Heloooo peoples!!!!

We have moved to Wordpress. Work is still in progress so kindly adjust.

Oh and the new address is http://titleintentionallyleftblank.wordpress.com/

Blogger's been acting up like crazy for sometime, making it difficult for me o post anything. I will soon be moving to Wordpress & will give (all of you who do read my blog) the new link soon. That blog is still a work in progress.I also waned to wish you all Happy Durga Puja & Happy Navratras. have a blast this coming week. I am off to Cal on Monday for a week and plan to wear a whole lot of saris this time since I rarely get to wear them. Byieeeeeeeeee. Have a great time folks :)

I have bad traffic karma.

(I also have bad 'my bag is always the last bag to come out after a flight' karma while we'r at it).

If there is a traffic jam, I have to be stuck in it. If there is a pile-up thanks to some car which has broken down ahead, yes yes I will be there in the middle of that pile-up, tearing my hair out and station-hopping hoping to find some good music playing and not some stupid RJ going on yadda yadda  nonstop (Btw why do they all sound so bright and chirpy, don't you just feel like strangling them ever).

When it pours and the traffic (obviously) goes bonkers, I am caught up in the worst of it. My new record is 6 hours on the road. And everytime that I am suffering my bad traffic karma, my husband who has excellent traffic karma (and he refuses to pass some onto me to even things out) is either working from home that day or he is travelling. My trafic karma also extends to my train travels.

Yesterday, after I was stuck in Gurgaon for two hours and hadn't even managed to reach the toll plaza, I took an U-turn home, picked up MIL, changed from my black-n-whites into some friendly tattered denims & old tee and the two of us took off for the salon where we spent a good 4 hours. You know what they say, when life gives you lemons you make lemonade :P

What's your traffic karma?

We plan and we plan and we coordinate schedules and we meet a friend for lunch at this Thai place in the Defence Colony Market for a Friday which in itself is a major achievement.

Said friend shows me her new ring on the left hand and we do the required 'Ooohhs' and 'Aaaahs' as that was he main purpose of the lunch.

We do the yak-yak thing where we discuss clothes and shoes and her recent trip to USA and my Mahabaleshwar trip and I tell her all about my new grey block heeled suede shoes (some ooohing and aaahing required here from you guys) while we eat the spring rolls (chicken) and drink our coke, have the main course (Thai red curry for her & Basil chicken for me), share a desert (brownies with ice cream & lots of hot chocolate sauce). And then we call for the check.

Which is when we realise that between the two of us we only have 500 bucks and no card. Ooooops.

We call the waiter and explain the situation to him, so we run down to get into her car and quickly drive to my office, which is when we realise the said car also has a puncture. Oooooops.

Life has taken a full circle for me.

When I passed out of college in 2006 and joined work, I used to be very amazed and astounded as to how my seniors would remember dates, details of every case, innumerable judgements, quote sections & judges at the drop of a hat, use legal terminology when making normal conversation and expect the other person to understand.

Three years down the line, I call my tailor and ask if he has "amended" my kurta and then wonder why he cannot understand what I am saying.

Have you seen the ads for Ipill? Since I couldn't find the link on Youtube, I'l just layout the bare storyboard.

1st Advertisement

Scene 1 - A young girl hurriedly getting up from breakfast table where her parents are also shown eating, grabbing her bag and hurrying out.

Scene 2 - She gets into a cab where her friend is waiting to pick her up and is shown to be very upset and is crying.

Scene 3 - They make the rounds of various abortion clinics and show that the girl is too scared to enter it.

Scene 4 - Solution is Ipill -72. Take it within 72 hours of unprotected sex and your saved from the bother of an unwanted pregnancy.

2nd Advertisement

Scene 1 - Call at midnight and girl hurries into bathroom and shuts door while answering the call.

Scene 2 - She asks details of When? Where? Exact details of time.

Scene 3 - Solution is Ipill -72. Take it within 72 hours of unprotected sex and your saved from the bother of an unwanted pregnancy.

Now a similar pill of another company going by the very befitting name of 'Unwanted-72' at least has the sense to show two married couples in their advertisements.

Now correct me if I'v got this wrong, but it sounds to me like the Ipill-72 guys are basically saying "Go ahead and have all the unprotected sex you want ladies.Just pop in an Ipill-72 within 72 hours to protect yourself from an unwanted pregnancy."

