FullStops

There is something eternally transient about life. And that is its defining characteristic. Life wouldn't be as it is unless it ends. And because someday we all must die every moment is invested with eternal drama, intrigue and wonder.

Each day is special and unique. Each experience to be treasured because it may never occur again. Each romance is remembered, each kiss is relived and cherished because it can occur only a finite number of times.

There is a limit to the number of times you will see your girlfriend smile, an upper cutoff to the number of trips home to see your parents, there is an end to all of this magic and that's what makes it worthwhile.

We know this and yet none of us are really prepared for death are we?

A classmate of mine died today. In a road accident with a lorry.
A few weeks back our HoD (Head of Dept) passed away while on a pilgrimage to Kasi.

At our first reunion the class of 2005 is a few people short.

Prof Soundarajan was loved by our class. He knew all of us by our names and took a keen interest in what we were doing and where we were headed. I remember he spoke to me for close to an hour discussing B schools and his son's experience there etc. He will be sorely missed.

As will Vishwant. We moved in different circles in college and I only know him as a good friend of a good friend. But he will be remembered as a rather soft, mildly shy guy who was always a good sport.

May they both rest in peace.

There is a poignant lesson hidden here somewhere about how life is short.
But right now i'm just praying that every one on the road gets back home safely.

And if you're reading this, please drive carefully...

Standstill Shopping, Spelt Sadly (10,8)

aka Stationery Shopping

I finally got around to shopping and went to Landmark at Spencers for a fun filled morning. Spent a couple of hours picking out fresh notebooks, pads, pens, pencils, shiny new erasers in colorful holders, files, folders. All bright and beautiful.

Yes, dear reader, you've stumbled on the skeleton in my cupboard.. i have a secret love for stationery. I get a kick outta post-its and glue gets me high. It's something about the newness and the immense possibilties. I think i associate it with school and growing up when new books and new samsonite backpacks meant a new school year. And new hopes and ideas and the excitement!

And now i have all new fresh staplers and punching machines and it's finally sinking in that in three weeks time i'm going to be living away from home.

Yet, I hate change. Ever since i can remember the prospect of things changing horrified me more than anything on earth. Even if its a good thing, i still would prefer things just the way they are. The new Hindu for example, did not go down well with moi :)

I hate waking up one morning and discovering they don't make my breakfast cereal no more. And i won't allow them to paint my room a different color. Living away from home for the first time in my life is going to be hard. I'd miss coming home each day and sitting on the kitchen counter (yes i still do that, no it does not break, no you may not make a fatjoke) and telling my mom about my day.

I'd miss talking to my sis for hours. I'd miss the scrabble games and cards. I'd miss my dad's good morning kisses. But, i do hope to have what seniors have promised is "an experience of a lifetime". And with that i'm done with this particular rant.

We had our formal fachcha meet at chennai today. A few hours of intros and getting to know more about the college while our seniors tried to get to know us. Almost everyone plays the guitar and wants a "good" salary at the end of two years. What is good? Almost no one could quantify that. And all the seniors warned us of sleepless nights ahead...

Goodnight from one very sleepy sue

You're Catch-22!
by Joseph Heller
Incredibly witty and funny, you have a taste for irony in all that you
see. It seems that life has put you in perpetually untenable situations, and your sense
of humor is all that gets you through them. These experiences have also made you an
ardent pacifist, though you present your message with tongue sewn into cheek. You
could coin a phrase that replaces the word "paradox" for millions of
people.
Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Uphill Downhill

I spent the whole of last week at Ooty.
While everyone else was sweating it out in hot hot madras, i was walking the waterfall, boating, mildly trekking and having a blast.
Unfortunately what goes up must come down (ref : Newton's Law of Gravity and Apples) and i came down on Saturday. With a full blown stomach infection. And fever.
And so i've been stuck in bed the whole of this week.
And am recovering.
Slightly..

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd

I saw Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind a few days back and I have to say its an Amazing movie. Its got rich well fleshed out characters and a reasonably complex plot. Im tired of sugar fluff simple romances where everything points to the oh so obvious ending. The story itself is about the memories we make and the ones we lose. If something you remembered caused you so much pain, would you erase it? What would that entail? Its about the people who enter our lives and become so intertwined that removing them from it, kills a tiny part of it. Its a romance with the Charlie Kauffman touch.

Dont miss it.