The Ginglyform Club

Shifting

2011-07-13T11:50:00.000+05:30

For reasons of convenience I am moving my blog from here to a new address"
theginglyformclub.blogspot.com
Please change your links/bookmarks/Favorites/RSS feeds to the new link! Content and posting will be evolving in terms of quality, frequency and popularity :)
see ya there!

happily married

2011-07-08T10:19:00.000+05:30

married

(photo credits: Arindam)

though it is still difficult to comprehend for me, i am a married woman now! marriages are big and chaotic, and exhausting! there is so much to do; socialising, dressing up, eating, and feeling big pockets of strange feelings which are hard to define.
i have moved to banglore now, and trying to set up house and learn some basic cooking...

the consequences of my cooking

2011-06-12T10:32:00.000+05:30

since last year, i have discovered a new found love for cooking. though i don't get to do much of it at home (our kitchen is dominated by my mum and my grandma), i guess i will have some more time to experiment once i get married.
also this is a rather lame way of telling you, dear blog, that i am getting married. to a boy. who is based in Bangalore.But don't worry, bloggy dear, nothing's gonna change between us. I still feel the same way about you.
one more comic i made a long while ago. this is a little more girly than usual.

love at a tender age

2011-06-08T19:27:00.000+05:30

I was idly channel-surfing, when i caught a snippet of the movie Rok Sako To Rok Lo. It involved a scene where the hero and the girl he is trying to 'woo' are french-kissing.
My first thought was "WTF? What school is this based on?"
Ok, I went to an ultra-conservative school in a super-conservative city. But seriously do schools in films exist in real-life? If not what are all these movies based on?
I really want to know!
And while we are at it, lets also talk about uniforms. Were the uniforms in your school THAT sexy?

Beware the cook

2011-06-05T09:24:00.000+05:30

in my childhood, me and my friends were great fans of 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' , so much so that we would quote dialogues to each other. After a while it felt as if Ross, Rachel, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, and Chandler were actually our real-life friends.

Isn't there is an episode where Rachel tries to cook a shepherd's pie and ends up mixing up two recipes, so she makes half an english pudding and half a shepherd's pie? I guess this was similar.

Except here, i nearly cooked half a methi moong dal and half an achaari paneer.

All About Laden

2011-05-08T12:20:00.000+05:30

This blog post has come about because I am precisely the sort of person who has an opinion about everything (even things that concern me not :) )
I loved the DNA headline, and I cut it up to make this collage.

Now I am waiting for Kasab to hang.

beauty gunk

2011-04-25T19:30:00.000+05:30

i don't really like going to beauty parlours, mainly because most beauticians have something or the other to say about 1) my skin 2) my hair. However, i did undergo a facial recently. and here is a sketch to commemorate that occasion.

about a little girl

2011-04-12T22:55:00.001+05:30

i met 3-yr-old Anou with her parents in singapore, and she reminded me of an old-fashioned childhood in a by-gone era. i hope she remains this sweet and unaffected even when she grows up.

World Cup

2011-04-03T11:13:00.000+05:30

So, it seems that we won the world cup. I am not excited about cricket, but I really like how the country comes together to 'celebrate' the game!

Holi

2011-04-03T11:09:00.000+05:30

Holi was the official start to Summer.. Not that Pune ever gets that cold! People lit little fires on open grounds, and sides of the road to 'drive away the winter'. The moon was gorgeous, like a large beautiful pearl. I was moon-struck :)

Summer begins

2011-04-03T11:02:00.003+05:30

Its been seriously getting warm in the city. Though realistically, since i spend most of my day in an AC environment, the outside weather does not affect me as badly. but its still an excuse to bring out my summer clothes.

Iskool

2011-03-22T22:05:00.000+05:30

A few months ago, i made some illustrations for some friends' reports. Unfortunately they could not use it, but i was still quite happy with the results .
these were made for a report for an NGO.

singapore sketches

2011-03-13T22:54:00.000+05:30

in December i went on a small tour of Singapore-Malaysia. while i anticipated long hours where i could sketch to my heart's content, there was so much 'site-seeing' to do, that i could barely sketch.
here are a few pages i made.

i have been having busy weeks at work, so not been posting. but now that things are back to normal, i am going to try and post more.

Valentine's day

2011-02-16T11:21:00.000+05:30

R. took this photo, after we had finished a photo-shoot of her. The arms and torso and the giant grey shirt belong to me, the red furry heart shaped pillow belongs to R.