Ummm...are they encouraging young UNMARRIED girls to give into the throes of passion and sleep around (as seen from their advertisement). How did this get past the moral police? Are Muthalik and guys sleeping (literally) while UNMARRIED WOMEN sleep around and corrupt Indian culture and Indian men?

PS: I'm not even going to get into the issue of AIDS and STDs and unprotected sex.

That's because WW III and WW IV are over and done with today - and that is the good news.

Ever just felt like simply screaming and letting out whatever is inside you head.

Ever felt like just curling up in your blanket to shut out the world like an ostritch hiding its head in the sand.

Ever felt like simply chucking up everything and walking away - damn all obligations & responsibilties to hell.

Ever felt its one of those days when everything is gloomy and the sun will never shine again (metaphorically speaking).

Ever felt that its one of those days when even banging your head against the wall won't make a difference.

Ever felt that its one of those days when the moment you open your mouth you know that World war V will start.

Ever felt like borrowing harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak just so that your the nly person in your world for that day.

Ever felt like your the target at the end of a firing squad.

Ever felt like saying that even chocolate won't help today.

 

Yes, its one of those days today.

Thursday almost felt like the last day of school before it shut for the month-long summer vacations....or in  our case a loooong 3 day weekend.That's an unheard concept in our office. We scurried around like mice trying to finish stuff before the weekend and to ensure we didn't need to come in on any of the days.I did end up carrying work home though, but I prefer to working from home rather than going in on a weekend to office. Major 'Weekend Bachao Aandolan' happened at work on  all our ends.

Friday the 14th was the first day of our  'vacation'. I lolled around in bed till late, then dropped Arjun off at the mall to get tickets for an afternoon show and went to the dentist to get my stitches removed. Stitches removed (Yipppeeee) and I was also assured that the other wisdom tooth did not need to come out asap and to wait until there is some sign of toruble (Read: Pain).Phew!!!! I was torturting myself (and consequently Arjun) with thoguhtds of another week of semi-solid food.

Then an afternoon show of Kaminey, some shopping ( a very pretty white shirt for work and a strappy blue top). Then off for the opening of a friend's exhibition (photography) where I was strictly warned not to say anything beyond 'Oh very pretty/nice'. You see I'm not one who understands too much of artistic adaayein etc. and I never get the 'The white depicts good & black depicts the darkness and evil' kind of dialogues and end up making some very stupid  remarks (Oh well, I'v had some of my wisdom extracted. Now what do you expect me to understand with only half my wisdom still with me. I pick and choose what to use the wisdom on :P)

Oh and go watch Kaminey....Dhan ta da :P

Solid phaataphaati movie guru...we Bongs are mad, but we still rock :P

Ths is dedicated to all my loyal blogger pals ( Wish I could say that I also had a few fans) who still bother to drop by and check up on me. Hey guys...I'm still alive and kicking. Just not been writing. This hiatus was not an intentional one - just that everyday something came up, and I'd say "Oh!!! I have afew minutes...I'l comment on this blog and that blog" and then due to paucity of time, I'd miss out on penning a few lines in my own blog. Or I'd read some wonderful posts like this one by Chandni or this by Mumbai Diva or this by Dee or this by Miss M or this by Ria or this by Mad Momma or this by Monica or this by Lostie or this by D or this by Indian Homemaker, and then I wonder what could I write that you guys would still come read me.

I haven't been upto much off late though I did make a long overdue flying visit to Bombay from where a busload of us drove down from Bombay to Mahabaleshwar. The drive was wonderful and we (three of us who went from Delhi and have all studied in Pune) hogged on  sabudana kichdi/ wada, poha, upma, vada pao & dabelis. We drove through clouds too at one point.

Here are a few pics from the journey taken from my very basic 'point & shoot' digicam.

This is the three of us who went from the Delhi office.

We partied all night and totally let our hair down & took the first bus back from Mahabaleshwar to aamchi Mumbai to take the late evening flight back to saddi Dilli. We drove through Pune too at one point and the whole bus (which was a whole bunch of people who had studied in Pune) was trying to coax the boss that we had to stop and pitch tent there. The whole time that we were in Mahabaleshwar, it rained ad it poured & we were constantly wet & cold, but it was good fun. A great impromptu trip.

The same weekend that i had gone to Bombay & Mahabaleshwar, Arjun had gone to Hyderabad on work and satyed back there for a couple of days to spend time with his best friend - Johnnie (who makes the best biryani ever). He had a great time with his friends & I had a great time with my friends. He also got me back pearls & glass bangles from the city of the Nizam.

