A day spent zooing! ;)

Hello awesome people! If you're among those readers I so adore, that is, if you've been here long enough (hey new guys. I like you too :P ), you remember reading two crazy posts about two crazy days with two friends with crazy stuff we did, and the crazy fun we had? My two oh-we-might-meet-twice-a-year-but-we're-awesome friends, Aneesha and Richa? Henceforth, A and R. The point is, I was feeling so cruddy yesterday. I mean, that's not the point, but the beginning of the point. A pinged me on Facebook and then this happened (not exact):

A: Mausam is so cool! Let's go enjoy in some park-kinda place!

Me: Really? I'm in! I'll ask R if she's free to go tomorrow! Decide the place.

A: I'll Google.

Just like the cute friend she is, R agreed, not forgetting to giggle at the random plan. :P

A: Let's go to Indraprastha Millenium Park. Pragati Maidan. Metro+Auto.

Me: (asks parents who say a weary yes. - It's so not easy getting permission.) Yeah sure. :D Whatever it is :P

So then I had this dawn of intuition that my morose mood wouldn't last for long. And jeez, I love the guy who discovered intuition. Thanks dude! (or dudeni. Uh, I should probably curtail the excitement-which-leads-to-weird-lingo-and-unnecessary-length-in-my-anyway-long-blog-posts! :P) This morning the weather turned hot again! That rogue! But A still said we'd go. What a my-kind of friend she is. :D I picked her up on Scoot on our way to the metro station, and as she hopped on pillion, she said, "We're not going to IP park." 

Me: Why? Where then?

A: I have no idea. Let's just go, then we'll see. :P

R met us at her station and then we decided (when I said like a drooling child, please!) to go to the National Zoological Park, a.k.a, Zoo! I said how I've been crying and dying to visit it since the past two-three years especially, ever since I learned photography and have a camera, and the last (which also happened to be the first) time I visited was when I might have been a ten year old. A and R too, had just been there as kids and I had brought along my camera (supposedly, we wanted to have a nice photo-session) and we were oh-so-excited! Since it was initially my idea, supported by A and an okay-alright-R, they said they were depending on me to get them safely to the zoo. Oh my dear friends have so much faith in me. No wonder I talked to an auto wallah who overcharged. Sorry guys. :P

I'm going to try to make this post short, so I'm just pointing out the highlights. 

# 1: We were just really excited and happy. You know, that forest-y feel, natural environment, okay-type weather, each other's company and an interest in such stuff. You know how it is! After looking at (and I don't need to mention, photographing each of those) a few basic animals and birds, we saw an enclosure with a huge pit, jungle-y kind of a place and just a railing to ward people off. I mean, to keep us out, because like A said, "this is their home and we're the strangers here'. Aww A, sometimes you're just profound. (Okay, sorry. :P). So, I looked at that pit and had a flashback. Ten years old and mom telling me the pit is important so that those animals don't jump out and eat us alive. I said how there might be something big over there, and then read a warning sign, "Dangerous animal: keep off the railing". That got me excited (I'm normal okay? This stuff just excites me! :D) and then we went further ahead when I spotted a sign! Eep! It said, 'White Tiger'. By the time I literally shouted, "Tiger!!!" my eyes adjusted to a great beauty standing right at the edge of the pit, just looking at us all as if we're the novelty around here (which for it, might be true :P ). I mean, it looked so good, so white with black stripes, just standing with an attitude. Really, those beasts have attitude and it shows! I heard small "aaoohhh" and saw R and A looking scared and starting to go back! Getting scared because the tiger was out in the open and it did not occur to them that there's a whole pit to save us and that it's unlikely it'll jump on us. :P

As expected, I took out my camera and clicked! And it posed. And I'm not kidding. I always had this photography dream to photograph wild animals, and today it seemed like they were just waiting for me, saying, "after all this time?" I just had the time of my life. Yeah, so when I had clicked a few pictures and adored the animal, with A and R now looking at it with awe too, it moved and went to hide in those bushes. :P Ha! I was just so happy! (I've said that already how many times?)

Ah this tiger! ^_^
Yeah, I clicked. I'm a good hobbyist photographer! :P

# 2: Wolf enclosure: I had never seen a wolf before, except of course in National Geographic and so I was making my usual huge eyes even huger and searching the compound and the three cave kinda things for any sign of the wolf. After a while, R and A got excited and R pointed towards the caves and said, "There! Something's moving! It's the wolf!" A was nodding her head but then like me, searched even more carefully. Then I saw those tiny irritable mosquitoes (or whatever they are), hovering in front of the cave in two batches and said, "It's not the wolf, those are mosquitoes!" R kept pointing and saying, "No, it's there! Something is moving. Seee!!! It's moving into the third cave!" I thought she might have some special vision powers because I could only see blackness and my eye sight is okay. By that time, a few more people had gathered behind us, trying to peer into the caves for any sign of the wolf. Then I took out my camera and zoomed in (it's awesome with a 24x optical and 48x -or more-digital zoom) and showed her the whole cave from the inside! It was empty. :P I clicked a picture that shows those mosquito-kind of things. Of course, we left the place discreetly, leaving the rest to try and look for the wolf. :P (On a serious note, if there were those mosquitoes, it might have been there, hidden somewhere like a clever......uh, wolf.)

I still can't see anything except these mosquito-thingies. 

# 3. We reached the water-part (how, I'll explain in point number 5) where there was green, slimy water with a sign that read, "Spectacled caiman crocodile". We peered into the water, into the bushes and whatever part was visible, but could not see it. That was when R said, "it might be hidden because it's wearing specs and looking hideous." Uhh. Okay. :P

# 4: Walking towards some deer and stuff, we stumbled a bit over uneven ground. There were small mud hills and pits big enough for a small animal and a human kid to fall into. R, showing off her genius said, "Do you know why these pits are there?" We shook our heads and she continued, "because in case any animal takes off after someone like us, they'd fall into the pit and we can run away to safety." Just. Hhahahahhaha! :P

# 5. We had been having a great time, what with that White Tiger, and then finding Cheetah and Leopard-in enclosures, unfortunately- and oh, a lion who was just staring at us all the time! I mean, there were more people too, but the lion found us fascinating. No wonder, my dad was worrying that the zoo guys would keep me for show too :P But still, we three together must have been a sight. ;) Yeah, we had been able to look at many animals probably for the first time in years and we were drooling with happiness, if at all this is anything. And we'd clicked a lot of pictures (and yeah, I was thrilled with having had the opportunity to photograph those animals!) and then we saw the time and didn't realize it had only been an hour and a half! Then to add to the awesomeness, we found elephants, all sorts of monkey-ish things: baboons, langurs, chimpanzees, etc, many many kinds of deer! I was seriously crying (not literally) over not having seen the giraffes yet, because I really wanted to have a picture of a giraffe, just to make a lame joke to my brother who is tall and I call him a giraffe too, that I spotted him at his righteous place: in the zoo. But I couldn't make that joke because of course, I didn't find any giraffe. We were near the exit and hungry and tired, but we still hadn't covered one part of the zoo, which forked left from the entrance/exit. 

