Me, the journalist!

Hey, I've been bursting to tell the world! I forget to mention it everytime I blog. So, now, I've decided to dedicate an entire blog to it. Skip it if you want to( in case anybody cares to read this blog of mine). Its all about my long anticipated foray into the world of journalism. One of my articles or rather restaurant reviews appeared on rediff.com You can access it at:
http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2005/nov/10sethji.htm
Of course, I have published stuff earlier like a few poems on http://www.poetry.com (you can search for last name: bala, first name: gayatri and check out the entries by Gayatri Bala and Gayatri Balakrishnan respectively) and I think aloud on this blog. But this time was different since somebody actually had the power to reject but still published my review. Deep down, I feel really proud of myself and a trifle bit sad thinking of the alternative career path that I missed. I cant help recollecting the time my mother brainwashed me into taking up a professional course instead of the degree in journalism or literature that I was contemplating. I wish I hadn't relented. And I admit I continue to be jealous of the distant cousin who was allowed to pursue a degree in visual communication. Her articles are featured regularly in a national daily.
Again, I end up thinking that perhaps, in a parallel universe (this is becoming a frequent occurrence in my blogs!), I am happy being a journalist and enjoying writing. In the meanwhile, if not a hardcore journalist, I atleast made a start at being a foodie journalist! I dont claim I'll write regularly about every restaurant that I visit but if there is something that I really like or hate, I'll surely write about it. Thats the upside of not being in the profession, huh?!;)
Well, then, bloggerboy, 'Good day!' from the foodie journalist!:)

now and then or.. then and now?

creativity at its peak,
imagination soared.
flip channels and turn pages,
positively bored.

saying the three words made the heart quiver.
out of sheer habit, say the words over and over.

my best asset,
my lifelong liability.
blame game dominates
to hide that i'm feeling guilty.

we think we've understood,
and hence, make no fresh attempt.
makes you wonder is it true
that familiarity breeds contempt?

Her diary and his

This happens to be one of the best forwards that I've read. It provides quite a good insight into the psyche of men and women. There may be instances of role reversal of course.
Now my husband would know what I mean when I reply, "Nothing" when he asks if anything is wrong!:)
(and I totally sympathise with the guy who wrote the diary entry below. It is such a BIG blow to the world that India lost a cricket match as usual, right?! AS IF!! And these are the guys who say, "women are so sentimental and dumb")

Excerpts from HER & HIS diaries
HER DIARY
I asked him what was wrong - he said, "Nothing."I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said it had nothing to do with me and not to worry.On the way home, I told him that I loved him, but he simply smiled and kept driving.I can't explain his behavior; I don't know why he didn't say, "I love you too."When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore.He just sat there and watched TV; he seemed distant and absent.Finally, I decided to go to bed. About 10 minutes later, he came to bed.I decided that I could not take it anymore, so I decided to confront him with the situation but he had fallen asleep.I started crying and cried until I fell asleep.I do not know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else.My life is a disaster.
HIS DIARY
Today India lost the cricket match again. DAMN IT!

Contentment

Dedicated to that sweetheart in my life who chases dreams and gets confused with all the options:)

The world progresses,
Every sphere advances,
One thing betters another,
Every improvement takes it one step further.

While there's always room for perfection,
It isn't reason for deflection.
Happy with what we are,
Grateful for what we have,
Content with the present,
while striving for betterment.

No use getting pissed
With what we have missed.
Relax, make dreams your friends
And not them fiends.

How I wish...!