And after the fun times, we'r now gettuing our house painted & some minor renovations & all done. It started last Sunday & we'r hoping that it will be done by this weekend. i'm also due for some minor surgery tomorrow.

And at work, i'v been banging my head against the proverbial brick wall.

I also got loads of chocolates yesterday from my lovely bro in Chennai and a very close friend, who's also my rakhi brother.

Yup so I'v been busy. Btw, all those who'v managed to read till here, I have a question?

If you had a million dollars & could live off the interest for the rest of your life, what would you do? Would you give up working? Join an NGO? Travel the rest of your life? Live your dream?

I feel soooooooo old. Its  a bad bad thing when your the eldest among all cousins and the rest are all just about starting college and most are still in school. I feel soooo old when my 7 year old cousin asked me if I was born when 'Yeh kaali kaali aankhen' was around and when I replied in the affirmative, he looked so shocked.

Another little kiddo is soon going to hostel and he tells me they have washing machines and tea/coffee vending machines in their hostel so he does not need to learn how to wash clothes or make chai/coffee/maggi and then tells me 'Didi, aajkal hostels are also well-equipped, not pre-hisoric like when you stayed that you had no washing machine.

Prehistoric? And I was in hostel in 2001.

Another of my friends got asked by her 10 year old brother to help him with his school project and proceeded to instuct her on this wonderful site called 'Wikipedia'. Simply type in what you want and you get everything. No need to look through 20 books to make a ten page project.

We still have a few years to go before we see the big 'Three-Oh'.

Abhi to main jawaan hoon.

• You own an entire wardrove in black and white and you own at least 5-6 pairs of shoes/ sandals in black
• You think wearing light pink on a weekday is very colourful
• You do a good imitation of Govinda's fondness for colours on weekends
• You often begin your sentences as 'I humbly submit....' or 'BECAUSE...' or 'That it has been conclusively held...' or 'My learned friend does not appreciate that...' or 'Qua...' and then wonder why people think it's odd
• 
  You humbly 'pray' before your 'Ld. Senior' for leave and state that the said prayer will not adversely affect any other party
• You are often accosted by various autowalas/ strangers on  the road when they see you coming out of court to represent them on their land/ dowry/ divorce/ family dispute matters and they start telling you in agonising detail all about it
• You send your credit card company a detailed letter about the late payment penalty and sign off as Advocate and they reverse the charges (Yup that actually happened to me)
• You don't get a car loan or any other loan or if you do, you have to pay pretty high interest on it
• You tell your credit card company that your a consultant
• You promise your dhobi that you will draft a legal notice on his behalf if he promsies to bring your clothes on time
• You demand a statement for charges levied on your account by the Bank and after perusing the same you write to the Bank that the charges levied are in violation of the Apex Court's judgment and if not reversed within 7 working days, appropriate proceeings shall be instituted in the appropiate forum and they shall be responsible for all costs incurred
• You are told not to be a lawyer (like its a dirty word) when your fighting with the other half
• You get accused of being a lawyer. PERIOD

cuz I'm wearing one of my most favourite and oldest tops which dates back to my second year of college and my favourite pair of bangle-sized silver hoop earrings.

PS: Bangle-sized hoop earrings were my trademak in my college days :)

Three words which I use most often are Sorry, Please & Thank you. I say it to everyone - be it my family, my friends, colleagues, clerks or any random person. I don't think it makes me smaller than the other person or a pushover.

I say thank you to the office boy when he gives me coffee or to my colleague when he lends me a pen or to my husband when he prepares a lovely dinner or my mother when she gives me a gift. It surprises quite a few people when I say thank you to someone for having done their job - whether the job is serving me with coffee or selling me a pack of biscuits from his grocery shop or whether it is running to get me the correct size of the clothing that I am trying on. 

I say sorry when I  mistakenly stamp someone's foot in the bus or a crowded room  or when I hurt someone.

I say please when I ask for anything from anyone, be it my husband or the clerk.

A smile and a word go a long way - whether it is the sales person altering your outfit & giving it to you the same day for the party or when you request the court master to adjust a date. I don't believe in smiling and talking politely only when I need something or when the boss is around.

I am of the belief that practising common courtesy with family, friends, co-workers or any random person is a way of life. I also believe that it reflects very negatively when a person does not practice it. Maybe I am old-fashioned, but if I have given someone a time and know that I am going to be late, I will call and apologise for the same. If smeone takes me out for a meal, I will say thank you. Even if I know the person really well, I will still say  please, sorry & thank you.

