Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A Date


Birthday, Anniversary, Graduation day, first meeting, first kiss, first look, first car, house warming, fell in love, the break up date, fell in love the second time, the third, the forth, etc, etc, etc. Out of 365 days, at least 300 have some relevance. I don’t know if men will agree, but for women, numbers mean a lot, so what if they’re just in a calendar!

And not only happy dates, sad ones too. A particular day can bring a smile or a tear according to the bearing it holds. Why do we attach such a lot of importance to dates?

I know, to rejoice the occasion. Ask any guy and he will be torn between his loyalty to his girl and how much he dreads the occasion he had almost forgotten. If I tell my husband you missed something important today, he will first recall the date, think if it is some anniversary, obviously won't remember, ask me a million times, and then take a sigh of relief. (Only recently we agreed to celebrate only one day, and I just can’t recall which one we agreed upon.)

It happens with me as well. I will see the date on my phone and think if it’s an important date. I will think of all the people I know and if it’s somebody's birthday. Sometimes I’ll remember the birthday of a girl I knew 15 years back and smile. If I'm in the mood, I'll even say a little prayer to wish her well. Oh, I can be so sweet at times!! And yes, I can be good at some dates too.

I’m not proud of it. We should live in the moment and celebrate each day as it comes. Birthday, Christmas is fine, but remembering the first day you walked hand in hand with a special someone could be traumatizing for that someone!

So, does today leaves you confused about its significance or the lack of it?

Sunday, December 26, 2010

2000 - 2010, 18 - 28, a decade well lived!

Just realised - it’s not the end of a year, but an end to a decade, a decade in which I started with 18 and ended on 28. And boy, what a decade it was!

What I remember about the year 2000 is the Internet! I had a crush on every guy I met online, except one – he had a crush on me. Talk about being choosy!

2001 was about entering graduation and marrying off a cousin sister with whom I shared a number of similarities. Graduation was about the new found freedom and everything naughty that comes with it!

2002 was sweet followed by a sweet and sour 2003!

And 2004 was hilarious! This is when my graduation ended and I had no idea what I wanted to do. So I took up an MBA coaching, A freelancing job with the local newspaper and to mess it up further, enrolled for post grad in Economics! If that’s not being confused then what is!?

And it was in this year, in which I decided to marry this cute guy whom I met and now call my husband. I think that ended all my confusion and I knew I can chill in life now!

2005 was awesome. B-school and dating at JIM and IIM, respectively. I really had my hands full!

2006 and 2007 were about a wonderful college life that I miss every now and then. I was a good student, excellent at taking responsibilities and finally a workaholic in a recruitment consultancy that me and my friends started.

But after earning a little bit, 2008 was the BIG year of my wedding. I enjoyed every moment of it like a typical bride-to-be.

2009 and 2010 have been 2 beautiful years of being married and understanding life from a very different point of view. I never imagined myself as a wife and still find it hard to believe that I am one. For me, these years have been like dating a guy without the fear of bumping into a family member. I’ve lived a completely transformed life and have met so many new people in numerous different places.

If I had to choose a year in this decade, I really can't 'cause I loved each and every one of it. I wish the same for the next decade. Considering 18 to 28 never comes back and are certainly the most glorious years of one's life, I'll try to behave like an 18 - 28 in the next decade as well!!
I think it will all be about writing, traveling and continuing the trend of exploring the world with my boyfriend for life! I’m ready for all the challenges and opportunities it will bring and look forward to writing a happy blog post about it in 2020!

Watch this space and wish me luck :)

Monday, December 20, 2010

iBrag

This is in continuation to this post!


So, I thought I'll delete my Orkut profile(Yeah, it's so LS all of a sudden :P). But then I thought about the wonderful testimonials some loved ones had written down. I thought of copying them in a safe folder. What's more safe than my blog... and I get to show them off too!!

Sumit(I never published this testimonial coz he, my husband, thinks his masculinity diminishes if he expresses his love in public!Maybe there is some other reason, but I have not been able to comprehend it. Since there's less public here, I would paste it!)

what do i say abt a girl who has come into my life and changed it in such a way that i just can't remember how my life was without her,and i just cant imagine how can i ever live without her!
all i can say is....
i love you sweetheart,forever!