All of us have days when we feel like telling everybody exactly what we think of them in the choicest of words. Today is one such day for me. On such days, I dont think we would take it to our heart if somebody told us exactly what they thought about us. In other words, we wouldn't be touchy, just fuming! How I wish Jim Carrey's son, Max from the movie, "Liar, Liar" had wished for me to speak the truth for one whole day! Its tough to smile sweetly when you want to strangle. Whatever happened to Gandhi's ideas of always telling the truth?! Those would save us all from so much stress. "To hell with diplomacy" should be the motto of the day now and then. Bottling up such emotions would do more harm than good, I think, like a pressure cooker or a volcano. Or I wish I could master the skill of sarcasm. Tell someone exactly what you think with a sweet smile and be gone before they realise what you have said. I'd prefer the frank method but anyway....Muse on it for a while...For example, it would do a world of good to tell Uncle Sam, "You are NOT a saviour, sweetheart! Harp on that a minute longer and you'll have to struggle to save yourself" But no! All we do is praise the "saviour" of the world, Uncle Sam! Same applies to people I have to interact with on a day-to-day basis and a few of my relatives. I hope I'm happy in an alternative world speaking out my mind and being happy.
On the whole, when I'm in this mood, DON'T MESS WITH ME!

Attitude and prestige

As usual, its been long since I blogged but this time is different. First, the causes that prompted this blog. Simplest excuse: I had some time to spare and think. Other reasons: have been visiting many informative and interesting blogs and did feel ashamed that comparison is unthinkable. But hey! this is MY blog! This is ME! This is what I think. So, as one of my favourite quotes goes, "What you think of me is none of my business!" And that brings me to the topic of this blog. In our effort to assert our individuality, somehow, somewhere down-the-line, we are becoming more inconsiderate, stubborn and in some cases, "penny-wise and pound fools". Let me elaborate...

We bargain for that 50 paise or rupee extra with that poor naariyal-paani waalaa/coconut-seller outside our office miles from the city but sincerely tip the waiter at that high-class restaurant exhorbitantly even though he has treated us like dirt in his shoe. Many of my friends down South treat only people who speak good English with respect. In the workplace, I have many acquaintances who only respect those who are North-Indians or atleast converse fluently in Hindi. Talking about false prestige, my friends and I recently visited a complex which contained a temple, eateries and a fashionable store that stocks things like garments and toys. We left our footwear in our car at the basement car-park since we had to visit the temple. After completing our prayers, one of my pals suggested we look around the store. The guard at the entrance stopped us saying we couldn't enter the store barefooted. My friend privately retorted, "Would our bare feet dirty this place more than our footwear?!" Anyway, we ended up going all the way to the basement car-park to retrieve our footwear and then, visited the store.

The returns we get for our high-class lifestyle and behaviour are worse. Autodrivers, maids, shopkeepers, the cable-walla, the guy from the telephone department, the delivery boy from the appliances store all demand payment way above the actual price. The attitude behind the demand? "He or she must be earning so much. Dene mein uska kya jaata hai?/What does he or she lose by giving?" Everyone only seems to see the air-conditioned, glass-panelled cubicles that we work in and thinks its a fun way of life. Who keeps track of the stressful extended hours of work, the lost sleep, the cancelled weekend plans, the friends and relatives we lost touch with because we had no time to call, write or visit, the forgotten hobbies, the lack of exercise? Does money make up for all that? We are reduced to living an excuse of a life. As a result, we become more inconsiderate, rude and are treated with contempt for the same. Its a vicious circle.

So, whats the solution to all this? Get your feet back on earth. Treat people with more consideration and respect. At the same time, be fair and firm when it comes to true value of things. If you pay 100 bucks for a thing worth 50 and couldn't care less, remember the seller would expect the same from the guy who comes to him after you and soon, it becomes an established and accepted practice. On the other hand, please give that poor coconut-seller a break. Remember that his shop is the only one near your office where you can relax and he is dependent on you and your colleagues for his daily income. So, dont grudge him that rupee. After all, the supermarket near your home charges double the price for that tender coconut!

We talk...myself and my hubby!!!

Hi dear..Whats up...en intha blog vilayattu....velai onnum illaya

time flies...and how!!!

hi,bloggie!
feel so bad for not having kept u updated abt the happenings all these months. and believe me, a lot has happened since we last met. i'm married, bro is married, i've relocated to bangalore and got a new job. time is flying at lightning pace! wat next?! well, need to settle into the new job and establish a routine for balancing personal and professional concerns,huh?! whew, this blog is sounding too bombastic...will get in touch again after loosening up. ciao!