Good Ones

Read couple of good articles/posts today and wanted to share it with y'all

My friends would say that I am a bold person and well read on most matters too. But at my old work place, when I was being harassed, I didn't even realize it. I was just losing my confidence and getting more and more depressed.
It was a slow process and as this writer very correctly calls it - Gaslighting. It happens to women across the world.

A male friend and I were discussing the marriage norms and our ideas on it. He said he was looking for a girl who would live at home and serve his parents and understand that his mom knows best. Needless to say it didn't sit well with me. I told him that this was the kind of mentality that brings about DIL-MIL fights in marriages. Well! here is a man's take on why there is friction between women and their MIL

Pretty Red shoes!

*** Feminine post alert ***

My friend PSR sent me this shoes blogger link and my eyes lit upon this beautiful article.
And here I was thinking I am the only one coveting red shoes and it turns out the whole wide world is right there with me.
Needless to say I had to rush to Metro to check if they had any red shoes. And boy! did they?! It was this seriously cute peep toe with about 2.5 inches heels. I had unfortunately taken my mom along and she put her foot down and refused to let me buy such big heels. Sigh!
So anyways I got another pair of rather cute red sandals with 1 inch heels.

Two days ago I met PSR and she was flying high, coz she had got a pair of red shoes too. A little while ago my friend from UK calls me to tell me rather sheepishly that she could not resist this pair of red shoes she had seen.  (Way to go gals! :-) )

Today I wore my new sandals to work.. feeling rather good about myself (until I got into the share auto, but that's another story for another time) and what do I see?
So many pretty feet wearing .. what else.. but pretty red footwear.
Its a good feeling to be a part of such a large sisterhood! :-)

PS: Took some fotos of my new shoes thro my mobile, but unable to transfer it to my comp.

Is it worth it?

Some days (like today) I wonder if it is really worth getting up in the morning to just come to work in this traffic. Its hot and crowded and I feel like a dish rag all twisted and used up and scrunched and its only 10.30 AM.

Then I think of my bank account and

Sigh! well here I am. :-(

Gurukanth Desai

How many times would I have seen this movie? 10 times 15 times. I still like to see it again.
Of all the movies of Abhishek Bachchan I think Guru was his best show.
Have always had a soft corner for AB Jr. Poor guy, always under his dad and wife's shadow.
But this is one movie where he has shown the world what he is made of.
Love his laugh in the movie, that shoulder shaking, teeth baring, belly rolling laugh .

But credit where credit is due, I have always maintained that Mani Rathnam could make a statue act. So not surprising that Aish not only did some acting but such subtle understated acting at that.
(Even though the Time magazine called her an actress-model and not a model actress.. Good play of words huh?!)

How many of you remember Roshan seth? He was Nehru in the Gandhi movie and the anchor of the old Doordarshan Sunday night program Bharat Ek Khoj. It used to be telecast when I was very young and didn't really understand much, but I still remember being awed by chacha Nehru's language in it.
When I hear/see Roshan Seth today, I still think of him as Nehru, and a very handsome one at that.
It made me smile to see him as the head of panel of Judge hearing Guru's case. A very good actor indeed!

One of my favourite movies and a satisfying experience. 

I am bored *Banging my head* I am bored *Banging my head* I am bored *Banging my head* I am bored *Banging my head* I am bored *Banging my head*

Thank you rain for spoiling all my mega plans for the first day off I get in over a month!

*Phewwww*

I have always thought relief was a sentiment and never knew you could feel it physically.
Remember the Audit I was talking about.. the one I had been living, breathing, eating for the last 3 weeks?
Well! Had the audit today and boy!!! we kicked its butt, BIG Time.

All through the day we were hearing all these horror stories and suggestions, how to talk and how not to talk blah blah. By the time the audit time rolled in I had lost all objectivity and was just numb.

Though we had to do some sleight of hand, we impressed the auditor big time.

