The Voice In My Head…

Is that even possible?! - one brilliant soul is experimenting to see if it is.

I’ve just spent the better half of the morning going through every single post of Gaurav Mishra’s ‘Off Consumption’ blog (which is also going to be a book soon!) on his experiments thus far with a year off consumption.

While I surfed through his 2 week journey so far (yeah, it’s still a baby blog, you can catch up) I found myself laughing at his washing bucketfuls of clothes, amazed that people were getting so into the whole thing that they want to turn it into a reality TV show and in general, enjoying (to quote a commenter) his funny “Wodehouse like” posts on his dates off consumption.

His latest post (on his insatiable craving for a McDonald’s Paneer Salsa Wrap) makes me wonder whether he’ll actually make it through the year?!

I found myself also wondering if I too could give up consumption for a year - that thought quickly perished when I glanced at the sexy new Guess shoes I’ve just bought (one really can’t have too many shoes, right?). I’m not crazy about buying things, but how does one live in Mumbai, for a year and not buy any new clothes or shoes, not go to any restaurants or movies or any paid entertainment?! Seriously!!!!

I know I have enough of resilience in me to do it for a cause - I did after all live in an Ashram for two years - but to stay in the world and completely be off consumption, just to “see” if it’s possible - gee, I don’t know..!

Anyway, I’m wishing G the best of luck & will be following the entire experiment closely!

Meanwhile, what are your thoughts on the matter? Do you think you’d make it through a year? Would you want to?!

Related thought - if you had to do this (don’t ask me why, just assume someone put a gun to your head or something), what do you think would be the main thing you’d miss being able to do/buy? - I think mine would be giving up restaurants / coffee shops - basically would cut off my social life, I think!

After the chilliest winter that Mumbai’s faced in the longest time, it was bound to happen - Summer is not only fast descending but it is going to be hot, hot, hot.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this on the blog before, but I don’t have a sense of smell - in a city as overcrowded and filthy as ours, I’ve always maintained that it is a good thing! However I can smell something is it’s very strong - so if I smell something I know it’s bad.

I recently had the misfortune of being around one individual who was - and I mean seriously - wreaking with body odor. This guy was stinking so much, even I could smell it strongly! I felt bad for the guy though because people around him really made fun of him when he was not around - he’s apparently got a regular BO problem - which I don’t think he even is aware of.

So though he doesn’t read my blog (at least I don’t think so) I’ve made a list. It’s written mostly for men since I think most women do these things anyway but if you’re a woman who doesn’t, feel free to apply the list too:

Melody’s TOP 10 Guide, to be STINK FREE this Summer!

(10) EAT RIGHT! - Have you heard the saying: what goes in determines what comes out? Yeah, I’m talking BO caused by what you’re eating - or not. Check with your doctor if you have a Zinc or Magnesium deficiency - these supplements help balance your body’s metabolism and reduce the cause of bad odor. Maybe BO is just a pill away! Also while you’re at it take your vitamins (ok, so I’m feeling all motherly at this point)

(09) Wear Cottons and materials that ‘breathe’ - Synthetic fabrics don’t allow the body to breathe. If you’re not sure which of your clothes are cotton, check the labels (yup, that’s one of the reasons they’re there honey).

(08) Tight is not always right - This is because loosely fitting clothes allow the body to breathe better than tight clothes by allowing perspiration to escape.

Continue Reading »

Here’s the back story for those who aren’t yet aware of the “facts” as we know them at this point:

Pretty, blonde, 15 year old Scarlett Keeling, a Britisher from Bideford, Devon was with her mother, her mother’s boyfriend and six other siblings on a six month vacation in India. At some point the mother & rest of the brood moved onto a neighboring state, leaving Scarlett in Goa - the mother insists she was in “safe hands” of a “very responsible” 25 yr old tour guide they had met. Some reports label the guide, Julio Lobo, as her boyfriend since she was staying with him.

Scarlett was then found dead on a beach in Anjuna, Goa, last month. Initially police said that she had drowned - but the victims mother Fiona MacKeown (who has nine children) pushed the police to a second investigation, where they then proved she had been drugged, raped and then killed.

