Mishi's Page

Am tired of......

2007-09-04T23:06:00.000-12:00

Am tired of-

1. Big huge, blunderous Phone bills for calls I haven't made

2. Being called a "Bubbly Cheerful Ever Smiling Gal" at work- Hello am much more than that

3. Being told to lose weight- Dont want to interfere with God's Scheme for me:)

4. Huge credit card bills-gosh why do they have to be so treacherous

5. Having to be politically correct

6. Not having enough money- just how much is enough:)I wonder......

7. Not getting enough time to spend with someone special

Well that's all I can think of now- it feels good to crib :)

Do Women make worse Bosses

2007-08-22T22:00:00.000-12:00

It's a question that came to my mind- after reading to a lot of tales about women in power in different Industries and Functions- Are women in power and responsible positions obsessed with proving their mettle? Do they go on a overdrive leading to discontentment within their teams?Is it because they are still a minority that they suffer from insecurities ? Look at the examples below-

Pooja Bhatt- Director and Producer of Indian Feature Films- Nearly every movie that she produces/directors gets noticed because of some controversy with the staff-either the actors or the Film Crew- the nauture of complaints are nearly the same- Bad Behaviour, not keeping promises in terms of roles, remunerations, petty behaviour like chopping of roles etc etc. I am not sure though if this is a publicity stunt- if it is- it is quite a juvenile one which obviously doesn't seem to be working- given the box office results of her films

Ektaa Kapoor- Another one in the same or rather similar industry- She is the queen of Indian Television - and she demands attention apparently like a queen in ways that would put Cleopatra to shame.Apparently she dictates her staff about which informal gatherings they should attend or they shouldn't attend, replaces cast on minor disputes wihout any heed to contracts etc. Her recent appearance on a popular Chat Show with her "yes" Men in tow- kind of validated all the rumours- If I had a production house and was surrounded by cronies who say "yes" to everything I say- I would have drowned in embarrassment

Kiran Bedi- She has always made news for various resons and has always made us proud also. But at the same time there have been lesser known reports of her subordinates not being happy with her, her high-handedness has always been a corridor discussion in the IPS Cadre. What's more she is highly unapologetic about her behaviour and insists on it given the fact that she is the face of Indian Police Service( which is no mean feat by any standards of course)

There are numerous other examples from the corporate world that I keep hearing all the time-one in my org- a very simple one but very indicative
In a org that prides itself on being one of the first to introduce the "first name" culture- my female boss manages to get many of her reportees to call her "Madam" and is quite happy about it:)There are other 9 Directors in the org -all of them Male- have never heard anyone of them doing that- Even Gates answers to Bill:)))

Of course these are very few examples and I would be quite happy to know about instances contradicting my assumption:))

The Wonder Years

2007-08-20T19:36:00.000-12:00

Today I came across several of my school friends' profiles in Orkut- and for a good twenty minutes my mind drifted back to the past- to those wonder years- when life was lived for its own sake-without any deadlines or purposes .....One of the benefits of living in a small town is the high visiblity and familiarity with each other. The school years-the large part of it spent in girlish leisure, discovering the joys of growing each day- I remember the first time I read a mills and boons in class 9 I think- i went to sleep dreaming of knights in shining armour....

There was this other incident I remember when I got a prize for embroidery and needle work- when I barely could manage to sew buttons on my shirt- it was the first time I won something which I did not deserve - the sinking feeling in my tummy did not subside- learnt a very important lesson that day- its important to earn success in order to be able to enjoy it- the sense of accomplishment doesnt come easy....

Exam results, competitions, debates, quizzes, petty quarrels, sharing tiffins, planning picnics-all those seem to be a part of an alien world now....Maya, Monika, Ananya, Tanushree-some of close friends then- are now completely out of my orbit- likewise I am for them....Maya fulfilled her dream of becoming a doctor, Monika is a banker, Ananya and Tanushree are homemakers and I drifted into the corporate world....and thus moved apart our worlds- once friends for forever...now good thoughts and memories in each other's hearts...

Such is Life.....

The pic

2007-08-09T16:57:00.000-12:00

Against the backdrop of the setting sun and the shimmering lake-both of them stood...
And the moment was captured for ever- One standing gaunt, the years of experience lining his face, The other-a younger version, looking ahead with a humility that comes with realization of the twists of life.........
The writing on his T shirt stood out conspiciously-Santosa Island
How things get mixed............

Somebody Else's Kids-3

2007-08-07T01:15:00.001-12:00

The problem that Ginny faced that nearly everyone she interacted with- forgot or ignored the fact that she was not quite like everyone and needed care and understanding- and that included me as well
So often we pay attention to visible disabilites- blindless, limps, deformation of limbs etc.
She had a brain malfunction- I dont quite remember what its called now
All I remember is she couldnt read remember or recognise words and letters
Dumb, Lazy, unfit, slow- these were some of her prep school teachers had labelled her
Failing in every test...her spirit never failed

Finally they brought her to me- Now I had 3 of them

The Difference Between Men and Women

2007-08-02T20:23:00.001-12:00

I just HAD TO share this!!! It's NOT written by me but whoever wrote it did a brilliant job.
Let's say a guy named Fred is attracted to a woman named Martha. He asks her out to a movie; she accepts; they have a pretty good time. A few nights later he asks her out to dinner, and again they enjoy themselves. They continue to see each other regularly, and after a while neither one of them is seeing anybody else.

And then, one evening when they're driving home, a thought occurs to Martha, and, without really thinking, she says it aloud: "Do you realize that, as of tonight, we've been seeing each other for exactly six months?"

And then, there is silence in the car.

To Martha, it seems like a very loud silence. She thinks to herself: I wonder if it bothers him that I said that. Maybe he's been feeling confined by our relationship; maybe he thinks I'm trying to push him into some kind of obligation that he doesn't want, or isn't sure of.

And Fred is thinking: Gosh. Six months.

And Martha is thinking: But, hey, I'm not so sure I want this kind of relationship either. Sometimes I wish I had a little more space, so I'd have time to think about whether I really want us to keep going the way we are, moving steadily towards, I mean, where are we going? Are we just going to keep seeing each other at this level of intimacy? Are we heading toward marriage? Toward children? Toward a lifetime together? Am I ready for that level of commitment? Do I really even know this person?

And Fred is thinking: ...so that means it was...let's see...February when we started going out, which was right after I had the car at the dealer's, which means...lemme check the odometer...Whoa! I am way overdue for an oil change here.

And Martha is thinking: He's upset. I can see it on his face. Maybe I'm reading this completely wrong. Maybe he wants more from our relationship, more intimacy, more commitment; maybe he has sensed - even before I sensed it - that I was feeling some reservations. Yes, I bet that's it. That's why he's so reluctant to say anything about his own feelings. He's afraid of being rejected.

And Fred is thinking: And I'm gonna have them look at the transmission again. I don't care what those morons say, it's still not shifting right. And they better not try to blame it on the cold weather this time. What cold weather? It's 87 degrees out, and this thing is shifting like a garbage truck, and I paid those incompetent thieves $600.

And Martha is thinking: He's angry. And I don't blame him. I'd be angry, too. I feel so guilty, putting him through this, but I can't help the way I feel. I'm just not sure.

And Fred is thinking: They'll probably say it's only a 90-day warranty...scumballs.

And Martha is thinking: Maybe I'm just too idealistic, waiting for a knight to come riding up on his white horse, when I'm sitting right next to a perfectly good person, a person I enjoy being with, a person I truly do care about, a person who seems to truly care about me. A person who is in pain because of my self-centered, schoolgirl romantic fantasy.

And Fred is thinking: Warranty? They want a warranty? I'll give them a warranty. I'll take their warranty and stick it right up their...

"Fred," Martha says aloud.

"What?" says Fred, startled.

"Please don't torture yourself like this," she says, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. "Maybe I should never have...oh dear, I feel so..."(She breaks down, sobbing.)

"What?" says Fred.

"I'm such a fool," Martha sobs. "I mean, I know there's no knight. I really know that. It's silly. There's no knight, and there's no horse."

"There's no horse?" says Fred.

"You think I'm a fool, don't you?" Martha says.

"No!" says Fred, glad to finally know the correct answer.

"It's just that...it's that I...I need some time," Martha says. (There is a 15-second pause while Fred, thinking as fast as he can, tries to come up with a safe response. Finally he comes up with one that he thinks might work.)

"Yes," he says. (Martha, deeply moved, touches his hand.)

"Oh, Fred, do you really feel that way?" she says.

"What way?" says Fred.

"That way about time," says Martha.

"Oh," says Fred. "Yes." (Martha turns to face him and gazes deeply into his eyes, causing him to become very nervous about what she might say next, especially if it involves a horse. At last she speaks.)

"Thank you, Fred," she says.

"Thank you," says Fred.

Then he takes her home, and she lies on her bed, a conflicted, tortured soul, and weeps until dawn, whereas when Fred gets back to his place, he opens a bag of Doritos, turns on the TV, and immediately becomes deeply involved in a rerun of a college basketball game between two South Dakota junior colleges that he has never heard of. A tiny voice in the far recesses of his mind tells him that something major was going on back there in the car, but he is pretty sure there is no way he would ever understand what, and so he figures it's better if he doesn't think about it.

The next day Martha will call her closest friend, or perhaps two of them, and they will talk about this situation for six straight hours. In painstaking detail, they will analyze everything she said and everything he said, going over it time and time again, exploring every word, ex-pression, and gesture for nuances of meaning, considering every possible ramification.

They will continue to discuss this subject, off and on, for weeks, maybe months, never reaching any definite conclusions, but never getting bored with it either.

Meanwhile, Fred, while playing racquetball one day with a mutual friend of his and Martha's, will pause just before serving, frown, and say: "Norm, did Martha ever own a horse?"

And that's the difference between men and women.

Someone Else's Kids- 2

2007-07-25T00:03:00.000-12:00

Ali-the other boy in my school- For want of a better word I use the word "school" its more like a care centre...
Ali-Ten, Brown, strong, with a vocabulary that has a expletive added with every 3 words

His file read-" Refugee from Bangladesh, illegal migration, 6 months back in a family scuffle, witnessed his mother stabbing his father with a knife, she is currently in custody as a undertrial"

While I droned about the ten commandments, Ali sang a hindi song in his childish voice......

Someone Else's Kids-1

2007-07-24T18:23:00.000-12:00

"We did it when I was thirteen , he told me I couldnt get preganant...."

The little girl standing in front of me- 14, shy, catholic and pregnant, thrown out by her parents, brought to the institute and put under my care

She traced a small red mark on her arm- "I didnt like it much -it was painful"

I have often wondered how do big things of life fit in small discussions......

Message for my Guardian Angel

2007-07-17T19:58:00.000-12:00

Paging for U- Where Art Thou....

I have landed myself in a mess again...

As my friend P told me- " Since the last 5 years that I have known u, Your ability to create virtual and real messy situations all around u makes me laugh as well as intrigues me"
Well that's an honest opinion....

If I were to rate ur performance rating -you would have been on ur way out....

On second thoughts - Had u done your job properly- Life would have been so bland....

For eg- I wouldnt have landed up at Howrah station at 10.00pm to catch a train scheduled at 9.50 pm and see it moving out of the platform right in front of me and me stranded there

Or I wouldnt have tried to help A and landed myself in trouble with her current boyfriend and my close friend S who is his ex-girlfried( such a small world!!!!)

Or I wouldnt have written a cheque for 5 Lakhs for my landlord when I owed him Rs 5000, what happened next is a nightmare-best forgotten

Well Well Well the list is endless.....

Currently I have gone and put my foot in my mouth again...so pls come back...I am putting u on a Performance Improvement Plan- consider this as your last chance of redeeming yourself in my esteem...

So long Buddy- Stay Happy.....

Regards
Mishi

Comfortably Numb-2

2007-07-16T21:46:00.000-12:00

No one asked me what I want,I have got used to being unasked
Life continues to pass by through several years, experiences, moments, critical situations- all of these I scale through carefully ministered instructions.....

Controlled, clinical peace....

Comfortably Numb Again

2007-07-15T19:36:00.000-12:00

An Ode to Long Distance Love

A long distance love can be lovely,

There’s passion and romance,

You can meet in new wonderful places,

You can wine, you can dine, you can dance.

Leave regular life far behind you,

No work and no phones and no bills,

This is the time for just playing,

No cleaning up messes or spills.

After the fun is all done,

Go back to your life and be you,

Stay in your boxers or sweats,

Be a slob, ignore the shampoo.

Yes, long distance love can be lovely,

When you plan it, the romance is there,

But the rest of life just isn’t bothered,

What a great way to spell love affair!

Comfortably Numb

2007-07-15T19:10:00.001-12:00

It was the moment of truth, the realization hit her like lightning...

But the feeling was familiar- a sense of deja-vu,

It didn't hurt anymore- She has become Comfortably Numb

The Woman in your Life

2007-07-11T20:52:00.001-12:00

Got this email from a friend and colleague- Thanks Neo:)

Very well written................Its awesome.. girls def u should read and feel proud.. guys read and understand

Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are;

Who is earning almost as much as you do;

One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as human as you are;

One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements

One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;

One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family name

One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen

One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you;

One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;

Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise

One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;

One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and trust her;

One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it.

