It's bloody 2:30 in the morning and I can't sleep.

The best part of a vacation is that I don't have to work. Which means that there's no fatigue. That means my body doesn't really need any additional rest. And that means I can't sleep.

Ah, the irony of it all. It's almost like the lament of the Ancient Mariner. I'm surrounded by relaxation, but I cannot sleep! I wonder if I can turn this into an epic poem. I probably just need a shot of opium, like old STC, to get the mental imagery flowing. Wonder how that would go..

It was a sleepless young man
And he woketh one of three.
The one he woke said to him
"You F%$&*ed up s.o.b whyfore do wakest thou me?!"

Sounds classy, doesn't it? Anyway, I've got more pressing issues at hand now. Mainly, how to start feeling sleepy before daybreak. My folks have had enough of me sleeping till noon. Apparently, it throws their schedule out of whack. It does, actually. Earlier, before mum got a job, my sleeping late during vacations was just an inconvenience. Now, there are real issues. Mostly dealing with my nutrition (read breakfast) and security (someone's got to lock the door).

To be honest, I haven't found anything that would make me go to sleep. Counting sheep doesn't help. I've counted thousands of sheep already (and sold their wool for a pretty penny. I'm rich!). But if anything, I'm only more awake (have to keep the sheep safe from the Big Bad Wolf). Warm milk doesn't work either. Getting out of bed, fumbling in the dark for the milk, lighting the stove, warming the milk, pouring it into a glass and finally drinking it. That's too much work!

One thing that does work is my physics textbook. There are plenty of times when I've fallen asleep within minutes after I open that book. Yes, it's that effective. But only under certain conditions. Most importantly, I MUST have a test in physics the next day. Otherwise, it's of no use. Especially during the holidays, the damn thing somehow becomes interesting and keeps me awake!

This is just sad. And nothing that I've looked up so far on the net helps. Might as well look forward to tossing and turning till dawn. Good day, the ones of you who were able to get some sleep last night.

I spy with my little eye

Here I am, sitting at my desk. I've just chased dad away from the computer. And I'm looking at the desk. This desk which is supposed to be cleared out before the weekend(mum's orders).

Every single thing I look at over here has some special meaning to me. Like my old cell phone. I've stopped using it since the antenna broke (or something. It doesn't detect any network now) But I got it as a present from my gran for my 18th birthday. Plus it's filled with all those text messages between me and my ex. The first one is from deepavali last year. Something about how she's too frightened to light a rocket ( you were always a big baby). And the last one is from the time we broke up in July. Sigh.

Right next to it is the phone I'm using now. It doesn't have nearly as many memories, but I've used it all of this semester. It was with me when we went on our field trips. When I organized the quiz in college, and needed last minute ideas from my friend in Goa. It doesn't mean as much to me as the other phone, but it'll get there.

Both of them lie on a 1972 edition of the Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary. It's old, the pages are falling out and plenty of words don't even find a mention there. Sure, we have another one. But this one is of sentimental value to dad. He used it while he was in college. So it sits there, at arms length, within easy reach as it should be.

To the right of the dictionary is my cousin's old calculator. It's one of the few things I own that has been abroad with me. Ticket stubs from various plays (stubs that I've collected over the years) surround it, like a wreath. Those were some good times.

There's a pen-stand at the back. There's a pen-knife in there which belonged to my maternal granddad. It's shaped like a sword and it always reminds me of King Arthur, for some reason. Right next to that is a stack of old tapes. All of them are veenai tapes(mum's favourite).

The computer itself. I won it as a prize about three years ago. Back then it was a pretty big deal. (17" LCD monitor!!!). And it's still been going strong (except for the CD drive, which has started acting up. I need to get it checked).

There's a lot more on the desk. And old NFS cover, camera,batteries, random wires snaking about, headphones, a pack of chewing gum. Not that these things mean very much, but they're just there.

And the there's the desk itself. If I'm not mistaken, it belonged to my great granddad. My gran got it after he died.All our photo albums are inside. I don't even want to get started. There are just too many things in there. Mostly happy memories, all of them. And it's always fun looking through them, reliving the moments...

Why did I even think that going to a hostel would be a good idea?

Disclaimer (20/12/07): I wrote this piece cos I was trying my hand at melancholy prose. Doesn't look like a good idea now. I think I'd better stick to what I do best.

The way to a man's heart...

I wouldn't say I'm much of a foodie. I'm definitely no gourmet. I'd blink if you brought me an assortment of cheeses which seem very similar and asked me to pick the finest one. Or to even identify the cheese. I don't know any, save for Paneer (ah, glorious paneer!) and mozzarella (there can't be a better topping for pizza). But I'm no glutton either. I use a fork and knife, when it's expected. ;)
Anyway, the reason I'm writing this is that I just got back from my neighbour's wedding reception. And I always have a soft spot for the food at Tamil weddings. It can almost never taste bad .(Only mom's cooking can actually never taste bad. Yes, you're probably thinking "tied to apron strings", but you try getting back home after 4 months of oily hostel food and tell me how it feels)
And believe me, I've been to a good number of weddings and I've seen some fairly interesting menus. Yet, no matter how weird or mismatched the items are, they are never bad. Maybe it's something to do with the sense of the occasion.

For those of you who haven't eaten at a Tamil wedding, here's how it goes. First, a banana leaf is spread in front of you. You're supposed to sprinkle water on it and wipe away the dust on it. Then comes the sweet, which can be anything ranging from thenga poli (fairly tamil) to rasmalai (totally bong. I'm just glad no one's served me a brownie yet).

