Monday evening off- I

Getting home by 8 PM on Monday evening, in a week that promises to be a killer-- puzzled, but happy. I suppose this means I’ll be working longer hours the rest of the week, but since I have, in the recent past, reached theoretical maximum capacity, it isn’t something that will worry me significantly. I’m totally rooting for Monday evenings off!

And a few other things, now that I think of it.

• Lonely places. There’s something about lonely places and lonely people. When loneliness gets addictive, it lends them a charm another person finds difficult to explain but even more difficult to disregard
• Relaxation of visa requirement for Indians. I’m 5 feet tall, a little over 50 kilos, and my mind, although super sharp, is absolutely incapable of bombing your land
• Freedom of expression. Speak out!!
  “Here, we miss people who speak out. Those who don’t, sort of fade away” – Megha’s favourite Manager
• Men who have left their double standards in 1990s. Thank you, thank you, thank you J. Just yesterday this came up in a conversation with someone. He thinks the whole ‘no double standards’ thing is a hygiene factor, not a non-negotiable. I didn’t entirely get his point (and I think it showed), but it’s definitely a non-negotiable, in that there are so few of you out there, I’d pay for it.
• Loving strong. I’m usually wrong in matters of the heart, but there’s nothing like a story nicely done!
• Falling hard. The bump on my rear definitely gave me a stronger face for the rest of my life
• Transparent tops. There’s usually a way of wearing them without looking slutty. And if there isn’t, ‘oh well’ always works
• Bombay. All the madness- lunch homes, classic rock bars, Blue Frog, old friends (who always raise the Bombay vs. Delhi argument), movie stars, sweaty evenings, the sea, the cute college students who sang ‘aankhon me teri’ to me, and the books the city has inspired
• Cleaning up my mess. There’s one person who left me to clean his (well, our) mess up, roughly 11,467 kms away, while he built an exciting new life for himself. Every time I see a picture of him, or him (the one time), he looks like an overgrown mouse.
• At least 30 minutes of exercise every day- Say goodbye to aging skin
• Non-malicious gossip. Its an excellent detoxifier
• 3 pitchers of beer on Friday night. And lots of conversation
• Higher salaries in India. High tax rates + Delhi/Bombay rentals + expensive international travel.
• Atif Aslam. For the passion, not the melody
• Water sports.
• Staying in touch.
• Delhi. For running in my veins, and for the rain this summer.
• Water, lime and honey. It hasn’t done anything for my weight or my skin. But its awesome detox. Or is it? Maybe I’ve psyched myself into believe it is
• Yellow blouses and polka dotted hair-bands. Make for pretty young things
• Skirts. Seriously, why do some women never wear skirts?!?! Can’t think of how trousers can ever be a better option. Bonus for every inch taken off
• Saigon Kick, for I love you