When I came out of the conference room, I could actually physically feel this huge weight that was sitting right on my chest disappear. I could suddenly breathe.
Wowza! wat a feeling :-D

Now if I could convince my boss to gimme coupla days off to unwind my joy would be complete.
Neways Yayy!!!

Helloo

Just dropped by to say a quick hello and let y'all know that I am alive if not well.
Got two audits coming up next week and been working like mule over weekends and early mornings (Yes! me actually getting up and working) and weekdays too :-P
Just to make life a little bit more easy a colleague went home to enjoy wedded bliss dumping all his work on me.
But the most painful of all. Ended up cancelling a movie-dinner date grrrr!

But the silver lining is that I got an award and whooping big cash prize at work.
Talked to PSR after a long time and she never fails to put my spirits high.
Talked to head honcho.. who I thought was a crashing bore and nag, but turned out to be surprisingly sweet.
and whowudathunk that I would become such a addict to bollywood gossip. I hardly see any movies.. but nowadays get my quota of the gossip served right on time though :-D

My weirdo magnet works just fine. that's neither good nor bad.. just entertaining. but thats for another day.

So ciao all until I have time to come out for a breather.. hopefully by next weekend

Can we have enough friends?

Four of my old friends, whom I had thought I had lost touch with, contacted me.
Have been feeling very very happy :-).
One of them was actually my school friend, dunno how she got my number but darned glad she did.

With another friend, we had had a small tiff and had not spoken in quite a few months.
Life being what it is, we slowly lost touch. While I was not actively thinking of him, only when I spoke to him today and felt a lightness, did I realize that I had had this slight weight weighing down my heart. Now of course its all forgotten and its back to normal again.

Can a person really have enough friends? I don't think so.
 They are after all one of the most important facets for an interesting life.

Sigh! Its been a good week :-)

The Lizard prediction

Was sitting and chatting with my dad in the veranda. Apparently sitting right under the tube-light is a perfect target for lizards to fall on you.
Needless to say one darned slimy creepy lizard jumped on my right ear to slither down my neck.. by which time I had brought the house down and pushed it off.
Well! after I finished hopping and shuddering, I went running to scrub my ears n neck while my cuz went running to fetch the almanac.

Do you know that there are predictions given in the almanac on what happens if a lizard falls on you.
Its falling on each part of ur body apparently has a distinct effect. (Oh! and I am to have a long life and good health)

Not only that, it contains a table which predicts what will happen when a lizard chirps,  facing each directions on each day of the week (also based on how many chirps).

Cute, Huh?! 

Parichay

A simple story sweetly told. Beautiful songs. Talented cast and a fulfilling experience.
While today's movies have their own space and time, the actual acting seems to have taken a back seat to all the technological thingamagiks, six and eight packs and bikinis.

This movie is said to have been influenced by the Sound of Music. Taken in 1972 by Gulzar, having a cast of Jeetendra, Jaya Bhaduri (as she was then), Sanjeev kumar, Pran and Asrani.

In the whole movie. the love between Jeetendra and Jaya is never expressed explicitly. Only by the subtle expressions in their faces. And some of the reasons why I like Sanjeev Kumar, Pran and Asrani can be seen in this movie.

The sympathy on Sanjeev Kumar's face when Jaya sees his bloody kerchief. Pran's expression when his grandchildren wish him for the first time and Asrani's tears when he sees Pran laugh. Its a definite feel good movie (except if you see it in Sahara One channel.. in which case they will make u want to tear your head bald putting on soooo many advertisements)

Let's not forget the music by R D Burman. After all Lata got a National award for her Beeti na Beetayi



or Kishore's Musafir hoon yaaron

I have a stalker

I mean it! I actually have a phone stalker and its frightening.
Apparently this creep who works for my bank suddenly got obsessed with my name becoz he had a girl friend by the same name or some such.
He has access to all my information, including my personal, work , account and contact details.
He used to call me pretty regularly couple of years back until I threatened with going to the police. Then he stopped.