Prachi(My best friend from school.. can't get enough of her!)

ok now tis girl is weird......she will carry her tiffin to aryans n will eat tat coz she is on a diet...n thn sum othr day will order a family size pizza, garlic bread, pasta n a pitcher of coldrink coz she is reaaalllyyy hungry!!lol....nw tats being wonderfully weird i guess. she is a frnd who'll not console u by sayng evrythng will be alrt...she'll say...stop brooding over it n face it!! she might not always say wat one wants to hear but watevr she'll say will be much more logical n sensible..(i regret of nt listening to her many times ;(... ) she is headstrong yet emotional....kamini yet sweet!! n punjabi evn u r my BESTEST frnd yaaar....n making me realise the diffrnce between having a frnd..n HAVING a frnd!! love u!

Noorien(Testimonial number 1, when you'll read the next one you'll see how much we fell in love after some months!)

well this girls a real granny... what were u talkin abt my scolding dear...talk abt urself.. she ll pass some most ruthless statements so coldly leaving the person wonder... "did i just get nagged???".. now y i call her a granny is bcoz im answerable to her all the time.. if i forget an assignment she ll give those "oh hopeless girl" kinda looks.. if im on an eating binge she ll coldly nod her head in a "no use stopping her " kinda response... but tell u the truth she has made my stay at jaipuria worth it.. i really dont know what would i be doing without her.. you ve been a great support (and terror).. thank you for getting me out of so many messes.. ( by the way you dont know but i have secretly followed a lot of your advices) love u for what u r!!!!!

Noorien(Testimonial number 2 from a girl I met in graduation, didn't like that much, became best friends in MBA, inseparable now)

Well...anyone who meets nisha for the first time wud find her very poised and graceful.. dignified n sensible... but know her more n u ll discover that she is stupid...n silly... n loves to gossip ..n a miser.. n cheerful.. n kind.. n wild....n carefree... n laughs on anything n everything... n loves to party... n loves shopping... n thats the nisha i love... She is a delightful company n a great companion when it comes to shopping... i dont enjoy shopping with anyone as much as i do with her... she is also a great friend.. i cant remember a time when i or any of her friends needed her n she wasnt there... but that doesnt mean she ll stick around all the time.. she gives her friends all the space they need n steps up whenever needed...
As for the bond that we share i think u n i both know...
So dear... here it is... ur testimonial.. finally written n uploaded.. (did i forget smth?? hope i wrote evth u asked me to write...?? )

Megha(my cousin sister and an admirer!!)
nisha...!!
a cool person...spoke to her for da 1st tym...olthough shes my cousin...but earlier she thought dat i ws too small...n mayb quite boring...

but now it seems dat she enjoyd da days spent 2gether...she is very sweet...sometimes she loves to eat and eat and eat till she literally drops...is crazy about FRIENDS...The series… ws damn afraid of havin a ride on a scooty but after tryin it she has started luvin it...a very good writer..(no doubt) has a damn cute smile...a vry good listener(coz she listened to me oll da tym) lolz... is quite intelligent n a good cook(she told me to write dis)..!!!

i thnk dat m olready missin her......!! or am i ??

shes rilli special 2 me... n 2 sum1 else olso...lolz....olthough she loves to say 'i know' but hardly knows nething.... and so i call her ....'aadhi hoshiyaar'..!!

Nitesh Kumar(A dear Bihari friend from Management college)
Hi.

Now I am going to write abt. one of the promoter of my favorite company.
Nissa. Punjabi
I haven’t seen iske jaisa mature person in my life. College ki to baat hi choro..
koi bhi gossip ho chahe apne batch ka ya juniors ka ya phir apne faculty.. ka Isse malum nahi ho? ho hi nahi sakta… she is my Boss in that . nisha ke samne to main 2nd hoon. But she is very very good at heart, she knows kahan per kya baat karni hai. are haan main ye kaise bhool sakta hoon in ka dressing sense best in the college. Very committed to her work Agar madam ne koi kaam than liya to karke rahengi. She is my mentor in decisionmaking . Ab humlog door ho gaye hain bahut door per phir bhi paas hain phone per..she was my first crush in the college (aisa log bolte hain..per aisa kuch nahi hai..) she is my one of the. very very very..best friend.. Be like this .forever. Its very difficult to get friend like you.
I m proud to say everybody that i m a friend of india's one of the Promising writer.

Miss u


Aradhana(A dear friend in Bahrain,and an 'un-loseable' neighbor)

N-nice
I-intelligent
S-stylish
H-humble
A-admirable............ and a lot more adjectives can be added for her.Beauty wid Brains suits her and she likes to read a whole lot of things.

I like her as she is very positive in life and ya she has taught me to be the same.though v belong to the same place but first time I met her in Bahrain. A person who is not biased in telling whatever is in her mind.she loves travelling and wanna go to diff places especially.......

her kababs are just fabb and all of us in the group are crazyyyyy of them :) v loveee them.....

most of the time v r together bt I never feel bored. feel her to b a part of ma family. she is lively and wanna live life to the Best. I wish her all the best things in life, be happy n glowing.


