8-10

Poster goes viral.

2011-10-12T13:41:00.010-09:30

In 2005 i created a poster for verbal abuse against kids. It took me 4 days in total to make it.
In 2008 I finally managed to line up a agnecy who will fund it. A client. A photographer. etc And the poster got made.
In 2009 it won a Peoples Choice award at the Cannes festival.
In 2011 someone on the internet liked it and made it viral.

7 years from start to finish.

I have a birthmark that i disliked. my grandma called it a "lakhoo". It mean the mark of luck. she said i will always be lucky. i was young, i didn't believe in luck. I turned 31 last week and have grown to believe in luck and to love that little mark on my chest. two people i love dearly like that mark and i am adding myself to that list to make it 3.

I have learnt that discipline and hard work trumps luck. But luck follows as a close second in taking someone to the top. That doesn't mean i am minimizing someone success to the top. I am just pointing out that sometimes people with no credits to their name are equally talented, just haven't hit their lucky day yet.

And as my friend John pointed out. Today is the day, my little poster reached its 'tipping point'.

Cocktail.

2010-06-10T04:10:00.003-09:30

4/10/10
Its now officially 3 months since i have done nothing. I mean nothing related to advertising.
Well, not completely nothing. I did make a plan for my website and did some freelance. But nothing exciting.
Yesterday I visited this guy i met through a friend. He has a company in Geneva. It's 6 months old and is 2 people big. He wants me to come on as a partner.
A PARTNER!

I have dont even know what a contract looks like? or what a business plan looks like? How can i be a partner?!

6/10/10
I guess like everything else in my life. I have jumped in. with my head first. And i am a partner at an ad agency. I have no idea how to run a agency, or a business, i barely even know what a good creative is!, i have no idea how to even speak clearly in French!!, let alone speak intelligently. But so what. I can do one thing right: JUMP IN WITH MY HEAD FIRST.

Another crappy day in paradise!

2010-05-13T04:08:00.004-09:30

Saw his temple.

2010-05-13T03:20:00.004-09:30

After 10 years in America, we had decided to shift residence to Switzerland.
But before we made that move, I took a detour through India. I was visiting India without any thing holding me back. No home, no visa concerns, no school, no boss, no job, no money concern, no gym- nothing.

I've seen it on TV. At times like these, you get answers to your questions.
Lucky for me- I had no expectation from this free time I was gifted. But just like it does on TV- one of my questions did get answered. And beautifully so.

There is a place in Bombay i have enjoyed going to since I was old enough to take a rickshaw on my own. Its called Prithvi. It's a small theater next to the beach. It sits in between many palm trees.
Its location near the beach- in between palm trees, keeps it away from all the noise and safe from the sun. Its always 6-10 degrees cooler here.
I visit it everytime I am in mumbai. I had a ticket for the 6:45 show. I arrived at 6:46. They had shut their doors. It actually made me smile to know they still hadn't changed.
Everything/ everyone is late in bombay, but not Prithvi.
This meant i would have to wait for the intermission at 7:45 to get in. I would be able to enjoy the other half of the show.

I got myself a cup of Irish coffee and sat in the garden outside. There were theatre artists, musicians and painters sitting there with their friends. some just chatting and some planning their next job.

One of them smiled at me, i smiled back.
Finally the intermission bell rang and I was able to go in. In between the play my eye fell on this man sitting in a corner of the 4th row. It was Shashi Kapoor. He and his daughter had kept this theater alive.
After the performance ended I walked upto the door guy, who told me that the old man comes there every evening to watch the performances.

The theatre is a non profit space which acts as a catalyst for upcoming artists and keeps the art of plays alive. I saw the old man sit there, enjoy the play and head home in his wheel chair.

When i get old i want a place to wheel my chair to, i want a new idea to be told to me, i want a story to be narrated.

And there it was, I had an answer. I had the meaning to life. This is what you work towards. You use your life to build yourself a temple to go to.

its 1:00 am in chicago

2010-02-23T21:23:00.005-09:30

i leave tomorrow to maybe never come back.

i did have the gumbo from Qdoba, connies pizza, walked all the different streets i take to get back home, said bye to the make up lady in sephora. walked past the cool art installment.

Tomorrow is my exit interview at Euro. I guess I am done. I am ready to turn 30 in Switzerland.

At 20 I came to America, and i guess its time.

Once you've made a decision, everything else falls into place.

Normally packing is a bitch for me. what to take, what not to take, how heavy is each piece, what might leak, what might i have to throw at the airport- incase my bag is too heavy etc

But today it was easy. Whatever can make this move with me, will. whatever cant fit will just have to go.

Nothing.

2009-07-21T11:48:00.004-09:30

nothing bad or good or ugly has happened to me lately. I haven't written in a while, not cause i am lazy or haven't had the time. but cause nothing worthwhile has happened.
The funny thing about "nothing worthwhile" is that its all in the eye of the beholder.
If I look at the past few months in my life, my ad got awarded,
have been putting in 70 hours at work,
had my brother visit me
and even visited Tokyo (city i have wanted to visit ever since i learnt to spell it).
But when i get on my computer to write about them, I have nothing to say. Before I moved to Chicago, I had decided to give myself 2 years. 2 years to go to the gym, to read, to party, to think of a good idea, to take a long walk everyday and to take long baths. which i did. And i have nothing to say.
1.5 years ago, not a lot happened in my life but i had lots to say. I wonder if it is cause its true that there are few things u think are important and a few things that are important.
Things that seem exciting and things that are exciting.

Ankits graduation may 09

2009-05-26T07:01:00.007-09:30

The morning of May 17th 2009 on upper west side of New York a crowd had gathered. A crowd consisting of proud parents, relatives, friends all cheering for their loved ones achievement.
An impressive crowd of 700 Columbia MBA grads sat in a lawn wearing sky blue gowns. The creme De la creme, from every corner of the world. They looked proud and were the future of amazing things to come.

Amongst all those bright stars sat Ankit, tall and glowing. It didn't even take me a minute to spot him. Avdhi (his wife) in her black sari, excitedly dragged it around to take pictures of him.

Our relatives were kind enough to come down from New Jersey. I stood on a chair to make sure I get a good shot of my little brother who had come this far. When he did his walk, he still looked little to me. Just taller, prouder and brighter.

I called mum and dad, so that they could hear the sound of what they had created. A modest family in India, they brought (Pallavi Shah and Dipak Shah) us to heights only a few dream of. I talked mum and dad through what we were experiencing. The green lawn we sat in, the backdrop of Columbia university around us, the sounds of New York, the live band that drowned those sounds, what Ankit looked like in his graduating garb, the deans speech and painted the picture.

After the ceremony I got into a cab making my way to La Guardia airport. I replayed all of it in my mind, and looked at my reflection in the cab window. I was happy.
Proud.

Strangely, I didn’t miss my family. They were there with me.

My reflection in the cab that evening, looked just like them.

Hopefully I will be able to touch someones life like they did mine.

NTR + HKG

2009-04-07T10:45:00.006-09:30

the sun showed up in Chicago for 2 days and left again. Its April 8th and still white outside. I waited until last week and now have moved onto purples and blues on my nail.

Its spring in Kyoto, beautiful cherry blossoms have bloomed.

So hang on my lovelies, am on my way to Japan and China, will be back in two weeks- and will bring spring along!

find out if he is a good catch.

2009-03-13T06:20:00.003-09:30

I was surfing the net and on yahoo news they had an article titled
"Find out if he/she is a good catch"
I find the verbiage of the article strange.

Are people really looking for a catch when they fall in love?
can u really control your emotions and wait to find out if he is a catch?
what if he/she is not a catch? are you any less in love?
if you are in love how do u know if he/she is a bad catch?

