From Inside the Fortress

The rodent is back. B saw it last night in the kitchen!

While it is comforting to know that I am not seeing vermins in my imagination, it is very unnerving to know that there's one in the house. I don't know if it's a rat or a mouse.. I don't even care what the differences between the two are.. but am totally creeped out (not a real word. . but should be one, since at the moment it very aptly represents my feelings!).

Since last night, my room is my fortress. I step out only when absolutely necessary. Breakfast and coffee was delivered by B inside my fortress. I had to go out to meet someone, so made sure I came home after lunch since there's no way I am stepping close to that kitchen. And even when I need to get out of the fortress .. I gingerly peep out from behind my door .. stomp my foot and when am absolutely sure that the coast is clear I venture out .. actually dash to the next point is more like it. This can't be continued long term.. we have to find a solution. I called some online pest control people and they say it would cost close to 200 pounds! I tried checking for online rat traps but all the bl**dy pages have pictures of rats popping up .. eeeks .. I quickly shut it all.

Reminds of of when I was in college and our hostel was infested with rats .. and my shrieks. My room-mate .. a strong brave girl from the North (North India) would laugh while I jumped on the bed. She never understood why someone 5.5 feet would be scared of something that wasn't even 5.5 inches! Good for her, since I promptly handed her the responsibility of making sure the house was vermin free.. and I must admit she was pretty effective in her methods.

So here I am, stuck in my room .. with music and the computer for company. I refuse to step out even to get water! The musicals phase is still going strong .. and my favourite CD is CATS - the irony of it all!

The one where it all begins

1. In an impulsive moment I joined the NaBloPoMo bandwagon when I read about it. And now am blank. So here's an idea from a tag I read.
2. I am from India. Have lived, studied and worked all over.
3. I have been wearing glasses since I was 3.
4. I was teased by other children in Nursery for being dark & wearing glasses and hated going to school.
5. Once we moved cities it was better. I had a great group of friends. We had secret clubs, had sleep over parties and read a lot. Suddenly it was cool to be geeky.
6. We moved cities again when I was getting into senior school. I loved this school. I think it had the greatest impact on 'who I am'. Many of my closest friends are also from here.
7. We believed there was nothing in the world we couldn't get. And made plans of the companies we'd like to run when we were older.
8. It's where we dreamt of being on a magazine cover on the Top 20 business women in India.
9. That dream seems too far at this point
10. I am not a very optimistic person and I give up too easily.
11. I love magic and fairy tales and want to visit Disneyland. My flatmate thought I have strange childhood hankerings!
12. Maybe its because I visualise so much in my imagination.
13. I think of everything in pictures. Even numbers. I thought that was how everyone thought of things, but I gather it's not. Wonder how I developed the habit.
14. I love reading (and visualize every detail of what I read)
15. I hate TV. Not the device, but cable television. I like watching films I have chosen to watch.
16. I love music. At the moment I am going through a 'musicals' phase, so listening to a lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber and others. I also tend to listen to my 'phase' music so much that after the phase is over I can't bear to listen to it for a long time.
    
17. I also like rock, classical, country and some music I can't categorise.
18. I hate trance, 'boy bands' and some extreme metal.
    
19. I use 'love', 'hate' very easily and think too much in 'black' and 'white'. Am often told to consider the 'grey'.
20. I love dancing. I learnt classical dance for four years. I really feel bad I couldn't continue it.
21. It's ironical that Bee is like 'wobbly jelly' when it comes to dancing. The one thing I really wish I could change about him. Though to give credit, he's been trying.. but really.. it's still just wobbly jelly.
    
22. My friends are very important to me. I do a lot for them. . and am in touch with friends from very long back.
23. I miss not having my close friends in London.
    
24. I make a terrible first impression. Most people think I am too reserved or snooty. It's amazing how the same behaviour can be interpreted in two such different ways.
25. But once I get to know a person I talk too much and can't stop.
    
26. I am a Gemini.
27. I get bored easily.
    
28. I have terrible feet.
    
29. I love coffee. I wish I could make good filter coffee. Ooops.. I have so much more to say but have reached my age limit. More for another time.
    

Of my emotions in this job hunt.. today was a first. I am feeling so very amused.

This morning I was speaking to the hiring manager at a company about an opening they have. We talked about the role, he discussed the merits and demerits and in the process talked a bit about his career background. The conversation then moved to him talking of taking a break to study, and suddenly from job conversation shifted to me giving advice on different schools, the application process, my school and what they look for etc. Well, the role I had called for was too junior, but was feeling so very amused when I kept the phone.

