My Last Post of 2009!

It’s 31st December, today!

A New Years Eve is as much about looking forward as it is about reflecting and reminiscing.
And today, I complete 8 months in the blogosphere!! Eight months!! Can’t believe it!! It seems like just yesterday!!

It’s apt to look back and jot down some of my favorite posts which took shape and form on this blog in these 8 months.

• My first blog post….Our Visit to the International Border.
• My second post…it’s about something which irks me the mostest!!…Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth!??
• A post which is truly a Mother’s Pride…Happy Mother’s Bay!
• A satire on our Hindi News Channels…HNCs = E Square
• The Century post, writing it was a wonderful experience in itself…Yippee!! 100th Post Today!!
• There is a lot in A Blogger’s Arsenal!!
• A story which got interpreted in myriad ways by fellow bloggers…Friday’s 55 Fiction : Her Epiphany?
• And finally a post on something which dominates my day…The Insanity of My Addiction.

That was fast work. Picked them just by rote!!

That’s all for this year.

“A rose is a rose is a rose!”, wishes all of you a great evening. Have a rocking fun time with family and friends as we move into 2010.

See you in 2010!!

Cheers :)

Image Courtesy : http://rlv.zcache.com

Time to Play Statue!!

It’s that time of the year, which marks the end of one year and beginning of the other.

It’s that time of the year, every body looks forward to.

It’s that time of the year which people celebrate with gay abandon.

It’s that time of the year when people party.

It’s that time of the year when people make merry.

It’s that time of the year when people eat and drink.

And it’s that time of the year when people dance.

 

And I am People and I do all that on every new year eve party but for the last thing.

Yeah…that dance part!

Yes, I can’t dance!!

 

I can’t dance to even save my life.

Have never ever danced in my whole freaking life!!

Have never ever done that!!

 

I love watching people who dance and admire them too.

But somehow it’s never been on my list of things to learn.

And I have never felt inadequate about not being able to dance.

Rather, I am at peace with myself on this.

 

So, at a party I would be content chatting with friends and acquaintances, enjoying the music, watching people dance, savor each morsel of the feast…and feel relaxed and happy at the end of it!

 

But that’s not what people around me think.

 

They believe…

• I am not dancing, because nobody has asked me to join them for the dance.
• My repeated sayings, “I don’t dance…I can’t dance…” are mere shy utterances.
• I am not enjoying the party.

 

So, their next plan of action would be to pull me on to the dance floor, where somebody guides me to a dance action and another one instructs me to follow that twist.

And I would be standing like a statue amidst beautiful dancers, showing eagerness to learn their fluid movements. And when I believe my grey cells have remembered the sequence of steps, and they instruct the limbs to replicate the learnings…the limbs just refuse to budge and they stay standstill as they were before…and repeated directions by the dancers result in same result…A Statue!!

 

Some patient ones persist for some moments and then seeing an opportune moment, I rush back to my safe haven, till somebody else sees me and repeats the whole process with same results…Another Statue!! And then yet another one! And can KG be far behind? He joins in too!!!

Aaahh…

 

I wish they all excuse me from this ridiculous process.

I wish they realize and understand that one can enjoy a party even without dancing.

I wish they read this.

I wish…

 

Alas… none of these wishes will come true and it’s gonna be the same dance and statue sequence for me, this new year eve party too!!

 

You guys have a rocking party while I play statue yet again!!

 

Image Courtesy : http://www.drnima.com

Drink…Drank…Drunk!!

Disclaimer I: This is a post truly from a woman’s point of view!!

A social life busier than a Page 3 socialite aptly described our last week.
Birthday party, Anniversary party, Christmas party, farewell parties (2), picnic lunch, Just-Like-That party, Weekend party…
And the ingredients of these parties were 3 GFs…

• Great Friends,
• Good Food and
• Gallons of Flammable Liquid.

And what caught my fancy this time was the Flammable Liquid or the Liquid Diet (LD), which is an integral part of (almost) all parties!



Based on some observations, the LD consumers seen in social gatherings can be classified into various categories:

• Touch-Me-Nots : Every woman secretly wishes her man to be like them!! No, they are not necessarily in the TDH category nor are they epitome of all virtues. But one virtue they surely possess is that they do not touch the alcoholic beverages at all. They are mostly the target for ridicule and fun by the people who are hardcore fans of the LD. But nothing deters these guys and they firmly stick to their guns and firmly stick to the juices and colas, the entire evening.
• Neither Here Nor There : These are the people who somehow gave in to the temptation or the pressure and have half heartedly joined the Liquid Dieter’s Club. So while they take pride in being a part of the gang, they do not enjoy it completely and are seen nursing the drink for the entire evening or even abandoning it half way!
• Mera-Wala Drink Only : Very specific about their taste and preferences, these guys would have nothing but their own ‘mera-wala drink’. And ‘mera-wala drink’ could be only Wines, or only Beer or only Rum with Coke or only Scotch on the rocks!! And if that’s not available, they’ll not have any of it!!
• There’s No Tomorrow : Ah, the die hard fans of LD, they’d drink at a party like a fish or like there’s no tomorrow. One can see them downing one drink after the other at a break neck speed and would probably be the last people to leave the party.
• The Principled : They are into the LD, but are guided by certain principles even in this field. They abstain from touching the LD on certain days of the week (a Tuesday or a Thursday…) or some festive occasions, religiously. They’d have only a drink or two as per their plan and would never give in to the temptation or the peer pressure or the constant persuasions by their brethren.
• The Transformers : These men, just can’t hold their drinks and would be hell bent on transforming themselves into the jackasses at every party. While their spouses nudge or cajole them, plead or sternly rebuke them, but all falls flat and the transformers complete their act of transformation, much to the embarrassment or amusement of others.
• The Heavyweights : These are the heavyweights of the LD club and are proud to be one. They can drink a lot, without ever being transformers. And usually hang out in a party till the very end. They sometimes act as transporters for the transformers by dropping them back home.
• Playing Secret Secret : These are the guys who itch to drink but can't due to the terror threats given by their better halves. So they secretly have a sip here and a gulp there from somebody's drink, away from the prying eyes of the wifey. And later stuff their mouths with mints or other mouth fresheners! (Based on the suggestion given by Miss_Nobody! Thank you Sweta!!) 

And now a penny for your thoughts…Seen any other types??

Disclaimer II : Whether to use or not to use the LD is an individual's decision.
Just as Anonymous said, “Your body is a temple, but keep the spirits on the outside”.
While, Frank Sinatra,  once said, “Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.”

Image Courtesy : http://matrimonyxpress.com

Friday’s 55 Fiction : Her Epiphany?

55 Fiction is a form of micro-fiction that refers to the works of fiction limited to a maximum of fifty-five words.

Her Epiphany?

He turned back sharply when he heard her voice.

And there she was talking animatedly. Their eyes met across a not so crowded room.

He nudged his wife and she followed him as he moved towards her. They exchanged the pleasantries, and did some banal talk. 

Suddenly it struck her, “Oh, she was the one”


Image Courtesy : http://www.clker.com

Think…Thank…Thunk

I think…thank…thunk…

but nothing

ring…rang or rung!!

 

So, finally gave up and came across something totally TP on the world wide web.

 

It’s a fun quiz.

 

It surely brought a smile!

 

Your Blog Should Be Purple

 

You're an expressive, offbeat blogger who tends to write about anything and everything.
You tend to set blogging trends, and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey.
You are a bit distant though. Your blog is all about you - not what anyone else has to say.

 

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

 

Go ahead and check your Blog Color!! And share it with us! :)

Kidnapped

Help! Help!!
They have been kidnapped!!
Somebody, please help! Will you??
Gosh! What do I do now??

Who have been kidnapped… you wonder!!

Nah, not any friends, nor any relatives…neither the neighbors nor any acquaintances!
(Please God, nobody should ever be kidnapped!! It’s the worst nightmare for the victim and his/her family!)

But still, some things have been kidnapped!

Well, they are BOOKS!
Prized possessions of every book lover.

The Fiction books, the Encyclopedias, the Cook books, the Non-Fiction books, the Health, Mind & Body books, Reference books, Management books, Children books…your best friends.


These are the books which you buy from the big book stores, the flea market, the discount sales, airports, railway stations, and sometimes from bus stands too.  Some you get as presents and some you order from the web or through VPP.

And over a period of time, you have a collection of which you are very proud of.

And when you neatly arrange them category wise in your cupboard, they become a source of envy for every person who sees them. So, suddenly the latent desire to read books emerges very strongly in them.

And being a good person that you are or you genuinely want them to enjoy the rewarding experience of reading a good book or you want to encourage reading among your colleagues and friends…You LEND your books.

This is your biggest mistake… You have willingly let your books to be kidnapped!
Yeah, kidnapped.

Chances are that…

• You may never get them back.
• You may have to put in a lot of efforts to get them back…repeated calls…SMSs…subtle hints…
• These efforts could continue for months altogether.
• You may not get them in the same condition… a tear here or a dog ear there, the worn or shabby look as the book is kept face-down on its open pages and the most outrageous and obnoxious part is underlining of interesting/important part with a pen!!