I guess I will keep coming back to this whenever I'm low. Now I know why we need people to comment and testify even if they say good things in person!You know, Personal Appreciation in Public!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Personal appreciation in Public



Everyone loves being complimented. Of course, there is always this uncertainty about the compliment being genuine, deep in our hearts we take it as true and take pride in it.

There was a time when one person in a big group will tell you that you were looking nice. Even if you were looking drop-dead gorgeous, rarely someone would come up and say it on your face. It’s true even today. I would look at her, find her absolutely stunning, admire her dress, wish it were mine and get back to what I was doing glancing at the dress every few minutes. But I will not compliment! Yes, it is a vice and I’m working on it.

And one way is through the ubiquitous social networking. Not only compliment, sometimes I fake compliment too! But that’s not what I want to discuss. I want to talk about another vice – being complimented in front of a crowd.

If your friend calls up and tells that she saw your pictures and that you are looking amazing, you ask her to make a comment! Stooping down to such low levels makes me wonder about networking and everything social about it. Isn't a compliment enough in this day and age that you want her to go through the agony of typing a word that hasn’t been said in the 15 comments above hers!? Does count matter, especially publicly?

I don’t go to many blogs to get hits on mine. I have not shared the link on facebook, twitter or orkut. This is a very personal space and I can only share it with very close people or harmless strangers. My best friends are avid readers of my blog and they compliment me everytime they read a post. Their appreciation is what encourages me to write the next post.

But why do I get this feeling that it would have felt so much better had they written their views in the comments section and not in a personal e-mail!? Recently a friend started reading my blog and I felt exhilarated with her approval. She even discussed it with a few other friends. Yet I miss the written testimony!

What is it about public count that makes us these disgusting people that we are really not?! I am not an insecure person. Not that I don’t need approval from time to time, I don’t crave for it like this. Yet I have this subconscious desire which makes me sound like a complete idiot!

And I know for a fact that you have it too! Ever tried to understand why?

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Three cheers to 2010!

Just a fortnight, and 2010 will take its last breath. It’s time to look back and see how the year was, how it changed your life and how you can make the next one even better. Or, wilder!

Yes, that’s how I look at endings. They may be sad alright, but they bring with it a new ray of hope and a feeling that the best is yet to come. So, you might have screwed up a whole lot last year, 2011 is here and you have a chance to undo a few things. Me, I loved 2010 and nothing in this world can change the better 2011 I’m about to see! Oooh, I love the positivity! Here are a few lessons learnt:

Never take hubby to a hill station. He’s annoying without beer and beach!!

Exotic travel destinations like Ladakh are breathtaking. But they don’t relax you like 3 days of fun in Dubai or 10 days of just driving around in Chandigarh.

Gadgets are not just a man’s thing. I felt like a moron while writing about electronics for a while. In the end I was enlightened and in love with them.

When God gives you a pain in the ass, he has a plan. Don’t go to him and weep. Try to look beyond and think what he might be thinking for the betterment of your ass!

Never go to Qatar and Kuwait. A few scattered buildings, extremely rich Sheikhs who make you feel like a person under poverty line and a very boring night life are a few things that make these countries useless.

Never underestimate the power of singers like Atif Aslam. Oh, I had a blast at his show!!
28 is not a year to worry about your skin like that Ponds advert proclaims (the ad is highly offensive). Just the other day a guy in his early 20’s came running after me for my phone number. He even gave me an unforgettable compliment. I would have died had a guard not been around!! Anyway, thank God for such losers!

How I met your mother, Desperate Housewives, Southpark, Family Guy and The Big Bang Theory reduce boredom and fill your life with some good humour. Sex and the City starts and ends with the same thing. Yes, I watched all the seasons of all these serials in 2010. Talk about being idle!

Emailing your friends on a regular basis is the best thing in the world. Me and my friends exchange atleast 2-3 emails every week. We are in 3 different countries yet it feels like college. Open your account and mail your friends right now!

That’s all I can think of at this point. 4 stars to my 2010! If not more, I’ll be giving atleast 4 to my 2011 as well with more travel, writing, partying, learning and much more wisdom!

How many stars will you give to yours?

Monday, November 29, 2010

Loneliness bluessss

Things Loneliness at night can do to you:

Eat a bar of chocolate and wake up with a hangover (you know, the headache of losing 2000 calories)

Write intelligent status messages: ‘I hate my new shampoo’, ‘I’m with my parents in chowk(in lucknow) and missing my jaanu(husband who’s like 3 kms away in Lucknow)’, ‘my head wants to forget him but my heart is screaming how can I’ … Oh they make me sick!!!!!!!!

