Über achievers and their free stuff

Have you noticed how people who have tonnes of money and can afford to buy pretty much anything they want, are the ones that get all the really nice expensive free stuff from Brand names, corporates, etc.

Usually these people who get the free stuff, belong to a breed of humans commonly known as "celebrities" and the people giving out the free stuff come under the multi-purpose title of "marketing".

This phenomenon is world wide. It happens for the Oscars, it happens for Filmfare awards. Movie stars are comped everything from their outfits and jewellery to the 5 inches of gunk that covers their body... face. The Celebrity breed has not only actors but covers a wider gamut which includes sports-people, business tycoons, page 3 socialite, models.

You get stuff for just being...but there is a hierarchy. The more successful you are the better free stuff you get. Getting free stuff isn't the same as getting the stuff you endorse for free. It's ok if Airtel gives Sachin a million connections for free or if Aishwarya gets a life time supply of hair color - its payment in kind.

I know this certain sports celebrity though, who isn't happy getting really expensive free stuff. I've watched him pick the 3 top of of the line watches from the new range of a 100K+ brand. The marketing guys left and 1st thing the guy says, " I bet they gave Shah Rukh more variety to choose from.... "

Gimme a break... if it weren't for your batting, you wouldn't be getting shit anyway. Just hope he doesn't get a free tennis elbow.....

PS: The sports celeb is not Sachin. He actually appreciates all the free things thrown at him. :)

Happily drunk..... too drunk.

Extreme drunk is right.

I don't remember posting the last write-up.

Actually I don't remember a lot of things that I did after I came home.

I must say I'm not very proud of myself for blogging at 3 in the morning after a brilliant night out but I am impressed with the quality of my writting and how few the (marignal) screw ups are, considering my general level of intoxication.

For all my dear friends that are going to take a chance at making fun of me for the post... all I have for you is .... :p

I might have made a complete ass of myself online and don't remember very much of what I did after I got home, but I do know this - I managed to get home without making an ass of myself.

Small gracess should be acknoledged.

happily drunk

It is one of those days where i have achieved relatively extreme drunkness.....

I'm not quite falling apart but yeah keeping to together is no less of ann effort...

Every single cell in my body is full of energy yet I'm having a hard time standing straight as a ramrod which you'd think that amount of energy would get you to do....

Swaying is a natural and bumping into things even more so.

Even though the eyes are fluttering shut I know what is happening behind the back of my head... every iota of me is on attention. There is one little bit of my brain that is so extremely sober it is superhuman how it registers the smallest change, just so that I can keep myself out of harms way.

I'm the kind of person that NEVER loses control yet I'm happy in the knowledge that it is taking all my conscious effort to form a coherent thought.

I'm drunk and I love it.

I've reached a level of intoxication that leaves me aware of the fact that I'm drunk but yet not drunk enough to loose all sense of who I am. It allows for all the control to melt away and yet still not be vunerable.

I know I'm going to regret having written this tommorow, but for once it will be honest, un-edited and true. And hopefully grammatially correct.

It is things like this that give away the fact that I am a quintesserially (even this word) a control freak. sometimes i think, thanks to all the control i've learnt to exercise on myself I've become a controlling bitch.....

I refuse to acknowledge weakness ... least of all in myself. Is it a wonder that sometimes I can be a bitch?!

I'm not going read and edit this.... for y'all that see it before I hit delete tomm. you have seen a side of me that is hard to come by, a side I refuse to show myself in fear of loosing my sanity/ Enjoy. for this is a rare sight...... even for myself.

The weakest link is only as weak as you alllow it to be.

Long Distance Relationships

Remember the time when the furthest distance between you and your best friend was that between your house to theirs'?

I realised at some point between yesterday and today that the distance which seperates my closest friends from me (not all, but most) is a minimum of 1500 odd kms or just over 2 hours flight time. It is horrible and I am miserable.

I don't like it one bit .... not to mention what it does to my phone bill!!

Basil & Strawberries @ Akademia

I had indirectly mentioned Akademia in my "More Russia..." post as a must-write-about part of my trip to Moscow.

Akademia is a smallish restaurant on the Tverskaya just before the Red Square. Tverskaya is one of the main thorough fares of Moscow, incase you were interested.

Even if you have never heard about the place and/or it is completely deviod of its extremely fashionable clientele to give you a clue, you just know it is one of those places where go to see and be seen. In Moscow fashionable is not a criteria to defining young and hip because there being fashionable is a way of life but the decor and menu is a dead give-away.

The "it" place felling when you walk in comes from the cream and warm wood nearly-minimalist interior with the only accents being zen flower arrangements of white calla lilies and angled well placed large mirrors above the tall leather panelled walls broken by flat pillars topped with delicate plaster of paris borders.

