Unloading my think tank...

... I ceased to be 26! Yaay happy birthday to me! Check the decoration made by my b.i.l after we came back from the New Year's party...







Awww so sweet of him innit?!



PS: I am never gonna be 26 again ever :O in my life :O :O

PPS: If you want to be my friend, or already are my friend, my birthday is a good time :) I accept gifts, and also cash (in case you don't find the time to buy me something) ;)

I am super kicked up about the weekend. Not that I've planned anything, just that I'm looking forward to it.

I got yellow fever vaccination done today. Lets see when do I get to go to Africa/South America. I can hardly wait as a matter of fact! Travelling is so much of fun! Meeting new people, seeing new places, the blend of culture with modernity as you see it, the food, the climate, the every second excitement of what next to see in the place... I think travelling is the best thing in the world! Call me a wanderlust, I'd really love to be moving all the time, and write about my travel experiences, and click some great pictures, make some great friends all along.

I am super duper excited about my vaccination! I got the yellow card along with it, and whatever's written in it is written in English, Spanish and German - and that too excites me! Languages! The medium of expression are so many. My arm doesn't hurt from the vaccination; or maybe its just that I'm too excited I got it done finally!

Next week, I'm taking part in a fashion show. I'm gonna scorch the ramp with my designer clothes and behave like every bit of the supermodel I dreamt I would be as a teenager. I'll come back with pics of that for sure!

Hello. I was thinking something and it hit me hard that after more than 4 years of experience in this industry, I'm now attempting for my SCJP certification. Or at least, I have that thought in my head. That I should complete SCJP and then next level of that, cuz I've seen that the jobs I want list Java knowledge as a main skill. You must think it is a piece of cake, but you see, errr... its not. Because out of 4 years, I've actively worked on Java for... umm let me count... 1.5 years only. Still, it should make me confident enough to take up the beginner's level exam (considering that freshers joining my team are aiming for it). You know me, I am my worst critic; pray for me.

God, seriously, 4 years and now this?! I topped school. Likewise in college. And this is where I am. Forget it. I've got only me to blame. I've made some unbelievably dumb career decisions. Still, I wouldn't have done them knowingly! Sochne ki baat hai na :(

Heavens, my best friend called just now from Calcutta. His dad passed away. My friend was getting married in Jan and now its postponed to next year; thats the tradition - no festivities or celebrations in the family until after 1 year of someone's death. Some follow this even today. Now my friend has quit his job in Bombay to be with his mom in Calcutta. Good thing his would-be wife is in Calcutta too; they'll be there for each other.

And don't even get me started on my bank balance. It doesn't look good. After 4+ years of working (include 6 months of working in AOL as tech support (I'd changed my name to Tiffany); those 6 months were sheer fun!) my balance is surprisingly low. Low. Low. Low.

And office people are so boring. And some have no manners. People wash their hands after lunch, but don't wipe, and end up pushing buttons on the lift, or opening doors with those hands! Yuck they are still wet and in all probability OILY too!! Ugh its just so unhygenic and pathetic as well. Some creeps drink water out of styrofoam cups and toss them in trash can, even when its full, and end up throwing them around the bin! Yeesssh this is not some jail people! Have some civic sense! And then, this girl I know from work chews LOUDLY with mouth open! You think this is as worst as it can get?! Wait, listen to this. She also TALKS when she's doing that, so there's food flying around with a 100% chance of it landing on your face or worse, in your lunchbox! Wait, this is not the end of it. There's more crap news from office. The ladies room is so filthy so filthy you'd rather pee in the woods or fields (yea where there's no toilet paper even!). Here's why. The girls sometimes forget to flush so you enter the room and there's a strong smell greeting you. Yikes! Or there's toilet paper all around the commode. Or there is some liquid all round the toilet seat (YAAAAHHHH SOMEBODY KILL ME!). Some girls even make it a point to let the others know that they've got periods. Now can you blame me for hating to go to work??

My team mates are nice though. Especially my ex-team lead. He really deserves the double promotion he got.

Ugh would you look at that?! Whats with all this negativity?!! Lets list some good points about me. Ummm....
I'm intelligent, confident (except for bouts of self-doubts at times, I'm fine thank you).
I'm patient. My friends love me.
My husband calls me his fairy, he expresses his love openly, and makes me laugh.
My mom is the bestest. And she loves me so much; she's my greatest source of strength. I'm proud to have cared for her and looked after her the minute I got a job. I really became responsible overnight after I got my job.
My in-laws love me too. I'm thankful to God for them.
My mom bought me skates, cycle and my first bike! Learning all that was so much fun!
I'm beautiful. I don't look my age (phew), I've got lovely hair, great sense of humour, know just how much blush to put on, and can cook well too.
I do volunteer work amidst my regular work and am proud of it.


Okay, this helped. I have it in me to do well but I don't understand what gets me down sometimes. I need a whack on my head at those times.

I took off from work yesterday cuz of this nagging cold. Its worse today. No matter what you do, it sticks (literally, lol) for 2-3 days for sure.

And I've not been doing much, which goes without saying, cuz its the same with or without cold. I watched V for Vendetta (for 100th time), The Pianist (billionth time), Life is Beautiful (200th time; and everytime it brings tears to my eyes). And a crap movie called Fools Rush In. What a waste of Salma Hayek.

I've seen many movies on WW II. And I think Hitler was a gone case. He actually thought he could wipe out a whole race?!! Billions of Jews?!! He was really out of his mind. And he actually had followers who joined him in the massacre! Murderer!


Ok my nose is leaking non-stop and I need to replenish my stock of tissues. Bye.

Lets start with some pictures. And the anaar was home-made! Hubby and papaji did!


Pooja thali ready for Lakshmi Pooja.


Beautiful diyas. Mummyji is fond of decoration and all. I'm getting there.


Super Chakra!


Ek anaar!


Ek aur anaar!


Do aur anaar!


Wow looks like a palace isn't it?


Kali Maa at a pandal.

We went to Calcutta for one day. Make that 5 hours. Pesh hai Calcutta ki photos.


Victoria Memorial. Built for Queen Victoria during British rule; now, its a museum. Must visit if you go to Calcutta.


Looks beautiful isn't it? People against the setting sun, heading home. Working people from different walks of life.


Flower vendor at Howrah station. In demand during Pooja.


The Howrah bridge over the Hoogly river.


The SBI building was so HUGE! Right on the banks on Hoogly in Calcutta.


Oh, but of course I went shopping! Bought these lovely chappals from Mochi.


Elegant.


Entrance to an underground metro station. Very clean.


View from a roadside cafe. The Tea Table at Park Street, Calcutta.




Henna designs on my hands. Culture rocks!


View en route to Howrah.


Mom Nature so green!


Mother Nature again.


The place to sit idle.


Diwali at my in-laws place rocked. I love them. Mummyji calls me "rani bitiya". Suck on that you loseress (you know precisely who I'm referring to).

I gorged on too many sweets, too much of paneer, too much of curd. BHUURRRRRRRP! Oh yes, and makki di roti!

And of course, people kept reminding me that its already a year and I haven't given them the "good news" yet. One aunt was kind so as to give me time till July. You see - now November, July next - 9 months time... see? How convienient! FOR THEM!!

