What a year!!!
Surely this past year will be one of those that people will remember a lot. Unfortunately not many will remember it with much fondness :( For me this year has had it's share of highs and lows.
But I am not going to complain, I am happy with the way things have gone. I wish everyone around me too felt the same way. But that's ok. I am sure the coming year will have lots of new avenues and happiness for everyone.
Here's wishing everyone a much Happier, healthier and prosperous 2009 :)
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Winter = reading, TV and movies
So it's winter. I am not sure i love this season as much as I used to love it at one point, that point being when I wasn't the lazy butt i am today.
It is dark outside at 5:30 pm, and that's like the middle of the day, or rather the beginning of the day for folks who work an 8-5 day and are headed home to get the evening (read day) started. So I get home with full enthu to cook us a brilliant, hot dinner very quickly and then head to the gym. Now the moment I reach home, I take Dodo out in the back yard, where it's freezing (to my body, which thinks anything below 65 is cold) and Dodo and I rush back into the house, which is also fairly cold, since the heater hasn't yet kicked in.
At this point, i turn the TV on, I am still trying to get dinner ready quickly. By 6:30 ish it's done. It's pitch dark outside, by now.
Now the mind begins to play games, I could simply sit on the couch snuggled inside the throws, Dodo on my lap or feet and watch some TV. Do I really want to venture out in the cold dark night and get on a treadmill or elliptical? When I could be reading or watching TV or best a movie?
The heart wins and the brain numbs in the cold :)
It is dark outside at 5:30 pm, and that's like the middle of the day, or rather the beginning of the day for folks who work an 8-5 day and are headed home to get the evening (read day) started. So I get home with full enthu to cook us a brilliant, hot dinner very quickly and then head to the gym. Now the moment I reach home, I take Dodo out in the back yard, where it's freezing (to my body, which thinks anything below 65 is cold) and Dodo and I rush back into the house, which is also fairly cold, since the heater hasn't yet kicked in.
At this point, i turn the TV on, I am still trying to get dinner ready quickly. By 6:30 ish it's done. It's pitch dark outside, by now.
Now the mind begins to play games, I could simply sit on the couch snuggled inside the throws, Dodo on my lap or feet and watch some TV. Do I really want to venture out in the cold dark night and get on a treadmill or elliptical? When I could be reading or watching TV or best a movie?
The heart wins and the brain numbs in the cold :)
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Come off it!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/12/09/pakistan.india/index.html
What is Mr Zardari complaining about? The weakness of his government? So who's to blame for that? So if your government is being attacked by Islamic extremist militant group, shouldn't you be doing something about it, rather than complain to the world? How could it be that you were able to find the group and capture it within a matter of days? It means that you knew all along where they were operating from? Don't you dare ask the Indians to breathe, we'll very well do what we have to do. And it just reeks of malice when he says that "domestic political considerations" are the driving force of the indian government. Atleast we have that, what's your excuse for not doing a thing but crying to the world how completly inept your own government is.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/12/09/pakistan.india/index.html
What is Mr Zardari complaining about? The weakness of his government? So who's to blame for that? So if your government is being attacked by Islamic extremist militant group, shouldn't you be doing something about it, rather than complain to the world? How could it be that you were able to find the group and capture it within a matter of days? It means that you knew all along where they were operating from? Don't you dare ask the Indians to breathe, we'll very well do what we have to do. And it just reeks of malice when he says that "domestic political considerations" are the driving force of the indian government. Atleast we have that, what's your excuse for not doing a thing but crying to the world how completly inept your own government is.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
After supporting the Congress party in India for as long as I can remember having any political acumen (if one can call it that?), I have decided that I no longer understand the congress party. This should not mean that I support BJP now though, because that party I will never support.
So back to Congress, I clearly remember the day I became a congress supporter. It was 6th Dec 1992, I was in 6th grade and Mr L.K Advani had led kar sevaks upto Babri Masjid and demolished it. I remember sitting down infront of the TV and learning about the events of the day. What I saw, made me very very mad. It made me very sick.
Though Congress didn't really have a clear leader. PVN was a sad case, he brought about the economic changes in the country, but then he was engulfed in scandals after scandals. The Nehru-Gandhi family has collectively rulled over India for 38 years out of the 61 years of her independence. I cannot say if India would've been better had Indira been brought to justice for all the things she did. I am sure communal violence would be lesser, Punjab would probably be more progressive. I know for sure though that if Nehru had so much as listened to the people and to S.V Patel, Kashmir would probably have been a non issue. PROBABLY. But then the steel plants, the airways, the industries would they have been better or worse? Would we still have not fought over religion and region? One cannot be 100% sure.
On the other hand BJP was flourishing, when Mr Vajpayee became the PM, Kargil happened, I was very happy with the way Indian Military might was displayed. It was very heart warming to see images of Indian flag atop Siachen glacier again! I had started to think that if Mr Vajpayee was a congress man, I would have been very very excited. I remember thinking right man, wrong party.
Those were not the best of the times for Congress at all. They were playing political games, withdrawing support at the drop of a hat, being in power meant more to them than the money that the country was loosing holding elections every now and then. I wasn't even convinced that Sonia Gandhi should be allowed to make crucial decisions. Not because she was not a natual citizen of India, but because I couldn't understand what her credentials were. I still don't think she has any.
And then Godhra happened and I was once again very mad. Very pissed and I wanted Narendra Modi, Advani and that saffron wearing woman from MP, her name escapes me right now. Oh yeah Uma Bharti, I wanted all of them put into prison. Again I was sure Congress it was for me.
Then the party elected Manmohan Singh to be the PM. I have a lot of respect for this man. Very well educated, intelligent and smart. But as PM? Would he have what it takes. And my worst fears came true. MMS is a puppet PM, the reigns are in the hands of Mrs Gandhi. The man dare not do a thing to offend her or displease her, she'll have his chair in the second! It's a spineless government.
It's a party without direction. It will always look upto a Gandhi to lead them. If not then they will fight within, because politics is not about the country, but about their pockets. The party will divide like it did when it didn't have a Gandhi at the helm. It's full of corrupt politicians. Old politicians who are hankering on caste and class to get votes. Not one of them says that caste system politics hurts the economy, Pseudo secularism is at it's best when a Congress politician speaks. I am tired of thinking someday they will change, they haven't in the past 16 years and I don't see why they will going forward.
So today on 6th Dec 2008, I am no longer a congress supporter. Phew, I am relieved.
So back to Congress, I clearly remember the day I became a congress supporter. It was 6th Dec 1992, I was in 6th grade and Mr L.K Advani had led kar sevaks upto Babri Masjid and demolished it. I remember sitting down infront of the TV and learning about the events of the day. What I saw, made me very very mad. It made me very sick.
Though Congress didn't really have a clear leader. PVN was a sad case, he brought about the economic changes in the country, but then he was engulfed in scandals after scandals. The Nehru-Gandhi family has collectively rulled over India for 38 years out of the 61 years of her independence. I cannot say if India would've been better had Indira been brought to justice for all the things she did. I am sure communal violence would be lesser, Punjab would probably be more progressive. I know for sure though that if Nehru had so much as listened to the people and to S.V Patel, Kashmir would probably have been a non issue. PROBABLY. But then the steel plants, the airways, the industries would they have been better or worse? Would we still have not fought over religion and region? One cannot be 100% sure.
On the other hand BJP was flourishing, when Mr Vajpayee became the PM, Kargil happened, I was very happy with the way Indian Military might was displayed. It was very heart warming to see images of Indian flag atop Siachen glacier again! I had started to think that if Mr Vajpayee was a congress man, I would have been very very excited. I remember thinking right man, wrong party.
Those were not the best of the times for Congress at all. They were playing political games, withdrawing support at the drop of a hat, being in power meant more to them than the money that the country was loosing holding elections every now and then. I wasn't even convinced that Sonia Gandhi should be allowed to make crucial decisions. Not because she was not a natual citizen of India, but because I couldn't understand what her credentials were. I still don't think she has any.
And then Godhra happened and I was once again very mad. Very pissed and I wanted Narendra Modi, Advani and that saffron wearing woman from MP, her name escapes me right now. Oh yeah Uma Bharti, I wanted all of them put into prison. Again I was sure Congress it was for me.
Then the party elected Manmohan Singh to be the PM. I have a lot of respect for this man. Very well educated, intelligent and smart. But as PM? Would he have what it takes. And my worst fears came true. MMS is a puppet PM, the reigns are in the hands of Mrs Gandhi. The man dare not do a thing to offend her or displease her, she'll have his chair in the second! It's a spineless government.
