So my aunt calls in early this morning. I assume she's jobless. Morning's are so busy in my house, everyone desperately trying to get to work in time.
Anyway she wants to speak to mom. Apparently she wanted to check when my mom "intends" getting me married. Can you believe that? Maybe she had a dream last night that she was not invited to my wedding. Damn! that means she may have missed an opportunity to eat some good Kashmiri food.
I know I'm being rude and mean but these inquisitive aunts really piss me off. She wants to know if I am having an "affair" (haha in her terms) and my mom's covering up for me or upto something "fishy" (again her term) that my mom doesn't know about. She wants to know why I did not look at any potential eye candy at a recently attended wedding. She was secretly watching me I presume.
I don't understand why people cannot mind their own business. Did I tell her about that guy who her daughter used to secretly make out with since Std 9!. Let me be. It's my life and you re not even a part of it. Heck! I've hardly even met you.
It's all in goodwill according to mom, but I cannot stand people trying to pry into my life. It's hard being a girl in the mid-twenties ( did I just call myself a girl?? Ahem..) . It's almost become a crime to attend a wedding. You can feel 24000 eyeballs constantly looking at every move you make and the second you even "look" at your cellphone after 10:00pm, "Bang"!! You're having an "affair" (haha I cannot get over this word)
Anyway my dearies thank you all for your concern but chill, I am still in that cynical phase about marriage and whenever it happens..be rest assured..you will get a card!
(secretly wishing my mom never reads this)
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
The week that was...
Wow! I've had the most busy 2 weeks. The 1st week was busy with the whole "Big Fat Indian Wedding" in Delhi and chilling for a bit in Gurgaon. But that is something I expected. Once I've come back which is 2 Sundays ago life has been so hectic but I'm loving it!
Let me recap as to what has kept me oh-so-busy this whole week (other than work which was rather hectic too)
Sunday- I just got back in the afternoon so the rest of the day was spent unpacking, sleeping thinking about the whole wedding etc
Monday- Was also chilled out, slept at like 8:30 until 9:00 am the next day
Tuesday - Met "I" before work, Watched Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi with "R" and almost got killed by her.
Wednesday- was soo busy. Went to meet "D"'s baby, met W and family after REALLY long (gosh they were pissed off) and had Micks with family over for ice-cream later in the night
Thursday- Played with "S"'s baby soooo much and caught up with realllly old friends for dinner at "Del Italia". Reminsced about the good old days
Friday- Had Micks and fam for dinner. Late night again but super fun. Sara joined in too
Saturday- Went out with the family for a drive followed by a super fun night with "D" at Aurus. Happened to meet couple of other friends there as well
Sunday- R-E-L-A-X-E-D
What-e-fun!
Meeting R and Z for dinner tonight. Hoping its Chinese. The years almost over. My next post will probably recap the high's and low's of 2008. Did I tell you about the travel book I've created.. I suddenly find myself very Bollywood. I mean what the hell does "Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost" in the post below mean". Eesh.. I've also begun using the word "spectacular" ever so often
Damn! I'm rambling at 243091820 thoughts per second again.
Let me recap as to what has kept me oh-so-busy this whole week (other than work which was rather hectic too)
Sunday- I just got back in the afternoon so the rest of the day was spent unpacking, sleeping thinking about the whole wedding etc
Monday- Was also chilled out, slept at like 8:30 until 9:00 am the next day
Tuesday - Met "I" before work, Watched Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi with "R" and almost got killed by her.
Wednesday- was soo busy. Went to meet "D"'s baby, met W and family after REALLY long (gosh they were pissed off) and had Micks with family over for ice-cream later in the night
Thursday- Played with "S"'s baby soooo much and caught up with realllly old friends for dinner at "Del Italia". Reminsced about the good old days
Friday- Had Micks and fam for dinner. Late night again but super fun. Sara joined in too
Saturday- Went out with the family for a drive followed by a super fun night with "D" at Aurus. Happened to meet couple of other friends there as well
Sunday- R-E-L-A-X-E-D
What-e-fun!
Meeting R and Z for dinner tonight. Hoping its Chinese. The years almost over. My next post will probably recap the high's and low's of 2008. Did I tell you about the travel book I've created.. I suddenly find myself very Bollywood. I mean what the hell does "Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost" in the post below mean". Eesh.. I've also begun using the word "spectacular" ever so often
Damn! I'm rambling at 243091820 thoughts per second again.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
and then the sun did rise...
I'm at work and so don't feel like working right now. We've just celebrated "S.S"'s birthday at work with cake and my favorite "crispy corn with water chestnuts" from China Gate and I am not looking forward to doing anything the rest of the day.
Sure writing this post also means that I will be working overtime today but what the heck. I am just back from attending this big fat Indian wedding. My cousin "A" recently married her fiance of about a year "G" in a huge ceremony in Delhi. I have this love/hate relationship with Delhi. When I was younger (much younger) we celebrated a lot of my vacations in Delhi with cousins et all in tow. I loved Delhi then. Once I grew older I wanted to go other places and thus the distance with Delhi grew. Lately, I've met some super cool non pretentious people (very unlike Delhi I know!) and my love for the city has increased. Also even though I complain and sneeze, complain and sneeze I actually love the Delhi winter and the oh-so-beautiful boots these Delhi girls wear.
Ohh..k.. getting back to the point, to be very honest I wasn't very sure if I wanted to attend this wedding. Don't get me wrong here.I love "A". She's a fantastic cousin someone who I have been very close to when she lived in Bombay and her entire family has people who I am really really fond of.
But reasons for not wanting to attend the wedding were more my own issues than anyone else's. Anyhoo glad I did otherwise. I have now decided to do completely the opposite of what my mind asks me to. It works out for my better.
Just for your knowledge this was only a part Kashmiri wedding. "G" is not Kashmiri, not that it matters but just FYI.
As I landed onto Delhi airport (mom and dad reached that morning to attend the mehndi function which I kinda missed) I had missed calls from "V" already. V is the single most genuine cousin I have. She is honest, carefree and her jest for life, her positivity is something I secretly admire. I don't think she knows all this about herself either. V has the cutest younger sister "S" who I will always be partial towards but she comes in later in the post.
Anyway so as soon as I reached the "shaadi khana" I was surrounded by a whole set of people I didnt know (the known people were Delhi locals and had left already). I was chilling the rest of the afternoon with "A" her very pretty (and mind you I dont find girls pretty that often) friend "M", "A"'s sister "R" and few of their cousins.
"A" had sent me a you tube Bollywood song video which I was supposed to practice and perform that very evening with "A" and "R". I was having fun. "A" was telling me all about her love story, how he proposed etc and I found myself suddenly for the first time actually enjoying and being genuinely interested in a conversation of this nature. Also I promise you that all my "aww"'s were genuine throughout. There was apparently some Kashmiri eye-candy for us too present at the wedding but I failed to know who, hence my comments on that topic will be reserved although I trust "V"'s judgement and description on the topic fully and of course "S" and her "red moustache" story ( I wish I could reveal more but I cant) .AMEN!
Coming back to that evening the venue for the sangeet was spectacular. I was so pissed off with mom for not getting me a new camera, I hardly got pictures from my old one and "S" for some reason refuses to put up her pictures making it very difficult for me to actually describe that fairyland. The dances by the other cousins were spectacular but we did a fairly neat job too. To sum the evening in chronological order
1) phoolon ka gehna 2) sangeet 3) Dj night with crazy dancing. It was great fun catch
ing up with all the cousins and having a blast. It was almost like catching up with old friends, bonding on secrets that we have shared and so many more things.
The next morning was the another pooja for "A" followed by smacking haldi and besan all over her. She is such an awesome sport, she took all of th
is so sportingly. After which we left to "G"'s house for the "tilak" ceremony. I remember the car ride to "G"'s house with "R" and her cousins "S.A" and "G1". We were so short of time and had to run back in order to get ready and leave for "G"'s sangeet that night. "Phew"!
I missed all my cousins in the night cause there were not too many people I knew that night but "S.A" gave me some great company. She is so fantastic and humble. I've really begun to like her as I know her more.
Ok so we had nothing to do the next morning when we popped over to meet "V" and see some fantastic jewellary and the cutest doggies. That evening was the wedding and it was spectacular. The bonding with all the cousins, eating jalebis with "S" to giving her some career advice (which I am sure she doesnt need). It's
so funny how much of myself I see in "S" that I am forced to just try and look out for her (yes I know very grandmotherly but I cant help it), to
the standing with rose petals to welcome the guests and the chatting and laughing admist all that to watching mamu wiping a silent tear everytime he looked at "A" ever so lovingly.
Personally this wedding was probably the best thing that happened to me this year amongst all the dull, drab almost static life I was leading all year through. Though there were some things I would have liked to happen differently and would have liked to react differently to certain situations but I guess whatever happens its all good.
After the wedding I spent 2 days with chacha in Gurgaon, where I met "P" for dinner at Ruby Tuesday. She is
such a great girl. I cant wait for her to come visit me in Bombay and share some more great moments with her. I also had an informal Big chill lunch with "V", "S" and V's friend A who seemed to enjoy scandalizing me with all their Delhi girls are not safe in Delhi stories. "A" was great too and I hope V and S actually plan a trip to Bombay with A in tow.
In short the sun did rise on me this year, better late than never I guess. I only hope it shines for a while before setting again.
There was only one abrupt ending in this whole almost perfect story. But that's maybe cause that abrupt ending will begin a whole story of it's own.
Maybe.. on the cost of sounding very SRK.. picture abhi baki hai mere dost!!
Sure writing this post also means that I will be working overtime today but what the heck. I am just back from attending this big fat Indian wedding. My cousin "A" recently married her fiance of about a year "G" in a huge ceremony in Delhi. I have this love/hate relationship with Delhi. When I was younger (much younger) we celebrated a lot of my vacations in Delhi with cousins et all in tow. I loved Delhi then. Once I grew older I wanted to go other places and thus the distance with Delhi grew. Lately, I've met some super cool non pretentious people (very unlike Delhi I know!) and my love for the city has increased. Also even though I complain and sneeze, complain and sneeze I actually love the Delhi winter and the oh-so-beautiful boots these Delhi girls wear.
Ohh..k.. getting back to the point, to be very honest I wasn't very sure if I wanted to attend this wedding. Don't get me wrong here.I love "A". She's a fantastic cousin someone who I have been very close to when she lived in Bombay and her entire family has people who I am really really fond of.
But reasons for not wanting to attend the wedding were more my own issues than anyone else's. Anyhoo glad I did otherwise. I have now decided to do completely the opposite of what my mind asks me to. It works out for my better.
Just for your knowledge this was only a part Kashmiri wedding. "G" is not Kashmiri, not that it matters but just FYI.
As I landed onto Delhi airport (mom and dad reached that morning to attend the mehndi function which I kinda missed) I had missed calls from "V" already. V is the single most genuine cousin I have. She is honest, carefree and her jest for life, her positivity is something I secretly admire. I don't think she knows all this about herself either. V has the cutest younger sister "S" who I will always be partial towards but she comes in later in the post.
Anyway so as soon as I reached the "shaadi khana" I was surrounded by a whole set of people I didnt know (the known people were Delhi locals and had left already). I was chilling the rest of the afternoon with "A" her very pretty (and mind you I dont find girls pretty that often) friend "M", "A"'s sister "R" and few of their cousins.
"A" had sent me a you tube Bollywood song video which I was supposed to practice and perform that very evening with "A" and "R". I was having fun. "A" was telling me all about her love story, how he proposed etc and I found myself suddenly for the first time actually enjoying and being genuinely interested in a conversation of this nature. Also I promise you that all my "aww"'s were genuine throughout. There was apparently some Kashmiri eye-candy for us too present at the wedding but I failed to know who, hence my comments on that topic will be reserved although I trust "V"'s judgement and description on the topic fully and of course "S" and her "red moustache" story ( I wish I could reveal more but I cant) .AMEN!