After a week of awesome fun and non-stop masti, its back to boring routine. And just when I thought it can't get worse, it did. I'm all alone now. B2 sad :(

Work, as usual, sucks big time at office. Its amazing how it reaches new heights of sinking lowness. Example - my manager calls me to his cabin and praises me (I have no clue why) and says he needs more "self-motivated" people like me. What a load of crap. He needs to wake up. I'm this *hand gesture* close to laughing, but I hold back.

Anyway, gist is life is definitely not looking up. Life sucks and then we all die. If you think I'm negative, then no one asked you to come and read this.

Now that I've changed the blog look yet another time, its time for another post. I came to office at 10.30 AM, really late I know. But I don't have any work to do as of now, apart from reading pdfs...

Don't make me think. My head's so screwed up. Sometimes I go whoa my life's going at such a fast pace! Other times I'm thinking, I'm 26, where am I?? I don't know myself. My career is at such a standstill. It seems so to me. I moved from one dept. to another in office, and it seems like a good move. In fact, it IS a good move. But like I said, right now, I'm a rookie and it might be a while before I become good at the work they do. Most of my college friends have been all around the world due to work reasons, and for some reason, I haven't been abroad at all. I've worked on niche tech, products, still I don't know where am I or how good am I when compared to the others or when will I really be a go-getter in my team. I've always moved around in India and that hasn't helped my career at all. I'm working hard, I've worked hard before... but still, I'm at a standstill. I've made this decision of not quitting the telecom domain whenever I change jobs, in hope that I'll be a domain expert which'll help me in my career. But it hasn't. I work and I work and I work, but I'm stuck like glue. I have this craving to move up and give presentations, be involved in team meetings, make people stand up and take notice, and try hard as I may, I haven't the slightest clue whats wrong. I want to move out, I want to work, have agenda, weekly meetings (at least), do something substantial at the end of the day.

I was among the top 5 in my class. The not-so-smart bunch in my class have all been abroad (either cuz they're married to guys living outside of India or cuz of jobs (guys) ); and my friends ask me when are you planning, whats your next move, how come you are still here? And I have no answer for that. Makes me feel like a total loser. Its not just about going outside India, its also about doing something good at work that makes your boss take note of you and think you are capable enough of going abroad and doing something for the co. I want to be taken seriously by everyone and be entrusted with responsibilities. I want to work; I want to WORK! Why are projects always scarce in the team that I am in?? In whatever team I am in?? I feel like a failure when it comes to my career. There, I said it. And I'm ashamed to say at 26 I'm nowhere in my work life.

Where the hell have I gone wrong? Where???!!??!! I'm so frustrated. I'm so angry with myself. I'm so angry with myself and my stupid decisions. I really wish things look up at work. I try hard to stay positive and look forward to everyday at work, but its hard, its not easy as it seems. I need to see results, I need to see that I'm going somewhere.

1. I complain of splitting headache after my first (and last ever) time drinking, and mummyji is all happy and jolly! Cajoling me that its all okay while I hold my head over the toilet and puke my insides out. She tells me "beta aisa hi hota hai" while I hold my hair as though I'm about to tear them off, all thanks to the headache, of the hangover kind.

2. I'm off for my honeymoon and my mom says she won't call me and disturb me lest I'm "busy with hubby" and warns me not to call her either. Why, will she be busy too? She says, "No you fool, I mean you will be busy in the room with your husband!". WHAT?! You think my husband paid a lakh *just* to go all the way to Himalayas to make love (and a baby) ??!?!! We could do that here at home and save all that money you know! We are going there mainly, to have fun, see new places. I clarify this to her. She giggles and asks me to "just wait till you get there". I wonder and say nothing more.

3. I'm off for the honeymoon and mummyji says, "beta khush khabri leke aana". What khush khabri, I ask, hoping she'd be too embarassed to say it and thus, save me further embarassment. She says, "Jab main gayi thi tumhaare papaji ke saath to tumhaara husband hamaare saath aaya, waisa wala good news le aana". My mouth open, I tell her, "Mummyji hubby to already hai na, phir ab kisko le aau", hoping she'd close the topic thinking his son married a dumb doll. She goes, "Nahi maine kaha ek nanhe munne ki khabar le aao". Who?? We're gonna meet many strangers there, you want news about their kids? I didn't ask anything, I gave up.

4. My neighbour asks me, in a language alien to me, making signs, "Where's the baby? Its already one year since you are married!!". Oh we've ordered one, don't know what happened and I don't care yet, I wanted to say. I just smiled and acted coy. Bad move. She says, "Next Dussehra you have to enter my home with a baby!". I'm outta the country next Dussehra!

Mom says she's healthy so I shouldn't delay a baby, mummyji says ek saal ke andar bachha ho jaana chahiye. Mera socho please! Mujhe abhi woh sab ke baare mein nahi sochna hai. Mujhe pehle theek se settle hona hai, I've got so many responsibilities - my life is overwhelming as it is.

I get so irritated when people ask me if there's any "good news". Yes I'll give you good news, I've got 2 new pairs of jootis from Chandigarh, I've got 8 new salwar kameezes, I've bought a bangle stand, I've got cosmetics from AD as gift from hubby, a new watch, my health is fine, so is hubby's... all thats IS good news isn't it? No! Not if you are Indian bahu! Good news is only the announcement of a baby! I've got other things to do before I even think of it! Besides, I'm already handling a kid - MY HUBBY!! I cannot handle another one so soon! I don't have the time, money, physical strength, mental ability. Heck, I'm not even sure if I want to bring a baby into this world. I love kids, I love babies - please don't get me wrong. I'm a great massi, a great didi to kids in my family - but seriously, I'm not ready for one of my own yet. I don't know if I will be. As of now, its a NO. NO. NO. And frankly, I'm also scared of the whole pregnancy thing. Huge blown up tummy, big size clothes, the funny walk, the odd-hour odd cravings, the mood swings, the hormone changes, the swollen feet, the injections and hospital smell - see, how scared I am?

I, we (me + hubby) would want a child when both are ready. I should be happily looking forward to all the vomitting, swollen feet, big clothes and all that I mentioned above. Only then I'll have the "new mommy" glow.

Right now, I'm happy playing with other's kids :-) Preparation for "good news" in future, if you look at it!

I've moved to a new team for a different project, and so far, its been good. I've been trying to re-learn about the product, since its been more than a year. This time around, I hope to do well.

We are going to meet my sister this weekend. She's got a little sweet monster cutie who'll turn 1 soon. That, is the interesting part! I'm gonna teach her how to make nasty faces when my sister calls her, or how to poop on the couch so that my sister freaks out, and also how to demand for motorcycles. Ok that can wait, since she's only 1.

Then later last week, I'd gone to the nth beauty shop to get me Oil of Olay Night cream. Thats the only cream I use, and I stick to only scrubs (apricot, walnut) and multaani mitti with rose water. The sales girl takes me to this counter, and hands me the night cream all right, but an anti-wrinkle with leave-on-all-night kind! I looked at her and showed the cream saying this is anti wrinkle. She replies yes, but its night cream, and that's what you asked. Smartass. I said do you honestly think I need an anti wrinkle night cream? What do young people like me use? I want a simple night cream. She goes, to my horror, and hands me a moisturising cream. No night cream madam without anti-wrinkle feature. Now who's heard of a moisturising cream as being fit to replace a night cream!?!?!?!?! I woke up my bitchy self, took the anti wrinkle cream, handed it to her and said, you need this since you seem to be getting old, else why'd you hand me moisturising cream when I didn't ask you to. She wore a smug look. I. Couldn't. Care. Less.

