F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

I have a MAD set of friends here.
Introducing some of them.
This pic was taken at a bar on Saturday. Had a delicious American (therefore extremely rich and killing) breakfast at a place called The International House of Pancakes, or iHop to its regulars (I am a regular now-- have eaten there 3 times over 2 weekends~!). After an exquisite Indian lunch (which I could barely touch) prepared with love and care by the shorter Indian in the middle, the rest of em drank up a little at this bar while I stuck to my coke and lemon.
The dal was delicious-- just the thing I'd been craving for all week. :) His alu ke paranthe made even the gorey lick their fingers, and the sabzi....... :) We all very very very satisfied with our lunch :)

The stupid things they do!
This is a cherry stem. You could call it a tongue-twister cos you're supposed to knot it up i your mouth ;p
Jorry did the impossible!
We did our bit of cheering and booing, but apparently he's an old hand at this knotty situation.
I had a sip of whiskey and coke. It was delicious :) But I'm not planning on becoming a bevdi so parents can chill. I intended to take only a sip, and I let it be at that!


This sandwich is from a place called Shlotzky's (Funny name, serious sandwiches!) One of my mad friends intends to send a package home-- a box fileld with rocks and this picture of a Schlotzky sandwich, addressed to his father, a Schlotzky fan. He hasn't yet got around to doing it because he's still weighing the pros and cons. Eventually, he plans to Really send some sandwiches via the overnight mail. In the interest of his personal health and safety ;)



Another good picture of the coveted sandwiches! That's my head peeping over the top right. This is in the room adjoining our lab.









I wasn't a part of this barbecue, but it's a good picture to introduce you to the people I'm with.


Starting from the bottom left, clockwise:
Mark, Cassie, Adelle, Rishi, Jay (standing), Robyn, Somebody and Cadran.


You'll know more about the interesting people in a minute.




Mark Hernberg.
Eccentric. British sense of humour. Has never heard of P.G.Wodehouse, but I don't know anyone else who would fit better into the lifestyle of Bertie Wooster. :) Cycles with local cyclists and feels rather conspicuous because he's the only one with unshaved legs. Is rather looking forward to losing all that hair, soon :)
Good at Egyptian poker, charming manners, crazy funny jokes in a British accent(for the heck of it, cos he's not British). Has kept girlie hairdos as well as lived thru a bald stint. He says he had shaved his legs around the same time and was quite upset with the cold drafts that started to find their way up his pants' legs :D Rather funny/cool/psycho, as I described him to somebody a few days back.


This is Cadran, Jessie's roommate. Oh, but you don't know yet who Jessie and Michael are! Never mind, I'll set that right.
Well Cassie and Adelle and Cadran hang out together and are called some weird name. I don't remember it right now.
But basically, thanks to Cassie and Adelle, we played a really funny and somewhat frustrating game and subjected a lot of people to a lot of mental torture. :D It was a decent, non-vulgar game and you needed to apply a lot of logic to figure out how we were all messing with you. And that should explain why I was twice asked whether or not I was currently wearing underwear, and why I said no, both times. Yes, there's a reason behind those questions and my answers but I don't feel like telling you today :D hahahaha my parents will die of suspense.

Rishi Puri. An American born Gujju.

Delightful, and quite like Jagnoor in many ways :D

Currently famous for his beautiful hands and his Sharon Stone act (not the way you're thinking!) at the game we just talked about. Also known for the vanishing trick he pulled off at iHop, with 3 chocolate chip pancakes. Now you see them, now you don't! The Partridge family was quite amazed ;)

Robyn!
Unpredictable, jumpy, chirpy and colourful.
I suspect that she gets her high levels of energy from her Bright Pink Shoes. She went to a puppy fair and I was highly jealous :(

Also the instigator of a volleyball party in the pool at the dorm(which i missed!!! :( ) and most other fun things at The Tradition (that's the name of the dorm where the other interns are staying, and where I generally spend my Weekend On The Couch).





Ronak Khatarnaak Mallik!

A "third degree brown victim" :D Amitabh Bachchan FANatic!
Singer of old bollywood numbers. Incorrigible Hindi.
Delightful American+Bihari twang in his Hindi accent :D
"Adored" by his advisor, who was frustrated in his attempts to cudgel a movie-and-a-dinner date by one Ko J, shameless tagalong.
When drunk, mumbles about ex-girlfriend and gets his shoulder petted by one Ko J, Couch resident.

Little Hint: Don't call him an ABCD if you know what's good for you. Look what happened when I did! Can't you just See the angry cloud over his head?? ;p

Rahul Lakhanpal.
Makes magical Indian meals! Sings extraordinarily well! Is homely and well-educated! Vegetarian and tee-totaller! Indian Association President for College Station!
See the dish of dal in the corner of the picture??
Mmmmmmm.......!!!!!!!






Jorry with Rahul.
Health freak. Green lemonade maker. Donut boy. Has a bright blue frock with red ribbons and matching blue shoes with blue bows on them. Comfortable bed maker. Cinnamon cupcake eater. Brown eyes liker :D Beast of burden. Clown. Funny jig doer. Monkey face maker.
They call his eyes "Pools of Joy". :D

And here you see the pillaged table of food and the happy looters. Crime does pay off :)

Thought it was time for a sweeping change! Time to be a fitness freak! I decided I would turn over a new leaf and be as mad about exercise as my set of Mad friends. So I went swimming, after about 7-8 years. And was out of the pool within 10 minutes. But I'll go again someday! :D And I did some climbing, indoors, up a high wall. It's an easy job for a monkey like me ;p But when I was down on the ground watching someone who was climbing and holding their ropes tight, I gave myself a beautiful blue bruise on my left hand. It healed immediately, but it was exciting :D
I played poker for the first time in my life-- and for money, at that! With 7 other experienced players. And... I won :) Broke even! And I didn't even use a poker face ;)
Another interesting experience was watching grown men going ga-ga over dragons and a det of dragon-cards. Played an extremely pointless game with Red and Gold and Evil and Good dragons, a wicked Druid and other pointless creatures. Jorry grumbled and fell asleep somewhere in the game. The good part was when Ronak ran to a corner and began to suck his thumb. The Druid had done him in again!
I ate some sushi. Much ado about nothing, I'd say! Will make you all some when I get home. The interesting part of this meal was the Dandiya lesson Jorry got from me at the end. Using chopsticks, of course!

P.S. >> Remind me to talk about Jessie and her chocolate milk, Michael and his "lifting up the house" antics and Itchy Aaron. Also how it feels to be taught something called "The Texas Two-Step Country Dance" with a professor, while his protege watches. Also about a cute cuddly stuffed owl, which I christened "Ullu ka Pattha" ;p
AND SORRY THIS WAS SO LONG!!!!

Soon... All about rock climbing in Austin!