It's a party without direction. It will always look upto a Gandhi to lead them. If not then they will fight within, because politics is not about the country, but about their pockets. The party will divide like it did when it didn't have a Gandhi at the helm. It's full of corrupt politicians. Old politicians who are hankering on caste and class to get votes. Not one of them says that caste system politics hurts the economy, Pseudo secularism is at it's best when a Congress politician speaks. I am tired of thinking someday they will change, they haven't in the past 16 years and I don't see why they will going forward.
So today on 6th Dec 2008, I am no longer a congress supporter. Phew, I am relieved.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The books I like.
So these days I am reading Harry Potter, not telling which one, I don't want a bunch of people giving away the plot to me! (Please, don't :) ).
So I have been thinking about the books I like and here my all time favorite books, Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Little Women, Lord of the Rings. And there is something common between them, so I think. It's the fact that the protagonist in these books, male or female, is not some really special, intelligent, extra ordinary person/hobbit/wizard. Common people who have tried to do the things they thought was right and live life on their terms.
Almost all the characters I like have had help in their lives, like Harry, he was very brave, but had it not been for Hermione, Dumbledore and others he'd not have been able to do the things he was able to. Similarly for Frodo, he had Gandalf, had it not been for Gandalf, Frodo probably wouldn't have been able to succed. Pride and Prejudice, Little Woman and Gone with the winds, are stories of very ordinary girls, who had grit and determination who again did their best and took help when they could and did the things they could.
Someone I was talking to the other day said to me that it's necessary to read books about great people and people who have made changes in the world, Abe Lincoln, Gandhi, Mozart. Because we need to learn from them. But here's my $0.02, I don't aspire to become like any of these people, world leaders or accomplished performers. And almost none of us really succeed without any help in our lives, there is always someone who is guiding us, we are taking help of. I can't believe it when people say that they have had no help in their lives. And so if Harry did have help, is he any less successful because of it? I just want to be a good person and do the right things when I can and live my life simply and enjoy it. I am not an ascetic, I am a person of creature comforts, I don't aspire to give all this up. This is not to say I don't believe in helping the needy, I do and I often do what I can or want to do.
The best part about reading fiction is that they don't preach. Every person dead or alive has taken it upon themselves to sit and preach these days. Dead by means of the books they left behind and living of course in every possible annoying way ;)
So here's to all the great people who surface in books and make me feel happy about their ordinary and regular existance. Cheers!!!
So these days I am reading Harry Potter, not telling which one, I don't want a bunch of people giving away the plot to me! (Please, don't :) ).
So I have been thinking about the books I like and here my all time favorite books, Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Little Women, Lord of the Rings. And there is something common between them, so I think. It's the fact that the protagonist in these books, male or female, is not some really special, intelligent, extra ordinary person/hobbit/wizard. Common people who have tried to do the things they thought was right and live life on their terms.
Almost all the characters I like have had help in their lives, like Harry, he was very brave, but had it not been for Hermione, Dumbledore and others he'd not have been able to do the things he was able to. Similarly for Frodo, he had Gandalf, had it not been for Gandalf, Frodo probably wouldn't have been able to succed. Pride and Prejudice, Little Woman and Gone with the winds, are stories of very ordinary girls, who had grit and determination who again did their best and took help when they could and did the things they could.
Someone I was talking to the other day said to me that it's necessary to read books about great people and people who have made changes in the world, Abe Lincoln, Gandhi, Mozart. Because we need to learn from them. But here's my $0.02, I don't aspire to become like any of these people, world leaders or accomplished performers. And almost none of us really succeed without any help in our lives, there is always someone who is guiding us, we are taking help of. I can't believe it when people say that they have had no help in their lives. And so if Harry did have help, is he any less successful because of it? I just want to be a good person and do the right things when I can and live my life simply and enjoy it. I am not an ascetic, I am a person of creature comforts, I don't aspire to give all this up. This is not to say I don't believe in helping the needy, I do and I often do what I can or want to do.
The best part about reading fiction is that they don't preach. Every person dead or alive has taken it upon themselves to sit and preach these days. Dead by means of the books they left behind and living of course in every possible annoying way ;)
So here's to all the great people who surface in books and make me feel happy about their ordinary and regular existance. Cheers!!!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Pensieve
So much's been on my mind lately. My new niece, my mom's visit, work frustrations and then some more thoughts.
On 5th Nov. 2008, my sister gave us a brand new niece. Tanvi got a baby sister and Gourav and I, another little girl to pamper and love. She's the cutest little thing and I cannot tell you how much we love her.
This Diwali, Gourav and I took the day off to be able to celebrate the day properly. We cleaned the house, put lights in the front yard and made rangoli. After the usual pooja and temple visit, we gorged on some typical Indian food. There were lots of parties before and after and it was a fun festival. It was fairly close to the Diwalis we celebrated at home. But sans our families and the fan fare and the hustle bustle. There is one memory I have from my childhood, that keep coming back to me. It was of the mud doll house (Gharonda) we used to make every Diwali. We were very young and neither my sister nor I were very capable of building the doll house, so our gardener would assist us at this and then we'd help him paint it. Then we'd decorate it with rangoli and diyas just as we would decorate the house. So much fun it was. I miss this little aspect. Of course I am not that young anymore to play with a doll house, but I do miss the doll house. :)
So another thing on my mind is, Sarah Palin. Why is she now on every news channel, doing all these interviews, what's this obsession? Why does anyone care what she's doing now? Suddenly, she has all this respect and faith in Obama. Who is she kidding? I think this is just a publicity stunt and an effort to repair the damage she had done, which of course she fails to see!
India beat the Australians 2-0!!!! yeayyy, way to go! But this also brought about two fabulous careers to an end. Ganguly and Kumble retired. I have always found it hard to imagine an Indian batting line up without Ganguly. But it is what it is and it's time for the new players to shine.
Meanwhile, more people loose their jobs. More industries need to be bailed out and yet there are lots of ex CEOs who sit on a mountain of wealth, who created this whole problem. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, the most optimistic of us are now shaking their heads, so we'll see.
This post, really was a means to get things out. To write about mundane and yet things important to me. I didn't mean for it sound like i was perusing the headlines, but I think it well has. Oh well. Tomorrow is Friday and Mom will be here! Smile.
So much's been on my mind lately. My new niece, my mom's visit, work frustrations and then some more thoughts.
On 5th Nov. 2008, my sister gave us a brand new niece. Tanvi got a baby sister and Gourav and I, another little girl to pamper and love. She's the cutest little thing and I cannot tell you how much we love her.
This Diwali, Gourav and I took the day off to be able to celebrate the day properly. We cleaned the house, put lights in the front yard and made rangoli. After the usual pooja and temple visit, we gorged on some typical Indian food. There were lots of parties before and after and it was a fun festival. It was fairly close to the Diwalis we celebrated at home. But sans our families and the fan fare and the hustle bustle. There is one memory I have from my childhood, that keep coming back to me. It was of the mud doll house (Gharonda) we used to make every Diwali. We were very young and neither my sister nor I were very capable of building the doll house, so our gardener would assist us at this and then we'd help him paint it. Then we'd decorate it with rangoli and diyas just as we would decorate the house. So much fun it was. I miss this little aspect. Of course I am not that young anymore to play with a doll house, but I do miss the doll house. :)
So another thing on my mind is, Sarah Palin. Why is she now on every news channel, doing all these interviews, what's this obsession? Why does anyone care what she's doing now? Suddenly, she has all this respect and faith in Obama. Who is she kidding? I think this is just a publicity stunt and an effort to repair the damage she had done, which of course she fails to see!
India beat the Australians 2-0!!!! yeayyy, way to go! But this also brought about two fabulous careers to an end. Ganguly and Kumble retired. I have always found it hard to imagine an Indian batting line up without Ganguly. But it is what it is and it's time for the new players to shine.
Meanwhile, more people loose their jobs. More industries need to be bailed out and yet there are lots of ex CEOs who sit on a mountain of wealth, who created this whole problem. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, the most optimistic of us are now shaking their heads, so we'll see.
This post, really was a means to get things out. To write about mundane and yet things important to me. I didn't mean for it sound like i was perusing the headlines, but I think it well has. Oh well. Tomorrow is Friday and Mom will be here! Smile.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
So proud of America
To be honest, I didn't think that US would vote for an African American President. I had heard about the Bradley Effect and I thought it was going to take place.
But I have been proven wrong, much to my delight!!! I am so excited and so proud of America today. So happy that negative campaigning didn't work, so happy that the best man won and this in spite of his race. Barack Obama in his speeches said time and again how this could not have been possible in any other country and I truly believe him. As an outsider and non contributor to the politics of this country, I cannot say how much my heart swells with happiness and pride that Barack Obama is going to be the next president.
