Life ain't THAT bad..!

Quick cooks, miss and completely different

2009-11-11T23:44:00.001+05:30

1. Dinner is cooked and ready in a jiffy. It's not so bad when you don't have to do it alone.
2. The cyclone misses Mumbai and the rains let up in Pune too. Everyone heaves a sigh of relief.
3. Monty Python's 'And Now For Something Completely Different'. It's weird and of course, side splittingly funny. Highly recommended.

November rain, making up for lost time and dentist

2009-11-11T23:36:00.001+05:30

1. It has rained non stop all day. In the afternoon, it's just the right weather to cuddle up and snooze. Having taken the day off helps.
2. I spend the day with Tanmoy, catching up on lost time when he wasn't here for a fortnight.
3. It's good to know a dentist who will not fleece you. And to not feel nervous in the dentist's chair.

Heady, sunset drive and golden glow

2009-11-09T00:14:00.001+05:30

1. Savita's firm fingers massage the hair oil into my scalp with even strokes. After she is done, I'm left with a delightful aroma lingering around my head and a drowsiness. And my hair feel so light and soft after I wash it.
2. The route to Lavasa is beautiful. We catch the sunset at the dam there, with the water turning orange and gold. I've forgotten my camera, but Tanmoy's cell phone sports a decent one, and we can at least capture the moments.
3. The dress Tanmoy got me from Bhopal is a rich golden silk. I like the glow it lends to my face.

Call, support and walk alone

2009-10-28T00:18:00.001+05:30

1. Tanmoy doesn't forget to call.
2. My boss stands by me when he knows it's not my fault.
3. After the party, I walk back to the car alone. It's a 5 minute walk and I'm a wee bit nervous because the steers are deserted. But as I walk at a brisk pace, I discover what a fine night it really is, and find myself wishing I had to walk farther.

Offer, free-bies and Beauty Shop

2009-10-11T23:22:00.003+05:30

While I'm standing at the checkout counter at Big Bazar, waiting for the cashier to tell me how much my grocery and stuff has tallied up to, he suddenly disappears from the counter without a word. I'm begining to get annoyed at being made to wait without an explanation, when he reappears, holding a set of prettily painted juice jar and glasses. My bill has crossed the amount which allows me to get this set by paying just a 100 rupees extra. I can't resist the offer...
The bagful of free perfume samples that come along when I buy a perfume.
Watching feel-good movies on the telly. There's this category of movies where the underdog wins in the end, overcoming all odds and having fun in the bargain. I just love watching them. Today it was Beauty Shop.

Awake, Answer and I'm ok

2009-10-08T23:52:00.002+05:30

I feel the way one can only when one has had a full night's sleep.
Will she? Won't she? She will.
It's Friday tomorrow. I had been wondering what I'm going to do all alone over the weekend, and had secretly stopped looking forward to it. Suddenly there's plenty to do, and I'm waiting for tomorrow to end.

Peep toes, breakthrough and sleeping beast

2009-10-01T00:20:00.003+05:30

I like the way the silver-grey peep toes look on my feet.
There's some breakthrough in a particularly complex piece of work I'm doing and on the way back to my desk (after checking no one's looking), I do a little jig to celebrate.
"Georgie, your eyes are drooping. You're gonna fall asleep sitting on that bean bag any moment now." "Na na Rashmi. I'm fine. See, I'm wide awake." Five minutes later, we hear first a gentle snore and then a slightly louder one.

The gap, backup plan and nerve soother

2009-09-30T00:33:00.006+05:30

You expect the worse. And then it doesn't happen.
I've been trying for more than an hour to get Picasa to upload my Kashmir pics, but apparently its not to be. I mention this to Tanmoy, and he says he'll bring over his laptop tomorrow, and we can try on it.
I invite myself over to Dharana's 'coz I'm a little annoyed and could use some distraction. She makes me a really delicious cold coffee.

2009-09-01T01:40:00.001+05:30

1. Kiran has very sweetly not only agreed to lend me his tripod stand for carrying along to Kashmir, but also remembered to get it for me today.
2. Dirty Dancing 2. I just love the way they dance with so much abandon and sensuality.
3. Today I finally get the time I have been craving for. I feel at peace.

Kaminey, George and happy ending

2009-08-31T00:46:00.001+05:30

1. Kaminey. What a sleek, crazy movie. It's complete madness.
2. George has moved to Pune. This is the first step towards getting the gang together again. It is so good to know that he'll be around now.
3. A frustrating day ends. And it ends on a happy note.

Aroma therapy

2009-08-30T01:48:00.001+05:30

1. As soon as I open the jar of tea, the aroma wafts through. And then when the tea is boiling on the stove, the vapours have a richer smell. I wonder if tea would be so popular sans the aroma.
2. I don't have any jackets which I can carry along to Kashmir and am wondering, rather reluctantly I must add since I know they will have a limited use here in Pune, whether to buy one. I mention this to Arminder, and she pooh poohs the idea of buying. Instead, she lends me a couple of her rather smart ones.
3. I'm rather high strung all day and need something to soothe my nerves a bit. The first thing that comes to mind is a compilation of instrumental music by Bhaskar Chandavarkar, called Fire. Each piece is about 6 minutes long and all one needs to do is sit quietly, close one's eyes and listen, blocking away distraction. The music is so potent, one sees fire in it's various forms - sometimes it's just a flame, at another the Agni in a yagya. At one time it's a swarm of playful fireflies and the later, a raging forest fire.

Survivor, balm and end

2009-08-28T00:38:00.001+05:30

1. I last through a frazzled, panic inducing, brain paralysing day. And I even manage to get my brain working again.
2. I'm tired. But there are a few hugs waiting to take care of that.
3. Just the thought of sleeping now brings relief and while I have wished at various points in the day that it were longer, I'm glad and thankful that it has come to an end

Vacation plans, Getting my wind back and Talk with us

2009-08-17T23:43:00.005+05:30

We all sit over tea to discuss Kashmir plans - how we are travelling, what all we should carry. There's plenty to be thought of and as always before a vacation, there's that feeling of excitement and anticipation.
I go for a long walk with mom and dad and I'm so thrilled that I'm not tired later on. Its a sure sign of recovery and the feeling of energy is so welcome.
I'm on the phone for a long time. Finally dad says "Oh c'mon! You'll meet him tomorrow. Talk with us now."

Rare weather, coming home and corn on the cob

2009-08-15T23:59:00.004+05:30

The weather in Nagpur is perfect right now - its cloudy, pleasant and breezy. Grandma and I sit on the swing on the terrace, gently rocking and chatting about nothing in particular. I'm happy to let her ramble on, telling me about the new neighbours and the birds that visit her bird bath and the flowers. Its a lovely morning.
After lunch, I plant myself on my mom n dad's bed, fighting for space with dad. It's good to laze around, doing nothing, being the kid and getting pampered. This is what I came home for - for what else is recuperation?
The best bhutta in the world can be had at the stalls outside VNIT's gates. The one's available in Pune seem rather poor fare, with their garnishing of salt and lemon juice. Here, there's butter and green chilly chutney (the kind that makes you go sssssssssssssss) to go along with it. Seriously, no one makes corn on the cob the way these guys do. We even got one home for grandma, and can you believe it, she ate it! She's 90!

Green morning, hot shower and roommate

2009-07-23T23:07:00.003+05:30

In the morning, standing in the balcony and letting my eyes drink in the greenery. The part of the yard that we can see from both our balconies is currently densely coloured with many greens, and standing there, it seems like our private little garden. I often just sit there, staring out, doing nothing. The morning does not afford me that luxury, but the even the couple of minutes that it does are a good way to start the day.
On a rainy day, a hot shower after a sweaty aerobics session. I stand interminably under the running water, soaking in the warmth.
A roommate who will cook dinner when I'm feeling a little below weather.

Short and sweet, Simplicity and Mission Impossible accomplished

2009-07-23T00:06:00.004+05:30

On a boring, listless day, there's something to tide me over - a marvellous collection of short stories by the masters like Saki, Chekov, Munro, Oscar Wilde and so on. My sincere gratitude to the author of Short stories that I can't forget.
One thing leads to another and I find myself engrossed in these designs by Blanca Gomez. Their simplicity is charming and more than a once, they bring forth a chuckle.
It has taken me ages to get this simple task done, but I've done it today. I have bought a new set of track pants to wear for aerobics. I admit it sounds a little ridiculous, but finding the right fit in the material at the right price is ridiculously difficult. But I was lucky today! The Happiness Sale has begun at Pune Central and I can't wait to go back for more.

No mess, take care and rain song

2009-07-22T00:06:00.001+05:30

Taking the effort to put things where they belong and to smoothen out the covers and straighten the cushions. It's good to see the house look habitable again.
Massaging foot cream and then slipping on a pair of socks. It'll stay for the night.
Listening to the soft fall of rain while lying on my bed near the window.

