Saturday, July 31, 2010

Postal revolution..


As an unavoidable part of the process of grad school applications, I have been spending a lot of time (and money) at the post office lately. Most universities insist on having hard copies of transcripts and recommendation letters sent in by the applicants. Hence, the trips to the post office. During these trips, I have noticed that the Indian Postal System (IPS) is still stuck in some century when people had plenty of time to devote to the 'important' task of postal communication. Don't get me wrong.. The Indian Postal System is a vast, well connected and extremely efficient network. The employees do their job extremely well and the mail is always on time i.e the process that happens once the mail is dropped into the box runs quite smoothly but in the process that occurs before that lie the problems..

Firstly, the stamps have to be glued on.. And the glue provided by the post office is generally stinky, gooey and not very sticky. So, I take my own but the process of gluing stamps on is messy nevertheless. So, my first suggestion to the postal department and a step towards the modernization of the Indian Postal System-

  1. Please introduce sticker stamps.
They will be more fun, less messy and no more worries about too little glue or too much of it. Philately will become more popular among youngsters and who knows, they may even begin to prefer snail mail to e- mail!!


Secondly, they never have envelopes. At least the post office I went to didn't. And the problem with glue applies to envelopes too. So, my second suggestion-

    2.  Please stock plenty of envelopes of various sizes and with sticker flaps.

Think of all the revenue this will generate, IPS.. Imagine.. A monopoly over envelopes.. and no more icky, stinky glue around.. Sounds good, eh?

Friday, July 30, 2010

Song I'm feeling.. sechs


Frustration
There's no windows in this place 

For me to show my weary face 

Rage I hold within my soul 

At times I cannot control 

What's the point of me being here 

When being here is what I fear 

Every day it's all the same 

Trapped again in my own pain I cry myself to sleep 

So many secrets I must keep 

No one to reach me 

Nobody cares 

Trapped in the middle of a distant stare I've prayed that I was free 

Of this grief that's filling me 

Everywhere I turn 

Every bridge must burn 

There's no windows in this place 

For me to show my weary face 
                                                           - Moffat

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Someone finally warming up to me?


The someone in question being my brother. I am currently in the process of applying to the doctoral program at three universities. When he called to speak to mom today, he asked about the stipend I might expect, living arrangements, food etc and suggested that perhaps I should apply to a few more universities. This tiny gesture of his encouraged me a lot and made me throw myself into the application process with re-doubled vigor.

A little background here will make it clearer why this affected me so much. Both my siblings are much older than me. My bro is 12 years older than me and my sis is ten years older. You would expect that with such a huge difference in ages, they would behave more like my parents, boss around, give (unnecessary) advice which would ultimately turn out to be beneficial etc. But they do nothing of that sort.

My sister behaves even more juvenilely than I do. In fact, she sometimes approaches me for advice.. but when I try to ask her advice on something that might be bothering me, she either has zero interest in listening or has absolutely no opinion or advice to give whatsoever on that matter. It's just so frustrating.. Aaargh..

But my brother is worse. My sis is at least a buddy to me if not an older sis. My bro just has no clue what I am or what I have been doing. We have never had a single conversation in our entire lives. He left home when I was about 10 years old and he was 22 because of his job and after that his interaction via letters or calls was mostly with mom. He wasn't there to see me grow up and become an adult. Perhaps he still sees me as that pre- teen kid who is not worthy of conversing with.. God alone knows..

I remember a character in some movie or soap talking about this kid who received a shiny new digger as a gift and used to dig with it in his garden. Whenever there were people watching the kid and the digger dig, the kid would say, "Let's go faster, digger." and dig with greater enthusiasm. I am like that kid.. Not that I won't dig when there are no people around but I do dig a little bit faster when there are people watching and today I felt like there was someone watching.. It's a nice feeling..

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

What am I.. really?


Rather, what is any person, really? A name, a presence, a sum of his or her belongings, a list of his or her achievements, the feeling that arises in the hearts of our loved ones when they think of us? 
What defines us? Some of these? All of these?