But why this happens??
Well…

• Their interest (in reading the book, of course) wane and thus the book just occupies some space in a drawer or shelf for months together.
• They are not ardent book lovers and that urge to read (and borrow your book) was just  a passing fancy.
• They are apathetic to books…

So, do you ever learn?

Well, despite umpteen ‘learnings’ and ‘experiences’, you have still not mastered the fine art of saying “NO”.

And in the mean time, you wait with bated breath for your beloved kidnapped books to return back to their space in your cupboard!

Image Courtesy :http://fncacademicadvising.files.wordpress.com

Paa…

Last evening, KG’s office organized a movie show for the entire team!
And the movie was…Paa!


No, I am not going to give away the story of Paa.
All I can say is that this movie is a MUST WATCH for one and all.

Written and directed by R Balki, Paa is a movie which has a lot of rare things to its credit…

• A movie which is based on a child suffering from a rare genetic condition, Progeria, wherein symptoms resembling aspects of aging are manifested at an early age.
• A movie with a rare casting coup…an actor father playing son to his own actor son
• A movie which has a rare story line
• A movie with rare to see amazing acting skills of one and all actors in the movie
• A movie which touches you the way rarely the movies do now a days!

The humor, wit, sensitivity, maturity of characters, is amazing. The movie emotionally stirs you and there were not too many dry eyed women (and may be few guys too) in the theatre!
The music is mesmerizing and the dialogues are pack a punch.

This movie should surely not be missed!!

So, rush in to your nearest theatre and experience Paa!

Image Courtesy : http://www.bollywoodhott.com

I See…

There lived a Somebody in some far off place.
That Somebody used to fidget with her Laptop from morn to night. It was some work and more of fun ‘work’!
Then one fine day, she felt her eyes were strained and tired.
The Pharmaceutical Professional in her diagnosed the problem as Weak Eyesight due to excessive staring at the Laptop screen.

Promptly, she called her husband and told him about the need to consult an Ophthalmologist.
The husband actually wanted to yell at her for being glued to the Laptop like a leach but didn't wanted to invite the wrath of the woman so instead with concern, told her to immediately see the doc.

So, Somebody called up the Opthal’s clinic for an appointment only to be told that the doc was out of town.

Meanwhile Somebody started imagining her new look…but of course with spectacles. Sometimes, she was wearing the rimless framed spectacles and sometimes a rectangular metallic black framed glasses….

Then there were the kid’s exams which were actually her exams, so meeting with the doc was postponed for some more days. And all this while, Somebody was getting paranoid, believing, a delay in seeing the doc was directly proportional to the deterioration in the eyesight!!

Finally, the D-day arrived and Somebody met the doctor. 

The doctor did all the mandatory eye tests…Somebody was made to read the alphabets on the Snellan Eye Chart and later the doc saw deep into Somebody’s eyes through the computerized machine. After looking some more with the bright torch light…he got down to his business of writing the prescription.

And the prescription read… Rx - Computer Vision Syndrome
and below it…Eyesight : 6/6

And then he paused to explain the CVS, which is a temporary condition resulting from focusing the eyes on a computer display for protracted, uninterrupted periods of time. Some symptoms of CVS include headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, fatigue, eye strain, dry, irritated eyes, and difficulty refocusing the eyes…

Somebody was suggested to follow a very interesting rule…"20-20-20 rule": every 20 minutes, focus the eyes on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

After listening to all about the condition, the do’s and don’ts, etc,  finally Somebody asked with a sinking feeling, “So, you mean that I don’t need glasses?”

The doctor gave a wide benign fatherly smile and said, “NO! But just follow that 20-20-20 rule”.

And almost inaudibly, Somebody said, “I see…”

And dang, was Somebody dejected????
With dashed hopes and thwarted expectations, Somebody walked back home with a heavy heart!

Image Courtesy : http://us.123rf.com

All in a Day's Work

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 5; the fifth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

Oh, all in a day’s work is nothing special. It’s just the routine.

But a single day’s thoughts, expressions, learnings, observations can run into reams of pages. Jotting down some of the A to Z of a day of my life!