Mom is leaving this weekend, and I don't like it. She's so much fun! She and hubby tease each other and one tries to out do the other in masti. I love her. She is so funny, down-to-earth, her advices are always right, she knows exactly what to do when, and how to do it, she's clear in her head, she's calm in responding to curt people, and she laughs a lot. My mommy.

Oh I got my new salwar kameez stitched from a yet-another-new tailor. And thankfully, he's done a good job! Whenever I get something I like, then I make sure I appreciate the person who helped me. It makes them enthusiastic and happy. I did the same with the tailor and said its really stitched well. In fact, I was so happy that I bought myself a Good Housekeeping magazine! Spoil me silly!

Today is my 3rd wedding anniversary, and I've been married only a year. Hows that then, you ask? Well, I got married according to two traditions (hubby's and mine) on 2 different dates. So that's 2 wedding anniversaries. Since the Hindu calendar is different from English calendar, I get 2 more anniversaries for each of the wedding anniversaries. Confusing? Ok its like this - I got married on 10th Sept* acc. to hubby's tradition, and then again on 26th Sept* acc. to my tradition. These are English calendar dates. My mom insists on celebrating anything (birthdays, anniversaries) acc. to Hindu calendar. Since these 2 calendars NEVER match, I get two more dates, acc. to Hindu calendar, when 10th Sept corresponds to some date in Hindu cal and 27th Sept corresponds to another date. Phew. But as long as I get niceties** who am I or anyone else to complain?


* - Fictitious dates, of course. Not my anniversary.
** - Oh that explains the pearl earrings and pearl pendant I'm wearing today! ;)

I'm reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, and I'm moved by the amount of sensitivity in it.

I'm beginning to think Atticus is the next nice man after Prof. Dumbledore.

I wish I could take up writing for a living. Not that I'd make a great one; I know that already thank you. But it'd be simply amazing to wake up early in the mornings knowing that you won't have to rush through it, make a nice cup of tea, sit by the balcony and idly sip the tea... carelessly... schedules and deadlines be damned.

I don't have much to do at work, which is surprisingly not welcome; I'd much rather work than not, though I feel otherwise when I actually have some work to do... I re-read my last sentence and boy! Talk about contradicting myself in seconds! Anyway, I want to be busy. Wake up, feel great about the day, come to work, immerse myself in it, and while I'm at it loving every minute of it, and head home after 8 hours. It pretty good upto the part when I come to office. Its slow after that.

I've made new friends at work, and they are nice. Not as much as my earlier friends, but still I like them. It makes my day at office much easier :-) And thats always welcome isn't it?

Tomorrow I'm volunteering to be a scribe for a visually challenged girl. She's got exams and while she dictates to me, I'll write. It is during workhours; I figured I'll stay back late and make up for it. I mean, if the girl can be so brave though she can't see that she agrees to take up exams (and not just learn to sew or weave baskets), then I (we) as fully grown, mature adults could do this at the very least. After all, its nice to help.

If I sound like Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes in my above para, its because I am! What did you think?!

I have so many dreams, so many things I want to accomplish, I feel like time is running out for me. Y'know... I've got so many ideas, but it seems like eternity waiting for something. And the thought that I'll never be 26 again, is scary enough. When I think of it that way, I feel like oh-my-God-I'm-still-way-behind. I mean, its just all overwhelming for me at times. It feels like... pressure... yea thats the word.

Strange... I thought in comparison to my peers and friends I was okay... but it never seems enough for me. A case of "I'm my own worst enemy", you think?

I don't know; thinking about it makes me even more tensed.

Anyway, I hope to get some things done before I go on my Diwali vacation, and once I come back, hopefully there'll be some clarity in my head.

Other than that, everything's fine :-)

Well, I don't know what I wish I could. There are a lot of things on my plate, and I don't know how to finish it. For starters, the German classes never started. Yea, only 12 students enrolled, and required was 15. So cancelled (the reason was silly if you ask me). So much for making enquires, visits, taking permission from work to adjust my timings.

Anyways, I've got lots of presents on my anniversary and in such a situation, I'm not the one to complain *ahem* *cough*Ilikegifts*cough*
*cough*onemoreanniversarycomingup*cough*

I watched Bourne Ultimatum and Johnny Gaddaar. दोनों बधिया movies! Review लिखने का ना तो time है, और ना mood है.

I might be moved to a new team at work, which is good news. I feel kinda sad about leaving my current project, but the new work has lot of prospects for my career.

I really wanted to learn a new language. In a desperate bid, I called the institution again and asked, "Ok German ना सही, कोई और language courses चल रही है क्या?" She replies, "Only Chinese and Spanish weekend classes. Both started 2 weeks back." Which means I've already missed 4 classes (each of 3 hours). Goddamit. Still, I was game to learn and catch up (Spanish I thought, not Chinese). She said classes would go on till end of Dec. More dammit. I am generally busy on weekends as well, so would end up missing more classes inevitably. इसे बोलते है हाथ को आया, मुह ना लगा।

Nothing on TV. Oh yea, Desparate Housewives Season 3 is on. So sundays 8-9 PM is fun. Other times, my TV shows only cricket, football or hockey or some other sport. Or maybe I feel that way cuz I never get to lay my hands on the remote. Thats right, never. Tyranny at home!

Ok time to go. There are novels to be read, code wanting attention, bug wanting fixing, tea waiting to be brewed, lunch waiting to be eaten, me wanting to sleep, people working waiting to be disturbed *evil grin*, peace to be spread in the world, Bush waiting to kill everyone, Mush waiting to lap up more power, and pani puri to be made at my home.

So without wasting any more time, I click on you, o publish post button!

Oh, and I'm having bad hair day almost everyday. Happy??

I went to the mall to do some urgent shopping. As I stood in line to get my stuff billed, there it was, on the 2 wide screen LCD TVs, one of my favorite movies** being played - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It made my day! More than shopping I enjoyed the movie! And why wouldn't I? J K Rowling (who, by the way was advised by a teacher when in school to not write fantasy stories, because they don't sell. I'm glad she didn't take the teacher's advice) has this wonderful, un-surpassable ability to, I daresay, apparate or transfer you via Floo Powder network, to the world of wizards and witches and magic and Quidditch. So much so that, at times I really hate that I'm Muggle-born. What wouldn't I give to fly on a broom, use the time-turner, get my injuries mended in a day, store memories in a penseive, transfigure a desk into a frog, brew love potions, produce a stunning, silvery Patronus, and know and associate with Professor Dumbledore, use the Maurauder's Map, drink butterbeer, perform hexes, punch Malfoy in the nose - I can go on and on!

And there's no stopping me!

My favorite character is... oh there are so many! I love Snape, Professor Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Fred and George, Sirius Black, Hermione, Hagrid, Luna, Tonks (the way she says "Wotcher" is adorable!). In fact, all characters are very well thgouth of and have such definitive aspect. Its remarkable, really.

