Just popping in to say hello

Yeah I know, I last did a post 2 months ago. Shame on me.
So whats going on in the life of Shreez. A lot and very little at the same time. My time in Kodai has finally come to an end. Its weird knowing that I wont be there for opening assembly or getting ready for the staff welcome back dinner. But like all good things, this too needed to come to an end.
The last month and half was crazy.
New friendships were formed.
Old ones further developed.
And now I look back the bond which has formed, in every part of the world, someone awaits.. my friends.
I am back in Delhi now. Its weird, after being constantly around people to now becoming pretty much a recluse. Not that I mind it. But it sucks being unable to talk to CNSVC anytime I want. So its online chats at different times of the day (and night) to cover all the time differences.
Life in Delhi is pretty chilled out. Stay up late, wake up even later. Read. Eat. Chat. The usual schedule of the unemployed.
Well I have a month to enjoy it. And then my next adventure begins.
I am off to Bangalore in August, to start the student life again. I am getting my teaching degree from Christ College. So now am in the midst of finding a place to stay.
If anyone has any ideas - please email me :) and too all my friends in Bangalore I hope to see you soon.
Been hanging out a lot with Blondie. Best friends, you gotta love them! Movies, Pedicures, Nights out... the city life is good :)
Nothing more to say really. Just thought I'd pop in and say hello.

Listening to ~ Stu's song (from the movie the hangover)
Loving ~ skype and its video option. So kicked to talk to Wiggles, Kiwi and Mendhi Girl

xoxo
S

So am I asking for it?

Hoops once said “Shreez, you are so aggressive when you are in Delhi. What happens to the calm Shreez we know?”
My response: you got to be aggressive in Delhi. Because where ever you go, what ever you do, there are men watching, leering and mentally undressing you.

I came across a blog today – blank noise (http://blog.blanknoise.org ) Blank Noise is comprised of volunteers in many different cities and meetings and interventions are facilitated by city coordinators against eve teasing.

As I read through the various posts by women on eve teasing, a million thoughts run through my head. And just reading about what others have been through, my heart beats faster, my chest contracts and just breathing is labored. Because every word I read, reflects to a certain extent what I have been through, what every woman in India has been through.

Staring at you
Accidentally brushing up against you
Rubbing you
Pinching you
Sticking close to you in a crowded bus
Lewd comments
Outward sexual aggression

Every one of these things has happened to me; it happened to my friends, it’s still happening to women out there. What’s the answer you get – “She must have asked for it”

Honestly is that what you’re always going to say
It’s always the girls fault
She dressed provocatively
She was acting loose
He was enticed

Tell me how do I ask for it when I was walking about home in the middle of the afternoon in my school uniform and a man on bike drives past and pinches my breasts.
Is that asking for it?

and they say women cant keep their mouths shut

Enter - Wiggles and Dreads.
Well it is my fault for telling them about my love life.
The tale is now regaled at gatherings and facebook.
Lovely :)
.
.
.
.
But you gotta love them!
I love my friends...

Of course New Zealand has electricity, I saw it on the world map… at night!

So the past two weeks have been fun! Hanging out with friends and enjoying the last few days we have together. It always happens .. get to know people really well at the end of semester and wishing we were this close at the beginning of semester.

We have been planning to make pizza since Friday. We were going to do it at Benderloch. So we arrive there at 6 ready to make some pizza. In walks SuperMario – our chef and goes so where are the ingredients?
Me: Uuumm dint you guys go buy them this afternoon?
SM: Yeah they are at Mehendi’s house.
Me: Dang!
SM: Ok, so we will just walk down and get it.
Me: What about the vegetables?
SM: Oh wiggles is getting it
Cue entrance – wiggles
SM: where are the veggies
W: what veggies?
Oh shit!
So there goes the plan of making pizza. We stick to tibbs instead.

Sunday after Frisbee, we decided to have another go at making pizza and head out to Kiwi’s place. (which btw is a gorgeous house!)
Plan was to be there at 6, start cooking and eat dinner by half past 7.
In walks in SM at 7!
Okay so we are a bit off on time, but hey no issues…lets get this pizza going.

So we chop and we dice and we grate, and its all ready to go.
Unfortunately the oven does not work!
Slight problem right… anyhoo… we will just ask the dorm if we can use their oven.
No such luck – they don’t have an oven!
Strike one

We’ll just call on the neighbours says Kiwi.
They are not at home
Strike two

Frustration rises!
Lets call Margaret and being the lovely lady that she is, calls us down to bake the pizza.
Remember that we are walking through a campus, which is known for bison roaming around, oh and let us not forget Bison Bob (he was attacked by bison!)
Make it to M’s safe, the oven is on… lets get this show on the road!

Step 1: open oven door
Step 2: put tray in
Step 3: scream in frustration because the tray does not fit

Can you say strike 3!

After laughing out of sheer exhaustion. We become creative. Lets just say hunger pangs make you think way out of the box.
So tray one is put in at an angle – yes! At least one pizza will cook.
Now what about tray 2? Too big to put in.

