An old draft - Nov 2008

Not that I am getting the time to sit and think, but in the empty pockets of time, the mind wanders..towards the life ahead with all its changes. The largeness of the day fast approaching is only just settling in, and that too is just the beginning. Keeping aside the emotional quotient, a new life with new people does give me those occasional butterflies. Overall, a lot of anxiety put to rest. But sweet lord, this is it. Am going to stop making sense beyond a point because words are just not there to describe the feeling.

Now: 9 months, still settling but happiest I've ever been. Marriage - It's different!!

Fasting & Feasting

I have not read the book, and I don't know what it's about. But I know that I should be celebrating getting married and feasting, but am fasting instead. Without any intent of making a mockery of our Indian culture and value system, I am compelled to know the rationale behind so many beliefs that we have. And one of them being today. Will Indian husbands really live longer if their wives don't eat and drink for a day. Don't wives pray for their mates health, wealth and happiness every single day, that they need to do make special efforts on this one day in the year. Am not so much into womens lib, so am not going to go that route and argue about how men should also do something similar.

I may sound it, but I don't mean to be complainitive. It's a festival and a part and parcel of our tradition and culture. Though I may want to rationalise it, I don't think I have it in me to challenge it.

Top of the world

Such a feelings coming over me
There is wonder in most everything I see
Not a cloud in the sky
Got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream

Something in the wind has learnt my name
And it's telling me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasing sense of happiness for me

~ Carpenters~

By the window sill..

You are vibrant, young and stylish
You cheer me up when I walk into my room
You put me to sleep, you wake me up
You cool me down, you brighten my day
You are worth every minute it took to find you

Oh how I enjoy having you around...my new curtain drapes

'Commercial' Entertainment

It is quite an art to deliver a message in a matter of 45-60 seconds, don't you think?? And some of these guys did a fantastic job at it in my opinion.

I used to love this one, and almost to run to the TV room everytime this commercial would start - just to see the delightful expression of happiness that the woman potrays here.


The phones available today are although much smaller than the one in this commercial, but such commercials are just so rare to find today.


Singing along with Lehar Pepsi aha!!! There was another one on pepsi from the days Aishwarya Rai was a model and played Sanjana along with Aamir Khan (Yes, I used to be quite crazy about him in those days, so therefore the affinity with the ad). Well, dint manage to find that one, but this one brings back memories too..


Extinct drink - Extinct commercial


Though the sound quality of this one aint great, but the childs expression on 'Jalebi' is to die for


Simplicity in creativity

Journal art

A well wisher recently told me that he's bored of what I've put up here. And everytime I have been thinking of writing something since, a small teeny weeny performance pressure grips me. Anyhow, now I am over it, so here goes:

1. Have found myself actioning on the things I have been wanting to do for a while now, and I am loving it. For starters, this was possibly the first birthday of it's kind I had. Yes, I did turn 28 - but you know, it's really not that old. It's only and hopefully only half my life - there is so much more in store to learn from the second half. Anyway, so turning old is not what made me spiritual/religious and took me to Amritsar - and neither was it to meet a marriage prospect (I had atleast 4 people asking me that question). It was the want of doing something different. Given the liking I have taken to travel, the desire to see more of my own country, and value of the time I have with my parents, I decided to give up the usual wining and dining and do this instead. And I thoroughly enjoyed turning 28.


2. Have taken to a new interest - Art. No, not visiting art galleries and museums and trying to comprehend what others express. But trying to express myself in black and white, and a little bit of water and colour. And it is fascinating. Well, am just a beginner and am yet only trying my hand at the simpler techniques. But hopefully, the interest will last long enough so I can finally have something to tell the mummy's and daddy's when they ask me about my hobbies :-). Come on, you know me better than that - that's not even remotely the reason.


3. I called up the organisers of various dance classes conducted in Delhi. I will soon pay up for the weekend batch, but atleast I have a registration number now - am moving in that direction.


4. Am also finally back to the rythm of one hindi movie a week. And am so glad Ads has moved to Delhi - Its what they call 'ek teer se do nishane' - I can pamper her, as well as have company for the most trashy movies ;-) But I am thinking about BeeforBollywood.


5. The other thing that is keeping me busy these days is reading the shopaholic series. Am still on confessions, but it already has made me confess on the shopaholic instincts I am developing. Am hoping its a commonality with women my generation and age. And more so, just a phase..


6. Work is really uninteresting these days. The Organisation has done some bit of restructuring and everyone is trying to deal with the change. So am I. Hopefully I have made the right decisions. One of my oldest colleagues and once upon a time the only friend at work has resigned. And that is pretty much seems the end of our roller coaster ride together.

Journal art is something I read about as I was researching my new found interest. You get rid of the clutter in the mind by writing a journal, and then close your eyes and draw random lines with a blank mind. A shape automatically emerges, which you fill in for a complete painting. My journal's done, so now lets give the art a try.

Jai Hind

With all entertainment channels at their patriotic best this weekend, it dawned on me (Its a pity, I need external influence to trigger such thoughts)...How selfless were the people who fought for our country? What did they get in return? Pride and honour? From who? Generations like ours and the ones to follow who don't even know the names of all the martyrs who bled for us. Such immense passion for something you don't even reap the benefits of. Does the mass Indian even value the armed forces...does he even know that in so many countries in the world, every citizen needs to serve in the army for a period of their lives..

And its not just the freedom fighters or the soldiers of the armed forces...August 14 was one of those nightmarish days when our good ol' capital could not handle the downpour, and it took commuters an average of 4-5 hours to return home from work. What did the traffic policeman get by soaking himself in the rain, wading through the water barefeet and controlling traffic. Ok, that's his job and that is what he is paid for - but he is doing a job thats for the welfare of people, and not just himself. How many of us would like to leave the comforts of our homes and do something like that.

Wow.. and here I am torn between my day to day saga of what is wrong in my life. What am I doing thats beyond the influence of my material needs. Can't think of anything. And how many people do I personally know who are....

If I were the chief minister of Delhi..

Yeah, reminds me of the creative writing sessions in school where we were supposed to let our imagination go wild in trying to think on what the people in positions of power could do to better the situation of our country, city etc.

Now considering my low political awareness quotient, I do not know which lists (state, centre or concurrent) do these subjects fall under, but I wonder why the responsible people in the appropriate positions power cannot do anything like the following:

1. Make laws to restrict sale of cars to households having cars in excess of the driving capacity of the household
2. Make laws to restrict launch of the new bandwagon of small and affordable cars in cities with existing traffic congestion
3. Restrict auto rickshaws and cycle rikshaws to operate on certain crowded streets of Delhi (like in Bombay, no autos are allowed beyond Bandra). Delhi can do with a lot more people walking greater distances.
4. Impose a toll on cars in peak traffic times, like they do in Singapore
5. Reward honest traffic policemen
6. Make rural education more than just a voluntary initiative by Corporates as well as economically respectable professionals and businesses
7. Reward rural households that are sensitive towards birth control
8. Have a small component of income tax towards the well being of orphans in the country
9. Organise infrastructure reforms in a manner that don't lead to disasterous increases in traffic congestion

Wise and Otherwise

The title caught my attention when I picked this book at Cafe Turtle. And was it the best book on short stories that I have read? You bet. I was kind of skeptical buying it because I thought it would be one more of those books written on social causes in an Indian scenario, which I may just not enjoy midway. But I was proved wrong. The book is a compilation of the author's (Sudha Murthy) experiences over the years of her association with the Infosys Foundation. And I haven't read such a simple and well written re-iteration of human values. Definitely wisdom for keeps.