But not many guys understand this...

Papa Kehte Hain

2007-07-11T00:13:00.000-12:00

Heard this in a crowded Airport Lounge-

Son, someday you will make a girl very happy, for a short period of time. Then she will leave you and be with men that are tens times better than you could ever hope to be. These men are called musicians....

It is not the "right" or "wrong" of the statement that caught my attention- but the conviction in the voice-the conviction that stems out of years of belief and experience...the faith that moves mountains........

Macavity: The Mystery Cat

2007-07-10T21:12:00.000-12:00

My FAV poem-wish I had a cat like this...sigh.....

Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw -
For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there!

Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity,
He's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity.
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare,
And when you reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there!
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air -
But I tell you once and once again, Macavity's not there!

Mcavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin;
You would know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken in.
His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed;
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed.
He sways his head from side to side, with movements like a snake;
And when you think he's half asleep, he's always wide awake.

Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity,
For he's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square -
But when a crime's discovered, then Macavity's not there!

He's outwardly respectable. (They say he cheats at cards.)
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard's.
And when the larder's looted, or the jewel-case is rifled,
Or when the milk is missing, or another Peke's been stifled,
Or the greenhouse glass is broken, and the trellis past repair -
Ay, there's the wonder of the thing! Macavity's not there!

And when the Foreign Office find a Treaty's gone astray,
Or the Admiralty lose some plans and drawings by the way,
There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair -
But it's useless to investigate - Mcavity's not there!
And when the loss has been disclosed, the Secret Service say:
`It must have been Macavity!' - but he's a mile away.
You'll be sure to find him resting, or a-licking of his thumbs,
Or engaged in doing complicated long-division sums.

Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity,
There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity.
He always has an alibi, and one or two to spaer:
At whatever time the deed took place - MACAVITY WASN'T THERE!
And they say that all the Cats whose wicked deeds are widely known
(I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone)
Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time
Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime!

From Uncle Sam's Kitty

2007-07-08T19:06:00.000-12:00

So Uncle Sam caught hold of me yesterday-

" Why do u always write fiction-55 with unhappy endings

" Well, er, um I guess I am usually sad when I write them"

"That is no reason- you should be able to switch off and think of variety, Art for Art's Sake"

So Uncle Sam in his great magnamity has shared some of his Fiction -55 pieces , Uncle Sam is unavilable for comments, you can give your comments to me instead-

....................................................................................

He left at 7 - a dark night in Wintry Delhi ..?He had been neglecting studies and acting suspiciously of late - going without notice for hours altogether but this was the limit! Tonight he will be questioned .. As the clock struck 10 and tempers mounted, a familiar voice came on the radio.

....................................................................................

She woke up, startled by the noise of a car driving off – next to her, the bed was empty, left warm by its tenant; she sighed and dozed off; no different from the others she thought.
She woke up, startled by the noise of a car parking …

....................................................................................
She woke up, startled by the noise of a car driving off – next to her, the bed was empty, left warm by its tenant; she tensed – her parents had told her to be careful with guys in the city - and sobbed hopelessly .. until she heard a car parking …

.....................................................................................

The noise woke her up; she gathered her slippers and rubbed her eyes - damned rats or the cat after the damned rats. She took her hairbrush and stepped through the kitchen door to see him standing at the stove – making tea. Errr.. I’m sorry I forgot your name from last night.. she blurted

.....................................................................................

Don’t push him – he’ll fall .. he shrieked, but Mamma said, not to worry dear, he won’t! But Dad was anxious, the branch his son was on was too tenous and quite high for his age when the inevitable happened

He flapped his wings furiously even as he fell and gained flight

....................................................................................

He kissed everyone just as he had thought, he collected the award with the right pose as the cameras clicked, the thank you speech was a resounding success and he walked back to his seat with elan as if it he received them all his life!! After all 5 rehearsals did count…

....................................................................................

He forgot the kisses he meant to give, he held the statutte too tightly on stage, he fumbled with his speech and went back to his seat thinking - all those preparations from the past 6 years were futile. Such moments deserve their spontaneity.

To my Friends

2007-07-04T22:02:00.001-12:00

RT Called to advise me on the most imp decision of my life

PP mailed to say sorry

SB1 has become a imp part of my life

BS is single handedly responsible for my huge long phone bills( i hope he reads and recognises his identity:))

PJ and I call each other to check if the other is alive

SD is my best gal pal

RP my new female pal

SS Another alpha pal and colleague

SB2 calls me at weird hours to know my views of one night stands

GG threatens me with dire consequences if I dont call him every 3rd day

AM the crazy dude who thinks the world is crazier

So many friends -from different stages of my life- each of them has shared a part of him or her with me, and I have shared a part of me with each of them.....each of them responsible for contributing to how I am today.....an intersection of time, place and destiny resulted in me knowing each of u....Thank You friends for being there physically, emotionally, unconditionally for me...What would I do without you........

OH God forgive me when I whine
I have wonderful friends-And the world is mine:)

Hopes & Dreams

2007-06-29T01:14:00.000-12:00

Do we always get what we deserve

Do we always deserve what we get

Here I am -trying to make a home out of nothing

From fragments of hope

And binding them together with Faith

I left my dreams somewhere far away

And lost a part of me- A part that was beautiful

I am mid-way and can't give up

It's the need and necessity that pulls me on

Somewhere this will end, Oh the Futility of it All

Someone waiting forever for someone who never comes home....

Why we "shout from the rooftops"

2007-06-27T18:48:00.001-12:00

My friend asked me- "Why do you women need to shout from the rooftops about your independence and maturity -and the fact that you don't need a man to make you happy. Who's asking anyways and who's interested in what you women do".

Had this question come from a lesser man I wouldnt have given a damn to this thought, but he is one of the few guys I have met who don't carry old stereotypes and can accept mistakes without mincing words..so that set me thinking...and here is what I think could be the reason for what he calls us "we shouting from the rooftops"

1. We don't shout from the rooftops- to start off with- it's just that we are more vocal and verbose about our opinions-and why not- we think our opinions are not opinionated meaning they are not biased or based on seeing one side of the picture. We have been oriented to be neutral, level headed and truthful in every aspect and don't see the reason to hold back our views

2. The fact that we focus more on the man-woman relationship issue is because this is a huge grey area, with loads of things undefined especially in the urban scenario.While urban women have moved a lot and evolved in terms of their thought processes, perception, values etc, somewhr the urban young man is lagging in his ideas, most of them have used their education to enhance their employability , not their EQ. Most of them r still struggling to bridge the gap between what they have
seen as a part of growing up and NOW

3.Its also a fact that its no use "casting pearls before a swine"- In other words we also would not have wasted out time, effort, energies if we felt that it is falling on deaf ears or ears who can't understand or take it- So guys its actually a credit and a compliment to you- we think you can take a slightly bitter pill and accept a different side of the same story

So my friend if you are reading this- I hope I have been able to answer your query-If not .....please let me know your views....and let's take this further- nothing like a coffee and a discussion with an intelligent man:))

Tell Me....

2007-06-25T22:51:00.001-12:00

Wat is worse- Living in a Euphoric state or living in a world of bitter truth???

IIMBians in Hyderabad

2007-06-24T22:08:00.000-12:00

This weekend was the stuff nightmares r made of - or maybe bad dreams( i guess tht sounds better:))
Two of my friends-I call them Buddies descended on Hyderabad and life is never going to be the same for poor simple Hyderabadis:)...

Friend 1- Bibin

Friend 2- Peeyush

Duration of stay 2 days

Effect on Hyderabad- Wind, Storm, Rains, traffic Jams, Near riot conditions......

Some excerpts of our conversations-

Peeps-"Who drives a Red Santro- Let me hop onto a AutoRickshaw- Its more classy"

Peeps-" Geez there r so many people in Hyd- where do u get them from"

Bibs-"You call me to Hyd and make me drive 500 miles- at this rate I will reach Nagpur"

Bibs-" Hyd is doing really well -at this rate they will be as good as Bangalore in a Zillion years"

And there is this little baby who had the last word or rather the last expression- I AM BORED ..IIMBians am not impressed!!!!

And there was ME-having fun...........at all times....

Thanks a Bunch Guys.....

And Give Hyd some time to recover and we will invite U again:))

Small Things

2007-06-21T23:19:00.000-12:00

The morning rush-hour, the huge traffic signal jams, the FM music blasting out from the cars and cabs, the honking, the cacophony of the fusion of the noises.......It was another typical day. He sat patiently, waiting for the traffic to move-she hadnt called till now- usually by now-she would have sent 2-3 messages and made atleast one call....
Other days he cut her calls after 2 mins saying "am driving"...
Today she didnt call- he waited patiently- the traffic moved

He kept wondering how do such small things fit into life's greater schemes and then become essentials.......

The imperfect boy

2007-06-20T22:25:00.000-12:00

It was raining heavily. I needed a shelter, the book shop looked inviting. There he was seated at a corner-the imperfect boy with a perfect smile. He looked up at me and gave me a smile . I lost myself- the tears got a life of their own-it helped that my cheeks and face were wet already. A life of 5 summers spent without coordination-they call it Neuro Muscular Disorder - I call it God’s Mirthless Humour.........

>

The mother

2007-06-20T20:05:00.001-12:00

"U do understand it -don't u, we have to do it"- That was her mother-in-law.

She knew it was useless to argue further.

"Don't worry it wouldnt pe painful or hazardous"-continued the MIL....

Well didnt she already know that- wasnt it the same last time as well.

She gave a sigh and took out her diary - The glossary of names that she had written-Amrita, Maya, Pritha, Supriya..... etc would now not be required-they would never be required.

As she tore off the pages- the loud conch shell noises and the beating of drums to the accompaniment of chantings of prayers from the neighbourhood broke out in the air - breaking her reverie.

Durga Puja is being celebrated as usual with great elan in - The Mother Goddess the symbol of strength and fertility........

The first Calvin & Hobbes strip

2007-06-19T22:42:00.000-12:00

First published on November the 18th 1985 in the Daily. We discover Calvin and Hobbes, and Hobbes' love for tuna fish

Home they brought her Warrior Dead

2007-06-19T19:28:00.001-12:00

Moments before the final assault Capt. Vijyant Thapar (Robin) left this letter at the war front base, to be handed over to his family.

AND AFTER THAT

HE CAME BACK HOME WITH TRI COLOR DRAPED

A Picture of Kargil

Physical abuse common in Indian children

2007-06-19T02:35:00.000-12:00

Two-thirds of children are physically abused and more than half have faced some form of sexual abuse, in India, as stated in a study by the Indian government.

The study, backed by the U.N. Children's Fund and Save the Children, involved questioning almost 12,500 children and parents across 13 of India's 29 states, also found that 70 percent of children never reported the abuse they suffered to anyone.

While physical and sexual abuse of children is illegal in India, it is still prevalent in the home and in schools and especially among street children, working children and those in institutional care.

The study, found that amongst the children who were beaten at home, almost 90 percent of them were at the hands of their parents. Some 53 percent of children reported having faced sexual abuse. Half of the cases of sexual abuse were committed by persons known to the child or in a position of trust and responsibility.

Child rights activists welcomed the study, saying it was positive that the government was waking up to the reality. Homes, schools and neighbourhoods are not safe for children as most people don't even believe that hitting or sexually abusing a child is a serious crime.

Laws need to be strengthened and mindsets need to be changed if we are serious about protecting our children.

Interesting Opinion Polls

2007-06-19T02:31:00.000-12:00

OPINION POLL

Q. Should controversy stop Salman Rushdie from getting a knighthood?
Yes
No
Can't say

Q Will the Deols prove as successful as Big B-Abhishek pair?

Yes
No
Can't say

Q Will Hamas-Fatah fighting undermine Palestinian desire for statehood?

Yes
No
Can't say

The Difference

2007-06-19T02:04:00.000-12:00

"Why?"

"Because there is a difference between you and I"

"What Difference ? Don't Speak in riddles"

"I was ready to give up everything else for you and you gave me up for everything else-that's the difference"

The silence was loud.....

Single Ergo Happy:))

2007-06-14T14:19:00.000-12:00

Once a woman hits a certain age, the race to the altar is on. With the pressure that society-not to mention friends and family-puts on us, it can feel like the worst thing in the world to be single. But not so! In this excerpt from The Bridal Wave, authors Erin Torneo and Valerie Cabrera Krause set all of us single women straight on why we should be living it up during our “me” years!

Sit Back And Enjoy!
For most of our adolescence we want to be older than we are: We buy Seventeen magazine when we're twelve, finagle fake IDs so we can get into twenty-one-and-over clubs when we're seventeen. Once we're in high school, we want to skip on ahead to college (and college boys). Rarely do we sit back and enjoy where we are right now. Our twenties and thirties are a time of getting to know ourselves, but just when we are figuring out how to live on our own as adults, our friends start talking about cake-cutting fees and our family begins to question our lack of the ultimate accessory: a husband. Great. How can you feel good about where you are?