Baby shower and the conversation

2009-03-13T05:59:00.005-09:30

S: Americans roll their R's.
S2: i can roll my Arse much better!

S2: it was sad, i was brainwashed.
A: u got brainwashed, AGAIN!

n's 1 year old daughter was playing in the living room.
N: she is so entertaining, i will have to start charging u guys for watching her.
S2: please take her back in the room.

R, whose baby shower we were celebrating was sitting on the couch, and a 1 year old walks up to her to touch her stomach.
R: oh look, they must have an instinct.
S2 to the baby: little one thats not daddy, she is just pregnant. daddy is much bigger with all the beer he has consumed.

subject Gandhi being thrown off the train.
S3: why did he go all the way to Africa to get on a train!
S4: someone please explain who sold him a first class tic if he couldn't sit there!

S2: the last time he threw a party he made everyone make salt!

N: atleast he got us independence, what have u done for your country?
C: he left it

A: your hair looks horrible.
S2: whats a lion with a haircut called?
A: dunno, dont care.
S2: a lion

Profound statements after a hour worth of non related sentences.
S2: "Never let the facts come in the way of a good story."

T: i heard in India you can marry a cow!
S2: actually I could marry anyone, she eventually becomes a cow.

in an effort to never get laid.
S2: Why is Hellen Keller such a bad driver?
R: duh... cause she is blind.
S2: wrong! cause she is a woman.

sleep.

2009-01-20T20:10:00.004-09:30

crooked roads all look straight, jumbled thoughts all seem to make sense.
the dimmest light seems so bright, its with you everything wrong seems so right.

Smoking

2008-10-15T07:16:00.004-09:30

I am an social smoker, that is I smoke only when amongst other smokers I like. I enjoy smoking a lot. Love the idea of fire, of blowing smoke, of forming rings and of taking a few seconds to stand in the corner by myself.

I had read somewhere and agree that smokers must want to die as much as they want to live.

they say you can't be friends if you love. and a few days ago i would have agreed- i would have agreed that its all or nothing. u have to walk away. but i have been smoking for 7 years now without becoming a chain smoker.

comfort is underrated.

2008-10-13T06:19:00.003-09:30

after almost 5 months I visited Minneapolis. It was good to be back.
It felt like old times, it was very familiar. It was great to see everyone again and I did a lot of things I had enjoyed doing when i used to live there.
Amongst one of those things was tea with M. She said comfort is underrated. Everyone talks about money, love, lust, sex etc. but nobody applauds coming home to comfort. And it's true.

So here is to Minneapolis, to friends I love, to an amazing partner, to Lucia's tea, to Target, to Loring Park. To everything that is ordinary and yet amazing.

7-10-2008

2008-10-08T09:56:00.004-09:30

- have been working out 3 days a week since August.
- added fennel to salad ingredients.
- came up with one good idea.
- learnt a bit about the retail industry.
- lost a lot of my money in stocks.
- loved.
- taught my nephew how to imitate sounds.
- moved to Chicago.
- added TV to my book.
- wrote a letter to my mum and dad.

year looks ok.

Roller blades

2008-08-07T08:18:00.006-09:30

i haven't roller bladed in 12 years, so when i found my sister in laws roller blades i decided to use them.
i was on my way to lunch and was suppose meet R outside her building (three blocks from my home) so I slipped into the roller blades and set off. and stopped after a second.

i noticed a slope outside my home, a slope i had never noticed until i put on rollerblades. i couldn't go forward, instead started to roll backwards and couldn't stop. After almost half a block backwards i caught hold of a railing on the side of the footpath. A guy got off his car and asked if i needed help. I said i was ok, and removed my roller blades before i made a bigger idiot of myself.

I set out to see R on my foot without the blades and when i spotted her, I decided she could help me roller blade.

Reluctantly she agreed to pull me whenever we hit a slope. she was worried about her reputation of being somewhat sane. After the third slope, she politely said "can we fucking stop this nonsense- its taken us 15 minutes to cross a block!"

So I removed my roller blades and walked instead.

Jump a cab

2008-08-07T08:12:00.004-09:30

Recently in a discussion with my friend N (love her to death).

she has a tendency to use metaphors for everything and the subject of the discussion happened to be relationships.
N: " i am not a commitment phobic, i just think its a lot of work. for example i don't have a car cause then i have to fill gas, take it to a car wash, check oil, parking and so on. Instead i could just jump a cab- its like fucking a new guy every night without the work."

and she also added car models, engine sounds etc. by the end of the 10 minutes i had no idea if we were still talking about relationships or about cars. and then it was a lost conversation.

later that week i repeated this story to my man friend and out of love for men kind he wondered if the guy she is dating knows thats he is merely a cab. I assured him that he does and glad to be a cab to N.

thats why I love.

2008-06-05T09:03:00.003-09:30

On my recent trip to New York with my dearest girlie's I found some of the many reasons I love them.

"New York smells like period- and i love it"

"you should have an incentive plan for marriage- stay with me for 5 years and you can make out with someone else. For 10 and you can have sex. For 15 and will get you a threesome. So ladies when i invite you for my 25th anniversary expect an orgy!"

"I would make out with a women because she is awesome- not because I am bi"

"you should always be a guest star in a threesome- take it from me- first hand experience"

"i feel like - oh well"

"its a chilli- its supposed to be eaten- what do you mean you don't like it"

walk through Chicago

2008-05-23T08:34:00.003-09:30

I get off the bus on Madison and Michigan and start walking on Michigan Avenue...
cross the Wrigley's building and every Friday a couple or two are getting married on the street. the first time i saw them taking a picture amidst the traffic, I yelled and cheered the union. now i just dodge them out of my way.
It's a good spot for photos, you could get the cars and traffic if you like, or the architecture which is beautiful and has fog for that extra effect, or the river, or the tulips that Chicago puts out for the summer. The wind makes the brides veil fly like it's a glamor shot. Generally its the photographers show, he makes sure to please the bride and the groom is mostly just walking around with the brides gown in hand- staying out of the way.

then past the Express and the Payless shoe source.

then past Nordstrom, Hugo Boss, Keneth Cole etc.

then the Max Mara, the Bulberry, the Faragamo.

with every block the stores keep getting more expensive, until at gold coast you see a 80 year old woman with a hunch back, her Louis Vuitton and Botox.

and this my friends are the five stages of man kind in America.

can they serve Vodaka soda¿

2008-05-23T07:59:00.003-09:30

paradise perfected:

would be one in which everyone walked. no one asked why u said no or want to break up or why you fell in love. they serve chilled vodka soda. there are massage chairs everywhere- one for each person. thumbs-up prevails over coke. large sunglasses. lots of makeup. no shoes. a pool at every corner. and everyone dances at the sound of music.

week 6

2008-05-08T17:59:00.003-09:30

Its Thursday night. I can barely swallow my words. my throat looks normal in size but is like a big fat hairy dinosaur that breathes fire on the inside. Its 70 degrees outside but my body thinks its 42. I am cold. I have a fever.
All that excitement is finally wearing down on me. For the first time in 6 weeks I miss home.
The new city is still a stranger, am telling him about my likes and dislikes and listening to his.
I am excited to know more, to grow, but his cuddle doesn't feel the same. I don't trust him like i trust Minneapolis/ Bombay. His heart beat is unfamiliar. The touch warm and inviting but I know in a year we will be ready to split.

Or will we?

worst place to visit.