R didn't want to go, A wanted to eat something and then go and I just forget all kinds of tiredness and hunger when I'm excited! We saw a board with a list of animals and realized we'd seen only half! I had to beg to these guys to just see the left side once :P And R agreed on the condition that we wouldn't go for boating at Purana Qila, which we thought we would do and which was right next to the zoo! Five minutes of decision making and we were off to explore the left. God, it was fun. Mostly water-stuff, so yeah, that croc who was hidden because of his specs, and then a whole lake with water birds! Whoop! We saw storks and ducks and birds whose names I did not care to find out, because they were just so pretty (and so far!) and my camera was literally having a field day. :D Then we found a beautiful cave kinda pathway which was out of the normal path and where R did not allow us, but A and me went there nonetheless. It seemed magical! Then I got to know something about crowd psychology, which I'll explain in my research paper which will fetch me millions of dollars. There isn't enough space here anyway. ;) 

Finally, we had lunch among stupid scary flies-cum-bees who loved our soft drink cups and then left in an auto that charged an amount Rs. 20 less than what we came for. (I said sorry, guys!). We went through the pictures in the Metro, laughing and my constant dialogue of the day, "It was such fun!" :D We were just wishing we could have had a slightly rainy day, so it would have been even better, but nothing beats what did happen and that was a hell lot of fun! As the previous readers already know, and newbies may take note, I always have the time of my life with these two of my friends. They're just awesome! A and R, take a bow! And if I've forgotten anything (I would have! I couldn't possibly explain every single thing we did), you may comment. ;)

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy! ^_^

Note for pic stealers: I didn't have time to watermark them, so please don't steal.

Hi Lion-who-stared-at-us. See how it's looking? :O

One wella baboon who loves to hangofy like this :P

Hi elephant-who-was-jhooming-and-eating :P

These antlers! 

Storks? or cranes? I'm so bad with this stuff. Water birds, it is. ;)

I'm just an awesome photographer. :D
(Yeah it's blurry, but WHO CARES?)

Thanks A and R for just giving me an amazing, to-be-remembered forever kind of a day after so many cruddy days. I love you!!! ^_^ 

Weird-i-cable Me.

Those of you who've innocently ever sought my help with "names", like making up a nickname, or giving a name to a character, or even creating an email id, would know how pathetic I am at keeping names. Look at my blogs' names. I mean I do love them, but I could have kept something really cool, but I never seem to be able to think of the cool ones. Same goes for the titles of my posts. Like this one is a rhyming version of "Despicable Me", and I don't even know why and how Despicable Me came to mind. This is how weird my mind can work. Well, that's what this post is supposed to be about. All the quirky, stupid, weird things I am immensely capable of doing. I'm shedding off all pretenses and chances of feeling embarrassed, because I think I've been so open with telling you about the stupid things that there's really no scope for embarrassment left. I might as well go all the way and write some more. Alright, I'll get to the point now.

The following points are various instances of jhanduness that I've been through. I'm just mentioning those I can think of right now. Which can be just two or maybe a whole list. Who knows till I finish typing :D And oh, I stole this word, "jhanduness" from a Facebook update by Mr. Naveen Arora. 

I must be comfortable ALL THE TIME then! :P

# 2. (Number one is already done, right?): You know I'm interning? Now the thing with this internship is, I can do the work I'm supposed to do sitting at home as well. Earlier I needed to go, and see how things are and everything, but after a month, it's not necessary. Like, I go there and then just sit and get bored because I can't just do any work over there. I don't know why, so it's like wasting a day. Even knowing this, I feel like going. Even when going equals as good as not going because I'm not even meeting my mentor. Like an idiot, I still go and then regret it because I wasted a day. Apart from the headache I almost always come home with. I get this nagging feeling that I have to go and I always regret later. I guess it's not weirdness but stupidity. :/ 

Besides this, to get to the bus stop from where I take my bus in the wee hours of the morning (how dumb), I have to take Scoot. Now, before reaching that bus stop, there's a cut that is my route to the metro station, which I always take when going to college and anywhere in the metro. This happened twice, both times when I was driving like crazy because I was getting late and couldn't afford to miss the bus! (How stupid! I wish I missed!). Anyway, I was speeding like normal and was on the main road and like always it was just by routine that I was driving (my mind's always wandering off when I'm driving) and I gave the indicator and took the cut! Instead of going straight to the bus stop! And I kept on driving till I was quite a distance into that road when God realized I wouldn't know on my own, so he sent some heavenly smack and I realized with a jolt I'm going the wrong way. 

I don't know why this happens with me! I had to make sure not to look like a dumbass while slowing and stopping and turning back. Not that anyone was watching me (who has the time?), but still. Plus I was incredibly late and then I rushed back the same way I had come, gave a right indicator and parked Scoot where it belonged, looking up to see the bus coming towards the stop, and this time (when I did not have time) the signal was green, so that it didn't even stop and I had to run (really run) on the road with my heavy laptop bag (I don't even use the laptop these days. Still I carry it. I need a visit- or admission- to the hospital-for-crazy-wackos) to catch the bus. 

# 3: You know those times you're someplace that's not in your comfort zone and you try not to look lost because you hate having people look at you, so if you're walking, you'll hold your head high, purse your lips and slightly raise your eyebrows and then walk. Because you don't want to look like you're new and clueless (like I almost always am). I do that too, just that when I'm walking I tend to bump into stuff more often than I'd like. I mean, even in my comfort zone, walking straight is a commendable task. But when I'm in an alien setting, it's almost impossible. I can't count the number of times I have tripped on the stairs, walking this way, making all the effort fruitless because if you trip, people turn back and stare. When I was at my cousin's place in MP last week (patience people. I'll update soon!) and walking down the stairs like it's my house, when my pyara foot didn't find anything to step on and I slipped one, two, three, four, five stairs, until my clever hand grabbed the railing and I hung there like an idiot, one hand from the railing and lying straight on the staircase. My cousin looked horrified while the little brats laughed and I didn't know what to do. -_- This incident officially tagged me as a bona fide klutz. You guys can call me B.F.K. now.

Yeah, I was something like this.

