The Sagittarian Blogger

We Must Love Someone

2010-06-11T15:28:00.000+05:30

Read this on Mum-Del Flight and it seemed to be the most appropriate thing to think and feel about:

We must love someone,
if we are to justify
our presence on this earth.
We must keep loving all our days,
someone, anyone, anywhere
outside our selves.
For even the Sarus crane
will grieve over its lost companion,
and the Seal its mate.

Somewhere in life
there must be someone
to take your hand
and share the torrid day.
Without the touch of love
There is no life, and we must fade away.

Ruskin Bond

Sweety.

Flashback Years

2010-06-01T00:50:00.000+05:30

As I roamed around the streets A grew up in, surrounded with people who have never forgotten him despite of all these years and distances, I silently envied his childhood today.

A has spent his childhood years in Mumbai, has tons of friends who found him back, thanks to the social networking sites, while as per all of them, he had conveniently forgotten them. Stories of long cycle – rides, of building brick houses for stray pups, of stealing coins from mom’s purse to bring the pups some milk, of jumping on to grab fresh berries from trees during summer vacations, of unending hours moving about aimlessly and playing pranks on people of all ages and temperaments – it all came alive as this bunch of storyteller friends circled around me and kept going on and on. The film reeled in front of me as I shifted to a flashback movie like thing.

A week ago, when the news to my Mumbai Trip was broken out to A, he was definitely less gloomy compared to what it has been like in cases of my past work-trips. Why? He instantly started planning how I was supposed to spend my Sunday there! Though I only had a few hours, he came up with a long list of places he wanted me to see… his home, the play ground they never wanted to vacate, his school, his friends- young ones, old ones, remembered ones and forgotten ones…

While I was getting ready to step out of the hotel, I started feeling empty from within. I came to realize that while all thru the evening, everyone would be talking about him, A would be at least 1400 kilometers away, if not more.

The only way to reconcile with my heart was to sooth him by saying my eyes would still see him, jumping around in the park wearing that naughty smile on his face and with a mischievous mind. He could be running away from mom or hiding at a friend’s place so dad can never find him… so he could escape a beating!

While I went around to see all the places of his choice with his friend, he followed us virtually, with those flashback years reeling thru his mind…

Sweety.

Tag Time: T20 Questions

2010-04-06T01:19:00.001+05:30

Read this on a blog I stumbled on, liked it and here it is, for you to read and pick up!

Q. Who in your phone has a heart after their names?
A. No one, I'm very lazy at that

Q.Would you be able to date someone who doesn’t make you laugh?
A. Lets not do things you'd end up regretting later :)

Q. Are you happier now or three months ago?
A. I was happy then, I'm happy now.

Q.What was the last thing that made you laugh?

A.It was a funny video on FB - A commercial made for a Cheese Brand. Here's the link.

Q.Do you think you’ll have the same best friend a year from now?

A. We,ve been the best friends for years!

Q.What was your last thought before you went to bed last night?

A. Ahh, the tummy still aches... (It was morning by then though)

Q.Anyone you’re giving up on?

A.Staying away from home, I am the most hopeful right now, for a lot of things :)

Q.Have you ever thrown a cell phone in anger?

A. Thought of a lot of times, honestly, did too a couple of times. (Threw it on the bed though!!!)

Q.Is there someone who you can spend every minute with and be happy?

A. Need I name him?

Q.Who was the last person you hugged?

A. Hugged A, 9 days ago.

Q.Does everyone deserve a second chance?

A.Not always

Q.Is there someone who meant a lot to you at one point, and doesn’t now?

A.Yeah, a great deal of people.

Q.Have you ever lost someone who meant a great deal to you?

A.Same as above, please

Q.Have you ever received a text message that made you cry?

A. Many

Q.Are you lying to yourself about something?

A. A few, Weight loss is one!

Q.Last person you went to the mall with?

A. Rakesh

Q. What’s special about today?

A. Its my 10th day away from Home.

Q.What does your last message say?

A.It says:

Arz kiya hai, Zindagi ka maqsad hai sabko pakana,

Wah Wah, Zindagi ka maqsad hai sabko pakana,

A For Apple,

B For Banana

(Sorry if it was a sad one)

Q.Connection between you and the last person who text messaged you?

A. Too deep to explore :)

Q.Last person you had a conversation with on the phone?

A. Spoke to A, with a dear friend and bro on conference

So that was it! Enjoyed as much as I always do at completing tags. I want you all to pick it up, lemme know once you're done. I enjoy reading tags equally. (You listening, Geets?)

If you don't blog, leave me your answers in the comments!!!

Sweety

Dear Navin, Get Well Soon!

2010-04-04T06:17:00.002+05:30

Navin Mistry (Johnny), while travelling to work last year, April 4, had an accident, injuring his head. Multiple surgeries were performed, and to release the pressure caused by swelling in brain, skull caps of both left and right hemisphere were removed.

Few months later, Navin had to be discharged from hospital since he had developed a hospital infection.

I briefly met Navin during my last trip to Mumbai and then when he came to perform in Delhi about 2 years ago. Oh how can I forget to mention, he's an awesome Salsa dancer!

To name a few gradual improvements in Johnny,

He would smile at you if you have been really close to him. You'd see a sad face if he notices you are sad.
He likes to watch "Prison Break" - his all time fav TV show.
F.R.I.E.N.D.S. is another show her sister makes him watch.
Group of friends visits him daily, talk about happy times together and see his reactions.
Suraj & Meenu (his siblings) want him to watch 3 idiots, they think it will make him happy.

Having come this far, Johnny will be taking another step towards a normal life this week. Docs operate on him to put the skull caps back again.

Without thinking of evens and odds, I pray for the Best!!!

You can read more about it here and here.

Sweety.

The exile has begun...

2010-03-29T20:41:00.001+05:30

जाने तू कहाँ है, उड़ती हवा पे तेरे पैरों के निशान देखे
ढूँढा है ज़मीन पे, छाना है फलक पे
सारे आसमान देखे

Every time I stand in the balcony of my room on the first floor, and look at the door of the adjacent house, I imagine it will just open and you'll come out... this will really surprise me!

ओट में छुप के देख रहे थे,
चाँद के पीछे पीछे थे,
सारा जहाँ देखा, देखा ना आँखों में,
पलकों के नीचे थे...

Sweety.

I deserve to be in Lansdowne!!!

2010-03-09T23:46:00.002+05:30

Lansdowne is a hill station in Uttarakhand, India.

It has a history from British days and was named after a Viceroy who governed the place for many a years and was taken aback with its beauty.

Lansdowne is an Army Cantonement area and needless to say, its maintained very beautifully. As a rule, at one time, Lansdowne must not have more than 500 poeple inside its boundaries.

Its only about 225 KMs from Delhi.

Hang on my friends, did I tell you why I deserve to be in Lansdowne yet?

Its a place where no Mobile Networks work!

Can somebody please take me there? Are you listening, A?

Or atleast steal my phone please!!!

Some shades of the place...

Sweety.

A 320 brings me back Home!

2010-03-02T23:06:00.002+05:30

R: Oh! I feel so good to be home!

A:Yeah, me too!

R: But weren't you home all this while?

A: Home wasn't home when you weren't there...

Speechless...

Sweety.

Respite from The City of Joy

2010-02-27T08:15:00.001+05:30

As I fly back home early Sunday morning, a lot of things that started in last 2 weeks would come to a halt. I 'd call it - Respite from The City of Joy...

It will be a respite from living alone in a room. A room that has nothing you could call your own. A room, that is only there to serve as a roof on your head, and where you could sleep. Sleep that you squeeze in between work!

It will be a respite from maddening traffic on dingy roads of the city. From poorly managed traffic and from poorly managing traffic police force. From yellow ambassadors, that make a lot of noise and from their drivers who charge you double of what the fair metre shows.

It will also be a respite from hogging at places like CCD, Azad Hind, Fingertips, Honey Da Dhaba, BB's etc. Oh! the list is endless. It will be a respite from chicken hakka noodles as the only good option left while looking at the menu (most of the times). From coffee, toasted bread with butter and black pepper, at 2 PM.

It will be a respite from an-early-to-bed-and-early-to-rise-city, where you dont get to see many people after 6 pm. Respite from a place where most of people work with a laid-back-attitude. The only thing that energizes them at work is initiation of a Dharna.

And finally, this is going to be a respite from Weekends without A

But, the best part of Kolkata: choco-fudge cookies at monginis (I gotta go buy a lot of these today), mishti doi, rosogulla, the Gurudwara where we had nice kesar milk at 4 AM, our funniest attempts at speaking Bangla (no matter how incorrect our bangla was, we all got the accent right!) and sea-food festival at bar-be-que nation on valentines night!

Well, I might have spent all fortnight at the wrong places of the city, however this is what and how it has been all this while.

Already aware of another trip next month,

Yet soaked in an overwhelming respite

Sweety.

The Anthem from the City of Joy

2010-02-25T07:06:00.001+05:30

जागे हैं देर तक हमें कुछ देर सोने दो
थोड़ी सी रात और है, सुबह तो होने दो

आधे अधूरे ख्वाब जो पूरे ना हो सके
एक बार फिर से नींद में वोह ख्वाब बोने दो...

With higher-than-ever-hopes of flying back this weekend,

Sweety.

From The City of Joy

2010-02-19T00:24:00.003+05:30

(The post was typed on MS Word on Feb 16 however being posted today due to lack of a lot of things, one of which is TIME!)

The Fussy Eater seems to have landed at the right place, it seems.

Last 5 days have been great, work wise. I lost track and was back on track before it was too late. But the stay has been even greater because of the kind of Food. Not that I have developed taste for Bengali Food, but I have loadsa options so I don’t miss dear Delhi. The only thing that I am missing about Food is Cooking it myself! The cook at this guesthouse told us stories how some Punjabi guests made great Rajma Chawal during their stay… pitching us to do the same too…

Had a great dinner Valentine’s night. Tried veg sushi too, though didn’t like it much. Would definitely go for other variations sometime. Chicken Hakka Noodles is the new staple diet these days. Had a great time with boiled egg sandwiches, cheese balls and coffee the other night (Read 4 AM).

Catching up on some bangla too… words like “tada-tadi” (quickly) and “lebu” (orange fruit) have some funny stories attached to them.

Though I am carrying lots of Mills and Boon Romance, but have hardly had a chance to flip a page.

The FM stations here seem better than the ones in capital. They play all Bangla, Hindi & English! Most Bangla songs that I’ve heard seem to have same tunes as the Hindi ones, so nothing sounds Greek and I start humming the Hindi song. :D

Got this PJ SMS this morning from A:

Handle this PJ…

Who is the leader of ducks?

…

Ans.: Frog

…

How?

Because, he is MainDuck!!!

You know what that means?

To me it means, the Frog back home is waiting to be kissed ;)

Homesick but Hopeful,

Sweety.

From an airplane window

2010-02-14T19:01:00.002+05:30

Has it ever occurred to you, that you boarded an early morning flight, high on caffeine, with sleep miles away from you, and with all intentions to catch up on sleep while on board…?

Friday morning was one such morning for me…

I so love to be on a window seat, it’s hard to explain! And then the view as you go up and high, higher, and higher… Seeing roads below on the ground, roads as thin as lines on your palm…

Checking in, I settled for the last seat of the A 320 machine, I knew its one seat you couldn’t recline on, I still took it because it was the only window seat available…

Seat next to me was still vacant when they said – boarding full - but the man on aisle seat was one scary figure. Long white beard on dark brown skin, and a paunch…

And then, off we flew… I get a sudden high the moment I realize front wheels have left the ground… is it my love for airplanes or just the excitement of the flight, I am yet to know that.

For the “nth” time, I pictured A waving at me when he saw me off at the airport. The embrace, the look in his eyes and the silence between us…

Once the ground was too far, I shifted focus to the clouds. Sky was the deepest of Blue, but the farthest point showed signs of an early sun. In a few seconds we were above a thick layer of clouds. They looked fluffy and soft. There was a point when all I wanted was to jump off the plane and land on the fluffy clouds. I think the only thing I wanted to survive this landing was Flubber… you’d know what I mean if you have seen the movie…

Spotting another airplane at a distance adds up to my excitement all the time. When I saw one this time, I imagined that someone from the other plane must have noticed us too, and would be glancing just the way I am.