Anti social dot com

2011-02-09T09:58:00.001+05:30

One of my colleagues was grumbling about having to update his social networks. He actually came up with this idea! So its copy-righted and all that.
Anybody interested in funding this noble venture? ;-)

iPad stories

2011-01-30T21:13:00.000+05:30

i got an iPad a few months back, and got all sorts of negativity from iPhone-using-friends.
for the original quote in this comic, refer this article from Wired Product reviews.

also, aww, look my blog's first PG-13 comic. parental discretion advised while reading this blog, from now on :)

Pink Tie Vespa Guy

2011-01-24T21:56:00.000+05:30

this last month or so have been hectic, and i havn't really had much time to draw. but to keep the creative juices flowing, i have decided to create a 'whiteboard art' series.
my cubicle at work is provided with a tiny white board which is to be used for....making lists?brainstorming? Regardless of its original purpose, i am using it to draw on. this is one of the drawings i made.

the scooter is a memory of my NID days, when one of my friends had one of those tiny bajaj scooters. three to four of us would cram up on that scooter if need be!
the pink tie is a homage to my current company policy. the men have to wear ties every monday. some of the guys rebel by wearing absolutely horrendous ties which clash with their shirts.

since i spend most of my day at my workplace, i will probably be making more drawings like this!

livening up the ol' workspace

2011-01-20T23:02:00.000+05:30

One of our visual designers was pretty irritated designing pop-overs for a project. He finally turned and said,
"Tumhare pop-overs ka ghada bhar chuka hai" (You have had your fill of pop-overs)
I found it incredibly hilarious and drew this little sketch on his white-board.

a head for hats

2011-01-20T22:51:00.001+05:30

I was considering buying a fedora. So chic. I didn't find a good one, so I made a little doodle instead.

Scribbles-truly

2011-01-16T22:43:00.002+05:30

i doodled this while chatting with some friends. the drawing started with an elephant print on one of my friend's bags.

i am having t-shirts made from the cockroaches quote on the top right, so let me know if you want one too ;-)
its the ultimate feminist declaration, isn't it?

and as we all know, i am pretty much into fashion and clothes and all sorts of superficial things. so as proof, i present here a 'what i wore' illustration.

and happy new year to my few readers! hope your new year is better than the last.

Sky comic

2010-12-17T11:01:00.000+05:30

I wanted to do a Softer World type comic, but could not come up with a funny or thought provoking line.
But I like sky photos, so will leave you with this.

Also, this comic has been made in Microsoft Powerpoint, and Microsoft Picture Editor.

What's on YOUR desk?

2010-12-11T21:55:00.000+05:30

People personalize their desks in many amusing ways. Just some around my work place.

Some people park their bikes

Others put multi-racial families. A travelling Bedouin family with a pet cobra, a huge baby, and a treasure chest.

Some have anti-backstabbing mirrors :)

Some are passive aggressive.

Others are more open.

What do you keep on your desk :)

Red-head

2010-11-28T18:47:00.001+05:30

I made myself a facebook profile picture today. I have no good photos of me, so why not make one I thought? I put in some elements I thought vital. Curly hair(of course), red lipstick, tea cup, giant sunglasses and a fancy jacket with huge shoulders. And blue skies. I love blue skies, they make me happy.

Just to clarify, I am not a red-head. But I love red hair, I think its so Celtic. And exotic. And nothing like mine. But then, whats the point of making your own picture, if you can't even change your hair colour! So it stays.

Weight watchers

2010-11-21T09:34:00.000+05:30

I joined a gym again, to take another stab at controlling my weight. I was so regular for about a month, and felt that my clothes fit better and was confident I had lost weight. So, one morning I stepped on the scales.

Winter crept up over the weekend

2010-10-31T21:58:00.000+05:30

A small drawing I did some time ago,

Raavan watches a movie

2010-10-17T20:04:00.001+05:30

How would it be if Ravaan watched a movie? Too many heads and too many opinions. Er, and not enough popcorn, I guess?
My first attempt with Corel Painter..not very awesome..But I shall get better, I promise!
Till then, Happy Dusshera!

Where my feet have been

2010-10-03T15:41:00.000+05:30

I was looking through some photos, and realized I have taken photos of my feet, for some reason.

On the beach

In a courtyard, in a village

in the sea

under a tree

Maybe I should start looking up for some time??

House for tall people

2010-09-20T22:31:00.000+05:30

I am a petite person, who comes from a family of similarly small-stature people. I recently was visiting a friend who is quite tall, and noticed that everything seemed to be outside my reach!

My long weekend

2010-09-13T13:16:00.000+05:30

I had made plenty of plans for this long weekend, (this included book-shopping, catching up with friends, relaxing, cooking some, making comics, and so on).

However, things didn't quite turn out that way, I was down all three days with a horrendous cold, and spending time with my new best friend, the Vaporiser.

Fun times.

People with tattoos

2010-08-22T13:05:00.000+05:30

I recently accompanied some friends for their first and second tattoos respectively, and spent some hours in the tattoo parlour. After giving them "helpful" comments ("that one? reminds me of a bouncer"), I spent some time doodling and chatting up the other patrons.

There was a girl who wanted a tattoo "to give her strength" and decided on a intricate one of Lord Shiva on her forearm, a boy who wanted Che Guevera with a chinese script saying 'peace' under it (bit of an oxymoron, don't you think?), and a couple who sauntered in to get their daughter's ears pierced. The kid raised hell, crying, yelling and kicking. This whole drama included the mother yelling at the kid's father, the kid trying to escape repeatedly, and everyone else freezing till the screaming stopped. I must be getting old after all, but whenever a kid in my family got his ears pierced, we went to a jeweller. These guys were such experts, that the kid would be playing one minute, and the next minute he would have pierced ears. AND they did home visits too. So the kid could throw a tantrum in the privacy of its own house, if it so pleased. Towards the end, another couple came in with the wife wanting a "tramp stamp" (this is a term I got from How I Met Your Mother, so you will have to watch that). Heh.