# 4: Now as I was feeling lazy, I asked mom and dad over dinner to list things that make my jhanduness come to life. The first point dad said was that you don't even remember your own weird instances and you ask others to point them out for you. :P Then mom went on and on about how I:

- Hit everything I walk (why doesn't she know I get hit myself as well?)

- Can't enter / leave the kitchen without making something fall (He he he. That's my secret plan so that I don't need to do any kitchen work ;) )

- Don't like dressing up and go looking plain to a party and then come back and fume because I wasn't looking as good as everyone else. (Yeah, that's a sad one)
- Shout at a poor cockroach that suddenly crawled on my feet. (What else am I supposed to do? Coo?) and then smack it and give a victorious speech. To the cockroach.

- Other points I don't recall. I'm feeling so sleepy right now.

Then on chat I asked my friend P, and she reminded me of the time I came to pick her up on Scoot and then I was kicking the kick-start thing (whatever it's called technically) over and over, only to get exhausted and while cursing, realizing I hadn't even switched on the knob. o.O I don't even feel like continuing. :P I also asked another friend U, who told me I don't take enough risks to do weird stuff. Huh. As if all this isn't enough. :P

# 5: As I don't have a decent enough vocab, especially while chatting I tend to cook up words which are a cross between Hindi and poor, simple English words. Example (as reminded by Preetika, who gets to be at the receiving end most of the times):

- Niklofied (I've left my place and am on the way)

- Jumpoed with excitement (jumped with excitement)

- Jhelofy (to bear something that's unpleasant :P )

- Katofy (to cut. Time or whatever :P )

# 6: You know what? It's almost midnight and my head's ghooming. I'll continue in some other post. Please tell me you all have your own incidents of jhanduness too? 

Banging up and its benefits!

*Enthusiastic wave with both hands*

Hello readers! I'm finally back to my real, awesome self, back to being the girl who loves writing, specially here on this beloved blog, especially about my weird self and all the weirdness in the world. As of this moment, my face is in a unique contour, thanks to the overwhelming smile that's stuck there, making me look like a demented cousin of a baby seal. Trust me, you don't want to see what that looks like. Whoever says smiling always makes you look pretty has never seen me when I do it. Okay, maybe what I'm doing is an over-exaggerated version of what could be a smile, with all possible freaky add-ons, so that might not be wrong.

Yep. I'm back!

I do have those problems and minor irritations, but then, it's been quite a long time that I've been affected. I tried getting back by myself, but it wasn't working out. I wasn't even reading, imagine. But then! You know those times when you're so tired of trying, God finally takes mercy on you and bam! He's done something that benefits you in a way. Most of you might just think I'm nothing short of delusional to think what happened with me was good, but hey-ho, it is. ;) Yup, so on Thursday last week, for the first time in this college, we went through a think-like-a-kid bout and started playing a game we used to play as kids (I won't mention which one. It's actually very embarrassing to tell). In short, into the first game itself, my klutziness surfaced with full enthusiasm and while running I smashed into a big, cemented flower pot. Right next to the railing. On the third floor. And then people who saw me that time described it later as similar to a stunt as Superman might have performed, if that included getting your left leg hit the side of the pot and go flying over to the other side, rolling and sitting up, clutching your leg. That's what happened. Believe me, I'd love to go deeper into the details, but that's not the aim of this post. 

So I've been staying home since the past three days, thanks to my broken leg, because of which I can't walk straight (in the mornings? I can't even walk). I am supposing that this was God's way of shaking me, in a very literal sense! Because now that I think about it, this break was needed, the days I didn't go to college, stuff happened that I couldn't have handled had I been present and I got to know what amazing presence of mind and love my friends have for me! ^_^

Coming to the point (finally! :P ), I think whatever happens, we should look at the benefits. And trust me, getting banged up has its own share of advantages. Care to know? Read on!

1. You get to see the humane side of people, the side that's usually overshadowed by other unimportant stuff in our everyday lives. I got to know that whatever problems or tiffs people might have, they do feel concerned if someone's hurt. That's good to know! I was beginning to feel it's all about materialism, but humanity persists. Even if it's deep inside and hidden, it will surface sometime. You also know how amazing your friends are! (I've said that already, haven't I?). 

2. You get to be the pampered kid whose every whim and fancy would be adhered to. Not that I have any whims or fancies. I'm quite a sincere, obedient (ahem), oh-don't-do-so-much-for-me kind of a person and I do not like people looking at me with pity. But still, it sometimes feels good to be the center of attention, specially when it's your family and friends who're going out of their way (really) to make you feel better (even though you've told them a million times you're okay). 

3. You suddenly become popular among your rishtedaars who specially call to check on you and see how you're doing. So much so that by the time you realize who's on the line, you're already about the end the convo and hand over the phone to your parents. Did I mention I have phonophobia? The fear of having to talk over the phone. With anyone. I. Just. Can't. Thank God I can write at least, or else I'd have been a social outcast by now, what with not talking to anyone at all! Still, I can say 'Hello' and 'Thank you for your concern' and 'Mom wants to talk to you' (even when she's violently shaking her head, mouthing a big "Noo"). And it's always nice to revise who all you have as relatives and where they live. Just in case.

4. Teachers aren't too hard on you for homework and classes and all. Maybe they'll overburden me later when I'm okay, but what's wrong with enjoying this small privilege till the time it's available? Also, it must feel nice to having everyone (okay, most of them) take special care when they're around you, just in case you get hurt. Even if it's one percent, you have to admit, you do get special treatment. ;)

5. Since you can't do many physical activities, you get to sit comfortably all day in those warm, fuzzy blankets wearing the track suit which ironically, you wear on your morning/evening walks, with your laptop and the internet! As your plans of going to the World Book Fair were doomed (and believe me, to a book lover, it's devastating, specially as it looks so amazing this time and you know many more amazing books you wanted to look at), you're allowed to make online purchases for a few books! (Yayy!) 

6. Even though you're missing out on a lot of work in college, you don't feel like worrying over it and hence you take to doing fun stuff you had been missing. I'm back to reading and jotting down random stuff in my random-stuff-notebook (where else?), thinking of all the things I wish to have, all the places I want to go, all the fun stuff I want to do! 

