tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29537268100150365512024-03-13T22:19:17.005+05:30Ruse, Muse, ObtuseDodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-66665137810991889022010-09-19T16:32:00.002+05:302010-09-19T16:37:33.392+05:30An ode to new mothersMotherhood thou art lonesome. Some kind people like to inform you that it is exhausting. Sure I can deal with exhaustion. What they don't tell you that exhausting is just the closest way to describe it, the English dictionary needs a new word to describe what new mothers feel. I often like to think that being a new mother feels like falling in love every single day or every single hour or moment. The wait for that the one call or gesture feels like endless torture and at the moment it is received it washes one with a warmth that scrubs clean every one of those feelings from earlier. Its like that with your baby, thru the endless feeding, cleaning, pacifying and worrying that one smile, that one look, is pure ecstasy. Who else can boast of such a ready supply of every day giddiness. There are moments like now when the constant roller coaster leaves one too exhausted to sleep for even sleep is tiring.<br />Oh the trials! Knowing that the new found seemingly limitless patience is far too short. Yet the absolute bliss on seeing your baby's sleeping face, the joy of being playfully beckoned, the euphoria of seeing your babe learning something new, makes one forget the harshest of sentiments.<br />Sleepless Nights, two simple words that don't become as dreaded until one is in the middle of them. Sleepless nights do not encapsulate the long sleepless tiring days, which repeat themselves over n over again. How one finds the strength is unknown, perhaps there is an invisible IV line that goes to heaven or is being carried around by a helpful angel. Yet watching your baby awaken in the morning is as peaceful as watching the sun rise.<br />The hardest part about being a mother is constantly acknowledging one's own inadequacy. It is mind numbingly exhausting to buck up after feeling that you are failing on so many different levels and knowing that getting back up is a long steep slippery slope. The complete helplessness arises because one knows the baby is being a baby. Realizing that you are not able to cope with it, shows you a picture of yourself that isn't pleasant to see.<br />As the weeks pass on and the challenges change one tends to forget the difficulties and thru the passage of time forgets them entirely and only remembers the ecstasy . Perhaps this is why there is no word for exhaustion cause once you crossover you have no need for the word.<br /><br />PS: A big love for my laptop which saved the draft without any prior instructions before spontaneously shutting down and to My hubby for taking the pains to edit this and put up with my late night rantsDodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-1396376423280802122009-02-18T09:17:00.001+05:302009-02-18T09:17:50.557+05:30If i could do whatever I wanted to do right now<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; "><div>I would probably sleep. The wonderful sleep which shuts up the brain or at lest shuts up the part which listens. Just to be disconnected</div><div>I would like to eat a cake. not those creamy ones that are in fashion these days. But the old school cakes which have the thicker icing.</div><div>I would like to climb up a hill for the sheer pleasure of getting somewhere.</div><div>I might like to get some shopping done</div><div>I could experiment with a new cocktail</div><div>I would like to lay on the beach sipping the cocktail</div><div>I could meet a friend over coffee</div><div>I could write something provided i was inspired</div><div>I think I will settle for the cake and sleep :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Lesson Learnt- Wirting while bored, bad idea</div></span>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-41200533942886892742008-09-10T22:31:00.003+05:302008-09-10T23:03:03.078+05:30Intelligence UnlimitedI have a low opinion about the way women are potrayed by the media. We've been reduced to silly simpering people who are constantly on the look out for salvation thru fairness creams, anti-ageing creams, soap sand enough cosmetics to poison a whale. This salvation comes in the form of some scrawny man who sends us all in a tizzy with that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">ohh so hot </span>deodorant and hair gel.<div><br /></div><div>On a related note the hottest women appear to have sub-level IQ's. I relish reading what they say just to confirm my musings about their intelligence. Unfortunately this has also lead me to laugh at the following instead of thinking about them as a silver lining.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other day we had Bipasha Basu stating that she wanted the <a href="http://www.buzz18.com/interviews/movies/id-love-to-play-the-joker-in-batman/74911/0">Jokers role</a> in The Dark Knight. Someone please tell her that this is not a regular circus clown we are talking about.</div><div><br /></div><div>What cracked me up today was that Jessica Alba is playing a mathematics genius in her next <a href="http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20080910/906/ten-jessica-alba-set-to-play-math-genius.html">movie</a>. now does one have to be intelligent to act the part or is it just enough to memorise complex equations. Would love to hear her explain double integrations(no pun intended). </div><div><br /></div><div>I think now we should seriously consider casting Katrina Kaif as a quantum physicist.</div><div><br /></div><div>PS: I have nothing personal against these ladies. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-43047517526668894612008-07-30T20:11:00.005+05:302008-07-30T20:53:33.714+05:30On the trail of Swere Caps and chinese olympicsOk..so they are manhole covers!<br /><br />Anyone living in Mumbai during the rains is pretty familiar with the sudden bursts of torrential rains. Makes me kinda think that God suddenly turned the tap on up there.<br /><br />What amuses me is not what goes on up there , but what literally goes on below us.<br /><br />Since it rains like crazy a few months every year I guess the BMC decided not to sacrifice space for storm drains and just build roads to the last possible inch. Now when it rains all that water has no where to go!! which of course leaves ordinary citizens getting all the goo on their clothes as they wade thru them. SO as a stop gap BMC opens up manholes to let all that water go down somewhere!!! Next Some unsuspecting wader falls into these open holes.<br /><br />The drama hungry media where happy to blame the entire situation on the BMC who were already miffed with Uncle Sam warning it's citizens about open manholes in amchi Mumbai. A little bit of investigation reveals that most of the missing man hole covers have actually been stolen!!! and the BMC blames the <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Mumbai_1500_manhole_covers_stolen/articleshow/3132463.cms">Chinese Olympics</a>!!!