Fixed, nervous too and the real first prize

2009-07-20T22:58:00.007+05:30

The office is too cold. But one call to the maintenance room fixes it and I'm no longer shivering.
A confession of nervousness from someone.
I had sent pictures of the T shirt I painted for the contest to my parents a few days back, but not being very regular in checking their email, they only see it yesterday. Mom calls up to tell me its very good - "I never knew you had so much hidden talent! I hope you will keep painting something or the other now that you have discovered it." But the real surprise is Papa calling up a few hours later to tell me he like the Tee. "The eyes have come out well. The nose - not so much..." The T shirt got me a third prize, but these two appreciations today more than made up for the loss of the first prize. Take a look.

Home cooked, song recall and bed time

2009-07-17T23:51:00.006+05:30

For the first time in the entire work week, we've been able to come home at a time that allows us to cook dinner. The bhindi ki sabzi, the kasoori methi flavoured daal and the soft warm rotis are so immensely satisfying.
An unscheduled and unexpected short drive in the middle of the afternoon brings an unexpected pleasure. There's an unfamiliar voice on the radio and she plays a lovely old hindi song that I'm sure I haven't heard for years - O Sajana Barkha Bahar Aayi. I'm quite surprised that I not only recognise it from the music at the begininning, but also sing along quite effortlessly, as if I have been hearing it very often. It is strange, this ability of the brain to retain the words and the melody of a song and to bring them forth at the right moment.
It's bed time, I'm sleepy and there's nothing to stop me from cuddling up in my soft and warm bed and sleep peacefully.

Unfamiliar terrain, politics and lime n masala

2009-07-02T00:47:00.002+05:30

I'm participating in a T shirt painting contest at work. Suddenly my mind is grappling with an unfamiliar challenge. What should be the theme, how should I design it? I find myself lapsing into thought every now and then.
At another game currently going on at the same event at work, the ten paticipating teams have to vote out one team each day, in addition to performing various tasks and earning points. There's much debate and calculations going on anywhere you go through the day, even though the vote-out only happens once in the evening. This drama will go on through the next week.
I have this crazy craving for something spicy to eat. I try to resist it, but finally give in and head to the cafetaria to buy a packet of potato chips, the lime and masala flavor. Finger-licking good.

No flooding, picnic weather and computer

2009-06-30T00:45:00.001+05:30

The drain pipe below the kitchen sink has been leaking heavily for the last few days. All our efforts to get a plumber to fix it have been in vain. Today we come home from work to find a new pipe in it's place. The maid has found a plumber.
The weather has been amazing all day today. It's the typical Pune weather. Cool breeze, cloudy sky and a drizzle at times. I want to go for a picnic!
My computer is getting repaired.

Short personal quest, music, me

2009-06-24T01:41:00.004+05:30

Today I discovered something very weird about myself. I was a bit on the low side from the past few days and I kept thinking that it is a result of work not progressing at the pace I would want it to. But, it turns out that it is because of the fact - I was a little low on my creativity or rather new idea quotient. I didn't have a better way to do things or couldn't find anything wrong in the way things were happening around me. Whoa! Will I have to nurture my creativity, not because I want it, but because I need it? I am a bit confused about this - should I be scared?, or people around me need to be scared?, or should I be happy that I have a strong feedback mechanism? or should I just conclude that I am too impatient... Oh wait a minute ...yeah ... I forgot I am impatient. And with that, I end my short personal quest... there is nothing wrong with me :)
When the left brain fails, the right one finds a way :)
Coldplay!

Sleep in, Still growing up and Life is good

2009-06-22T00:40:00.002+05:30

I sleep in late. Really, really late. When I wake up, I'm feeling completely rested and relaxed.
My desire for shopping has finally been fulfilled. I got a couple of kurtas and my first ever make-up kit ( yes! At this age, when I should've been already sophisticated, I'm trying to learn how to use make-up! ) I'm quite excited, honestly...
I have that feeling of contentment today, when life seems beautiful and marvellous.

Twice lucky, Showers and Discipline

2009-06-19T00:52:00.001+05:30

Two good hair days in a row! I can't believe my luck. That too when it has rained in the evening. Oh wait, that's the second BT.
It has rained in the evening. Everyone has been waiting for the monsoons, hoping for rain which has been playing truant for almost a fortnight now. It has stopped raining now, but the air has a lovely wet smell to it.
I had somehow managed to lose most of the editing I did for a chapter of S's book and was procastinating in the rework. After avoiding it for a whole week ( it was work now, not play!) I finally sit down and finish it today. It feels good now, because now I can pick up the next chapter and the fun can begin once again.

Curls, Punishment and Cool car

2009-06-18T00:42:00.001+05:30

My hair is a mass of mad curls today. It's good to toss them around.
You ought to be tarred and feathered, Aditi tells me. The sentence conjures up an interesting picture in my mind.
Because the car sits in a covered parking lot right under my apartment these days, it doesn't heat up like an oven. It's nice and cool.

Adrenalin, feat and reward

2009-06-15T23:12:00.003+05:30

It's a new high - driving a hundred and fifty kilometers at a stretch on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. We don't stop for a break and at times cruise along at 120 kmph. The car's steady.
Despite having slept for only 3 hours and having driven for 4, I'm not sleepy and am alert enough to work. I had thought I'd be dropping asleep every now and then.
Hot toasted chocolate sandwich. Its a piece of heaven.

Breakfast, Hard work pays and Email banter

2009-06-10T23:27:00.003+05:30

Breakfast is still hot when I go to the cafetaria.
A colleague comes to me with questions and I sit with her for almost an hour, explaining various things. At the end, she asks me how long I have been working on this system. A little more than 6 months, I tell her. She's surprised - "That's it? Only 6 months? But you seem to know this stuff!" I'm gratified by this statement.
There's a fun email exchange going on with Aditi. Its a pity I can't state here what we're discussing!

Sick leave, Mission 'Clean it' and Mee Radhika

2009-06-09T23:49:00.005+05:30

I am not really ill, but don't feel up to going to work either, so I stay at home. I haven't been able to sleep well at night, so I sleep in late. I have a lazy day.
Because I am at home, I can get some cleaning and scubbing done from the maid. She's probably not too happy to see me home on a weekday, meddling in her work.
A contestant on Zee Marathi's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa sings Aarti Ankalikar's Mee Radhika. Its a marvellous song, which I have had the fortune of hearing live from Aarti Ankalikar herself at the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival, and she does justice to it. Once again I am reminded that I need to find an mp3 version of the full song for the iPod.

Home delivered health, Third Girl, Twist in the tale

2009-06-09T00:53:00.002+05:30

The wheatgrass juice was delivered in neat little pouches early in the morning. It was nice and fresh and I'm looking forward to it every morning now for a few days, before we change the order to some other healthy vegetable juice.
Staying up with droopy eyes just to finish the book and find out who the murderer is. I just wrapped up Agatha Christie's 'Third Girl'. It was one I hadn't read before and was satisfying in a way that only a good Poirot mystery can be.
S told me yesterday that he'd written himself into a hole and was stuck in the story much earlier than he had thought he would be. Today he tells me that he's written himself out of the hole and is super excited about the turn his book has taken. I must of course wait
for a week or maybe more before I find out what really is going on and in the meanwhile, get along quicker with the editing.

Editor, Cuppa and Anything for Entertainment

2009-06-04T23:38:00.005+05:30

I spend more than a couple of hours editing the first chapter of a book that a very dear friend is writing. It is time most satisfyingly spent. What could be better than being among the first few to read a fantastic story that is yet evolving, and to do something that comes naturally - find errors in someone else's language!
Coming home at a decent time from work and then going out for a cup of coffee with a friend. It has almost become a forgotten pleasure.
There's a reality show on TV called 'Entertainment ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega'. The only condition for participation is that you must entertain the audience. I hate to admit it, but the show is entertaining. People with an astounding variety of talent turn up and some are nothing less that awe inspiring.

Not Negligent, Perry Mason and Buddy

2009-06-04T00:15:00.002+05:30

What was thought to be my mistake ( indeed, even I thought so, and was quite embarrassed by what I looked like negligent testing on my part) turns out not to be a mistake after all. It took me a couple of days to figure out that the test results were fine really. Whew!
I love reading Perry Mason mysteries by Earl Stanley Gardner. Papa's a big fan too, and we've both read umpteen number of titles from the series. I finished 'The Case of the Substitute Face' today. Mason, the high flying criminal lawyer, is once again in an action
packed murder trial. Slightly 'filmy', but entirely entertaining.
Tanmoy has moved to Pune. It's good to have him back.

Unsweetened, the right reason for a traffic jam and alphonso sweet

2009-05-08T00:30:00.003+05:30

I like the taste of cold unsweetened milk and the way it feels going down the throat. It's inherent sweetness is just right for me, and there's no need to enhance it with sugar.
Traffic in the opposite lane has come to a standstill and from afar, I can not figure out why. As I approach the standing column of traffic, I can see the reason. Right in front of the first vehicle, a little puppy is standing, very bewildered and lost. It finally finds the footpath and the traffic starts moving again.
For me, these are the first mangoes of the season. Alphonsoes, claims the fruit vendor. Me, I'm not so sure of the authenticity of the claim, but alphonso or not, they're sweet to me.