7. Your Mom wouldn't ask you to do the usual chores. Anyone with a familiarity with the way our home functions would get the idea that I'm such a hypocrite and a liar. Because okay, I'm anyway not asked to do many chores because of the clumsiness thing and all-told you being a klutz is good-but still. Not having even to peep inside the kitchen, or being asked to pick up the landline, or to go over and switch on/off lights and stuff? Feels great! ;)

There are other benefits too, the little things like asking for chocolate and getting it in an instant (whoa!), getting an extra number of hugs (which I louvee) in a day, having little kids come to you for help in their homework (tuition!) and gingerly staying away from the hurt leg so as not to hurt you further. They're just so cute! ^_^ You are on your own most of the time (other people do have work, remember?) and that gives you ample time to daydream, listen to music, think about life and having philosophical thoughts (which I've been doing quite a lot lately. And it's fun). Oh yes, since I spent a lot of time online, I got to know another blogger Ruya Preetika, better. She is one amazing person, just 17 and managed to make my thought process on a very confused topic, clearer than it earlier was. Do hop on to her blog! I'm sure you'd love the chirpiness and candidness with which she blogs! She's also very kindly awarded this blog with a Liebster Award, the post for which I'd be making soon! :) 

See ya! ^_^

Now I think I'll go back to actually doing some homework (we have a hectic week next week :|) and as much as I loathe doing homework, I need to do it. And oh yes, that dreaded election is over and I'm now the new (and umm.. first) 'Literary Head' in the Student Council. *Takes a Bow* Thank you, Thank you. As much as I'd initially thought I'd just be adding on to my already unbalanced workload, I've still done it. Really, I can't even convince myself to not do anything I didn't want to do. But still, maybe it won't be that bad. Maybe I can actually have fun. For a change. *Hoping for the best!*

PS- That's Rapunzel in the two pictures. I love her. Ever since I know her as a kid! More so because my mom lovingly calls me Rapunzel too! (I've got long hair! :D )

Random thoughts: Silly mistakes!

I guess I don’t need to write it out. You know it’s a random post because I have too much of work to do. What, you didn’t? I guess you’re new here. Welcome! I’m a girl who has serious priority issues and who writes random stuff when she’s got too much to do. (Yes, I write first and then start with work, even if it misses the deadline. I just can’t stop myself from writing!) And just as an added thing, I think I have two or three (or, according to my wishful thinking, more than that) new people/bloggers who’ve dropped by this blog and read it too. I officially welcome you, unless of course you ran away after reading such stuff. *Sigh* It’s just your loss, you know. :P

Anyway, the case in point for this random post is ‘silly stuff’, which also happens to be my favourite topic right after clumsiness! For one, I’ve heard this word so much in my life I think I wouldn’t even have any vocabulary had I not been a reader too. According to dictionary.com, ‘silly’ is defined as 'weak-minded or lacking good sense; stupid or foolish, absurd; ridiculous; irrational'.

Ugh. I just prefer to call it the result of weird-things-you-do-or-say-which-makes-you-look-like-a-nutcase-in-front-of-rational-normal-people. This sounds better, right? I’m sure we’ve all been through things that are silly, or done silly stuff before. Or you might even be a borderline case like me, who can actually be defined by this word. (Not really, I just exaggerate a bit here. I’m actually quite awesome!) Whichever category you fall into, just think about things that you like to call silly. I’ll mention some stuff here too, but I’d like it if you stop reading, use your brains a bit (ahem) and think of some stuff and see if it relates to what all I’ve mentioned.

1. The stuff relating to exams

See, I’ve always been a bright kid in school (just because I didn’t have a life!), getting nice grades and all. It used to be a huge thing for me back then, good marks, that is. (Now? I just don’t care that much. We’d be a lot better if we stop judging ourselves based on stupid numbers) However, one tiny thing somehow always cropped up whenever I discussed the paper after the exam with anyone (read parents) and when we got the corrected answer sheets!

‘Silly mistakes’.

You didn’t put a negative sign, silly mistake.

You circled the wrong option in a hurry, silly mistake.

You did a simple calculation wrong, silly mistake.

I’m sure kids wouldn’t even know this word had it not been for teachers and parents complaining how their kid makes so many ‘silly’ mistakes. I even remember a teacher once saying, ‘there’s nothing like a silly mistake’. The rest of it would have been interesting had I remembered more. I just remember this much. Silly me.

Keep calm, y'know?

2. The stuff relating to clumsiness

Okay, I’m not obsessed with being tagged as a klutz, alright? I just believe that clumsiness goes hand in hand with being silly, maybe even as a best friend. Think, a clumsy person does anything funny, it’s almost always silly. When do clumsy people ever do anything that’s not silly? Dropping stuff is silly, landing on all fours randomly is silly, bumping into people is silly. What isn’t? It’s such a silly world, I tell you!

3. The stuff people do!

I find a lot of people silly. It’s a personal opinion and not really directed towards anyone in particular. Usually I just notice strangers properly, those people whom I know? I don’t even remember what they wore the day before! Anyway, about silly guys. They wear socks with floaters, too short tops with tights, they talk while they eat, they eat like gross while they eat, they overtake you while walking, hitting you in the process and look at you as if it’s your fault! Then, entering a Metro train talking on the phone and just standing so near the door that it might even hit them while shutting, that too when the rest of the coach is hardly full. Sometimes, people have headphones in their ears and they think they look cool while they don’t realize that their headphones haven’t been put in properly and we can also listen to that silly ‘uuunnnn....junuuoon’! Totally, ewww! Don’t freak out, but I even saw someone picking their nose in the Metro! (Gross, totally. *puke!*)

4. The stuff I do! :P

I don’t know what all can be categorized as ‘silly’, but I’ll post them anyway.

- Getting so sleepy in class sometimes (just sometimes), that I have a hard time keeping everything in focus. Like, really. All I ever see are blurring visions and it takes so much of efforts to just keep from dropping off. The worse thing? I usually sit in the front. Hey, it even happened today! Though the teacher was very good and the class very interesting, it was too long and there were these 15 minutes in between when I felt this way. I’m even putting a picture of how I wrote what she was saying! I actually wrote in a state of stupor and just see! I can’t even recognize the word! :P (Also, my handwriting usually isn’t this pathetic. In the first line, I don’t know what I’ve written. In the second line, the crossed out word was supposed to be ‘rigidity’. Imagine!)

Unbelievable, right? :O

- Again, get back to the classroom. Now, teachers should know that an average attention span is 30 minutes and humans need a tiny break, otherwise they lose concentration. But they don’t know this, I guess. As I happen to be a human too (don’t be surprised. I’ve had check-ups done and it’s for real), I tend to lose attention and weird things start forming in my brain. So while I’m constantly nodding or staring at the teacher, a scary scene forms in my head where the teacher stops speaking, looks at me, opens her mouth wide, wider and even more wider, the beginning of a huge outburst that happens a second later. She’s suddenly shouting, that too in a very weird way, not even in a voice like her own, yelling at me for not paying attention, while the class dissolves around us. And then I snap out of it and see the class going on as if nothing happened. Thank you fantasy books and over-active imagination. But hey, it works as a break and I concentrate better then. ;)

- Smiling at a random memory, at any place, any time. Has happened in classrooms, in the Metro, while just walking, sometimes realizing I’ve been looking at someone while smiling at the memories and literally running in case they get any weird ideas.