Coming back to that evening the venue for the sangeet was spectacular. I was so pissed off with mom for not getting me a new camera, I hardly got pictures from my old one and "S" for some reason refuses to put up her pictures making it very difficult for me to actually describe that fairyland. The dances by the other cousins were spectacular but we did a fairly neat job too. To sum the evening in chronological order
1) phoolon ka gehna 2) sangeet 3) Dj night with crazy dancing. It was great fun catch
ing up with all the cousins and having a blast. It was almost like catching up with old friends, bonding on secrets that we have shared and so many more things.The next morning was the another pooja for "A" followed by smacking haldi and besan all over her. She is such an awesome sport, she took all of th
is so sportingly. After which we left to "G"'s house for the "tilak" ceremony. I remember the car ride to "G"'s house with "R" and her cousins "S.A" and "G1". We were so short of time and had to run back in order to get ready and leave for "G"'s sangeet that night. "Phew"!I missed all my cousins in the night cause there were not too many people I knew that night but "S.A" gave me some great company. She is so fantastic and humble. I've really begun to like her as I know her more.
Ok so we had nothing to do the next morning when we popped over to meet "V" and see some fantastic jewellary and the cutest doggies. That evening was the wedding and it was spectacular. The bonding with all the cousins, eating jalebis with "S" to giving her some career advice (which I am sure she doesnt need). It's
so funny how much of myself I see in "S" that I am forced to just try and look out for her (yes I know very grandmotherly but I cant help it), tothe standing with rose petals to welcome the guests and the chatting and laughing admist all that to watching mamu wiping a silent tear everytime he looked at "A" ever so lovingly.
Personally this wedding was probably the best thing that happened to me this year amongst all the dull, drab almost static life I was leading all year through. Though there were some things I would have liked to happen differently and would have liked to react differently to certain situations but I guess whatever happens its all good.
After the wedding I spent 2 days with chacha in Gurgaon, where I met "P" for dinner at Ruby Tuesday. She is
such a great girl. I cant wait for her to come visit me in Bombay and share some more great moments with her. I also had an informal Big chill lunch with "V", "S" and V's friend A who seemed to enjoy scandalizing me with all their Delhi girls are not safe in Delhi stories. "A" was great too and I hope V and S actually plan a trip to Bombay with A in tow.In short the sun did rise on me this year, better late than never I guess. I only hope it shines for a while before setting again.
There was only one abrupt ending in this whole almost perfect story. But that's maybe cause that abrupt ending will begin a whole story of it's own.
Maybe.. on the cost of sounding very SRK.. picture abhi baki hai mere dost!!
In the end nothing ever happens..and thats the whole point
The tittle of this post is courtesy Guj (Refer to "My Gal Pals" for more information) .Post 26/11 things have been on an all time low. 26/11 has been a reality check. We always hear about blasts, terrorism but never expect that it could ever happen to us. I was at the Taj just a night prior to 26/11 attacks. I had friends, their family present during the attacks. W (Refer to "My gal pals") has her office behind Leopold cafe. I used to work right there until last year. And the way the whole situation was handled, politicized..insane!
Anyway this is not going to be another post where I crib crib and crib about our corrupt politicians. All I can say, hoping not to sound too "Shobha De ish" "Fuck Resilence" and lets do something to protect our India.
Words fail me..I have nothing else to say.. God bless our country, Amen
Anyway this is not going to be another post where I crib crib and crib about our corrupt politicians. All I can say, hoping not to sound too "Shobha De ish" "Fuck Resilence" and lets do something to protect our India.
Words fail me..I have nothing else to say.. God bless our country, Amen
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Pliss to maek franship? No! Why? UR bootifulll
I apologize for writing this post. I feel bad. I really do. But over the years I have safeguarded certain "franship requests" that I have receieved and before deleting them from my inbox I would like to keep them safe for my future generations to read and maybe laugh :). I will paste these requests exactly as they were sent to me in descending order of humour.
Here goes. Thanks people for all your requests, sorry to not being wanting franship with you
1) now thats what you call a perfect match...
a beautiful girl with a beautiful smile...
those eyes...that smile....yaaarrr!!!!
hehe
flirt nahi kar raha hoon!
easy...am not a bad boy ..just a way to begin
hi
i am (name protected)
from mumbai
doin ma final year BMS (sad part)
and
dunno wat to say..
just came across ya profile ...read it..liked it..pretty impressive!
and felt like messaging ya and knowing ya...
you really got a pretty smile..speaks a lot...almost hypnotising...
i am not wriitng this mail...
the smile just forced me to....
hehe
well
i am new to ORKUT
just a 2days old ..
and looking for good friends in here
for some serious advices on some serious mess that i often get stuck in...
here with a hope to learn from people and get better!!!
how did that sound?
please?
good?
tanx
i dont mind having ya on ma list as a friend
(on my knees)
pleaseee
hehe
just joking
hope to hear from you soon...
in case you are a serious kind of person
then let me tell you
i did not know that!!!
i need one more chance i will send you a serious mail!!
god! fear of rejection!!!
see you soon...
(did i tell you that you how beautiful your smile is...may be next time hehe)
take care and god bless ya
and yea
keep up that beautiful smile
:-)...
ciao bella
(pls dont mind if i sounded bad!)
wasn't that a long mail?
i dont mind being appriciated....PLEASE!
and
one confession...
i went through ya profile.. it;'s sweet
and i dunno
but ur one those prettiest girls i came across...may b i am new to this site..so ...but feels good!...and did i tell ya wat ya eyes did to me???..welll next time...
i did hear from people that mumbai is a beautiful place...but i had never found a strong supporting reason for that statement...until i met ya...
hehe
take care
god bless ya
2) Before you read this one I have no idea who he is and nor does he have my number..Go on :)
Hi...
Finally ...the never ending ...six months training
programme has ended ...today for me.
Six Months was a big time span.....I "felt" this thing
in January and Mid Feb.....but as we moved on...it got
better....and now it seems as if....it was just
yesterday.....
Lot of things happened....during this... ..on personal
front.... made some really good friends......learnt
some lessons..... formed stronger
relationships.....also moved on in few.... ....
On professional front...learnt lot of stuff........how
to handle work...but also how to present it.....
Also things...one must take care of...at work
place..... to protect and remain secure....
There are lot of other things ....may be .....I cant
pen them down.....
Challo...anyway.....I am happy that I shall be back
home on 2nd.....July. (I am leaving on 2nd Morning)
Do stay in touch.....and all the best...
Take care
PS: I shall notify my new cell number either by an
email or an sms.Chao.
3) I have no movies or books listed on my profile :)
Hi Pooja..
what ever orkuts i go through the first thing i see is the collection of books and movies..and 10 points to u for those lines..ya movies can to sm extent shape life..nice to meet u..
i will scrap u once so that u can see my orkut..
tc
4) Hi, friend I see ur ID in orkut, I like ur behaviour when i show the information which is given by u. now i want friendship with u. if u think that i am able for that thn accept my friendship. I am unkown for u and u r also unknown for me but still i am ready for freindship. I have seen lots of snaps of girls in the orkut but i like u only. that is why i am offering u only. so if u dont mind thn please mail me back. Yours unknown, I am waiting ur mail.plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
5) In March
Hi
Just wanted to wish on Valentine Eve.....
Happy Valentines Day...May you get your true love
(soul mate) if you are looking for one ....the one who
gives you happiness,love and warmth of the purest
relationship.....
GOD bless you though I am not old enough to say that.
6) We may be far apart... but our hearts could be so close. Don't you agree?
7) Hello. Okay, I said something. Your turn.
8) Dont really know you but got your profile on Dhar's friends list !!
But what exactly is a Kashmiri Nose ??
9) Hi Pooja...
hope i am not disturbing u...i had messaged u somefew days back and was awaiting a reply ...but none till date.
i guess u r busy and probably no time to be online at orkut or ....u dint feel to write back...
watever be the reason.....no issue...i am still open to frndship n waiting to hear from u...
buzz me wen ur in a mood to do so...
take care
bye bye till u reply...
10) HI pooja!!
how r u?
looks charming in ur pic.
well I'm an IT professional in pune..
drop in few lines abt urself..
BYE.
Ok thats enough for a few laughs. Now I can safely delete these emails from my inbox :)...These are safely the 10 best not deleted franship requests I have recieved till date
Here goes. Thanks people for all your requests, sorry to not being wanting franship with you
1) now thats what you call a perfect match...
a beautiful girl with a beautiful smile...
those eyes...that smile....yaaarrr!!!!
hehe
flirt nahi kar raha hoon!
easy...am not a bad boy ..just a way to begin
hi
i am (name protected)
from mumbai
doin ma final year BMS (sad part)
and
dunno wat to say..
just came across ya profile ...read it..liked it..pretty impressive!
and felt like messaging ya and knowing ya...
you really got a pretty smile..speaks a lot...almost hypnotising...
i am not wriitng this mail...
the smile just forced me to....
hehe
well
i am new to ORKUT
just a 2days old ..
and looking for good friends in here
for some serious advices on some serious mess that i often get stuck in...
here with a hope to learn from people and get better!!!
how did that sound?
please?
good?
tanx
i dont mind having ya on ma list as a friend
(on my knees)
pleaseee
hehe
just joking
hope to hear from you soon...
in case you are a serious kind of person
then let me tell you
i did not know that!!!
i need one more chance i will send you a serious mail!!
god! fear of rejection!!!
see you soon...
(did i tell you that you how beautiful your smile is...may be next time hehe)
take care and god bless ya
and yea
keep up that beautiful smile
:-)...
ciao bella
(pls dont mind if i sounded bad!)
wasn't that a long mail?
i dont mind being appriciated....PLEASE!
and
one confession...
i went through ya profile.. it;'s sweet
and i dunno
but ur one those prettiest girls i came across...may b i am new to this site..so ...but feels good!...and did i tell ya wat ya eyes did to me???..welll next time...
i did hear from people that mumbai is a beautiful place...but i had never found a strong supporting reason for that statement...until i met ya...
hehe
take care
god bless ya
2) Before you read this one I have no idea who he is and nor does he have my number..Go on :)
Hi...
Finally ...the never ending ...six months training
programme has ended ...today for me.
Six Months was a big time span.....I "felt" this thing
in January and Mid Feb.....but as we moved on...it got
better....and now it seems as if....it was just
yesterday.....
Lot of things happened....during this... ..on personal
front.... made some really good friends......learnt
some lessons..... formed stronger
relationships.....also moved on in few.... ....
On professional front...learnt lot of stuff........how
to handle work...but also how to present it.....
Also things...one must take care of...at work
place..... to protect and remain secure....
There are lot of other things ....may be .....I cant
pen them down.....
Challo...anyway.....I am happy that I shall be back
home on 2nd.....July. (I am leaving on 2nd Morning)
Do stay in touch.....and all the best...
Take care
PS: I shall notify my new cell number either by an
email or an sms.Chao.
3) I have no movies or books listed on my profile :)
Hi Pooja..
what ever orkuts i go through the first thing i see is the collection of books and movies..and 10 points to u for those lines..ya movies can to sm extent shape life..nice to meet u..
i will scrap u once so that u can see my orkut..
tc
4) Hi, friend I see ur ID in orkut, I like ur behaviour when i show the information which is given by u. now i want friendship with u. if u think that i am able for that thn accept my friendship. I am unkown for u and u r also unknown for me but still i am ready for freindship. I have seen lots of snaps of girls in the orkut but i like u only. that is why i am offering u only. so if u dont mind thn please mail me back. Yours unknown, I am waiting ur mail.
5) In March
Hi
Just wanted to wish on Valentine Eve.....
Happy Valentines Day...May you get your true love
(soul mate) if you are looking for one ....the one who
gives you happiness,love and warmth of the purest
relationship.....
GOD bless you though I am not old enough to say that.
6) We may be far apart... but our hearts could be so close. Don't you agree?
7) Hello. Okay, I said something. Your turn.
8) Dont really know you but got your profile on Dhar's friends list !!
But what exactly is a Kashmiri Nose ??
9) Hi Pooja...
hope i am not disturbing u...i had messaged u somefew days back and was awaiting a reply ...but none till date.
i guess u r busy and probably no time to be online at orkut or ....u dint feel to write back...
watever be the reason.....no issue...i am still open to frndship n waiting to hear from u...
buzz me wen ur in a mood to do so...
take care
bye bye till u reply...
