You Are Height No...

Yes, this is the compliment I received when I visited the Bank. And yes, the meaning of the title of this post indicates that I am TALL...As the banker was shorter than me, he requested me to open the cupboard since I AM HEIGHT NO!!!

For the information of my dear readers, I STAND TALL at 160 cms... and am happy that atleast one person says that I am HEIGHT NO..that no one will ever bother to comment on my weight is another matter since there is nothing good to talk about it..

Advance New Year Wishes to all from the sitting Punch and the tall Timepass..

A moment of Glory

A decade ago, a young girl who had just written her Final year degree exams applied for a job in an MNC and got the job. A training session was held for 3 months and this was where the girl came to know that she was among the two people who had yet to graduate!, all others being PG holders. The girl felt very insecure amongst so many highly qualified people and at the same time felt nice to be sitting with such people. Most of the colleagues were polite and good to her but somehow she felt that some of them felt bad that they are made to attend sessions with an ordinary not yet graduated girl. The Production Manager was a very rude and strict person who used to spare no words to scold the trainees if they performed badly.

One day an assignment of preci writing was given to the trainees. When the alloted time was over and the answer sheets were evaluated, the manager came in as usual to announce the results. He was looking very very angry and he had the sheets in his hand. He picked out two sheets and called out the names written on the sheets, the first sheet belonging to the girl whom we are talking about. Needless to say, the girl started trembling and waiting for what the manager was going to say. The manager kept quiet for a couple of moments as if done deliberately to increase the girl's tension, she had by now prepared herself mentally that her job is gone.. and that she does not deserve to be among so many highly qualified double graduates and MBA's.

Finally the manager broke his silence to say.." Except for these two, the rest (answer sheets) are crap".. The girl just could not believe what she heard..After a minute, the manager said that this young girl is the higher scorer among the two. And he left immediately murmuring something...Immediately, all trainees pounced upon the answer sheet of the girl to see what was so special in it..The evaluator later said that only this girl and another trainee understood the true meaning of preci writing, the others just rewrote the paras again without reducing the size of the para.

P.S Yes, the girl mentioned above is ME ME ME..Now before I am the recipient of ur eggs/tomatoes/anything else...here I end this (silly) post..

Nowadays...

I read the newspaper for the day after the next day arrives..( I mean at the stroke of midnight)

I eat..no no gobble up whatever little food crumbs come my way..

I do not know what is happening in the world or even my apartment..who has the time..

I have forgotten that something called an afternoon nap really exists


all thanks to sweet Punch...who keeps me on my toes all the time...

P.S: So I realise that I am a successful beggar after all..I manage to get 6 comments from 5 readers for my previous post!!

Inflation ka asaar..

Yes Inflation is attacking me everywhere so much that I am getting fewer comments for my posts. Not that I used to get a dozen comments before, atleast a couple of comments would come my way from generous readers.. I know I blog very irregularly now and comment on very few other blogs, is that the reason? Is it that the posts I write are faltu and useless and everyone exits the screen cursing me??
Arre janta janardhan mujhpe meherbani karo..

Family Tradition

I wonder whether my daughter will keep up my family tradition of:

Rushing to open the door to grab the newspaper the first thing in the morning

Fighting to read the newspaper

Looking out anxiously for the postman every 2 minutes when its time for him to drop the mail/Peering into the postbox whenever passing through it

Regularly alternating between the News channels to get the SAME news

Become a regular long distance train traveller

Just wait for the person seeing TV to vacate the seat and immediately occupy the same and see some boring channel (since the programme to want to see is a good 30 minutes away) for the only reason that no one else should occupy the seat. A better and oft repeated but successful idea is to pick up an argument with the person on that chair so that he vacates the seat after a good quarrel and you end up hearing him cursing you but you get the prized catch of the TV remote..

and many more traditions....

Half a Dozen Months...

Of PunchMania...

Punch is now six months old. Her day begins at her chosen time, she wakes up and cries to alert us, but the moment she sees us, she smiles. She loves baths and starts saying aaa aaa the moment I take her to the bathroom. She loves it when water is poured over her and starts crying the moment I take her out of the bathroom. Initially, she was after the small mug but slowly graduated to demanding and pulling and even kicking the bucket of hot water.

She turned over successfully and can sometimes do the reverse too. She loves to play with pillows but does not like to be kept in the rocker for long periods. The moment we open the main door, she peeps out curiously. She just looks at the road and the vehicles passing by. At home, her favourite gadget is the washing machine. We have a semi-automatic machine and she loves to watch it in operation. She loves to stare at the microwave when it is being operated. She is a very curious child and keeps on looking in all directions.

Main Hu Ghatotkach still remains her favourite. So much that all family members have started talking to her by beginning with "Main Hu Ghatotkach". She immediately turns around to look at us on hearing the same. And yes, her hands seem to reach out for things all the time. Whilst in the car, she is very silent and keeps on peering through the window. But the moment there is nothing to see outside, she starts screaming. Once we were travelling in an auto and when the auto stopped at the signal she cried and screamed and we could not understand why. Then we realised that the auto stopped just at that one signal and was otherwise speeding away.