Neat and tidy, helping hands and uninterrupted sleep

2009-05-07T00:31:00.003+05:30

The maid is back from her holiday. After so many days, the house looks clean. Everything is in it's place, there are fresh new bedsheets on the beds and even the water bottles are filled.
Just when I had started to feel a little overwhelmed by the mounting work pressure, there are more hands on the job. Suddenly it's not so bad.
The nights have gotten cooler. I don't know why, but I sure am glad, because I don't keep waking up in the middle of the night because of the heat.

That'll shut you up, vroom and the gang

2009-04-30T00:51:00.002+05:30

A colleague is always teasing me and pulling my leg at the slightest opportunity (or even when there's none!). The best way to shut him up is to start teasing him about his wife. It's effective because he got married only last month.
A friend has been using my bike for the past couple of months. It's a pleasure to press the electric start button and have it spur into life immediately.
Friday is a holiday. There's only one more day of work between me and the long weekend. Anticipation runs high, because the gang is going to be here by tomorrow evening to kickstart the weekend. Gullu has promised that he has some masala news to tell, but won't say what it is unless everyone is present. Jui, Pallu & Tanmoy are coming, Shenoy's joining in and Patty, who I haven't seen in years, might come too. Let me sleep so that tomorrow comes early!

iPod touch, cool headed and Dimple

2009-04-29T00:10:00.003+05:30

1. I'm posting from my iPod touch since yesterday, since my PC refuses to boot. I'm thrilled by this piece of technology and how it integrates almost seamlessly with all the stuff I want to do. It's still a bit wanting in formatting etc. and I miss the good ol' copy paste, but being able to blog from my iPod easily beats these inconveniences. Perhaps someone out there has figured out how to copy paste on iPod touch?
2. I've washed my hair just now at night. There's a delightful coolness spreading over my head right now.
3. Dimple Kapadia is so stylish in Saagar, she seems of a different age altogether, much ahead of her time.

That's it, A new lease on life and Sleepy

2009-04-27T23:49:00.003+05:30

1. There's a lot of work to be done, and I'm working under bit of a pressure to get through the tasks list. I haven't really had time to look at the last item on the list, and have mentally allocated a couple of hours in the evening to it. I start working on it, and it's done in half an hour. Sweet surprise.
2. I had given up the rose plant as dead even after Gullu and I had worked a bit on adding new soil to the pot, trimming away the dried branches etc. Without much hope, I had continued to water it for nearly 10 days, when it started showing signs of life. Today there are a few tender leaves sprouting hesitantly.
3. After having slept badly for the last two nights, it seems almost a blessing that I'm yawning right now and my eyes are heavy with sleep.

Cold in the heat, saving and nectar

2009-04-06T23:33:00.005+05:30

Early this morning, I feel slightly chilly because the air cooler is on. I get up, switch it off and snuggle back into bed. Its so cool to be cold in this sweltering heat.
This month's phone bill is 30% lower than last month's.
Dinner is polished off with a glass of chilled kokum sharbat.

6 p.m., history as a story and cool as a cucumber

2009-04-01T23:40:00.004+05:30

I'm done with my work at 6 p.m. So I can go for Yoga and then come home at a decent time and pick up My Family and Other Animals.
There's a very good series on Shivaji on Star Pravah, the marathi channel. It is a faithful reproduction of the highly acclaimed 10 volume historical work 'Shri Shivachhatrapati' on Shivaji. They've captured the mood and the typical dialect of that era beautifully. For me its all the more charming, because I've read the books.
I'm off to take a cool shower and get into bed, all clean and cool. Just the thought makes me so happy.

Breakfast, bonus time and touch my toes

2009-04-01T00:04:00.004+05:30

Natasha makes lovely tea every morning. Oh, and today there's oatmeal porridge too.
Discovering that I don't really need to attend that two hour meeting. Bliss!
After half an hour of aerobics, I'm flexible enough to touch my toes.

Old-new, no need to choose and unexpected

2009-03-31T00:15:00.006+05:30

The seating arrangement at work has been reorganised across the floor for some 400 people. The machines were shifted to new work locations over the weekend. There's plenty of chaos in the morning - people are hurrying about, connecting their PCs, unpacking boxes, putting up their charts and posters and arranging their desks... and occassionally also forgetting to go to their new locations, and turning up at their old desks, only to find someone new already occupying their seats.
The aerobics class got shifted to Tuesdays and Thursdays instead of the original Mondays and Wednesdays. I no longer have to choose between attending the Yoga class and aerobics.
An old friend from junior college suddenly calls to say he's in Pune, and would like to meet if I'm free. I get late at work, and he gets late too, so we end up meeting at 10 p.m., but I'm glad we do. He's pleasant company and it's fun catching up and getting news from Nagpur. He's a father now and shows pictures of this little daughter with evident pride.

Mini meal, cooling agent and Feast Bazar

2009-03-24T23:24:00.004+05:30

The minestroni soup at lunch is thick and chewy, and almost a meal in itself. The rest of the food on the menu is quite boring and unpalatable, but the soup and some salad is more than enough for lunch.
A large glass of cool sweet fresh watermelon juice. It cools from within.
There's a show called 'Feast Bazar' on Travel & Living. The host takes us through Morocco and Syria, showing exotic middle eastern cuisine. Natasha and I sit drooling over the humous and the falafel, wishing we could go back to Israel and gorge on those once again.

Oh my God! Are ALL my good things about food today?!

Shared happiness, shared burden and puffed up

2009-03-23T23:24:00.005+05:30

Gauri comes running to my desk, bringing with him a semi-eaten chocolate pastry. Rashmiiii, try this! This is one of the best pastries I've had in a long time, he tells me, not even attempting to hide his glee. He's brought along a spare spoon, so I can dig in without wasting time. We share the pastry and the glee.
I can start assigning work to the new guy who's joined the team. What bliss to have someone to share your work load with!
For the first time in my life, my rotis have puffed up perfectly. Each roti's puffing up is followed by a small dance of celebration. And when we have them a while later, they're still soft and warm, and of the perfect thickness. I deserve a pat on the back.

Just like mom, Straight and Punishment

2009-03-22T23:55:00.005+05:30

Baingan ka bharta like my mom makes it. It turns out almost perfect - with the brinjal, the onions and the tomatos roasted over the flame and then cut and mixed. No oil. Very healthy and of course very yumm.
Straight. Its hilarious! Vinay Pathak is such a brilliant actor. He portrays the character of Pinu Patel with such sensitivity - the confusion, the straight laced innocence, the eagerness, the tragedy that's inevitable in overly earnest people's lives, the childlike joy and jealousy, he just does it all in so classy a manner that one can't help but get involved in the character.
Gauri is being rude and silly. I chase him in the parking lot and give him a smart rap on the back for being cheeky.

Finally, Only early morning dreams and irreverently funny

2009-03-22T00:08:00.006+05:30

I have a gas connection at home, people! How cool is that? Congratulate me! It has taken so many days, so many trips to the distributors office, and so many discussions and arguments with that rude fellow who mans the office that when it finally arrives today, I find it difficult to believe the long and tiring journey is over... but there it is! Sweet!
During my afternoon nap, I have a very vivid dream. My parents are telling me that because I'm not getting married, they're going to shift to Pune on 6th April. Dad has arranged to start his Law practice from here, and I'm supposed to quickly find a larger house. I tell this to mom and she's quite amused. "Didn't you freak out?' she asks me. I pretend to be very hurt by this comment. Don't worry, she tells me, its only morning dreams that come true.
I have started reading My Family & Other Animals. When Shenoy asked me last week what I wanted for my birthday, I told him I wanted this book, and he seemed quite surprised to hear it's title. I haven't read much yet, but what I have so far, makes me want to get back to it quickly. I love the way he's completely irreverent about his family and how he describes the way his family has helped him write the book.

Morning best, balanced and non-hairy

2009-03-12T23:42:00.003+05:30

Waking up in the morning, feeling rested and fresh. I wish this is how I could wake up every single day.
I wear neither rings nor any watch, so the new pearl ring and the watch make my hand look very crowded and I keep fiddling with them, not quite liking it. Then I shift the ring to my right hand and the watch remains on the left, and there's balance.
Thank God I'm a girl and have a non-controversial option to opt being non-hairy!

Cool car, washed and juicy

2009-02-26T22:51:00.003+05:30

Its only february, but the temperatures are already soaring. We're safe inside the air conditioned car.
Washing off the day in a cool shower.
Juicy grapes after dinner.