10) HI pooja!!
how r u?
looks charming in ur pic.
well I'm an IT professional in pune..
drop in few lines abt urself..
BYE.
Ok thats enough for a few laughs. Now I can safely delete these emails from my inbox :)...These are safely the 10 best not deleted franship requests I have recieved till date
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Mayhem! To flanders and back twice!
I belong to the "Jack of all Master of None" category. I've tried everything. From singing to swimming, dancing (indian to western) to horse riding I've done it all. Hell! I've even done stuff like fountain making. Anyway that not being the point of this post, what I am trying to say is that although I have done a lot of stuff in my life, there are very few things I have wanted to continue. Few things I am passionate about and the most important one of them being travel.
Lucky for me, my job takes me places. Like this year after joining my new company I visited the northern region of Belgium called Flanders(Map below).
I visited Flanders twice this year and it was an amazing experience both times. It is a beautiful region. Brussels and Antwerp and namely picturesque cities which you could find elsewhere in Europe too but smaller towns like Bruges and Ghent are straight out of a picture postcard. At times when I walked through those streets in the night, I felt that I've walked into a story book. Seriously!
The second time ar
ound was more fun though reasons being that I was not alone like the last time and also that the people with me (mainly media, the objective was to show them around) were fun people too. We had endless nights in different places, sampling different wines, different types of food (liked some didnt like the others) all in all it was such a cozy ambience.
I walked a lot both the times, almost 100 odd kilometers in a week each visit, but the weather allows you to do so. The people are friendly, they speak English which again is a plus and the you are just sucked into this whole elusive atmosphere.
Are these the joys of living in a small town I sometimes wonder? Did I miss out whilst being labelled a big city girl?
But I was born and grew older in India. Mind you I love my country and all that but I wonder if it would be even logical to compare a small town abroad to a small town in India? They are so self sufficient but all the ammenities and are least dependent on the bigger cities for support.
Anyway moving along, we celebrated an India Day in Brussels on the 7th of October. It was a b2b session before which we had a series of presentations. I was told just the morning of the 7th that me, who was only supposed to assist in the presentation actually had to give the whole presentation and my boss would only butt in with a few pointers.
I was a nerve of wrecks as it was a very numerical, statistical sort of presentation, something which I am just not used to doing.
But as they say, everything has it's first time and I had mine which went off well thankfully.
I still have a few updates to add but I will once I find some more pictures
Lucky for me, my job takes me places. Like this year after joining my new company I visited the northern region of Belgium called Flanders(Map below).
I visited Flanders twice this year and it was an amazing experience both times. It is a beautiful region. Brussels and Antwerp and namely picturesque cities which you could find elsewhere in Europe too but smaller towns like Bruges and Ghent are straight out of a picture postcard. At times when I walked through those streets in the night, I felt that I've walked into a story book. Seriously!
The second time ar
ound was more fun though reasons being that I was not alone like the last time and also that the people with me (mainly media, the objective was to show them around) were fun people too. We had endless nights in different places, sampling different wines, different types of food (liked some didnt like the others) all in all it was such a cozy ambience.I walked a lot both the times, almost 100 odd kilometers in a week each visit, but the weather allows you to do so. The people are friendly, they speak English which again is a plus and the you are just sucked into this whole elusive atmosphere.
Are these the joys of living in a small town I sometimes wonder? Did I miss out whilst being labelled a big city girl?
But I was born and grew older in India. Mind you I love my country and all that but I wonder if it would be even logical to compare a small town abroad to a small town in India? They are so self sufficient but all the ammenities and are least dependent on the bigger cities for support.
Anyway moving along, we celebrated an India Day in Brussels on the 7th of October. It was a b2b session before which we had a series of presentations. I was told just the morning of the 7th that me, who was only supposed to assist in the presentation actually had to give the whole presentation and my boss would only butt in with a few pointers.
I was a nerve of wrecks as it was a very numerical, statistical sort of presentation, something which I am just not used to doing.
But as they say, everything has it's first time and I had mine which went off well thankfully.
I still have a few updates to add but I will once I find some more pictures
My baby step towards media attention
BANGALORE MIRROR OCT 13TH 2008
Jet to link Bangalore to Brussels
The airline plans to start direct flights from the city to its European hub by the end of this month
By Renuka Phadnis
Posted On Monday, October 13, 2008
Bangalore/Brussels: “We will link Bangalore to Brussels by the end of this month. But we cannot be blind to economic events. By October 31, if loads do not build up, we may postpone it slightly. But it is very much on the radar,” said Raja Segran, senior VP-Europe, Jet Airways. He was speaking at the ‘India Day in Flanders’, a buyer-meet-seller business
session held in Brussels, Belgium last week.
The date of the inaugural flight from Bangalore to Brussels may shift as it depends on the global financial situation, said Bernard Guisset, sales support manager - Continental Europe, external communications, Jet Airways (India) Ltd. He was speaking to Bangalore Mirror at the Jet Airways lounge in Brussels.
The Bangalore traffic is dependant on Bangalore-USA passengers, who fly to US via Brussels. “We are trying to market Belgium not only as a transit destination but also as a place to stay,” he said.
Guisset sees the global financial crisis encouraging travel from India to Europe. More European businesses will look toward countries such as India as the latter provides quality low cost services. This factor, in turn, would drive more travel, which means more customers for carriers, he said. At present, 50 per cent of Jet Airways’ revenues come from India, 30 per cent from Europe and 20 per cent from the US, said Guisset.
Jet Airways has a lounge in Brussels Airport, the only one it owns, spread over 522 sq ft with 50 seats for business class and 20 for first class passengers. Economy class passengers can also use the lounge if they are ‘Frequent Flyer’ members.
Sunil Puri, MD, Mileage Communications, which represents Tourism Flanders in India, and Pooja Razdan, marketing coordinator, in a presentation said that outbound travel from India was expected to touch about 9.5 million in 2008, with an estimated growth of 15-20 per cent per annum. Of this number, 60 per cent are business travellers and 40 per cent leisure.
Visa delays
M K Lokesh, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of India in Belgium, said the major impediment to Indian tourists travelling to Belgium was the delay in getting visas. “Till Indians get visas quickly, the full potential cannot be exploited,” he said. “However, the Belgian government is trying to market itself. Talks are on at senior government levels for issuing visas quickly,” he said. The King of Belgium would visit India soon with a high level delegation including representatives of business and education, he added.
(This correspondent was in Brussels, Belgium at the invitation of Jet Airways and Tourism Flanders)
Monday, September 22, 2008
24
wow! I turned a whole year older yesterday. The day was fun. Pretty much regular except that I was just back from Hyderabad the previous day and woke up at 3:30am to catch the Siddhivinayak aarti at 5:30am which got me really tired.
I met up with friends throughout the day, overall had a good time. It's really funny how I don't feel the way I used to on my birthday anymore. Well naturally, it's cause I've grown up and am not that teen anymore (well way past that stage) but I was just remembering how I used to count days from January 1 of every year until September the 21st.
It could also be cause from right when I was little mom always made it a point to make my birthday special. Be it baby theme parties to my first teen (13th) birthday at Mac Donald's under adult supervision, to my first night out birthday at (velocity or fire and ice, I can't even remember) she has made sure that each birthday is special. Every year there is a cake awaiting me at 12:00 with phone calls pouring in every minute and I used to love every second of it. Surprise parties, with enthusiastic friends, big cards, balloons I've gone through all those stages.
All this happened till 2 years ago with Hard Rock Cafe in tow.
Now I feel different. I don't feel the urge of opening gifts with fancy wrapping paper. I don't feel bad if friends forget my birthday or forget to call me on that day. I understand that my birthday may be the most special day in my life, but it does not necessarily has to be the most special day of everyone's life. Mind you, I am not complaining, I really understand it. I feel and definitely am less excited as each birthday passes by. However, I feel content. Happy with who I am, people around me and what am I doing.
Confused about my tomorrow but I guess that's with everyone I know. As I think about the years passed by, the choices I made (good and bad), people I met, incidents that happened, hearts that I broke, people that broke mine, it all forms little pieces that fit together and make my life so beautiful.
As I begin my 25th year (a quarter century) in this world, I hope and pray for good things in store for people I love and me. What happened to the goofy me? Why am I typing like this? This is what growing old must be like :)
My pals at work were sweet enough to get some cake the next day. Although I was dunked into most of it please see the before picture below.
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I met up with friends throughout the day, overall had a good time. It's really funny how I don't feel the way I used to on my birthday anymore. Well naturally, it's cause I've grown up and am not that teen anymore (well way past that stage) but I was just remembering how I used to count days from January 1 of every year until September the 21st.
It could also be cause from right when I was little mom always made it a point to make my birthday special. Be it baby theme parties to my first teen (13th) birthday at Mac Donald's under adult supervision, to my first night out birthday at (velocity or fire and ice, I can't even remember) she has made sure that each birthday is special. Every year there is a cake awaiting me at 12:00 with phone calls pouring in every minute and I used to love every second of it. Surprise parties, with enthusiastic friends, big cards, balloons I've gone through all those stages.
All this happened till 2 years ago with Hard Rock Cafe in tow.
Now I feel different. I don't feel the urge of opening gifts with fancy wrapping paper. I don't feel bad if friends forget my birthday or forget to call me on that day. I understand that my birthday may be the most special day in my life, but it does not necessarily has to be the most special day of everyone's life. Mind you, I am not complaining, I really understand it. I feel and definitely am less excited as each birthday passes by. However, I feel content. Happy with who I am, people around me and what am I doing.
Confused about my tomorrow but I guess that's with everyone I know. As I think about the years passed by, the choices I made (good and bad), people I met, incidents that happened, hearts that I broke, people that broke mine, it all forms little pieces that fit together and make my life so beautiful.
As I begin my 25th year (a quarter century) in this world, I hope and pray for good things in store for people I love and me. What happened to the goofy me? Why am I typing like this? This is what growing old must be like :)
My pals at work were sweet enough to get some cake the next day. Although I was dunked into most of it please see the before picture below.
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Tuesday, August 19, 2008
My Gal Pals
It was Pateti (Parsi New Year) yesterday. Being non Parsi the only memories I have of this occasion is Bawi bringing home jalebi religiously every year. Dad and me fighting over who ate more (jalebi is a family favourite). Just like every year yesterday was no different. When I got back from work bawi accompanied by guj came over. W joined in later. It's really funny on how even though we don't meet as often as we used to, when we do, we reminisce about the good old days as if they are not even over.
You must be wondering what weird friends I have. Bawi, Guj, W? Well of course they have real names but this is how I am going to address them throughout this post. This is how we know each other even today. I also have a rotten and a powers mind you. With this case of confused identities let me introduce you to this aspect of my life: My gal pals :).
Let's know them separately and let's know them together.
W- Double U
For all you avid F.R.I.E.N.D.S watchers, remember how Joey had an identical hand twin in Vegas? Well here's introducing my iden
tical name twin. Ah! my identical school, zip code, laziness and lots of other things twin :). W and I are similar in way too many ways and different in the same amount. I went to school with her for 15 years and didn't meet her then (To quote her sister "You both must bunk school on alternate days or must've been too lazy to socialize"). Anyway we met for the first time in computer classes right after our boards and the merry times began. I've known W for 8 odd years and it is practically impossible to share the memories. She doesn't cry as often as I do being number one on my list as I try
We've lived in each others houses, have very similar likes and dislikes, laziness being a strong bonding component between us. Whether it is The Great Punjab story (when we ate like Gluttons), the taking rickshaws through all the flooded rains in the monsoons on purpose (apparently at the time, it was the best way to get the feel of the season), or that near death experience with had with the rickshaw driver (Remember the one with the ciggie? which no one believed) we've shared some amazing moments together. Going to a kid's birthday party who lived in Suchit's building and who we didnt know only to watch Spiderman 2 for instance.
Now before this begins to sound like a memorial or rest in peace speech (w is still alive and kickin by the way!) we've also shared lots and lots of not so good times. The times we almost got into the black list (paid the peon and it backfired), failed in French innumerable times, lost in taboo to Suchit and Rishi (Man!!!!), to playing something we called football on Suchit's terrace and lost AGAIN it's been an era.