She loves to peep into the puja area and loves to hear the chants of slokas and ring the tiny bells. She turns around to search for us when we speak to each other and starts her own conversation of aaaa, aaaa etc. She sleeps very less during the day and her chosen bedtime at night is around 11-12 PM. And now, she is eagerly looking at me to come and play with her...so friends here I end this post and hopefully will be back soon.

Free Training Course

Dear All,

This is to inform you that yours truly will be conducting a free training course on how to do household tasks by balancing a baby in one hand.. No fees will be charged and enough practical assignments will be given..For the more curious people out here, practical assignments involve balancing the baby in one hand and doing a variety of household tasks..And please do not ask me who has volunteered to do that..My dear ever enthusiastic Punch is ready to do the same as her hands always seem to reach out to things to drag, pull and lick..

Waiting for your response friends,



Aapki apni,

Sirf Timepass

Excellent Customer Service

A small rat was creating lot of trouble for me..I was just not able to catch it inspite of using the locally available rat catching tool..Unfortunately one day, the rat passed away after entering the small hole at the back of my microwave. As I did not have the necessary tools to open up the microwave, I immediately called up the customer service and was assured that a technical guy would be sent to my residence on high priority basis.. This was at 9 in the morning.. I was supposed to get a call from them anytime..but that just did not happen..Inspite of three more reminders, no action was taken..So I approached the local electrician who promptly came and did the needful.

The episode does not end here..After 4 days, I got a call from the local customer service staff who wanted to know when they can come to attend the fault. Perhaps the date of registering the complaint was wrongly entered!!! I would like to recommend this company for the best customer service provider award, please join me in doing so... Yes I know, I could have kept the rat as it is till those guys came to repair and recommend them for another award but subject to me being alive after bearing the stench for 5 days...

Hello Hello Punch Speaking

Hello Hello Mike Testing 1.. 2... 3...
Punch here..
My mummy would have given the usual excuse of me keeping her occupied as the reason for not blogging frequently..Hmmm

One of the first things mummy did after I was born was to....open a.......Email id for me..

I know that's one of the easiest things to be done but I fail to understand why a big issue is being made of this?? Relatives are making fun of mummy saying that she has already opened an email id for me..what's wrong in that??They say am I so advanced and hi-fi to get an email id so soon..aree bhai email id is free...FREE i mean.. If my mummy has bought a Spanish Villa or a diamond necklace for a 1 crore FD for me, I can understand but yeh to bas ek email id hai...

so here is my first brush with society...

Main Hu Ghatotkach

Nahi nahi mein ghatotkach (s/o balwan bheem) nahi hu... Nor am I Jai Hanuman.. (Daddy sings these songs to Punch all the time and I remember them more than my name) Maybe to indirectly say that my figure resembles that of Ghatotkach (shhhh its a secret)

All is well with me friends..Lavs, thanks for asking..

Well, Punch (yes, that's how she will be known henceforth on this blog) is keeping me on my toes all the time. Before u ask why Punch, that's because she closes her fist tightly and blesses us with punches..( and also cause I am unable to come up with some other good name for her)

I am unable to write comments on the blogs i visit due to extreme paucity of time (and partly laziness) and also due to the fact that I want to use the time spent on commenting in one blog to greedily read another blog in jet speed before Punch gets up. Please bear with me friends, I am reading your blogs as I used to do before.

Punch is now four months old and a big bundle of fun. Her hobby of screaming at ten in the night still continues though she has taken pity on us now by sleeping at around midnight daily. More updates will be posted shortly.

I am now enjoying the experience of seeing four generations under a single roof now..If you want to have that experience, well, drop in anytime...but fully energised and charged (by drinking glucose etc) before u ENTER..cause u will be drained out in a short while...

Zara Naada To Sambaloooo

She was well dressed.. in a cute pink t-shirt and cream trousers..

she was trying to look hep and talking hi-fi words which an angootha chaap like me cannot even pronounce..

but hold it..

what about the naada (pant ka naada) dangling down and on free display??..

Pls help me understand this latest fashion...

(Now pls don't say that such things are seen only by me, why blame me always..)

Attention Please...

To Rediff Matchmaker... I am married and have no intentions of committing the same mistake again..so please do not send me mails such as " Timepass, Find out who likes you" and "Timepass, I was looking for u".


To Katrina K.. I dont need a Branded 5 MP Digicam @ Rs.2999!


To Monster.com... U say" Timepass, UR Resume is missing".. Obviously, since I have not uploaded it..

To Ajay and Poonam... U say "Timepass, I was Looking 4 You"..Keep looking, I venture out of the house only for doc visits for my baby.

To the readers of this post..No, I have not gone insane...These are some of the mails I receive daily.. Let me console myself that Ajay and Poonam seem to look out for me more than my friends and relatives..

What's there in a Colour??

Do you often see matrimonial ads asking for FAIR girls/boys? I often come across people saying " My grandchild is fair, my son and daughter and fair, I will have no problem in finding a good match for my kids since they are fair and etc etc".