2008-05-08T17:50:00.006-09:30

bored out of mind I decided to go downstairs and smoke. the first person who walks into my building was going to be followed by me. A pretty little Desi girl obliged. So i follow her and explained how bored i was and needed someone to chat with. she kindly in true Indian style offered up her friend who lived in my building on the 10th floor. Now I ring her friends bell introducing myself. she invites me in and offers some tea. As we sip on tea she invites me to a party she is going to. I join her that evening, where after a few drinks I had made many more friends- who i stayed back with and partied some more, coming home at 5 am
Next day at work sipping on as much water as i can find- I sit in a meeting where my boss asks me
boss: Are you drunk?
I: yes.
boss: where did you go
I : don't ask!
boss: why did you go to Excalibur or something?

guess what my friends, I had. I had done the worst thing a Chigoite could think off.

first few weeks

2008-05-08T17:35:00.005-09:30

after week one of figuring out common lingo in Chicago
corn cob buildings (the twin building that look like a flower viewed from the top)
Dominick's (grocery store)
cta, blue line, red line, checkers etc (transport)
sox are more aggressive then the cubs
bow wows (food everyone loves)
etc...

I was really glad that madhu, aj and mirza had decided to visit for week two. The weekend started with them missing their flight due to drunkenness. Finally after they arrived every day started with awesome food, drinks, dancing and then more food. Wish i could have packed them along with my belongings when i moved.

Week 3 my dear girlfriend Sonu had decided to come see me from NY. And in true Sonu fashion she had planned and managed to get together all my lost gfs Tilana and Reshma. The weekend involved lots of make-up, flirting, shopping, drinking, chatting and dancing. couldn't get more adorably girlie.

week 4 I have moved in with my sister to be able to help out with my nephew. he is so freaking cute!

Chicago

2008-04-14T11:08:00.005-09:30

On May 31st I collected all my stuff from Minneapolis and moved to Chicago. With Sachin traveling and my fear of having to spend the evenings by myself I had made the decision to move to Chicago.
I had read Vedas blog about leaving hobbies behind, so I packed my house to the last bit. I picked up my math books (for those of you who don't know this, I enjoy doing math), my magazines, my make up brushes, I collected my recipes and piled it high in a rented SUV and set out for the windy city.
I am a horrible driver and anyone who has seen me drive will confirm this. I don't like driving the polluting machine, and I don't enjoy speed- where you miss out on the best part... the journey!, the fact that I can't park to save my life and also I will never find an address unless I have written it in front of me. So I took all the necessary precautions and set out- driving at 80m/hr I made it to Chicago in good time. Was proud of myself.
The next blogs to come will be of my introduction to Chicago. "Hello, I am The Shah, and you?"

The right angle

2008-03-07T11:27:00.003-09:30

Depending on the angle of the mirror you either are distorted or not. And depending on the camera angle you are either fat or not, depending on the lighting- your skin is great or not, depending on the day -you are beautiful or not. Depending on the person narrating the story- the opinions could be flawed. So to you my friend I can have a view point and it doesn't match yours.

Ask before you talk.

2008-03-03T07:06:00.005-09:30

Having a lot of time to while away is a very bad thing for me. For example today as I strolled around the office to find something to do, I saw these brightly coloured bandannas lying on Scott's desk. So I walked up to him and said "what the hell is this?- its horrible".
And he turned to me and with his playful Scottish accent said "my wife makes those". "you should find out what things are, before you speak"
I feel like shit.
In my defense,
1. they were dog bandanna- but I thought they were for human
2. I have bad memories of Bandannas- since in India road side romeos wearing bandannas tease women as they walk by.

Either ways I feel like a total ass, and am going to speak after knowing what things are. I apologized to him and even explained that I thought they were for humans. He said it wasn't a big deal.

Soon after, I was telling my friend Noah the episode and why I am having a shitty morning. He says "did you know she makes those things to raise money for cancer kids"
At this time, I died.

A few bad men

2008-03-03T06:33:00.004-09:30

S: do you think X is right? Do I pick bad men?
P: Do you love the so called good men.
S: Not really. But I am sick of the aftermath of bad men and of X telling me that i make bad choices.
P: I think you might just have to sort through the bad ones to find that one good one who is still bad.
I am not sure if you dislike the aftermath of meeting bad men or you dislike X saying "told you so"
S: don't know. But Nordstrom is having a sale, we should go.
P: I am sick of going to the mall. We waste the entire day. Lets not go.
S: you are right.
P: k, will pick you up at 6:00. that way we will only spend half a day.
S: sounds good.

Sonu when can we chat again? I miss u.

Sans Veda

2008-02-28T09:35:00.002-09:30

Its been a couple of days since Veda left Minneapolis. Ever since we have been in touch over email, photo booth and blogs. She writes of her adventure in Brooklyn and New York, she sends her face through photos and even emails once in a while.
As for me lately Minneapolis has been crazy busy, I did two TV spots, a print campaign, changed my job, got another job offer, did some freelance, shopped more, started pilates, went to visit my little nephew, changed the colour of my eyes, and decided to take a test.
They say its really easy to stay in touch now. With email, phone and others, its like the person never left. It might be true, but with Veda gone Minneapolis will never be the same.

NY just scored 1 over me
:(

Return Policy

2008-02-15T12:55:00.002-09:30

As most of you know I enjoy shopping, I do not enjoy fitting rooms. They are cramped and most of the times have mirrors mounted on the walls. This distorts the proportions and not a good boost for my very sensitive ego. So I bring most purchases back home try it with a few outfits before I decide to keep it. So basically it becomes a never ending cycle of buying and returning. I buy... then go back to return... find something else bring it back... but then have to go return... buy again and so on.
Sachin isn't a big shopper at all, in fact I enjoy shopping for him too. Although last weekend after three consecutive weekends of buy and return at Club Monaco I had to drag him into the store so that they don't recognize me.
While I decided to stand outside and wait for him, I developed new interest in perfumes :(
This isn't going very well.

If I knew what I know now.

2008-02-07T08:19:00.000-09:30

Man friend: If I knew what I know about women now, 7 years back, I would have had a great past.
Me: I don't know anything more about men then I knew then.

That conversation got me thinking if I really haven't learnt anything about relationships in 7 years. And guess what I have. So here passing it along- in case you are still single or married but still dating.
Date someone in a different country, thats a best way to travel the world. Just quit your job, pack your bags and show up, you can find a job there and get global experience in work, sex and love.
The older you get the more stable or less mobile you get. You have a income to worry about, house, pets, relationships, savings, future, reputation etc. All of which are great things to have and also very smart to achieve but no one can deny that they make you less mobile.
Imagine a world of rotating world daters, like speed dating but through the world. It's brilliant!

JOYOUS NOSLO

2007-12-14T11:49:00.000-09:30

Olson my new company had a Christmas party. Its called the Joyous Noslo. We had a vodka ice bar, Greek food, A live pianist, and the best of all 3 LAMAs!
I have never met a lama before, he/she was interesting. Looked like a mix between a ostrich and a donkey. kind of cute. If asked he also gave you a peck on your cheek.
After every party I have a after story. After my last Christmas party in 2006 I decided to go to a Yoga class. If you have done Yoga you will know that its about detoxification, balance (which I have none) for your body and mind. But my body and mind was hard to clean out, so instead the teacher kicked me out (politely-the yoga way).
The Noslo party ended too late for a yoga class so instead I walked out at 1:15 am, in 10 degrees and decided it was a beautiful day. I walked home through Loring park singing Abba- the song I had just karaoked in front of my newly found colleagues. Not good!

13th December, 2007

2007-12-13T08:08:00.000-09:30

unlike for most, 13 has never treated me bad. For the most part it has worked in my favor.
Todays gift from 13 to me was the knowledge that after all, I AM one of those people who share kiddie pictures with the world.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think that my favorite baby is the cutest, nor do I look at him and say "OOOHH" "So CuTEE" or any of that bullshit.
I would at the least like to share that today I am an Aunt to Aarav who will (if I can control it) talk, walk and spill PUJA STYLE!

