full circle....Kite Runner

I finally finished reading the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and it has taken me two months to do so.Well,its a feat, given the fact,that I was able to spend only about 10 mins everyday with the book.Reading a book, over such a length of time has its own pros and cons.Everybody...from people in the lift,security guards…. to those in the gym and at the bus stop(where i wait for my colleague to pick me up)knew what I was reading.I won't be surprised if they would be calling me the 'kite runner woman' and would be laying bets,as to when I would(finally) finish my book.The pros are that you get to read several parts of the book over and over again(and savour and sip the book),coz despite the bookmark,you tend to forget the exact place where you last left it at.

Anyways,I don't think the book has too many parts and details,that I would like to savour and revisit.The book filled me with sadness,anger and hatred, towards the politics of war and the fact and realization that the innocent always get sacrificed at such altars.Surprisingly,I was eager to watch the movie,knowing very well the fact,that movies are seldom a fitting tribute to the spirit of the book.Watching the movie of a book that you have just read isn't one of the most advisable things to do.For 99.999% of the times,you shall be terribly disappointed with the comparison.Well,I tried very hard to keep the two aside and have to admit, that I did a good job.


To say that a part of me identified with the book,would be an understatement(didn't everybody,in some way or the other).But,this wasn't a kind of empathy, you felt for the protagonist .This was a penance for something I had been guilty of, for a long long time.

My family (i.e my parents, are Kashmiris).Although I was born and brought up in Delhi,we always went back to Srinagar for our summer vacations.Frankly,for me as a child,Delhi was my real home and Srinagar just a beautiful resort which would be bustling with relatives,food and lots of scenic drives around the Dal Lake.After the unrest of 1991,when there was a mass exodus of Kashmiri pundits from the valley(was when my grandparents and close family members fled,with their bare minimum belongings),there was always an air of utmost gloom and despair at home.However,as a child, the pain of being a 'migrant',homeless and without identity,was something I completely failed to understand.I was irritated with the continuous stream of relatives,who discussed nothing but Kashmir.I resented my dad calling himself a migrant(i failed to understand why he did that when he had a home,in Delhi).Only,years later,I realized that like the lakhs of Kashmiris,he did have a house in Delhi,but his home was still in the land they could never go back to.Many Kashmiris still dream and hope for peace to return back to the valley and going back home.But,it seems like a distant dream.My grandfather sold his large palatial home in the heart of the city(and he passed away very soon after that.I think he gave up all hope of ever returning ) and with that beautiful house,were sold all those precious childhood memories,which I have begun to treasure ,even more,as I am growing older,for some strange reason.

That night,I too dreamt of being in my grandparents house,not amongst the ruins,that it would be in ,right now.It was a happy dream.I was in the attic which also doubled up as a library(my favourite place in the house).Ransacking the cherry trees and the strawberry bushes,with my cousins ,till my belly hurt.Of long drives,with my father on his cycle,to buy fresh bread from the kandervan(kashmiri bakers,who are known for their fresh breads).Of crowding around the old television,to watch Doordarshan’s Krishi Darshan,with rapt attention,and not understanding even a word.

I have been having the same dream ,for the past three consecutive days,now.Like a reel it starts and ends at the same place each time and I can’t get it off my mind the whole day. Like Farid says in the book,some memories are best left happy.I don’t think I have the courage to visit that house,and see it in shambles.
It took me two months to read the book, but a moment to realize that I too was a ‘migrant’,in so many ways.A word that I had so vehemently fought against for so many years.Funny,how life comes a full circle.

UNITED IN SMS

An SMS that floated in .....

Last night at the party,someone shouted

"All married guys,stand next to that one person,who has made your life worth living?"

The bartender was almost crushed to death !!!!!

I had a hearty laugh and forwarded this to a lot of women,and also asked them ,if women were asked this same question,whom would they crush to death..errr I mean what would be their answer.

Not surprisingly,only a miniscule of them agreed (half heartedly) to...."bartender"(but,only if he was absolutely good looking)....and not very surprisingly(at all) almost ALL of them smirked and reacted with every possible non agreemental gesture,when I asked

"HEY ...WHAT ABOUT HUSBAND??"

Women agree and unite, only for the right cause !!!!

RAIN

A little bit of rain....
can be such a relief.....
esp after four continuous periods
no more stairs to climb...some vocal relief
(we have to bring the kids up everyday after lunch)

A little bit of rain....
and you get a rainy day 10 mins
"you can go home early" bonus from school...
little pleasures that bring a smile

A little bit of rain.....
and you can pamper yourself with
yet another coffee and yet another
indulgence and rain go hand in hand

nothing is more welcome
than the sound of thunder and rain
to drown the voices in your head
when all you want to hear is silence....

there nothing like walking in the rain
pretending that you love splashing
when actually your feet have nowhere
to take you ,and you nowhere to go....

a little rain is welcome
to camouflage joy and sorrow
rain is a lovely umbrella
especially when you want to cry....

Tagadiction !!!!!

NAME : TAG no.****

OBJECTIVE :To let the world know about yet another 5 quirky aspects of thy personality and to TAG another 5 innocent bakras to do the same.

TAGGER(culprit):MAMPI

When they say addiction,why does it have this evil,accusing mean tone to it?What maybe an annoying, addictive habit in my personality(for others),may be my signature,something that makes me unique errrr wierd !!!
SO,here goes

1.rise and shine and sweat..i shall

Yes,I am addicted to my morning dose of exercise and am loving it.There are very few souls,who subject themselves to this (torture) of actually kicking thenselves out of bed just when you get the sweetest of dreams.I have no idea how well you can kicked by spirits,because they failed to have any effect on me,but there is no better shot of feel good harm ones,than exercise.Oh yes,I may not FIT into any of the global standard height and weight chats,but feel that fitness and stamina are the parameters to measure yourself. If you are amongst the many who aren't convinced....just get a good pair of shoes and kick the bed.

2.BAK BAK BAKWAS...

everyone at home may call it bakwas....i am addicted to chatting with my friends(a select few actually).It's the ideal way to unwind and destress after a hectic days schedule.I often do it at night,when the family's asleep,so that they can't keep a check on the time.I once remember chatting for so long that the mobile burnt out.

3.Yeh banana chips mujhe de de thakur

One thing that I can't resist knowing fully well,that they shall play havoc,with the calorie counters,that I maintain.If there are banana chips around, I am completely distracted and will not rest, till they are over.So,have found a simple solution.....have stopped buying them(in rare cases,they walk upto me on their own)

4.Net and blogging

check mail...check blog...check others blog....and another blog...then another ......
It's an addiction tough to break.Am sure there are many others affected with the same virus.No cure in sight !!!GOOD ...WE AREN'T COMPLAINING EITHER!!!