- It’s not just smiling. Sometimes, making up situations in your head (as in, when you anticipate something happening when it hasn’t happened yet) and actually thinking what you’d be saying and later realize that you’ve been whispering it out loud and it gets really weird if you happen to be in the Metro that time. It happened today too (God, I do so many silly things in just one day!) while I was passing time in the computer lab and no one was around. When the door opened it made a sound and I looked up to see a random teacher enter and throw a glance at me. She obviously would’ve thought I’m some nutcase, talking to myself. And the weirder thing is, if it’s something funny, I’d even laugh. Oops!

- Then there’s the usual forgetting names, faces (really), the timetable, homework, leaving friends behind in college, forgetting they’re there. (Seriously! I can be such a lost case at times!) Then, entering a bookshop and looking at the prices of books I may have got for free, or checking discounts or looking up quotes for bookmarks I make. Another thing, giving the smallest and bottom-most shelf of your entire study table to your college books and filling the rest of it with novels and other books! Well, that’s not silly. That’s just awesome! :D

Okay, I don’t remember more. Even if I do, I’m not writing, I actually have ‘homework’ to do. This was one silly post with so many silly things. The world’s just silly. Heck, even the word ‘silly’ sounds so silly! :P

So, tell me, what do you think is ‘silly’? Are you? ;)

Random facts...

.... about me. I didn't think it was a good idea to include 'about me' in the title itself. Don't ask why. I don't know it myself yet! :P

It's just a random post, like one that comes up when you have a hundred important things to do but you still believe you don't need to and you feel so wella that you want to just type non-sense blog posts! Just skip reading if you have something better to do. Seriously. 

Fact # 10: I can get lost in my thoughts any time, any place. No exceptions. Sure, it leads to embarrassing situations sometimes, but seriously, who cares?

Fact # 9: It's against my nature to allow everything to go smoothly. Tripping, hurting my toes with furniture even while standing, making things fall, saying things that don't make sense, laughing when I should not, understanding things a bit too late... that's me, everything 'me'!

Fact # 8: I find Facebook pages for every book I read and see what other readers are like. Plus, if it's a book-that-inspired-a-movie, I'd sit all day and just look at pictures of characters, imagining them like they were in the book. 

Fact # 7: I love smelling books. The pages, I mean. FYI, Harry Potter smells best so far. Scholastic, Harper Collins and Penguin books smell great!

Fact # 6: I'm paranoid. If you cross my path more than once, know that I'll be keeping an eye on you. And my karate moves will be planned already! 

Fact # 5: I love my dreams and the fact that they're so vivid, making me experience new creatures, places and situations. I don't care if 'my brain isn't getting rest' and that 'we should have a dreamless sleep' or whatever science says. Mr. Science, can you make me fly on my own? Or help me jump over rocks a hundred feet away over the sea? Or make me live with vampires? Then don't interfere! 

Fact # 4: When I do my work (apart from studying, blogging or reading), like crafting or cleaning the cupboard/bookshelf, I prefer to keep the door closed and have Hannah Montana singing to me at full volume. If you happen to hear the songs, don't even dare open the door and spoil it for me. Or rather, for you!

Fact # 3: Things in my 'must-do' list include innumerable-times trekking, scuba diving, all kinds of adventure sports and a recent addition- sky diving! And I'd probably love you almost immediately if you do any of the above! :P

Fact # 2: I love the scent of fresh and scented air that comes from many trees and plants at one place, the one that comes from watering plants, rain-fed mud and the library! What am I? A smell elemental?

Fact # 1: I absolutely have no idea why I'm even writing this, when I have something really important to do. Know what this shows? I go with intuition and gut feeling, not common sense. I strongly believe I belong in some other, faerie-type world and I'm stuck here by some silly mistake! 

'Daemons, faeries, pixies, shifters

To you, this is my call

Rescue me and take me along

There where I belong'

Metro Diaries # 3

I can't just help it. I know I pledged not to write on my Metro stories anymore, considering it's becoming a part of my daily conversations as well as my posts, but it's just such a big part of my life, I thought it deserves an honorary place (in the form of a separate post!). It's going to be a story within an article. Heard of it before? Don't even think, you wouldn't have, I just invented it (and if by any chance you have, that plagiarist has superpowers and stole my future thoughts! :P).

                                                         Something typically new!

Right, so I began my day with the usual speed (I swear I could win a marathon, if I ever got around to running in a real one, that is), getting into a Metro and being a victim (again) to shameless staring by middle aged aunties. I hadn't got a newspaper or any magazine with me (damn!) so I passed my time looking out the windows. And Thank God for that; I was so lost in my thoughts that I realized I had to get down when I looked at the signboard!

After classes I had to go for college work to some other part of the city. (We do SUCH hardwork which totally goes unnoticed; I really hate those shirkers who show up confidently when it's time to receive credits.) I usually don't mind travelling for (useless) work, BUT my bestie wasn't feeling well and I wasn't so happy going without her! (Apoorva- get back on your feet in no time! I miss our trips, however useless they might be :P). Anyway, the work was completed and none of the other fellows in the group was going the same way that I was. I wasn't too worried, it's only the Metro, right? I could find my way!

I looked up the map and found that I was on the red line, I had to take a train to one of the central points and find the right green line. Then board the right train and enter another major station that would take me to my own blue line. And to think someone like me was to undertake that journey on her own, someone with whom God got really generous while putting the characteristic of klutziness! Whoa! I boarded the train and found myself glancing at the map at every station while ignoring every other girl/woman/oldie there. I have no clue what gives people the right to shamelessly stare at strangers up and down! I don't even know why I write it here, some people just-don't-get-it!

Anyway, I hopped out on reaching the central station and followed the crowd, keeping both eyes open for signboards, something unusual for me. I was pleasantly surprised to find colored paw shaped marks to guide commuters to the right platform. It took me a while though, to register that I must be looking like a total nutcase to be walking the way some kids do, stepping exactly over the paw marks which are quite wide apart for normal humans! I quickly curtailed my steps and walked 'normally' towards one of the platforms, coming out of my mindless reverie. It was such a confusing place, two platforms going towards where I had to go! Thankfully, Shivani called at that moment (a friend who wore a hoodie that day and we had casually dumped stuff like pen caps and paper boats in it. She called to say she had found out- on reaching home! :P Hey Shivani! Shruti, Sunmeet and Apoorva were in on the joke too!). That's when I somehow actually used my brain and asked her if I was standing at the right place (since she frequents that station). I was guided to another platform, the one opposite to where I was originally standing.