I miss those days of Logic tutions which we so religiously bunked, those arbit test series where we so decently cheated, running compartments while traveling (why oh why!) you throwing my bag on the platform only to find my railway pass in your pocket :), trying to wake her up or giving blank calls when uncle picked up the phone, random drives, fake seeing of filmstars..phew!
The stay overs in her house, her family (family to me too), cheese dosa for breakfast, waking me up at 7:00am and making me believe its 10:00am, all our fun moments in college, Lonavala (the whole rain and muck scene), that dog n the bone stay over in my house, to my surprise party we have fantastic memories attached. Whether school, college or work we have religiously prayed for floods so as to bunk that day or even the cheating and stealing of gifts at S's baby shower (ok we arent that mean..actually maybe we are)
W is stubborn and by stubborn I mean STUBBORN. I can never forget the fight with her dad when we wanted to play cricket at midnight disturbing her neighbours. The night where we only laughed. No kidding! we only laughed all night!! I have no idea why. Crazy you may think but She's quite wise otherwise, I often take advise from her. We shared innumerable hours on this cement block outside my house discussing our so called "future". I miss our phase dubs. Although sometimes I hope it never comes back. We've shared our first drink, first nightclub and many other first's. And before I forget this is only the beginning. W lets now show them how it's done ;)
Bawi- Queen of Good Times
Bawi very true to the name sleeps at 10:00pm on sleepovers. Seriously, while the others decided how we were going to spend the rest of the night, curled up in the corner of the bed Bawi will be fast asleep. We hardly slept through the night and when we crashed into bed in the morning Bawi was ready to go to breakfast :).
She's the one who will always be bonding with our mom's more than us. She used to come
home and take off with my mom only to find me sulking (As to "when will my chance come?") that's how lovable she is. Although she is cruising or rather jet setting to various world renowned places all year round these days, there is little that has changed. She is still that mad bawi she always was :).
I will never forget the pains we took in making her a scrap book for her birthday. Us getting all over excited to what gifts V would send her for Valentine or Rose day or even telling our other friends proudly (that we knew an actress in a hindi tv sitcom where she was a child artist for one episode :)). Bawi lovessss talking and reading Mills and Boons. She has her own most amazing fantasy world which has a prince charming, oscar awards, red carpet and everything. (Man! I want that)
Besides..W, Bawi and me would kickass in taboo or any other team game we would set out to play. It's hard to forget her passion for Mani Dosas's (Mysore masala) See i still remember :), anything, just anything that has or had cheese (Our cheesy lunches at New Yorker where we all fought for the last bite of the cheese corn balls or the nachos with cheese sauce) or the world famous "Sizzling Brownie Sundae" out of which she scraped each and every bite rather unsuccessfully (We were tough competitors too :)) to Guj's mom's homemade tacos.
She is the single most content person I have come across in my life, the one with the most positive attitude in life and I really mean this. She stays away from controversies or the so called negative life most of the times.
Even though we may not meet as often as we did because of our hectic schedules I always know that she's only a phonecall away.
Rest assured you may not find bawi with you in your good times, but she's ALWAYS there with you in your not-so-good-times. More importantly the times when you need her the most. You rock hawttie!
Guj- Machami Tukdam
I have promised Guj that the day I retire in the Himalayas I am writing a book on her. For those who have met her know, she is a character. Sometimes its unbelievable. Her one liners, actions, statements seem surreal. But life would be dull without Guj. She has like the best sporting spirit ever. Cracking jokes about Guj was the sole purpose of life 6 years ago.
She is one of a kind. She is a misfit in her gujju household and has spent most of her early college days in w or my house. She is free spirited and just as positive as Bawi. When Guj and Me are together things just go wrong. We miss the train, the movie, it begins to rain or something that disrupts the normal has to happen when we are together. I remember ironing her curly hair with a normal iron (this when ironing hair did not exist in India, we were only experimenting) only to find W's mom freaking out. We've shared some crazy times together...eating plates and plates of tacos in her house to one month of religiously going to her house and screaming out her name every single day when her phone was out of order.. from giving her silver tshirts and saas bahu rings as presents.. to making her the butt of all jokes we have really troubled guj a lot, but the best part is.. she cant handle it when we stop.
I'll always remember the day Guj got emotional and wrote us all a letter on friendship. Haha she tried to use her creative skills on that letterhead only to make it impossible for anyone to figure out what she had actually written.
Now a days Guj is busy doing the whole "seeing boys" ritual and it's a treat for all of us when she comes home and describes every single meeting. Can't type more in detail about this on a public medium all I can say Guj is "Aaaoo" :)
Things you should know about Guj
Her favourite word is byatch (pronounced exactly like that)
Dogs don't like her (Refer to Ruffles my baby story and Carter Road dog bite story)
She has never eaten paan in her life
She has a job but doesn't go to office (ha! tricked you..go figure)
She embarrassed herself on S's sangeet with bringing props when she was not supposed to
She touched an egg for the first time when she was 21 years old
She claims to fast during "pollution" (our version of a Jain custom called "Padushan") but doesn't
She uses the term "I'll slap you" at least a crore times in a day but hasn't managed to do that yet
I better stop before the above comes true today:). All and all Guj is a friend and will always be. She is considerate and knows when to stop talking (when she sees the bored look on my face). I've shared some most awesome times with her and we still do share some fun moments together, the latest being a hypothetical trip which we all hope to materialize.
Jai Shree Krishna Guj! Jai Hongkong! :)
Rotten aka Hrithik- Workaholic
The only friend I look upto in terms of hardwork. Hrithik was the diligent, attending lectures student amongst all of us. She always got the highest marks and was very serious about her studies right from the very beginning. We have all spent the least time with Hrithik as she moved after college to complete another course and after that for her MBA but the fun times spent with her were not less.
Hrithik is alwa
ys late and by late I mean veryyy late. We used to call her when we left our house which was 15 minutes away telling her that we were below her building only to not find her there even after we actually arrived. She has the cutest dog ever called Ruffels. He doesn't like Guj and bit her when she was trying to show how well she knows him to other friends.
I can never forget this night in Rotten's house when she tried to teach us classical dance (hahaha radhna kaise na jale) with pen's in tow as dandiya sticks (we were such nuts). Besides this one weekend where rotten, w and me just randomly pushed off to Pune for a short break.
Oh my god! that was sooo much fun, 3 whole days of random rubbish, air hockey and of course lots and lots of eating. Hrithik was always very particular about her hair owing to which the whole "katka" episode happened anyway! ( I will describe the episode below later) and comes out with new terms for everything all the time. Effie, eewie, and other gibberish and all words so religiously used by Hrithik.
Everyday before we reached Churchgate station Hritihk would come out with this bag, which had a huge shampoo comb with which she would comb her tresses and then this fruityy deo (Which i hated) but the memory of it is awesome. She has been our partner in crime in all our idiosyncrasies from playing holi on Diwali night (Yeh we actually did that) , random drives, innumerable meals so on and so forth.
Hrithik and I have always had these intense career discussions. You know the how to make money, how to talk to your boss, office culture, job scene which have really cleared my confused thoughts on a number of occasions.
We were all scared of Hrithik's dad and I think so was she :). Come live in Bombay Rots, so I have more to write about :)
Powers aka Roshan- The Fitness Freak
The first memories I have of Powers was in Joggers Park with W when she called her Matiz car a "Maatiss". How hard we have laughed that day!!! Anyway moving on from that Powers is someone who I have known in a long time now. She's the only one who is married amongst all of us and I'm guessing will be the first mommy too :). Unless guj surprises us :)).
She is this fitness freak who used to adore going to a gym, aerobics or going for her "walk
" (First I know of that kind).
We have shared awesome times taking those "walks" on Pali Hill, Carter Road, Joggers Park with full energy and enthusiasm. I remember eating her mom's yummy cakes, religiously dropping stuff each and very time I sat on her bed, eating sarson ka saag with bread on that sucky new year night, locking her out of her own room and drawing a moustache on her favourite doll and so many more things.
She has driven us around a lot as she was the first one to get a license amongst us. I still remember the "what the fucks" incident when we had an accident on Rotten's birthday or those Economic tuitions in Power's house where we did absolutely nothing. She came one night before an exam to my house to study and all we did was ate paan. Don't know how we managed the paper the next day.
Anything happens..Powers faints..like anything.
Regular Conversation between powers and me
Me: Hi
Powers: My sugar is low
Me: ok
Powers: and my mom said I'm looking pale
Me: ok
Powers: I'm getting chakkar and thud! I fainted
Roshan is always dizzy. Especially during exams, especially when others study in the car and we couldn't. I can never forget the time I tried to get her out of trouble and got fired or the time she came on the black list. I have always been associated with falling down whenever she is around. Whether it is when she is on the black list or shopping for Bawi's gift's I have always fallen down in her presence. We have often joked about how we are afraid of everything she says as it almost always comes true (a black tongue in orthodox terms). We also always shared our shots much to people's amusement
Memories have been unlimited..typing time limited...awesome times never the less
So these are my gal pals individually. Often I find my memory fading, I like holding on to some fun parts of my past and hence this post to remember some of the best days of my life. Best days of swabbing W's house floors at midnight which we had messed up with wax, meeting those random boys at Barista, New Years where Bawi was making announcements for us on the mic, those car drives back home with Sudhakar, night outs, sleep overs, lunches, dinners, movies and so many other things. Wow! I've lived the best life.
You must be wondering what weird friends I have. Bawi, Guj, W? Well of course they have real names but this is how I am going to address them throughout this post. This is how we know each other even today. I also have a rotten and a powers mind you. With this case of confused identities let me introduce you to this aspect of my life: My gal pals :).
Let's know them separately and let's know them together.
W- Double U
tical name twin. Ah! my identical school, zip code, laziness and lots of other things twin :). W and I are similar in way too many ways and different in the same amount. I went to school with her for 15 years and didn't meet her then (To quote her sister "You both must bunk school on alternate days or must've been too lazy to socialize"). Anyway we met for the first time in computer classes right after our boards and the merry times began. I've known W for 8 odd years and it is practically impossible to share the memories. She doesn't cry as often as I do being number one on my list as I tryWe've lived in each others houses, have very similar likes and dislikes, laziness being a strong bonding component between us. Whether it is The Great Punjab story (when we ate like Gluttons), the taking rickshaws through all the flooded rains in the monsoons on purpose (apparently at the time, it was the best way to get the feel of the season), or that near death experience with had with the rickshaw driver (Remember the one with the ciggie? which no one believed) we've shared some amazing moments together. Going to a kid's birthday party who lived in Suchit's building and who we didnt know only to watch Spiderman 2 for instance.
Now before this begins to sound like a memorial or rest in peace speech (w is still alive and kickin by the way!) we've also shared lots and lots of not so good times. The times we almost got into the black list (paid the peon and it backfired), failed in French innumerable times, lost in taboo to Suchit and Rishi (Man!!!!), to playing something we called football on Suchit's terrace and lost AGAIN it's been an era.
I miss those days of Logic tutions which we so religiously bunked, those arbit test series where we so decently cheated, running compartments while traveling (why oh why!) you throwing my bag on the platform only to find my railway pass in your pocket :), trying to wake her up or giving blank calls when uncle picked up the phone, random drives, fake seeing of filmstars..phew!
The stay overs in her house, her family (family to me too), cheese dosa for breakfast, waking me up at 7:00am and making me believe its 10:00am, all our fun moments in college, Lonavala (the whole rain and muck scene), that dog n the bone stay over in my house, to my surprise party we have fantastic memories attached. Whether school, college or work we have religiously prayed for floods so as to bunk that day or even the cheating and stealing of gifts at S's baby shower (ok we arent that mean..actually maybe we are)
W is stubborn and by stubborn I mean STUBBORN. I can never forget the fight with her dad when we wanted to play cricket at midnight disturbing her neighbours. The night where we only laughed. No kidding! we only laughed all night!! I have no idea why. Crazy you may think but She's quite wise otherwise, I often take advise from her. We shared innumerable hours on this cement block outside my house discussing our so called "future". I miss our phase dubs. Although sometimes I hope it never comes back. We've shared our first drink, first nightclub and many other first's. And before I forget this is only the beginning. W lets now show them how it's done ;)
Bawi- Queen of Good Times
Bawi very true to the name sleeps at 10:00pm on sleepovers. Seriously, while the others decided how we were going to spend the rest of the night, curled up in the corner of the bed Bawi will be fast asleep. We hardly slept through the night and when we crashed into bed in the morning Bawi was ready to go to breakfast :).
