Freeloaders of the world unite!

I mean, really! I've seen people go into throes of sheer ecstacy at the mere thought of free food. They behave worse than Somalian dogs.... On the hindsight, I'm not sure if they were funny or downright petty.
My friend V, treated the department to a blackforest cake, for her first byline. I found the entire scene so sickening. I mean, well-fed people, on the other side of poverty line, went absolutely bananas over a cake!!!!
Would you believe, this colleague of mine, kept stealing glances at it, then when she couldn't stand it any longer, came and begged, really, literally begged for a second helping! And I'm not exaggerating. Too bad she couldn't be obliged coz there were others who had to be served a piece too. Then this colleague, one who volunteered to help V distribute the entire thing, helped herself to a fatso of a piece. It was bloody huge! She just carved the piece out for herself, with impunity, only because my friend is way too tolerant with these pests.

However, what took the cake...and literally, was this swarm of dimwits, who have friends in our department. Apparently, when the cake arrived, alarms were set off to warn their entire brigade on the floor, who stormed our little area and helped themselves too. To think, they didn't even know my friend. They had no idea why the cake was there, just till it was there for the eating!!!!
Food man, food. It brings out the beast in people.
There was yet another gastronomic revelation for me this week. For all non-journalistic readers out there, if you ever want to invite media attention to anything, no matter how banal, just advertise FOC brand (that's free-of-cost) food for hacks. They'll all come charging in, you won't even have to issue the customary press release.
I went to this press conference earlier this week. I was a little late. By the time I entered, I saw journalists occupying every inch of the space available, save a sofa or too. All busy noting down details being given out. Just then entered smartly dressed waiters, gloved and all, serving juices. They were followed by yet another set of smartly-dressed waiters, this time with yummy-looking confectionery, followed by a serving of oven-hot patties.
Soon, the notepads were discreetly replaced with plates laden with food. There ensued some problem vis-a-vis sitting space too, coz the juice glasses too had to be accomodated. The scene looked more from a party than a press conference.
A few of them, didn't want to let go any part of the treat. They juggled their juice glasses with cups of tea or coffee.
Again, I was stumped. Par kya karein, paapi pet ka sawaal hai.....

Life...or something like that

Checking mails, reading random blogs, opening seemingly interesting sites only to find nothing even remotely worth reading. The interesting sites have all been read and re-read, then getting on with work, subbing copies after copies, lamenting the same old facts everyday -- new intake not really committed to journalism, wrong decision-making at the top level, weighing chances of being shifted to the desired department. Its the same schedule everyday. Making pages at the end of the day, going home and sleeping. Not much of a routine, is it? I mean, its certainly not enviable.
I wonder what would hold my interest then? Doing a good story?
Taking some well-deserved time off?

From where I see, almost everyone has an exciting life. They are having fun. This is not to say that I don't love what I do, but I'm tired of it. Having done it for two straight years. For a little over two years, I was fretting over one thing or the other. Whether it was getting admission in the post-graduate institution of my choice, or getting a job or getting a nice job profile. All of that, thankfully, has been solved. There's a void now. I don't lose sleep over petty details of life anymore.

I dread the future and absolutely detest the present, leading to many a bouts of depression -- sometimes so intense that when I recover I'm ashamed of myself.

What is it that I'm yearning for so desperately? Is it deliverance in some form. If yes, then from what? My life isn't living hell. I want change. Although, I'm not quite sure of what. I think I want a different life. Yes, I think that's what is it. I want a different life. I want to be able to smile and laugh, without being scared anymore.

Sulky Days

Forget the cute sweet picture posted a few blogs below, this is ottie's new avataar. Ottie was at his sulky best today, what with shouting and screaming left, right and centre. Obviously, the mood in the department was at its timid best, with none of us wanting to rub the great Ottie the wrong way. Don't know why he acted the way he did today though...