5.PLEASE DON STOP THE MUSIC !!!!!

not that i am a connoisseur,but there has to be a background score playing somewhere in the house,whenever ,and where ever I am working.As a result,I keep switching systems,as i move from one room to another(i even have one in the kitchen...err bathroom being the only exception.So,what about the time at school??

aha...that's music of a different kind all together,and mostly I am the one dancing to everybody Else's tunes.SIGH

THE TAGGED VICTIMS:

MONICA

SATISH(you haven't done the prev one either)

DOES IT MATTER(yes it does....please attempt the tag and prove so)

SALIL(am sure you will)

NIKHIL

currently addicted to this song...cute and simple...but so true...
dil ki yahee khata hai
dil ko nahin bata hai
arree chata hai kya....

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=-GFN1_jV2nU

34 bubblegums and candies....The book launch

What makes a book special?
Sometimes, the fact that it has been so much in the news ,that you feel you would be an outcast ,if you didn’t read it.Sometimes,a big author,who has finally come up with his nth book,(where he has finally promised to release his inner most secrets) and the rest of the time, other trivial facts like, what the book contains.
But this book was special,for most of the time I know the author and almost always the author doesn’t know me.This time the author was special and she was one of us(and I was certain that she knew me)

Preeti,also known as P.S,definitely needs no introduction,(unless of course If you happen to be a non blogger) .Her blog is an immensely popular one and I say that not because of the quantum of comments she invites,but because her writing possesses an honesty that is simple to read, understand and feel.So,naturally when she came to Bangalore to launch her book.I couldn’t have missed the opportunity.Add,to that, that the launch doubled up as an unofficial blogger’s meet.
The launch of ‘34 bubblegums and candies’ took place,at Crossword (yes,that’s the title…and you have to read and experience the both the bubblegums and candies in it, to completely understand why she has named the book so).I have to confess,that I haven’t been to any book launches till date,so I did not know what to expect. I missed the beginning of the launch, thanks to the mad traffic that descends on Bannergatta road.Preeti spoke about her book and especially about why the book was titled so.Mr R.K Mishra(lead India winner) was the guest of honour,and asked Preeti to read out some of the stories he loved from the book.Preeti’s confidence,while speaking to the audience about her book,reminded me of her posts.Honest and totally from the heart.She answered the audiences questions,especially the one about her next book,(as expected,with strict confidentiality).

For those who have enjoyed reading her blog,some of the stories will be nostalgic.My favourite ones are “Sly Stallone does not open easily” and “radiators and drains”.Of course,the story “what women want” tops the list,for the brilliant retort provided by Satish(her husband).Preeti’s second book and Satish’s (yet to be started)blog are eagerly awaited.

So,I left the book store with a personally autographed copy of 34 bubblegums and candies,with a little bonus of a 35th candy which happens to be the lovely bookmark made by her kids for everyone who buys the book,which sweetly says(‘thank you for buying my mom’s book).

Preeti’s book has finally broken the jinx.I have finished reading at least one book,this year.I know this fact,will have an adverse effect on my reputation as a teacher.But,then like I always say….a bad reputation is more difficult to maintain than a good one !!!!

Kudos Preeti.
(some pictures of the launch taken by -xh-)

reunion 2008

This vacation has been very different.If you ask my mother to choose an appropriate word,she would probably say WIERD.Unlike,most normal people who utilise their vacations to thrash the bed till 11,pig out on the choicest of home made yummy mummy food,and inflict that shop' till you drop or your wallet cries stop'feeling.I have done none.Thanks to my dear princi,in school,who decided that teachers' should be given the students' share of holiday H.W , as well.I am spending 4-5 hrs,racking my brains on creating CREATIVE WORKSHEETS for my students.Add to that, the navratras,so am devoid of my mom's delicious kashmiri delicacies too.

But,the brightest spot this time was the fact that I met my classmates from school,after 15 long years.I have to admit,that ,previously,every time I came to Delhi for a vacation,a tiny part of my heart wished ,that I would bump into my classmates ,somewhere.I knew it was an extremely romantic notion,given the fact that I had lost touch with almost all of them,ever since I moved to being Mrs.Misra,W/O an army officer.I found it extremely difficult to update my friends,about my whereabouts and thought that I lost all of them.My memory too, by some strange default,had started erasing all school related data. I couldn't connect names and faces.I blamed age.But,I knew the real culprit,was time and that it creates a giant creator in our hearts and minds.
So,this time,when about 20 of us decided to meet after 15 long years,I was a bit skeptical.I hadn't met and spoken to most of them since almost one and a half decade,now.Will they be the same?I had my doubts.
Reunions are not an easy thing to plan,especially in a city like Delhi.People live on one planet and work on another.To expect them to party after this intergalactic ordeal,that too on a mad Monday evening, only to meet me,was indeed overwhelming(though they never gave me the credit).


It was amazing to see the same boyish faces,but with shades of grey,a little paunch and that double chin.Indeed,we had all grown up.It took just a couple of drinks to melt away the initial formalities and most of us surprisingly were back to our old pranks.Secrets that lay buried for 15 long yrs,were blurted out.Unexpressed crushes,leaked papers,grudges,school dances,teachers,bunked classes,unexplained class mysteries...we solved quite a bit.I had started remembering everything clearly now.I also managed to find out who the mysterious tiffin box chor of the class was.It had been a dear friend.
I don't know when I'll be able to meet them again.Although communication is at its peak.I know,a lot of them,will probably fail to respond to mails and SMS's.But,I also know,that even when I meet them after another gap of 15 yrs,they will still be the same friends,I left behind in school.

messages from a tea coaster ! ! !

Not really the most brillaint of pictures,but worth a click for what it says

A REASON TO SMILE

(one of the rare moments when WE smile at something .....TOGETHER)

Age is just a double digit...

so don judge me by digits and numbers

stop telling me to grow up

when all i want is to grow younger,

younger at heart and in the head

in body, i know i cant help!!!!

I know,it exists

exists in my smile

coz i feel a lot older

on days I can't....

people who(really) know me, say

I'm growing wackier ..wonkier...FUNNIER

by the moment..by the year

and i feel even younger when I hear that !!!

I pretend to ignore the fine lines

that I see in the mirror

I can only see my smile there

coz thats the only thing I know

that looks best on me.

age is just a number...

I have stopped counting

I'm bad at maths anyway

I hope you are too.

(no it's not my birthday ,but amateur attempts at poetry should be......appreciated,commented and tolerated)

current reason to smile.....

"Delhi here I come..."

true friends !!!!!

I read a hilarious post on Preeti's blog,sometime back on Orkut and all the X men that inhabit the land of the big O.I have to admit that since then, I too have kept an eye,if not a tag on who leaves his/her footprints on my profile.L.O.L.
BTW Preeti is a launching her book,in Bangalore in Oct.It's a big moment for her.I wish her all the best.
Coming back to Orkut.Sadly most friend requests are not from long lost friends,colleagues,classmates and cousins.In the beginning,I was scared about all the weird requests that poured in,but a lil research and conference proved that everybody received their share of these messengers!!!!Some worthy ones are listed below.(names not included for the sake of privacy)

1.Hi gazal,wanna friend ????!!!!!
(wanna friend...is this the new age language....or i am growing old??)

