IPL cricket

Cricket is like a evening time-pass for me and my husband - the IPL's 20-20 format is damn addictive.

Thus far, my favorite teams are Rajasthan royals, Mumbai indians and Chennai Superkings.
At present Sanath Jyasuriya is in his top form - he manages to hit at least three sixes per match and he is just awesome and i guess this run-vending machine is giving shivers to the fast bowlers and spinners alike. I love this guy!!!

Dhoni is too cool as usual - Shewag whi is a prt of delhi dare devils is another terrific hitter of the ball. In bowling, I can remember Bravo and Ntini - who are bowling at the right length irrespective of the pitch.

I would love to see the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan royals in the finals. Rajasthan royals are my favorite becos they were considered as underdogs and they are are the only team who proved it wrong by winning 6 matches in a row. Shane Warne, the captain, has shown his great team management skills - and its a delight to watch and savour their team spirit.

Sharukh's team, Knightriders, is a good team but they lack team spirit.

hope Mumbai Indians win! :)

Learning new words

I had subscribed for several " a new word a day programs"

Some words that I loved
petulant
extirpate
gimcrack
objurgate
tirade
latitudinarian
attitudinized

Prawns cooked with love

I dont like smelly prawns - however, yesterday - I cooked spicy prawn stir for my husband. I was a hit and he loved its taste :P He carried it for lunch today.

The way to a man's heart is indeed thru his stomach

Rude nymphets

I travel with rude nymphets - a species found only in mumbai local trains. They give us a feel of how hell is. I hate this species.

Hating someone for no reason - Survey!

This was my question

I hate some people for no reason - maybe just because they are loud and irritating - Is this normal?

These are the answers that i got!

I'm a pretty tolerant person, but I work in a secondhand bookshop, and about 5% of my customers REALLY give me the squits...they're rude and never remember their manners and get upset with me if I can't locate what they want with a minimum of clues. I've tried analysing my feelings, and I think it's because these few people think they're way better than me. They all have affected la-de-dah accents and a bank full of old money and don't have to work for a living...it's the snobby elitist attitudes that really get under my skin. Maybe it's coz when I was a kid, I unfortunately won a scholarship to a snobby girls' college, which I hated - I was always made to feel like the "poor kid." Guess that hatred of snobs has never left me...

Remember, they say hate the action, not the person. I feel the same way...some people just grate on the nerves, and have a real abnoxious way about them. But for everyonoe that irritates you you might be irritating to someone else for a different reason. Maybe you just have a low tolerance for loud people, I know I do!!

...loud, irritating and probably too self-centered to even care about the people around them. I guess that's what makes them irritating. You do have a reason for hating them after all. Yes, that's normal. But try not to encourage the feeling.

I think its not them, but you!You're sensitive at the moment, and may have issues in your life you need to work out. Suddenly people around you become the centre of attention because you don't want to face the issues you need to deal with. They may be annoying you because they seem carefree.

Well Dora, I would say personally there are people I HATE too and they have done nothing to me. Its just a matter of personalities and who you like or dislike. It sucks big time when you work with people who drive you bonkers. Dont worry we can hope one day their just go away :)

Yeah its totally normal. You'd be surprised how many people we all can hate for no reason at all. If you really feel bad or anything, just talk to them and maybe they'll become a good friend, it's happened to me before.

Yes. I find many people very irritating. I think that everyone just has different likes and dislikes. That is what makes us human.

Hate is a strong word but I'd say its normal to dislike these types of personalitiesfor the most part.
I hate you for no reason, is that normal?

Cleaning up - am starting to suffer from OCD

We live in the dusty suburbs of dombivli - the flat is a part of the apartment near the roadside - Dust settles in a matter of seconds.

I got up.. brushed my teeth; had a glass of water;
Mission: To make the house spic and span which i fail to do completely on weekdays because I am working.
Washed the kitchen platform (it took an hour becos I was literally scrubbing it to make it spic and span)
Cleaned the bathroom
Cleaned the toilet
Cleaned the glass tables
Cleaned the mirrors
Cleaned the kitchen shelves
Cleaned the stove
Washed all the kitchen towels
Cleaned the sinks
Cleaned the cobwebs
Cleaned the dressing table
Cleaned all the appliances (oven, washing machine, mixie, iron)
Cleaned the almiras
Cleaned the fridge
Threw all old stuffs (old bottles, unused plastic covers, clothes etc)
Cooked tomato rice and sambhar
Heaped all the CDs into a cupboard
Cleaned the windows
Cleaned the kitchen wall tiles and bathroom tiles
Cleaned the computer and its dusty counterparts
Rearranged the kitchen partially - I have to revamp it
Kiwi kleen cleaning solution is superb - everything is shining
I felt happy and peaceful after seeing the spotless house
Went to the tailor
Bought a new door mat
Also, I kept cleaning the house when I found a spot of dust anywhere - an ongoing process that never ends!