I doodled there a bit, but this is the one sketch I liked the best.

Categorising people

2010-08-15T23:14:00.001+05:30

A quick categorisation of people based on their Independence day sentiments.

We all know which category I belong to :)

Umbrella

2010-07-25T23:21:00.000+05:30

Doodling something the other day. This was a rough draft for a 'contact-us' page for our team newsletter. The words you see are the some of the services we are trying to promote.

Too many services, not enough umbrellas

I wanted to create a textured feel to the umbrellas, I used a crumpled up newspaper to make the paint daubs.

Fashion Tips from Ramayana

2010-07-05T22:42:00.001+05:30

There was this one day we found a discarded earring on the stairs near my office canteen. And ensued the following conversation.

The style is bit different from how I normally draw.. Easier to render, focuses more on the content. Thoughts?

What Women Want

2010-07-04T23:34:00.004+05:30

(Warning: Really Long Post ahead !)

I was reading a post by one of my favourite bloggers (who I admire for her courage and out-spoken attitude) where she mentioned a contest by BlogAdda called What Women Want.

There are several entries, some silly, some serious, and some downright stupid. This provoked me enough to writing my own post. The contest unfortunately is long over, so I cannot post my entry there. But I can definitely post it here :-)

Now, considering that needs and wants change based on age, culture, marital status etc., I will not pretend to make a generic list. So this is more like a list of what I want women to want.

So here goes:

I want to have the confidence to make my own decisions. It’s easy to rely on someone else, father, husband, brother, uncle or even sometimes your mother to make them for you. Infact, most Indian women are encouraged to do just that. This could be a thing as small as a haircut to as big as a marriage. Thinking for yourself is hard, even harder is taking responsibility for yourself.
I want my education to be taken more seriously. Read, write, listen, and be curious of the world around you. Get your degrees, learn some valuable skillset, and be sincere about what you do. Do something which gives you a source of income.
I want to work. All women should, at least once in their life whether they need the money or not. Being part of a team, being responsible for the decisions you make, teaches you essential life skills. It teaches you patience, responsibility, maturity, and diplomacy.
I want to feel safe. Whether it’s going to a party late at night, or being alone at home, I want to feel I can be alright on my own.
I want to be financially independent. Whether you like it or not, money plays a big role in being secure.

It annoyed me a little bit to see how some entries went on and on about the “need to be loved” and how a woman only needs to be listened to and other such soppy stuff. What is this incredible need to glorify women, and claim that they are so very sensitive and caring and self-sacrificing? These are not gender-specific qualities! This in my mind, is what society wants women to want.

Now before you brand me, let me say I am neither a feminist nor a tomboy. I am like every woman and no particular one. Probably most women think like me too.

( Phew! This might be one of the longest posts (and the fiercest, perhaps) I have written on this blog.. )

Its time for mean observations about the world

2010-06-24T22:04:00.000+05:30

My observations over a croissant in the canteen

List of things not to wear to office(assuming you work in an office like mine, which is...corporate)

1)      Strappy sandals with flesh coloured toe socks. Those are just ugly. Period
2)      Ill-fitting shirts with ill-fitting trousers. They look like pajamas.
3)      Combinations which remind us of the housekeeping staff, security guards or factory workers
4)      The same tie. Every. Single. Day.
5)      Sweater- vests in mustard. Pants in mustard colour. Actually anything in mustard.
6)      Sport Shoes under your formals. unless you are planning to go running after work.
7)      Jangly bangles or anklets. Leave your jingles for weddings please.
8)      Stockings. Ok seriously, we live in a tropical country. Do you really want to die of heat-stroke?
9)      Combinations which defy the colour pallete. Maroon shirt and green trousers. Blue shirt and plum pants. No, just no.
10)   Anything with ruffles or frills or bows. Especially in pink, and especially with ribbons. Please don’t.

About Slumdog Millionaire

2010-06-14T08:40:00.002+05:30

When Slumdog Millionaire won an Oscar, I had made a comic about how it would affect Indian media. Oh well, none of this has happened...yet.

Watching saris

2010-06-08T08:29:00.001+05:30

The wedding season is in full blast, and I have spent the last few weekends attending weddings, receptions, and other shaadi-related thingys. A small comic inspired by a wedding attended with my friend S.

Bet you didn't know all that much about saris either ;-)

a little trip

2010-06-01T21:44:00.002+05:30

I went on a little trip recently, where I didn't do much but eat and sleep. I also managed to produce these two little drawings.

My friend sitting on a swing on the verandah.

And the two beautiful snow-white bulls which lived in the cattle shed behind us.

This is yours truly, chatting and painting in the verandah. (Photo courtesy: S.)

Self-doubt and et all

2010-05-24T08:12:00.001+05:30

Putting up a few doodles I had done long ago. The theme, as it were, is self-pity and whining ;-)

This is just a random thought. I mean, I know I am awesome of course. But even the most confident can have a niggling of self-doubt..

I think the main conclusion I need to draw from here is that I need scanning lessons.