The other book I picked for a friend but read it before gifting it to her was Randy Pausch's last lecture. I saw the video on you tube, which just about ignited a spark because I thought the guy was humourous. Did not quite pay attention to the messages in the lecture. The book however, managed to arouse more interest and was a good read. It wasn't just another 'motivational' speech or talk on achieveing dreams. The messages were so beautifully interwined with the author's personal experiences, that now am actually motivated to buy a copy for myself and mark the meaningful lessons on life. I did wonder on the psyche behind publicising something you want to leave behind for your children, but after reading the book, I guess its a deed well done.

Mamma Mia

If you can give up alcohol for the longest time
If you can give up snoozing on alarms 'coz monitors is what you wake up to
If you can fill your plate with warm food; and leave it mid way to calm the upset soul

If you have courage to take responsibility for disturbing the decorum of a public place

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If you can order chocolate milk at a bistro when what you want is hot chocolate
If you no longer need weights but the car seat, stroller, "Godi" etc to tone up
If you can give up cuddling with your mate at night 'coz sleep is what you treasure more

If the only time you have with yourself is in the bath

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If you have the art of making up stories for almost everything
If you can run your life based on their schedule
If you can go to amusement parks and give up on the rides you once enjoyed

If you have the unconditional support of your mate to take over when you are burnt out

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If the giggles and the incessant (and at at times incoherent) chatter mean the world to you...
Only then are you ready to be Mamma, my friend..

For my childhood friend who's doing such a 'good job' at being Mamma

The Last Word

For all you ass holes

Someday, I will have the last word!!!

Manhattan Mania

After a wait of almost five years, it did happen – In some ways the new head of internal audit at the client site came as a blessing for having seen the need for two experienced team members to visit the United States office. Well, good for me. And there was no way I was missing out on the opportunity to visit the city that never sleeps on my trip. And so began the planning process. I have to say, it did not take too much effort. With credit going to the social networking craze – I did manage to track down a close childhood friend in New York City. I usually do think twice about piling on, but I could not have been happier this time that it was Mish I was piling on to.

And did I make the right choice. You bet – She has a Midtown Manhattan address (which of course did not mean much to me till I actually got there) right in the heart of the city. The arrival did confirm the crazier side of Americans that I have heard people refer to till date. It’s the only flight I have taken where there is double security right before boarding the flight, where even cooked and dry food items in checked in baggage mandate an additional screening at the airport and where the luggage trolley does not come free (and if you are new to America like I was, you could just possibly pay double the charge!!) Anyhow, I was excited to have arrived. I actually pinched myself a couple of times on the weekend that I was actually in New York City!! Going back to Mish’s midtown manhattan address – it was not only the hippest of addresses, but also one of the hippest buildings. I almost mistook it for a hotel on arrival. She had a nice one bedroom, hall and kitchen studio, which by no means was uncomfortable for the both of us. I actually found it rather big for the city. I liked it even more because it managed to re-ignite the want of having my own place to stay and manage. So though it was early in the morning, I did not allow her to go back to sleep. We chatted and caught on with one another’s life, with marriage occupying the major part of the conversation. By the end of it, we were just about glad to have the next two days to enjoy New York in our own ‘single’ way!

We started off with breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, and the first signs of obese America started to show when the server put cream cheese on the Bagel. Without wasting any further time, we hit upon Fifth Avenue. I do have my priorities right :). I could not have had better company for shopping in Manhattan. Mish had turned quite the shopaholic. And she did manage to shop more than me at every store we visited. It’s fun to shop with such people. So from Macy’s to Bloomingdales to Victoria secrets to Bath & Body works to Banana Repuplic to Zara to Nine West to almost every store we could set eyes on – we covered it all. Lunch was at the Heartland Brewery right under the empire state building.

Central Park was our next stop. That was an impressive green patch amongst the high rises. In some ways, I preferred it to Hyde Park in London because of the activity and buzz that was in there. Dead tired after walking through our shopping escapades, we decided to take the cycle rickshaw to get a tour of the park, just to get reminded of the price of labour in the country. It was just about 150 times the quarter we’d spend back at home for traveling that distance. After a short ‘Friends’ break at her apartment, we headed to watch the ever famous 4th of July fireworks. Honestly, I was not awed at all. I saw similar and maybe better fire works on Australia day in Sydney. Or maybe, they would have been worth it if we didn’t have to wait for them under our umbrellas!!!

Day II was a tourist’s date with Manhattan. The first thing I did was climb up the empire state building. With the rain the previous evening, and more rain expected during the day, visibility was almost zero at the top. So definitely not worth the exorbitant price they charged. But it’s not something I could have skipped. The next trip was downtown to the Battery Park to catch the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. And it just seemed like all tourists had descended onto the park just on that day. The line to buy the tickets was about 45 minutes long and the line to get onto the ferry for 150 minutes only. Now, there are about two supposedly embarrassing things I did on this trip. One of them was asking a South Indian uncle 4 people away from the ticket booth to fetch us tickets. And that’s what I like about our Indian population numbers – we’ll find one in every part of the world willing to help another fellow Indian. So that saved us the precious 45 minutes in the jam packed day. We saved the other 150 minutes by just taking a cruise around the statue, Ellis island, Ground zero and Brooklyn bridge, and not take the ferry to the statue. That was a wise thing done. We then headed to Wall Street. And you should have seen the ‘Bull’. Tourists were crowding around like bees to honey. So I played honey bee too :). We then headed towards Magnolia Bakery (as Mish put it, its more a New Yorker thing to do, and not something tourists would generally do) to have the apparently famous cup cakes of New York. I have to admit that the location of the Bakery (at the Village – apparently where the FRIENDS lived) was a very welcome change from the NYC I had seen till now. But even more amazing was the 40 minute queue to enter the bakery (no wonder Saif Khan refers to New York as Queue York in KHNH). But smart me made Mish stand in the line, while I walked the area. Am usually not that mean – time was just too short.

Our final destination was Times Square. And I was delighted to be at the so called centre of the universe. Apparently, its said if you stand at this particular stretch on the square, you would meet someone you know every seventh person. But Times Square was an experience. Something I could just not resist capturing. This one though is an alternate version I found on you tube.



Sex and the City at the Regal on Times Square was the most perfect way of summarizing my New York experience. A quiz on FB once told me that New York is the city for me. Have to admit, its not all that untrue :)
**Sidenote: Coming back to the two embarrassing things I did, the second was to not pay tip to the cabbie who drove me to the airport. Its true, he made it more than apparent that he hated me by asking "You aint left no tip?". But he dropped me at the wrong terminal, so no way he deserved a tip for making me pay even more for the already exorbintant New York Taxi!!!

