and self-esteem!

4> They just want FUN out of life!

If they drink alcohol the quantity of Indian Ocean, they still INSIST on driving- cos it's FUN!!!

If they make a fool of you in front of the world, STILL don't realize you are hurt even if you blare the message clear and booming on a loudspeaker and CONTINUE to act as if nothing happened- it was just for FUN!!!

If they promise you something, forget it and ask a sorry as serious as a 'hi', it was just for FUN!!!

5> They have an EQ=ZILCH!!!

The number zero was invented for the sole purpose of equating their emotional quotients to! They don't feel, emote or experience!

And if they do…. Then here's the micro mini guide to the micro-micro-micro emotions a guy feels…

He looks upset === > he is making fun of you

He calls you his 'best friend' == > He thinks you are 'a big nut case'.

He asks you 'won't you at least do this little help? == > He means 'Please make a fool of yourself'

He tells you 'We'll surely finish the work tomorrow'== > 'I'm not going to be around tomorrow'

'I'm busy' == > 'I'm jobless but TOTALLY NOT INTERESTED in ANY possible communication with you, about you or for you!!!'

6>Men lie a LOTTTTTT and are DAMN GOOD at it!!!

They just want to save their skin or their GUY friend's! That they CAN'T lie when it is a girl's skin to be saved is a different matter- it becomes a question of morals, values and ethics then!!!

7>Men LOVE men!

If you find a man crying, if you find him lauging; if he's helping, if he's killing- it is ALL for other fellow MEN! All that men LOVE women is strictly to satisfy carnal desires! NOTHING ELSE!!!

8> Men lovvvvvvvve EXCUSES!!!

If they break a jug – it is an accident

If you do- 'clumsy, careless, dumb!!!'

If they were late- the f@#!ing bus was late!

If you are late- you take their time for granted.

If they don't call back- I was held up/ traveling/ busy/ in a conference/ someone had a problem or they give their vague statement:

"SITUATIONS WERE BAD, you WOULDN'T understand!"

(Oh yeah??? Situations were bad? Try me… cos Bingo! They're at their WORST here!)

9> Men MISUNDERSTAND women.

If you smile at him, go an extra mile, support him-You love him!

If he does that- He's JUST your best friend!

If you call him up, message him a thoudsand-hundred times and give two hundred miscalls- you are DESPERATE for attention!!!

If he does ditto- he's frantically trying to reach you. THAT"S ALL!!!!!!!

10> Men HURT Women

By the little things they do for THEIR fun.

By the little petty promises they make to SHUT US up!

By the little sweet nothings they say to get their work done.

By the little actions they do to temporarily escape trouble.

By the little pranks they play at your cost.

By the little little things that break our hearts, wring our souls and handicap us… sometimes for life!

And the men for whom this post was intended for are NEVER going to understand even if they read this that it is meant for them!

Well… MEN ARE FROM MARS…REALLY!!!

And THEY HAD BETTER STAYED THERE!!!

X(

MEN ARE FROM MARS...REALLY!!!

(A post written with 19 years of live experience in interacting with the species in question! The post is totally a personal expression and not intented to wound everyone but meant to hurt and hurt hard a selected few who've made life a trial for me at times!!! grr... there is satisfaction in revenge!!! :D)

Where else could they have come from if not from that planet about which everything is ambiguous-be it existence of life or the origin of name?!

Now here's the 'MEN ARE FROM MARS…REALLY!!!' for dummies- First Edition, published by Dreamodrome Publishers, ISBN *!~%^@ Copyright Sandhya Ramachandran a.k.a. The Dreamy Dryad(regd.)

1> They have SIMPLE BASIC tastes.

Meaning- all they can have are BASIC INSTINCTS- animal ishtyle!

2> They are DUMB.

They cannot get it when a girl is interested in them and they never get it when the girl throws them off her back. They insist on behaving contrary to requirements.

3> They are INSENSITIVE JERKS!

They think not of your feelings, figure not your thoughts, care not about your image and self-esteem!

4> They just want FUN out of life!

If they drink alcohol the quantity of Indian Ocean, they still INSIST on driving- cos it's FUN!!!

If they make a fool of you in front of the world, STILL don't realize you are hurt even if you blare the message clear and booming on a loudspeaker and CONTINUE to act as if nothing happened- it was just for FUN!!!

If they promise you something, forget it and ask a sorry as serious as a 'hi', it was just for FUN!!!

5> They have an EQ=ZILCH!!!

The number zero was invented for the sole purpose of equating their emotional quotients to! They don't feel, emote or experience!

And if they do…. Then here's the micro mini guide to the micro-micro-micro emotions a guy feels…

He looks upset === > he is making fun of you

He calls you his 'best friend' == > He thinks you are 'a big nut case'.

He asks you 'won't you at least do this little help? == > He means 'Please make a fool of yourself'

He tells you 'We'll surely finish the work tomorrow'== > 'I'm not going to be around tomorrow'

'I'm busy' == > 'I'm jobless but TOTALLY NOT INTERESTED in ANY possible communication with you, about you or for you!!!'

6>Men lie a LOTTTTTT and are DAMN GOOD at it!!!

They just want to save their skin or their GUY friend's! That they CAN'T lie when it is a girl's skin to be saved is a different matter- it becomes a question of morals, values and ethics then!!!

7>Men LOVE men!

If you find a man crying, if you find him lauging; if he's helping, if he's killing- it is ALL for other fellow MEN! All that men LOVE women is strictly to satisfy carnal desires! NOTHING ELSE!!!

8> Men lovvvvvvvve EXCUSES!!!

If they break a jug – it is an accident

If you do- 'clumsy, careless, dumb!!!'

If they were late- the bus was late!

If you are late- you take their time for granted.

If they don't call back- I was held up/ traveling/ busy/ in a conference/ someone had a problem or they give their vague statement:

"SITUATIONS WERE BAD, you WOULDN'T understand!"

(Oh yeah??? Situations were bad? Try me… cos Bingo! They're at their WORST here!)

9> Men MISUNDERSTAND women.

If you smile at him, go an extra mile, support him-You love him!

If he does that- He's JUST your best friend!

If you call him up, message him a thoudsand-hundred times and give two hundred miscalls- you are DESPERATE for attention!!!

If he does ditto- he's frantically trying to reach you. THAT"S ALL!!!!!!!

10> Men HURT Women

By the little things they do for THEIR fun.

By the little petty promises they make to SHUT US up!

By the little sweet nothings they say to get their work done.

By the little actions they do to temporarily escape trouble.

By the little pranks they play at your cost.

By the little little things that break our hearts, wring our souls and handicap us… sometimes for life!

And the men for whom this post was intended for are NEVER going to understand even if they read this that it is meant for them!

Well… MEN ARE FROM MARS…REALLY!!!

And THEY HAD BETTER STAYED THERE!!!

X(