Dil Chahta Hai

Moved to Wordpress

2008-05-01T12:20:00.003-04:00

I recently discovered Wordpress and have moved on to it. Please visit this link, if you wish to read more of what I write. :) :)

http://conversationgalore.wordpress.com/

Google

2008-01-12T19:29:00.000-05:00

I thought this was cool:

http://digi-soft.blogspot.com/2008/01/secret-of-two-hidden-messages-in-google.html

Aaj ki taaza khabar

2008-01-10T22:32:00.000-05:00

Britney Wheeled Out on a Gurney!!

J Lo and Marc Anthony going to have their baby per Scientology beliefs

Someone (Miss X) put on weight by one pound (:O!), and no longer has a beach-perfect body. Mrs. Y is leaving the adopted children in her husband's care, and hanging out at parties. Miss Z is going to loose 97% of her inheritance; (unrelated) she is dating A and B, and previously was steady for 'n' number of years with C.

In my opinion, People's magazine is the worst there is, representing this field of work. Unfortunately it is displayed in every store, in the checkout aisle. You cannot but help glance at it and read the bold headlines.

Why does everyone have to know what is going on in Britney's life? And why is it making headline news everyday?

I once read an article which displayed how the picture looked to us (a beautiful Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake lying down on the beach); versus how the it looked to the artists (the ocean view blocked by 30 photographers, flashing away to glory). I don't think I would want to do this to anyone.

So in addition to my New Year resolutions, this year I am going to make a conscious effort to keep such news at bay. Only time will tell if I was with my efforts.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T21:50:00.000-05:00

Have a wonderful new year everyone! Hope you can fulfill your new year resolutions!

Here are some lyrics from a wonderful movie that I saw this weekend:

Dekho inhein yeh hai, oas ki boondein
Patton ki god mein, aasaman se koodein
Angdayi lein phir, karwat badal kar
Naajuk se moti, has dein phisal kar

Kho na jaye yein ... Taare Zameen Par

Atta Girl!

2007-12-10T22:23:00.000-05:00

I have never been a big fan of Aishwarya Rai. But I have changed my opinion after seeing the David Letterman show, featuring Ash, on Youtube. This was when Bride and Prejudice was releasing in the US of A.

So David Letterman goes, "Do you live with your parents? Is it common in India that older children live with their parents?"

And Aishwarya, very much on her toes answers, "Its fine to live with your parents. Because in India, we also don't have to take appointments with our parents for dinner, you know!"

Brilliant answer, I say! Way to go!

Children's Day

2007-11-14T21:17:00.000-05:00

A very Happy Children's Day to all! Celebrated in India on Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday - November 14.

I still remember, we had a lesson in our Marathi text book, called "Por-Khell" or "Child's Play". It was about how a part of us is still a child, and how we should cherish and preserve that fraction. It is the one thing that will keep us going after years and years of adulthood.

So like I was explaining to kb, Happy Children's Day for the child within us.

Smoking banned while driving with children (under 18) in California

2007-10-17T12:27:00.000-04:00

It felt good to read this news (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071011/ap_on_re_us/schwarzenegger_bills). I hope this law is applied to all states.

The last time Brat and I were driving back from Gatlinburg, TN, we noticed a mother with a 6 year old kid, sitting in the smoking section of Denny's and blowing smoke all around her child. A thought came to my mind, "Let aside the health effects of secondary smoke, what would make the child not want to pick up the smoking habit when she grew old?" More scope for banning smoking around children? I vote "YES".

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!

2007-07-28T12:51:00.001-04:00

I have been waiting for Brat to finish the book, for what seemed a long time! Every time I said "Harry Potter" I received a stern look. Anyways, now that he has completed the book, here are a few thoughts on the book (spoilers galore!):

- I missed Hogwarts throughout the book! I am glad that the climax took place at Hogwarts.

- The explanation for Snape's behavior was very well crafted. I wish he had a more valiant death than the once he faced.

- I loved the way Voldermont featured in the book, all throughout in Harry's head.

- Parts of the book were scary, like Harry's escape from the Dursley's, Godric's Hollow and Malfoy Manor. Every time I was at the edge of my seat, wondering how on earth was Harry going to defeat Voldermont.

- Ron's insecurity while wearing the horcrux around his neck, beautiful and very human!

- The choice between Hallows versus Horcuxes and Harry's selection, was very well portrayed and typical of what Harry would choose, given his personality over the past six books.

All and all, a wonderful book! I have never felt so passionate about a story. J.K.Rowling is a brilliant author, in the league of Enid Blyton and P.G.Wodehouse, I say. They always leave you wanting more.

I think Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will make a great movie!

Though Prisoner of Azkaban and the Half Blood prince, will continue to be my personal favorites of the series!

Harry Potter 7!

2007-07-20T13:50:00.000-04:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows releasing tonight! Am so excited! I have pre-ordered my copy from Amazon; am planning not to read any news about the book till I finish it. So that’s my task for the weekend!

We saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, last weekend. The movie was very well shot. It had picked up the most pertinent parts of the long book, and converted them to screen. An enjoyable experience, that!

Anyways, will get to work now! Hoping to break the trend of not blogging for a prolonged time! More later!

Global Warming

2007-04-25T15:08:00.000-04:00

An old friend forwarded this link on global warming - 51 Things we can do to save the Environment. I thought I could:

1. Change my light bulbs
2. Hang up a clothes line (I'll do it indoors, so you can still be my neighbour)
3. Pay your Bills Online
4. Open a window (at least in summer)
5. Cozy up my water heater (if need be)
6. Just (Try to) say No to Plastic bags
7. Support my local farmers
8. Shut off the computer
An alarming fact for techies: A screen saver is not an energy saver.
9. Try to ride with my hubby to work, and car-pool whenever possible
10. Check the tires of my car
11. Finally, Consume Less, Share More, Live simply

Some of the options were a bit unfeasible
1. Ride a bus
Well, I am waiting for our city to get a good public transport system. (I hope I don't sound pompous, but I come from Bombay, and I believe in public transport!)
2. Move to a High-Rise
Again, everyone moving to NY is not the solution.

Like all projects go, it would be good to look back at this list, and determine how many items I could accomplish. Many of our actions are left in thought only, I hope this is not one of those. I will keep you posted!

Reading Recommended!

2007-04-05T21:21:00.000-04:00

I finished reading 'Memoirs of a Geisha" this evening. And just had to write that the book was amazing! I think the narration was sincere, and very real. It made me think that the "retired" geisha was sitting across a table, and telling me her story. The characters have been beautifully sketched - Sayuri, Hatsumomo, Mameha and all the others. It also exposed a different culture, at a very different time (it is based around the WWII period).

I have to thank my mom and dad to introduce me to reading. Sometimes I look back at my reading, and am pleased with the way I have graduated, from fairy tales, to Enid Blyton, to Nancy Drew's, to Sidney Sheldon's and Robin Cook's, P.G. Wodehouse, and more. There was a period of time when I read only read fiction. It was a fun period, but I exhausted the good writers (or so I think); maybe it was a part of growing up. More recently I have enjoyed reading "The Monk who sold his Ferrari", "The Namesake"; the kind of books that kept me away from my daily dose of sitcoms or Rachael Ray, when I come home from work. Not that I do not read fiction; I loved "Crisis" by Robin Cook.