She's the one who will always be bonding with our mom's more than us. She used to come
home and take off with my mom only to find me sulking (As to "when will my chance come?") that's how lovable she is. Although she is cruising or rather jet setting to various world renowned places all year round these days, there is little that has changed. She is still that mad bawi she always was :).I will never forget the pains we took in making her a scrap book for her birthday. Us getting all over excited to what gifts V would send her for Valentine or Rose day or even telling our other friends proudly (that we knew an actress in a hindi tv sitcom where she was a child artist for one episode :)). Bawi lovessss talking and reading Mills and Boons. She has her own most amazing fantasy world which has a prince charming, oscar awards, red carpet and everything. (Man! I want that)
Besides..W, Bawi and me would kickass in taboo or any other team game we would set out to play. It's hard to forget her passion for Mani Dosas's (Mysore masala) See i still remember :), anything, just anything that has or had cheese (Our cheesy lunches at New Yorker where we all fought for the last bite of the cheese corn balls or the nachos with cheese sauce) or the world famous "Sizzling Brownie Sundae" out of which she scraped each and every bite rather unsuccessfully (We were tough competitors too :)) to Guj's mom's homemade tacos.
She is the single most content person I have come across in my life, the one with the most positive attitude in life and I really mean this. She stays away from controversies or the so called negative life most of the times.
Even though we may not meet as often as we did because of our hectic schedules I always know that she's only a phonecall away.
Rest assured you may not find bawi with you in your good times, but she's ALWAYS there with you in your not-so-good-times. More importantly the times when you need her the most. You rock hawttie!
Guj- Machami Tukdam
I have promised Guj that the day I retire in the Himalayas I am writing a book on her. For those who have met her know, she is a character. Sometimes its unbelievable. Her one liners, actions, statements seem surreal. But life would be dull without Guj. She has like the best sporting spirit ever. Cracking jokes about Guj was the sole purpose of life 6 years ago.
She is one of a kind. She is a misfit in her gujju household and has spent most of her early college days in w or my house. She is free spirited and just as positive as Bawi. When Guj and Me are together things just go wrong. We miss the train, the movie, it begins to rain or something that disrupts the normal has to happen when we are together. I remember ironing her curly hair with a normal iron (this when ironing hair did not exist in India, we were only experimenting) only to find W's mom freaking out. We've shared some crazy times together...eating plates and plates of tacos in her house to one month of religiously going to her house and screaming out her name every single day when her phone was out of order.. from giving her silver tshirts and saas bahu rings as presents.. to making her the butt of all jokes we have really troubled guj a lot, but the best part is.. she cant handle it when we stop.
I'll always remember the day Guj got emotional and wrote us all a letter on friendship. Haha she tried to use her creative skills on that letterhead only to make it impossible for anyone to figure out what she had actually written.
Now a days Guj is busy doing the whole "seeing boys" ritual and it's a treat for all of us when she comes home and describes every single meeting. Can't type more in detail about this on a public medium all I can say Guj is "Aaaoo" :)
Things you should know about Guj
Her favourite word is byatch (pronounced exactly like that)
Dogs don't like her (Refer to Ruffles my baby story and Carter Road dog bite story)
She has never eaten paan in her life
She has a job but doesn't go to office (ha! tricked you..go figure)
She embarrassed herself on S's sangeet with bringing props when she was not supposed to
She touched an egg for the first time when she was 21 years old
She claims to fast during "pollution" (our version of a Jain custom called "Padushan") but doesn't
She uses the term "I'll slap you" at least a crore times in a day but hasn't managed to do that yet
I better stop before the above comes true today:). All and all Guj is a friend and will always be. She is considerate and knows when to stop talking (when she sees the bored look on my face). I've shared some most awesome times with her and we still do share some fun moments together, the latest being a hypothetical trip which we all hope to materialize.
Jai Shree Krishna Guj! Jai Hongkong! :)
Rotten aka Hrithik- Workaholic
The only friend I look upto in terms of hardwork. Hrithik was the diligent, attending lectures student amongst all of us. She always got the highest marks and was very serious about her studies right from the very beginning. We have all spent the least time with Hrithik as she moved after college to complete another course and after that for her MBA but the fun times spent with her were not less.
Hrithik is alwa
ys late and by late I mean veryyy late. We used to call her when we left our house which was 15 minutes away telling her that we were below her building only to not find her there even after we actually arrived. She has the cutest dog ever called Ruffels. He doesn't like Guj and bit her when she was trying to show how well she knows him to other friends.I can never forget this night in Rotten's house when she tried to teach us classical dance (hahaha radhna kaise na jale) with pen's in tow as dandiya sticks (we were such nuts). Besides this one weekend where rotten, w and me just randomly pushed off to Pune for a short break.
Oh my god! that was sooo much fun, 3 whole days of random rubbish, air hockey and of course lots and lots of eating. Hrithik was always very particular about her hair owing to which the whole "katka" episode happened anyway! ( I will describe the episode below later) and comes out with new terms for everything all the time. Effie, eewie, and other gibberish and all words so religiously used by Hrithik.
Everyday before we reached Churchgate station Hritihk would come out with this bag, which had a huge shampoo comb with which she would comb her tresses and then this fruityy deo (Which i hated) but the memory of it is awesome. She has been our partner in crime in all our idiosyncrasies from playing holi on Diwali night (Yeh we actually did that) , random drives, innumerable meals so on and so forth.
Hrithik and I have always had these intense career discussions. You know the how to make money, how to talk to your boss, office culture, job scene which have really cleared my confused thoughts on a number of occasions.
We were all scared of Hrithik's dad and I think so was she :). Come live in Bombay Rots, so I have more to write about :)
Powers aka Roshan- The Fitness Freak
The first memories I have of Powers was in Joggers Park with W when she called her Matiz car a "Maatiss". How hard we have laughed that day!!! Anyway moving on from that Powers is someone who I have known in a long time now. She's the only one who is married amongst all of us and I'm guessing will be the first mommy too :). Unless guj surprises us :)).
She is this fitness freak who used to adore going to a gym, aerobics or going for her "walk
" (First I know of that kind).We have shared awesome times taking those "walks" on Pali Hill, Carter Road, Joggers Park with full energy and enthusiasm. I remember eating her mom's yummy cakes, religiously dropping stuff each and very time I sat on her bed, eating sarson ka saag with bread on that sucky new year night, locking her out of her own room and drawing a moustache on her favourite doll and so many more things.
She has driven us around a lot as she was the first one to get a license amongst us. I still remember the "what the fucks" incident when we had an accident on Rotten's birthday or those Economic tuitions in Power's house where we did absolutely nothing. She came one night before an exam to my house to study and all we did was ate paan. Don't know how we managed the paper the next day.
Anything happens..Powers faints..like anything.
Regular Conversation between powers and me
Me: Hi
Powers: My sugar is low
Me: ok
Powers: and my mom said I'm looking pale
Me: ok
Powers: I'm getting chakkar and thud! I fainted
Roshan is always dizzy. Especially during exams, especially when others study in the car and we couldn't. I can never forget the time I tried to get her out of trouble and got fired or the time she came on the black list. I have always been associated with falling down whenever she is around. Whether it is when she is on the black list or shopping for Bawi's gift's I have always fallen down in her presence. We have often joked about how we are afraid of everything she says as it almost always comes true (a black tongue in orthodox terms). We also always shared our shots much to people's amusement
Memories have been unlimited..typing time limited...awesome times never the less
So these are my gal pals individually. Often I find my memory fading, I like holding on to some fun parts of my past and hence this post to remember some of the best days of my life. Best days of swabbing W's house floors at midnight which we had messed up with wax, meeting those random boys at Barista, New Years where Bawi was making announcements for us on the mic, those car drives back home with Sudhakar, night outs, sleep overs, lunches, dinners, movies and so many other things. Wow! I've lived the best life.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Poke-o-Mania (A frustrated note I wrote on Facebook)
Notes have begun to fascinate me. Although trust me when I begin to write one, I have no idea where I'm going or what I'm going to be writing about. (Refer to note 1 for live example of previous statement).
I log into Facebook at least once a day, mostly even more. My eyes cringe when I look at the top right hand side of my screen that says "X has poked you". Oh my god!! why on earth would you want to poke me? Aside from poking why would you want to bite me or whatever else and turn me into a vampire/werewolf etc. I think you need a job. A real one!. In a company that blocks these applications so that you can concentrate on doing something constructive.
We are in the month of August. October is soon approaching. It will mark the beginning of the wedding season in India. That's scaring me. Weddings have begun to burn a hole in my pocket. Indian clothes are freaking expensive and then the age old "It's my wedding, I get married only once, you have to wear something HEAVY". But sweetheart you fail to understand that you may get married only once, but what about the 99 other weddings I have to attend where I have heard the same statement? and of course no Indian wedding lasts less than a week.
I generally work half a day on Saturday's. Fortunately this Saturday we have been sanctioned an additional holiday so I'm really looking forward to this long weekend. Lots of things planned, although I wonder what all I'll actually end up doing.
Hmph! I need a haircut
I log into Facebook at least once a day, mostly even more. My eyes cringe when I look at the top right hand side of my screen that says "X has poked you". Oh my god!! why on earth would you want to poke me? Aside from poking why would you want to bite me or whatever else and turn me into a vampire/werewolf etc. I think you need a job. A real one!. In a company that blocks these applications so that you can concentrate on doing something constructive.
We are in the month of August. October is soon approaching. It will mark the beginning of the wedding season in India. That's scaring me. Weddings have begun to burn a hole in my pocket. Indian clothes are freaking expensive and then the age old "It's my wedding, I get married only once, you have to wear something HEAVY". But sweetheart you fail to understand that you may get married only once, but what about the 99 other weddings I have to attend where I have heard the same statement? and of course no Indian wedding lasts less than a week.
I generally work half a day on Saturday's. Fortunately this Saturday we have been sanctioned an additional holiday so I'm really looking forward to this long weekend. Lots of things planned, although I wonder what all I'll actually end up doing.
Hmph! I need a haircut
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Read at your own risk
There are lots of things I cannot understand. Numbers for instance, I just don't get them, abstract art, trance music. At least I could try and eventually I would, but most importantly what I just don't get and don't think will ever, is behaviour, human behaviour.
It's funny how different people react to different situations. You may come into work and say "Who's having ice cream for lunch?". Some of your colleagues may jump at the idea, others pass cause either they are on a diet or they have been just fired by the boss. Others could be ignorant maybe cause they hate you!or are just plain broke that day. So many reactions to one statement
Lots of people you meet in life will tell you how they hate talking behind the back and would love for people to tell them upfront what they actually think of them. That my friend is the biggest lie there ever was. The minute you actually tell someone what you really think bang! they're gone forever. It's very hard for people (including myself) to actually accept criticism however hard they may plead otherwise
I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this note or why I'm even writing it.
It's become quite difficult to live a life of honesty these days (I'm beginning to sound like Gandhi). Lie to the boss when you are late to work or for various other reasons, pretend to be happy for someone (when you secretly wish for that to happen to you), pretend to bore or agitate someone you love so dearly so that the person almost begins to hate you (don't ask for reasons here) are we living a life of pretense?
It's lunch time right now and as I'm listening to "pappu can't dance" playing at the next table, I'm thinking
A) I wish we could stop leading a life that is fake, stop pretending to like people we don't, not do things we don't really want to do
B) The track changed to "kya mujhe pyaar hai" and I was wondering, what did a poor innocent lad do for a mother to name him Shiney?
It's funny how different people react to different situations. You may come into work and say "Who's having ice cream for lunch?". Some of your colleagues may jump at the idea, others pass cause either they are on a diet or they have been just fired by the boss. Others could be ignorant maybe cause they hate you!or are just plain broke that day. So many reactions to one statement
Lots of people you meet in life will tell you how they hate talking behind the back and would love for people to tell them upfront what they actually think of them. That my friend is the biggest lie there ever was. The minute you actually tell someone what you really think bang! they're gone forever. It's very hard for people (including myself) to actually accept criticism however hard they may plead otherwise
I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this note or why I'm even writing it.