Sachin, Sandeep and Dushyants 30th

2007-11-29T07:08:00.001-09:30

Involved poles, Quick F**K, jager bomb, Slippery Nipple, Flamming Lamborgini, all of us and a vow to not get older.

Round 1

2007-11-29T07:07:00.000-09:30

As of November 20o7 I have been fortunate enough to cover 3/4 of the cities I have once wanted to visit or live in. Many people I know have a love and hate relationship with cities. Some believe that they become a cityite withing a few months of living there, some never grow out of their birth place, some only speak of traveling, some love where they live, some longing to get out and some just started their affair with new one. For me its making a new friend. I don't fall in love with them just life long friendships with all of them.

In the first round of the city popularity war we have...
(the city with the least points win)

Bridget

2007-11-28T09:36:00.000-09:30

One more reason why my love for this city grew thinner. As of last week Bridget decided to join her man friend in Orlando. cheers to you my love
cheers to...
the green eye shadow
to the drunken dancing
to watching Aaron drool over your desk
to hot legs
to target
to you for being such a fun friend.

I will miss you, and your man is very lucky!

T.I.L.L.- today

2007-11-09T07:53:00.000-09:30

Today I decided to make out with self.

New York calling

2007-11-07T13:59:00.000-09:30

I keep wondering if I should move to New York. The thing New York has going for it is that some of my close friends have either moved or are planning to move. Sonu is already there and Veda is trying to move soon. If you go to her blog you will see the pros and cons list. But like what Aaron calls them I am not one of those people. I have lived in New York loved it but now I am over it. No I am not saying i don't have the desire for the pace and I still want New York but i am saying that I have created a pace in Minneapolis....

more to come have to go
get a drink at Lurcat with my work buddies, then have dinner with sachin, after which go watch a movie with team brown and then have to take a shower (basic cleanliness you can't avoid) and then plan my trip to Paris.

... so like I was saying, I have created a pace for self in Minneapolis. So it's not the pace that i miss. What it is, is the fact that i am ready. Ready for a new language a new culture. Can I move to Africa, Japan or Paris? lets at least start the thought going. But I may still move just close to where you move my friends.

T.I.L.L. - Andrea, Peter and Derek

2007-11-07T13:46:00.001-09:30

SERIES IS CALLED "I WANNA PLAY"

T.I.L.L.- Veda

2007-11-07T13:44:00.000-09:30

THIS SERIES IS CALLED "STICK WITH THE HOME TEAM"

T.I.L.L. - Aaron

2007-11-07T13:39:00.000-09:30

THIS SERIES IS CALLED "I GOT GAME"

T.I.L.L.- Bridget

2007-11-07T13:37:00.001-09:30

THIS IS CALLED "TWINS"

THIS SERIES IS CALLED "HELLO VEDA. KISS MY ASS"

T.I.L.L.

2007-11-07T13:27:00.000-09:30

"Today I Look Like" is an online attempt using simple tools like the web cam and gmail to see my friends everyday. To take back what CL made me leave behind. I would like to applaud my beauties in their successful partnership in keeping it alive.
With T.I.L.L. I scored 1 against the world.

puja:1 world:0

makes marraiges fun

2007-11-07T12:47:00.000-09:30

I see my cousins very rarely and when I do, there is always great stories like

Kedar: broke his thumb in a fat boys ass.

This month I visited two weddings one in New jersey and the other in Atlanta, both were beautiful. Congrats to Neil, kavina, Ami and Snehal.

a few blocks closer.

2007-11-07T12:37:00.000-09:30

After my run at Carmichael Lynch, I accepted a new post at Olson in Minneapolis.
And like all relationships that you do not end, its hard to let go- the "its not you its me" does not do enough for the damaged ego.

I started to convince myself of the positives.

I make much more money.
Its 5 minutes from work instead of 15
I am an art director with more responsibilities.
There is free food and cereal (yes cereal comes under the inedible category)
I still get summer hours
there is free beer.
And every now and then the vending machine throws out money.

After three weeks I have started to believe it. So whoever said repeat it three times and you will start to believe it- was absolutely believable!

no language i know

2007-10-16T10:54:00.001-09:30

neither art, english, hindi, marathi, gujrati can describe how sad it makes me to not see your beautiful faces every day. i want to say a big thank you for so many things but i don't know where to start.

I walk the roads of Minneapolis with a sense of belonging in my heart.
Weather you are jewpanish, american, armenian, cuban, aaron, brazilian or bosnian- I have a family, a bond of insanity, love and respect with each one of you. please stay in touch.

it hurts to not be there today.

the black sheep

2007-10-02T03:43:00.000-09:30

My family is a bunch of achievers.
my brother at the age of 24 will graduate from Columbia with an MBA
my mother in law is an influential person with friends like the president of India, no really.
my husband a bio-medical major has three patents under his belt.
my cousin is the principal at Warburg Pincus the second largest private equity firm in America.
my other cousin is a doctor, health manager and graduated from Stanford to join private equity.
my brother was awarded the funding for his pharmaceutical thesis by the British and Indian government
my friend walked the Cannes red carpet for her French Film.
and so on....

as for me, the credit list goes like this:
I use fuck once a day.
have been arrested.
have been featured in a French magazine.
Am in advertising.
I am not a bitch.

Doesn't seem fair to compare my list to theirs, but its hard not to when the dinner table conversation starts like "so what have you achieved to make the Sanghvis (my family name) proud.
If the answer, "I shot with David LaChapelle, had lunch with Tarsem Singh and know of Yamamotos collection" would mean anything to them then- i would consider this conversation valid.

A headache

2007-09-20T07:21:00.000-09:30

After 4 days in NY I had a headache.

Three old man climbed up the baggage carousel at the airport and security had to tackle them,
it took me 4 hours in a cab from the airport to Columbia campus,
a blind man got into a fight with three people on the subway,
Harlem scared the shit out of me and my brother,
the onion rings and the falafel were the best ever,
Moma broke my belief of the Tate in London,...

but every time you left the apartment (which you did very often) you buried your face into a subway map and studied it intently. The zig zag, coloured lines gave you a headache, the number of things gave you a headache, the number of people gave you a headache, the smell the pace everything about it gave you a headache.
Just like the one Bombay gave you. I miss my headaches.

Porsche

2007-09-05T07:58:00.002-09:30

Miami

2007-09-05T07:58:00.001-09:30

like many other cities I have fallen in love with, I could tell you how awesome the night life in Miami was, or I could tell you of the warm blue water that we dodged the waves in, I could tell you that riding a boat in the sea is a blow but what I can't really explain in words is how lucky I am to have friends.

"Raghuthathas"- (what we call ourselves) is a set of 14 Indians now located in Minneapolis, Chicago, Philly, San Francisco, New York, Raleigh, Bombay, Baltimore, Charlotte, Atlanta.
Every year we try and make 1 or 2 trip together. This year it was Miami. Every now and then for practical reasons 1 or more Raghuthatha might not make it and inspite of it being an awesome trip its not the greatest. Even the loss of one Thatha isn't exceptable.
Until Sudeep sends me a paragraph on the Miami trip enjoy the introductions from our Vegas trip.