I loved McCain's speech. It was generous, humble. I wish he had been this way in his campaign. But well, the best man won and I am so glad for it. what's interesting was the stark comparison in the crowds, there was booing and jeering when McCain spoke about Obama at his speech but when Obama spoke about McCain, there was cheering and clapping! the difference between the two campaigns to me was fairly obvious.
America is a great country not because of people likethis guy but in spite of them.
To be honest, I didn't think that US would vote for an African American President. I had heard about the Bradley Effect and I thought it was going to take place.
But I have been proven wrong, much to my delight!!! I am so excited and so proud of America today. So happy that negative campaigning didn't work, so happy that the best man won and this in spite of his race. Barack Obama in his speeches said time and again how this could not have been possible in any other country and I truly believe him. As an outsider and non contributor to the politics of this country, I cannot say how much my heart swells with happiness and pride that Barack Obama is going to be the next president.
I loved McCain's speech. It was generous, humble. I wish he had been this way in his campaign. But well, the best man won and I am so glad for it. what's interesting was the stark comparison in the crowds, there was booing and jeering when McCain spoke about Obama at his speech but when Obama spoke about McCain, there was cheering and clapping! the difference between the two campaigns to me was fairly obvious.
America is a great country not because of people likethis guy but in spite of them.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Mom has a crystal ball.
Isn't it true? I think it is. I'll tell you why. When i was a kid and I had a problem going on with friends Mom always knew something was the matter well before I would tell her about. Well, she was there, she could see my expressions you would say! When I took a drop year and studied for the Engineering entrance exams, the days i didn't study much, she would always know! though i had the whole facade of 'I am studying really hard' you know! Then i moved out of the house.
The days I was struggling with my exercise regime and I was feeling fat, that day she'd ask me so are you working out? (Naturally i would defend myself tooth and nail!) The day i got a bad grade in school or didn't want to study, "Are your grades good". Out of the blue. How did she know???
And now, without my even hinting at it, is work ok? when that's the day I am not concentrating much at work. What are u eating today, when that's the day I want to eat some cheesy oily totally sinful thing. How does she know??? When I am not in the mood to clean the house, she'll ask me how the house was and if I had done anything new.
This is not supposed to mean that my Mom is a person who controls her kids, but just that she's someone who seneses her childs problems well before I even know that I have a problem with something. That's what a mom's full time concern is really, wouldn't you say? I know my Mom worries about us all the time, esp. since we're continents away.
I am not sure when I am a Mom, if I'll know it too. Maybe w/o my knowing i sleep dial her and let her know the biggest issues. I don't know! But she sure knows!!!
Isn't it true? I think it is. I'll tell you why. When i was a kid and I had a problem going on with friends Mom always knew something was the matter well before I would tell her about. Well, she was there, she could see my expressions you would say! When I took a drop year and studied for the Engineering entrance exams, the days i didn't study much, she would always know! though i had the whole facade of 'I am studying really hard' you know! Then i moved out of the house.
The days I was struggling with my exercise regime and I was feeling fat, that day she'd ask me so are you working out? (Naturally i would defend myself tooth and nail!) The day i got a bad grade in school or didn't want to study, "Are your grades good". Out of the blue. How did she know???
And now, without my even hinting at it, is work ok? when that's the day I am not concentrating much at work. What are u eating today, when that's the day I want to eat some cheesy oily totally sinful thing. How does she know??? When I am not in the mood to clean the house, she'll ask me how the house was and if I had done anything new.
This is not supposed to mean that my Mom is a person who controls her kids, but just that she's someone who seneses her childs problems well before I even know that I have a problem with something. That's what a mom's full time concern is really, wouldn't you say? I know my Mom worries about us all the time, esp. since we're continents away.
I am not sure when I am a Mom, if I'll know it too. Maybe w/o my knowing i sleep dial her and let her know the biggest issues. I don't know! But she sure knows!!!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The point of writing.
It's said that the point of blogging is to be be able to say the things that you want to say. But what is the point of it if you cannot say at all what you would like to say the most. If you have to be "Politically Correct" all the time, what is the freaking use of this space.
If I have to be mindful of people all the time then why speak my mind ?! (I know it's incorrect to have a question mark and exclamation point, but I need to use it!) We live in times when people say it's ok to speak your mind, but if you do, wait till you get the hate messages, the accusations of being biased, hot headed and even racial.
I am a religious person, but I don't wear it on my sleeve, if you want to challenge my beliefs, you'll have to wait for another lifetime. I am not going to argue with you about this. And I am serious, religion is a practice, it's not laid in stone. There are books and then their's our brain. Let's just respect it ok.
If you have a problem with my country, talk about it to someone when I am not around.
If you have a problem with my work, take it up with my boss.
If you have a problem with my behavior with you personally please come to me and tell me what I did. Don't throw subtle hints, because I don't get those. Don't tell me, you are mad at me and not tell me why. What's the freaking point? Seriously.
Sometimes, I don't like to talk about the things that are bothering me, please respect that. Don't get in my face and annoy the hell out of me. When I am ready, I will come and talk to u. I am not being rude, but please don't expect me to smile and laugh when I don't feel like it.
And not everything is funny. Please remember that loss of anything is not funny, people, limbs, money, car. Nothing. Don't try and find a brighter side to everything, sometimes people just don't want it.
And what's with people keeping stupid, really stupid status messages on IM, FB, Orkut, Myspace. Why would you say "Just hanging in there" if u don't want to discuss it. Why would you say "Some people..." when you will not own up? Why will you say "Happy ;) " and not say a word. WTH???? Stop being cryptic and stupid, it makes no one happy.
Maybe the post should be called something else, I am not sure. I know I will not write about the things that I want to write the most, coz I am dead tired of all the hate mails, I'll just let it float and make people ask me! huh! just like you missy and mister, just like u!!!
Blogs suck, they truely do. Cowardice sucks, Political correctness sucks. Only Annonymity rocks!
It's said that the point of blogging is to be be able to say the things that you want to say. But what is the point of it if you cannot say at all what you would like to say the most. If you have to be "Politically Correct" all the time, what is the freaking use of this space.
If I have to be mindful of people all the time then why speak my mind ?! (I know it's incorrect to have a question mark and exclamation point, but I need to use it!) We live in times when people say it's ok to speak your mind, but if you do, wait till you get the hate messages, the accusations of being biased, hot headed and even racial.
I am a religious person, but I don't wear it on my sleeve, if you want to challenge my beliefs, you'll have to wait for another lifetime. I am not going to argue with you about this. And I am serious, religion is a practice, it's not laid in stone. There are books and then their's our brain. Let's just respect it ok.
If you have a problem with my country, talk about it to someone when I am not around.
If you have a problem with my work, take it up with my boss.
If you have a problem with my behavior with you personally please come to me and tell me what I did. Don't throw subtle hints, because I don't get those. Don't tell me, you are mad at me and not tell me why. What's the freaking point? Seriously.
Sometimes, I don't like to talk about the things that are bothering me, please respect that. Don't get in my face and annoy the hell out of me. When I am ready, I will come and talk to u. I am not being rude, but please don't expect me to smile and laugh when I don't feel like it.
And not everything is funny. Please remember that loss of anything is not funny, people, limbs, money, car. Nothing. Don't try and find a brighter side to everything, sometimes people just don't want it.
And what's with people keeping stupid, really stupid status messages on IM, FB, Orkut, Myspace. Why would you say "Just hanging in there" if u don't want to discuss it. Why would you say "Some people..." when you will not own up? Why will you say "Happy ;) " and not say a word. WTH???? Stop being cryptic and stupid, it makes no one happy.
Maybe the post should be called something else, I am not sure. I know I will not write about the things that I want to write the most, coz I am dead tired of all the hate mails, I'll just let it float and make people ask me! huh! just like you missy and mister, just like u!!!
Blogs suck, they truely do. Cowardice sucks, Political correctness sucks. Only Annonymity rocks!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Scared like this never before.
I am scared for a number of things, for my loved ones and for people I don't know but who i know are not in the place they want to be.
life comes at you fast.
things are never the same though we always say, 'same old, same old'.
i know i should be thankful, i am trying to be. i am not ungracious but i am not fully aware to appreciate it.
I am scared for a number of things, for my loved ones and for people I don't know but who i know are not in the place they want to be.
life comes at you fast.
things are never the same though we always say, 'same old, same old'.
i know i should be thankful, i am trying to be. i am not ungracious but i am not fully aware to appreciate it.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Navratri
Now I am not going to write about the reasons for the celebration of this festival, it's best to check it out on wikipedia.