Now that I'm thinking more about it as I'm writing this, it makes me feel miserable that I'm stuck in this stupid, life-sucking place called office, working for people I don't care (yea you heard me!), whereas I very well could've been an Auror or a skilled Potions master (ahem). The subjects taught at the school seem so real... DADA, Potions, History of Magic, Divinations, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures... And whats amazing is that the books make you badly want to be one of them, and experience all of that. It makes you believe there indeed is a wizarding world, which the wizards are trying hard to conceal from the non-wizarding community. It makes you believe there's Azkaban with the Dementors guiding it, here indeed is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And the concept of Animagus! I'd love to be a unicorn or phoenix....

The books make you feel one with each character (except of course, the whole troop of Death Eaters (Bellatrix especially), Voldemort and Professor Trelawney). The books teach you friendship, being loyal, admitting your mistakes (Snape), loving beyond hope and death (Snape again), being brave and not letting doom get to you (Black), to inherently see good in the baddest of people (Professor Dumbledore), giving a chance to those who erred (Harry to Peter Pettigrew in book 3), and being calm, polite and pleasant to all (Professor Dumbledore again).


Oh I'm totally obsessed with the books; I keep re-reading the 7 books over and over again, and each time it makes me feel more close to each of the characters and plants a hope in me that there indeed is a platform 9 3/4ths at the King's Cross station, and that one day I'll shop at Diagon Alley for a 11-inch holly and phoenix feather wand....

Yesterday I finished my work early and left for home. I planned to watch Ratatouille last evening, but it didn't work out (no tickets available). I was blue, I was so looking forward to catch an animation movie, that too from Steve Job's co. But, everything happens for a reason, I thought since I'll be leaving early why not go to the tailor and put myself through the torture of getting my dresses back.

I went home, took bath (for 2nd time in the day in case you think I didn't in the morning) and headed straight to the boutique. She gave me my dresses, saying it was altered and would now fit me well. About time, I said to myself (I was supposed to get them on 1st). Alas, how wrong was she! And I! Each of the 4 were horribly stitched. To make a long story short, after 3 hours of no-its-so-tight-that-I-can't-take-it-over-my-chest-when-I'm-trying-to-take-the-dress-off and no-this-is-still-tight-I-can't-breathe (why would she want to kill me????), I half-heartedly agreed and took my dresses, after over-paying her (class A bitch that she is).

What took me by surprise that I was really angry at one point with her, and her tailor. She has employed 4 tailors and they do the job. Mine was done by a new joinee. Horrible. I felt so much anger, that I could hear me telling the angry-me, calm down its just a piece of cloth, its just a new dress, nothing to get so worked up about. And when she overcharged me I felt even more anger. C'mon she should've compensated ME because of the delay and trips to her boutique and innumerable trials in the trial room! After I went back home, I felt that I shouldn't have been so mad. Though I didn't yell at her or anything, I wasn't even aggressive (by words), but the feeling inside - was terrible. My heart was racing (thats bad in a way), I was breathing heavily, and my insides were doing somersaults. I hated feeling that way. After I came home, I guess the feeling was still within me, so I got irritated at my mom (I tried to control!) and slept without brushing my teeth or putting eyedrops. In other words, I caused more harm to myself with such unreaosnable behaviour. The tailor got away with more cash, my mom and I made up before I hung up, only I didn't brush or take care of my eyes.

Yes, I learnt my lesson. Anger is such an emotion, its one thing that comes to you unvited (though you will have invited it subconciously but won't acknowledge/admit - like you'll blame someone else for your anger most of the times) and stays on till you get rid of it. Believe me, which is hard. Especially with the stress you face, and also simple questions when you are angry will add fuel to the fire. Its so bad I wonder why its so hard to control it, to not feel it.

I have a challenge for all reading this, and me - try not to be angry at anyone for a whole day. I'll come back end of the day today (or tomorrow) and write how I fared.

Things are happening so fast and so rapidly that I hardly have the time to take it all in. Its all around and its overwhelming, and mentally exhausting. No time to stop and smell the roses, or wake up and smell the coffee... its get up at 6.30 AM, cook breakfast, eat, pack lunchbox, rush to office amidst traffic, cuss the elevator for not moving fast enough (cuz its the elevator's fault I got late to office), start work and be so immersed in it that your lunch buddies pound you with their lunch box and cell phones cuz you are 20 mins late for lunch, get back and bury yourself in work, apologize to friend for not being able to accompany her for snacks, continue work, come home really really late at night.

Phew.

It all started 2 weeks back, when I was horribly behind schedule on my task, and I realised I *have to* get it done no matter what, asap. I will.

I still haven't found the time to pay fees for the German classes, which might start on Sept 24th.
The chair in bedroom is a mountain of clothes.
My nails have half-gone-half-there nail polish; looks bad.
I gotta go to tailor #1 and get my salwar kameezes.
I gotta go to tailor #2 and get my salwar kameez, shirt.
I gotta go back to tailor #1 and give 2 new salwar kameezes for stitching.
I gotta clean the toilet.
I gotta ask about unlimited Internet and ISD activation.
I gotta take appointment to see my eye doctor.
I gotta watch Ratatouille.
I gotta update my blog about the hockey matches and my celebrity-status *ahem* *AHEMMMMM*

All these pending. But the most imp thing of all, wake up early, cook breakfast, eat, pack lunchbox, rush to... you get the drift.


#$%&*#@$%^&^&##*!

India won the Asia Cup by a thrilling 7-2 victory!

The match was one sided to be frank, and our men were on a roll! Sorry Korea.

I came LIVE on TV!

I came LIVE on TV!

Yes, I came LIVE on TV TWICE!!!

I got interviewed by NDTV India and NDTV 24x7! (Thats how I was LIVE on TV!!)

Prabhjot Singh, the highest goal scorer, and one of the best players in the Indian team, gave me a HUGE flower bouquet!

I high-fived almost every team member after the match!

My picket was eye-catching, so much so that I had swarm of reporters taking my shot (dunno if any of that made the TV though... )

My picket also got some very imp people come up to me and talk to me!

I CAME LIVE ON NDTV CHENNELS!!

Ah, great weekend...

Just some random pic I found in my collection (clicked by me, of course). Reminds me of myself - there are times when I open up and pour my heart out, and there are times when I withdraw into my cocoon like a touch-me-not.

Oh well.......

Dont even ask why I'm here. Ever since blogger is blocked at work, my mind seems void of any ideas to write about soemthing. Earlier, I used to at least write a post in whatever words and save it as draft or post it anyway, but now I cant do that either. After I go home, I'm way too tired to write what I'd thought earlier, so I leave it at that.

In other words, this shit is getting stale.

Never mind, I'm not gonna quit writing only cuz I am outta ideas or am tired. Long live this blog!

We watched Transformers the other night. Tuesday, I think. My what a movie! You can say that again, and see the movie again. Such special effects! I am not too much into alien-theme movies (they really bore me to death and I start yawning, even with all the stunts going on in the theatre; and really, lets just stop speculating so much about them shall we?) but this one was refreshingly different. A bit of comedy too was in, and well, you ought to watch it. But watch it with a guy, I dont think a group of girls would enjoy as much *giggle giggle*

I took part in carrom (womens doubles and mixed doubles) and badminton (mixed doubles) as part of annual day sports. Lost in carrom, and I was looking for excuses to skip work anyway ;-) Badminton match is coming up this saturday; and I havent held a racket since school. So lets see how that one goes. Best of luck to my partner for that!