The 'Modern' experience

What was meant to be a relaxing second half that I took off to rest my disturbed respitary system thanks to the cold I have, turned out to be quite the opposite. Time off from work activates (at times over-activates) my cookery glands. And therefore, I got this urge to cook something I had at a party last week. But it needed the not usually stocked at home - sun dried tomatoes (which I absolutely love btw). And of course I assumed that weekly offs is something grocery stores (at least the fancy ones, which earn more than the kiraana ones) are doing away with to enhance the level of service and beat the competition. But Hardly. I drove for almost 2 hours before I got to Modern Bazaar in VV. No, its not 2 hours from where I live, but I was looking at closer to home stores, which were complying with their Tuesday weekly offs. Now, I did know that almost all of south Delhi (I think the side falling left of the ring road) is shut on Tuesdays. But the decision to cook had been taken.
And did I make sure that I made the most of my effort? Not only did I pick up 2 cans of what I was looking for, I also bought tons of fancier stuff. And the credit goes completely to the store. I always come out happier (even though with a lighter wallet) of that store. Be it the breads - including bagels and french baguettes btw, the 4-5 brands of olives, jalapenos, sun dried tomatoes, capers, piri piri, hazaar pasta and pizza sauces, all sorts of sauces for mexican cooking, ten varieties of olive oil, ALL types of cheeses and the works that one would get at the nicer grocery stores abroad. The only place where I will get the tetra pack of Splenda instead of sachets and tablets. In fact, we've been looking for some mini table tobasco bottles for a project, and guess where I found it!!! All the perishables brands I got oriented to in the project are also available there (ref : Ocean spray cranberry juice). And guess what - its open seven days a week. I remember being sad when I had heard a couple of years back, that the store got burnt down - Am glad they are back and kicking. And mind you, its not a lavishly spacious place that they operate on - but I have never come out diappointed from there. They even gave me a baguette free for complimenting them on their stock. (I know!!!! Just feeling happy about the smaller pleasures of life :))
On a sidenote, saute some onion in olive oil - add salt, roasemary and basil leaves. To this add sun dried tomatoes and pitted olives (green or black), and boiled potatoes cut in rounds - and you get what I was cooking. And btw, it was worth the effort ;)

Thank You

I am increasingly realising that I don't do justice in expressing my gratitude to the gracious compliments I have been getting on the scribblings here. Over conversations, comments, mails etc. a lot of my friends (as well as people who I could possibly be friends with), have in varied ways appreciated this hello to serendipity. And I think I make a complete mess of acknowledging their appreciation. For the ones who don't see me, am actually blushing at the time, and thats maybe why I mutter irrelevantly. For the ones who do see me, more than a smile is hard for me - but trust me - the Leo in me enjoys every bit of the appreciation (and the attention ;))

So thank you so much, all of you. Your taking the time to read means something to me.

And I miss you

"And I miss you, like the deserts miss the rain..."

But if the rain and desert are not meant to be together, then why does the desert miss the rain? The desert will lose its beautiful self if it were to be with rain.. And rain is not attracted to the desert, thats why is not with it.

More random thoughts..later!!

Memories

Ok, am bored writing this project inception report that I need to mail tonight. I need a break. So am going to pen down (wonder whether that phrase is applicable to Blogs actually!!) something I've been meaning to write for a while.
I often travel with Europeans, and this though has often crossed my mind. What's the big deal if I don't know how to swim, don't go skiing or horse riding, don't enjoy the museums or cathedrals as much, can't play a musical instrument, don't know too many languages. Do these things really impact one's personality. Well, looking at the ones I work with, it does not look like :)
So what could be those little things that really attributed to me. Well, I don't think I remember too much - but have these vivid memories, all of which I felt were special, and more so because I don't see today's kids indulging in similar things. Somewhere, amongst all the other things I am grateful to Momma and Papa for, this list also forms a part:

• Recording my voice as a child, every year from when I was 2 till I was 6. I recall it being one of things that dad and mom used to do on a leisurely sunday - No, I don't remember it but the tape sounds like it. Its one of my favouritest tapes, and will soon get that converted into a CD.
• Setting up libraries with a bunch of friends in the garage. I don't think we did for more than 6 months, but it was a fun experience to go down every evening after school - set the folding bed with Archies comics, Panchtantra, Chacha Chowdhary, Famous Fives, Secret Sevens, Hardy Boys, Malory Towers, Noddy and wonder how many more Enid Blytons!! The concept was to collect all our books, rent them to other kids in the colony for some insane amount 25p or something, make a note in the dairy of the name and flat number - Our first experiences at being entrepreneurial.
• Decorating the garage (yes, that space was put to many uses) on Janamashtami. That used to be another exciting day of the year. Right from the morning, begin with cleaning the garage, mopping the floor to make it sparkle - collect all doll houses to make the jail where Lord Krishan was born - the dolls to represent his parents, the river, the leaves, the swing where he would sit, the prasad to offer to the visitors who came to view the scene in the evening. Am ashamed at not remembering the details. Quite ashamed.
• News reading in the morning assembly at school. This was especially scary for not the natural public speakers like me. But I remember it being fun. A particular day of the week, every house would read out the news of the week. You could be given to play the compere, the world news, Indian news, Delhi news, school news or the riddles!!! Am gld am putting these things down - they are on the verge of fading away :)
• The other thing related to school and memories was singing in the school assembly. Our school did not have any prayers or anything - but just 'assembly songs'. These were hindi songs, which if I now read seem meaningful - but at that time, were not too much more than melody. This and singing in the school choir on the annual day was something I probably started in class 3 or 4 and continued untill class 12. Related to singing also were these annual inter house song competitions - the most awaited event for singers like me. And the year we won it when I was vice captain of my house - oh was it fun??? We actually won singing a Telegu song - I till date remember the opening lines - Ghallu Ghallu Ghalu Ghallu Gajala Singarama Tandanani Tana. Oh, how we heard it in the library with my house teacher and wrote down the lyrics. Actually, we won that competition twice in a row - the previous year was a Rajasthani song - something my mom pushes me to sing to her even to this day. In case, it isn't obvious, the competition was meant to be regional songs. I never took part in western music competitions unlike my friends who i met later in life that regularly featured in singing solos in DPS. No wonder we always had a problem with competitions like Bang Club
• The time I was asked to spell 'Opportunity' in my english period. I thought that was an excellently effective way of correcting spellings. I was in a relatively senior class - 7th or 8th maybe. My english teacher happened to notice in my compositions and essays and tests that I used to spell the word incorrectly. So one day, in the middle of the class, she calls me to the Board and asks me to write the word. I spell it like I usually did - 'Oppurtunity'. And I have not made a mistake after she corrected me that day.
• Tree plantation on independence day. After the song and dance on stage, the flag hoisting and the parade (not necessarily in that order), there used to be a tree plantation ceremony, where I recall taking part atleast for one of the years. It did feel nice, you know.
• Attending Prime Minister's rally on Jan 27 as NCC cadets - going for rehearsals as early as 6 AM at the parade ground. Attending the NCC Camp in school in class 8 (where we slept on the floor of our own class room) and celebrated new years eve
• Painting the canteen bench walls. This is something we did in class 2 - there were these barren spaces below the blue benches outside the school canteen, which we as a class were assigned to paint. Still remember the fighter planes that my childhood crush drew on the wall.

Am sure there are tons of more memories, which I want to capture - if for no one else - myself. I do feel that these smallest of small things are equally important in shaping ones mind and life as are the text books. Have a lot to learn from mom and dad - including how to raise kids.

Higher Ground

Heard this song today at work, while searching for appropriate song for the training video next week, and it just flashed back so many memories of the time MTV came into India, and I used to record English videos on my BPL VCR, and even view them in my free time. Gosh!! But I found the lyrics amazingly refreshing today.