So when we were kids, my sister and I loved, loved this festival, it meant no school and a week of fun. When we were living in Ranchi, my Aunt used to live in a nearby city and they had the most awesome Durga Pooja celebrations, so my sister and I would go off and stay with my cousins and aunt there. The pooja pandal was right infront of their house and my Aunt and Uncle's friends were big time involved in this, so naturally my sister and I got a lot of special privileges. When we were small, the significance of the holidays was the food, the chance to spend time with our cousins, who by the way pampered us a lot, since we were so young and didn't have a brother of our own, so they thought of us as their little sisters who needed to be shown a good time. The pooja prasad was just the most scrumptious khichdi one had ever eaten, my sister more than me was crazy about it. On the eight or ninth day of the festival, some our friends and relatives would invite my sister and me over for brunch and treat us to some very delicious poori-halwa-chane.
Then on the 10th day, we'd go with the procession to immerse the idols in a river. and then in the evening go for the fireworks.
so this was then..now that i am myself all grown and capable of observing the festivals as my parents celebrated them, i decided to go all out this season. So this time on navratri I fasted all 8 days. when i say fast, it means i ate the specified food for such fasts, it's complicated to explain so i'll refrain :D
And then on the eighth day, i had to give food to kanya(little girls). Now my niece and my friend ART live far for me to meet them first thing in the morning on a weekday, it was a Tuesday, so the only kanya left was AA. So in the morning i went to RA's house and dropped off the food a little beanie for the little one. The fact that her smile and cuteness made it extra special is a different thing :) . but here's the thing. i was very proud of myself this season. coz i finally felt i have grown up and i am glad that i will be able to pass on some of my culture onto my kids. living in a different country and not being very knowledge of a lot of my own culture, i am glad that i do have some still.
i am glad i had such a great childhood where my cousins made us feel so special. those days were so precious. i don't think i can give my kids the same, but i am going to try very damn hard to not let it all die with me. :)
Now I am not going to write about the reasons for the celebration of this festival, it's best to check it out on wikipedia.
So when we were kids, my sister and I loved, loved this festival, it meant no school and a week of fun. When we were living in Ranchi, my Aunt used to live in a nearby city and they had the most awesome Durga Pooja celebrations, so my sister and I would go off and stay with my cousins and aunt there. The pooja pandal was right infront of their house and my Aunt and Uncle's friends were big time involved in this, so naturally my sister and I got a lot of special privileges. When we were small, the significance of the holidays was the food, the chance to spend time with our cousins, who by the way pampered us a lot, since we were so young and didn't have a brother of our own, so they thought of us as their little sisters who needed to be shown a good time. The pooja prasad was just the most scrumptious khichdi one had ever eaten, my sister more than me was crazy about it. On the eight or ninth day of the festival, some our friends and relatives would invite my sister and me over for brunch and treat us to some very delicious poori-halwa-chane.
Then on the 10th day, we'd go with the procession to immerse the idols in a river. and then in the evening go for the fireworks.
so this was then..now that i am myself all grown and capable of observing the festivals as my parents celebrated them, i decided to go all out this season. So this time on navratri I fasted all 8 days. when i say fast, it means i ate the specified food for such fasts, it's complicated to explain so i'll refrain :D
And then on the eighth day, i had to give food to kanya(little girls). Now my niece and my friend ART live far for me to meet them first thing in the morning on a weekday, it was a Tuesday, so the only kanya left was AA. So in the morning i went to RA's house and dropped off the food a little beanie for the little one. The fact that her smile and cuteness made it extra special is a different thing :) . but here's the thing. i was very proud of myself this season. coz i finally felt i have grown up and i am glad that i will be able to pass on some of my culture onto my kids. living in a different country and not being very knowledge of a lot of my own culture, i am glad that i do have some still.
i am glad i had such a great childhood where my cousins made us feel so special. those days were so precious. i don't think i can give my kids the same, but i am going to try very damn hard to not let it all die with me. :)
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Conversations
A: Sometimes my dreams are so bad, I wish in them that it is a dream.
A: So if you could be doing anything in the world right now, but this project you are working on, what would it be?
B: Gardening (Big grin) and you?
A: I'd like to be a stocks analyst and broker. Imagine the fun and exhilaration.
B: Yeah and you would become a smoker and or drinker too!
A: So I watched Joe Biden's speech last nite, it made me want to vote for McCain instead.
B: As opposed to listening to Palin and wanting her to be (almost) the next president?
while i was compiling these conversations between random people, something funnier happened:
(3:37 PM) jon: vCard ?? on my email stuff....what is it?
(3:38 PM) megha: visiting card
(3:38 PM) jon: hun?
(3:38 PM) megha: u know that little piece of paper which people give you when they meet u
(3:38 PM) jon: lol
(3:38 PM) megha: with their name, address on it
(3:38 PM) jon: but how does it work w/ email?
(3:38 PM) megha: u can make one
(3:39 PM) megha: and attach it
(3:39 PM) megha: but u have a signature
(3:39 PM) jon: I can scan one!
(3:39 PM) megha: WHY...why are we having this conversation????
(3:39 PM) jon: what's the purpose of it? = the vCard
(3:40 PM) megha: have u heard of google?
(3:40 PM) megha: www.google.com
(3:40 PM) megha: it's an extremely helpful website!
(3:40 PM) megha: better than talking to megha !
(3:40 PM) jon: FINE!!!
I'm done for the day!
A: Sometimes my dreams are so bad, I wish in them that it is a dream.
A: So if you could be doing anything in the world right now, but this project you are working on, what would it be?
B: Gardening (Big grin) and you?
A: I'd like to be a stocks analyst and broker. Imagine the fun and exhilaration.
B: Yeah and you would become a smoker and or drinker too!
A: So I watched Joe Biden's speech last nite, it made me want to vote for McCain instead.
B: As opposed to listening to Palin and wanting her to be (almost) the next president?
while i was compiling these conversations between random people, something funnier happened:
(3:37 PM) jon: vCard ?? on my email stuff....what is it?
(3:38 PM) megha: visiting card
(3:38 PM) jon: hun?
(3:38 PM) megha: u know that little piece of paper which people give you when they meet u
(3:38 PM) jon: lol
(3:38 PM) megha: with their name, address on it
(3:38 PM) jon: but how does it work w/ email?
(3:38 PM) megha: u can make one
(3:39 PM) megha: and attach it
(3:39 PM) megha: but u have a signature
(3:39 PM) jon: I can scan one!
(3:39 PM) megha: WHY...why are we having this conversation????
(3:39 PM) jon: what's the purpose of it? = the vCard
(3:40 PM) megha: have u heard of google?
(3:40 PM) megha: www.google.com
(3:40 PM) megha: it's an extremely helpful website!
(3:40 PM) megha: better than talking to megha !
(3:40 PM) jon: FINE!!!
I'm done for the day!
Friday, October 03, 2008
This and that
So yesterday was the VP debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. Sarah Palin came across as a person who knows 5 things and no matter what the question, she will talk about those 5 things only. So it was an ok debate.
But since the debate, I had decided to let my feelings about Sarah Palin not bother me, and just not bother with her since in my eyes she was very inconsequential. Till she said something totally outrageous AGAIN. She is now claiming that Obama is friends with terrorists. So I did what any respectable person would do, go to CNN's fact checker and here's what was found. It's really shameful, the way this lady speaks. She's just trying to rake controversy in a manner which befits an uneducated person. It really is a shame that the issues she talks about are not the issues which the country care about, but a load of crap.
Well, it's her wish, her political campaign! what's sad is people are ignorant. It's always very fascinating to me how people have learnt to forward mails and articles, but have not learnt to check facts. I call that irresponsible.
Politics has and will always be very dirty, but I was hoping that we're a different generation, to which Ms. Palin also belongs, and that raking up silly controversy wouldn't be the order of the elections. Unfortunately that is not so. We'll just see how this election goes, will the fear mongering work or will the important issues like the economy, tax, Iraq will be foremost on people's minds.
So yesterday was the VP debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. Sarah Palin came across as a person who knows 5 things and no matter what the question, she will talk about those 5 things only. So it was an ok debate.
But since the debate, I had decided to let my feelings about Sarah Palin not bother me, and just not bother with her since in my eyes she was very inconsequential. Till she said something totally outrageous AGAIN. She is now claiming that Obama is friends with terrorists. So I did what any respectable person would do, go to CNN's fact checker and here's what was found. It's really shameful, the way this lady speaks. She's just trying to rake controversy in a manner which befits an uneducated person. It really is a shame that the issues she talks about are not the issues which the country care about, but a load of crap.
