...and beggars do fly, cruise, speed and what-not! [13 Aug 2002|05:19pm] I write this not as Swaps but as the high-priestess of the lobby for the relatively poor. It's been my lifelong dream to be adopted by a billionaire. Or, to have been left a legacy of riches by a distant dying relative. Or, have folks who spend obscene sums like Rs. 50 crores to make crappy movies, donate some of that to a worthy cause -- ME. I can already see the words *gold digger* tattooed across my forehead!!! If wishes were horses, beggars would ride/fly, eh? I am not exactly sure what the proverb means, but, I'll settle for -- "you got high hopes buddy". It was probably coined in those days when horse rides for beggars equalled to, say, Concorde flights for the ordinary mortals of today. The only difference being, beggars today MAY DO what ordinary mortals aspire to. Look at Karyn (SaveKaryn.com) who has taken cyber begging to such unheard of altitudes that my high perch has suddenly hit rock bottom in comparison. After running up a debt of $20,221.40 on her credit cards (note the plural) she has appealed to all cyber 'sucker' Samaritans to help her. Though my munificence is not stretched, I can't help my reflexes urging me to a mental salute. Her letters have no self-deprecating touch. And mercifully she is no whiny. Very crisply and politely you are informed that you can voluntary contribute to paying her bills as she is now reformed person who has now being dollar-wise and "saving the daily buck." No more a penniless shopoholic, Karyn is now fighting to avoid bankruptcy as it would only make you pay for it in the long run as "finance charges will go up, your taxes, etc." There are 3 things going for Karyn: 1) She is SMART not to reveal her identity completely. 2) She is METICULOUS with the account of her earnings. 3) She is GUTSY enough to admit that you get n-o-t-h-i-n-g in return for your favours. Here's a woman with the gumption and the grease to set the mental wheels of the "good Samaritans" in motion. After reading the site from end-to-end I wonder why no ad agency hasn't yet lapped up this wonder sales woman to whip out sales pitches. To give or not to give, is that the question? Toss for: Heads] Pull the rein round your wallet a bit tighter: Get a lobotomy before you read her plea! Tails] Tear apart the purse stings and do your good deed for the day. Send Karyn her dollar. Heck while you are at it, go all the way -- pool in your meagre life savings to 'help' Karyn (bearing in mind Re to $ conversion rates it might not even make a dent in her grand debt tally). In case you are wondering anything else, the FAQs are detailed. It is also one of the most well-updated personal Web sites I have come across. It has served to alleviate my Monday morning blues and for that alone I would've sent her the dollar. But, I am too busy drafting my appeal to the billionaires of the world to send me some pocket money/co-adopt me...Perhaps they won't mind the lack of fancy reasons like credit cards debts and HELP Me for Myself! 1 comment|post comment

Quotes on feminism [17 Jan 2002|04:47pm] "Feminism is not about equality between men and women," I said, to my Literature Professor in college. Much to my chagrin, her sarcasm dripping darts dumbfounded me before I could elaborate: " Oh, is it about cats and dogs then?" This from a 'woman' who I learnt was doing her Ph.D in Feminism. If only Ms.Ghosh would have allowed me to go on without prejudice and stepped down from her perch of all knowing enlightenment, she might learnt a thing. Recently, I found a far more receptive audience in an old school mate who is in graduate school doing women's studies and literature. While looking up for some quotes on feminism she came across one that is identical to what I expressed: "One type involves those who think women will only be free when they equal men in all their vices. This is called feminism... But companeras, do we really want to smoke cigarettes? [The other type is] women being respected as human beings, who can solve problems and participate in everything-- culture, art, literature, politics, trade-unionism-- a liberation that means our opinion is respected at home and outside the home." --Domitila Barrios de la Chungara, 1975 It is the second quote on the bottom of this page. All I want is for women to be treated as human beings. When a women learns to look at herself as a human being who leads a life of dignity and intelligence, she will automatically rescind her stance on wanting to be at par. After all, as my mom says all men (by which she means people) are not created equal. Before you up in flames over that, reflect on this: All are special...Some just more so than others :-) 1 comment|post comment

Excerpt from 'The Bridge Across For Ever' by Richard Bach [04 Sep 2001|04:03pm] Some of my women-friends had never married, but most were divorced. A few were survivors of unhappy affairs, beaten by violent men, terrified, warped by massive stress into endless depressions. Love, for them, was a tragic misunderstanding; love was an empty word left after meaning had been battered away by spouse-as-owner, lover-become-jailer. post comment

Sick to the gills of jealous girlfriends and possessive fiancées... [04 Sep 2001|10:42am] How can people build relationships without the collateral of trust? Why are some men and women willing to mortgage all that is good and just in them in the frivolous pursuit of such relationships? Why are they morphing into clinging, nagging beings, full of complaints after frittering the last vestiges of so-called trust. I call it trust for want of a better word. Surely, there must have been some sparks to propell them into an intimacy which is based on anything but trust. How many people are secure in their own skin, not to feel threatened by someone 'they consider' superior? The operative words here being 'their assumptions' which, are rooted in their deep-seated mistrust of men in general or other women in particular or in an inferiority complex. At such a point in their relationships most MEN would not lay the blame on 'another man' as it would deal a massive blow to their ego. But, most WOMEN suffer no such compunctions and are not even concerned about the erosion of self-worth. I have seen evidence of how they set out on collision course not on account of low intellect but a dumb shutters down approach to plain common sense. If they can't accept the truth or be secure in their love, what kind of future can they hope for? If their spouse/husband/fiancé is having a real or imagined affair, why do their thoughts automatically turn to the 'other woman'? What do they expect will emerge from their interaction with this imagined or real 'other woman'? It may be their prerogative to curry for sympathy from parents, well-wishers and spouse/husband/fiancé...But they have no right to assume a moral high-ground when it comes to their intercourse with women whom they perceive as a threat. For heaven's sake the other woman may not even be interested in fighting over their precious 'guy' who has the remainder of his chewed-out-brains right where the sun don't shine! It is not amusing to see these women turn sanctimonious after abusing their choicest scapegoats. After causing untold misery and aggravation to another woman by resorting to cheap shots like assassinating her character, these women still elicit sympathy and support. I find it incredible to believe that people find it moral and ethical to sympathise with them even though they are not the aggrieved party without sparing a thought for their victims... Deep down don't you women and men know that NO ONE can be blamed for your insecurity in a relationship. That you have NO RIGHT to take up this issue with any other person except your partner. That your phony declarations of 'till-death-do-us-apart' and its variations are no substitute for that pillar of trust. If your relationship turns from rock solid to rocky with just a feather light knock then look within and not outside. post comment

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