Moon and stars sit way up high, Earth and trees beneath them lie
The wind blows fragrant lullaby to cool the night for you and I
On the wing the birds fly free, Leviathan tames angry sea
The flower waits for honeybee, The sunrise wakes new life in me.
And every hour of every day Im learning more
The more I learn, the less I know about before
The less I know, the more I want to look around
Digging deep for clues on higher ground...
The fishes swim while rivers run through fields to feast my eyes upon
Intoxicated drinking from the loving cup of burning sun
In dreams Ill crave familiar taste of whispered rain on weary face
Of kisses sweet and warm embrace, Another time another place

Friday, the 13th

You know its not all that uncommon - this Friday, the 13th - Remember having passed quite a few of these now. Go on whiz kids, give me logic - my brains too lazy right now to figure out after how many years does it repeat itself.
It may have come after how much ever a while, but I did spend today with things I was surely doing after a while:

1. Sat in an auto rickshaw after maybe 3 years, and the meters still dont work
2. Saw a movie on TV after some time - Had a nice time watching pack less Shahrukh Khan in Kabhi Haan Kabh Naa and trying to match him with the stud in Om shanti Om. Actually the Om Makkhi-Ja in the first half is quite like the Shahrukh in KHKN. But more importantly, it was a simple re-iteration of facts of life.
3. Spent time with a junior training and developing her knowledge base on useful stuff to survive the rat race rather than just giving global managerial bull shit
4. Enjoyed the summer in Delhi
5. Ate Aloo Chaat from the road side - did it remind me of Patel chest ?!?
6. Appreciated a helping hand from the monteraily lesser privelidged guy who takes care of my car in the treacherous parking of CP
7. Shopped during work hours
8. Got up in time for office

Now, would I have reason to believe the bad luck associated with this day and date combination. Maybe I'll confirm it the next time ;)

Carry On Travelling

While the title is inspired by the 'Carry On' series of UK, the post is more about my bucket list of places I want to visit. At the risk of scaring PG, I would want to strike this off by the time I am 40, so am gonna keep it realistic, and in random order.

1. Kashmir
2. Golden temple, Amritsar/ Pakistan
3. Leh
4. Jaisalmer
5. Italy
6. Greece
7. New Zealand
8. California
9. Switzerland
10. Bali/Mauritius
11. North East India
12. Sri Lanka/Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Now twelve places in 12 years should be do-able. Amen!

Its all coming back to me

Am listening to the song, and so the title - and somewhere it ties up with what the mind is going through. Somehow, it always happens with me - the most opportune song hits the ears irrespective of the state of mind.

Well, though its all coming back - but the start of this trip is more positive than the last one to UK in November. To start with, I experienced a new airline - and that too was not disappointing in the least. The in flight entertainment was the best I have seen till date. Then I got a window seat and that too in the first row - I never get lucky there. And to better it, the seat next to me was empty, so there was no need to watch myself while I slept. And now that I am here, have never seen UK so sunny and green - its one of the better times to be here - but my first.
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And did I make the most of the green and sunny UK? One can say so. I allowed the sense of adventure in travel to completely take over me this time. And I loved what I saw - be it the lakes in lake district, the mountains of snowdonia or just the vast green patches driving around the country side. Of course, another reason to remember this trip would be my first experience of driving outside India. As I forgot to take a picture for my own sake of memory, am just going to mention here that I drove a Volkswagen Golf. And it was fun. The last two weeks flew. But home is still two days away. Scotland, here I come.
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I absolutely loved Edinburgh. Paris was one of the prettiest cities I had seen till date, but with the greenery that Edinburgh had to offer, Paris has competition. In fact it was Paris within UK, if you know what I mean. To add to the fun, the first thing I tasted on arrival was the national drink of Scotland –a shot of single malt whisky. No it wasn’t being served as a welcome drink on the station, the Scottish whisky heritage experience was the first touristy thing I managed to do at the city. Now, I do have my priorities clear. And actually all I did other than that was walk up precisely four streets – Princes Street, Royal Mile, Waverly Bridge and St Andrews. Unfortunately, that’s all I had time to do. Sometimes, I tend to use the word ‘Unfortunately’ as a filler or a conjunction connecting two sentences – but if there is one occasion where I have used the word appropriately, it is this. It was truly unfortunate that I did not have more time to spend in the city. Well, if it’s in my fortune, I will come back.
I took a day trip next day to the famous Loch Ness and Inverness (Capital of the Highlands). I met Linda from Switzerland who was gracious enough to give me company and bid me farewell after the trip. Also met couples from Canada and Australia who helped me capture my most picturesque moments. Comparing this to the day trip I took in Netherlands, I think the people this time around were nicer, friendlier and more gracious (the driver cum tour guide did not ask for his tip as well). There were some Indians on the bus too. Now while I feel happy seeing Indians when I travel abroad because of the sense of homeliness they give me, I do feel anoid when an Indian manages to disturb the air in a completely fragrance free air conditioned bus, (with no possibility of opening any window) with the smell of oily French fries, and that too on a mountainous terrain.
Returning back to the comparison, there was not as much to see on this day trip like the one in Netherlands, but was more focused on enjoying the serenity the country side had to offer. Proof of the pudding – I have not felt this romantic in a while, and have also not enjoyed listening to John Denver like I did on this trip.
I also happened to pick up some Gaelic on this trip. Ben, along with being a popular American name also means ‘Mountain’ in Gaelic. The ‘Glen’ in the single malt range of whiskies actually comes from ‘Valley’ which is the literal translation of the word.
As I begin my return journey back to India, the other thing I want to mention and remember is the admiration I developed for elderly people within this country. Be it at the Irish Pub in Liverpool, where a man all by himself and his stick was enjoying a beer or the lady seated next to me in the plane – who needed wheelchair assistance to get off the plane, but did not put down her cross word book for more than half hour in the time that my eyes were open. If I were a bagpiper, I would have surely dedicated my next recital to their good health. Slainte!!

Reality Check

Amongst painting my nails red, exploring a new dining destination, watching a fantastic movie and pondering over my not so productive thoughts, I also happened to attend a congregation over the weekend. A congregation that made me realise that my life is not all that bad, as I make it out to be. We all feel that our own life is the worst. There have been times when I have found myself questioning "Why me", but this gathering was an eye opener to the suffering and pain that people go through in this world. For sure, life is not all haa haa hee hee, but peep outside, and you will be grateful for not being in 'THAT' person's shoes. I was also reminded of a song as I sat through the meeting:
There's a hero, if you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid of what you are
There's an answer, if you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know will melt away
It's a long road when you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold
You can find love if you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt will disappear
Lord knows dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone tear them away
Hold on there will be tomorrow
In time you'll find the way
And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

The eligible-bachelor paradox

My phone hasn't rang all weekend, and have successfully focused my energies on rambling on. A single friend of mine forwarded this to me - Makes for some interesting reason(ing) I thought.