What surprises me is the importance given to the colour more than anything else. Sometime back, we called up our friend to congratulate him on the birth of his baby girl. The baby's father told us " She looks like me, but colour like mother"..Your baby is yours and will the love u shower on the baby depend on the colour?

I fail to understand why colour is given so much precedence. Does that mean good habits and good character are secondary to colour?? Or does it mean that all fair people are good by default and all others are bad by default? I have seen so many fair people who are just fair, that's all and so many others who are beautiful but not fair. So why assume that all fair people are beautiful?? Another doubt I have is that will the fair complexion help you in times of need by selling it off?? I remember a well-dressed and good looking girl in my college was named as " Miss South Africa" just because of her complexion. Its high time we stop judging people merely by their complexion and instead focus on being good human beings.

Here I Come..

Thanks to the aunties who enquired about me, mummy will be typing out this post for me..(High time mummy realises my penchant for blogging). Yes, I am still nameless on this blog..pls help mummy find a name..

I am now two months old and raring to go, but I am told not to be over enthu and to take things as they come. I have no fixed time to say " My day begins at ... in the morning". I sleep very less during the day except for a 2-3 hour nap after massage and bath. You see, there is so much to see and observe in the house, so I cannot afford to sleep. And night times are the best to trouble everyone cause I am on a high as the clock strikes 10.. I have managed to make my mummy remain awake all night. I love screaming in a jolly mood at night. But how much ever I scream my daddy and grandpa are busy snoring and dreaming away in the next room..Please tell some technique to make them also remain awake like mummy. I ensure that whenever I enter a room, the fan and lights are ON..if not, I keep staring at the fan till it is put on..

...to be cont'd...

Simply Unfair

Hi all, my mummy always complains about others. Now, let me crib about her. See how I see this toy..Yeh bhi koi view hai?

But see how mummy sees this toy.. It looks lovely , but she refuses to show me the toy from this angle..When will I be able to see this toy as seen below?

P.S: Thks Aditi's Mom for pointing to my mummy that I am not being featured on this blog. Hopefully mummy will post a proper update on me soon..

Evil Eye..

Does something called the Evil Eye really exist?? I mean people often say such and such bad things are happening in my household, surely someone has cast an evil eye on our house.. I don't know whether bad things happening in our life can be solely attributed to the evil eye cast by others. In my opinion and from what I have heard from elders, whatever is destined to happen in a person's life is already decided and written on his forehead at the time of birth itself. So how can a mere mortal influence someone else's life? Whatever has to happen in our life will happen irrespective of whether someone casts an evil eye or not..We must accept things as they happen and understand that bad and good things in our life happen when they have to.. All we can do is to hope for the best and do our duty (and of course stop casting an evil eye on others..)

Price Hike ....

I got this news recently..

It's nothing new that we have to give bribes to some office staff to get work done. Recently, an official demanding a bribe demanded Rs 500 more than the usual Rate. When questioned as to why the sudden increase, he replied that he had got a new car and as the fuel prices are increasing, he has hiked the rate of the bribe so that he can balance off the increase in fuel prices.

HOWZATT??

Please Follow (Break) the Queue

I had been to the hospital for routine vaccinations for the baby. We entered our name in the waiting register and waited till our turn came. There were babies of different ages ranging from new born to about 2 years and all of them waited for their turn to come. I got the prescribed injections and was waiting outside the doc's room when all of a sudden a celebrity (read film star) appeared. One man (her staff) was carrying her baby. Needless to say, everyone was staring at her. Suddenly, she was not to be seen but the doc went out of the room with a torch and prescription pad in hand. The junior doc started seeing babies here. Later, I came to know that the celebrity was waiting in another room for her baby to be seen and this doc went up to that room to check the baby which was presumably doing good.She immediately left the place.

Fools like me were waiting since just 2 hours for our turn to see the doc and this lady walks in, sees the doc and goes off within minutes. Agreed since she is a celebrity, either she or the hospital authorities would have decided to opt the quick way out to avoid getting mobbed. I know many people always break the queue, but then what about the waiting patients? I noticed some parents having a hard time trying to cajole cranky babies and wait for their turn to see the doc. Nothing would have gone wrong if the celebrity waited in the same room till her turn came. But, sadly that did not happen and people had to wait till the celebrity and her baby left and then wait till their turn came. High time we all follow the queue system if in use at a particular place.

Are u aware..

that name transfer of electricity connection in your favour costs just Rs 1500..

wait let me tell the breakup then be more happy..

actual charges payable to the government = Rs 400 and the bribe for this transaction = just 1100..

please note that 1100 is distributed among concerned staff. they are united (only in this case) in this effort and charge fees proportionate to their post

way to go..what say? Jai Ho..

P.S: Yes, I am back to cribbing, that's what I started this blog for..

How does she know??

How does she know...

that I am sneaking away to take a leisurely bath...
that I have just entered my user id and password to check mails...
that I am about to eat something and relish the taste...
that I have just now hit the bed for an afternoon nap..
that I am about to watch TV..