Rant about beauty contests

2010-05-02T22:55:00.001+05:30

I keep seeing photos of Femina Miss India contestants, and to be honest, they all look the same to me. They are pretty much template-ised.
Although it would probably be unfair to say that these beauty contests are shallow and meaningless, because the winners generally do have that 'something different' factor. I suppose its the intelligence which makes the difference, I don't know. What I do know is the girls who win this contest come across as articulate, smart and savvy women. And yes, seen individually they are truly beautiful.

However here is a dig on one of the shallower beauty contestants.

The talkathon

2010-04-20T07:44:00.002+05:30

For a long while I have wanted to do a drawing with a lot of "busy-ness". That translates into lots of colours, lots of characters and quirkiness.
This was done after a long day of talking and listening to many many people....

Batik

2010-04-11T11:21:00.000+05:30

A friend of my mum has a small batik-print studio. We went over to buy some stuff from her and I snapped some photos. This is an attempt at photography, since my phone has a good camera now.

I have no understanding of textiles, much less prints, but I have taken a liking to batik.

Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland'

2010-03-15T21:34:00.001+05:30

"A wholly unremarkable movie", intoned my friends, as the credits rolled.

I had been interested in watching this movie, since I like Tim Burton's work and I liked 'Alice in Wonderland' (oh, BIG fan). Ergo I was very keen to see his take on one of the most famous children's book of all time.

Burton has always been one for developing memorable characters. Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and even the prissy White Queen are incredibly well designed. Same cannot be said of the story, it seems as if Burton got so caught up in the beauty of his film that he forgot to write a story line.

The story goes some-what like this: Alice(Mia Waskowska) is now nineteen (and looks about sixteen), and is in an awkward situation. She has a proposal of marriage from a rather dull but rich man. While she mulls over this dilemma, she is distracted by a waistcoat-wearing, pocket watch holding rabbit, and falls down the self same rabbit hole, as she did when she was 6. This time however things are much different in Wonderland. The Red Queen(Helena Bonham Carter) is terrorising the land with her 'darling' Jabberwocky, a fantastic monster(another good character). There is a prophecy which foretells that Alice will kill the Jabberwocky and give the crown back to the White Queen (Anne Hathaway; (who should stick to being a brunette, white-blonde suits her not)). She finds an ally in the Mad Hatter(Johnny Depp; who might try playing normal people for a change) and other strange creatures on Wonderland. Does Alice manage to triumph over her difficulties and kill Jabberwocky? Of course, she does, silly! And does she take charge of her own life when she gets back to her world? Naturally!

Oh Mr. Burton, you can do so much better...

Little things

2010-03-07T21:04:00.000+05:30

Some days back, a friend asked me to make some teeny-tiny illustrations for a magazine they come out with every few months. I did not have too much time unfortunately, but I did my best. So here they are now.

(Blogger is being very difficult today, hence pardon the layout)

She used some of them in the magazine, of which I will add the link later.

Valentine's day and a terror attack

2010-02-14T21:18:00.001+05:30

Isn't it strange that on the day before we celebrate the day for the Saint of Love, there happened a hate-induced attack in my city?
This is the freaky Valentine day card I wanted to upload today.

However this probably wasn't scary enough, I heard the news of the attack.

So today I drew this. So I will upload this too.

My heart goes out to the victims of Pune's terror attack. Love and peace to all.

We flew kites

2010-01-28T15:39:00.000+05:30

14th Jan was Makar Sankranti/Uttarayan. It is traditionally the day when the winter ends, the days get longer and warmer. Now I don't know exactly why, but people fly kites on this day.

Thus at my workplace, the people decided to take some time off and fly kites. We wish for a better year, more money and a steadier economy.

I am no good at photography, but I liked these two pictures.

Occam's razor

2010-01-21T20:27:00.000+05:30

I think I like illustrating obscure terms and words. Here is the official explanation

Dull sky

2010-01-15T12:00:00.001+05:30

It is a cold and melancholy day, the sky is cloudy and the mood is depressing. I am wearing open sandals today, and now my toes are freezing. I think I am getting a cold. I sit here wrapped in my bright fuchsia shawl, wishing I could go home, sip hot tea and read Chimamanda Adichie.

music

2009-12-28T19:39:00.000+05:30

..not too happy with the way it turned out...
lately all the stuff i have been drawing is displeasing me...

rainy day

2009-12-27T10:53:00.002+05:30

We had a sudden shower in November. I arrived at the bus-stop that morning to find this RGB trio.

Till the fat lady sings...

2009-12-05T18:08:00.001+05:30

They say it ain't over till the fat lady sings :)

Genuine difficulties

2009-12-01T09:36:00.000+05:30

Things I am finding very hard to do for the last few days:

Control my temper.
Wake up on time.
Be patient.
Organise my time and work.
Be tolerant of people.
Be a professional.
Exercise.

My last years resolution was to talk less (and listen more), not to lose my temper over small things, and see the positive side of things.
I am finding it very very difficult to keep them these days.

For 26/11

2009-11-28T09:27:00.001+05:30

This is a collage I did last year when 26/11 was still fresh in my mind.

