Rainbow of Bangles!

Wow! I am on a real high today. No I did not go for drinks but a shopping spree. It is the last day of the month, Salary yet to be deposited so how can I shop? Of course there are credit cards but I do not use credit cards, I am an ardent debit card user. That way I am more in control of my expenses, as such we women are shopaholics and if there are sales then no stopping us.

Well enough of suspense most of you must have guessed from the title that I shopped for bangles, yes I am never tired of buying glass bangles, my latest craze in bangles. There was this exhibition of handicrafts and hand loom mela going on from a few days, since the day I came to know about it I was so eager to go. I was sure that I will find some good bangles and ear rings. And today took off with my two jocks. It was a good one hour out of office but it is not a problem bcs when there is work we stay back quiet late so it was really flexible.

First it was couple of bags made of Jute material, they are in vogue and look trendy on a Kurti and they cost only 100 and 150 each. And then the real treasure! I picked up a couple of pairs and seeing my interest the shopkeeper took out a box and kept in front of me, I could not leave out even one color, they looked so beautiful in under the light gleaming beautifully, it is a personal opinion that the luster is better than any diamond or gold bangle.

He was so happy when I took all the twelve pairs he reduced a few Rs happily. They brought back happy memories of similar shopping escapades with my dear friend who is far away across seven seas now. They also made me remember the lines of the the poem learnt in school in the English class "Bangle Sellers By Sarojini Naidu" 'delicate, bright Rainbow-tinted circles of light' how beautifully put in words. I also bought mother of pearl Kada that the Bengalis wear with matching year rings and as it in the shade of half white it will go with many outfits.

Then I moved on to earrings and they were also just 10 Rs per pair. And lo! I exhausted all the few hundred rupees I had with me. But the happiness is priceless. The best part is to have a burf ka gola that too kalakhatta, it has been ages since I ate, may be some where in chowpati in Mumbai.

Friends and relatives often appreciate the way I dress and co-ordinate my accessories. Being the Virgo that I am I always used to strictly adhere to matching syndrome. Be it bangles, ear rings bindi etc(now I stick to maroon or black) but bangles and ear rings still I try to. But when I have to pack for a trip it does take some time to pack this stuff too.

From the days of many bangles I have come to the single bangle or two stage except for when I go to weddings etc. And they do go so well with the Indo Western kind of clothing that I wear Kurtis over Jeans etc. It is a personal feeling that all it takes is a few hundred rupees and U have accessories to match all the outfits in the wardrobe.

No problem if there is not a single rupee in my purse now. My bike has sufficient petrol to take me home and I know me mobile will beep tonight with an SMS saying your account has been credited with Rs.......... :-)

Actually before going on this shopping spree I wanted to blog about our Rakhi Sawant's swayamwar but it can wait. Just see the photographs of the Bangles, U will love them.

SUNDAY not a FUN day.

'SUNDAY', where there is no 5 day week how people look forward to it. Some look forward to it to complete all the personal tasks postponed(That includes washing, grocery shopping and what not.) Some want to go shopping to the malls, catch the latest releases in the multiplexes, eat out and come back home smug. That is nice for one Sunday a month but that is also exhausting and saps energy. The best way to rejuvenate is a lazy Sunday or a Sunday with a long drive and spent by the beach side but the weather should be cool for that.

In general I look forward to a Lazy Sunday, just to curl up on the SOFA have a leisurely Tea or coffee depending upon the mood. (if it is sunny I prefer Tea and if it is raining I prefer Coffee, U can see the difference too, it is nice that way for people who drink both Tea and Coffee). Going thru the Sunday magazines of the newspapers and the somewhere around 9.30 or 10am when the tummy starts growling I get up to fix a simple breakfast may be a bread toast or some milk and cereal or noodles it is best that way as lunch invariably would be heavier as it would be in general non vegetarian.

