Reverse Racism

This is not a PC blog. That said, I can rant now.

I am afraid travelling will turn me into a reverse racist. You decide:

1. American lady (white) during a polite black tie dinner asks me slowly and loudly, "Are you familiar with all these songs?" You may think I am over reacting, but I am not. The reasons being that for the past 2 hours, I was conversing with her husband in what I presume was fluent English. This is a lady who is obviously well-educated, wealthy and a democrat (declared earlier on). The music was classic rock. Maybe the wine was heady?
2. I asked for a meal that was in short supply, as did the gentleman beside me. I asked first and a meal was placed in front of me. Then, when my neighbour wanted that too, and it was presumably over, the hostess picks it up from my tray, plonks it in front of my neighbour and places a yucky vegetarian meal in front of me, saying, "I'm sure you will like this better." I don't think my refusal to eat or drink anything during the 8 hour flight perturbed her much.
3. I'm sick to the gills of people pointing to the steak or pork chops on my plate and asking, "Are you allowed to eat that?" Firstly, I hate anyone pointing to my food, secondly, does globalisation mean anything to people, at all? Also, all brown people are not muslims.
4. Can people in other countries spell at all? My name is possibly the simplest one and pronounced just the way it is written, but the amount of variations I have heard is not funny. Do Americans realise how dumb it is not to know how to spell or count? I actually had a cashier use a calculator to figure out the change for a $5.00 bill I gave for something that cost $4.75. I tried this with cashiers at my local Indian supermarket today. Nobody used calculators for calculating the change for sums far complex than that.
5. I enjoy watching hollywood movies more than Indian movies, however American television sucks. The news is plain dumb and misinformed, the entertainment channels cheap and stupid and the advertisements just puke inducing. I used to look down on Indian TV, but no longer. I can't understand this dichotomy.

Not To The Moon And Back

Admitting faults comes easier when one gets older. Still does it take away anything?

Living on a principle and a commitment has never been harder, but I don't intend to quit right now.

A Million Ideas When I'm Jetlagged

I can't sleep, which accounts for posting at this odd hour. 2 Continents and 3 Countries in the last week have seriously screwed up my body clock.

I return to find, I've turned a year older. Oh yes! I did notice it during my meetings, but these days it is convenient to forget such unhappy occassions. So now, I am as old as the sometime bf when we met first. Almost a decade has passed and also half a decade. I still don't feel as old as I should feel. What will it be like at 40, I wonder....

Sometimes, not getting birthday presents is good, because one finds hidden gifts which are far better. But, lets not get melodramatic now. Jetlag and nostalgia should NOT mix, even though the music's making me weep.

Right now, I have solutions for eliminating India's poverty, landing a person on mars, gaining the maximum mileage out of the sensex that has hit rock bottom, solutions to romantic heartaches (mine), a new recipe for coq au vin and I wish I was jet lagged more often.