Ummm there's this girl in office. She... she's a little... wierd... she's nice and simple and all that... but she... she keeps touching me all the time. She says hi with a nice smooth hand going down my back (I think she does touches my back cuz she comes to my desk from behind... I shudder to think what would she touch if she came to my desk from the front...) Then she comes again for snacks and the touchign resumes, she stands too close to me when we are waiting for the lift, and insists on ... touching me. Once I politely told her not to touch my bare waist when I was wearing sarees saying I get ticklish and highly unconfortable with that... but I guess she didnt get the hint fully... *sigh* I cant even avoid her, cuz all her other friends do that to her. I feel sorry for her... like I said, she's nice and al that, but she neednt touch to make me be friends with her. I mean, I'm okay with hand around the shoulder (like pal sort of thing) but nothing beyond that, please.

Uh oh, lunch time. I'll back to finish this. Did I hear my blog groan?

Any Indian traditional dress is incomplete without bangles. Sarees, salwar kameezes look best when bangles are used as accessories. And the clinking sound they make, makes heads turn aplenty! Of course, its not entirely about making head turn, but how you feel. I, for one, feel extremely feminine in traditional saree, complete with bangles and bindi. No make-up, no other accessories.

And bangles are widely available in India, anywhere. Bright lit shops with bright bangles, arranged in neat rows and some hanging over, with the shopkeeper beckoning the ladies around to try and buy bangles is common sight in almost all cities. And who can forget the bangle-seller who used to roam the streets with houses, shouting, "Choodiyaan le loooooo; laal hari neeli peeli choodiyaan le looooo"** In fact, back when I was a kid, I bought my first set of bangles (green, glass bangles) from one such bangle-seller...

So its no wonder that my tryst with bangles goes way back, and continues even today. I love wearing them. See my collection!

A close up. I've got marroon, green, pink (in many shades), blue, purple, black...

The pink ones you see on the floor are glass bangles. Lovely designs on them :-) We bought this tree-like wooden stand to keep my bangles, cuz I have so many!!

One more view .

But then, keeping the bangles-stand out would make sure that each one is covered with dust in no time, so I came up with the idea of making a lid kind of thing to cover the stand, out of a carton. We cut the big carton into required size, and then the husband covered it with a bright red paper with golden design. It looked very royal. See this pic!

I'm already lookign forward to wearing saree next!

** translated to English, it means, "Come and buy bangles; red, green, blue and yellow coloured bangles!"

Scene 1, Act 1:
Friend from Office - You know, my mom is so so stubborn. She just refuses to eat healthy food; or anything that we give her.
Me: Oh thats not good :-( Why dont you persuade her more and more till she gets bugged?
FfO - You think we havent tried? Especially after her chemo began, she looks so . The sessions really test your immunity and its so important to remain strong and eat well.
Me - Have you tried blackmailing her?
FfO - What?!!
Me - Yes, blackmail her ;) Tell her you wont eat until she eats what you give her.
FfO - She's not a kid you know. We've tried all, but she'll only eat what she wants.
Me - Hmmmm...... Does she believe in God?
FfO - What do you mean?
Me - No seriously, does she?
FfO - Yes.
Me - Ok here's a plan. Prepare her food (high protein soya soup or something which the doc's told), pack and take it with you to a temple nearby. Come back with teeka on your forehead and all, then give the soya soup (or whatever you've prepared for her) saying its the prasad from temple. Then she wont refuse it. Oh yes, make sure you put some haldi-kumkum on the pack; just to be sure that she believes you ;-)
FfO - Oh! What drama! I thought... well forget it :-))
Me - Hey seriously! Try it!
FfO - LOL.



Scene 2, Act 1:
Me - Do you blog?
FfO - No time.
Me - Which means you are plain lazy...
FfO - My sis does, though.
Me - Great! Whats the url?
FfO - ********.blogspot.com
Me - Hey! She posts such good recipes! Have you tried them ever? (Cuz FiO is really pathetic at cooking and doesnt bother to learn even)
FfO - No, why should I? I've eaten all; she calls me home when she prepares it.
Me - Thats sweet :-)

after a while

Me - Hey, I have an idea!
FfO - Of course. Whats it this this time? Tell me.
Me - You check your sis' blog regularly. And when she posts a recipe that she hasnt told you about or hasnt invited you over to taste it, you try that recipe at home yourself. ;-)
FfO - Huh?
Me - Then you call her home and serve it to her. And when you sis says this she's tried, and starts giving you tips, you disagree vehemently ;-) and tell her its your own recipe, blah blah, fully original, blah blah...
FfO - LOL
Me - Then when she tries to convince you that she really has cooked that dish before and all that, you induce false tears and say that this is what she did all life to you, and at least now she should act mature and let you have credit for what you've done for once etc. LOL and then see the expression on her face ;-)
FfO - Trust you to be the drama queen! LOL
Me - :D Oh but its all in good humour! ;-)



Scene 3, Act 1:
New Friend from Office - I have 2 maids; one to cook and another to clean vessels, the house, etc.
Me - Oh thats good.
NFfO - Yea, but the cook is really good. Sometimes after she's done cooking, she does the dishes herself, though she knows that there's another maid for cleaning. Both come at separate timings. Whats more the cleaning lady doesnt do her job well; the dishes sometimes are oily and have soap stuck on 'em.
Me - Ew! Then why dont you ask the cooking maid to do all other work?
NFfO - And its so expensive to have two maids!!
Me - Then why dont you ask the cooking maid to do all other work??
NFfO - Because my husband doesnt like the same lady for cooking and cleaning. He thinks its dirty.
Me - (realising that some (read most, or all) husbands are hard to please anyway) Tell you what, fire the cleaning maid, and ask the cook to do all work. If your husband asks, tell him they are twins; one cleans and the other cooks. He wouldnt know since both come at different timings! :D
NFfO - :O (after a while) LOL
Me - (wondering what was so funny, and that she should take my advice) ;-)



Scene 3, Act 1:
FfO - Hey what did the doctor say?
(She was referring to my left eye, the one affected by herpes last year)
Me - She said it was healing; and that I should continue the drops and ointment and see her next week.
FfO - And how do you feel about your eye?
Me - Its really healing; I can feel it. No redness, no watery eyes (people dont ask me anymore why am I crying), and very very, very little blurness. The eye has not pained Misty^^ for 4 weeks. All is well.
FfO - Ok.
Me - Err, that was the last 2 lines from the last chapter of Harry Potter's last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows...
FfO - Ohhhhhh!! Am so sorry to disappoint you, but I didnt get it the first time :P
Me - Tch tch, too bad. Calling yourself Harry Potter fan and all, yet... tch tch...
FfO - Oh please, you do so much of drama, I thought it must yet one of your drama-esque responses to my question!
Me - *wide wide grin*


^^ - my name; not the real one of course, just some random name I adopted just now, to fill in my name!


Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 - All acts are humourous acts!!