Next task: Vacuuming the house - gtg!!!

Inside out

I wore my t-shirt inside out today to work.
In fact I am revamping my wardrobe - I wanted a casual and cool-headed look - so in more cargoes and t-shirts and a scarf. I would love to wear cargo shorts but my curves and thunder thighs won't allow for it.

Today, I went overboard and wore my white t -shirt inside out - I was inspired by Matt to some extent (he came in wearing a white t-shirt inside out). Moreover, our company has no dress code and apparently I can wear anything that doesn't appear obscene.

Mumbaikars are too busy; no one noticed till One girl came up to me at the station and told "Aap ney shirt ulta pehna hein" I replied " i did it purposely" She stared at me for few mins and said "why"? "I told this is white t-shirt - however, the design comes inside and I wore it avoid making it dirty blah blah.." she seemed to be puzzled :D and retorted "So what if it gets dirty by evening" Her friend replies "she will were it ulta again" :D

At office, my HR with wide-open eyes retorts - "are you seriously wearing this t-shirt inside out ???"- I told "yeah - I want to look casual and bone-headed :D"
"Your husband didn't say anything?????!!!"
"HAHAHA... he didn't see me leave for work"

My manager asks "Hey Why are yu wearing this tee inside out?" I replied "Style - got inspired by Matt"
He: "Oh ho - then i too must try this!! hahaha! (he was kidding :-)

(Thanks to my sister in law - she got this white Tee for my husband and I am using it :D)

dodo love

Dodos are extinct.. Following is the love story of the last two dodos

dodo 1: I love you
dodo 2: I love you too
dodo 1: I hate you
dodo 2: I hate you too
dodo 1 punches dodo 2 and both of them fall down the cliff

(Mildly inspired by ice age 1)

A big difference!

You can shout, crib, whine, cry, back answer without fearing the consequences to your mom

but NEVER to your mom-in-law (exceptional cases are there though)

how to mend myself?

i am not alcoholic
i am not smoking
i am faithful to my husband
i eat fruits and cornflakes - i avoid junk food
i dont like to go out to pubs and discos
i cry when i am hurt
i love my mother
i love my inlaws as my parents
i call a spade a spade

I am in love with myself :P I am so nice!!! I love yu donna. (I am hugging myself)

The fall out

My heart crawled a long way
No time to rest
No time to sleep
It was weary and near to dead
I pulled it over thorns
I pulled it through forests
I pulled it through pebbles and I pulled it through the desert
My heart asked me "Can I rest? I am weary and near to dead"
I said "No my dear heart, we have more to travel!"
My heart said "I am tired; travel alone friend - I don't think I can make it"
Saying this, my heart bursted into tears..
I sobbed with my dear friend becos she was in pain.
I had to pluck my heart out of me and throw my emotions one by one
My heart consoled me saying "don't worry! you will become strong"
"Now that I am out you, you will bear the pains with a grace
you will bear the scornful with indifference
you will bear the evil words with a smile"
"My absence will make you strong"
I said "But..how will I survive without you?"
My heart replied "Your emotions are for those who love you unconditionally"
"God has gifted you the best of friends who will hug you tight when the hard wind blows"
"Those who scorn you tears just dont want your loving heart"
"So let go of me my friend, its time to fall out of emotions... I want you to be strong when the hurricane strikes you"
I looked into the void darkness
The journey ahead was just emptiness
I parted with my heart in great pain
I extripated my emotions with great despair
My heart told me "See me in your friends, your mother, even your enemies - they will give me to you when you are in need"

Good bye friend! Good bye emotions! Am never giving you for those who don't need you. I am falling out with happiness - I am falling out of pain

I can't stop loving my company

I joined my company 1.5 years back
Friendly atmosphere (in my mind, I thought - for how long? but my company proved it wrong) - it was an amazing experience
Amazing training sessions; the trainers are real intellects
Managers who never scold
You say poor jokes and still you get a fun card for being a morale booster
Work should go on time with quality - doesnt matter if you faff around
You wake up one morning and you have a bad cold- you can work from home, avoiding the commute
Stiving toward excellence
Leaving no loop holes to progress
Appreciation on time
A pantry stocked with yummy biscuits, snacks; tea and coffee can be made whenever you want to have some
Team meeting at Cafe-coffee day
Fun activities which are real fun
Open house - where you can directly address your concerns to the CEO
You don't have to explain when yu take leave

What else you want?