<br /><br />Sure enough Uncle Sam is facing a similar situation back home, this time they are blaming <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/us/23manholes.html">China and india</a><br /><br />If only the scrap market for my old-no longer fitting clothes was as lucrative.. sigh, Aah well we all need iron to complete our concrete jungles. Though i don't quite fancy my new house built with manhole covers in a new avtaarDodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-79681305979595330962007-11-28T15:27:00.002+05:302008-05-22T19:54:22.509+05:30Miss'd Out<div>Aah joy!!<br /><br />Recently I shed my official single status. My parents have been smiling ear to ear since the blessed event. Fulfilling all the required rituals with enthusiasm i didn't know existed. Oh the joy!! so much so that my own brother danced with the barathi's .<br /><br />All those years of swearing by simple, small and private weddings where flushed out like used tissue by my parents. Though i can salvage some of my pride by having escaped an elaborate cermony at an unearthly hour(ok not so unearthly for after hours party lovers!!) I can boast of a multi-cultural 1 hour wedding. ( my dear cousins had to sit thru hours n hours)<br /><br />This of course translates to me not having valid reason to argue with my cell phone operator to have my mrs changed to ms. On the bright side I have by virtue of marriage come into pocession of TBs of disk space and countless media files. I am sure I can create plenty of more space by deleting my husband's pornographic collection(sshhhhh i didn't say that out loud).<br /><br />Of course there have been changes to my life. I now share closet space with my husband, but in exchange for an upgrade to my ipod and my phone bills crashing I ain't complaining.<br />I read cosmo in the pretext of learning new recipe. My mother -inlaw thinks that i am working while writing this blog.<br /><br />People often ask me how life is after marriage, i snigger since the question should really be directed to my in-laws and my husband.<br /><br />hee hee smiling ear to ear.<br /></div><br /><div> </div>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-39406692122885336462007-11-21T16:19:00.000+05:302007-11-21T16:35:56.233+05:30On High Heel NoteLife is pretty good especially so when you are proved em all wrong!!!<br /><br />I've been told on several occasions by people, from all <em>walks </em>of life, with varying amount of asperity on the dangers of wearing high heeled shoes.<br /><br />Slip disks, back aches, slips, falls....the wise cracks of committing suicide by jumping of my own shoes etc i listen to with amusement.<br /><br />Today however when i was climbing down the stairs by some freak my dupatta got caught in my shoe and i (note) almost fell.<br /><br />The<em> high</em> point being that since i was exercising the care my fashionably high heel warrants i was able to prevent the fall. I can effectively reconstruct the image of me tumbling down the stairs like rag doll had things been different<br /><br />it has happened often to me and my fellow gals so often wherein we tend to trip and stumble and fall more often when we are wearing our sensible flatties.<br /><br />So as a clumsy always stumbling person..my high heels are my life saver...god bless all my beautiful pairs and may i have many more.<br /><br />~ She with the most shoes winsDodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-76046268929289449972007-11-19T11:30:00.000+05:302007-11-19T11:31:01.929+05:30So longAnd so as the clock moves ever so slowly towards the seventh hour,<br />I look vaguely upon the lighted monstrosity,<br />hoping for words to flow.<br />Alas soon I will bid thee good bye<br />I hope the next owner shall look at you more gleefully than i<br /><br />The dull grey dusk has set in already,<br />It will be time soon for me to leave<br />on good terms we shall part<br />our paths shall never cross again<br /><br />YAY…I get out of here at last :)Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-43725399887632829292007-11-05T19:29:00.000+05:302007-11-14T18:17:43.034+05:30Baby Boo Boo<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ooooooohh</span> u <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">cuuuuutee</span> baby. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Uuuuuuu</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">aree</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">choooo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">chhhhwwweeeeet</span><br /><br />That about sums up the average reaction of an adult left with a baby for 1 minute.<br /><br />I am not beyond this cooing myself. Though I honestly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">believed</span> that's where <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">i'd</span> stop.<br /><br />But fate and my ever sub- yet <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">hyperactive -conscious </span> proved me wrong. I was spending time with my one year old niece and her mum had dressed her up in a cute pair of pink long-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">johns</span>. I had the strongest <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">temptation</span> to stick on a matching pair for bunny ears on her head. I also almost always spike up a baby's hair to give a punk baby look.<br /><br />I wonder why adults dress babies up in clothes they <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">wouldn't</span> want to wear on any day except <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Halloween(may be)</span>. Just cause babies can't express <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">their</span> discontent on the subject and are unable to rip off the costumes themselves, should we really take advantage of that?<br /><br />These pictures lay the groundwork for future embarassments. I mean we are still trying to hide our own baby snaps where we are wearing bunny hats and that photo every boy has when he was dressed as a girl.<br /><br />I am glad that i only have to hide some albums and unlike my niece who is going to have to remove it from the hard drive and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">inbox</span> of every one of my relatives.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-79012936392433023352007-10-11T19:09:00.000+05:302007-10-24T14:32:21.794+05:30Mussorie - Grand FinaleOh yeah!! For some reason R woke up at 6:30 am ...and went for a walk. I chose to sleep in since anytime before 8:00 am is unthinkable for me. R informs me that she wakes up early in the morning. Frankly she gets along with a lots less sleep than I do.