As my gaze shifted from that to the distant sky, what I saw, I think, I won’t get to see again… I saw the Sun rising, coming up gradually, nothing extraordinary about a sunrise, except this was a close-up!

Few minutes later, I noticed the famous Howrah bridge below while I gorged on the Chocó-almond cookie, we were about to descend and I was moving towards the beginning of an indefinitely long stay away from home…

From the city of joy,

With tears welled up in eyes…

Already Homesick…

Sweety.

Happy Birthday TSB!!!!!

2010-01-31T14:00:00.001+05:30

YaaaaY!!!

The Sagittarian Blogger turns 2 today!

2 years and 53 posts old TSB feels elated.

TSB, I want you to know that you haven't been given the amount of time and attention you really deserve, but you have been thought of every single day. You brought me applauds, cheers and unimaginable appreciation.

To be honest, I never knew I would ever have you, TSB! You are an extension to what I am as a person, you are an identity to me.

You are and will always be special to me :)

Sweety.

Tag Time!!! "5 things on my mind right now"

2010-01-23T04:07:00.004+05:30

Thanks, Geets for the excitingly exciting tag, sorry it took me ages to do this, but here goes...

The update on work front - "Too much on my plate". I have my boss saying this to me atleast a dozen times in 2010, yes, my plate is FULLLLL... and the way I am, I am way too Happiiiieeeee!
I need to start Gymming before it gets out of control. Guess, the work is to be blamed ;)
Winters, please go away. I've had too much of you now. Once you're gone, I go gymming ;)
The Sagittarian Blogger is going to have its 2nd anniversary soon and its appraisal time for my page. Too much on my plate... he hehe...
The new Mills n Boon is waiting on the bedside for 4 days, wait, here I come....

Oh, wait! I tag... Mettalica Bhakt, Sweet Demon, Braj and The woman of many shades!

Sweety.

To A, with Love...

2010-01-12T03:42:00.003+05:30

Last weekend that we spent, was the first one we were miles away from each other... and it was different, it was weird, it was insane and it was everything it has never been since we've been married!

Woke up in the evening and stayed up all night.
I saw a movie for the second time. It was one movie I was so skeptical to see even once.
As soon as it was intermission time, I ran towards the exit gate in dark, fell down, got up and ran outside again, thinking to get pop corn and come back before the intermission gets over and ended up spraining my right ankle. Too bad! I should have thought its chilling winter and spraining your leg is not at all a great idea! I should have thought you aren't here :(
Have had 2 visits to Barista, had dark tempt and creme caramel latte, thinking of you..hoping to sit next to you next weekend and do the same
Scrubbed every tile in the bathroom to shine, and I have outdone you this time ;)
Strangest of all, updated my status on FB for the first ever time in life...wrote on walls and commented on pics. I have never done this before.
Chatted with a friend after ages...loadsa girl talk is what we did. :)
Went out for strolls and not drives, unfortunately the DL is not here yet
Cried and longed a lot, for reasons very unreasonable to myself.

I did it all with a single thought all the time - I dont want another weekend like this!!!

See, what distance from you does to me???

सुन रही हूँ सुध बुध खो के कोई मैं कहानी,

पूरी कहानी है क्या, किसे है पता

मैं तो किसी की हो के ये भी ना जानी,

रुत है ये दो पल की या रहेगी सदा...

जो बरसे सपने बूँद बूँद

नैनो को मूँद मूँद

कैसे मैं चलूँ

देख ना सकूँ

अनजाने रास्ते...

And then some more...

बीती रात बासी बासी, पड़ी है सिरहाने,
बंद दरवाज़ा देखे, लौटी है सुबह
ठंडी है अंगीठी सीली, सीली हैं दीवारें
गूंजे टकरा के इनमे, दिल की सदा...

जो नैना करूँ बंद बंद
बह जाए बूँद बूँद
तडपाये रे क्यों सुनाये रे
गीत मल्हार के...

Sweety.

Unbreak my Heart...

2009-12-20T16:47:00.002+05:30

A (in his rarest singing moods): Unbreak my heart, say you'll love me again, undo this hurt you caused...
R : press CTRL+Z again!!!

Sweety.

Random Updates

2009-12-11T22:20:00.004+05:30

I don't know who to apologize from, for being inactive for close to 2 months, you readers, myself or my blog! I dont want myself to even start like this and i dont want to blame work or life for this, but unfortunately, i am doing both.

Things have been very very very busy, work has almost taken over my life controls, but I am happy. Guess, happier than I have ever been, far as work is concerned. Finally feeling like immersed in it and not to forget, getting appreciated for it! Why wont Bosses love such a thing???

Anyway, the other day I was working from my Boss' place. While leaving in the evening with the boss for a meeting, we realized we hadnt turned off the internet modem. Leaving my laptop near the doorway, i stepped in office room, to turn it off. Boss said - turn on the lights, Rekha, its dark in there. I said - thats fine, i can do without it. Turning it off, I returned to the doorway, and left for the meeting, post which we both left for our respective homes.

Boss called at 2:30 in the night, laughing, to tell me I had left my laptop battery adaptor at her place!

The brain went into a quick flashback of things and I realized this:

The battery adapter was plugged in right next to the broadband modem. When I had stepped in to the office room to turn off the broadband modem, I could have easily spotted it there, IF the Modest me hadnt decided to keep the lights off! Damn Me!!!

The next day, I made A stay home and work from there, we managed work by switching laptop batteries from each others' laptops, since the adapters were not common and the batteries were. Thanks a tonne, A, for the idea.

The second day, I was working from the Boss's home office again, so got to pick up the battery adapter from there. Duh Me!

One good thing these days is that I am back to my reading thing. Finished Brida, Veronica Decides To Die, Message in a bottle (I cried for good 30 minutes), a walk to remember, Stay hungry Stay foolish in last 1.5 months. Now reading The Class by Erich Segal - finding it different from his others such as Man, Woman and Child, Love Story and Olivaer's Story. (Enough show off of my collection, I think!)

Not a great news on Movies, Last I saw was Wake Up Sid. Wanted to watch his next too, but didnt get good reviews. They are showing it on Telly this month, that'd do for me :) Saw Outsourced on Telly, its a hilarious one! You must see it, whether u belong to BPOs or not! I recommend, highly!!!

Wanna go see Paa, let see when that materialises.

Looking forward to December Christmas break from work, though its only 5 days and then 2 more days with a gap. I am longing for one now.

Before that, with my birthday approching in about a week, I am due of doing something I promised myself of doing before my birthday. I have to register myself for eye donation, and am looking for a hospital/institution/medical bank that can be contacted for this. Let me know if you know any.

Sweety.

Godspeed!!!

2009-10-20T15:02:00.008+05:30

A: London's just like Delhi, but with better roads.
R: I think better road sense too!
A: yeah! (laughs)

I dunno how true it is, but thats the first thing A told me when he landed on London's roads.
But then, who cares about London?

I asked him a thousand questions... how was the flight? could you manage to get a nap on the plane? nausea? hope you're not feeling cold! how far is office? would you be ok commuting alone? kuch khaya? blah blah blah...

I personally hate asking and answering too many questions, but just couldnt help asking him!

Guess I know how I'm going to survive this entire week... counting days and calculating GMT time! I think I'd just adjust my mobile phone's time... so we are in the same time zone... at the least!

Sweety.

30 Days & 30 Ways

2009-08-28T05:40:00.001+05:30

Time flies away when you really dont want it to!

The other day I realised I had completed 1 month in the new company I recently joined. That made me ponder on the events of past 1 month...many things changed, many new were commenced...here's a point by point detail of my 30 days in TPL:

TPL has made me diary-gal. I cant do without my daily to-do list. I go off to sleep and something I need to do the next morning crosses my mind - I'm up the very next second and scribbling notes in the diary, with dreamy eyes and shaky hands!
My job puts me in a place where I screen people on every stage, starting from their joining our projects till the time they survive there. I hold myself responsible for rejecting "infinity plus 1" people so far... cant say how many more will follow...
This job has changed my perspectives a lot. I've turned sides now, I get a two-side view of things now.
I used to work 9 hours and travel 4 hours before I joined TPL. Now I spend those 13 hours working!
My phone works over-time too. I used to charge the phone battery once in 2 days - now it gets fed everyday.
This ones a bad one - I was so used to falling asleep with A's pats on my head. Now since he's moved to decent morning hours, he sleeps off before I do and I dont get those pats I so miss in life :(
There's another thing I miss... seeing him sleeping next to me the moment I get up... but I make up for that by calling him while I am still half-sleep.
For the first time in 5.5 years, I'm trying to get into a day schedule - the 9-6 routine.
Another bad one - the weekend I used to be so crazy for - has gone half - yes, I work on Saturdays, too!
I still travel but way less. And I get to travel in Metro sometimes too - makes me happy, reminds me of old days, when I was a regular with Metro.
I am a regular with home cooked food, too. Working from Home job has some merits, at the end of the day!
But at the same time, eating out hasnt gone down. If I'm travelling, I'm eating out...and eating a lotttt!
And that shows when you look at my Tummy. Its never been like it is these days!
TPL India team is a 3 women brigade (that includes me, too!) I haven't had female colleagues/boss before - so this one's a change too.
I have a weird history of getting along with Leos. Its either too good or too bad. Incidentally, both other women in the league are Leos. Its been good so far... lets see...
First thing when I get up - I used to plan the meal I had to cook - now I check the mail.
I get to write a lot these days, but that has hit on my reading quota. I am stuck on Brida for about 1.5 months now. Buckle up!!!
My break time from work - I solve Sudoku puzzles that appear in the newspaper everyday...1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9.. and you're done! I even have Sudoku on my iGoogle page. I play sudoku when I am travelling - time flies ;)
I have promoted myself to a regular Lipgloss from zero make-up.
Social Networking sites would soon declare me anti-social. Well...I was never a fan but yes, a regular but its may be once a week now...just so I dont forget my passwords ;)
There's been a biiiiiiig cut down on my movies too... 30 days and just 1 movie. Thankfully it was a cute one.
I have now entered into a professional relationship with a very very dear friend. This frightened me first, but then enlightened a lot of things later on. I am glad it happened :)
One of the very important things I do at work is getting the customers' expectations right...and the way I work is setting my boss' expectations wrong! Leading by example, you see!
In my IQR days, I used to think I was a workoholic...I wonder what I am right now...
Again in my IQR days, I believed wherever I'd go next, it'd be better for sure - that still holds true. I wont like to compare more :)
I gave my first ever salary in my granma's hands, i still remember. My first salary from TPL is due now - and I'm thinking what to get for the 2 most important people in my life...
This job has made me take my driving seriously.
I have loved to have a planned day, but that's history now. I still begin a day with a plan, but its a plan that has all the deviations and d-tours of the world! Life now is an ad-hoc list of assignments :)
Now that i've got myself rid of travelling thru 3 cities everyday (from one end to the other end of NCR), A has got into it and spends a lot of time driving now.
My first post in more than a month - the one that you just finished reading!

Some cartoons now, I think I need'em:

Sweety.

ADIEUS!!!

2009-07-17T21:00:00.000+05:30

News! News!

I recently resigned from my job at a company I worked for... AGES it seems!

4 yrs 9 months and 3 days - to be precise - was my tenure there.

Few things I wont ever forget about this workplace:

1. It was barely 6 months old when I joined in.
2. The day I put in my papers, I was the oldest employee in the company - I mean tenure-wise!
3. I got the first job promotion of my Life here, which happened when I was 15 months old here.
4. I trained over 100 people here.
5. I joined this company just to be with "A" who also happens to be the first employee of this company.
6. He got the "extra miler of the year" award for 1st year of the company and I followed when I won it in the 2nd year! The certificates now occupy a wall in our living room, back to back.
7. I have been a part of every single campaign/project my company got. The day they got a new thing coming in - I was in it! I was named "Nimbu Mirchi" by A who believed I was being used to keep evil spirits off of the new projects!
8. We knew people on first name basis and so did our CEO saab.
9. I got the chance to be a multi - dept person -- I did Operations, training, transitioning, quality analysis - all of it!
10. Whenever I ran into CEO saab, he was always the first one to move his hand forward to have a handshake. And then I'd meekly move mine ;) And the day I moved my hand forward before he did... He posed his to embrace...

Zillion other things are crossing my brain, reminding me of good times & bad times here... but I'd halt right here...