All these are chats over IM or in person. My friends say I'm funny. I say, "Am I fun or am I funny?" No, thats not a trick question!! ;-)

I volunteered through my office to teach at a local school here. I was required to teach English to class V students; the challenge being that its a vernacular school. Its a school for the poor, mainly fishermen' kids and kids from slums nearby. I taught them for 3 hours on saturday morning, and promised the kids to be there every alternate saturday (as is the schedule). The kids were overjoyed.

There were other volunteers like me; and we all taught a group of 3-4 kids. Mine consisted of only girls, each of whom kept asking my name and giggling and touching my dupatta and staring at me :) The minute I entered the class, this gal gang nudged on my dupatta and started tapping the floor, motioning me to sit with them (yes we all sat on the floor). We were given 15 minutes to interact with them, before the principal came in. I have done volunteering work before, but here I was in a vernacular school, a language I couldn't even understand! But you know how kids are, they don't have such apprehensions, they don't think that their broken English is a deterrent, or that they should not open their mouths if they cant say a sentence in English; the kids started yapping, making actions with their hands and sometimes standing up and enacting with a full body motion what they meant - so that I could understand :) Though I felt apprehensive at first, the kids made me feel at ease :)

To be continued... gotta get back to work :)

Oh you wont believe I've been so busy at work! I come to office, and this is how mu routine has been this week:

- check mails
- chat with friends on office IM,
- sip a cup of lemon tea for like 45 mins (you see, it needs to go from steaming hot to icy cold, so that I can taste the proper English like lemon tea and iced tea, in those 45 mins. - very important)
- work a little
- chat and mail check keeps happening at regular intervals
- go to my home dir and check if I have any waste folders; if yes, delete them. When deleting, when the system asks for confirmation to move it to trash, say yes. Then go back to Trash Can and restore them back to home directory. If mood is different, then say no when it asks for confirmation, delete again, say no when asked for confirmation - repeat process till bored.
- Then go to trash can, delete some, restore some items back.
- Work some more.
- Go back to home directory, check the docs prepared last week. See if changes required and upon no, pat my own back for good job.
- Discuss Harry Potter's latest book with M.

Me: Its so so sweet that Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione get married! Harry's kid is named after Severus Snape isnt it?
M: Oh pls that was dramatic. But wait, you said you haven't read the book! How do you know Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione get married?
Me: Errrr, I went to the last page of that 7th book pdf and read.
M: What?! Thats so not done! You are such a spoiler, FOR YOURSELF!
Me: But I really wanted to know who dies in the 7th book!
M: If you must know, it was Fred.
Me: WHAT??! But I love the Weasley twins! More than Harry! Tell me its not true!
M: Oh get over it! I felt bad when Sirius and Dumbledore died.
Me: Yea, I saw in the Order of the Phoenix movie. I cried and cried in the theatre when Sirius died.
M: But she cleverly made the 3 survive in the end! That was fake and overlty dramatic!
Me: Oh really?!! You mean Sirius come back to life in the 7th book? Thats great, I'm happy. Really happy!
M: No, I meant the 3 as in Ron, Harry and Hermione.
Me: Oh. I thought you meant Sirius, Dumbledore and someone else. Dont do that! Please tell me if Sirius comes back to life.
M: No he doesnt.
Me: Shit.


(and it goes on...)

- Have my 2nd lemon tea post-lunch. Read HitList on Mid-day (hahahahaha)
- Work some more... chatting on IM continues
- Snacks at 5.30 PM
- Wait till my TL comes, work until then.

When he does come, then get seriously serious. What else can I do?! I'm trying my best to connect to the servers, and its not happening. Anyways, I hope I should get working anytime tomorrow (max.)

I'm hungry. Oh its 5.30 PM, time for snacks!

I have been so inundated with work and stuff at home, that I am not able to post about my vacation. And when I do have the time, I prefer reading, talking and blogging - in that order.

Some pics:

Darn! The website ain't opening... forget it. I'll do it from home or something like that.

I went to the restroom before lunch and the cleaning lady (who never fails to talk with me) asks me why am I not wearing saree these days to office. Pleasantly surprised, I told her that its raining and I'm afraid I'll get saree all muddy. She agreed, but added that I should wear the saree often, as I look beautiful in it. I smiled. She then complimented me on my hair, saying its really thick and smooth. I thanked her. She proceeded to ask me who I live with (and was surprised to know that I am married), how and what do I cook, how do I commute, whats my age etc. etc.

I ended up going 30 mins late for lunch, and somehow it all seemed okay. Okay to have someone to talk to :-)

Our office is observing Eco Week this whole week. Events are:

***
Photo contest - photos must be of nature, widlife, flora etc. Prizes galore for winners!

Eco products on sale - Bags, photo frames, even body care products that are fully herbal.

Screening of An Inconvenient Truth.
***

I'm taking part in the photo contest, and buying some of the products. Of course, something eco, and me not involved in it?! Never :)

As for another thing - I'm planning to wear green all this week to work :) Howzzat for some more support?!

I'm back! From my lovely honeymoon! Wanna know what places I went to? C'mon, you know you want to... heh heh

Leh
Manali
Chandigarh
Delhi

Want to know what other places we passed/paid short visit to? Its a long list... and needless to say, I'll post about it and put up pics too! Lets just say we were in the nature's lap - saw snow capped mountains, the Indus river, an inland sea!, an attractive hill, monastries, waterfalls, pine trees (lots of 'em!), green mountains, Rohtang Pass, Pathhar Saheb, and well what do you know, even Saif Ali Khan!! And also mules and yaks! ;) :D

It'll be slower, since this is blocked at work from now on (DARN!)... but hopefully should finish writing in a day or two :)

The week just whizzed by like that didn't it? Seems like Monday was just yesterday... Anyways, the author begs your pardon for being a total arse yesterday; she does let the moods take over sometimes. I assure you the occurrence will be rare. And so does the author.

I had quite a lot on my plate to complete (and I still do), but I'm stuck in the rut. With my team lead in US, it becomes ever so hard to co-ordinate with him. I understand he and the manager over there need the work done asap, but when I reach a dead-end, well, I've reached a dead-end. Can't get anywhere from there. I feel so bad; next week I'm on vacation and I hope my team lead doesn't have to bear the brunt. I made the changes he'd asked me to, took the new files, compiled the shit (with the server in bg.). But nothing ever happens, and I wonder... (line stolen from Lemon Tree :D ) So I went ahead and completed some other work, thinking I'll get back to this later, and now I see that my server's gone kaput! God help me now! You're doomed! says my inner voice. *sigh*

Oh Jesus Christofani! The server's up again! I did some tweaks here and there, and now its up and running! Let me get back to my work and see how's it going...

To be continued...

Part 2

Work continues, with no result. Motherfucking exceptions, I hate 'em!

Took appointment from the eye doctor. Bloody Herpes Zoster. Its still troubling me and my eye. Its been almost a year (I got the goddamn thing in Nov. last) and I'm still on eye drops, and my eye seems blur at times. If I close my other good eye, it seems like I'm looking at things through a transparent sheet, or a watery surface - everything appears blur and liquid-y. It scares me. Eyes are so precious, you wouldnt want a thing to happen to 'em. Pray for me, I hope all turns out fine at the doc's tomorrow *fingers crossed*

Oh shoot, that reminds me, I havent put in afternoon dose of the eye drops! Note to self: Be more careful and do NOT miss the dosage next time.