So many questions, so little time. The average life span of a human being in today's fast paced life is 50- 60 years. I am now 25 years old and theoretically, half of my lifetime has passed by.. And yet, I feel like I've just gotten here and need more time to find my bearings. Some of the earliest memories of my life, formed when I was maybe three years old, are still crystal clear in my mind. The intervening 22 years seem to be a blur of school, home work and vacations spent playing with cousins. 

Like every human being who tries retrospective introspection once in a while, I too have a few regrets, some triumphs, a few disappointments and some satisfaction. All that I have earned in these few, short years of my life are the love of a few people, a lot of books, some degrees and a few certificates. I haven't even had the opportunity to do something for the people who love me.

What would happen if I were to disappear off the face of Earth tonight? Would anyone miss me? For a few days.. Sure, but then my face and my voice will slowly fade from their memories. Maybe some particularly funny, interesting, mean or unusual things I said or did will linger longer until those too are pushed to some corner of the mind that is seldom visited. All of my things will be put away or given away.. initially because it would be too painful to have them around and later, because it is practical to.

When my belongings, thoughts and memories are all gone, what will remain of me? What will I then be?

So, what am I? I am someone who loves and wants to be loved. Someone who does not want to be forgotten. Someone who wants to break free of her shackles yet is afraid to, since she has never known what that feels like. I am someone who wishes at the deepest hour of the night that she didn't exist or could gather the courage to terminate her existence so that her problems too would cease to exist. But, I am also someone who then remembers all that can still be done to overcome those problems and goes to sleep with that glimmer of hope in her heart. I am someone who can write frivolous posts about shoes and clothes and yet attempt to find the meaning of life in the next post. I am the pessimist's worst nightmare and the eternal optimist.

I am a mass of contradictions.

Song I'm feeling.. fünf


Now I will tell you what I've done for you 

50 thousand tears I've cried 
Screaming, deceiving, and bleeding for you 
And you still won't hear me 
Don't want your hand this time, I'll save myself 
Maybe I'll wake up for once 
Not tormented...Daily defeated by you 
Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom 

I'm dying again... 

(Chorus) 
I'm going under 
Drowning in you 
I'm falling forever 
I've got to break through 
I'm going under 

Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies 
So I don't know what's real and what's not 
Always confusing the thoughts in my head 
So I can't trust myself anymore 

I'm dying again 

(Chorus) 

So go on and scream 
Scream at me 
I'm so far away 
I won't be broken again 
I've got to breathe 
I can't keep going under 



(Chorus) 
                                                                           - Evanescence

Monday, July 26, 2010

Tangerines in the rain..


I bought these pretty tangerine flats for the monsoons today from Bata's Bata and I collection. But like every purchase of footwear in my life, this one too was followed by a trip to the pharmacy to buy Band aids.. Why am I the most shoe bite prone person in the whole world? :(

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Suite life III

I had a wonderful dream the night before last. I don't know if I had this dream since I have been thinking and blogging about hotels or because I am psyched about an upcoming trip.. Whatever the reason, I dreamt that my parents and I had been invited to the opening of a new bar in an existing hotel, which was rather unusual since I don't drink and my parents would kill me if I did. Anyway, I was dressed in a rather cool party dress and once we arrived at the hotel, I was on my own. My parents somehow went MIA after that.


I began to wander in the hotel in search of the bar. Along the way, I passed some rooms which were very much unlike hotel rooms. In fact they looked like students' rooms in hostels. They had comfy beds and study tables in them. Above the study tables were book racks filled with the most amazing books, mostly teen fiction like Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys etc.










After passing the rooms, I found myself in some passageways which were lined from floor to ceiling with books. It was truly my 'dream' hotel ;) Then I felt that the bar was nearby. Beyond the passages was a tiny hall in which some employees of the hotel were sorting books. I asked them the way to the bar and they said it was just a little way ahead.










