Unloading my think tank...

(heh heh the title... funny innit :D )

So, been a long time since I came here eh? Been busy over the past few days. Went to meet my mom and my sister and her family over the weekend. Had a blast with my 8-month old niece, I simply love her the most :) just thinking about her makes me so happy

Also, for the first time, I travelled by the Shatabdi; and the experience was amazing! Free food all the way! Check this out -

- within minutes of you stashing away your bag, and settling down to read Maximum City (or Femina/Women's Era if you are a first-grade loser), the smartly dressed steward brings you a fresh fruit juice to drink. Ah!
- just as you are about to glug the last few sips down, there he comes again with sandwiches, tea/coffee, samosas. Howzzat!
- then you get back to your reading, or watching Shawshank Redemption on the iPod (for the nth time) and he comes with soup and bun with butter, with a shiny butter knife on the side! Yummo!
- then comes dinner - complete veg. with fruits in the end! Slurp slurp!
- just as you think, or go *burrrp*, before the "excuse me" comes out of your mouth, lo! there's ice cream! Woo f'kin hoo!

Bhai humaar to bas itna kahne ki ichha hai - Lalooji ki jai ho! Rail yatra to jet airways jaisan sukhad hui gawaa! Aur saath mein bhojan bhi! Ab ka kahe bas Lalooji ki jai!


Monday was our anniversary - the day we slipped rings into each other's finger exactly a year ago :) We celebrated that with real sumptuous Lebanese food. Perfect!


Its Tuesday, and like everyday, I've got work to do. These days I try not to think much about stuff that distracts me. I like to keep my focus on what I'm doing at the time - knowing what I do will satisfy me. I've also managed to keep off people/things that tend to influence my thought process in a negative direction - I can easily give up on chatting, blogging and concentrate on work assigned to me. Besides, my team lead is flying to US (CO and NC offices) end of this month, and I guess I'll be expected to take over. And at the end of each day, I am fine - fine as in calm with the thought that I worked, and I put in my efforts.

The guy who serves tea/coffee here on 6th floor, is like that. Though there are at least 200 people on this floor, he knows exactly what each wants. When a person enters the room, he immediately serves him beverage of his choice. Plus, he takes care of the pantry machine, and decorates the room when its a special day (like Mother's Day, New Years' etc.) The refrigerator is clean and so is the area around the sugar bowl. He loves his work, I can see that :)
Maybe he has influenced me indirectly...

Reminds me, I gotto get back to work. First, let me get my lemon tea :)

... err... not so much fun as I thought it would be. I was just speaking to a dear friend today, and we were discussing some serious issues like money management and handling responsibility.

She has just moved into a new place, smaller than her earlier one, and was wondering if she would fit all her things in there. Not that she's short on cash or anything, the earlier place was too big for 2 people (she and her husband), and this is just about right, almost. Another thing she was telling was that how her husband is quitting his regular 9-6 job and joining a friend's startup where he'll be getting less than what he's currently being paid at the 9-6 job. Both are okay with it, and she says that she will now have to cut down on extra expenses as mush as possible and save. Her mom too, is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, so that expense is also there. He will, it seems, also do part-time teaching on weekends at a business school, so that will add up too.

Situation is kinda similar at my place too. I think twice before spending money waywardly, something I used to do early on in my career (the wayward spending). I used to splurge money every weekend on clothes n eating out and buying stuff for my cousins. Every. Single. Weekend. I saved very little. In my defense, it was my first job and my college-going cousins were really excited everytime I bought them stuff. Then my mom retired and moved in with me, and thats when reality dawned on me. I HAD TO save for paying the bills, groceries, house rent and all those expenses. Suddenly, earning money wasnt that fantastic a deal. I had a lot to deal with, at home and at my workplace. No nothing emotionally bad, just the responsibilities seemed too overwhelming to me at times. I started thinking twice about splurging money, something I never did before. And also I signed up for insurance and other investment crap (blast the govt for its stinky tax) which brought with it the premium payment and all that shit. My mom used to offer help, but I refused saying I need to learn and be mature and all that. Wonder which part of my brain did the lightening hit :-)

Now, it really doesnt excite me to be grown up. I'd rather be a free spirited girl unmindful of green worries. Like I can just not show up at work one day and show my boss note from my mom, and get away with it. Like I can take off biking to the mountains and enjoy the scenery without worrying about the deadlines. Like I can care a hoot about what am I going to do with my future and enjoy cross country backpacking. And it'll be lovely if I could hitch hike the ride. Like I dont have to think about taxes and only about relaxing, painting and learning new languages, meeting new people and have a blast.