How economics and game theory explain the shortage of available, appealing men.
By Mark GimeinPosted Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at 4:23 PM ET
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the available, sociable, and genuinely attractive man is a character highly in demand in social settings. Dinner hosts are always looking for the man who fits all the criteria. When they don't find him (often), they throw up their hands and settle for the sociable but unattractive, the attractive but unsociable, and, as a last resort, for the merely available.
The shortage of appealing men is a century-plus-old commonplace of the society melodrama. The shortage—or—more exactly, the perception of a shortage—becomes evident as you hit your late 20s and more acute as you wander into the 30s. Some men explain their social fortune by believing they've become more attractive with age; many women prefer the far likelier explanation that male faults have become easier to overlook.
The problem of the eligible bachelor is one of the great riddles of social life. Shouldn't there be about as many highly eligible and appealing men as there are attractive, eligible women?
Actually, no—and here's why. Consider the classic version of the marriage proposal: A woman makes it known that she is open to a proposal, the man proposes, and the woman chooses to say yes or no. The structure of the proposal is not, "I choose you." It is, "Will you choose me?" A woman chooses to receive the question and chooses again once the question is asked.
The idea of the woman choosing expressed in the proposal is a resilient one. The woman picking among suitors is a rarely reversed archetype of romantic love that you'll find everywhere from Jane Austen to Desperate Housewives. Or take any comic wedding scene: Invariably, it'll have the man standing dazed at the altar, wondering just how it is he got there.
Obviously, this is simplified—in contemporary life, both sides get plenty of chances to be selective. But as a rough-and-ready model, it's not bad, and it contains a solution to the Eligible-Bachelor Paradox.
You can think of this traditional concept of the search for marriage partners as a kind of an auction. In this auction, some women will be more confident of their prospects, others less so. In game-theory terms, you would call the first group "strong bidders" and the second "weak bidders." Your first thought might be that the "strong bidders"—women who (whether because of looks, social ability, or any other reason) are conventionally deemed more of a catch—would consistently win this kind of auction.
But this is not true. In fact, game theory predicts, and empirical studies of auctions bear out, that auctions will often be won by "weak" bidders, who know that they can be outbid and so bid more aggressively, while the "strong" bidders will hold out for a really great deal. You can find a technical discussion of this here. (Be warned: "Bidding Behavior in Asymmetric Auctions" is not for everyone, and I certainly won't claim to have a handle on all the math.) But you can also see how this works intuitively if you just consider that with a lot at stake in getting it right in one shot, it's the women who are confident that they are holding a strong hand who are likely to hold out and wait for the perfect prospect.
This is how you come to the Eligible-Bachelor Paradox, which is no longer so paradoxical. The pool of appealing men shrinks as many are married off and taken out of the game, leaving a disproportionate number of men who are notably imperfect (perhaps they are short, socially awkward, underemployed). And at the same time, you get a pool of women weighted toward the attractive, desirable "strong bidders."
Where have all the most appealing men gone? Married young, most of them—and sometimes to women whose most salient characteristic was not their beauty, or passion, or intellect, but their decisiveness.
Evolutionary psychologists will remind us that there's a long line of writing about "female choosiness" going back to Darwin and the male peacocks competing to get noticed by "choosy" mates with their splendid plumage. But you don't have to buy that kind of reductive biological explanation (I don't) to see the force of the "women choose" model. You only have to accept that for whatever socially constructed reason, the choice of getting married is one in which the woman is usually the key player. It might be the man who's supposed to ask the official, down-on-the-knee question, but it usually comes after a woman has made the central decision. Of course, in this, as in all matters of love, your experience may vary.
There may be those who look at this and try to derive some sort of prescription, about when to "bid," when to hold out, and when (as this Atlantic story urges) to "settle." If you're inclined to do that, approach with care. Game theory deals with how best to win the prize, but it works only when you can decide what's worth winning.

Delhi Devils

I don't mean to sound ungrateful towards the city I have called home for atleast 25 years of my existence, but I just went to the market wearing a pair of shorts, and it just reminded me about the things I hate about Delhi:

1. The ability of the men in this city to ogle. They really know how to check out every inch, and that too with least amount of shame
2. The culture to abuse. This, perhaps is not so much a Delhi devil, but a devil within every man - but the dilli men just know how to sound the worst
3. The lack of safety. Now, it is debatable whether there is actually a lack - but there is a definitely a sense of lacking safety. Why else then would I feel absolutely paranoid coming back post midnight in my own car, while in Mumbai, I would not even think twice before sitting in a cab.
4. The situation of public transport in the city. If you don't have a car, you are bound to feel helpless. Cabs are unreasonable, and not conveniently available. The auto rickshaws (if they agree to oblige taking you to your destination) will never charge the fare that should be. The buses - you'll barely see any parallel to the road, and if you do manage to get off one, it wont be without some groping.
5. Buses right now arouse an additional cause pain these days. BRT (Buses increase Rage and Traffic). Its a terrible attempt at whatever the government is trying to do. Having bus stops in the middle of the road, stripping the passenger car space on the road by half and just doubling the time it used to take to get from point A to point B.

Balle Balle - My first destination wedding

In some ways, the Goa trip was a boon for my state of mind. I knew it would be the moment I piled onto mom and dad's invite for this destination wedding. Yes, I piled on - but paid for my own tickets..the thought of the beach, a 5 star accomodation, the much desired holiday and a first for a destination wedding were too much to resist. To top it, I even dragged daddy's namesake into it. Poor thing, kept his word and came inspite of a malfunctioning digestive system. Thanks for coming, A.. you are the hope for regaining my faith in committment :-).
So, while I was to catch my flight from Delhi, the food and beverage meeting kept me in Mumbai, and so I caught a direct flight from there. In a way that was good too - I fulfilled my wish of seeing a new place in the party destination (and did not land up going back to Polly's).
To start with, A and I had this huge caravan, and the event managers waiting for us at the airport. Actually. they were meant to wait for some more Baraati's too, but kudos to budget airlines running late, we got the vehicle to ourselves. And we drove into one of the nicer resort and spas in Goa...into the Mehndi ceremony. Or, even better the mehndi and tatoo ceremony. And who do I see indulging herself..my dear mommy!! She's a darling when it comes to getting excited about such things. And I must say she wasnt far behind in giving Saif competition for expressing her love..except that it wasn't daddy's 'name' but the 'sun' that she got done on her back.
So after the polite hello's and meeting all the aunty's who all knew me because of the wedding songs I sang back at the open house in Delhi, we proceeded to our room. (I must mention, that I have realised that I just enjoy singing at weddings. Pushy mom and I always used to exchange dirty looks when it came to singing at random weddings, but this time, she knew she should not mess with me and memories. She was surprised at the spark I got to that party!). So back in our room, we have this tray of goodies waiting for us with the usual pringles, diet cokes, cola cans,fox candies and the works). That was good impression #1. Then on the bed was this carry bag, bright green with sea creatures on it - with a matching toiletry bag, cap and a sarong inside it. That was good impression #2. Before we experienced anymore, A and I decided to digest only this much at the Arossim Beach. Who said, India did not have clean beaches?
The first evening was where the alcohol started pouring in. (Mom and Dad are rather concerned about me after the continuous intake of alcohol they wintnessed on this trip. Its funny). The usual family performances started. Must admit, haven't seen a more well rehearsed performance from the elderley ladies (as much as I expected the girls side to be baniya-ly conservative, the elder ladies were actually dancing to 'zara zara touch me touch me touch me'). But overall, a well done up event. However, it was the first time I witnessed a performer singing along the actual track in the background. Inspite of which, he managed to get all and sundry on the dance floor, tables and chairs. Anyhow, after wetting my appetite for music and dance A and I again headed to the beach. As much as I may sound old and boring, I actually missed the DJ party that was to follow for the beach that night.
A was a surprise. He is the first person I know who is quiet with a capital Q in a group, but talkative like hell when alone. That was some decent bonding we did that night - though the teetotaller had a tough time trying to get me to talk through the help of some wine. Maybe, I have learnt to 'handle' my drinks :-)
The next morning was the 'sainth' - after a long and luxurious rain shower in the hugest bathroom I have ever stayed at, all dressed in this pink and orange salwar kameez with pink heels go for the breakfast, assuming the function is to start soon after..and of course land up eating breakfast amongst aunties still in their night suits. The function took forever to start, so I decided to make my first public appearance in this halter dress- was I pleased with myself or what??!!?? A had been really nice to me, and I barely gave him the time to himself, much that he had been looking forward to during this trip. So, I decided to be nice in return and accompany him to this place called Martin's corner, which sells the best sea food in Goa apparently ( I wouldnt know considering my opinion on the cuisine). He seemed like he enjoyed the lobster, for me - it was enjoyable to see him enjoy it (and worth missing the illusionist's performance at the hotel) That afternoon nap was the best I had in while, and was all fresh to attend the wedding.
The wedding was different. The Ghadoli came from the Arabian sea, there was a horse at the resort, the baraat went from one lawn to the other with official alcohol on the golf cart, pheras by the sea side and the doli from one residential court to the other (I always wondered during the course of this hospitality project I am doing - the deal with resorts, and why are these golf carts essential for survival - now I know why!!). Honestly, I came back glad that I went to the wedding. Inspite of having not done too much, it was refreshing. And I am certain, am not the only one who feels this way...May the couple live happily ever after.