Good Bye and All the best, iqr!

Sweety

(This post was written on July 9 and being posted today - which is my last day @ iqr.)

100 things you didn't know about me

2009-07-13T03:15:00.005+05:30

I'm glad Blogger let me log in and post after what seems like ages! And to make up for this hiatus, here's a gigantic post! You're invited to know, not 1, not 2, but a 100 things about me...which you never knew! (Atleast I hope so!) So, off I go!!!

1. The first movie I saw at a movie hall was a Chinese one and was dubbed in Hindi with title "kaanch ka khargosh"

2. This was during a school trip and I had to see the second half of the movie sitting on the aisle stairs, since I couldn't find my seat after the movie intermission, and was too scared to approach my teacher to help me find it.
3. I'm crazy for SRK. Some of you might know this, but nobody knows the degree of that craziness for him.
4. Despite of this craziness I can patiently hear someone criticizing him - cz I think everybody has a right to voice what they feel about something/someone.
5. And, despite of that craziness, I can easily admit how I agree with some people when they say he should've never done a certain films.
6. I think I like SRK as a normal family guy way more than I like him as an actor.
7. I like and prefer curd over milk a zillion times.
8. I don't even remember the taste of food that my mom used to cook, except that of okra.
9. And that of kidney beans too.
10. One of the things I always wanted to learn from her was cooking.
11. One reason why I am proud of myself is that most of the cooking I know, I learnt myself whenever I made a blunder.
12. I so love it when on random evenings, A appreciates the lunch I cooked and packed for him earlier in the day.
13. And I am so curious to know how the food tasted when he doesn't!
14. I talk about A so much that I don't even bother to think if the other person knows him or not.
15. I had refused to leave the bed when I was told that my few hours old sibling was a baby gal, and not a boy - just as I had prayed / demanded to god.
16. Whenever I spotted a baby, till sometime back, I'd just standstill and look at them adoringly and wouldn't get over them for long whiles.
17. But now post-marriage, all I think is about how my life will be when I'll have one of my own.
18. I also plan to start a mother-baby blog.
19. My skin is so sensitive that my palms would burn the entire day if I mashed boiled potato with salt and pepper.
20. I loooove Khichdi.
21. I have snoozed the alarm at least a dozen times before I get up every morning.
22. I don't think if I'll ever turn vegetarian.
23. One of my fav flicks is "While you were sleeping". I have seen it countless times and still wont mind watching it, anytime, any day.
24. I think Julia Robert's Erin Brockovich is an equally fav.
25. I like eating fish - preferably boneless.
26. Tuna Sub is the one I always pick at Sub-way.
27. It irks me to core when A forgets to switch the bathroom's light off after using it.
28. I once threatened to lock him up in the bathroom if he did that again. It didn't help!
29. And I am always made fun of whenever I switch it off for him.
30. I have always hated Science as a Subject. I thanked god I didn't have to study it post my 10th grade at school.
31. I was so wrong when I thought that since I ended up teaching Science to my sister until she got thru her 10th grade.
32. For the most calculations I happen to make any given day, I can count on fingers and am always right.
33. OK, almost right!
34. I haven't tasted tea yet. I don't plan to, either.
35. "Mother Dairy - Chocolate chip" is the only thing I think of when it comes to ice-creams.
36. I had very bad hand-writing till my 5th grade.
37. Tolerating ACs is a big deal for me. I start getting chill bumps instantly.
38. Entire week, I used to wait for Saturday night, since that was my bed-time story night.
39. I prefer Radio over TV.
40. I quit drinking milk from milk bottle the day I turned 5. That, was perhaps my first promise to mom.
41. The first piece of jewellery I bought was a gold pendent.
42. My first wrist-watch was a Titan, bought out of my savings from my pocket money. This was when I was barely 11.
43. The first time I voted, I realized that one of the poll duty officers tried to see who I was about to vote. And he did see that.
44. I forget what I dreamt of, if I don't try recalling it in the first five minutes of my waking up.
45. Till sometime back, I was confused if I was an atheist.
46. I have now realized that god is there, and that I am not the religious kind.
47. Until sometime back, I was scared of dark.
48. The first time I enter a public utility or a trial room during a shopping spree, I lock and unlock the door, just to make sure its working and that I'll be able to let myself out once I am done!
49. I haven't fractured myself yet!
50. I hate people who interrupt when some body's talking and those who always want to be heard.
51. I once held A's hand assuring to help him cross the road when both of us were shit drunk.
52. I was given a scholarship for being in top 0.01% scorers in Hindi, in national board examinations.
53. My sister tells me that I am very short tempered. I am yet to realise that.
54. Friday is my favourite day of week. I wait for it every weekday :)
55. The first thing I do when I sit in a car - I embrace myself - with the seat belt, that is. More so after A's road accident.
56. For consecutive 3 years, I had my social studies' half yearly exam falling on my birthday :(
57. I prefer books over movies. With books - there's a lot left for imagination. Movies kill that - I think.
58. I hate being preached about turning to Vegetarian food. I respect vegetarians and their choice of food and expect the same from them!
59. I am s**t scared of dogs.
60. I once said 50 p was more than re. 1 and mom gave me a scolding I'd never forget!
61. My first visit to Mumbai city was even before I was born - Mom was expecting me!
62. I am not a morning person and sometimes wonder how I'd manage when I'd need to be one.
63. I can't dance but love to watch people dancing. I think people who say - "you don't need to know dancing to be able to dance" - are liars.
64. I prefer sunflower over rose.
65. I can't handle south Indian food.
66. My first earning was Rs 150 that I earned by tutoring a 6 yr old for a month.
67. I like to get pampered at times. But at the same time, I can't handle too much of love/pampering. I start crying before I have opened all my birthday presents - every year.
68. I didn't like Harry Potter series. I think it has too much of magic!!!
69. One of the best birthday presents A has got me - a musical jewellery box. I cried when I opened it too.
70. Despite of my liking for choppers, I once got scared with one, because it was flying too low and I was on the terrace. I had hid myself in mom's lap.
71. I think bitter gourd and crocodile resemble a lot. God must have had high targets or must have been low on imagination / innovation when he made them!
72. I lost touch with a friend when I was only 5. Growing up, I didn't even remember I had that friend until he reminded me, 15-16 years later.
73. For a long time I was scared of wearing jewellery after somebody had once snatched my mom's gold chain.
74. I think Aamir Khan is a disgusting fellow - he over reacts and wants all the attention - all the time!
75. I have a habit of reading 3-4 books simultaneously. I switch to another one when I get bored of one.
76. I don't like to work on my birthdays. I ask others not to do so, too.
77. Most of the guys who like staring/ogling at the gals don't get what to do next when I start staring back at them. They'd either start looking somewhere else or would leave the place.
78. In school, I would shuffle between rank 1 and 2 every year. Every time I finished on rank 2, I was just 1 mark behind the topper and this was a trend for 7 odd years.
79. My class teacher who was infamous as the least emotional teacher in the school had tears in her eyes when, on the last day of a session, I returned her the class locker keys.
80. I quit playing volley ball when I was in 9th grade. I regret that till date.
81. Pink has never been my favourite colour. I am confused between black and white ;) Does that tell you something about me?
82. For a long long time, "It's my life (Jon Bon Jovi)" was my Friday favourite - for the weekend had finally arrived!
83. "I'm alive" and "Have you ever really loved a woman" are two songs that had me smitten with their lyrics.
84. My fingers will smell of onion for more than 2 days after I have chopped one, despite of "n" number of hand-washes.
85. I was once a part of stage performance at annual day during my primary years of schooling. We had a song on flowers and all kids except me were to sit in a circle wearing costumes like flower petals. My part was to sit in the middle of that circle of other kids and the idea was to dance like a bee when the flower would open. Now, the costume guy didn't get my dress and the item coordinator decided last minute that the flower wont open! I waited and waited to be seen - from the beginning till the end of the song and so did mom n dad who were present in the audience!
86. I cut green chillies with kitchen scissors, instead of knife and I cut them real thin. And then I count how many pieces I got from each chilly. So far the record is 39 from a medium sized chilly.
87. I was once accused of beating the office cab driver, while someone else had. The cops couldn't help laughing their lungs out, when they saw the cabbie was accusing a skinny gal! He had lied only because I had complained against him the day before.
88. I once declared that if I grew up to be a pilot, I'd only prefer flying helicopters. "You have to run on a run-way first to fly an aeroplane, chopper takes flight the very first moment" - was my reason!
89. I never loved my granny - since I knew she never loved me. And yet I gave my first salary in her hands... and then we both cried.
90. I was born on Wednesday.
91. One of the books I'm reading currently is "The Fountainhead." I dont think I'll ever be able to finish reading it.
92. My mom-in-law gave me a sweet nice name long before I got married and she uses that name till date.
93. I dint know a thing about computers before my first job. I took a crash training on a weekend and learnt basic operating - and I guess, I'm still learning something about computers everyday!
94. My goal before I turn 25 - get registered for eye donation. I'm looking for a reliable association. Do you know any in Delhi - NCR?
95. I still believe there's no actress in Indian cinema who could dance as gracefully as Madhuri Dixit.
96. If I get up in the middle of night and realize I was dreaming of something, I try sleeping again so I can continue dreaming - and 9 out of 10 times, I am able to continue with the same dream!
97. There are 2 things that help the most in putting me to sleep - a) someone patting slowly on my head, and b) chanting Gayatri Mantra.
98. I sometimes talk to God Sun - I thank him for being there eveyday, for I wonder as to what will happen if he bunks someday ;) and also because I think he's the prime source of energy. And whenever I talk to him, I ensure its evening time and not morning - because a) I for one believe in setting sun and b) a little acknowledgement and appreciation at the end of the day works for everybody.
99. I am a fussy eater. I cant eat rice that was cooked without salt. I wont eat onion if it stil has its raw taste which I just cant handle. I never liked to have food from my friends' tiffins thru-out my school, though I didnt mind them sharing mine. I finish my salad before I start eating my meal.
100. When I started this post, I thought I wont be able to finish it. I wrote a couple more posts simultaneously but saved them in draft - so I post this first and dont this one.

And looks like I'm done!

If you made it till here, congrats! And if you liked it more than I thought you would, pls write random things about you and ping me here!

Sweety.

A Plea for Hope... Take a min and read this.

2009-04-30T04:46:00.012+05:30

Our loved friend Navin Mistry (Johnny) met with an accident on the 4th April'09 around 1:10 in the afternoon when he was on his way to the office and has been undergoing treatment for head injuries at MGM hospital, Vashi.New Bombay.

During the accident he suffered injuries to the head causing multiple clots and internal bleeding. He underwent an immediate surgery (craniotomy) on the very same day and was incubated and connected to the ventilator but post surgery results showed the presence of residual clots for which he underwent another surgery (decompressed craniotomy) on 09/04/09. Repeat surgeries were performed for removing the Skull cap (left and right hemisphere, respectively) to ease the pressure caused by massive swelling of the brain.

Medical reports and notes from the doctors are attached as images to the post.

On 09/04/09 the hospital gave us an approximate expenditure of Rs.6,50,000 (Six Lacs Fifty Thousand) excluding the cost of medicines, which is amounting to around 10-15 thousand per day. This estimate was given to us prior to the last surgery. Currently the hospital costs are expected to be around Rs.10,00,000 and the medicines will probably amount to

Rs. 500000 approx. (Total likely expenditure estimated is Rs 15 – 18 lacs as of today).

Since our good friend was the only earning member of the family the finances for his treatment are well over the family savings etc, hence we have found the need to contribute in any possible way.

We have approached various trusts, politicians & institutions but the response till now is not very positive and any action from their side will at least take a few month’s time.

We would request you to kindly help us through this in any possible way. It would be appreciated even if you could help to raise any funds or refer us to people or organizations which would help us in this grim situation. Or even email us with a reliable and legitimate idea that will enable Navin's family to meet his growing medical bills.

For information about how to contribute or about how Navin is doing pls contact:

Adarsh Maheshwari: 9818190920 or adarsh_oxf@yahoo.com

Regards,

Jwalant (suraj) Mistry, Meenakshi Mistry, Milind, Sushant, Asif, Rohit, Sunny, Amey, Ganesh, Nadeem, Mahip, Mahipal, Tausif, Aryu, Sameer, Neerav, Deepak, Vivek, Roshan, Varoon, Sauresh, Shashank, Ehsan, Ankit, Snehal & Adarsh.