"Some people believe in living the dream. I believe in living the  joke. Here, then, are my memoirs from my trip to Vegas.  
Vegas can be a cruel and  unforgiving place; lady luck is someone who you definitely want  smiling upon you. This is not lost on our Indians friends, who  decide that in order to make this a successful trip, the total  number in the touring party needs to be thirteen. Indeed, this was  how many people showed up, and lady luck understandably decided to  give them a miss.
The cast:  
1) Tholas: The hero of the story, which is a direct consequence  of him writing the story, which in turn solicited the following  comment from everyone else, "Tholas writes a lot" 
2) Nitin: The co-star, and gambling addict, who balances his  winnings nicely with his losses, of which there are plenty, to help  him balance his winnings, as and when they arrive. 
3) Monie: Possesses a fertile mind; one that several psychiatry  clinics are currently waging a war over, to decide who gets the  rights to analyze it.
 4) Dushyant: The patron of the group, and one that will one day  enjoy and accept the fact that he is the patron of the group. 
5) Anshu: The missing link between man and rabbit, this rodent  has spent many an hour in convincing herself that Dushyant deserves  her. He does. Dushyant has done some evil things. 
6) Sandeep: Sexually abused as a parrot in his previous life,  Sandeep is clearly relishing his new role as a human, especially one  that sexually abuses parrots. 
7) Reshma: Thinks Bill Clinton is the greatest man ever.  Details forthcoming. 
8) Chennu: Referred to in her friend's circles as `The Pint  Sized Dynamo'. This is inaccurate. She is not a dynamo.  
9) Leekha: Overheard saying, "Veni. Vidi. Vici", several times  during his trip to Raleigh several years ago. He came on a two-month  trip, he saw the pint, and he conquered it. After finishing his  beer, he also wooed Chennu. 
10) Sachin: Suffered from severe outbreaks of pimples during  wintertime in Virginia. Did the only logical thing and moved to  Minneapolis. 
11) Puja: Closet lesbian with the grace of a deer in headlights.  Comes up with profound statements like, " The world is my oyster,  and I am a lesbian." 
12) Smitha: Raging lesbian. Dates a white guy names Ed. Enough  said. 
13) CV: It is rumored that he has a real name, and not just an  acronym, but the last time someone tried to say it they ran out of  breath and died.   

Honorable mention: Rahul George: CIA agent who has been assigned by the CIA to follow  the group around in a white Grand Am and report back if he sees the  devil, who he has since seen in several of our eyes. Would be  accepted as a part of the group, if not for his uncanny ability to  remain invisible…for the most part…….  
and Chandru who never showed up."

Aarons b'day.

2007-08-21T12:59:00.001-09:30

why Aron is special:

OTHERS VS AARON

O: "I had the best time!" `
A: "this is the worst lunch ever!" (1pt)

O: 5-10 people show up for their b'day lunch
A: 21 people showed up at Aarons (1pt)

O: will have a party in the evening (1pt)
A: will fix a new shower head

O: most people I hate
A: Aaron I love (1pt)

summer party '07

2007-08-21T06:50:00.001-09:30

you gotta love advertising. we lost our HR manager a year back.

Jewpanese

2007-08-21T06:38:00.000-09:30

my friend is a beautiful combination of Japanese + Jewish. While we were discussing the secret of her young looks we also discussed how her Jewish grand mom freaked out when my friend got her first tattoo. My friend had to get it removed and when the grand mom died, my friend got another one.
In Jewish culture if you get a tattoo its considered deforming the god given body, for which you can't be buried in the jewish cemetery.

her: grand mom wanted me to be able to lie next to her after death.
me: how would they know you have a tattoo
her: you honor the code, I would tell them
me: but you are Dead!

Indian Shitzu

2007-08-09T11:14:00.001-09:30

they discussed the authenticity of breed of her dog.

she: its a shitzu
he: how do you know?
she: I have papers from India
he: in India anyone can get "papers", I could sell myself as a Shitzu!

i like.

2007-07-26T10:40:00.000-09:30

How shall I go in peace and without sorrow?
Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city.

--- Gibran

TATE

2007-07-17T07:14:00.001-09:30

I AM A CONVERT...
ever since my visit I started to believe. There is a church right in the middle of London, it should be one of the wonders of the world. The Gods were present in their live form, the miracle were in abundance.
We disciples hypnotized and in awe of every colour that reflected back the light.

beauty, dept and self expression are now in my heart and few five hours of my life were more exuberating.
www.tate.org.uk

influence

2007-07-16T09:13:00.000-09:30

amongst the many things that I discussed with my friend was fashion and how much I would spend on it.
I said "I wouldn't let people influence me"

and while its true that I wouldn't act under influence--
I walked into my closet and realised that I do get influenced... I get influenced by fun, by love, by hatred, by fashion, by sexy, by the unusual, by power, by passion, by respect, by humour and by integrity.

so dear friend, shop along. shop till it lasts.

And I fell deeper in love...

2007-07-16T06:48:00.000-09:30

He stood taller than usual, blocked out every ray of light that entered the room, made sure no one could see us.
This weekend Sachin fixed new roller blinds!

beer drinkers are looked down upon...

2007-07-16T05:46:00.000-09:30

At a party recently I was condemned by a few friends for drinking beer. They said I wasn't sophisticated enough since I drank beer and got drunk at another party. He stood right in front of me as he reminded me of how drunk I got last week and how unsophisticated that was. She sat next to me and said "you beer drinker".

Normally under the influence of alchohol I would get mad and split open all the ugly threads of their lives, but luckily with beer drinking had come sophistication and I avoided what their sophisticated wine drinking had just made them do.

Aaron

2007-06-22T09:15:00.000-09:30

"I am an angel on a microphone"
-Aaron

and the final stroke

2007-06-22T06:18:00.000-09:30

08:15 i reach the editing studio (i hate waking up before 8:00)
11:00 the editor is still pulling in the footage
12:00 the client threw a fit cause we had just missed a deadline
03:00 the editor is replaced
...
...
11:00pm I am just leaving the editing studio

Last night I walked out of a fancy downtown studio which like everything advertising is located in the heart of downtown. It was 11:00pm on a Thursday night. Everyone around was a slight blur, the trees were lit up, people wore a perfume called beer. First Avenue which during the day is populated by professionals dressed in black jackets and sunglasses making important business deals was taken over by young men and women breaking every promise they may have made.
I wore a jeans, my hair was pulled back and my mind was preoccupied. So when the phone rang at 11:15
sachin: hi baby, where are you?
me: just leaving the studio
sachin: should i pick u up
me no its alright, i will take a cab
sachin: ok
me: silence...hang up...
I had kept a calm front all day and now those suppressed emotions had turned to diarrhea, and I hung up on sachin for not insisting on picking me up. i had just cracked and again sachin was at the receiving end and not the annoying exec who drove me up the wall.

But I looked around and told myself "work while the world plays".

doughnut lovers!

2007-06-14T11:40:00.001-09:30

Dan: coffee made next to where the dough-nuts are baked soaks up the doughnutty goodness

Coupe

2007-06-13T05:40:00.001-09:30

what the hell does a two door car mean? can I not have friends, or family, or pets.
If my moody, foreign ass did manage to make friends the two door system is sure to loose them.
I hate sitting in the back, and hate to get out for someone who is sitting in the back.

death upon the modern two door killing machine.

"A smile wrapped in humility"

2007-06-12T08:48:00.001-09:30

I recently read an article about India, which I hope you will enjoy as much as I did.
Along with many articles written to celebrate big campuses with pools, the population of clubs/restaurants in Bombay and how the value of rupee is growing, was this article. It is an article by Lakshmi Mittal on his visit to Tata Steel, Jamshedpur.
It reminds you of how a human being should think and whats praise worthy.

