Ekke-ekke-ekke-ekke-ptang-zoo-boing

...even though I really didn't do much...tee hee.

I took these two pics of myself using the sketch effect on my phone, a Samsung X700. Like them lots. Feel all artsy fartsy and creative. Damn, I'm good! Using them in my profile now. I wouldn't recommend smiling if you ever use this effect, though, 'cause it outlined my teeth quite prominently, and I looked like a witch. Maybe I'll post that one day when I'm in a witchy mood.

Sketchme1

Sketchme2

But for whom?

It's the same people and their relatives who are standing up for election again. We live in the largest democracy in the world, yes, but where's the choice? We have a multi-party system, yes, still, where's the choice? Today, they expect Bangalore-urban to get more involved, but involved in what? OK, so we'll look at the civic issues: roads, drainage, the environment, crime, bureaucracy and someone will have a manifesto that deals with all these issues and we'll choose them. But after that, what? We don't have any processes in place to ensure accountability. The only thing we can do is not give the candidate a second term. But one term is plenty of time for them to do their damage or not do anything at all and mint enough money to see their next three generations through.

My biggest grouse is that even if they deal with civic, educational and economic issues, citizen safety, individual freedoms and communal harmony are never an agenda. When you're funded by organizations that cause trouble, you can't really prevent them from doing what they do when they decide that things have been too quiet for too long. It's also sad that independent candidates who want to make a difference are bullied out of the race before they even begin. Money screams.

I see another coalition coming into power. If the citizen's voice isn't heard in a single-party government, where's the scope for feedback in a coalition? They're too busy trying to fill seats in the legislature to care about what's happening outside the building. It's politics at a purely personal level. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.

This'll be the third election I've voted in since I turned eighteen. I've voted for candidates rather than parties, but I have no say in anything once they've won. We need a process for maintaining accountability. These people are supposed to represent us. Do they really? And both we and they should realize that they work for us.

Whose memoirs would you most like to read?

La Belle Otero, dancer, actress and courtesan from the early 20th century. We share a birthday. That's just a fun fact (for me) and not why I want to read her memoirs. Took this pic off Wikipedia. Unfortunately, I don't think she's written any memoirs or if she has, I don't think they were published. But if anyone unearths them, your reader is sitting right here.

200px-La_Belle_Otero_-_1905_Postcard

Just want to introduce myself. I'm Serena, aka "the uncultured eclectic", and I've created a group for people from Bangalore/Bengalooru called Boiled Beans. If anyone's from there and is interested, join up. There's plenty of room, me being the only member so far. I'll post here too when I have something of substance to say, I promise.

That was my song today. Watched it at 7:00 in the morning while eating breakfast. Think I'm beginning to find Timbaland hot. Weird because I'm so mainstream rock when it comes to my crushes.

Here it - Timbaland, Keri Hilson and Nicole Scherzinger (I don't understand the mask. Is it supposed to be haute couture or kinky? I live on a different continent, so someone please explain.)

but I'm trying to get a head start and plan ahead. Ok, here goes:

This Tuesday I will loathe:

• People who do not know what the word "deadline" means
• Polyester
• The watery yogurt they serve at lunchtime
• Bus conductors who don't give me my change

• That the growth on my dad's arm is benign
• Radio Indigo in the midst of chaos
• Lunchtime bitching
• My surprising affinity for tarot cards.
  

It's always on in my head in the bathroom, on the bus, at work... 

What personality trait has gotten you in the most trouble? 

Other people might called it "stubbornness", but I prefer to call it my "rock solid persistence". It actually works both ways with me. When stuff goes wrong, it goes really wrong. But thanks to my "rock solid persistence" there are also many times I get to make the "I told you so" face. And that's so worth it. Tee hee.

Here's a little gem of advice that everyone knows but I was too stupid to listen to: Never beg him to take you back. Especially if you get a little lonely and don't really mean it. 'Cause not only will those million little pieces of your heart break into a million more when he says no... you'll wake up the next day so frickin' (I'm being polite, obviously. Public group and all that) embarrassed all you want to do is bang your head against the wall until you damage the part of your brain that controls memory. To add insult to that very traumatic injury, you've puffed up his ego. Now he tells you "I don't think we should meet until you're really over me."

I'M OVER YOU, YOU TWIT!!! (again, being polite) I JUST HAD A TEMPORARY LAPSE OF REASON!!!

Bah.