Here's the thing: your single days are numbered, and once they're gone, they're gone (barring a divorce, which you smart readers will avoid, having read this book).

What you'll miss about being single

Take it from the late, great Kate (Hepburn): “If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead, get married.”

1.Going to the gym whenever you want, even at midnight. Nobody is waiting for you to get home.
2.Eating chips and salsa for dinner. Getting married does not a gourmet make, but busting out the chips and salsa for dinner doesn't really work for a guy.
3.Plucking your eyebrows for hours on end without someone asking what the heck is going on in there.
4.Going out after work with friends without having to call home to “check in.” A wedding band doesn't mean you'll never go out for happy hour, but it does mean calling to make sure it's cool with your hubby (in an evolved, non-permission-slip-type way).
5.The grass is always greener (admissions from anonymous married women)

“If I were single again, I would really learn how to flirt. I feel like I got married before I really grew into my body. I would love to go out and really go for it.”

“Sure, I love my husband, but sometimes I wish I could blink my eyes and he would be gone. I don't want him to die, I just want him to not exist for a little so I could be single again and just worry about myself.”

“I was so worried about never getting married that I married the first guy who showed interest in me. We're happy together, but I wonder if I had just waited a bit longer, where would I be

Why being unmarried rocks

1.You aren't in an unhappy marriage. We repeat: you aren't in an unhappy marriage. Married couples may seem like they have it all, but you have no idea what happens behind closed doors.
2.You can do what you want when you want. Feel like leaving a papier-mâché project unfinished on the dining table? Do it. Want to watch an entire season of Grey's Anatomy in one sitting? Do it!
You never know when or where you are going to meet the next guy you'll fall madly in love (or lust) with, so every day is another day that it could happen. That's pretty cool.
3.A first date doesn't pee with the bathroom door open. (If he does, head for the hills!)
4.You have more time to hang with all of your obnoxious girlfriends--you know, the ones your boyfriends never like but you think are hilarious.
No in-laws. 'Nuff said.
5.Hookups! You can flirt the night away with a guy just for fun even if you have no interest in him. You can even make out with him.
All of your hard-earned cash can be spent on priority number one: you.
No stinky man laundry.
6.You can move to another city just because you like its name without having to worry about whether or not he wants to go or if he'll be able to find a job.

Solve This Puzzle

2007-06-13T03:14:00.000-12:00

The solver gets a free trip for two to la-la land

Try this-

I m a 7 letter CITY
234 letter is Bird
61 is cool 1274 is a part of a face (LIPS)
4713 is way of saying good (
4 is equal to 5

Futile

2007-06-11T19:36:00.000-12:00

The more I try to Grab...

The lesser I get

The more I try to hurt others...

Am injured more and more...

The more I try to run the race...

The slower I get.....

The more I try to build my beautiful world...

The harsher reality gets....

Oh the Futility of it all!!!!!

Commitment Phobia......

2007-06-06T22:09:00.000-12:00

Why Are Men Commitment phobic?? Why does the topic of marraige scare away even the smartest of them:)

What do they lose anyway-They get to keep their surnames, their locations, their jobs, their homes, their everything....

They talk of losing Independence....But whenever I see my married friends-both guys and gals -its the wife who rushes back home early to cook dinner, to clean the house for the party, to greet the visiting in-laws....It is the wife who has to be careful about wat she wears in presence of whom, it the wife who has to answer questions like-" when do u plan to start a family".....

When will guys learn to accept that pleasures in life come with their share of responbilities -and one cant have the former without the latter- Is it too much to ask anyways??

Sleeping?...Alone???

2007-06-03T20:43:00.000-12:00

Heard this statement for the nth time today- "women sleep around to get favours, raises, promotions etc".....
I wonder wat the man is doing when a woman is supposedly sleeping with him-checking his emails?? Is he not a part of the act? Is he being raped? Why does he allow himself to be used if at all he is being used....
I wonder if this is a language issue or a perception issue......

Bibin speaketh.....

2007-05-30T21:48:00.000-12:00

Bibin is my unit of Whackiness- I consider myself being rated as 0.5- Bibin.....

I have discovered the Whacky side of me by being in conversation with Bibin- we start with talking abt nothing and then move on to variety of topics- with our conversations ending with both of us expressing sorrow on the ignorance, stupidities and general follies of people around us.... The idea being that by projecting ourselves as better than the rest of the world- we make a nice cosy world around us and dump our stresses away-this is a wonderful recipe for bursting stress provided u know the euphoric effect needs to be discarded as soon as the conversation ends.
So you can try the Bibin Rating for your self and see how you fare....Just close your eyes and think how shabby the world is as compared to your own glorius self....

For the casual visitor-Bibin is a human being belonging to the male variety with an extraordinary sense of humour....am not linking his blog -find it yourself.....
And yes to give you an example for our whacky conversations- here are some smart words spoken by my whacky mentor-

1. U r the bright and the brighter and the brightest

2.Innocence starts with you

3.I am only older- u r OLD

4.U r much too intelligent to become my fan

5.I only crib that women don't notice me enough

6. The word "crib" came from womankind only

7.I am the most non-meanie present ever- Amen to that

The Moment

2007-05-29T22:33:00.000-12:00

"I don't want to lose you" -He knew he was too late but he wanted her to know.

She didnt turn back-"I was never yours to lose."

He went out and stood in the rain, the raindrops washed away his tears.

The world around him seemed to have become a blur-Sometimes the simplest things are

the most difficult to understand............

Why...Oh Why

2007-05-28T01:59:00.000-12:00

My list of Whys-These are questions that I have every now and then....And the Answer to all of them seems to be the irritating "Murphy's Law"-You can add ur list too...

WHY:

1. Does my comp crash when I have a deadline to meet..
2. Do escalation mails go to the entire world and mails of appreciation(precious and rare) come to me in Isolation
3. Does the Cab either leave or gets filled just when I am about to step in
4. Do problems and fires happen at office when I am on a Vacation
5. The outgoing calls get blocked when I have a imp call to make
6. The server goes down when I am booking my flight tickets
7. Does any guy who seems remotely interesting fall in love with someone else within a week of meeting me
8. When everything seems fine-does my friend calls me up and tells me about their new job in my dream company with a dream package

Well I guess Mr Murphy was a smart person- He gave us an answer to many generic questions and thus prevented a scope of cribbing of how unfair the world is

Frustating...

2007-05-27T18:32:00.000-12:00

Actions speak louder than words- and I belive that
Words have their own significance too.....

But What does one do-when there are neither words not any action or activity....

Just the silence and you and him......the eyes speak volumes too but I don't want to read them....I want something more concrete, more voluble.....

And I deserve it too........

And....

2007-05-20T22:01:00.000-12:00

"Are u sure you want this" -there was a trace of anger in his voice. It irked him that she needed him so less-her decision was made.

" You know the answer-dont u"-She was knitting- a pink and white pattern- her fingers kept on moving as if by magic knotting, twisting ,rolling the wool-while she spoke.

He tried to keep his voice steady-"Do you understand the significance, the consequences could be severe"

She stopped....and Looked up...

" There is a beautiful land in my dreams, where I work to make my life happy, where I am independent of identities, where I make my own choices.....But this will not remain a dream .....And my baby will be born in this land.....And that is MY choice"

He remained quiet-there was nothing to say

Monday Blues

2007-05-13T19:02:00.000-12:00

Ok Monday - am back for our tryst again.....

I know you hate me and the feeling is completely mutual

Don't show me your face again for the next 6 days...

And let me tell U- You don't Daunt me at all- Try as hard as you can- I wish I could

avoid you though:)

I, ME, Myself

2007-05-10T19:40:00.000-12:00

Yeah I found this on Shreya's Blog and went for it myself- My Dating Report Card is the Funniest:)
And the Smartness Index is to show my Mom:)she used to teach me Economics and used to get frustated trying to make me understand Giffen's Paradox:)

All-Around Smart

You are all-around smart. Essentially, that means that you are a good combination of your own knowledge and experience, along with having learned through instruction - and you are equally as good with theoretical things as you are with real-world, applied things. You have a well-rounded brain.

0% applied intelligence
0% learned intelligence

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

mishi --

[noun]:

A person with a taste for acorns

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

YOUR DATING REPORT CARD:
Category	Grade
Flirting	A
Physical	D
Emotional	B
Your Average Dating Grade: B
'What is your Dating Grade?' at QuizGalaxy.com

That Moment

2007-05-07T21:45:00.000-12:00

He held her hand tightly -they were in the cab...The radio was on in full blast- KK crooned "kal rahe ya na rahe kal...pal yaad aayenge yeh pal"....
Irony- She thought- and smiled to herself....There were so many things that they needed to tell each other.....But sometimes words are inadequate to express feelings....so they kept quiet.....
She kept looking out of the window- pretending to be interested in the landscape outside-
He kept playing with his cell phone........
"hum rahe ya na rahe kal....yaad aayenge yeh pal"-went on KK.........
The Cab screeched to a halt-It was time.......
The airport was crowded as always....but they could see only each other....They Hugged each other -loath to let each other go- And Quietly flowed the tears.....
Yes words were not adequate-nor were they required....

Random Musings

2007-05-03T18:49:00.000-12:00

Why do I feel so uneasy today....like something is waiting to happen- something not so good, not welcome....Is it my mind playing tricks or is it my all time reliable Gut trying to tell me something. Tried to do Pranayam -but its not helping.......
For someone who is always confident about everything- this is a anomaly......
Hold my hand Time, make me feel Myself....give me your Strength and Patience......and Understanding
I am not scared of Faltering or Failing, Am scared of not being able to spring back.....
The Writing on my grave should be"She Tried Always......"

Whose AD is it Anyways....

2007-05-01T22:20:00.000-12:00

Havent Seen Anything Like this since Coke-Pepsi Warfare

Men Don't Understand

2007-05-01T19:40:00.000-12:00

A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, observing his wife turning back and forth,

looking at herself in the mirror.

Since her birthday was not far off, he asked what she'd like to have

for her Birthday.

I'd like to be six again, she replied, still looking in the mirror.

On the morning of her Birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big

bowl of Lucky Charms, and then took her to Six Flags theme park. What a day!

He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the

Screaming Monster Roller Coaster... everything there was.

Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park.

Her head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down.

He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a Happy Meal

with extra fries and a chocolate shake.

Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite

candy,M&M's.

What a fabulous adventure !

Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed

exhausted.

He leaned over his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, Well

Dear, what was it like being six again ? ?

Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.

I meant my Dress Size, you dumb ass!!

The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening, he is going to
get it wrong.

Am Tagged

2007-04-30T00:48:00.000-12:00

And pretty Excited too.....:)
An IDEA has changed my life- and for Good- Thanks Buddy:)

1. Pick out a scar you have, and explain how you got it-

Right on the tip of my nose- an ugly pox mark- am pretty conscious of it-As it is I have a blunt nose and there is this ugly scar sitting on top of it...

2. What is on the walls in your room?

Nothing at all......there are a whole lot of things- paintings, artifacts, wallhangings lying all over the floor and lofts and many such other places- all meant to be put up on the walls some day...right now its the blank emptiness which stares back at me......At one point I used to paint regularly and all my paintings duly found their way to my walls....And then one day someone gifted me a painting set...And soon he walked out of my life...haven't painted since then......

3. What does your phone look like?

Grey, cool and Sleek-( it had better be- given that its cost me a bomb)....Am one of those who uses a phone for nearly everything....for calling and receiving messages, for clicking snaps, to use as a paper weight,as a alarm clock, a game set , torch.....so despite being a year old and very badly used- it still shines....
Darling- Wat would i do without u:)

4. What music do you listen to?

Ahem most of the time am listening to myself singing ( if it can be called that:)) Apart from that -its always Kishore Da...

5. What is your current desktop picture?

A cutie sweety kitty- brown in color with blue eyes...feels good to see this wonder of nature while starting the day...reminds me of home.........and my pets

6. What do you want more than anything right now?

A phone call from someone- its been more than 48 hours and I am still waiting

7. Do you believe in gay marriage?

Not just Gay- i believe in Lesbian Marriages too-if you find your soulmate- its not imp even to get married...just being together is beautiful too......

8. What time were you born?

9.00pm....9th oct...the number nine seems to be very imp for me.......nowadays I get up at 9.00 am and sleep at 9.00pm

9. Are your parents still together?

Oh Yes....they are my fav couple- they love, share, care, have arguments, agree to disagree and complement each other so beautifully

10. What are you listening to?

Bangla Band Bhumi's -"Barandaye Roddur......"

11. Do you get scared of the dark?

I join my feline friends in being extremely active @ Night.....never known what fear is- be it Darkness or light....

12. The last person to make you cry?

It doesnt take much for me to cry- The last time was the movie" Rang De Basanti"- I saw it for the 3rd time- And Yet quietly flowed the Tears

13. What is your favorite perfume/cologne?

An evening in Paris- Yes am old fashioned:)

14. What kind of hair/eye colour do you like on the opposite sex?

Brown soft Eyes.....soft silky hair......