Well, it's her wish, her political campaign! what's sad is people are ignorant. It's always very fascinating to me how people have learnt to forward mails and articles, but have not learnt to check facts. I call that irresponsible.
Politics has and will always be very dirty, but I was hoping that we're a different generation, to which Ms. Palin also belongs, and that raking up silly controversy wouldn't be the order of the elections. Unfortunately that is not so. We'll just see how this election goes, will the fear mongering work or will the important issues like the economy, tax, Iraq will be foremost on people's minds.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Let's not call bad taste Humor.
So, just a few minutes back, someone who shall remain nameless, showed me a picture of Obama polishing Palin's shoes, obviously it was a mail forward with the title, "The best picture". And this person looked at me and goes come on it's funny. I smiled, spoke about something else and walked away.
And this is what I should've said and didn't . Had this been a picture of Mrs Obama and Mccain, would it have been funny then? I really don't think so! It's not funny to share picture like this, it really is not. Let's not call bad taste, humor. It's very distasteful.
I have seen very bad, untrue and misleading email circulating around. I am very ashamed of humanity, that such things would be shared and laughed at and thought of as true. And what is even more shameful is when people forward emails withou fact checking. It's not about this picture, but about the million emails out there about someone being from a different religion and such, I hope you get my drift.
And this is what I should've said and didn't . Had this been a picture of Mrs Obama and Mccain, would it have been funny then? I really don't think so! It's not funny to share picture like this, it really is not. Let's not call bad taste, humor. It's very distasteful.
I have seen very bad, untrue and misleading email circulating around. I am very ashamed of humanity, that such things would be shared and laughed at and thought of as true. And what is even more shameful is when people forward emails withou fact checking. It's not about this picture, but about the million emails out there about someone being from a different religion and such, I hope you get my drift.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sarah vs. Hillary
I am not going to beat around the bush (no pun intended). I prefer H to S any day. Not to say that I am a big Hillary fan, but ...
I am not ashamed to say this that if she reflects what today's woman represent, then we've really reached nowhere (every single pun intended).
She talks about being a soccer mom, and being the governor and all that, yet somehow she never talks about the beauty contest she won. Is she not proud of that? because that is not something which will get her the backing of the evangelical conservatives? I heard on the radio the other day about this soccer mom who feels very small and insignificant infront of Ms Palin. I was stunned, how can someone just belittle their achievements!!! And how is that Ms Palin is great because she is a soccer mom??? So is Hillary not a good mom, because she never played that card? Palin once said, 'anyone can be a VP', really, is that how you want to put it?
She talks about abortion, like it is her right and duty to decide for the rest of the country what is right for them. She talks about knowing about energy because she knows about the energy situation on Alaska, but it is worthy to note that she didn't let a wind energy farm be built in Alaska. Is that even something we need to talk about, clean coal??? How about alternative sources of energy, but then how would she know about that if the wind never blows, the sun never comes out and there aren't any rivers in your state! She's against stem cell research, but is all for capital punishment and guns! isn't that weird, an embryo is more important than a human being? She doesn't think the Big Bang happened!!!! and is all about teaching that in schools!
On the contrary, Hillary has experience with everything, she has a grown up daughter, who didn't get pregnant when she was 16. (Since this is the only thing apparently which matters to the masses). I am sure she'll be all for sex education in school, and not just abstinence education. So she doesn't have a down syndrome baby, but i know she cares about the poor and the neglected and the sick and the healthy equally, becuase she has brought health insurance to babies and kids. She knows about foreign policies. She knows that the Iraq war is not a matter of pride or success anymore.
I am so tired of people telling me how great Palin is and that we as woman should support her. Come on, there have been much better role models in my life. My mom, my sister, Mother Terresa. All of them very educated individuals, all of them very smart and caring and loving. They weren't VP of any country, yet they believed in the better things in life, don't belittle them by saying that Palin will bring more woman's liberation! she's definitely not going to rock my world in any way.
I am only comparing them because I am hoping someone reads this blog, someone who is a die hard Palin supporter. I want to have a discussion with you. I really do.
I am not going to beat around the bush (no pun intended). I prefer H to S any day. Not to say that I am a big Hillary fan, but ...
I am not ashamed to say this that if she reflects what today's woman represent, then we've really reached nowhere (every single pun intended).
She talks about being a soccer mom, and being the governor and all that, yet somehow she never talks about the beauty contest she won. Is she not proud of that? because that is not something which will get her the backing of the evangelical conservatives? I heard on the radio the other day about this soccer mom who feels very small and insignificant infront of Ms Palin. I was stunned, how can someone just belittle their achievements!!! And how is that Ms Palin is great because she is a soccer mom??? So is Hillary not a good mom, because she never played that card? Palin once said, 'anyone can be a VP', really, is that how you want to put it?
She talks about abortion, like it is her right and duty to decide for the rest of the country what is right for them. She talks about knowing about energy because she knows about the energy situation on Alaska, but it is worthy to note that she didn't let a wind energy farm be built in Alaska. Is that even something we need to talk about, clean coal??? How about alternative sources of energy, but then how would she know about that if the wind never blows, the sun never comes out and there aren't any rivers in your state! She's against stem cell research, but is all for capital punishment and guns! isn't that weird, an embryo is more important than a human being? She doesn't think the Big Bang happened!!!! and is all about teaching that in schools!
On the contrary, Hillary has experience with everything, she has a grown up daughter, who didn't get pregnant when she was 16. (Since this is the only thing apparently which matters to the masses). I am sure she'll be all for sex education in school, and not just abstinence education. So she doesn't have a down syndrome baby, but i know she cares about the poor and the neglected and the sick and the healthy equally, becuase she has brought health insurance to babies and kids. She knows about foreign policies. She knows that the Iraq war is not a matter of pride or success anymore.
I am so tired of people telling me how great Palin is and that we as woman should support her. Come on, there have been much better role models in my life. My mom, my sister, Mother Terresa. All of them very educated individuals, all of them very smart and caring and loving. They weren't VP of any country, yet they believed in the better things in life, don't belittle them by saying that Palin will bring more woman's liberation! she's definitely not going to rock my world in any way.
I am only comparing them because I am hoping someone reads this blog, someone who is a die hard Palin supporter. I want to have a discussion with you. I really do.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Cloudy on a Sunny day
That's exactly how I feel right now.
My mind wants to contribute to all the glorious programs I am supposed to be writing, but the heart really is somewhere else. I think I know why, I've had difficult conversations with 3 separate people at work in the past 10 days. And 2 of those people have designations which have the word 'Chief' in it. (Tells you how stupid I am isn't it?).
It's not that I am a difficult to get along with, It's just I have been trying to make a point to everyone that people should just do their job, if everyone did their bits, the world wouldn't come crashing down on the rest of us who are taking up jobs of those slackers. I am tired of picking up the phone asking a question and always getting the same response 'I don't know' or sometimes it's 'I didn't know, I was supposed to do that'. It's you job damn it!
So well...I'm glad I've talked about this here, now I've vented.
Oh..another thing is..I'm getting my Tuesdays and Wednesdays mixed up every week. I wake up on Tuesday knowing it's Tuesday, coz I fast on those days, but somehow during the day, my mind had a timer of it's own, the day becomes Wednesday and I get a rude shock when i realise that it's not Wednesday yet. And then on Wednesday, I take the trash out, check the sprinkler coz those are Wednesday jobs and then somewhere in the day, the timer goes a day back!!!! But this makes Thursday (more) the best day of the week!!!
The cloud is hanging low, but the sun is trying it's best. We'll just see how today goes. And hopefully rain will come and all shall be happy and good again :)
My mind wants to contribute to all the glorious programs I am supposed to be writing, but the heart really is somewhere else. I think I know why, I've had difficult conversations with 3 separate people at work in the past 10 days. And 2 of those people have designations which have the word 'Chief' in it. (Tells you how stupid I am isn't it?).
It's not that I am a difficult to get along with, It's just I have been trying to make a point to everyone that people should just do their job, if everyone did their bits, the world wouldn't come crashing down on the rest of us who are taking up jobs of those slackers. I am tired of picking up the phone asking a question and always getting the same response 'I don't know' or sometimes it's 'I didn't know, I was supposed to do that'. It's you job damn it!
So well...I'm glad I've talked about this here, now I've vented.