Friend NS said: ''May be he's PMSing''
Think not, i'm putting my money on menopause ;)

My Independence Day

Happy Independence Day!
Obviously, a majority of you would be celebrating Swatantrata Diwas at home, lazing around, spending time with your family, watching patriotic movies or doing nothing at all. We of course, have to come to work (you do get the newspaper on August 16, you see!)
I want to cry out aloud in sheer frustration. I mean, give me a break man! Its a freakin' national holiday for crying out aloud. What the hell do you need a newspaper for the next day??? As if you're all ears for Mr PM's speech. Oh, come on...I know the truth.
You'll go (bag baggage and all) visiting your chacha, chachi, mama, mami and basically every forgotten relation you can think of. Why deny me the chance?
And I'm not asking for much, okay! I too, like a bonafide post-independence citizen of the country, want a decent public (not to mention, paid) one-day-holiday, that's all. I want to close me eyes, without my mind wandering to what story I have to work on next, since the sarkar's too on a legal chutti :)
I want to close my eyes, lie on my bed, fall into deep slumber with the gentle hum of the AC working as a lullaby. That's all. That's what I call life :)

Instead, I'll have to come to work. Work for the edition, which in most probability, most of you won't even bother reading since you would have already caught it on the television. I mean, do you really eagerly await the arrival of the newspaper the next day to see what promises the PM made this time around? No, right. That's exactly what my point is. Why should I slog over something you aren't even interested in? Its bad enough working on a sunday :(
Its absolutely criminal to work on national holidays. Parliament should come out with some sort of legislation against this one too. Prevention of Work on National Holidays (PoWNH) or something. Put the insensitive buggers who expect us to come to work on such historic days, behind the bars and never, I mean never, let them out. They are a threat to national integrity, security whatever...just pack all of them to Tihar. Hold a public hanging. Observe national holiday (of course) and let them die.
If not, I'm off to National Human Rights Commission, wish me luck

Give 'em the boot!

Dressing down. Its a phrase I learnt from a friend whose dad was in the Army, and who used this word quite frequently to convey the fact that either he gave or received (in his younger days, of course!) a nice piece of mind. Apparently the fauj is quite fond of the phrase too. When I heard it for the first time, I liked it so much that I started using it with equal frequency.

However, I've never loved the phrase more than today. I mean, its incredible what one good dressing down can achieve for you. Thing is, I sent a package to AS, a good week before his birthday. Much to my chagrin though, it wasn't delivered to him even after 12-15 days after his birthday. So, thanks to much coaxing from AS, I went to register my complaint at the courier agency.

I don't quite know what I expected. But I wasn't surprised in the least when I entered their doorless (or if there was one, it was conspicuous by its absence), hot, and very busy office. It bore a striking resemblence to a sleeper class cloakroom at any of our railway stations.
The gentleman I strutted up to, surprised me with his service. After much customer-is-the-king crap, he gave me the royal dodge. ''Madam, CSD to aaj 6 baje band ho jayegi, hum kal aapko phone karke courier ka status batate hain'' Tolerant and understanding that I am, I gave them time and promised to return the next day to get an update.

Next Day.
Same story. Same greasy welcome (since I revealed that I was a journalist). The information, surprisingly didn't quite have the effect I was hoping for. He bullshitted me for a second day in the row. AS asked me to keep up the momentum. So I retuned back to office, called the guy up and blasted him, dropping the word 'consumer court' for added effect. He told me he'll try his best. That wasn't good enough for me.

The next morning I was brainstorming for a new day's strategy when I got a call from AS. Voila! the package had been delivered first thing in the morning! What's more, a representative of the courier company called him up twice to check if he had received the package alright and if all the contents were safe and sound. While I was exulting over victory, I realised that nothing in this country moves unless you give them a push or shove (depending on you case). So next time, things don't go your way, give'em the boot, I say

Tongue-tied...

So I have to admit that I get tongue-tied in front of my boss and act amazingly clumsy. Please don't think that he is a tyrant, in fact, he's the best boss one could ever get. Inspirational, affable, reasonable and understanding. But everytime he's around me, or rather talking to me, the urge to make him think that I'm a good efficient employee takes over me and I drop things, spell words the wrong way and basically do everything wrong. Why? But as Essar says, he's an adorable ottie!!! :)

Is he or Is he not?

oh I just love Harry Potter theories! I came to know only today that there is a website that offers theories that debunks Albus Dumbledore's death in the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. There goes, if any of who you who hadn't read the book and were planning to, I've already spoiled it for you-please don't be mad at me, I just had to write about it. Only a few days past completing the book, I'm already waiting for the seventh book to come out.
Here are a few very intruiging theories that I came across:

a. Dumbledore obviously didn't die

b. Snape's still very much a part of the Order of the Pheonix

c. Fawkes was actually healing Dumbledore when it was crying all the time. (Pheonix's tears have healing powers, remember!)

And the most explosive of all

d. Harry is one of the horcruxes!!!

For more infor, kindly log onto www.dumdledoreisnotdead.com

Time for me to go.....hope have given you enough food for thought for the night :)