PS:
We, a close knit group of friends have stayed by his family day and night, and contributed as much as we can. We have raised almost 20 % – 30 % of the total bills .But with the growing medical expenses we have run out of options and need help on immediate basis.

Let not a factor like money decide the destiny of our loved brother. Any contribution from your side either in the form of money or a silent prayer will be highly valued, but please give humanity a chance.

For any transfer of funds for the humble cause, please note the account details:

Minaxi Mistry
ICICI bank, Bandra
Ac No: 003801510483
NEFT IFSC: ICIC0000038
Tel No: 9870083030

Recent News

We received monetary help in the form of Rs. One Lakh Fifty Thousand.
My heartfelt gratitude to Deepak Nichani and Mohit Undevia, who co-ordinated the collective effort.
Also, Nigel Soans and Sarina Lotilikar.

My personal thanks to everyone at Barclays Bank (UAE) for contributing.

Jwalant (Suraj)
.......................
4th May.
Thanks to a great response we have managed to cover hospital and medical expenses till date. However we have been faced with a decision to move Navin to a less expensive hospital or a government hospital as the hospital he is currently at is turning out to be quite expensive. Navin has a fluctuating fever but is deemed stable enough to be moved and we will decide to move him to another hospital or not in the next couple of days.
Moving him to a government hospital will also (hopefully) attract the attention of some trusts.
.................................................

1st May - Maharashtra Day/ May day
Fever is back. Navin is getting treated with iced water.
...........................
30th April - election day
Fever has come down. Off the ventilator, Breathing on his own. These are positive signs.

............................
28th April 09
Having fever, risk of infection. Doctors doing all they can to reduce the fever.
Hospital has contacted us to clear its dues immediately. We may have to move Navin to a Government Hospital.

............................
24th April, 09
Minimal right pupil movements under voluntary control of the brain.
........
Third surgery performed on 18/04/09, right skull cap removed. Next update from doctors on 20/04/09

Earth vs. Global Warming

2009-03-25T19:36:00.005+05:30

March 28, 8:30PM - 9:30PM (your local time) is your time to cast your vote and choose Earth against Global Warming.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness. (Courtesy www.earthhour.org)

You can, too, cast your vote for Earth by switching all lights off for one hour - one billion votes is all dats needed...
Turning off lights for an hour won’t stop climate change but it would definitely show that individual action is important and does make a biiiiiiiiig difference.

Here's a few things you could do in those 60 minutes:

Go outside and look at the stars. (Lovely!)

Find a great viewing spot to see your town or city go dark at 8:30 p.m. and take pictures. (Dats a lil tough to do :( )

Go for a lantern walk through a park. (Ghostly :D)
Gather your family or friends for a candle-lit dinner. (Lets meet up, guys!)

Meet your neighbours at a street or block party. (Hello, how are... exercise)

Talk to your children/family about how much electricity your family uses. Brainstorm ways to reduce it. (Let's get serious)

Tell ghost stories. (Been ages I did that!!!)

Change all your light bulbs to energy-efficient versions. (poore ghar ke badal dalo :P )

Take a walk in the moonlight. (With them ;) )

Have a candlelit bath. (WOW!)

Put a glow stick on your dog's collar or leash and go for a walk. (Not bad an idea ;))

Have a wine or scotch tasting in the dark. (Ummm...)

Get out the sleeping bags and camp out on the living room floor. (Yay!!!)

If nothing above interests you enough, you could make a list oft hings you'd want to change from your daily life and help Earth beyond this 1 Earth Hour! :)

So Go Ahead... use your light switch as your vote and elect Earth over Global Warming.

Sweety.

To Let it Go or Not

2009-03-11T03:34:00.004+05:30

Wish you all a happy & colourful Holi!

I had 2 conversations today, which are worth mentioning..

First, with an old acquaintance, whose ONLY intention was to convey good wishes. But the way the wishes were conveyed, the words which were used, it reminded me of things buried deep down somewhere. The actual intentions were, thus, inevitably revealed. The exchange of words (to me, honestly, it isnt anything more than that!) made me think, why cant some people just move on in life? They wouldnt leave it and wont let you do so too!

Second, with a colleague with CLEAR intentions of conveying their wishes and reminding me of a small tiny tiff from the past. What this person tried to reconcile on, was something I had forgotten, purposely, since it wasnt something to drag and keep fuming about. I was asked to forgive and forget, and I gladly agreed.

I am not the thinker kinds, but the comparison came naturally to me. Both these people and their situtations in my life are different, let me admit.

But guess this Holi, I've got my lessons right :)

Hope you enjoy the colours and let go off things that don't really matter!

Sweety.

I think I wanna step in your shoes, Mom...

2009-02-06T04:45:00.005+05:30

These days..I observe myself getting fascinated than ever when that colleague of mine shares how her 3 yrs old adopted baby gal says prayers for everyone in the kin, before she goes to sleep every night...

These days..I see myself calling my 4.5 yrs old niece almost every alternate day, longing to hear her sweet yet wicked talks...

The moment I get myself thinking deeper into this, some part of me revots and reminds me of my years old dreams of further studies...
It reiterates I cant yet burden my Man with the age long responsibilities of raising a family.

And the next thing I know, I have changed my mind...
but same series of thoughts...over and over and over again...

And I have no comeback for this thought of my own... Offlate I have started believing that I can only realize and perhaps get as well, what I have missed at the receiving end only when I shift myself to the giving end of those heavenly joys!

Fortunately or unfortunately, this is what my heart and mind are filled with, while I so wanna jump to completing 2 wonderfully happy years of the institution called... marriage...

Sweety.

Boom De Ya Dah! Boom De Ya Dah!

2009-01-04T01:03:00.005+05:30

I Love the whole World :)
Sweety.

2009

2009-01-03T01:15:00.003+05:30

Looks like I'm a bit late but still... Happy New Year!!!

Wanted to change the way my page looks and the beginning of '09 seemed the right time.. so here's the makeover result!
Sounds funny but true..when I was saving page elements before I changed the skin, I named the folder with backup data - "Blog Makeover" ;) :P

Another reason of changing the look - my blog will turn 1 at the end of this month. So this is also a kind of yearly appraisal I have for my page. :)

Lastly, here's the best sms message I read this year:

Have a Dog's attitude towards all difficult things in 2009!
If you cant eat or screw it, then just piss on it and move on! Happy New Year.

Sweety.

Miles to go before I sleep!!!

2008-12-19T01:00:00.003+05:30

Here’s the Tag from Geetika… “10 things before I die”

What follows can also be termed as a Wish-list and birthday is such an apt time to do it ;)
So, here we go:

1. A helicopter ride – that’s not a tough one, but my fascination for choppers from the childhood days is still very much there.
2. Be whatever M has missed in life.
3. Collect books – thousands of’em! (Goes without saying – read’em all too!)
4. Find some old school buddies, I still remember their names… and faces too, but just can’t find them…
5. Get married to A – AGAIN!!! - On 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th, 125th, 150th … Wedding anniversaries…until we lose the count of years and even after that!
6. Learn dancing… and baking as well.
7. Meet SRK and still be able to stand on my own feet ;)
8. Never let my kids know of the word “NO” – I’m going to try hard for this one.
9. Study a few more years – not sure what I want to pursue yet, though!
10. The last one...It was real difficult getting here, but this one was easy… Raising a baby gal. :)

P.S.: There’s no Order of preference for the list, the wishes were rearranged in the alphabetical order! ;)

Sweety.

3 Nights & 2 Days @ Taj Hotel, Mumbai

2008-11-29T07:10:00.005+05:30

Unfortunately, that's not an irresistible hotel package I'm talking about.
I've never been glued to TV, rather glued to a news channel as I've been in last 58 hours...

Of all the things they've been showing and talking about, I observe ONE thing... in one of the clips covered by lensmen, I see a few NSG commandos running in the background and I see the turbans on their heads...goes without saying, they were all Sikhs by religion, but very Indian at hearts IN MUMBAI...

Leaves me wondering why theres no one from Honorable Mr Raj Thackrey's MNS team, and why these NORTH & SOUTH Indian NSG commandos were allowed by MNS to fight and rescue his very dear Maharashtrians...

I hope Mr Raj Thackrey is getting a lesson out of it and he hides himself under the roof of his home and never comes out for the rest of his life!

I might be talking regionalism, but thats honestly not my idea behind writing it all here...

Sweety.

10 years without you

2008-11-03T01:09:00.006+05:30

I still remember myself watching her go, she was to be admitted in a hospital, and I kept seeing her till the end of the road, and I'd do this almost everyday. Would think about her, resting my elbows on the windowsill, without batting an eyelid, I'd keep looking at that corner of the road, imagining that's where she'd come from, smiling healthily.

But little I knew that she won't ever come back...what came was the news that she had departed.

Again and again, even after she'd left, I'd still go and look out of the window, would keep looking at the same end of the same road, thinking non stop "here she comes, here she come, she hasnt really gone away..." Those were the days when I had actually started believing that departed ones do come back, but she never did!

And then there was a time I started hating her, for she had made us so miserable without her, I am sure she knew this misery had to happen. I can never forget how helpless we were. But I also knew she's around and is watching her daughters being raised without her and feeling helpless about it. Gradually that bad feeling melted away, gradually I involved myself in daily chores she used to take care of, but I continued with my waiting-at-the-window routine, I kept waiting for her arrival.

And I still remember pa appearing from the same end of the road, accompanied by a few other men, hands down, folded, face down, eyes down, looking at the road, coming towards home. He had brought her, lifeless, for us to see her for the last time and bid her the last good bye...

That was the end of one big chapter of our lives...lives had changed, our lives had changed.

Though I wanted to preserve them, but after a lot of thinking, I got some of her dresses altered and would wear them sometimes. And then I noticed - pa would look sadder, gloomier and quieter. I realised her clothes made him think of her much much more. He almost even called me with her name when I was wearing her clothes. Seemed like I was torturing him and I made up my mind not to wear them again...

Growing up, I was inspired to take up a lot of things she had mastered in. While I was real interested in some, I took up some only out of respect I had, but soon figured it was worth including them in life... one of those things was designing dresses. Everybody around was so amazed with my work, while I thought it was probably in my genes.

Offlate, I have been occupied to such extent, that I dont even think of her everyday or as much as I should, yet some or the other thing reminds me of her. Life is being pretty good to me and I feel happier when I remind myself that wherever she is, she is with pa and not alone. I know she is constantly watching over us and still doing her best for us.

Today, its been whole ten years without you Ma, and deep down somwhere in my heart, I still hope I'd see you standing next to me and I'd get in one moment, what I've missed all these years. Thank you a zillion times, if at all that can suffice, for everything you got me in life, however I'd still ask you for something...

We all are still incomplete without you, please come back if you can.

Sweety.

2008-10-24T01:01:00.002+05:30

...aaj dil dukha hai, tum yaad aaye,
anjaane log hain, apne kahan dhoondh paye...

...Thinking of "Pa" and his ways in life...

Sweety.

Me - the Hopelessly Romantic!

2008-09-22T03:23:00.007+05:30

This one comes from my College years, when I used to burn midnight oil to study and some electricity for FM Radio. Heard this one such night on one of the FM Stations:

Agar ye jeewan hai ik samandar vishal,
to aa ek seep me hum ek sapna jagaye.
Phir saahil pe prem ki mitti se,
ek chhota sa pyara sa hum ghar banaye.
Usey duaaon se apni hum aur karen pakka,
aur ashko ke diyon se andar-bahar sajaaye.
Ab zindagi hai to gham ke toofaan bhi aayenge,
chal is ghar ko lehron se kuch door banayen!

Still remember, by the time I could type and text it to A, my eyes had moistened and I cried when he called back after reading this :) ... such is Love!

Sweety.

Return of an Auditor :D

2008-09-13T03:07:00.003+05:30

I returned back to my usual job today...job of auditing calls...after a long time. Not that I was off work, was busy training batches of new hires back to back...ah, that reminds there's another one lined up next week...so anyways, after current batch was thru the final assessments, I could get back to my usual audit thing...and with that, I was back to my music box too...