2.hiI've interest in making new fans bcaz I believe f'ndship is the topper relationship in world & u
(and i have to decode that message......)

3.hi......how r u ??i m ###***** u r name is gazal..its very attrective ..ilike it r u join me.......
(make up your mind man....pause a while....no grammar please,we are indian)

4.Aap Bhi Aayiye, Humko Bhi Bulate Rahiye..Dosti Buri Cheez Nahi, Dost Banaate Rahiye..!!
(no comments)

5.cool attitud eyou got there....
(attitude redefined.....how did he ever know)

6.Hi ...cute name....is that really your picture??
(should i take that as a compliment or an insult??)

BTW...am also curious to know if men too receive such creative and meaningful requests(from women of course)
any comments!!!!!

and why have I put it here....well as Preeti says..."I am a woman".

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A SUNDAY.......

Well, it doesn’t happen very often that I am assigned homework.Homework,in a good spirited ,jovial kind of way,though am well aware,that it seldom gets rated as GOOD AND SPIRITED ,ever.Am tagged by mampi,to work out what my perfect day would look like.

This teachers’ wish is another teacher's command,especially when it comes from someone,who I can say is the real English ki masterni.Well then ,a dose of my own medicine it shall be.
I must thank mampi for the dose though,for this tag has made me stop and think about what I really want from my perfect day.

The perfect day like the perfect man exists either in dreams or in someone elses life(of course in blogs as well).For many Sunday,is the precisely perfect day to do what they have been dying to all week long.I would probably be seeking a divorce lawyer,if I accept otherwise,and that on most Sundays,I wish for Mondays.There is a certain madness to Sundays that,I both love and hate.But still, it's difficult to dethrone it from the ‘best day of the week’.

So,the perfect day, would therefore be a Sunday, when
1.I could exercise to a point of achieving a negative calorie state,to compensate for all the sins of the past week.( My instructor says such technology is still unavailable)


2.If I could somehow win a game of badminton against my husband.sigh.


3.I could stop finding excuses and rejoin my guitar class,after a gap of errrr months.I have run out of excuses to give my guitar teacher,and he thankfully has stopped asking for any.


4.If only I had the luxury of cooking without the headache of cleaning up.


5.If only I could juggle the time to meet friends,spend a lazy afternoon,laughing ,discussing inane issues, which have been debated over a thousand times,before.For a few hours,keeping aside all the hats that I wear as wife,mother,daughter and just be MYSELF,without the pressures.


6.the same day,spend an entire afternoon watching a movie with my son and husband,that has been kept aside(by him) as ‘to be watched’ for months, now.

6.and finally the perfect day would be if I could stretch that Sunday evening,that flies off before you can say “It’s five o’clock”, indefinitely.
Just a few of my favourite things,(essentially in that order).sunset on the 11th floor,a cup of coffee and silence(very difficult considering the growing traffic)

7. If only there could be a Sunday after Sunday…….and till such time, I shall be content with that little bit of perfection in my Sunday.

Here's to many such small perfections and imperfections in each Sunday,which make me wake up every Sunday and say "What’s in store for me today?”

Sunday is just three days away.HURRAY !!!

TOM ME AUR WOH !!!

Am taking up a tag without being tagged !!!!

What does this reveal about my state of mind?A lot actually and will share that in another post.

The first time I read the tag on xh's blog(what's on your desktop...)I thought it meant "what was on your desk at work?".AHEM.You won't find many people who blatantly announce their absent mindedness.Let me first complete the tag and then the how and why explanation about why my creative bent of mind tends to bend things..... can go into YET another post.

My desktop contains a picture,which manages to make me smile,no matter how rough the day has been.It's a picture at Universal studios and the sudden display of affection was a last min addition(as my dear hubby was behind the camera...and his expression after he took the shot was worth a million dollars).

Well,he thanked his stars,it was just a cut out while I cursed my luck,that it wasn't.

but the picture doesn't remain long on the desktop.I know he's used my laptop ,when i find the picture replaced by other innocent pictures.When asked why(sometimes i love to ask questions,even though am dead sure of the answers,already),his reply is "it's nothing, but love when viewed from the right angle,".Ahem.

"It's nothing but an ACUTE case and angle of jealously,I tell myself ,proudly".

(The halo around my head is suddenly replaced by horns and an evil grin to match)

The picture's on the desktop AGAIN,and how long it will remain there,is anybody's guess.

No prizes for that,please.

tagging all those who will believe in the noble cause of blogging !!!

ZOO

(was going through the pictures of our three week old visit to Bannergatta national park.It's better to post and preserve,than never to do so)
“Oh no ,it’s Sunday”,groaned Mr.Bear to Mrs.B.
“This means I have to brush my teeth and comb my hair,and take that walk,and pretend to be busy sniffing at grass,HUMMPH.”
”Well,isn’t it fun to watch a bus full of caged humans,all owwwing and awwwwing, dear.They do look so cute,”she consoled him. The little cubs eagerly followed daddy B,for a live demo.


At other end of the forest, an anxious tiger paced up and down.The cause for concern seemed to be the new entrant, the white tiger.”Damn!!! These fair skinned ones.They seem to be grabbing all the limited female attention.Sigh!”
Well,it was a fact known to all that the poor guy had stuck to an exhaustive abs routine and a low fat -only -lean -deer diet,for more than six months now. However, yet another tiger felt there were other matters more important than those of the heart and the meat. He wasn’t the least bit amused at this intrusion of privacy.”Don’t we have any laws of the jungle here?”
“Well, this is the jungle right.”Except a few flies no one had responded to his statements.”Maybe we need a new government,and a change of the King,err animal.Maybe a no- confidence motion,he asked the grass and the trees.
“There’s more wilderness in the human parliament than here.”He sighed and went to drown his sorrows in the next watering hole.




The Bannergatta national park
1. High expectations will ruin your visit. Please remember you are visiting an Indian zoo and you shall be more than pleased with what you find and see.
2. Despite all the discouraging reviews,it was a pleasant surprise,and if you have a child in you somewhere,you will def enjoy seeing the animals at close quarters.
3. A particular reviewer on a travel site,said that the animals looked bored.Well,what do expect from life that has been caged.Remember that the animals are in the jungle and not in a circus.
4. The zoo’s policy and effort at keeping plastics at bay is quite laudable.(they empty out all plastic wrappers into paper bags,right at the entrance itself. It’s amazing how much plastic they had gathered in a few minutes)
5. The safari is bumpy but good(but since we were quite used to Bangalore roads,it didn’t feel very different),as you really get to see a variety of animals.The conductor is really helpful in pointing out and taking pictures for you(err for a tip of rs.20,he deserved it)
6. The cages are quite well kept and neat.The snake exhibit is amazing. Don’t miss it.
7. The butterfly park is definitely the high point of the park.The feeling is magical. As you enter the enchanted door,hundreds of butterflies come to kiss you with their feathery wings.