I'll go eat snacks in a little while.

Come to my office canteen if you want to eat sandwiches of the shittiest variety.

My friend with whom I go to snacks with, is a very toughy person. She touches my shoulder, hands, pokes my waist (what the hell) - and that really makes me uncomfortable. But she's really really nice. No unnecessary attitude-throwing or any of that horseshit.

My team mate was kind enough to let me eat the contents of his lunchbox. Tasty food.

*breathe in breathe out, breathe in breathe out* relax...

Okay people, time to go. Be good, do good :)

Oh and another thing, I'm going to watch Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix tonight! Super duper excited!

Should I write whats on my mind? Should I pour out how I feel? Or is it necessary that I write only happy stuff? If I write about something thats hurt me, made me feel unloved, do I write it here or not, fearing when I come back and re-read it, it might bring back the exact feelings? The very feelings which I wanted to let go...

I want to be me. Sounds easy doesnt it? Sometimes, the simplest of things seem so hard.

I'm not feeling too good ... hate being in a shit mood like this.

Thought for the day - "Life sucks and then we die." (read it somewhere on the Internet).

Me obviously! Who else would even come close?! I'm so cool that the word cool was invented when the world witnessed how cucumber-ily cool I was, and still am of course.

Yea I'm in a jolly-good-sing-a-song mood!

What happened was... umm ok from start. Me and the husband came back from our long weekend and we had amazing fun on the way back. The train journey was fun and though it (the train) was almost empty, we played and yapped like 'twas nobody's business!

First up, we played... umm whats that game called? That silly ass game where you make a lot of dots - looks like square/rectangle filled with dots separated by spaces. Get the drift? Like this -

. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .

There can be as many dots as you wish. Then, each takes turn to connect a pair of dots - horizontal or vertical. One pair at a time. When you connect a pair such that its a square (all 4 dots connected), thats a house and you get a point. Num. points = num houses. I know, silly game. But its interesting once you start playing it. I used to play this a lot when in school, tee hee :D

So we played this game and it rocked! I won with 39 points/houses and the husband, 38! Hah! Loser :P You should've seen him sulk, such fun.

Then we played tic-tac-toe. Yea, another school game. The husband, wounded from the last game's defeat, cheated and won 1 out of 5 games. Rest, draw. Hmmph.

It was getting late, so we decided to pull our blankets and hit the sack. But neither of us wanted to sleep, so we played "The Personality Game". One person thinks of someone famous, and the other should ask 10 questions (that can be answered with yes or no only) and should guess the personality. 3 guesses also allowed too. We took turns to play this game.

The husband goes first - I got that one. His was Laloo Prasad Yadav. How predictable since we were sitting in the train! Have some creativity man geez.
He also thought of Rooney (Wayne Rooney - no. 8, Manchestah Yoonited), Hilary Clinton, Monica Lewinsky, Arundhati Roy, Selvar Mani (from the movie Sarkar, really!), and few others. I got them all except Hilary and Monica. I know, I'm cool.

And when it was my turn, I came up with such good names; the husband had a though time guessing the right personality. Salman Rushdie, Trinny Woodall, Rupali Ganguly, Bobby Darling HAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHHAHAAH :)) The husband got almost all. Then there was one which was really difficult but I have to give it him, he got the answer right. This is how it went -

The Husband - Male?
Me - Nope.
TH - Indian?
Me - Yes.
TH - Entertainment Industry?
Me - No.
TH - Politics.
Me - No.
TH - Singer?
Me - I said No for entertainment industry, didnt I?
TH - Does she write?
Me - Yea, when she's free.
TH - Is she below 30?
Me - Yes of course!
TH - YOU?!!!
Me - CORRECT!!

Hahahahahahah it was so fun watching the expression on his face at that time! I told you I'm cool. Then I told him that now he cant start thinking of other realtives like Bombaywali buaji or Jamshedpurwali buaji hehheh, only I can ;) Also, when he'd have asked just 3 or 4 questions, I'd warn him, "Ok 9 questions over, you have only one left." What?!, cries the husband :))

Then, when we met my sister (I abosultely love her), she kept asking me stories about how we met, did we sneak out and meet often (before getting married, of course), did we travel to meet each other, did we stay together etc. (yep we Indians are very nosey). "Tell me everything in detail!", she commanded. I tried to answer all her eager questions as calmly as possible, censoring info wherever needed. But the husband kept prodding and nudging, "tell her about the time I came to see you when your mom was out of town", "tell her about the time when you came to pick me up at the airport and the flight got delayed and we ended up missing the last train home and stood at the bus stop drinking coffee at 2 AM", "and tell her that you split the coffee on my pants", "tell her when I came to see you when your mom was at your uncles' place", "tell her about how we went to the secluded beach and got fully wet", "tell her how I gave you a piggyback ride when you got a shoe bite", "tell her how we watched movies at your place till early morning". SHHHHHH! She's my kid sister!
But it was actually sweet seeing him talk about those days with that sparkle in his eyes - yep, there lies love :)

This morning, we went to play tennis. After that we went to the beach and drank coconut water (mmmm my favorite drink). The husband's was sweeter than mine, so he offered me his and says, "You take this". I found that really, really sweet :)

And I bought Rs. 6000/- worth sportswear "sports lifestyle" wear from PUMA. They've got some kickass stuff. Very fashionable - suits me just fine. And I let my purse strings and myself go loose :D Retail therapy always helps. And I'm not saying only when you are feeling the blues ;)

I am back from a whirlwind trip to the place where I did my schooling, higher education, made best friends, and prepared myself to face the world on my own.

Life, was so peaceful back then. I lived a sheltered life, and was happy to be like that. As I walked through those familiar streets, I could see myself going to school, being scared as I walked into my class on first day of college, laughed nervously when professor asked if I meddled with the titration experiments, haggled with friends to get the last bench, sipped tea in the canteen, mugged the fat books, fought with my best friend, worked hard to get good marks, and cried as seniors teased me because I had thick eyebrows and didnt use to thread them back then. Fug those mofos, I could care less.

I wonder now, now that I know how my life has shaped, if I could go back at all and change what I was. Or would/will be. Maybe I would still make the same mistakes I made. Or maybe I'd never fight with L and be thick as thieves even now. Maybe I'd go ahead and still be the same me, but much much stronger, and more confident. Maybe I'd go back and take part in that elocution contest, or didnt listen to my mom and went ahead and took part in the fashion show. Maybe I fought my inner self and took those Bharatnatyam classes while in school. Maybe I'd really be followingmy dream and be a journalist, and for life of me not be one of the many fish in the IT well that I am now. Maybe, just maybe, I'd change just one day in my growing up years and that would change everything.

Life can be such a load of crap at times. Or maybe it just seems so. Maybe we take it too seriously, not enjoy, and long before we know life goes by in a flash and you are now dead. But, does it really matter in the end? We leave everything behind - the very thing we lived for.

Really, there are times when I cant be bothered. And then there are times like this. If only it'd be simple, with answers served on a silver platter!