Take a look at the menu and suspicions are confirmed. Sushi, pasta with black truffels, pizza with ruccola and cambert....... basil ice cream with strawberries and liquorice. This was particular dessert rocked my world. The combination sounds strange at best but it is the most awesome thing I have ever eaten. And I have eaten a lot of desserts in my time.
If you see me anytime soon after reading this post, don't dare to comment.....I like food :)

And if there are doubts left, rest assured, they will be cleared by the fact that they serve Pellegrino and play Jazz.

Single... Happy?

"I am single and thrilled about it..."

A common sentence, well rehearsed and definitely over exposed.

But is it true...?

(I'd really like to know, so please use the comments link!)

Looking for Love...

The coffee vs toffee argument can be applied to happy singledom vs. comfortable twosomness.

All single people will vehemently agree that they love being single. The freedom to be who they want to be and not having to do anything that they think sombody else wants them to. The ability to follow the heart without restraint.

Couples on the otherhand will bored you no end with their smug coziness about how having somebody you love/trust/worship helps you grow and how there is nothing better in the world than knowing there is somebody by your side no matter what.

Both arguments are valid and have weight in their own right but neither side will agree with the other. And it is a question of preference.

I really don't mind the cozy couples or the vehement singles, but what does get to me is how quickly the tune changes once somebody gets on the other side of the fence.

Games.. Or just egos?

Men vs Women

The games people play.

Its starts as banter and continues till one of the 2 cannot keep up and then it becomes playing. When does flirting/baiting become playing games?

* * What is playing games?

* * Why play games?

.................................................................

At some point or the other we, women, have all heard it: "dont' play games with me" or "I hate women who play games".

Guess what men play "games " just as much as women do. It's human nature.

Do what you want, say what you want... it all starts as a game. The flirting, the conversations .. irrespective if

it is face to face, over the phone or in any other form, it is all about:

"Do I want to deal with you on a more frequent basis"

"Is there a point in getting to know you better"

None of it is intentional or planned... ask anybody how they flirt.. you'll get a bunch of answers but not one giving you a game plan which goes any further than the ice breaker (read blatant & completely unoriginal pick up line :>)

Conversation about random things... opinions about unrelated topics... it is about tryin to build common ground where the one and only question getting answered is

"Are you smart enough for me to be around you".

"Are you worthy of my time? "

The need to answer this question comes after 'lets get coffee' but before 'lets go watch a movie'. By the time movie scenario rolls around you are already comfortable being around each other in silence. By then its too late. You can't do a "I was just flirting" turnarond... miniscule strings have begun to from. All the talk MUST come before you get comfortable.

Let me run you through this step by step...

• It starts with a general "my name is so and so....blah blah"
  Basically covers likes and dislikes.. establishes common ground other that freinds, family and work.
  
• If you create enough common ground, it moves onto rhetorical questions based on 'principles'. At this phase conversation will include inuuendos to check for ability to see if you 'get' it.
  
  It is about seeing if both parties have enough intelligence to sensibly hold an argument and/orback their stand about a sensitive/tricky/multilayered topic without backing down or resorting to evasive logic show lack of logic.
  
• At this point there has been enough talk to figure out if conversations can get more "forward" or if the situation requires a "alright buddy - you didn't fit the bill - nice talkin' to ya... peace!" as an extremely tactful (NOT!) friend of mine put it.

By the way, while all this is happening you are completely unaware . It is unintentional. Sort of just happens.

There is no set flow to how it goes, but does applies, EQUALLY, to men and women.

The reason, I think, we indulge in all Stage 1 flirting and "word-play" is because we d0n't want to get hurt.. or nurse damaged egos, either our own or somebody elses'.

Playing level 1 of the game (flirting, incase you were wondering...) over and over again, in all its variations and combinations and getting as creative as we can about making it extremely hard, is a hella lot easier that actually moving to the next level.... where the dreaded strings might come into play and there is definitely no way you can get out of it with, simply, a "no harm, no foul - lets be friends" conversation.

Next time you start to flirt - watch how it goes. And don't let knowing what you know ruin the fun. At the end of the day we ALL play games because they are FUN and make us feel GOOD about ourselves. :)

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The author of this post has an honorary PhD in Relationship Gaming, awarded by the University of the Jaded and Observant. Material is copyrighted under the law of the State of Egoistic. All disputes will come under the Jurisdication of the courts of "I don't care what you think"

Nice guys?!?! Martians?!?!? Same difference!

