Thursday, August 28, 2008

Meenkshi Reddy Madhvan on sex and realtionships: Get real and open your eyes

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan, in an exclusive interview to rediff.com discusses candidly about casual sex and relationships as a single Indian metro woman. In one of her blog posts she candidly describes her experiences about giving and receiving oral sex, wherein she says while she would love to smoke while receiving oral sex, only 2 out of 5 guys she has sex with receives a 'royal treatment' (of getting fellated by her).


D
o you think young people in India know how to manage live-in relationships and casual sex, like Arshi from the book? Do you think Indian men are as mature as their women would like them to be?

I hope so! I mean, I think that it all depends on how you've been brought up. If you're surrounded by a culture -- I don't mean societal culture, I mean a family culture -- of people accepting who you are and who you want to be, then I think it should be a lot easier to manage relationships and sex wherever you are in the world. I know of a lot of conservative families in the West as well, so I really think it depends on how much importance you put in what you believe, as opposed to the beliefs of others.

As for Indian men and maturity, if you're asking me on the whole, in general, no -- I don't think they are! But all my very dear male friends, they're pretty mature.

You're very upfront when talking about sex and relationships in the book -- what has been the reaction of your friends and family to that?

My friends who have read the book go haan, this is us. Okay! And my family has actually been like, 'Wow, so this is what you guys do, it's opening a whole new window into your lives'! So it's been quite interesting. My parents are pretty liberal people and they've brought me up to speak my mind, but I was pretty surprised by my extended family's reaction, my aunts and cousins, I've received excellent feedback from them. I was really happy about that.

As for anybody else who objects to writing candidly on sex and relationships, I'd say get real and open your eyes!

What kind of books do you like to read? Do you read chicklit novels and about young people's life experiences? How does it measure up to read such a work as against writing one?

I like to read a lot of stuff -- both fiction and real-life experiences, but I'm not into fantasy writing and things like that. Zadie Smith is one of my favourite writers. Vikram Seth also. I do read chicklit novels and young people's life experiences for fun sometimes, I enjoy them. But I wouldn't exactly call my own book chicklit, because I think for me 'chicklit' is defined as a woman who is searching for a husband. I don't think my protagonist is old enough -- she's only 25 -- and secondly, I don't think she's searching for a husband, it's more like she's searching for herself. But that being said, it has been interesting writing a book about a woman and her relationships only and seeing the different classifications. I'd prefer if people didn't think of You Are Here as a chicklit novel, but again, everyone's entitled to their own opinions.

Birthday Bash @ rediff


Mahesh Patil and Satyajit Misra cut the cake.
Also available at rediff ishare.

This is my second short film.
My debut movie: Beware: Mumbai Traffic Police tows away your vehicle

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Joe Biden, Barack Obama's vice president

US Presidential candidate Barack Obama has chosen Joe Biden as his vice president. Their names together 'Obama Biden' sound similar to 'Osama Bin Laden', the most dreaded terrorist.

Joe Biden's photo
Joe Biden

Here is an email from Obama announcing his VP.

Friend --

I have some important news that I want to make official.

I've chosen Joe Biden to be my running mate.

Joe and I will appear for the first time as running mates this afternoon in Springfield, Illinois -- the same place this campaign began more than 19 months ago.

I'm excited about hitting the campaign trail with Joe, but the two of us can't do this alone. We need your help to keep building this movement for change.

Please let Joe know that you're glad he's part of our team. Share your personal welcome note and we'll make sure he gets it:

http://my.barackobama.com/welcomejoe

Thanks for your support,

Barack


P.S. -- Make sure to turn on your TV at 2:00 p.m. Central Time to join us or watch online at http://www.BarackObama.com.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Barack Obama has chosen his Vice President!

Barack Obama this afternoon told USA Today that he has decided who he will ask to join him on the Democratic ticket. Obama, who has vowed not to identify his running mate until his supporters have been alerted via email and text message, declined to say whether he has informed the potential running mate of his decision.

"I won't comment on anything else until I introduce our running mate to the world," he told the newspaper. "That's all you're going to get out of me." Pressed by reporters on the question at a campaign stop in Emporia, Virginia, Obama repeated that point. "I did say that I've made the selection and that's all you're going to get," he said. The presumptive Democratic nominee told USA Today his decision had been a difficult one, because "[w]e had some great choices."

Obama has said he wanted a running mate who is prepared to be president and "who can push against my preconceived notions and challenge me so we have got a robust debate in the White House." Here's a very brief audio clip of the exchange USA TODAY's Kathy Kiely had with Obama about whether he's made up his mind.


Monday, August 18, 2008

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan: 'I felt guilty leching at a hot guy'

rediff.com publishes one more excerpt from Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's new book "You Are Here":

One of the country's most famous women bloggers, Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan has always been writing about life as a young, single woman in India. Refreshingly candid about her life and detailing everything from drinking and smoking to sexual escapades, she has won an audience that loves her bold style and can relate to her experiences.

