Exam Time Joy

It’s exam time. It’s fun!

Things I like about exam time:

1. I get to buy and stock up on interesting looking and highly functional (and some not) stationery goodies. I love it all- purple, pink and orange post-it prompts, multi-coloured plastic flags, highlighters, highlighter refills, different coloured pens for underlining and making margin notes, special marker for plastic flags, yellow legal pads filled with notes, exercises and ASP notes, stapling sheets of freshly photocopied notes and articles, lots of spiral bound bundles of articles which have that distinct new-paper smell. All of it.

2. I like studying in what is called the ‘new mess’ in my hostel. It was meant to be an extension of our mess, but it turns into this study hall when exams are close. There are approximately 12-13 tables. Each one is rectangular slab of granite or something of the sort surrounded by 6 chairs. One such table is usually occupied by a single person. When there are too many people, 2 share a table. The table is usually covered with prep material- heaps and heaps of photocopied stuff and notes- and accompanied by stationery *slurp*. (I tend to get like that around stationery- lustfully long for stationery and admire new and rare stationery.) I love the mess in this state. It reminds me of the Gryffindor common room under similar circumstances. I often compare life around me with life in Harry Potter and it’s soooooooooo much fun. It really makes the dullest of things seem so much more fun. I only wish I had a cushiony armchair like the one in the Gryffindor common room. It would then be perfect. Well, I do have a soft cushion which is often dressed in a silk cover. I just pretend that it’s my own cushiony armchair *giggles* The new mess is comfortable, people are silent and look like they’re engrossed in their prep, there’s a cooler around so water is not a problem, there’s also a loo nearby so that’s taken care of, and of course, no wifi signal. Perfect study conditions. When you feel you’re slacking off, you look at the others around and draw inspiration from them and buck up. In case you’re turning into crazy human and are studying excessively, there will be people to calm you down.

3. I enjoy making schedules and to-do lists. So I make these lists on the last page of my yellow legal pad and strike things off as and when I’m done with them! It almost reminds me of Hermione making a colour coded study schedule for Ron and Harry (which they did not follow). And when there’s too much to do and I don’t have the requisite material to study for one course, I tell myself that “On the brighter side, you can study for Course II!” This reminds me of the time when Harry and Ron couldn’t write their essay for some professor when Hermione brightly pointed out that “On the brighter side, you can work on your essay for Snape (or someone else!)!” and they pondered on the thought whether that really was the “brighter side”. *sigh* I love the series.

4. At times, I enjoy the anticipation before exams. Everybody is curious to know how much other people have done, whether they’re doing as much as them, etc. While it can get quite vile in the real world, I try to think of the time Harry and gang took their OWL. When you think about it, it’s more or less the same, except it tends to get to us in real world. So the 5^th book is like a note to self at such moments.

5. I feel productive during exams because this when we really learn our courses. Sadly, there usually isn’t enough time during the term to read for class on a regular basis. In a way this makes us fast learners- or that’s what we tell ourselves.

Now I shall whiz off and get back to studying.

BlogOwner and Friends

Updates:
1. I was in Dhaka for a week a few days ago where my passport and camera (and Fish's wallet with a lot of money and all her cards) got stolen. HOWEVER I came back to India nice and safe thanks to awesome contact that Fish had at the Indian Embassy there who were uber sweet to us. We were there for a debate, Asians Universities Debating Championship. The organizers were really nice to us and gave us free transport and even sent a competent person along with us wherever we went (local language would've been a problem otherwise). Any way, when I reached

2. As a result of this passport thing and the hassles that ensued, I couldn't shop much at this really cool sarojini-type place from where everybody else bought like 10 tops each. However, Fish shopped for me and got me one really cute top and one bangladesh tshirt so I'm not sad :) PLUS I got to come back unscathed, so that's a positive (hee).

3. Fish, Purple, Another Person and I did go souvenir shopping on the last day however. Was fun.

4. I notice how everything ultimately boiled down to shopping and I mustn't be so unidimensional, SO let me also tell you that the debate was reasonably fun. Too many Indians all over the place though.

5. Post AUDC, when we got back to law school, we did this dance thing for EMD. Danced to bollywood songs :) much fun. Won.

6. I think my planets are awesomely positioned right now because my last two meals (dinner last night and lunch today) (both of which were at a nice place) were not paid for by me.

7. I had parted with my laptop for a greater cause for a whole period of 3.5 days. Now I'm back with it. Yeay! Life without a laptop was strange.

It's Been a Hard Day's Night

We are doing this debate this weekend. The first round was fun. It was on this geo-pol motion and THANKFULLY we ended up debating a motion which I'd done a political science project on so I knew what it was about reasonably well. But we just couldn't get our point across well enough. Fair. We were up against Purple and team and they're just awesome awesome. We lost. That was okay because the feedback made sense and we knew we'd lost before they gave their decision. HOWEVER, our second round was atrocious. The judging, that is. We got a single chair and we were all thinking we'd win by clear (margin). BUT. Not, apparently. Well, it's happened before, horrid judging that is, but this was just taking it to a whole new level. Any way, I love debating and shouldn't get SO ticked off by arbit bad decisions (even though they seem to happen with alarming regularity). Later had conversations with multiple people and felt better because said judge is said to spaz out on a regular basis (but he's supposed to be a decent judge because he has pretty rounds where he gives lucid feedback quite often. But I guess we all have our crazy-bad days). Heh. Horrid that we should be at the receiving end in this tournament, but well, sigh, we're not the only ones! Hopefully we'll improve and become so kickass that we can convince even the slowest of judges even on their worst day :)

Then ended up realising that should IOM much, much more. Have totally stopped visiting HappyLand.

Among other updates, I'm extremely sleepy right now so I should get done with work and then go get some sleep, expecially since we need to wake up at 8 tomorrow morning to debate some more. Not really an "update" but well. Whatever.

Also, I love The Beatles and this album especially. Sigh.

When I'm home everything seems to be right
When I'm home feeling you holding me tight, tight

However, my favourite-est* song on the album is And I Love Her

And I Love Her - The Beatles


I give her all my love
That's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her

She gives me everything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her

A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her


Wouldn't you just die if someone sang this for you?


*Look, I just CANNOT decide between the title song, I Should Have Known Better, Happy Just to Dance With You and Can't Buy Me Love. They're all my favs. I love this album.