Oh..another thing is..I'm getting my Tuesdays and Wednesdays mixed up every week. I wake up on Tuesday knowing it's Tuesday, coz I fast on those days, but somehow during the day, my mind had a timer of it's own, the day becomes Wednesday and I get a rude shock when i realise that it's not Wednesday yet. And then on Wednesday, I take the trash out, check the sprinkler coz those are Wednesday jobs and then somewhere in the day, the timer goes a day back!!!! But this makes Thursday (more) the best day of the week!!!
The cloud is hanging low, but the sun is trying it's best. We'll just see how today goes. And hopefully rain will come and all shall be happy and good again :)
Saturday, August 23, 2008
4 Years...
It's 4 years today, when I first joined my current job and might I add, my very first full time, paying job. I have so many memories here, so many great friendships, so much learning - both programming and sociocultural. It's been one hell of a ride, exciting sometimes, sometimes painfully slow and dull. But for the most part I love my job and love everyone (almost) I work with. No matter how much I crib and moan, I still love it. Come Monday I will again be sad about the weekend being over and dragging my happy little butt to Fort Worth, but I still like it :)
It's 4 years today, when I first joined my current job and might I add, my very first full time, paying job. I have so many memories here, so many great friendships, so much learning - both programming and sociocultural. It's been one hell of a ride, exciting sometimes, sometimes painfully slow and dull. But for the most part I love my job and love everyone (almost) I work with. No matter how much I crib and moan, I still love it. Come Monday I will again be sad about the weekend being over and dragging my happy little butt to Fort Worth, but I still like it :)
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Augustus
So, it's a well known fact that I am a little loopy in the head ;)
Now that we have that said and done with, here's one more thing to add to the looney tunes.
I have never really liked the month of August, just never cared for it for any reason. Never wanted to acknowledge it, never on the list of when things will happen or get done. Just NEVER. It's not without reason though. August has not been a very happy month in my family. There have been many tragedies in this month. When August roles by, everyone in my family is praying silently that nothing untoward happens.
Now two years back, things changed, out of nowhere!!!
I graduated in August, landed my first job is August and Gourav and I got married in August :) Now I just wait for this time of the year, the heat is lessening, the rains are here, it's also the time when work is not crazy, we start planning fun things to do when fall rolls by, it's the time when parents are visiting, people are graduating, weddings are happening.
Maybe it's because I am turning more into the 'glass is half full' person or maybe being not in India and away from a lot of the family makes me see things differently, maybe this August has so far been great! Whatever it is, I don't hate you anymore Augustus, don't give me reason to :)
So, it's a well known fact that I am a little loopy in the head ;)
Now that we have that said and done with, here's one more thing to add to the looney tunes.
I have never really liked the month of August, just never cared for it for any reason. Never wanted to acknowledge it, never on the list of when things will happen or get done. Just NEVER. It's not without reason though. August has not been a very happy month in my family. There have been many tragedies in this month. When August roles by, everyone in my family is praying silently that nothing untoward happens.
Now two years back, things changed, out of nowhere!!!
I graduated in August, landed my first job is August and Gourav and I got married in August :) Now I just wait for this time of the year, the heat is lessening, the rains are here, it's also the time when work is not crazy, we start planning fun things to do when fall rolls by, it's the time when parents are visiting, people are graduating, weddings are happening.
Maybe it's because I am turning more into the 'glass is half full' person or maybe being not in India and away from a lot of the family makes me see things differently, maybe this August has so far been great! Whatever it is, I don't hate you anymore Augustus, don't give me reason to :)
Monday, July 28, 2008
Oh so that's James?
This past weekend, my company organised a summit meeting for all the pharmacists, here in Dallas. Now let me tell you something about my company and my job.
I work at the Home Office of a retail pharmacy chain, and I am a software developer whose job duties includes help desk for our pharmacies. The stores we have are spread all over Tx from Lubbock to Corpus Christi. So I speak to the pharmacists and techs all the time, but have never seen 90% of them. We had all formed images in our heads based on the voices.
Ok, so last Saturday, all the pharmacists came to DFW for the summit. I was very excited to be able to meet these people now.
Here is a picture which sums up my joy in meeting the one person I really really wanted to meet and had never met though she's only in Waco. I am really glad we had a chance to meet and there were a tonne of other people I met. Should I say this I wonder, oh well...Almost no one was the way I had imagined them to be :D Not in a bad way or anything, but just different. And I have heard similar things said about me :)
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Jerome Seinfeld
So on Saturday, 19th July (this is for my own reference) , we went to laugh at and with Seinfeld . On the wednesday of that week, Gourav told me about Seinfeld coming and thus started a frantic search for the best tickets. It was a tad bit expensive, but oh-so-worth-it :)
So we reached well in advance, anticipating traffic problems. We had really good seats (center). Promptly at 7, the opening act started. It was some guy who's fairly popular, but we had never heard of him. He was really funny! For the life of me, I cannot remember any of his jokes, but they were good.
And then came the man himself, he got a standing ovation. It was rather impressive the way he joked about Dallas and the North Tollway, making us feel like he loved our city as much as we did. Oh and the 'heat'. He didn't do the 'What's the deal with...' routine, which was cool. He did do 'Hello Newman' and pointed out some of the funniest things about everyday things. Like *69, blackberry, the cellphone is now superior than face to face conversations and such. He's one helluva guy. The QnA section was funny too, with people asking him 'do you miss george' and his response 'naeh, it's hard to miss fictional people'.
So happy that we got to see Seinfeld. I feel like I've seen one legend in this lifetime atleast. :)
So on Saturday, 19th July (this is for my own reference) , we went to laugh at and with Seinfeld . On the wednesday of that week, Gourav told me about Seinfeld coming and thus started a frantic search for the best tickets. It was a tad bit expensive, but oh-so-worth-it :)
So we reached well in advance, anticipating traffic problems. We had really good seats (center). Promptly at 7, the opening act started. It was some guy who's fairly popular, but we had never heard of him. He was really funny! For the life of me, I cannot remember any of his jokes, but they were good.
And then came the man himself, he got a standing ovation. It was rather impressive the way he joked about Dallas and the North Tollway, making us feel like he loved our city as much as we did. Oh and the 'heat'. He didn't do the 'What's the deal with...' routine, which was cool. He did do 'Hello Newman' and pointed out some of the funniest things about everyday things. Like *69, blackberry, the cellphone is now superior than face to face conversations and such. He's one helluva guy. The QnA section was funny too, with people asking him 'do you miss george' and his response 'naeh, it's hard to miss fictional people'.
So happy that we got to see Seinfeld. I feel like I've seen one legend in this lifetime atleast. :)
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
These are a few of my favorite things:
In no particular order :
Chai
Maggie Noodles
Movies
Pride and Prejudice
Books
Chocolate
Mcvitties Digestives
Google
Chipotle
Thai food
Reading blogs
Gossiping
Malai Kofta
Lil kids
Java
Samosa
Listening to and watching the rain drop
sleeping
Running
DDR
Grey's Anatomy
Big Bang Theory
Dumb charades
Pictionary
Name, place, animal, thing :D :) :)
Weddings
My faded blue shorts.
Reading old mail
I noticed how much food is there in my list. hmmmm.
In no particular order :
Chai
Maggie Noodles
Movies
Pride and Prejudice
Books
Chocolate
Mcvitties Digestives
Chipotle
Thai food
Reading blogs
Gossiping
Malai Kofta
Lil kids
Java
Samosa
Listening to and watching the rain drop
sleeping
Running
DDR
Grey's Anatomy
Big Bang Theory
Dumb charades
Pictionary
Name, place, animal, thing :D :) :)
Weddings
My faded blue shorts.
Reading old mail
I noticed how much food is there in my list. hmmmm.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Desirama
Almost every Desi has some funny stories to tell about their first few days in the US, in a land so different from home. Be it the pedestrian walking signals or cooking one's first meal here.
So I was talking to my Dad and we were sitting in a drive through and I was suddenly reminded of my very first drive thru experience.
I had been in US only a few days, maybe 1 month. I was sitting in the library and it was around 11 pm, when my friend Varnit comes and says, he's hungry and that he doesn't have any food at home. We agree to go to the Taco Bell on cooper street about 3/4 mile away. Now we didn't have a car but we thought we'll walk upto it. So off we set to get some tacos.
We get to the store, and poop, it's closed, but Hallelujah, the drive-thru is open. Lord have mercy. We begin to walk towards it and all this time we'd been discussing the menu and how super hungry we were. Just as we are approaching the Menu board we see this sign that reads 'All patrons must be in a car, anyone on foot will not be served....'. And we finish reading this sign and hear this loud honk from behind us, there's a bunch of people in a car honking at our pity little sorry faces. We run away embarrassed and feeling dismayed, not just at the prospect of not getting any food, but also at the thought of having made such complete fools of ourselves.
