Shopaholic, Me & Dexter!

Theres not much to do these days at work, as it looks like I completed my work for the August Release in July itself!! Shocking, but true! Anyway, I've been reading the Shopaholic series, and am on the third book now.

The second book Shopaholic Abroad, was a bit like a filler book or something, with quite a simple plot actually. Becky moves to the US with Luke and shops (obviously!) and gets into debt over there. Towards the end however, all her issues get resolved and she starts a new job as a personal shopper. How I wish real life had simple solutions like that! *sigh*

The third book is Shopaholic Ties The Knot.

In this book, Luke proposes and the wedding is all set to take place at Becky's parent's home in UK. However, Luke's manipulative Mom lures Becky into having a wedding at the Plaza Hotel in New York, which Becky just cannot refuse once she sees the place. And if I'm being honest, neither would I, look at the place, its beautiful:

Becky doesn't have the heart to tell her Mom that she want the great big NY wedding, so things spiral out of control with the wedding being planned for the same day but at two different locations. To give her credit she does try telling the NY wedding planner to call off the wedding, but is forced to go through with it once she finds out she signed an agreement according to which cancellation would cause her to pay the wedding planner $100000!
It really is kind of stupid the way time and again she buries her head in the sand and just lets things snowball into avalanches of sorts!

But I cannot afford to be judgmental, I'm sort of doing the same thing!

 

And then there's Dexter! I really love the series and am at the end of the 7th season, which honestly seems like a big mess. Everything's going wrong. There is no single serial killer being hunted by Dexter as in the previous seasons, instead there's are a bunch of killers thrown around! Also, Deb is attracted to Dex (weird!!) and she finds out the truth about Dexter, who in turn is attracted to a fellow serial killer he almost kills. LaGuerta discovers the real Bay Harbour Butcher, and the Ukrainian mafia get involved. As I said, big mess! Loved the new characters of Issac Sirko:

And Hannah McKay!

The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

  

Ok, I haven't had much work these days, so got this e-book and started reading. I'd already read it once, a long time back, and remember it being a fun read. And, as I started reading it, I realized I remembered right, as always! Loved the book. Again.

The book is hilarious! I laughed out loud countless times, inviting questioning stares from my co-workers, causing me to Alt+Tab immediately! Anyway, its a story about a British girl Becky, who's addicted to shopping. As in, as soon as she enters a shop, its pure bliss. The cash registers ringing, the scent of new clothes & shoes, everything gives her a sense of peace. The irony of the whole situation is that she's a financial journalist, and is always writing stuff about Pension Plans and mortgages and savings and such!

Some of the really funny parts are the letters from the different banks regarding her credit card payments, and responding to all her ridiculous excuses!!! Also all the dialogues she has with herself in her head, justifying every unnecessary purchase. Hilarious!

Anyway, all her expenditure catches up with her, and she is forced to either MMM ( Make More Money) or CB (Cut Back) by her Dad. CB doesn't work for her, and she actually ends up spending even more! However, everything eventually works out for her, without much effort on her part I might add. Hmphhh!!
She end up getting the money, the guy and the job on TV!!!

I can actually relate to some of the things she goes through. Like if I see something interesting that I like in a shop or online, even though I might realize its a mistake and walk away (or close the window), most of the times if I've really liked it, I keep thinking about it at random moments, and eventually go back and buy it!

This book could be like the story of my life in Pune, but I'm not that big a shopaholic (though I'm on the way to becoming one, I've been told!). I must say I was doing better before I started using the stupid credit cards. :(

Anyway, I'm already on the next book in the series, which I'm sure will be just as much fun as the first.


Image Courtesy: http://shebudgets.bcmediagroup.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/shopaholic-cartoon.jpg

Reality Check!

Ok, the weirdest thing happened to me last night. I'd gone to watch a movie with a couple of friends. We left E-Square at around 11pm, and as we reached the gate I noticed a girl standing there. She looked so very familiar. She also saw me and smiled, so obviously I smiled back (I smile at a lot of people, strangers included!!). Then she came nearer and the following conversation happened:

She: Hi, how are you?

Me: Hi??!!!!

She: So, you stay in Aundh or what?

Me: Uhhhh *mumbling* yeah

She: Ohhh!! Me too!!!