Morning road, Tailored, Overfed and winning it all

2009-02-23T22:32:00.006+05:30

The main road looks so empty and inviting at 8 in the morning. The usual traffic is missing and the air feels very inviting and fresh. Its an unusal sight for me, for I'm usually never out so early, and the road is bustling till late in the night.
I bring out my tailored white cotton shirt after a long time today. I'd forgotten it fits so well. And looks so crisp.
Natasha's mom has whipped up an enormous and yummy dinner (as is her way!) again. I'm getting fattttttttt! I even carried my lunch to work today!
The Oscars are being aired in the morning when we are driving to work and every award is announced on the radio as its being won by Slumdog Millionaire. At work the updates keep coming in and the euphoria continues.

Temptation's fruit, deadlines met and I have a roomie!

2009-02-21T10:59:00.004+05:30

The new Reebok T shirt I picked up a couple of weeks ago when I wasn't meant to be shopping makes me look slim. I'm glad I gave in to temptation that day.
I feel like a free bird. The huge mountain load of work that I had on my shoulders is now over. I feel especially thrilled at having met the deadlines. There's still work to be done, of course, but it isn't pressing and I can take the time to goof off a bit and not feel guilty about it. In fact I feel as if I've earned it! Oh, and I leave office on time (after coming in late!)
After almost three years of my staying alone, Natasha and I have decided to share the flat. She moves in in the evening, and there's the general chaos of unpacking and talking and excitement. We're also very thrilled that we had underestimated the house. After all her stuff has come in, there's still plenty of space where we'd initally thought we'd be a little too crowded. We're already making plans of stuff we'll do together as roommates.

Luck By Chance, kill piracy and gassy issues

2009-02-01T23:38:00.002+05:30

Watching Farhan Akhtar is a treat. I watched Luck By Chance today. I'll rate the movie a 3 star and Farhan Akhtar a 4.8. Oh and Hrithik's in it too, albiet for a very short role. Sigh!
I got two Moser Baer DVDs today with 3 movies in each - Yuva, Guru and Rang De Basanti in one and Lakshya, Rang De Basanti and Dil Chahta Hai in the other. Each DVD is priced at Rs. 45 only! And they're licensed copies, not pirated ones! Now that's the way to kill piracy!
The gas cylinder is empty and there will be no cooking at home till I manage to procure another one. This requires quite a bit of ingenuity since the time I moved to this house a couple of years ago, because the gas agency I got the connection from does not operate in this area. So why am I writing this here? No, it hasn't made me happy. But I mention this to my mom, who mentions it to her brother in Mumbai, who immediately calls me up to discuss various options for getting another cylinder. It feels so good that my family cares even about such mundane things and that they worry when they think I'll have to eat out everyday!

Dip dip dip, Slumdog and overfed

2009-01-26T23:28:00.004+05:30

Dipping a biscuit in piping hot tea till its just about to fall off, but not quite and then quickly eating it.
Dev Patel in Slumdog Millionaire. He's quite a natural. I realised one thing when I saw the movie today - It's no different than many mainstream Hindi potboilers. All the hoopla created around it being nominated for the Oscars and winning the Golden Globe seems quite amusing to me, because hey, come watch a good Bollywood thriller!
My cook was taking the day off today, so she cooked some extra food for me yesterday. When I actually open the fridge before lunch, I see an enormous amount of food waiting for me. She has obviously taken good care that I don't starve on her day off!

Steamy news, music of my choice and onion paratha

2009-01-25T00:14:00.005+05:30

Sitting down on the carpet in the morning with a cup of hot tea and the news papers.
The car's music system has been repaired and is now playing CDs! yay yay! And the warranty covered the repairs and I didn't have to shell out a paisa!
Awesome onion paratha at Juice Corner on East Street. And fruit cocktail to wash it down.

Mad music, insane happiness

2009-01-24T00:44:00.005+05:30

I am happy today. Madly, insanely happy. Dancing-alone-at-home-on-a-song-played-on-my-mobile-phone happy. And extraordinary happiness allows you to dispense with formats and rules, so no 1. 2. 3. today.

The seeds of the happiness were sowed yesterday when I decided that on yet another day (today), I'd leave office at 6 and attend a concert. Nothing could rile me through the day. The real happiness started in the evening at 5:30 p.m. A piece of work I had been wrestling with, for the past two days suddenly unraveled. My code ran in the first attempt, did not fail and lo and behold(!) even gave the expected results (don't smirk you non-coders... There would be no need for Testers in this world if it was that easy to make code work as per one's wish!). So suddenly, what had the potential of being an evening spent listening to music while suppressing guilt for leaving work undone, became a liberated evening. I danced a little jig. Urmila looked at me and shook her head in disbelief.

And then came Sivamani. And Mandolin U. Srinivas. Sivamani is a mad man. There are no two ways about it. To be a genius like him, you have to be mad. A percussionist of super-human talent, he 'bajaos' any surface he can lay his fingers on. He stood there on the stage surrounded by what seemed like thousands of instuments and beat them as if possesed by a demon! And the music, it just came and then rose to a crescendo. The crowd went wild. And everytime it seemed like the stage would burst, the music would suddenly ebb and become soft, almost shy. Accompanying him with superb mastery was Mandolin Srinivas. Where Sivamani beat the music out of his drums, Srinivas persuaded it out. And it came, and the people swayed to it.

My soul was drenched today. With melody, with perfection, with sweetness, with contentment. And I danced. All alone but very happy, I danced.

bavre se pair chahe

baavre taraane ke

baavre se bol pe...

.... thiraknaa

(My mad feet want to dance to the mad words of a mad song...)

Welcome, touch and grilled to perfection

2009-01-04T00:28:00.004+05:30

Tanmoy is here.
My iPod Touch is, simply put, damn sexy. I can't believe I now own something so classy.
The grilled fish at Malaka Spice is perfect and quite unlike any that I've ever had.

Light headed, gifts I like and objection sustained

2008-12-28T22:40:00.006+05:30

A head massage. And a shoulder massage. And warm, fragrant massage oil. And the way my head feels so light afterwards.
It's so difficult getting birthday gifts for guys. Finally, I find what I want to gift Sriharsha and Kris. Sriharsha gets Anurag Mathur's The Inscrutable Americans and Kris gets Miss Shumway Waves a Wand by James Hadley Chase. Both are books I have enjoyed immensely when I read them many years ago and was quite happy to find them on the book shelves at Crossword.
Tanmoy has taken strong objection to the fact that his name is not in 'My People' here on this blog.

Survival food, in a jiffy and

2008-12-28T00:54:00.005+05:30

Maggi. What would I do without it?
Thinking that like all tailors, this one will also be fussy and will take a long time to stitch my dress, I ask him a little apprehensively when the dress will be ready. Tuesday, he says. Have it ready by thursday, I tell him. Er... tuesday, you mean? No no... Thursday will be just fine. I can't pick it up on tuesday.
I'm getting bored at home. So I call up Sriharsha and Kris and we try to plan what to do. We end up getting ourselves invited over to Kris's. Vrunda is sweet, she whips up a quick dinner for us.

Kulfi, grape juice and night air

2008-12-26T23:41:00.004+05:30

Our Kabbalat Shabbat (a Jewish ceremony to welcome Shabbat, which we follow because our company is based out of Israel, but which we have modified to suit the friday mood to eat good food and have some fun with colleagues) gets cancelled, so there are no yummy friday afternoon treats. Or so we think. Another team has plenty of kulfi left from their Kabbalat Shabbath, which they come to share. The taste of the pistachio flavoured kulfi lingers on my mouth for some time.
Fresh grape juice. The sweetness is just right and the usual astringent taste is somewhat suppressed, creating a most satisfactory (and of course, healthy) drink.
Finally there's enough of a nip in the air to wear a jacket while walking outside at night. The cool clean night air is the kind that makes one want to keep walking. The tip of my nose and my cheeks tingle a little.

Jingling bangles, my day and aroma

2008-12-25T20:57:00.004+05:30

There's a wedding to attend in the morning, so I get to dress up a bit in one of my better Salwar Kameezes. Its also an occassion to wear bangles - something I don't usually do, and I kind of like the way they jingle on my wrist at the slightest movement. And the best part is that I get a ride to the wedding - Suresh Kaka and Bharti Kaku pick me up and drop me home, so I don't have to worry about the traffic.
There's no where to rush to and no time table to keep. I put on soft cotton socks, get under soft covers and go off to sleep in the afternoon. Its my day.
Holding a steaming mug of soup in my hands, I take a deep breath.

Happy day, random gems and negotiation

2008-12-25T00:51:00.003+05:30

I feel light today. I put in 12 hours of work, but even in the 12th hour, I find myself humming a tune while sitting at my desk. I like days when it's easy to smile. People seem to irritate me not quite as much as they have done in the past week or so.
Manjiri writes me a random email. It ends with: Found this today - 'the tailors measured him just for the sake of excercise these days.' Wodehouse, who else?
A super tight deadline has been negotiated and I suddenly realise that I no longer need to work on Christmas... Lesson learnt - ask! negotiate! Especially when the present scenario can't get any worse. A painstakingly composed email sent last night did the trick.