<br />Anyways we tackle a heavy breakfast of chole bhature and poori. I love walking by these little places where they make em hot and fresh in the mornings. We decided to hike to lal tibba which is the highest point in Musoorie and offers a great view of the Himalayas. We set off enthusiastically and faltered slightly when we realised that it was a good 5 kms away and was uphill, everyone we met looked at us doubtfully. I'll admit neither of us looks very fit. We decided to walk anyways after being encouraged by a sweet lady who sells sweaters. She said very nonchalantly that it was hardly gonna matter and it'd take us 45 minutes. Onward we marched. the first half of the hike was mostly though the narrow streets and we were thankful to walk the distance since there were several traffic jams. Once we got past the most occupied area we started walking uphill. It was STEEP and we somehow kept going stopping every 5 minutes to catch our breaths. But the view on the way were totally worth it. We reached the chauraha where the road becomes a T junction with one side going to sister's bazaar and the other to lal tibba. onward we marched till be reached our first roadblock. The road was barricaded. We jumped over it and kept walking. The climb hence forth wasn't as steep so we could walk it easily while taking tonnes of photos. We finally reached what appeared to be the top when<br />R(yells): Is that the mountains<br />Me: No they are just clouds<br />R: No look it is mountains<br />Me: Wow it really is<br />I can be excused for the error since the snow peaked mountains where whiter than the clouds and they were actually rising above it.<br />there was an observation tower which was closed..but R and I had come too far to leave without a good view so we managed to jump a couple of gates and get to the top. My first break-in :)The view from there was totally worth it. I could only see mountains all around. It sure made me want to get closer to the Himalayas. That's where I am heading next. Our reverie was interrupted by a shrill yell demanding how we got up there. Alas the owners had arrived and were screaming since we climbed up :) quite understandable. We paid up for the observation tickets and were able to use binoculars to see Kedarnath, the tibetian border and gangotri too. We headed back down and went over to sister's bazaar where R and I met an very interesting lady who owns a handicraft store there. Her family owns most of the shops there and the Cinnamon rolls that they sell there is delicious. R and I headed back at the chauraha we treated ourselves to some yummy waffles.<br />our journey back down to the Mall area took us less than 30 minutes. We had lunch at tavern which was really good. We headed over for one last trip to camel back road which was a little disappointing. We managed to see the sunset there. After that one last stop to Casa Mia for some more yummy cakes.<br />We headed over to a bus station where we managed to find a taxi which was heading to dehradun. The ride down literally had us praying since the driver was probably being chased by demons. Everyone in the car was praying for their lives and controlling Nausea. I have never felt happier getting out of a car.<br />We checked into a hotel for the night and on checking the ticket found that the train left at 5 and not 6. Thus avoiding a catastrophe. I think henceforth R and I will be double checking all our departure times.<br />We made it to Delhi right on time and ate some more at wenger's :)<br />Most Memorable image: R's face at the platform after missing the train<br />Best food: Pasta at Clarke's<br />Favourite dessert: Rum cake at Casa mia<br />Best View: Lal tibba<br />Favourite Moment: Standing on top of the hillock near the Buddhist monastery and listening to the windDodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-5682799593339519652007-10-05T15:34:00.000+05:302007-10-05T15:46:02.930+05:30Mussoorie MailAhh the joy of sleep snuggled in a warm railway bunker......<br />AAck the jab in the back<br />R: "Wake up!! our stop is next"<br />A: Grunts<br />R: WAKE UP!<br />A: Last stop is ours (turns over and tries to sleep again)<br />Finally the train comes to a stop..a complete stop...the final stop<br />We step out and can't believe we have actually made it to Dehradoon and on TIME!!! so far so good<br />At the station we were accosted by several autowala's "Rickshaw madam" etc etc lots of army people walking around (surprise surprise) We walk around a lil cuz i needed to clear out my befuddled head. Though at this point i must stop and specifically talk about R in the next few line<br />You seen a Jack in the Box?<br />You seen a human jack in the Box?<br />Let's think of sleep as the Box<br />Now let me tell you that it is no exaggeration that R would be the jack!!!!I<br /> mean seriously, if i had that gift i would'nt need to consume the bile juice disguised as coffee every single day at work.<br /><br />Anyways my state of beffudleness ends quickly and we find out that the bus stop is on the way out of the station. R and I manage to potter or moossey(?) around as she likes to call it. The bus finally leaves at 7:00 am bright and early, the conductor informed us that we will reach Mussorie by 8:00 am.<br />The bus laboriously climbed the twisty jalebi roads and paused for a breather every now and then. We arrive at the Palace station. We get off the bus and look for a hotel. We almost settle for a cheap hotel when we find "The Clarks" It is right there on Mall road, the rooms are incredible, it was an old Raj time grocery store which the current owners bought way back in 1926. The place is pristine and extremely well maintained. OOh and did i mention that it was cheap too? R and I fell in love with the place at first sight. The owner of the place is a matronly wonderful aunty who gave us a discount since we were only girls. The room we got was awesome. It had a great view of the valley and was perfectly clean and simple.<br />Anyways we decide to get breakfast out of the way since I wanted to watch the Japanese Grand Prix at 10:00. We wandered around a bit, taking in the sites and sounds of the place. A good tip while in Mussoorie is that the best time to take in the view in the mall area is before 10:00 am since the tourists are not out and the place is almost empty and one can enjoy the beauty of the place at leisure and listen to the sounds of nature.We found a little place where we hogged on cheese omelets<br />While watching the race the valley suddenly mists up. The sky was blue as Madonna's veil all morning and suddenly it became dark and grey. We had a fun time watching the mists slowly creep into our room thru the windows. All hopes for a misty room were dashed when we were forced to close the windows because it became a little cold.<br />An exciting race later we headed out for lunch to Rice bowl. Which is just a hop and skip away from clarkes. it is a good chinese and Tibetan restaurant and i enjoyed my noodle soup. Then we went to Casa Mia one of the best bakeries ever. R had a lemon pie and I a rum ball. The lemon pie was awesome and the rum ball was simply the best I've ever eaten. yum yum. Both these places are just ten steps away from Clarke's.