It's become quite difficult to live a life of honesty these days (I'm beginning to sound like Gandhi). Lie to the boss when you are late to work or for various other reasons, pretend to be happy for someone (when you secretly wish for that to happen to you), pretend to bore or agitate someone you love so dearly so that the person almost begins to hate you (don't ask for reasons here) are we living a life of pretense?
It's lunch time right now and as I'm listening to "pappu can't dance" playing at the next table, I'm thinking
A) I wish we could stop leading a life that is fake, stop pretending to like people we don't, not do things we don't really want to do
B) The track changed to "kya mujhe pyaar hai" and I was wondering, what did a poor innocent lad do for a mother to name him Shiney?
Saturday, July 26, 2008
26/7/2005..The Night That Was.
It's been 3 years today, but the memory still stays afresh. It was a year since I passed out of college and my post graduation course was about to begin. It was a lazy monsoon day. As I lay on my couch flipping channels on the idiot box we got a call that my mom's best friend of more than 40 years had lost her father.
Mom rushed to Colaba, the weather was slightly overcast but I guess it was the lull before the storm. Dad and me followed at about 2:30 pm, Rima and family joined in later. It began to rain, heavily too but since we were in the better part of the city (better since it has been a part of British construction). Amidst all the pouring uncle's last rights were completed and we headed back towards home. 2 cars- one car: dad, mom, Rima, me, second car- Rima's parents. As we headed in this lashing rain we were caught in super heavy traffic. Traffic had probably moved a cm/30mins. We decided to detour, stopped at a family friend's house at Peddar Road. Thank God for that.
Not realizing exactly what the condition was in the burbs, we made merry, ate food and inspite of constant efforts of our family friends asking us to stay over, we decided to move towards home.
What a night that was! We stayed in the car all night. We made it half way but then we got into this jam at Shivaji Park. After which we pretty much stayed there all night. It was horrible but at least we were safe and not on a flooded street, I felt so bad for dad who couldnt even sleep a wink.
Next morning at about 8:00am we reached Bandra and were stopped by the local public who told us that our car would drown if we went ahead. By this time we were really really frustrated, tired and didnt know what to do. Anyway we u-turned and somehow managed to reach mom's friend's house in Bandra. We slept and ate a little bit after which we walked home only to find no electricity but at least we survived.
The images of that night clearly feature in my mind every 26th July. The people I saw, the people that helped, the unity amongst them clearly brings out the true spirit of Bombay what we generally talk about.
The cops didnt do much that day, they were too busy running home. It was the locals, the Bombayites who got out of their houses, offered food, water, even their bathrooms to all the people who were stuck on the road. Although this was a horrible incident and I wish it would have never happened, it gave me a sense of security living in Bombay. A sense of someone will always be there to help me if I need it, a unsaid unity, I don't think I can put more words on how I felt.
This was my incident.
Friends walked for miles in knee deep water, another was stuck in a std booth and taken home by the owner, others who were at home helped bring biscuits, water to people stuck outside their houses. Others were excited to be stuck alongside Aaamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan. It was a busy two days for all of us. Cars parked like a traffic jam on the roads, trees fallen down, no phones, no computers, family outside Bombay worried about us.
But hey we are from Bombay. We were back on our feet and back with a bang.
Another reason I love Bombay and it's spirit
Mom rushed to Colaba, the weather was slightly overcast but I guess it was the lull before the storm. Dad and me followed at about 2:30 pm, Rima and family joined in later. It began to rain, heavily too but since we were in the better part of the city (better since it has been a part of British construction). Amidst all the pouring uncle's last rights were completed and we headed back towards home. 2 cars- one car: dad, mom, Rima, me, second car- Rima's parents. As we headed in this lashing rain we were caught in super heavy traffic. Traffic had probably moved a cm/30mins. We decided to detour, stopped at a family friend's house at Peddar Road. Thank God for that.
Not realizing exactly what the condition was in the burbs, we made merry, ate food and inspite of constant efforts of our family friends asking us to stay over, we decided to move towards home.
What a night that was! We stayed in the car all night. We made it half way but then we got into this jam at Shivaji Park. After which we pretty much stayed there all night. It was horrible but at least we were safe and not on a flooded street, I felt so bad for dad who couldnt even sleep a wink.
Next morning at about 8:00am we reached Bandra and were stopped by the local public who told us that our car would drown if we went ahead. By this time we were really really frustrated, tired and didnt know what to do. Anyway we u-turned and somehow managed to reach mom's friend's house in Bandra. We slept and ate a little bit after which we walked home only to find no electricity but at least we survived.
The images of that night clearly feature in my mind every 26th July. The people I saw, the people that helped, the unity amongst them clearly brings out the true spirit of Bombay what we generally talk about.
The cops didnt do much that day, they were too busy running home. It was the locals, the Bombayites who got out of their houses, offered food, water, even their bathrooms to all the people who were stuck on the road. Although this was a horrible incident and I wish it would have never happened, it gave me a sense of security living in Bombay. A sense of someone will always be there to help me if I need it, a unsaid unity, I don't think I can put more words on how I felt.
This was my incident.
Friends walked for miles in knee deep water, another was stuck in a std booth and taken home by the owner, others who were at home helped bring biscuits, water to people stuck outside their houses. Others were excited to be stuck alongside Aaamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan. It was a busy two days for all of us. Cars parked like a traffic jam on the roads, trees fallen down, no phones, no computers, family outside Bombay worried about us.
But hey we are from Bombay. We were back on our feet and back with a bang.
Another reason I love Bombay and it's spirit
Monday, July 21, 2008
The Name's Boo..Baby Boo
I've had a rather confused past week. Work was ok, regular, nothing too exciting, no real reason to be confused, but confusion for me in a rather normal state of mind.
Anyhoo, let me come to "W". W is a very close friend from school. Well technically.. we never spoke to each other in school and didn't really talk then, we got close in college (w and my story is a whole other post of it's own so let us not steal S's thunder yet again). To cut a long story short, w has the most adorable older sister "S" who has always been like an elder sister to me as well.
S was like the cool older sister we looked upto when we were young. We were in complete awe of her. She was/is intelligent (hell, yeah!), hardworking, TALENTED, pretty.. you name it. She was a complete package with nothing missing (like defected pieces like w and me) at all. We never told her all this and I'm sure she will be pretty shocked when she reads this.
I've shared a lot of fun moments with her. She used to go out and party while w and me pretended to study only to
make her cook a midnight snack for us when she got back (even her midnight snack was exotic, imagine when she actually cooked a meal), she taught us how to party, took us to nightclubs when we weren't allowed on our own (now that I think back, it must've been so embarassing for her), hey but we were cool too ;). She sacrificed a whole new year getaway with her husband only to spend a psycho new year with W and me at the President.
A couple of years after the above, S got married to K. That wedding also has so many memories attached (I danced on the S's sangeet for the first time ever, didn't know I had 1001 more sangeets to follow). Although she didn't live in the same house anymore the happy times continued with K in tow
We aped her to the tee. Colouring our hair at Sonali like she did, trying to learn French (haha, she is a master at the language), I've even aped her at choosing a career path.
Coming back to the original point of this post, after years of persistence from all of us ( I don't know why we don't mind our own business) S is finally preggie, the best p
art being the baby's birth date could be the same as mine. I am so kicked and really wish that happens, although S & K think otherwise. It's impossible for them to deal with me, let alone 2 of my kind!
Coming back to virgo boo, last weekend, W and S's friends threw S a surprise baby shower. Having never been to one R (another friend) and me were extremely kicked about this whole event. Actively, we went shopping for a gist only to find ourselves completely lost. We had no idea as to what to do in that store. R was obsessed with diapers and potty's and we started getting the creeps. Ultimately we requested the sales attendant to help us and blindly followed her lead. R wanted to pick up something in blue but I warned her against it (S wo
uld kick her).
This Saturday was the baby shower. It was the coolest ever. S was definitely surprised. We played a lot of baby games (like there was melted chocolate on diapers and we had to smell and guess which one or who knows mommy best) and shared a lot of laughs.
Being new to all this R and Me found it difficult to win, but W flicked a few hampers for us. I, in turn cheated and made her win a hamper so we were all happy in the end.
K came in later while the yum cake was cut
All in all it was a funn showerful experience with the yummy mummy to be (I'm sure I'll score some brownie points for adding the "yummy"). It's totally unlike me, but I cannot help "awwwwing" for this one :)
Anyhoo, let me come to "W". W is a very close friend from school. Well technically.. we never spoke to each other in school and didn't really talk then, we got close in college (w and my story is a whole other post of it's own so let us not steal S's thunder yet again). To cut a long story short, w has the most adorable older sister "S" who has always been like an elder sister to me as well.
S was like the cool older sister we looked upto when we were young. We were in complete awe of her. She was/is intelligent (hell, yeah!), hardworking, TALENTED, pretty.. you name it. She was a complete package with nothing missing (like defected pieces like w and me) at all. We never told her all this and I'm sure she will be pretty shocked when she reads this.
I've shared a lot of fun moments with her. She used to go out and party while w and me pretended to study only to
make her cook a midnight snack for us when she got back (even her midnight snack was exotic, imagine when she actually cooked a meal), she taught us how to party, took us to nightclubs when we weren't allowed on our own (now that I think back, it must've been so embarassing for her), hey but we were cool too ;). She sacrificed a whole new year getaway with her husband only to spend a psycho new year with W and me at the President.A couple of years after the above, S got married to K. That wedding also has so many memories attached (I danced on the S's sangeet for the first time ever, didn't know I had 1001 more sangeets to follow). Although she didn't live in the same house anymore the happy times continued with K in tow
We aped her to the tee. Colouring our hair at Sonali like she did, trying to learn French (haha, she is a master at the language), I've even aped her at choosing a career path.
Coming back to the original point of this post, after years of persistence from all of us ( I don't know why we don't mind our own business) S is finally preggie, the best p
art being the baby's birth date could be the same as mine. I am so kicked and really wish that happens, although S & K think otherwise. It's impossible for them to deal with me, let alone 2 of my kind!Coming back to virgo boo, last weekend, W and S's friends threw S a surprise baby shower. Having never been to one R (another friend) and me were extremely kicked about this whole event. Actively, we went shopping for a gist only to find ourselves completely lost. We had no idea as to what to do in that store. R was obsessed with diapers and potty's and we started getting the creeps. Ultimately we requested the sales attendant to help us and blindly followed her lead. R wanted to pick up something in blue but I warned her against it (S wo
uld kick her).This Saturday was the baby shower. It was the coolest ever. S was definitely surprised. We played a lot of baby games (like there was melted chocolate on diapers and we had to smell and guess which one or who knows mommy best) and shared a lot of laughs.
Being new to all this R and Me found it difficult to win, but W flicked a few hampers for us. I, in turn cheated and made her win a hamper so we were all happy in the end.
K came in later while the yum cake was cut
All in all it was a funn showerful experience with the yummy mummy to be (I'm sure I'll score some brownie points for adding the "yummy"). It's totally unlike me, but I cannot help "awwwwing" for this one :)
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Dusty Days
Dusty Days go back 2-3 years. Rima (Refer to "My zero friend") and me were going through a dull ish phase. You know, the "been there, done that types". Not too much excitement. Did our own things with our own friends on weekends, just the regular stuff. Little did we know that it was the lull before the storm
My cousin (Actually he is hardly a cousin, more a brother, a friend) who was working in Delhi was posted to Bombay for a couple of months and the rollicking times began. G and me were always close but honestly I'd always been closer to his elder sister R di. Naturally when you are little (she was about 7 years older) you are always in awe of the older pretty sister, the one who dresses up, meets boys, goes to parties etc.
Anyway years passed after that phase, R di got married, went off to Canada, had babies, basically reached a phase where G and me were miles away from. That's when we got really close. I'll never forget the crazzzzzy time we had in Delhi when I visited on one of my college breaks. He was doing his MBA then.