A train rolled in and I was told I could take a 'direct' one instead of getting on this, due to which I would have to change from the very next station. It was so irritating! The train had been standing there, gleaming proudly in contrast to my weary state, for whole 3.5 minutes (I calculated) and didn't move an inch. People kept coming and boarding, as if it's the last train ever. I decided to forget my friend's advice and got on it, pretending to read signs and maps, just in case I would have looked stupid (which I most certainly would have) standing in front of the train with open doors, not getting in. After two more minutes it finally started and I thought it would do better if I somehow got on to the tracks and gave it a push! It was THAT slow! But it was one of the new models and I had something new to notice. It wasn't very interesting though, so I gazed out of the windows and saw a weird collection of city life zooming underneath.

I stepped out at the next station and it seemed as if the whole world had an invitation to where I had to go! Trying to adjust my small self among the rushing horde of super enthusiastic people (wouldn't they ever go a bit slow???) I simply walked with the crowd. Not that I had any choice, either. I would have found myself in a hospital ward with broken bones had I tried to go against them. I followed them all along a huge bridge, then turning to the right platform (I'm already getting better at it!). I saw people crowding around something and I was beginning to think something might be seriously wrong, when I saw they were preparing to board the elevator! I never use elevators. They're for the Old and Physically Challenged, and I'm neither. But nor were those people. I guess they can't read. Anyway, I skipped up the stairs and finally! Finally I got onto my own beloved Blue line, and felt the familiar warmth and safety. (No, I don't actually 'feel' anything for a train. If you're smart enough, you wouldn't even have thought about it). The oh so lovely train (still don't think) sped through the familiar tracks and the lovely stations (OK, that's enough. Control) and I even managed to grab a seat! Though that's a different matter it was only 45.50 seconds that I had placed myself there when an old lady found her way to me. (It's so creepy to think old ladies always find ME among the huge crowd!). I stood waiting and finally, happily de-boarded at my station, dashing through the gates, eager to get home. 

Tiring as it was, the experience certainly had a lot to teach me. For instance, I know sometimes I can NOT follow my friend's directions and still do well ;). And contrary to what I thought, I'm not as much of a threat to normal human population. Apart from stepping on a couple of people's toes and getting smashed into three more people, I didn't really do any damage. Not anything 'serious' at least! I'm planning on getting lost and traveling and exploring two more routes I've never been to. All of you who've read this, if I ever go mysteriously missing, search the Metro routes first! :P

(The Previous Metro Diaries- Diary 1, Dairy 2)

Why exams are unfair!!

UNFAIR would be a universally-agreed-seven-star-rated understatement for these darned exams! They seem to be totally useless and pointless; unnecessarily a stupid burden on us poor kids, who have to sacrifice our otherwise normal-and-fun-filled life during exams and enter into a pathetically bored existence.

I fail to understand a single positive in the concept of exams. Okay, maybe everything would be disillusioned otherwise, there would be no means of evaluation and how would students get admitted to schools and colleges? I am mostly speaking of our Bharat's a.k.a. India's educational system, which is simply too much of a pain! I mean, even the texts in the super-fast-sleep-inducing-textbooks say 'India's Education System is faulty' (this was really a line in one of my books :/ ).

A few REAL reasons why such exams are unfair (and pointless, useless, and many more suitable 'less'es :P ):

1. Wrong criteria for judgment.

Tell me, how can anyone judge someone's capabilities and abilities through a two or three hour examination, where we pour out all magnanimous stuff we've literally crammed inside our small heads, peppered with a few fancy words coming out of our writing capabilities. (OK, agreed. They can measure intelligence, though only up to a limit, and limited to the measly subject). What if someone who's really knowledgeable, falls ill and is just able to write a few sentences? What if a moron decides to cheat from his blackberry and the unsuspecting invigilators don't notice, and he ends up topping the exam? It's just not fair. Not a single teeny weeny bit. 

2. The 'Image' behind the exam scores

I am still to find a sane student who wants to get a good score for philosophical stuff like 'personal satisfaction', 'self-achievement' or 'moral values'. All we want to ensure is that our self-respect or 'image' isn't  spoiled. We don't want to be perceived as failures or kids without any intellect. Is that the purpose for which exams were invented in the first place? I highly doubt that. 

3. They ruin our normal (and social) life anyway

That's the worst part! Tell your parents the dates of your exams and listen to the endless list of forbidden things! (that's a different story that we're experts at finding out loopholes). You're not allowed to read your novels, because you're supposed to read only incomprehensible textbooks! Forget that evening walk with the neighborhood friend, forget endless phone calls to friends (except to ask for the syllabus), forget social networking! (Not really, whatever happens, we can't leave Facebook, can we? :P ). To cut a long story really short, it's just not done. 

4. We're tagged for life.

However much people preach about exams not being the right criteria to judge an individual's intelligence, they WILL make an impression of you based on the results (it makes no difference if the topper doesn't have an iota of common sense). You get over 90% (really? kya khaate ho? :P ) and oh my gosh! You're a star! Relatives from all over the world croon over how well you do in studies (no matter if you're internally dying from lack of normal human activity); you get under 60% (again, really? You should study a lil bit!) you're a loser, you're told you're worthless. It doesn't matter if you're excelling at a sport or other activity. All this isn't right. It's even against the rules of nature!

5. The torturous invigilator

When we finally show up with our long, short, round et cetera kinds of noses (OK, poor joke; that's what happens during exams) buried in a thousand page bundle of notes, and are ready to sit for the paper, we're blessed with an invigilator who's sworn to make the experience worse than hell! (S)he'll keep on scolding the innocent students, reprimand them for shifting in their seats (don't they know everyone NEEDS to shift a bit? It's way uncomfortable otherwise), for moving their necks or eyes beyond 90 degrees in any direction! We're there trying to think of answers (OK, cook them up) and they won't even let us concentrate! :/

6. Exam results make phone bills shoot up to insane levels!

Remember how you were found stuck to the phone like a honey bee on a bee hive, with a scrunched up face, revealing to your friends how much you're scared of the 'marks' you'll achieve (or not achieve)? Or the time when you hunt for numerous phone numbers and call each of them to confirm the date and time of results? Or finally when you know the result, you're discussing it all with friends over the phone? If those are board exam results, you'll find a thousand phone calls from Pinky chachis or mamis (whom you don't even know), asking for your results? The net result (not the exam result, people!) being a hike in phone bills that could give an inferiority complex to a BPO!

I personally feel there was a guy who wanted a system to measure people's capabilities and had 'THE exam' idea, but his implementation went awfully off track and we have the result (not the exam result, tortured soul!). Or maybe he was just plain stupid. Anyway, thanks to that guy's invention, all mortals in this universe are suffering. 