Heartbroken's guide to feeling better

I just had to put these links up. They have potential for making so many people feel better. Kudos Idea Smith!!

1. http://xxfactor.wordpress.com/2006/02/07/manual-for-ex-boyfriends/
2. http://theideasmithy.com/breaking-up-is-a-reason-to-celebrate/
3. http://theideasmithy.com/closure-actually/
4. http://xxfactor.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/meet-the-parents-their-expectations/
5. http://theideasmithy.com/nostalgia-trip/

Not so earnest, not so young

As much as I have been and still enjoy the work I do, am often compelled to take the role of a change agent at work for the following reasons:

• Being glared at for leaving the office at six, even though you may have started at 7 am
• Unless you work on saturdays and public holidays, you dont work hard enough or stretch
• The budget for a project is never aligned with the effort that goes in. There may be a few slow team members - but always??!! And all you are left with is explaining overruns.
• Being torn apart between two bosses, where both want you to prioritise their work while maintaining the highest standards of diplomacy
• Taking up so much of my time that even when you are pursuing relaxation, the to-do keeps building up
• Lack of ease in building a rapport with male colleagues unless you are the smoker break variety
• For not being able to take leave inspite of having a positive leave balance
• The monetary impact of political connections at work

Sometimes, I wish there was a permanent plan B. Then I think, its going to be no different. So I continue learning to deal with them.

Whats in a name

Had always heard my friend Gaurav Gupta talk about how common a name he has. Always thought that wasn't true untill I experienced this. Tried searching him on facebook - and as expected I found 3 search pages on various namesake's of his.. each in different countries of the world...but the funny thing was that I had 1 mutual friend (each being a different one) with the first five on the list. And guess what - my friend Gaurav is not even connected on facebook :-)

A Handful

• Standing in front of dad on his bajaj two wheeler motoring around Rajpath trying to get to Nani's in saket
• A bunch of colony friends getting together and putting up a mock show on the terrace for the parents to spectate
• Those picnics and orange bars at India gate
• After dinner walks with mom and dad
• Playing stapoo, red letter, badminton, throwball and being shouted at for not coming home in daylight
• Ginni passing away with his ear in his water bowl
• Learning about rotation and revolution in II-A
• The tubewell batch bath in Chattarpur farms
• The day I learnt to cycle
• Waiting on the window sill for ma to return from school
• The creche with its three rooms and the rocks (this one's brilliantly fresh)

Maybe, I do want to go back to being a child..

Wishlist

While the meeting with the new guy from the chemical company was primarily stressful, there were these moments where I would happily lose myself in my world. One positive (maybe the only) that came out was my wish list of things that I WANT to do. Perhaps documenting it will make me move closer to doing something about them:

• I want to learn to swim. I do feel am a little scared of water (cant keep my eyes open under the shower). But I do want to get over it (wonder why I always focus on stuff I need to get over :)) Anyhow, now is the time BT!!
• I want to pursue photography as a hobby. Yes, I may need a better camera, but I want to first learn to express myself better through my existing cam!
• I want to learn spanish. Though having experienced german for 5 years and French for 6, I months really dont think the duration matters untill you get to use it. But it just seems like a calming yet stylish language.
• I want to learn the Salsa. Now here is where the problem surfaces - and maybe the solution too ;)
• I want to see atleast 5 unseen places in India in the next two years
• I want to publish a different kind of cookery book of borrowed/ collected recipes
• (Don't think will ever pursue this one) but I do want a small cafe/ restaurant of my own.
• I also often think of joining a social organisation. But somewhere, I don't think I have what it takes to do that kind of work. The selflessness in you really needs to rock for getting there in my opinion!!
• I want to paint/ sketch. When I think of this, I often wonder whether its the oil colour or HB pencils that attract me more - cant make up my mind. I think I would enjoy the in-control feeling in the pencil sketching as well as going wild with colours on the canvas. I think this one is the easiest to begin with!!

Foot prints in your Heart

Read this forward a while back..something I would not want to google everytime I want to replay the messages in my mind, and so..

Many people will walk in and out of your life,
But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
To handle yourself, use your head;To handle others, use your heart.
Anger is only one letter short of danger.
If someone betrays you once, it is his fault;
If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.
Great minds discuss ideas,Average minds discuss events,Small minds discuss people.
He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses much more;
He who loses faith, loses all.
Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,But beautiful old people are works of art.
Learn from the mistakes of others.You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.
Friends, you and me.You brought another friend,And then there were three.
We started our group,Our circle of friends,And like that circle -There is no beginning or end.
Yesterday is history.Tomorrow is mystery.Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present.
Eleanor Roosevelt

Simply Meaningful

As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend
I took my broken dream to God
Because He was my friend!
But instead of leaving Him to work
In peace to work alone
I hung around and tried to help Him
With ways that were my own!
At last I snatched them back and cried
“How can You be so slow?”
“My child,” He said: “What could I do?”
You never let go.”

Footprints in the sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

Mary Stevenson, 1936

Time

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say

- 'Time' by Pink Floyd

Mile sur mera tumhara

There was a time when I guess every child of our generation used to rattle this off as a nursery rhyme - and I just could not help smiling when I looked at it after almost 20 years now. At that time, it was all about guessing the celebrities (Om puri, Deepa Sahi, Mithun, Tanuja, Sharmila Tagore, Revathi, Kamal Hassan). And now, it just inspires me even more than I am already to see my diverse country.

However much the limited media in those times was criticised, Doordarshan completely rocked for these videos (Chanda ek, taarein anek, jungle jungle baat chali hai etc). Someday, I hope I can show this to my children. Live on You tube!!!

FGT

Something that I have been wanting to do since I read 'The Secret'. Its my FGT (Feel Good Tool). Let me try it and then will make a judgement on whether it works.

Thank You Almighty for:

• Giving me the parents I have
• Ensuring their health and happiness
• Being able to afford a good education
• Being able to breathe without a ventiallator
• Being able to hear with both ears, write with both hands, walk on both feet
• Not being asthamatic and not having to worry about dust; and all the diseases that I could have but don't have
• Teaching me how to drive
• My job and the merit it came on, and for making me do well in it
• Having shown me a glimpse of this world
• The friends I have
• Not being fatter than I am
• Giving me time to spend with my parents

Yes, it works!! Cheers to a longer list and love for myself :)

Learning it the Heart way..

