Its been two weeks since I started volunteering for Salvation Army. I had only heard about them in the many Chicken Soup for the soul books, so out of sheer curiosity I once entered their shop and never looked back!! Because they sold books that otherwise would have been for 20 - 40 pounds for about .5 GBP!! I am a woman and its in my genes to stop and make use of any discount/sale! Hence, everytime I cross the Salvation Army place (its a shame, I know..I've been there so many times, but I still don't know what the place is called!) I end up buying at least one book!
Anyways, since I have'nt exactly been the Queen of Luck with regards to getting a part timer, I thought of at least volunteering. The first day of my volunteering, I am dressed in black trousers, a white shirt and boots - compulsory dress code for the shop. Maggi, the store manager ushers me into the store room - whoaa! The place was filled with all sorts of stuff - clothes, suitcases, shoes, stuffed toys, lingerie (seriously!), books floor to ceiling and I am absolutely not exaggerating! And after showing me the tea pot she introduced me to a lady - my guess was about 50 years- called Somaeya. She was pretty and had the greenest eyeshadow I have ever seen and matching eyes!! So Somaeya got into a rapid - what are you doings, where are you froms etc etc! Within five minutes of being introduced to this lady, I came to know that she was an ex-hippie! Wheee!! She happily recounted tales of her visits to India (yes, I asked her if she was a part of the ISKCON movement- but no she wasnt, said she was too lazy to be involved in spiritual stuff.) and how she spent days smoking hash and doing nothing else!
Anyways, I started sorting out the clothes and hanging them on the shelves after identifying their sizes, it wasnt exactly 'fun' but it was'nt boring either and after I got the hang of it, I was pretty quick at it! After sometime (between which I found out that Somaeya had two cats - an uncle and a nephew- and she loved them to bits and that she had been married once to a person she had had a relationship for seven years and after two days of marraige she walked out :-o) she suddenly asked me,"So Ashaaaika, if you're from India, where are your parents from?" - whaahahahahah?!?!!?!?!!? It took me a second to comprehend what she was asking me and after biting back a 'duh' I said, err...they're from India too.
And then she said something that would make my brother proud (and kind of reiterate what K says as well!) "ohhh, okie..well, you look part malaysian." SIGH! I've grown up with a brother who always said that I had japanese genes because of 'chinky eyes' and 'flat nose' and got that seconded by a best friend( there were very few days when Gaay woildnt point out that I was 'chinky'! And when she wasn't talking about chinkiness, she would...ok, I am not talking about 'that' now!!)
Well, not like I have any problems with looking chinese or malaysian or japanese! But I think of myself as an exotic Indian girl (ok, that was a bit too much!), as a very Indian girl with Indian genes and quite proud of it!
But seriously...a woman who talks to me for a few minutes has a doubt if I am part malaysian- SIGH!
On a more cheerul note(!!) - Clement and Divya - Wish you both a very happy married life! Don't let married life stop you from blogging or posting comments on mine! God bless you both!
25.1.07
18.1.07
Happy Feet!
Thank you Clement for the resourceful pic on ' how to refresh your childhood memories'!! And of course, thank you Sofia and Sushma for torturing me on my sick bed and forcing me to lace up my sneakers because Dr.Sofia (who is not a doctor) and Dr. Sushma (who is also not a doctor) decided that the Happy New Year fever might make me dimmer witted. Hence, it was decided by these honorary docs, that to give my brain an excercise, I must fix those laces! Anyways, despite the fact that I thought I might die of cold, fever and lacing up sneakers, I SURVIVED! And am happily trotting away in the streets of Edinburgh!
So in response to my previous post on 'HELP' - I now have Happy Feet!
So in response to my previous post on 'HELP' - I now have Happy Feet!
6.1.07
When the clock struck 2.....
