Filling In For The High Priestess II

Like in 2011, the pedestal is again devoid, this time, only of The High Priestess. She has flown again to the Holy Lands to the region where kathak originated from (think Madhuri Dixit in Devdas, ooooohhhh, goosebumps). She would also be heading to a city which is known for a colour, an architectural symbol of love, and a grand temple synonymous with the richest metal.

This time around, she opted to take up an offer of her childhood friend to journey there.

Again, I am left taking over her responsibilities with Madam R also temporarily staying with her second daughter.

I really do hope The High Priestess has the time of her life!!!

She is going to be bathing in all things colourful, beautiful, delicious, spiritual and all that epitomise mysticism and grandeur!!!

I'm gonna miss her and I await her return in anticipation!!!

Madam R Turns 80!

The matriarch has reached an age some of us can only wish for.

And she's mobile, healthy and can still cook brilliantly!

I pray to God for many more healthy years to come for this beloved woman!

I had to hold the cake knife because she kept prodding
the cake before we could sing Happy Birthday.
This is me handing the knife back to her.
It was home-made upside down pineapple cake.

How Can???

Having overcome the biggest hurdle to obtain my masters degree I have now turned my focus to my deepest passion.

Dance.

However I am, at the moment, massively obese. 

About 50 kgs heavier then I was in this post. 

Not forgetting my injury which further contributed to my weight gain.

How would one lose weight?

Why, by exercising of course!

I have taken to swimming, against all my better judgement, knowing very well that I'd look horrendous in a swimming trunk because I don't have much of a choice.

Swimming is high resistance, low impact exercising; perfect for both my weight and my knees.

There is another aspect to losing weight; diet.

But,

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Top left; sticky rice with grated coconut condiment (pulut dan inti), grandma's cooking. Top right; Indian candy, made with condensed milk, grated coconut, lots of sugar and some Milo in this version (usually food colouring is used), mom's preparation. Bottom left; my grandma's cooking, fish curry, fried fish marinated in curry powder, and broadbeans stewed with pre-stewed mungbeans. Bottom right, laddoo (made with spiced dhal flour that is deep fried then steeped in sugar syrup and mixed with cashews pre-fried in clarified butter a.k.a ghee then formed into balls), aunt's preparation.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT WHEN YOU FREQUENTLY GET FOOD LIKE THIS?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To add depth to the situation, I am very poor at both portion control and self-control!!!

ARRGGGHH!!!!!!

The 200th Post; A Milestone in My Life!

I have officially passed my Masters thesis examination!!!

And it's my 200th post!

And I have a pay check!

I can't wait to do my 2015 checklist!

I Don't

I don't go out to parties anymore on Saturday nights

I blog

-.-

At least until the 16th.

http://cheezburger.com/2665910272

I Changed My Life Around

Truth be told, up to the 5th of March 2014, I was still smoking.

I was drinking heavily too.

I loved every minute of that!

However, a visit to the hospital to see my brother's ex girlfriends mother upon the request of The High Priestess after finding out she suffered a stroke changed all that.

Oh, The High Priestess still kept in touch with Gdaran's ex girlfriend however, she only met her would-have-been in-law that very day. She explained the progression of events that lead to her landing on a hospital bed which got me over-thinking about myself and how terrible my lifestyle was.

The next day, 6th March 2014, I fasted.

I ended up with some gastric problem symptoms which I erroneously deduced as signs of possible stroke or a heart attack. My heart rate picked up and my pressure increased. As the pain in my stomach which (I would later find out was nothing more than indigestion, gastric and flatulence at once) ran through my hand I could not slow my racing heart as my mind was already forming images of pain and death!

Throughout the night I could not steady my mind. I finally gave up because, after forcing myself to fall asleep, I awoke an hour later in a sweaty state and realised my heart was still beating fast. Although I succeeded in calming myself down, my mind kept running back to my sweaty awakening eventually resulting in palpitations.

That's it! I woke mum up and she drove me to the hospital.

Doctors' (yes, I was attended by three of them) early diagnosis was that my lifestyle of drinking, smoking, eating unhealthy and stress had given me a gastric problem. Blood test results indicated raised cardiac enzyme levels which may have been due to the palpitations as my ECG was clear.

I spend a day in the hospital and had my first experience of a catheter in my hand. Yes, I have never been admitted to a hospital or had a catheter in my hand, not the one the use to administer saline and drugs at least (I've donated blood but that is no where as scary).

So I mended my ways;

I only ever drink two or three servings of alcohol and as infrequently as twice a month.
I quit smoking; COLD TURKEY, on the 6th of March 2014.
I have slowed down on caffeine to a cup decaf I have in the morning and an occasional cup of tea in the evenings.
I have started swimming.
I have started limiting my dinners to a minimum; most nights only having a cup of oats and two slices of bread if I am hungry.
I have brown rice or parboiled rice when I do have rice.
I have reduced my portions and started snacking on fruits instead.
Although not apparent, I have lost about 5 kgs.