Now too, I am having a blast with my life, only that I am actually working my ass off towards it. I'm enjoying it, but I also want to see me doing all that I mentioned above :-) ummm... I dont know, maybe being a grown up is not that bad after all??

Just maybe :-) well, until next time the green worries hit me at least!

... thats because I have been wanting to write so much, that I dont know where to begin. And with too many things happening, its all weighing on my mind. So anyway, here goes...

We (moi and hubby darling) went out to dine last night. I wore my shortest short denim skirt (the last I wore it was in Sept. last year :O ) and a cute pink top. Hubby looked at me and made cat calls and whistled too. Do I have to remind him that we are married now? C'mon, swig me in your arms and let me walk beneath your feet so that I dont touch the ground *ahem*
So after lovely dinner (and quickie(s) in the car *ahem* ) we drove over to his friend's place. 'Twas 12 AM by the time we made it home, exhausted and glad.

Wait, let me tell you the reason for celebration we had last night. Hubby has quit his job! He's at home from the past 3 days and I'm the one going to work diligently every morning, while the only thing he works on is his mouth, by eating and lazing around. He calls himself "house husband" (a la housewife) and is revelling in the happiness that I got to go to work while he watches sports at home uninterrupted by my talks *grrr* WHAT?! Thats the reason for celebration?!?!?!?!? Um, actually no. Hubby dear has 2 offers and he's contemplating on which one to take up. (ha!) both are good, and because he's confused about which one to take up, he's made an excel sheet. The sheet has some criteria against which each co. will be rated by points. The co. with max points will be his paymaster. Neat idea, I must say.

Work is smooth. There's a load waiting and this evening we have a call with the Denver team. After that, it might get hectic. Though I'm really averse to staying more than 8 hours at work. My policy is, come in early so that you can get home early. That way, you spend time with your family, friends and also have time for yourself. Merely putting in more than 8 (upto 12 or sometimes even 16 hours of work) as most of my team mates do, is not my cup of tea. Nor does it mean that they work harder. And strictly, weekends off. Again, some of them come on weekends too. Seriously??!!? I cant imagine giving up mine for work.

It must be the ruby earrings I'm wearing or that its friday today, I'm feeling super-beautiful. I have plans for the evening, and the weekend seems busy too. I really want to get my hair curled, (my hair is super, super straight) but I chicken out at the last moment. Somehow, I cant imagine how I'd look with curls. Another reason why I should try. Maybe I'll look radically different. And hubby will whistle and make cat calls. Hahaha :))

... is not a five-lettered b word. One needs to be calm and think positively and rationally. As Samuel Langhorne Clemens (thats Mark Twain's real name) says,


Dance like no one is watching you
Love like you've never been hurt before
Sing like no one can hear you
Live as though the heaven is on Earth


How true! I started this blog to be exactly that - positive, non-spiteful, cheerful. I dont want to be negative about anything, ever (except for social causes, non-action on part of Govt - but never as a person to another, NEVER). I want to be inspirational (maybe thats a big word, but I'm not quite getting the word I mean to say here) to myself first. I want to set an example for the girl in me that I was good while doing 'X' deed that day, and feel nice about myself. I dont ever want to do/say something today, and regret it later. I dont want that kind of me. I dont want to see her face. I want me to be cheerful, happy, calm, confident - the kind of girl I would want to look upto (I would look upto myself then, or what???)

I dont know if I'm making sense here, trying to put all the thoughts running in my mind to paper, but I am damn right clear in my mind :-) So I raise a toast, here's to a "Semi-New Me" *clink* (I wasnt that bad a girl before you see! :D)

...absolutely rocking! I spent 2 days with my mom, sis, her hubby, and their absolutely adorable 5-month old girl. It was packed! Not because we went out to meet relatives or had chores to do, but because of the kid! She's such a handful! She keeps making those cooing sounds and smiles a toothless smile. Put her on your lap, and she'll stand erect, and start walking rapidly all over you! Yea, she walked right on my face! That was so cute :)

And she's so tall; err... mmm not tall, cuz she cant stand as of now, you can say she's long. Hahaha that sounds funny! So anyway, she's tall and has slender long fingers and toes. She has pink lips and poses like a pro in front of the cam. Yup, its a different look on her face each time! She keeps kicking her legs and hands in the air, and I bet she's gonna take up sports as her mainstream career. She can also do ramp-walk modelling, part-time, I'm sure.

