Expect another airport post that I forgot to publish yesterday but in the meantime…
I arrived in honkers yesterday morning, hurriedly dropped my bags at home, showered, changed and ran to work. Ironically it was a very relaxed day at work and I spent a lot of time chatting on google with Eagle. (Side note: Aforementioned post has ample updates on the Eagle situation, which has turned in equal measure birdbrained and yet, attractive).
I have been monitoring the property market in Bombay for a while now and I finally ruled out in its entirety the possibility of owning a decent sized apartment in a decent Bombay neighbourhood. Unless the property market free falls, which mark my words, it will in the near future. I can’t afford it and I am not being an elitist or anything, I am sincerely wondering how, if an NRI making a six figures in dollars can’t stomach owning in Bombay, locals can. A mortgage that runs into crores of rupees is no mean mortgage, it’s a huge risk, not to mention a giant overhang on all small and big financial decisions.
So anyway, to get over the sorrow I bought something else. A fantastic pair of diamond earrings – 4.5 carats of shiny fabulousness. Whee. Biggest purchase I have ever made (too bad diamonds don’t go on Last Call/Final Sale, huh?). Of course I went over my credit limit twice over. As I always say, there is a first time for everything.
They are quite breathtaking – about an inch and a half in diameter, they are a hybrid between a stud and a hoop, starting from the front of the ear and curving to the back, in white and yellow gold, in brilliant and baguette cuts, they work with ethnic and modern fashion. They are the ketchup of diamond earrings in that they go with everything, only they cost about a billion times more (okay not a billion). I also had my eye on a very cute diamond necklace but that’s been postponed till the next trip. I had to choose between the necklace and the earrings and I picked the earrings. Also my credit card got blocked after that transaction.
So yesterday, I scrambled about to get my credit card unblocked by making an out of schedule payment during the course of which I locked myself out of HSBC’s a-phd-is-easier-than-this internet banking system and sent a check while there were zero funds in my current account. It was all a big mess but I think it’s sorted now. I should be able to use my card tomorrow. I am effectively oodles poorer and oodles richer at the same time. So fine, resolution #3 has suffered a temporary setback. Now if only diamond prices would go up so that my net worth increases. While we are on the subject, I should mention that some time this year, I intend to re-set my fabulous engagement ring (which being a testament to my failed love life but is by no means any less beautiful post breakup). And no, I didn’t return it and if you think I should, you should put that opinion in a pipe and smoke it. Besides, I can’t return a ring by email and no, that’s not the only reason.
And while we are, in turn, on the subject of failures, losers, etc, I did something brave and long overdue. I wrote him a letter. And I don’t mean email. I mean letter, snail mail. Why? You can hit “reply” on snail mail. I wrote it by hand at first but then changed it to print. I requested him to return my recipe book and my drawing book – two things money can’t buy me back. It didn’t make me sad to write to him and I was relieved about that. I can only hope that he didn’t toss them out with the trash and that he still has a modicum of decency left to make an effort to mail my books back. So yes, I took a step towards my resolution #4 (create something new) by asking for something old back, that I will, Inshallah, use to create something wonderful.
New diamonds and old diamonds, new paintings and old sketches. It’s going to be a wonderful year.
Juice 
I have been reading this blog for over a year now, but just thought of making my presence known in this new year, and stop being the lurker that I have been. And no, I am not a guy :-PHappy new year, Jupiter :-)-rechristened
What, why would you return the ring, and who would think you should? Asshole broke up with YOU.
rechristened – a year? wow! Hello and happy 2011 :)Nandini – you're too cute! thank you! (and believe me, most men I talk to think I should.. whatever, they can go fuck themselves)
Hell No! you don't return the ring – a diamond once yours shall always be yours – 🙂 And, we so need to see a pic of your fabulous new possesion. Happy New year! -G
Congrats on the diamonds:-)They sound faaabbb and may they be the first of many!
No, you shouldn't return the ring. Its yours 🙂 Congrats on the earrings.Cheers to more diamonds in your life 🙂
Of course I dont know the circumstances but think you should return the ring if you want to maintain your pride and dignity. And yes I'm a man.
G – a picture? oh my… okay lemme think about that :)Nidhi, Dewdrop – cheers to thatAnon – I respect your opinion but disagree. I think pride and dignity can't possibly apply in a situation where someone clearly did something indecent and violated everything a 3 year relationship stood for. Oh and he dumped me over email. Fuck that, I am keeping the ring ;-)p.s. not that it matters but he kept everything (my family and)I gave him.
cool of you to not return the ring.uncool of you, then, to expect that he will return your things (whatever be their material or sentimental value) … if you cant be bothered neither can he, i guess … and thereby hangs a tale …the coolest thing of all, however, is that you seem to be way spunkier than a lot of women who have found themselves in the same situation… so cheers to that … wish you a great new year ahead.~twopenny
twopenny, I don't expect it, I have requested it. I'd rather not argue my rationale further, so happy new year to you too 🙂