I am sure I will write many more posts on what I love to read (Harry Potter is coming!); so will end this post for now! Good night!

When you are far away and things happen .....

2007-03-03T19:33:00.000-05:00

Okay, that might sound more serious than I intend to. I moved to the US about 6 years back; came here for, my Masters, met my husband, got married and all, and honestly, I am having fun.

But this morning, as I was talking to my cousin, who is getting engaged tomorrow and married on March 19th, I was thinking "Gosh! I wish I were there".

Do you ever get the feeling that you are here and tons of things happen back in India, which you would be a part of, if you were there?

Sometimes I wonder if I will be attending the marriages of any of my younger cousins. (Now this is just me getting ahead of myself; they are probably not even thinking of marriage! They are 18, give and take a few years older and younger.) I am very close to them, and that would be a nightmare coming true, for me! I wish they would plan their weddings well in advance, and I could perfectly synchronize my yearly trip to India, then. (I am slightly more confident that my brother wouldn't get married without me, no matter what! If he did, I would throw a fit! But I do know some people, who have not attended their own siblings' weddings.)

We were watching Brat's niece on the web cam last week. She was two and a half months old, same time last year. And now, she runs around the house, at unbelievable speed, repeats words that she hears and seems so grown up as compared to last year!

Suddenly half a world around seems very far far away! I mean, maybe if I were in India, I would not be living in Bombay (maybe I would! :)), maybe I would be in Chennai (where my in-laws reside) or Pune or Bangalore. But at least I could fly down for such occasions.

Suddenly I miss my family get-togethers! And think when you are far away and things happen....

March of the Penguins and more ....

2007-02-02T16:21:00.000-05:00

It’s funny that these days I feel the need to start most of my posts with "I haven't blogged in a while". So this time I won't! As I wrote to friend this morning, half-baked ideas keep coming to my mind, but I lose steam by the time I get to blogger.com.

Anyways, what else can I start off with, huh? So movies, it is! I saw March of the Penguins on Hallmark this week. Nice movie! All this while I was assuming it was a story like Happy Feet. It was an informative and engrossing documentary. Tough life those penguins lead, I must say - battling the coldest weather on earth! Did you know that male penguins don't eat for a whole 125 days??!! And the female penguins travel for miles and miles to get to food (the ocean), after they lay their egg and hand them to the male penguin?

The movie also had a reference to southern lights. I had always heard of the Southern Lights and Northern Lights phenomenon. So I looked it up on Wikipedia this time, and here is the link.

Auroras (Northern and Southern Lights) are caused by high energy particles from the solar wind, which are trapped in the Earth's magnetic field. As these particles spiral back and forth along the magnetic field lines, they come down into the atmosphere near the north and south magnetic poles where the magnetic field lines disappear into the body of the Earth.

The delicate colors are caused by energetic electrons colliding with oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere. This excites the molecules, and when they decay from the excited states they emit the light that we see in the aurora.

[Reference: http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/earth/aurora.html]

Here are some wonderful pictures: http://www.geo.mtu.edu/weather/aurora/images/aurora/jan.curtis/

I will signoff on that note. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Umrao Jaan

2006-12-23T10:51:00.000-05:00

I saw Umrao Jaan yesterday and surprisingly liked it. The reason might be because I went in with no expectations.

Let me say right away, the music is absolutely not comparable to the old movie. I am listening to the old Umrao Jaan numbers, as I write this post. What melody, what lyrics! Wah, Wah! And Asha Bhosale with "Dil Cheez Kya Hai" and "In Ankhon ki Masti mein", who can beat her? To be fair to the lyrics of the new movie, we skipped through most of the songs, so I will not offer my opinion.

But on the brighter side, the dialogues were wonderful. Abhishek looked like a dream. Aishwarya, I would give her 8.9 on 10 for her acting, brilliant performance! I couldn't quite remember the story of the old Umrao Jaan, so the narration kept me engrossed. More importantly the story got me thinking. And as much as I liked Dhoom 2 (mindless thrill), I also like to watch movies which make me think. The dialogues were nice; thoughts nicely expressed; they made me want to listen to what the characters had to say.

Barring some unnecessary scenes, especially towards the end, I liked the movie. I would definitely recommend it for movie buffs, and people who like gazals or flowery language.

Long time, no see

2006-12-05T19:14:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since I posted in this space. In the process, I noticed that I had managed to write a post every month but this November, since I started this exercise. Not too bad, I think, considering that I was not sure this blog would survive.

Anyways, things have changed in the past couple of months. I switched jobs, and took a break for over a month between the two jobs. I will not get into the description of that wonderful period, but it helped me recharge my batteries. I think we all need a break once in while. I was fortunate enough to get it at an opportune time.

So, I am back in the groove now - getting up early, trying to get to work on time, cooking to survive, catching a bit of TV and sleeping on time. This is an "I am alive" post. There are a couple of posts in the works; hope to get them out soon. S'long, until then.

Kahin door jab din dhal jaaye ....

2006-10-14T13:32:00.000-04:00

Captured at the Grand Canyon - May 2006

World Arthritis Day

2006-10-12T16:34:00.000-04:00

October 12, 2006 is World Arthritis Day! Here is a link to the website: http://www.worldarthritisday.org/about.php.

The TOI e-paper had a couple of articles, that’s how I learned about World Arthritis Day. One of them was an interesting real-life experience of a person, who learned how to defeat the pain with exercise, yoga, and keeping anger at bay.

As per the World Arthritis Day website, the focus for 2006 is to encourage people with arthritis to exercise, and for individual countries to raise awareness of its benefits. The website has a wonderful exercise booklet.

Here’s hoping that work for the betterment of our fellow human beings makes a difference!

Eat your veggies and walnuts

2006-10-10T16:30:00.000-04:00

Read a couple of news pieces on BBC News Online:

1. Eat walnuts at the end of your meal.

Walnuts reduce the harmful effect of fatty foods, and also help preserve the elasticity and flexibility of arteries.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6036409.stm

2. Vegetables prevent hardening of arteries

Thank God for Indian diets.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5076850.stm

So eat your veggies and walnuts and be healthy!

Story Time …..

2006-10-03T10:45:00.000-04:00

First of all, hope everyone had a great Navratri season. It was really nice for me and Brat. A couple of Golu invites, on Sunday we had a few people come over to our place for Golu. It felt festive, just like being in India. Garba and Dandiya were thrilling, as usual. I am going to attempt presenting some mythological tales linked with Navratri and Dassera (Vijaya Dashami) today.

The story I associate with Dassera is the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama, victory of good over evil. Here are some more, I found online.