8. TIP OF THE DAY
Start early in the day,if you wish to visit on a Sunday,for the crowd that builds up,makes you wonder and pray about the security of the animals and thank god that they were caged.

five to go

“I’ve got five minutes,!”.I console myself(convincingly) rather than threaten.Five minutes and I have to juggle both breakfast and lipstick,both into dangerously close quartered areas.The few initial attempts taught me that the former should go first..Experience is a good teacher.The past two and a half months ,have taught me the value of all small things in life.Five min,never seemed more precious,and its amazing how much of reading I can squeeze into those five min,while whizzing off in a noisy auto,along with half a dozen of other noisy autos,over J.P Nagar’s dirt tracked roads(it’s amazing to see the number of ORTHO docs mushrooming in the neighbourhood)on my way to pick up a colleague.I cherish those five min of solitude with my book. The progress is slow,(targeted)at 2 pages a day.I have made considerable progress,since I began.From half a page,I have inched to two a day.Slow but satisfying.After all, Five min is all I have,and…..I don’t want to get too ambitious.


the only bright spot,in the near perfect gloomy day of the almost- on -the -fag- end-of the monsoons,weather.Mr.Bindra,you have proved a proverb COOL LIKE A CUCUMBER,true and a nation proud.

SILENCE IS BLISS

It's amazing how easy it has become to pick up a fight,about the most insanely silliest of things these days.

So,says my dear Husband.

It doesn't take too much(too long) to disagree,but a lot to make the other person to agree and see the logic in what you have to say.But,love and logic are difficult to explain,especially when you have to explain the logic in love.Unfortunately,by then both of us can only see red,and matters of the heart are dealt without the head and only with the tongue.The amazing thing is that most married couple agree with this.There is so much of similarity in the way couples fight.Not just in the way they fight,but also what they fight about.......for each one of us,has our own style....trademarked and copyrighted.The issues however rarely differ from family to family.

It's amazing how we blame everything and everyone around us,whenever the marital thermostat, surges.Stress,traffic,no water,no maid,leftovers from last night,re re re run of a movie,bathroom lights left on(by mistake),kids,their report card,forgotten birthdays......everything but,ourselves.

The A B C'S of a marriage change before and after .They are transformed in the few months of marriage and deformed by the time,you reach the first decade.You start analysing and
counting the years in decades and after 10,the counter just leaps by the tens.

TRUTH changes like the weather,before and after.Once upon a time, truth was the fact that "I can't live without you",now the fact of the matter is that"It's so difficult to live with you".Sweet nothings change to bitter everythings.A lot of times,I feel that wisdom lies in accepting that you(me) are wrong and you(he) is right.Check out the expression on their faces when you do that right in the middle of a heated conversation.......(what?? you can't(don't want to fight anymore !!!).I do that often,these days,Coz I'm told....I often start the fight !!!!!Merely ,not because,you are the man(right)and I'm the woman(wrong).But,because silence is my weapon of conveying the truth,across to you.So,is this wisdom submissiveness,or giving up without a fight?Most people would debate that,I'm sure.

Can we fight when there's just one person in the conversation?NO.It's amazing how easy it is to bring the temperature down,without saying a word.I have discovered the power of silence and the fact that it is a weapon that ignites the other,while helps you to ignore.

BLISS IS IN IGNORE..(HENCE)

a little bit of dash

Yet another promise broken.
A new post goes up today,when it should have last week just like the numerous "promises of walks",every evening.The week seems to be on roller blades ,these days barely leaving me gasping for air err time.
Just like the sentences that my students make,no commas no full stops,in short no sense at all.So,apart from injecting some grammatical sense,in my students,i decided to insert a little dash,in my schedule,before the sentence..week...me...lost complete sense and I lost my balance.




and this dash is called "Yercaud".A little town,tucked away between 20 hair pin bends and a little lake.Just four and a half hours from Bangalore,it often loses out to it's fairer cousin Ooty.The town has just the thing that you need to break away from the monotony of hectic weeks.......SIMPLICITY.A lazy town that closes at seven,a pond of a lake,a beautiful viewpoint,no crowds to fear,(just monkeys) and just a handful of hotels,which leave no space for comparison.Farthest is one km and feast is a buffet of left over 'chinese veg pulao and gulab jamun'.And you don't complain.You know,you are really chilling out,when at the end of three days,watching monkeys too feels so relaxing.















"The dash is a handy device, informal and essentially playful, telling you that you're about to take off on a different track but still in some way connected with the present course — only you have to remember that the dash is there"
found it in an old grammar textbook


so don't take your grammar lessons lightly !!!!!

JAB WE MET !!!!!

The setting was perfect and so was the timing.Sunday.....Barista...3 30 p.m and no trace of rain in an extremely overcast Bangalore sky.The rain gods were more than generous in holding back the rains,so as to allow the much awaited bloggers meet.With absolutely no corporate initiate,to back it,and after bumping and raiding and hectic commenting on each others blogs.It was time to say"LET'S MEET".For once, the blogs took a back seat and the authors stepped forward and met.The 50 odd confirmatory and introductory mails,set the tone and broke most of the (non existent)ice between us.

Anoop got the early bird prize,(i don know if he found a worm).The rest of us patriotically followed the IST (no offence meant).Since I knew only Anoop,it was fun trying to predict if the next person entering the door would be THE BLOGGER ,or not.(and mostly we were bang on).Being the only MAN in the group I wonder if he felt like the odd man out or awkward or responsible !!!!Once in most of us ,did what we were best at.......TALKING.... resting only to sip the coffee and the iced teas.

It was interesting to finally meet the faces behind the words and the thoughts and the funny thing was that at the end of it,it didn't feel like a first meeting at all.

those who made it......(in order of appearance)

Anoop,Me,Sushma,Prats,Madhu,Sairekha,Mallika.

Here's to many such meets and a big thank you to everyone who turned up.

Hope we can keep it going.

For those who missed it,we missed you too(esp suma).....there's always a next time and in case anybody was left out and wants to join in.Please drop me a line @misragazal123@gmail.com

for some more pics(by xh)

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/anoop.anoopkumar/Barista_Meet?authkey=cVbvDMMbQLg

L.O.L

THE WAKE UP CALL...

I don't intend to be poetic,but I know this post sounds like one.I am trying very hard to write,but the train of thought, just vanishes in between.For those who are sadists,a piece of good news.Yes,the sabbatical is over.Like a fantastic meal,it ended with a creamy, dreamy unadulterated vacation to the land of "bigger,better,faster,cleaner..... ".

It's difficult to describe my present state......I don't blame myself.
croggy....lethargic...lazy....tired....restless
the state is difficult to understand and even more difficult to describe...
SPOILT is perhaps a more appropriate word....

i hoped and wished like hell in the beginning that,it was jet lag....but it was and yet it wasn't....