When I reached the bar, I found that it was an 'all male, no females allowed' kind of a bar. The decor was all dark wood and leather, dim lights and lots of tiny tables scattered around. The bar seemed to be open already since there were lot of people in it but I don't what I did in there or beyond that because that was where my dream came to an end. 










Slightly weird dream but not too unusual. I tried find an interpretation of this dream. According to two different websites that are devoted to dream interpretation, dreaming of hotels and bars signifies the need to escape from daily routine and stress. To see books apparently indicates calmness and moving towards goals at a slow and steady pace but to see a book shelf represents various levels of the mind where ideas, concepts and memories are kept. It also suggests the need to acquire some information or knowledge in a situation before making a decision.

I take these to mean that I want to escape from the rut my life has fallen into right now. I truly can't wait to get a job or get into a doctoral program and move away from home. Also, I need to collect more information regrading the courses I am planning to apply to whereas I am already moving closer to my goals through the programs I have already applied to. Come to think of it, that was not such a bad dream to have :)

Saturday, July 24, 2010

New pinch!!!


Check out the new jeans and tee I bought today.. I admit the picture quality is crap since I clicked this with the cam on my phone but I'm so excited with this buy because it was a total steal.. The jeans cost me just 520 bucks and the tee? only a 150 bucks ladies, that's right.. And where in the world did I manage to find this great price, you ask me? At the worst kept best secret in town.. The Jayalakshmi cloth store in Udyavar.

This (Konkani owned and operated) cloth store has been in business for more than 25 years.. I first visited them only about three years ago though.. Then, they were located in a single storied structure right beside the Udyavar bus stand.. No matter what time of the day or year you visited, you would always find crowds of shoppers there.. Stand near the till and you could see whopping bills of thousands going through at a time. The only thing lacking in that store was adequate number of trial rooms.

But I guess it got too crowded in there. So now, the store has moved 50 meters to the right and opposite side of the road. The swanky new showroom is probably the biggest show room in all of the Udupi and Manipal area. It is still single storied but with two huge U- shaped counters on each floor that sell every thing from undergarments to wedding sarees and yes, they've got more trial rooms now. There are now two billing counters and a separate cash payment counter. Another novelty is that they now have two tailors who do on the spot alterations. The only thing that hasn't changed though are the crowds. There is the same bustle and excitement anytime of the day or year. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that latest fashions + affordable prices= roaring business but Jayalakshmi was the only one to figure that out. Kudos..

This is my personal opinion of the place and does not represent an expert opinion. I have not been paid to review this place by any individual or organization.

I wish.. Part 5


I visited the Reebok exclusive store here in Manipal today to grab me this cute, girly 'Sing it loud' tee from the Indian Idol collection. Unfortunately they didn't have it in stock just yet but the guy at the counter promised they will be in stock first week in August onwards. So, any Manipalites visiting this blog.. Now you know when you can get your Indian Idol tees..

I loved the tee for the girly color and the fun graphic.. Every wannabe singer would love to have this tee but I was a little disappointed that there isn't a more rock chic(k) kind of option for girls in the collection. The only other tee for girls is one with a white background and a saxophone graphic in pink on it ('Play the best' tee). Girls like me who like to flaunt their tomboyishness sometimes would've appreciated something in black with maybe some rock inspired graphics on it..

Guys have a (relatively) wider selection but in terms of graphics only.. There is the 'Music' tee for the sensitive guy, the 'Rock Star' tee which looks like it would appeal to rappers, the 'Rock' tee for fans of Rock and the 'RBK singer' tee for every-kind-of-music-lover guy.. The basic colors for guys in the collection are limited however.. Blue and white with just one tee having a hint of red on it.. 

All considered it is a pretty good collection though.. There are some cool graphics and themes going on there and the price is pretty great too.. With a 30% discount thrown on top of that, the collection is too good to miss..

Check out the complete collection here.

This is my personal opinion of the product and does not represent an expert opinion. I have not been paid to review this product by any individual or organization.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Song I'm feeling.. vier


I'm so tired, I haven't slept a wink
I'm so tired, my mind is on the blink
I wonder should I get up and fix myself a drink
No,no,no.