Now when we look back at this incident, it's so funny to us, but back then we had been almost in tears and felt so sorry for ourselves and so ready to take a flight back home :)
Almost every Desi has some funny stories to tell about their first few days in the US, in a land so different from home. Be it the pedestrian walking signals or cooking one's first meal here.
So I was talking to my Dad and we were sitting in a drive through and I was suddenly reminded of my very first drive thru experience.
I had been in US only a few days, maybe 1 month. I was sitting in the library and it was around 11 pm, when my friend Varnit comes and says, he's hungry and that he doesn't have any food at home. We agree to go to the Taco Bell on cooper street about 3/4 mile away. Now we didn't have a car but we thought we'll walk upto it. So off we set to get some tacos.
We get to the store, and poop, it's closed, but Hallelujah, the drive-thru is open. Lord have mercy. We begin to walk towards it and all this time we'd been discussing the menu and how super hungry we were. Just as we are approaching the Menu board we see this sign that reads 'All patrons must be in a car, anyone on foot will not be served....'. And we finish reading this sign and hear this loud honk from behind us, there's a bunch of people in a car honking at our pity little sorry faces. We run away embarrassed and feeling dismayed, not just at the prospect of not getting any food, but also at the thought of having made such complete fools of ourselves.
Now when we look back at this incident, it's so funny to us, but back then we had been almost in tears and felt so sorry for ourselves and so ready to take a flight back home :)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Ye tera ghar, ye mera ghar, kisse ko dekhna ho agar, to pehle maang le tere nazar meri nazar...
This is what i am humming to myself all the time these days :) These are the lyrics from a hindi song which means, "This house, yours and mine, if someone wants to see it, should see it through our eyes" . I am in love with my house.!!!
I have truthfully been in love with every single place I have lived, no matter how much I have cribbed about lack of amenities, I have always loved home.
And now I have a house where i can put as many nails as i want in the walls, paint the walls as i want, play the loudest music ever and plant plants! I am so excited.
Gourav and i bought our first house together this past month, it was a grueling, exhausting yet exciting process. We saw enough houses to know exactly what we needed and wanted, to pick the neighborhood we liked and the city we liked. Mortgage, insurance, down payment these were the words that were most spoken by us :) Gourav was the pundit, I was the dreamer, I would start to dream about how I would decorate the house, which room would be what, where Dodo would be and how much fun it'll be to wake up in the morning and go out to the patio to the fresh air.
It took us 2 months to get our dream home, and it's truly a dream that we are living right now. It's one big house and we love every square inch of it, when we see Dodo running around, confused sometimes, sometimes excited, it makes us very happy. As soon as i pull into the drive way, I feel immense joy in going inside our home.
We have moved, but we are not fully settled, soon that day will come, when nothing will be in boxes!!! this was my 5th move in as many years, I am just happy right now, that i don't have to think about packing my boxes for a really long time!!! Hallelujah!!!
This is what i am humming to myself all the time these days :) These are the lyrics from a hindi song which means, "This house, yours and mine, if someone wants to see it, should see it through our eyes" . I am in love with my house.!!!
I have truthfully been in love with every single place I have lived, no matter how much I have cribbed about lack of amenities, I have always loved home.
And now I have a house where i can put as many nails as i want in the walls, paint the walls as i want, play the loudest music ever and plant plants! I am so excited.
Gourav and i bought our first house together this past month, it was a grueling, exhausting yet exciting process. We saw enough houses to know exactly what we needed and wanted, to pick the neighborhood we liked and the city we liked. Mortgage, insurance, down payment these were the words that were most spoken by us :) Gourav was the pundit, I was the dreamer, I would start to dream about how I would decorate the house, which room would be what, where Dodo would be and how much fun it'll be to wake up in the morning and go out to the patio to the fresh air.
It took us 2 months to get our dream home, and it's truly a dream that we are living right now. It's one big house and we love every square inch of it, when we see Dodo running around, confused sometimes, sometimes excited, it makes us very happy. As soon as i pull into the drive way, I feel immense joy in going inside our home.
We have moved, but we are not fully settled, soon that day will come, when nothing will be in boxes!!! this was my 5th move in as many years, I am just happy right now, that i don't have to think about packing my boxes for a really long time!!! Hallelujah!!!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
About a broken phone and a book club
Friday sometime,two weeks ago, Gourav and I were talking on the phone and I was trying to empty the dish washer too, I was using both my hands to work the dishes and the phone was cradled between the shoulder and the ear. Suddenly the phone slipped and hit the dishwasher (open) face down, meaning the display hit the washer first. Next thing I know is I have a broken phone :( I could receive calls, but not know who is calling and I could only call the people who's numbers i remembered, which a grand total of two people!!!
A lot of people asked me this basic question, why I hadn't backed up contacts anywhere else. In this day and age of technology and data, one would think it's the most natural and obvious thing to do. Not to me, I thought my phone is simply unbreakable and such mishaps are uncommon in a life as simple and organized as mine! (yeah right!) . Since then I have learned lots of cool things about the email service I use, namely Gmail and the services my new phone, Treo, provide.
What is quite sad is, on my old phone I had some 120 contacts, when I had received emails from all the people who bothered to reply to my desperate email of getting their phone #s, I have only 56 numbers, I have no clue who the rest of the people are and what am I to do about people who don't have email and I cannot talk to unless I call them!!! Aaaahhh, the good old days of phone diaries!!! Naeh, I don't really miss it, I am just being melodramatic!
Another thing which I am maybe was very excited about was starting a book club. I saw this movie 'Jane Austen's book club' and the idea of being a part of a book club started forming in my mind. I got in touch with a few of my friends, and the idea went down well with most of them and it got decided that we will start a book club. Who knew that co-ordinating 5 people over a span of 5 weeks would be a daunting task, LOL. Apparently it is! We haven't still met but there is hope that in the coming week, we shall meet! And the first book we have picked up is 'Life of Pi'. We'll see how it goes! I will write about it, hopefully something interesting happens there!
And, I saw leatherheads, (I call it the John Krasinski movie)!!! He's 'oh just so cute'!!! George Clooney has done a really good job too in the movie, his comic timing is immaculate! Zellweger was simply ok! But it's a funny movie and a must watch for all you 'I heart Jim' fans ;)
Friday sometime,two weeks ago, Gourav and I were talking on the phone and I was trying to empty the dish washer too, I was using both my hands to work the dishes and the phone was cradled between the shoulder and the ear. Suddenly the phone slipped and hit the dishwasher (open) face down, meaning the display hit the washer first. Next thing I know is I have a broken phone :( I could receive calls, but not know who is calling and I could only call the people who's numbers i remembered, which a grand total of two people!!!
A lot of people asked me this basic question, why I hadn't backed up contacts anywhere else. In this day and age of technology and data, one would think it's the most natural and obvious thing to do. Not to me, I thought my phone is simply unbreakable and such mishaps are uncommon in a life as simple and organized as mine! (yeah right!) . Since then I have learned lots of cool things about the email service I use, namely Gmail and the services my new phone, Treo, provide.
What is quite sad is, on my old phone I had some 120 contacts, when I had received emails from all the people who bothered to reply to my desperate email of getting their phone #s, I have only 56 numbers, I have no clue who the rest of the people are and what am I to do about people who don't have email and I cannot talk to unless I call them!!! Aaaahhh, the good old days of phone diaries!!! Naeh, I don't really miss it, I am just being melodramatic!
Another thing which I am maybe was very excited about was starting a book club. I saw this movie 'Jane Austen's book club' and the idea of being a part of a book club started forming in my mind. I got in touch with a few of my friends, and the idea went down well with most of them and it got decided that we will start a book club. Who knew that co-ordinating 5 people over a span of 5 weeks would be a daunting task, LOL. Apparently it is! We haven't still met but there is hope that in the coming week, we shall meet! And the first book we have picked up is 'Life of Pi'. We'll see how it goes! I will write about it, hopefully something interesting happens there!
And, I saw leatherheads, (I call it the John Krasinski movie)!!! He's 'oh just so cute'!!! George Clooney has done a really good job too in the movie, his comic timing is immaculate! Zellweger was simply ok! But it's a funny movie and a must watch for all you 'I heart Jim' fans ;)
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Reminiscing
So Anu's comments about her initial college days reminded me of an incident when I was just going to join Engineering college.
