My life is full of halves. So I've strung them all together to make one entire post. Voila!
Firstly, this from Sepia Mutiny- my favourite newspaper's online edition apparently sourced information from thespoof.com and made it a 'real' news story. It gets worse. The reporter is from my alma mater (though many, many years junior as everyone nowadays is turning out to be). *blush*
Secondly, that whole Mallika Sherawat thing. Everyone in India recognises her as a sex symbol. All talk about her invariably boils down to lots of skin, sex and sleaze. But I wanted to suggest to feminists who deride her that Sherawat appears to be making independent decisions, whatever they might be, and surely an adult is entitled to make decisions about how much skin she shows. Feminism is surely in some part about the ability to decide what you want to do even if you want to stay home with the kids or gyrate on train tops. It's the independence and freedom to make that decision. Bageshree and I had an SMS chat about this and she began with 'isn't this really problematic for the politics of representation' (or something to that effect) and we were meant to carry the conversation forward, but it died a natural death. So I'm left with half thoughts and waiting to be challenged on this.
Thirdly, that the Anjali Gupta court martial is leaving me feeling like the Forces are some sort of Boys Club, rigidly masculine and closeted.
Fourthly, I intend to run (well, walk) the Bangalore marathon.
Fifthly, this nightclub has opened here. The section to be at is a private Buddha Bar lounge in-in doors which has a jacuzzi and head and shoulder massage facilities and red walls and candles and is only for fifty people, mostly invitees, at a huge huge cost, but they get a separate entrance and the incentive, promoters tell me, is to just be seen there. Because you see everyone at Athena can see everyone else - the hierarchies are clearly visible even as you step in. It all flows nicely one section into the other but neatly one entire bit is cordoned off 'for members only'. The members can be seen but not met and certainly not, God forbid, rubbed shoulders with.
The main lounge at Rs. 700 cover is very passe, but you can peer (long distance) into the separate members' sections and give your secret desires a concrete form. There. That's something to dream about. Very British club - 'Regular salary earners and honest employees not allowed' signs missing, but that's all.