No motion sickness, rasgullas and inbox

2008-12-24T00:16:00.002+05:30

I come home from a completely uneventful bus journey. NO bus sickness at all this time! How cool is that?!
Kris has brought some really soft and succulent rasgullas to office today, because it was his birthday on Sunday. I make at least 3 trips to his desk at different times of the day to pop one in my mouth. Ok, technically, one can't just 'pop' it in, it would be too messy, but I usually squeeze the excess juice out of it so that it has just the right amount of sweetness and then bite into it.
For 4 days, I haven't checked my email, so I login a few minutes ago, with great expectations. I'm not let down. Apart from the usual promotional emails, there are a few personal ones from friends too.

Lower pressure, clean it up and Kaushiki

2008-12-17T22:56:00.007+05:30

After days of complicated and time consuming work, the pressure eases off a bit and the work at hand is slightly low pressure than the past whole week, so I can relax a wee bit and allow the fatigue to take over for a while instead of fighting it continuously.
As the petrol pump attendant fills up the car's tank, another one cleans the windshield because it's dusty. He does this without being asked to.
I remember I have Kaushiki Chakrabarty's CD in my purse as I get into the car. So today, instead of the radio, I listen to her melliflous voice singing a beautiful raaga with great pleasure. Peace slowly seeps in...

Looking nice, company and the sound of music

2008-12-17T00:17:00.003+05:30

On a day when I haven't taken any trouble to really dress up and am sub-consciously convinced that I'm looking 'just ok' and perhaps a tad fat, I get a compliment that I'm looking nice.
I've slogged through the day but its been one of those days when getting even the simplest thing done requires herculean effort. Driving back home from work really really late, I'm tired and cranky. At such a time, I'm glad of Arminder's company as she joins me in cribbing about the how badly people drive in Pune. Its so much better than driving home alone when you really want to rant about stuff, but have no one to listen to you.
I finally find the drivers my PC needs and install them. The sound's working now! Yay!

Entrancing music, glad and freedom

2008-12-14T23:35:00.003+05:30

Having the good fortune to listen to Ronu Majumdar play the flute and Pt. Jasraj sing at the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival. Today was the final day of the 4 day fest, and what a musical feast it has been! I've attended on all four days, and each day has been one enriching and fulfilling experience. My experience has culminated today on the high note of Pt. Jasraj's heavenly voice - one needs to be at the festival to see how his bhajans sway an audience of over 5000, all rapt in the the same emotion...
Jui is happy she came all the way from Hyderabad to attend the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival.
After months of driving only the car, I take the bike today. There's a strange sense of freedom as I weave my way through the traffic, slipping through spaces which are inaccessible to the car, instead of waiting patiently till there's space enough for the car to move ahead.

To the grind, Smita and panache

2008-12-11T00:23:00.002+05:30

There's so much work, I'm having to keep my nose to the grind. I'm kinda enjoying it.
After many months, Smita has been emailing. Her familiar frank style reminds me of the good long chats we used to have when she was here. Has it really been two and a half years?!
Ocean's Twelve. I just love their style and panache!

Wish me, younger, Brisingr and making way for the new

2008-11-25T23:38:00.005+05:30

It's Dharana's birthday today. She keeps insisting every now and then: "wish me happy birthday!". We do. We wish her a happy year.
It's Stafford's birthday as well. I ask him how old he is and give a theatrical gasp when he tells me. "Yeah yeah... I may be older than you, but I look younger", he tells me. "That's just because of your juvenile behaviour," I tell him. A throaty laugh comes from the other end of the line. May you have many such laughs this coming year, Stafford! Wish you a happy birthday.
Come evening and I can't wait to get done with my work and the gym so that I can rush home and get immersed into Brisingr again.
Papa's camera has arrived and he's thrilled to bits with it. Mummy has called him up at the courts to tell him a gift has arrived for him from Delhi, and has refused to divulge any more information, so he has come home wondering what it might be and who might've sent it. He is already making plans of how and when to use it and of getting rid of his old point and shoot.

She's back, beauty treatments and 9 wins

2008-11-23T01:17:00.004+05:30

The maid's back from her vacation. Yay! And she makes lovely thin and soft rotis from the dough I had kneaded yesterday, better than what I could've ever made. (Yes, my obsession with rotis continues!)
I completely pamper myself today. First I get a delightful haircut, then a facial, then a manicure and a pedicure... oh! and the hair stylist straightens my hair while blow drying. I adore the new look with the sleek staight hair. My hair will go back to its unruly curls by tomorrow, of course, but I like the possibilities this new hair style suggests when I am bored of my usual look.
Shenoy, Pallavi (his wife) and I go to attend the final round of Battle of the Bands - a local rock competition. Our friend Yayati's band "9" are one of the finalists and they are simply mindblowing. They play all original compositions, all in Hindi and are declared the unanimous winners. I'm seriously impressed!

Gym girl, dad will shoot and Gujju Thali

2008-11-21T23:23:00.003+05:30

Finally! I've done it! I've gone to gym 5 days in a row for the first time in my gymming career! I'm so proud of myself.
I spend a good part of the day researching digicams. I have discount vouchers both from Indiaplaza and ebay, and now I really want to buy a camera for dad. I'm especially thrilled at the idea of ordering it online and having it delivered directly to him, because online shopping is still a very new concept for him.
Again I join Sriharsha and Sachin for dinner and we go to a Gujrati thali place. The food is just like home! Simple and tasty! And the rotis! sighhhhh... I just gobble them up! Its sheer contentment...

Waiting for the rain, all for me and company for dinner

2008-11-20T23:51:00.000+05:30

As I walk in Magarpatta late in the evening, there's a smell of rain on the wind. The wind comes in gentle gusts, but there's an urgency about it which makes you want to walk briskly, though not necessarily to get to a shelter.
The gym is quite empty, so I don't have to wait for my turn.
Its too late to cook and I'm wondering what to do for dinner when I find out that Sriharsha and Tejas are going out. I join them and find that Vishal and Sachin are joining too. What might've been a hasty, lonely dinner turns into a fun meal with good food (except the paneer... that was horrid!) and much laughter.

Birthday girl, special gift and soft!

2008-11-19T23:42:00.003+05:30

It's Dipti's birthday today. Last night a few of us from work landed up at her place at midnight to bring in the birthday with cake. She has loved the surprise so much that I overhear her telling anyone who calls her up to wish her about how exciting her birthday has been this year. Happy birthday girl!
Dipti goes out to receive the birthday gift that has arrived from her fiance and comes back radiant, holding a gift set of CK perfumes. Her eyes sparkle so much, its impossible not be drawn into her enthusiasm at the gift.
I manage to make soft, edible rotis today. They don't fluff up as they should when I hold them over the flame, but I suppose that's setting too high an expectation at so early a stage in my roti making career!

A common dream, epidemic and Mario Miranda

2008-11-18T23:14:00.000+05:30

George calls up after a long time. He's very busy these days attending B-school and we don't get to catch up as often as we'd like to. A rescheduled exam has worked in my favour and he has a few hours free. There's much to talk about. We keep planning on how sometime in the near future we'd all like to stay in the same city, the whole gang within reach.
An email arrives from Sonal announcing her engagement. We all ignore it - it is after all such a common prank played on unsuspecting colleagues when they leave their PCs unattended. But this time, there's an unusual amount of buzz after this email, and it turns out it is true after all, and there are sweets to be had at her desk! It's a wedding epidemic, I tell you! A whopping 12 people I know are getting married in the next quarter. Wedding plans and fiances are the hot topic of discussion anywhere you go.
While in Goa, I kept searching for souvenirs with Mario Miranda's cartoons, but didn't find any. Looking him up on the net though, I did find some delightful pieces of his work. His eye for detail and his love and understanding of Goa's unique culture is evident in the pictures. He takes care to remind us that Goa not just a beach state that attracts tourists by the cartload. Its a place with its own rich cultural diversity, very different from the rest of India in that it was ruled by the Portuguese till 1961. And yet, the native Konkani people have maintained their own identity, even while assimilating the influence of their conquerors, creating an exotic and heady cocktail.

Online, lets go back and seeing is believing

2008-11-17T23:43:00.004+05:30

The helpful internet guy turns up as promised and gets my connection going. Right now its working like a dream.
People share their pictures from Goa and we have a lovely time reliving the fun moments.
I love video chat.

Tomatoes, one of those people and pining

2008-11-07T17:24:00.005+05:30

Pallavi emails to tell me about how her experiments with cooking turned out. Let me just quote her: well it was a decent meal though I realized that my rajma and paneer both turned out to have excess tomatoes!!! So it was an extremely tomaty (if that’s a word) dinner!!!! I like that word. Tomaty... hmmm...
In the same email, comes another statement. You're becoming like those people who go to Goa at least once a year, she tells me. Well, this is the second consecutive year... and I'm rather pleased about it! But next year, I'll go some place else.
Dipti is engaged and her fiance has gone off to the US. He'll only come back for the wedding now, which is to be held either in February or March. She sits at her desk looking all forlorn (and extremely funny) and says "How will I wait four months to see him?"

