Where have I been?

After a long absence, I am attempting to sneak back onto this blog. No, I've not given up on blogging completely. I've just been busy blogging elsewhere. Yup, after a lot of agonizing, I decided an anonymous blog was a good idea. I can say exactly what I want without people going, "Oh, did she mean me in that post?" or "Hmm. Did she write this post because of that conversation we had last week?" Most of the time, I am just blathering on. When people actually attach too much meaning to what I say and start reading between the lines, its too much of a burden to bear! :) 

Anyways, that's not to say I am abandoning this blog. I think I am just going through a zen-like phase. I don't check Gmail every 30 seconds anymore (gasp!). I answer e-mails and Facebook messages with a lag. Where previously I didn't mind sending nonsensical e-mails to friends just to get conversation going, I am now questioning if I should be wasting people's time, server space, electricity and mental concentration before hitting the "send" button. And of all the blasphemous thoughts crossing my mind, I've been deliberating deleting my Orkut account. The mindless banter that goes on in that site is unbearable. Of course, I am not zen enough yet to get rid of Facebook or my cell phone. 

So, what in the world am I doing? I've been playing around with my new Nikon DSLR. I absolutely love it! I am part-time consultant to my husband's DIY projects (of which there are many).  Last weekend, it was Project Earthworms. The poor sodden creatures crawl into our kitchen and die whenever there's a thunderstorm. S installed some new door sweeps and weather proof stuff so these things can't crawl under. Yesterday, I actually advised S on how to remove the kitchen sink faucet gracefully! Ha, women can be handy too. Oh and since we got Vijay TV at last, I've been devoting quite some time watching "Airtel Super Singer Junior", "Koffee with Anu" and "Neeya Naana?". After the mindless drivel of the other channels, I almost cried with happiness when I found some shows I could actually enjoy.  

So there, that's my new Mother Earth avatar. Not sure how long its going to last but enjoying it while it does. So, my dear faithful readers, please don't abandon me. Do continue reading this blog and who knows, my anonymous blog might merge over with this one. 

Flavors of English

Last year, in Tirupati, at a hotel, I saw a sign for wash basin written as "Wash Bastion".  Near Bhima's Hotel in lower Tirupati, a detour was announced because of maintenance work. The sign read: "Rob work in progress ahead". Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera handy to capture these choice pieces of literature on display. Now, after Hinglish and Tanglish, China has come up with its own Chinglish. Check it out here.

Lest you think it is only denizens of Asian countries that go about murdering English, there are plenty of examples in the US. Recently, I've been seeing more and more emergency exit doors marked:

"This door is alarmed. Please do not use."