As part of an ongoing series, we have featured four extracts from the first three chapters of her new book, You Are Here. Presented below is the fifth excerpt from Chapter 3:

'So whose party is this anyway?' I asked Fardeen in the car. 'Will there be anyone I know?'

'You might, you never know,' said Fardeen. 'It's one of those huge-ass parties where everyone is invited.'

The drive to Chhattarpur was surprisingly quick considering it was a Saturday night. The Gurgaon-bound road has heavy traffic around then, what with all the weekend revellers heading that way.

Pretty soon we were pulling up in front of an ornate gate that led to a sprawling farmhouse -- with not too many cars outside.

'Ohhh, it doesn't look like too many people have come,' said Topsy.

She and Fardeen exchanged concerned looks and then Fardeen glanced at me and said, 'Relax, it's still early, I'm sure more people will turn up.'

'I'm sure it'll be fine, guys,' I said, smiling at them. 'Let's go check it out at least, no?'

Topsy linked her arm through mine and we walked into the gate, past the guard (who confirmed that our names were indeed on the guest list) and into a huge, practically empty house. A television set was blaring in one of the rooms and a sleepy servant soon emerged to direct us outside through the kitchen. Here we stepped on to a paved path that ran around a sprawling lawn and broke off at a corner to lead to a decent-sized pool. Neat hedges edged the path and had been strung with fairy lights, as had a few large trees further down the lawn. Beyond that was darkness but I suspected the lawn stretched over a few more acres, at least. Two larger lights fitted at strange angles at two corners of the pool made the water shimmer alluringly. A bamboo shack with a thatch for a roof had been constructed to one side of the pool. On a table under it, amidst flickering candles, stood rows of glasses and bottles. I could see only two other people on a seat swing on the other side of the pool. Another guy was swimming in the pool and pulled himself out as soon as he saw us.

'Fardeen, my man!' exclaimed the guy, as he walked over to us, dripping, smiling warmly. I noticed he had a bit of a potbelly over the waistband of his Hawaiian shorts, which was printed with blue and white flowers. He was obviously the host, because after a gingerly one-arm hug and a clap on his back, Fardeen turned him towards us.

'This is Akshay,' he said, then to him, 'Topsy and Arshi.'

'Nice to meet you,' Akshay grinned. His teeth were so super-straight I almost asked him which dental surgeon he frequented. 'You guys are nice and early. Come, I'll get you a drink.'

We went over to the seat swing, occupied by a guy strumming on a guitar and a girl swaying next to him. She jumped up as soon as she saw us and giggled at Akshay. 'Oooh, Akshay, you're all wet, baba. Do you want me to get you a towel?'

She was, I noticed, exceedingly thin. You could see her ribs jutting out between her almost non-existent breasts, and the bones in her shoulders were so sharp they looked like they would cut through her pale skin. Her eyes were enormous and rimmed with black circles, and the tapestry of veins on her face made it look like they had been painted on. She noticed me staring at her and tilted her chin away from me and up at Akshay.

'You want a drink, baba? I'm going to make myself one.' 'No, no, you sit. And I don't think you should be drinking any more.'

'Oh, Akshay, you're soooooo silly. It's not like I'm going home or anything tonight, no?'

Akshay smiled dismissively at her and went off to get us our drinks. The girl trotted off after him. When he returned, he plonked himself down next to the guy with the guitar.

'Sing us a song, man, you're the piano man,' he said, laughing.

'Fuck off, Akshay,' said the guy, but he was smiling too. He had a nice smile, with deep dimples that appeared and disappeared with every movement of his face, and a neat little French beard running from the sides of his rather lovely mouth to his slightly pointed chin. He was a little on the shorter side, barely taller than me (and I'm not very tall), I thought, though these things are hard to tell when someone's sitting down.

'Guys, this is Kabir,' said Akshay, waving towards him. 'Brilliant photographer by day and extraordinary musician by night.'

Kabir made a flamboyant gesture with his hand like he was taking a bow, and we cheered.

'With an introduction like that I'll have to sing, won't I?' he said, looking at Akshay.

'Arrey, why do you think I was flattering you in the first place?'

'Bastard!' he said, but he started to strum idly on his guitar.

The skinny girl returned to the swing with a drink in one hand and started to massage Akshay's shoulders, who looked mildly embarrassed by the gesture. Kabir had by now launched into one of my all-time favourites, Extreme's More Than Words, and he did it well, too -- all the drumming on the wood of the guitar between chords and an improvised riff or two, which made us feel even more like part of the audience at a music concert.

When Kabir was done, Fardeen whistled and I clapped and joined the raucous requests for an encore.

'This musician's tired,' said Kabir, standing up and peeling off his white T-shirt. Oh he had a hot body. His stomach had just about missed having a six-pack, but it was taut and firm and there was a hint of downy hair running from the base of his chest and vanishing into his shorts. It was much like what Cheeto had once referred to as his 'happy trail', and it was certainly making me happy now despite the tiny pangs of guilt flashing about in my head for leching at a hot guy while thinking of the recently-ex boyfriend. I caught myself staring and looked away, feeling the heat spread over my cheeks and ears, only to catch Topsy's eye. She winked at me.