Probably,i am suffering from an enormous overdose of love,vacation,food,nature,fresh air,sleep,an over enormous state of nothing to do and lots to see.....trying to grab more than I can retain....bite more than i can chew.....like a greedy child unleashed on a pile of chocolates....(i din eat many...O.K ate some...only !!!)....Damn...it's difficult to recollect sometimes....was it a dream....I can't connect and put it together....just fragments......the fragments of a dream....a long long one where reality merges with the surreal like a fairy tale.....without the demons and goblins and the witches....
life never seemed so pure and romantic.....

BUT....
Reality returns,bites,kicks and punches you, where it hurts the most.....

the bumpy auto rides...the "get up and go to work"feeling....the pollution...the empty house....the endless,mindless staffroom laughter,the innocent faces of 8 yr olds,pulling at your sari (and your heart strings)to gain attention....the dreaded school bell signalling the end of the cherished 15 mins of hasty lunch(a potpourri of four dabbas)......that's reality....and it's growing on me....surprisingly...fast.....the transition is so sudden that i have surprised myself too.

wasn't I just standing, watching the grand canyon, just yesterday.....
Well !!!that was yesterday....and this is today !!!!

some more pics here

'YEAR'...IT GOES !!!!

Is it a coincidence that this happens to be my 51 th post....and I complete a year in Bangalore.I want to believe, its some divine, magical connection.Those who always try to find logic in coincidences, may dismiss it, as just another quirky stroke of chance ,numbers and dates coming together.But,what’s wrong in putting 1 and 50 together to make it special and be happy about it.Nothing,in fact it’s also called………. another excuse to post on the blog.
I had been waiting to say this ,the entire year.Every time someone asked me, how long I had been in Bangalore, I would give a very precise (monthly) accurate figure(proudly).But, like a lot of things in life, which we wait to celebrate and forget to do so later, this too, passed away quietly.Well,better late than never. And this rule, hold true especially in blogger land. And since the blog has been a testament to so many high and low points through the year, why not one more.
So,sit back and be patient,for this is a long post as 365.25 days aren’t easy to compress.

1. Flashback to last April. Three sweaty souls come to Bangalore from Baroda, with a bag full of dreams and a truck load of luggage. When we landed in Bangalore, one of the first things (actually second, because the divine weather was the first)to hit me,was the irresistible aroma of coffee in the air. Can you fall in love with the smell of coffee?I did. The cothas coffee factory was right across the service apartment, where we stayed, and every morning and evening for 10 days, I was smitten, by this dark handsome fluid. The aroma was irresistible and the restaurant next door,was our secret meeting place,for many days to come.
Love is still in the air.


2. The big S .
This year was my sabbatical, and I just loved the sound of this word. This year I decided to take a break from work and rest. And ‘rest’ is something I probably I never found the time for. Being a full time mother and wife and home maker, blogger, friend and myself…... nearly took my breath away. Achievements……why should there be any. I never set out any, for this year. That’s the best thing about breaks, you don’t have to do anything and yet you are so busy with everything.

3. The best way to make you value something, is in and with the fear that it will be taken away form you. And I’m not taking about material things. The very essence of life lies in the power of choice and blessed are those who have this control. I came very close to giving up, the carefree life (that I enjoy, so much), at a certain point and I’m glad I had this power and the support of my loved ones.Count yourself lucky if you have the support and backing of your family ,to say no to a job that pays very well,but could have landed your happiness in a ‘well’.WELL


4. Illusions don’t make reality any beautiful. And I’m glad, that this illusion remained unreal and inaccessible. Sometimes, it takes a nightmare to bring us back to reality, and I’m so glad that the night is over.(if this doesn’t make sense,don’t worry. It’s not supposed to. It’s part of my therapeutic conversation with myself, and believe me it works)



5. I learnt that humanity and charity doesn’t always, reward you back. Be kind but don’t expect any loyalty in return. The number of times, we were let down and duped by cunning maids and drivers, absconding with ‘urgent advance’ is unbelievable. It’s the loss of faith that hurts, rather than the loss of money.

6.Bangalore will always remind me of yet another’ B’.I never thought blogging would become an obsessive, compulsive disorder. How? and Why? I started?…….The reasons for blogging become defunct at this juncture ,and the outcome more important and satisfying. A big thank you, to everyone who has been here, tolerating rants and thoughts and special and not so special moments. It’s amazing how you connect with people, whom you have never met, but they feel and sound so familiar.



7. I have learnt that in a new city it’s foolish to make resolutions, when you have just stepped in. After the initial maddening traffic encounters, I had vowed never to work far from home, to restrict shopping and friends close to home, to curse politicians and administration every time on the road. But then,Bangalore traffic is a great leveler, and made sure I broke every single pledge.

//God, give me the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. //

I’m suddenly a more patient and forgiving person on the road.

8. And then of course I enrolled my knees for a total knee replacement, in the near future. All a result of the hours of badminton,that I picked up this year.I proved a lot of people wrong about how age and weight aren’t detrimental to learning, well that is if you find instructors as patient as the group of ladies who taught me. For without them, I would never be able to say at age 50.Check out my legs….err new knees !!!
(a special mention about the enthusiastic but short burst of love to learn guitar…..some love stories are best left incomplete. Here’s hoping that I ‘ll pick up the threads err strings some day soon)

9. I updated my juvenile knowledge that TECHIES were much more than computer programmers and mechanics. That south Indian is too restrictive a word to describe the vast South and between the saru and sambhar lie a hundred flavours,which are 'unique' than ‘different’, and that I can differentiate a Kannadiga from a Malayalli to a TAM BRAM, is an achievement(and that my friend list contains hardly any north Indians, is a testament,to this)



10. If you tell people in the bean city,especially in Brigade, that you are taking a holiday to the U.S,chances are you’ll never gain any attention(forget about impressing them).When you tell them,you are travelling to the West coast,they ask,”Why not East?”.When you tell them you’ll spend a mammoth 25 days there,they tell you, “You should do 2 months?”.Almost every 2nd…no..correction… everyone except us has been to the U.S,here in Brigade.
That’s not the reason, for taking this trip.
It’s a like those things you always wished and dreamt of,the unachievable. For it hasn’t been easy to move out of the army and struggle to find your feet, over the past three years.So,it’s time to reward yourself for all the hard work,and give the blog(and readers) a break.I’ll be back,with a load of memories, pictures that speak a zillion words and an accent to show off, in Brigade. CIAO !!!

T * A * G

This is the second time I have been tagged,with the same identical tag,by another person.
It's a shameful reminder.
So,Arun and Suma....here's to you

1. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER
It took me 5 min to get that…..it’s not the memory….but the words MOVIE ...... THEATRE took so much time to connect!!!! AHEM
"SUNDAY"

2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
Ask me how much of which book am I reading
Witch of Portobello…..on the last 10 pages since 1969.

3. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
So,they do play games inside board rooms…..no wonder they stay locked in for so long…
O.K
SCOTLAND YARD

4. FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Readers Digest.

5. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Petrol….

6. FAVORITE SOUND?
Water falling…not the kinds from running taps….just falling naturally

7. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
Dying a slow painful death

8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE?
"Is my maid going to come today?"LOL
O.K ……seriously
"Is my maid going to come today?"

9. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
GOODIES. Baroda
Great food and fabulous prices

10. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?
Anisha…….next life,maybe

11. FINISH THIS STATEMENT. "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I'D...?
........STILL BE THE SAME PERSON…..
I tend to remain unaffected by the presence or absence of it,and esp immune to the commercial power it enjoys.

12. DO YOU DRIVE FAST?
Yes,I did….and I came to Bangalore and since then ‘speed’ has become history.

13. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
I want to say YES…but my husband will object to being called one.

14. STORMS-COOL OR SCARY?
Neither !!!!
They look good only in the movies, when they blow away miniature sets and models, that aren’t anybody’s home.

15. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Maruti 800

16. FAVORITE DRINKS
WATER....make that double and on the rocks

17. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, "IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD .....
TRAVEL ALONE…..CATCH UP WITH FRIENDS….READ……WATCH MOVIES(which I want)

18. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Yes. Is it illegal?
19. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
Blonde highlights…..but will have to first spend a fortune in getting a skin tone that matches!!!!double sigh

20. NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS YOU HAVE LIVED IN.
Delhi, Bokaro, Basara, Jabalpur,Ooty,Shillong,Udhampur,Hissar,Pune,
Baroda,Bangalore.

21. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
badminton
22. ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU.
sensitive
23. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
Lots of dust……..

24. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN?
Yes.but 10 k.gs lighter.

25. MORNING PERSON, OR NIGHT OWL?
Morning…
26. OVER EASY, OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
NEITHER.an omelet please, with lots of mushrooms.

27. FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
WITH FRIENDS…..THE PLACE DOESN’T MATTER

28. FAVORITE PIE?
APPLE
29. FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
JAMIOCA ALMOND FUDGE (NIRULAS)

30. OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU TAGGED THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
The last time I tagged people,no one responded. HUMPH !!!!
A big hug to all the brave hearts who will take it up,without being tagged….
(that doesn’t make it too attractive....does it??)

DID YOU.....???

Did you worry,today that your two year old doesn't rattle off the names of all the cars in the parking lot,like the others???

Did you remind your kid(again) that the neighbour's kid,always scores ten upon ten in maths in his exam??

Did you fuss about the fact that,you couldn't put your kids in all the summer classes,that have been advertised this summer??

Did you drive yourself insane worrying how what percentage,your child would score in the boards,knowing very well,it's more to do with destiny than hard work??

Did you just blow your top(again) that the kids are watching a rerun of Tom and Jerry for the n th time yet again??

For dropping food over your precious upholstery.....for bringing shoes full of slush into the house yet AGAIN.....for eating food like there's a famine waiting round the corner...for living in a room,that would bring in an epidemic! ! ! !

44 parents in Gujarat will never have to worry about these decisive milestones in their children's lives??? (story here)

Let's thank god and say a prayer ,for all our kids,who have come back home safe and sound and a silent prayer for those who didn't ! ! !

THE HOT SEAT !!!!

‘BIG’ school in Bangalore,announces expected time of the departure of flight ENTRANCE EXAM.

All parents are requested to proceed for security check.
Fervent last min. checking of checklist before departure , for one ,last time .

"What’s 8 X 4??......what’s the format for the letter??……what’s Hindi for 'leave'?...I hope you remember all the formulae,we rehearsed this morning???” .The drone could match that of a big jet plane about to take off.Not very far away,a big family including grandparents, were trying to recite a last minute prayer,(more to calm their own frayed nerves).

"Don’t forget to check and recheck your paper,dear….and if time is still left…check it again O.K”.The busy corporate Mom ,instructed,checking her watch the tenth time, in the past 10 min.She more anxious about her office, than the exam.
I looked at my Sonnie boy,and he looked at me."What’s the fuss about?”we thought silently in unison. In one of those rare moments,he must have thanked god for,the right choice of mom.Despite that, the parent in me panicked

"Do you want to revise,anything beta?”very well expecting an expected answer.

" After this I’m free,RIGHT???”he questioned and I appreciated his attitude, just before the big T.I nodded and told him,"Just do your very best…the best that you can do,and that’ll be enough”.

He gave me a hug,something ten yr olds aren’t seen doing often……in public.


The flight is announced.Gates are thrown open.Faces are given a Kleenex wipe and the hair done up,the very last time.

"Say your good morning,stand straight,don’t slouch,don’t lose your admit card….get your things back….don’t talk too much…..attempt all the questions…..don’t leave any question….all the best….we love you ".....

Alas !!!! by the time, they said those three magical words, the kids had already reached the examination hall.
Whew!!! part I over ….now part II.Lucky one’s,who lived close by,went back home and those who had driven difficult distances, had no option but to choose the shades of trees,to wile away the time.Notes were exchanged and mothers boasted of triumphs in various entrance examinations, as if they were conquests of lands. The childrens’ present schools were denounced and criticized beyond repair.Apparently,"all the forces of education from the curriculum to the teachers,fellow students, and the management were out to conspire against their kids.”
I contributed heartily,for the past several years of being a parent and a teacher in the same school,had made me zip my lips.
You didn’t need a watch to tell you it was time for the school ‘to release the students’.The flurry of activity and the rising anxiety amongst parents,was an evident enough sign.We lined up,class wise,anxiously waiting to reclaim our baggage from the departure terminal.Anxious,to ask them,the contents of the paper,perhaps.Those moving out on the conveyor belt,were seen reciting the questions to eager parents ,mentally calculating answers and rechecking.


“I’m hungry!!!”blurted out my son, dashing my hopes and my questions and my chance to be a good parent. He finished his packet of Milano and his appy and gave me a dirty look and said,"No,use studying so much!!!!,they never asked anything so tough,ma!!!!”
I was crestfallen. All those precious no nap afternoons, and T.V deprived evenings,and late night studying and soaked almonds had been a waste then??!!!


“Tomorrow,we shall know,who has wasted whose time,betaji!!!”.There,I had said it. Spoken like a true modern day, over involved, 'i'm doing my bestest best,super anxious parent. I patted my back and bit my tongue and wished I hadn’t said that,at all.
Parenting isn’t easy and damn we just made it tougher !!!!!

'A' AND HIS BKB

"Your food is a big hit in the office," so,I'm told by hubby.