I got a SMS from someone yesterday night wishing me a happy birthday and when I asked who he was, he said he was not my friend. Annoyed I told him to stop messaging me, thinking it was some prankster.
He replied back asking if I still worked in my XYZ company and when I ignored that, another asking me not to contact him. WTF!

Today I get a call from him saying his name is Venkatesh from my bank (which is the same creep from couple of years back) and he knows where I work and that he used to talk to me couple of years back. He wanted to know if I still lived in Chennai and if I was married etc ... and apparently he had completed MBA and wants me to get him a job in my company. While I did ask him to take a flying @#$@.
Its still frightening that some schmuck has access to so much of my personal and financial info.
Am I over reacting? Maybe! Anyways wondering what I must do next?

My friends tease me calling me a weirdo magnet.. but this is ridiculous!

RIP Jagjit Singh!

:-(. Just now saw the news and feeling like I lost a personal friend. :-(

It's frightening

Well Well! waddya know I seem to have written something similar last week or so and it never got published.. So here goes.
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Wondering what I am talking about? Growing older!!!
Darned thing is fraught with responsibilities, responsibilities and more responsibilities.
I just had a talk with Dad on investments, medical insurance and general old age etc
Where ever did I get the idea that I would earn and then spend and maybe put away some of it in a FD or something and that was that.

I have this hollow feeling in my stomach.
So many things to think about. The pros, cons, the long term impact. *Shudder*
How do I make my parents comfortable and completely cared for in their older age.
Not that they need it from me, but that is still my duty and I have not really thought much about it.

It also has me thinking about my old age. What about my medical insurance at that time?
Where would I be? What will I be doing?
And Oh my god! Pension schemes. Aren't I way to young to think about that? Apparently not. It seems one is supposed to think of pension when they start into a job so they will have a nice windfall to enjoy post retirement.

Gah! There goes my plans for retiring in another 10 years.

Enough already! I am just going to shut down my mind and try some meditation. OOOOHHHHMMMMM!

Ruminating

Do you re-read books?
I think its almost as pleasurable as reading a new one.
Especially if its a favorite book, its like visiting an old friend.
Some one you are very comfortable with and know all the nuances.
Sometimes even better than an old friend :-)

Sigh! I am in a weird mood. Melancholy! Need to take some rather important decisions and don't want to regret anything later. In fact I am wondering if I should regret some decisions already taken. But a more useless emotion has never been invented than regrets and I try to in it indulge as little as possible.
What has the books to do with my mood? Nothing at all. Just ruminating on life. hmm!

On the flip side. I have got my brand new shiny red laptop. The keyboard is different in this and its driving me batty. But enjoying playing with it. And even better got my Kindle. I was secretly wondering if I would get any use out of it.. Dumb! yeah, but I am enjoying it too.

Hope y'all are having a good weekend. Ciao

*Gasp*

I've been good. No, seriously! I have been tempted to write about this topic many a times but resisted.

But *Phew* enough is enough. Can these people not wear some kinda deo or perfume to work?

If not for themselves, for pity's sake, for the sake of the poor souls who need to sit next to them the whole day and work.

Forgetting your deo/ perfume now and then I can understand, but coming to work without it, EVER, especially after travelling in the hot chennai weather... *GAK*

I am on the verge of getting the cold and my nose and throat are extremely sensitive to any kinds of odour and its driving me and my sinuses nuts.

Bearing up for one hour everyday was difficult enough..but now its all day everyday

grr!! Do y'all think I should get a room freshener and spray them? Would that give them a hint?

God's own pyrotechnics

When God decides to have some fun, She sure shows us mere mortals what pyrotechnics is all about.
Its raining here. Boy! is it raining! and that too along with all the accompaniments in their complete splendor.

Lightning tearing the skies open and wow! during the last thunder I could actually feel the ground under my feet vibrate.
You can almost smell and feel the sky getting reading to unleash the next bout.
It gives me the goosebumps witnessing all this fury. Its also very very exhilarating. :-)
Makes one realize how really small and insignificant one is in the grand scheme of things.