I'm so tired I don't know what to do
I'm so tired my mind is set on you
I wonder should I call you but I know what you would do

You'd say I'm putting you on
But it's no joke, it's doing me harm
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane
You know I'd give you everything I've got
for a little peace of mind

I'm so tired, I'm feeling so upset
Although I'm so tired I'll have another cigarette
And curse Sir Walter Raleigh
He was such a stupid git.

You'd say I'm putting you on
But it's no joke, it's doing me harm
You know I can't sleep, I can't stop my brain
You know it's three weeks, I'm going insane
You know I'd give you everything I've got
for a little peace of mind
I'd give you everything I've got for a little peace of mind
I'd give you everything I've got for a little peace of mind
                                                              - The Beatles

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Suite life II

If someone ever gave me the option to spend one night at any room in any hotel in the world, (which I'm sure nobody is crazy enough to do.. but I'm a dreamer.. So, sue me..) without any hesitation whatsoever, I would choose the Royal Suite at the Burj al Arab, Dubai. Do, I even have to explain why? These pictures speak for themselves..


The entrance to the Royal Suite


Seating area, one of many I guess..

The whole suite is fabulous, no doubt but the biggest draw for me is this fantastic, revolving and canopied  bed.. It is like something out of a fairy tale..


The fairy tale bed

With a bath tub to match..


Bubble bath time :)

Sigh.. Why am I not an over paid movie star or the daughter of an oil sheikh or an heiress of any sort, really.. Life is so unfair ;(

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Thwarted Quest

'How I met your mother' is one of my beloved's and my favorite shows.. Although our and almost everyone's favorite character is Barney, I do identify a lot with Ted.. Like Ted, I too am the hopeless romantic, the eternally optimistic one, the one who always believed she would have a great love story, a love story fit to be a Mills and Boons novel at the very least, if not Wuthering Heights..

And I'm lucky to have lived and to be living this fantasy of mine.. I didn't have to settle for Mills and Boons; I have my very own Heathcliff.. But before I found the man of dreams, I had to experience many false starts, shed so many tears, heave so many sighs (I now realize that all this would make a good novel too.. just not a romantic one) dream countless dreams about the knight in shining armor who never came.. until he did.. These poems are from that time in my life when I was waiting for the one..

I lie awake at the midnight hour when all the world sleeps
The hour at which the darkness of the night is most deep
Yet, the darkness pales in comparison to the one in my heart
My soul craves for a new dawn, a fresh, new start...
----------------------------------------------------------------
The face of my beloved taunts me
It makes me want to tear out my heart
Because he knows I love him so
And I know he loves me not...

Monday, July 19, 2010

Song I'm feeling.. drei

Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
                                                                                - Pink Floyd

Sunday, July 18, 2010

I wish.. Part 4


Samsung Corby Mate and TXT.. Two phones I would love to get my hands on right now.. They are cool, they are hip.. but more importantly, they fit within my budget.. My beloved has been promising to let me know which of these phones is a better buy technology wise.. I'm waiting for the Gadget Guru to make good on his promise.. The wise man may even advise me to buy a completely different phone altogether.. We'll just have to wait and watch, won't we? Do you have any suggestions for me? Please comment and follow :)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Serenity..

I was lucky enough to spend a few minutes at the riverside today.. The weather was cool and cloudy, the view was enchanting.. As I heard the waves lapping softly against the shore, I thought of my beloved and wished he was with me..

Friday, July 16, 2010

Evil kitty?


I've been meaning to visit my uncle's place to take a look at this cute little guy for quite a few days now but I could do so only today. I was absolutely enchanted with this kitten. (not that it's tough to impress a die- hard cat lover like me) He had the silkiest fur and the cutest face ever.. But I didn't fawn over him quite as much as I would've a few years ago. I held him for just a few minutes and washed my hands very, very carefully after. All of these precautions were taken thanks to a scary article I'd read a few years ago about all the dangerous, icky, painful diseases one could catch from household pets. The article did its job well alright.. I haven't kept any pets since then and handle any that I come in contact with very gingerly :(

The awareness of these dangers have made such an impression on our minds that when my little cousin picked up the kitty to play with it, my parents as well as her mom made her put it down immediately and told her not to play with it too much. Even though I knew the adults meant well, the child inside me felt bad on seeing that kid deprived of the simple joy of playing with a kitten, a joy that all of us present there had experienced in our childhoods since we were not so scared of germs then. 