God is right here with me.

I believe it, for without the adversity on the 6th of March 2014, I would have never mended my ways.

A Very Short Story of Two Gay Men and A Not So Straight One...

I have recently come into contact with two Indian gay men. A local one, and a foreigner from a neighbouring country.

Local Indian guy's mother is under complete bed rest battling cancer. Vicious, vicious disease! And he still manages to lighten my day up!

Foreigner has a mom who has suffered a stroke and has lived to tell the tale. A little mentally repressed but a sweetheart nonetheless!

And then we have Mr. P, the not so straight character, lost his mom a year and a half ago and lost his brother recently. His Facebook rantings are well justified but is ordeal is what moves me.

WHEREAS

My problem is facing a stupid assessment of my thesis with two examiners.

You see my point?

Chill the FUCK out J!!!

Keep calm and do your best...

Remember When You Love Someone

Remember when you love someone and you get jealous because you suspect your someone is doing something behind your back with another someone? I still do. It's like plunging a knife into your gut and twisting it all about...

It was about half past 6 am, 16th June 2014 when my phone rang... Usually I'd sleep so soundly that the phone would ring three or four times and it would continue to only ring. I guess God saw an opportunity to make me see something. 

It was Confused Gal with evidence that Mr. P was being more than just friendly with his current housemate. A girl who is already in a relationship with someone else. 

Going back to my initial point, I just didn't feel anything. 

I guess Mr. P detox has been complete for a while now... 

Took me a real situation to find that out...

Now all that's left is to try and fall in love again!!!

Come on heart, work with me!!!

J HAS to fall in love again!!!

IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!

When I Said That Character Won't Be Seeing Its Last Post....

How such a passing thought becomes true. I met Mr. P again, after exactly 2 years and 2 weeks.

Last I met him, it was his sister's wedding. I didn't attend his mom's funeral. And that was the end...

And just hours ago I was there, sitting in his living room like it was 2009 all over again. 

I went there because I felt, the very least, his dad needed some sort of comforting. Losing a child is the stuff of nightmares. I was also helping Confused Gal and her sister out because they couldn't find a bus out of that remote place.

I didn't actually have a proper conversation with him. There wasn't much to say between us. But he did make an effort to talk to me. He teased my weight gain as I walked in the door and while eating as I was kinda forced to have dinner.

Mr. P : Have some more rice J.

Me : Enough, that's enough for me.

Mr. P : Why? What you on a diet or something? *wide smiles*

Me : *raised eyebrows and smiles*

I noticed that he kept looking at me. I was too afraid to look right at him because when someone just looks at me, I look them back straight in the eye. I am not in love with someone else. And even if I were, a relationship like the one I had with Mr. P doesn't just erase itself. I did catch a glimpse of him and we stared dead straight into each others' eyes for 2 whole seconds. I knew he wanted to make conversation but I just wouldn't look his way. For the most part I was sitting on a one seat couch beside which was a separate 2 seats couch. And for the better part of the night, he was sitting on that two seats couch edged near me. He managed to tell me about how the accident happened and the mystery surrounding it, details of which I am trying to erase myself. 

And then I left, with Confused Gal and her sister.

Later I sent them off on their way and I came and sat down in the car.

I need a Mr. P detox. 

That's what it feels like right now.

But I know, come tomorrow, I'll be just fine...

Now I Pity Mr. P...

Just about a year and a half ago Mrs. GE's time on Earth came to an end.

Just over 24 hours ago, her youngest followed suit.

I got the news yesterday morning.

Crazy Soldier was the bearer.

The boy was 23.

Was just confirmed to receive his diploma and graduation was supposedly around the corner.

Apparently his motorcycle skidded right into a wall.

The one invariable scenario I got from all the stories I heard was that the fella suffered a head injury which lead to his death on the spot.

Now I feel bad for the guy.

Not the brother, I feel bad for Mr. P...

He's already messed up, 'up there' *gestures to the head i.e. the brains*.

This is the last thing he needs; another loved one leaving him.

I kinda started the string of his loved ones (arguable, but I'd like to think I was one of them) leaving him.

Intentionally or otherwise.

First me,

Then Confused Gal followed (yes, it has been over a year since they've been separated).

Then the mother, Mrs. GE.

Now his brother.

I offer my solemn prayer to God.

For his brother's Soul.

Dear God,

Take this soul, this child of yours, into your merciful arms.

Offer him comfort and solace.

Take his pain away.

Console him and then as per the laws of karma,

Move him on or give him salvation.

I pray for his salvation.

Aum Shanthi.

In my vivid memory, 

Jayaselan, 1991 - 2014.