Sadly, not many practice basic courtesy today. I see parents not teaching their kids any manners saying they will learn it later. Later? When later? I see kids in whose dictionaries, sorry & thank you does not even exist. 

People tell me I am a pushover since I use these words freely. I beg to differ. People who know me will be the first to state that whatever else I maybe, a pushover is the last thing that I am. If someone takes me for granted because I use sorry & thank you, then that person is very much mistaken. 

 For me it is a way of life & speech.

 

Today I complete a quarter of a century on this earth. I am now officially grown up after having left home 8 years ago, 5 years of hostel/ PG life, 3 years of work, 1 year of staying with relatives and 2 years of marriage. It's a good day to take stock.  Chandni & Kiran have written so beautifully on what they have gained and droppen to reach where they are today. It made me think.

Today is a good day for introspective stocktaking. 

I have a wonderful family which has supported me all through. I have married a wonderful man who is my life. I have been lucky to have a second set of parents in my in-laws.

What have I gained? A wonderful man to call my husband and stand by my side always and a second set of parents for starters.

I have gained a wonderful set of friends who are also my family - both old & new.  

I have gained patience and the wisdom of accepting people for who they are. 

I have gained the knowledge that I am not perfect and not everyone is good.

I have also learned  that i don't always need to raise a scene to get my work done - it can be done with a smile and a friendly voice.

I have also gained a few kilos :(

I have also gained quite a few pairs of shoes  & bags.

I have learnt that I am not always responsible and that I can't take on the liability of being responsible for someone else's action, on which I have no influence.

I have dropped those who I thought were my friends, but turned out to be serpents in sheep's clothing.

I have dropped the habit of being judgmental.

I am trying hard to drop the habit of taking everything personally, and to develop a thick skin. 

I am climbing up the ladder professionally. I have learnt that I don't need to be a lawyer 24/7. I have learnt that it is okay to be me. People can accept me for what I am, and if they can't then balls to them - their loss. I have learnt to grow up and not blame others for my actions. 

I will not call myself mature, but I can say that I am getting there.

Aaargghhhhhhhh....my blogger's block continues. I can write and hold discourses on void& voidable contracts for hours, but right now the moment I sit down to write a post, my mind draws a blank. I'm giving it another day and then I'm going to write 'An Autobiography of a Coin' and I want comments from all of you (not the 'Can do better' ones my teachers loved to give, though in all fairness I was always ahead of the class in English and History)

Hey amigos...been a while since I have posted anything. Blame it on my blogger's block and my non-exciting life currently.

Been shuttling between work and home mostly. Some family visits too kept me busy. Good news is that we finally bought a car and should be getting delivery by Sunday (fingers crossed). I also need to now to revive my rusty driving skills. Other news is that court vacations are coming up in June so I plan on wearing the brightest of colours to work on a weekday (yes, it is a very big thing). June will also bring my birthday (yipppeeeee) so those of you who want to wish me 9th June is the B-day. Yes I am a little kid when it comes to birthdays. I like the traditional trappings - chocolate cake (Can anyone tell me where did his tradition of cutting cakes start to celebrate a birthday and I know we got this cake idea from the Brits?), gift wrapping paper to tear off the gifts, lots of love and wishes from my family and friends (It makes me feel really good to know that there are people who bothered to remember my birthday and take the effort to call and wish me). Other news also includes my little cousin bro (little for me at least) having cracked the IIT and a horde of us raising a cheer and banging the table in Delhi at a posh resteraunt, leaving the rest of its patrons wondering what we were cheering about now that IPL is also over. 

Ya ummmm well that's it for now folks...if my blogger's block continues, I am going to have to start writing essays on 'Rainy day' or 'How I spent my Summer Vacations' or 'Autobiography of a Coin' just so that I can post something here and not feel vaguely guilty about not posting more often.

 

I have been having a blogger's block for sometime so I'm doing this tag which I saw on someone's blog (Sorry I don't remember whose. If its yours, please tell me and I shall acknowledge you :P)

Hope my block gets unblocked.