She probably knows everything cause she always cries and demands attention when I do any of the above..

Naam kya hai- Naam me kya rakha hai??

Ghar ka Patha do- Mummy ki godi aur aapka dil

Kya karte ho- sona, duddhu pina, rona

iska nathija-unloading karna

That's my intro for mummy's friends.. She asked me to convey to you all that we did not have internet access for 2 weeks.. Thanks all for your kind enquiries.. BTW pls suggest a name for me just like how mummy's name is Timepass..

I am Tired...

of repeating answers to these questions..

was it Normal/c-sec delivery?
Did u go to the hospital in pain?
What's ur doc's name? (Thank god they did not ask her PA's name cause I myself don't know that)
Did u get pain in the hospital?
When was the due date?
Did u deliver on due date? why/why not??
Were u induced?
Was the PAIN BEARABLE?
How long were you in pain?
How about the stitches?
What's baby's height and weight?
As of now, whom does she look like?
What's the room rent?? and so many other questions that I never dreamt people will ask me...

And most important..
How much did the hospital bill come to???
Did u make use of the insurance coverage??
How much % of the bill was settled through the insurance??

I am so tired of this that I do not have the strength to type in the details now..so friends pls hold on..

Baby is doing good and working in a call center following U.S timings... ( I mean she insists on keeping awake during the night).

Thanks everyone for ur kind wishes..

Humble Contribution

My Humble contribution to the population of India is in the form of my baby girl w.e.f 20.5.2008.

Wah kya phone hai..

As mentioned before, my mobile phone has borne me patiently for five years and I have no intention of replacing the same till it stops operating completely. Recently, I dropped the phone by mistake while picking it up. As a result, I could not hear the ring tone for incoming calls. After trying all sorts of things, I decided to get the phone repaired. My dad was about to take the phone to the repair shop when he accidentally dropped it.. I immediately told him that the phone would have got repaired by itself now and that's what happened. Does this remind you of some TV serial where a character loses his memory when a heavy object falls on him and regains back his memory when a similar object again falls on him? I guess my phone is so used to my laziness that it got repaired by itself.

Confession

I confess .. I just love Bread and cannot resist the temptation to eat bread whenever I see a loaf in front of me. Right from childhood, I am a fan of bread. Those were the days of Britannia and Wibs Bread and Amul Butter ( I guess the salt content and the colour of Amul Butter have been altered now). It was so heavenly to smear lots of Amul butter on a bread slice and devour it.. Mind you, this was before the age of healthy diets!! I can eat bread anytime of the day and can substitute it in place of dinner and lunch. Raw veg sandwiches sold in roadside stalls in Mumbai are my ultimate fav even today. Any leftover slices are eaten up in the form of bread upma with lots of veggies..You See, I don't waste anything except the wrapper..(only in the case of bread)

I used to simply love to eat the oven fresh sweet bread baked in bakeries. Any visit to Karnataka was and still is incomplete without eating this bread, veg puffs and also eating the famous toast ( now called sandwich also) at an Iyengar bakery. Sadly most bakeries are not able to churn out the same tasteful stuffs (like in Iyengar bakeries) according to me, the quality and taste are not as good as the stuff in the Iyengar bakeries. My love for bread was so much that I was teased that I am a dog ( as according to people, dogs only like bread) and also that I must get married to a bakerywala. Sadly, I could not marry a bakerywala!!

So what if I did not marry a bakerywala, I have converted the Mr. into a bread lover and sandwich lover... Hurray...

Sincere Request

Dear Telemarketers,

I request you to please please not call customers during lunch hours (nap time for many of us) and break the silence in the house... I don't know how you get to know that people are asleep and this is the right time to make a call and wake them up and ask them to buy a credit card or invest in a mutual fund. Have you fixed some hidden web camera in my house?? The loud ring of a mobile phone/landline in an otherwise silent house is enough to make people get up with a big scare.., imagine the plight of small babies and the aged.

I know you have sales targets to meet, but you can always call customers at other times of the day too... Good Luck...

Naya Daur Hai Bhai..

NO OFFENCE MEANT!!

Lovers usually have the practice of going around on bikes, wherein the girl is covered from top to toe and literally wears a ghunghat (veil) to avoid being identified by a known person. But the guy does not cover his face. I saw a totally opposite situation and that is what makes me share it with all readers.

I was walking along the road when I noticed a bike coming at moderate speed. One look at it and I knew it was another jodi. But for a change, the girl was just her normal self and had not covered her face with a dupatta/helmet/bandana. But the guy seemed to be very conscious and was wearing a helmet and some other raksha kavach (protection) also. Maybe the guy has some known people in this area and so this protection?

I Feel Blessed...