Its all about control

Now before I start I just have to let the world know I BOUGHT A KINDLE at last...Yayyyyy.. consider me dancing around. The only fly in the ointment being I will not get it for another 15 days.. but that's ok.. ooooh! I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Oh! Anyways do you dare to lose control (of your emotions and yourself) in front of your friends or anyone for that matter? I've never really thought much about it until now.
As usual my thoughts were jack rabbiting around and I ended up thinking of this incident.

My 2 very good friends and I, decided to meet up one night and get drunk. And by that I mean tap-hackled, top-heavy, shot-in-the-neck, staggering drunk, just to see what we would do when we get to that stage.Now, we were rather close and very comfortable with each other and knew one other very well and all that. So we were sure we wouldn't mind if we made a fool of ourselves when it was just the three of us.

Well two of us being footloose and fancy free and 1 being a respectable married matron, we congregated at the married matron's house (which is a real dream house BTW). Her husband, being this real cool guy, helped us in procuring the drinks. It was night and we set it all up and sat looking at the bottle. And looking at it and looking at it. Not one of us wanted to drink, at least not the way we had planned to.

We just could not bring ourselves to lose control to that extent. After all that planning we felt rather sheepish about it but we just could not do it. Its kind of hardwired into some of us, I think.
I say that because some people are OK with drinking to excess and making a fool of themselves given the slightest opportunity.

I remember a man very high in my company hierarchy, once drinking and dancing (let's just say there is dancing and there is dancing) at a party. I could not look the guy in the eyes the next day, but he was cool about it.

Are you OK with it?

More and more...

More and more rambles that's what. I keep having all these disjointed thoughts all the time and I tell myself I should write about it here... but never get around to it. So thought instead of rambling in my mind I shall put the whole jumble of thoughts here to pick and choose to write... or not write later.

# Sometimes I fear I am becoming asocial but thankfully you cannot straighten a dog's tail :-). I think I have just come to appreciate solitude more *phew* had me worried

# Can a person feel sad and happy at the same time. I mean throat chocking sadness and real happiness? Coz  that's what I am feeling right at this moment and it feels very strange.

# We always hear so much about how good it is to give, the art of giving blah blah. But you know I have recently (ok, not so recently) realized there is an art to taking them too. I love giving  gifts but sometimes people get so awkward when they get gifts that they end up embarrassing the giver or insulting them. Totally unintentional but there you are. The problem is that it takes the joy out of the process.
A case in point is my bro, he looks so embarrassed and miserable whenever I gift him with anything, that he looks almost constipated :-P
My dad started out that way too, but I like to think I personally cured him off his giftophobia :-)
Now me! gimme a gift , any gift, anytime.. I am always happy to get them .. hehehe

#  Today a colleague told me that he realized I must read a lot when he heard me speak English. Mostly when people tell me I have a decent handle on English, I don't really take it to heart, because I am generally busy being envious about someone else's knowledge and language. But not sure why, today I felt maybe my friend(s) are right, maybe my language is decent (hmm! No I am not fishing, oh! you know me, I never fish, I straight away ask for your compliments :-D )

# I've been reading about the huge furore created over this Madrasi gal who has written an open letter to the delhi boy basically insulting delhites and punjabis etc and there have been a lot of reflex responses to it. All of us have our own misconceptions and I really think they need to get a life.
Anyways I want to clear coupla basic point in all of this. Madrasis do not wear mundu, they wear Vaeshti. While anything in excess is not good, please leave our hair oil bottles out of your altercations. We love them. They are the one thing keeping our brains from leaking out of ears in the peak summers and the reason why most south Indian women have such lovely tresses.
(Yep, I know what you are thinking, I need to get a life too.. )

My Diary

On a lighter note
In those long ago times, I used to maintain diaries. I started coz it was the "in" thing to do. But somehow ended up writing kinda regularly.(somewhat better than my bloging anyways)
Being a person who hates clutter, I had nicely hidden the diaries in my cousin's shelves, from which she threw it all out yesterday :-(
Anyways ended up reading up the entries in there. It was quite an entertaining time.
All those teenage angst and dramatics pouring out spiced with sarcastic comments and gossips about all and sundry.