If I act on an inspiration I hope it is as good as this one!

above is the picture of Jamsetji Tata, Sir Dorab Tata, Sir Ratan Tata and R D Tata

"I visited Jamshedpur over the weekend to see for myself an India that is fast disappearing despite all the wolf-cries of people like Narayanamurthy and his like. It is one thing to talk and quite another to do and I am delighted to tell you that Ratan Tata has kept alive the legacy of perhaps India's finest industrialist J. N. Tata. Something that some people doubted when Ratan took over the House of the Tata's but in hindsight, the best thing to have happened to the Tata's is unquestionably Ratan. I was amazed to see the extent of corporate philanthropy and this is no exaggeration.

For the breed that talks about corporate social responsibility and talks about the role of corporate
India, a visit to Jamshedpur is a must. Go there and see the amount of money they pump into keeping the
town going; see the smiling faces of workers in a region known for industrial unrest; see the standard
of living in a city that is almost isolated from the mess in the rest of the country.

This is not meant to be a puff piece. I have nothing to do with Tata Steel, but I strongly believe the
message of hope and the message of goodness that they are spreading is worth sharing. The fact that you do
have companies in India which look at workers as human
beings and who do not blow their software trumpet of having changed lives. In fact, I asked Mr. Muthuraman, the managing director, as to why he was so quiet about all they had done and all he could offer in return was a smile wrapped in humility, which said it all. They have done so much more since I last visited Jamshedpur, which was in 1992. The town has obviously got busier but the values thankfully haven't changed.

The food is still as amazing as it always was and I gorged, as I would normally do. I visited the plant
and the last time I did that was with Russi Mody. But the plant this time was gleaming and far from what it
used to be.

Greener and cleaner and a tribute to environment management. You could have been in the mountains. Such was the quality of air I inhaled! There was no belching smoke; no tired faces and so many more women workers, even on the shop floor. This is true gender equality and not the kind that is often espoused at seminars organised by angry activists. I met so many old friends. Most of them have aged but not grown old.

There was a spring in the air which came from a certain calmness which has always been the hallmark of
Jamshedpur and something I savoured for a full two days in between receiving messages of how boring and
decrepit the lack lustre Fashion Week was.

Jamshedji Nusserwanji Tata had created an edifice that is today a robust company and it is not about profits
and about valuation. It is not about who becomes a millionaire and who doesn't'. It is about getting the
job done with dignity and respect keeping the age-old values intact and this is what I learnt.

I jokingly asked someone as to whether they ever thought of joining an Infosys or a Wipro and pat came
the reply: "We are not interested in becoming crorepatis but in making others crorepatis."

Which is exactly what the Tata's have done for years in and around Jamshedpur. Very few people know that Jamshedpur has been selected as a UN Global Compact City, edging out the other nominee from India,
Bangalore.

Selected because of the quality of life, because of the conditions of sanitation and roads and welfare. If this is not a tribute to industrial India, then what is? Today, Indian needs several Jamshedpurs but it also needs this Jamshedpur to be given its fair due, its recognition. I am tired of campus visits being publicised to the Infosys and the Wipro's of the world.

Modern India is being built in Jamshedpur as we speak. An India built on the strength of core convictions and nothing was more apparent about that than the experiment with truth and reality that Tata Steel is conducting at Pipla.

Forty-eight tribal girls (yes, tribal girls who these corrupt and evil politicians only talk about but do nothing for) are being educated through a residential program over nine months. I went to visit them and I spoke to them in a language that they have just learnt: Bengali. Eight weeks ago, they could only speak in Sainthali, their local dialect. But today, they are brimming with a confidence that will bring tears to your eyes. It did to mine.

One of them has just been selected to represent Jharkand in the state archery competition. They have their own women's football team and what's more they are now fond of education. It is a passion and not a burden.

This was possible because I guess people like Ratan Tata and Muthurman haven't sold their souls to some
business management drivel, which tells us that we must only do business and nothing else. The fact that
not one Tata executive has been touched by the Naxalites in that area talks about the social respect that the Tata's have earned.

The Tata's do not need this piece to be praised and lauded. My intent is to share the larger picture that we so often miss in the haze of the slime and sleaze that politics imparts. My submissions to those who use phrases such as "feel-good" and "India Shining" is first visit Jamshedpur to understand what it all means. See Tata Steel in action to know what companies can do if they wish to. And what corporate India needs to do.

Murli Manohar Joshi would be better off seeing what Tata Steel has done by creating the Xavier Institute
of Tribal Education rather than by proffering excuses for the imbroglio in the IIMs. This is where the Advanis and Vajpayees need to pay homage. Not to all the Sai Babas and the Hugging saints that they are so busy with. India is changing inspite of them and they need to realise that.

I couldn't have spent a more humane and wonderful weekend. Jamshedpur is an eye-opener and a role model, which should be made mandatory for replication. I saw corporate India actually participate in basic nation-building, for when these tribal girls go back to their villages, they will return with knowledge that will truly be life-altering. Corporate India can do it but most of the time is willing to shy away.

For those corporate leaders who are happier winning awards and being interviewed on their choice of clothes, my advise is visit Tata Steel, spend some days at Jamshedpur and see a nation's transformation.
That is true service and true nationalism.

Tata Steel will celebrate 100 years of existence in 2007. It won't be just a milestone in this company's
history. It will be a milestone, to my mind of corporate transparency and generosity in this country.
It is indeed fitting that Ratan Tata today heads a group which has people who are committed to nation-building than just building influence and power.

JRD must be smiling wherever he is. And so must Jamshedji Nusserwanji. These people today have literally climbed every last blue mountain. And continue to do so with vigour and passion. Thank god
for the Tata"

Brother

2007-06-06T06:54:00.000-09:30

"Pictures in a box at home
Yellowing and green with mold
So I can barely see your face
Wonder how that color taste

You were always so far away"
~ Alice In Chains

Have I mentioned my little brother Ankit. And did I mention how beautiful he makes the word 'sibling'.
July 22nd 2007 Ankit moves to New York.

100 most embarassing moments.

2007-06-04T04:38:00.000-09:30

LEVEL :

moment #9
First off let me confess that I am not indecisive by nature but when it comes to shopping a decision to return or keep will be put off, until the last minute.
America has a return policy- 'within x days, with the tags attached'

Since I can't decide if I want to keep my clothes until I have worn it for atleast 4 hours, I don't remove my tags on the first wear. My excuse is that I can't find the scissors in the morning. Today morning for the second time my friend pointed out that I hadn't removed my tag. My body got warm and blood was rushing to my face- the birth of one of the most embarassing moments.

On return to work I told my non-judgemental friends of how stupid I felt and they said
"its not uncommon to return the clothes after one wear except,
when you cheat- atleast be a good cheater. If you sleep with someone other than your partner, hide the evidence"

Next time, scissors or no-scissors... I will even use a knife- but the tag comes out.

A weekend with the wind

2007-05-29T07:38:00.000-09:30

now just one person with an accent.

2007-05-23T13:00:00.000-09:30

In the foreign club there were only two real foreigners (real = we had an accent, spoke in broken english, had no idea what 'raise the roof' meant) As of yesterday there is only me.

Antonio Bonaficio- I have no where to exchange 40c for a cigarette and no one to say obrigada to. I miss you. Miss the high fives when I tie Aarons shoe laces together. Miss saying 'h' for all the words that start with an 'r'

PS: I recall my lie, and admit that there are three real foreigners. the Indian, Brazilian and the Bosnian.
damn you Veda!

not selected...

2007-05-22T06:44:00.000-09:30

Yesterday my boss came up to me asking me "have you heard back from the award show guys yet?". I had forgotten about the entry so I hurriedly went on the website to find the words "not selected" posted next to my work. My work had been amongst the few entries that he had bet the agencies money on.