Placido Carvalho and Samson D’Souza have just been arrested for raping and killing her and police today formally declared the case “closed”, saying that Scarlett had consumed high doses of cocaine and alcohol (some reports add LSD to this list) when she entered the beach shack during wee hours on the fateful day and was then given ecstasy tablets by Carvalho. After this Carvalho and D’Souza raped and murdered her.

Meanwhil Congress MP Shantaram Laxman Naik caused quite a stir at the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday when he blamed the ghastly crime on the victim’s folks. And the tourism minister Ambika Soni agreed saying: “”Naik certainly has a point”.

While many people have been quick to condemn Naik for his “shocking” statement, lots of people, many of British origin are themselves reacting in a similar fashion:

Why on earth did the mother go off and leave a fifteen year old girl, in a place like that, with a 25 year old man?
I’ll never understand these parents who seem to have such a casual attitude to looking after their kids and then wonder why something bad happens to them. - Rosy Knight, Sheffield UK

A very bad case BUT Scarlett should have been in school and taking her GCSEs - what was her mother doing taking her and her siblings out of school? Was this the action of a responsible mother? A lot of questions need to be asked. Her mother needs to be applauded by trying to discover the truth BUT she should not have been there in the first place or left while her mother went off elsewhere - she was only 15 and would imagine sexually active - responsible parenting? - Valerie, Colchester

So who’s to blame here?

Carvalho and D’Souza?: Both have confessed, so yes - Definitely and without a doubt - and I really think people like these should received maximum punishment possible. Also, a third and as yet unidentified person was also reportedly arrested a few hours ago.

The Police?: While one cannot blame them for Scarlett’s death, they are definetely 100% guilty of trying to cover it up.

The “responsible” Tour Guide Julio Lobo?: No news from his end yet. According to the mother, he was supposed to be “looking after” Scarlett. So where was he when she was getting high, being gang raped and then murdered?

The criminalization of drugs / cartels / the Russian mafia?: Lots of debate on this point. I’ve debated this before with a friend (after watching ‘We own the night‘) and I truly believe that it is more dangerous, especially for innocent children, if drugs were legalized.

The Mother / Family?: Allison Pearson of the UK Daily Mail certainly thinks so. Imo, leaving a minor alone in Goa is not the act of a responsible parent. Leave aside the fact that she was “on vacation” with other siblings for six months. However I think that before any “case of negligence” is filled against, the actual perpetrators of the crime and the corrupt police should be severely dealt with.

And how about Scarlett herself? : Should she at 15 years be drinking and taking drugs? Was she not old enough to know better? Britain is another place, perhaps it’s safe for a 15 year old to be out drinking and taking drugs on her own there (though I would imagine not). Shouldn’t she have known better?

Better to have been “safe than sorry?” Or are we completely missing the point here and blaming the victim and her family, when we should be sympathizing with them during this terrible ordeal, made worse by corrupt police?

… and in pictures too

Have been busy helping organize, praying for & finally, ushering (!) at a 4 day Church Lenten Program which got over on Sunday past. Crowd ranged from 2000 about 3500 people each day, and trust me, ushering is no joke!

In between stuff, have also managed to attend the premier of 27 dresses. The movie got terrible reviews - one called it “Porn, for chicks” so I wasn’t expecting much. And perhaps that’s the reason why the picture was pretty alright imo. It was a chick flick, yes. It was predictable, yes. But then again most chick flicks are. And they’re still nice (if you’re a chick or on a date). Lascelle Symons was just near me - all alone - I’ve noticed usually his wife accompanies him to premiers. Perhaps the designer only came to check out the dresses?

I’ve also started a two year offline, correspondence Diploma course on the Bible through the St. Paul’s Bible Institute, Chennai. It’s a fairly comprehensive course that spans both Old & New Testament. Booklets are mailed each month & answers have to be written and mailed back. The only tough part is actually writing the answers. Ever since I started this course, I’ve realised I type much much faster than I write. In fact I rarely write at all - so it’s hard getting back into school/college frame of mind and write answer sheets. But I guess it’s good for me, both in terms of the learning & the writing!