Just fold it in half and make a calzone !
Not as easy as it sounds.
After some clever manoeuvring, its pushed into the oven and now we just wait.

Well to cut a long story short, 20 min later, we have one pizza and one…I really don’t know what to call it.
Let the picture speak for it self.

Walk back up… hoping no bison were around.

Made it back safe, ended up sitting on the kitchen floor eating the ‘pizza’
Playing with left over dough
Just another Sunday at Kodai
“No honestly, looking at it – I don’t feel hungry” – Margaret

1 May 2009

Its May 1 2009!
I have 20 days till the semester comes to an end
23 days till closing staff meeting
23 days and my time in Kodai comes to an end
I am an emotional wreck! Everything connected to leaving, leaves me in tears. I went to the travel office today to discuss my shipment allowance etc, even talking about something as mundane – left me crying
I had the dorm parent along with some girls come and look at my apartment, since it’s going to be part of the dorm next semester. It broke my heart. I honestly don’t know how I am going to do this.
To go down the mountain and know that I wont be coming back up in a month.

Erh Eh and all that!

It’s been too long! And with so much happening, I am going to have to resort to photographs and bulleted points to cover the last few weeks or so…
*THE EUCY IS DONE. Its at the printers as I type J gets back in 3 weeks and the fruits of my labour shall be seen
*Impromptu get together’s at my house. Wine, tequila and gin involved
*Just chatting about random things till one in the morning
*Hiding eggs, bread and sprite in a bullet
*Watching movies with really bad acting
*That’s what she said!
*The all school play is DONE. Was in charge of make up. Good fun! Always a blast hanging out back stage. Just let’s say some of the videos are hilarious!!!
*Waking up at 5am to go for sunrise service on Easter morning, then deciding it was going to rain, so instead dropped other people off. Leaving the house in my pajamas and hair a complete mess, and going for a drive around the lake with hoops and then stopping off At a dhaba and getting chai. I love moments like that
*Watching a movie with male frontal nudity for the first time. Yeah forgetting sarah marshal isn’t that great!
*Making a rock garden
*Having a rock dropped on my finger
*Realizing that every finger on my hand is injured in some way or the other.
*Realizing that I have really weird fingers
*KFCc
*FML

*WC
*Am back to crocheting. Yay me! Did 4 hats in 4 days.
*Am now god mother again. Looks like I am headed to Hyderabad for the christening next week
*Laughing hysterically in the staff lounge
*Going crazy on coffee highs (note to self, no more days of 8 cups of coffee and no food!)
*“Can you say Cat Face”
*“Wiggles have you arisen?”
*CSC
*Crazy nights at the golf course
*Ali baba pants
*Coffee at quicky’s

*Long weekend in Bangalore. The most relaxing holiday ever. Thank you Rays for making it an amazing weekend!!
*Nervous about the future
*Emotional about the past
*Trying to take in every thing of the present

"Spicy Goat"

"Thats all!"

I talk - U talk - GTALK!~

5:21 PM me: not helping! lol

Mydhili: hehehhe

5:22 PM me: i am getting screwed here!

5:23 PM Mydhili: what! I am just keeping the humor for you! sheesh no one appreciates help only these days I tell you

me: oh i'll appreciate your help shakes her fist at you

5:24 PM Mydhili: runs

me: come on.. think creative :p

Mydhili: i am! I did in fact :P

me: interesting :)

5:25 PM Mydhili: i know! seeeee and btw ppl hate long emails :P (#Tip) :P :D

me: hahahaha well i had to give some information...the people i emailed will read it tho... cos i only email the smart ppl lol

Mydhili: smart = jobless ppl who have time to read a long email? For instance, yours truly :

P5:27 PM me: jobless=one who either finishes work super fast or palms it off to others = smart

5:28 PM Mydhili: joless also = ppl who cant find projects and still get an awesome review and therefore cant complain about it >( ok work issues never mind :D

me: thus jobless=smart!!! we have just revolutionalized logic

Mydhili: jobless = frustrated

me: ah!

Mydhili: but if jobless = smart frustrated = smart ?I just turned it around! world is back to normal again :P

me: but bring frustrated about being jobless makes you a cut above the losers who rather be jobless and get paid than actually working... so does that make u smart or stupid?

jobless = frustrated = not smart

jobless = enjoying it = smart

hhmm two very interesting theories...

5:32 PM Mydhili: jobless = discussing its logic with other jobless ppl = boss knowing this yet still paying you = dream job on earth

me: FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC5:33 PM

Mydhili: and thus she marked the end of the logic that redefined the word "work" forever!

me: i think should just copy this conversation into a blog post

Mydhili: well unless they're from the 60's(read high on crack) or drunk ... no one wld get it

me: as if many of my posts people get?

Mydhili: thaaaat is correct

me: ouch lol

Mydhili: hit you where it hurts the most! za blog... evil laughter

me: your cruel!