Auditing at our end consists of a lot of filing and data entry too, so while I am doing all that, I keep playing one or the other track and keep moving my feet...so today, the first thing I did when I got back at desk was I plugged in my beautifully amazing and amazingly beautiful headphone and played a song which goes like this...

Sinbad the sailor jahaaz me jab chala
Mere yaar sun lo sun lo
Dhoondh raha tha ek nayi duniya ka pata
Mere yaar sun lo sun lo
Woh... anjaani raahon me thaa..o-o
Woh... lehron ki baahon me thaa..o-o ....

And then this one...

Tum ho toh gaata hai dil
Tum nahi toh geet kahaan
Tum ho toh hai sab haasil
Tum nahi toh kya hai yahaan
Tum ho toh hai sapnon ke jaisa haseen ek samaaaaaaa
Jo tum ho toh yeh lagta hai ki mil gayi har khushi
Jo tum na ho yeh lagta hai ki har khushi me hai kami
Tum ko hai mangti yeh zindagiiiiiiiiii......

(Mine and A's current faves respectively!)

And the after effects of these 2 tracks... I felt like I just got up from sleep, felt like a kid jumping with unknown joys, felt like....ummm....just amazing!
Last few days have been real hard "work wise"... new work timings, long training sessions where I kept repeating myself and did endless talking, and where everyday when I got up, the first thing that used to come to my mind was, "o sh**, I'm late again"

I figured out yet another time, what music does to me...wonders!
Anyway, weekend is just right here, with a small family meeting in pipeline and I might go watch "Rock On!!" again...simply loved it...more because I was at Shakuntalam (Pragati Maidan)...where I was to go book fair actually ;) and I did too, got myself "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand...ah, and that reminds me I have to finish "The Kite Runner" ...only last chapter and it's gonna be done...and Its the best fiction I have ever read...and what else....

Whatever i'll be doing this weekend, I'll be hoping for 1 thing... this I do every weekend...
"I'll be hoping this weekend lasts FOREVER!"

Sweety.

Something to Ponder on!

2008-08-18T04:31:00.002+05:30

Thing to remember is if we're all alone, then we're all together in that too.
P.S.: I Love You.

Sweety.

The LATESHT Discovery

2008-08-13T02:24:00.002+05:30

Follows is what I realized about myself a while back:

It takes me ages to violate something, but once I start doing it, there's no looking back...!!!
How profound ;)

Sweety.

Sultan - My Gonna Be Friend

2008-08-01T22:19:00.003+05:30

Long time no see...I said to myself when I logged in to blogger today! Anyways...

August 3 is friendship day and I'm gonna get a new friend (atleast I hope so!). Read on how...

Lemme now set a background for this gonna-be-friend of mine. I am very very scraed of dogs and A's aunt has one. A biiiiiiig one. A Boxer. They call him Sultan. So, A's aunt is leaving for the US of A sometime next week and wants us to keep Sullu-Pullu while she's away.

Sultan happens to be one of the biggest dogs I've seen so far, but he comes across as a very very intelligent and gentle dog. (Doesn't help me cz I am always scared) They always lock him in a room whenever I visit'em. Now, I am gonna stay with him under the same roof. So I have decided to strike a friendship with him and the time is apt too!

A has been bugging me with the idea of getting a pup home and I say no always. Not because I am scared of'em, but because I strongly feel both of us wont be able to manage. Dogs need care and you need to give'em TIME. You gotta be in a routine for'em. But I have given my green signal to A this time, for I think its a perfect chance for him to find out if he can change himself a bit, change according to Sultan. Sure he's caring enough, but when it comes to doggy-walk etc., he's the laziest guy I've known.

My friend K says you shouldn't bring him home, cz its gonna be difficult for the two of you when you'll send him back at aunt's. When I told A, he said, "do you think I am gonna let him go back?"

Time will tell that. For me now, its time to learn some doggy stuff! Off I go!!!

Sweety.

The Invasion

2008-07-17T16:39:00.006+05:30

I hate it when someone attacks my freedom. Freedom of saying things, freedom of not saying things, freedom of following my heart...

I hate it even more when that Invader is a dear one... but then I realise, only dear ones have this liberty... but I still dont approve it.

I love my freedom more than myself. I love it even more when I am being forced to do something I dont really wish to... and that's when I fight. Like I did last night... though I had to surrender when they overpowered me, but that surrender made them loose their stand in the core of my non stop beating machine. So I dont feel defeated, because they are... What they lost last night, they'll never win that again.

I go down the memory lane and can't find myself acting like this ever. I was never like this. I am forever changing, I think! For good or for bad, is not the agenda at the moment, doing what you feel is what matters...

Having read this far, if you have a feeling that I am using this platform like a venting place, I think we have something in common.

Sweety.

One Quick Update!

2008-07-15T01:35:00.004+05:30

I know its very very late now, but beleive me guys! I moved pix from my cam to pc yesterday only, after so so long!

So heres a small but very very cute part of how we celebrated A's 23rd birthday:

Click to enlarge!
Sweety.

The End

2008-07-10T20:04:00.003+05:30

REJECT!

I, hereby, terminate IT as easily as when they terminate marriages when they say TALAAQ, TALAAQ, TALAAQ!

Sweety.

Weekend Insomnia Extended

2008-07-06T04:01:00.012+05:30

3 hours of sleep and I am up and kicking!

Have been hearing about Mr. Bachchan's blog a lot off late and have read a few of his posts as well. Contrary to his image as a normal human being, I happened to like his write-ups, and thus, have added his link to my page! I had read that hes a nice orator, and I found out he writes equally well, so here he is, on my page :)

Just came back from a movie hall. Second day last show: Jaane tu...ya jaane na!

A lot of love and a lot of humour. Liked some performances a lot, like Naseeruddin's, Ratna Pathak Shah's and a couple more...and I found Genelia to be better than Imraan.

Quite a few times, the flick reminded me of Chetan Bhagat's latest of his trio, The 3 Mistakes of My life. Well, theres no similarity in the plots, but the story tends to get way too unbelievable at times and I felt the same when I was reading the book named above.

More than half of the people who I have talked about the book said it wasnt easy to digest some portions of the book as they seemed to be way too imaginary and I wudnt disagree. But why do we forget it was a piece of imagination, a piece of fiction!

And why do we read fiction if we cant digest a writer's imagination and if we cant imagine or visualise whatever he is trying to put across? Rather than pin-pointing such petty things, it wud be better and logical to read non-fictions!

Sweety.

Weekend Insomnia

2008-07-05T11:12:00.004+05:30

Not feeling sleepy despite of a hectic night, I resorted to one of the things I love in my life...Music.

Atif's new track is out and its there on my current playlist and I am loving it...like his other tracks, like all other romantic tracks, for I think of A everytime I listen to it, even when he's sleeping blissfully by my side :) and here comes my coffee! Been ages I tasted it, I try and keep away from it so I dont loose my sleep but I thought I can have some today, when I am so feeling like having it and while the weekend is still here and I can catch up on my sleep later too. Coffee always reminds me of tea, which I havent tasted in 23+ years of my life. Mom never introduced me to it initially, for she thought I might start liking it over milk :) and then I also never picked it thinking tea, being dark in colour makes you dark! By the time I realised the truth, I had decided I seriously dint wish to taste it, and so it continues...

Coming back to Atif, K in her usual Q&A session asked if I had ever been to his live performances, sensing my liking for him. Yet another time I said no!

She continued, "do you know how is his voice in reality?" I really dint have a clue so I made it clear from my face expressions. She, after sensing my ignorance, enlightened, "its very bad! In his live concerts, one can figure out that hes not singing live and they play the recorded tracks in the background and he would just move his lips." "So do they edit it everytime he records a song in a studio?", I asked almost worried. And as suspected, she said, "yes!"

When I pondered on it again on my way back to my desk, I realised it really dint matter to me cz I just listen to what I love and I love what I listen to! How they get it is really not my business.

Now about last night at work. Despite of calibration with client and lots of pending audits, I managed to dine out with A between the shift and it was just lovely! No wonder I still love it when we go out for a date cz I can successfully forget the fact that I am married to him!

K met him last night and said she found him cute....

& I cant afford to disagree!!!

Sweety.

Abandoned in the Abundance of Love

2008-07-01T18:42:00.005+05:30

Less than a couple dozen years of life and here's the eleventh man to have joined the gang...the gang of love strucks!

Where am I heading? Where's life taking me? How am I going to face the captain?

Sweety.

Yaari Dosti Taaza Maaza!

2008-06-28T19:01:00.004+05:30

AP: Keep smiling! Was good talking to you after so long today.

S: :-)

AP: Shabaash!

S: :-D

AP: Alright, dats it! Dont make any more faces now.

S: B-) 8-)

AP: Stop that now. You're gonna be away for 2 days... :-(

S: :-P

AP: Oh Pagal Ladki.

S: :-(

AP: Pagal, Stupid, Idiot, enough now!

S: :'-(

The era of emoticans saves many many words!

Sweety.

Memoirs of a D'uh!

2008-06-26T21:14:00.004+05:30

My new colleague K asked me yesterday if I had, ever in my life, rang someone's doorbell and ran away. Somewhat ashamed, I said, "no", but mentioned how annoyed I used to be when someone would ring our doorbell and I wouldnt find anyone waiting outside the gate. This was nothing less than a torture in summer afternoons, where you are half-sleep and all you see outside are deserted streets and no signs of those pranksters!

She asked back, "have you ever played street cricket?" Proudly, this time I said , "yes."and that "yes" gave a green signal to some memories to be lively in some part of my mind. I recalled how I loved to bat and hated to field whenever I played the game. I recalled I wasnt very good at it but still enjoyed quite a lot. I recalled playing with kids who were atleast 8-10 years younger to me! And I also recalled how I had once hit someone, right in his stomach, for I had sensed he was watching me play and I dint want him to. That someone...he was my dad's frnd's son, dad liked him a lot, they both were each other's favs, so much so that dad said it once he wanted to marry me off to him... Anyway, the guy smiled despite of that shot for he knew I had noticed him :D

While I was still lost in all this, K shot back. "Have you been mischevious in school days?" was her next question. I was humiliated this time. Reason being my sis who had asked me the same question just a couple days back and made me realised what I had missed in my life.

2 people have asked me same thing just in span of 2 days and they looked for the same thing...something I had never done and they had reacted identically...I realised being the way I was back then is just not IN these days!

All I treasure from my schooling years is being in good books of teachers, sincerity, obedience, topping the class every year, being named a "book-worm". Such a seedha - sadha bachcha I was, that now when I look back, I laugh at myself.

I love Pink Floyd's "We don't need no education" I so love it in my new avatar! And I am pretty sure, I would have ridiculed the artist for passing out such a message had I heard it in those years ;)

K said yesterday that I looked like a docile and I gladly replied, "these looks are deceptive, babe." She would have hit bull's eye had she said it around 3 years back. Those who know me in and out, would give all the credit (good or bad) to A & I wouldnt disagree. This man has changed me and changed me for good. Its been a complete transformation, believe you me!

I surrendered myself to him, but do you know the best part of this surrender? I have all the freedom I need and more & I love my life like this, I love my life with him!

Sweety.

P.S.: Those who think I was contradicting myself towards the end of the article, I suggest they need to read it over and over and over again until they start feeling that I wasn't! :P

Random Updates

2008-06-23T21:53:00.006+05:30

I had decided to write today, may be some lines from my current fave song and Geetika was there to push me too...but the song will follow, work comes first.

My new campaign went live today, GMT noon time. Last 2 weeks of training, I have been busy and so has the day today, so far. With the first few test calls came a lot of things...loads of last minute doubts, nervous faces, plenty of technical errors, which is quite a custom here ;) and we knew it was coming! The first day of calls in a campaign has a lot of expectations, a lot of excitement, a lot of nervousness, a lot of first-timer-phobia :D

A guy even made it to the sale today and I got to do the verification!!! Reminds of the days I was in sales as an executive, around 4 yrs down the line...I used to see guys reading their scripts verbatim, stopping only to hear the firang on the other end say yes! (Firangs are who we deal with, I am used to this term, so please bear with me!)

And then comes my new role...quality analysis and I was given this:

Simply b'ful!

And now, as I stated in the beginning, here are few lines from my current fav song...ekdum latesht!