Doesn't anyone see the shrunk faces, lost weights, disheveled looks and potentially dangerous stress levels? Why this thing at all? Recognize people for who they are, for the 'real' intelligence, rather than judging people on their ability to cram lines. No one lacks intelligence in this world. Everyone is just not able to put their academic intelligence on paper. 

But then, it doesn't matter, does it? Talented people always find a way to rise and shine, to prove themselves, to let the world know what they stand for. (That doesn't mean this post is useless. It took an incredibly long time, you better think about it! :P)

An end note to those rare species (if they exist) who read these posts seriously, however hard and pointless and frustrating (and many more similar adjectives) we find exams, the sad truth remains that we have to give them. So, while you're at it, study a bit. :P And think along the same lines as me if you're out of school and follow this if you're in a job and don't have to give exams! 

Am I the only one?

Yesterday while traveling in the Metro, I was engaged in my favorite pass time- thinking, about random things- when I realized that there are so many instances and dumb experiences I've undergone ever since I landed on this planet (OK, born. 'Landed' sounds much more fantastical ;) ). I've gathered up the nerve to post a few of such idiotic thoughts and instances, just to know if I'm the only weirdo that walked on Earth, or if there are some more of my clan (I really hope!), cleverly hiding their weirdness (which somehow, I find hard to conceal).
Some instances are too dumb to be posted for my own good.

Am I the only one, who...

1. Has taken upon herself to set the record for the 'most number of tripping over every single thing' and of 'making every fragile object fall, if handed'. I swear my parents would have spent more on repairing and getting new stuff than on the original things themselves.

2. Imagined herself as one of the PowerPuff girls (I was a small kiddo then!) and the other selfish, bullying kids as villains whom I can easily overpower and who would one day regret their behavior.(such is life. Those people still rule :/ )

3. Used to run outside excitedly at the sound of a marriage procession (baarat) and dance in the street (I'm horrified at what I did. I can't imagine doing it now!). Add to it taking up 'daring' challenges, like wearing a funny combination of clothes (example, wearing a tee inside out or worse, wearing one of our parents' clothes!) and taking a round in the street!

4. Got all excited at the prospect of school (this is way too old. I'm sure I didn't have any brains then). Oh yes! Making up rhyming pieces of poetry on my friends (and really rude ones on those who were mean. ;) )

5. Still likes to wipe the plate clean if it has some edible yummy stuff on it (It will continue. I'll always remain a die hard food fan!)

6. Has completely different views on how kids should be educated and if those views are voiced, it would definitely give some teachers or educationists a heart stroke!

7. Deliberately leaves some money in jeans' pockets. Considering the lack of short term memory, it is always a surprise when I find it later (and use it for a well deserved treat :P )

8. Likes to imagine normal innocent people walking down the roads as mechanical robots going about their daily monotonous routine (Really! Why don't people want any "fun"???)

9. Loves books more than any living person and believes that living in a secluded place entirely on books isn't really that tough. I would rather enjoy it, I think.

10. Somehow finds it funny when everyone is in a really serious mood and finds it hard to control her laughter when everyone else is quietly doing their job. (This has landed me in some embarrassing situations too :/ )

11. Likes to save new clothes for don't know what occasions, and end up not wearing them at all during the season :/

And finally!

12. Has a double life. The real one and an imaginary one (I like the imaginary life better). ;)

NOW, I want to know if there are more people who ever did or still do, such weird things? Or am I the only one? :)

PS- This is not me. I'm weirder! :P

The normal "Me" and some exams!

The past so many days had been SO hectic and dominated by 'serious' issues in life, that I didn't get time to type down my usual typical teenager experiences and ended up posting on two sentimental and 'seriously important issues'. NOW I feel slightly stress-free, happy and in a really funny mood! Don't be surprised if I end up with the usual mordant posts every day! ;)

Like all other kiddos who, like me, are passing through the terrible career-choice-making-where-your-own-choices-don't-matter phase (okay, just kiddin'!) I gave the CAT* exam today; the exam dreaded by to-be-managers and business persons. Don't ask how it went. I'm just sharing the experience!

First of all, I don't even recall what made me choose this day for the exam. There are still 10 more days and I could easily have chosen any of those; but I guess I used too much of my marvelous intelligence and chose a day too soon. (Not that it matters anyway, but still. I could have avoided those amazed looks other kids gave me when I told them the date.). Add to it the time. I chose 10am knowing fully well that we are supposed to report an hour and a half before! For someone as lazy as me, it isn't an easy feat! 

So, the morning saw me entering the venue along with a hundred other kids (or maybe 200, who cares?), some showing a shameful amount of impetuosity (why be so excited about an exam???), some walking zombie-like straightforward and doing exactly as the authorities asked, some, the 'my-kind' of crowd, trying to suppress their yawns. There we were, the 100 (or 200) standing in a looong line, getting our IDs examined by a burly man who looked completely disinterested (I don't blame him. It must be such a boring task). After about half an hour, including getting our admit cards and IDs checked again (the guy asked me my name and DOB! As if I wouldn't know! To add to it, I caught Mom's eye, who was standing outside, and tried to hide my grin) we entered the dilapidated building. It was so filled with cobwebs on the outside and looked a million years old; I was hoping no one from a super healthy family would be allowed inside. What if the building collapsed? (Maybe that's too much, but still.)

Thankfully, it wasn't so bad from the inside! Our IDs were checked once again at the entrance (tell me, why in the whole million miles radii Earth, would anyone in their right minds want to gain secret entry to give an EXAM? Hudd ho gayi!). I was directed to the first floor, where another security guy asked for the admit card and ID. This time I couldn't help a smirk. Anyone would have found it funny. The security person looking at your ID proof, then looking up at you to see if it's the same person. I mean, it's all important and happens everywhere, but I found it silly AND funny. Coming round to another turn,  there was a security lady to check if we're carrying any personal belongings that we shouldn't; Boy, was I scared then! She was really daunting. No offense, but while she was checking, she kept murmuring something inaudible in a hoarse voice. I wondered if she was asking for a bribe or something, making a mental note to report her, when she finally said in a clear(still scary) voice "You don't have a phone with you, do you?". Relieved (and smacking myself mentally for my dramatic thinking) I shook my head and went ahead. (But yeah, I had to deposit my pen and the 'hanky' as they weren't allowed! LOL! :P)

Another guy, looked up the codes and stuff on the Admit card, directed me to another room. I was asked to sit in front of a camera in a computer operated by a sweet-looking lady. She took a picture, asked for finger prints from the first finger of both hands (which took a total of 30 attempts to match both the sides :P . I'm such a weirdo, even my fingerprints don't match easily!) and FINALLY, I was being escorted to my test room (the escorting service all the while was nice though, full points for that!). I was feeling I had given my exam already! It took so much time.