It was heartening to see that people all over India still remembered 26/11.
My main fear then was, that 26/11 would be forgotten like so many other incidents of violence, injustice, and terror.

trees, so pretty

2009-11-24T21:33:00.000+05:30

(yes, yes, I need to learn how to scan pictures properly :)

somewhat uninspired

2009-11-21T08:22:00.000+05:30

I have bouts of creative activity, its rather like a sneezing attack. This week, I am feeling particularly non-productive.
Smallish sketch, made some time in october.

Random bakwas

2009-11-16T10:18:00.000+05:30

There is something about the medical profession which fascinates me. Maybe its the utter seriousness with which doctors are taken, maybe its the cool, nonchalant way they approach their frightened patients...its the undefinable cool that they keep in harried circumstances. Thus it is not surprising that my favourite soap-opera is a medical show. Its this one!

I have had a massive crush on J.D., especially since he has such great taste in music. He's so totally appealing in a goofy nerdy kind of way. I read this article the other day which says that 'Scrubs' is the most accurate of all medical shows on TV.

And what exactly is the point of this post?
Not much really, I just wanted to gush about Scrubs.

irani chai

2009-11-08T22:46:00.001+05:30

Some time last week, we went to one of the oldest Irani cafes in the city.

Cranberry juice

2009-11-03T21:53:00.000+05:30

I got some packaged juice at the cafeteria. Everyone wanted a taste, and this is what they thought of it.

How I learnt to drive

2009-10-27T23:01:00.000+05:30

I have finally got a scanner!! Thanks a million, S.
This one is for you, you know what good driver I am :)

Dot and his problems

2009-10-23T14:02:00.001+05:30

What is an existential crisis?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for this..

The Goa I see

2009-10-18T11:14:00.003+05:30

I recently made a trip to Goa. Now for my folks, Mapusa is not a tourist destination, but a place where they spent their childhood, and much of their formative years.

So whenever I go there with moi parents, its always a trip to various temples, aunts, uncles and cousins, with an occasional beach thrown in. Whenever we visit relatives, they get nostalgic, point out to their lovely empty houses, and speak resignedly of how none of their children want to stay in Goa anymore. ( Sadly that includes me as well.) Would I live in Goa, if I had a choice? "I certainly would, if I were offered gainful employment there." is what I always answer.

Some photos. Nothing very artistic in quality, but they remind me of how green and serene Goa was.

To clarify: I love cats. I have many many more pictures of these lovely ones, but resisted putting them up :)

Our old house is in a village rather out of the way. It is only recently that a asphalt approach road was built.

---

We did go to the beach, but it was raining and the tide was going out. For the first time ever, we saw life guards on Goa beaches. They were shooing people out of the water. I also saw many many drunk, lecherous, badly behaved men and women. It bothers me deeply when people come to beautiful places like these, litter and spoil the atmosphere.

I would say the beach was the low point of my visit.

The drive back was however lovely. The weather was cool, with just a bit of rain, and the sky was beautiful, just like this.

Last photo of the post with the mandatory sunset sky :)

The horizontal Almari

2009-10-15T10:16:00.000+05:30

This was a conversation I had with my cousin and dad. Just a quick doodle.
Possibly non-Hindi speakers may not identify with it!

guy in the mall

2009-10-11T11:31:00.001+05:30

I hope he was okay.

In the driver's seat

2009-10-05T12:45:00.000+05:30

I recently learned how to drive, and its been fun times since. I feel so very grown up now ;)

The week in pictures

2009-09-26T09:23:00.008+05:30

I recently got a point-and-shoot camera. It is a Nikon Coolpix, and so far I like it. Its easy to carry around, has a great picture quality in all kinds of light, and has a rechargable battery. In my own small way I am trying to contribute to the environment. So remember kids, don't use disposable batteries! Not only do they discharge fast, but cannot be recycled.

I liked the moody greens and blues on this tin-fence. Someone out there has a eye for colour! It was a rainy, dull day and this fence was quite standing out.

The world is full of people who park carelessly. The Pune Municipal Corporation has a solution for such, this yellow device apparently is known as a "jammer". I feel for the poor guy who found this on his car, I really do.

Our garden produced these gems the other day. It is an edible root, we call it सुरण . I think they are called "yams" in English. The flowers of this plant are exceedingly stinky. I thought it looked rather like a turtle. And the small one was a baby turtle.

That, is my garba outfit. I rarely dress up but when I do, I go all out!

And this, is a picture of a guy whose signature they did not trust. My poor friend had to give his thumbprint to buy his bike.

haiku

2009-09-23T10:41:00.002+05:30

I wanted to try out a new effect in Illustrator, so while I was at it, I made up this little rhyme as well. It is a particularly silly rhyme, I realise, but it has made people smile.
Drawing inspired by this dude.

New shoes and dance parties

2009-08-29T11:20:00.005+05:30

This post has some silly drawings I did last week.

For instance, I bought a pair of lovely pumps a few weeks ago...unfortunately I need to break them in, they are killing me when I try to walk in them!

Since I am getting old now, I am now allowed to reminiscence. So I was fondly remembering dance parties in college. As per my habit, I have managed to make personas (in a dance party! I am such a geek). I have put many of my friends in this drawing :) I am there too!

Open large, read the descriptions :)

Everything's gonna be okay!