Start watching You Tube with a news item and then moving on to several episodes of Ellen causing a sleepless night

Playing Bejewelled relentlessly

Analysing how God has been unfair and mourning over your friend’s success!

Oh, then there’s a lot of stuff you can do with yourself which would have been easy to explain if I were a guy!

Resisting going to the refrigerator, trying hard, but giving up resulting in another analysis of how you’ve been a failure


Moral of the Post – Get a partner/Never let your husband travel for work/Make friends who can chat with you all night/Start Blogging so that you can sulk in private thinking someone would read and sympathise!!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

This is how you could have said...!!

No one will write a poem on my birthday for me
Not that I’m not special, He’s just not into expressing creatively.
So darling let me say, what you would have written
And since I’m penning this down, I’ll go overboard with how you are smitten!

You give me those cute names and I know you mean each of them
I know I’m a cutie, I know you’ve earned a gem!
It’s loving to have you around and how you constantly aim for my neck
I know it's sexy, just love your sweet peck..ss!

It’s easy to be your strength, for you rarely let yourself fall
It’s easy to be around, since you are there at my beck and call!
Oh baby my perfection, comes from you and only you
If it wasn’t for you, my sunshine would have been so blue!

It would have been so much better if you were capable of compiling this too,
Next year if you try my patience, I’ll treat you in a way, that’s reserved for a lucky few!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Behind the scenes

My phase on this blog is getting so boringgggggg!!! I sound like Nisha devi!! Actually, people around me have been saying that I'm very good at inspiring. So, I thought I'll show off my talent here as well. But alas, I just cant stand myself doing this, readers or no readers!

I even thought of going a step further and writing a book. I thought I'll try to inspire through stories and blah. I don't have a problem with that. What I don't like is, being serious. Even if its motivating in the gravest of situations, if I can't laugh during my satsang/pravachan, I don't like it!

Having said that, what is this post really about? It's yet another satsang, but if I'm not funny, you'll not get to read it. So, let me give it a try!

Bhaiya, these pictures on FB. It seems like we live for them. I can't repeat my anniversary dress on my husband's birthday even if we are going out alone. Why? I'll put up the pics and people will see. Hawww!!
I can't even put my Karvachauth pics. Why? I don't want my reputation of a self-proclamed 'babe' stoop down to a behenji! Even though I loved the henna, the bangles, the tiny bindi, the chamko saree and everything associated with the beautiful festival. But well, I have to live upto a reputation.Yes, I do.
There are so many things I want to tell you about these pictures. But saying this out loud make me feel like the tiniest person on earth. Even though I'm cent percent sure you feel them too and you'll nod in agreement. Sadly, you'll only do that in your thoughts and so will I!

Don't get me started on pictures I see. Perfectly poised, newest attire, impeccable smile... makes you jealous, doesn't it? Pictures of parties which were claimed to be as perfect madness, romantic dinners that make you wonder if you're missing louve in your life and of'course those holiday shots...what can I say!?

Nothing wrong in showing off your best. And no, there's nothing wrong in feeling a wee bit jealous that your life is not as 'happening'. What is actually wrong is comparing your life with what you see and then sulking about it.

Because you actually have no idea about what's not captured through the lens. For starters, that perfect pose could be momentary, that rocking party would have gossip mongers, and that holiday you see, could have had several fights all along.
People with the worst profile picture could have the best of lives. People who don't really care about creating an album might be living in the moment and having the time of their life. These could be the most genuine people around.

There are people I know who look like they're happy, but I have proof that they're not quite there. I'm sure you know some of them too. So why sulk on seeing that attractive dress on that pretty girl? For all you know, she would never have the affection within the four walls like you do! And at the end of it all, that is what matters most.

This ain't funny. But it makes sense. Read it!Meanwhile, I'll put some nice October pics on Facebook. :D

Friday, October 15, 2010

Best Present

Memories. They bring back smiles, they remind you of the tears, and if you have a happy present, they all add up to the best you could have ever had.

There was a time I use to love thinking about the past and the future. I cherished small memories and use to relive them each day. I use to wonder about the future and think if it would be happy. There were things I never imagined I could ever have. There were things I never imagined I could ever lose. Things fell into place only for the better, and I thank God for that.

I realised early in life that no matter how much I think about the past or future, it would not change my present. ‘Whatever will be, will be’ became my motto in life. And that made me a very happy person.