1. Defeat of Mahishasura by Durga

“According to North Indian stories, Mahishasura, the mighty demon with the power to change into a buffalo obtained a boon from Lord Brahma that he could not be killed by any man in the world. Puffed up by the protection of the boon, he Mahishasura set out to conquer the three worlds of heaven, earth and hell and drove away Indra and other deities from their kingdom. To protect the world from his atrocities the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva united their powers to give birth to a female warrior-goddess Durga. Dazzled by the divine beauty, Mahishasura proposed the Goddess for marriage but was instead challenged to a duel that went on for nine days and nights and at last, resulted in the beheading of Mahisa on the tenth. The nine nights came to be known as Navratri, while the tenth day was called vijaya dashami, the tenth day that brought the triumph of good over the evil.”

Quoted from: http://festivals.iloveindia.com/navratri/navratri-history.html

Beautiful description of Goddess Durga: Durga as Consort of Lord Shiva represents two forms of female energy - one mild & protective and the other fierce & destructive.

Quoted from: http://www.panditjiusa.com/Dasara_Info.htm

2. End of adnyatvaas for Pandavas

“In Dwapar Yuga, after Pandavas lost to Kauravas in the game of Dice, they had to proceed to 12 years of “Vanwas” (exile to forest) followed by one year of Adnyatwas. Pandavas spent 12 years in forest and hid their weapons in a hole on a “Shami” tree before entering the Kingdom of Virat to complete the last one year of Adnyatwas. After the completion of that year on Vijayadashmi they took the weapons from the Shami tree, declared their true identity & defeated Kauravas, who had attacked King Virat to steal his cattle wealth.
Since that day the exchange of Shami leaves on Dassera day became symbols of good, will and victory. Hence on Dasara Shami Tree & the weapons are worshipped.”

Quoted from: http://www.panditjiusa.com/Dasara_Info.htm

3. “Sona lutne”

“Kautsa, the young son of Devdatt, a Brahmin, was living in the city of Paithan. After studying under the guidance of Rishi Varatantu, he insisted on his guru accepting a present, or gurudakshina. Initially the guru refused but later asked for 140 million gold coins, one hundred million for each of the subjects taught. The obedient student went to the King Raghu to ask for the money, as the king was renowned for his generosity. Within three days the king made the God of Wealth Kuber make a rain of gold coins near the shanu and apati trees. After giving the promised amount to the guru, Kautsa distributed the rest of the coins among the needy on the day of Dussehra. Even today, in Ayodhya, the capital of King Raghu, people loot the leaves of the Apati trees and present to each other as sona or gold.”

Quoted from: http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/attractions/fair&festival/dussehra.htm

Now I remember this tradition, from back home. We would exchange “sona” with everyone at home, and within our building. My grandfather would be the first person I would exchange my “sona” with. I would keep the “sona” leaves he would give me and not exchange it with anyone in the world.

One of my best friends M., who is three years elder to me, would ask me to touch her feet and gain her “aashirwad” in the process. It was atrocious. Thanks A., I revived some old memories due to your email.

So long then! Until next time ……

Building sympathy for Sanjay Dutt

2006-09-18T09:36:00.000-04:00

Written: September 15, 2006

Saw a couple of articles on TOI online describing Sanjay Dutt’s “roller-coaster-like” life. Why read the darn newspaper, you ask me; well, old habits die hard, so I find myself reading being pulled to it every morning, simulating a good old morning back in India. But this post is not about that.

These articles described how Sanjay Dutt had to survive the death of his mother, a broken marriage, the death of his wife, addictions, AK-47’s, a divorce, the death of his father and yet has managed to survive, like good wine. Why this build-up?

The accused of the 1993 Mumbai blasts have been charged guilty. Sanjay Dutt, who was arrested under TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities), accused in the same case awaits his fate. But how do the difficulties in his personal life affect the verdict? Should be in no way, I say.

Believe me, I am a fan of the Sanjay Dutt’s work. He was amazing in Khalnayak, Munna Bhai, Parineeta and recently in Lage Raho Munna Bhai, par excellence. But the shift in his professional life, from Rocky to Lage Raho Munna Bhai, or in his personal life from addiction to sobriety, need not and should not affect the outcome of his case.

Well that and “World Peace” [yes, from Miss Congeniality] conclude my thoughts for the day!

Shocking!

2006-09-11T11:32:00.000-04:00

I was shocked to read that 30 year olds get Parkinson's disease on TOI. Numbers in India are 10% plus; and it is surmised that increased stress, improper diet and inadequate sleep are the culprits.

Parkinson's disease is degenerative and here is some information from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson%27s_disease.

Scary! Sometimes I wonder whether there will be population explosion on earth. But when I read these things I think, is this nature's way of getting back at us?

Ramblings on a Friday morning ….

2006-09-08T10:45:00.000-04:00

Woke up this morning to a pleasant feeling: I had actually slept for a whole eight hours throughout the night; and albeit a “bit” late for work, I feel great!

It’s strange how small things can make you feel connected to your place of origin. I saw a polythene bag of Patel brothers (thanks to Devon Street) this morning and it made me so happy. This might sound crazy, but it felt like an “Apna Bazaar” bag, and thus so close to home.

As you might have guessed, had been to Chicago last weekend, and I loved the place! I was visiting KB for the first time after she moved out of Lexington. Believe me there is nothing like visiting a friend who will make a hot cup of tea in the morning, while you are brushing; take wonderful pics; organize sightseeing; keep a meal ready for you after your long drive to her place, make a coconut cake for breakfast, just like you requested. It felt like home.

To top it all, Brat’s friends were in Chicago too. It was great to have them around as I cut my birthday cake; as they sang “Happy Birthday … Dear Pradnya” and then found it very funny.

I think it’s really difficult to make friends as you grow older (or is it just me?). And I cherish my friendship with all my old friends. Thanks guys, KB and Brat for the great time!

On a different note, I am reading about H-1B visa holders being paid less than Americans on TOI. Touchwood! While I do not fall in that category, I have seen people struggle through that phase. I think it’s OK if you are single, but to manage yourself and one, possibly more, dependants, becomes very difficult. But life is a struggle, for a good job, good health, good friends and what not. So go globalization and fight against these numbers!

And that concludes my set of random thoughts for the morning (I dare not say day!).

Tendulkar Mania

2006-08-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

I have been a big fan of Sachin Tendulkar since childhood, actually since the Australia series prior to the 1992 World Cup, to be accurate.

The man makes news with whatever he does, whether its his game against Pakistan in 1992, or his crackling opening batting in ODI's starting at New Zealand, Sharjah Cup, haunting Shane Warne, his great scores at all World Cups, his heavy bat, his injury, his Ferrari, his restaurant Tendulkar's. You name it!

I keep telling my friends, I got interested in cricket thanks to Tendulkar and I will probably stop following it, once he retires.

Anyways, read a nice article on Sachin this morning. Throught I would post it.

Here's wishing him the best for World Cup 2007.

Happy Independence Day

2006-08-15T09:38:00.000-04:00

Quotable Quote:

On the eve of our Independence, Jawaharlal Nehru said "Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge... At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom."