Me: Oh, ok???!!!

She: See you then, Bye!

Me: Bye??!!

It was such an uncomfortable situation. I mean, I'd seen her somewhere, I knew her. And she was speaking with me so familiarly! It wasn't like when you cant remember somebody's name, and remember everything else about them. That has happened to me countless times. This time, I just couldn't remember who she was, couldn't figure out where I knew her from, yet her face was so familiar!
I know that I know her, but I just don't know her!!!

This is the kind of thing that usually happens to my mom! Age is finally catching up with me, and I'm only 25!!  :(

The call

Ok, so I was loaded with work yesterday. Usually I spend time on shopping sites & blogs, but yesterday I just didn't have any time. As I was busy typing I got a call. When I checked the phone screen, I saw that it was a Goan land-line number. I answered immediately, there was a man at the other end of the line. Our conversation went like this:

Me: Hello!

Man: Hello, who's speaking?

Me (irritated): Whom do you want?

Man: You??? I thought I'd called Mama!

Me: Pa??? Is that you?

Man (Pa): Yea

Me: Ok, what happened? Where you calling from? Whose number is this?

Pa: I forgot my mobile, so was calling Mama to tell her, I must've dialled your number!

Me: Oh!

Pa: Yeah, even when I'm calling someone else, I dial your number!! See how I think about you all the time!

Me: Yeah :)

Pa: Ok, call Mama now and tell her I don't have my phone. Bye!

*cuts the call*
Me (To nobody): Ok, Bye?!

The call made my day!!! 

The times, they are a-flying!!

Ok, so another weekend passes by very quickly, and we're already in the third quarter of 2013! More and more people are moving on: getting engaged, married, having kids, new jobs!

And here I am, working at the same place & same project for more than three years, and at the same seat for just as long!!! Same flat, and same roomie since I moved here.Not much has changed for quite some time now. And I'm happy with that. I'm not a big fan of change. So, all's well that stays well!

***

Watched the movie Despicable Me 2 yesterday.

A very entertaining and fun movie. I cant remember the first movie that well, so can't say which one was better. Enjoyed the minions, and can't wait for the next minion movie, coming out sometime in the future.
Loved the minion songs (I swear & YMCA) and the way they sing in their minion language!
Also, while the credits were rolling, there were some scenes of minions auditioning for the next minion movie, one which had the minions blowing soap bubbles. The 3-D effect for these was so good, the kid in the next seat actually jumped up and put his hands out to burst the bubbles!!!

***

This was followed by lunch at the best Italian place I've been to. Ate till our stomachs ached! 

WOW!

How exciting was the Wimbledon Final!!! Specially when Murray was loosing all those Championship points to Djokovic. Normally I would've supported Djokovic, but this time I was all for Murray, and look what happened!

Nadal for the US Open now!!

FND: Vanilla Custard

Ok, so with being sick and bored and all, I decided to stick to making something really easy this weekend. And went with my all-time favorite: Custard.

I had picked up the Pillsbury Golden Vanilla Flavor Custard Powder some time back, and decided to use it this weekend. It made for only three servings, but was good. I didn't have any bananas to go with it, so had to make do with walnuts & almonds.

While it was hot:

The next day:

Mumbai: Day 5 - Wedding Day!

Ok, so it was finally the day of the much anticipated wedding. All in all a fun, but tiring day.

I got up early, and had my complimentary breakfast at the hotel, and got back to the run to get dressed. Ma, although she wasn't really feeling well (feverish and stomach upset), got up early and dressed me in the sari, and put on some makeup and stuff. And when she asked for a smile while she took a photo, all I gave was a frown, and told her to hurry up! I don't even know why I was that irritated! Sometimes I think I'm the most ungrateful child ever born. My parents do everything they can to keep me happy, and I repay them with a frown and angry words. Every time I do this, I resolve never to do it again, but I just cant seem to help it!

While dressing, I got multiple calls from my friends, questioning the delay, since I was supposed to be in their hotel by max 8 am, but it was 8.30 am and I still hadn't reached. There was actually (!) a stunned silence on the phone when I told them I would come already dressed, as initially I was supposed to get dressed in the hotel with them, and a lady was supposed to come to drape the sari. Apparently, the lady had closed her parlor since she had to come to dress us, and so she would take the decided upon amount, whether the work was required or not!

