When you have nothing to write about...

There has been nothing that has been strongly affecting me or motivating me enough to update the blog. Plus I have never really been the sort who details out her daily itinerary for everyone’s consumption on the blog. So both put together I was almost left speechless. But with the start of the New Year (the financial year, which is actually the New Year for me, given the nature of my work), I felt my blog looked too ignored and I thought of writing about two things that had amused me recently.

I read Shobha De’s Sultry days sometime back. The only reason I had picked up the book was that this was the only one by the author at the store and there had been enough intrigue generated inside me by her for a while now. Invariably I see her on TV while channel surfing, read about her looking too ravishing for her age at some socialite’s party or something to that tune. So when I thought I had had enough, I decided to read some work of hers and decide for myself whether she is worth all the hoopla.

Well she clearly isn’t. To say the least, the book was a major disappointment. I felt as if I was reading the story of a Mithun Chakraborty movie made in late 1980s when budgets were so low that the only hype can be created comes from weird twists, unbelievable characters and crass dialogues. I also did not appreciate the open use of so many vernacular abuses in the book because it looked unnecessary and out of place. Yes but this doesn’t mean that I didn’t like her or her book totally. This aspect of Mumbai social life as mentioned in the book was something I never knew existed and was glad to become informed now. The author also stirred me at some occasions in the book with her imagination but I really don’t intend to buy more of her creations at least in the near future. Period.

The other thing is something which has actually been a nuisance for a year now. It so happens that I sit in office next to a girl who is much chased by other employees for various errands. Lets say her name is Anu. So everyday from the moment I enter office and plunk myself on my seat, ladies, gentlemen, boys and girls (does that sound familiar?) all descend upon me and begin asking with a planned chronology of every five minutes if I am Anu. Initially I displayed all my courtesy and politeness and pointed to the girl seated in the next corner, “that’s her,” with a big smile. After four to five months had passed and I had become a victim of office boredom coupled with the realization that the mob of employees would never cease, I invented a strategy.

I took huge print-outs with her name on them and painted it all over her desk. Of course it did not help because people would still insist on waking me up from my reverie every time. So I took some more huge print-outs, this time with her name and huge arrow marks pointing to her seat. You really think this helped? Of course not again because it seems people miss seeing the arrow, just concentrating on the name instead! Some psychological issue. Though there have been three girls in the same role till now, but the problem just stays. Now the last girl has also quit and a guy has been recruited in her place and I am hoping people won’t confuse me for him.

P.S. Heard a guy screaming at one of the admin guys around in office, in the morning. Felt appalled, revolted and dismayed. All these big people who think they have the right to shout at peons or office admin staff just because they themselves earn more money or have more power, aren’t they complete cowards and losers?