The Big News

Subtitled: Twenty-fucking-three

So, I turned twenty-three yesterday. (And no, that's not the big news.) I know most of you who read this blog will hate me for being so young and then, for cribbing about growing old. But dude, honestly. I feel so old. :/Like, it was all okay until I was 22. But 23 is a big deal. Scary.

Eh. Anyway. I had a lovely day yesterday! :) Involving flowers and chocolates, tea and cupcakes, shopping and jewellery, cheese dosa, kamrakh (star-fruit; my favourite!), lots of books and lovely cards! :) And crazy surprises from two of my cousins. So much fun. I wish I could have birthdays without having to grow old. *sigh*

So, big news. :D 2012 has started off with a loud bang for me. I've not felt happier than I am right now in a bloody long time. Remember my 30 before 30 list? Well, I have been scratching things off that list for some time now. Also, daresay, some things on the list itself have changed and I might have to edit it or make a whole new list. But for now, I have news about having scratched an important thing off it. Something that I didn't think was possible until I turned 28-29. Or 30 even.
27. Teach at Xavier's. Even if it is only as a visiting faculty or filling in for someone.

Chhaya Mam (my favourite prof from our college) called me a few days ago and asked me if I can cover for her for the next 2 months, teaching her First Year and Third Year students Literature as she has to urgently go on a medical leave. Luckily for me, I had only one batch of students that I teach in the evening going on at the moment. So, I could take up that opportunity and I started immediately. :) The best part is that I'm teaching Modern Drama and Film - my favourite subjects from college! Mam remembered that and decided it'll be best if I covered that. I feel *so* lucky!


I remember entering Xavier's for the first time and being totally awed by the first quad(rangle) and the chapel. Here, I have felt a sense of belongingness I've never felt elsewhere - not in school, not in Leeds and not at any of the places I've worked. And last week, when I entered college as a teacher for the first time, I felt the same sense of wonder and pride. I love my college. :) It's so true, Xavier's gave me my roots and my wings. (Ref: Xavier's anthem: Xavier's, you gave me roots and wings...) So, I could take flight, go abroad, learn a lot of things. But it also gave me the roots which have always made me want to come back here. I hope I can do full justice to my role as a teacher.


Wish me luck! :)

The R Word! :D

So, like I mentioned, Romance has re-entered my life! :D And with the capital R too! :D :P Remember I once mentioned that the boy who had sublet his room to me had come back and I had to move out of my room into the tiny guest bedroom? Well, it turns out there is something about two people who live in the same room at different points of time and then meet wanting to share it at the same time as well! :P Needless to say, I've been very giggly and on the moon over the last few days!

However, the thing that pains both of us is that we got together only 2 weeks before I had to leave! This is so unfair! There was no hint of anything even remotely romantic except for a couple very very unsuccessful crushes in the whole of my year in England. But just when I have to leave, bam! I meet this really wonderful person whom I would definitely like to know better! I could have screamed! I probably did too....several times.

Anyhoooo, Atom (Don't ask. Since he knew about the blog and since I asked him if it'd be ok to write about him, I also happened to ask him if he'd like to choose his own name. We had a L-O-O-O-N-G discussion about his name and I didn't like any that he suggested! At one point, he asked me if he could be called Om, coz the first Bollywood film we watched together was Om Shanti Om. I liked the idea a little bit but I could not reconcile his British self to a name like Om! But, ahan, his chat-up line was something like, it'd be interesting to watch Bollywood and I instantly knew! A man after my own heart! :D ::looks up proudly:: Anyway, so, then, I decided to name him after some cool Manga character since he loves Manga and is even studying Japanese language and culture. Then yours truly got confused and tried to name him after a writer instead of a character and he visibly blanched! :P But, finally, we have a winner here: Tetsuwan Atom (The Astro Boy!) So, Atom he is! :D :P) Ok, so, Atom and I have decided that we'll just keep in touch through Skype and email and get to know each other better. We haven't yet established any patterns but have already talked a couple times. :) Sometimes, it does physically pain me that I had to do this but here's to hoping that things turn out well. :) I would feel sorry for myself if I wasn't so enveloped in the fuzzy warmth of the early stages of a romance! :P Would you do that for me please? ;)

PS: Did I tell you that he often kisses my forehead?!!!! No no, not a figment of my imagination! He really, truly, does exist! See why I didn't want to go away? ::sniff::

Noooze!! :D

::jumps up and down screaming:: NOOOZE, I HAVE NOOOOZE!!! :D

Ok, toning that down a bit, Fellas, I have NEWS. Notice the capital NEWS?? Shall I tell, tell? Ok, here goes, ::takes a deep breath:: I. Am. Going. To. Meet. AAMIR KHAN!!! Gotcha! :D Tis true, tis true! He is going to be in a city near my city to promote Peepli and the National Media Museum there is selling tickets to go and see Aamir Khan talk to a Bollywood professor and researcher from Manchester (He is a really big name in the Academics too, if anybody has heard of Rajinder Dudrah.) There will be time for question and answer later too! And, I and *some of* (ahem, you know, I'm talking to you) my other friends from our Bollywood class have booked tickets too. So, come 22nd September and wheeeeeeeeeee!!!! I'm going to see Aamir Khan with my own almost naked (coz I'll have my glasses on) eyes! :D For 20 years, when I lived in Mumbai, I didn't see a SINGLE actor/ actress. I've sighted minor celebrities like Band of Boys or Neena Gupta (does anyone even remember them?) at college festivals. But never a real celebrity sighting. And I don't even consider myself as someone who'd swoon over a celebrity sighting. I mean, they too will bleed when pricked, right? But, I think if I ever see Hritik Roshan, (maybe Shahid Kapoor, I'm not so sure), Madhuri Dixit or Amitabh Bacchan, I'll probably have the same reaction I've been having about Aamir Khan. Maybe a bit more for Hritik Roshan and a bit less for everyone else.


Dude, Aamir Khan!! I'd NEVER expected this to happen! I do truly, genuinely think he's an excellent artist. Every film of his, from Andaz Apna Apna to 3 Idiots has something awesome going on for it. Ok, maybe not so much the 90's films like Ishq, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahi, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak etc. But that's because the films in the 80's and the 90's were like that. Besides, he was so new. And even these films, I know, are enjoyed by a LOT of people. I do happen to know some Ishq and QSQT fans. I'm sorry to say, I'm not one of those. But anyway, his later films from Ghulam and Sarfarosh to 3 Idiots - all of them rocked (with the possible exception of Mangal Pandey! :P) Rang De Basanti and Taare Zameer Par make me cry every single time I watch them. And I even wrote a whole paper on Lagaan for my Bollywood essay assignment, I love his work so much! And of course, he has flawless marketing schemes. That man reeeallllllly knows how to market his stuff. So much talent! I'm really lucky to have this chance of actually seeing this man in flesh and blood and hear him talk about intelligent Bollywood stuff. Yaaay! :D This is all because I came to this university and met all these awesome Academics and generally, did a lot of networking. I do absolutely love this uni. :D

Ok, in other big news, I have booked my tickets to go home!!!! :D I'll be in Mumbai in exactly 2 months time! :D I can't wait for 20th October to come and take me home, baby!! :D (June, does that make you happy? :P)

*Pictures courtsey Google.