I have to admit I suprise myself more than anyone else after I've eaten something that I've cooked myself. Whats more, the surprise doubles when the dish turns out real good, which is always *patting my own back*

The deal is, I havent been much into cooking and trying out recipes. I guess I couldnt be bothered. But not anymore. I like to try out new recipes and wow the husband and make my momma proud. She used to tell me, "You should really at least step inside the kitchen once in a while; it'll do you good." (Of course, I never listened to her)
But now, when I gush over the phone what I cooked and how I did it and what praises I got, she's one happy momma :)

Also, once I come home, I hardly get the time to cook. I slouch in front of the TV or go to my room and stitch, before dinner. But lately I've realised that if I want to do something, there IS time for it. So when I bought palak (spinach) last weekend, I thought to myself, I will cook palak paneer. (paneer = tofu cheese).

I did! Last night! How did it turn out? Well lets just say no one touched anything that the cook prepared ;) Here's the receipe:

***

Ingredients:

4 Green Cardomoms

3 Dalchinis

4 Cloves

4 medium-sized tomatoes

2 medium-sized onions, chopped fine

3-4 green chillies

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and mashed

1 tsp ginger paste (or ginger, peeled and mashed)

2-3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

2.5 tbsp curd

3 cupfuls of palak leaves (roughly about 300-400 gms)

1 tsp red chilli powder

2-3 pinches of Kasuri Methi

10-15 paneer cubes

Salt, to taste

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 20-25 mins.

Method:

Wash the palak leaves thoroughly, and into smaller sizes.

Add green chillies and grind in mixer; until its a fine paste. Keep aside.

Heat the ghee in a pan for 2 mins.

Add the cardomoms (discard the skin), cloves and dalchini.Heat and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Add the onions and mashed garlic and saute until golden brown.

Add the ginger paste and heat again.

Grate the tomatoes for fresh tomato puree (yea, thats how I make and use puree!) and add it to the pan. Stir until fat leaves the sides.

Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and stir. Leave for a minute.

Add the palak paste and kasuri methi powder and stir continuously.

Add salt and stir again.

Add the paneer cubes, cover with a lid and simmer for about 10 minutes until the paneer is soft and takes in the gravy.

Open the lid, add curd and stir.

Serve with hot rotis!

***

You can also use vegetable or any other cooking oil instead of ghee, but I prefer ghee क्युकी देसी घी में बनाए खाने कि खुशबु और स्वाद, क्या कहने! Translated for S*, it means, "The aroma and taste of (mainly, Indian) food cooked in clarified butter is something to relish!"


PS: Pic helps, I know. I'll remember to post pics of the dish next time around when I post a recipe here!

Al Gore revealed it on Friday night. Me, the husband and a friend went to watch the movie. Its a splendid attempt to awaken the masses to the threat of global warming. He's based the movie on facts, and scientists back him. There are claims that there are scientists that dont, but that only means they need to be educated.

For me, global warming is anything but a hype, a myth. Its real, its something thats extremely subtle - happening around us, and the sooner we act, the better. He explains the level of greenhouse gases in the environment, how it has and will lead to temperature increase, melting of ice glaciers in the Antarcticas, the unnatural floods, famines, tsumanis, hurricanes - unless we do something about it.

Imagine this - (forget about the movie and lets focus on facts here, facts that you and I are a part of) There has been population boom in the post WW-II era. Though I was born in early 1980s, I *do know* that the population worldwide has risen. So has the economy, the automobile industry is flourishing like never before. Most families have at least 2 means of transport - one of them usually a car. Most run on petrol or other fossil fiels. Most of us dont take the bus anymore and use our cars for travel. The population needs a place to live and so lots of houses being built - sometimes even making space for it by deforestation. Industralization also is a reason for deforestation. We need jobs, so huge buildings are built by encroaching upon agricultural land for the purpose.

Look close, isnt the environment bearing the brunt here? The Himalayan glaciers is fast melting, the 10 hottest years since 1880 have been in the last 14 years, Antarctic ice cores have more CO₂ concentration that in the last 6,50,000 years.

He cities an example of a frog - put one in a boiling hot water and it'll jump right out, but put it in luke warm water and slowly increase the temp., it'll stay right there. Even when the water starts boiling, it stays. Unless, someone rescues it, someone takes it out. He says these is what is happening with us. We should do something about it right away, rather than the effect actually happening and then we trying to reverse the irreversible.

About the film - a critic says, "You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to.". 'Nuff said. And dont forget to check out the article on wiki by the same name.


Peace out.

My TL left for a 2-month stay in US (work-related). Lucky him. I think its just awesome to be able to go to another country, experience another lifestyle, work environment, meeting people of diverse cultures, ethnicity, getting to know how business (and also normal life) is conducted over in that place. Plus all the sight-seeing and travelling surely are welcome! I've always believed that being widely travelled, and knowing other cultures and other things I've mentioned above, adds to your personality. One grows as a person, is more tolerant to different views, is able to appreciate why one man's mannerisms are so, etc.

Having said that, its quite a wonder (or, shock) that I've never been outside of India. I was born here, studied here, and have been working here from the past 5 years. Phew. I'd love to go out, explore new places. Well, if I had my way (and not an engineering degree), then I'd be travelling for a living :D like the hosts/presenters on Discovery's Travel and Living do. All (it seems) they do are go new places, explore the places to see, the food culture, et. al. Wonderful thing to do for a living no? :)

I'm here with nothing particular to say. I've got no work today so I was browsing through reuters.com. There's news articles about iPhone (of course), Harry Potter fans in frenzy at the movie premiere in Japan, and some "oddly enough" news about some convicted man tying his electronic monitor to his dog and fleeing away and 2 teenaged girls who left photos behind after mugging another girl. How dumb. Nothing new happening in the world. Its the same old news. Oh yea, I read about a bomb defused in London. Blast the terrorists, when will they ever learn? Well I guess not until we have Bushs', Saddams, Osamas and Advanis in the picture.

Reminds me, I'm going to watch a documentary on global warming tonight, "An Inconvenient Truth".

One of the things I've always wanted to do is learn a foreign language. Umm well probably every language is "foreign" to someone, and I mean a language that hasnt originated here. (I know 5 already). I want to learn Spanish and/or French. I'd really prefer Spanish though. That way I'll know whats Shakira singing ;) I enquired a couple of places around and though the fees isnt an issue, the timings is. Sat evenings and sunday mornings, for 3 months. I'd rather have it saturday and sunday mornings. Also, I want the class to be more interesting that just a place when I go to learn. I want a class of talkitives, enthusiasts, and people who are fun to be with. Not like I go there and everyone just buried their heads into books and leaves without a word when done. That'd be totally uncool. But, there are chances of that happening more than not. So, am in a fix. Should I go fulfil my passion of learning a new language or should I throw away the idea thinking about what kind of people 'might' be in the class with me *sigh*

Tell me what to do! I so, so so badly want to take up the classes.

Life's going the same way, not much change. I mean, there is, but I'm looking forward to a change in environment when we go for our honeymoon next month. A much welcome break from wake up-cook-bathe-eat-work-eat-work-back home-tv-time with hubby-sleep routine. I need to shop for a few things for the vacation, lets see how I can make up for the time needed next week.

Thats all; I better leave before I make this post an epic :D