• Is there really nothing called selfless love? Do I need to change to being that way too?
• Passion of any kind is not good. Be it relationships, people or things. It leads to attachment and clouds your sense of judgement. Stay away from it.
• Never take life for granted. It has its mysterious ways, which you just cannot anticipate. Heard this somewhere and could not stop smiling - Life is what happens when you are making other plans :-)
• Challenging life will leave you with nothing more than a feeling of helplessness. For your own sake, accept.
• Don't question what you feel or change the way you think for anyone. Please yourself - this is your life.
• You have to care for yourself. You are your favourite person.
• Never believe what people say, see what they do.

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

For whatever little good I did to deserve them, I am just so thankful for the friends I have. Love you guys. Thank you for being there for me always.

Inspiration

A Favourite

Zara nazar utha ke dekho
Baithein hain hum yahin
Bekhabar mujhse kyun ho, itne bure bhi hum nahin

Zamane ki baaton mein uljho na
Hai yeh aasan jaanna
Khud se jo agar tum poocho
Hain hum tumhare ki nahin

Teri aankhon ka jadoo poori duniya pe hai
Duniya ki is bheed mein, sabse peeche hum khade

Mehfilein aayi aur gayi
Log aaye aur gaye
tum jo aaj aaye ho
Dil mein ho bas gaye

Muskura ke baat taalo na
Phir milo ge jo kahin
Dekhna yehi kaho ge
Itne bure the hum nahin

Teri aankhon ka jadoo poori duniya pe hai
Duniya ki is bheed mein, sabse peeche hum khade

Sapno ka Rajkumar

Considering my luck in love, a typical arranged marriage I thought would be it for me. Its been a while now that this search for a soul mate has been going on. The experience has been so enriching that I even made a checklist of the qualities I want - Of course, this did not come over night, but with meeting various kinds of people of some time now and identifying what I do not want in my partner for life. Someday, I will look back and laugh at these days - and this is only to facilitate that (Uff, this Corporate world has put me in the habit of giving a background before presenting something!!!!)

• Lets start with the number one (actually number one was when I was 21, and he was some 27, but of course not - at the age of 21!!!!) . Anyway, so he was a Kashmiri guy - went to his house in Bombay to meet up. We went to GAYLORD for lunch and then rhythm house for some music shopping and finally while sipping coffee at Barista, he had to rush to look after his Nani. It was a funny episode is all I can say. Thankfully it fizzled out before either of us could make up our mind.
• Then there was another catty eyed guy. He took me to pizza pizza express - asked my preference on whether I was vegetarian or like meat - and when I told him that I preferred vegetarian, he went ahead and ordered a chicken pizza. And that was tata and bye bye
• Then there was Mr Defence kid. Very cute looking guy - in fact AT and me both freaked out on him when he entered our house. I even made faux pas like landing up to meet him without my wallet - and make him pay for my parking ticket. Somewhere after meeting him, I realised I wanted someone with more substance
• Then came the oldest guy I have met until now. Spent 3 hours with him at a coffee shop (its a separate thing, that the hotel is burnt down now :)).. But its my longest first ever meeting. A lot of gyaan lot of philosophy, but a lot of laughter as well. Am just so glad he realised he is incapable of getting married early enough, so we could both be friends. He is the only friend actually that I made from this process.
• Then there were some more random guys, through friends, through other channels I met - don't even remember how they look.

I was an optimist supporter of the concept of arranged marriage only on the belief that someone somewhere is made for me (Uff, these movies!!!) . But now I am going to give it a break. Done with it for now.

Samatvam

Someone I knew very closely introduced me to the concept. Obviously I took forever to understand it. Don't think I still perfectly do, but it tickled my spiritual sense somewhere, and inspired me to do some reading. Did a lot more reading, but as of now, its the following is what makes some sense to me:

• From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.
• A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires — that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still — can alone achieve peace, and not the man who strives to satisfy such desires.
• Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.
• It is far better to discharge one's prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another's duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one's own duty is better than engaging in another's duties, for to follow another's path is dangerous.
• The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what inaction is.
• Only the ignorant speak of devotional service as being different from the analytical study of the material world. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.
• One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.

Smelly Cat

Yes, its a take from feebies's song in Friends - those were the days when I could spend so much time watching Friends. Actually there used to be a time even before that - When Star Plus was launched in India - Neighbours was my serial then..then there was Doogie Howser MD and Wonder Years. For a while it was also Ally Mc Beal, but then the last of the addictions was Friends. Anyway, enough digression, this post was to be about my favourite smells:

• Smell of the gajras sold at India Gate - I think its Chameli. Just reminds me of the bachpan picnics that I went to with Mom, Dad and a bunch of family friends
• The smell of petrol - Absolutely love it
• The smell of wet mud/earth or terracotta, especially in Summers - takes the heat off me.
• The smell of confectionery - being baked in the oven. I remember in Bombay, I used to live in Vile Parle - the place where there was the Parle-G factory, (Wonder what came first Vile Parle or Parle-G Factory) and every time I used to cross this one fly over, the smell would just excite me (Food you see :-) )
• The smell of home food when I return home after a trip abroad
• Fragrant men. Anything non citrus will do.

Its also strange how I associate smells with certain periods of my life. Like Eternity by Calvin Klein always takes me back to Stephens days. I am not THAT spoilt - received it as a gift. Tommy girl reminds me of my second Paris trip. Then I had these really shady perfumes I used to use in NM. Really, what came over me!!!

Now that Ive had my fill of blog writing for the moment, I better get going towards the tonnnnns of work piled up. Getting ready for the Kill !! :-)!!

V-Day, 2008

So was I excited about this valentines day? Was it supposed to be different from the others in the past? One of my buddies just reminded me of how innovative I could get on occasions like these - Really?

1. Wished mom on waking up - something I do every year
2. Went to office - Yes, that too I have to do every year though yesterday was a perfect day to enjoy a good bloody mary with some yummy lunch in the sun. Sigh!!
3. Wrote love notes to my team members in their project evaluations vis-a-vis writing something for a loved one
4. Heard evergreen romantic numbers while driving back home - usually I just skip that playlist on my i-pod. Must've been the only mushy thing I did.
5. Ate pakoras and besan ka laddu for dinner - vis-a-vis the good candle lit italian meal with some nice wine and coffee (in my dreams now!!)
6. Worked in office till 9 PM, wherein I usually have been getting out at 7.

Ye Hai Bombay, Ye Hai Bombay...

I don't like to address the city as Mumbai, and thats one of the very very few things I dislike about the city. It has its paucity for space, but the city is undoubtedly one of my favourite cities in India - the thought of visiting Bombay always excites me. I did happen to do my post graduation from there - and that was where the love affair started (with the city, people!!!!).

The sense of safety that I feel to begin with while walking on the road, be it 2 PM or 2 AM. Its such a relief to not have people stare at you whether you walk with or without exposing any part of your body.

The taxis - Being from Delhi - they are so much of a relief - abundant and economical. Some of them even have music and blue lights.

The buses - even though I met with an accident while on one, they are so disciplined - it actually remains straight while on the road rather than tilting to one side - the BEST

The trains - Took some time of getting used to, and now that I havent lived in the city for almost 5 years, dont think would ever want to get used to them again - but appreciate them for their convenience, reach and speed. Doubt the metro will ever match up.

The food - Be it the Sandwiches (Dheeraj), the jhunka bhakhars, the Aarey Milk (Energy), the mysore masala dosa made on the road, Pav Bhaji (Maruti) or Swati Snacks (YUMMY). I dont really salivate at the paani puri, coz that I think Delhi ranks better in!!!

The choice to drink, eat and dance - phenomenal.