Where are they?
I don’t mean the sweet next door neighbor or your best (gay or straight) male friend. No offence.

I mean the guy you want to hang out with and spend time with and hopefully at some point deem worthy of introducing to your friends and know that they won’t pelt him (or you) with eggs. The guy that doesn’t look half bad, has an iota of a brain and actually has a semblance of a personality with a sense of humor.

Any ideas? Or do guys like that even exist? !!!

Disclaimer: I am not being soppy, hopeless or fatalistic. Nor am I looking for a nice guy. Jus wondering. Very happy being a free bird.

PS: I've had enough of the travelogue for a bit.

More Russia...

I know, I know... this is looks like it is turning into a travel blog.. but what can I do if came away with so many impressions. More importantly so many good ones. In all honesty, I didn't really want to go in the first place. I was doing the whole "Visa nahi mila toh nahi mila.. chorro na. Unko Dilli bula lenge" . Translation for my non indian/hindi speaking friends " if we didn't get the visa, we didn't get it.. let it go. We'll have them come to Delhi". But if my Dad says we are going to Moscow then we are going Moscow. Come hell or high water.

Anway I'm going try and make this real short by ONLY LISTING all the things I feel compelled to mention. These are in random order and I might elaborate in future posts coz I know myself, I won't be able to not give details. :)

1. Everything is huge... but I covered that already - twice over!
2. Everything is damn expensive... so much so I felt poor with 500 USD in my pocket
3. Food is excellent... I had the most interesting desert - Strawberries with Basil icecream and liquorice. Different but extremely delicious. (You will definitely read about the Restaurant where I ate this.)
4. The women are hot.. that also I mentioned.
5. The people are really friendly
6. I went to the BOLSHOI!!! It was fantastic. That is another experience that I REFUSE to degrade by simply putting on a list.

There is more. It is impossible to put down in words. Architecture, history, art, clubs, restaurants..... just so much.

It is definitely worth trying to get a visa and taking a look. Just remember to take along a no limit credit card preferably the Amex Black.

Red October - Willy Wonka?!?!!

As I already mentioned previously... everything Moscow is huge. So is the chocolate factory.

The brand is called 'Red October' and the factory building size is... well what do i say?!?!

I'm not surprised it made me think of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The size would of the building would easily support the idea.

The Red October factory is one of the oldest and largest chocolate factories in Russia.

Moscow - Interesting.

I've been busy... Moscow is... uhhmmm.... Interesting.

Everything is SUPERSIZED! The numerous propagators of the idea of supersizing in the good ol' US of A, be shamed!

The buildings, roads... Everything is huge. No building is less than a 100 feet tall (now I'm supersizing, but you get the idea) Roads are 6 lanes wide - one way! Portions are huge and so are the drink measures. It is the first place where a standard measure is 50ml and not the international 30ml. The prices reflect the supersizing as well. Again only place, that I've been to, where booze costs less than food. Oh and you can order liquor either 50ml or 500ml!

And the population in general is quite hot and good looking. Both the men and the women.
There are 3 types of women (or so it seems):

1. fat
2. supermodel
3. pregnant

The attention to details in the way people dress is crazy. Not only are high heels mandatory so are short skirts. Displaying brand names has been turned into an art. Of course they have turned wearing brand names into an art. I have seen today every possible brand name that exists. There were predictable ones and not so obvious ones, LV, D&G, Prada, Gucci, Armani in reference to Couture Fashion Labels. High street fashion was a whole different universe. Make a list of all the stores you'd find on Oxford street/Piccadilly/Marble Arch, London and on 5th Ave/ Madison/ 7th Ave in New York. You've covered pretty every store name that I saw today.

At the Red Square they have the G.U.M. It was the State Department Store... Yeah right!!

This is where all the Fashion Labels are. It has 3 parallel sections with 3 floors each. Each floor has 40 stores. Basically 3*3=9*40=360. A grand total of about 400 stores including the cafes and refreshment stands.

Not to mention the fact that it takes a whole bunch of stairs to get to each floor. I think it is 3 sets of 10 steps per flight. And those steps are well worn from CENTURIES of use. On the way down walking on the right, along the banister, you nearly slip because the steps are that well worn.

The city is different to anything I have ever seen. Everything has a very distinct feel. Isn't all just humongous. There is also great attention to detail, except in the stuff that was built during Kurshov's time.

All things Bright and Shiny…

I love to shop – most of my friends AND my bank account will testify to that.

It doesn’t matter which part of the world I am in or how long I am there for, I will find something to buy. But isn’t that what girls do? Here comes that gender bias thing again...

(Side note: I’m starting to realize that the more we talk of equality, the more focused girl/guy attributes get.)