I feel blessed to be in the comforts of a fan and air conditioner when I see labourers toiling in the hot sun trying to demolish the old building opposite my house. I am drenched in sweat within five minutes of walking in the hot sun and when I do not sit under the fan for a few minutes. As about 90% of the building is demolished, they spread some sheets on the heap of rubble and sleep peacefully at night under the watchful eyes of the moon. But those labourers do not seem to complain about their situation, all they have is a pot full of water next to them which also must be hot after being in the sun for so long.. Power cuts are very rare in my locality and even if so, most of the times the power comes back within 5 minutes. I read in the newspaper about a conference of Panchayat staff all over India where generators were used to operate ACs and fans, the joke being that most Panchayat representatives said their villages had no electricity at all. What a contrast.. This reminds me how lucky I am to enjoy the comforts of basic things in life which lakhs and lakhs of people have not yet experienced. Dear God, thanks for providing me such a comfortable life...

Just Peep Into My Handbag...

I carry a small purse while going out, handbags are used only when I travel out of town.But the items inside both are more or less the same..

Money- in notes and coins
Bindis
House Keys
Mobile Phone
Phone charger, comb, tickets and some hand towels (Handbag)
Couple of recent bills ( in the purse if I have forgotten to throw them away)
Kerchief

That's it friends..

Tag..

Last Movie You Saw In A Theater:Chak De India
What Book Are You Reading:None
Favorite Board Game:Trade (Business)
Favorite Magazine:India Today
Favorite Smells:Petrol, Fresh Coriander
Favorite Sound:None
Worst Feeling In The World:Unable to help out someone who desperately needs help
What Is The First Thing You Think Of When You Wake?: Have I got up on time or am late??
Favorite Fast Food Place:Any good chaat shop
Future Child's Name:Not decided
Finish This Statement. "If I Had A Lot Of Money I'd...”: I'd have to find ways to spend it..
Do You Drive Fast?:No
Do You Sleep With A Stuffed Animal?: No
Storms-Cool Or Scary?: Depends on my mood
What Was Your First Car?: Fiat ( Not mine, actually dad's)
Favorite Drink:Milk taken straightaway from the fridge
Finish This Statement, "If I Had The Time I Would .....”:Find ways to do timepass..
Do You Eat The Stems On Broccoli?:I don't eat broccoli
If You Could Dye Your Hair Any Color, What Would Be Your Choice?:Black
Name All The Different Cities/Towns You Have Lived In: Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Reading (U.K), Chennai
Favorite Sports To Watch:Nothing in particular
One Nice Thing About The Person Who Sent This To You:She writes well
What's Under Your Bed?: A big suitcase having the Mr's Khazana
Would You Like To Be Born As Yourself Again?: Of course yes only if people are willing to tolerate me again
Morning Person Or Night Owl?:Depends
Over Easy Or Sunny Side Up?:Depends
Favorite Place To Relax:Home
Favorite Pie:Nothing in particular
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor:Butterscotch
Of All The People You Tagged This To, Who's Most Likely To Respond First?: Whoever is faster!!

Aryan's Mom

Mystic Margarita

Customer Service

I recently received an account statement by post from a financial institution. There was a slight spelling mistake in my email id in the statement i.e axyz@abc.com was written as bxyz@abc.com. I called the toll free customer service number and was told to courier a letter with my signature and the correct email id. I was told that this was the only way out since they needed to tally my signature with the application form.

Suddenly, I thought of sending an email to the customer service and accordingly did that. Within two hours, I received an email from them saying that they have updated my correct email address in their records.. I had just asked them to correct the email address which was promptly done without asking for my signature. But then why was I told to send a signed letter to their postal address while speaking over the phone??

Is It Mere Coincidence or...???

I have been noticing this for the past ten years or so. Whenever a new building is being constructed in the vicinity where I stay, I am bound to shift house. It has happened about 7 times till now. This spans across cities and even spread to the UK when I lived there. I am unable to find out the real reason for this, but all I know is that my move was not deliberate nor did I have any problems with the owner of the property when I stayed in a rented place.

The reason why I am writing this now is that some days back I got the news that a new building will soon be constructed opposite my house and so.....Do I get ready and pack my bags???

What Makes Me Happy???

Shaktii tagged me to know what makes me happy...So here I start with a list that is surely incomplete....

A smiling face when I open the door

When I sleep well at night peacefully ( an indication that the day has passed well)

When I see people showering their affection on me

When my grandpa telephones me to say " I am always thinking about you "

A good plate of chaat

Eating lots of fruit salad instead of lunch or dinner

When I get scolded that I spend money on others but not on myself

A kitchen sink full of utensils... I just love doing the dishes

A bucket full of water and some soap and scrubbers to do some cleaning

Mails from old friends

When I hear someone speaking in Marathi even on the TV

When I see someone doing good in life after facing lot of hurdles initially

When family likes a particular dish I made etc etc etc

Praying for Good Health

I know a family comprising of parents and a teenaged daughter. The middle-aged father is a cheerful and active man . He complained of back pain but took it lightly and finally when the pain was unbearable, he was diagnosed with some problem in the spinal cord and operated upon. He was on strict bedrest for a couple of months and is yet to walk like a normal person though its about six months since the operation. Had he visited the doctor initially itself, the problem could have been cured without an operation. Looking at him, I realise the value of good health. In a matter of moments, his active life got changed to a passive one and that too totally unexpected.