15. Do you like pain killers?

Am not fond of the medicinal variety- dont take them unless as a last resort...
There are other painkillers or joy makers-as u can name them- a baby's toothless smile, a cute kitty's antics, a soulful piece of music- I am addicted to them

16. Are you too shy to ask someone out?

Hmmmm really depends on the person....usually go by gut feeling .....

17. Favorite pizza topping?

Mushrooms and olives....Am not too fond of pizzas though

18. If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?

Fish, Fish, Fish and Fish:)

19. Who was the last person you made mad?

Peeps and Sameer- Both of them got back at me in their own ways- and I enjoyed myself thoroughly:)

20. Is anyone in love with you?

I guess so- YES...........

And I Tag Bibin....don't want to trouble anyone else:)

Office Romance Nuances.........

2007-04-25T23:59:00.000-12:00

In this day and age, most people spend as much time at work with their colleagues as they do outside of work socialising with friends. Because of this, many individuals turn to the workplace to find romance. This phenomenon is no surprise. Now, it’s almost acceptable! But don’t get bogged down if the romance is about to fizzle. Here’s how you could deal with the tough situation with dignity and grace. DO keep your relationship out of the office. Hopefully, you will have already set ground rules about what is appropriate inside the walls of your company. This means you and your partner have steered clear of public displays of affection throughout your relationship. Apply this same rule if you breakup. Don’t discuss about your failed relationship. Any display of emotional discourse between the two of you will only make you look unprofessional - and will be certain to set off the gossip mill of the company.

DON’T get nasty or resort to name calling or bad mouthing. In most breakups, one of the perks is being able to say nasty things about your ex to your friends. In a situation where the two of you share friends and colleagues, however, the rules change. The last thing your company needs is a he said, she said war going on in the office, so bite your tongue and save your criticisms for your friends outside of work. DO remember that your job is your first priority. One reason so many company executives and human resources employees shudder at the thought of interoffice relationships is the effect they have on company productivity. Breaking up does lead to an emotional upheaval, but don’t let it keep you from doing your work.

Everyone has to face a difficult personal situation and still go on with life - how you handle yours will show others how committed you are to your career and your company’s success. DON’T be harsh in the office - The tricky thing about dating a co-worker is the fact that after a breakup, you still have to see him or her during the workday. This makes office romance breakups even more difficult than others. As painful as it may be to run into your ex at the coffee machine or sit across from him or her at a monthly staff meeting, try to put your personal feelings aside and handle yourself with dignity and professionalism. DO keep your emotions to yourself. Emotions run high during breakups, but you will fare much better in the long run if you keep a lid on them in the office. DON’T play teenager relationship games. These have no place in any adult relationship, much less in the office. Most people can see right through these displays and will think less of you as a professional if you indulge in them. DO think twice about jumping into another office romance.

While office romances don’t always end up in the gutter, there are a wide range of complications that these relationships entail. Chances are you will save yourself a great deal of complications in the long run!

Provoked

2007-04-24T18:37:00.000-12:00

Oh Yes I was.....Big Time......
And I had a very good reason for it...I wonder why he did wat he did- that is stare unabashedly at my twin assets...The bloke had come for a interview with Microsoft....For a minute I thought I was mistaken.....But of course I realized the guy was upto no good....
The interview lasted for exactly 7 mins- my shortest yet.
I got a vicious pleasure writing the Regret e-mail- sugarcoating it appropriately - telling him how we don't have a place for him.I wish I could have told him - "we need people with stronger moral fibre dude".

A passing thought came to my mind- what would have the situation been had I been interviewed by him- well I guess i would have had more freedom to slap him.

I take pride in the fact that I am a woman- Independent, Smart and Brave-I don't need a man to protect me, buy me diamonds or a house or a car- I can do that myself.
I need a man to be friends with me, to be a soulmate , to be a companion...nothing more- nothing less.I can be your Best Friend- and your Worst Enemy too-And I am a prototype -of everyone of my type...
The smile on my face is not a sign of weakness-its our strength....

Don't even try to tamper with my dignity- the last time a person tried that- a colleague- he was out of his job in less than two hours......
And that is just a mild repurcussion.......

10 reasons why I love Peeps

2007-04-22T22:12:00.000-12:00

Of course he is not going to like this at all- since when have I cared about his threats anyways:)

1. He is my best buddy and yet the wierdest

2. When I tell him I have broken off with my boyfriend and need his shoulder to cry on - his response his "do u think a pink shirt goes well with white trousers?"

3. He calls me in the middle of the night to ask me how much does a xbox 360 cost and how much of discount would I be able to get him-(Bill Gates loves u dude:)

4. He cant keep a secret to save his life- he tells me his and then later wonders how did I know that- he tells mine to the entire world- and then comes and tells me- this is wat the others r telling about u

5.Elephants r more sensitive( am not sure elephants like the comparison)- u have to actually tell him- boss I took offence at wat u said to make him understand

6. Doesnt know or stand ceremonies or formalities - his idea of inviting u is to say- wat time does ur flight land @ bombay:)

7. Ask him - do u think i am fat- response- "not at all"- I smile and feel happy- next sentence " that is to say- am keeping adnan sami as a benchmark".........

8.Loves to Hate bongs:)

9. Blunt to the core- Ask him why he didnt reply to ur mail- pat comes the reply- ur mail goes to the junk folder and i check tht one last

10. Last but most imp-despite everything- he is happier than you when u say- u have won a award at office and the smile on his face is genuine-24karats gold:)

Categories of Urbane Women

2007-04-13T18:30:00.000-12:00

Sometime later I would like to classify guys as well-

Miss Sweet

Miss Sweet is a woman who's positive, content with her life, always upbeat — and just a blast to be around. She's a genuine person without a bitch bone in her body. She's always truly happy to see you and you find yourself looking forward to spending time with her. Miss Sweets are usually snapped up out of the dating market right away, so they're pretty rare. But if you can find one, you've got a real treasure on your hands.

Miss Equality

This type of woman is a true feminist — not one of the radical man-haters, or the hypocritical pseudo-feminists who think that equality means "I demand equal rights and an equal salary, but a man still has to pay for me." The Miss Equalitys of the world genuinely like men, and understand that equality means equality across the board, from holding the door open to fighting on the front lines. They believe that a relationship should be a 50/50 partnership, and are more than willing to shoulder their half of the responsibilities and dating expenses — just because it's the right thing to do.

Miss Sexual

You should be so lucky to encounter one of these! Miss Sexual loves men and loves sex — and makes no bones about it. She's not selling it, she's not using it as a tool to manipulate men — she just naturally craves it. Miss Sexual is not to be confused with a nymphomaniac, who suffers from psychological problems — rather, she has somehow bypassed the female societal training of auctioning off the use of her vagina to the highest bidder. For this reason, most other women hate her, because she's giving it away free of charge. But men love her because she's a free spirit who's actually honest about her sex drive. Very rare, but worth searching the ends of the earth for.

Miss Best Friend

Closely aligned with Miss Sweet, Miss Best Friend is another joy to be around. She's the kind of woman you're totally in sync with — you like the same things, watch the same TV shows, enjoy going to the same places. You can spend five minutes with her and think you've known her for years. She's always on your side, laughs at all your jokes and calls you just to say "hi" because she genuinely misses you. She's great just to hang with. A word of warning, though — with Miss Best Friend, you have to make your sexual interest known from day one because if she gets it into her head that you are going to be "just friends," it's almost impossible to change her mind.

Miss Straightforward

This is the type of woman who knows how to communicate. With Miss Straightforward, there are no games, no expecting men to be mind readers, no behavior based on ridiculous, female-biased advice from articles in Cosmo or The Rules. Miss Straightforward will pick up the phone and ask you out. She will do what she says she will do — not say one thing and do just the opposite. Although she may be blunt at times, at least you'll know where you stand and you'll never have to spend hours trying to decode contradictory or emotion-based female behavior.

Miss Independent

This is a good woman to find if you don't have a lot of time to invest in a relationship or you're the type of guy who needs a lot of space. Miss Independent has a real life of her own and is happily going in her own positive direction. She's the type who wants a man in her life, but doesn't need a man in her life. And she certainly isn't looking for men to solve all her problems or blame when things don't go her way.

Miss No Pressure

While many women are chomping at the bit to get married, Miss No Pressure hasn't fallen prey to any such agenda. She's happy just to be with you. So you don't get any "Where is our relationship going?" or hint-dropping about the future or window-shopping at the jewelry store. She may want to get married at some point, but she's in no hurry — she thinks that if it happens, it will just happen naturally.

Miss Secure

Miss Secure accepts herself as she is and is comfortable with her good points, as well as her bad. And she feels the same about you. Miss Secure doesn't need constant attention to shore up a sagging ego, has tons of self-esteem and is always going in her own positive direction.

Miss Personality

Miss Personality is a great find. She might not be up for first prize in a beauty contest (although she could be), but her intelligence, wit and sparkling presence just light up the room, and she draws people like a magnet. Her personality is so charming that it easily overcomes any deficiencies she might have in the looks department, just because she's so great to be with.

Miss Low-Maintenance

The rarest of the rare, Miss Low-Maintenance is the most atypical of modern women. She really doesn't care about how much money you have — she just likes you for yourself and not for what she can take from you. She's likely to be a true feminist, and will gladly pay her share of the dating expenses. If you can find a Miss Low-Maintenance, hang on to her for dear life!

Miss Right for You

A lot of guys choose women who are "arm candy" — good-looking trophy girlfriends who bolster their status among other men or counteract their own insecurities. That's all well and good, but if you find a woman who makes you happy, regardless of looks, age or social status — or what any other guy thinks — then you have definitely won at the mating game.

Mishi U r Happy:)

2007-04-12T00:50:00.000-12:00

I took a quiz on how " Are you a Goddess of Happiness" and the results are quite flattering

Congratulations. You are a goddess of happiness. You have a zest for life, and always see the glass half full. You're the woman who lights up a room when you enter and whose attention everyone wants. You genuinely love and respect yourself and others, and don't mind showing it off with your cool confidence and generous heart. Inside and out, you're the goddess you want to be. Pampering yourself with a day off or a soothing massage nurtures your spirit. Goddess, keep shining your light wherever you go, and remember to spread your infectious laugh to others as well. When you share your secrets of joy with friends and family, you become the supreme goddess of happiness.

when I was born

2007-04-10T04:17:00.000-12:00

At the time when I was born,
I had no friends, no enemies,
Didn’t have any plans,
Nor had any memories,
All that I had was,
Empty space in my mind,
Didn’t know what it was,
To be cruel, to be kind,
I didn’t know what it was,
To be happy, or in pain,
Wasn’t even aware,
Of what was Loss, or gain,
It was a pleasant, numb,
Shapeless, flawless existence,
But as I grew up,
It lost its persistence,
More and more definitions,
Were added to my mind,
And the pure truth,
Became harder to find,
Differentiation became,
The basis of perceptions,
There were rules, and more rules,
But with exceptions,
The magnitude of complexity,
Went higher and higher,
The purpose of existence,
Flew higher and higher,

To be continued......

Random Thought

2007-04-04T07:14:00.000-12:00

Dont let someone become a priority in your life when you are just an option in their life....

My Seduction Style-

2007-04-02T23:21:00.001-12:00

Blame it All on Peepu- I gave in to the temptation and checked this out...Man is that me!!!!1

7 Tactics for women to call it Quits

2007-04-02T04:09:00.000-12:00

"Sayonara." "Get lost." "We need to talk..." Whether you're looking to lessen the sting or hit 'em with your best shot, the following techniques are sure to accomplish the trickiest part of any relationship: ending it.