Entertainer, variety and white

2008-10-29T22:37:00.004+05:30

I'm seeing my cousin Aaditya after a long long time, perhaps a couple of years have passed since we last met. He keeps entertaining us with really silly jokes. His supply seems inexhaustible.
There's a handloom expo at Kasturchand Park. We're amazed at the variety of sarees available there.
I like wearing the crisp white chikankari kurta. Wearing white makes me feel all pristine and superior...

Deepavali, welcome and lit up

2008-10-29T00:06:00.004+05:30

Wish you all a very Happy Deepavali... May the festival of lights bring new joy and prosperity to your lives! It's a time to be happy and to find new hope and new things to be thankful for...

Its Diwali... no other festival brings such a feeling of gaiety in everyone. All the houses are decked up and the evening makes us forget that there's no moon in the sky tonight.
We sit with huge needles and a roll of twine making garlands of marigold for the doors. Before its evening, all the doors are decked up for Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth to enter our home. Also welcoming her is the colourful rangoli near the door, over which Jui and I broke our backs. There's no way she can ignore such a welcome!
The task of placing wicks in the little earthen diyas, filling them with oil and placing them along the balcony wall after lighting them falls to me... they look marvellous, twinkling with their warm light against the night.

Coming back to life, hungry and involved

2008-10-27T23:57:00.005+05:30

Coming home after almost a fortnight at the hospital seems to be doing some good for Grandma. She looked so frail lying on the stretcher when they brought her home just two days ago. Already, being in her own room, sleeping on her own bed and being surrounded by her familiar knick knack has brought in a striking change and she can sit up unaided and for longer durations. An unmistakable sign of recovery is the returning interest in life's daily activities - she asks me to find her pearl earrings and later tells dad that she'll clean the bunch of coriander he got from the market, and does.
Being at home, in Nagpur, whets my appetite. Is it the air?
Finding the time to be completely engrossed in a book. I didn't quite expect to like A Queen of Dreams... but I did. I got involved in it to a surprisong degree...

Earned gift, uploaded and time to go!

2008-09-30T18:48:00.005+05:30

The set of strolley bags I ordered to redeem the points earned on my credit card arrive almost a week earlier than I expected them. And they arrive in a huge parcel at work and cause plenty of excitement. The bags are nice and stylish, but also look quite sturdy and convenient. Now I can take one of them on my vacation... yay yay!
After much procrastination and many taunts and pestering from friends, I finally upload the pictures I had taken during the past couple of weeks or so. I end up surprised when I see them, for I had forgotten clicking many of them and some have come out beautifully I think.
As the day progresses, I am barely able to contain my excitement enough to sit still and concentrate on work that must be completed before I leave for the vacation tomorrow. And because there are six others at work who are accompanying me, the buzz is heady. Comparing checklists, checking weather forecasts for all the places we're going to visit, making phonecalls to check on details... there's so much going on, it's hard to forget for even a moment that its going to be one fun holiday for the next 5 days!

War wounds, no snoozes and free rice

2008-09-15T21:05:00.004+05:30

Showing off the black and blue bruise on my arm. It's not hurting much now, so it's all the better! There's much comment on it, and much conjecture.
Going through a monday without feeling sleepy (well almost!). And this despite having a rocking weekend.
Playing for Free Rice (look at the banner on the right hand side). Any language game instantly becomes an addiction, and this one's better, for there's much incentive to keep playing. I have donated 2980 grains of rice today. You play too!

Shy, no mouse in the house and fine writing instruments

2008-09-10T17:34:00.003+05:30

Internet woes continue. But that doesn't mean beautiful things have stopped happening!

I wake up and still sleepy eyed, open the balcony doors. The first thing I see is a brand new shy little rose bud, still very tiny and still very green.
The mouse that has been scaring me has been gotten rid of and I can go into the bathroom without my nerves being on the edge.
Jui wants to buy a pen for Papa, so both of us start searching the net for one that's worthy of being held in his hands. I like the way the sites use the term 'fine writing instrument' rather than the mundane 'pen', instantly upping the glamour quotient attached to it.

Charged, traffic update and connected

2008-09-03T00:48:00.004+05:30

There's a slight electricity in the air - we're planning a trip again, and though its a month away, the spring in my step is unmistakable.
Kris calls up to say that he's stuck in a traffic jam for more than an hour and I should avoid that particular route home. I'm so grateful he called, because I was actually planning to go home that way.
My internet is working. They have finally renewed it for the correct monthly plan.

Sun salutations, chai tales and the nanny

2008-08-27T23:18:00.003+05:30

Finally getting the hang of the Surya Namaskar. Its a yogasana combining 12 steps and exercises most major muscles. I still can't do it perfectly, but I atleast know what I need to do better and how. The last time I did it, I had no clue what came when!
No tea spewed out by any vending machine can ever match up to real chai - not even the tetley tea bag dipped thick milk whitener added tea... Tea powder should be boiled, preferrably with the milk and sugar added, and with some ginger (some people like to add cardamom too, but I don't like it that much). That's the perfect chai... the caterers at work have started serving chai in the afternoon at tea time, and though its a little too sweet for me, I still prefer it to the vending machine tea.
Watching 'The Nanny'. I especially like the way the outrageous nanny laughs.

Tender, tonic for the soul and pretty change

2008-08-26T23:40:00.005+05:30

The rose plant has tender new leaves - all shiny and reddish purple - evidence that the plant has accepted its new home and is taking root.
Its been a long, tiring day. As I set out for home, I'm moving and driving solely on will. As if on cue, all the radio channels start playing beautiful songs. There's something of a tonic in the music and when I reach home, I'm feeling much better.
I remember a friend who used to be a tom-boy in school. She's changed so drastically since she got married. Every time she posts new pictures on Orkut I'm freshly (and pleasantly) surprised. I see a pretty, feminine girl looking back at me from the photographs.

Customer Service, Smooth and Yellow Chillies

2008-08-24T00:49:00.005+05:30

A top that I bought a few does ago isn't fitting me all too well and want to exchange it. The catch - I've lost the bill, though the tags are still hanging on. I go to the mall, prepared for war, but I'm surprised. The girl at the customer service desk is helpful and says she'll change it for me if I find something in the same brand and at the same price. Luckily I do.
After the servicing, there's a noticeable change in the driving experience. I never thought my car was not smooth, until this evening when I realized how smooth it suddenly seemed!
A new restaurant's opened in KP - Sanjeev Kapoor's Yellow Chillies. The master chef's restaurant lives up to our expectations in terms of the culinary and dining experience - the 'Lalla Musa Daal' as they call it (more commonly known as kaali daal or daal makhni) is exceptional. The mocktails are refreshing too...

Absurd mind in a house of bheegi ladki, far away...

2008-08-23T07:31:00.013+05:30

There are times, when you see everything around you moving along perfectly well, without your dependence. On such days, you are well placed to spend a lazy day at work. Such a day was today.

1. Experimenting mind games

My first round of experimentation has ended, without any casualty. I found it hard to implement initially, but now slowly after much deliberation, I find it rather amusing. There are more interesting things to follow. One learning - 'Always keep them guessing'. More to come in future.

2. Absurd Chit-Chat

There is an old friend, with whom my conversations haven't changed in any manner, for the last 9 years. Post graduations, jobs, her marriage have miserably failed to change the tone. It breaks new records of cheekiness and absurdity each time. Obviously having an hour long chat like that has never harmed anybody.

3. Looking forward to a House of Cards

The fact that I am going to watch another thrilling and suave episode of 'House of cards' after I finish writing this- makes it hard to go on writing. An elegant and extremely well written script of a classic political thriller. You know it, even if it was not from the accent, when you watch something made by the British. I have found no form of Literature or Art more intriguing (consistently over the years) than, what comes out of England. Highly recommended.

4. Whiling away...

Whiling away time... listening to old songs from 'Chalti ka naam gaadi'. One of those movies, where each song is a gem. I love this movie.

5. 'Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si'

Since we are talking about 'Chalti ka naam gaadi' let's also talk about the most famous song from it. I remember listening, singing, whistling to this song... so many times. This happened to be one of my favorite songs to sing, back in college. We even had a medley of 4-5 songs, which used to start with me whistling to the tunes of this song. This song has a cult following in India. Is it surprising that it features the super beauty queen (Madhubala) in a wet saari and one of the most diverse artists India has ever seen (Kishore Kumar). The pair derive their amazing chemistry in the movie, from a real life romance which soon tied them in matrimony, after the movie.

Here it goes - YouTube Video

Ik ladki bhigi bhagi siSoti raaton mein jaagi siMili ik ajnabi seKoyi aage na peechheTum hi kaho ye koyi baat hai, hmm

(Dil hi dil mein chali jaati hainBighdi bighdi chali aati hain) -2Doondh laut ti huwi balka ti huwiSaawan ke suni raaton meinMili ik ajnabi seKoyi aage na peechheTum hi kaho ye koyi baat haiHmmEk ladki bhigi bhagi si..