I am a sound sleeper. I can sleep through any sound , of any nature. Have slept through earthquakes, floods, gales, telephone calls, alarm clocks, kicks, tickles and of course, lectures. But when I dont sleep like I usually do, I know something is terribly wrong. Tonight was one such night. Despite the fact that I had woken up on time (11.00 am :D) and had had a considerably productive day, at 12.00 AM, I was so awake, I thought I had never slept.
12.00 am turned to 12.40 am, which later turned to 1.27 am to 1.50 am. I tried listening to gospel music to Enya to New York nagaram (a personal favorite for all the situational reasons, though it is a bit off the mark considering that New York is nowhere near Fresno and that I am warming my seat in Edinburgh!) but nothing helped. And then, when the clock struck 2....all enlightenment dawned on me...I WAS HUNGRY!!! (Ok, dont ask me what took me two hours to realise that I was hungry! I wont answer you.)
Making a mental meal, I picked up my kitchen keys and walked towards the kitchen, already seeing the spaghetti I had decided to make in all hues and shades of orange and red ( all my dishes are Indianised, be it spaghetti or pasta!) and thinking,"Ash, you must be the craziest girl in the whole world to....well, you must be the craziest girl in the world." Period!
Key in the lock, a twist to the right, a creak and Leonard Horner Hall wouldnt have ever heard nor will.. a scream so loud and in harmony and in two accents, mine and chinese!! lol!! Xi Zhen my cute chinese friend was sitting on the table sorrounded by bread, pasties, soups, chocolate spreads and juice!
"Asshiikha, uu skhaaa meee, I skhaa u" was all she could manage before we both started giggling at the banshee screams we had not known we were capable of! She hadnt been able to sleep and had come to feed the tummy monster as well!! It must have been a funny sight, Ashika, her hair askew, with red spaghetti and a fork along with Xi Zhen again hair askew, with an assortment of dishes and chopsticks! Two girls, in the middle of the night, discussing chinese food and Indian movies, and short concentration spans and sleeping during lectures, while faithfully stuffing our faces!!
We both finished eating some 15 minutes ago! Bade each other good night and I came back to my room secure in the knowledge that I am not as crazy as I had thought I was! Misery and midnight hunger crave company!!
My eyes are starting to droop now, I'll go back to the world of sweet sleep!
Ciao!!
Ash
12.00 am turned to 12.40 am, which later turned to 1.27 am to 1.50 am. I tried listening to gospel music to Enya to New York nagaram (a personal favorite for all the situational reasons, though it is a bit off the mark considering that New York is nowhere near Fresno and that I am warming my seat in Edinburgh!) but nothing helped. And then, when the clock struck 2....all enlightenment dawned on me...I WAS HUNGRY!!! (Ok, dont ask me what took me two hours to realise that I was hungry! I wont answer you.)
Making a mental meal, I picked up my kitchen keys and walked towards the kitchen, already seeing the spaghetti I had decided to make in all hues and shades of orange and red ( all my dishes are Indianised, be it spaghetti or pasta!) and thinking,"Ash, you must be the craziest girl in the whole world to....well, you must be the craziest girl in the world." Period!
Key in the lock, a twist to the right, a creak and Leonard Horner Hall wouldnt have ever heard nor will.. a scream so loud and in harmony and in two accents, mine and chinese!! lol!! Xi Zhen my cute chinese friend was sitting on the table sorrounded by bread, pasties, soups, chocolate spreads and juice!
"Asshiikha, uu skhaaa meee, I skhaa u" was all she could manage before we both started giggling at the banshee screams we had not known we were capable of! She hadnt been able to sleep and had come to feed the tummy monster as well!! It must have been a funny sight, Ashika, her hair askew, with red spaghetti and a fork along with Xi Zhen again hair askew, with an assortment of dishes and chopsticks! Two girls, in the middle of the night, discussing chinese food and Indian movies, and short concentration spans and sleeping during lectures, while faithfully stuffing our faces!!