Despite the fact,that the office kitchen lays out a fairly edible spread,my hubby continues to take his 'ghar ka khana',everyday to work. And I'm not complaining. This speaks volumes about my cooking! !doesn't it.Well,frankly,fact is stranger than kitchen fiction.
I admit, on a candid note, that I love to feed people, whether the food is worth being eaten is an inconsequential and small issue.I inherit this streak from my Nani,who was known for her guerrilla tactics,at the dining table, especially when it came to loading and goading people to eat more.
So, everyday at lunch time,hubby dear opens up his dabba,of home made goodies,much to the envy of other colleagues.There are ready takers for paneer and egg curry and Dum Aloo and mix vegetables and the sweets, for all apparent reasons.But,why the dabba comes back with leftovers, on days when it housed orphans like lauki(ghia),tauri,cabbage kuttu,lobia or the oh- so -healthy soya nuggets, is no great mystery.
But,there’s one man,who managed to capture my attention.Mr.A (we shall call him), never has lunch,but has requested to be invited,ever since he spotted ‘Baigan ka bharta’in hubby's tiffin (Steamed brinjal mashed and curried,till it fails to resemble a brinjal)….(err I like to believe that I have readers across seven seas,as well).
“Now,that’s an unusual dish, to be saved under the ‘My favorites’ column”,I thought to myself,one morning packing an extra dose of BKB.Till,one lazy afternoon,the story unfolded itself and was narrated over ,the office lunch table.

The eighties were gloomy times. The economy wasn’t really ‘Rocking and rolling’,like it is.A good job and a decent salary, was what one should have looked forward too.No,flashy M.B.A’s,were required to keep pace with office politics and the job market, and those at the top of the corporate ladder were genuine stalwarts, who had ample amount of salt and pepper,both in their hair as well as their experience.Mr.A,was the average engineering graduate, who had a good job and manged to make more than a decent living, with his wife and little son, in a plush one BHK.

But,then his heart said, ‘Yeh Dil mange more’…much before the pepsi bottle ever did.He longed for an edge,for that elusive M.B.A,unheard of.His seniors laughed and dismissed it as the lunacy of a young mind.Add,to this ,his commitments as a husband and father loomed large,upon him.He,finally decided to take the risk asked his company, if he could somehow juggle both the job and the M.B.A.They declined,but offered to take him back, after he finished his studies.
It was a tough decision. With no job in hand, it was a herculean task,to manage both the household and his tuition fees at the university. His parents, coaxed him to take help from them. It was the easiest option out, but somehow, he couldn’t convince his pride and conscience.
Till, one day someone gave him the idea of approaching a bank.Loans, in those times, were actually a proof of your incapability to manage your income.Apart from being very difficult to obtain.But, finally the bank decided to give Mr. A an educational loan, along with a stipend of Rs.500 for managing his home needs.
He allotted Rs.250 judiciously for home and the rest for his college and stay at the campus.He shifted, his family to a one room barsati,which acted as hall..Kitchen….bedroom. All in one. They shared a common bathroom,with the other tenants,where water till 6 am was a luxury.
Back at the campus,things weren’t all that rosy.A’s classmates were from wealthy families,and were more than aware of A’s economic status. With books being a rare luxury, A often relied on libraries and lending’s from his friends. With his purse strings literally like a noose around his neck, Rs.3 per day was all he could afford to spend on his meals. Very often, the portions would barely suffice the hunger pangs of a students’ stomach. It was here that A discovered, that BKB was possibly the cheapest thing on the menu, and would invariably end up, with it, on his plate.


There were times when,the stipend gave way much before the end of the month and A had no money to buy himself a meal. At such times, his friends would invite him home on some pretext or the other,knowing very well,that he would never ask. He too always waited for such opportunities.
After a grueling two such years,Mr.A went back his old company.Impressed with his ideas and diligence, they further, sent him for further studies, to the U.S.A.The rest becomes,predictable history.Mr.A today is the V.P of an huge Indian corporate giant and enjoys his life,between office,home and his grandchildren.
I’m sure you have heard and read stories that have more awe value than this.But,what touched me was the fact that,when most of us would have chosen to willingly forget anything associated with difficult times in our life,for,it isn’t easy reliving memories that are bitter,Mr.A chose,to retain the humble BKB, as a reminder of the fact, that the life he enjoys today,is a gift from his past. We all move on in life, often embittered by either love,family politics,destiny.But,little do we realize that those times are the benchmark to measure the happiness we enjoy today.

Mr.A will never read this.But,it’s a tribute to his infectious good spirit and his love for the bharta. It’s a fact known by none that I think of Mr.A, every time I buy Baigan and pack in that extra helping.I know,I made someone happy that day.
My granny must be grinning, in heaven, I’m sure ! !

FOOD COURT

"THE HAND THAT HOLDS THE LADLE..........."

RESPONSES INVITED ! ! !

AN UPDATE

Sometimes an involuntary gesture and then an unplanned action leads to more action,than our 'meticulously planned ' activities.
I am referring to the post called 'heartless....Russell Market' on my photoblog and the'Wordless Wednesday'post.Little had I realized that,a trip made to check out aquariums,would actually lead to a lot of revelation and a cause,that would be taken by by bloggers.I'm glad it drew a rush of emotions in people,and that they penned it down in the comment box.I did realize that somewhere in this entire game, we were to blame for all this,as a demand leads to the need and supply and hence the market,thrives.
I can only hope that the animals ,although are subjected to 'inhuman' treatment,later find good homes.I hope,they are meant for homes,only.
Thanks a lot Madhu,for taking an active interest in the cause and contacting the PFA.We shall all hope that,the cause will have a 'liberating' outcome.

FISHY BUSINESS

Please say Hello, to my husbands’ official illegitimate children, whom he has lovingly named ‘fish babies’.Thankfully,not as a result of any extra marital affair!!!!A carp and a moliee(the little black Mollie was too camera shy).
Everytime he’s away on a tour, I promptly get a reminder SMS ,at 7 30 A.M sharp, which sounds more like an order than a request. ‘DO NOT FORGET TO FEED THE FISH BABIES’.
Everything and anything left undone at home can be forgiven, the sole exception being the change of water for the FB’s home…read bowl. The logic being, we(humans) can still help and change the way we live or where we live, they can’t !!!!And of course, the proud father himself has never ever changed their water. “I’m too nervous to take them out and see them slither (for precisely 3 seconds)…reminded me how changing diapers never went down well with him. Thank god, fishes don’t wear one!!!!!

This post is actually a prompt, after I happened to read Preethi’s blog and it was while writing the comment,the thought,to put this up, came in. Despite the fact,that I gush and drool over puppies,kittens,rabbits,squirrels,piglets and birds,in real and reel life, strangely enough, I have always shrugged and shied away from the responsibility of keeping a pet. A self proclaimed coward,I’m not sure whether I will be able to look after it,well.I have often seen pets being brought home, like a new toy,fussed over for a while and then left to whine away all morning,while everybody left home for work.I would rather not keep one, than keep the poor soul tied up at home, leading a solitary and hopeless life all day long.

This argument has never gone down well, with my family and continues to be a bone of contention.My heart does a quick flip,everytime I pet my neighbours’ dog,but my head quickly fights back.The battle continues,everyweek!!!
I hope and wish that someday logic will give way to emotions.Till then,I shall reiterate,what I wrote on Preethi’s post as a comment.

If you can’t get something big (as a pet), start by loving something, that’s small.