<br />We buy tickets for the cable car to Gun point. However the length of the queue made us head over to happy valley instead. there is a tibetian monastery there. It is a little off-beat from the main touristy places. We took a rickshaw till the start of happy valley and walked down the rest of the way to the monastery. We climbed a a little hillock, when we reached its peak we had an unhindered view of the valley. the only sounds one can hear are the flags flapping in the wind and the occasional distant sound of prayer bells. It was beautiful! We then headed to the monastery which was at the base of the hillock. This is my first time at a buddhist temple and i liked the experience.<br />We managed to make it back up without loosing much breath and were happy that we chose to walk as we could see so much more of the area than if we had taken a cab. We took a taxi back to the mall area. There was a huge traffic jam just before the mall road. So we walked from the library end to clarke. After a quick beak where i ate a banana slice and R a chocolate truffle we headed over to the cable car. The queue was still long but we didn't want to waste our tickets and by the time we got up there it was past dusk. We took in a few sites while there was little light had some chocolate milk and headed back down in the cable car after a long wait. Gun hill is very commercialised and the stores have blocked out a lot of views. Next time i think I'll skip the cable car and simply walk up. there early in the morning.<br />We had dinner at clarkes since R had read that the pasta was good there. It definitely lived up to its name. It was really good. Note that pastas have to be ordered in advance.<br />We walked over to tavern a restaurant which was also highly recommended but we didn't enter since a party was going on and the music was bad. Instead we were bedazzled by a little shop near tavern which specialised in Tibetan jewellery. The pieces were beautiful and very reasonable. A must stop for the ladies who like a little chunky jewellery.<br />We headed back to the room but not before buying an apple pie from Casa Mia. The little bakery is seriously awesome!!!!<br />Our first day in Mussorie was complete and we were both satisfied at having covered a significant bit. We had decided long before that we were going to avoid the touristy spots and it paid off well.<br />zzzzzzzDodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-88595037924625043432007-10-04T14:58:00.000+05:302007-10-04T15:12:40.553+05:30DIY: Wonder TripIngredient 1: At least one equally or more insane buddy<br /><br /><br />R&A managed to do it again and this time it was bigger, better and more chaotic!!!!<br /><br />Destination: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Moosurie</span><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error">Scope</span>: Eat, Yak, Eat, Yak, Yak....and oh yeah see a couple of places<br /><br />R by the law of averages managed to get to Delhi ahead of schedule. On account of which blogger managed to make R wait a good 40 minutes at the bustling railway station.We head over to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">CP</span> for lunch since we had 2 hours and 55 minutes for our train to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Dehradoon</span>. R on seeing civilization after several months could hardly contain her excitement. We had good lunch at United <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Coffee</span> House, a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">lovely</span> old <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">restaurant</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">CP</span> whose interiors are probably from The Raj era, though carefully <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">maintained</span>. After managing to stuff on ourselves with the awesome sandwichs we wandered about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">CP</span> during which blogger reminded R that they should leave for the station by three and R promptly disagreed. (R likes to cut it even finer than me) besides i <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">wasn't</span> wearing a watch and generally was averse to taking care of logistics.<br />We wandered closer to the metro station and R still <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">wasn't</span> ready to go to the Railway Station. So we wandered even further and came to a delightful bakery called <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Wegner's</span>. It is dessert heaven!!! A definite must stop for all <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">foodies</span>. I loved it absolutely!!!!! we wolfed down a lemon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">swiss</span> roll...yum yum. And finally R consented to head to the railway station. We reach the new Delhi metro stop but there was some major problem with the exit gates owing to technical glitches and ignorant and pushy people on the gates. We finally manage to get out..and i notice the metro time and point out that R's watch is behind by 5 minutes.We make it to the station and I look for the platform our train is to be on. When R points out that departure is at 15:25 and not 15:35. I tell her to keep moving and ask her to check the time on our ticket. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Hee</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">hee</span> ... we arrive at a gloriously empty platform and on checking with a few people there it was confirmed that we had promptly missed our train by two whole minutes!!! I was laughing and R was simply stunned. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">NDLS</span> is jinxed for her she has on all <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">occasions</span> either missed her train or arrived really late. her expression was priceless and I was amused that this was the first time in my life that i had missed a train for no apparent reason.<br />It was pointless to try and board the train at the next station as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Shatabdi</span> has very few stops. Ah well we headed out to the nearest <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">internet</span> cafe and book our tickets on the night train. We had a good seven hours to kill before making it for our next train.<br />We headed over to see the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Nizam's</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">jewellery</span> exhibition. The jewellery were on display after a gap of six years and are worth over 2000 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">crores</span>. He was a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">connoisseur</span> for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">emeralds</span> and pearls. Some serious B L I N G !!!!!the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">emeralds</span> are the size of walnuts or even bigger. Just looking at all those diamonds and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">emeralds</span> was blinding!!!!. The Jacob Diamond is one serious piece of rock. WOW WOW WOW R and I were finally able to see why women would marry <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">nawabs</span> ;) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">I loved</span> some of the pieces which had <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">minakari</span> work done on the back of the jewellery and the engravings on some of the emeralds.Despite the size of the stones the work was very intricate with an eye for detail. A primary design feature was pea-cocks. They are incorporated so beautifully. Hard to believe that someone could be THAT RICH..way back then just by ruling little piece of land.