5:07PM: Work report done. Time to update the blog.
5:10PM: Hmm nothing to write
5:11PM: Check email
5:13PM: No one loves me!
5:14PM: Check second email address.
5:15PM: Oh wait, email from 'F' wondering if anyone ones to hit the patio.
5:17PM: YES! good. no need to worry about dinner then. Have been craving cheesy fries too.
5:18PM: Must redo makeup before packing up and heading for the bus stop.
5:22PM: Shit its raining!
5:24PM: No sign of bus. Hair turning frizzy.
5:26PM: Wish had a friend with a car
5:27 PM: Wish had a boyfriend with a car to take to meet friends at the bar
5:30PM: Still no sign of bus. Raining hard. Wonder if everyone will make it at all.
5:32PM: What if am the only one turning up there?! *gulp*Must make sure.
5:34PM: Damn. 'F' not picking up phone.
5:35PM: Bus arrives
5:37PM: Wonder if 'D' and 'M' are coming too. Don't want to talk to them. If had boyfriend, could be holding hands and talking. Go for a walk in the rain.
5:40PM: Why not have a boyfriend? Whats wrong?
5:42PM: Oh what a cute baby. Cute couple, and young too.
5:45PM: Bet they are not worried about their plans for the day. Am destined to be single forever?
5:55PM: Strange that they are looking in different directions. The guy barely said two words. Cute baby though.
6:00PM: Am late and likely to be the only one turning up at the bar. Just go home?
6:01PM: How does the baby breathe with all that crying?
6:03PM: Oh stop is here. Rain stopped finally.
6:06PM: Walk in and look around avoiding the greeter's eyes.
6:07PM: Oh 'F' is there already. OMG 'C' and 'G' too and ordered a lychee martini for me already. Love friends.




ooooo found what I was craving!
It was pizza believe it or not.
Why the surprise?
Well I was positive it wasn't pizza coz I am good at spotting pizza cravings.
All I knew this time was it was to do with crust.
It was a nightmare trying to figure it out.
I kept trying a whole bunch of stuff the whole weekend and just today, for my afternoon snack I went down to the cafetaria and the Black Olives stopped me. I debated for about two seconds on the lack of any visible Feta cheese. In the end the Olives won.
*munch munch*
Heaven !
Its exactly what I was craving.
Pure magic.


Though I still want to make Sim put fries in the shawarma when she gets back.




*A random post to indulge a friend in need of a distraction*

I'm craving something with a crust, deep fried and/or associated with cheese.
Not sure what though.
I've had a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner for the last three nights.
They were good but its not what I'm craving apparently.
Other possibilities include
-Perogies
-Home fries
-Empanadas
-Shingaras ( which a lot of people mistake for 'samosas')
....mmmm..shingaras, made with hand flatened dough and filled with big potato chunks cooked in 'pachforon' ( five spice). Difference from samosa? shingaras are more heavy, not as crispy but great without the requisite 'chutney'. samosa, wrapped in thin pressed sheets of dough, the kind used for spring rolls, are smaller and more often filled with minced meat or smaller chunks of potato. They are light, crispy but more oily....
...anyway back to the all consuming craving...what is it?
-really good greek style Pizza ...mm olives and feta
-Chicken shawarma from the place on Yonge north of Eglinton that serve the meat in pita pockets and stuff them with fries...they way god intended shawarma to be prepared.

Might as well start from the top of the list and try them all.
One is bound to stick.

hmmm something is missing from the list.
what is it dangit?




Back from the hiatus. For a bit at least.
Quite remarkable how much I miss Toronto, or Tim Hortons to be precise, when I'm away.
This time it was a week in Washington DC- city of politicians, memorials and men's suit stores. Since it was a work related trip, didn't get much sightseeing done; not that I was inclined anyway.
Beautiful architecture everywhere though, very Roman inspired.
This one building belonging to the Red Cross I thought was particularly pretty on a Saturday morning.

The southern tinge to the dialect was quite cute. The National Art Gallery was impressively international, for US that is. A distinct lack of billboard style advertisement was refreshing and puzzling. Even the McDonald sign was 'plain' enough that you had to be standing in front of it to see the arch!
Missed chance to try some cuppaccino flavoured shisha on the patio was greatly regretted. Must look for a place like that in TO.
Reruns of A&E's 'Pride and Prejudice' on the Biography channel made it feel like almost home :D

Lesson learned: Never rush out for dinner with sandal-shoes on in the middle of the downpour no matter how much your feet hurts from tredging around in high heels all day. Sitting down for dinner in wet socks will not only be uncomfortable but make you sick the next day. This never was a problem for Tagore in his young days but apparently it is for me :P

This blog is taking a break for a week, possibly indefinitely.
Thanks to all the readers for your love.
Please check again soon.




At the Pemberly household..









Time to reflect on all the responses this post continues to garner. Damn you, 'Global Voices'!* and simple people everywhere.


Blogger comment At 3:47 AM, August 16, 2005, Anonymous said...
hi all! how are you. i am ashraf. i am simple man. i find a dreamy girl who he only love and trust me. she is simple but her mind is jolly. rico_1432002@yahoo.com pls with me.

Phew! Well, I'm off the hook. I'll just find some stupid transvestites and ask them to set up a 'contract' with this man.


Blogger Comment at 6:24 AM, August 19, 2005, Anonymous said...
lady u have got a sense of humour for sure... suppose ur rajputra is there in a pakkhiraaj ghora in front of ur mosque will u even give him second look... god knows how many centuries he needs to wait there...i am in no plans of marrying but i like the invitation nonetheless... whats ur id..