I was going through some diary notes and old poems today. Every word had a reflection of my state of mind in that year. I smiled at some amazing memories that flashed and had a strange feeling about the sad ones. And then, like time had stopped, there were no entries after a while.

And I realised that it was the time when I stopped worrying about past and future. That was the time I started living my life. Does this mean, we write more only when we want to capture the moment and want to relive it in the future? Really, words are all I have of my past. I’m not even 30, but my memory has had a serious loss! And when I read those words, they bring back a clear picture.

I guess I’m trying to say that it’s best to save our thoughts in our heads. Scratch your brains if you want to relive a special occasion. If you pen down every incident in your life, it will surely bring back some sad moments back in your present. Life is too short to think about them. Today is the best day of your life. Live it!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Do you agree!?

So you know, I gave that crap again. Some inspiring lines about life in general. Oh, and I said it on Facebook. So there were bound to be comments. Ofcourse, why else would I post something if I didn't want some attention!! Ok, that deserves another post. Anyway, like always, there was someone who thought the statement wasn't true.

Now, I don't know that person well to make a judgment. And it's not really important if that statement/quote/saying holds true or not. What's important is that if someone is trying to infuse some positive energy into your stressful life, you embrace it or try to rationalize it?

If I say, "with all the drudgery, its still a beautiful life", you can either say if there's drudgery how can life be beautiful. Or, you can sigh and agree with me. If you disagree you're just looking at the negative aspects and creating further stress. Isn't it better to go with a positive person than trying to prove how she is over-the-top optimistic!?

Really, I don't know how such people will survives years of agony at home and stress at work. Believe it or not, being positive is not an easy job. It requires years of conditioning. You might be so engrossed in your rational world, that this might be of little significance to you. But someday, when you will reflect upon your life and think of the bad times, you will realise how different things would have been had you been more agreeable with people who tried to bring a smile on your face!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Incredible India?

The Commonwealth Games is the hottest topic on every Indian's mind. When I went to Delhi last month, I was stunned by the Domestic and International Terminal. Delhi roads and the idea of re-designing Connaught place impressed me too. It all looked pretty neat from the outside.

And then the scams hit the headlines. The treadmill and the toilet paper made more noise than anything else. Forging documents, teams walking out and leaking rooftops were breaking the news.

The inquiries will set in, there will be questioning and eventually things will die out. Even if there is a leak and spectators experience discomfort, the nation will forget after a while.

Only the tourist will remember each and every detail. They will take back memories of Incredible India as Disturbing India. If the babu's up there can be corrupt, do you think the taxi wala's will listen to Amir Khan? Do you really think Khan power is more encouraging than our 'exemplary' leaders?

The recent floods at Leh have been devastating. I was there just 10 days before the calamity and the place was full of foreign tourists perhaps more foreigners than Goa. There are thousands stranded at the Leh airport even after 12 days. Shouldn't the government be responsible to bring them back? The image has been shattered. Those outside who have been watching the news would think every tourist destination in India is incapable of doing anything for the visitors. The result is not difficult to imagine.

It won't be a surprise if CWG is a failure and if India's image is worsened. I just hope we, as citizens, fare better than our leaders in what we do best - being hospitable. I hope, if nothing else, the Khan power works and people take warm memories from the games.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Sheddin' a tear or two..

- So I cry everytime I leave my parents house. I hate parting. Even if I know I'll be back in no time, bidding adieu is the toughest thing to do for me.

This time I was strong. I smiled all through. Just as the car moved, my four year old niece said 'come back soon'. Hearing something like that from her made me bawl like a baby!!

- My mother-in-law is the sweetest person on earth. When she asked me to do something only a mother would, I spared no time and shed a tear or two!

- It's amazing. Even when I know there is 'something' I can never have and I've made up my mind that its no big deal, every time someone mentions things related to 'it', I have eyes full of tears. Why do we want everything in life? And why are 'somethings' so important?

When someone says something nice, when someone mentions a short coming, I get emotional. Is it a sign of immaturity?

My problem is why do we need to control our emotions when emotions are all we live for?

Someday I'll start a blog with only answers to these super-tough questions. Till then, I'll jump like a moron with happiness and cry like a baby when sad, what is life otherwise.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Love cont.

I'm new, into a marriage that is. It's been 1.5 years and still feels like it has always been this way. I loved my life without the wife tag. And I love my life with it. Nothing has changed or so it seems. If nothing more, my life has become better.

This makes me wonder, why do people dread marriage? If 2 people fall in love, have a strong bond and feel they can live with each other for the rest of their lives, then why do they fear registering it? There's always a risk involved, there's always this feeling of not being able to work it out, but isn't it a risk worth taking?