Mydhili: i take that to be my compliment for the week!

me: blog about it lol

So I'm engaged

Ok so my last post was ages ago! This is ridiculous I tell you! Any way I am sitting in front of my fire place, good music on and a glass of wine next to me, a perfect setting to write a long post about life.
Where do I start? Hhhmmm? Lets see shall we..the most recent news:
MY ENGAGEMENT!
Now before you have a cow, let me clarify my fake engagement that is!

So a few weeks ago I was hanging out at Bartlett and I happened to mention my trip to Delhi which was coming up, as usual the boys needed to know where, how, when, why and with who. Just to add a bit of spice to life I just ‘happened’ to mention my engagement. To which there was an instant reaction.
~What, why, to who?
~Your way to young
~NO NO & NO!

I continued to tell them about my engagement and the fact that this was being arranged by my parents and that the guy was a friends son. I dint expect the boys to get SO upset.
The next hour was spent listening to the advice about how an arranged marriage was not the best thing to do and what if the guy turned out to be a creep.
I got offers for marriage
I got offers to have the guy beaten up / killed if he ever hurt me
I got offers to be taken care of and just to say no to my parents
I even got told to use protection. (Boys what can you say!)

I figured I’d keep the joke up till I left for Delhi, just because I am evil!
The next 2 weeks were crazy, the news spread like wildfire and I had the entire student body congratulating me on a daily basis. The pressure was TOO much, but I was not ready to break the news yet, instead I recruited some minions to help me along with my plan.
Introducing for the very first time – ladies and gentlemen, evil conspirators 1 & 2
Mix breed and John Tucker (Indian version!)
It was really nice having JT & MB on my side. Although they constantly condemned me to hell they were quite willing to go along with the plan, add more spice to the situation.

The time to leave for Delhi finally came. I had quite a few students bidding me farewell along with wishing me best of luck!

The week in Delhi was wonderful. Even though I was sick for most of the trip, I got to spend some quality time at home and meet the family. The week ended of fantastically with Blondie flying back with me for a week in Kodai. But more about that later.

But along with the fun in Delhi, I had to constantly battle off calls from students asking me
~What he was like, was he good looking etc etc
I finally got back to Kodai with Blondie in tow along with ‘my engagement ring’ My first night back I was hanging out with the guys and had to go on and on about the ‘engagement’. Again MB & JT came to the rescue convincing the others about the ring etc.

So the day finally came and I was ready to break the news. I arrived in Bartlett and was chilling with the boys, when my phone rang. I pick up the phone expecting to just have a normal conversation with my dad. When he breaks the news!
The guy I got engaged to – ran away with his ex pregnant girlfriend.
Life comes to a standstill.
Tears form in my eyes
And the boys look worried.
Poor ol B. He is the first one I break the news too. He being the sweetheart that he is gives me the biggest hug ever and tells me I deserve so much better.
The joke does not seem that funny now! But its too late now, I have to go through this now. I walk back into the room and the others ask what happened, since I am too ‘shocked’ to respond B takes over – telling the others about the break.
There is some doubt, but B does all the work convincing them. (Little did he know, how badly he was being fooled)
MB & JT console me, while quietly telling me to hurry up.
I finally look at the boys and tell them that the worst part was that I really liked the guy!
A few curses and threats to kill the guy follow.
I then tell them at least one good thing came out of this whole thing!
.
.
.
I deadpan it and say “But I managed to fool all you guys!!” laughter follows through.
We knew the break up was a joke says some one.
With the glint in my eye I go “ah yes, but did you know that the whole engagement was a joke!”
The expression was priceless!!!

MB & JT step in to show the others the message I sent them telling them about the joke.

Complete shocks follows. I sit back and laugh.
Now that’s how you play a practical joke.

Telling someone your engaged when your not – evil
Keeping it up for over 3 weeks – double evil
Buying a fake engagement ring – cruel
Seeing their faces when you break the news - PRICELESS

Charmed

Mother warned me about boys like you
With the confident smiles
And whose eyes bore right through
But I am not the girl who gets swayed by a smile
I am not the girl who bats her eyelids in hope of your recognition
I am a woman, mature and strong
Yet
.
.
Yet you managed to spin me around
And even with all the warnings
The enticement of your smile
Intoxicates me
Thoughts of you surround me as I fall asleep
Penetrating every dream, with such reality
Your arms wrapped around me
The heat from your body, making me sweat
But I wake up
Only to find my blankets as my companion in bed
The woman inside me gets control
To be strong and mature
As I get along with my day
But every once in a while, the girl inside me
Looks around for you
The eyes of the boy
The smile of the boy
The boy who is ..
.
.
The charmer

You know what...

Just a short post, before I head to bed.. but here is a shout out to hoops and dreads..
Even with all the teasing, you guys always look out for me and I love you'll for that. Thanks for being fantastic friends.
This evening was nice and even though I ended the night being completely mortified and red in the face.. its only you guys who can do that.
Cheers to you'll