Making Someone's Day

The fact that someone's day was made because I emailed them, makes my day :) And getting an email from them makes my day any day :)

Kate Winslet and Places to Eat

I adore Kate Winslet.

1. She's multi-talented and is awesome at everything she does.
2. She doesn't live on a piece of lettuce a day.
3. She is normal and just SEEMS so happy (obviously, nobody but her knows whether she really is. But at least she LOOKS more than content.)
4. She's a libran. Hee.
5. She's almost never on gofugyourself.com and when she is, it's under the "Well Played" tag (of course gofugyourself matters *sniggers*).
6. I love this song of hers.

What if



Here I stand alone
With this weight upon my heart
And it will not go away
In my head I keep on looking back
Right back to the start
Wondering what it was that made you change

Well I tried
But I had to draw the line
And still this question keeps on spinning in my mind

What if I had never let you go
Would you be the man I used to know
If I'd stayed
If you'd tried
If we could only turn back time
But I guess we'll never know

Many roads to take
Some to joy
Some to heart-ache
Anyone can lose their way
And if I said that we could turn it back
Right back to the start
Would you take the chance and make the change

Do you think how it would have been sometimes
Do you pray that I'd never left your side

What if I had never let you go
Would you be the man I used to know
If I'd stayed
If you'd tried
If we could only turn back time
But I guess we'll never know

If only we could turn the hands of time
If I could take you back would you still be mine

'Cos I tried
But I had to draw the line
And still this question keep on spinning in my mind

What if I had never let you go
Would you be the man I used to know
What if I had never walked away
'Cos I still love you more than I can say
If I'd stayed
If you'd tried
If we could only turn back time
But I guess we'll never know
We'll never know

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Among other things, I have tons of work to do (as usual) but have gone out to town twice in three days (not so usual). I think I should review restaurants that I've been to. I have a mental checklist and every time I go somewhere new, I tick it off my list!

Places I've been to in Bangalore (in no particular order):

1. Casa Picola (Residency Road)- I've been here 3 times and it's AWESOME. I absolutely love the cuisine. Mediterranean (obviously Indianised). It's not too expensive and the portions are great. Fish and I have always ordered this thing called "Chicken Parmigiana" (Sorry, I'm TERRIBLE and uncultured etc wrt exotic names) and Chicken Tettrazini or some such thing and split. They're both amazing and now they're our standard order at Casa. There's this creamy mango drink which is superb.

2. Casa Del Sol (Residency Road)- It's right above Casa Picola and is this classy, jazzy place with an open air part too. Decent food but not great. QUITE expensive, but amazing ambience. You can there with the girls and relax and talk and just unwind.

3. Oye Amritsar (Churchstreet)- Very popular place. Very good Punjabi food (not excellent, though). The lassi which they serve in horribly HUGE glasses are to die for. The place is designed to look like this typical roadside dhaba in Punjab. Fun. But there's no air conditioning (or there was none the 2/3 times I've been there). Portions are quite big, so it's good for like a huge bunch of people going out for lunch.

4. Saigon (Churchstreet)- Right under Oye Amritsar. Good food, nice ambience. I don't really have many comments about this place. It's a nice place to have dinner. Quite expensive though.

5. Shezan (somewhere in town!)- Good, semi-cheap Chinese food. I liked. If you don't want to spend a fortune but hang out at a nice, comfortable place, this is a good pick.

6. Bamboo Shoots (town!)- NICE lunch buffet for 150 bucks. Really good. The dessert is yum. ambience isn't to die for but hey, it's good enough for a 150 bucks!

7. Three Quarter Chinese (a.k.a. 3QC) (Churchstreet)- Really Indian and Chinese food. I was there for the "Christmas buffet" and it was great, though buffets are wasted on me because I can't eat that much in one go. It's a charming place with great food. I'd recommend!

8. The Only Place (Museum Road)- Stunning Cheese Fries. You give me fries and cheese and I'm happy. I loved the food. The Chicken Burger is also quite good. I loved the service because those guys are really prompt and they have special order-takers who know the menu well. So, that's a plus. It's this quaint little place with good Mediterranean food (even though I've only tried their chicken schnitzel and it was good, but I hear most other things are good as well) and happy people all around so it scored with me.

9. Oye Shaava (Churchstreet)- The food is just like Oye Amritsar's, except, it's got this classy ambience thing going on. So I like this more. Really really good lunch buffet.

10. Hotel Empire (Churchstreet, I think)- I've heard the lunch buffet is GREAT with lots of chicken stuff and it's only for 99 bucks. I have had this thali thing for dinner for a 100 bucks and that was great as well. So I'd recommend this place for when you're really hungry, want chicken, are short of cash and still want good food (obv the ambience isn't to die for, but it doesn't really matter).

11. Boca Grande (Koramangala)- NICE place. Neat. Good Mediterranean food. Excellent portions (I couldn't finish my maincourse thingy). You MUST try the Cake Shake that they serve. Happy place, nice decor, they also have games that you can play alongwith tv screens etc. I also hear their mud-pie is really good though I haven't tried it.

12. Gelato place (I don't remember the exact name!) (somewhere in town!)- NICE dessert. Cozy interiors. Nice dessert, again.

13. Corner House!- Everyone knows about Corner House. Dessert place! Confession: I've been to one only ONCE.

14. Cafe Fresco's (Cunningham Road)- REALLY REALLY nice dessert. Honestly. LOVELY place. Sigh. I could LIVE there.

15. Chungs (Cunningham Road)- Nice, cheap Chinese food! It's really close to Fresco's so doing both is a good idea.

16. Reliance Cafe place in Forum (Koramangala)- Nice granitas! At least the one I had was nice. It was yellow on top and green towards the bottom. Charming! If you're in Forum and are bored, you can go there for a break.

17. Donut Baker (Brigade Road)- Cute. Awesome donuts.

18. Couch (MG Road)- Really nice place to hang out. Expensive, though. They have this mango drink which is SINFUL. So is the oreo cheesecake. Really nice. I like lots. There are racks of books, couches (obv), nice loud music, and decent food.

19. Pecos (town!)- Law school fav. It's a pub where they play EXCELLENT music. MUST MUST go there. I like the dosa+chicken curry combo. Yum. I pilfer popcorn which comes with the beer which my friends order. Nice place. However, it's quite dingy so if you don't drink AND you don't like the music there, then you're doomed (I LOVE the music there so I like the place). I hear the pork ghee roast there is amazing (I don't eat pork so I don't know).