Oh dear, look at me. I am talking about her career already! She's barely 5 months! Seriously, she's a darling. And watching a baby grow in front of your eyes is most delightful. Most :-)

Hubby dear came to the station with a beautiful flower bouquet to receive me. That man I totally love him :) He never fails to surprise me or keep me happy. In fact, I could hardly wait to be back in his arms, and get showered with love all over again. Being married is, great, in a word.

And kudos to this man featured in Mumbai Mirror. Given the power shortage, we could all learn a lesson from him. Below is the news article copy-pasted from the paper's online edition.

For famously spirited Mumbaikars who face the first ever serious prospect of load-shedding in the island city in a hundred years, here's a family that's showing the way, a family to follow seriously if we are to successfully tackle the crisis now staring us in the face.

G V Patil, 55, third-floor resident of Sugandha in Mithanagar, Mulund (E), who lives with his wife Priya, 55, and daughter, 25, in a 500 sq ft flat, has got the 'reward' of a Rs 175 discount on his power bill from the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) for slashing monthly power consumption to less than 300 units.

Starting December 2006, the MSEB decided to give a 'discount' to all household consumers who reduced their monthly power usage to less than 300 units. The additional supply cost would be waived off for such consumers, the utility said. Thus the discount would differ from consumer to consumer, depending on the number of units consumed.

The incentive was offered in view of the serious shortfall of electricity in the city: in 2006, Mumbai had a deficit of 201 megawatts, which is expected to go up to over 500 megawatts this summer. While Mulund and Bhandup already have power cuts, load-shedding could be introduced this summer in the island city -- for the first time since the city first got power in 1905 from the British Power Company.

The Patils brought down their consumption from 414 units in October 2006 to 289 in December 2006, and then to 189 units in January 2007. The corresponding decrease in their power bill has been from an average of Rs 2,200 per month last year to Rs 600 in January 2007.They achieved this by making limited use of electrical appliances in the house, and even while they saved power thus, they realised they did not really have to cut down on their comforts. They could conserve power and still lead the life they had always led.


How they saved power
Step 1: Assessment
“With only three members living in our house, I was shocked to get electricity bills in excess of Rs 2,000 every two months. That was when I decided to keep tabs on where power was being wasted,” Patil said.
He first made enquiries on the amount of units consumed by each electrical appliance in the house (see box) and then took advice from a family friend, Sudhir Parab, an electrical engineer, to locate areas where power consumption was unusually high.

Step 2: ‘Overused’ washing machine
The Patils used the washing machine for three hours every day. But they discovered that if clothes were soaked before they were put into the machine, use of the fully automated machine for three hours could be avoided. “Now the clothes only had to be rinsed in the machine, and we managed to cut down its sage by nearly half this way,” Patil said.

Step 3: The A/C
Patil said that keeping the air-conditioning unit at 24 degrees for just three hours provided good cooling at night. Result: consumption, which is heavy in case of a/c units (see box), was again reduced. “Previously we used to keep it at 19 degrees, due to which electricity consumption was high. After keeping it at 24, we found that cooling was similar,” Patil pointed out.

Step 4: CFL lights
In the case of lights, Patil said that substituting the glaring spotlights with 9-watt CFL lights contributed significantly to saving energy.

Step 5: TV
“We cut down the use of the television and switched it on only for select programmes that everyone in the house liked. The rest of the time, we kept it switched off,” he said. He emphasised here that they put off the TV mains and did not use the remote control.


