My Kingdom for a Watermelon Martini

Right now, my kingdom for a watermelon martini, the beach, butter garlic calamari and those bright yellow Goa french fries. Or perhaps for the peace of contemplating silence, maad (palm feni), and a plate of baked crabs. The mere idea of sitting in the Goan sun, writing, pulling and pushing, and then may be finally smiling... Dear God, so much more than my kingdom.

I'll be back in a week.

Memories of Madras

I have, I think, reconciled myself to an ambivalent attitude towards Madras. I don't know if I will ever be able to articulate correctly or even coherently what I fully feel about the place. I swing like a monkey on crack, I tell you, in my highs and lows in Madras. And I always leave with more than just a pang of regret. I suppose that's mainly because I don't have enough time to resolve my space there... but in any case... I'm sure I'll mull this over some more until I know.

I didn't take very many photographs in Madras this time but what I did take, I am really quite happy with. This is only a sampler. The stories and proper photos should follow next week. I hope you're checking the photoblog though. There's an entire series on Mahabalipuram going on right now. I'll get to the flower market and other stories shortly.

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My sincere thanks to Plain Jane, who found time in her insane schedule, to make the collage for me.

88 Reasons to work for the Government

22 public holidays
26 Saturdays
40 days of privilege, casual, and medical leave

All totaling eighty eight great reasons to work for the Maharashtra government. I'm speechless. Honestly. I wish I had even half that luck. Just half.

Work, as usual, has been insane - more than half the insanity is my fault. I've come to realise that I need to change the way I work. I have also come to realise that there is no such thing as the dream job. I'm just going to have to be content with a job that I like very, very much.

I should be back in action in the course of this week - hopefully some of you, you know who you are, are still waiting.