The cold Delhi nights at Turquoise Cottage, that DJ at the Hyatt, almost killing (or killing?) that stray dog while rushing home to meet deadlines, TGIF (and the whole fight episode, yeah! his friends decided to fight with the manager until he let us go without paying the bill) Can you believe that!! and various other names that I can't even remember, even the jamming sessions on your terrace with Nikhil and gang were fabulous.
Anway so coming back, that's how our bond was formed.
Once G came to Bombay, life here changed. I have never been in a more hectic phase of my life, juggling work and play together. It was so much fun tuning myself into a whole other life.
The super nights at Zenzi when V (another cousin from Delhi with her insanely young and wild friends), the Polly obsession (I don't even go there anymore, it's not the same) and the endless nights at all the Chinese resties I have dragged you and Rima to.
G stayed close to home and drove his black car which he drove all the way from Delhi. Since his car was parked on the road for majority of the day and was washed only when it rained (thank god! it rains often in Bombay) we termed it "Dusty"
Dusty was the cutest car ever with the most adorable gear lock! haha! You've got to see it to believe it, I'd never seen a gear lock before this.
We've had innumerable dusty experiences. She was my spare car whenever G was out of town and all we listened to was "Coldplay" (they were fun then and we were young).
Be it bacardi nights at various places, dancing at friend's sangeet's he didn't know, going broke after spending money at all of the above, dusty drives, I have innumerable memories attached.
Excerpts from a Chinese resteraunt we visited
Now the hostess/waitress was a fake. She was a Northeast Indian pretending to be Chinese
As we enter
Rima- Hi we have a reservation for 9:00pm, under Rima or Pooja
Hostess- Yes! Oh Ms Poooda please come
Burst of laughter, uncontrollable tears from Rima and G. Me-Going slowly but steadily red in the face
After we were seated
Hostess- Can I get you something to drink?
G and Rima opt for Beers
Pooja- Can I please have a coke?
Hostess- One cock coming up
Burst of laughter, uncontrollable tears from Rima and G. Me- Yeah Yeah even I couldn't help but laugh
So this is a small example of one of the many insane memories we share. G and Rima have always desperately tried to hook me up with people of their choice but I don't want to get into that right now or this post will get really long. (Like it's not already)
Anyway that was the past. G soon left for Dubai and now he is married and lives there. Imagine my plight when G and Rima decide to get married 2 days apart in 2 different cities. Crazy!!!! but I managed, but I do really miss those good old days
Good old days of eating 2 galato's in one day, devil's paradise at Cafe coffee day, Mahjong, Salsa nights and all that jazz. I also used G a lot to get out of trouble when I was young. G was an amazing excuse to get out of late nights :) and he got to know he was being used much later than he was :)
Dusty is no longer a part of our lives, not even G's. She had a serious accident when she was on her way back to Delhi but I think she survived. She is with a new family right now I presume and granting them new experiences.
A glimpse into my dusty life. Amen!
My cousin (Actually he is hardly a cousin, more a brother, a friend) who was working in Delhi was posted to Bombay for a couple of months and the rollicking times began. G and me were always close but honestly I'd always been closer to his elder sister R di. Naturally when you are little (she was about 7 years older) you are always in awe of the older pretty sister, the one who dresses up, meets boys, goes to parties etc.
Anyway years passed after that phase, R di got married, went off to Canada, had babies, basically reached a phase where G and me were miles away from. That's when we got really close. I'll never forget the crazzzzzy time we had in Delhi when I visited on one of my college breaks. He was doing his MBA then.
The cold Delhi nights at Turquoise Cottage, that DJ at the Hyatt, almost killing (or killing?) that stray dog while rushing home to meet deadlines, TGIF (and the whole fight episode, yeah! his friends decided to fight with the manager until he let us go without paying the bill) Can you believe that!! and various other names that I can't even remember, even the jamming sessions on your terrace with Nikhil and gang were fabulous.
Anway so coming back, that's how our bond was formed.
Once G came to Bombay, life here changed. I have never been in a more hectic phase of my life, juggling work and play together. It was so much fun tuning myself into a whole other life.
The super nights at Zenzi when V (another cousin from Delhi with her insanely young and wild friends), the Polly obsession (I don't even go there anymore, it's not the same) and the endless nights at all the Chinese resties I have dragged you and Rima to.
G stayed close to home and drove his black car which he drove all the way from Delhi. Since his car was parked on the road for majority of the day and was washed only when it rained (thank god! it rains often in Bombay) we termed it "Dusty"
Dusty was the cutest car ever with the most adorable gear lock! haha! You've got to see it to believe it, I'd never seen a gear lock before this.
We've had innumerable dusty experiences. She was my spare car whenever G was out of town and all we listened to was "Coldplay" (they were fun then and we were young).
Be it bacardi nights at various places, dancing at friend's sangeet's he didn't know, going broke after spending money at all of the above, dusty drives, I have innumerable memories attached.
Excerpts from a Chinese resteraunt we visited
Now the hostess/waitress was a fake. She was a Northeast Indian pretending to be Chinese
As we enter
Rima- Hi we have a reservation for 9:00pm, under Rima or Pooja
Hostess- Yes! Oh Ms Poooda please come
Burst of laughter, uncontrollable tears from Rima and G. Me-Going slowly but steadily red in the face
After we were seated
Hostess- Can I get you something to drink?
G and Rima opt for Beers
Pooja- Can I please have a coke?
Hostess- One cock coming up
Burst of laughter, uncontrollable tears from Rima and G. Me- Yeah Yeah even I couldn't help but laugh
So this is a small example of one of the many insane memories we share. G and Rima have always desperately tried to hook me up with people of their choice but I don't want to get into that right now or this post will get really long. (Like it's not already)
Anyway that was the past. G soon left for Dubai and now he is married and lives there. Imagine my plight when G and Rima decide to get married 2 days apart in 2 different cities. Crazy!!!! but I managed, but I do really miss those good old days
Good old days of eating 2 galato's in one day, devil's paradise at Cafe coffee day, Mahjong, Salsa nights and all that jazz. I also used G a lot to get out of trouble when I was young. G was an amazing excuse to get out of late nights :) and he got to know he was being used much later than he was :)
Dusty is no longer a part of our lives, not even G's. She had a serious accident when she was on her way back to Delhi but I think she survived. She is with a new family right now I presume and granting them new experiences.
A glimpse into my dusty life. Amen!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Tag of 10
Before I deleted my previous blog, K had tagged me with the Tag of 10 which was obviously left incomplete. Now that I am back I thought of completing this one. So what is the Tag of 10? The Tag of 10 is listing 10 things people know about you, people identify with you and 10 things everyone may not know about you. Hmm..Easy! Let's go for it.
10 very known facts in my life
1) My mom is my best friend
2) Black is my favourite colour
3) I do not like bad grammar
4) I can live on Blueberry muffins, after eight mints and Chinese food (The Indian version)
5) I suck at giving directions (You're so bound to get lost if you decide to follow my lead)
6) I am not proud of this one but I cannot cook. Apparently my pasta looks like an E.T species and my maggie noodles almost choked someone
7) I am very stubborn (only when I'm right no? hmm..ok otherwise also)
8) I need to work on my Hindi (Convent education)
9) I love being with little children
10) In spite of learning films at university, I really like Shahrukh Khan (don't judge me)
10 not so known facts in my life (I guess I couldn't keep them unknown for long)
1) I have studied French for 5 years (Yeh exams and everything)
2) I am trained in Indian classical dance and music (please don't fall of the chair, I really have)
3) When I travel on work or otherwise, I secretly watch the Hollywood mushy romantic movies on the plane and sometimes I cry (eeeeeks)
4) I make the best desserts (when I get the time of course)
5) I can drive but cannot for the life of me park a car (damn! i'm liking this post lesser now)
6) I spend most of the money I earn on cool cabs. (Actually this is a given and no surprise, so I'll go for another number 6)
6a) Although I may pretend if you buy them for me, I actually cannot stand flowers and soft toys (Especially flowers)
7) I've always wanted to live in London all my life (Contrary to the popular New York belief)
8) I've been to Japanese resties, sushi bars etc but never eaten sushi (just cannot get myself to eat it..Someday for sure though)
9) A cat can frighten me to death. I can't stand them
10) I am very attracted towards men who can sing and play the guitar. (I've always wanted to learn how to play one myself)
Aah K there you go..Blurted out all my secrets :) My tag of 10!
10 very known facts in my life
1) My mom is my best friend
2) Black is my favourite colour
3) I do not like bad grammar
4) I can live on Blueberry muffins, after eight mints and Chinese food (The Indian version)
5) I suck at giving directions (You're so bound to get lost if you decide to follow my lead)
6) I am not proud of this one but I cannot cook. Apparently my pasta looks like an E.T species and my maggie noodles almost choked someone
7) I am very stubborn (only when I'm right no? hmm..ok otherwise also)
8) I need to work on my Hindi (Convent education)
9) I love being with little children
10) In spite of learning films at university, I really like Shahrukh Khan (don't judge me)
10 not so known facts in my life (I guess I couldn't keep them unknown for long)
1) I have studied French for 5 years (Yeh exams and everything)
2) I am trained in Indian classical dance and music (please don't fall of the chair, I really have)
3) When I travel on work or otherwise, I secretly watch the Hollywood mushy romantic movies on the plane and sometimes I cry (eeeeeks)
4) I make the best desserts (when I get the time of course)
5) I can drive but cannot for the life of me park a car (damn! i'm liking this post lesser now)
6) I spend most of the money I earn on cool cabs. (Actually this is a given and no surprise, so I'll go for another number 6)
6a) Although I may pretend if you buy them for me, I actually cannot stand flowers and soft toys (Especially flowers)
7) I've always wanted to live in London all my life (Contrary to the popular New York belief)
8) I've been to Japanese resties, sushi bars etc but never eaten sushi (just cannot get myself to eat it..Someday for sure though)
9) A cat can frighten me to death. I can't stand them
10) I am very attracted towards men who can sing and play the guitar. (I've always wanted to learn how to play one myself)
Aah K there you go..Blurted out all my secrets :) My tag of 10!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Interview with Self..Courtesy FaceBook
I hardly add applications on FaceBook. Poking me, biting me and trying to convert me into a vampire, werewolf pisses me off. Why would anyone ever do that? Not that I am complaining of all the application's FaceBook has to offer. I quite like "Superlatives" for example. Can you believe I have 3 votes for bumping into a pole :(.
Anyway off late I added this Interview application where I answered a few questions about self. Now I am into adding and removing applications constantly, so just in case I delete this application soon, I want the questions and my answers to stay so that I could read it and laugh sometime later in life
Here goes. Please note: the questions are in descending order of how I answered them
Anyway off late I added this Interview application where I answered a few questions about self. Now I am into adding and removing applications constantly, so just in case I delete this application soon, I want the questions and my answers to stay so that I could read it and laugh sometime later in life
Here goes. Please note: the questions are in descending order of how I answered them
Are you fed up of all these questions?
totally..and therefore I will stop
What is your favorite color?
black
left handed or right handed?
right
Why are you taking this interview?
You know..Ive asked myself this question thrice already I dont know
who do you count on when feeling down
mom
do you plan in advance
always..never works out though
What attracts you most?
intelligence, wit, personality and if he can play the guitar it\'s always a plus ;-)
Do you hold hands when you walk in public?
not with people of the same sex
Close your eyes for a moment, who pops into your head?
AD- a new born golden lab
Do you say "I love you" in the relationship?
shouldnt you?
Aliens have landed and selected you to visit their home planet. Do you go with them?
sure
Describe your perfect Sunday morning?
I wake up in the aftie on a Sunday
If you could be successful at any job in the world, what would that job be?
Prime Minister of India
If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
London, Bombay, New York
If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be?
George bush..would love to know how he thinks..if he does that is
If you have friends coming for supper what would you cook?
if they\'re friends, i wont..for their sake.they call my maggie poison
What is your favourite word?
but
What makes you cry?
oh no! everythiing..im overtly emotional
What makes you laugh?
good humour
If you could time travel to the past to correct any mistakes you feel youve made would you?
of course
Do you believe that the cup is half empty or half full?