<br />After this we headed over to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">CP</span> again and parked <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">ourselves</span> in a movie theatre to watch "The Loins of Punjab" (no typos there!!) The movie is average it got a little boring before the interval. Had a good amount of jokes on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">NRI</span> culture and some decent digs on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Gujju's</span>. I guess the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">NRI</span> movie goers might enjoy it more. On the whole I would suggest waiting for the DVD to come out. It <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">is'nt</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">moive</span> that's a must see in the Cinema.<br />We still had some more time so we were wandering about wondering what to do when we passed by a new <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Restaurant</span> called @Live which featured a live acoustic band. We wandered in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">ambiance</span> was really good and i loved the interiors. R is a singer herself so she absolutely <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">flipped</span>. After some good numbers we finally left for the station.<br />This time we reached a full half hour earlier and endured the rain of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">insects</span> as we awaited for the train's arrival. It thankfully left on time and R&A promptly fell into blissful sleep as we knew we were finally getting to our intended destination.<br /><br />Final Ratings of the day<br />United Coffee House: A-<br />Wegner's: A<br />@Live: B+<br />Loins of Punjab: C+Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-48386247124839736822007-09-11T20:21:00.000+05:302007-09-11T20:42:55.437+05:30MetromixualYes i know some of us aren't too fond of the word. Heck you don't want to be waiting in line for a pedicure while a man is getting his done or wait for your hairstylist while he/she puts finishing touches on tiny little spikes of his/her customer. Yes I've heard some groans saying metrosexual = gay etc etc. <br />May be it is an outdated topic.<br /><br />But just for argument's sake or just for fun or just because you have time. let's consider the definition of metrosexual. From one perspective it would be a new kind of men who are not afraid to show their sensitive side and take that extra effort to be well groomed and break away from traditional definitions of what a man should be without being labeled as gay or sissy's or pansy's (Technically thats true!!!)<br /><br />So why am I taking the effort of typing about something I have very limited knowledge is because these are my musings and thru all these writings i am not really looking for a deeper meaning, I just like to muse.<br /><br />Back to the point. Despite my initial mixed feelings about the subject I've gained another perspective which will makes me want to appreciate this more. <br /><br />Metrosexual women!!!! (Ha buzz of guys you can't have sole proprietorships on everything) These would be women like me. Non-fussy, independent, non-feminists, superwomen :P who can fix their own punctured wheels, fix their own computers and google for information they don't have without being labeled as tom boys/ lesbians. Ha take that to all those people who think I shouldv'e been a guy.<br /><br />~hence the title <br /><br />PS: yes this might be post belonging to another era...Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-68306397415772051932007-08-31T18:12:00.000+05:302007-08-31T19:04:36.392+05:30Glad BanglesFriday's are probably the day that oddest things happen at the office. At least it has been so for the past few weeks. Maybe because its almost weekend people are holidaying already or since a casual dress code is allowed people are more relaxed. This mood is hardly affected by the presence of stern auditors whose sole purpose slam us with non-compliance. Note to self, become an auditor as you can point out mistakes all day and get paid for it.<br /><br />Anyways weird things that happen today in sequence<br /><br /><ul><li>Someone accidentally gives a print command to print 2000 pages</li><li>Promptly calls <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">sys</span> admin as he is not able to cancel the operation</li><li>Sysadmin restarts the printer twice - no effect</li><li>Sysadmin deleted task from printer server - no go</li><li>everyone standing around looking confused - guffaws</li><li>blogger forced to listen to ravings of colleague on the abundance of good looking women in office</li><li>blogger idle for an hour and at the end of it four people demanding help for different things at the same time</li><li>blogger forced to update document in ten minutes</li><li>blogger finishes only to be told that a different document had to be updated</li><li>blogger will take care of it on Monday [evil grin]</li><li>today is dry day [no smiles now]</li><li>It <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">doesn't</span> END , blogger walks into couple(?) holding hands and deeply engrossed in conversation. Yes in the office!!!</li><li>A cardboard box full of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">burgers</span> and ketchup lying unattended in the break area. Smells fishy or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">perkish</span>????</li></ul><p>So will it be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Aag</span> or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">heyy</span> Baby this weekend?</p>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-48370214118064569212007-08-30T11:57:00.000+05:302007-08-30T11:59:43.189+05:30Bingo - Mad Angles (it is)Imagine if someday you are told that you don't really belong to this world. That you are part of some forgotten civilization. Most literature suggests that one would rise to the occasion. I guess that if one doesn't then they wouldn't be part of literature. After all literature is rarely about the cowards. No one wants to be spending time writing about them. Life as it may seem is guided by what is right and what is wrong. I wonder if i could ever write a book say from the perspective of someone like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wormtail</span> (Refer Harry Potter). May be in an alternate universe where black is white and white is black, it might happen. I sometimes wonder if the good qualities in this dimension is pure evil in another. or is good ,good in every dimension. I wonder if perspective can truly inter-change the definition of right and wrong. So far my perspective shifts have only let me to empathise with the other side. But i can not say that it truly interchanges right and wrong.