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!

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!

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.

Breakfast, frame it and doing it the microwave way

1. I'm late and I miss the cab for office. No, that's not good, but what is good is that while I wait for another one to arrive, I can have breakfast...
2. I show Galit a picture of a flower with a honey bee on it, that I took this weekend - one that, I must mention, I'm particularly proud of... she says "you've got the touch! I'd have it framed if I were you..." It's not really that good, but her saying this pleases me to no end.
3. Getting the hang of microwave cooking - the aloo-palak sabzi turns out quite decent, and its good to eat something simple and healthy

Fresh n fragrant, nostalgia and evening nap

1. My clothes that have been laundered here at the hotel have a delightful fragrance that fills the wardrobe... and when I use the fresh towels, or put on one of the blouses or T-shirts over my head, I like to take a deep breath.
2. Seema Tai, one of my cousins who used to be in Jerusalem very many years ago is thrilled by the pictures I send her, and writes me an email saying how she is reliving all her old days through my pictures.
3. I come back to the hotel early today, because I have a headache, and catch up on some badly needed sleep. I wake up feeling much better, and then have some hot lemon tea... the vapours waft through to my nose, and it feels so good on a chilly evening.

It's free, come what may and encore!

1. Talking to my grandma over Google talk - she sounds so astonished and delighted to hear my voice. She's initially worried that I'm spending too much money over an international call, and finds it hard to believe that it's free!
2. Many mishaps later (we first melt a vessel in the microwave, then the microwave starts emiting sparks), we finally manage to cook a mixed veg 'kolhapuri'... and it turns out surprisingly good... the fruits of hard labour are indeed tasty! Perhaps fate had mercy on us when we wouldn't give up.
3. Looking at the pics taken at Eilat, I feel the thrill once again and as usual, fall in love with my camera all over again...

I was there too, panacea and the promise of youth

1. Finding some nice pics of me in Dipti's album.... I'd forgotten she'd taken pics at the Ganpatipule outing too... All my folks, especially grandma, who saw the pictures I had taken, complained that there were too few pics of me (since I was the one manning the camera, of course!). They'll be happy now.
2. I've felt low and restless and not altogether chipper all day. But when I get into the car and drive it to the showroom to get the registration papers and number and then back, I'm somehow cured. And this inspite of having to drive in the heavy peak-hour traffic. (And btw, the number's familiar too - 8428. But I dunno why!)
3. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa on Zee Marathi started with their latest season last week, so my Monday and Tuesday nights are spoken for, for the nest few months. This season, all the contestants are aged 40 and above. And while I had my doubts about how good they'd be (forgive me!) when this was announced, my doubts have not only been laid to rest, but my expectations have also been surpassed. Much unlinke the youngsters who had participated in the earlier seasons, these artists have a certain maturity to their voices and their much superior and detailed riyaaz shows through... And they all are so genuinely happy to have been given such a platform at a stage in their life when they have almost given up hope of ever singing for such a large audience...

Gluttony, sunny and vivid

1. I'm a glutton... All day, I just hog. And with great relish each time... I have lunch twice, then evening snacks and then a very sumptuous dinner, topped by an awesome dessert of ice-cream and fruits. The dinner is courtsey Khushboo, Dhehal and Dharana..
2. I'm awake all day. Not once do I feel sleepy or tired or low on energy.... not even a post-lunch lull. Its a bright sunny day for me, and for some reason I laugh easily and often. I like to smile and laugh.
3. Manjiri's photographs from Sri Lanka... what vividness of colour and richness of detail! As always, its a pleasure going through them.

Cool dude, journey in images and telepathy

1. Dharana got me a magnet which has a cool-dude turtle on it. Its lying upturned on its shell, sunbathing, with a can of coke in one hand, and the most idiotic i'm-the-coolest-dude grin on its face...
2. The year in images. Time magazine has published these. Its fun going through them - they span over various events, locations and emotions. I only wish India had figured in them somewhere...
3. Everytime I call up Shenoy, he claims he was just thinking of calling me up, and expects me to believe it, by saying it has to be telepathy that I called him just then.. see?