'Who's coming for a swim?' Kabir asked, raising an eyebrow at us.

Previous excerpts:
'My life is like a bra that's been put on wrong'

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan: 'I feel naked without my bag & earrings'

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's blog traffic shoots up!...

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan: 'Men believe women always wear sexy underwear'

''Having sex with someone doesn't mean you're connected'

Musharraf has finally quit as Pakistan president

http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/aug/18pak.htm

Michael Phelps video


Video of MSNBC interview of Michael Phelps after winning a record 8th gold medal in single Olympic games at Beijing Olympics.
Huffington Post: George Bush Calls Michael Phelps After His 8th Medal

Vande Mataram by A R Rehman


Vande Mataram by A. R. Rehman

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan: I feel naked without my bag & earrings'

rediff.com publishes another excerpt from Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's new book "You Are Here".


Now, though, there's this unspoken code that specifies that you can't flirt with your friends' ex-boyfriends, former crushes or fuck-buddies. I don't quite get the concept of a fuck-buddy, though, and I certainly don't think it works in an Indian context. Sure, we're second-generation liberated and all that, but there are still people among us who talk about rape victims in the most uneducated way, saying things like they had asked for it because they had dressed attractively and were walking alone on a deserted street and what not. In short, the accusatory finger points straight at the woman, always, and I'm not sure it's about to change. It's not really the twenty-first century in many parts of India, and it's not just the small towns I'm talking about. Sometimes when I'm travelling and I light a cigarette, the way people look at me it's almost as if I were dancing around naked, ringing a bell in their ears to draw attention. In Delhi itself if a woman is thirty and opinionated and lives alone, she's either a slut or one of those terrible Indian women who doesn't need a man and is therefore, definitely, a lesbian. With attitudes like this, is it any wonder that women in Indian urban societies still stifle orgasms and are yelled at in school for wearing skirts that end above the knee because it would mean attracting 'male attention' which would make you, well, 'dirty', 'Westernized' and 'loose'?

Read more..

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's blog traffic shoots up!

With the hot news of her debut book You are here's release, people across the globe started searching eagerly for Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's blog on internet. As a result, unsurprisingly but interestingly, daily traffic of her blog The Compulsive Confessor has surged by about 6 times the ohterwise average.

Here are the stunning statistics of her blog's traffic:

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's blog traffic in the last 30 days.

HR and top management: How things are here!!!

Well, the HR Vice President/manager of your company declares, with BIG enthu face, "Now I can see smiles everywhere" while announcing a yearly appraisal, generating great excitement in the employees.


But after a month, this is what happens!
And this is the hard truth about the HR and top management!

Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan: 'Men believe women always wear sexy underwear'

Here is what Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan, sensational blogger who writes at The Compulsive Confessor, says in her new book 'You are here':
IT WAS HOT, VERY hot. Actually 'hot' is probably not the right word to describe that day. It was muggy, the way only Delhi can be muggy, weighed down by the kind of oppressive sultriness that makes your clothes stick to your skin and no matter how many times you bathe a fine film of sweat gathers in your armpits and your cleavage and at your neck, and everyone and everything becomes unbearable.... More

Guys n Galz, comment. What do you think?



Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan who blogs at The Compulsive Confessor

Also read: Between the covers
Brave new world of today's youth by KHUSHWANT SINGH

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

'Having sex with someone doesn't mean you're connected' - Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan in "You are here"


Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan, one of the India's popular bloggers has published her debut book "You are Here". She is popular on internet for sharing her life experiences boldly and candidly on her popular blog, The Compulsive Confessor,


Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's debut book "You are Here".

Here are some excerpts from the book:
'My life is like a bra that's been put on wrong'
'Having sex with someone doesn't mean you're connected'

Saturday, August 9, 2008

President of India Pratibha Patil addresses IIT Bombay's convocation

My alma mater IIT Bombay celebrated its 46th convocation yesterday (08-08-08). President of India Pratibha Patil addressed the convocation as the chief guest. Incidentally the President of India is the most powerful person in the organizational structure of IITs, and Indian central universities being their ex officio Visitor. Like the governor of an Indian state is the chancellor of all the universities in that state, President of India is the visitor for IIT's.

Summary of Pratibha Patil's convocation speech at IIT Bombay


President Pratibha patil conferring a Doctorate Honoris Causa on Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata at IIT Bombay

Beijing Olympics 3D video by Google Earth



Google Earth Video on Beijing Olympics 2008

Spectacular opening to Beijing Olympics 2008!

Beijing Olympics 2008 began today with a spectacular opening ceremony.

Video: Opening Ceremony Kicks Off Olympics

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

Here is the 20 minutes of the global film phenomenon "The Secret". "The secret" is a movie worth watching. This Based on the book "The secret" by Rhonda Byrne.



Also see The Secret official website