Even the breakfast is a leisure one playing or watching some cartoons with my daughter for some time, but if she decides to go downstairs and cycle around the apartment building or go upstairs and play with the dogie(a pug the HUTCH one) then I can have the remote to myself and what a blessing that indeed is. I just flick the channels and catch whatever is interesting at that moment. Somewhere around 12.30 I realise about Lunch and then enter the kitchen. But all this luxury or free time is affordable only when the maid is around and she does the cleaning under my supervision, dusting, cleaning the refrigerator changing the sheets in the two bedrooms and the Diwan. And most imp of all cleaning the bathrooms(where I do pitch in for perfect cleaning sake). And also the laundry job of starching the cotton garments(9 out of 10 dresses that I have are of cotton given the humidity and heat of Vizag) And weaves and block prints they are so beautiful in cotton adds dignity to the dressing, comfortable so I prefer it that way.

But yesterday, my maid calls up at 7.30 am (thanks to the affordable mobile phones now) and declares I will not be able to come today. And there starts my day. Although I canceled the starching episode(as rains are in I will prefer synthetics temporarily so they will dry, even after getting wet.) There went my day in washing, cleaning scrubbing, mopping and what not but when my daughter picks up the Colin bottle and wants to clean the furniture again it made my day. I do not think boys of that age or any other age would offer to do that. Daughters are daughters, I thanked almighty for blessing me with one. And carried on the tasks with fervour.

Could relax for a while in the afternoon post lunch and then there were going to be guests in the evening, again started preparations, went out to shop for some urgent groceries and it was night 11pm by the time the guests left after dinner, but felt really happy to have them so all that work was with a smile that lit up my face, and although I could not take My daughter for an outing she was more than happy to have friend from America. It is really amusing to see her to immediately try to pick up the American accent that the other little girl had. And both the girls did have double the gala time to dress up again in dupattas and beaded chains and bangles. Clicked their pictures and when they were leaving Vennela(My dr said in my ear you know Mamma why I clicked Esha's pic bcs I am going to miss her.) God thank you for this EQ that is developing in her. And for the first time she did not complain when I parted with her accessories as a gift to her friend.

All in all SUNDAY was not a FUN day in the literal sense. "But if I see the glass half full I felt more happier for the gleaming everything because of my efforts and the Guests complimenting on a beautiful house and a tasty dinner was like the icing on the cake or the cherry on the ice cream. :-)" What more can the Lady of the home want?

The final touch is still there, when I plopped myself in the chair, she came rushing with a glass of juice(poured from the carton). I said why "Darling! I just now had heavy dinner why this now? She said 'but you are looking very tired Mamma". Felt happy that she could sense so much but bad at the same time because I could not have the juice. I told sorry dear but after a heavy dinner there is no place for the juice in my tummy and kept it in the refrigerator. Then she comes to press my forehead. My Day is made.

A Moment to Smile!

Life is full of moments to smile. When we weave such moments into a Garland, we can just exclaim 'LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL'! Some of these moments linger on and become sweet memories for a life time and will bring the same smile back when we recollect them.

Today I had one such moment, if each day was the same Life becomes pretty boring, today I got up as early as 4.30am, I wanted to go for a walk at 5am. It was long since I stopped my religious morning walks, my laziness winning over me. But Off late the urge to keep fit is growing day by day getting strict and stern instructions from the image in my mirror. Yes! 'Mirrors do not lie!' Whenever I exclaim at my workplace 'I am putting on weight' my colleagues say 'No you are just fine' but then the mirror says it all with the tiniest bulges of cellulite, brutally and thankfully honest.

But as it was raining heavily at that time of the night I could not go, sat for some time in my balcony hearing to the pitter patter of the rain lost in thoughts. Then I switched on the TV just flicking channels not in a mood to watch any news(Michael's sorrow still hanging on) most of the entertainment channels either on spiritual talk or teleshopping at that time. In that shuffle I stopped on UTV movies RamKapoor(Of Kasam se and Jhalak dikhlaja was looking so slim and young and there was Chitrangada, Sarika, Boman Irani all good actors saw the movie(Kal, yesterday and tommorow) for some time and then went into the hub dub of morning Tea, Breakfast and Papers.

Then my daughter woke up, rushed out to her Dad who was leaving for work kissed him goodbye and came back. She likes Saturdays and I too like as I can go leisurely to work and spend time with her the way she wants, she wanted me to play the student and she the teacher, I happily obliged. How these little girls enjoy the role play. Every other little girl I know would like to keep her doll house, cook with her toy kitchen play the host, teacher, doctor, teacher and Mom. My daughter is no different right from when she was two years old she used to cook and serve in imagination to everybody and anybody.