All the girls my age who got married around the same time as me, are crazy in love. 1-2 years is good enough a time to know things are sailing smooth. Again, future is unpredictable, but the present, well, all the girls admit - is lots of fun!

Is it too soon to tell? Are they pretending? Or, do we always look forward to something worse? If a couple is happy we fear something is about to ruin their happiness. When I talk about the newly wed girls, I do have a large database. Most of them feel they are still having an affair, just with a different last name. Could we ask for more?

If marriage is such a good thing, then why even after a certain age we feel we are not ready? And if we say we are, we have that unsettling feeling which tells us all is not well. Are we ever ready?

I know marriage is a Big thing. It requires commitment and adjustment. It requires patience, tolerance and a lot of understanding. There, that's why we fear it. We are afraid we might not be able to give our all to the relationship and wreck it in the end. What we fear more is how the other person might not be able to give his all in return.

If you're in love and you think you're almost there, I think marriage deserves a chance. No, its not trial and error. But if you're willing to walk your bit and have a little faith in your choice of partner, then be sure of succeeding at it. You'll never be ready. It will never be a cake-walk. It will require hard work. If you're willing to ignore the work you're putting in and concentrate on the beautiful results, love will continue happily ever after.

Just like in my case. And I'm not pretending.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Two different worlds

I've had the opportunity to be super lazy lately. I've been traveling with my husband for his work, so no household work means no work and all play.

No work and all play also means a lot of contemplation. Stupid questions like 'what am I doing with my life', 'Am I good at anything at all', blah blah come to my mind often. I pay no heed to these baseless doubts. My funda in life is clear, think less do more. Just one drawback, I do plan a lot and so the funda goes awry!

Anyway, to keep myself from thinking too much I watch a whole lot of tvduck. Now that's a site where you have all these angrezi drama series,sitcoms etc. Most first episodes have disappointed me. I started with Sex and the City and got absolutely hooked. What fascinated me was obviously, the amount of sex these women crave for! That and the female bonding which is as much fun to watch as the real coffee dates with my girl gang.

Another thing that's keeping me busy is the fascination for the world I see around me. The women behind veils and their life without them. I've read Girls of Riyadh and been reading Daughters of Arabia. You have to read these books to know what goes on in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Clearly I detest that country. Bahrain shares a boundary with it and recently we went for a drive there. Now I know, I even detest the air around that country!

I have nothing against any religion. I have friends, very good friends having different belief systems. I get extremely interested when they talk about their faith. It's the freedom of women that make me hate the country.

So there's liberty in Sex and the City where women sleep with different men every week till they find the right guy.They live independent lives, wear sultry clothes, and do what their heart desires. Whereas, here is one alien land where women are not allowed to drive, can't go out if not escorted by a male guardian, marry and divorce a man according to his willingness, let him have several partners and not say a word against it, i can go on and on.

I'm sure Middle East would be the area with the highest per capita expenditure on make up, perfumes, and bags. That's because, well, firstly these are the only things visible because of the abaya and secondly, they are immensely insecure about their relationships. I happen to meet a girl from the 'celebrated' land and the stories she told me were both amusing and disturbing.

I feel blessed to be born in the land where we are free. We have the right to sleep with several men and wear whatever we feel like. What we can do and what we do is another issue altogether. But atleast I know that I won't die in a building which is on fire just because the firemen wouldn't rescue me since I was not dressed properly. Really, this happened.

I recommend you both SatC and Daughters of Arabia or Princess for that matter. I also recommend you to read and watch these two at the same time. You'll feel stunned and blessed and your love for India will grow manifold.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Deadline uploaded

I just scanned through my posts in 2007... the year I started blogging. I love all the posts! Makes me wonder why I don't blog anymore. Its like a life's journal. You can see the state of mind clearly through those posts.

Probably when you're writing for a living you have the 'flow'. Now that I rarely do that, and I clearly cant explain why, I'm at a loss for words.

And so, I've decided. I have a story idea... for a book. As of now, I dont know if I'll publish it. I have no clue how I will go about it. I don't know if someone will read it! But write, I will.

Why am I writing this here? Well, I have a tendency to drop things even before I start. Writing this down helps me make a commitment. I also need a deadline. Lets make it April 2011.

It all sounds very stupid. What the heck, this is my space, my journal. Laugh if you wanna, i'll see you in 2011. With or without 'the book'!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Emotional Atyachaar

Since the last few months, I haven't seen much on TV, thanks to a constant problem with my provider. Somehow, I don't feel the need to get a new one. Really, it's so much better to connect to the internet or listen to radio rather than watch these disgusting TV shows.