The "We Need to Talk" Talk
A State of the Union address is recommended for anyone wishing to secede, so to speak, with some semblance of dignity.
Pros: Talking things over can soothe hurt feelings and potentially salvage the friendship.
Cons: Brace yourself for histrionics, notes Lynda Twardowski, 31, from Traverse City, MI. "When I finally managed to peel the guy off me, tears streamed down his face and he babbled like a madman."
Ouch factor: Three Band-Aids

The "Dear John"
Who needs a messy confrontation when a note, email or well-timed voice mail can spare you from having to witness the devastation?
Pros: Composing your thoughts lets you control the situation. "I'm a big fan of the 'Dear John' letter," says Megan Lane Patrick, age 30, of Cincinnati. "That way, I can make all my points without crying or forgetting what I want to say."
Cons: Sure, it's the coward's route. But, considering you'll likely be vilified regardless, what's one more strike against you?
Ouch factor: Two Band-Aids

The Downsize
Going on hiatus gives you the green light to see other people while letting you ease out of the relationship under the guise of "needing space."
Pros: A time-out isn't as catastrophic as a full-fledged breakup, since it offers a sliver of hope that the relationship might eventually resume. Plus, it leaves the door open for booty calls.
Cons: Having to envision each other with someone else is emotionally taxing for lovers in limbo. "Every time I went on a new date, I kept wondering if she was out with someone new, too," says Mike Fowler, 33, of Los Angeles. "It drove me nuts."
Ouch factor: Two Band-Aids

The Fizzle
Whether you conveniently "forget" an anniversary or wait days to return an email, your general apathy will soon make it obvious that your boots are made for walkin'.
Pros: If you're on the same page, the mutual fade-out can be painless, says Lynn Reynolds, 32, of Covington, KY: "We told each other, 'Give me a call,' but we knew we'd had enough of each other. Neither of us called and there were no hurt feelings."
Cons: Some people just don't get subtle brush-offs. If your ex is the determined sort, you'll need to invest in caller ID.
Ouch factor: One Band-Aid

Dumping by Proxy
Not keen on the business of crushing souls? In the immortal words of Dionne Warwick, that's what friends are for.
Pros: Passing the buck is easier than getting your own hands dirty. Heck, maybe your friend and your ex will hit it off!
Cons: You're only adding insult to injury by having a random third party be witness to your ex's humiliation, as Jessica Callahan, 32, from Bristol, CT, attests. "I was shocked and embarrassed," she notes, after her boyfriend's buddy told her she was history. "But I wasn't angry. That would come later when I realized it was the only explanation I would get."
Ouch factor: Four Band-Aids

The Blame Game
Breaking up is easier when you can provoke the other person to initiate it for you.
Pros: Abdicating all responsibility puts you in the clear, says Michele Pezzuti, 31, of Staten Island, NY: "I waited till my boyfriend did something minor, then made a big stink about it so he could be to blame, thus making the breakup his fault."
Cons: Heaping guilt on someone else just to avoid your own verges on "evil genius" territory. Yet if your partner has the patience of a saint, getting him or her to dump you can be near i impossible.
Ouch factor: Three Band-Aids

The Alien Abduction
Of course, if all else fails, consider the good old-fashioned vanishing act.
Pros: Hiding lets you avoid confrontation, notes Angela Gleeson, 25, of Newburgh, NY, who remembers her own "one that got away" in the very literal sense. "He was supposed to get to my place at 8, and he just never showed. I called him several times, but he never called back. I've never heard from him since."
Cons: You'll invariably leave your ex wondering if you got in an accident or were kidnapped, prompting him or her to show up at your place in a frenzy or call the cops to report a missing person. Plus, you'll feel like a total heel if you ever accidentally cross paths with that person again.
Ouch factor: Five Band-Aids

Authored by-Amy Helmes and Meg Leder

Myths about Women

2007-03-29T23:02:00.001-12:00

The Seven Myths Men Believe about Women

Women are never satisfied

Women are high maintenance

Women want to control men

Women are jealous and possessive

Women are too emotional

Women who appear to be strong and competent don't need to be taken care of

Women want to rob men of their freedom

Men.............

2007-03-28T02:57:00.001-12:00

1. The nice men are ugly.

2. The handsome men are not nice.

3. The handsome and nice men are gay.

4. The handsome, nice, and heterosexual men are married.

5. The men who are not so handsome, but are nice men, have no money.

6. The men who are not so handsome, but are nice men with money think we are only after their money.

7. The handsome men without money are after our money.

8. The handsome men, who are not so nice and somewhat heterosexual, don't think we are beautiful enough.

9. The men who think we are beautiful, that are heterosexual, somewhat nice and have no money, are cowards.

10. The men who are somewhat handsome, somewhat nice and have money and thank God are straight, are shy and NEVER MAKE THE FIRST MOVE!!!

11. The men who never make the first move, automatically lose interest in us when we take the initiative.

NOW...WHO THE HELL UNDERSTANDS MEN.....

Panchali

2007-03-22T00:45:00.000-12:00

And I thought I was born lucky.....but then who wouldnt....
Am a princess by birth, daughter of a great and powerful king, I have been told I am beautiful, charming and accomplished- I am not arrogant but do possess a self esteem and pride born out of my self worth. Many a times when I would sit at the lotus garden at the feet of my father-he would stroke my head and tell me" My krishnaa, you r my strength-I dream of a future as bright as the dazzle of your eyes for you"

On those occassions I have always managed to hide my tears- for I had always been told that the future of a princess is a palace far far away in some distant realm. And yet when I grew older those dreams began to have a attraction -along with the distant palace I began to dream of a handsome , charming, sensitive , brave prince......he would wed me, and take me away and we would weave a world of love.....

And today I thought my dreams were going to be true.....Although the prince had lost his kingdom, but he retained his strength, his charm and magnetism.....For a split second just before he proved his valour at the court hall-he had looked up at me- bedecked in bridal finery I was waiting in sweet anticipation with my maids- and our eyes met-it was a split second.....but it seemed like a million years to me....My life, my fate,destiny , desires, aspirations were to be decided in the next few minutes that followed- but I was almost mesmerised by his burning eyes and the hint of a smile on his face......the next few hours passed in a blur-I was in a euphoric state of mind.......My prince had won me...and the time had come to go away to the distant realm , to my land of dreams....

I heard whispers, excited murmurs all around me..."Kunti's son...Arjun...Pandava..she is lucky......" Yes i thought so too....The brave prince, the handsome warrior who had captured the imagination of every young girl in the country had won me..."Oh krishna u r so lucky" .....everyone said.....And I thought I was....I had already fallen in love....He too looked captivated....And then I saw them....The four brothers....They were there- standing showering flowers on us as we were getting married...I looked at them and a passing thought came..something ..some recognition of a emotion on their face...but it wentas soon as it had come-I couldnt be bothered to analyse their feelings...I was building my own world......And that was the beginning of the End....

They knocked....I was waiting ...my face covered with a veil as expected of a bride...My Arjun beside me...the old lady- my mother-in-law must be performing her evening prayers I was told..They knocked again-this time a reply came from inside-a sweet but tired voice- "oh u have returned my sons.....What have you brought today..." And someone spoke -I am not sure who-
" something special for you"....she replied...from within..."Whatever it is -share it amongst yourself equally-As Always"
Was it the sound of my heart that beat loudly protesting against the mistake or was it a gasp from my newly wedded husband.....??
Was it my strength or my weakness that I did not swoon, that I stood there like a rock-witnessing my humiliation-scene by scene.....Actually on hindsight-I think it was my optimism that refused to die out even in the last few minutes- till the die was finally cast......I still foolishly expected some laughter, some humour, some banter and then a clarification about the mistake made by mother...And I waited...still not daring to look at my husband...now I admit somewhere in my deepest of thoughts I always knew the truth - but was scared to admit it.......And I waited foolishly-And then came the verdict...." As you say mother-your wish is our command"......
Even as I listened stunned-I was hit by an instant sense of realisation and recognition -the look on their faces- during the wedding-when they were showering flowers-something that I had missed earlier- It wasnt happiness or joy, it wasnt pride, it was Lust- Pure naked undisguised Lust.......

For the second time in the evening I looked at my husband again- And I was not too surprised to see him looking-not angry, not humilated, not guilty....But there was a sense of Extreme Relief..............

And thus I became Panchali.......

The Wait

2007-03-21T03:00:00.001-12:00

He told me to wait for him- I did. It has been five years since then, I am still waiting.

I know this is futile , but atleast I have something to pray for at the end of each day and something to look forward to at the beginning of each day

Mouse Story

2007-03-14T20:01:00.001-12:00

Mouse Story ... Or Our Story

Mouse Story ... A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. "What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it ." The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers." The mouse turned to the buffalo and said, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The buffalo said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it 's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap -- alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house like the sound of a mousetrap catching it s prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake b it es the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hosp it al and she returned home w it h a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever w it h fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient the Chicken. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to s it w it h her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the buffalo slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall w it h great sadness. So, the next time, you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another. REMEMBER: EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON. One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend . : )

Rosa Jaaneman.......

2007-03-13T03:49:00.000-12:00

I'm disturbed by the split: Rosa

Rosa's gone to where she is from, Saif tells us.

The much-talked-about, four-year relationship between Saif Ali Khan and his Italian girlfriend Rosa has finally come to an end with Rosa moving back to Switzerland.
Meanwhile, the reason for the Saif-Rosa split isn't known, but rumours are that his growing friendship with Amrita could be one. But it could also be that Rosa's increasing ambition resulted in an ego clash between the two
For months we were told about the details of the acrimonius divorce between Amrita Singh and Saif Ali Khan

Now we have to bear the sob stories of Rosa as well:)

Sometime back there was a news about Raveena Tandon losing her dog

And Ash's first engagement to her third (official) boyfriend for whom this is the 2nd engagement( this guy has a penchant for hooking actresses more successful than him)

Abd then the stories about Shilpa's torture in Big Brother

And Liz Hurley's shaadi to Arun Nayyar

Hey yesterday I saw south superstar Nagarjuna at a disc at Hyderabad-and guess what- this is really sensational i tell u............you won't believe me....he was SNEEZING....I even took a snap on my cell phone..

Right now I am googling to ge the numbers of AAJ TAK to sell my stories to them........

Cricket Mania

2007-03-13T03:41:00.001-12:00

Are people crazy? Or I am the one who is insane-I agree that I am not fond of cricket-hence am prone to being biased...
But isnt this going over the top- Mandira's wardrobe for the world cup cricket being discussed-he he ha ha ho ho.....
And the whole dramabaazi of filmstars singing songs to motivate cricketers-he he ha ha ho ho once again.....

Oh god forgive me when I whine, I don't understand Cricket -Does the world cease to be mine????

Buck up Gals- Speak the Truth........

2007-03-09T16:48:00.000-12:00

No don't do it for the society....don't do it because some nebulous person said "truth is the right approach" - do it for yourself.

Bharti- The world knows you as Bharti Yadav- you are a educated girl, a modern girl who has soaked in the benefits of a lavish and privilged lifestyle , modern upbringing and good education. You did what any normal young girl is apt to do- Fall in Love. Things went horribly wrong- you have lived with the trauma of losing your beloved, you have gone through the pain of not being able to mourn in peace, you have had to face the unfriendly media glare, you went into hiding. And what's worse is now you have to make the choice of aiding law to help bring the murderers -the people who brutally killed your love- to justice-knowing fully well that they might be your kith and kin.

So far you have been quiet, you seem to be on a change statement mode, a denial mode. But think about it- who are you trying to shield??- a person who has been convicted of being responsible for the murder of a model turned bartender-who was killed for just doing her job- A person who had never shown any remorse or signs of guilt- who openly threatens lawyers and cops about his dad's money and power etc. A father who supports his son no matter what- a son who thinks he has the authority of meddling with his sister's life and brutally killed herlove.
Both you Bharti and you Bhavna-think about it- won't you be better off without people like these in your life. No you dont need to think about Nitish's brutal murder, or the anguish of Jessica's famly or of Nitish's mom running from pillar to post trying to get justice or for millions of people for whom the jessica judgement was a reinstated faith in justice , or the fact that it would not have been possible had some of the witnesses not turned hostile....No you really don't -just think about yourself and your right to live with peace and dignity. Can you not see the bloodstains on the hands of your own kith and kin- Do you think the blood will remain unpaid for-for long??? Did it remain unpaid for-for Lady Macbeth? Can you see a future for yourself keeping these people who call yourself your near and dear ones safe??....Secure your future....live to wake up in a guiltfree morning,ensure that you can look your kids in the eye...without remorse or guilt...

What are you scared of anyways- your current state of existence is anyway a state of nadir- what worse could happen-what have you to lose anyway?? What will you gain by ensuring the safety of a criminal- fear? state of being repressed? mental and physical torture? You owe this much to yourself atleast- the right to be free......

Buck up gals -speak the truth -not for God's sake, not for society's sake, not for justice's sake, not for Nitish's sake,not for Jesscia's sake- but for your own sake- Free Yourself- You deserve it...........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitish_Katara

http://www.ndtv.com/template/template.asp?template=nitishkataramurder

http://in.news.yahoo.com/050330/43/2kgu8.html

Fat and fit is better than thin and idle

2007-03-08T02:21:00.000-12:00

An Article copied from the Internet- I just loved it for obvious reasons:)

If you are fat (overweight) and fit you are better off health-wise than if you are thin and idle. According to Professor Chris Riddoch, a UK government advisor on its recent physical activity report, 'There is evidence that fat people who achieve cardiovascular fitness through exercise have better health outcomes than lean people who don't.'

Many people in the UK, USA and several other countries are overweight. Many people think that being fit means being lean. We have to stand this idea on its head and focus on being fit, say the experts.

Riddoch said "As long as people see physical activity primarily as a way of losing weight, they are unlikely to keep it up, either because it doesn't achieve that objective quickly or because they think they have to lose weight before they can take up serious exercise. The benefits can be achieved whatever a person's weight."

He goes on to say that the benefits of being fit are usually greater than those of weight loss.

We have to get away from the idea that exercise is something we can only do when we have lost the weight. In fact, we have to look at what we mean by exercise.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY EXERCISE?

When most of us think of exercise we imagine a cross country runner puffing away, or a muscle man in the gym lifting weights, some of us think of famous sports stars practising their sport. What if we changed that view and thought of 'PHYSICAL ACTIVITY'.