This evening, I met someone about another job. The conversation started with the role and once again moved to studying, whether the course was worth it, again more advice on my school, costs, scholarships - the works. And once again, me leaving feeling very amused.

Random thoughts from here and there

The days are fast becoming shorter and it's rapidly becoming colder. I have a love hate relationship with the weather. I hate the rain, I hate the wind, I love the cold. It's not cold enough to turn on the heating, so I bundle myself into a shawl and sit all day at the computer.

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I think I need a time-sheet because I have no idea how I spend the entire day in front of the computer.

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Some more on the weather. Everyone is advising us to buy our overcoats now. So London people and those from other cold places.. need some help .. any hints / advice on what I should look for / avoid when buying an overcoat. Any particular shops you would suggest?

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Today I had to step out to meet some people for potential job leads. It was better than a couple of days back when I went to a place and there were a bunch of kids who grilled me like BBQ meat and so far have done nothing about any leads. Am so mad! Today was better, but I froze since my jacket can't be worn over my suit. Worse, my suit is made for tropical weather, thus is more cotton than wool. Had to thaw myself with two cups of coffee when I got back.

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Talking of jobs. I have tried to step up with an all out effort now. . and am talking to as many people as possible. But am so fed up at some level that answers come out taped. Predictable questions - what did you do in X role in abc company - I press play, answers start rolling and my mind starts wandering. Very bad!!

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The height of excitement in my life at the moment is winning two free movie tickets in a competition and getting back half my train fare for a journey which got delayed (The national rail for however ridiculously expensive it is, has been the rare example of good customer service I've seen here. We were going to someplace when the train was delayed by over an hour. The staff came around handing out the refund forms and explaining the process). Given everything being low, low, low .. got cheap thrills from getting free stuff.

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More unrelated stuff - last night I saw a rat in the kitchen. Urgh!!!!! Gives my shivers thinking about it. Shut myself into a room and sent Bee to chase it out with the broom. Fifteen minutes later he reports there's nothing. Not sure if it was hiding or I just imagined it in the shadows .. but am keeping my distance from the kitchen. Today I stepped in for five minutes to make a cup of coffee and kept looking around expecting a 'tiger' to jump at me.

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All day I've been thinking of something I had studied long back. About anchoring (not the ship kind). It's about how people can't come up with a number / idea from thin air so when we have to come up with an answer for something totally unknown (like say the weight of a Boeing 777 aircraft) we try to work it out based on something we know.. however unrelated. (Sorry, that's a pretty bad explanation). Basically, we are not good at coming up with something completely random. I started thinking about it when I was thinking of names I use on the blog for people I know. .and how I always link it in someway to the person .. or use 'xyz' ... as opposed to a random phrase like say 'rgp'.There are many studies to show how we anchor etc and it's useful in negotiations / marketing where this is often used. It has been demonstrated in many ways and I find the concept fascinating.

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Firefox 2.0 is out. It looks slicker. There's lots of interesting add-ons. - try it.

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Happy Diwali

Hope everyone gets to celebrate it some way. I am not a very religious person, but to me its a festival of fun and being with family and friends. I don't have nice diyas this year.. but will make do with lots of candles and keeping the windows open to avoid the fire alarm from going off.

For those who mark the beginning of a year year.. Here's wishing you a very Happy New Year.
(Image from http://www.seattleindian.com)

Sunday Morning - The Diwali update
I couldn't have asked for more. Had a lovely day with lunch at a friends place. Good food, great wine and a good film (which was more like background music). After a relaxing day we got out our salwar kameez' from the back of the cupboard and all the forgotten bindis and bangles - everyone was looking great. A short and nice puja followed by a all of us trooping over to a big Diwali party. When I was in Delhi I couldn't step out on Diwali because of the fumes in the air which triggered massive sneezing reactions in me. This year, with limited fireworks I actually got to be a part of it. The fireworks were nice. . and after all the Diwali feeling is never complete without it. All this followed by more drinking and a lot of dancing. I was 20 once again .. and by the time we got home my feet were killing me. . so much for those matching shoes! Should have just said cared less and worn something more comfortable and conducive to dancing - lesson learnt for next year. Bee made a foot soak for me when we got back .. but the feet are still killing! Today have woken up with a happy feeling inside ..the sun is peeping through the clouds and the day looks good... but am slowly getting back to reality.