20. Mojos (town!)- Owned by the same people who own Pecos. Similar place with similar food. I LOVE the chilly chicken there. However, this is much less dingy, with better circulation, space and places to sit. TV screens all over so it's quite nice. But the music isn't as great as Pecos'.

21. Koshy's (town!)- I went there with a bunch of friends for breakfast. Nice food, cute place. Nothing exceptional though. Good, nonetheless.

22. Indi Joe's Sizzlers (MG Brigade Churchstreet)- Nice nice. I like much much. Awesome portions. Good place to hang out with friends, though it's quite expensive.

23. French Loaf (Churchstreet)- Nice bakery type place with yummy desserts. Not very expensive. I'd strongly recommend for their desserts. I obviously had this chocolate thing which was SINFUL. Very cute little place and it's right across Blossoms so a book-shopping trip + dessert at French Loaf sounds good!

I can't remember any more of the places I've been to, though there are definitely more. 2 years in Bangalore, have got to have gone out to more than 23 places! But 22 is not bad by my standards. I rarely go to town! I am obviously not going to write about the McDonalds, KFCs, Coffee Days and Baristas of the world.

BO's Guide to Uninhibited Exam Prep Material Acquisition

RULE 1: (The most important of them all) Drop all notions of justice, fairness and equity and silly school-day-ideas such as one-must-waste-that-one-hour-photocopying-and-not-ask-others-because-it's-unfair-that-you-should-get-an-hour-extra-to-study- when-they-wasted-it-photocopying-and-you-must-do-the-same. Just BANISH these ideas. Do not think that you're being a skeaze by borrowing photocopies of other people to photocopy and are not photocopying it from the original source by spending hours in the library trying to get hold of the book first, and then the photocopy man.

Case Study: Fish and BO were diligent photocopiers in whole of 1st year. Then they just realised that efficiency is THE thing to consider, so they just waited until at least one other person got almost all photocopies and they'd just ask them for their consolidated set and photocopy it with much glee. So much time saved. Opportunity cost. Whee.

RULE 2: Lose all shame. Do NOT feel like and obliged while asking someone for their photocopies. Gratitude, yes. Of course. But don't feel bad about the fact that you're asking. Everybody does it. It's a norm, a custom now. The way you're giving back to the pool is by photocopying from the original source at times and letting others borrow from you. Well, dear old Fish is rather extremely enthu this trimester and has been super efficient in getting tons of photocopies so she's earning joint karma for both of us (hee hee).

Case Study: It's been tough, this rule, but both of us are trying hard. Fish has been supremely efficient this trimester in procuring photocopies. I get a couple at times, but not too much.

RULE 3: Keep an eye out. If you're at Swathi (which is the local stationery place where EVERYONE gets their stuff photocopied), look at who is getting one. Get a copy for yourself! Jump in the bandwagon!

Case Study: So Fish and I are at Swathi. We see X photocopying ABCDEFGH. We say "2 copies for us as well please!" Voila! This is really the easiest of the rules. Therefore, frequent visits to Swathi is a must.

RULE 4: Do not hesitate from asking seniors for their stuff. Be shameless. Be ruthless. BADGER seniors into giving you their photocopies. Fish and I used to find it EXTREMELY hard to follow this one because, really now, it's quite a pain running after people and randomly asking them for their stuff when you haven't even spoken to them in ages but then after doing it like TEN times this trimester, I think I should do it more often because most of them are so sweet about it. Plus, they get to get rid of their material, but MOST importantly, they're usually very generous and you feel like a queen because you've saved some time, energy and cash. Plus, some of this stuff comes HIGHLIGHTED which is an added bonus :)

Case Study: This one's a bit of a toughie for Fish, but I've aced it. Hee. So amongst people WE, i.e. people on this blog, know, we (i.e. Fish and I) successfully procured Purple's stuff, even though we'd gotten it longggg back. We also got tons of other stuff so I felt super efficient etc. because I was always like this woman on a mission, texting away to glory.


I THINK that's about it.


P.S.: I need expert help with template, again! *hint, hint*

Blair and Anne

1. I have tons of work to do. Tons of essential shopping, exam prep, project research, other important work with Fish, setting up room (which btw is in a horrible mess), decide what I'm doing in June, other fun work with Fish.

2. If I could save up by not spending on all the Nags food I eat, and instead eat in the Canteen and/or Mess everyday, I'd be saving about a 100 bucks a day. That's 3000 a month. SO MUCH MORE TO SHOP. PLUS, I'd lose weight (muscle really, which I'd hate. But I'll also get back to working out regularly to keep mental sanity in place so I'd be all healthy etc.) because I won't really EAT the horrible horrible food in Mess. But I'll also get cranky and inefficient. Law school does not permit one to be inefficient. But I could TRY to eat that horrid horrid food and not be too cranky. Keep thinking of all the shopping. Muahahahaha. It's a plan. Must convince present regular lunch/dinner company to sanction plan.

3. I want home cooked food.

4. It's incredibly warm here in Bangalore. Global warming is horrid.

5. I think I say "horrid" way too often.

6. I'm reading The Time Traveller's Wife which is extremely cute. You MUST read it.
"Do nothing. Wait for me. Wish you were here."

7. I took the "Which Gossip Girl Character are you?" on Facebook and it says I'm Blair. That's just NOT possible. I picked such unblair answers wherever there were oh-so-blair answers. Sigh. Though I'd really LOVE to have a Dorota. She's the cutest thing on earth! I shouldn't take FB quizzes too seriously. Haha. Smartu is Chuck Bass, according to the same quiz. She loved her result of course :)

8. I want to watch Anne of Green Gables right now.

Busy Lives, Busy People

People I miss right NOW:
1. Mommy- because your mom loves you unconditionally and thinks you're the best-est thing that happened to this planet (in my case, I'd come after S in my mom's world :) Annoying first borns. Argh. This reminds me, I have to still blog about funny mom story in Delhi.). She thinks you're perfect (in my case, with a LOT of scope for improvement, but largely perfect in things which are somewhat important) no matter how much better/cooler other people may be *scoff*. And you can trust every single word she says with complete faith when she's reassuring you because you KNOW it's true (that your mom thinks you're awesome). Not an iota of doubt. We always take that for granted when we're at home and miss it when away and lonely. And have projects to submit the next day. Or are drowning in self doubt and other such horrid thoughts. My mommy says that even if there are lots of pretty peacocks around and a mom's child is a fugly scruffy silly bird, mom will always genuinely, from the bottom of her heart BELIEVE that her baby is the best :) Mom will always pick you over ANYBODY else (in my case, after S may be. haha). So much mutual faith.