Thanks but you don't seem to poses any sense yourself if you are telling me to look at a Prince on a flying horse! He wont get a first loook either, not unless I have the proper drugs on hand.



From: M.Z
To: Me
Subject: hi....
Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 00:15:08 PM
i realy like ur profile...r u from bangladeh...or from calcata...i m from bangladesh...27, but at this moment in uk. i like too walk in the rain or play football....u can say i love rain backhome....any way after i see ur profile i couldnt stop to say u at list hi to u, i know it could be defficult for u to say me back hi....have a good day my friend...could be see u one day when the rain come ..in the road....walking and asking u .....how r u

Where do I begin? It would be too 'defficult'. So I won't.



Email From: MOHAMMAD S
To: Me
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 22:09:05 PM
HI how r u? i am Safi from london. if u interest with me pls email me. I am bangali.by safi

Dude! "interest with you"? really? now thats dirty!



Email From: A. A
To: Me
Date: November 3, 2005 6:27:20 PM
Where do you live ? I live in Iowa but I was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I am interested all sorts of literature but South Asian in particular. Literature helps me connect to my bangla culture. I look forward to learning more about your experiences.
Take care,
Ahsan

I know I know....coherent sentences, no blatant grammar errors (except the lack of 'in' in the second sentence) and points for the 'interest in literature'.
Really. You are probably a very nice person.
Which is why I'll be nice back and ask you to go here .



*Just kidding ;) I love you wonderful people at Global Voices!




Eid Mubarak everyone!
Enjoy the mishtis(sweets), polau, korma, kebab etc!
BUT
Don't forget about the Earthquake victims and hungry people everywhere.....give generously and without strings. Thats the true meaning of Eid.

PS: I missed out on the Eid prayters coz of work today but going home early to have some 'Bhuna Kichuri' and Shemai that my daddy made :) yum.




What is going on?
Its November already. What the heck happened to all the movies?
Is it just me or has this been one crappy year?
Sure there was 'Crash', 'Sin City', even 'Charlie...and factory', 'Madagascar' and 'Corpse Bride' were arright, 'Mr and Mrs Smith' was kinda cute too but thats all! They were by no mean- 'classics'.
Where are the movies that leave you breathless, hopping on one foot and another, salivating for the DVD release right after stepping out of the theatre?
Most importantly where's Hugh Jackman? I've almost forgotten his pretty face and no don't get me started on 'Van Helsing'. What a waste of The MAN in that CGI production.
Sigh.
Yes 'Harry Potter' is sure to be good but thats to be expected. As to be expected of 'Shrek 3' and 'X-3' which btw is taking FAR too long to make if I may be allowed to vent about.
And what happened to 'real'' movies I ask? They are really playing safe and steamrolling out the remakes and it-was-a-hit-as-a-musical-so-must-be-our money's worth-as-a-movie these days in Hollywood and I'm sick of it. Honestly! How many more versions of Batman/ Zorro/Superman/Pride and Prejudice do we need?
How about surprising us with an original screenplay for once huh guys? Can you do that?
You whore yourself into making one unwanted sequel after another and then you have the galls to pout at all the illegal downloading and DVD copying! Do you think people like to buy or rip movies like 'Roman Holiday' 'LOTR' 'Godfather' etc? Not likely.
If they were any good, people would actually be interested in getting up from the couch and hobbling over to spend $25 on a movie in the big screen.
Bottom line- we need some proper movies.
At this point, I'm even willing to accept the best selling book-turned into movie .....its a time honoured trend ofcourse. But can you atleast get decent directors involved in the project? and no SNL actors either please.
Though what I'm really looking for is to get surprised by a movie where-
Happy endings are allowed but not cliches.
Tear jerkers are allowed but no melodramatic 'how-dare-you-not-cry-looking-at-this-beautiful woman cry' storyline please.
If there's to be action and CGI make it so that it doesn't stop the story but IS the story.
If there must be a big star draw required, let it be Hugh Jackman in his first Oscar worthy shot of raising his fist to the rain and screaming a pledge...of something! :D

Wake me up when the drought ends, people.
Till then maybe I'll rent 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' for a third time.
Night.




Its official.
Fall has come to an end.
Its the beginning of winter now.
Not only when its the first day of November but.....when you are on your way to work looking spiffy and you get splashed with murky water by some jerk on four wheels.
After years of repeatedly getting splashed you develop 'splash senses' and becom an expert in screeching to a stop and diving behind some other victim waiting for the bus.
Still its quite a surprise when the first splash of the season hits.
You fruitlessly wave your fist, mouth open in mid swear, forgetting the finger, vainly looking for something to throw at the car speeding away from you and finally end by cursing yourself for bothering to dress up in the first place. Sometimes a prayer for higher gas prices are uttered as well.
Solution?
If you happen to be spider man/woman, you can sling some sticky web and pull the SUV back and flip him the finger properly.
Otherwise you could start carrying eggs in your pocket. But chances of that egg soiling your own pants/purse is infinitely higher than actually getting shot by a speeding car.
Likyly replacement?
Greenslimy goo that can easily be stored in tiny plastic balls, handy for slinging and hit the backwindows of a receeding car. Try wiping THAT out of windows sucker!
Really! someone forget coming up with environmenally friendly fuel ideas and try and invent this handy device for pedestrians everywhere.
The four wheelers have been spared too many times.
Don't you think?