Here are some of interesting ones

# There was one entry about a classmate fainting coz she was not in the top five ranks (The gal was doing her Masters.. sigh!)

# My friend's handsome brother had told her that I looked cute, which she promptly relayed to me. There was some floating in the ninth cloud with regards to that

# My BFFs and I meeting Sir Richard Hadlee and his team at the Pizza Corner right around the street.

# Choking back my tears, when I landed in Hong Kong for the first time (first time out of the country) and realizing not only was I thousands of miles away from my people but also that the toilets do not have health
faucets .. The latter being more traumatic than the former

# My BFF's fiance asking me about the fall of World trade center on the evening of 9/11 and my telling him that I did not follow the shares market.

# BFF and I "eyeing" this good looking guy in a wedding, not realizing he was the groom :-D

# Coming out of the US airport (after immigration and all that), the first time and then going back to ask the security there, where I would get my I9. (Every one had told me all these horror stories about I9 and its
importance, no one had told me the immigration slip was the I9). If I remember right, the man took my passport, looked into it and gave me a weird look and said "I don't understand". I realized I was saying something wrong , so apologized and came back :-D

Hmm! those were times...

Enough about 9/11

I can understand why USA will celebrate 9/11 with all those fireworks and hungama. But why the heck is India celebrating it right along with them? Weirdos!

Yesterday, I read an interview of an American embassy spokesperson (can't find the link now) and he says he is very happy with mature way India is dealing with their terrorists, even giving them a choice of mercy petition.
Yes! unlike the US which not only almost completely annihilated Afghanistan (Afghanistan used to be one of the most beautiful countries, known for its gorgeous gardens, now it contains cemeteries and bomb craters) but also killed Osama after stealthily entering into Pakistan.

How is it that Sadam Hussain can be publicly hung, Osama shot dead but Nalini, Murugan, Afsal Guru, Ajmal Kasab etc are deserving of mercy? They should not be hung because of the mental torture they faced being in the death row?
Puhleaseee! Were these terrorists thinking of the mental torture of the victims and their families while they were massacring?

Do Human rights commission exist only to fight for the rights of terrorists and murderers?
If Kasab, who is living the life of leisure in our prisons, is let out from gaol because of his youth, with a "go forth and sin no more" pat on his back, is he going to be all repentant and give up a life of sin to become a
sanyasi? or will he laugh at India's naivete before coming back to kill some more?

And coming back to my original question, OK, USA had one terrorist attack in the last god knows how many years and its a big issue for them.
Indians face a 1/1..13/7...7/9 .. 26/11... 31/12. Why the heck are they so enthusiastic about a 9/11 attack that happened 10 years ago.
Do y'all even remember that on 9/11 10 years ago Pak terrorists attacked Kashmir again and many jawans lost their lives?

USA learned something from the 1 attack. Paranoia. But at least they learnt something.
Indian government is still unaware of the attacks happening here.Yesterday a senior congress spokeswoman,in NDTV, brushed off the public sentiment saying that they are just hysterical and over emotional and that the government is still thinking about what to do.

Well Duh uh! Of course we are hysterical. A month goes by without any terrorist act in India is a month for celebration. Indians have forgotten what it feels like to live without a Damocles sword hanging over their heads. The government meanwhile is busy scratching their collective a$$es plotting vendetta against Team Anna.

2 men on our most wanted list, who intelligence were searching out across the globe using the help of Interpol, were living right under our noses in India. Sigh!

My cousin was saying the other day and it sounded quite right to me too.
Why bother arresting these people and then giving them a nice life in the gaols and letting them go a few years later, wasting crores of our tax money.Instead let's not arrest them in the first place. Let any one who wishes to bomb, do so with impunity and get on with their lives. Humph! we can at least save the money spent on the investigation and incarceration.