"Tu Khush Hai Toh Lage Ke Jahan Me Chayi Hai Khushi

Sooraj Nikle Baadalon Se Aur Baate Zindagi

Sun Toh Zara Madhosh Hawa Tujhse Kehne Lagi

Ki Aditi Woh Jo Bichadte Hain Ik Na Ik Din Fir Mil Jate Hain

Yeh Aditi Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na Phool Fir Khil Jate Hain...."

No...my name is not Aditi. No...I have not yet fallen for the new guy. No...I have not started liking Aamir overnight. :D The only reason I like this track is because it has been able to make me smile ear to ear in last fortnight, where I dint sleep for more than 4-5 hrs at a stretch, where I missed A like anything, where I was just so occupied...

Anyway, have to get back to my new headphones and listen to non-stop yap yap yap and then some more yapping!

Sweety.

Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!

2008-06-16T09:00:00.005+05:30

Many many happy returns of the day! Happy Birthday A!

A turns 23 today :)

Going down the memory lane, I recall I gifted him a poem on his birthday few years back. It seemed to be a perfect poem, for it had the ditto feelings I had. It was a long long one so following are a few excerpts:

"ye janmdin, har din, mubarak ho unko

dost to bahut hain par hum jaan maante hain jinko.

Khushiyo se ho malamaal, sametna mushkil ho unko,

God ne khud happy birthday kaha ho, aisa mehsoos ho unko mann ko.

......

sochte hain is mauke par, hum bhi keh de apna kissa tamaam,

bata de zamane ko, kyu lete hain baar baar aapka naam.

tu hi to hai woh jis se raushan hai subah, mehakti hai meri shaam,

meri zindagi ka behatarin hissa hai, tu banda nahi hai aam.

.....

ye dua hai meri ki sitaro se badhkar chamke tere naseeb,

tu jinhe chahe wo rahe har pal tere kareeb.

tu kar dikhaye har kamaal chahe aam ho ya ajeeb,

tu dosto ki ho pasand, tu zamane ko ho azeez.

......"

So sorry A, for sneaking in your file from the briefcase ;)

It was yet another day that made me realise I can never do enough to show what you mean to me!

Sweety.

I've got to be ME

2008-06-10T18:10:00.010+05:30

Its CRISIS time.

For the first time its "identity crisis". For the first time I am feeling bored with things. For the first time.....

I do not welcome changes easliy, but its the stagnant life of mine that's been a botheration for me.

They say its a mood swing period I am going thru, I know I am not. At the same time I dont know what I am going thru.

It dint happen overnight. At the same time I dont know when it started to change.

Its not because of just one thing. At the same time I dont know what the reason is.

I have been "the busier, the happier" kinds, so far as I remember. I adore this state so much so that its being difficult to survive with this trait at work. May be I was like this always and this "busy" phase never let me think of it ever.

Sustaining zenith is getting impossible by the day. Not that its tough to handle it, but Work is what you prove yourself with.

No work, no test.

No test, no evalution.

Give it some time and people forget you as if you were never there. Identity crisis, isnt it?

Sweety.

New voyage called VONAGE

2008-06-07T00:28:00.012+05:30

Another change is just round the corner...
Come Monday and its gonna be all different...for just a few weeks, but yes, change is a change.

I have been moved to a new project, and that means new working hours, new work, and people from a new culture to deal with.
I am going to start working on a project which is outsourced to us by Vonage UK. We start with a week long voice and accent training along with a few inputs on UK Culture and then may be 2 weeks for a thorough knowledge of Vonage product/services, which we are about to sell. Ohh yes, we are going to selllllll.... :(

The day I was told that I was going to be a part of this campaign, I was so so excited cz I was looking for some change in my boring work which was related with web-research day in and day out. Reading web-sites, copying - pasting & editing data to no relief.

Today is going to be the last day of it all. Monday morning...yes its going to be a day shift, so monday morning when I report at office, I am gonna head straight to the training room! To a week long learning of a country's culture and dialect. I like training sessions, for they are meant to enhance the learning, for they have more fun time, for they let you have a better interaction with everyone around and there is no boredom most of the times. Not many people wud agree wid the last point, but this stands true for me.

Another change that I'd like to talk about, before I forget to mention it...
My role is gonna be changed too. I have always been a part of operations, but this time I'm gonna join the Quality brigade :) :(

Yeah I have a mixed feeling for that, m happy and excited as its gonna be an all new job, new responsibilities and new challenges and I am sad as I haven't got any experience in this field. Though they call me perfectionist and diligent when it comes to quality from operations' point of view, but I have no clue what quality is from quality's point of view!
Someone who has a lot of faith in me chose me for this role, knowing I had no great knowledge of it all. I am sure expectations are an all time high this time and I have to live up to them. Once again!

Besides all this, coming 3 weeks would also mean lack of time for web and for blogging. I'd also be adjusting my sleep and my day's routine, but what I am going to miss the most is my time with A.
Now that's what the challenge is!

Hope to be back here soon,
Sweety.

WOW!

2008-05-30T07:40:00.013+05:30

Wow! Wow! Wow!

Pretty overwhelmed with all kinda feelings now and have quite a few reasons to continue "wowing"...

Courtesy Gujar protests, my company did not send the office cab to my place today, my boss smilingly asking me to enjoy the holiday, while most of'em had to work, just because their homes were not at places affected with the protests (or may be riots)...So I was home the entire day(rather night) cz thats wat my shift is, and I bet they marked me Present with special comments against it..... WOW!!!

Because of this off work day, I got to visit our flat where a lot of things are going on...we'll be moving soon, that kinda scares me, but I trust my Man on this, just like i do for everything else. I got to choose the paint shades for all rooms, cabinet shapes and designs for the under-construction modular kitchen, feeling busier than ever..... Wow!!!

For the rest of my time of the day, I guess, I did the best thing ever... I read Chetan's latest of his trio, titled as "The 3 Mistakes of my life" cover to cover.....yes, can you beat that? Finished reading it moments back and felt the urge of writing here :) What a book..... WOW!!!

Now just in case you think I am trying to do something like the book with my 3 pointers above, please know that this was co-incidental.

I do not plan to write a review on the book, however, if it sounds like that, please be reminded that its not one ;)

While I was reading the book, I was comparing it with the previous 2, all the time. Though I have liked both of'em, and "One night..." being one of the first fictions I read, I think this one was as good as his debut book, leaving far far far behind the second one...

Last weekend when I had bought it, my husband said if his writing style was still the same...knowing that I had already read an excerpt of the book on the website...I had replied in positive. But had added, its nice to hear/read stories in that style. I am not a CB fan, but at the same time, I like his books just like I like many others.

With the third book added to his list, he continues to write in the same manner where one doesnt need a dictionary to comprehend whats going on, it rather feels like he's talking to you all the time (works perfectly for patient & good listeners like me ;) ), fun & good humor intact, very cute and beautiful when it comes to romantic scenes and I simply love his selection of words and expressions! He continues using long-hyphanated-tags (just like this one!) that add the fun of reading his write-ups.

1 thing that sets "3 mistakes..." apart of the trio is that its based on issues and incidents broader than those of Book 1 & 2. There was a lot blood and gore in the book but I figured out by the end, Chetan likes happy endings, like most of us. I so much like the way he writes the acknowledgment part of his books... In one of his books, he had even thanked Bill gates for Microsoft Word and its various fonts, for they let him show quite a few things simultaneously!

Chetan Bhagat has raised the bar for himself with "3 mistakes..." and I dont mind saying it... I am waiting for his next, right from today onwards!

Its a must read for those who were disappointed after "one night..." for it'll reinstill their liking for the author, but only if they wish to!

Apologies if my views above contained spoilers for the book. Here's the link to book's page on Chetan's website: The 3 Mistakes of my Life

Sweety.

Acknowledgements (not really!)

2008-05-23T19:40:00.004+05:30

I got a few words of appreciation last evening :)
Soon as I reached office and signed in to Yahoo IM, hubby dearest expressed he had liked my last post as it was very well written...

Generally, whenever I update the blog, I tell him I have updated expecting him to read, knowing his schedule doesn’t permit him to go and check it everyday for any updates. I do this for he’s the one who made me try my hands on writing though starting with blogs was my idea.

His appreciation came when it was least expected and the words were so mild and beautiful, I had tears in my eyes (I dint tell him this, now he’d know!) I realized my hands trembling while I tried writing “Thank-You” I was back to normal soon thinking I was in office and was just about to start my day.

While going back home, I thought about it again. And with that, also came memories and all the good times. Sometimes, the fear of losing it all is what makes you get it all in life. Makes you dare to do things you might not have courage to do otherwise! There was a time when there used to be marriage proposals coming for me every now and then. People visiting us pretending they had come to console on our loss and then calling us back to tell they had found me very homely and would like to propose for marriage. Sick!

My hubby has always been my confidante; he has always known what’s going on in my life. And when he came to know of these stupid behaviors of people, he realized he needed to say it now. He knew once I got married, he’s gonna lose this friendship as well. His actions made me also confess I had the same love for him. So the sense of losing me made him get me!

Today when we remember those times, he makes fun of me saying if he had not done this, I wud’ve got married to some mama’s boy, no clue how gud/bad he wud’ve been to me, I picture myself mothering at least 2 kids (may be more), leave alone working full time and managing home simultaneously! Sounds more like a caged bird, doesn’t it? Well it does to me. I never had great expectations out of me, but I had never wanted to end up like this either!

Whenever I seem to complain that he’s not spending time with me, he replies humorously, “You know, the moment I was born, I had my index finger pointing towards Delhi to show everyone that you are there and I have come only for you, see I have been so dedicated towards you and you say I don’t spend time with you?” He leaves me speechlessly wondering how great his imagination is.

He’s always been with me thru my thick n thin, silently supporting me, perhaps leaving me to realize it all…so I wanna let him know…I realize it, understand it and appreciate it!

I owe a lot of things in life to you, including myself!

Sweety.

Is it worth it?

2008-05-22T01:58:00.006+05:30

I’ve been doing a lot of things everyday, day after day…except for a few, I don’t feel like doing’em…they don’t interest me anymore…they are done just because someone asked for’em…

Root cause of the pain is knowing things done unwillingly are not even being realized, acknowledged, appreciated…guess the last word was like asking for a little too much...

Thinking of times flooded with work… Days spent thinking work, sleeping work, eating work & doing work, joy of being acknowledged, joy of being appreciated, joy of being the centre of attention (though I din't like it much), joy of being on top of everything (as they say it), joy of being the only one in the category to have received awards, joy of being the reason of people’s jealousy…gone are the days…

I was raised to be honest and sincere, loyal and truthful and was proud to have acquired these qualities, now I wonder if they are still considered to be qualities. Sincerity doesn’t pay without being able to refuse to obey, Honesty doesn’t pay without being manipulative, being loyal doesn’t pay without being bitching, being truthful doesn’t pay without saying half truths is what I’ve been observing, and I feel I am stuck!

I am stuck because I find it all contradicting and I can never understand how they do it. I can never do this without losing things I am proud of possessing and if I ever do it, I wouldn’t consider myself alive anymore because I don’t think its really worth living like being that.

I feel being wasted…

Sweety.

Office Party <:-)

2008-05-19T23:34:00.030+05:30

Friday, May 16 was Office party for TM at IQR. Last one was in April '07 and so this one was much awaited.

I aint a regular at parties and the biggest requisite for me is the presence of hubby dearest. Still I decided to attend this one, after Boss #2 had asked me to be there and left me wondering why he said that...so we left the office at 2200 hrs for the venue. I wudnt really name the place cz it sucked big time and I am not here to write reviews abt places...anyway.

So, I signed on the entry sheet corresponding to my name in the list, got my wrist stamped with the logo of the place at the entrance and stepped inside. Soon as I joined a couple of colleagues, I was asked what i'd like to drink and that reminded me of a small exchange of words merely an hour back:
R: Have changed my mind, I think I am going to party, Oliie asked me to join.
A: Gud, have a gud time. Dont drink too much. Love you.
R: Do you think I am gonna drink? Not without you, darls.
A: I meant water, juice....
R: Dont you kid me, ok?
And I declared I wanted juice. "What, you have come here to drink juice?" Asked PS. Astonished, I replied, "Yes, I dont drink when A is not around." She laughed at me, doesnt matter, I thot. :) Snacks were served and drinks started flowing. I quickly sent a text to A, who was still in office and much to my dismay, having a bad day. Guess it worsened it for him wen I wrote, "boring party, missing you loads."