In a day, I…

• Accept the challenges that life throws my way.
• Accomplish miracles with a gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile or a hug
• Aggravate sometimes a simple issue
• Amuse myself by playing FarmVille
• Annoy the lil’ baby by not giving in to his demands
• Anxiously wait for the feedback on my new blog post
• Bewilder at the regressive programs on the television
• Bitch about anything that is not to my liking
• Calmly control the tantrums of a 7 year old
• Cheerfully agree to disagree with…KG!
• Confuse the issue…(Sometime…once in a odd while!)
• Crazily look at the goodies on my virtual farm
• Curiously observe the magpies hitting their beaks on the glass pane ceaselessly
• Cynically appraise myself
• Determine the plan of action for the day
• Disappoint the 2 men of our home on the dining table
• Drink 3 cups of masala tea
• Enthrall the kid by reading him the stories from the Panchatantra
• Envy nobody
• Frustrate the maid with endless instructions to wash her hands before doing anything in kitchen
• Giggle out loud at the silly SMS jokes
• Gratefully thank God for all his blessings
• Happily cook
• Hope for the best in everything
• Irritate myself and others too
• Jealously guard my mini-library
• Kiss and make-up with an annoyed KG or AG
• Laze around too
• Love the feeling of being loved
• Madly play FarmVille
• Numbly brave the cold weather out here
• Optimistically look at things
• Peacefully sleep
• Quixotically refrain from using our Treadmill
• Refresh myself by listening to KG and AG about their day’s happenings
• Reject whacky ideas that keep floating in my brain
• Rejuvenate myself with a 10 minute nap
• Relax by listening to Jagjit Singh
• Rush to help
• Sadly remember some memories
• Shock KG when he sees me without my laptop
• Surprise the 2 men by suggesting, “Let’s not go to a South Indian food joint, this time!”
• Sympathetically listen to the official grouches shared by KG
• Thank God again
• Think, think, think…
• Touch base with family and friends
• Understand the importance of life
• Value my relationships
• Worry too!
• X-ray the new things a bit too deeply
• Yearn to be a kid again
• Zealously work.

It’s all in a day’s work!

Images Courtesy : http://www.expresspros.com & http://www.bbaw.de

The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.

The Rental Nightmares

12 years, 4 states, 5 cities and 8 homes gives you a lot of personal experience.
And you gather experiences from your friends, relatives and neighbors too.

Most of us have a “Grrrrrrr...” kind of experiences with them and the smiley ones are rare and few. I believe, they can be of only 2 types…

• Too Good to be True
• The Rental Nightmares

Yes, we are talking about the Owner or Proprietors or Lessors or the Lords of the Land (LOL) or the Landlords.

While the Too Good to be True are really Too Good and are epitome of all goodness (Like our current Landlord and KG…

Our experience is rich with the “The Rental Nightmares”. So, here I share some of the rented woes:

• These LOLs do not believe in post-dated-cheques and need hard cash only. And will ring your doorbell at 7 in the morning on the 1st of every month and some even on 28th or 30th of the month. Gives you a feeling of staying in a hutment dwelling and working as a daily wage earner!
• Then there are those types who believe that once they have rented the space to you, all its woes are taken on rent too…of course by you. Whether its the peeling paint or leaking faucet or a broken tile. You got to repair it all, even before you occupy the house.
• If you happen to stay with them in the same premises, then you have double trouble or may be more…
• Children should not be running around, the noise of them running around disturbs them.
• Their car should be the first to go out of the garage, at any given point of time. So, whatever the hour of the day (or night), you park your car in the given preference! (You know the drill…ring their bell, take their car keys, take their car out, park your car in and then park their car behind your car, hand over their keys!! Always!)
• There is a rationing of the water you use, how you use and when you use. (Though you’d be paying the water bill too!)
• There can not be too many parties at home. Music, laughter, banter affects them!
• Some, even want you to be home by 10 pm. Did we say, we miss staying in a Girl’s Hostel?
• Creating ruckus over minor things is their favorite time-pass. “Why did your guest ring our door bell?”, “The child’s ball has withered the flower”, “Why did you leave the gate open for 5 minutes?”...
• Their enemies (read neighbors they have tussle with) should be our enemies too.
• In case they visit their property (your home), every nook and corner would be looked at with critical eyes, just as a detective would look for clues for his murder case.
• Some have strict preferences…only vegetarians. Hello, we cook and eat in our own vessels and dishes and do not paint the walls (of your precious house) with non-veg food or don’t use the bones as treasure hunt clues, around the home!
• They do not believe in returning the advance rent you had paid at the beginning and would find innovative ways and means of retaining it with them…for damages, breakdown or even the changes that you made for fixing your AC, for drilling few nails on their walls for the clock or a lone painting! 
• One LOL, uprooted (without informing the tenant) a small Curry Leaves (Meetha Neem or Helichrysum italicum) plant, which a friend had planted in the backyard, because, it spoilt the look of his garden!!

Phew!! Some LOLs! Nah, you will never be laughing out loud with them around!

The relationship between a Landlord and a Tenant is symbiotic in nature. It’s a win-win relationship. Wouldn't it be better if it has more smiles and less of sneers!

Image Courtesy : http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com

PS: Being LOLs ourselves, the rules/tricks of the game from this side are not unknown to us!!