LAST
1. Last beverage: Water

2. Last phone call: Client call
3. Last text message: To a colleague in Bombay
4. Last song you listened to: 'Lonely is the night'
5. Last time you cried: Been a while now

HAVE YOU EVER
6. Dated someone twice?  As in breaking up and then again getting back together? Yes.
7. Been cheated on? Nope

8. Kissed someone & regretted it? Nope
9. Lost someone special? Yup
10. Been depressed? Yup
11. Been drunk and thrown up? Yup &  managed to teach Arjun counting from 1 to 5 :P

12. Kissed a stranger? Nope
13. Lost glasses/contacts? Contacts - Oh yes :(
14. Had sex on first date? Nope
15. Broken someone’s heart? So I'v been told
16. Had your own heart broken? Yup - by John Abraham, Rahul Dravid, Hrithik Roshan & Tom Cruise
17. Been arrested? Nope but I have been inside a jail :P
18. Turned someone down? Yup. Quite a few someones in fact
19. Cried when someone died? Yup
20. Liked a friend that is a girl? Oh! I ‘like’ them all(in a non-lesbo way) :P

IN THE PAST YEAR HAVE YOU
21. Made new friends? Yes of course.

22. Fallen out of love? Nope, but I did fall even more in love with the man I have married :)
23. Laughed until you cried? Oh yes
24. Met someone who changed you? I'm thinking on that. Marriage has changed me so I can say Arjun has changed me.
25. Found out who your true friends were? I always knew who they were :)

26. Found out someone was talking about you?  Yup

WHAT’S YOUR
27. Name: SMM
28. Nicknames: Plenty :P

29. Relationship status: Married
30. Zodiac sign: Gemini (My birthday's coming up...yeahhhhh)
31. Male or female or transgendered: Definitely female!
32. Elementary: Tiny Tots, Vishakapatnam

33.School: Quite a few though I finally passed out of Ashok Hall, Calcutta
34. Colleges: Symbiosis Society's Law College
35. Hair color: Black
36. Long or short: Depends :P
37. Height: 5′6″

FIRSTS
38. First surgery: None till date thankfully
39. First piercing: Got my ears pierced when I was barely a year old is what my mommy tells me 

40. First best friend: I'v been told it was our neigbour's daughter (Pooja I think is what her name was)

41. First sport you loved:Swimming I think

42. First pet: None
43. First vacation: Calcutta I guess
44. First concert: Too far back to remember. I'm a Bong, you see. Concerts are a part of our Puja functions.

 

RIGHT NOW
45. Eating: Nothing right now
46. Drinking: Water
47. I’m about to: Start drafting the replication
48. Listening to: Colleagues talking (Ipod out of charge) 

49. Waiting for: the 9th of June (my birthday for those of you who don't know. Gifts welome - caste no bar, age no bar, sex no bar)

YOUR FUTURE
50. Want kids? Yes definitely
51. Want to get married? I'm already married and last I heard bigamy is not allowed for Hindus :P
52. Careers in mind? A best-selling author

WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX? 
53. Lips or eyes: Ummmmmmmm....both :P
54. Hugs or kisses: Both :P
55. Shorter or taller: Taller
56. Older or younger: He's older than me and I'm not planning on acquiring any other 'he':P

57. Romantic or spontaneous: Spontaneously romantic :)
58. Nice stomach or nice arms: Both :P
59. Sensitive or loud: Sensitive
60. Hook-up or relationship: Already hooked, booked and cooked :P
61. Trouble maker or hesitant: Trouble-maker. that's me :P

DO YOU BELIEVE IN
62. Yourself: Mostly
63. Miracles: Yes please...I really need a few here
64. Love at first sight: So I was told :P
65. Heaven: I wonder if there really is heaven & hell
66. Santa Claus: Sadly no more
67. Kiss on the first date: Yeah but a chaste one :P
68. Angels: And fairy godmothers too :P

LIST FOUR FAVORITE COLORS
69. Fuschia pink
70. Purple
71. Black

72. Red 

73. Have you kissed anyone on your friends list? Orkut/FB friends list? Yeah. My husband's on both :P
74. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life? Almost all

75. How many kids do you want to have? 2
76. Do you have any pets? No
77. Do you want to change your name? Nooooooooo
78. What did you do for your last birthday? Work, shop, candlelight dinner, home :P
79. What time did you wake up today? 6:15 am
80. What were you doing at midnight last night? Sleeping
81. Name something you CANNOT wait for? A 2 day weekend absolutely uninterrupted by work :P

 82. Last time you saw your father? March 2009
83. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life? Not much right now. Maybe a good maid who can cook :P