Serendipity 5

Loving unconditonally - Sounds easy; try it for every relationship you want to invest in. It may not have great returns at times but anyway you were not expecting any returns right? So continue loving.

Serendipity 4

Apologise when yu are wrong - its right :D

Serendipity 3

If the bread crumbles when yu cut it using a knife. Heat the knife and then go ahead to get the clean slices.

Serendipity 2

Invest in your relationship with your in laws - Its always wrong to keep them away

pavid

I stare at the stars
I stare at myself

madness, blankness and just pain

A pain that squishes my soul
A fear that makes me feel pavid

Ebullient I am still
Its all about me
Yeah...its all about me

I realised I never have to build a place to stay in voidness
My heart yells and screams - I can hear it breaking into a thousand puzzles

I can't put them together as i lost some pieces

I wonder about what I am up to next

Am I depressed - no I am not
I am a silly whiner with my body intact

I dont have to crawl
I dont have to beg
I dont have thousand boils all over me
I am not crippled

I dont know if I lost myself

I dont know what I did to myself

I dont know if I sold my soul

I dont know if I forgot God's mercy

In a pile of dirt, I lie helpless

Burdens weigh me like huge chains

My arms are weary

I am thirsty and hunger makes me blind

I am whining again for no reason

Save me God - Pull me out of this dirty heap

Smile and frown - choose the wrinkles you want

I smile a lot, several times more than I cry or frown. I would not take botox injections to hide my wrinkles. I frown at times.

Smiles are infectious - it excercises your facial muscles. It enhances your look. Do you need more reasons to smile? I even manage to wear a plastic smile when I am forced to smile in certain circumstances.

Frown gets yu wrinkles beneath your eyes and forehead. Last day, I saw a middle-aged woman on train. She already had wrinkles but what I noticed that majority of them were frown wrinkles. She was frowning constantly and speaking continously to her fellow traveller. I must say - she was a beautiful woman with all worng types of wrinkles.

Frown wrinkles make you ugly.

Smile wrinkles encourage others to have a smile wrinkle.

However, still if you prefer to get a botox injection - yu end up looking like a stretched cat - which is more ghastly.

Choose your wrinkles - Choose to Smile or Frown :)

Serendipity 1

Crying continously for two days can led to a weight loss of upto 1 kg and keep the pimples at bay. Tried and tested.

Fun activity @ Holi

A cute wedding card

Eyes eyes babie

Tried to look scary!

Nearing Anniversary

I am about to survive an year of marital bliss;

In this year, apart from the love and understsnding part, we survived a post-marriage scroching summer, a deadly trek, tons of fight, and cooking experiments.

I survived the local train and the blah blahs for two hours a day, a dumb and deadlly bus travel for three months, insomnia for almost six months or above, sore throat, frequent colds, a boil on my leg.

I got lots of lessons on patience and patience.

This year was a snail pace in my career, eventhough the working environment was cool cool.

I got to act funnier and clumsier than last year.

A musical chair game @ office - which i will never forget

Didn't make a lot of friends - but I made a few good ones - life-long types

Yatch party, trek...

Bitching was less compared to last year - I usually bitch when i am frustrated with someone :-/

My husband was supportive, eventhough we had the squabbles that made me cry; but everytime i learn a new lesson of life. I occasionally cribbed and whined abt this fast life - however its almost reduced to being negligibly smaller than a mustard.

I tried socializing, but it was in vain - the hard truth: I CAN'T SOCIALIZE unless the opponent is equally mad as me or at least entertains the madness in me!

Looking forward to a new year with more to offer!

Missing mother

Everyday I realise the harder way that noone can love me as you
You are so unconditional
Teach me to be like you..
I miss you every time
I am scared of that day when I will have to live without you.
You are like my soul, my life and I love you more than any other possessions I have
I am lucky because I am your daughter
When I look up to you, I just feel that I see myself
There is nothing in this whole world which I would not want to tell you
I always crave for you mother, more than any child...
I am sad that I can't take out time and come to you
The time you take for me
The love that you give me
I am thankful always
You love pulls me thru this dirt and I just have no words to express my love and thankfullness to you.
I wish that I would be born as your daughter the next life, if I have one...
Thanks for taking care of me....I love you mother more than anyone

Movies that I loved!