Music was ok initially, probably the DJ took time getting our taste of music...but does it really matter when people are drunk to no limit and all they want is a loud noise to move thier bodies? But yes, music got better and better gradually. And that was only gud thing about the place. Gud english and punjabi music made everyone move non-stop. I can't dance, honestly and so I was sitting at the back, tapping my feet on the floor, non stop (thats all I know about dancing) and munching on chilly chicken and kababs when Boss #2 approaches. Clicking pix from his cam he asked why I wasnt dancing. "Cz I dunno how to", came the apt reply from me. "Yeah, as if I joined a dance school as soon as I was born!!" Saying this, boss left me speechless, stepping on the dance floor again.

I love to see people dancing. I can always spot a few who believe in "Dance as if no one's watching", it shows from the way they dance! While I refused many a requests to dance, I thot of having some more juice. Spotting Boss #1 near the bar, I approached him and asked him to get one for me, meanwhile, Boss #2 comes towards the bar.
R: Thanks for making me come here, I think its gonna be a gud one for all of us.
Boss: (smiling) btw, what are you having?
R: Pineapple juice!

Guess he was a lil concerned, knowing A wasnt around. Making him smile, I left the bar. Back here at the dance floor, things were getting better by the minute. Booze effect, eh? It was so great to see all the bosses dancing, making faces and drinking. For a change, no superviser scolded anyone for not meeting target and no executive cribbed for break. The best part, no hierarchy, no boss-subordinate relation!

Soon, the booze effect was clearly visible on a few and others were still sober. And then we got some retro hindi music! A gr8 start with "Pyar hamein kis mod pe le aaya" made all the bosses go jump on the dance floor, followed by "bachna aye hasino lo main aa gaya" with Boss #2, moving fingers in his hair and giving cute expressions on his face. "Roop tera mastana" left him wondering which gal he shud tease and dance with! :)

It was a little after mid-night when the DJ announced he was going to play the last track for the night. We all shouted our lungs out asking for more n more! Sensing that I was the only one who hadnt danced yet, MS, our new CEO grabbed my hand and brought me to the dance floor. Dilemma: I cant dance and I cant say no to her! So I called all those who I had refused to dance with and thot of trying it out with'em. Thanks to my misfortune, the track the DJ had played turned out to be "Sutta", OMG! But u know what? I went on, I really dunno who saw me doing that, but yes, I danced for a few seconds and ran back. See the Suttah effect:

& The best one...

Next 45 minutes were spent requesting DJ for more music and dancing endlessly. With the free supply of booze, almost everyone had had enough, but not everyone can handle it, u see. The worst part was when a supervisor was also out and started acting insane. I heard a bouncer(i guess he was a bouncer) asking his boss not to play anymore music fearing we wudnt move out of the place if it wasnt stopped. ;) :P The bosses made sure everyone had dinner which was one real difficult task to get done. I, all of a sudden felt an urge of having ice cream so I asked Boss #1.
R: (Raising my hand like a school kid) I want an ice cream!
Boss: Have ur food and u'l get it.
R: Had it.
Boss: Will just get one.

And I saw him asking the buffet guy, but I figured thay dint have ice cream in stock, strange though. We finally left and I heard a lot of us thanking the bosses, shaking hands, hugging each other. Nice feeling. :) I also moved towards Boss #1.
R: Thanks a lot, S.
Boss: You are always welcome, R.
R: (smiling wickedly) I thanked for the ice-cream, S.
Boss: (Embarassed) Sorry yaar, they didnt have it. We'll have one once we get downstairs.

I smiled and dint say anything, cz I appreciated what he had said and I also knew there wudnt be an Ice Cream wala outside at this hour of night. Its atitude dat matters to me!

I have a special caption for the pix below: "Shikari khud yaha shikar ho gaya!"

It was a gr8 evening that made us see who we really were, what we were made of and our different facets. We were just being ourselves, unlike we are when we are in office. May be we dont realise, but we put on a mask wen at work but the real us comes out only in these times! This outing also made me realise how important such times are for they let you know each other better.

Sweety

Mother's day

2008-05-11T08:50:00.010+05:30

Happy Mother’s day to all…

A perfect morning, the day started with a long walk and my fav radio station, and before I forget to mention, lemme tell you the best part of this morning... the weather today! It rained in Delhi & NCR today!

See what I clicked!

Its mother’s day today. Honestly, I don’t believe in these observations cz few people and things are so vital in our lives, that we just cant celebrate them in just one day of the year…they are to be cherished all thru our lives…

But I have a few things in mind which I’d like to jot down today, about my Mom and my childhood…These are a few things I’d never forget in life:

Mom used to say I was fairer than milk when I was born. Morning after my birth, one of my cousins, after seeing me, told her elder brother how sweet I looked. She was so elated by that feeling that she went on describing me. She used the word “sweet” so many times that her brother (who’d had enough, guess) had declared, “Let’s name her Sweety”.. And that’s how I got my name!

Like every other kid, when I started talking, it look me long to get a few words right. A pigeon was called “Taate”, soap was “chhanjun”, katori (bowl) was “kotri” and so on. But the best of them all was how I pronounced the word six! No matter how hard everyone wud try, I wudnt say “six”, but I’d say “chick” !!! Pure fun :D

This was back in 1987, I started going to school when I was hardly 2.5 yrs old. A lady was appointed to pick me and a few other kids of the locality to take us to school. She’d pick me first and the two of us would walk around and pick other kids and by the time I reached school, I used to be half dead! Quite weak as I already was, I used to start vomiting as soon as I stepped in the school. As a result, mom talked to my school principal, who used to live nearby, and she started picking me up on her way to school…and I got rid of those pukish mornings.

Another school memory…mom once visited school for a parents meeting. As she entered the class-room, she noticed I wasn’t doing the class work, but just looking at the girl sitting next to me…mom enquired my teacher who happily responded saying the other gal had not brought her pencil that day and so I had lent her my only pencil before I did my own work!!! Was I so generous way back then??? Unbelievable…

I had prayed to God to give me lil brother when someone told me Mom was about to bring a baby home. I was hardly six then. One morning when my cousin woke me up telling me I had got a younger sister that morning, I simply refused to even open my eyes! Turning to the other side I said, “I had asked for a boy, not a gal. Ask god to change it before I get up, or else I wudn’t talk to Him” So bad!!!

Like every other elder kid, I had my fair share of sibling rivalry too. Dad was neutral, but mom wud always favor her and all I’d get was scolding. I still remember once I fell down from stairs with her in my arms and I was the last one to be noticed, she got all the attention! I had many similar grievances, which were never addressed… but with time, I have understood how natural and real it is, life teaches you everything!

As a kid, I was pretty regular with TV, mithun da being my fav hero of all… I once saw him getting bruised in an action scene and I ran towards my mom to get a band-aid for him, though I never thought how it’d reach him! So attached I was! In another movie, he dies but re-incarnates (the usual Indian filmy drama, u know). Moments ago, I was so grieved by his death as I thought it was real & I wudnt get to watch another movie of his, but now his presence on screen delighted me and made me jumping and chirping all over the place! Those were the days…

The place where I spent the initial 4.5 yrs of childhood had plenty of monkeys roaming around in the residential area. They would roam as if it was their kingdom and would ruin everything they had access to. One such afternoon, when mom and I were alone at home, two of’em entered the kitchen, coming down from terrace. Doing the usual thing, drinking water straight out of refrigerator, one of them caught my leg and wudnt leave me while I was in mom’s lap. We both shouted our lungs out and a neighbor came running to rescue us. He literally joined his hands and chanted Hanuman Chalisa and that made the monkey leave me and go back!

For me, days like mother's day or even valentine's day don’t really matter but people do, but this day today has reminded me of the best days of life I got to spend withher…miss ya, mom!

Here's something to suffice my funny bone:

Sweety.

Appraisal Blues

2008-05-08T22:32:00.003+05:30

Thinking of Michael Jackson...humming one of his songs...

All I wanna say is that

they don't really care about us!

Sweety.

Badal pe paao hain!!!!!

2008-05-01T23:25:00.008+05:30

“We're blessed with an angel, Our princess has arrived!!!”

My husband was sending this text message to everyone we both knew and we could hear our phones ringing non-stop. I had been thru probably the most terrible pain and the fruit was now in my arms – a baby girl, my hubby had always wanted a daughter, I guess every father does the same, though I had no preferences as such, honestly.

As the visitors’ hour approached, I saw my few hours old lil gal trying to get acquainted with almost everyone, peeing in the laps of only the lucky ones ;) while her dad cudnt stop smiling for even a fraction of a second, as if all his wishes had come true, and I was lost in flash back of last few months, which we both had spent, sometimes imagining, sometimes dreading (only me) and sometimes dreaming, rather day dreaming!

My life was changed and I was so very excited about the coming days, rest of my life will now be revolving around not only my man, but around her too, I’l get to be wat I’ve always loved being, a kid! I dint care if I was going to get sleep-less nights or lazy days, I was plain happy – period! I soon conversed with the doc, and I was told she had been easy on me, and I so thanked the God (who I think of only when I have to thank Him) for this, for saving me from facing my biggest fear…a caesarian delivery, I had always feared this…

I was lost in all this when my cell phone rang again, informing me that my office cab was on its way to my place, to come pick me for office…what the heck!!! That heavenly time…what was that supposed to be??? A dream? Yes it was a dream, and I got up to the reality, cursing the same God and began my day...

No, this dream really doesn’t mean I m ready to be a mom already…but yes, I am pretty hopeful about it. It might sound funny that whenever I talk about kids, my husband feels as if I am ready to go, and specifies he isn’t yet, and is reassured by me. He’d laugh it out and he’d never answer if I’d ask him how many kids he’d want to father, but I have always wanted just one kid, doesn’t matter a gal or a boy…and when I shared the same with my Rakhi-Brother(who happens to be the only child of his parents), I got a serious advice. He said you can nvr share anything and everything with ur folks, but its hell easier wen its ur sibling who you are sharing it with, so think of at least 2…self experience in that thought was abundant and made me think deeply into it…

I haven’t decided on that yet thinking time will tell the best, but let me tell you, just a glimpse of motherhood and that too in a dream, has made my eyes sparkle, more than ever!

Sweety.

Nothing, Really...

2008-04-30T00:02:00.008+05:30

And I thought Introspection helps!!!

Sweety.

History of April 1

2008-04-01T22:34:00.009+05:30

Nothing really historical about the day, but a few facts I found to be interesting!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

April 1, 374 Comet 1P/374 E1 (Halley) approaches within 0.0884 AUs of Earth

April 1, 1578 William Harvey of England discovers blood circulation

April 1, 1778 Oliver Pollock, a New Orleans businessman, creates "$"

April 1, 1792 Gronings feminist Etta Palm demands women's right to divorce

April 1, 1793 Volcano Unsen on Japan erupts killing about 53,000

April 1, 1866 U.S. Congress rejects presidential veto gives all equal rights

April 1, 1867 Blacks vote in municipal election in Tuscumbia, Alabama

April 1, 1872 1st edition of The Standard

April 1, 1889 1st dishwashing machine marketed in Chicago

April 1, 1891 London-Paris telephone connection opens

April 1, 1900 1st edition of Dutch newspaper "The People"

April 1, 1924 Imperial Airways forms in Britain

April 1, 1924 Hitler sentenced to 5 years labor but Gen Ludendorff acquitted

April 1, 1927 1st automatic record changer introduced by His Master's Voice (HMV)

April 1, 1929 Louie Marx introduces Yo-Yo Game

April 1, 1931 Earthquake devastate Managua Nicaragua, kills 2,000

April 1, 1936 Orissa constituted a province of British India

April 1, 1942 Mexico changes from 3 time zones to 2

April 1, 1944 Japanese troops conquer Jessami, East-India

April 1, 1946 400,000 U.S. mine workers strike

April 1, 1946 Tsunamis generated by a quake in Aleutian Trench strike Hilo, Hawaii

April 1, 1948 Big Bang theory proposed

April 1, 1952 U.S. performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

April 1, 1954 Earthquake and tsunami ravage Aleutians, 200 killed

April 1, 1954 U.S. Air Force Academy forms

April 1, 1957 World's biggest glass oven used

April 1, 1963 New York City's newspapers resume publishing after a 114 day strike

April 1, 1964 10 degrees F lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in April

April 1, 1970 President Nixon signs bill limiting cigarette advertisements

April 1, 1971 United Kingdom lifts all restrictions on gold ownership

April 1, 1973 Japan allows its citizens to own gold

April 1, 1973 John and Yoko form a new country with no laws or boundaries, called Nutopia, its national anthem is silence

April 1, 1976 Stephen Wozniak and Steven Jobs founded Apple Computer

April 1, 1980 France performs nuclear test

April 1, 1986 Delhi beat Haryana by innings and 141 to win Ranji Trophy

April 1, 1986 World oil prices dip below $10 a barrel

April 1, 1990 It becomes illegal in Salem Oregon to be within 2' of nude dancers ;) :D

April 1, 1991 U.S. minimum wage goes from $3.80 to $4.25 per hour

Courtesy: BrainyHistory

Sweety.