2009-08-05T09:59:00.001+05:30

Rough patch, tough days.
This too shall pass?

Swallowed in the sea

2009-07-31T19:52:00.002+05:30

I am a sucker for romance :)

cooking

2009-07-24T08:36:00.003+05:30

From being someone who could barely prepare Maggi, I have gone to someone who takes active interest in cooking. I actually read recipes with interest, and try them out! Of course I have a really long way to go when it comes to expert cooking, but I won't starve if I have to live alone :)
However at the end of today's blog-post, I have an observation to make. When you enter your mid-twenties, life becomes increasingly complicated. You need to take some life-altering decisions, because you have to live with those decisions well into your old age. The best way, I have come to realize, is to take your time. Take it slow and let the answer come to you. It always works.

random girly music

2009-07-05T23:57:00.003+05:30

Its been ages since I shared a song. I listen to lot of acoustic music, I love voices. And the guitar, of course.
I love this song by Terra Naomi, it's melancholy yet happy at the same time.
Suits my mood :)

Phony wars

2009-06-03T07:57:00.006+05:30

I added the last panel because, its my comic, and in my comic, I always win.

shoppin'

2009-05-30T18:10:00.004+05:30

I haven't shopped for almost a month, which is a big deal. I spend way too much on clothes, and books. I love clothes, and fashion(though I may not look it :) Buying clothes for other people is another of my hobbies. One of my journal pages is a good example of this.
One of my fantasy professions would be personal shopper. That's such an awesome job! You get paid, for shopping.
However, this comes with its own weird quirk. I love shopping alone. With people, not so much :)

Signs

2009-04-23T17:56:00.004+05:30

I am a big believer in signs by the universe. But sometimes I am so blinded by my own ideas, that I move my own bullheaded way. Even if the signs are about as subtle as a a big red neon sign flashing in my face.

Oh and I went on a trek recently. Am so out of shape, its been three days and my feet still hurt!

Just trying some stuff with stippling, and blue inks. Of course, you need to view large to read my tiny, ants-walking-in-ink handwriting.

certain photos of a certain trip

2009-04-20T13:02:00.004+05:30

Somehow evocative. Don't know why. They say life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. I guess life is what is happening to me now :)
(Apologies for the garbled post. I am living on painkillers. Explanations soon)

Updates galore

2009-04-13T17:55:00.001+05:30

Been busy with life and things in general, hence the silence.
Please bear with me, ye faithful readers, 'coz I will be back :)

Dream about flying

2009-03-22T08:43:00.005+05:30

Click large to read. Ink, watercolour, acrylic, and collage. A mash of too many mediums. Is this a bit overworked?

the design process

2009-03-18T19:30:00.001+05:30

Remember when you were fresh out of design school, and wanted to change the world? Well, that kinda doesn't always happen.

to allay all fears

2009-03-06T14:31:00.000+05:30

To all my friends who were seriously concerned about me being sad :) I am alright!
And here's a frog to prove it.

But thanks for all those sweet phone calls and concern. Makes a gal feel all warm and fuzzy :)

Some blue days

2009-02-28T10:20:00.001+05:30

Yeah, somedays are just like this. Week's not been to great and I have been drowning in an ocean of self-pity...

The curly girl's woes

2009-02-23T11:04:00.001+05:30

If you know me at all in real life, you must have an idea about how sensitive I am about my hair, and my lack of control over it. Most of the times its all over the place, and curled up in various geological rock formations. I had been advised to try a hair straightener, but nope, that does not help.

Anti valentine sentiments

2009-02-23T10:52:00.000+05:30

Not that I am a big fan of ShriRam Sena, seeing that I am very intolerant of intolerance. But, frankly Valentine's Day does not find me in the best of moods.

recent updates

2009-02-08T12:26:00.000+05:30

Just uploading some drawings. they are a little out-dated and do not reflect my current state of mind :)
If you wanna read the text, you should probably view large.

I drew this to see if I could do a series of actions. It depicts a failed attempt at a handstand :)
Hopefully I shall get a scanner soon, and be able to upload non-blurry images.

Some drawerings :)

2009-01-17T08:45:00.001+05:30

So here's some stuff I drew again. But this time its actually NOT on lined paper :)

Watercolour done at Diveagar, a smallish coastal town where we went for the weekend. We were just hanging around after a very heavy lunch, listening to music and cracking bad jokes :) These are my two friends from Australia ;)

I am not used to working in a cubicle, in an office with grey walls... and this is what I miss most :(

What I have been upto

2009-01-05T16:55:00.000+05:30

Long time since I posted. Not been upto many interesting things lately. But still...
I watched Ghajini. I can't say I liked it, but it wasn't all that bad. But seriously if Aamir Khan must do one movie per year, why would he do a movie like Ghajini. We have come to expect a lot more from him, than an out-and-out masala flick like Ghajini. Asin is lovely, Jiah is inane. Aamir is...bearable.
Then I watched Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi as well. Its horrendous. I could not wait for it to get over. SRK in both roles is awful. But again, the girl is a delight. Anushka Sharma seems to be a face to watch out for. She is believable and attractive.
And the surprise package is Oye Lucky Lucky Oye. I liked it, it was funny in parts, entertaining mostly. Abhay Deol is refreshing. The story was also so down-to-earth, it could have been a piece of neighbourhood gossip :) Overall, nice.