Requiem for a dream - A strong movie which is a tight slap to Rehabs
House of Sand and Fog - Ben Kingsley is just amazing
Away from her - Watch for Julie Christie
300 - I am in love with Gerrard Butler
Last tango in Paris - Marlin Brando :P
Chicken Little - cute movie
Ratatoulie - burp!
Wedding date - For Dermot Mulroney !
Die hard IV - Bruce wills Bruce wills Bruce wills
Transformers - For machine animation

Insanity

I dont mind behaving insanely if I can bring a smile on your face :)
Insanity is bliss cos' you are ignorant of being sane
You are ignorant of troubles
You are ignorant of being caged as normal
You are ignorant of being well-behaved
I would love to be insane if my insanity makes you happy :D

Cough that kills..

Summer has started in Mumbai after a long Winter.

My throat and head started paining. Climate changes affect me first. The horrendous throat pain ended and I got a bad cough. Everytime I coughed, I felt that I am going to cough my heart out. The first week was painful. Then, the cough became dry and continous and i was coughing and finding difficult to breathe

I tried Benadryl at nights for soothing my throat and to sleep.
Kanthika (YOGI) everytime i started my cough, i popped one pellet in, suggested by my bay mate Anitha; in fact, she was too good to me inspite of my continous coughing spells.
Matt got me Robittussin (the best cough syrup in the world) :P
Faisal felt pity on me and got me two vicks tablets one evening when i was coughing my head out
I gargled with hot saline water twice or thrice
I stopped eating fruits :(
I ate idlis for breakfast and bread afternoon; stayed away from spicy and oily foods
I met the doc in my neigbouring building - he gave me a set of three tablets to have three times a day for two days. It worked.
Five Sleepless nights - Thanks to my husband for bearing the incessant coughing spells
Before going to sleep, I had turmeric, pepper powder and honey mixed with hot milk.I had Pankaja Kasthuri every time I coughed at home
One week later and I am free :) Back to blogging!

Coughs are suffocating!!!!

Trek to shivneri - pics

Trekkking ..... to Shivneri - On the way through seven doors..

Scared of heights :-o
At last manages to get down :) Met this dog on the way
Sleeping before trekking down

Watching Arun - The Bird watcher
Striking pose for Matt

Before starting..

HA HA HA

I loved this cartoon.

(1) The hen has cheated the cock; Infidelity

(2) She did it with an elephant; Genetics!!!

(3) She laid an egg - "AANAMUTTA"; mutation!!

(4) Cock finds out that his wife was unfaithful - he can distinguish a chick from a chick-elephant; Common sense!

(5) The chick-elephant already looks like a grown up elephant; Hybrid!

(6) Fidelity is important in every man-woman relationship; Values!

(7) Cock is upset and reacting like a man; Newton's third law!

(8) Hen never thought that a mistake would lead to such consequences. Next time she will use protection; Prevention is better than cure!

(9) The cock calls the hen a bitch; altogether there are four species involved - hen, elephant (not seen) chick-elephant and cock;Unity in Diversity!

Looks and riches!

In general, women go for the cuteness factor and for the money factor. If they get a good package of cuteness and money, then they consider themselves as superlucky. Relationships have become superficial. When it comes to money factor, job matters. Earlier, women would close their eyes and marry a softeware engineer. You are the lucky match if you have a blooming career in software. Like flies on excreta, women queue in for such guys. Its not different in the case of guys: they need a beautiful wife who knows to cook and who gets a fair (and heavy share) from the ancestral property, eventhough she is not working. This makes them settled in life becos if the girl comes with 10 kgs of Gold , a car and a house, then what matters - "Dowry is not dowry in kerala - its the right of a woman" (this deep thought might have been coined by some butcher who wanted heavy dowry for his good-for-nothing son). However, there are exceptions: people look for companionship, soul mates, and the clever ones just imagine a life with the person after 10 years - trust me! that ends your quest for the right one!

I wonder how people can find love amidst all this. Many are the cases where people fall for looks and end up with the biggest disasters in their lives. Life is not superficial when yu start living it. Living together requires lot of adjustment and compromises else why to get married?? staying single is better.