2. C- Those exams better get over FAST and better give me updates FAST and get updated FAST. Probably the only nonlawschoolite human currently who is almost entirely updated on my life. Better live up to it. I know you will :D You'll just tell me I'm stupid and I'm wrong when I NEED to hear that. I know, very strange. But it's the context. I OBVIOUSLY rarely want to be TOLD I'm wrong.

3. S- Because I need to HEAR wisdom :) You have to tell me everything and I do too. I DESPISE the fact that I no longer know about EVERY single detail of your life and you mine. It's come to that point that I just don't tell you about stuff because there's so much history. So you can't be "updated". Same is true the other way round. Call more often, woman! I should call too. Hee. But I like blaming you. OBV. If Ma loves you more, you have to at LEAST be the caller in this relationship (I don't know where exactly the causal link is, but it's there somewhere).

4. P, TC and Abhu- I want to giggle and be updated on your lives. Like NOW. And I mean PROPER updates, even if it takes hours. Friends for life should be friends for life, ok?! Ok. Need the feeling that I'm surrounded by people who know me :) You guys do. Really. (Disclaimer: Not that others don't, but you know what I mean?) :)

Much Love

Rapidex English Speaking Class

First, Fish:

Contact
Fishspeak-(true blue dally punju way) cun-tackt
It's almost like The Bin's pruh-jeckts (projects), papsi(pepsi), eye-run(iron) and cun-trackt(contract). But then again, she IS dally so she's forgiven.

Second, Woogs:

Year
Woogspeak- eee-ur

Available
Woogspeak- Avaaalabul

Via
Woogspeak- Veeeyah

Third, Purple:

Cabin
Purplespeak- Cay-bin (He's going to object to this and say that he himself admitted he was wrong and therefore isn't really embarrassing etc. HOWEVER, he still said it, even though just once (and God knows how many times before that :) *giggles*)

Excess
Purplespeak- Excass (in true blue dally punju style, but then again, he is :) *runs for cover*)
Now, now. He may object once again and say that he never said it, BUT (and Fish would testify) he said it once while saying something angstily.

Now that I have sufficiently anticipated and countered all objections that Purple may come up with, I may safely proceed to next human.

Fourth, Hotness (This was shocking given how pseudobrit she is :) *much love*)

Piracy
Hotnesspeak- Pee-rah-see
*laughs hysterically*

Fifth, BO (ONLY because the above would KILL me if I didn't admit own mistakes, which are rather numerous. DO NOT JUDGE ME.)

Photo
BOspeak- Phaw-toe
*blushes red and crimson*
And I'd pronounced it this way ALL my life.

Drawer
BOspeak- draw-yer
This isn't that bad.

----------UNDER DURESS-----------

Altruistic
BOspeak- Al (as in Cal)-truistic instead of Al (as in All)-truistic

---------END OF DURESS------------

*shoots nasty glance at Fish for making me write what SHE wants on MY blog*

POINT TO BE NOTED is that all of us have however LEARNT and corrected ourselves, (almost all with the possible exception of Woogs, hahaha) though during moments of angst and anguish, true ganwaarness surfaces. At times. Very rarely.

Songs Stuck in my Head and Pigeons. Again.

1. Masakalli
I LOVE this song. S and I always knew pigeons had a lot of wisdom to share. Just listen to the words of this song. Awesomeness.

2. Ayo Technology by Milow
I almost have minor celeb crush on Milow because I absolutely love the song. SO much better than that horrid 50 cent composition. Have been making Fish and Woogs listen to it like 3 times an hour so that it grows on them FAST. Also, I am now the bearer of ALL POWER because I own an entire box of After Eight and I CONTROL who gets pieces of it. So BO is all powerful, as always. Also, Fish and Woogs are finally back from their Kerala trip. Fish has been totally mallified. Hotness also went along and she has been momo-fish-woogsified because she said "momzuuuu" during breakfast. Ha! Score.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV11oDLtlmc (the song)

Go listen. The video is a bit creepy, but the song is really really good. Grows on you.

I Want

This is a post where I cleanse my system (for now) by talking about some of the things I've always always always wanted to do but haven't YET got the chance. Certainly, will happen sometime. Soon, hopefully.

I've always wanted to take proper dance lessons. Salsa, jazz, ballet, and general shiamak davar type dance. I guess I LOVE pilates (during those rare phases when I'm really into it for more than a month) because it makes me feel like a dancer. Hee.

I've never taken part in any official dance competition type thing (except the ones you do at school or rep school etc.) but I clearly remember my favourite compositions.

O Humdum Suniyo Re (Saathiya)- We did this for our school annual day in my 8th. I STILL remember the steps!

Bootylicious (by Destiny's Child)- This was for a competition where we were representing school. Was SO much fun. The boys in the dance could NOT dance to save their life but I guess the girls saved the day.

Korean Dance to a Telugu Song- Yes. That's right. We did a beautiful beautiful beautiful Korean style dance in nice pink and lavender gowns with lovely feathery (and rather huge) fans (which, btw, we had sat down for HOURS and made. Had stuck one feather at a time on the skeleton!) to a telugu track which was a welcome song. This was the first piece during our school annual day in my 10th. There was this amazingggg fan-ripple-effect sequence which was truly awesome. Sigh. Ooh, also, being one of the tiniest and quite lithe (sigh, those days), I also got to be up front and do nice spin type things (which left me extremely dizzy) in the middle of the dance. I wish I could go back and do this again.

Me Against the Music (Britney Spears- I LOVE her music, ok?)- I think this is one of the very few songs which I had entirely choreographed on my own and taught the group. Yeay! Ok, well, in all fairness I had tons of help from S who is an awesome dancer (her "I'm a Barbie Girl" in 7th Std was SOOOOOOOO cute :)), but still. We did this in 9th and it was for the farewell party for those in 10th. It was reallllllllllllllly good and everyone loved it and thought it was very well done etc.