So I watched a lot of movies :)

I have also been reading a lot of online comics.
Fart Party: By Julia Wertz. The comic is not as slapstick as the name suggests. It is quite witty, and observant. I also like the way Julia Wertz draws.
Ordinary Comics: Another unusual comic by Ogze Samanci, an ertwhile PhD student studying in US. Originally from Turkey, she writes and draws about the differences and similarities between US and Turkey. As she puts it, when you are in a foreign country, you notice everything :)
Girls with Slingshots: by Danielle Corsetto. I love the way she draws. And the comic is fun too.
Questionable Content: By Jeph Jacques. He writes good dialogue, and plus I also like the fact that he remains all cynical, even when penning romantic situations :)

And the best part of this all is that I can read all these at work, where pretty much most entertaining websites are banned :)

ETA: oh, and a very happy new year to you too :)

I was here :)

2008-12-13T11:01:00.000+05:30

Attending the 29th Convocation in NID, Ahmedabad.
One of my favourite places :) I convocated last year, but went this year to cheer some of my friends who graduated this time.

pre-New Year depressing thoughts

2008-11-24T08:06:00.000+05:30

Another year gone, one more birthday. Not getting any younger are we? Last year, after agonizing over another 'wasted' year, I got some sound advice from my 80-year-old grandmother. You are 25, that's hardly 1/4th of your life! she scolded. I... never thought of it that way.

So this year, for the New year's eve, I am going to take a totally new spin on this whole 'life' business. Instead of looking back, I am going to look forward. There are so many things yet, I have not experienced. Rather than mourning what I have lost, I will try to look at what will come.

A few months ago, a friend was cribbing about his job(I do that pretty often myself, those are my pet peeves, work-life and social-life :). I have hit rock-bottom, he declared. I guess, I wasn't really listening or maybe I just thought this was a good line but anyway, I did come up with some advice that I could follow myself . Good, I told him, so now the only way is up.

So, basically, yeah, the only way now is up! :)

doodles from my notebook

2008-11-09T09:45:00.000+05:30

I keep a drawing journal, I try to draw every morning. Most sketches are fast, and done in no more than 15-20 mins. Simple ink-and-pen drawings. If anyone does go through them let me know what you guys think :)
This one is for my crinkly-haired sixteen year old cousin. She is pretty and smart and yet, very simple. So much that my brother calls her 'Plain Jane'. I think its really great she's like that, when she is in her teens.

I have been working in this company for over a year. I have had my high points and low points. I spend my time making stereotypes of people in my company. Here are an initial few.

This one was on Election day in the US. Though I havn't liked the way this drawing has turned out, I did think the conversation relevant. With the economy in the dumps, and inflation on the rise, can Obama really change the world? :)

Just wondering about my non-educational skill sets ;)

the womanly arts

2008-11-01T12:40:00.000+05:30

I have always wanted to learn knitting and stitching. Unfortunately I am all thumbs when it comes to anything like that. I think there is some problem with my hand-eye co-ordination ;-)
Anyways, I became all brave and bought myself a pair of knitting needles and a large hank of wool. My aim is to knit a muffler/scarf out of it. Lets see how it goes.
I also did a bit of drawing. Of course not having a scanner makes things complex. Well, lets see how it goes ...

****

The economy is becoming scary. Now that I am an employed woman, its suddenly very real to me. Some thing have affected me personally, some via others. I was thinking to change my job, now I am thankful I at least have a job.

Have a safe and happy divali

2008-10-28T17:52:00.000+05:30

This has been all over the papers, but I wanted to share this little incident anyway.

I was waiting by the signal on Sunday(which was the first day of divali) when a middle-aged lady with greying hair came up to me and gave me a sheet of paper. It looked like a pamphlet, and was written in Marathi. She smiled at me and wished me a happy divali. I smiled back but could not read it as the signal turned green.

Later as I parked my scooter near Sambhaji Park, I read the sheet of paper. It told the story of a young boy who was killed in a road accident, not many years back, on Divali. He was the lady's son. The pamphlet urged drivers to be careful and help if they saw someone in trouble.

This year in Divali, many citizens of Pune distributed pamphlets and leaflets to drivers asking them to be careful. Some wrote their stories, yet others drew cartoons and sarcastic remarks. But the message was clear, "drive safely". Apparently at Nal stop(the signal I was at) has the highest accident rate in the city during this time of the year.

It is heartening to see that people are undertaking such ventures. I hope I can also be part of something like this, someday.

Hi!

2008-10-25T14:37:00.000+05:30

Okay :)
So I have been missing for over a month. But there is a reason to it all (as there always is :). I finally took a vacation, for a dear friend's wedding. And went to two of the lovely old cities in India, Lucknow and Jodhpur. I had a great time, it was nice to catch up with friends and basically just 'chill' :) And of course there was a wedding to look great for, and I tried my best to do so!

The photo, thats in Lucknow, its the Bara Imambara. No artist quality pic, I am afraid, but it evokes memories and that enough :)

There she goes...

