Cupid Attack!

Love... amor... aimer...liebe... pyar... amore... a thousand ways to say, a single emotion to express. Funny how it makes monkeys out of perfectly sane people. Are we born with an inherent x-factor that gets triggered under a cupid attack or is it the result of the preachings of Jesus who commanded us to love one another? As a technical person I have this need to have a logical reasoning and understanding behind everything but breaching this topic leaves me stumped with a unique answer every single time I ponder about it. Purists might argue that it is better to leave some things like this unexplained and just revel in its mystery but then again I am a umm... (insert antonym of purist here) after all.

Here is what I feel. As a social animal, we have the need to be accepted in the society and put up a decent front that most of us might not really be comfortable with. We all want some one in who's company we don't need to be politically correct or wear the Cloak of Falsehood.... to unwind from the rigour's of daily stress.... be partners in crime! Yes I know one might say that's what friends are for but honestly when did you last share something with your friend without the fear of being judged? Admittedly there is a very fine line between friendship and love with equal number of advocates on both sides arguing as to what comes first. Ignoring the order of coming to being, I think the easiest way to distinguish between the two is to identify which person's touch brings out the poet in you. Its amazing to see how compositions embellishing great emotions come forth from otherwise unimaginative uncreative people. That is when you know it is love alright.

Falling in love is such a misnomer because never once have I felt as if I've lost altitude when in love. You kinda feel very light and seem to bounce about with an Acme spring under your shoes that too if all! You might not catch the road runner but hey! you will definitely enjoy the flight :P

My Fatherland

Nigeria. What do I tell you about this place? This is the place I truely call my first home. Here is
where the lump of clay that I was, got its first impression. And what an impression. I have no qualms about stating the fact that I would not be the person I am today had it not been for the time spent in Nigeria with her people. Nice folks down there I tell you. Thought they have the queerest lingo one might come across if on a world tour. Pidgin English is what it de be called o! You no de understand aam right if eh de speak to you. But slow slow u go get it. Wetin de stare at? I no no make aam o... if u laugh at me I go woze you finis.

Then there was Indian Language School... ILS... (I could rat off a choice of full forms we creatively came up with but lets not digress). The friends that I made there.... the teachers who instructed us... the local non-teaching staff that attended to us... each a class on their own. I would have never in my wildest dreams thought that a decade down the line, ILS would offer me something more.... precious..... that it would be the origin of my life's most painful lesson.....

Rs250

Rs250 per month (~ $5 for the uninitiated). You probably spend more than that on a coffee everyday but its inspiring to see what my dad has achieved from such humble beginnings. Yeah yeah I know it wasn't that small an amount back in the 70's but then again, it didn't really afford one more than the average basic living... lifestyle might probably be too big a word so you get an idea of what I mean (or ur pretty thick if u don't). I don't have any accurate recollection of our 'lifestyle' when I was a kid but what I can recall however are how the seemingly small thing's were appreciated. How every ice gola that we devoured was a treat and every chocolate a luxury. I have no memory of us ever going out for dinner.

Taking up a job that moved us out of India is probably the best and most important step that my dad took. Though the money wasn't a whole lot, the move however was crucial in shaping me into becoming who I am today. I have grown up in an environment that was overly protective.... which is not surprising considering I was the youngest (and cutest not to forget) with 2 elder sisters. I grew up learning values which I hope to pass onto my kids the way they were instilled in me. Simplicity has been the core of our upbringing and our parents never showered us with worldly stuff nor was every whim or fancy obliged despite their being in a better financial situation. Save now and want later than want now and save later kinda was the motto of my parents and still is to this day. No they are not misers but they know where to draw the line between wasteful spending and an austere living.... something that my mom never fails to remind me.