"I am so goody goody": this is the big mistake everyone does - fake as goody goody when yu are not that goody goody and this leads to problems. Yu can fake before the whole world but not with the one yu have chosen to live with your entire life. All the goody goody masks are pulled down in a matter of time and what lies beneath is exposed (be it dirt or pearls!). Inner beauty!! thats the word. When you are old and you are still glowing - its nothing but your inner beauty! (read somewhere, donnow where :-s)

No one is perfect - thats the truth and many divorces take place because yu expect your partner to be perfect all the time. The glow of skin fades with time, what remains in a relationship then is the fact that how much yu need each other and how much yu love each other - and lastly and more importantly, how much you have invested in your relationship.

Got a forward today: Why women rule the world? "What is mine is mine and what is yours is also mine"

Madness doubled!

With permissions:

meme: hmmm sheri sheri
u will call for marriage or wot ?
me: ok il try
meme: U WILL TRY >???? how dare
@#@!#$$
i wont come #!@#
me: venda nee enne vilichu polum illellode makree
meme: i dont know that yu are alive
me: u didnt even chk
meme: err OKAY bye
I AM NOT COMING $#^#$&&
me: podey makree
meme: @$!$#@%
me: athu ninte $#^$^*^$
meme: err..birrk
me: prr prr
meme: prr
me: I guess we were twins in our former life, if any was there
meme: yeah me too I never thot that there was someone like me
me: sis
meme: yeah true u are my bro only
me: yaya
meme: glad to find yu
me: me tooo
me: podeeeey makreephobic penne
meme: nee peechali
Da !!!

Onion peel pericardium for sale!! Pirrr pirrrr....

She: I had gone to meet my friend yesterday. She is fine. Her mom is fine. I am going to their place tommorow
He:You visited them just now? Again you want to go?
She: Yeah! its fun being there!!
He:ok (pirr pirr)
She: BTW I got a new shade of lipstick
He: You look beautiful without lipstick
She: But I like wearing lipstick, I am going to buy it anyway!
He: ok (pirrrr pirrrrr)
She: What else? What else at your end?
He: nothing! yu have more news - yu tell!
She: Are yu alright?
He: mmm mmm
She: What happened now?
He: nothing ...(pirr pirrrr)
She: Did I hurt you or anything? (In mind: did I say anything wrong?)
He: nope .. nothing can hurt me
She: Then how come yu became so silent (OH GOSH!! what now?)
He: mmm (pirr pirr)
She: Can yu just tell me if there is any problem?
He: I think we should talk later (pirr pirrr).bye

Note: "pirr pirr" refers to the tearing of the pericardium. Sissy guys and girls experience this. Nothing can be said to them. They can't take anything. Their hearts will be covered with very ultrathin onion-peelish pericardium that can't stand anything, literally anything. I myself donnow what to do with such sissy beings. (I think their heart should be distilled and scraped and boiled and then pressed in a die and vulcanized!!!)

Motherhood

To be a mother makes a woman complete. I scare at the thought of being a mother. I wonder if I would be able to be effectively do my responsibilities as a mother. I donnow if i am still mentally prepared to be a mom; I am surprised to see young women (20 ish) getting married bearing kids and then bearing more kids. Looking after kids is like devoting yourself 24/7 for someone. Every mother does that. My mother also did that. I never asked her if she was scared to have a baby.

One of my friends used to tell me that she wants to have kids as soon as she gets married. I told her that I don't want to have kids. She scolded me by saying that you don't want to be complete as a woman, as a wife etc. I would like to have four kids - I know it sounds outrageous - two is boring, three is crowd and four is fun !!! Its easy to say this - but bearing four kids sounds as a gargantuan task.