(Daagmag daagmag lehki lehkiBhooli badh ki behki behki) -2Machli machli gharse nikhliPaghli si kali raaton meinMili ik ajnabi seKoyi aage na peechheTum hi kaho ye koyi baat hai, hmmEk ladki bhigi bhagi si..

(Tan bheega hai sar geela haiUs kaa koyi pech bhi dheela hai) -2Tan ti jhukti chalti ruktiNikli andheri raaton meinMili ik ajnabi seKoyi aage na peechheTum hi kaho ye koyi baat hai, hmmEk ladki bhigi bhagi si

No noise, curd and free bird

2008-08-22T23:50:00.005+05:30

My current favourite song, Khuda Jaane, is being played on the radio, so I roll up the car's windows to cut out the noise of the traffic.
There's thick white fresh curd for lunch. Even looking at it lying in angular lumps in the bowl is such a pleasure. And it tastes even better than it looks. There's no need to add any salt or sugar to it.
As I come home at night, the streets are free of traffic and I can cruise along happily, enjoying the feeling of freedom and loving every minute of it

Neat and tidy, towards better health and prankster

2008-08-21T23:15:00.001+05:30

My internet connection is playing the traunt, hence the irregular posting. I hope to be back online soon!

I come home to find the house in neat order and the dinner cooked. The rose plant has also been watered. The maid's back! Yay!
Even though its too late to go to the gym by the time I'm done in the evening, I still find the time to come home and do some yogasanas.
Tanmoy calls me up very gleefully to tell me about a prank that he's played on Shreerang. "Its going to drive him crazy!" I'm told with much delight.

Pending light is long wanted in Bombay meri Jaan :)

2008-08-21T08:22:00.004+05:30

Shopping time. I have no idea why am I being so happy about it. Maybe, thats what this blog is all about.

1. Finally there is light !

Yes... I bought a table lamp finally. This happens to be one of the absolute necessary things in my life. My US experience has been so different in so many ways. Not all of them have been rocking. Not having a bed side lamp was one of the basic things missing from my life.

2. Pending no more...

There is so much personal and office work that I finished/planned. A sense of accomplishment really for a lazy bum like me.

3. Wanted

Everytime I talk to family and friends back in India- I feel so important and wanted. It is one of those rare occasions when it seems I am lucky to be alive and walk around with pride.

4. The Long Walk

I recommend this book to anybody who feels life has been unfair to them (even for a moment). Sławomir Rawicz, a Polish soldier who was arrested by Soviet occupation troops after the German-Soviet invasion of Poland. He and six others escaped and walked over 6500 km (4000 miles) south, through the Gobi desert, and over the Himalayas to India. I don't think I have even reached the part in the book, where the escape is planned. I am still in the parts where he is tortured by them after his arrest. The book's shock factor makes it a very interesting read.

5. 'Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan'

What a playful and meaningful song ! I soooo love it :)

You will find the english translation on the youtube video.

Youtube Video

Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaanHa haa, ha ho ho, ho hi haa ha haaHm hm hm hm, hm hm hm , hm hm hm hm hmAye dil hai..
(Kahin building kahin traame, kahin motor kahin millMilta hai yahan sab kuchh ik milta nahin dil) Insaan ka nahin kahin naam-o-nishaanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaanAye dil hai..

(Kahin satta, kahin patta kahin chori kahin resKahin daaka, kahin phaaka kahin thokar kahin thes) Bekaaro ke hain kai kaam yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaanAye dil hai..
(Beghar ko aawara yahan kehte has hasKhud kaate gale sabke kahe isko business) Ik cheez ke hain kai naam yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaanAye dil hai..

(Bura duniya woh hai kehta aisa bhola tu na banJo hai karta woh hai bharta hai yahan ka yeh chalan) Tadbeer nahin chalne ki yahanYeh hai Bombay, yeh hai Bombay, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan
Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan
Aye dil hai aasaa jeena yahanSuno mister, suno bandhu, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan
Aye dil hai mushkil jeena yahanZara hat ke zara bach ke, yeh hai Bombay meri jaan

Kangaroo man, not brown but still a favourite and gossip mongers

2008-08-06T23:55:00.005+05:30

When I reach office, I see a message from Gauri, saying "Rashmiiiiiiiiii! I saw a kangarooooo!" He's in Australia.
Getting a parcel in the mail. Even though I've been expecting it, and I even know what's in it, I still love it. I think, more than getting the parcel, I enjoy the stir it causes among the people around... and there's a certain romance attached to getting something by mail in this age of email... "...Brown paper packages tied up with strings... these are a few of my favourite things!"
Gullu has been trying to reach me desparately. When I finally do call him back, he's going to bits over some gossip that he wants to share - a friend has a job offer and after much cajoling, has almost confessed to having a girl friend, and we spend a few happy, wicked minutes discussing this and making plans of harrassing him till he gives us the whole story.

For Addy, coffee with the breeze and hard work

2008-08-04T23:00:00.000+05:30

After many days, I catch Aaoge Jab Tum on radio... And instantly, I think of Addy. She had been asking me about my favourite contemporary hindi music, and I had somehow missed this one. So Addy, this one's for you. About the song... well, just listen to it!
Dipti and I carry our coffee mugs outside to the portico, for the afternoon break. Its a cloudy day with a gentle breeze, and we are both so pleased to be out in the open that we laugh easily, forgetting the closed office and the heap loads of work.
When I check my watch, I find that the yoga session has actually lasted less than the alloted hour, but I'm feeling as if I've been through one gruelling length of time. Its hard work!

Highlight, walk and Shantaram

2008-08-02T00:03:00.004+05:30

Tanmoy and Pallu are back in NY after visiting the Niagara Falls. They're awed by the majesty of it. For Tanmoy, the highlight of the trip is a full, vivid rainbow. Pallavi is unimpressed by such trivialities and instead of talking to me, they continue to bicker about it.

Fed up of the depressing darkness inside office today, Kris and I go for a walk in the Magarpatta garden. For some strange reason, this is the first time I'm going there, and I'm thoroughly impressed by the sprawling, well manicured garden. It's so peaceful there, and bright and the fresh air feels like heaven...

Shantaram. I started it a few days ago, and within the first 3 pages, I was hooked. The lucidity of language, the authors keen-ness of perception and of course the incredible story, all make a lethal combination. Every now and then, I am blown away with the author's unique way of feeling things and expressing them.

Special occassion, healthy food and Sit

2008-07-31T23:21:00.004+05:30

Natasha has stayed over, so the special occassion is celebrated by having chai and some biscuits in the morning. What's the big deal, you ask? Well, just come and see what a rush work mornings are! There's no time for anything more than a glass of water.
I resist having those rich, fatty, fried (and sumptuous) samosas for breakfast and eat fruits instead.
Kris clears his desk, points at it and says 'Sit.'... However many times a day I drop by to waste time, his as well as mine...

Favourite job, click instruction and planning outsourced

2008-07-22T22:53:00.006+05:30

Mom calls me up: "I have a task for you - one that you'll love." "What?" "Your sister has neither come online nor sent an email for two whole days. Scold her, will you?" (She has travelled to the US for a couple of months.) Who in her right mind would refuse a job such as this?! Unfortunately she sends a lengthy email within a few minutes, and I lose a golden opportunity... sigh!
The photography workshop has started today. The instructor spent today's session answering questions that people had. Tomorrow, he will bring his lights and show us how photography is done with studio lights. While all this is going on, the thought crosses my mind that while all this technical instruction is fine, no one can really give the photographer an 'eye' for the frame, she must develop it herself and finally, it is this individual perception of the world around that will be the distinguishing factor once the technique is mastered.
Soumitra is such a sweetheart. He knows I must have forgotten. So he reminds me that Diwali is only three months away, so I should start planning for tickets. Last year, all the tickets were snapped up within an hour of the reservations opening!

Lucky day, chef and title track

2008-07-21T22:44:00.007+05:30

"Are you feeling lucky today?" Kris asks me... I'm confused... Why? I ask. "Because Vrunda and I got you something for your car". "Just like that? No occassion?!" It turns out to be a stuffed monkey that's smoking a cigarette with loads of attitude, in a reclining posture, with one arm behind his head... and if you press it's tummy, it lets out a shrill screech that's alarming, to say the least! Its superfluous to mention that I'm so thrilled by the unexpected gift that I'm giggling my head off for a long time...
I make rotis and baingan ka bharta for dinner. The rotis, though not quite perfect, are not altogether bad. I am so proud of myself. Why? Everyone can make rotis, with the sole exception of yours truly! So edible rotis are a notable achievement.
The title track of the Marathi serial Asambhav. The series is also quite riveting, but its very difficult to find time to watch it everyday and one loses track of the story otherwise...