I remember dancing to Larger Than Life, LOTS of hindi songs like It's Magic, Dil Dooba, (this was fab fab fab) Chudi Jo Khanki, Bole Chudiyan, Chandu ke Chacha ne (by that band called Asma) etc. Tons of medleys. The credit for choreo-ing most of these songs goes to AG and SD :) Both were superb.

11th and 12th were 2 years when I couldn't dance because, well, I was in this junior college where no one ever did anything.

Then came law school :)

We did this medley- Mahi Ve, Sajna de vari, Nach Baliye for EMD last year.

Then we danced to Dholi Taro for one of the social events for this International Client Counselling event that our university was hosting. It went down really well with the crowd. Almost everyone had something to give to the choreography but it was mostly the hard, hard work of K, G, and C :) I think the super shiny (due to the gazillion little mirrors stitched on) lehengas had a LOTTT to contribute to the effect. In FACT, I have found a video on youtube which has a part of the dance! Look! Oh and there are two people in blue. The first blue person who has her back towards the camera when the video begins is M, an adorable, adorable girl. who's a trained dancer. I'm the other blue in the circle. See if you can spot me :D



(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgzFX4IL3nY)


We danced to Love is a Crime (Anastacia, Chicago OST) for WMD! It was soooooooo much fun. Aq and C must be given full credit for the stunning choreography, which was mostly easy jazz which people who weren't trained in it could pick up in 3 days (that's usually the maximum amount of time we can get here to prep for a dance thing! An hour or a couple for 2-3 days, MAX). Our outfits were highly cool. Black pants, white shirts and RED ties. Very smooth. We used chairs as props for about a minute and then pushed them off the stage.

Please, someone send me off to just dance and get lost in it? It's so therapeutic. Sigh.

Ok, now I'm tired of typing and MUST get some work done so I will stop.

Look!

(click on the picture!)

Appropriate.

Lost and Found

BlogOwner has been extremely busy over the last few days, primarily due to prior commitments. Well, there's excitement and nerves!

I have good news and bad news. Good news first. I almost lost my ATM card, but I found it lying under my bed at long last :) Bad news now. I lost my prettttty wallet, the one Fish had got me for Christmas :( I left it in some auto. REALLY irresponsible, yes. However, there wasn't much money in it. Just about a hundred. So, well, glad didn't have anything important in it :) I guess the only silver lining is that I get to buy a new wallet now, but I sorely miss that adorable one. It was red and had white, pink and purple flowers on it! How much cuter can a wallet get?? Well. Anyway.

Hmm. That's about all the updates I have for now. This blog is scarily turning into a random my-journal type blog. Not good. Must be more creative. Next time!

Just. Like. That.

Hellos, alls! (I am doing this new stupid thing where I append an "s" at the end of every word. Eg. Cools, Okays, Alrights) (now you may stop judging me).

I think I should post on some new blog where I copy paste pictures of pretty clothes and shoes I wish I owned. So much fun! Should bring up idea with Fish. We could do this group blog thing then!

Also, after all the anti-earthwatersigns posts that I have churned out, I have come to realise that most of my closest friends and favourite-people-in-the-world type peopl are earth/water signs and the ONLY fire/air sign friends I do have are Sag and Libra which isn't that surprising. But then well everyone who reads this blog frequently enough knows why that would be so.

So profile of closest closest friends (but almost none of them know my deep, dark secrets. haha)

Virgo
Sag
Sag
Pisceas
Scorpio
Capricorn
Libra
Pisces

I also have bosom-anne-lover-friends now! Whee! And such human is Gemini. So yes.
ALSO, my childhood best friend was a Virgo girl.

SO.

ANYWAY.

Fish and I share this strange connection where we just KNOW what we're talking about without really saying it. It's somewhat telepathic. You know when we look at each other and communicate through our eyes and start nodding our heads knowingly. Too cool. So well our most recent connection was one regarding this song by Maroon 5 and Rihanna called "If I Never See Your Face Again". Now, as you all know we are lover of quad party music who also like listening to good music at times. Fish had heard this song and was making me listen to it and I said "Omg. This is the perfect mix of respectability (Maroon 5 element) and quad party randomness (Rihanna element)" and then we giggled and laughed while Woogs and Aats made funny noises of disapproval. In our little "group", Aats is the cold hearted (but secret closet romantic because she loved A Walk to Remember) prudish (or, not? hah!) aunty. Fi sh is Vatamma, hahahaha. Woogs is THE golum-like loon and I'm the one everyone makes fun of like ALL the time. Hmph.

Fish and I have the most ordinary but cute gift past. I think we have gifted each other almost every standard thing that normal people can give each other.
My birthday 2007- she got me a realllly pretty puff sleeve (all you Anne fans. Sigh.) pink top.
Her birthday 2008- I got her a kurta and I randomly gave her this chikankari kurta that I had that I had never worn and would've never worn because I'm not fond og chikan while she's CRAZY about it. It looks very nice on her!
From Hong Kong, 2008- she got me this white chinese top thing which DOES NOT fit me. It's too huge for me and it's un-alter-able. However, as we have already concluded, it's better if you dont fit into a top by virtue of it being large than to not fit into one because it's tiny because the latter just makes you feel horrid about yourself.
From Europe, 2008- I got her this pretttttttty and chic green bag for her from Italy!
For my birthday 2008- She got me this pair of pretttttttttttttty chappals from Jaipur which I totally adore and fun stationery because I'm mad about stationery.
For Christmas, 2008- She got me this really awesome wallet which I'd been dreaming of since ages and I got her a book on domestic violence because she's into it and well, I CHOSE another book on behalf of someone else (who will henceforth be called Purple, because I can't think of any other moniker) and it turned out to be on her wishlist! Connection, see?! It was quite a moment.
For her birthday, 2009- I got her this really strange black top which I HOPE she likes! It's not her, but it's still cute! :(

Songs currently stuck in my head:
1. All You Wanted- Michelle Branch
2. U2- Unknown Caller (courtesy Purple)
3. The Wonders- That Thing You Do (courtesy Purple)
and........
3. Maroon 5 feat. Rihanna- If I Never See Your Face Again (Fish and I thought this was the PERFECT combination of quad-party (the Rihanna element) + somewhat respectable (the Maroon 5 bit). (Courtesy Fish)

Also, WHY has nobody volunteered to be music teacher person? I mean, come ON. I am a good learner. I went from Britney and Westlife to Iron Maiden to Floyd, Lep Zep and Doors in like TWO WEEKS. So yes.