In the last few months there have been many changes at CL and amongst all of them was my bosses decision to leave for NY. I find it hard to find similar minded people, and even harder to find those who like similar work. Someone who when you throw out an idea gets it, makes it and adores it. Art is subjective.

So everytime I read the words "not selected" I feel like I let him down.

Gulal:

2007-05-14T12:33:00.001-09:30

I asked my sister what was her plans for holi (the festival of colour) were and she said “nothing big, we just put a little bit of gulal (the colour red) on each other”

Holi:
A day when a population of 1,095,351,995 people could dress in white, buy some colour, drink bhang (hashish), get on the streets and dance to millions of songs bollywood donated to the rowdies on the street to tease the women passing by.

As a kid holi was one of the most awaited festival for me and my friends. We would start preparing the night before- blow water balloon, get water guns ready, set aside our white clothes and make sure they don't get transparent when wet.

we would set up different times with friends to make sure we start at one location, paint the rest of India on the road as we walk from one friends place to another collecting as many people as we can and making our way to the Arabian Sea (Juhu beach).

There is:
flower holy- played with flower petals, mixed in water
Rain-dance holy- organised at huge grounds with artificial sprinklers
Gulal holy- played with dry colours
Rowdy holy- played with permanent colours, that stay on your skin for atleast 3 days if not more
Horrible holy- where shit and balloons were thrown at trains

Either ways, the India I knew celebrated every festival it was introduced to. Now they celebrate clubs that they can get into with all the money they earn at call centers.

M&N

2007-05-06T18:16:00.000-09:30

ingredient:
lots of alcohol
mascara
fiery food
cigarettes
tacky men

and the motto for the weekend was the second finger from the thumb!

get some integrity!

2007-04-26T07:47:00.001-09:30

in·teg·ri·ty (ĭn-tĕg'rĭ-tē)
n.

The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.

if he/she dumps your ass, dump their ass right back. Asking someone to explain why- is asking them to describe how ugly they think you are.

If he/she walks out on you. don't let them in again. There was a reason they searched for the door. And once someone spots a door, I don't see why they wouldn't use it again.

Don't be mad at a friend for not keeping a secret, you were the first one who failed at keeping it.

When you bitch about him/her, have the balls to stand up to her face and repeat the same with no regrets.

If let down by love a couple of times, to believe in it... is not cute- its Pathetic!

But because you were let down by your idea of love to not believe in people- is Sad!

If you respect someone who bitches about thier ex- you have no idea about respect.

These are lessons you don't learn in school, so as of April 23, '07... I have started to teach at a school in Minneapolis. I teach concepts in advertising so the one thing they will definately learn at my class is to know thier worth and say "Pay me asshole, and pay me well!"

three wisdon teeth

2007-04-25T09:59:00.000-09:30

a few days ago, I payed my bi-yearly visit to my dentist. Lately my friends and I have had many discussions about the hurt you go through when pulling out your wisdom teeth. So out of curiosity I asked him, if I had any? and will they ever cause pain. The dentist informed me that i had 3 and they were well settled in their respective spaces. They were chewing in peace with my other teeth without any superiority complex about their wisdom. This is a good thing.

when I was in school I disliked everyone who broke their lovers heart and I thought they were evil. I also believed holding hands was the ultimate sign of affection. Until after a year of dating him, at an amusement park I told him it was over between us. "I am too young for a relationship...". Thats when I was gifted my first wisdom tooth.
wisdom #1 Breaking someones heart became alright.

with my knowledge I was ready for college. in my third year I met another pleasant face who found mine equally pleasant. After 11 months of hanging out and 2 years of dating, it was time. Relationship with the same person can be quite boring and some people choose to have back ups. I blocked his number from my phone making myself worthy of my second tooth.
wisdom #2 Cheating in a relationship is a common trait.

at a club I saw his European hat and I hid. I had just won my third tooth.
wisdom #3 when you see an ex- hide.

I don't believe in love, but I do believe in commitments and liking someone enough to never find anyone you like more than that. And I do hope I never grow that fourth tooth, cause I still believe.

constipated emotions along with event diarrhea

2007-04-24T18:52:00.000-09:30

...

And just like that...

2007-04-17T11:27:00.000-09:30

without a choice she was in my memories.
who let her in. I demand an explaination!!

I have proven myself worthy of my memories, haven't I?
I kissed a horse, smoked a cigar, have got drunk on boxed wine, I have danced on bar tables, celebrated new years eve on a flight, called my art professor colour blind and have even got arrested. see its not all pretty!
Its not fair, that an unexpected moment just skips along on a drunken night and alters my memories forever.

my friend had decided to make a memory too. he had decided to get married, it was his last weekend as a single, and that called for a celebration- so we did. Then we were all lined up on the maroon carpet making our way inside Deja vu. The boys were already exposed to this craft and were comfortable with strip clubs. On the other hand I had no idea how to behave, I was the person with bad table manners through a country club dinner.

The lights were dim, the women young, men bought lap dances for themselves and thier friends. And then he took out a stack of dollar bills, out of which one was placed in front of me. completely naked leaning in front of me- she had shut her eyes, he stared at her and I stared at her. him between her legs and I at her face hoping to understand.
The smell was peculiar, exactly like everyone had described it. the cigarette smoke I smoked out on myself would not get rid of it.

And its been a week since then, everytime I shower I think of that hour- and she always shows up. I look at myself in the mirror and wonder if I could I do what she does. would I be good at it?. And just like that the enterance fee for my memories was stated at a dollar.

Keeping an appointment.

2007-04-17T09:02:00.000-09:30

he had just handed me the coffee and I hadn't even finished telling him how much I appreciate the thought.
Then he mentioned "what happened to your appointment?"- thats when i realised my calender had forgotten to remind me of my appointment.
So after a freak attack, I rushed to meet this other man- I can't keep from seeing.

I was really hoping he will still see me, I am not as important to him and he is to me. As I waited for his response I checked if my coffee breath would disgust him. Had I not forgotten about the appointment, I would be better prepared.

I wondered if he will still love my mouth as he always did- will he touch my lips and tounge and tell me to keep my eyes shut, or will he perform his duties (so as not to embarrass me) but never want to see me again.

I wondered...
if my calender was reliable.
sould I have stayed with the man who got me coffee instead of freaking out on him.
whats the meaning of a relationship- i have to make appointments for.
why do i have to plan out a sip of coffee based on his availability.

but then again a good dentist is not easy to find and my breath depends on how clean he keeps it.

the art of capping a coffee cup

2007-04-13T07:57:00.000-09:30

by Ajay Mahajan
art by Puja Shah

to a already very complicated process (two raw sugar, room for cream, a little half and half, a little skimmed milk, half a sachet of splenda and two stirrers.

The engineering mind had figured out why the Dunn Bros coffee cap will not function correctly.
This daigram is in an effort to help his solution (to never have coffee spill on your jacket again), travel the world.

dear dad...

2007-04-11T10:24:00.000-09:30

I think i am going to write a journal. A paragraph to my dad everyday. Everytime I go to India, I will hand it over to him, so that we never miss a day in each others life again.

I got onto the bus

2007-04-10T07:43:00.000-09:30

and hoped she will pick up her bag, but she sat there with her legs spread out and the fat blue bag lay on the seat next to her. I was the unwanted extra passenger on that bus.
Today morning I picked up the coffee mug to find the coffee cold and stale from yesterday.

I walked up to the rooftop and lit a cigarette and decided to make friends with the unwelcome cold April winter. I had realised my life was a guest at the party death had thrown, so getting too comfortable would be quite foolish.

Perfection.

2007-04-06T08:30:00.000-09:30

is black, leather snake skin pumps, that fit like second skin, on perfectly pedicured toes and shea buttered legs.