As a society we are more protective of our children now.. Overprotective rather.. Is it because parents want to protect their children from the 'dangers' they were exposed to as children? Is it because every second ad you see on the TV is for a product that promises to wage a war against GERMS, of whatever kind? Whatever the reason, children today are missing out on their childhood and its simple pleasures..

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Song I'm feeling.. zwei


I hear the clock, it's 6am
I feel so far from where I've been
I got my eggs and my pancakes too
I got my maple syrup, everything but you
I break the yolks and make a smiley face
I kinda like it in my brand new place
I wipe the spots off all the mirror
Don't leave the keys in the door
I never put wet towels on the floor anymore

CHORUS
Cause�¢€¦
Dreams last so long
Even after you're gone
I know, that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you

I called my momma, she was out for a walk
Consoled a cup of coffee but it didn't wanna talk
So I picked up a paper, it was more bad news
More hearts being broken and people being used
Put on my coat in the pouring rain
I saw a movie but it just wasn't the same
Cause it was happy and I was sad
And it made me miss you oh so bad

CHORUS
Cause�¢€¦
Dreams last so long
Even after you're gone
I know, that you love me
And soon you will see
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you


BRIDGE
I go about my business, I'm doing fine
Besides, what would I say if I had you on the line
Same old story, not much to say
Hearts are broken every day

I brush my teeth and put the cap back on
I know you hate it when I leave the light on
I pick up a book, and I turn the sheets down
And I take a deep breath and a good look around
Put on my pj's and hop into bed
I'm half alive but I feel mostly dead
I try and tell myself it'll be all right
I shouldn't think anymore tonight

CHORUS
Cause�¢€¦
Dreams last so long
Even after you're gone
And I know, that you love me
And soon i know you will see
You were meant for me
And I was meant for you
Yeah, you were meant for me
And I was meant for you 
                                                                                    - Jewel

Check out how Jewel duped the crowd at a karaoke bar here.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Chakkuli


Is the name of this tasty, crunchy snack in the colloquial language. The picture is from here and the recipe is given there too. However this post is not about about food. It's about a someone who visits us during the monsoons, someone who the kids in this region refer to as the Chakkuli because he looks like one, someone who is big, clay colored and said to have a thousand legs.. It's this guy..


The giant millipede

He was taking a stroll through my garden this morning and when I touched him, he curled up into this perfectly symmetrical spiral.. Isn't he beautiful?

The very first Zoology class of my B.Sc course, my Zoology Sir entered with an earthworm in his hands and asked us if anybody would like to touch it. I was the only one who actually took it in my hand. The reason Sir gave for this little exercise was that being Zoology students, we shouldn't be squeamish about handling creepy crawlies. I'm glad I passed his little test.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Suite life

I began falling in love with hotels and restaurants when Discovery Travel and Living channel began to be broadcast in India. I owe so much to that channel.. I've been all over the world and then some because of my beloved T&L. My favorite show of all time has to be Great Hotels with Samantha Brown. I loved that show not just because I would get to see all those exotic places, luxurious hotels and the decadent food but also because of Samantha's sheer excitement and enthusiasm when she took us to a new destination. Her child- like delight at any novelty in a hotel was so infectious.. A particularly fluffy bed, an intricate motif on the wallpaper, some rare detailing on the ceiling, whimsy furniture, one of a kind lamps, a particularly nice pool or a private jacuzzi, a knowledgeable butler or concierge.. any of these would send her into raptures.. 