Shravan

2006-07-26T16:21:00.000-04:00

“Shravan maasi, harsh manasee ….” (translated: In the month of Shravan, my mind is ecstatic) is exactly what I would feel in the month of Shravan, back in India. Dad emailed me yesterday, telling me that Shravan mahina (month) will be starting on July 26th this year, and these memories came pouring out.

Grandfather used to pick me up from the bus stop and we would have an early dinner at 6. The dinner would comprise of hot bhakris, multiple tasty vegetables including a leafy vegetable, steaming rice with daal and ghee and a sweet dish (perfect for a rainy day). Three spoons of panchamrut (heavenly combination of milk, curd, jaggery, ghee, honey and tulsi leaves) would be given at the start of the meal! (Food, what else can be memory number 1?)

There were many religious activities at home, all throughout Shravan. My grandmother was in charge of guiding the activities and their authenticity. You name it and there was an upaas (fast) every other day - Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and then there were special days like Naag Panchami, Raksha Bandhan, and Gokulashtami.

Grandfather would pick grass roots growing around the apartment walls and we would sort them into the ones we could offer to God versus not. We would segregate the roots into three strands per root, such that they perfect for an offering. The standard was to bind them into groups of eight. On other days, it was to collect groups of 108 strands; so that grandfather would say a mantra 108 times and use the strands as a count. We would pray and offer the eight strands (individually known as durva) to God before eating.

On many occasions, I would accompany Grandfather to the temple; Saturdays, or the special days (school schedule permitting). There was a Shiva temple very close to our house. On Mondays, it is considered auspicious to bathe the Shiva-ling with milk and offer “bel” leaves. The oil lamps would be lighted throughout the day, on Mondays. I remember going with him to the temple on Mondays, before getting ready for school.

Grandmother used to tell us stories associated with each day in the month of Shravan; this connect to mythology was the best part. I still remember her yellow book; tried to get a copy of the book when I went to India this time, but forgot it home in the rush of the 15 day trip. I wish I remembered the stories. I found the story related to Naag Panchami (fifth day of Shravan) online; will post it on Naag Panchami day!

While I cannot be so elaborate about the proceedings in Shravan, I will try to emulate some of the practices, this year. All the best to me! :)

And it happens in real life .....

2006-07-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

For all those who have seen 50 First Dates, I read an article on BBC news about a lady who has face blindness. She cannot remember her own face or those of her children or those around her. It was caused due to a virus, which led to damage in her temporal lobe. She maintains home videos and a journal to keep track of events.

Click this link to read more.

The article states that doctors can describe her condition, but do not have a cure for it.

Here's hoping that a cure is found for this rare condition, and many more ....

Can you ears surive it?

2006-07-19T09:42:00.000-04:00

This could be my first post in a series of upcoming health-related posts.

I often wonder how people can listen to their iPod (or walkman, in older days) for a long time, without pain in their ears. When I passed my 12th standard examination, I bought an Aiwa walkman from all the booty that I received as gift. Despite my enthusiasm, I could never listen to more than three songs at a stretch. I thought it was one of those "it happens only to me" things.

However, TOI reports that 'An hour a day of blaring iPod can make you deaf'. They don't necessarily mean iPod, just the genre of personal music players.

So all you people, who rock away to music through an ear-plug, be careful and take care of your ears!

Friday again ....

2006-07-14T10:56:00.000-04:00

Just last Friday, I was looking forward to swimming lessons and the YGM show, in the evening. As I write this blog today, I cannot stop thinking of the numerous people, who were affected by the train blasts on Tuesday July 11, 2006. The articles on the web are horrendous and I bet they are no where close to what the affected must be feeling.

Pictures of the trains at 6.30 pm on weekdays flash in my mind. There are times when you can’t place a foot on those trains, unless you are getting in from Churchgate. And almost everyone I know travels by train at that time. What can the reason be - spark communal riots, bring down the growing economy? Nothing justifies this vandalism!

But like everyone, mom started going for work the next day itself. As India Uncut points out “We'll go back to traveling on trains despite knowing that no police on earth can stop such terrorism.” “Mumbai back on track” reported the newspapers on Wednesday. True! We can’t stop living our lives due to an act of terrorism, because nothing escapes terrorism – buses, trains, schools, market places, festival times, you name it.

Here’s wishing that the people responsible for the blasts, be caught and punished severely. Else these mindless acts will continue ….

Frozen!

2006-06-30T16:16:00.000-04:00

I love this song by Madonna; can almost hear it in my mind right now! Add to it, beautiful camera work for the video with the long black dress, the ravens, the mehendi and Madonna twisting her hands in front of the screen. Here go the lyrics -

Verse:

You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
Youre frozen
When your hearts not open

Youre so consumed with how much you get
You waste your time with hate and regret
Youre broken
When your hearts not open

Chorus:

Mmmmmm, if I could melt your heart
Mmmmmm, wed never be apart
Mmmmmm, give yourself to me
Mmmmmm, you hold the key

Now theres no point in placing the blame
And you should know I suffer the same
If I lose you
My heart will be broken

Love is a bird, she needs to fly
Let all the hurt inside of you die
Youre frozen
When your hearts not open

(chorus)
(verse)
(chorus, repeat)

If I could melt your heart ...

Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com

Operation Blue Star and the Golden Temple

2006-06-20T16:57:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading Indira Gandhi's biography (Indira) by Katherine Frank. It was heart-wrenching to read about Operation Blue Star (the army attack on Golden Temple) executed on June 6, 1984. Eventually it led to Indira Gandhi's assasination by her Sikh bodyguards, later that year. I could not imagine this serene place pounded by bullets (doesn't it look beautiful); Wikipedia has a picture after the operation. Follow this link to Wikipedia for more information on Operation Bluestar.

Here's hoping that the peace of the temple stays intact, and (on a personal note) we get to visit Amritsar some time.

References:

www.spiritofmaat.com

Wikipedia

Golden Sundays

2006-06-14T14:49:00.000-04:00

It has been a while since the last time I blog’ed. This morning, I was reminded of our Sunday’s in childhood. Thought I would write about that.

My brother Sid and I would get up to the sound of ‘Rangoli’, hosted by Hema Malini at that time. Great program that! My mom, dad and grandparents would get to see songs from that ‘jamana (time)’, and by the time me and my brother brushed and got ready for breakfast, new songs would come up. Mom would serve us sizzling scrambled eggs with fresh pepper and bread or an omelet and bread, with milk or tea. Sid and I would then fight (dad included, sometimes) for the news paper. Thankfully TOI had a main news paper and a supplement, thus satisfying two people at a time.

Nine or ten would be time for Mahabharat. If we had not had an early breakfast, we would have sweet corn soup or a home-made snack at that time. Then laze around and read until it was time for the ‘bai’ (servant maid)’ to come for house work. Dad or grandmother would often pressurize me and Sid to perform our daily ablution ASAP; both of us trying our level best to push it off, as further as possible. At about twelve, we would set the table and have a meal together; again watch ‘Chayageet’. Those were the times when watching film songs on television, was a timed event, something to look forward to, and not the annoyance it is right now.