Swish swish, thanda thanda cool cool and living up to its reputation

2008-07-20T23:06:00.003+05:30

Wearing my olive green cotton skirt. It's of a handloom material with block prints on it and has a very earthy, 'India' feel to it... the cut is straight, but at the bottom, there's a flare which swishes as I walk.
Its sweltering in the afternoon and we're sweating profusely... suddenly, there's a cool breeze which says that it's rained somewhere nearby... it goes right to the roots of my hair and my head feels cool...
I drag Soumitra to Side Walk Cafe promising him the perfect coffee and excellent snadwiches. The cafe doesn't let me down...

Wow, pickled and little woman

2008-07-17T23:23:00.003+05:30

I love it when people say "Wow! You drove all the way to Hyderabad?!"... of course, I remind them I didn't drive the whole distance alone, but the admiration still gives me an ego boost... the other day Natasha kept saying she's so proud of me!
Viju Atya tells me that she has again made pickle this season, so I can be sure of getting one more bottle of her home-made pickle when I next go to Nagpur.
Watching Dharana make rotis - she looks adorable... like a little kid doing grown-up things!

Breathing space, effectiveness and welcome

2008-07-16T23:46:00.001+05:30

After many days of high pressure work, its a relatively easy day. I can relax and take breaks without feeling guilty.
I do pranayam at the evening yoga classes being held at work. There's a tingling sensation on my face when I finish the breathing exercises.
I drop in at Kaka's place unannounced, but they won't let me go without dinner. Its such a relief not to have to worry about arranging for dinner that I accept immediately...

Laughter, little thought and secret

2008-07-15T23:12:00.003+05:30

Laughing so hard that I have to gasp for breath and hold my tummy 'coz it hurts.
Dharana knows I love coffee, so she very thoughtfully saves me some special coffee flavoured chocolate that someone gave her... the little chocolate nuggets have coffee beans at the center, and a delightful aroma
Having a secret and bursting to tell it to someone...

It's saturday, not needed and girl time

2008-07-12T23:55:00.001+05:30

I wake up in the morning with a start, look at the watch, wonder why the alarm didn't go off like everyday and then remember its saturday and settle down once again to drift off to sleep with a thankful heart.
Both Jui and Pallu have no time to chat with me - instead they're both busy chatting with Tanmoy, planning their sightseeing while they're in the US... Tanmoy is also taking great pains to help them out...
Three giggly girls out on a saturday night. There's much truth when they say that all girls need some girl-bonding time, where no guys are allowed and we can let our hair down...

Hitting the high road, li'l bro and I can do it

2008-07-09T23:12:00.000+05:30

A car, two chilled out people and a highway that stretches ahead. Off we zoom, Ro and I, sometimes singing, sometimes talking... we're in no hurry to get home, so we take our time, taking small detours to click pictures, to see an old fort on the way, to have chai at a roadside dhaba... it's a good way to be...
As a younger brother, Ro is good company - he's chilled out, practical, looooves to eat, is always ready for some fun and adventure and you can rely on him. What I like the most about him is the fact he doesn't come with a 'handle with care' tag attached, so he's a zero stress person to have around... not to mention his vast capacity for nonstop nonsense! I hardly feel the 6 year age gap to be a barrier in having fun...
The enormous feeling of confidence that comes along with completing a long road-trip (approx 550 kms)... I no longer doubt my ability to handle my car... and the car is wonderful - it gives an unexpectedly high mileage on the highway.

Immortality can be associated with old and senseless men having cheap thrills on weekends

2008-07-09T08:05:00.006+05:30

Let me introduce you to the Pearl Jam week. There is no particular reason on why I choose this week to be so. This is three cheers to the music, I have connected to, for so many years.

1. Cheap Thrills

As of now, I don't have much work assigned to me. I mean not enough to keep me busy consistently. A colleague of mine, requests me to help her with a few visio diagrams. My reply to her request-
"I would rather have you learn the functions, than help and hinder your progress". I know it was a sad remark, but somehow I enjoyed it :)

2. Old and senseless

Having an easy work schedule, has its obvious benefits. I called up a couple of old friends and had long chats (as senseless as it can be). Somehow by the end of it, I find myself all cheerful.

3. Weekend mania

I know its just Tuesday, but my roomies have started to make a 'guy' plan already. This is a part of the farewell to one of guys in the gang.

4. Immortality

As a part of the Pearl Jam week, I introduce you to the song - Immortality. I have been listening to this song continuously since morning. It has that nostalgic tone to it. Eddy Veddar has said this song might just be wrapped in the thoughts for Kurt Cobain (not directly but just to point to a similar 'parallel train' he was on).

Listen to this studio version

Needless to say the lyrics are awesome...

Vacate is the word...vengeance has no place so near to her
Cannot find the comfort in this world
Artificial tear...vessel stabbed...next up, volunteers
Vulnerable, wisdom cant adhere...

A truant finds home...and I wish to hold on...
But theres a trapdoor in the sun...immortality...

As privileged as a whore...victims in demand for public show
Swept out through the cracks beneath the door
Holier than thou, how?
Surrendered...executed anyhow
Scrawl dissolved, cigar box on the floor...

A truant finds home...and I wish to hold on, too...
But saw the trapdoor in the sun...

Immortality...
I cannot stop the thought...Im running in the dark...
Coming up a which way sign...all good truants must decide...
Oh, stripped and sold, mom...auctioned forearm...
And whiskers in the sink...
Truants move on...cannot stay long
Some die just to live... ohh...

Flying away from the Earth, with the fear of a long peace video

2008-07-07T08:42:00.013+05:30

I received a stringent order to write the BTs till the owner is back. So here it goes.

1. Peace on Earth

With my roomies gone (most of the time) I use the house to satisfy my own whims and fancies. Movies I like, Music I like and food I like. Not a bad change at all (for 3 days).

2. Longford

Finally I get to see the movie I had bought a month back. Not disappointing at all. I have always been fascinated by bizarre things and behavior. I remember having a fascination with the concept of death ever since I was a teenager. Anyway, this movie was not about death. It is a biopic of Lord Longford, a British campaigner trying to help a convict- Myra Hindley. What makes his campaign both shocking and ruthless is the fact that, Myra was found guilty of being accomplice to Ian Brady in the killing (and sexual assault) of five children between the age of 10 and 17. His respect and career is at stake when he tries to help Myra Hindley despite public outrage. A movie well presented. There is an underlying current about all real life portrayals which makes the movies intense, but never the less, they have to be crafted with care as there are a lot of passionate and possibly concerned eyes scrutinizing the product.

3. Cape Fear

I never thought this was close to being Scorsese's best. But what was impressive was the way the scenes were shot on the boat towards the end. I loved it. There is so much randomness in the action scenes in his movies, that not even for a second would you feel let down. And off course, when there is Robert De Niro in it, I had to watch it. I meant to watch it long ago, but somehow never got the chance.

4. Pearl Jam: Single Video Theory

What can a crazy fan say about a documentary video shot on his favorite band? I guess there is only one word to express the right feeling - Ecstasy. It is a video shot at a time when Pearl Jam was making 'Yield'.

5. Given to Fly

Since we are talking about Yield - lets talk about the best song on it. The song which gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. I don't know if it has been posted here before. But what the hell, even if it has been- this is one song which deserves to be here more than once. I just Love it !!!!

Here is an interesting YouTube version.

And here are the lyrics...

He could've tuned in, tuned in
But he tuned out
A bad time, nothing could save him
Alone in a corridor, waiting, locked out
He got up outta there, ran for hundreds of miles
He made it to the ocean, had a smoke in a tree
The wind rose up, set him down on his knee

A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw
Delivered him wings, "Hey, look at me now"
Arms wide open with the sea as his floor
Oh, power, oh

He's.. flying
Whole
High.. wide, oh

He floated back down 'cause he wanted to share
His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere
But first he was stripped and then he was stabbed
By faceless men, well, fuckers
He still stands

And he still gives his love, he just gives it away
The love he receives is the love that is saved
And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky
A human being that was given to fly

High.. flying
Oh, oh
High.. flying
Oh, oh
He's flying
Oh, oh

A ray of sunshine, chatterbox and 3-in-1

2008-07-04T00:33:00.004+05:30

For a blissful 5 minutes in the morning, after getting ready to leave for work, I think I won't go. For those 5 minutes, I can't wipe the smile off my face. Then of course, I get up and go to office.
Ro is here and he is talking non stop. Even while I type this.
A sumptuous dinner, a cup of coffee and then a long drive on empty roads. The chicken fillet stuffed with mushroom and olives and cooked in a creamy cheesy white sauce is a delight... oh and the coffee - only coffee lovers will understand my bliss at having a cup of strong cappucino after liters of horrible vending machine coffee in office for days on end... and what pleasure to be able to actually put the car in the 5th gear for long intervals of time, when the daily commute to work rarely affords me to chance to even go into the 4th gear... oh... are these three BTs rolled into one? Oh well...