After another half hour of reading instructions, staring at the blank computer screen, getting our admit cards and IDs checked AGAIN and trying to assess other candidates from the corner of the eye, 10am arrived! The tutorial started and then the test. The next 140 minutes were spent with furious scribbling on the rough sheets, clicking and de-clicking on answers, reviewing and finally submitting the test. They still didn't let us go! We waited for another restless ten minutes, during the course of which a frightening man came into the room and simply stood there, sweeping his eyes over the kids, as if we're interested in anything more than getting out! Then they started calling candidates name wise, checking their Admit cards again (I decided then and there to tear it up later and gobble it down, in case someone comes knocking at my door later to see the card!) and we left in an orderly manner (SO unlike us kids, *sigh*).

I stepped outside and the first face I saw was my Mom's, which had everything to do with the BIG smile  that instantly spread across my face. Other kids' parents stood there too, with smiling and anxious faces, to receive them (Parents are the bestest thing God could gift children, I tell you.)

That moment was a happy one. As I trailed off the story (that had more info on the weird guys inside than on the exam!) I felt SO peaceful. Everything was good (my exam was too!).

So till the time my other "important" exams say hello, I'll be here posting stuff straight from my heart (just the way I like it ;) ); because, you guessed it, I have hardly 10 days to remain a teenager (*wailing loudly*). But hey, so what? It's the heart and spirit that counts. And THAT, I'm sure will always remain the same! :)

*CAT exam- Common Aptitude Test. An evaluation for some of the top-notch colleges and institutions for MBA.

And alright, all you smart, intelligent people! I know the reason for tight security is cheating and impersonation that might occur, but STILL! I found it humorous! :P

The INDIAN way of life ;)

"An Indian can possibly be recognized from miles away, they are THAT distinct". (Quote by: me!).

Living 99% of my life in this country, where I was born, I've had enough time to observe some typical habits that define Indians and make them stand apart! Funnily enough, a majority of these habits are (sub-consciously) quite humorous. With no offense to any Indian soul (well, OK, deliberate offense to some, but I'm not taking names :P ), I'm jotting down some 'observations', with inputs from my dear dad and my bestie. (Thank you both!)

1. We have as much faith in the power of a "JUGAAD" as we have in God!
Life simply CANNOT be lived without any Jugaad!
We hardly have the 'right' things available at a reasonable price, so we make use of our brains and come up with mind boggling alternatives!
Couldn't get the required funding, borrow some for the time being;
The sole of your shoe peeled out without warning? Go to the nearest stationery shop and buy a 'fevi-kwik';
Can't find a book? Photocopier zindabad;

We live more on alternatives than on the proper way. ;)

 2. We love to REPAIR everything!
The TV set will be repaired as many times as the number of states in India, plus their capitals, plus the number of political parties! :P As long as we can watch our shows, it doesn't matter if it's physical appearance resembles that of a huge robot's smashed face, or if the kids' teacher in school teaches then that 'Beltek' is extinct, but the kid has living proof that it's not! Ditto with other electrical appliances, gadgets, even pens! On a trip to our relatives' place in London, we were shocked to see them throw out a big brand new suitcase, just because of a problem with the zip! If we tried to do that here, wouldn't we be considered insane???

3. We conveniently follow our 'Indian Stretchable Time' (IST) everyday, every hour, every second!
Of course, if they say the seminar starts at 11, it's perfectly okay to arrive by 11.45, because we know that the guests don't arrive before an hour! A lecture at 9? Well, I haven't seen anyone who's normal, arrive at 9 sharp! (Though I remember a couple of times in my first year, I arrived even before 9! That's when I was an innocent lass, though). Plus, who ever heard of a marriage ceremony duly performed at 8pm??? A guest from London on a visit, insisted that we reach at 8, since that's what was written on the invitation card. On our arrival, the thekedar was having the tents put up!

4. We think everything's overpriced.
With the exception of the recent inflation problem, generally, Indians will find everything as 'overpriced'. Excepting stuff we get from branded shops or malls (I hope so), we will bargain on anything and everything possible! Shoes, clothes, accessories, furniture, sometimes appliances, bathroom fittings, services & what not! On bulk purchases, we love a discount! A 'SALE' is highly appreciated and impatiently waited for, and we hop like toads from one sale to another! Complete with the whole family.

5. We celebrate. Celebrate BIG. (especially marriages)
This one's really irritating. Parents work day in an out, save their hard earned money dime by dime, all to spend at their kids' wedding? (especially girls). Why? To show to the other side that you can afford an ostentatious marriage? Hundreds of guests, half of whom you see for the first time in your lives, flock your huge tent, gorging on the hundreds of dishes (and believe me, half of them come for food). You're tense all the time about what people will think. Heck with what they think! They're going to ridicule you anyway. Aren't marriages suppose be the coming together of two people and their families? Calm down, there is actually no NEED for all that. If the other party thinks of you as wrong, they're not worth your love.

6. Indians love Cricket. (Note: I don't)
It's a concept I can't fathom. True, I played cricket as a kid, but at least I'm not keeping my eyes stuck on the telly all day long, watching cricketers play their long long game. Or spending an entire evening in a restro bar with a huge LCD and a group of cheering (more like shouting) peers around. I just don't understand the hype around cricket. The Hoi Polloi (Greek for masses, or 'junta') are just crazy fanatics of cricket; why? It's only a sport! (Okay, I respect it by the way). We should enjoy other sports too! Like hockey (in case you remember, our National Game), roller skating, cycling (I love both!), tennis, etc etc.

7. A sad fact: Most people lack Civic Sense.
Indians seem lovely, until they get out of their shelters and out into the streets! Driving like nuts (everyone thinks they own the roads), hardly adhering to traffic rules, calling names to everyone who overtakes them! The lady next to you receives a call and she speaks into the receiver with such a loud intensity that a howler monkey would get an inferiority complex! Queues aren't meant to be made and all the public places are open spittoons! Why? Did everyone accidentally damage their prefrontal cortex*?

Many more examples can be cited, like packing up the leftover food from restaurants (though that seems fair enough- aha! The 'Indian' side of me ;) ) and yeah, taking our towels with us on a vacation! It's a mortifying thought to leave without our towels, even if the hotel/wherever we're staying, provides a double one!
I'm looking forward for some inputs from readers too! Let's see how many true Indians can come up with perfect examples!

*Prefrontal cortex- the part of brain that supports reasoning power.

(Apoorva Chhabra- Thanks for your inputs! :) )