2008-09-06T12:47:00.000+05:30

There she goes
When I initially heard this song, I thought it was a sweet romantic type of song (I had only heard the Sixpence N.T.R. cover) about some pretty girl. Yesterday I looked it up on youtube and discovered it was actually about heroin. Obscure drug-referencing songs always make me giggle. No wonder I am sucha beatles fan ;)
Of course I got the chords, and am now trying to play it on my guitar. Needless to say, it sounds nothing like the original. :)

Happy Independence Day

2008-08-15T08:40:00.000+05:30

"What does freedom mean to you?" Today's Pune Times asked me.
All the pretty people featured there, models, actresses, couple of netas gave all the politically corrct answers.
What does freedom mean to me?
It means able to work for my living, being independent, not being forced to/emotionally blackmailed into doing things I do not like. Not being restricted by age, society, or mentality.
Is that really too much to ask? :)

--

I have realised I smile too much. And most of the time, its not even from the heart. Its just a fake smile, sort-of like a plastered on-thing.

--

Also not getting something, makes one want it more.

Racing like a pro

2008-07-26T13:01:00.000+05:30

Racing Like A Pro

You're pink you're young you're middle-class
they say it doesn't matter
fifteen blue shirts and womanly hands
you're shooting up the ladder

Your mind is racing like a pro, now
oh my god it doesn't mean a lot to you
one time you were a glowing young ruffian
oh my god it was a million years ago

Sometimes you get up and bake a cake or something
sometimes you stay in bed
sometimes you go la di da di da di da da
til your eyes roll back into your head

Your mind is racing like a pro, now
oh my god it doesn't mean a lot to you
one time you were a glowing young ruffian
oh my god it was a million years ago

you're dumbstruck baby
you're dumbstruck baby now you know
you're dumbstruck baby
you're dumbstruck baby now you know

Your mind is racing like a pro, now
oh my god it doesn't mean a lot to you
one time you were a glowing young ruffian
oh my god it was a million years ago

you're dumbstruck baby
you're dumbstruck baby now you know
you're dumbstruck baby
you're dumbstruck baby now you know
you're dumbstruck baby

This song really too full of hurt. I should never ever listen to it..

Still alive :)

2008-07-11T12:00:00.000+05:30

Long time, no post. Have been unwell. The computer had crashed. The Internet was skewed up. Oh, I have a million excuses, one for all occasions :)
But this blog is not dead! Far from it :)
A nice little site I found a few days ago.

Rain always makes things seem better

2008-06-15T17:00:00.000+05:30

It unleashes the romance in me, with the help of long drives and hot tea. And a huge bag of Mad Angles :)

Just to fill up space I am making a list of ten random things about me. Simply because I never did it before, and always wanted to :)

My secret dream is to be an artist or a musician.
I love making lists, especially lists of chores, with little tabs and folders, all colour co-ordinated :)
I hate cellphones, the internet, the computer. But without these, I would be jobless ;)
I would love try out street photography, but I am too shy and too nervous. What if someone notices me? :-S
I can say the stupidest things in the oddest places. Major foot-in-the-mouth syndrome.
I am never bored of my own company. I sometimes prefer it to other peoples ;)
I wish I had straight hair, but looks like that is one wish that will never come true.
I actually love my job, especially the design part ... not so much the usability gig :)
I can't cook...but trying to remedy that.
I learnt to drive at the age of 24. I have had driving teachers since I was 18. Three people have tried to teach me and failed. Finally I just got out on my own and drove around. So yeah, in all six years of learning curve :)

The day in brands

2008-05-30T14:33:00.001+05:30

The day in brands
Originally uploaded by Alea Athena

I came across this blog post by a Jane Sample and was inspired to map one day in brands. I notice that the software logos are prettier than my cosmetics and clothes logos :)

Guitar :)

2008-05-25T16:37:00.000+05:30

Me strumming away, with huge glasses. The blur on my right hand proves that I was playing :)

Song stuck in my head Sheryl Crow- Sweet child o' mine. As songs go, not a bad song to be stuck in one's head actually.

A rather productive day

2008-05-18T07:45:00.000+05:30

I felt very accomplished yesterday. I spent half the day working and reading...work-stuff. I drove the car, all the way to my guitar class (very well too I might add). My guitar class was great! I have been moved from the beginners-back-room to the front-room where the actually good guitar kids practise...I am not so good, but I am learning fast and catching up quickly. I have a cheap Indian guitar at home, which I play irregularly.
Looking at my increasing weight, I have finally given in and decided to join a gym. I have been against the idea for a long time, since I dislike gyms, their small airless spaces and perpetual ting of sweatiness in the air. However, my balooning weight leaves me no choice.
However in my sense of triumph, I have forgotten to do several vital chores, like paying bills and stuff. So I will have to sneak out during lunch hour on Monday to do the same.

Existential Angst

2008-05-11T16:18:00.001+05:30

Existential Angst
Originally uploaded by Alea Athena

A lot of questions in my life right now. But I am trying not to let it get to me...I am the perpetual worry-about :)

But as Rainer Maria Rilke put it;
"Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart.
Try to love the questions themselves,
At present you need to live the question,
Perhaps you will gradually without even noticing it,
find yourself experiencing the answer"