BTW it happens to be my deadline to change the FB’S water!!!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

'HEARTLESS'......RUSSELL MARKET (Bangalore)
A one stop shop for all pets !!!!!

some more images http://www.photoblog.com/gazal/2008/03/12/

Visit Wordless Wednesday for more participants.

A VIRTUAL CONFESSION !!!!!

If there is anything that makes me uncomfortable(low waist jeans being the only exception),it’s lying. If I can, I shall promise,or I won’t. When in doubt,I prefer to speak the truth(mark twain)

I say and admit that often, at the cost of sounding virtuous and godly. But that’s the way I am,honestly !!!! People say sometimes you have to lie,because you land yourself in a situation and there is no way out. I feel you can get past (that) situation if you are honest to others and yourself. There’s a thin line between being honest….frank….. Forthright…..brutal. They all stem from the same word, but then the harm you do ,with them,to others varies from left to right.Yes,there are times when I had to hold my honest opinion and tell people things that may not be true. Those are days,when I make people happy, by lying not to them but only to myself.But there are days, when lying is
the only way out(and I have to eat my own words, to accept that) and on such a day, I feel miserable and claustrophobic.

So today morning I geared myself up,took a deep breath,said my rehearsed lines,coz otherwise I would have fumbled over what was not true.I hope god forgives me,coz I have lied, as I would have been dishonest,to myself, had I spoken the truth.I wouldn’t have been able to do justice to my job,would have made my family uncomfortable, and would have given up the a lot of freedom and happiness that I enjoy. Convincing the mind is easy, but not the heart. Guilt like dandruff is difficult to get rid of.

And now that I have sinned, I shall go and sin a little more,by telling myself that rajma chawal is not fattening and so aren’t two packets of Cadbury's bytes chocolate crunch.

FILMY-FARE

I can now boast that I know Kareena Kapoor,up close and personal.unluckily,had the filmfare awards telecast stretched (just)another half an hour,I would have been able to sketch Kareena with my eyes closed.Just 20 mins into the programme,and I was prophetically announcing ,the next actor/actress in the frame,and there wasn't a very big list to choose from.You don't need to be a genius for that.The usual predictable sequence was hopelessly oscillating between Shakrukh ...Gauri...saif...kareena...saif.....kareena.....Shahrukh,to a point of blur.
The function was initiated by Vidya Balan, looking ,like a ready to pop, fanta bottle,(and i thought most men loved her for her cherubic face)ahem!!! the perfect nominee, for the 'wardrobe malfunction' award.I expected SRK and Saif to recreate,the brilliant comic timing they had displayed previously,I waited patiently,and they failed miserably.They tripped time and again over their lines and the jokes fell flat.It just proves,that big stars fail to shine,in the absence of a good script.However, full credit to SRK and Saif for correctly predicting that "we are going to be rude,crass ,cheap and ridiculous",as rude and cheap they were,down to the last E and the P.Their gags lacked humour,were in bad taste,hopelessly ridiculous.
The whole show seemed to be a public declaration of the Saif- Kareena love story and 'the tattoo within'.The Saif-Kareena onstage kiss (on the cheek)received more coverage than the union budget ,perhaps.Saawariyaa was literally the 'BUTT' of all jokes,for all BUTT obvious reasons.Maybe they should have renamed it to 'Filmfare Kapoor -Khan -dan' awards.Adding to the misery,was Karan Johar,his usual coyish,boyish and gayish self( he missed no opportunity to kiss Shahrukh on stage( close up Gauri Khan several times) .Not surprisingly,Aamir Khan kept away from the scenario(not even a scene was available from TZP for the nominee listing).Surprisingly,The Bachchan parivar absented themselves(for reasons known).None of the vetrans were present,(and if they were there,no one bothered to cover them).

Sigh,I should have watched "hum aapke hain kaun"running on Zee instead.Madhuri,tuffy.....the wonder dog and Salman in a vest ,singing dhik tana..dhik tana,is any day..err any night a more tolerable option.

TAG

I have been tagged by xh a.k.a anoop and I'm grateful to him because it comes at a time when i'm suffering from a severe bout of writer's block.Actually,my usual absent minded head,intercepted it to be a tag, about "10 things you hate about girls".I had finally found a way to vent my frustrations.But luck was not on my side.However,who said you can't have the cake and eat it too(was a pessimist).
I'm bending the rules people and writing about both.so here's my take..err cake on the issue.

(The rules of the game are:---write 10 things u hate about the opposite sex---
at the end of the tag, tag 5 random bloggers to take up the Tag)

5 unexplainable mysteries about women.......

1. Why do we have to pretend to be on a diet always?Thin is in and hip and there are no decent clothes available if you aren't size 0..1.agreed.But,there’s really no harm in accepting once a while ,that we love to eat…err live to eat.

2. Please don’t deny it.It’s time to accept a bitter reality….bad driving and women have become synonymous !!!!Is it really necessary to peek into the rear view mirror, time and again, while driving,to adjust the makeup. Do you have to take your hands off the wheel and straighten your hair again and again and….???and btw You do have to stick your head out most of the time to reverse the car !!!!!!

3. speaking of mirrors,why can’t women resist the temptation to peek into every mirror they come across.In shops, lifts,rear view mirrors,hospitals, toilets and even through plain glass sometimes.Where there’s a mirror,there’s a woman next to it.

4. why do we have to wait,for someone to buy us a gift.Be it a chocolate,a dress or that diamond you dream about .STOP CRIBBING.Just go ahead and pamper yourself .It’s really unfair to expect men to read your mind and buy you exactly what you want.

4. Can we ever stop being paranoid about our age.Trying to look younger than you are,is not the only thing left to achieve in the world.Accept the fact that age and beauty are not related.
"you look so young" Can't you see it,men are conning us with that line, all the time.

5 things that make men ,what they are(adorable)

1.why is it so hard for men to accept that their wife's/girlfriends,have friends that are boys/men,but it doesn't make them their boyfriends.Men and women can be just friends is a bitter pill.isn't it??

2.stop telling your wife,who’s a homemaker,”aww,do you know what it is to go out and work,you are so lucky to be at home".Kids,home,groceries,homework,PTA,PMS,neighbourhood gossip,bills and maintenance and of course in laws.try juggling all that with just two hands.Try to swap places for a day,and let me see if you are still smiling at the end of the day.

3.Do you always have to act so bored and distracted and stony when you go shopping with women.It's really embarrassing when you choose clothes,by looking at their price tags.
A little bit of attention and your credit card is all we ask for.

4.Is it necessary to look at every pretty face that goes by,especially when you are with your wife/girlfriend?Stop giving inane justifications like “beauty should be admired”….”I love observing people”(how come you didn’t notice that good looking guy who came in?”)wink,wink
be creative and come up with better reasons next time.

5.Stop reading(pretending to read) the paper and don't answer in monosyllables, when you are asked " how do I look in the new dress OR howz my new haircut?
you get 'one quarter of an inch ' haircut,and still get complimented,by us,don't you?
and at least look at us when you are lying !!!

satish
guruprasad
arti
prax
darshini are hereby infected with the tag