My sister-in-law gave birth to twins and I wonder how she, mom and dad managed with the babies. When I saw the babies, they were seven months. they constantly needed the attention of others and since the house was filled with adults, they seemed to get it. They drink milk, sleep, wake up, smile or cry - then back to sleep and we have to cuddle them or sing a sweet lullaby so that they will sleep. And this was like an ongoing process - sleep, cry, wakeup, drink, susu, change, sleep, cry, wakeup, drink, susu, change; What I noticed was that they were two and their timings never synchronized. For instance, one would cry for milk and the other would cry for sleep. One would sleep and the other would be ready for playing. PHEW!!! I got tired seeing this (just seeing this!!!). But, I like to cuddle them and give them milk and click their pics. Even though one of them looked with some kinda weird expression at me - she hardly slept in my arms. Maybe I had bony hands or she was not comfortable with the idea of clicking pics every now and then.
I thot of discarding the idea of having quadruplets. Wouldn't it be a disaster if I am not mentally prepared to handle them??
I would have babies only when I am mentally prepared to handle them. Else, I won't be doing justice to myself and the kids as a mom or a homemaker. In fact, I just can't handle myself (child woman I am :P) ... err how will I handle more???? I hope that soon the grow out of this scary cocoon where I am scared of the very thought of having kids. Its not like this all the time; sometimes, i break off the cocoon and have pangs to carry a baby and it suddenly diminishes!!
I love babies and I love their sweet smell. I love their burps and their toothless grins. But! Damn!! why am I scared of being a mother??? (irony)

Quote: From my doctor colleague "Some women are too weak that they can't push the baby out and we have to push for them!!!! Can you believe this??"

Women are phenomenal!

Last day I got the following forward:

Mum and Dad were watching TV when Mum said, "I'm tired, and it's getting late. I think I'll go to bed." She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day's lunches. Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for rewing the next morning. She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button. She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer. She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry. She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the excursion and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair. She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near herbag Mum then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Night Solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails. Dad called out, "I thought you were going to bed." "I'm on my way," she said. She put some water into the dog's dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on. She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and radios, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework. In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals. About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular. "I'm going to bed." And he did...without another thought. Anything extraordinary here? Wonder why women live longer...? 'CAUSE THEY ARE MADE FOR THE LONG HAUL...... (And they can't die sooner they still have things to do!!!!)

When I read through this post, I just remembered one person - My mother-in-law (my new mom!). I always wonder at the way she efficiently handles things and does her work without being tired. She is always early to rise than the sun and does everything in a jiffy very systematically. she is definitely one of the best of home makers I have seen to date (apart from my mom). To be proactive!! This must be learnt from her.
However, in general, women are defenitely masters in multi-tasking. There are women who travel from Pune to Mumbai (3 hrs of commute) for work and then manage their homes. Isn't it amazing!! ??? My energy level drops down after Wednesday - I go into a trance because my eyes start craving for rest and a weekend where I can sleep late! As I travel in the local train train ladies compartment that echoes with incessant chatters of working women, I wonder how they could save the energy for this too. Indeed, its a case of juggling elephants with one hand.
Women in Mumbai surprise me with their undefiable spirit. Except for their loud mouths and rudeness, I admire them for the way they try to make both ends meet. Mumbai turned out to be the rudest city in some survey (In fact, a survey was not necessary!). With the conditions provided, I feel that the people are not rude just because they want to be brats; the life is too busy and they become frustrated with long commutes and additional resposibilities. Women, having a high bp level and short temper, outdo men in shouting and pushing and cursing each other. No wonder, the generation that follows is rude becos the "rude gene" is automatically incorporated by birth (Mad theory of mine).

The truth: I don't want a busy life where I don't have time for anything :(. Mumbai scares me and never allows me to sleep.

Good wife to be

From the Bible,
[1] An excellent wife who can find?She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet nightand provides food for her householdand portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself [2] with strengthand makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poorand reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,for all her household are clothed in scarlet. [3]22 She makes bed coverings for herself;her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gateswhen he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her householdand does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,and let her works praise her in the gates.

I feel down when I read this chapter 31 of Proverbs :(; I am not a bad wife but I am a constantly improving so-so wife. Since I am a working woman, I just donnow or I am not clear of how much I am able to obey these verses and be a good wife. "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." In fact, this is a real stab - I open my mouth mostly to say some poor jokes or some freaky ideas!! But, I do give my opinion where its needed.

However, after work, If my bones are not weary, I do cook food for my husband. I clean the house and wash the clothes during weekends (not regularly). I love my husband and take care not to constantly nag, cry and scream (brat wife) (inspite of being an emotional cry baby!!). If I didn't know to cook well - I must confess - Life would have been a disaster!!! I just wait for the twinkle in his eyes after he has food just to confirm that YAY!! I have did a good job.

Wish me good luck to be a good wife asap!

Food for your soul!!

Paneer Burji
Cauliflower-Peas curry
Rasam

Egg curry
Fish molly
Mushroom curry
Mushroom curry again
Paneer Burji

Please do post a comment in case you need the recipe.

My brother who loved stones

This happened when he was in junior KG. My brother steven always had a fetish for stones. Read ahead.

