Look Before You "Leap"

I can't not post an update today. Apart from having the February 29^th time stamp on my blog, there’s that other little matter of who knows if we’ll live to see another leap year. I mean the world is going to end and all, right? A month ago SK & I made our how-do-we-find-eachother plan for when the world ends and all lines of communication are down. And by SK & I, I mean that I thought of the plan, I told him the plan and I think he nodded, somewhere between Operation Repo on TruTV and random, stupid video on You Tube. BUT, BUT there is a plan.

(Closer to the date, I’ll be getting my evacuation suitcase ready. Yes, the wedding gold is going with me.)

So, back to the post. Because I don’t really have anything exciting to write about today I’m going to do a Haiku poem about my day. A Haiku poem is a Japanese form of poetry that has seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.

Here goes –

I made some Chi-li

for my won-der-ful hub-by

We ate mer-ri-ly

I never said it has to be clever. Brevity is not my strength.

And how unsurprising is it that the best part of my day was mealtime. Happy 29^th All.

Stand Up and Protest

I am so horrified and disturbed by the story I have to tell. I don’t think this received a ton of coverage in the national media outlets in India. Maybe I’m wrong but all the more reason to tell the tale. I first read about the incident 2 weeks ago on a friend’s Facebook page. She and I can both be feminists sometimes – we’d stop using razors on our legs if it meant we could protest against men not having to do so, except, hairy anything on me is really scary.

The story is about the 10 month old baby girl who was sodomized by her neighbor, a laborer, a full grown man. Yes, 10 months. TEN MONTHS. BABY GIRL. SODOMIZED. My next line is very graphic but the visualization has been haunting me ever since I read about it. A 10 month old baby’s butt hole is no bigger than the eye of a needle. How can a full grown man’s full grown thing fit into it? I am filled with so much rage when I think of it.

The story goes on to tell you how the magnanimous Mumbai High Court reduced his sentence. I’ve been digging up on the story for the last 2 weeks and many bloggers have expressed outrage at Mumbai High Court. I don’t know enough about the hearing and the law of the land to comment. I do know that with any old constitution some laws are archaic and grandfathered in and it’s difficult to go against the grain.

I am by no means condoning the court. My focus is on that MAN. That beast. I feel so much sadness for the baby. I feel worse for the Mother.

The full story is here.

There are several online petitions. I haven’t signed any because I believe it’s going to take more than just a few signatures. If you’re not as disillusioned as I am, then one strong petition can be found here

I have just started reading 'The Girl Who Played With Fire'. The prologue is 4 pages worth of bondage and torture.

Sometimes I wonder why I put myself through this. It's no wonder they say ignorance is bliss. 

Something Different

When you see something nice, you gotta share it, spread the love almost. So I'm recommending three different things today, all of which I have enjoyed in the past 2 weeks and are off the beaten path, my path, that is.

1.      Non Chain Store Coffee

Sometimes it’s nice to have coffee that’s not out of a Styrofoam cup. It’s nice to have coffee, steaming hot, in a mug, with real milk instead of creamer from a sachet, with a shiny stainless steel spoon instead of a plastic stirrer. In a brick walled café where the little cakes are made right there, from scratch each day. Maybe I’m just being whimsical and over-glorifying a cup of coffee. But it was really nice y’all.

Octane in downtown Atlanta is just that. If you want to get away from the chain store experience, give your local bakery/ café a chance. You’ll be surprised.

2.      A TV Show like None Other

Downton Abbey is a British TV series that is showing on PBS. Downton Abbey is the home of the Earl of Grantham, his wife and three lovely daughters. The series begins with the Earl losing a distant cousin, also his heir, who was sailing on the Titanic and then takes you through love and heartbreak, World War I, socio-political upheaval in Britain in the 1900s and more. The series is well cast, as if each actor were handcrafted for the role he is playing; from the elegant Lady Grantham to the oh! so debonair Mr. Crawley.

My girlfriends had been talking about the show for a while and I’d been obviously telling the husband how much it sucked that Downton Abbey wasn’t available for FREE on PBS anymore. He gifted me the series on Valentine’s Day. Sometimes the boy does pay attention.

3.      Headbands

Or hairbands? I have finally warmed up to them and bought myself 3 this weekend. I’m referring to the fashion hairbands, slim with a piece of jeweled something or a flower perched on the corner. They can ether make you look incredibly feminine or a wannabe Kate Middleton. I’m still not sure which one I am. But I am giving them a try.