I would get to my reading after lunch, sleep next to my grandmother, tell her stories from school/college and soon doze off to a wonderful nap. Once in a while, my dad and I would contend for the same fiction novel on those Sunday afternoons. (We usually read a book in parallel, and Sunday afternoon was the time when our reading times would clash.). Sometimes mom would read me an article from the Marathi newspaper. In the meantime my grandfather would watch the regional films on Doordarshan. He would give us an overview of the story, when we woke up, just in time to catch the climax.

Sid and I were permitted to have tea on Sunday afternoons. A little bit of Marathi movie watching would follow and then I would meet up with my apartment/colony friends in the evening. Long walks (and talks) would follow, along with nariyal-pani (coconut water) to replenish our parched throats. Mom and dad would have their own peaceful evening on Juhu beach and the Hare-Ram Hare-Krishna temple. When we were much younger, Sid and I would accompany our parents and play on the beach (Giant Robot version of pakda-pakdi (catch me if you can) where the catcher would be buried in the sand and could come up only after he/she heard “Giant Robot Come On”); probably the only time in the week when were not at war with each other.

At night, I would chat with my grandfather, uninterrupted; mom, dad and Sid would be away and my grandmother would be reading her stotras and mantras. He is the most wonderful person I have met in my lifetime. I miss the time I used to spend with him! The day would end with dinner and ‘Superhit Muqabala’.

Some Sundays were different. My parents and Sid and I used to go to the Gateway of India, Jahangir Art gallery or Hanging Garden and Taraporewala aquarium or the Nehru Science center or watch a movie at Regal or Eros; or spend the whole Sunday watching a cricket match. It used to be fun!

I keep telling Brat that we should have been children forever. But then I would have never met him, right? For now, I will try to be satisfied with my attempts to recreate the Sunday magic with scrambled eggs and bread, and long walks in the evening.

Streets of Washington

2006-05-21T13:32:00.000-04:00

A picture from Washington, a couple of years ago; just came across it while browsing through old photos.

Paparazzi

2006-05-12T16:59:00.000-04:00

Defined by Wikipedia as “A plural term (paparazzo is the singular form) for photographers who take candid photographs of celebrities, usually by relentlessly shadowing them in their public and private activities.” “The term paparazzi is often used in a derogatory manner.”

The paparazzi have been blamed, and officially convicted on February 22, 2006 for the death of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed. Witnesses say that the photographers were pursuing the couple on motorcycles that lead to their crash.

Read about a recent tiff between Reese Witherspoon and a paparazzi photographer, who wanted to take pictures of her family at Disneyland. Read this .

How high the stakes are: A photographer claims that he will be able to buy a house on Sunset Boulevard (LA), if he can click Britney Spears with her kid.

What the paparazzi do to take pictures: It is said that the paparazzi follow illegal means to obtain the pictures. I was surprised to read that a paparazzo had a car accident with Catherine Zeta-Jones to force her out of her car!!!!!

Interesting take on “How the Stars combat the Paparazzi” from http://howstuffworks.com.

And yet, as I stood billing groceries in Meijer, a few days back, I found myself browsing through People’s magazine with pictures of “a very pregnant Katie Holmes” and “Jennifer Anniston and Vince Vaughn”.

Are we responsible for this invasion of privacy of celebrities or are the paparazzi? A “who came first, the chicken or the egg” problem!

However, firmly established as something that should definitely not lead to a Diana and Dodi, ever again!

References

Wikipedia

www.howstuffworks.com
www.bbcnews.com

Why can't a woman be more like a man!

2006-05-08T10:10:00.000-04:00

I saw “My Fair Lady” again last week; every time I see that movie, I love it even more. This time I particularly enjoyed a chain of thoughts by the hero, Professor Higgins. He is a bachelor and is at loss to understand why the heroine Elizabeth (played by Audrey Hepburn, in smashing form) is livid with him. He has successfully taught Elizabeth, a downtrodden flower girl, how to speak high-quality English and has passed her off as a princess at a ball. But she runs away from his house that night and the song follows.

(I have highlighted the parts I enjoyed the most.)

HIGGINS
What in all of heaven could've prompted her to go,
After such a triumph as the ball?
What could've depressed her;
What could've possessed her?
I cannot understand the wretch at all.

Women are irrational, that's all there is to that!
There heads are full of cotton, hay, and rags!
They're nothing but exasperating, irritating,
vacillating, calculating, agitating,
Maddening and infuriating hags!

[To Pickering]
Pickering, why can't a woman be more like a man?

PICKERING
Hmm?

HIGGINS
Yes...
Why can't a woman be more like a man?
Men are so honest, so thoroughly square;
Eternally noble, historically fair;
Who, when you win, will always give your back a pat.
Well, why can't a woman be like that?
Why does everyone do what the others do?
Can't a woman learn to use her head?
Why do they do everything their mothers do?
Why don't they grow up- well, like their father instead?
Why can't a woman take after a man?
Men are so pleasant, so easy to please;
Whenever you are with them, you're always at ease.
Would you be slighted if I didn't speak for hours?

PICKERING
Of course not!

HIGGINS
Would you be livid if I had a drink or two?

PICKERING
Nonsense.

HIGGINS
Would you be wounded if I never sent you flowers?

PICKERING
Never.

HIGGINS
Well, why can't a woman be like you?
One man in a million may shout a bit.
Now and then there's one with slight defects;
One, perhaps, whose truthfulness you doubt a bit.
But by and large we are a marvelous sex!
Why can't a woman take after like a man?
Cause men are so friendly, good natured and kind.
A better companion you never will find.
If I were hours late for dinner, would you bellow?

PICKERING
Of course not!

HIGGINS
If I forgot your silly birthday, would you fuss?

PICKERING
Nonsense.

HIGGINS
Would you complain if I took out another fellow?

PICKERING
Never.

HIGGINS
Well, why can't a woman be like us?
[To Mrs. Pearce]
Mrs. Pearce, you're a woman...
Why can't a woman be more like a man?
Men are so decent, such regular chaps.
Ready to help you through any mishaps.
Ready to buck you up whenever you are glum.
Why can't a woman be a chum?
Why is thinking something women never do?
Why is logic never even tried?
Straightening up their hair is all they ever do.
Why don't they straighten up the mess that's inside?

Why can't a woman behave like a man?
If I was a woman who'd been to a ball,
Been hailed as a princess by one and by all;
Would I start weeping like a bathtub overflowing?
And carry on as if my home were in a tree?
Would I run off and never tell me where I'm going?
Why can't a woman be like me?

What will my Potter do??

2006-04-18T19:57:00.000-04:00

I recently finished reading the sixth book of Harry Potter and so came the idea of writing about what will Potter do in the seventh book if I were J.K Rowling's (competing with her imagination and not with any of her other extra-ordinary skills).

You all might have thought about why Snape killed Dumbledore and have come to the conclusion that after all Snape is good. I think the same too! Snape is a good man and was following orders from Dumbledore to gain Voldermort's faith.