We both finished eating some 15 minutes ago! Bade each other good night and I came back to my room secure in the knowledge that I am not as crazy as I had thought I was! Misery and midnight hunger crave company!!
My eyes are starting to droop now, I'll go back to the world of sweet sleep!
Ciao!!
Ash
28.12.06
Boxing Day...literally!!
IT HAPPENED!!
Took longer than usual, 3 days to be precise, but Abi and I had our first punch fight!!! He wanted to be on the internet, I wanted to blog, there is only one ethernet cable and two laptops. hehehe!! Hence ensued a "Why do u even bother to come to see me" and " I dont know why I even bother to come and see u"!! Which later developed into a "Abi, I think I will punch you" followed by, "There, you just thought and I did it"!!! Sigh! Finally I threw the cable at him! He won the battle and the cable...ONLY TODAY!! One day when I am rich and famous.....!!!!
The reason I wanted to blog today was, that even though I have rediscovered my childhood (ref: previous post!) I have forgotten how to fit laces in a sneaker!!! I bought a long coveted pair of sneakers yesterday and thanks to my brother ( dont even ask, how!) each shoe now has the laces done differently and I have no clue how either is done, and the sibling of mine doesnt either!!
So, if anyone remembers, please do remind me how to get those laces back into my shoe, the right way!!
Happy New Year everyone!!!
God bless!
me!
Took longer than usual, 3 days to be precise, but Abi and I had our first punch fight!!! He wanted to be on the internet, I wanted to blog, there is only one ethernet cable and two laptops. hehehe!! Hence ensued a "Why do u even bother to come to see me" and " I dont know why I even bother to come and see u"!! Which later developed into a "Abi, I think I will punch you" followed by, "There, you just thought and I did it"!!! Sigh! Finally I threw the cable at him! He won the battle and the cable...ONLY TODAY!! One day when I am rich and famous.....!!!!
The reason I wanted to blog today was, that even though I have rediscovered my childhood (ref: previous post!) I have forgotten how to fit laces in a sneaker!!! I bought a long coveted pair of sneakers yesterday and thanks to my brother ( dont even ask, how!) each shoe now has the laces done differently and I have no clue how either is done, and the sibling of mine doesnt either!!
So, if anyone remembers, please do remind me how to get those laces back into my shoe, the right way!!Happy New Year everyone!!!
God bless!
me!
23.12.06
Musings!
Its again that time of the year when I look back and say,"Hmm...not bad, considering what all happened, I have managed to keep my senses about myself" and of course, hope that the new year brings more joy and more strength to face the trials that will most definitely come!
2006 has been a very oxymoronish year for me! But in every sway to the downside, I manage to find a positive note and turn the balances!
Personally, I think Abi's accident and his subsequent (miraculous!) recuperation was one of the most important events of this year. Even now when I think back to those days spent in the hospital outside the ICU, I shudder and whisper a word of thanks to God.
Another most important event of the year was that I met K !! Entwined with the hospital scene remains my most joyful and favourite story ever- 'my first meeting with K'! Thank you for your love and support Mads, and for being more patient than you've probably ever been.
Dad's getting back to work is as important to me as it is to him and mom's surgery - wheee! Thank God its over and done with!
The fact that I got to travel abroad (on company expense :D) and then resettle to live in Edinburgh to do my MBA is three things I have always wanted to do ;fulfilled at the same time! The ordeal for the bank loan, the wait for the visa, getting things in order to leave for the UK...phew! Its been a long 2006!
I learnt so many things about myself, was surprised by some and absolutely shocked by the rest! Accepted them, moved on. Learnt more to accept people as they are and stop making judgements.
In a lot of ways and experiences, I found my childhood again. I dusted the cobwebs from the many cares and concerns of the world and found that curiosity, pure joy, love, excitement and enthusiasm never end! They are right here, except that the dust gathered over the years needs to be removed.