Too bad this show began to air after I'd gotten into the Science stream.. Otherwise, the hospitality business would have one more starry eyed Samantha wannabe :)
Read about Samantha's latest adventures at http://samantha-brown-blog.travelchannel.com/

Do you love travel and living channels? What are your favorite shows? Please comment and follow :)

Monday, July 12, 2010

I wish.. Part 3.. Sweet no more?

I never was dudes and dudettes.. Probably the reason why I crave these cool sunglasses by Fastrack..


There's a sale on these right now.. 20% off on all sunglasses and watches. (Unless you live under a rock, you must've known about this.. Can't miss those huge billboards that scream F*****ck 20% off) Every time I see one of those billboards, this dialogue ensues..

Heart: Ooh.. Look, Fastrack. I want those shades I checked out the other day...
Brain: No heart, we are not employed yet.. Surely we can find something more useful to buy..
H: But they are so cool and chic..
B: Look away H.. NOW!!
H: But they are so cool.. :(
B: Besides, it's the rainy season. Whatever do you want sunglasses for?
H: *whispers* sale lasts only till the 18th of July..
B: .........

It looks to me like H is gonna win.. What do you say? ;)
Check out more fun Fastrack stuff at http://www.fastrack.in/fs.html

I have not been paid to endorse this product or brand by any individual or organization.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

FM mania

The bus I was travelling to Mangalore in yesterday had FM playing in it and brought memories of my PG days back to me.. but thankfully, only the good ones. I guess a year gives time for your mind to forget bitter memories of a person, place or thing and lets you remember the sweet ones without the other kind tainting your reminiscences..

And it had been exactly one year since I'd listened to the mindless yet soothing chatter on the familiar FM stations. Although I loved listening to the radio as a kid and still do, I'm not exactly a willing participant in the FM mania. I can listen to that inane chatter and those sometimes tasteless songs for say an hour, tops.. Beyond that it gets on my nerves.. but there was a time when I used to listen to that drivel up to four or five hours at a time.

The fondest memories I have of this 'noble' pursuit are those of writing records. A bunch of us would sit in the common room, all of us armed with record sheets, required stationary and a personal music player of some sort. Since writing records was no-brains-required sort of a job where you just copied your observation book but in a neater form, everyone of us would have earphones stuffed in our ears. Sometimes all of us would tune in to the same channel and comment on the songs or each would go a separate way until a particularly ridiculous song came on upon which the 'lucky' person listening to that channel would be like, "Hey tune in to XYZ you guys.. This is damn funny.." and we would make fun of those lyrics or the actors to death.. Good times :D

The other time we would crave for some mind numbing chatter and music was during the practicals. The shortest of experiments would last half an hour and if you had to repeat, you would be stuck in the lab for half of the day or on not so rare occasions, the whole day. Since these practicals were unsupervised, anytime the faculty were not around, we got the music players out. That thrill of doing something that you are not supposed to do is something else isn't it? The proof- I can now listen to FM all I want but my player has been in hibernation for a year.. Oh, to be a student again :)

Saturday, July 10, 2010

My ten commandments


  1. Thou shalt keep reminding thyself, thou art an Arien.
  2. Thou shalt be strong.
  3. Thou shalt work thy arse off.
  4. Thou shalt not be a burden.
  5. Thou shalt make thy parents proud.
  6. Thou shalt make thy beloved proud.
  7. Thou shalt not cry anymore.
  8. Thou shalt always think of what will be and not of what could've been.
  9. Thou shalt reach the top.
  10. Thou shalt stay there.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Song I'm feeling.. eins


Maybe this time, I'll be lucky
Maybe this time, he'll stay
Maybe this time
For the first time
Love won't hurry away

He will hold me fast
I'll be home at last
Not a loser anymore
Like the last time
And the time before

Everybody loves a winner
So nobody loved me;
'Lady Peaceful,' 'Lady Happy,'
That's what I long to be
All the odds are in my favor
Something's bound to begin
It's got to happen, happen sometime
Maybe this time I'll win
                                                           - John Kander and Fred Ebb

Shimme(ring)


This is the beautiful ring my beloved got for me on our very first Valentine's day and the pretty, red pouch it came in.. (The nail color is 'Tulip' by Lissome) It's has a round stone in the center with a raised setting and a Baguette stone and three tiny round stones on either side. And I want this exact same design for my engagement ring too.. No, I'm not about to be engaged but a girl can dream, can't she? :)


For the information of any lovely ladies reading this, here's a short guide to the cuts of diamonds from here.