Have also become addicted to going to the sea front with giggly friend who I spend most of time with these days. We take long walks by the beautiful sea. On most days we giggle like schoolgirls though some days we’re uncharacteristically quite and enjoy the serene sea. And of course our mandatory Sev Puri, which I’m also become addicted to. Yumm (just googling for pics right now is making me hungry!)

And yes, I have (finally) cut my hair Excuse the pic, not me looking my best, but it was taken by me (as is quite apparent!) ONLY FOR YOU GUYS and only to see the HAIR, so cut me some slack ok?! Arnold & Karl, thanks for the many inquiries after the lenght of my hair, trust it gets a thumbs up!

My sides are still hurting from all the laughter. Also, my thumb is jammed (door accident before I left) *and* it’s past 1 in the morning, but still thought I should type this out with one finger, one letter at a time (darnsd this is annoying).

And oh, I nearly threw up.

Seriously.

That is how ridiculously funny the black comedy ‘Death at a Funeral’ is.

And that’s all I’m saying. Because you HAVE TO go see this movie. Also because my bloody hand is still freakin’ paining.

And because I’m slightly high drunk from laughing.

Go.

PS: Damn our Indian censor board for cutting out so many funny parts.

Just about two months ago now, on New Years day, a mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes outside the J W Marriott at Juhu:

We were in shock. We couldn’t believe how this could happen in “safe” Mumbai. We talked about it. We blogged about it. We fought over differences in opinion.

Now, we must join together and be proactive in showing our support to NGOs who are fighting these growing issues - verbal and sexual assault against woman in our beloved city.

Bhumi and various other leading NGO’s in association with Rediff.com, are hosting a silent candle light vigil on the eve of Women’s Day i.e. 7th March at 9 p.m. at the Gateway of India (Mumbai). This gathering is supported by the Sheriff of Mumbai, Dr. Indu Shahani who will be present at the vigil.

If you can’t make it to the vigil, perhaps you’d like to log onto www.act.rediff.com to lend their support and join the fight against eve-teasing by simply casting a vote or by sending a mail to: fighteveteasing@rediffmail.com

Meanwhile, here’s an E-Helpline for Women - if you need help / knows someone who does:
Email: call1298@rediffmail.com (for complete details of women helplines and call centers)
or Msg: HELP to 57333 (for details of call center and NGOs)

This month’s cover of Vogue (India) scares me. Not only because Kareena Kapoor is looking sickly thin - but because her weight loss “spree” is being heralded as a good thing -

“Kareena is on a major weight loss spree again, and must say, she has never looked so gorgeous and sexy” cf TOI

I was never a big fan of Kareena Kapoor - but imo - she wasn’t fat before. She didn’t need to go on a “weight loss spree” and she definetely looked tons (much) better earlier. Look at these before and after shots for example - note the now sunken face, the protruding collar bones, the bone thin hands. Gorgeous? Sexy? I think not.

While the western world is now wary of “overly thin” celebs like Nicole Ritchie, Keira Knightley & Mischa Barton, especially in light of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, it is sad how almost everyone here is celebrating Kareena’s weight loss. When questions did arise, she went on record to say she is “far from anorexic” and all her weight loss is due to “power yoga” and a “special diet”.

Regardless of how and why she lost all the weight - the issue at hand is so much bigger than Ms. Kapoor. It’s about what fashion magazines dictate to our society. And the images of “gorgeous and sexy” that perhaps sub-consciously get ingrained into our psyches. It’s about what we as an educated thinking society are willing to accept as our perception of beauty.

Way back in September of 2006, organizers at the Madrid fashion week took a stand against models who were “too thin”. They banned models with a height-to-weight ratio below what the World Health Organization considered normal - three top models were sent home.

Most of the world applauded the move and runways and magazines alike made special effort not to endorse “too thin” girls, if not nothing else, for fear of being labeled as promoting anorexia by feminist groups.

Now, even as new skinny Kareena insists she’s not “too thin”, even as she appears on cover after magazine cover in her new avatar - the question is:

Just when is thin too thin? - and what are we as a society doing about it?