Say A Little Prayer

I entered work today to some heartbreaking news. A coworker's husband was killed in combat during the weekend. He was with the U.S. Air Force. I feel so incredibly sad. I didn't really know her until three weeks ago when we started working on the same account. She was to travel with me to a client site tomorrow. I know not what to say except WHY?


How do you prepare for a moment like that? That call or that knock on the door. One moment life is perfect and you're working on Saturday morning chores and the next .....


If you do read this post, do say a prayer for my friend. And be appreciative of all you have.

Run Forrest Run

My girls who inspire me to wake up at 7:30 on a freezing Saturday morning.

Yeah, no faces. What can I say, we're the SHY kind ;)

And yes, I am totally aware, with every fiber of my fat being, that if I don't lose weight after all this massive publicity then really, I should consider vanishing from the online world for sometime. Or I can try convincing the Universe that it's the air I'm breathing. Bloody fattening oxygen.

A Smart Girl's Guide to Valentine's Day

Take my advice with a pinch of salt, or whatever else you'd like. Know that I'm the jaded sort, sometimes.

- You don't have to be buying cards for your neighbor and third cousin. Or your child for that matter. It is Valentine's Day not Mother's Day. And yet, on the card aisle at the grocery store section there's all sortsa love going on - Grandfather to Grand-daughter, Sisters, Best Friends... Really? REALLY? Is it just me who thinks it's all so damn unnecessary?


- Valentine's Day is on a Tuesday this year. It's okay if you had your date-night this weekend or are postponing it to the next. Tuesday is but a spillover from Monday and if you're like me you have the weight of the world on your mind on a Tuesday night, hearts and flowers be damned.




If you're married:

- Don't be jealous of your coworkers who will have flowers delivered to the office. Tell 'em your husband is traveling, and he's on another planet. Either that or your grand aunt passed away and you're not celebrating anything this year.


- Don't binge on the chocolate, please fatty don't do it.



If you're Single: (I've been there and this is straight from the heart)

- Put your head down and plough through. It will be over before you know it. Besides, them bit**** are all going to break-up any way.


If your Facebook status says "In A Relationship" (this is a very important day for you)


- Fortunately or unfortunately, there's a ton to decipher from everything he does and doesn't do.


- Keep your expectations low so you can allow yourself to be surprised, even while that little voice at the back of your head is chanting Is he going to propose? Is he going to propose? He's shuffling around awkwardly I'm sure that's what it is. NO, YOU CRAZY HALLUCINATING WOMAN. He's shuffling because he has a wedgie and it's damned uncomfortable to have your underwear in your crack.


- If the day goes by with no big declaration of love, well then there's your birthday, Christmas, New Year, your dating anniversary and next Valentine's Day to look forward to!


I have to end with a beautiful love song. And it's only fitting that it's a Whitney Houston classic.



Much love, chocolate and overpriced flowers to all.

The 7 Year Itch

OR THE 3 YEAR GLITCH?

That is the question.

So who doesn't know about the 7 year itch? The tipping point of adultery. Where men let their wayward eye (and wayward other things) get the better of them. Where if you make it past the 7 year itch you're golden, good for life. If you don't then you find yourself a therapist and a really good lawyer. We all know that .....

But the 3 year glitch? Apparently an up-and-coming study says that this is where little irritations become major issues after 3 years. An article even suggests "Is the 3 year glitch the new 7 year itch?"

According to another article, some of the Top reasons for these glitches:

• Weight gain/lack of exercise - Have ya seen my recent pictures?
• Anti-social working hours - Have I told you the story of how I sometimes wake up at 2:00am to bright lights and think I'm dreaming, only to discover that the husband is plugging away on his laptop? Have I? Have I?
• In-Laws/extended family - *Coughs*
• Alcohol - drinking too much - I guess we're okay here.
• Snoring & anti social bedtime habits - Refer point 2
• Bathroom habits - Stray nail cuttings etc., - This one could be a list of its own, starting with wet bathroom floor. Stray nail clippings are mild.

Dear Universe, I think I have me a glitch. Many of them! Do I run for the hills or wait for the glitch to become an itch?

Happy Anniversary SK :) It has been an amazing 3 years. (glitches and all).

Keep Running

Someday soon I will tell you about the 3 amazing women who are doing this with me. For now, we have to keep running.