You Should Get a PhD in Liberal Arts (like political science, literature, or philosophy)

You're a great thinker and a true philosopher.You'd make a talented professor or writer.

Your Inner Child Is Sad

You're a very sensitive soul.You haven't grown that thick skin that most adults have.Easily hurt, you tend to retreat to your comfort zone.You don't let many people in - unless you've trusted them for a long time.

How You Are In Love

You take a while to fall in love with someone. Trust takes time. In relationships, you tend to be a bit selfish. You tend to get very attached when you're with someone. You want to see your love all the time. You love your partner unconditionally and don't try to make them change. You stay in love for a long time, even if you aren't loved back. When you fall, you fall hard.

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Cult Classic

Quirky, offbeat, and even a little campy - your life appeals to a select few.But if someone's obsessed with you, look out! Your fans are downright freaky. Your best movie matches: Office Space, Showgirls, The Big Lebowski

Love is. Love is excitement... Love is passion.
Love is a song in your heart... Love is the wind in your hair.
Love is waking up with a smile.
Love is hugging your pillow tight and wishing it were him (or her).
Love is trust.... Love is faithfulness. Love is loyalty. Love is fidelity.
Love is holding hands.... Love is a kiss on the forehead.
Love is wanting to be together forever. Love is being forever. Love is forever.
Love is peace. Love is contentment.
Love is celebrating the little moments, sharing the big moments.
Love is laughing together.... Love is also crying together.
Love is comforting. Love is security.... Love is knowing no matter what, there’s always someone by your side....Love is through good times and bad times.... Love is till death do us part…
Yes, Love is a commitment.... Love is a decision.
Love is also surrender...Love is losing myself….
Love is the pain that lingers…even after the love has gone.

Love will be when I find that what I think I’ve lost forever… I find in you.

Being the Change you Want to See

Dear all,

Today is ‘The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. On 17 December 1999 by resolution 54/134, the General Assembly designated this day and invited Governments, International Organizations and NGOs to organize activities to raise public awareness of the problem.

Since 1981, women activists have been observing 25 Nov as a day against violence. The date originated in remembrance of the brutal assassination of the three Mirabal sisters.

But in spite of all our efforts, in spite of the media coverage, in spite of “liberalized women”, violent crimes committed against women and girls – like domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking continue.

Violence against women and girls is not just something personal that they deal with. Their trauma and their agony undermine all our claims of a reasonable and logical society.

Men’s lives are personally affected if their friends, wives, daughters, mothers, grandmothers or sisters experience violence or the threat of violence. Harmful attitudes and beliefs in the community are an important part of the problem. Helping to tackle these will help build a community that is safer for women and girls.

Men can play a significant role here. Majority of the people do not condone the use of physical or sexual violence against women and want to help reduce the violence. There are many ways that you can stop violence against women and girls.

What can you do?

Speak out: Pass the Word

• Don’t be silent when other men talk about their violence against women and girls
• Question excuses like: ‘Boys will be Boys”, “ I was drunk” etc
• Speak out if your friends, colleagues or males brag about using physical force against a woman for any reasons.
• Challenge harmful attitudes and beliefs in the community that foster violent acts such as: ‘Women provoke men by the way they dress and talk’; ‘Men are not responsible for their violent behaviours because it’s a physical need’ ‘Men can’t help being violent when they drink’, ‘Nice girls don’t get raped etc. “If she got raped, she must have done something’. etc

Irrespective of what they wear or how they talk, or how they flirt, NOBODY deserves RAPE. It’s amazing how many “progressive” men still believe this deep down in their hearts even if they are politically correct and SAY the right things,

A series of Focus Group Discussions organized by a coalition of Women’s Organisations show that such ideas are prevalent even among the ‘educated elite’. An upper middle-class guy observed, “But then why do women wear skimpy clothes?”

Whether women wear skimpy clothes or not is NOT the issue. Maybe, they have a great body and they don’t WANT to hide it. Maybe, like he said, “They are asking for attention.” But that does NOT mean they are “asking” to be raped. Even if they are ‘sluts’/ ‘prostitutes’/ ‘whores’/’commercial sex workers (in NGO jargon), even if they are sexually or morally loose, it does NOT warrant rape.

And rape is not the only issue. There are other forms of violence. Maybe you know a woman who is suffering violence at home. If she doesn’t dare to speak up, please speak up for her. If you know of a woman who is suffering assault everyday, please encourage her to approach the appropriate authority and report it.

Don’t keep silence cos the husband is your friend or shrug your shoulders and find blame with her for not doing anything about it. That solves nothing. Please encourage them to attend either a family court or a counseling center depending on the seriousness of the issue.

The cold wind brushing against my skin, ruffling my hair, pinching my nose, biting my fingers and toes…

The feel of a hot cup of tea in my hand… the pure warmth that it emanates…quiet my soul.

Whiffs from the past, glimpses into the future…surely, surely, SURELY all things are possible?

Watching the waterfall crashing into the rocks, so crystal clear, looking so cool and fresh and clean, so without a…past....So pure it almost hurt… beauty can be so violent sometimes.

The winding road…. there’s a beauty in a winding road…you never know what’s around the corner, but when the road beckons, what can travelers do but follow the trail? Trudging along the plantations, I was reminded of a song that Bilbo sings in LOTR.