Why does the Half-Blood Prince not get along with Potter?
Snape does not get along with Harry Potter because Harry resembles his father James. Snape hates James.

Why does the Half-Blood Prince not kill Harry Potter?
Snape and Harry share the same mission, of killing Voldermort, Harry for his parents and Snape for Lily. Snape was in love with Lily and wanted to get rid of James Potter alone by joining with Voldermort. But, Voldermort ended-up killing Snape's lady love and Snape wants to avenge his loss.

All ends well, Harry kills Voldermort with Snape's help but Snape's living or not living is in the hands of J.K Rowling!

The world is a mess!

2006-04-17T10:19:00.000-04:00

Okay, I was kidding, I do not intend to write about that. Right now, my house is a mess! And THAT topic (as most might know) is dear and near to my heart.

Yesterday, hubby dear pointed out the corner of the futon, where I was existing for most part of the day. There it was, decorated with the CD cover of "Pride and Prejudice" and two receipts (why two, I ask?), my glasses, a pencil, my purse, a book "Writing Secure Code", another one “The World of Jeeves”, my folded jeans (yes, in the living room) and a Shopper's Stop bag with tips on how to write a good resume and a Reader's digest.

I think receipts, unwanted credit card applications, and paper statements (gosh I need to move to paperless statements, lest I lose my sanity) add clutter to an otherwise neat house. To top it all Brat says we cannot dispose it unless we buy a paper shredder.

I can totally relate to Monica (Friends) when she demands that the pen next to the telephone should be lying in the same position and angle, always. Talk about being orderly! If things are not in place, it just fuels not putting the next one where it belongs, adding to the clutter. You know what I am saying?

I read somewhere that you should work for about 10 -15 minutes on your house everyday, to keep it neat and nice all the time. I have never tried that; but will just move ahead with cleaning up this evening. As Brat says, cleaning the already clean house. :)

Of noble professions

2006-04-07T08:46:00.000-04:00

Read a diary of nurse Mary Ntata, who trained in UK and had returned to her home country, Malawai, Southern Africa on BBC news online.

Reminded me of a dialogue in Munnabhi MBBS. "Jab patient thik hota hai, tab sab doctor ko thank you bolta hai. Saala tum sabki kacharpatti uthata hai, tum ko koi thank you nahi bolta." This was Sanjay Dutt talking to a sweeper. He goes on to thank him and get him out of his grumpy mood.

But how true that is of nurses too!

Due to my mom's profession, I have had the opportunity to get to know nurses on a personal level. You will be amazed at how they can have a smile on their face in the morning, even after a long 10 pm to 7 am night shift. They know no weekends and government holidays.

Today the World health organization reports a lack of 4 million health workers. The figures in Africa are dismal.

We are fortunate to be living in countries that do not face shortage of health workers.

This is a tribute to Mary Ntata and others like her, who have chosen this noble profession.

Pocket Money

2006-04-06T08:29:00.000-04:00

Read this article on TOI: No kidding: Big-city kids splurge crores.

I never received pocket money as a child. The only time I was given money, at that age, was to eat a "pepsi-cola" (flavored ice stick) for 25 paise, on the last day of the final examination.

What would I do if I had Rs. 200 then? I took the school bus. I spent a major portion of my evening playing with the other kids of my age, and watching TV and doing some homework. It is just unimaginable why kids between age 7 and 14 would need that kind of money. What would prevent them buying a cigarette pack? What would teach them to “cut your coat according to your cloth”?

Is it just me, or am I getting ancient?

Wedding Shopping!

2006-03-22T16:25:00.000-05:00

I was reminded of an incident when I went “wedding shopping” with my mother-in-law (MIL) for the first time. Here I was, the bride-to-be in 15 days, standing in a big Nalli’s shop in Chennai. And my MIL bowled me a googly. “So what (event) saree do you want to start looking at?” Next question: “So how do you want your Chennai reception saree to be?”

Simple questions! But I found myself dumbfounded. Frankly, I am not one of those girls who breeze in and make an easy conversation with everyone around. But I do belong to those kinds who can speak a few words when they are addressed. On this particular occasion, I totally blanked out.

At this point the last wedding I had attended was my sister-in-law’s wedding, approximately a couple of years back. That was the last I had seen of all those gorgeous colors and silks.

What followed was a battle, close to 2 hours, to find the right reception saree (yeah, my MIL helped me with the decision to select the event!)! My mother and MIL sought the not-so-readily available stools to perch themselves, while Brat, his sister and I reviewed and discarded hundreds of sarees, . Big thanks to all the crusaders of the battle!

It was cake walk after that! I knew how to pick sarees. As a follow-up victory, I even picked up the next saree, while strolling past a counter in Nalli’s.

That is a picture of the two of us @ our wedding reception, with our parents!

Yeh hasin vaadiyan ...

2006-02-11T10:27:00.000-05:00

Woke up this morning to a pleasant surprise! It looks beautiful outside. And its Saturday, so I could be at home, and enjoy the snow and my hot tea :). So off I go ...

I wanted to sit at home and read Harry Potter

2006-01-19T16:25:00.000-05:00

Diary - Thursday, January 19, 2006

This morning I wanted to sit at home and finish reading "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix".

Reason 1: Because, I am a big fan of J. K. Rowling.

Reason 2: Because, I wanted to do something implusive, something that I like to do, but knew I could not.

I don't know about you, but I miss the impulsive part of student life. I mean, you could choose not to go to school because YOU thought there were other important things to do (like the example above). Or you could choose to extend your vacation with your favorite cousin, because it was just not important to be at a meeting, the following morning. Or choose to sit at home on a rainy day, just for a hot coffee and onion bhajis.

Yesterday, I was telling Brat that I fully enjoyed cricket in the entire term of my Bachelor's degree. I would watch the first 5-10 overs of a cricket match, attend the second and third class at college, and rush home to watch the slog overs; not to mention, watch the entire second innings of a day-time cricket match.

Quite strange! But when I was a student, I wanted to work. And now that I am working and all, I wish I were a student. On similar lines, when I was young I wished I were old enough to make my own decisions (Boy! I remember all that scolding from mom and (mostly) dad! :) ). And now that I can make my own decisions, I wish I were a kid who did not have to think for myself.

Anyway, today I am not going to dwell on one of innumerable complexities of life :). I think I will just go home and give justice to my book!

Impressive

2005-12-29T14:08:00.000-05:00

Read an article on the Times of India online:

" Say no to dowry to get job "

It reads as follows

"The Haryana government Thursday announced that all new employees would have to furnish a declaration that they had not taken or given dowry, or would ask for it at the time of marriage.

The declaration will have to be signed by the person concerned, his wife, father-in-law and father. It will have to be submitted to the respective head of department at the time of joining service.

Women joining government service would be required to submit a declaration that they had not given dowry."

It felt good to read this article. I wish it would make headline news, rather than being the third-last article on the web page.

Simpsons!

2005-12-17T10:16:00.000-05:00

No I am not taking of the longest running TV show, "The Simpson's". This is my first home in the US! And boy! What a home!