 84. Most visited webpage: Igoogle
85. Do you have a crush on someone? John Abraham :P
86. Ever been in love? Truly, madly, deeply 
87. Piercings? Ears
88. Tattoos? No!
89. Righty or lefty: Righty
90. On Internet since: Actively since 2001
91. Video game: Not particularly
92. When left alone: I read or finish my chores or cook or sleep or do thousands of things. I love my own company :)

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY
93. Is there one person you want to be with right now? Already met my mom earlier this month and I'm already with the one person I otherwise wanted to be with :P
94. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? Yup :P
95. Wanted to kill some one ever? Yes - quite a few
96. Among your blog mates, who would you like to kiss? Arjun :P
97. Committed a blunder and regretted later? Yes
98. Wanted to steal your friend’s boyfriend / girlfriend? Nope
99. Wanted to run away from your loved ones in anger, because they didn’t listen? I have wanted to leave in anger many a time but haven't yet and hope I never will
100. Posting this as 100 Truths? Not a bad idea

Caveat: This is a meandering post where I know not what I have written cuz the words just flew from my heart.  

From an early age I learn to keep my emotions hidden and not give others any hook by which they could scoop me up. Children are sometimes very mean and cruel, without probably meaning to, and I experienced this young. This was probably because of my dad's ill health which had already started showing up. First, he started limping, then he started using a walking stick (which for a serving defence officer is a big blow to his ego), then he had o take premature medical retirement, he moved to a wheelchair, and now depending on his health, either he is bed-ridden or on a wheelchair.

Unfortunately, I also have a thin skin. To survive the cruel barbs of many, I pretended that I had a thick skin and laughed away many barbs, and believing offense to be the best defence, I made quite a few barbs myself. Not something that I am proud of. This also led to my developing a pretty sharp tongue which I have now learnt to tone down. I have learnt to swallow angry words sometimes, since a word from me when angry and reckless would  probably lead to WW III.

As a child, I was never one of the most popular ones or the cutest ones. I learnt to take it in my stride. I tried hard to be what they were and fit in, but I stuck out like a square peg in a round hole (to use a cliche). I made some wonderful friends in school and college who gave me the confidence to be what I am and we were a bundle of squares, rounds, triangles, rectangles, pentagons and other wonderful shapes and we gave a damn about what was the shape of the hole (no pun intended - just keeping in line with the cliche) cuz we learned to make our own , and not what anybody else wanted to perceive me as. Today, other than my friends, my husband gives me that confidence.

Unfortunately, it is tough to come across such people in today's world - the drummers who march to their own tune (I seem to be into cliches today). Alot of people claim to be such a person, but very few actually are. Its tough to say I prefer Harry Bellafonte when the whole world swears by Linkin Park.

The elections in Gurgaon are scheduled on 7th of May 2009. Today is the 4th of May 2009. Visit my part of Gurgaon - you'd never know that the national elections are underway. No party has come to our area for campaigning, no officer has visited the area for the purpose of including names in the electoral role, a visit to the Mini Secratariat to submit the application was futile.

It seems that new Gurgaon (as opposed to old Gurgaon) does not figure anywhere on any party's list - maybe because this area mainly comprises of urbane professionals who have come to Gurgaon from other parts of India. We pay taxes but we shall have no say in our candidate or our Government. Being a conscientious citizen I would like to exercise my right and my duty to vote, but  I very much doubt that my name is included in the electoral role. Since I am not a dalit or an OBC, and neither do I belong to any minority sect or economically backward class and also pay my taxes religiously since I have started working, the parties and their candidates obviously feel that our votes don't count. I don't even know where my voting centre is though the elections are hardly 3 days away.

The part of Gurgaon where I stay has minimal infrastructure - little or none public transport which I can use, no taxis or autos also in place, unreliable electricity supply, safety of women after dark is questionable. If one does not have a car in Gurgaon, one has little option but to travel by the public transport which is notorious and unadvisable for women or hire expensive private taxis. The roads are bad. The famous Kachra Chowk and Anaath Road say it all.

So elections really? Definitely not happening in my part of India.

Picture courtesy: http://www.dancewithshadows.com

I have whole-heartedly supported the Kolkata Knight Riders the previous season as well as this season. Guess I didn't learn my lesson well last year. However, this team does not deserve my support. This team has let me and millions of its other fans down by giving up which shows in its very attitude.  I have defended KKR  all throughout, but they don't deserve one bit of this support. They were never a team to begin with. I was supporting Sourav Ganguly and will continue to state that he is one of India's best players. I will also state that it is my humble opinion that Shahrukh Khan chose chose his coach and his skipper unwisely. That is I reiterate, only my humble opinion. 

