Perspectives and perceptions

There are days which shock you, days which you live like you were a zombie, days when you don't know what's happening... days when you don't want to accept reality. My closest, oldest and best friend, Avanti Desai, passed away on 23.10.2008. In a train accident at Jogeshwari station. I got to know from a friend of mine who was her colleague for quite some months... Avanti, the friend who was with me ever since nursery... went to school with, and then she shifted to Powai. This distance in fact brought us closer. Though we met rarely, we shared a strong connection. Here's what she'd written for me as a testimonial on orkut, "Ayesha is my oldest friend. Which is why I can meet her twice in a year and still call her my best friend." We shared so many beautiful moments together, it's hard to actually pick a few. Whenever I think about her, I have flashes of her vivacious smile, her warm face and her quick wit! Being well-read she was informed about everyth...

We step out of our homes (assuming you live in the suburbs) and you hail for an auto to take you to the station, to your work, to the doctor or to any place you want to go to. This comfort is almost always taken for granted until they go on a strike! Oft late, I seemed to have become the passenger who is a listener. For some reason, I still can't figure out what, the auto-drivers seem to find me approachable to talk to.. Conversations are on diverse topics, some initiated by me when it comes to literacy, reading, bank accounts, garbage disposal, etc. but most are by them regarding their work, their lifestyles, etc. Conversation 1 Route: Bandra Stn. to home We started talking about his family and the fact that his children are now studying. Suddenly, he spoke in English. Mind you, it was excellently spoken. I'm usually very critical when it comes to languages, and this guy passed the test with flying colours. His accent was neutral, language was almost fluent! I was thoroughly i...

A musical is like a breath of fresh air. For me, it's an outlet for a voice that's been away in hiding... I've always loved musicals, My Fair Lady and Sound of Music are movies that make me want to sit up, and sing! Sister Act (I and II) was fun too! We had heard a lot about Mamma Mia, but somehow we kept missing it at the theatre... Until finally my mom and I decided that today was it. We were just going to see it! And we did! To begin with we saw the movie at Gem which is just a tiny theatre with a capacity of 40 people. It was a late night Saturday show. Most people knew the songs of abba even before they walked in. The movie begins and there’s this cheerful girl who starts singing honey, honey and suddenly we realized that we are not the only ones humming the song. In fact people are singing the songs! The lyrics were being displayed on the screen and so we all started singing along with the movie and it turned out to be a sing-along mamma mia! Just like that! Without a...

For a long time now, I've been in love with romantic comedies... I just can't seem to get enough of them. Today, I saw Notting Hill for the 'nth' time, although for some reason the movie completely eluded me... it was when I saw it that I remembered having seen it previously... Anyways, so I've finished watching this movie, and I know that the next time I read 'Notting Hill' in the schedule, I will sit to watch the movie like I would for 'You've got mail' and 'Sleepless in seattle' and the other million lovely romantic comedies... Until I asked myself why? What is it that makes me want to go back and watch these movies... the fact that love exists? the fact that you could have a day like that? the fact that these dreams are not unachievable? the fact that for once you want to feel like that? or what? Pondering, I am still thinking... Framing my thoughts while I pen this down... I dismiss my own theories because I know that I have felt thi...

The feeling of the freshly bound book in your hands... ah! it's absolute bliss... It would be so exciting to have a room just for books.. a personal library... wooden flooring, wooden bookshelves, floor cushions and a cup of tea... even if I have only the library and none of the above, it wouldn't matter! I devour my books, madly passionate about them and rightfully so. I don't think there's anything so intensely personal as the words written in a book. In so many ways, I connect to certain traits in various characters, and in so many ways, I learn and begin to understand. Like of the characters, Sidda ( The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Rebecca Wells) who loves her books, I too feel, while reading a book, it is as if the author is talking personally to you. You are the audience for whom the play is staged. That realisation, that glory, and that joy is beyond everything else... My mother has been instrumental in evoking this passion for books, she read them o...

There an equation of rains and Bombay that just strikes something in people's hearts I think... Yesterday, there was heavy rainfall in the evening and I was on my way to Mindspace, Malad (W) for an appointment WITHOUT my umbrella! Extremely stupid! :) I come out of station and I realise that I should've got my umbrella, having no option but to walk on I started walking towards some rickshaws. Obviously no one would go to where I wanted them to. Finally I approached a woman and asked her if I could share her umbrella! She put it over my head even before I could finish saying, "Excuse me... " She walked upto a bus stop with me and then she had to go her way. I managed to walk under the shade of some shop extensions till I decided that I had to buy a new umbrella. I approached the shopkeeper, but the cheapest umbrella he had was for Rs. 75/- Obviously I wasn't carrying enough spare cash! I asked him to give me one on rent for an hour. He refused. I explained my situa...

Has anybody been the new Pizza Hut (the one post renovation!!) If you have, I hope you have had a better experience than I did, (though I seriously doubt it!) The new decor, I don't know who the interior designer was, but he/she had no sense of foresight! The new seating arrangements are sparse and utterly uncomfortable. Previously the section in the middle had two tables which could be combined to seat a large group of people. Now there are low sofas in a L shape, with tables (like coffee tables) and pouffes on the other side. This sort of seating is expected at lounge bars or coffee shops, definitely not pizze eateries! We were a group of 7 people, waited for 15 mins for them to get the "table ready" In effect they didn't get anything ready, just placed table mats and plates. We were made to sit at a table meant for 5. We squeezed in somehow. In spite of regular requesting to shift us to a bigger and higher table, we were told that there is no space and that all tho...