Then comes pickle, salt(for the curd rice that will follow), raita or thayir pachchadi. This is followed by the first course, boiled rice and rasam. Next comes boiled rice and sambar. And finally boiled rice and buttermilk (or 'more'). The side course is usually one dry potato dish, one semi-dry gourd dish, and avial (actually keralite, but who cares?). Top it all off with paan, gulkhand and some other paraphernalia wrapped up in a betel leaf. The 'beeda'. Nothing quite like a well-done beeda to round off a meal. Can't you just picture it? Mmm-mm.

That's lunch. For breakfast, substitute pickle, salt and raita with chutneys (three at least: coconut, onion and coriander), potato dish with 'poori masala', and the main courses with idlis, pongal, dosai, vadai. Finally, replace beeda with filter coffee.
For dinner, replace boiled rice with sambar sadam/bisibele baath or pulao, chuck out rasam for poori, chappati or oothappam. And along with beeda, include ice-cream with fruits, or jalebi (yes, nothing Tamil about it, but who's gonna argue when it tastes great?)

Perhaps the most interesting menu I've heard of was in this article written many years ago in a Hindu Sunday supplement. It was by this columnist, about his daughter's wedding. He apparently served a meal that would've been considered totally cuckoo down south. There was Mangalore bonda, pongal and a lot of other totally unrelated items. It was a way to get his northie friends talking about South Indian food (he lived in Delhi) and how it's so much more than idli-dosa-vada (and the pronunciation is wrong, most importantly. It's dos-eye not dos-ah or do-shah). I admire the guy's guts. But I don't think I would've cared too much for the food!

The point of this whole meandering exercise is this. If what they say about the way to a man's heart being through his stomach is true, I suspect that a good number of Tamil men marry early just to eat at their own wedding feast!

P.S. you can check out aforementioned neighbour's blog at berserkblogger.wordpress.com And wish the guy a happy married life. I hear that his new bride's a gem.

Update 19/1/08: Mum (being the master chef she is. Honest!) pionted out an error in the lunch menu. It's rice and sambar first, followed by rice and rasam.

Imbibo ergo sum?

Yeah, the first time you drink. It's a rite of passage of sorts, isn't it? It was at the launch party of Ergo, The Hindu's latest supplement. You can even see my photo in the issue of The Hindu dated 8/12/07, if you need proof that is.
Fact is, my friend who's a reporter with Ergo has always been telling me to loosen up. Believe me, loosen up here is almost in the sense of, "stop being such a nerd, you doofus!!!" And that's not entirely wrong, considering that at a party, I'm usually standing by the side, soft drink in hand (no alcohol ever till yesterday), smiling for apparently no reason at people who are actually dancing.
So, last night, I just decided to chuck it and try both drinking and dancing (not at the same time, though). Although I had to be plied with alcohol before I got onto the dance floor. And if felt good. A bit like "Why didn't I do this sooner? But I'm glad I did it now at least". Plus, would you believe that I was the one who drank the most in our group? How's that for loosening up?
Point is, this means I'm pretty close to fulfilling resolution #3. And if I keep posting every three days, resolution #1 will be done as well. And with a month to go for the New Year.
Damn, I need new resolutions.
Anyway, I'm gonna stop here. The words just don't seem to be coming this morning.

Early resolution

So much for making this a regular blog. It looks more like a half-yearly report on what's been happening with my life. I guess the first of my resolutions for '08 should be to be more regular at writing here.

Frankly, I'm embarassed whenever I look at a blog, cos it reminds me of all the things that I HAVEN'T written out here that I should have. Especially the one I read today, "The Compulsive Confessor". Man, she makes it looks so easy! Apparently she started her blog one slow afternoon at work, and now she's being billed as India's Bridget Jones. And you have to read her stuff to believe it. Not that it's earth-shatteringly good prose, but it just flows. It doesn't feel like some stiff, starched essay. it really feels like someone's talking to you. And also slightly voyeuristic, as if you're actually reading the diary under her bed.

Not that I would put my diary up on the net, mind you. I'm cancerian, and we cancerians like to be closed books, so to speak.(but then again if I was a closed book, I wouldn't be doing this blog)



Anyway, resolutions. Tentatively, this is what they're gonna look like, come morning of 1/1/08:



1) Regular posts. Not just for you guys, but because it's therapeutic. Yeah, I get really steamed up with my college and my coursework (as my close friends know only too well. I never stopped bitching about the place ever since I entered it. Damn you, Pune!)



2) Get out of college, and find someone. Cos I haven't been in a relationship since July, and that ended badly. High school sweetheart , got back together after a while and things didn't work out. let's just leave it at that. So, if there are any girls out there in Pune or Madras (never Chennai, ever!) preferably Tamil and witty, who are reading this and are interested, mail me at idle.fellow07@gmail.com

3) Let go of myself and just live. I guess we all need to do that.

That's it, for now. Expect to see additions and deletions right till the evning of the 31st!

What this is about

The name of this blog is self-explanatory. I'm a college student, and I have a fair bit of free time on my hands. So, I've decided to put forward my views about everything to you. All in good humour, and if it makes you laugh, that makes my day.

Posts might not be very regular, but I'll try to make a post every week. And if you find one too many post on science, forgive me. I'm pursuing a degree in science after all.

The inspiration for this blog is Jerome K. Jerome's "Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow". I hope I'll be able to serve up something half as good atleast.

Watch this space. Ciao!