Have you always known what kind of engagement or wedding ring you wanted? I would love to hear about it. Please comment and follow..

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Child actress that never was..

I have recently become a follower of http://www.fourthgradenothing.com/ and have been reading all of her past posts. Her style of writing is very appealing.. Simple and down to earth. Though I grew up as a part of a different generation than the one she describes, I love reading her posts.

Anyway, while reading about her unfulfilled ambitions of becoming a child star, I remembered something that I don't really think about a lot. But when I do think, I often think about what might have been.. This incident apparently happened when I was two and a half years old. My mom had taken me out that day, all dolled up and this Assistant Director in the Kannada film industry approached her saying how he thought I could become the next child star. My mom like all moms, being protective of me and thinking about the seamy side of show business, refused. The guy pleaded with her to let him take at least a few test shots of me but to no avail.


My chubby two year old self..

Surprisingly, this experience was not the first of it's kind for my mom. Apparently my sis was also spotted by a talent hound for movies around the same age in Delhi. My mom had refused that time too.

Sometimes I wonder what would have been if my mom had been one of those countless moms who are dazzled by the limelight and the glamor of being the mom of a child actress. My sis would have been a child actress in the Hindi film industry and I, in the Kannada film industry. Maybe we would have continued to act as adults. Heck, I could've been famous; instead I am an unknown wannabe scientist and teacher.. But such is life..

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Pimple yahan.. Dimple?

I never had acne problems as a teenager unlike my siblings. I used to be so grateful to that miracle of genetic lottery that gave me the kind of skin that would hardly erupt except for maybe a lone pimple during that time of the month. Little did I know that my euphoria would be short lived.. In the recent months, with a change in my sleeping patterns (staying up till 4 in the morning and waking up at 12 noon) and with all the stress that I am experiencing, my skin has begun to rebel. I have had clusters of pimples break out on my cheeks and forehead.

Though the most popular and for many years, the only acne cream available in India was Clearasil, I used to avoid using it since the one and only time I tried it in my teenage, it lead to the drying and peeling of the skin in the area of my face where I'd applied it. I don't know if Clearasil has since refined their formula and I haven't dared to try and find out.

So, what next? I had a wicked, huge pimple coming up on my cheek and I didn't know who or what to turn to, to make it go away. Enter- Himalaya Acne-n-Pimple Cream.


It really works!!! :)

Himalaya is one of my favorite and most trusted brands. Almost every beauty care product that I use is a Himalaya but more on that later. Coming back to the pimple cream, not only did this cream get rid of the pimple in two days, it also did not harm my skin. More good things about the cream?
  • The smell is really great which is an important factor when you have to leave the cream on for a whole day or night. It doesn't have that strong, medicinal smell that other acne creams have.
  • A very little goes a long way. Just a smidgen was enough to cover a sizeable portion of my cheek.
  • It spreads beautifully and is not too sticky. So, you could apply the cream and dust some powder on during the day and no one has to know ;)
  • It is available in a cute and handy 20g pack which easily fits in your handbag.
  • The cost is just Rs.45 which considering bullet no.2 is very reasonable.
  • And best of all, the very reason I love Himalaya- It's herbal.. Made from natural ingredients.. "Completely safe. No side effects." (To quote Himalaya)

The only drawback that I noticed was that it tended to make my skin more oily. However, the oiliness subsided when the cream was not applied for a couple of days. So, although Himalaya advises me to 'apply over affected area twice daily', I think I'm gonna apply it just once a day and if the acne is not too severe, maybe just every other day. 

This review is only my personal opinion of the product and does not represent an expert opinion. I have not been paid to review this product by any individual or organization.