A Bend in the Lane

I was reading the Guardian Books section (yes, i have to drop names just to try and pass off as belonging to the intellectual gentry) when I saw this tongue-in-cheek ad on the page. I loved the "Go on George, its free" line in the third column best :-) [click on the image, you can see it better]

I came across this excerpt while reading Count Belisarius by Robert Graves - " It is a well known that almost everyone in the world is discontented with his trade or profession. The farmer would like to be an emperor, the Emperor would like to plant cabbages; the lean captain of a trading vessel envies the big paunched wine shop proprietor - who returns the envy dissatisfied with his stay-at-home life." That was during the 6th century Roman Empire. It holds true even today.  I suppose some things never change.

Jayesh replied to my post "Monday Mornings" in the following way - "Suggested happy thoughts just for Monday mornings: (1) Your boss might be on vacation / call in sick / get hit by a falling aeroplane (2) You will be promoted today to President from Vice-President (in charge of Photocopying, Faxing, Taxibooking & Getting Yelled At By Painful Clients) (3) they have replenished the coffee in the vending machine (4) Friday is JUST 5 days away (5) Retirement is JUST 35 years away (6) Your zodiac forecast says that you just might travel to Cambodia in two weeks with some really really cool people" :-)

I wore this very 'Abercrombie & Fitch' sorta purple skirt that has this very gunny-sack, ragged and faded feel to it. My grandmother definitely wouldnt have like it. In fact she would have pointed out that her maid wears better rags than that. Anyhoo, I was feeling very attractive in this skirt, and needed some feedback. If you havent already noticed, i need constant feedback from the men in my life. So, I approached the single most important male figure in my life, my dad. He was (you guessed it), watching news. Me : Dad? Dad : Uh huh. Me : Dad, am I looking pretty? Dad [without giving me a glance]: Uh huh Me [whining]: Daaaaaaad Dad [looking up]: Uh huh? Me [doing a pirouette]: Dad, look! Look! Am I looking pretty in this skirt? Dad [slightly puzzled]: Come a little closer. Me [pirouetting some more]: See, its pretty, innit? Dad [puzzled]:  you are wearing it inside out. All the thread and seams are on the outside showing. Me [blinking]:Dad, its supposed t...

Food for thought : " Politics without principle, wealth without work, commerce without morality, pleasure without conscience, education without character, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. " ~ MK Gandhi

Monday mornings are such ghastly, hateful things.How does one survive 'em? Call in sick and stare at the ceiling for ages? Take urgent leave and sleep in? Stay at home and watch reruns of Days of Our Lives? Quit the job and become a gardener? There needs to be one thought, one damn happy, inspiring thought that should make it worth while to endure a Monday. One happy thought. What could it be?

Why Argentina? Well, number of reasons. But simplistically speaking, here are 1-2-3 - 1. Many Germans began to migrate to South Am since the 19th century. So, the SS men/ fugitives could integrate with the community there without raising any suspicions. 2. Although Argentina declared that she was neutral, Juan Peron, the then President during WWII was a known Nazi sympathiser. 3. Argentinian extradition laws are pretty rigid. Getting a fugitive extradited from Argentina is a Herculean task. Historically speaking, South American governments like Chile, Argentina, etc were always bogged by one coup or the other. Leaders often flee to neighbouring countries for political asylum or otherwise. Hence, South Am countries as a general rule have very strict extradition laws that seem to 'protect' fugitives. Think about it - You are President John Doe of a South Am country. You allow President Bud Joe who escaped to your country after a coup to be extradited to his Country C where he wi...

Aye, its "Land Ahoy!" The leak has been plugged. I sailed the high seas and am back on land. I can safely say, that I have a lot of time to bore you all till the paint peels from the wall.