So who do you think RAHUL will marry?? I don't have a favorite. If I did, I would not want her to marry this loser! Remember him on BIGG BOSS? If he is what he was on that show, and quite likely he is what he was, I pity the girl who would marry him!

And what's with this Emotional Atyachaar on Bindaas??Spare me the fake reality shows. Girls smooching on TV, guys being slapped, the lecherousness, uff...give me something real like Khatron ke Khiladi or entertaining like Roadies, this is downright disgusting.

The only thing I like on TV now is How I Met Your Mother. Somehow it comes once in 2-3 weeks. What's the deal guys? Make it a regular show!Natonal Geographic and Travel & Living has quite a few good shows too. But most of the times they are repeats.

I wish TV was better. If you have any suggestion, do let me know. Maybe I'm convinced to get a new set top box.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Sachin aalaa re...!!

I don't know anyone who isn't proud to be an Indian. Nevertheless, on a day like today, when the God of cricket, the master blaster, Sachin Tendulkar hits the first ever double ton in an ODI, that chill runs down your spine.

Really, that hero gives us yet another reason to be proud, proud to be an Indian. More power to him :)

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Some days are just bad.

You know you have to be positive, but it seems too hard.
You try to ignore the problem and focus on the good things, but the negativity finds it's way through.
You try to smile, but tears just come out from nowhere.
You know its nothing as compared to the lives of a million others, but you start comparing a few handfuls.
You know this too shall pass, but somehow it drags on.
You know shopping, eating, drinking, laughing can fight the blues, but all you want to do is be alone.
You know there's nothing that cannot be sorted, but the answers don't satisfy you.


Really, we know all the positive words, have all the possible answers, still, some days are just sad.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

To gym or Not to gym!

Whenever I have to exercise/do yoga/go to the gym, there are always the two of me. One the stronger me who says you can do it girl, just 5 more minutes. And the other, a much stronger me who says, tomorrow I'll do 5 more minutes, today let me take a much deserving break!

I know for a fact that everyone takes the much-stronger person to the gym as well. So how does it go? Let's call the determined one Fatty and the less determined one Aalsi(Lazy in angrezi, oops, english)!

Fatty gets on the treadmill, after 2 minutes:
Fatty: Wow, it's been 2 minutes. Today I'll stretch the 20 minute run to 25.It's going pretty well, I feel so energetic.
Aalsi: Hahahaha, we shall see.

After 5 mins that seem like eternity
Fatty: I'm just feeling the heat, its good for me. The weekend's coming. Can make it to 25. Keep going girl. Starts to sing out loud.
Aalsi: Only 5 minutes. When I'm shopping time flies by, and here I am, 5 minutes seem to be like an hour.

After 10 mins that seem like a whole day
Fatty: (she's becoming weaker) Let me complete 20. then will see about the 25.
Aalsi: Cool hai, 700 metres. Thats a whole lot. I'll finish in 15 minutes.

Fatty: Trying not to look at the time. Determined not to look for the next 2 minutes.
Aalsi: Within 30 seconds she feels its been 2 minutes, looks at the screen, bangs a little, makes faces, wants to get down.

15 minutes pass. Fatty wants to make use of the time she's taken out for the gym. Aalsi wants to get down and chit chat with her friend.

On a good day Aalsi wins. But, ya, a girl gotto do what she gotto do, so I try to put Fatty in the lead. Anyway, it's time for me to hit the gym, Fatty is pressurizing. Aalsi is kinda sleeping. Hope she doesn't wake up till I really get on that treadmill!Wish me luck people :)

So who's awake at your place,hmm?

Monday, February 15, 2010

When I was His phone!

He loves it more than anything else and so I made a wish, a wish to be my husband’s cell phone. The next morning, magically, life changed, and I was ringing to wake S up.

My whole body was shaking. I was humming Winds of Change, S’s alarm tune. He loved to wake up to it. When I wasn’t a phone, I use to shake him up, lovingly stroke his hair or just ask him to wake up in a lifeless tone. And here I was, at 6 in the morning, singing and whistling.

I saw his hands come up to me. He opened his tired eyes and pressed my left foot. Oh wait, that was a snooze button. ‘C’mon’, I thought,’ get up and let me sleep a little more’. But he wouldn’t budge. He snoozed me 6 times! And me, like a loyal phone, sang his favourite tune till he woke up at 6:30.

While I lay there, I thought if he realised the human me wasn’t next to him. But he didn’t. It was as if he knew that I had transformed into something I had wished for. He loved it, I’m sure.