VERY random post, mostly due to boredom

*I finally spoke to S for like an hour and our call ended due to this cross connection thing that happened about 50 minutes into it. Then, well, neither of us called because we had to get back to work, etc. Didn't talk about fun things though. And spent considerable amount of time talking about the recession, people we know who've been hit by it, crazy S plans and the like. I mostly did the listening and the scolding. Hee. I like it when I get to do the scolding.

*I can't WAIT for Wednesday because that is when my exams will be over. Wheeee. However, there are other imminent tasks to be taken care of. I will OBV keep beloved blog updated on all bloggable events.

*I was supposed to pick up my PRETTY tailored clothes from the tailor guy today but I couldn't go because I had to study and didn't want to waste a lot of time going there. So will go there on Wednesday. CANNOT wait. You see my Dilli Haat cloth pieces are supposed to have been made into kurtas :D Joy!

*I have been stealthily stealing After Eights from Fish (well, not really stealing... I stole only once, the remaining were taken with her permission) which had been gifted to her. If Fish were S, I'd have shamelessly stolen and eaten all. When Dad used to get S and me tubs of Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream from BnR, which btw is my standard order there, I'd immediately consume mine while S saved her for "later" when she'd "feel like some ice cream". At times I'd be sick and horrible and just eat it up before she could get hands on her tub. But I think this never happened with BnR ice cream; only with Feast bars or other random ice cream. BnR she'd save and consume later, IN MY PRESENCE, dangling it in front of me and basically torturing me. But she'd also be kind enough to give me a generous spoon or two of some of it and I'd end up with net profit of those many extra spoons which I got BECAUSE I'd finished mine earlier. Score.

*Can you believe this? Cosmo ezine?!?! Well, there's nothing like printed copies of anything but I don't mind saving 100 bucks a month AND having an additional source of online tp.

*I LOVE Suri Cruise. She's incredibly adorable. I CANNOT get enough of her on popsugar.com. I got very excited when I heard rumours that Katie Holmes is expecting again or is trying to conceive. I want Suri Cruise part II! The more the merrier :) What? I love babies and they love me too.

S, Woogs and Changes in Self

S has now put it on me. Well, it was only fair. She told me to call her when I'm free. When I'm free, I just.... forget... to call her. Ok, ok now it's my fault because I am not calling her, but yea. The fact STILL remains that I haven't spoken to S in ages and now I don't even feel strongly about the things I wanted to update her on. SO. I'll just let it be and call her next time I feel strongly about it :)

Too much love is coming for Woogs as I type this post. She pats my head like one would pat their pup, she makes fun of me like one would of their little sibling, she calls me fat in jest (mostly) (I am HOPING) like S used to and just wants to "keep me" in some corner in her room and makes fun of EVERYTHING I do. Hee.

ALSO, Woogs is that human who tolerated me for an entire day while I looked for LBD. She was the sole direction in my life then. That is, she showed me where all to look for it :D It's not easy to walk all over South Delhi for some 5 hours (with an hour long nap-break at her place) looking for the perfect dress. VERY frustrating. However, she stood by me and led me to that Ted Lapidus store at LONG last where that gorgeous dress was spotted (read: "Spotted!" as in GG).

Speaking of GG, don't you think Dan and Rachel are most horrid?

Changes in self over the past 5 months:
1. From momo hater to chicken momo lover.
2. From strongly against Virgo humans, well mostly, to creating happy exceptions on the basis of arbitrary but very convincing justifications.
3. From Woogs-n-Aats-liker to Woogs-n-Aats-lover.
4. From regular after-lunch-juice-consumer (very good) (ok, not that regular, but somewhat regular) to during-lunch-thums-up-consumer (very bad).
5. From oh-I-don't-waste-my-life-on-TV person to I-am-addicted-to-GG-and-I-love-it person.
6. From Pantene Total Strength consumer to Herbal Essences Body Envy Consumer (Vital change. Hair products are important.)
7. Turned blog from place-where-imagination-went-into-random-daily-things to place-where-random-daily-things-are-simply-put-down-because-I-am-almost-too-bored-to-imagine-too-much-while-blogging (not good).

Updates, all.

Hello humans.

Happy Holi!

I am BACK in law school, and the minute I got here, I wanted to run back to Delhi (or any other place for that matter). Speaking of Delhi, I had the most amazing dark chocolate mousse EVER at this quaint little place called Choko La in Priya. Must try it if you're there. Also got two of those for the fam to celebrate! I was also quite rude once when I accidentally burst out laughing when the man across the counter handed over a popcorn and pepsi combo saying "Papsi". HOW can one expect me to keep a straight face? I don't think the man must've felt bad or anything because he must've thought I was laughing at something else because he doesn't think there's anything wrong with papsi, right? Right.

I have been terribly out of touch with S and this post should shake her into calling me up like RIGHT NOW. S, are you listening? Lots of updates waiting for you. Also, YOU have to update me on several things. Hmm.

Speaking of updates, I have some bloggable updates-
1. Obviously shopping- Did lots! Finally bought myself an LBD (Little Black Dress) and matching stilettoes. They look gorgeous together :)
2. Have been addicted to phdcomics.com ever since I got back. It's a phase.
3. Had set my room up really well but now it's back to being messy partly because......
4. Fish is back! We chatted for like 2 hours straight when she got back and exchanged random knick knacks and stories. She has the funniest of friends EVER and their lives are no less than soap operas.
5. Strange things have been happening in my life, which are not bloggable, however there are TONS of those, and are meant especially for S' ears. Are you listening, woman? I don't want to reach that point when I can't 'update' her on anything for a quick rant or for advice because I'd need to give her an hour's worth of background facts. That's just NOT nice and NOT sisterly behaviour. Now I have bitched enough about S.
6. This is that stage of the year when I'm all hopeful, optimistic, starry eyed and feel as if flowers are blooming all over the place and I'm running around a field of pretty flowers in a soft blue summer dress. Or something close to that.
7. It's Fish's birthday tomorrow! Everyone mentally wish her, ok? Good.
8. A bunch of us are hanging out tomorrow on account of said birthday at this AWESOME place called Casa Piccola where you get the most amazing mediterranean food. CANNOT wait. Also, this group of people happens to be a bunch of roomie couples! Damn cute. Important point to note is that I am even more excited because I get to wear my pretty new black skirt and pretty new black top for said occasion.
9. I think I have extremely horrid Sarojini luck because I NEVER get pretty tops out on the streets. Like NEVER. These hols, I went there THRICE and looked ALL OVER, but ended up picking up only two tops. Sucks. But I like the stuff I got :)
10. Delhi 6 is extremely boring and annoying. Dev D is nice.
11. I got a haircut, which btw, is fab.
12. Speaking of fab, Fabindia should seriously consider innovating. I mean honestly, I went to THREE Fab stores in Delhi and all of them had stale stuff which I've been seeing since years and someone or the other I know owns most of that. Horrid behaviour. Not good to deprive enthu customers of supply of pretttty and tempting kurtas.
13. I got the Anastasia VCD. I LOVE that movie. Turns out Fish and Woogs ALSO love that movie. S and I used to go crazy whenever it came on TV back when we were little girls. And I so so so love the soundtrack too. Dancing bears, painted wings, things I almost remember......
14. I must find shelter in Bombay for June hols.
15. I can't WAIT for the next season of Gossip Girl.
16. I want fresh music education. Please volunteer.