<br />just a few moments ago i wished that there was something which could just record my thoughts and i could sift through them when i wasn't trying to sleep. I don't know how that would work since i write impulsively. I only pause to think when i edit, which is rare enough to be unmentionable. Back to the point i have a few ideas that might be worthy of patents. Though a thought recorder is way ahead of technology as i know it now.<br />when we are younger simple addition overwhelmed us, as we got older they became to simple. With this analogy Would humans be reduced to the level of simple organisms once we decode the human mind. From one perspective it seems like a computer of sorts driven by rules which will be decoded either by the humans themselves or by their creations in due course. May be some authors have got it right when they say we are a primitive species. This could be because there is so much we don't know. But mostly because there is so much we know which will make out lives better, but we have so far universally failed to adopt them.<br />We all need hope. Which is why I guess most of literature is about heroes. May be i just need tor read more tragedy's. I have not really read a book where the protagonist isn't doing something noble or the other even if it is at the very end.<br />Everything has a purpose. But why is there a purpose? Why is there an end and what is it? why is there evolution? Why isn't everything just a vacuum? Why does the universe exist and why does intelligence exist which gives rise to these questions?<br />I may never find the answered to these questions for I do not think that i will earnestly seek the answers. My experience tells me that it will require a massive change in perspective, which my current experience tells me is difficult because an experience of this kind is beyond reach just yet.<br />I sometimes wonder about those who survive horrible ordeals brought upon by their fellow humans. When innocent people just get caught in the cross fire. DO they feel lucky having lived <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">thru</span> it, achieve a certain peace or seek vengeance?<br />I know that forgiveness can truly help us move on. but is it possible to ask people to forgive when one has no where close to a fraction of that experience. How does one live with horrible memories? When i read/ hear about the sufferings of others my heart truly falters. How can the massive sufferings brought on by wars never stop us from going into them over and over again.<br />May be i will think of a peacock now. It is so colourful and shiny, it adds rich colour to any picture. A much calmer subject to ponder upon i think.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-88645887234541204042007-08-28T19:39:00.000+05:302007-08-29T18:11:26.137+05:30Fundamentals of expressionOur constitution gives us a few fundamental rights. One of them is the Freedom of expression.<br />There is a fundamental misconception about this. Please find below the proper usage.<br /><br />Thou shall (e)print in minute detail the tantrums, secrets, kinky habits of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">glamorous</span>.<br /><br />Thou <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">shall</span> discuss the above mentioned in minute details about thy fellow neighbour<br /><br />Thou shall not pass fundamentally (in)correct statements about people in power. If thou does it, then the consequences may result in mild cases lock down, riot and/or death.<br />Thou shall never express their opinion on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">disproportionate</span> wealth, scandals, corruption, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">fanaticism</span> about their leaders or on sex education as they do not condone the "modesty drive" and are anti-social.<br /><br />Thou shall only express themselves when their expressions will affect not effect the vote bank for worse.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-86430407333306482062007-08-27T23:28:00.000+05:302007-08-27T23:30:36.305+05:30Random ObservationsIt is that time of the year when rains begin to cease and the dull wintry days begin to set. But this <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">isn't</span> about the upcoming dull days or the crazy rains. Its about the sweltering heat. It rains for a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">brief</span> stint and then the air is thick with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">moisture</span> and a momentary pause in breeze will drain every liquid you consumed in the last seven years. I prefer humidity but what on earth is this? Why God why?<br /><br />My office system administrator fractured a couple of his fingers on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">friday</span> and he is walking around with a big plaster. it looks weird since only two of his fingers are in a cast and the rest of his hand is in a pristine white gauze. Anyways poor bloke couldn't for some reason type in his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">password</span> right with his left hand. He finally heroically managed to type in his password right with his right index finger which just managed to peep out the cast. I think he <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">isn't</span> going to be showing the finger for awhile.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-62364480213032447862007-08-24T14:21:00.000+05:302007-08-24T19:31:36.926+05:30On a dull fridayThe <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">caffeine</span> kicks in and i look vaguely at my monitor....click click click.... another day when the systems have crashed, the Admins are ducking from projectiles aimed at them as the system stubbornly refuses to work (may be its from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kerala</span> or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">WB</span>:)).... Whatever..productivity <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">officially</span> stops now.....click click click...may be my system is going to hang itself by the network cable and commit <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">suicide</span>....click click click<br />in the loo there is a female, who at first glance I thought most guys would categorise as babe/hot(or whatever lingo deemed appropriate), is combing her hair. As I approach the basin to wash my hand a sudden stench engulfs me, my head reels and i resist my grimace. I wash my hand quickly and bolt out before i blurt out "For heaven's sake use some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">deodorant</span>." or pass some comment on her broken comb.