I still remember the time when I was a new comer to the US, living temporarily with a senior RS and her directing me to this off-campus apartment complex. Actually I should say "us" rather than me, because my best friend from undergraduate studies was doing her Masters with me, and I can tell you I was glad that I could share this wonderful experience with her.

The moment I entered the plush apartment complex, my home, Apartment 714 for the first time, I loved the soft carpet and the big living room and the perfect bedroom and the microwave and washer/dryer in the apartment, I lost my apprehension. All worries of living "off-campus" and walking a long distance for classes were abandoned (though I should really say trekking, because we climbed a small knoll and crossed a train track everyday, to shorten the walk!).

Fortunately for me, there was an influx of Indian students that year and about 50% of the apartments at Simpsons were occupied by Indian students. Call it a quirk of fate, or destiny, I have met the most wonderful people here!

I remember the prolonged sessions of talking on the staircase, the excitement of TV in one of the apartments, the long walk to the Indian store (25 mins in reality, but taking about 45 mins due to our "intellectual" exchanges), watching a movie with 15 - 20 people in the room, rushing to catch the best spot, experimenting with cooking and trying it on our innocent neighbors, studying hard, helping people through assignments and exams. Wow! I could give anything to keep it the same 5 years back!

I remember the cricket, on the pitch you see in the picture, the badminton in the green area on the left with 6 people on each side, the heavy rains that caused water to collect and us making paper boats for the gushing water, the first snow, rolling in the snow for more than 3 hours and following it up with hot tea and chatter! What more could a 22 year old want?

Fridays were fun, rushing to Seaton center for a badminton court, playing for 3 - 4 hours, like there was no tomorrow, dinner and a dance/ loud music session at home, maybe. This is still where I miss by best friend, her grit at playing the game and winning.

On many occasions, I found myself talking about things I wouldn't have dreamt of sharing with anyone. Such was the warmth and friendliness of the people around me.

It lasted for two years!

People say that the place where you meet your husband always lies the closest to your heart and I met my husband there! I cannot forget the place where we studied together, became close friends, confessed our love for each other and weathered many a fights. But truthfully, the experience was THAT and MUCH MORE! (That's what makes me write this post. I would surpise myself the day I wrote a post about just that, I think!)

Secretly, I wish things would have never changed. But that is the way life goes. "The show must go on" they say. I will cherish the memories forever.

No pain, No gain

2005-11-17T13:47:00.000-05:00

Sunday 13 Nov 2005:
When I woke up various parts of my body were paining. I could not close my fist, my back did not budge to pick anything and I was not able to turn my neck. Whenever I tried to do any of these things, an excruciating pain stopped me from doing the task. My brain sent electrical signals through the nerves to the various parts of the body, but the signals did not reach the intended place...

Saturday 12 Nov 2005:
All the people around me in my office were excited. "Is our site still down? When are we going to be up?" These questions were floating around the office but my mind was somewhere else. I am playing at the center position; the opponent team member spikes the volleyball. I dive to my right and make the ball available for my team to hit it back at the right time to get an impressive win.

For these thoughts to come alive I will have to leave my office in exactly 9 min but my highly incapable office team member is asking me questions. This irritated me more than anything but I chose to ignore her question. "Have a good weekend. I really have to be there by now. Bye".

At last I reached the court and met with my friends. We were a bunch of six playing volleyball and our goal was to score 25 points to win the game. We were not a team as a team represents a bunch of people who work towards a goal knowing the strengths and weakness of their team. At first, we were ignorant about each others skill but this did not stop us from winning the first game. There was a lot of confusion in the opponent team during the game and after the game. We realized at the point we were not a bunch of people, we were a "team" and called ourselves "Ass-kickers". Every one of us contributed to the victories to come. When one played poorly, another stepped up to achieve a balance in the team.

The real test for our team was to win the best-of-five finals. The first game was a game played just after our lunch and I think the food erased the memories of the first few games that we played. People were nervous because of which there was no trust in each others skills. After the first game, we came to know the reason of failure and we picked our game from then on. We went on to win a glorious battle between two titans. That was 8 hours of volleyball game in a single day ....

Sunday 13 Nov 2005:
When my thoughts went to previous day, it brought a sweet smile to my lips - a sweet victory. I gained a lot in the games that we played together as a team and that came with a side-effect - pain. What if we had lost? I do not want to think about this as it’s not worth it.

Of Men's Fashion!

2005-11-16T11:02:00.000-05:00

Gone are the days of contrasting shirts and ties!

I was pleasantly surprised to see Bruce Willis on the Times of India website, looking gorgeous with a black shirt and a black tie.

The first time I noticed this fashion was Hrithik Roshan wearing a grey tie and a matching grey for an awards ceremony. (Yeah, I actually saw him on stage, not just on TV!)

So think twice before you pick up a blue shirt and a beige tie, guys!

Pretty Funny!

2005-10-11T13:38:00.000-04:00

Think twice before you bust someone's a__ while driving, especially a policeman's.

Some drivers have this annoying habit of sticking the nose of their car into the bumper of the car in front of it. This is merely to make way for themselves since they are driving merely at about 2 to 3 mph greater than the car in front.

Anyway, if you are one of those drivers who try to bust people in this manner, do not EVER try this trick on a policeman.

Yesterday Brat and I witnessed a funny incident, while returning to work from lunch. This policeman, on a motor bike, stopped gauging the speed of passing cars (maybe he was going for lunch at 1.00 PM) and joined the other drivers on the road. Very soon he was right behind us and we dutifully changed lanes to let him pass. Apparently, another driver did not see the reason as to why she should travel behind the policeman and that too at just about the speed limit of the highway! Hence she went remarkably close to the motor bike (probably she belonged to the group that I have referred to). The policeman tolerated this for about 30 seconds, then smartly changed lanes, and turned on the lights the moment she passed him.

Like the driver couldn't see what the policeman was up to! Served her right!

Is that me being unkind? No! I feel very uncomfortable when people try to push their luck while driving and I am at the receiving end. It is probably the reason why I enjoyed this incident a lot.

Seven Things ...

2005-10-10T13:27:00.000-04:00

Finally completed my task of the “sevens” from RS!

Seven things you plan to do before you die

1. Travel a lot (maybe one city in each continent)
2. Speak fluent Tamil with my in-laws
3. Visit a new place in India, with family, every time I visit India
4. Watch a cricket match in the stadium (I will be really happy if Sachin cracks a century or so in that match)
5. Teach my mom to be computer savvy!
6. Think about the remaining two things (now one!)

Seven things you can do (or am doing or have done!)

1. Play cards
2. Read forever
3. Keep myself updated with Bollywood movies and news
4. Keep myself updated with Hollywood movies and news :)
5. Be honest
6. Make a difference, wherever I go
7. Contribute towards someone's education (not related to me)

Seven things you say most

1. What???
2. Ckk..... (Brat hates that)
3. I think....
4. I forgot..... (Something really important)...... Don't be angry :(
5. Who told you to.....?
6. Awesome! /Cool!
7. What's up?