To give a little background, I was brought up partially in Ranchi and partially in Delhi. My parents are very broad minded. We were taught spiritual values at home and to be religious, but not over do it, be practical, work hard, play, read and do whatever you do with love and dedication. Now the last part has always been hard to do. So the point is that it was a liberal environment for us.
So, now I was to join Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur, it's not a big town, it's a small town in the state of MP in India. So my Dad and I go for the counseling session, where my Engineering branch (CS/EE/ETC/Civil etc) would be decided etc. So after a lot of hours, finally it's decided that I will get the coveted Computer Science and Engineering branch. Now I have a lot of family in Jabalpur,so living in the hostel would be out of the question. So, my Dad and I start thinking how I will travel to college everyday, it was a 10 km drive. Just then, we overhear a guy talking and he says he will be coming from Wright Town to college everyday. My Dad's ears are very sharp by the way ;) So he goes over to this guy, let's just call him, MTEE, and asks him if he was going to join Computer Science, and he nods. And Dad comes over to me and tells me, he found me a ride! So MTEE and I meet. Now my cousin, who was from Jabalpur was also there and he's staring at us. I couldn't understand what the problem was! So finally we wrap up and we go home. My cousin gives us an earful, 'are u kidding me, Megha will go to college, what a boy?'. To say, that I was horrified, is an understatement, my own cousin! I have always been around boys all my life, so this new aspect was alien to me! Anyway, we don't think too much about it and I am happy about the prospect of joining college soon!
One month later, it's the first day to college, and my cousin drops me off. How that day went and what all I went through, is a thing of the past, and looking back it was all fun! But here's the most important thing...later in the day I learn that MTEE is almost a goon of the college! He saw me too, I was so surprised and shocked that I just looked away, he I think smiled, but the bottom line is, the previous meeting was never discussed or mentioned! My poor Dad, what was he to know that the ride he was finding me to college would really be a goon :) It's seems so funny now, but the 4 years I was in Jabalpur, I always feared that someday somebody might mention it and I would die of shame!!! To be linked to THAT guy and that too for a ride!!!
So Anu's comments about her initial college days reminded me of an incident when I was just going to join Engineering college.
To give a little background, I was brought up partially in Ranchi and partially in Delhi. My parents are very broad minded. We were taught spiritual values at home and to be religious, but not over do it, be practical, work hard, play, read and do whatever you do with love and dedication. Now the last part has always been hard to do. So the point is that it was a liberal environment for us.
So, now I was to join Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur, it's not a big town, it's a small town in the state of MP in India. So my Dad and I go for the counseling session, where my Engineering branch (CS/EE/ETC/Civil etc) would be decided etc. So after a lot of hours, finally it's decided that I will get the coveted Computer Science and Engineering branch. Now I have a lot of family in Jabalpur,so living in the hostel would be out of the question. So, my Dad and I start thinking how I will travel to college everyday, it was a 10 km drive. Just then, we overhear a guy talking and he says he will be coming from Wright Town to college everyday. My Dad's ears are very sharp by the way ;) So he goes over to this guy, let's just call him, MTEE, and asks him if he was going to join Computer Science, and he nods. And Dad comes over to me and tells me, he found me a ride! So MTEE and I meet. Now my cousin, who was from Jabalpur was also there and he's staring at us. I couldn't understand what the problem was! So finally we wrap up and we go home. My cousin gives us an earful, 'are u kidding me, Megha will go to college, what a boy?'. To say, that I was horrified, is an understatement, my own cousin! I have always been around boys all my life, so this new aspect was alien to me! Anyway, we don't think too much about it and I am happy about the prospect of joining college soon!
One month later, it's the first day to college, and my cousin drops me off. How that day went and what all I went through, is a thing of the past, and looking back it was all fun! But here's the most important thing...later in the day I learn that MTEE is almost a goon of the college! He saw me too, I was so surprised and shocked that I just looked away, he I think smiled, but the bottom line is, the previous meeting was never discussed or mentioned! My poor Dad, what was he to know that the ride he was finding me to college would really be a goon :) It's seems so funny now, but the 4 years I was in Jabalpur, I always feared that someday somebody might mention it and I would die of shame!!! To be linked to THAT guy and that too for a ride!!!
Friday, March 07, 2008
Heartless!
So there is a person, I don't have too much respect for, simply because this person is very rude, mean and has no respect for other people's feeling. Today, this person did something to just intensify that feeling. Here's what happened:
I got broccoli and cheese stuffed potato for lunch to work. It's a nice, filling lunch and I enjoy it. So I have to go to the break room to heat my lunch and I cross this person. He/She looks at it, I didn't invite them to, and goes, that just looks gross, it looks like there is something growing out of it. And made faces. And even after I said, 'Hey, I am going to be eating that', the person didn't stop. "Ugh, how can you?".
I never had a good impression of this person, and now I just don't have any respect left.
So there is a person, I don't have too much respect for, simply because this person is very rude, mean and has no respect for other people's feeling. Today, this person did something to just intensify that feeling. Here's what happened:
I got broccoli and cheese stuffed potato for lunch to work. It's a nice, filling lunch and I enjoy it. So I have to go to the break room to heat my lunch and I cross this person. He/She looks at it, I didn't invite them to, and goes, that just looks gross, it looks like there is something growing out of it. And made faces. And even after I said, 'Hey, I am going to be eating that', the person didn't stop. "Ugh, how can you?".
I never had a good impression of this person, and now I just don't have any respect left.
Friday, February 01, 2008
50th Post!
It's a month into the New Year and here i am sitting not yet used to writing 2008. :) The past year was a very hectic year, as in the year went by real fast. Well, i feel that way about every single moment in my life :)
2007, was a fun year. I went back to India after 4 years and saw so much of my family after such a long time. So many new people in the family, who I had only spoken to before, not met, but all that is now taken care of. I met Gourav's family, it was so much fun to spend time with his parents and brother and sister in law. I finally shopped in India and now i am happy that my home has (some) Indian art and Ganesh jis. :) And i have new clothes! *isn't that the most important part?*
Gourav and I celebrated our first anniversary! We took trips to Boston, FL, DC. All of them so special and so much fun! Deshna, Ahana and Sanjana filled all our lives with their little coos and aahs and laughter :) I couldn't be happier for all my 'new parent' friends :)
Work wise the past year was very challenging, yet I came through! and i have been finding that it's been getting better ever since! Some people i really liked, moved away to different jobs, and i was feeling low about it. But i have made other/more friends and i have learnt to detach myself from the nastiness of some people i don't care about so much :)!!! I ROCK!
Now this year, 2008 has already the best thing that could happen to Gourav and me, he's stopped traveling!!! he's on a local project and our days are just so happy. it's fun to do things together all the time, and spend evening together, we have even set on a path to get fit and it's the best thing to do it together!
We bought a new sharp 46" LCD TV and it's been so much fun! Watching TV is just a totally different experience and the couch potatoes have been enjoying it :)
This year, i know is going to be a special year for us, and i am looking forward to the different challenges, experiences that will come our way.
I am at a very place in my life right now! I hope I don't jinx myself!!!
It's a month into the New Year and here i am sitting not yet used to writing 2008. :) The past year was a very hectic year, as in the year went by real fast. Well, i feel that way about every single moment in my life :)
2007, was a fun year. I went back to India after 4 years and saw so much of my family after such a long time. So many new people in the family, who I had only spoken to before, not met, but all that is now taken care of. I met Gourav's family, it was so much fun to spend time with his parents and brother and sister in law. I finally shopped in India and now i am happy that my home has (some) Indian art and Ganesh jis. :) And i have new clothes! *isn't that the most important part?*
Gourav and I celebrated our first anniversary! We took trips to Boston, FL, DC. All of them so special and so much fun! Deshna, Ahana and Sanjana filled all our lives with their little coos and aahs and laughter :) I couldn't be happier for all my 'new parent' friends :)
Work wise the past year was very challenging, yet I came through! and i have been finding that it's been getting better ever since! Some people i really liked, moved away to different jobs, and i was feeling low about it. But i have made other/more friends and i have learnt to detach myself from the nastiness of some people i don't care about so much :)!!! I ROCK!
Now this year, 2008 has already the best thing that could happen to Gourav and me, he's stopped traveling!!! he's on a local project and our days are just so happy. it's fun to do things together all the time, and spend evening together, we have even set on a path to get fit and it's the best thing to do it together!
We bought a new sharp 46" LCD TV and it's been so much fun! Watching TV is just a totally different experience and the couch potatoes have been enjoying it :)
This year, i know is going to be a special year for us, and i am looking forward to the different challenges, experiences that will come our way.
I am at a very place in my life right now! I hope I don't jinx myself!!!
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