<br />back at my desk while my head recovers and my eyes re-adjust to my monitor...click click click...CRASH...fifty pair of eyes focus to the cubicle behind me, we see a couple of people stand up and look down at the cubicle, a few seconds later a rather sheepish gentleman arises and attempting at nonchalance rolls something into the corner. Aah the rickety chairs in office have finally started to give away we look at each other smile and hope our chairs don't do the same to us.....click click clickDodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-8812628230303760692007-08-14T16:23:00.000+05:302007-08-23T22:34:51.682+05:30MarkedAnother normal Saturday morning dawned in Mumbai. It was a morning like most others with the exception of the one tall unsuspecting man who woke up at a time he usually goes to bed.<br /><br />The airlines go about their usual business of taking off early, landing late and leaving behind little red bags at the departing airport. A sleepy eyed girl steps of the plane. blessed Friday nights when sleep evades, especially when one has a morbid paranoia for missing early morning flights. YAWN. Aah the bag hasn't reached. Hope it does with the shampoo bottle<br /><br />Man and girl meet up and head off for breakfast where another man and his dad have almost finished the entire buffet. They have eaten enough to feed an entire army for 15 months. Yawn it is still too early in the morning. they head off to a coffee house as caffeine was definitely the order of the morning.<br /><br />They head back to the airport and wait patiently, the flights are late as usual. This particular airline is notorious for it. So the girl stands on her toes to spot whom they where there to pick up. And finally she spots her mother when she comes out and stands five feet in front of her.<br />So they pick up the girls parents and get dropped off at their abode for the rest of the weekend.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Scene shifts</span>. Its dusk in Mumbai now. Man's house, he and his parents await patiently for the girl and her parents to come. They finally come. Thus they met with smiles, formal talk and then ganging up and embarrassing the man and girl.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Scene Shifts</span>. Lunch with a medley crowd. Lovely place where everyone is seated around a long table in the middle of the restaurant. So without fuss a tikka is applied on the man by the girls parents followed by everyone around the table. Then the man's parent's apply a tikka on the girl.<br />thus they where marked for good (by the mafia?)<br /><br />The jokes about applying tikka for a bali ka bakra begin to die down. Reality sinks, by such a simple deed the deal is closed by all partied involved.<br />Yes, and so I've been marked for my man and he for me.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-66396833447459769342007-07-30T20:32:00.001+05:302007-07-31T11:16:28.426+05:30on the LOCstuck in the middle....<br /><br /><br /><br />There are times when i wish i <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">wasn't</span> reasonable. That i could just be unreasonable and do exactly what i want, say what i want and not care about the after effects.<br /><br />Sadly no matter how mad or how upset i am I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">can't</span> bring myself to willfully hurt the other person. Its irritating to be stuck between feelings of inflicting pain and the compassion aching for the hurt i am about to inflict.<br /><br /><br /><br />This constant tug of war..leaves me in a state of pained equilibrium.<br /><br />I wish i <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">wouldn't</span> think so much, i wish i <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">didn't</span> feel so much.......i wish i was cynical enough to be both.<br /><br />But sadly the vicious circle continues...... more patience u think? me thinks so.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-75068628856956956082007-07-25T18:11:00.000+05:302007-07-25T18:25:51.227+05:30So long HarryAnd the Saga ends....<br /><br />I've been waiting for almost two years for the last installment of Harry Potter. As the days to July 21st came closer the anticipation and longing grew exponentially. I pre-ordered my copy and the week before the release, pre-ordered it in another store which is closer to where i live so that worst come worse I could walk to the store in the morning.<br /><br />As i lay awake on friday night a part of me was reluctant to see the light of the next day. Once i had the book it would all be over. One of the best things I've read would come to an end.<br /><br />I woke up early and was outside the store before it could open. I stood out and waved my pre-ordered voucher to the people in the store, who informed me that they were going to start giving the books away in a little while. I got the first copy of the book though i had to muscle out a little kid who was trying to get the first copy. (yeah very childish of me, but i was there first!!)<br /><br />I spent the whole day reading the book and studiously avoiding human company because of the kill joys who went around announcing the end of the book.<br /><br />I finished reading the book at 3:00 am. And i felt like i was saying good bye to a dear friend. I know i will read those books again, but it will never be the same.<br /><br />So long harry, thanks for all those pleasurable hours spent following your journey.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-1692565878372922612007-07-19T23:21:00.000+05:302007-07-19T23:48:23.236+05:30Angry young manNo not Amitabh..i can only wish ..or for junior. Then again may be not.<br /><br />My dull office life is perked up at times by work and others by people who work there, like the times i walk into the ladies restrooms to find some one weeping. It always amuses me to guess the reasons behind their distress.<br />My nearest neighbour is a gal, whom i caught shedding a couple of tears on her desk once. She and i are separated by a short glass partition between our desks. We get along well as in i look at my monitor, she hers and we smile at each other in case our eyes meet accidentally or i can ask her for change in case i desperately need change to pay the rickshaw guy. Which is all i hope for when someone is in ur peripheral vision all day<br /><br />This peaceful balance has been disturbed by this new chap who has been working on her system this week. This guy is perpetually angry and is on the phone most of the time and in the throes of some serious argument. He speaks softly so i can't really make out the context of the argument but i am guessing he is arguing with his current/ex/soon to be ex lady love. I can feel the anger radiate from him and it is distracting and disturbing to be picking up so many negative vibes. Today his neighbour jokingly commented that he should really finish his conversations at home. i think that if he is going to be angry and arguing he should be loud enough so that i will at least have something to gossip about.