That's about it. Love y'all, humans!


P.S.- Formatting problems seem to have vanished today. Joy!

100th!

PrePost Note- Formatting has gone crazy, AGAIN! Someone HELP! 

This is the 100th post on this blog! I'm not sure of blogger counts the drafts which haven't been published, but well, I had 99 posts until this one. So. 

What's been up?

There are about 30 things on my to-do list (I am a compulsive list maker) and my schedule for the last week (when I was supposed to have struck off at least 8 of those) went completely OFF  because, well, I chose to be lazy and not do anything. So I have now officially hit the panic button. Must regain calm and composure. Ok. 

On the shopping front, the most important bits of shopping are yet to happen. I must get myself an LBD and shoes, which I am happily procrastinating in the hopes of magically becoming super hot in like a week and therefore get a dress which fits better. I ALSO have to, have to, have to, have to buy 2 pairs of jeans which I have procrastinated since ONE YEAR for the same reason. My mom yelled at me today for NOT buying something. Can you believe that? Someone being cross with me for NOT shopping for a particular thing? 

Oh talking about shopping, I have shopped a bit. Bought myself two cloth material thingies from Dilli Haat (out of which I intend to make kurtas). Whee! They're absolutely gorgeous. I LOVE. 

I NEED to get a haircut. Before that, however, I need to ask reliable Delhi friends where I should get my haircut from. Reliable Smimp has suggested a couple of places. Will refresh memory. I like the fact that I'm getting to know this place. As in, I like knowing about places- what's good where, having favourite places etc. Apart from the coolness factor (think of me in a conversation where I go, "Oooh, yea I know, that place is amazing. But you should also try this one." and "Yep I've been there! But I liked [   ] more.") it's in someway... me. Moving around and exploring different places is how I've grown up. I've moved around a LOT and have been in 7 schools (that I can remember) and one junior college. While variety could be the spice of life, at times I regret not having known people for a long time, or not having "childhood friends" with whom I'm still in touch with, or for that matter a place I can call "home" with all my heart. I really don't have a "home". They're all houses, all over the country. And the fact that the four of us (Mom, Dad, S and I) live in four different cities/towns, doesn't make it any better. I can't meet my "family" when I go "home". So when I go back to college, I won't be saying "Home was good. Yea, had an awesome time with family", but "Yea, Delhi was fun and it was good spending time with Mom." Not that I'm complaining, but this is how it just is. It's one of those things that I guess most people take for granted- having a place to call "home". I think the closest that any place comes to being home to me (consistent with the saying "Home is where the heart is"), it would be Bombay. I love Bombay. I love everything about it. It's the place I've spent the maximum number of years of my life (6 years). Those were my formative years. I can't say I made "many good friends for life" during my years there, but at least one, may be a couple. Whenever I go to Bombay, I feel elated. And somehow, it feels like I'm wanted there. It's that warm, fuzzy feeling of familiarity. Yes, that's right, Bombay seems to be the place I'm most familiar with. Bombay has MKG, the awesomest colony in the world; where Latika and I would go skating ALL OVER THE PLACE, would play badminton,  go cycling early in the morning during holidays, play hide and seek with the rest of the kids and I was always a "kachha nimbu", where we'd have SBI v. IDBI cricket and football matches, where Latika and I spent numerous afternoons playing house-house in the park, on the slides (the steeper, longer slide was my 'house' and the shorter one was hers), where we used to act like models on this rock fountain between G bldg and H bldg and pretend we're being photographed by papparazi, where all of us went for fun art-and-craft classes conducted by Kalyani Aunty. Bombay has Elite, the place where I bought all my clothes from, even my famous "paper pants" :)  It has Bombay Blues, the place where I went often with friends; where my standard order was nachos and lemon/peach iced tea. It has Bandstand where Dad, S and I would go on drives at night with Saathiya playing on full volume in my green Santro (which is now gone). It has Society, where I bought Lindt chocolate from. It has Archies right in front of MKG where I bought all my letter paper sets from. It has Amardeep where the whole of MKG bought every-damn-thing from. It has Juhu Beach which I could see from our terrace, from where (the terrace) I'd often watch the most beautiful sunsets ever with Latika. It has BEST, which I used a couple of times even as a 10 year old, all on my own (without having anybody to show me how to and take a zillion precautionary measures like I have to here in this, no offence meant, unfriendly city). It has autos which use the meter- ALWAYS. And autowallahs who're nice. And people who're friendly. It has monsoons. It has ICSE schools all over the place. It has Fort, where you can get books for like Rs. 20. It has LINKING ROAD! It has Juhu Road and Carter Road and BANDRA and Santa Cruz and all the places I was so used to and loved.  So yes, that way, those few places in Bombay seem like home to me and deeeeeep inside,  I am a Bombay Girl. At least, I want to be a Bombay Girl. 