Back to the point – I was looking at all my newly acquired possessions while I was packing to go to Moscow. I have bought a shit load of shiny things. Or things with shiny stuff on them. Handbags, shoes, belts, skirts, rubberbands….. the list goes on. (It isn’t that bad, but if I wouldn’t exaggerate than it wouldn’t be fun.)

Now please don’t think that it is all “jatak” and grossly over the top sequins and "gota" kinda stuff, but there is always some element of shine.

Come to think of it, I was chatting with Pranav (he has this knack for hitting me on the head with my own flakiness and in the process is quite self deprecating) and for some reason he asked me IF he were to buy me something… like that was happening in a million years…. how would he know that I’d like it and not chuck it back at him… my answer – “as long as it is pink and/or shiny chances are I won’t hate you for it”.

This statement kicked off an avalanche of questions… list things that are pink and shiny, things that are pink but you’d still chuck at me, give me a list of things that are pink/and or shiny but do not come under jewelry or accessories… yes, we are both extremely vela.

Where was I going with this post? I lost track of what I was going to say with all this talk about shiny things… See what I mean. I’m like a magpie…

So next time you want make ME HAPPY, head out and buy me the biggest pink Swarovski teddy bear you can find!! :)

Football vs. the Weather

FIFA World Cup, Germany 2006 has taken over the world. The atmosphere at the moment in the country is INSANE.

I think after the Unification of Germany, this is the event that most is pulling the Germans together and instilling a sense of national pride.

Football is everywhere – on TV, in the radio, the fans are thronging the streets. There is merchandise, there are huge live outdoor screenings across the city… and I mean huge 80,000 people in one place huge. You hear about nothing else. Every pub, club or restaurant you go to, it invariably is either the ice breaker or the filler.

In my own house it has become a religion. My grandmom has watched every game and kept a record of all the scores right from the 1st match. I kid you not; she has a diary in which she notes down the score of every game along with any remarks that made a particular game stand out. Like for the Netherland vs Poland game, she wrote down “rowdy spiel” (unruly game) next to the score.

Not only does she watch every game she also watches the post game analysis and then of course the replays. Football starts with breakfast, continues through the day and ends (hopefully!!) well past midnight.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not whining about it, like most women. I have nothing against it being the primary topic of conversation for over 8 weeks either I like football. But I don’t HAVE to watch every game and hear about every lost goal opportunity a million times.

Football is becoming a bit like the weather; over analyzed, over discussed and definitely never right the way it is. Somebody is going to be unhappy, not matter who wins.

Strawberries in Chocolate... hmmm

As nearly everybody knows, I'm in Munich.
And I'm getting bored out of my skull, thanks to lack of company. (more about THAT next time)

Fortunately this is an extremely vibrant city and there is always something to do, if you chose to.

I chose to spend my Saturday walking around the Tollwood festival (www.tollwood.de/english/).
It is Munich's version of the Anjuna flea market. A non beach version of course. More organized - typically German. And lots more variety. Specially when it comes to food and drink. (Elaboration at some point in the next few days.)

Part of the abundance of multinational culinary delights are :
skewers with strawberries coated in chocolate. With a choice of dark, brown or white chocolate..

This picture doesn't even come close..
imagine the strawberries being twice the size and drowned in chocolate.

The fact that you can't see the strawberries, thanks to the chocolate, leaves your mind unprepared -
a burst of succulent strawberry when you take the first bite... Heavenly.

Relationships - unequal by nature?

A very strange thought occurred to me - is it possible to prove that there is no such thing as an equal relationship. So I kept wondering and came up with this:

The term relationship means 1. "The condition or fact of being related; connection or association." 2. "A romantic or sexual involvement." (//dictionionary.com//)

The first relationship we form as a human being is that with our mother. A mother protects and safeguards her child. We rely on our mother for survival in the initial stage of our lifecycle. Do you honestly think that relationship is equal? Ever?

Second definition.. Romantic or sexual involvement. Do you remember the first time you had a crush on somebody... How long did it take for you to tell that person that you like them? Chances are you didn't have the nerve to do it. (if you did - good for you.) You probably waited for a sign that it was safe to go tell the object of your affection how you felt without getting hurt. The ability to reject you gave the other person power over you, even if it was inadvertent and they weren't aware of it. Again the relationship can not be equal if either side has an initial advantage.

Our most basic relationships and first encounters with romance are imbalanced. Is there the possibility that the idea of relationships being skewed, is entrenched in our sub conscience and therefore no matter how hard we try we never really manage to find a balance in our relationships?

I'm intrigued by relationships. Power in relationships is going to be my next pre-occupation.