Then came the interesting part, she took my Dupatta(Chunni) lying around and wore it in the form of a Saree, brought all her bangle collection and wore them without even a color pattern. I was watching amused. Then she brought her doll took on a hand bag and I had a constant smile on my face, so the doll was her baby and she was going shopping.

Thanks to the mobile with 3.2 mega pixel and I could click some photographs for a change she happily obliged. Content, I was thinking soon she will grow up and refuse to wear anything traditional then I should show her these photos. Definitely she will be in Jeans or Minis or Micro minis no stopping her. How fast daughters do grow up.

The other day I was so exhausted by the time I reached home and she gives me a glass of water and when I plop myself she says sweetly "Mama you take rest, go to sleep I will open the door for Dad today" and with her tiny hands she presses my forehead. So it was role reversal, she was my mother and I her daughter and the feeling at that moment is impossible to put in words it only can be experienced.

Trust me nothing in the world can be bartered for the happiness these kind of moments bring. So what I advice to moms or to be moms or dads and to be dads even is, feel blessed and rejoice in such moment of bliss and savor these moments in your heart for a life time.

She is so enthusiastic about rolling out a Chapati or cutting Ladies Fingers, I try my best to sustain that enthusiasm. If we ruin that, then we cannot complain tomorrow that they are not enthusiastic about anything. It is completely in our hands to sustain it.

But, at the same time I also want to confess two days ago the same morning time it was 7.45 am and she was nicely wrapping around one chunni and another towel hanging from her head nicely pinned up on either sides(Banjaran style) and was holding this toy as her baby, it was getting late for her school as already I was telling her, it is time for her to get her bath and loosing my patience 'I shouted at her', immediately the happy smile vanished and I felt so sorry at the horrified expression on her face, but the words were already out, the moment could not be undone or deleted. I know it will be deeply etched in her memory. (No wonder she feels Momma is a Devil, and Dad an Angel bcs momma keeps saying don't do this, no colas, no chocolates keep your room tidy and so on) Yes all the sweet talks and hugs and appreciations vanish with one just harsh word. (Yeh! Ironically even my subordinates feel the same the ratio is n appreciations vanish with one harsh remark so watch out.)

How I wished I was little more patient and I ponder again why is it that we take out our impateince always on the people who mean to us so much? But then it happens with most of us at All times. So Friends it is absolutely in our hands to change a moment into a moment we smile and reminisce later or a moment to regret. Wishing you all wonderful moments to smile with your loved ones.

Adieu to Michael J

Today I cannot help but blog about Michael Jackson. There might be umpteen bloggers blogging about him today and among them there might be people who met him personally or attended his concerts saw him live. I just typed Michael Jackson on Google search and there were 45,100,000 searches in .13 seconds this throws the light on what an ICON or Celebrity he was. (Feeling really sad to use 'was' instead of 'is')

I was just going about the daily round of morning chores at home, when I got the message from my Morning Jock, thinking that she wants to complain about something that is not in place or some permission to change something on the show etc I opened it and could not believe what I read and really could not believe it I scrolled down to see if it was some kind of Joke. Because of late there could be any kind of jokes on sms forwards. But it was not. I immediately switched on the NEWS channels(not that I did no trust her but because it was not sinking in) and every channel it was the 'BREAKING NEWS'

'How heart breaking can 'BREAKING NEWS' be.... very apt "

I just sat still for some time, went down the memory lane when there were cassettes instead of CDS and no MTV or V channel no limewires to download but still we exchanged cassettes and any remote English Music Lover (why I say a remote English Music Lover is I myself was more a bollywood music buff but still had a few English favourites like MJ, Madonna, Cliff Richards, George Michael" only the famous numbers and albums.) I think people of my genre would be more nostalgic. My personal favourites at that age were" They don't really care about us" most kids do think about parents in these words.... when parents disagree. And of course "Black or White"(Felt happy to see the Indian dancer dancing with MJ and Indian culture reflected in the world song)

The TV went on playing someone or the other was talking about him, and there were clippings of him in concerts, with celebrities. Then I smiled wryly, the media has got its hands full.(Me being part of the Media Industry should not be saying this but after 26/11 and the media coverage of that I think many will agree with this....
I came to work in the same mood, opened Facebook and almost every status was about MJ and responses of comments about MJ. For a while I started feeling cynical, are all these comments genuine do they really Love him so much or do they just want to be part of the in group? Then a friend said, the world is like that, a person is talked about all his positive points only after his death. And you cannot even blame the media, will you stay tuned if the same channel says MJ is sitting at his home doing nothing? Hmmmmmmm what he said was right. That is the way things are and we have to accept it.