I feared the next few moments. S would wear his lenses and put me on charging. I had a clinging feeling on my right foot and I was being transferred energy. It was nice. Without any effort I could get food and water and a willingness to be active all day. I dozed off till I was woken up to a sick smell.

Ah, there it was. I hated it when he took his cell in the loo. Eww, it was smelly all around. The only solace was the touch of his fingers all over my body while he spent 15 mins on the pot. I was willingly showing him his new mails, Facebook updates and Tweets. He opened Google news and scrolled down to Entertainment. Really, reading an update on Angelina Jolie is not news hubby. So that’s what you called important. Ha, now I knew.

He charged me yet again and finished his morning chores by applying half a bottle of Armani Code. Today, I would know who smells it anyway.

He didn’t even miss me at breakfast. It was as if he loved cereals and milk to omellete, nuts and a very healthy glassful of juice! In between his spoonfuls, he kept touching the screen as if Angelina Jolie had another update.

It was fun being driven down to office. For a change he concentrated on the road more than me, his cell phone. It was 730, I dozed off as usual!

I was claustrophobic in his pocket. I wish he could take me out. But for over an hour, busy in some stupid meeting, he didn’t even look at me. I had to make a noise to get out of the darkness. And so I beeped without a reason. He took me out, looked for reasons and when he couldn’t find any, he just calmly put me on the table.
So my beeping made no difference to him? Men fail to understand our tears and ignore the whole thing. But c’mon I was the phone, you know, The phone whom he loved so much. He ought to pay more attention.

After he was done with his submission, he picked me up. Oh, so he was busy, now he would look into the unusual beeping. He didn’t! He wrote an sms to his friend for a booze party at night. Hey, that’s all men do when the wives are not around, right? Uh, I was the one who flashed the positive reply from the bugger who would dirty my house that night.

Work kept him busy. He didn’t need entertainment so I was ignored. I rang a few times during the day. It was weird how I was full of life when I had to hum his favourite caller tunes. I wondered if it was really me around him the whole day, would he ignore me in the same way. He dare not!

It was claustrophobic again while going back home. He hummed songs that were played on the radio. Doesn’t happen when I am in the front seat. Was I stopping him from being himself? Quite sure, I was!

He kept looking at me at home. From news to mails to an episode of ‘How I met your Mother’, I followed his command. He smiled at me, laughed quite a few times, it was all too good to be true! Then the friend came and the booze party began.

When that other guy asked my specifications, S proudly chattered all. He remembered evey bit about the phone. He wouldn’t know what color his wife likes, but the RAM in the phone was told even before it was asked.

He was reluctant to hand me to him. S was being possessive of me. Or, was it the phone? Ah, I guess that was one similarity I shared with his N900!

Next day, when it was me again, I tried to hum Winds of Change so that he would love me as much as he loves his phone. He looked at me with his cute sleepy eyes and asked me to stop singing . I hugged him and said nothing. He kissed on my cheek and went back to sleep. I scored over the phone!

Moral of the illogical story: It’s not that they loved their gadgets more, it’s just the way gadgets come with specifications, don’t fret when he doesn’t pay more attention to an unusual beep, never feel ignored and just be on their command all the time.
Oh, I learned a lot while I wrote this story. Why don’t you try a hand at being something that you aren’t for a day. It’s fun!

Bad Romance?

I don't know any girl who doesn't dream of her guy coming home with a bunch of flowers. Yeah, every girl wishes for surprise gifts, candle lit dinners, close dancing, isolated islands and all the stuff that Mills and Boons was made of. Our fascination for romance doesn't die even if the partner is not keen enough.

More often than not, he isn't! My Boy read somewhere a few months back that romantic novels and movies put wrong ideas in a girl's head. That statement has stuck with him. So whenever i am watching a chick flick with love blooming from all angles, the Boy makes a sick face! Why such a big gap in the XX and XY chromosomes? Why can't they be cute and romantic once in a while and fulfill all our expectations?!

My argument is, we have rather high expectations! If he buys me a gift, I expect another a few days later. If he buys me flowers, I tend to believe I will get them frequently!Most men understand this, give up and stop being romantic at all.

Another argument is that every guy has a different way of being romantic. Some may hold your hand while watching tv, kiss you every time the elevator door closes, make excuses to eat at your favorite eatery, you know, do things that are not usually depicted in books or movies.

So this Valentines Day, even though I nagged and got a very smart watch, I've decided to appreciate the smaller romantic gestures and not look for something that every Tom does! I don't think I'm compromising. Maybe I'm just growing up and looking at the menu has become more interesting than looking into the eyes at a candle lit dinner!

Spread love babes and make everyday a Valentines day :)