Anyway, Pa walked me to the hotel where my friends were getting dressed. When I entered the room, at first I thought I'd got the wrong room, due to all the unknown faces staring at me in the doorway.But on going further in saw my friends. The unknown faces were the parlor ladies. Anyway, there was a lot of chaos in the room, stuff thrown about and girls in saris running around looking for things. Everyone was almost ready, and were just applying the finishing touches (of makeup). I spoke to the lady about the sari, and she agreed to do my hair for the amount she would have charged to drape the sari, so that wasn't a complete waste.

Anyway, when everybody was ready, we had a quick photo session, and left for the wedding hall, which was just across the road.

This was a typical Marathi style wedding, so not a lot of noise, but no dancing at all. The groom arrived soon after us. When he first reached the hall, the bride's mother welcomed him with aarti and stuff. For that, he needed to remove his shoes, and step on a small platform stool kind of thing. When he removes his shoes, the girl's side people (cousins, siblings, friends) snatch his shoes, and then ask for money in return for the shoes. Its tradition! I missed most of this since I was on a call, but one of our friends got the groom's shoes, getting scratches and cuts while doing it! She actually fought the groom's cousins and screamed "My Sari! My Sari!" when they tried to gt near her!! She was my hero!

 Colored rice to be thrown on the couple (like confetti?)

Anyway after that the wedding ceremony started. All the pooja, pheras and everything. We didn't get to see much of it since it was taking place at the front and people were crowding there. We just sat back and tried to take photos. After that a fabulous lunch, and it was time to leave.

Some of us:

The Couple

We went back to the hotel where I was to share a room with Mag. So, the two of us went to our room, and had yet another quick photo session, after which we washed and changed and went off to sleep. After we got up and had some yummy chicken sandwiches, it was time to get dressed for the wedding reception. There wasn't much chaos this time around since most of us weren't wearing saris, so we all got dressed in our respective rooms, and left for the Reception, which was at the same place across the road. 

We wished them again, another photo session and went to dinner, which was pretty uneventful. Caught up with some other friends who came late. With our stomachs overfull, we left the hall to say buy to the bride.
It was a very emotional farewell for her and her parents, lots and lots of crying and hugging, I don't really know why. I mean its not like ancient times, she'll keep meeting her parents and even staying with them and all. Anyway, to each his/her own.

We reached the hotel and with not much time to sleep, since we would be leaving for the bus stop in like 4-5 hours, we all gathered in one room and got to talking shit and stuff. That was fun, but I fell asleep halfway through! I guess everybody was getting sleepy after a point, so we just moved to our rooms and slept for like an hour. Got up and half asleep we left for the station. Back to Pune and back to work!

Just Another Slow Weekend..

Ok, so I've been sick since Thursday with the usual sore throat, sneezing, running nose and all that. It actually started Thursday morning when I was at work, and by noon everyone was begging me to go home lest I infect them! Really! Anyway, my throat became worse on Friday, as in I couldn't talk, so I stayed at home on Friday. Hence the long, slow weekend at home. I blame the rains. Its so wet and muddy and disgusting here at this time!

Bored at home with nothing good on TV, and tired of SATC, I decided to start watching Dexter.

Its interesting and all, but really really creepy. The opening credits only gave me chills the first time I saw it. I mean just imagine, having someone in your life who you're close to and think you know well, and then he/she turns out to be a serial killer!!! It got me thinking as to who might be the "Dexter" in my life. There is one guy at work who seems suspicious, but that could be because he's new, has crazy curly hair and keeps smiling!! But that seems kinda obvious, and my instincts are unreliable most of the time, so it could be somebody less conspicuous.


Believe it or not, other than stepping out for a Blood test on Saturday, I was in the flat the whole time, about 80 hours!!!!! I was actually happy to go to work on Monday, and that's a first!

That was my state by Sunday evening. And I survived those 80 hours mainly on Chicken Manchow Soup. Thank God for Kimling!


Anyway, I'm just relieved I can talk properly now, and fingers crossed I haven't spread the germs to anybody from whom I can get them back!  

P.S. Image courtesy: http://funny-pics.co/tags/bored-funny-pics/