What kind of things could we include in 'physical activity' apart from gyms, athletic tracks and road running? Well, we could include walking, cycling, swimming, more walking down to the shops, using our cars less, gardening, washing the car rather than taking it to the car wash, playing golf without the little electric cart, dancing and houseowork. In fact, if we think of everyday things, most of them involve some form of physical activity.

Now lets take this physical activity to the gym or local sports center and see if there are things fat people could do there without being over self-conscious and embarrassed or worried about not being able to cope. There is swimming, aqua aerobics, static bicycles, rowing machines, beginners exercise classes.

One gadget I bought about a three months ago has completely changed the way I look at physical activity. I bought a Pedometer. It measures how many steps I am taking, adds them up and tells me at the end of the day how many steps I took and how far I walked (more or less). The packet said that if I can take 10,000 steps a day I have done enough physical activity to stay healthy.

I put the pedometer on and carried on as normal. I wanted to see how far I would walk on a normal day. At the end of the first day I sat rather depressed at the end of my bed looking at the reading - I had done a mere 2,800 steps that day. That is just barely one quarter of my target.

The next morning I decided to go and get the newspaper on foot. I usually go by car to a store about one mile away. I did not fancy walking two miles every morning. So, I went to a nearer one that was about 400 yards away. That immediately added about 700 steps the Pedometer. In the evening I took the dog for a walk.

My family noticed I kept looking at this little gadget and asked me what it was. To cut a long story short, we all had a Pedometer within a few days. My wife and I soon took the dog for a walk every evening.

I now walk about 10,000 steps a day. During my lunch break I grab a ten-minute walk. Whenever I am talking on the phone I get up and pace up and down the office floor. I try to walk to all shops and banks, etc. that are less than one mile away.

Basically, all I am doing now is what my parents and grandparents used to do. I am using my legs to get around.

Friends have started using it. It is easy to incorporate ten thousand steps into your everyday life. Most of my friends have managed to maintain their daily targets.
v There is one thing I have notice however, and this may spoil the fat fit versus thin and idle idea. Most of my fat friends who have been using the Pedometer for more than a couple of months have lost a lot of weight. Does this mean that being fat and fit is a bit of a dream - if you are fat and get fit and keep up the exercise, surely you will not stay fat. Opinions welcome.

Anyway, the message is clear - aim for the fitness rather than the slimness if you are aiming for better health.

A call on behalf of Call Centres.......

2007-03-02T00:39:00.000-12:00

Why does it take a Shilpa Shetty for a Whole Nation to sit up and take notice for something as serious as Racial Discrimination....Well Discrimination in any form is a highly undesirable phenomenon and should be discouraged. In this case I am surprised at the reactions of the Indian Media and everyone else.....

In fact the fact that we are crying "Foul" over others calling us " brown" etc is really funny- given the fact that our society itself places high premium on fair skinned people and calls them " beautiful" just by the virtue of them being fair.
Also our society is divided in many frgaments on the basis of castes, communities etc...and there is a prvilent norm of people being considered " high" and " low" based on their castes....etc....
But we will come to that later- maybe in a different post.

This time I am more concerned about Racial Discrimination against Indians and more importantly our take on it...

Consider this- A celebrity who is being paid in crores to appear in a reality show goes and puts her foot in her mouth by calling herself Angeline Jolie of Asia etc and also trying to prove herself as more elite than the rest of the showmembers and ends up being targetted -She gets to hear things which are considered unacceptable in the Racial Discrimnation Dictionary. The entire nation, media and even the Govts of the two countries go into a frenzy denouncing the whole thing. The Sponsors of the programme withdraw their support, public sympathy pours in -and finally Shilpa ends up winning the show and bagging many laurels and movie and brand endorsement offers along with a couple of more crores- And the perpetretors of the hate culture in the show came under a lot of flak and fire- I would call it as Good Riddance to Bad Rubbish....Nice Very Nice- Never seen such a apt and quick poetic justice to unfair treatment....

But my question to the Media, to the People of India is - Why Shilpa? Why only Shilpa?? Is she the only one going through such trauma ? Do they know- Are they aware that there are millions of Indians who face abusive language, rude behaviour, hear derisive language in their own country from millions of people all over the World- just for doing their jobs- and these people are based in India- At Bangalore, At Gurgaon- they are young people who do not have a professional degree to be able to bag a higher end job, they belong to different parts of the countries , they are people who have left their homes to earn some money and make a career. They are people who work in the BPO-ITES Industry, some of them have backend data processiing jobs and others take up calls for customers for clients based in USA, UK and the rest of the world.
Their jobs are not easy- they have to work at nights, at odd hours, they have to forsake public holidays and festivals so that they can align to the customers in the other countries, they have to forsake their sundays, their social lives and sometimes even their dignity....Cos their jobs have been outsourced...... Their customers view them as outsiders who have taken away their jobs....and frequently vent their anger on these hapless employees who have no choice but to take it and keep quite- That is considered "professionalism"....
I have been associated with a Call Centre as a HR manager for 6 months - and 6 months was all I could bear - for it was frustating for me to be unable to help this people from their daily trauma of hearing things like: "u indian filth", "u dirty pig", " do u guys worship cows... for us they r beef", how much will u charge for sleeping with me" - the list is endless..........

There was a woman who used to leave her 6 month old baby with her cousin and come to work at night because she needed the money.
There was a lady whose husband had died in the Kargil War and the govt compensation was not enough.
There was a 20 year old boy from a remote poverty striken part of Orissa- who had big dreams .
There was a handicapped boy who was not able to get employment in any other area......

I have spent some sleepless nights thinking of their traumatised sad tales and my and the authorities inabilites to help them out- True we arranged for professional counselling, true we arranged for stress busters on the floor, improved the incentive plans and even put forth a complaint to the Client- But we all knew that this will not stop- because the Calls meant Revenues-Period....

And yes this is true for most Call Centres- after some time the employees get de-sensitized to everything, all slurs and move on with life...

Meanwhile let us take a look at how the Media behaves with this Industry-

There are frequent articles in leading national dailies describing Call Centres are breeding grounds of sleaze, drugs, indecent behaviour - the list goes on.....

Call centre employees are represented as young people earning lots of money early and consequently going astray and getting involved in alchoholism, substance abuse, late night binges and sexcapades. They are portayed as people of lose morals , people who are thieves , people who cant be trusted etc etc- they face problems in getting accomodation and many such services.

Recently there was a case in Delhi- a call centre employee was brutally raped in dhaula kuan- reactions to that incident have been like the following-

#What was she doing out of her house in the middle of the night

#Call centre gals are anyways used to sleeping around- Big deal

#She must have been drunk......

I wonder- even if all of the above is true -does it justify Rape?? Would the reaction have been same had the victim been a housewife with 3 kids??

At the end of the day- this industry generates millions of jobs for people who might have been umemployed or underemployed otherwise.

Attention Media- Can we have a matured outlook and view and not taint an entire industry just for the sake of sensational news reporting?

Just adding a biblical context- the lord said " he who hath not sinned cast the first stone".....Get the drift??

Do a dipstick of other industries and see if instances of alchoholism, substance abuse, romance in workplace etc do not exist?

Shilpa Shetty is just one case- there are millions out there who face racial slurs each day- go out and reach to them- help their voices be heard by the country and the indifferent world....

You have the power- Do justice to it-

Are u listening- Times, NDTV, Aajtak etc etc..........????

Biggest Advantage of being a Women

2007-02-27T21:49:00.000-12:00

There are a million reasons to be happy you ended up with two X chromosomes -- shoe shopping, girls' nights, and cheaper insurance, just to name a few. This was a survey done -women were asked to answer- "What in your opinion is the biggest advantage of being a woman?"
Some of the more interesting answers-

1. The biggest advantage of being a woman the art of being able to talk the hind legs off a donkey.

2.Hello?! Boobs! I love having boobs. They're my best accessory!

3.The best thing about being a woman is the variety. As women, we experience so many changes in our bodies and minds over the course of our lives. We get to experience life in a whole different way than men do, and I love that.

4.I love having lots of dressing options and looking pretty. It would be terrible to be a man and have to choose between the blue suit or the blue suit.

5.The "superpower" of being able to grow another life inside you, and produce the food to feed it too.

6. Women have so many choices. They can work or stay home. Be a nurse or a soldier. Despite the fact that we think men have it good, ask a man who has chosen a career viewed as predominantly for women, like a secretary or a nurse, or one who has chosen to stay home and raise the kids while Mom works. They get a lot of flack and are looked on as less of a man.

7.Multiple O's.

8.My six-year-old son answered this one for me a couple nights ago. All snuggled up beside me in his jammies, he says very sincerely, "It's better to be a girl than a boy." When I asked him why he thought that, he said, "Because the kids always love you best."

9.A woman can do all the things that women naturally do and she can do most things a man can do also. A woman can keep a house looking like something out of House Beautiful, a woman can make a delicious meal from leftovers, a woman can create life. A woman can plow the north 40, hot coat the roof, milk the cows, come in, take a bath, and be ready for a night on the town. Men can't even put a dish in the sink.

History of Nursery Rhymes

2007-02-26T23:04:00.000-12:00

I dont remember my history lessons, neither my geography, biology, physics, chemistry lessons etc-atleast not word by word...But I remember my Nursery Rhymes in toto- So I dug out the history of each one of them- Quite Interesting:)

Pease pudding hot, pease pudding cold,Pease pudding in the pot - nine days old.Some like it hot, some like it cold,Some like it in the pot - nine days old

What is pease pudding?Pease pudding hot - the origins of the lyrics based on a traditional British dishThe pease pudding referred to in the lyrics of this nursery rhyme is a dish which is still enjoyed in Britain today. It is a smooth, thick sauce, (referred to as a pudding in the rhyme for the sake of alliteration) which has a dark yellow color and is made from dried peas. Pease pudding is traditionally served hot with boiled bacon or a form of sausage called a saveloy.

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of waterJack fell down and broke his crownAnd Jill came tumbling after.Up got Jack, and home did trot As fast as he could caperHe went to bed and bound his headWith vinegar and brown paper.

French (history) connection!The roots of this child's nursery rhyme is in France and the Jack and Jill referred to are Louis XVI who was beheaded (lost his crown) followed by his Queen Marie Antoinette (who came tumbling after). The words and lyrics were made more palatable for the nursery by giving it a happy ending and has further been altered by the passage of time - the actual beheadings occurred in 1793. The first publication date for the lyrics of this nursery rhyme is 1795 which tie-in with the history and origins

Mary Mary quite contrary,How does your garden grow?With silver bells and cockle shells And pretty maids all in a row.

The origins are steeped in history...The Mary alluded to in this traditional English nursery rhyme is Mary Tudor, or Bloody Mary, who was the daughter of King Henry VIII. Queen Mary was a staunch Catholic and the garden referred to is an allusion to graveyards which were increasing in size with those who dared to continue to adhere to the Protestant faith. The silver bells and cockle shells were colloquialisms for instruments of torture. The 'maids' were a device to behead people similar to the guillotine.

Georgie Porgie pudding and pie,Kissed the girls and made them cry When the boys came out to play,Georgie Porgie ran away.

The Early Battle of the Sexes?A Nursery Rhyme demonstrating the different attitudes between the sexes! Even at a very early age children in Britain would play a game called 'Kiss Chase' - in fact the girls would actually chase the boys and then kiss them! their were no tears from the girls but the boys fought like mad to get away! The origins and history of the lyrics to this nursery rhyme are English and refer to George (Georgie Porgie), the Duke of Buckingham, from 17th century English history. His dubious moral character was much in question! This, however, was overlooked due to his friendship with King Charles II until the parliament stopped the Kind intervening on his behalf - at this point all of the jealous husbands vowed to wreak their revenge causing Georgie Porgie to 'run away'!

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.All the King's horses, And all the King's menCouldn't put Humpty together again!

Who was Humpty Dumpty?Humpty Dumpty was a colloquial term used in 15th century England to describe someone who was fat or obese - giving rise to lots of theories pertaining to the identity of Humpty Dumpty. However, in this case the question should be not Who was Humpty Dumpty but What was Humpty Dumpty? Humpty Dumpty was in fact an unusually large canon which was mounted on the protective wall of "St. Mary's Wall Church" in Colchester, England. It was intended to protect the Parliamentarian stronghold of Colchester which was in the temporarily in control of the Royalists during the period of English history, described as the English Civil War ( 1642 - 1649). A shot from a Parliamentary canon succeeded in damaging the wall underneath Humpty Dumpty causing the canon to fall to the ground. The Royalists 'all the King's men' attempted to raise Humpty Dumpty on to another part of the wall but even with the help of ' all the King's horses' failed in their task and Colchester fell to the Parliamentarians after a siege lasting eleven weeks.