Broken…

2008-03-26T21:48:00.006+05:30

I heard about an unpleasant incident today. A colleague’s uncle died in a road accident, when his car collided with a truck loaded with oxygen cylinders, needless to say, he died on the spot. The police, as if this wasn’t enough, injected the dead with alcohol, and made an ugly scene. Unfortunately, car belonged to a friend and the poor guy wasn’t carrying his driving license. The news came out later in evening and now the cops demanded bribe to close the case and release the body. How unfortunate! Makes me wonder if we really need something like police…are they there to make life better for us or worsen it???

I soon got over with the Police part, it’s something usual in my city…but I can’t get over the fact that it’s a broken family now. L Probably he was the one who earned the bread and butter for his family… I know nothing in this world stops when someone leaves, no matter how great a person he/she was, but still!

When I went thru this breaking thing, when it happened with my family, when I was barely 14, I thought of Something once…The only person I shared it with dint agree with me, I dint argue, I dint fight, but I kept this thought back in my heart, where it came from, but with the news of every demise, I think of it again and again, and today is one such day…

So that thinking of mine says, Families shouldn’t be broken.

That simply means that a family would comprise of parents and their kids, and according to me, no one would leave or die alone. If the time has come for’em, they all would die together! So that there’s no one to cry after’em, no one has to miss’em, no one feels deprived of anything, and above all, nobody’s life is blank, be it any page of life! And yah, that also makes me ponder on how this entire episode will go to one generation after the other, if I think logically (Yeah I do that too, sometimes). I got a temporary solution to this too, but I sure knew God wouldn’t buy that, if I were ever to present it to him.

I wrote it here today, not because another death reminded me of it, not because I wanted to take it forward to more and more people and get someone to support or agree with me, but because I wanted it to come out of my heart and be there on my mind always, I might find one reason, one solution, one day. Amen!

Sweety.

Why?

2008-03-09T00:40:00.008+05:30

My husband told me this last night...Early that evening; he had gone to buy something at a local shop. The next thing he saw, the shop owner, slouching in his chair with his eyes closed, was listening to a real old number…do naina, ek kahani, thoda sa badal, thoda sa pani, aur ek kahani… this was enough to remind him of the days when he was an ardent music lover…Lucky Ali and a couple more being his favs…

We both are working. I am in sales and He works with numbers and works approx 14 hours a day, and his day is such that doesn’t permit him to listen to music, I feel, and not only music, but a lot of similar things…“little things of joy”. And this small incident that took place a few hours back in his life made him say this… “I want to play some music for myself while I am also slouching on my chair, with my eyes closed, not being bothered about anything, at all!” and in my heart I had said, “Amen”…

Post 13 months of married life, I have countless good and very good and excellent things that have happened but I’d also admit that the little time we get together (read “weekend”), we try our best to make it the BEST! But honestly, not everything can wait till next weekend comes. We try our best to show up in family gatherings and we try our best to keep up with our social circuit but we fail at times…but the irony of life is when at work, we never fail…and sometimes, I wonder WHY?

Sweety.

I’m Balanced Brain!!!

2008-03-02T00:37:00.014+05:30

May be for the first time, I am writing about something after a lot of research and reading on the net! (For people like me, writing about brain really needs time and research!!!) :D

I am at Tickle (http://web.tickle.com/) for over 2 years now and have taken so many tests, that I’ve lost the count! I guess they’ve too and probably that’s why they started mailing me 1 free test in e-mail every week (When I say free test, read free results for tests, which they usually sell for around $10!) And this week’s was Brain Test… well, just to find out if I was Right brained or Left Brained. Funny test, I’d say, but yeah, with good logics hidden behind every question! And they came out with the results with the blink of an eye! This is what I read about myself:

“You are Balanced Brain. That means you are able to draw on the strengths of both the right and left hemispheres of your brain, depending upon a given situation. (Makes me smile ear to ear, already!!!) While many people have clearly dominant left- or right-brained tendencies, you are able to draw on skills from both hemispheres of your brain. This rare combination makes you a very creative and flexible thinker. (Yipeeeeee, it really cudnt get better than this !!!!!)

But…The down side to being balanced-brained is that you may sometimes feel paralyzed by indecision when the two hemispheres of your brain are competing to solve a problem in their own unique ways. (Now I know why I find myself pointing at right when I really mean Left and vice-versa!!! No kidding…this happens quite often with me, how true!)”
As if that wasn’t enough, they also mentioned: "Other balanced-brained people are pop singer Madonna, classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and comedian and actor Robin Williams." (Well, till now, I really never thot I had something in common with’em!!!)

Left brained people are those who: * go as per facts and not logic* Focus on words & language & not the way they are said * Like math and science * Acknowledge well * Have good order/pattern perception * Are Practical and safe * Form strategies

And Right brained are known to * Learn symbols and images rather than names * Be Risk taking * Like philosophy and religion * Present the possibilities * Believe and appreciate * Be Good at imagination and so on!

Courtesy: Heraldsun

(http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html)

I never knew simple details about one could tell what side of brain that person is oriented to be! Things like keeping your desk messy or cleared all the time, being better at algebra or geometry, day dreaming or not, thinking in pictures or words, using words or pictures more when talking, being more flexible or more stable, being better at remembering names or faces…..

Courtesy: Blogthings

(www.blogthings.com/areyourightorleftbrainedquiz/)

Another website said: The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Gosh! This was crazy…

Pictures Courtesy: "Google Images"

P.S.: If this entire trivia above gives you some idea about your brain or/and makes you curious to know more about yours, I recommend you appear for a test and know for urself!

Sweety.

Father of the Bride (1991)

2008-02-24T00:15:00.010+05:30

Love is wonderful. Until it happens to your only daughter.

Father of the bride (1991) is a remake of the original one which came in 1950 and I saw this movie yesterday. The movie starts with the father facing the camera and telling us about his relationship with her daughter…it was nothing more than a typical relationship between any father-daughter relationship under the sun, but it was his way of narrating it that hooked me to watch the movie…and he takes us to the story of their lives 6 months back…

The daughter returns back home after her studies in Rome and on the dinner-table one night, she breaks the news of her being engaged to a guy, showing her folks the engagement ring…the father almost imagines her daughter being a 5 year old and saying the same lines to him!!! The mother seems to be the happiest mom ever, but on the other hand, the father is almost dead with the shock…and there starts the dilemma of his life!

For last 22 years, he’s been a hero for her daughter and realizes he’s being replaced by a guy who is just 6 months old in her daughter’s life… Though he’s convinced soon, but the events that take place in his life in next few months teach him a lot, and by the end of it, he is mentally prepared for everything.

As the story advances, it reminds me of my father, more and more every second…I can’t express in words how I was putting him, my husband and myself in the story constantly…the most touching scene was when the wedding begins…I almost saw my father holding my hand and taking me inside the church, to leave me standing next to my groom…as if he were giving away the biggest part of his heart to someone who is a stranger for him…I could successfully manage to wipe my tears before my husband could see’em…

I am sure Dad was there when I got married witnessing everything, just like my best person, but I just wish I could see him with these eyes, when he gave me away to Adarsh!

Sweety

Chums!!!

2008-02-14T23:26:00.010+05:30

Yeah I know its Valentines Day today but I am going to write about friends…I wanted to write this for quite some time and somehow realized today is the right day to do it...my fav talk show made me write it today……so here I go…

It was 1.5 yrs back, during a cousin’s wedding when I met a guy who expected me to guess who he was, and if not that, atleast try to recall abt him…and I cudnt...and he was introduced to me as a childhood frnd of mine, and I was told that we lost touch around 15-16 yrs back! Looong time…but before that, we had reportedly wrestled together, besides other games kids of our age play! And since then, we’ve been the best of friends…again!

My wedding is 1 yr old now and I don’t think anything has changed between him n me…atleast from my end… no matter how much he doubted me on this…but today, after listening to my fav talk-show, which undoubtedly discussed about friends today, I realized he has changed…he dsnt call me dat often…he has to think of a good time to call…is it true that my marital status is making him think of all this? Will I also think the same once he’s married…will I also have to think twice before calling him, just like he does? I mean, I feel free to bug him anytime of the day, but will I be able to do it once he’s married too?

Valentine’s Day was a time for introspection for me…he will read it today…may be he’ll think too…may be he wont…may be he knows the answer!

Sweety

A Blessing in Disguise

2008-02-08T00:10:00.009+05:30

It’s my first wedding anniversary today and this is whats going on in my mind right now...

Oct 27, 2002, Sunday, 9 AM

“By the way, whats ur good name?”

I heard somebody asking me this, forcing me to stop reading my book…

Believe it or not, this question changed my life! I replied and thought of asking the same, but then, all of a sudden, my funny bone over-powered me and I blurted out, “…and…whats your bad name?”

He smiled and answered and I got in my list, the first (boy) friend! Hope u got what I mean ;)

Lemme explain if u didn’t get that. I had passed out from an “all gal’s” school and didn’t have many friends out of school also and as the case was, none of them was a boy!

I used to meet him every weekend in the college and as destined, we grew fond of each other, so much so that I found him in tears on the first Saturday after the weekend classes had got over and I realized whatever it was, it was 2-way !!!

We managed to meet once in a month and it was end of second year of our bachelors when he proposed his love to me, very romantically! Though drunk, he was in his senses and surprisingly he remembered everything the next morning! I just prayed he did :D

And my response? I could just say, “Itni der laga di bolne me” and he knew I was in love too…days passed and months got over…we got engaged and then got married too, it was a blessing in disguise, I’d say, because I had hated it when he’d asked my name and honestly, I wasn’t all that comfortable when I’d started talking to him…

The funniest thing is that I’m few days older than him in the world and dat our close buddies kept on threatening us till the day we got married of reporting ours as a child marriage!!!

I have learnt that life lies in small things and small things bring great joys in life!

Sweety.

My Picturebook - I

2008-02-03T21:24:00.003+05:30

Smiling Smiling Sweety at Baha'i Temple (Lotus Temple)

Li'l Sweety at the Taj

Iya crawling her way to.....somewhere...

Life minus worries - Iya!

Aayush during his first visit to my abode... miss him sometimes :(

Asmita and her unique hair-do!!!

Few months old Asmita's first encounter with the camera guy!

Those were some "really close to my heart" pix...many more to follow soon :)

First wedding anniversary is just round the corner, so pretty busy planning these days! Delhi itself is so chilly these days that choosing a hill station will be a wrong decision and none of us is game for an "adventure destination" cz the charisma of the first wedding anniversary will go fading, we think. Lets see what we come up with and how it turns out...

Sweety

Mom's the word!

2008-01-31T22:48:00.007+05:30

I lost mine at 13...

Mom, they say, is a child's first teacher, she really was! She taught me calmness and patience besides several other things. I dont exactly know how old I was when I learnt differentiating between colours, I am sure she taught me that too.

So she'd bathe me every morning and would dress me in cute frocks :) and then place a box full of colourful buttons in front of me...and that used to be enough for me for hours! I'd play with'em in many ways, sorting out similar coloured ones, grouping small and big buttons and so on. She'd hear from me only when I felt hungry, not before that...I see myself now and don't know where that trait has gone from me!

She made sure I get a balloon every morning and introduced me to sparrows and pigeons...I'd rejoice and get amazed when I see them or hear their chirping sounds :D

Obviously, I dint like all her decisions, no kid does...But I know I am soon going to step into Motherhood and then I'd realise how right she was, in all her actions...sure as hell !!!

Sweety