In today's world, we get to know about so many new ailments that were unheard of till a few years back. Nowadays all hospitals are full of patients and sometimes there is no space to admit a new patient. Its time that we take good care of our health by following good eating habits and doing adequate exercises. It will atleast minimise the risk of ailments though nothing is in our hands. Plus, let us the remember the golden rule of " A stitch in time saves nine" and not postpone any visits to the doctor. Health is indeed wealth and I wish and pray that all of us lead a healthy life.

Wishing Everyone Tons of Wealth in the form of Good Health...

Two Useful Tips

If you have some personal news to share, you can save tons of money and energy by just informing it to one relative who will do the job of conveying the same to the whole family!! (without being asked to do so...who has such a big heart and is so helpful these days..) But beware, people aware of the news will pretend to be unaware of the same and question you about the same.

Another useful link is the friendly maid in your house..Every movement and every sneeze of yours will be conveyed to all in the neighbourhood, all for free...That saves you the trouble of informing people yourself...

Those who have not tried out these tips are urged to please try out the same, it works....

I fondly remember....

I fondly remember the days when

• I used to have gold spot/coke/thumbs up/ limca once in a year on a train journey...
• I used to eagerly wait for karjat station to arrive to eat the delicious vada pav...
• I used to await the school annual day as I would get to deck up in make up and get to lick the lipstick...
• I used to await my parents' anniversary to relish the much awaited dinner in a hotel ( Those were the days when hotel visits were very rare atleast for me)...
• Icecream was a rare treat and not served at every wedding...
• The much awaited STD calls would arrive after 8 PM and before 8 AM to take advantage of the off peak rates...
• I used to safely collect the cash gifted by relatives and cash prizes in school and deposit it in my savings account ( yes my dad opened a savings account for me when I was in primary school to inculcate the savings habit)

The Crazy 8's Tag

8 Things I am passionate about

Family
Friends
Blogging
Internet
Visiting new places
Priorities in life
My house
Souvenirs

8 Things I want to do before I die

Try to help people as much as possible

Visit all the seven wonders of the world
Donate blood as many times as possible
Be an expert cook
Learn to swim the correct way
Learn as many languages as possible
Burn a big hole in the Mr's pocket by shopping...(something which I have not done so far)
Overcome road fear and drive

8 Things I say often

Ok
Accha
Yes
No
Never
Arre
Really
Too much

8 Books I've read recently

I don't read novels..

8 songs I could listen to over and over

Tadap Tadap ke- Hum Dil de chuke Sanam
Jiye to Jiye Kaise- Saajan
Chupana Bhi nahi Aata-Baazigar
Kahin Aag Lage- Taal
Tanha Tanha- Rangeela
Hum Tumhe Chahte Hain Aise- ( starring vinod khanna)
Pal Pal Dil ke Paas- ( starring Dharmendra)
Chak de - Chak de India( many more in the list...)

8 Things that attract me to my best friends

Honesty
Straightforwardness
Trustworthy
Humility
Humour
Jovial Nature
Hardworking
Helping nature

Passing the tag to

Swati
Aryan's Mom
nm
Lavs
Asha
Mira's Mom
Trishna
Whatsinaname

Celebrating Five Years of Togetherness!!!

with my laptop and mobile phone... ( Timepass seen running away for cover now..)

Yes, I celebrate five years of togetherness with both my laptop and mobile phone, but please don't congratulate both of them. If the laptop and mobile phone had a mouth to voice their feelings, they would have surely told about the torture I inflict on them till date. I have no intention of reducing the workload of the laptop anyways....Somehow the phone is a bit luckier than the laptop as it suffers less torture...The only way to escape from me is by becoming junk hahha..

Does Telepathy really exist??

It is said that if we sincerely think about a loved one, the feelings are sure to reach that person. About a week back, I was thinking about a dear one and decided to call that person right away. And guess what I hear on the phone " I was thinking about you since the morning, good you called me, I wanted to hear your voice." The same episode happened again after 3-4 days. Now, I know that some people have this habit of lying deliberately by saying " I was just thinking about you and was about to call you." But I also know that the person whom I called does not belong to this category. That leaves me thinking whether telepathy really exists... Anyways, it feels great when someone sincerely says " I wanted to hear your voice."

Prized Possessions

Whatsinaname tagged me to write about my prized possessions. Some of my prized possessions are with my mom, but prized they are so they will figure in this list.

To start with, my mom has preserved the tiny finger ring I wore on my naming ceremony ( very long back I assure you). Another prized possession with her are the photographs of both sets of grandparents (then newly married) taken in the 1940's. The prizes I won in my school days comprising of games, steel plates and certificates are still intact, the earliest one being two books I received in KG. I have my late grandpa's bedsheet and pillow cover and a cassette containing his voice to remind me that he is always beside me. I have even preserved the envelopes (yes!) in which I got cash money as prizes in school for topping in 10th std. And the letters written to me by my grandparents and uncles and aunts complimenting me for the prizes I got. I also have some letters written by my grandpa to me when I was abroad. A special mention for the postcard written to me by my grandfather-in-law when I was travelling. Our school had the practice of intimating the first rank holder in advance by post, I have those postcards too. Among the recent possessions are the showpieces and stuffed toys gifted by office colleagues when I quit. That's all I can think of now..