Old Mother HubbardWent to the cupboardTo get her poor doggie a bone,When she got thereThe cupboard was bareSo the poor little doggie had none

Origins of lyrics in British historyThe Old Mother Hubbard referred to in these nursery rhyme words and lyrics allude to the famous Cardinal Wolsey. Cardinal Wolsey was the most important politician and churchman of the Tudor history period in 16th century England. Cardinal Wolsey proved to be a faithful servant but displeased the King, Henry VIII, by failing to arrange the King's divorce from Queen Katherine of Aragon which would enable him to marry Anne Boleyn. The King was the "doggie" and the "bone" alludes to the divorce (and not money as many believe) The cupboard relates to the Catholic Church

Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?""I've been up to London to visit the Queen.""Pussycat, pussycat, what did you dare?""I frightened a little mouse under her chair""MEOWW!"

The origins of the nursery rhyme!The origins of this rhyme goes back to the history of 16th century Tudor England. One of the staff of Queen Elizabeth I had an old cat which tended to roam throughout one of her castles. On one occasion the cat went underneath the throne and the cat's tail brushed against the Queen's foot, startling her. But 'Good Queen Bess' had a sense of humour and declared that the cat may wander through the throne room on condition it kept it free of mice!

Tom Tom the pipers sonStole a pig and away he ran,The pig was eat and Tom was beatAnd Tom went roaring down the street.

Origins of a Scottish nursery rhyme?The words and lyrics of this nursery rhyme were not based on a person in Scottish history (pipers son). The term 'piper's son' could allude to any piper in the British army and the origins of this tale probably date back to the 18th century It is a children's nonsense rhyme which has an obvious moral. The imagery used in the phrase 'went roaring down the street' is very strong and would indicate to a child that Tom's punishment was severe!

The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer's day;The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away.The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full soreThe Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts and vowed he'd steal no more.

The Queen of Hearts lyricsThe origins of the title the 'Queen of Hearts' can be found in the work of Lewis G. Carroll in his book entitled 'Alice in Wonderland' first published in 1805. In more recent history the term was used by Princess Diana during a famous interview as her preference to the title the Queen of Hearts to that of Queen of England.

No to Microsoft

2007-02-25T23:04:00.000-12:00

Came across this amusing article on the Net- am sure there are more of them:)

http://microsoft.toddverbeek.com/

Ten Resons Why I love Cats

2007-02-21T07:43:00.000-12:00

10 .Make Cool Motor Boat sounds

9. Keep Top Shelves Dusted

8. Bathe Themselves

7. Don't have to be walked or nannied

6. Great Lap Warmers

5. Don't Eat Much

4. They are all Cute

3.Don't Take up much space

2.Save money on mousetraps

1.And the #1 reason why I love Cats is-They Always know what you are thinking

Benefits of a Smile

2007-02-21T07:15:00.000-12:00

Just a little smile on your lips

Cheers your Heart

Beautifies your face

Induces Kind thoughts

Inspires Kind Deeds

Smile to yourself until you have warmed your own heart with the sunshine of your cheery countenance

Smile to yourself until your constant seriousness or even severity has vanished

Then go out and radiate that smile

That Smile has work to do- Work to do for God

Zen Parable

2007-02-21T07:13:00.000-12:00

A man walking across a field encounters a tiger. He fled, with the tiger chasing after him. Coming to acliff, he caught hold of a wild vine and swung himself over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above. Terrified, the man looked down to where, far below, another tiger had come, waiting to eat him. Two mice, one white and one black, little by little began to gnaw away at the vine. The man saw a luscious strawberry near him. Grasping the vine in one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other. How sweet it tasted!

Is a Hot Chick............?

2007-02-06T00:48:00.000-12:00

Is a hot chick cool or a cool chick hot- heard this line on TV-Shahrukh's hiphop thingy to promote KBC....Quite catchy-loved it....

Asked it to ahem...my love- pat comes the reply-"u r hot baby".......quite flattering:)

Then sent the question to my ex( am quite good at being fair to everyone)- Reply- Both taste good if cooked well......................hmmmm someone needs to read their smses well

Asked a colleague- OH Man!!! Mishy!!! how can u talk such things -am scandalised!!!!!

Hehehehehehe i nearly died of laughter

Asked a second colleague- Response- "arrange me a date with both types and i will tell u EOD"

Yeah right buddy....dream on:)

Question moved on to B S- "What Man I never met any of the two varieties, where r all the hot and cool chicks".........Open your eyes buddy......What the hell.....

Asked the newest intern in Microsoft- " depends on who is ready to pay my bills" Now that is smart....... I quite approve:)

Asked my newly married friend-" my wife is neither and am depressed"

Well I hate to be bitchy but I thought the flat that you have got in Banjara Hills as dowry kind of served as a painkiller for u-isnt it?

so Shahrukh maybe you can give a better answer- as of now I am completely bowled by your energetic and vibrant addition to KBC- U r both cool and HOT

Friendship

2007-01-03T23:52:00.000-12:00

Talk to me when you feel low or sad

Am not sure I can help, but it won’t be bad

To be able to unwind and unburden your worries

And I will tell you my problems and stories

Call me when you think you need a friend

Who will not judge you or try to bend

Your thoughts, but be there for you

Unconditionally supporting you

I will be there for you I promise

But I want you to remember just this

There may be one day when I am hurt

When life doesn’t seem to have any worth

That day I would need you too by my side

Don’t go away –Be my mentor and guide

Life is short and the Path narrow and rough

You can make it easy, u can make it tough

Leave me alone and I will lose the way

Hold my hand, walk with me and it will be all OK

Random

2007-01-03T22:36:00.000-12:00

Standing at the Foot Boys

Gazing at the sky

How Can you Get up Boys

If You Never Try

Proverbs of Trust

2006-12-28T19:09:00.000-12:00

1. Trust is a decision.
2. The bestowal of trust is a gift; its maintenance, a reward.
3. Trust engenders trust; distrust engenders distrust.
4. It is far better to trust and be disappointed in a person than to distrust and be disappointed in life.
5. Trust differs from blindness as love differs from obsession.
6. The proper limit of trust is prudence, not fear.
7. Trust permits risk, which permits change, which permits growth.
8. Trust in the future is called hope.
9. Hope, like all forms of trust, is based on a combination of desire, experience, and will.
10. Without hope, life is not possible.

Brown Eyes

2006-12-04T22:35:00.000-12:00

Brown Eyes
That haunt me everywhere I go
Whatever I do, I can’t forget the depth of those pair of eyes
Staring, screening, glaring and accusing me

I learnt to forgive myself
And forget
But the passion and the depth of those eyes
Take away my sleep
And I have lost my peace
But alas those Brown Eyes chase my heart

Is this Nemesis-I ask my maker
And as always there is no answer
The Vast blankness stares back at me
And I wait for for peace
But peace is hard to come by
The pair of Brown Eyes stare back at me....
Screening, glaring and accusing me

Mirabeau Bridge

2006-12-03T18:41:00.000-12:00

My Fav poem from graduation Days

Mirabeau Bridge
Translated by Richard Wilbur

Under the Mirabeau Bridge there flows the Seine
Must I recall
Our loves recall how then
After each sorrow joy came back again
Let night come on bells end the day
The days go by me still I stay

Hands joined and face to face let's stay just so
While underneath
The bridge of our arms shall go
Weary of endless looks the river's flow

Let night come on bells end the day
The days go by me still I stay

All love goes by as water to the sea
All love goes by
How slow life seems to me
How violent the hope of love can be

Let night come on bells end the day
The days go by me still I stay

The days the weeks pass by beyond our ken
Neither time past
Nor love comes back again
Under the Mirabeau Bridge there flows the Seine

Let night come on bells end the day
The days go by me still I stay

Messages from Cartoons

2006-11-23T21:02:00.000-12:00

"There are moments in life when you
miss someone so much
that you just want to pick them from
your dreams and hug them for real!"

(Nemo from Finding Nemo)

Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
because it takes only a smile to
make a dark day seem bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile.

(Donkey from Shrek)

When the door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often times we look so long at the
closed door that we don't see the one,
which has been opened for us.

(The Cyclops from 'Monsters Inc')

Dream what you want to dream;
go where you want to go;
be what you want to be,
because you have only one life
and one chance to do all the things
you want to do.

(Nemo from the film 'Finding Nemo')

When you were born, you were crying
and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end,
you're the one who is smiling and everyone
around you is crying.

('Crush' - the turtle from 'Finding Nemo')

May you have enough happiness
to make you sweet,
enough trials to make you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human and
enough hope to make you happy.

(The Mammoth from the film 'Ice Age')

The brightest future will always
be based on a forgotten past;
you can't go forward in life until
you let go of your
past failures and heartaches.

(Scrat - a squirrel-rat hybrid) -
from the film 'Ice Age')

Blogging And Bookers

2006-11-21T23:08:00.000-12:00

What's with Blogging Anyways- Everyone is doing it these days ....All my friends are blogging -writing fancy stuff-poems, stories, articles on their impressions and observations of life and so on. I had started this some 2 years back. This was all due to Peeyush -I got to know about blogging- it was a pretty interesting thing-I always had a secret desire to be a journalist and well.....(is there any harm in admitting it)...... a Writer as well. During my college days on many a summer days when our professor would be droning about the Demand -Supply Curve and its nuances I would be dreaming about the Booker's that I would get one day- I had already edited my acceptance speech- (the last excluded name of thanks was that of my brother's because he refused to give me a lift on his bike that morning). Many of my such dreams would be abruptly broken when the prof would suddenly decide that I am the best person to explain about the extensive usage of metaphors in shakespeare's dramas. Come to think of it- just because nobody paid any attention to what anyone said- I have got away with a lot of crap in college-talking about hyperboles when i should have been speaking about metaphors( my logic being- they sound similar so must have something to do with each other ).Anyway so the writer in mean started nagging me, troubling me, telling me that I must give it a shot.

So I got all excited and started blogging .Its been sometime since then- changed jobs and cities and made new friends. And wrote about all of these major and minor happenings in my life. And then I started Blog Watching along with writing and I realised that I am a miniscule part of a big big world-there r millions of people from all over the world who are actively blogging something every minute. They share thoughts, ideas, jokes, articles, pictures, fictions, advertisements through this medium. Some are diligent bloggers who have formed forums and groups - some blog jargons have also evolved like " blogwatch", Blogroll"," Tagging" etc.
Some Blog related controversies have also come up -the IIPM controversy comes fresh to my memory. Ask us Bloggers what is the The one takeaway, one benefit that we get by regularly logging in, putting on our thinking caps and keep typing in our thoughts and making them public- Well if you ask me- I am practising to get a Bookers:)
But I guess it serves as a medium to express onself , give vent to creativity, discuss on issues on which they have strong opinions or fetishes etc. Its a nice cost free medium.So carry on my friends- And keep reading my blogs and post your nice comments( mark the word nice) and of course you would get a mention in my Bookers acceptance speech:)

Jargons

2006-11-07T20:50:00.000-12:00

Just noting down all the jargons I learnt duirng MBA and later -I use them daily consciously or subconsciously- dunno if that has enhances my power of expression though-

Empowerment
Accountability
Scope
Potential
Learning
Effectiveness
Credibility
ROI
Transactional
Ego Wall
Occupational spam
Job spill
Going Forward
Rollout
Home Office
Toss the Idea
Let's take a step back
POA
FYI

Let me know if you know more- this is not by any means a exhaustive list

Losing in love

2006-11-06T18:44:00.000-12:00

I wonder why the concept of losing in love seems to fire up the imagination of authors and Film-makers alike. Pick up any Thomas Hardy Book- and u will be sure to come across the protagonist silently suffering in love- Check out " The Woodlanders", " Tess", "Far from the Madding Crowd"- this plot exists in abundance- be it Tess or Marty or Gabriel Oak - they are all Victims of circumstances- always loving someone who doesn't reciprocate their feelings- making small and big sacrifices for that special someone who means the world to them and in the end they are left bitter, sad and waiting for someone who never comes home. Check out some of the Hindi Movie lovers- Devdas, Umrao-jaan, Ajay Devgan's character in HDDCS, Rekha's role in Mukkadar ka.....- characters who are popular for their undying love -some of them got into a self destructive mode on unfulfilment of their love. These people are ready to sacrifice everything for their loved one- and end up spoiling their lives....Marty waits endlessly for Giles, Giles gives up his life for Grace, Tess commits suicide, Devdas commits suicide indirectly and so on.....

Its a beautiful concept to think of- eternal love that does not excapt anything in return.
However I would like to see and read about characters who rise , gather the pieces of their broken dreams and build a new life again. Life moves on- its a journey full of unexpected twists and turns. It is nice to be in a situation full of happiness and joy. But if dreams don't come true-what happens then- its a decision that the individual- either cling on to a perfect dream or move on to something more real.
I would go for the latter always....
Its difficult - but its more practical, more real.
So am waiting for a Movie where they show the protagonist falling and then rising again like a phoenix...
In fact losing can just make one learn the tricks of the trade better and gear him/her for success next time...

Ode to a Friend

2006-09-26T22:43:00.000-12:00

This is for my friend who no longer exists as a friend- the friendship has ended...but I still hope........

Thank You for being there when I needed you most, those were days when things were not going right for me. And you were there holding my hand giving me the much needed strength.

