Alright, my illustrations need a little work. Well, ex-queese me!
Don’t you love poetry? I love poetry!
God grant me the wisdom to write well, the courage to get published, and the serenity to accept valid criticism of my work. Amen!
Picture also posted on green people
Full disclosure- I’m not the tallest person in my family. I am one of the taller women, coming in at almost 5’6″ (an elusive centimeter keeps me at 5’5″). In the grander scheme of things, I am taller than a lot of the women I know, and some of the men as well (this is, to me, one of the small pleasures in life).
Here’s my list of Tall Girl Troubles:
1. A dress on a short girl is a shirt on you.
2. If you can’t play basketball, there’s something wrong with you. (I can’t play basketball, ergo…)
3. You can never stand at the front of a class at the gym because no one will be able to see over your head. So you go to the back, from which point your instructor is just a dot with squiggles for limbs.
4. Heels are a no-no. (If, like me, you don’t care for them, it’s okay.)
Heels are a no-no especially when all the boys are short.
Everyone knows that famous equation: (Tall girls + Heels) + short boys = awkward dancing
5. During peak hours in public transport, your armpit is the receptacle of shorter people’s assorted hairstyles and or shoulders.
[There are no images that can truly depict this ignominy.
A moment’s silence to remember and hurriedly forget all the uncomfortable journeys]
6. The shade is not your friend in the heat of the day. Why? Because it is shorter than you are! It’ll probably want to stand in your shadow!
(For sources: BB gif, the otter, the scissor sisters)
I wonder if, when they released this song, the band Magic! realised it would spawn so many versions.
Here’s mine!
The Indian Girl’s version of Rude (I expect you know the tune)
Saturday morning, I’m in my bed, not thinking about you.
I have no reason- we haven’t met -just an aunty mentioned you.
But you’re at my door, asking my dad a stupid question
And he looks at you like he thinks you’re mad, yeah.
You say “Can I have your daughter for the rest of her life
Say yes, say yes, or I’ll ask next door.
Don’t want a lot of dowry, cos I’m a nice guy.
But don’t tell Ma- she doesn’t need to know”
Why you gotta be a fool? Thinking I would marry you?
Like I’ve nothing else to do? So I would marry you anyway?
Marry this boy? I don’t even know his name!
Marry this boy? When I have 2 M.A.’s?
Marry this boy? Not even if I was paid!
Why you gotta be a fool?
“I hate to do this; you leave no choice”, says my father,
“You better leave or I will be forced to call your mother.
If she even knows that you’re standing at my door
She will come here and catch you by the nose!
“Can you have my daughter for the rest of your life?
Arre baba, please don’t ask twice.
Message her on Facebook- see if she replies.
It’s her call to become your wife…
“Why you gotta be so rude? It is our weekend too!
What is wrong with today’s youth? And if she marries you anyway…
Marries this boy- There’ll be no doweray!
Marries this boy? Log kya kahenge?
Marries this boy- he’ll ruin the family name!
Why you gotta be so rude?”
So can he have your daughter for the rest of his life?
It’ll break Ma’s heart but the answer’s no:
I’ve just set up my own business so the time’s not right
And more than that- I just don’t think so!
Why you gotta be so rude? Don’t you know what humans do?
They give others space to choose. As for marrying you anyway…
Marry this boy? Not even if Nani says!
Marry this boy? It all seems a bit arranged.
Marry this boy? No chance, no way, Jose!
Why you gotta be so rude…? (x3)
If I have made you forget what the original sounds like, please go here
I’ve been blogging, off and on, for about 8 years so far. I believe this is my fourth blog… I’m quite the blotterfly (a voracious insect that doesn’t like wet ink)
The reason I’ve created this horcrux is because I was forced to. By forced I mean Klout said I had to choose what I wanted to be known for, and I responded with “All of me!” (or something like that). I sounded nothing like the song.
I will continue to blog in my other avatar, green girl, which is for my eco-friendly pursuits and attempts. Other stuff, serious and not-so-serious, will be here. Insha’allah.
It’s interesting to me that the day I finally got down to setting this up, I came across a passage in Eleanor Catton’s The Luminaries*.
Whether you believe in the Law of Attraction or the principle of Non-Attachment, it’s always nice to have a good old-fashioned coincidence pop up from time to time.
As for me being exactly like Mr Nilssen, I have to say that I am not: I do not generally give up if I can’t master something straight away.
[Most blogging tip lists, and content marketing sites suggest putting a call to action in a post. I don’t have one this time. Feel free to insert your own call to action here]
*I’m reading this book for the next Meetup of the Dubai Bibliophiles.
At my current job, I have to do a lot of reading about a lot of things, mainly HR and Cost-cutting.
Here’s the advice I came up with during the World Cup for all HR personnel, and all managers (as the title of this post so clearly states):
1. You don’t need the highest paid player in the world to win
When Portugal played Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo, injured star and captain, ran alongside his men for the entire 94 minutes (90 plus extra time). Of course it’s nice that he stayed with his ship even after it ran aground. The morale-booster didn’t count for much though, because he didn’t seem to be in a position to give it his all. Germany soundly trumped the Portuguese, proving that money cannot buy you everything. (Germany also broke Brazil. But we all know that.)
Lesson: Big bucks don’t mean big results. A leader is only as good as his followers.
2. Source local.
Luis Felipe Scolari, after coaching teams in other countries, returned to the motherland and coached Brazil. There’s bound to have been a level of comfort between him and his players that would have been harder to achieve had he come from any other country. No one can question where ‘Felipao’’s loyalties lay. Nor can anyone doubt that Joachim Loew wants the best for Germany. Good teams + good leaders = good results (generally)
Lesson: Sometimes the right person is right under your nose.
3. The rulebook is your friend and frenemy
Ever wonder about the thoughts that run through a referee’s head? They must be something like this “Did that tackle merit a free kick? Should a penalty have been given? Did that player deserve a yellow card? And what about the red?” Referees call it like they see it. The only problem is they sometimes see it wrong. And it is only later that they realise it’s wrong, when they’re home watching the replays. (This is where cricket has a decided advantage over football: the third umpire- instant replay, instant decision.)
Lesson: Stick too closely to the rulebook and you won’t see the words for the page. When dealing with people, both benefit of the doubt and context are important.
4. Own goals not allowed.
The first goal of the 2014 World Cup was scored by a Brazilian for Croatia. Marcelo probably didn’t mean to score that goal. What kind of player would intentionally sabotage his team and risk angering his teammates? He’s lucky Brazil recovered (from that game, at least). If they hadn’t, the host country might have had another reason to protest. And that would not have been pretty.
Lesson: You need to know which side you’re playing for, and play towards your goals as a team. Management and HR should work with rest of the employees, not against them.
5. Defend Defend Defend.
Iran and Nigeria ran the length and breadth of the field at Curitiba. Neither team scored a goal, because the opposition defended their turf and supported their goalkeeper. Rewind to Spain versus The Netherlands and you will see gaping holes in the Spanish defense, and a helpless, hapless Casillas unable to do much. And yet, he is the one whose role will draw flak.
Lesson: Support, Defend, Provide. Help people do their jobs well, especially when they are asking for assistance.
(Disclaimer: As with a Facebook post, please wear the cleat if it fits. This is not directed at anybody in particular)
Please click for sources of CR Gif, Scolari pic, Ref gif, Marcelo goal (original video and gif)
Rounded with Facets 