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-71211429370254596332007-07-13T12:53:00.000+05:302007-07-13T13:11:37.996+05:30WoopsieI learnt in school that "There is many a slip between the cup and the lip".<br />I love my friends, we just have so much fun. We are living examples of these wise words.<br />Something happened this morning and i <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">could'nt</span> resist posting it.<br /><br />My best friend was updating me on a recent <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">sms</span> conversation she had with a guy she has been mildly(?) flirting with. They were discussing cooking and her cooking skills.<br />She: " So i sent him a message saying,<br />Wherever you shall go i will follow<br />And whatever you give I will swallow "<br />Me: [Chuckling]<chuckling><br />She: "Why are u laughing?"<br />Me: "You said it wrong"<br /><pause>[Pause]<br /><illumination>[Enlightenment]<br />She: " Oh My God, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Noooooooo</span>, i hope that's not what i sent!!!!!!"<br /><br />Distressed she was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">cuz</span> she meant " <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wherever</span> you go i will follow, and whatever i give you will swallow", from the book "Men are like waffles and women are like spaghetti"<sorry><br /><br />Rewind over a year back.<br />I was chatting with a dear friend of mine<br /><br />Me: So what plans for the weekend?<br />He: Got sports bra plans<br />He: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Woopsie</span>.... *bar<br />Me: hee hee, i <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">would'nt</span> want the details...<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">lol</span>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-46729718134841455202007-06-15T14:53:00.001+05:302007-06-15T17:34:30.925+05:30Mrs am notFlashes of brilliance often end up in sheer stupidity. A couple of things happened to me which made me smile, cringe and question the existence of human intelligence at the same time.<br /><br /> The most recent of which involved me opening my monthly bill for my mobile phone. The first thing that caught my attention was that they had referred to me as Mrs!!! that dreaded three letter word made me cringe and not the fact that the bill was overcharging me. The congenial environment at home has been approaching war like status over the past couple of years to changes my status from Ms to Mrs. It's been fun resisting for the most part but at times the constant tug of war becomes a nag. I was told by customer care that it is a long process to change my title back from Mrs to Miss. So when that someone had wrongly entered the data onto their computer, it made a mockery of my struggle. Sigh...this will be a good laugh or is it a sign for changing times?<br /><br /> Here is one of the funniest and weirdest lines that a guy has used on me. So it was pretty obvious that the guy was trying to impress me and one day when i was escorting my neighbor's 3 year old son back to his house, we run into this guy. After the usual polite greetings, the guy obviously at a loss of things to say asks," is this your son?". Ahem, "yeah right and i got 3 more in the house screaming for milk".me and my friends had a good laugh over it and rest assured the guy never tried to talk to me after that incident.Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-1049843390450078212007-06-13T13:20:00.000+05:302007-06-13T17:43:25.593+05:30tech-NO-logy<span><span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I love technology.</span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I love the numerous inventions that make our lives simpler(?) /richer.</span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I love the mobile phones which makes us accessible anywhere/ anytime even when we want to be left alone.</span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I love computers that have reduced tonnes and tonnes to dusty files piled on our work station to miles and miles of entangled cables.</span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I love digital cameras that lets us shoot 1000's of pictures, are small enough to be stuffed in the pockets of our tightest pair of jeans and leave us with links from friends with 1000's of pictures with no description.</span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I love emails which let us keep in touch with so many people we'd not have kept in touch with otherwise and the tonnes of spam that comes with it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">I love the automatic faucets which work when u place our hands under them....but today i don't like them very much....there was power outage today and the restrooms apparently receive the least priority from the power back-ups...there is one emergency lamp which gives a twilight feel to the entire rest room..and the faucets don't work...so me and this other girl stood in the twilight awaiting dawn.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></span>Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2953726810015036551.post-57981350821739479162007-06-07T17:31:00.000+05:302007-06-07T20:16:36.432+05:30R&D do go raftingYES!!! YES!!! we made it!! Took us a test run just to learn where to go and how to get things done but we did it.<br /><br />I guess all the whining paid off when a couple of guys in my office decided that they'd come along with me n Rads to Rishikesh and Haridwar. Nine of us were supposed to go but in the end there just the four of us.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nothin like</span><br />*being sleep deprived and drinking beer at 7:00 am<br />*Watching the guys with us flinch and look at us accusingly when asked for their emergency contacts and made to sign a disclaimatory documents ( I swear they wanted to back out at that time).<br />* happily wading into the ganges with life jackets on and trying to swim in the ice cold water<br />*Jumping off the raft and floating beside it downstream.<br />*being told by the guide that the water is 60 feet deep!!!<br />*Floating on your back down the river<br />*swimming downstream and guiding the raft by pulling the string tied on ur hand.<br />*going thru rapids which almost toss one off the boat<br />*Then being told by the guide that there was a huge whirlpool there last week!!<br />*Paddling and listening to all the stories of the guide, brad Pitt had used his company when he came to india.<br />*Eating hot poori's, sabji and halwa at haridwar<br />*Watching the evening Aarthi there<br />*Being forced to listen to hindi songs which play only on road side tea shops.<br />* Getting so exhausted when we were back, that Rads missed her train cuz we overslept and the alarm was too tired to ring.<br />* Happily declaring that I've taken enough dips in the ganges for me n seven generations of my family.<br /><br />SO check...everything was achieved in this trip. The rafting, the food, the fun!!Dodohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637632993919422151noreply@blogger.com0