Prologue: One day evening, my mother notices some colorful object in my nose while cuddling him. It was a piece of crayon that he had inserted into his nose. Soon, the environment of our home changed. Frantic calls to the doctor and then catching a rickshaw to the hospital. The doctor finally managed to extirpate it. Sighs of relief. This happened when he was a little more than two years.

Scene 1: Brother returns from school and then takes a nap. I usually clean his ears using buds during that time. When I was cleaning one of his ears, the bud scraped on some hard object in the ear. My brother jumps up in pain and starts hitting me!!! and on top of that starts screaming.
As usual mom comes running and starts beating me up - I tell her that there is something in his ear. Mom turns to him "what???!!!!!!!!" What did you put in your ear?" Brother lies "I didnt put anything" After long hours of questioning, he admits the following: "While I was sleeping in my classroom during recess time, one stone rolled and got into my ear! I did'nt do anything"
We took him to a small clinic. The doctor takes the forceps and advances towards him. He jumps out of the table and runs out of the clinic. I catch hold of him and pull him back to the clinic.

Scene 2: This is my favorite. The doctor asks the two nurse out there to hold his hands and legs and to keep him still. My brother starts behaving hysterically as if everyone is going to kill him. He starts screaming and crying and throwing his arms and legs and starts turning his head randomly.

Scene 3: Doctor calls for help from me and my mother. We hold him. Still he continues his antics with greater force.

Scene 4: This is the best!!! There were two patients and their relatives in the waiting room. They are also requested to join. Mission: To keep the little boy still. Somehow, we (around eight of us) succeed in reducing the frequency of his motions and finally he is still. The doctor advances and takes the stone (which was the size of a gooseberry seed - my mother is almost shocked at the sight of it) out of his ear. YAY! he stops crying and everybody is happy!

Next week!
Brother returns from school and then takes a nap. When I was about to clean one of his ears, I just peeped into it just incase (i found a stone). I saw some shiny object. I call my mother and tell her that there is something in his ear. Mom turns to him "what???!!!!!!!!"Again?" She wakes him up and asks "What did you put in your ear?" Brother lies "I didnt put anything" After long hours of questioning, he admits the following (with the classical puss-in-boots expression): "I was playing during recess time and I threw up some stones and held it using my ear by tilting my head - I think it happened that time"

This time the little dude was luckier becos he was taken to a bigger hospital since the small clinic rejected him becos they couldn't see the stone - it had moved far inside the ear. He was taken to a bigger hospital and they anesthetized him to take out the stone.

Final scene: My mother making fun of my brother "Hey stev, the people nearby are building house - would you like to give them some stones from your side?"

Being Quite!

Being quite is the best thing that I can do to myself and others. I just realized that words are treacherous and have a lot of loop holes. The most sugar-coated and genuine (or may be the funniest) remark can just scratch the pericardium and finally a relationship.

Being approachable is the art that I was trying to perfect all these years. However, I don't know how much I have succeeded in being a good person. When I turn back and see my life, I am better than yesterday - thats all that matters to me at present.

How to tape-shut myself and just channelize the energy that I use for speaking and blahblahing for better purpose? I sob like a woman (or worse) and sometimes I have an ego that grows bigger than any mountain. I am stubborn, obstinate and I am just me. I hate to fake, but at times the situation demands.

I blog because I like to blog. I am showing myself off and I am not just showing off something else which is not relevant to me.

So the first mission for 2008: Keeping quite and just opening mouth to have food and to say just yes/no or to answer if I know (and that too answering only if the answer is relevant to the context) FULL STOP

Coffee - Editage special!! :P

Take sugar and coffee powder. Pour 1/4 cup of warm water into the cofee mug. Stir it till it froths and pour boiling milk into it. You get the very own "Editage special coffee" from Cactus (my company).

I remeber that when I joined, I could see people stirring coffee and then coming out with their mugs filled with frothy and yummy-to-look coffee that smelt greatttt and strong. I (being a shy bug initially) at last asked someone how they prepared it. In fact, a doctor from medlife explained me the procedure and told me that more than milk powder, if we used actual milk - you could obtain a more frothy and lip-smacking version.

Scene 1: Me and my husband spending quality time together!!

I: Can I make you some special coffee? (We are hard tea drinkers!!!)

He: Sure, I will get Bru powder.

I: (Kept milk to boil and started the stirring mechanism)

He: (comes back with coffee powder)

I: Can you please stir this like how I am doing?

