How Typical!

My guy friends very often wonder why i tend to have such radical opinions about guys. Some of my friends also take offense at the fact that i don't give many a 'chance', I generalize, I am biased and so on. Maybe this will help them understand why I feel the guys who do the following are the rule and NOT the exceptions.

Your neighborhood help - chauffeur, presswallah, jamadaar etc. will check you out

While you drive, some car will try to overtake you, drive rashly, just to get ahead and then feel triumphant about it.

At any point, if your car does stop while driving, which can happen to the best of us, it is because 'you are a girl' and not because maybe you did not maintain the speed-gear balance.

At all traffic signals, and I mean ALL, the cars adjacent to you will stare inside. Yes I am a girl driving. Please get used to it.

You most definitely have got followed. At least once.

You will get random 'Wana be friends lines' everywhere..resturants, offices, social networking sites. You name it.

Your ex-boyfriend will find innovative ways to make u feel pathetic about yourself. And u feel pathetic also. Mission accomplished.

Some 'friends' are actually crushing you. Hence the sudden 'understanding'.

Your colleagues will openly stare/gaze/comment. You are not supposed to raise an alarm unless something drastic happens. Common thought 'Kuch kia kya usne?' Should i wait for the pervert to go to the extent of touching me

Little 'kids' at the signal, who are young enough to be your nephews, will call you dirty names and run away.

Men old enough to be your fathers/grandfathers will proposition to you..at conferences, overseas visits, you name it.

Loser-ish guys who wish to go out with you, will try everything, but ask you out. If you are so interested, why dont you gather enough balls to ask someone out?

While travelling by public transport, sudden crowds will give them a liberty to feel you up, pinch your bottom, pinch your bossom.

There is always an incestuous experience during childhood, which involved someone whom you trusted - a close relative, a trusted friend.

And those are some of the reasons why guys consider women as 'bhaav khaoing', rude, snobbish and like me..man-haters.

Statutory Warning (girls only): Any glance, stare, chance meeting of eyes, conversation, exchange of mails, contact details and something as innocuous as a pleasant expression will be misconstrued as an expression of interest, unless stated otherwise explicitly. Explicit statements can range from resorting to physical violence to blatant ignore. In maximum cases, the assailant will not acknowledge your attempts to discourage interest.

An ode to my Thatha

In tamil thatha means grandfather. I have known only my maternal grandfather. My paternal grandfather passed away before I was born. Off late, I have been missing my thatha a lot. He left us 2 years ago, but actually left us when I was 13. I will always regret not been given the chance to spend more time with him.

My thatha was my hero. He had traveled extensively and will have a quirky tale to tell about all his travels. Even now, he has been to more countries than any of us. He was a real champ. Thatha was the most handsome man i have known till date and was a huge influence in my life, when i think in retrospect. He introduced me to the things i enjoy the most now. He taught me how to swim, play tennis, the technical nuances of cricket. He introduced me to Sherlock Holmes at a very tender age, eventually transforming me into a reading addict. He taught me how to enjoy the good ol' English breakfast, French Toast and the glass of orange juice for breakfast. He was a man born ahead of his times. Even at that age, he used to enjoy an occasional drink although coming from a strict tamil brahmin setup. He gave all of us an environment and culture that i don't think any of us would have been able to visualize. An educator by spirit, he financed and founded a primary school in his village to prvent children form walking 5kms to obtain education. He ensured the quality of education by involving members of the family as teachers and the management. The school remains as an epitome of his vision.

I think if he had been around at the time of deciding my career or my education path, it would've helped me in a lot of ways. I miss having his perspective on things. I guess in short, I miss him. But as humans you learn to deal with loss and move on. His loss was sudden and unnatural. Physical presence and metal absence can sometimes be more painful than physical absence. It always pained me and still does when I remember what he went through. Ten years is not a short time. But even when he departed, he managed to teach us lessons in life - compassion, determination and unconditional love.

I will always miss u thatha. I hope to get to know u better one day. love u.