Overall, I think I have become a better person this year, at least better than what I was last year! Its good to have more focus, more freedom and the discipline that must accompany it. Oh yes, I have fought, loads with everyone from my parents, to K to Abi to Gaayu to Mayu, to Nami, to even my friends in Edinburgh (..and I barely know them!) But I have made up with most of them (will reconcile with Abi today evening..am going to cook some nice chicken curry for him...hehehe!)
I know I will change next year as I have changed this year, my only prayer is that my change be for the better and that I never lose the child in me! That I love more and judge less, give more and expect less. And never ever forget to be myself!
Wishing each one of you the best of everything during this Christmas and the year to come!
God bless!
Ashika
2006 has been a very oxymoronish year for me! But in every sway to the downside, I manage to find a positive note and turn the balances!
Personally, I think Abi's accident and his subsequent (miraculous!) recuperation was one of the most important events of this year. Even now when I think back to those days spent in the hospital outside the ICU, I shudder and whisper a word of thanks to God.
Another most important event of the year was that I met K !! Entwined with the hospital scene remains my most joyful and favourite story ever- 'my first meeting with K'! Thank you for your love and support Mads, and for being more patient than you've probably ever been.
Dad's getting back to work is as important to me as it is to him and mom's surgery - wheee! Thank God its over and done with!
The fact that I got to travel abroad (on company expense :D) and then resettle to live in Edinburgh to do my MBA is three things I have always wanted to do ;fulfilled at the same time! The ordeal for the bank loan, the wait for the visa, getting things in order to leave for the UK...phew! Its been a long 2006!
I learnt so many things about myself, was surprised by some and absolutely shocked by the rest! Accepted them, moved on. Learnt more to accept people as they are and stop making judgements.
In a lot of ways and experiences, I found my childhood again. I dusted the cobwebs from the many cares and concerns of the world and found that curiosity, pure joy, love, excitement and enthusiasm never end! They are right here, except that the dust gathered over the years needs to be removed.
Overall, I think I have become a better person this year, at least better than what I was last year! Its good to have more focus, more freedom and the discipline that must accompany it. Oh yes, I have fought, loads with everyone from my parents, to K to Abi to Gaayu to Mayu, to Nami, to even my friends in Edinburgh (..and I barely know them!) But I have made up with most of them (will reconcile with Abi today evening..am going to cook some nice chicken curry for him...hehehe!)
I know I will change next year as I have changed this year, my only prayer is that my change be for the better and that I never lose the child in me! That I love more and judge less, give more and expect less. And never ever forget to be myself!
Wishing each one of you the best of everything during this Christmas and the year to come!
God bless!
Ashika
14.12.06
Being me
I feel like three people at the same time;
Harry Potter - remember how he Hermoine and Ron would always stay back during the Christmas hols and how the halls would be so empty and spooky? Even the slightest sound wakes me up and it takes me MINUTES to get back to sleep! And the wind! Oh the Scottish winds! They go ooooooooooooo..aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...ooooooooooooooooooooo!! SPOOKY!
Dobby the House Elf - Another Harry Potter character who bangs his head on anything and everything that would hurt the moment he realises that he spoke something wrong (in my case PURE SILLY) I feel like him too...want to bang my head on these stone walls. Me and my big mouth.
Ashika - This is a little tough. Its weird, its crazy and it says the wrong things at the wrong time. Sigh.
Bored to silliness!
Me!
Harry Potter - remember how he Hermoine and Ron would always stay back during the Christmas hols and how the halls would be so empty and spooky? Even the slightest sound wakes me up and it takes me MINUTES to get back to sleep! And the wind! Oh the Scottish winds! They go ooooooooooooo..aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...ooooooooooooooooooooo!! SPOOKY!
Dobby the House Elf - Another Harry Potter character who bangs his head on anything and everything that would hurt the moment he realises that he spoke something wrong (in my case PURE SILLY) I feel like him too...want to bang my head on these stone walls. Me and my big mouth.