Seven things you can't do

1. Skiing (I am afraid it might move to a different category that this, like the last 7 things I did before I died :))
2. Be world famous :(, for the right things
3. Sit at home in the evening
4. Dance on stage
5. Listen to strange sounds, similar to the small girl who is possessed by a spirit in "The Exorcist"
6. Eat outside everyday
7. Be a hypocrite!

Seven things that attract you to the opposite sex: (not necessarily in this order)

1. Good at sports
2. Sense of humor
3. Sensitivity (Especially towards the women folk :), just kidding! Overall, someone who makes an effort to understand what the other person might be thinking)
4. "The" look ("akhiyon se goli maare" types)
5. The "looks"
6. Easy-going, hassle-free nature
7. Entertaining talks

Seven celebrity crushes

1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Abhishek Bachan (he has "The" look)
3. Stephan Edberg
4. Goran Ivanesevic (till he played that miserable match against Leander Peas and I saw his lack of competitiveness)
5. John Travolta
6. Jacques Kallis (he might have lost some more hair since, but I think he's really cool)
7. Aamir Khan in Qayamat se Qayamat Tak

Success to a good trip - No Planning

2005-09-16T20:55:00.000-04:00

It was a long weekend and time for a trip. We booked the ticket to NJ 2 months back and did not decide what we were going to do until the last week before departure. Who do you think did the planning? Obviously, it was me !!!!

Friends Vs Relatives

It was very difficult to decide between "X" and "Y". "X" wanted us to stay all the three days at their place and "Y" wanted to see P's choice (that's me). In the end, we stayed the first day and half at X's place and the next day at Y's place. We had lots of fun in both places as we got to meet new people.

Act 1:

X: I am really angry !!! Why dont you stay all the 3 days here? Tell your friend that you both will be staying here. Edison is only 5 min away from my place. Meet them (refering to Y) for 3 hours and come back here for dinner.

me: he he he (sheepish smile). I dont know what our friends have planned. I will call you and let you know.

X: That means 99.9 % you are not going to come back. We have to cook a feast for you two as you are coming for the first time to our place. SO stay here.

We had lot of people to meet and we had tough time convincing X. Atlast they understood that we had lots of people to meet.

Act 2:

Y (to P):From the time I moved to NJ, I have been calling you but you never made to my house till now. Is it because you had to visit X you came here or you wanted to be on my daughter's Bday?

P: No. No. I will spend more time in your house the next time, okay. When are you coming to Lexington?

They had big conversation about how Y had seen P grow up. All this while I was talking in Marathi to Y's daughter making good progress. I had the freedom to say anything I wanted to Y's daughter in Marathi because she was celebrating her second birthday next day.

All through this blog, I have talked about "X" and "Y". Can somebody identify which one is a "Relative" and which one is a "Friend"?

Shwaas!

2005-09-15T16:54:00.000-04:00

I have to write about this!

Yesterday I saw "Shwaas", a Marathi movie. It was a story about a village boy, 7 year old Parashuram, his grandfather, and their tryst with destiny. Parashuram is diagnosed with cancer of the retina in both eyes. The only way to save the cancer from spreading in his body is to remove the retina.

The movie is about how the grandfather comes to terms with Parashuram's condition, his decision to go ahead with the operation, Parashuram's perception of his own condition and his impending loss of vision, and their experiences.

The grandfather's journey from his unwillingness to sign on an MRI request form that states that life endangering activities can happen during the MRI scan, to his acceptance of Parashuram's condition and decision to go ahead with the operation, his inability to tell Parashuram about his condition, his frustration with the operation being cancelled on the day it is scheduled to take place and his harmless escape from the hospital to make most of the last day his grandson has his sight has been handled with beautiful sensitivity.

Perhaps the movie reminded me of MY grandfather, his temperament, strength of mind, love for his me and my brother, reactions, even his words. Hats off to Arun Nalawade, who played the role of the grandfather!

The doctor and the medical social worker play their roles with finesse.

A must see!

Kalyanam, Day 1 and 2!

2005-08-24T17:33:00.000-04:00

"Why can't you put on a larger “bindi”?" is the first comment that I remember (courtesy my grandmother) when I dressed up for the "devak", the first marriage function! Till this day, I was strutting around in an old pair of 3/4ths and sleeveless t-shirts. And suddenly I was expected to be this shy, demure, about to be married girl. The one that wears wonderful silk saris, just smiles, doesn’t talk too much and looks beautiful.

Humph! (followed by a BIG pause) Shy! Demure! Beautiful! And me! Pick the one that doesn’t match within the group and that would HAVE to be me! Let me confess, I went in for a pedicure and manicure only because "Brat" did, and I dint want to feel left out! After all "I" was the bride! :)

We traveled to Chennai next day. As I spoke to Brat that night: "Hey marriage! That's it, huh! We're here! Do we want to really go through this????!!!!" About 35 of my relatives have traveled all the way from Bombay, for 24 hours in the scorching heat and here I was, wondering whether I could chicken out.

Just one night, just for a few hours, I thought about it! The next morning those thoughts were a distant dream, maybe, even a dream that didn’t take place. I knew I why I was there (also, I knew why my relatives were there :)).

More coming your way, later!

Two-to-tango !!!???? What??? Why???

2005-08-19T15:33:00.000-04:00

The two questions that might pop-up on anybody who sees this blog. Let me try to explain why Prad and Brat named this blog "Two-to-tango".

It takes two to TANGO.

Tango is a kind of dance originated from Argentina.

Literal meaning of the phrase "It takes two-to-tango":

Certain activities cannot be performed alone such as

quarelling - which Prad and Brat never do (isnt that true Prad????)

dancing the tango - Prad, have we danced together on the tango tune?

starting a blog - Prad 'N Brat think they are too busy with lot of other things in "LIFE". It takes two to maintain a blog according to them.

2005-08-18T15:40:00.000-04:00

I happened to be reading this blog about prayers at school and it gave me the incentive to post MY first blog.

Reminded me of the innumerable times I have said this pledge:

“India is my country.
All Indians are my brothers and sisters.
I love my country, and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.
I shall always strive to be worthy of it.
I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders respect and treat everyone with courtesy.
To my country and my people, I pledge my devotion.
In their well being and prosperity alone lies my happiness.”

I still remember this giggle passing around the school assembly, at the statement "All Indians are my brothers and sisters (but ONE!)."

10 years have passed down the line, and I hope that I have not said the pledge mindlessly, every single day, for 12 years!

I am proud of my country and I strive to be worthy of it. I give my parents teachers and all elders respect and (try to) treat everyone with courtesy (I am guilty when I don't do that!).

"In the well being and prosperity of my country men alone lies my happiness". Hmm ……. I am not there yet. I have these fleeting thoughts of wanting to donate for

- Education of the poor
- The floods in Mumbai
- Tsunami relief

But my thoughts have never culminated with action!

With the grace of God, I have everything that makes ME happy. I would love to make a difference to someone back HOME!