The 1 Re red phone booths - Atleast when I was a student and in times where the mobile phone was not as common, what a boon!!!

How every building has a unique name in that city engraved on the building - Struck me as very unique the first time I visited Bombay

The movies and Theatre - Never fear not getting a ticket. Really enjoy watching the plays there

The People - Simple, humble and helpful!!!!

I love you Bombay.

My Homes Away From Home

Work has in the last three years made me travel a fair bit around the world. Of course some people think its pure vacation, but I was just fortunate that I got to see a little teeny weeny bit of this world as a part of my job.

So, these trips that I made in the last three years were ranging anywhere between 4 days to 4 weeks. And therefore the hotels that I put up in (rather was made to put up in), irrespective of the size and service standards did mean home to me for that period of time. Just thought of penning down a few memories of the hotels I did get the chance to visit:

• Westin, Bangkok: My first home away from home. I stayed at this hotel during my first trip abroad in 2004, so therefore I don’t recall much except that it was on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, where I had a woman walk all over me for the first time trying to give me the famous massage.
• Conrad, Bangkok: A brilliant hotel. Have stayed there about three times – It’s the first time I saw walls of the bathroom made of glass – I thought it was really cool. But it had the most amazing bell boy – He had the most unique way of calling for taxi’s for the guests – A rock and roll performance with his entire body swaying to the music only he could hear while he called for the cab. A completely impressive example of how to enjoy even the most mundane of jobs.
• Raffles, Singapore: Never got to stay at this hotel (sigh!!), but more enjoyable than having the famous Singapore Sling here was the joy of peeling peanuts served along with the drink, and throwing the peels on the floor. Yes, I was behaving my age (which was 26 at that time) - Given the hospital like cleanliness of the city, I could bet that the Long Bar would be the only place for the housekeepers of Singapore to keep themselves busy.
• Hilton, Singapore: The bell boy at the hotel had a fascination for Bollywood. Stayed at the hotel atleast 4 times, and everytime the same bell boy would get my luggage to the room, and not forget to tell me how he loved hindi movies. I still owe a DVD to him of a hindi movie which I promised him. Next time dude.
• Best Western, Paris – Yes there are tons of them, so don’t have the exact address, but it was the one closest to Galleries Lafayette. Stayed there both times that I visited the city. My first introduction to hotels without room service. And the hotel actually had a bell which you had to ring in case you were arriving after 11 PM because the reception staff used to go off to sleep.
• Hilton, Milton Keynes: Made me realize how the same chain can have such different standards across the globe. Of course, the one in Singapore is so much better.
• Sandton Inn, Johannesburg: The only hotel where I read security instructions at the main entrance. Well, though this hotel did have room service, for some reason, dinner was available only until 8 PM. Without internet in the rooms, it had this one terminal in the lobby which the entire hotel was to use for access to the internet.
• Ashford International, Kent, UK: The only hotel where I not just went to have a look at the gym, but also used it everyday. That’s worth remembering for a person like me, trust me. Yes, the motivation is another story
• Nailert Park, Bangkok: Haha. This was one experience. The house-keeper here accidentally picked the passport of my colleague as a result of which we missed the flight, and the hotel earned at extra day of revenue. Yes, they did not believe in bearing the cost for their mistakes. But this hotel also has a strange bar – it has lamp shades that look like blown condoms. And they look funny hanging from the ceiling.
• Crowne Plaza, Paramatta, Sydney: Comfortable, and in the midst of the most crowded street in Paramatta filled with every type of restaurant. Wonder, what kind of people really ate at the hotel. Something, my German colleague really had difficulty coming to terms with was the supposedly poor control they had for charging parking fees to the guests.
• Frazer Place, Bangkok – This was a true home away from home. From the luxuries of the Conrad, we were moved to this service apartment for the next trip because the hotel had substantially increased their rates – pity for us, but it was high time the hotel did do that for the quality of service it delivered. Anyway, Frazer was a nice experience. Apart from everything else, it was the only accommodation where I shared my room with my junior colleague for the fear of not waking up on the day of the closing meeting with the client. Sheelu, you are special :) And yes, this hotel also had the swimming pool on the top floor with glass walls surrounding the terrace. You could actually see the sky scrapers of Bangkok while swimming.
  

I did get the opportunity to work on a project for a hospitality major in India recently, and well, while I do appreciate a hotel much more now, my companions for future hotel stays can be rest assured of experiencing the critic in me.

A Matter Of Taste

This trip has been exceptionally enlightening as far as my food and beverage tastes are concerned. Some of the things I would like to remember for a while:

1. Raspberries, Cinnamon, mint, lemon, some sugar crushed with cranberry juice, topped with a little soda and garnished with blue berries is by far the most refreshing non alcoholic cocktail I have had.
2. Fill a glass with ice, pour 30 ml of vodka, add some tomato juice. Add Worcestershire sauce blended with a paste of finely crushed green chillies, garlic, coriander and some salt. Shake in cocktail shaker (yes, I will soon be putting mine to some good use). Pour in fresh glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon and 2 slices of cucumber with crushed pepper. Dad's Bloody Mary's used to be my favourite - Sorry Dad, you have some competition now :) And surprisingly enough, as much as people relate spices with India, this version was rather Australian.
3. Lamingtons are quite interesting. Its a chocolate vanilla cake - No not vanilla cake with chocolate icing, and not marble cake either. Its a baked vanilla cake, coated with chocolate cake batter and baked again. Topped with freshly grated coconut.
4. Australia (specifically Paramatta) is the only place I have had Gulab Jamuns with freshly grated coconut powder. Having said that, its also one of the very few places I have had authentic Indian food outside of India.
5. One of the better ways to enjoy pan cakes: Cinnamon sugar with maple syrup, whipped cream and lemon juice in between two pancakes. So now you know why I would have gained some weight after this trip.
6. Rocket leaves with balsamic vinegar dressing (i.e. balsamic vinegar with olive oil) is the lightest and yet most pungent salad I have had till date.

Food excites me...I told you so!!

What's in a weB-log

Almost a year before I started writing here, I started thinking about writing one. There were so many things I used to wonder about web logs:

Who invented the concept of the blog? And what does it mean? (just learnt about weB-Logs)
Do bloggers write for themselves or for the world?
Do bloggers not have friends that they can share how they feel with rather than writing?
Are bloggers introverted or extroverted?
Are bloggers supposed to be good at articulating how they feel?
Did bloggers of my generation maintain diaries when they were kids?
Do bloggers have a hidden desire for being an author someday?
Are bloggers completely fearless of being judged?
Are blogs supposed to always make sense?

And then I started reading blogs. I could call them my inspirations. And I would have to be grateful to ‘blogging’ for atleast one of the good things that happened to me.

The above no longer feel relevant now. And that pretty much answers them all.

Aadi

I begin. A new place with a few acquaintances gives me time to acknowledge my thoughts:

1. I love to party. But with people who are close to me.
2. I prefer the beaches to the mountains. The continuous motion in water keeps my power of observation awake.
3. Food excites me.
4. The woman is not very different - German or Indian.
5. Will I be happier with minimal faith in tomorrow? Maybe. Do I know how to achieve that? They say, where there is a will, there is way.
6. For some reason, I don't watch TV while travelling.
7. Differences between people are good - they give the mind something to think about.
8. Indians do get sun burnt.
9. I feel a spirit of adventure in me. I need the perfect companion to start with.
10. I hate it when I forget things worth remembering.

Untill next time, No worries mate!!