Seeing the status messages "Rest in Peace" I whole heartedly felt that he must be really resting in peace. I wonder to myself "How Happy and peaceful was he when he was here?" Most of us know that he a had a turbulent childhood and racial discrimination, drugs, broken marriages, allegations of child molestation, controversies of changing skin color, what not?

Here is Paradigm to show us Lifes' complexities. If we think being RICH we will be Happy MJ was super rich what with owning Neverland Valley Ranch what with his own amusement park etc. If being Famous one can be Happy then is there a celebrity or ICON in Music in the world bigger than him after Elvis? No Friends I am not denying that we should stop trying to be Rich or Famous but in the trials even let us be Happy.

But yes while his SOUL RESTS IN PEACE and in a day or too he fades out of our channels, we can be of the certainty that he will Live in our Hearts Forever somewhere even after many more years his songs will be playing in the nth version of Apple ipod or some other device better than that and his videos and dance forms will always be watched and inspiring for generations to come.

Rain and Relativity!

Yesterday it was cloudy, but still the temperatures could penetrate through the clouds and it was definitely not pleasant. Even humidity was at its peak. Well before all this sounds like a weather report I need to say that it rained last night between 12 and 1am and what a rain it was, a real downpour with lightning and thunder. I really do not understand whenever it rains or the winds start blowing with high speed, immediately there to be a power failure.

Does this happen only in Vizag? Is our power system so weak that it cannot withstand a few strong winds?Anyway although it is not the proper onset of monsoon in Vizag(Psst: I really doubt if Vizag has any specific monsoon, bcz it seems to rain only when there is depression in Bay of Bengal) This downpour did bring a respite from the heat that we went through for the past few days. It is cool since morning and cloudy, perfect weather for a Long Drive with some good music on.

Now I told about Rain, then you all must be wondering what is it about Relativity? Nope I am not definitely going to quote Einstein's Theory of Relativity here.(Physics was definitely not one of my favourite subjects in school, I was class topper in Biology)

Coming to the point, how people are happy to see the rain, I am seeing so many comments on FB thanks to Friends across the country from Bombay to Bengaluru and from Delhi to Kerala either people are waiting for the rain or smiling that it rained. And come to think of it none of them are farmers to start their farming season :-). Most of them might not even face the heat so much getting out of AC cars into AC chambers, still .....

Where as in the rest of the world people say "it is bright and sunny and wish for a little bit of sunshine" that seems to be the weather for a picnic or rejoicing. So no wonder it is relativity where there is snow or rains or cold weather for most part of the year a little bit of sunshine brings those smiles. And in our tropical country like India especially Southern and Eastern India where almost for 8 to 10 months it is sunny a few drops of rain do bring the smiles.

And there must be many rain lovers out there especially people of my generation born in the seventies who had the time to sail those paper boats in the puddles of Rain. But even now rain has its charm, even on screen for all those wonderful rain songs now and then in Tollywood and Bollywood.

But one more fact of relativity that surfaces in my mind whenever there is continuous rain for 3 to four days is, why are we not as happy as the first day when we have rain? On the first day we are happy, we gather together and have a party of hot pakoras, or curl up on the window sill with a hot cup of steaming coffee. Then slowly the effect wears off, we cannot sit confined indoors, there are thousand and one tasks for the people in this world to go out. We do not want to get wet and reach our destinations. Clothes do not dry, the house starts smelling damp with wet and semi wet clothes everywhere. And again we start wishing for sunshine :-)

Did anyone ever had a thought about the effect of rain for the pavement hawkers and slum dwellers? We are happy that we have our groceries fully stocked, power in place, glued to TV sets or playing games on Xboxes we have fun. But for those people if they earn for that day, then only they can have their meal at the end of the day.