Could this be underwear?

2007-04-05T09:22:00.000-09:30

Are
two underwear tops layered on top of another = 1 cute lace top?

I say why not?
If that ugly butt of a man can wear his jeans so low that his ugly checked boxers peep out to wave hello every Wednesday; I can wear a lacy pretty, sky pink, brand new underwear top outside!

An official gift from Jim Nelson...

2007-03-30T09:57:00.000-09:30

origin:
Carol Henderson gifted to Nelson> Nelson gifted to Puja.

I think scientist...

2007-03-30T09:38:00.000-09:30

should step up their game and create a car with foam all around it, so if I get into an accident we can all laugh and do it again!

Peter- he gotta be loved...

2007-03-30T08:57:00.000-09:30

me: I made a complete idiot of myself yesterday.
peter: I sure know that feeling!

And once again I managed to embarass myself.

2007-03-30T08:40:00.000-09:30

I thought if I get super drunk and climbed up higher, I would not hear his voice anymore, and maybe he will leave my life alone and be more amused by how silly I looked dancing on the bar.

Inspired by god and meditation he had decided that he had lots to regret in his life, and inspired by alchohol and friends I had decided I had nothing to change.

He kept saying "if you believe you have nothing to change in your life, then you are in denial". I am not sure what was he so angry about...
- that I am happy.
- or at how sad he was...

I hate Aaron!

2007-03-27T09:08:00.000-09:30

even the ugly curls in my hair

2007-03-26T10:22:00.000-09:30

have managed to trap the breeze, reflect the sun and look red. the first 70˚F makes everything look like love.

i am wearing blue

2007-03-23T07:51:00.000-09:30

but I am yellow. can u see it?

Obscenities

2007-03-22T07:29:00.000-09:30

is what the bum yells out at me every morning when I walk to work. But today he said "good morning- welcome to another day in paradise!". AAAhh Spring!!.

(to add to Vedas observations)

my dear jacket

2007-03-21T12:28:00.000-09:30

Dear jacket,
in search of you I spent a lot of sleepless nights, hours of thoughts, hatred for macys(who did not have my size) and Sonu (who advised me not to buy you).
I yelled at my IT guy because he could not uninstall cookies (that won't let me buy you online)
I walked for 15 mins back and forth, 3 days in a row, hoping Macys will restock you. I even gave my credit card info to a stranger online.
After no luck and a growing obsession for you I started stocking you. I had multiple sites open- incase you were back on their inventory. Finally i found you, and I gotta say, it was worth every wasted minute!

wed 3.21.07

2007-03-21T12:14:00.000-09:30

a friend that makes me happy is sad
a friend who is annoying is annoyed
a friend who can chat with anyone doesn't know what she will say to her date
a friend who has difficulty trusting, believes every word he says
a rude friend said I was his Indian superstar
a friend doesn't want him to propose because if he does, she will say yes and then she will feel trapped

today is a ugly day, but the beauty of a grey and white day and how my red top looks over it, is unmistakably fantastic

how come you don't write about marraige?

2007-03-20T07:12:00.000-09:30

is the romance dead?...
and I tried to explain to her that the romance in a marraige is very personal, and if I wrote about it- she wouldn't get it. But she said "give it a try". so here it is...

last night I removed my earings and one slipped. So Sachin and I both got on our knees to look for it. Dressed in white pajamas, amongst white sheets, white pillows and white comforters, the white rock had disappeared. after few seconds of looking for it sachi put the sparkle back on my extended palm. I put it aside and we tucked ourselves in bed and kissed each other good night.

As a kid I have seen this scene repeat itself for 30 years that my parents devoted to one another.

what is more deeply romantic than knowing that when you lose the sparkle in your life, he will help you find it.

few things before u die

2007-03-19T07:32:00.000-09:30

I asked my friends to write me 3-4 things they wanna do before they die.
And i am proud to say that the intensity of the question did not affect their strong and purposeful goals. cheers!, that why i love them.

Inspired by the fact that S and A just won't have sex!

2007-03-19T06:51:00.000-09:30

Dedicated to that person, for whom I spend those extra five minutes in front of the mirror.

Is it weird that I hope we never end up together, I hope I never wake up by your side.
I wish your life and mine never unites, so that I can live two instead of one.
Is it weird that when you and I cross path again with our loved ones on one arm the other arm will always be empty incase you fall.

Is it strange that when I die I hope I am happy but yet unsatisfied?

Tease

2007-03-14T06:55:00.000-09:30

I read somewhere, "Dance like no one is watching", and so I did.
The dance floor is my territory, i leave all the leashes behind- pretense, the influence, body, insecurities, thoughts, institution, marraige, opinions, culture, life... I have chosen to dance, not perform.
I thought dance was an expression/extension of yourself, then why is it that a lot of time they put us in a category.

u are a TEASE!

If I could live my life like I was on a dance floor, I would- but again there will always be those that will yell out... u dance horribly!

India can be pretty damn funny

2007-03-13T12:12:00.001-09:30

does anyone know who created it?

QUOTES

2007-03-13T10:46:00.000-09:30

"TRY NOT TO BORE ME"
"YOU CAN BORROW SOME PASSION IF YOU LIKE"
"U HOGGING UP THE UGLY"
"I AM A GIRL, AN ARTIST, MOODY AND SENSITIVE!, I AM ALLOWED TO CRY"
"WISHES WILL WANNA BE MINE, HOPING TO COME TRUE"
"DON'T WORRY, YOU WILL BECOME AN HABIT SOON"
"LETS HAVE COFFEE TOGETHER BUT DON'T SIP FROM MY CUP"
"ARE YOU SAD OR IS THAT YOUR WAY OF FEELING ALIVE"
"FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT"
"I HAVE A GAME SHOW IN MY POCKET, DO YOU WANT TO HOST IT?"
"If a friend borrows $20 and you never see them again, its probably worth it"

Dunn Bros

2007-03-13T08:48:00.000-09:30

BTW I know how to spell IGnore

Yamamoto + Mandarina

2007-03-13T08:42:00.000-09:30

Just for your pleasure, the bag that wowed me...

las wegas, wending machine, wery, vork, vow... Andrea needs to stop immitating my desi brothers.

the natural fruit flavored nutrient enhanced soda

2007-03-12T09:09:00.000-09:30

I stand there and decide what can of soda I wanna pick up- the flavours are all tempting and creating vivid colours in my brain.
I had walked up to the wending machine in between the class...
madarin+ mint, lime+ginger, grape+wild berries. My tropical taste buds insist on the devine mango+peach, should I call a friend and ask them to pick- or are they gonna scare me by pointing out my weaknesses.

Andrea I said vending- not wending!

to be friends or not to be

2007-03-12T05:07:00.000-09:30

do friends have the liberty to tell u the truth, even though the truth hurts? do they have the right to take away the only hope you have, even if its false? should they be allowed to shatter your beliefs? are they always right? should they judge the questions that run through your head? do they have boundries, can they break those boundries? can they really change you?

or can they just be part of your life and live it your way? can they sit through the hurt you bring upon youself? can they enjoy the rides you decide to take?

- and I could return the favour

should women wear mens cologne

2007-03-09T10:36:00.000-09:30

I went up to Aarons desk and he said.... ummm u smell good. I was wearing sachins Polo. Then I had a epiphany.
Since the cologne was created to attract men, maybe women should wear mens cologne and men should wear womens perfume.

Ryan said all Indian men have the same haircut, it did not bother me much, so i asked him what about indian women, and he said they too. So I asked him what about me, and he said you too. maybe its time i said goodbye to these long straight hair. its time for a revolution.