Half empty
Are you an outdoor or an indoor person
a little bit of both
Where do you see yourself in five years?
at this rate, still answering stupid questions on facebook
Do you own any pets, and if so what do you have?
Nopes but i\'d love to own a golden lab and a pug
Who do you admire most?
myself in the mirror
When do you plan on getting married?
haha..good one
Get the number or give the number?
give
Romance or Kinky Sex?
prior followed by the latter
How do you feel?
bored, why do you think im doing this
What size shoe do you wear?
6
Water or 100% Juice?
water
Would you rather be hot or cold?
cold
Would you rather lose an arm or a leg?
neither
Opera, Musical, Concert, Play, Performance, or Other?
live music performance
Most embarrassing moment?
when it\'s me..there are dozen\'s of those
If you had to pick one car, which would it be?
the swanky bmw sports car in black
Your favorite Disney Films?
lion king
Why did the chicken cross the road?
to get on the other side duh!
Do you support Paris?
No, she\'s way too ugly
What was your last thought?
wondering who is ever going to read this
Firefox, Internet Explorer, Netscape, or other?
firefox. Matters less now though
Juice and crackers or milk and cookies?
milk and cookies
Favorite fruit?
alphanso mango
Which is worse? A bad laugh or a bad cough?
a bad laugh, cuz it stays with you forever
Are you a cat or a dog person?
doggie
Would you rather be blind or deaf?
Deaf, I;m clumsy enough anyway
Do you eat cold cereal at night?
maybe once in a while
Kill the spider or let it out?
Get someone else to kill it
Do you shower every single day?
hell yeh! twice sometimes
Boat or bus?
either
What is your favorate Pj Fabric
cotton
Where do you want to travel next?
Sydney, New York, Egypt, anywhere & everywhere
Do you read harry potter books?
never
What is your favorite place?
home
If you could have one super human power what would you choose?
i would want to be invisible and pry into everyone's life
Have you had a beer in the last week?
Yes!
Vitamin Water or Gatorade?
gatorade, the blue one
Favorite body part?
i like my hands
Flip flops or sandles?
depends on the situation. Ideally would prefer flip flops all the way
Do you like bananas?
noooo
How tall are you?
5 feet 4 inches, or so I would like to believe
Beating the Monday Blues
I woke up this morning savoring the pitter patter of raindrops on my window pane. Suddenly the first thought that popped into my head was "Crap! it's Monday! Now I could write a whole post on how I hate Monday's or I could join the whole world grumbling, unwilling to let go of their lovely Sunday but let me try chirping about the first day of the week.
Tried! Failed!
Can't do it. Hmph. Ok Let me try writing as to how I spent my weekend. Maybe that will help beat the blues.
After getting done with work on Friday the original plan was to meet colleagues at a place "Blue Frog" in Bombay (it will never be Mumbai for me). As I got home, and finished cleaning my closet (refer to Stuffy Issues) an old friend called and asked is I could join her for dinner. Since we had not met in a really long time, I decided to meet her for dinner and then move forward.
We met at this Italian place called Basilico. As we munched on our penne and garlic bread I realized how much we had to catch up on. I ranted about work pressures whereas she ranted about "potential marriage partners" she had been meeting off late.
Since we ere done with dinner early and I still had some time life she suggested we go for a quick drink. Off we went to a place called "Aurus" (I really like it) and time flew past. I did not end up going any other place as planned and we just kept talking until it was finally time to go home. I also pepped her for her "marriage meeting" the next day. Don't think her mom's going to like me much after this :)
Ok so Satuday was work for half a day (sux!!!) after which most of the day was spent shopping around a little bit (friend's sister's baby shower next week). I had no clue as to what to buy as this is the first one I will be attending, chilling at Gloria Jeans coffee (why can't we have starbucks), met a few friends in the night. Was supposed to go The Hulk but that got canned.
Sunday was family day as we took off in this lovely weather to Lonavla (a hill station, 2 hours away from Bombay) although North Indians do not find it anything like one :)
We went on this long drive, ate lunch and got home late evening. Driving on the Bombay-Pune expressway is always fun, but I was pretty exhausted by the end of it all. I missed watching a friend's golf practice but that's ok
This was my weekend in a nutshell (well not quite a nutshell but what the heck!)
This week is going to be really busy. I'm going to the movies tonight after which I think there will only be work all week. Lots of media appointments. Will be traveling to Delhi this month end. My headoffice is in Delhi and I have to keep visiting.
I like Delhi. Most of my relatives stay there. It's clean (at least cleaner than Bombay), wide roads and lots of places to see (Tourism angle).
But I could never live there. I find it extremely wierd to believe that a girl cannot use public transport at about 10:00 pm cause it's unsafe. I find the attitude of people in Delhi very superficial, very driven towards proving some point, I don't know what. Maybe I've met the exceptions
Excerpts from a recent conversation with a colleague in Delhi
We come out of a 5 star hotel and her chauffeur is waiting right in front of her with her car.
W- Ok P! It was lovely meeting you. If I wasn't going to Switzerland next week for the nth time we could've met again. Anyway I wonder where my car is
Me- (Pointing out to the car), Isn't that it?
W- Oh yeh! actually I have 3 Mercedes so it's really difficult to remember which one I came in
Me- Later! Secretly wished I never have to see her again
Ok I have just rambled up some stuff. Great way to beat the Monday Blues I say
Tried! Failed!
Can't do it. Hmph. Ok Let me try writing as to how I spent my weekend. Maybe that will help beat the blues.
After getting done with work on Friday the original plan was to meet colleagues at a place "Blue Frog" in Bombay (it will never be Mumbai for me). As I got home, and finished cleaning my closet (refer to Stuffy Issues) an old friend called and asked is I could join her for dinner. Since we had not met in a really long time, I decided to meet her for dinner and then move forward.
We met at this Italian place called Basilico. As we munched on our penne and garlic bread I realized how much we had to catch up on. I ranted about work pressures whereas she ranted about "potential marriage partners" she had been meeting off late.
Since we ere done with dinner early and I still had some time life she suggested we go for a quick drink. Off we went to a place called "Aurus" (I really like it) and time flew past. I did not end up going any other place as planned and we just kept talking until it was finally time to go home. I also pepped her for her "marriage meeting" the next day. Don't think her mom's going to like me much after this :)
Ok so Satuday was work for half a day (sux!!!) after which most of the day was spent shopping around a little bit (friend's sister's baby shower next week). I had no clue as to what to buy as this is the first one I will be attending, chilling at Gloria Jeans coffee (why can't we have starbucks), met a few friends in the night. Was supposed to go The Hulk but that got canned.
Sunday was family day as we took off in this lovely weather to Lonavla (a hill station, 2 hours away from Bombay) although North Indians do not find it anything like one :)
We went on this long drive, ate lunch and got home late evening. Driving on the Bombay-Pune expressway is always fun, but I was pretty exhausted by the end of it all. I missed watching a friend's golf practice but that's ok
This was my weekend in a nutshell (well not quite a nutshell but what the heck!)
This week is going to be really busy. I'm going to the movies tonight after which I think there will only be work all week. Lots of media appointments. Will be traveling to Delhi this month end. My headoffice is in Delhi and I have to keep visiting.
I like Delhi. Most of my relatives stay there. It's clean (at least cleaner than Bombay), wide roads and lots of places to see (Tourism angle).
But I could never live there. I find it extremely wierd to believe that a girl cannot use public transport at about 10:00 pm cause it's unsafe. I find the attitude of people in Delhi very superficial, very driven towards proving some point, I don't know what. Maybe I've met the exceptions
Excerpts from a recent conversation with a colleague in Delhi
We come out of a 5 star hotel and her chauffeur is waiting right in front of her with her car.
W- Ok P! It was lovely meeting you. If I wasn't going to Switzerland next week for the nth time we could've met again. Anyway I wonder where my car is
Me- (Pointing out to the car), Isn't that it?
W- Oh yeh! actually I have 3 Mercedes so it's really difficult to remember which one I came in
Me- Later! Secretly wished I never have to see her again
Ok I have just rambled up some stuff. Great way to beat the Monday Blues I say
School Time Capsule
| Honge_kaamyaab_hum... |
While browsing through some websites I came across the above. I heard the song after a gap of about 8-10 years and it brought back some amazing memories of the past. School Days! How I loved them and how I miss them.
I went to an all girls convent school in Bombay and it truly has been a backbone of the strong foundation that I am made up of today. I had the most amazing teachers (not all of them, but most), friends and experiences all my school life.
We had an assembly every morning before our school day began. 2 school bells rang every morning. One at 8:45am, which was my wake up alarm. I could actually hear it at home since I lived that close. The second one at 9:00 which is when everyone had to assemble on the grounds. I would reach school sharp at 9:02 am running, panting, tie in hand, having argued with mom. We had endless arguments every single morning on 2 issues
a) While combing my 2 plaits (gosh! they were compulsory and how I hated them) with black ribbons
b) Why milk is good for you
Even though I loved school, one thing I will never be able to fathom was our uniform. It had the magical ability of making even a thin girl look fat, imagine the slightly overweight ones and it was the worse colour. Chocolate brown skirt, cream blouse with a red tie. Girl Guides like myself had a blue uniform on a few days which was alright and we had a white uniform on physical training days which was quite alright too. The neighboring boy school always called us cockroaches and somehow I don't blame them. The colour of the skirt was exactly the colour of a cockroach.
Anyway moving on from ugly insects to prettier things, I have so many memories attached to school.
School brings back days of: Praying so hard that there are floods and we have a holiday (sadistic i know!), exam tension, tuition classes and fun, skirts that were supposed to be 4 fingers below the knee but which were actually 4 fingers above, knee length socks (ya right!), short nails with no nail polish, girl guide picnics, Sleeping in geography class while sitting up front, wanting to be a captain to bunk class, playing trum cards during drawing class (I sucked at drawing), hulk hogan was a favourite, mom coming for result day, going home for lunch, ravi the watchman, diamond the dog, gatepass, calendar remarks, birthday parties, farewell parties
Those were the days of simple times, simple things and even simpler people and the only problems being
a) How will I bunk tuition, escape homework or balance equations
b) and wondering which one amongst us, the headboy of the neighboring school actually liked :)
Those were the days of simple times, simple things and even simpler people and the only problems being
a) How will I bunk tuition, escape homework or balance equations
b) and wondering which one amongst us, the headboy of the neighboring school actually liked :)
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Stuffy Issues
So last night when I got back from work, I had about an hour before I had to leave for dinner with an old old friend, I decided to clear out my cupboard which has quite been a dumping ground for almost anything in the past few weeks. I can't help it man! I am lazy and I hate tidying up.
I am a Virgo and supposed to be a very tidy, finicky person, but I'm not.
As long as my room or anything is clean on the outside, who cares about the inside or whether the cupboard is about to burst like a volcano or the drawers are screaming in pain due to the overload. Now this generally does not appeal to Typical Virgo Mom who generally clears the stuff which works out really well for me. Well this time she decided to let me be and when I opened my cupboard what a disaster it was!!
I've figured, it's not me who is untidy, I just own too many things . The clothes, I cannot begin to even describe the number that just fell on me like a pile of trash. Gosh! I've been greedy. I have even forgotten about more than half of them. I tried counting the number of shoes I owned but failed miserably. I cant even donate them or give them away (not because I am an ice maiden, thank you very much), but because they are all NEW.
And from when did I start owning that much make up?? I've never used the slightest make up in my entire life, yet my vanity case's are full of blushes, concealers, ANTI AGE CREAMS (why oh why!), highlighters, lip glosses, you name it.
I could throw a party for my friends cause my perfectly packed perfume bottles have probably turned into alcohol cause I haven't used them in so long. It's taking me forever to finish the stuff I own now, to actually open new stuff.
God it was an ordeal cleaning that whole room last night. At least I've found the crux from where those huge credit card bills generate. I have to be banned from shopping. I shop impulsively without realizing that I need no more stuff. Also people have a fetish for one thing. I have a fetish for at least 10.
My new years resoultion for 08 was- I will not shop for anything for myself for at least 6 months January 1st 2008 onwards.
But heck! rules are meant to be broken right? ;)
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