All for a Five Minute Visit

There is a marriage hall located down the street. Two days back, the street was bedecked in tons of flags of a political party with huge cutouts and posters stuck all over. From the posters I could make out that a particular party member's kin was getting married in the marriage hall down the street and some big shots from the party were slated to come down, hence the roads were decorated to welcome them. Yesterday evening lots of fire crackers were burst ( I guess 5000 and 10000 waalas) and a live band was playing on the road. Today there was a traffic jam in all nearby streets due to the presence of VIP guests ( who I bet would have been present for not more than 10 minutes) at the wedding.

Just for a 10 minute VIP visit, why is the common man put to hardships since two days? The streets have big holes which were dug to thrust in party flags. Huge banners and thorans of the party flags are all lying now on the road after the function. What a sheer waste of stationery and money. Will the VIP not attend the wedding if the cutouts/banners are not present?? So this is where the taxpayers' money goes. If this money could have been spent in feeding the poor, the newly weds and the VIP's would have earned the good wishes of the poor people atleast .....

Out of Turn

A long queue of people were waiting at the lab in a hospital to get their blood tests done. The attendant was doing a pretty job in calling people one by one and managing the show. Suddenly, a middle-aged guy (Indian origin) started screaming at the attendant saying " I am waiting since the past 30 minutes and yet my turn has not come. Just give me back my requisition, I am going to complain to the top boss here about you." The attendant replied " Sir, please wait for some more time, I will call you when your turn comes." The guy was not at all willing to listen and instead screamed " I have come from London, get my tests done now else I will complain". The attendant finally had no other go than to get the test done for that guy as he feared that the big boss would shout at him (for no fault of his) once the patient complained to the boss. Many a time,some people try to break the queue by falsely saying such things.

My point is why has the guy to use the bribe (word) called London here especially when it is not at all needed. Don't people in London follow the queue? I personally have seen 100s of patients both young and aged waiting in the NHS (National Health Service) for hours to get their blood tests done. So why compare the facilities? And that too, when more and more Medical tourists are coming to India to get faster treatment for their ailments rather than waiting for months for their turn in the NHS. Also, if he feels that he has no time to wait in the queue, he better go back to where he came from and get the blood test done there the moment he arrives ( even if there is a queue before him!).. what say?

TOI comes to town (Finally)

Yipeee, finally TOI (The Times of India) is coming to town. Something many loyal readers (me first) were waiting for.... The moment I heard that TOI is going to be launched w.e.f April 1st, I have signed up for a yearly subscription.. So, local newspapers- be prepared to see a decline in ur readership cause TOI is all set to grab ur share!!!

Another Tag

Lavs and AA_Mom have tagged me to do this..

"Post 5 links to 5 of your previously written posts. The posts have to relate to the 5 key words given : family, friend, yourself, your love, anything you like. Tag 5 other friends to do this meme. Try to tag at least 2 new acquaintances (if not, your current blog buddies will do) so that you get to know them each a little bit better."

Family: Has to be this one

Friends: This one should suffice

Myself : Surely this one

My Love: I know this does not fit the bill but please make do with this

Anything else I Like: Hmm, how about this

Coming to the tag, I request Itchy, Trishna and Pixie and my new blogger friends k3mom and Mira's mom to continue the chain.

Food Blogs

After visiting all food blogs and seeing mouth watering pictures of food, I want to eat that food ASAP. Since I am lazy to try out the recipe myself, could the food bloggers please arrange to courier the foodstuffs to me? My current farmaish {request cum order} (as of now) is for Vada Pav, Fruit Salad, Dabeli, Any Chaat items, Petha (from Agra), Paneer Pakodas and Gobi Manchurian. If non-food bloggers reading this blog (and pitying me) feel like couriering food to me, please do so without thinking.... You will surely get the punya of feeding a hungry (Lazy) soul!!

Move Ahead..

When people talk behind your back, what does it mean??

Simple! It means that you are two steps ahead of them!!

So, Keep moving ahead in Life!!

My Identity

People have always asked me if I am a Gujarati or Rajasthani or Sindhi or Madrasi or North Indian or Telugu or Marathi or Kannadiga or South Indian etc. ( I have mentioned the exact terms used by people while talking to me.) I remember one lady in Chennai asked me if I am a "Seth" (the local term used to address Rajasthanis and Marwadis). A couple of people even swore that XXX is just not my mother tongue when I mentioned it to them since I did not look like I belonged to that state. All this has irritated me since I feel every place where I have lived has contributed to what I am today. After all we have a Passport mentioning "Republic of India" and not "Republic/State of ....(name of the state we belong to)".