Nonetheless I don't  have any more enthusiasm  to cheer for this team anymore or scream "Korbo, lorbo, jeetbo re". If KKR had gone down fighting, I would have supported them, but KKR has gone out with a whimper - not what I would expect from my team.

Today I publicly renounce my support to the KKR team. I shall now divide my support between Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians.

Disclaimer: If KKR does come back with a bang the next season and makes it to the semi-finals, I shall support them again. Today I am only one, but KKR has lost alot of its supporters. They need to play and win matches, and bring us back into the fold again. We want to be there.

 

That's the pink bag I bought last Saturday from Benetton  :)

Arjun has raised a question here on the power of pink.

There are various theories on the net suggesting why women like pink - 

• Because it is the ultimate romantic colour (Barbara Cartland was renowned for her pink boudoir, carefully colour-coordinated to include a couple of suitably primrose-rinsed Pekingese)
• Because pink represents feminity and  girlishness
• Because it suits everyone (fair, dark, wheatish complexions) 
• Because women are genetically wired toward pink
• Because females were the fruit gatherers and it was easier to pick our pink/ red hues in a green background of vegetation  

Research has shown that this colour preference/ bias toward pink is universal among females - nationality no bar, age no bar, female baar baar :P


Besides love and romance, pink is also associated with softcore communism. While a hardcore Communist is Red, a left liberal socialist is often referred to as a pinko, which endorses the individual's communist leanings and is a back-handed compliment.


Pink has also been used in the articulation of social and sexual freedom by homosexuals across the world in what are known as 'Pink Parades'.


Pink is also associated with the Pink Ribbon Foundation, which provides support to those undergoing treatment for breast cancer.


More recently, pink was also used as a weapon in the Pink Chaddi campaign, where pink was used to symbolise 'frivolousness' which is all what the Ram Sene is.

On my part, pink and more specifically, rani pink/ fuschia is my chosen shade which I wore for my engagement and my reception.

Now the question arises, why do I go for pink?


Well, I go for pink simply because I like it. If I had to make a choice between a pink tee and any other colour, 8 out of 10 times, I will end up choosing pink.  When shopping I automatically end up gravitating toward the pinks. I admit to owning quite a few pinks in my wardrobe - tees, tops, kurtas, suits, saris and of course, my lehenga. This colour gives me a high and makes me feel good. It makes me feel feminine and powerful enough to take on even Darth Vader (okay that's an exaggeration, but I can take on the Hubby for sure :P).  

And its also bright enough to compensate for the lack of colour in my otherwise black-and-white life. I end here with the lyrics of Aerosmith's Pink:

Pink - it’s my new obsession
Pink - it’s not even a question,
Pink - on the lips of your lover
(oh)
‘Cause Pink is the love you discover
Pink - as the bing on your cherry
Pink - ’cause you are so very
Pink - it’s the color of passion
Ah, ’cause today it just goes with the fashion
Pink - it was love at first sight
Yeah, Pink - when I turn out the light
And Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight
You could be my flamingo
‘Cause pink - it’s the new kinda of lingo
Pink - like a deco umbrella
It’s kink that you don’t ever tell her
Pink - it was love at first sight
And Pink when I turn out the light
Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight
Yeah!
I want to be your lover
I, I wanna wrap you in rubber
And it’s pink as the sheets that we lay on
‘Cause Pink - it’s my favorite crayon
Yeah!
Pink - it was love at first sight
Pink - when I turn out the light
Pink - it’s like red but not quite
And I think, everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight

Pal had tagged us to tell tales of the goofy things we did as kids. I'v done loads, but I'm going to have censor some.

• When my dad would return home, I would take  his big heavy white uniform shoes in two hands and bring him his slippers. If I couldn't find the slippers, I used to tug the slippers off my mom's feet and take them to him 
• In Vizag, there was this particular road in the colony which had a steep valley and was the favourite spot for all of us kids to cycle. Two of us used to come down the two slopes from opposite ends with legs in the air straight at each other. The one who swerved first was the one who lost. Onetime, both of us did not swerve, and we banged into each other damaging our cycles and falling into the barbed wire on the side. I ended up getting stitches on my knee 
• I was so excited the first time I got homework from school that I woke my dad up the next day to take me to school early since I had completed it :P
• Perk is my favourite chocolate. Even jumped jumped from the first floor balcony during a vella summer vacation and won a bet for 9 perks. Also broke my ankle.  Had to wear plaster for a good 4 weeks in the Calcutta summers.
  