Ashika - This is a little tough. Its weird, its crazy and it says the wrong things at the wrong time. Sigh.
Bored to silliness!
Me!
12.12.06
Grumpy Granny!
Exams over, yuletide in, holidays and loads of vetti time, most of the time!
I am back to blogging and boy! Does it feel good! Today was a busy day. The Job Centre misplaced some of my papers and the job that I had for Christmas just got blown away! So I am hot on the heels of a new job! I seriously believe that the fruit of patience is sweet, I'll wait!
Anyways, what spurred me to blog today, even though I finished my exams a couple of days ago was a 'I've GOT to blog this' incident! I was on my way to Princes Street where most of the big brand shops are located and also where the Job Centre is and I got into Lothian Bus 25. As we were on our way to the High Street, on Shandon Place or somewhere before that, an old lady got into the bus. She was quite old, must be around 75 at least. Anyways, here she was white hair, raincoat and a big bag, grumbling about something. She kept mumbling and went past the driver and sat down. The driver, who is worthy of a separate blog himself, with all his piercings and tattoos, suddenly stopped the bus and snapped his fingers at the old lady. Thus began a verbal fight between the old lady and the driver! The reason- the old lady told him that he was late and he was enraged!! He was so angry that someone would say that he was late! Wow! I was imagining our PTC buses and their pledge to never follow a time table!!
All this is fine! What got me gaping and later stuffing my mouth with my cap so I wont start giggling like a maniac was that while the driver was still defending himself and waving his timetable and daring the old lady to come check it, this white haired, 70 something, angry senior citizen suddenly said, "HEY!!!!!" and with great difficulty disengaged her hand from the bag she was holding and showed the driver 'the finger'!
The bus started and the driver got us back on the road.
Everyone was so quiet. I was shocked. Never ever in my life had I seen an old lady show the finger to anyone! Once the shock ebbed out, I couldnt stop grinning! And I was stiffling giggles! Phew! Am sure, had she seen me laughing, I would have met the same fate as the driver!
Ha! Its good to be back!!!
Laters then!
me
I am back to blogging and boy! Does it feel good! Today was a busy day. The Job Centre misplaced some of my papers and the job that I had for Christmas just got blown away! So I am hot on the heels of a new job! I seriously believe that the fruit of patience is sweet, I'll wait!
Anyways, what spurred me to blog today, even though I finished my exams a couple of days ago was a 'I've GOT to blog this' incident! I was on my way to Princes Street where most of the big brand shops are located and also where the Job Centre is and I got into Lothian Bus 25. As we were on our way to the High Street, on Shandon Place or somewhere before that, an old lady got into the bus. She was quite old, must be around 75 at least. Anyways, here she was white hair, raincoat and a big bag, grumbling about something. She kept mumbling and went past the driver and sat down. The driver, who is worthy of a separate blog himself, with all his piercings and tattoos, suddenly stopped the bus and snapped his fingers at the old lady. Thus began a verbal fight between the old lady and the driver! The reason- the old lady told him that he was late and he was enraged!! He was so angry that someone would say that he was late! Wow! I was imagining our PTC buses and their pledge to never follow a time table!!
All this is fine! What got me gaping and later stuffing my mouth with my cap so I wont start giggling like a maniac was that while the driver was still defending himself and waving his timetable and daring the old lady to come check it, this white haired, 70 something, angry senior citizen suddenly said, "HEY!!!!!" and with great difficulty disengaged her hand from the bag she was holding and showed the driver 'the finger'!
The bus started and the driver got us back on the road.
Everyone was so quiet. I was shocked. Never ever in my life had I seen an old lady show the finger to anyone! Once the shock ebbed out, I couldnt stop grinning! And I was stiffling giggles! Phew! Am sure, had she seen me laughing, I would have met the same fate as the driver!
Ha! Its good to be back!!!
Laters then!
me
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