Peep toes, breakthrough and sleeping beast

1. I like the way the silver-grey peep toes look on my feet.
2. 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.
3. "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.

Unfamiliar terrain, politics and lime n masala

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Curls, Punishment and Cool car

1. My hair is a mass of mad curls today. It's good to toss them around.
2. You ought to be tarred and feathered, Aditi tells me. The sentence conjures up an interesting picture in my mind.
3. 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.

Just like mom, Straight and Punishment

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Tomatoes, one of those people and pining

1. 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...
2. 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.
3. 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?"

Earned gift, uploaded and time to go!

1. 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!
2. 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.
3. 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

1. 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.
2. Going through a monday without feeling sleepy (well almost!). And this despite having a rocking weekend.
3. 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!

Neat and tidy, towards better health and prankster

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

1. 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!
2. 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.
3. 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.

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

1. When I reach office, I see a message from Gauri, saying "Rashmiiiiiiiiii! I saw a kangarooooo!" He's in Australia.
2. 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!"
3. 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.

Favourite job, click instruction and planning outsourced

1. 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!
2. 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.
3. 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!

Laughter, little thought and secret

1. Laughing so hard that I have to gasp for breath and hold my tummy 'coz it hurts.
2. 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
3. Having a secret and bursting to tell it to someone...

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

1. 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.
2. Ro is here and he is talking non stop. Even while I type this.
3. 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...

Hot shower, one mad girl and smiles

1. Because its slightly chilly these days, taking a hot shower after gym is a pleasure once again.
2. Pallavi gets the chocolates we sent her for her birthday and goes into a hyper-happy wild screaming state. The chocolates have fulfilled their mission, though I wish we had a way of witnessing the celebration they caused.
3. Feeling good at the end of the day... like there's much to smile about... life ain't THAT bad..!

Slim fit, bodyguard and a long fantasy

1. Wearing my slim fit dark blue jeans. I don't know if they actually make me look slim... but they definitely make me feel slim!


2. Gauri appoints himself as Dipti's bodyguard and threatens to kill anyone who touches her. Dipti immediately turns to him and says - please touch me...


3. The TriWizard Tournament is about to start. Oh... I didn't mention I have undertaken a project of reading ALL Harry Potter books from the 1st to the 7th at one go so that I finally get the whole uninterrupted story, did I? I'm on Goblet of Fire right now... I simply adore living in the world of magic!

Catalyst, first blessing and uncivilized

1. Its a normal work-day. The clock creeps to 5 p.m. like it does everyday. Everyone is going about his or her work like usual. And then someone says, "Hey! Its raining!" Its hard to explain the kind of galvanizing effect this one statement has on everyone. People keep going to out for walks (let's go watch the rain) or running to the window. There's a palpable change in the mood of the moment.


2. We go out to enjoy the changed weather. It's suddenly turned quite chilly and there are strong gusts of wind. There's been a shower before, and though it's not raining at the moment, the air is wet and smells divine. After struggling for a while, I finally give up and let my hair fly higgelldy piggeldy...


3. After dinner I bite into one of the large juicy alphonso mangoes I bought yesterday. Its a messy job, becuase I refuse to eat it in a civilized way cutting it with a knife... I just peel off the skin by tearing it off, and bite into the whole ripe fruit... believe me, there isn't a more satisfying way of eating a mango that this... and I'm going to do it everyday for 5 more days! yay!

Pristine, craft and show it off!

1. Wearing my white salwar kameez with the delicate pink embroidered flowers. It's my lucky dress, and I don't really wear it very often for fear of spoiling it. I remember I had worn it for my first job interview (and gotten the job, of course, why else would it be lucky?) But lucky or not, I just love that pristine summery feeling of wearing a clean and white dress.
2. Kris is all gung-ho about the 'Home Sweet Home' mural he made at the mural making class he joined. We've been witnessing the daily progress all week, and today the creator presents his finished peice with palpable pride.
3. Going shopping after work. Kris and I try to convince Gauri to buy that body hugging T-shirt so that he can finally show off his 'muscles' like he's been threatening to, for many days now.

Recovery, important(?) day and melody

1. Because I finally get a good night's sleep, the fatigue that had accumulated over the past couple of days reduces somewhat and I atleast feel human again (though I doubt I look it...)
2. First Gauri sends an email: "Birthday Reminder - 30th May is Gaurav's Happy Birthday. You have received this email because you are among those lucky few who know Gaurav. Wishes will be accepted as cards or flowers. Those outside Pune may wish via email or telephone. This is an auto-generated email." Not content that the message has gotten across, a text message arrives a few hours later. It reads: "Hi. how are you doing? I hope you are ready for the big day. The day that brought a new ray of hope for everyone, the day that saw the birth of a legend, the day that marked the begining of a new era. Yes it is 30th May. Please make sure that your cards and flowers are ready by then. P.S. Outstation ppl can convery der wishes by call or email."
3. While driving back home, a sweet melody is being played on the radio. Aapki aankhon mein kuchh...

Mad mails, bang on time and ring on the finger

1. A mad chain of emails that has been going on for the past couple of days. It reminds me of the good old days when such madness was the norm rather than a rarity. Everyone's gone quite wild.
2. Tuning into a channel just when a movie is beginning. Never happens with me!
3. I like wearing the gold ring mom lent me. I only wear it very rarely, but when I do, I keep glancing down at my hand.

Borrowed glow, cherries and hunger

1. Pearls. I just love wearing two drops of pearls on my ears. I don't know if it's true, but I always feel that pearls lend some of their soft glow to the wearer's face.
2. Pulling Gauri's leg. Its all the more fun when he starts blushing and his cheeks go cherry red. The more he denies it, the redder they get...
3. Feeling ravenously hungry. Its a rare feeling during the summer, and in no time, my plate's clean!

Undeniable proof, becoming an artist and move it!

1. Kris is getting nostalgic and he sends me a badly morphed photo of Stafford playing in a water logged street during last year's Mumbai floods. It is supposed to prove that Stafford bunked work and stayed at home to enjoy the rains.
2. Tanmoy sends me a couple of magazines on photography with a colleague of his. The first phase of reading the magazines which is looking at the pictures, is currently going on... and along with that, I'm dreaming that one day (through some miracle) even I'll take pictures as good as these!
3. I finally get off my bum and head to the gym. Of course I find that my stamina is much reduced, but right now, I'm just happy that I've been able to break the ice and haul myself up the treadmill.