He: Sure; this seems to be a new way!!!

He enjoys stirring the coffee and finally the coffee. Me happy! He happy! We happy!

One day, I remember that he stirred his coffee so hard that it looked like molten lava ( maybe the ceramic material of the mug got scratched). Anyway, we decided to dicard it since it looked scary! Later, we realised that it was the coffee powder that rendered that particular molten appearence.

However, we enjoyed stirring our editages cuppas and bonding over it :P. Thanks Cactus!!!!

Forced socialization

Last day, I was chatting with my childhood buddy and he said that he was sufferring from optic neuritis (weakening of the optic nerve) and he almost lost the eyesight of his left eye. It was quite shocking for me and I sincerely wish that he gets well soon. While speaking to him, i happened to remind him that our old buddy had contacted us on orkut. He replied that he has got enuf of frnds and don't need any more.

In fact, I too felt the same. The people who need me (or vice versa) or my friendship are in touch with me and I don't think I need to pile in more friends or people unless they need me. I am blessed with a group of great and true friends. We fight, we make fun of each other, we scold each other, advise, and we are never jealous - these are "my friends." We love unconditionally and enjoy each other's company. We are genuine with each other. God is great!! because at one point of time when life seemed to stop, they just gave me the strength to move forward.

I like to make fun, say poor and pathethic jokes and some find it repulsive, while some love it. I love humor and being humorous. I am brutally honest when the situation demands. But, I take care that I should not pass a remark that would let someone else down - however, I confess that I am sarcastic at times. It is not necessary that you should like or love me but I hate people who give me a fake hug or a fake remark, which is absolutely irrelavant to the context or my life. I am being genuine in all my relationships - however, I can't expect anyone else to be genuine or sincere back to me but I would expect yu to rather shut up or shout back or hate me rather than to pass a fake flatterring remark.

Now, why I don't like to socialize. I just don't want to create and maintain new relationships. I forget birthdays and I feel sorry when friends complain (cos, I shamelessly accept their wish on my birthday). I am too busy with work and I need my space. However, I like to go to dance in a party. I am not socializing but I am just dancing - there is very little dialog involved. However, going with a bunch for a movie or dinner- err, peel off my skin and rub salt on me - I think I will be able to bear this better. I don't like the entire idea of forced socialization unless I want to socialize or I choose to socialize.

One of my "friends" who claimed be my true friend and well-wisher was busy back stabbing all these years and passing sarcastic and demoralising remarks. It took quite some time for me to just push that person out of my life becos at one point of time, I realised that I am just carrying a tumor with my will. I shuld have just got it operated and thrown out long back. Some years back, when I could forgive for all the damage done, I buzzed that person back just to realize that the person missed me as a good friend (that is a compliment (or flattery) :o). However, as you can't erase a leopard's spots - it is better be careful as its easy to forgive somehow but never forget - they can still backstab!! It is difficult to get a true friend - very difficult. If you are searching for one at your workplace - that is the most difficult - Genuine peole are rare, people who are honest are rare, and people who will empathize with you are rare.

People like to socialize - why? to boast and blah blah and show off !! or are yu going to save the crowd you are socializing with? I just don't understand how a person can have 400-1000 "best friends" on orkut - does it include all the toms, dicks and harrys yu know or just you want to have a friends list to show that you are a scoial bug?

Forced socialization to me is to skin me and slit me and salt me and bottle me and export me to a pond of crocodiles in Sajnekhali complex.

Vaccum cleaner, serum, curls..

I like styling my hair myself; I have got a wavy hair and also a slight frizz problem. My sis-in-law got me Elvive shampoo (loreal) and I must say - My hair reflects light as the product claims. Further, I do use a frizz control Liss serum from Loreal. Combs don't give neatly set curls faster. I set out on a mission of bringing neat non-frizzy curls to my hair and guess what? I used a vaccum cleaner for that. See the results above!!!

My paintings

Red indian (painted a few years ago when I was in college). Water colors are used in this painting. Infact, first I pencil sketched it and then used the colors. This one is mildly inspired by "taarey zameen par"; hence, the color blue. Finger painted for first time.

Kerala - God's own country indeed

It look me less than an year to realise how much I miss kerala, its greenery, my home town, my cousins and my mother and grandmother. Posting some pics!

Cat Model

This is adorable kitty. Since he was scared of the sudden flash of the camera, it took at least 10 shots to capture him with his catty appeal.