Whilst abroad, I was asked by people whether I was Asian/Pakistani/Indian. I felt proud of my Indian/Asian identity. Sadly Indians asked me the same question as asked in India. I remember a young guy (Indian) saw me shopping in the supermarket and instantly came up to me and asked " Are you from India?". I replied in the affirmative only to face this question " Are you ..... ( Regional Language)?". I said no and does it make any difference? But I could notice a small downslide in his excitement since I was not from his state. Does it matter in a place which is alien to both of us and where people club all of us together as Asians/Indians?

Time to be Complimented

A small proof of of my social networking skills:

I get the news of a relative A's friend B's pregnancy (and due date of course) through her sister C (whom I know through A but am not in contact) who has told this to my friend D who has in turn told it to me. All this when A stays in the same city, B is in Bangalore, C is in U.K, B and C's parents stay at a 10 minute drive from my place and D stays in California!!! Let me clarify that I did not even utter a word about A/B/C but got all this for free...

P.S: Pls excuse me if you feel dizzy after reading this.. ( I bet most of us are used to such things). As a remedy, I strongly suggest you to exit this page or else search for an aspirin but not before commenting on this please.

Good Morning

First thing, in the morning,

as I begin my day,I turn on my computer,

to see what my email friends have to say.

They bring me such delight,with notes and cards and such,

And I appreciate their thoughtfulness,so very much!

Sometimes, there's a concern,a need for a quick prayer,

and it encourages me to know,that they are always there.

I hear the birds early chirping,with happy songs in their hearts,

and just like my Friends, they give me a cheerful start.

I'm blessed each and every morning,to see their names in my mailing list,

and when one isn't there,they are truly missed.

Even though we are far apart,and exist in Cyber Space,

I hope, someday, to meet them all,smiling, face to face.

So, I want to say"Good Morning!"to each and every one of you.

Have a Blessed and Happy Day,and "Thanks" for making mine one, too!

New Tag

Tagged by Lavs

A-Available? For what??
B-Best friend: Myself
C-Cake or Pie? Cake
D-Drink of choice: Milk
E-Essential thing used everyday: Toothpaste
F-Favourite colour: Black
G-Gummi bears or worms: surely not worms
H-Hometown: India
I-Indulgence: Internet
J-January or February: Neither
K-Kids and names: Will fill in when they happen
L-Life is incomplete without: Good health,good family and lots of good luck
M-Marriage date: Sep 11th (Yes!)
N-Number of siblings: One
O-Oranges or apples: Both
P-Phobias: Lizards and Snakes
Q-Quote: Keep doing your duty, don't worry about what people comment.
R-Reason to smile: If someone smiles back
S-Season: Winter
T-Tag three people: Aryan's Mom,Pixie and Laksh
U-Unknown fact about me: I like to be alone at times
V-Vegetable you do not like: Karela
W-Worst habit: Reading newspaper before brushing teeth
X-x-rays you have had: chest
Y-Your favourite food: Chaat
Z-Zodiac: Gemini

Speechless

I had a visitor yesterday, a hearing impaired teenaged girl. I was showing her around the house and finally my small puja cupboard. She liked the way things were arranged and was smiling all the way. She touched the tiny bells and told me in sign language "You must be hearing the sound of these bells". I just did not know how to react, I was almost on the verge of tears. I realised how often we take things for granted. Hearing the sound of bells ringing is a petty thing for me but not for her. It is truly said that a person who has lost something will realise the value of that even more. I now realise how lucky I am to be a normal person. Somehow, I am not able to get over this incident at all.

Today's Prediction

My Orkut prediction for today


Today's fortune: You and your wife will be happy in your life together

(I am stumped, don't know how to react..??)

Please Acknowledge Receipt

During every festival, I send e-greetings to near and dear. Not even half the people reply back or even acknowledge receipt of the e-card. Some people have genuine reasons for not doing so and I accept that but not everyone and not always. When the recipient has viewed the card, I get the message " Recipient has viewed your card" which is proof that my card has found its way to the inbox of the receiver and that he/she has viewed it. But very few people bother to reply back. I send e-cards as I sincerely remembered you and wanted to wish you and say hi and see what I get back. It hardly takes a minute to click the reply button and just say Thanks. Some very nice people have even retorted back saying " so, now only you remembered me, where are u?!". Excuse me, I am the one who has tried to get in touch and you shamelessly ask me this? Some very very nice people say." Which mail/card.. I did not receive any from you".

I have proof that the card has been sent and you say this to me? Well, the world is such a wonderful place with such nice people that I feel I am a misfit here. I know people will ask me why do I send cards if I am unhappy about non-acknowledgement of cards. That's me for you, to tell you that I remember you and want to wish you for a festive occasion (whether you like it or not). So what if people do not acknowledge receipt, atleast I get to know that my card has been viewed. What say?

Just Not Fair

If I keep listening to whatever false allegations you make, I am supposed to be an innocent girl who will never speak back and so you take advantage of this...

If I retort to your allegations and comments, then I am supposed to be an arrogant girl talking back because now I am well off and now I do not need your help..

So, what am I supposed to do???

(P.S: Thank God I did not make a new year resolution of not cribbing, else I would have ended up breaking the resolution the very next day. And if I don't crib/complain, what else do I have this blog for??)