On the other hand, probably Bhubaneswar (Bbsr, henceforth) should be home since I ethnically belong to that place, was born in Bbsr, both my houses are there and my Mom lives there now, though I've spent only 4 years of my life-when-i-can-sense-things there. Most things about those four years, I don't want to recount. What I do want to remember and celebrate are the two friends-for-life that I have taken back :) One is supremely protective of me and the other, well, I share a lot in common with the other (wink, wink). I love them both soooooooo much. Thank you, girls. They are the ones responsible for making 11th and 12th enjoyable for me. The funny thing is, most of the people I know in my Bbsr school, called me "Mumbai Matinee" in jest. I was the new girl who'd come from Bombay. The snobbish what-does-she-think-of-herself big city girl who spoke English all the time. Some of them still call me "Matinee" when we meet :) Somehow, I really like it :) Makes me feel like I'm from somewhere, that I belong somewhere. 

Well, anyhow, now Bangalore is "home" to me because I spend 9 months a year there. Delhi has become my "vacation home" because it's convenient for me to intern here. Bombay is still home in my heart and I do all that I can to keep it that way :) The only entity(thing/human/place) I have wept so much for is Bombay. Hence the fondness. 

AND S is now in Bombay. There. That just DOES it. How can Bombay not be my favourite place? 

P.S.- Turns out blogger does count unpublished drafts. But well, I don't care. This is 100th! Hmph. 

Facebook

Not enough social networking? See this :) 

I live a quarter of my life online and of late, a lot more than a quarter. 

Facebook is more than social networking. It's bonding with people, in  so many ways :) Comments on pictures, notes, ridiculous tests, status updates... all in all, FB is a prime source of goss imussay!  

BlogOwner’s Guide to Soul Satisfaction, Part II- Blogging

Now, now, different people talk about different things on different blogs on different themes. However, the one thing that connects all of them in terms of soul satisfaction of the blogger, is that of feeling that you are keeping something alive, feeding something, that there is someone listening- if no other human being, then at least your blog listens to you. 

Sigh.

This is how it all started with this blog, and it may so happen that the story is not so unique .

One fine day BO decided she needed to own a blog and become BO so that she can just say some things OUT LOUD. SHOUT OUT LOUD, without really shouting out loud. So she said- hey, let’s blog! No one will know it’s me me. So I can bitch about anything I want, make fun of whoever I want and nobody will ever know! But, well, she got a comment on her first post and she realised that some people may know. But that did not perturb her because even though some people may know, they don’t know me and that I am me. You know. Semi-anonymous. SO. Lot of bitching happened. Lot of fun-making happened. Whatever boring events highlighted BO’s day, she would go back home and turn it into a funny story for her and people to laugh at. So ANYHOW. There came a point when BO couldn’t go through life’s gifts, good and bad, without thinking “OMG I MUST blog about this!” or “I am SO blogging about this!” or “What should I title this post?” or “What should this person’s moniker be?” or “Haha. You are so paying for it on my blog.”

How to derive maximum utility out of this activity:

Pre-conditions- OBVIOUSLY get a blog, set your template, all that jazz. I’m not turning into google’s Help page here. Love you too!

Step I: Write, Vent, Make It Fun and Funny
Well, what I do is make it all seem funny. You could make it angsty or mean or sarcastic or whatever makes you feel most content. The joy of turning a mundane incident into something funny is that when you read it over, you not only laugh at how mundane it really is and how it actually is something funny (because everything has potential to be funny if you laugh at it), but also makes you all philosophical and you realise that there’s no objectivity in anything. Everything is subjective. One thing can seem serious and life threatening, but if you turn it around, it may sound stupid and silly. It also makes me very, very happy if I can make someone, anyone, laugh. Everybody has their own troubles. But such few entertainers, no? So I shall be funny girl. I volunteer! And more than anything else, it makes ME laugh out loud when I go back and read these very posts. It’s like reading your old journal and getting embarrassed. Or thinking about your old school crushes and going “OMG how could I EVER have had a crush on him? Ewww.” 

Step II: Soak-it-in. The Glory The Printed Word Brings
So, when you hit the publish button, it’s out there. It’s out. Everyone can read it. Not that everyone is reading it, but lets be positive. Hee. It’s technically not printed, but it’s out there. It’s been published. So it counts, ok?! When you see your piece up there, no matter how trashy, how silly, how poorly drafted, how badly edited, it’s still yours. And you are the author. The fact that something could empower me to call myself an author - of whatever bull it may be, of whatever little significance and consequence it may be, but it’s mine – makes me feel so so so powerful (and you know how much BO loves power *evil, manic laughter*). It’s almost analogous to the joy that gardeners get out of watching their plants grow. The joy pet-owners get out of watching their pets grow. The joy parents get out of watching their children grow (or not, well, if the kids are brats, but umm, you get the point don’t you? Or may be even they get the same amount of joy. Not that BO would know.) *Continues with the same poise and wonder-filled eyes as before the slight interruption in thought flow* The joy designers and artists get after completing a piece (you go, S! and Suk, for that matter!) The joy lawyers get after resting their case (*giggles wildly* That was for fun.) Such is the joy a blogger gets after hitting the ‘publish’ button. You’re published, yeay!

Step III: What Others Think
Some people may write only for themselves, but I write so that I’m read. I DO like having my words read, no matter how trashy, how silly, how inconsequential. SO. The aftermath is… almost the best part…. Comments. Wheeeee! This is where seeing that one email saying someone had something to say about what you said brings much joy to you. Therefore, I say this form of therapy is prolonged therapy. You keep getting the returns for a couple of days or so. Then there are oral comments. People you talk to, tell you they agree/don’t agree (in my case they just laugh and go “haha ya” since most of my posts are not like opinions or anything. Bleh.). This way, there is also the illusion that your blog is read by more people than what you seem to think. So you can, as someone put it, you can pick a happy figure for yourself :)

So that ladies and gentlemen, is blogging, at least to BO. It’s not just writing something and posting and then writing some more and posting. BO must confess though, that she had once launched another blog where she jotted down her dreams as and when they came to her. There was one who was a magnificent interpreter of those dreams because those interpretations made complete sense. Of course, then BO realised she shouldn’t be putting her dreams out in public like that. Too scary to think of putting so much of yourself out there. So then blog was removed. But BO continued to consult said interpreter when something was bothering her particularly much much. 

Coming back to the point, blogging is a marvellous way to satisfy your soul, kind readers. Well, of course, for materialistic BO, it is about the publishing and the knowing you’re being heard and the getting comments and being read bit which is most therapeutic, but yes, she also does write for herself at times :) More on that in the next part to Guide to Soul Satisfaction. Pwomise.