All that is gold does not glitter…
Not all those who wander are lost…
The old that is strong does not wither…
Deep roots are not reached by the frost…

And then, the trees. Trees so tall, so, so tall. So majestic and regal. So… independent. Proud beauty…. you don’t really NEED ANYBODY, do you? I’d like to be like that…. not NEED ANYBODY, I mean. They looked so sure of themselves…sometimes, so lonely on the mountaintop…lonely but sure and steadfast, strong and tall. Maybe, having your head in the clouds is not such a bad idea after all?

Or maybe, when you’ve lived long enough…you get what you don’t in twenty-four measly years?? A whole new perspective?

The prettiest tree that I saw was twisted out of shape…Beauty can be so violent sometimes.

This morning as I walked into office, I was greeted with giggles and '“Hello Madam's"' and outright laughter. For a second, I didn’t get it. Madam? Then it struck me!!

Hahahahahahaha. My boss was referring to “the incident” on Friday. The incident was that I inaugurated a match in Uyyalikuppam! No, that’s not a name I made up. It’s somewhere on the East Coast Road. Well, I think it’s along the ECR, about 45 minutes from Kalpakkam.

Can't be sure of the location though 'cos jeep rides always make me unusually sleepy.

And yes, I inaugurated a kabbadi match there of all things!! I was in deep sleep when I was rudely shaken awake. The jeep had stopped. We had arrived at our destination.

“Go R, get up soon. You have to inaugurate a kabbadi match!!”

“Huh?,” I asked groggily.

“Hurry up, hurry up.”

I first thought it was one of V’s fast ones. He does have this rather weird sense of humour. Nice weird, but weird nonetheless. I tried to remove his face from my range of vision by closing my eyes once more.

Then, woke up with a start. They were announcing me as the chief guest.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhh…. !!!!

So!That’s how I came to inaugurate a Kabbadi match in Uyyalikuppam. I shook hands with two never ending lines of big, burly men and said “best of luck” to each of them in turn.

The photographs will show that my hair is totally messy. Also, I’d put on my 'Alice in Wonderland' headband to keep the hair out of my face while I slept. Also, there’s a blue hairband tied across my hand.

I was so embarrassed and I guess it showed. Oh dear! If I’d had SOME inkling, I’d have carried it out with panache…as though I were in the habit of inaugurating matches in remote fishing villages every single day of my life.

Later, as I was walking back to the jeep after shooting a few photographs, we were waylaid by excited kids, who for some strange reason thought I was Indira Gandhi of all people!!!!!! HahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. Rather sad, but more funny, I’d say.

So that was the end of an otherwise unexciting week. No wait!! I didn’t write about how I was marooned in the flood, did I??

On Monday, I got stuck in the traffic on 100 feet road. Moved about 100 metres in about two hours. On my side of the road was traffic; on the other was water, higher than my windows. It literally was like choosing between the devil and the deep sea.

I chose the deep sea. Mainly cos there was a hotel on the other side and a hotel meant a loo. I know it would sound like I am exaggerating but if you’ve ever been stuck in a traffic jam when your bladder is about to give way, you’ll know it’s not funny. I really could have cried.

The fact that I could hear and see the water sloshing around on the opposite side didn’t even give me the option of forgetting about my bladder. So I did the only thing I could do. Prayed that God would help my bladders stay intact till I took the U-turn, another 100 metres off, make my way to the hotel and from thence to the loo.

Finally did it! For those two seconds when I saw the water rushing at me, I stopped breathing. But the moral of the story was even if you stop breathing; keep your foot on the accelerator.

So finally I was in the car park and in a daze walked to the loo. And yes, I did what people generally do in loos, walked into the coffee room, plonked down and had a whole pot of coffee.

Also managed to ring up my dad and tell him of my escapade and he sent my driver to fish me out. I mean I didn’t ask him to, but my dad was convinced that I had suffered greatly and I didn’t ask him not to cos I really didn’t feel like driving back through all that water. Also, if the engine gave way at some point, I’d have someone to help me push the car.

That was the Monday adventure. Tuesday I went to TOI ….but I’ll save that for another day.

I was telling mom something funny that happened at work. I ended it laughing, “And it was so embarrassing cos I was the only girl there, Mom.”

She gave me an indulgent smile and her lips were twitching and her eyebrows were all raised.

“What?” I asked.

‘Girl?’ she said…and the way she said it, it seemed like some kinda frivolous word. “Woman, you surely mean!”

And that’s when it struck me. She’s RIGHT. I AM A WOMAN!!

But somehow, it feels weird to think of myself as a ‘woman’. I mean…I mean that’s a word for grown-ups, isn’t it?? I know I AM grown up technically but I don’t FEEL like a woman. Not tahyt I consider myself juvenile, immature, child-like or childish….not that I wanna play with marbles or dolls or whatever it is that kids play with, but….I donno….it’s difficult to explain…

Come to think of it, I don’t think I can EVER be a woman!! I think I’ll always be just a little girl. A jaded one, maybe. Slightly worn out from use, maybe. Faded, maybe. But still a girl.

Woman is someone who’s grown up. And I still don’t feel grown up. I still feel like a child who is watching a world of adults. I mean I know I work with adults, but I am not an adult, am I? I am just a little girl who HAPPENS to be working with adults. Incidental, surely?

I am a girl. That makes sense to me. But a woman??

I’ve never thought of myself a s a woman….whenever I think about myself, I think of myself as a girl. I mean…is that abnormal/juvenile or is it just normal??

I just typed ‘normal’ and then decided to do a survey around my office. And all of them say the feel like women. I bet they are all lying. I bet they think its dignified to be a woman or something.

S says I am not even a girl but a child. That too I can deal with. Child, ok. Girl, ok. But not woman!! NEVER WOMAN!!