The proverb is well known 'Save for a Rainy Day' but it seldom happens with most of them hitting the bottle and no savings left. Here it is again relativity. Someone is Happy and Someone is not.

So next time you venture out in the rain and if the Auto rickshaw fella or fruit vendor demands a few extra rupees please do not bargain but part with a few notes and smile that you are the reason for some one's happiness and a meal for a family.

Great start and fizzle out!

As soon as I started this blog, wow what a great feeling it was. I immediately changed my Gtalk status and Facebook Status. And like a little girl who painted her first pic was waiting for appreciation from any body and everybody. :-) I think there is a little kid in each one of us hidden behind the mask of dignity and sophistication and it is but natural for that kid to emerge now and then. Trust me it makes 'Life Happier'

I thought I will not write today. Because I know with the roles that I juggle it will be certainly difficult for me to post a new post everyday. But when I was riding on my two wheeler to work and it is a beautiful ride overlooking the curving bay of Vizag with the waves kissing the shore and specs of boats out there with there sails up. As usual there were thoughts and thoughts and of course today there were thoughts about my blog and what all I wanted to write on it.I had so many topics to write about, then I immediately sync it with the something new syndrome.

Most of us at some time or other in life go through these "Great Starts and fizzle out" syndrome. Like the little girl who plays with her new doll day in and day out and then she gets bored of it throws it aside. The teenager who gets a new jeans and just keeps changing the t-shirts and is not willing to put it for wast until she gets a new one. All of us or rather most of us start a lot of things or hobbies with a new jest but then if we burn out all the jest then there is nothing left to continue.

Whether it is a diet, exercise regime or a healthy habit I read somewhere that if we can do it for 21 days continuously then we can continue it. But somewhere there is a break and the Gap widens. So like child hood story that we read/heard/ and tell to our kids of the Rabbit and turtle

Slow and steady wins the race. I think I should go slow and steady not that I want to win any race but I as a friend of mine said "Writing keeps you Happy so do not stop writing"

who among us do not want to be Happy? ;-P

So here I go now with one post a day may be later one post a week but definitely not slower than that. Unless I am on a Holiday to ManasSarovar(someday I want to go there) and I do not have my Laptop.

Please be generous in your comments, they do give me a lot of energy to write further.

My first Blog!

I have been wanting to blog since long, I even lost track of time since when?
Approximately I remember it was somewhere in 2006 May when I posted a write up called 'THEN and NOW' about how times have changed since we went to school and how they are now on my School Alumni Group and got a lot of positive responses and gave me a high.
But the born procrastinator that I am, the thought took a back seat.

In 2007 again I chanced to peek into the world of Food Blogging through my friend Sailaja's http://www.sailusfood.com/ and for many days contemplated the idea of starting a food blog but seeing the amount of pateince and time and skill required for food blogging that idea also evaporated soon. Then as I was the parent of a preschooler+single child shifted my thoughts to have a blog about parenting so on so forth I went on wishing and thinking of writing a blog and days passed into weeks, months and years.

I strongly believe in the right time syndrome, when something has to happen it happens when the right time comes, whether you have to meet your soulmate or own your dream home or land in the right job so finally I can admit that the time has come.

I also was motivated by my friends SreeBindu of 'Moon Breeze' and Teja Priyadarshini of "Xentric Angel" time and again to start writing. And also inspired by Alekhya of "Uncle Sam's Dairies".

What you will find in my blogs will be like collage of thoughts, thoughts about life, incidents to ponder upon, parenting and may be once in a while a recipee also bcs queit often did I get a compliment that I am a good cook. And of course Movie Reviews also that is if I am able to catch a movie immediately after its release. Psst Shall I share a secret from the closet"Once upon a time there was movie called "Akele hum and Akle tum of Amir Khan and Manisha Koirala and I caught it on Friday the day of release and my views matched with the great Film critic 'Khalid Mohammad" hi hi hi so I think I can qualify to be good Film critic. What say?

As such it is a know secret that Virgos are born critics. :-)

So friends wish me all the best for "Happy Blogging "
Should I say stay tuned to more posts ahead?