Consumption of units on appliances per hour for 30 days ( a month)
• 100 watt bulb: 1.20 units
• Refrigerator (200 litres): 6 units
• Air Conditioner (1.5 ton): 60 units
• Washing Machine (700 watts): 21 units
• Television (200 watt ): 6 units
• Computer: 22 units

I think what they are doing is just great. I try to do my bit too; I have replaced energy-consuming-and-poor-light-throwing yellow bulbs (yuck) with CFL ones, and make it a point that lights, fan etc are off in a room where there's no one. And my electricity bill pummelled down to Rs. 800 from Rs. 2000! Attagirl me! :D

God I'm am so stuck! The code looks fine, dont know whats causing it to behave abnormally. Its been two days I've been racking my brains over it, still it stares at me in the eye and dare laughs. Please, give me the output as I want you to. Pretty please. I promise you an extra dose of comments and nice-sounding variable names *hands folded* I shall also make use of fancy names for methods and will use required imports rather than typing * and overloading you. I shall also promise that you will be my favorite language, moreso than English and Hindi. Also, Punjabi. No, really, you are and always will be my favorite language. *silly grin on face, prayer in mind*

*deep sigh* The program refuses to budge. I will try smooth-talking again.

News is, India thrashed Bermuda. Oops, old news that would be. Nonetheless, BERMUDA?? BER-MU-DA? This whole cricket world cup thing is getting so stale. Really. Hubby's all gung-ho and buys the Pepsi Gold (told you he was still a kid) and sulks big time when an Indian batsman (dont ask which one, they all are a bore) doesnt hit a six off an easy ball. He refuses to eat any dessert (cuz its sweet) when India loses a match. He jumps off the couch, making me go 1 feet high in air, and rams his fist into the air and yells, "YESSSSS YUUSSSSSSS" almost, everytime, startling me. He makes a sad face and asks, "Will India qualify? Please say yes." Well, how would I know honey? But I dare not say that. I have to say India will win, and the world will be a better place to live. Makes him happy as a 3 year old. Thats adorable I think :-)

And dont let me get started when its hockey! Enough said. Its fun anyways :-)

M breaks the news that her mom has breast cancer, advanced stage. Scary. 6 months of chemo. She's cool about it, and says thats because her mom is so. I hope and pray things go well and she recovers painlessly.

Makes me think. No one should ever get a disease. No one should ever die. They should pack their suitcases and leave, if its absolutely necessary, as they'd leave for a vacation. That would make everyone a strong person.

And looks like I'm the sounding board for everyone I know. They (friends, colleagues, you get the picture) come to me with problems and its so hard keeping all of their secrets. The gossip monger in me cant do anything about it, and its like I've been sworn. Darn! If only...! Jokes aside, I try and help. Else, I ask them, "Whats with the rising price of potatoes?!!" or "So seen any UFOs lately?". Throws them way off the track, and the expression on their face is priceless :D

... meanwhile, I am working on the assignment, which I'd love to forget. Things at work are, not exactly hectic, but paced. And I am running out of time and ideas and patience to get through my part, and also oscillating between updating my diary and finishing P G Wodehouse. His latest book I mean. Too may things going on. Keeps me busy, and thats (kinda) good.

Mom's here so that makes me happy :) The house is fullhouse as of now! Am getting used to it, actually. Not quite sure if its a good thing though. I got my performace review comments and my boss had all the encouraging things to say about me. All praises I tell you. Puffed up my chest and felt good. I told my husband about the comments and he was mightly pleased. None too subtle, he's the kind to be all loud and celebrate-y about it :) Asked me, "Did you ever think you'd come here and have so many changes done to your life?" Set me thinking. Quite. After all, you dream and work towards it, hope things will be great and leave the rest to fate/God. I had least bit of idea I'd be in this city (of all in the world), yet be happy at my work and family life (but not with the city, yeah). I had dreamt of going abroad for work and exploring a whole new life. Who would've thought God said to Himself, "Yea right, but not yet." He sent hubby into my life and with that a lot of happiness. Of a different kind. Of course I was happy before, but now its a whole new different feeling; I am not complaining.

And I am continuing with my dreams. Only now, hubby dear is also a part of them. And vice versa.

And look what am I wearing to work today!





Not exactly the same one as above, mine is black with green. Beautiful. Sarees so bring the feminity of a woman out :-) Elegance and grace added. And I feel super-beautiful in it! Ahem.

... just buzzed out. My head's spinning. Ah, just when I thought I found the bug in that code.

Anyways, time I had a creative pursuit. I'm craving from within to create something really beautiful and have it adorn the walls of my home - like a painting, or scarves, just about anything. My mom is coming over this weekend, and she's a self-taught pro in stitching, embroidery, crochet et al. I will bug her for sure.