• I was all set to travel from Bombay to Calcutta on the truck taking our furniture, car etc. when we got transferred till my dad yelled at me to get off the truck
• My friend and I would hide our Mills & Boons behind our textbooks and read during class. One time the teacher got suspicious and asked us what we were reading, so S gave sme vague answer. Then the teacher asked us which page we were on. S confidently replied "Pg. 79." The teacher quietely says the class is on Pg. 84. Immediately S looks at me and says "Mam, what to do? SMM is such a slow reader." (Okay this was probably not goofy but definitely funny in hindsight)
  
• I started writing a school series inspired by Malory Towers and St. Clairs. Yet to complete it. I wanted to be the next Enid Blyton.
• After every class, we used to have a prize giving ceremony at home
• I still insist on  two gifts from my parents. My logic being I get them 2 gifts, so they can't  cheat and give me only 1 gift :P

I don't name anyone specifically to do this tag. If you want to do it, go ahead and do it and tell me that you have done it please. I wanna read your goofy tales too :) 

Well first things first....thanks all of you who wished us and boo to those who didn't :P

We had a great time a Kasauli as you can see from our snaps. We stayed in a cottage in a resort called Baikunth.

That's my other half posing on the overhanging porch outside our cottage. You can see a part of the cottage on the left. We had this lovely window seat in the cottage with a huge glass window so you could read and look outside in the mountains and contemplate as well. I'v told Arjun that when we buy our own house, I want a window seat like that too. 

That's yours truly shivering away in the late evening breeze in the lovely garden. They had a lovely garden with garden swings, wrought iron and jute garden furniture with canopies. We  did plan on dining out every night, except for the fact that I forgot to carry a jacket, and the true blue Bong that I am, I would start shivering at the slightest breeze. We did manage to have drinks outside though one night :)

That's me posing on a lovely sunny morning in our porch.You can see the mountains and trees in the background. This was before our Kerala massage. The resort had a Kerala massage facility, so both of us got a body massage done. That was really really great. Ideal anniversary - eat, sleep, get a massage done, watch the IPL matches, spend quality time with each other, go for a hike, lots of photo-ops for my shutterbug hubby,and reading time for me. Added plus point for Arjun was that since we not staying in the main Kasauli town, I did no shopping and the gift shop at the resort was only discovered on the last day and it was closed.

 

These Raybans were Arjun's anniversary gift. I  got them made for his power. The guy was thrilled with his first ever shades (He would use the money to buy another lens/ camera stuff) and getting sunglasses custom-made are well....always secondary to his camera. This now demands the story of how he became a bakra. These were a total surprise for him and he had no idea whatsoever that I had ordered these for him and had asked them to be delivered at his parent's place. Friday night his parents came over to meet us before we left and my MIL gave me the Rayban box in front of him. This guy huffed and puffed cuz he thought I went and bought myself a sunglasses and didn't get him anything and slunk off to a corner with beer in hand to sulk. he even refused to see them. My FIL tried them on and said in a totally surprised tone "Are, these are power wale sunglasses, but they'r not my power." My MIL said they'r too big for her face. Then I tried them on as well and said they were not my power. By the end of all this drama, Arjun figured out they were for him and well...the glee on his face said it all.

  

That's the lovely couple taking a breather during their hike.

 

 

 

That is the one and only desert I had in our 4 days there. Hey, I have to have something mitha on my 2nd anniversary.

 

That is Kasauli at night.

  

There were wind-chimes hung up in all unlikely places and we could hear them tinkling every time the wind blew but we couldn't however see them, except for this one we spotted on a tree.

 

 

 

And that is my favourite photographer caught in action :) 

 

Pictures: Courtesy Arjun Mahajan. These are his copyrighted images and any unauthorized usage will not be taken lightly. 

 

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Now about IPL. Down with SRK. He makes Dada a judge on some stupid cheerleaders and the strips him off his captaincy. Use saari Bangaliyon ke gaaliyan padengi. uski saari movies flop karenge. (Btw where are the selected cheerleaders? I have only seen the blonde babes dancing).

Oh and do check out the Fake IPL Player. Don't know who he is and if he actually is who he claims to be, i.e., a fake IPL player, but he sure is bringing us his aankhon dekha masala gossip straight from South Africa.