Side note - Is it weird that, post-marriage, I don't get homesick? I do miss my mom, at times. But my friends keep asking me whether I feel homesick, and quite frankly, no. Strange?

And Karan Johar, that guy keeps cracking me up when he's hosting KwK. He says things like, "but at the end of the day you all are professionals". And start of the day are they sworn enemies?? Another one - ".. at the end of the day he is a married man with kids, such rumours are bound to affect his family". Well, during lunch was he a bachelor? Silly, he cracks me up real silly I tell ya :-))

I will end this post by writing a recipe on how to bake a vanilla cake:
1. Buy Pillsbury Vanilla Cake mix.
2. Read, and follow, instructions on the back of the packet.
3. Eat.
4. Thats it no more steps ;-)

And be nice by inviting me over to have it with you, since I worked so hard to type the 4 steps. No kidding. Seriously. (cough I am so funny cough)

Manford a.k.a Manny - the fur-covered mammoth who is very moody, but really kind :)

Diego - the tiger who is saber-toothed (makes him so scary brrr), one who stands up for his "herd" and saves their lives (awww)

Scrat - this squirrel has some perseverance!

Some of my favourite dialogues are -

Scene - When Manny decides to help Sid return the baby to its "herd" (cute)
Manny - Okay okay I'll help you return the baby to its herd, but promise me you'll leave me alone after that.
Sid - Okay okay hey whats your problem?
Manny - You are my problem.
Sid - I mean, look at you, you are all fat. Its hard to get so fat on all that vegan diet.
Manny - I am not fat thats just fur.
Sid - Okay you have a problem when you are ready to talk about it, let me know!


Scene - When Diego tells them they need to track humans before they make it glacier past
Diego - ... unless you know how to track.
Sid - Hey I'm a sloth! I see a tree, eat the leaves thats my tracking (you should see the expression on his cute face!)


Scene - Soon after Diego joins them to help track the humans, and the baby is crying
Manny - How about some milk?
Sid - Yea I'd love some!
Diego - Not you, he was talking about the baby.
Sid (to Diego) - Hey I aint exactly lactating right now pal!
Diego - You are a little low in the food chain to be moppin' off!


Scene - When the two hippos run to catch Sid, and he runs for life and comes to Diego
Sid - Oh Diego! Thank God! (shouting aloud so that the hippos can hear) Oh nooooo!! A ta-hai-gerrrr! Hellllph! Helllph!
Diego - What are you doing?
Sid - Quick, grab me!
Diego - What?
Sid - (again shouting aloud) Oh nooooooooo he got me! Ack!
Sid sees the hippos approaching closer and kicks the tiger in the rear. Diego roars and grabs the sloth by his mouth (lol). The hippos grumble a bit and go away, in comes Manny.
Manny - ... and Diego, spit that thing out, you dont know where its been.
Diego spits Sid out.
Sid - Oh, for a minute I thought you were actually gonna eat me.
Diego (with an attitude only tigers can have) - I dont eat junk food.


Scene - When the trio ask Scrat the squirrel for directions.
Manny - Ask him directions.
Scrat proceeds to start a game of dumb charades to tell the directions!
Sid - O O O O I love this game I love this game... 3 words... first word... stomp...
Manny - Pack!
Sid - Good one Manny!
Sid - Pack of lies, pack of troubles... pack of flying fish!!!
Has me in splits every single time! :))


Scene - In the night after Manny saves Sid's and Diego's lives. Sid lights fire and...
Sid - I am a genius! mmmmmmuuaaahhh!
Sid - From now on you refer to me as "Sid - Lord of the Flames!"
Manny - Hey Lord of the Flames, you tail's on fire.
Diego helps Sid put it out and...
Sid - Thanks :D From now on I'll call you Diego...
Diego - Lord of Touch-Me--And-You-Are-Dead.
Sid - (scared) Uhhh

And then, sane scene, after Manny's asleep...
Sid - You know, Diego, I've never had a friend who'd risk his life for me.
Diego - Yea... Manny's a... he's a good guy.


I can go on, but... here are some more dialogues said at some point in movie. Aint in random order :)
Sid - C'mon you can lick this, you are a tiger!
Manny - Thats what you do in a herd, you look out for each other.
Diego - Save your breath Sid, you know humans cant talk.

Priceless!! I totally love the movie!
And I'll be watching it again tonight *so excited!*