Its been a long journey since then....and we have always been there for each other unconditionally. But somewhere down the line things went wrong- I erred...and hurt you.

No excuses my friend- I made a mistake....

And that's that........

I hope u r fine where ever you are.....

If ever you need me just give me a call-"hum hain wahin hum the jahan........"

Ten Commandments-Direct Dil Se

2006-09-24T17:17:00.000-12:00

1. It is nice to be lazy, especially on weekends.

2. Procrastination is a must, haste makes waste

3. Plagiarism is good, practice it to be successful.

4. Perfection is a Myth-Let it remain so.

5. Perception Builds Characters- Help Build Perception

6. If one way is right and one is wrong- Choose the easier one

7. Life without challenges is Bland, so dont deal with them, let them remain intact

8. Truth creates complications- stay away from Complications

9. Teamwork is important , You should cheer from the Stands

10. Enjoy life to the Hilt, No day is Dry Day

Unsettlingly Settled

2006-09-20T21:21:00.001-12:00

YES and NO.......

Yes- I do plan to get married eventually

No- There is no one special in my life right now....

How many times do I need to answer these questions...If I charged a dollar for everytime I answered this question, I would probably have a swiss bank account by now...

Hell we r perpetually in this transition state- it is cool to venture out of homes and do professional courses and take up jobs with big corporate names and live independently...Great- but then after 2-3-4 years of working life suddenly there is this age old custom that comes back to haunt us-Good Girls get married and settle down- settle down to what?? Microsoft Word gives the meaning of " settle down" as the following- Calm Down, Relax, Quiet Down, Become Less Restless, snuggle down, slow down,take it easy......Well Well Well I am doing all of the above happily-thank you very much:)
I am as calm and comfortable as it gets-gosh i havent even changed jobs since the last 2 years....I party, I enjoy, I read, I sleep and I also work:) so how does one figure out that I am unsettled in anyway??

So the transition phase that I am talking about is our Urban India- We have evolved into knowledge workers, understand the value of making quick bucks in a fast forward mode, dream of hitting billions(USD)( in our bank accounts) before we are forty , know more about what is happening in US economy than India- and yet getting flats for tenancy for single women is still a problem, live-in relationships are unheard of except in Bombay( all those who say Bangalore is upto par please call me up for further discussions) divorce is a bad word....and Marraige is the ultimate path to Nirvana.....

I agree sharing ur life with someone u love, having a happy family is a beautiful thing-But let me decide on how I want to achieve this beautiful thing.

I know my grandmom was a mother of 2 at my age, but her life and times were different. So why compare 2 variables??

And for God's sake stop putting these questions to my Mom- Talk to me:)

Dhokha hai pyar....

2006-09-13T21:04:00.000-12:00

Pyar hai dokha.... heard this song on my way to office while sitting in the cab....
Dhoondega koi bahana dhoondega koi nishaana, dil ka bazaar yahan toh, dil ko dilon se bachana....crooned Alisha Chinai, on checking I found it being a part of the entirely forgettable movie Murder's music album-talk of diamonds in a coal mine!!! lovely song, with a sixties intonation and lilt-Alisha has done full justice to the song....and of course the lyrics.....how many times have i heard this- getting betrayed is probably a universally old phenomenon.....and yet nobody stops loving :)
Being a self proclaimed Agony Aunt I can tell many stories of what happens next...after being dumped............But I won't ..that is because of another self determined NDA agreement between such affected parties and me:)
All I can say is dont ever love anyone more than u love yourself- Selfish as it might sound-it works miracles in acting as a firewall and safeguarding you from making a fool of yourself...Nothing or nobody is more important(parents being the exception of course)than you, dont let someone ruin ur life- preserve ur dignity and self esteem at all costs. If one has to lose - lose in such a way that you take the punch out of the winner's joy:)
And if someone kicks you go and kick that someone twice as hard...And then go out and have a party and remember me:)
So dil ko bachana dokha na khana, dhokha hai pyar, pyar hai dhoka................

M Boleh Toh.....

2006-09-13T19:42:00.000-12:00

MICROSOFT aur kya:)

I have spent almost 2 years in this org-India Development Center to be precise-and it has been 2 years of hardwork, fun and loads of learning.
So what does it take to be a Microsoftian- I am not talking of the Technical Skills- you need to have a penchant for thinking out of the box all the time-creativity is a culture here , and you need to be fun loving , like to live on the edge with a sense of adeventure, take on new challenges without thinking twice and Yes most importantly live without a sense of fear- All of that and lots more.It breeds a culture that makes people responsible and accountable- you dont get to Boss around, neither do you get to live to flatter your Boss .
Live, Dream, think and grow as a professional, thats what makes a Microsoftian unique.....

This might sound like a publicity board from a HR professional.....
Actually this is a direct dil ki baat from a happy and contented employee......
I do not know what the future holds for me, I do not know if tomm is going to be good....but today I am happy and will sleep peacefully:)

Pujo Elo

2006-09-03T06:52:00.000-12:00

Its soon going to be that time of the year which is most awaited by Bengalis- Durga Pujo. This is not just because of the ritualworshipping as such-it is also because this is the time of reunion, of family gatherings, of people wearing new clothes and kids having holidays.
Time almost comes to a stand still in west bengal-with all govt offices, schools, colleges etc being closed up for these 4-5 days.....
Personally I do not like ostentatious expenses and mindless rituals( might get killed by bong friends for saying this). But all the fun, festivity, collective community enjoyment almost makes it seem worth all the hoopla and hype.
Well let's see how Hyderabad celebrates Durga Pujo....Hopefully I will have fun this year too.........just like all other years....

Cat Stole the milk

2006-08-29T17:30:00.000-12:00

It was the cat.....she drank the milk from the bowl. Aunty had kept the milk in the bowl on the Kitchen counter-she wanted to make some custard pudding for the kids. The cat ran away-aunty had to think of alternatives-she sent the car cleaner out to buy some packaged sweets and cakes. The car cleaner took the money and joined the card playing gang in their neighbourhood-he could always cook up a story for the old lady. The kids came home-Aunty made some tea and offered cookies-the promised pudding was no where to be seen. They decided to make virtue out of necessity and had their fill. The cookies had been lying at home for quite some time and had mild fungal growth on them as well. Aunty hadnt noticed that, hungry kids anyway dont notice such things. They took ill within a hour of the consumption-not all- just 3 of them.Aunty took them to the clinic. Dr Sharma was not there- in fact at this time everyday he was never there in his clinic-but then on other days the neighbourhood kids dont come for treatment either-so nobody knew this fact. Aunty got scared-she called Mrs Sharma for information-the wife did not know-afterall hubby is supposed to be in his clinic at this time. She called him at his cell to check out where he is- Pat comes the reply-"Am at the clinic-Attending patients, don't disturb me -call u later". Half an hour later-Mrs Sharma discovers him with the airhostess who stayed in the flat next door- it hadnt been difficult for Mrs Sharma-she had heard the flight announcements in the background when she had made that call.
The kids got well-they were attended to by the nurse in the absence of the doctor .
The latest I hear is Mrs Sharma got a very hefty alimony, the airhostess changed jobs and city, Dr Sharma's clinic is thriving as usual, thought he is rarely seen in social gatherings any more, the kids's vacations being over-they are back to school and Aunty has a new vocation these days- she is learning music.
The Cat loiters around as usual-unaware that her stealing milk resulted in a divorce!!!
Hasn't someone said ignorance is bliss!!!

one evening....

2006-08-24T00:52:00.000-12:00

I was about to cross the road, suddenly someone tugged my dupatta. The 1st thing that came to my mind, must be some eveteaser- turned angrily to face a woman with a little baby in her hand. She was dressed extremely shabbily-saree was tattered-weather beaten face, the baby was sleeping -must have been of about 6 months or so.She asked me if i can understand hindi- I nodded . She began speaking- could barely control her tears while she spoke. She had come to the city with her husband, who apparently had got a job in a glass factory. Her husband made her wait in a park bench and went to buy some milk for the child- he did not return-it had been 2 hours since then-he had all their luggage as well. She had been wandering about trying to look for him since then.By the time she finished her story she was sobbing loudly. Clearly situation demanded that I help her-I could not leave a young village woman with no money and a small baby to fend for herself in a big city full of strangers . The first thought that came to my mind was that the baby and the mother would be hungry-I opened my purse - meagre 50 Rs lying unassumingly in a corner- Damn this ATM and card dependence- I have stopped carrying cash in large quantities -and this was too less- never-the-less i gave it to her-she took it gratefully with lots of murmurings of blessings, though the expectant look remained on her face- means a little more money would me most welcome and I couldnt agree with her more.But the nearest ATM was easily 2 kms away. And it was important to look for her husband- so I suggested Police Station- immediately she started sobbing again -saying that she hasnt done anything wrong to deserve being taken to a police station. Some people walking by began to give me strange looks-so loud were her tears. I had to explain her in my english mixed hindi that we need police's help to look for her husband, also they would be able to provide her with shelter for the night. Her sobbing would not stop-she said she would wait in the park for her husband else would go back to their village by the next bus. Her resistance was so high that I thought it better not to trouble her. Took a piece of paper and gave her my address and telephone number and asked her to contact me(though I was not sure how she would do this being illiterate) .Also advised her to go to the nearest police station for help. She thanked me and walked away. I crossed the road and walked back home. Spent a sleepless night wondering what should have been the correct thing for me to do. I kept reproaching myself for having turned away and walked back home, I was feeling extremly guilty. I kept worrying about the same thing even @ work. On my way back, while doing some window shopping-a familiar voice caught my attention-Imagine my surprise when I saw the same woman with the same saree with a different baby in her arms -she was talking to a elderly couple about 30 mts away from me-I wnt closer to them to evesdrop on their conversation. She was repeating the same story again to them- and from the sympathetic noises they were making-it seemed very likely that this time she would get more than Rs 50. I walked away feeling very sad-it seemed such a desperate move for an individual to play such a trick in the same locality every day-hunger makes a person so desperate!!! The last thought that came to my mind before sleeping that night was- does she even know the gender of the baby(s) that she carries with her to work everyday??

Headlines

2006-08-22T01:44:00.000-12:00

Security Breach at Atomic Plant

Suspected Pak Terrorist killed in Mumbai

Medicos Cops break into scuffle

Domicile not needed for Rajya Sabha MPs says Supreme Court.

Blow to UPA-TRS to quit Alliance

Five beheaded for Withcraft

Pak Cricket Captain accused of Ball Tampering in England Tour

Foiled mid-air Terror Attack cripples UK Airport.

All of the above and more has happened in just one single day.............randomly picked up the headlines from a national daily. The day is getting over for me....
Good Night

Cinema Today

2006-08-22T00:48:00.000-12:00

Switch on any television channel and see one of the "k" serials- chances r high that you stumble on a story of a couple getting divorced because the 2 of them are in love with someone else.

Check out some of the latest blockbusters in the hindi cinema genre- Murder, KANK- the storyline boasts of unhappy couples seeking love outside marriage.

Dont get me wrong am not part of the Moral Police Brigade- but I wonder what are our film and serial makers upto- Man-woman relationships have been and remain the most interesting topic for fiction, storytelling and cinema -agreed...But is there any reason to either justify or condemn relationships that do not fit the commonly accepted moulds- say a extramarital affair, a homosexual relationship, a live -in relationship etc etc.....

All of the above happen due to personal choice and there is nothing right or wrong about them- yet our filmmakers insist on putting a solution with someone being "right" and someone being "wrong". Why is getting married -right and getting divorced wrong? Why is being heterosexual right and homosexual wrong? I wonder when, where , how these things were decided.

Gay and lesbian relationships are always portrayed in a comic manner in Hindi Cinema, else there is a explanation given for such behaviour- reasons like abused in childhood hence turning lesbian.

Except for " monsoon weddings" am yet to see a movie dealing with the sensitive and serious topic of child abuse.

Except for "darmiyan" am yet to see a movie on the life and pains of eunuchs.

Show me one movie wherein rape is not shown either in a titilating manner or in a manner designed to make the audience sympathise with the victim- Can someone atleast make one movie wherein a rape victim is shown to bring her life back on tracks without weeping .

Cinema is the mirror of a society it is said-well if that is true then what does it say about ours- the primary task of all people here is to get married and hold elaborate functions for the same???

Terror

2006-08-21T01:24:00.000-12:00

I have stayed in Bombay for a short time- a year and a half to be precise- there have been 3 bomb blasts during that time- The mulund bomb blasts, the ghatkoper bomb blasts and the triple blasts at the Gateway of India and Mumba Devi Temple Complex.
That was 1st hand experience with Terror.Subsequently changed locations and life changed for me. Not so for the average Mumbaikars. Eleventh of July brought back their worst memories- the serial blasts in the local trains derailed their lives again.The newspapers and TV Channels went ballistic " breaking news" . The authorities and the Intelligence went to a Blame Game mode and of course promised all help to the common man. And then came the oft repeated " tributes to the resilient spirit of Mumbai" statements. I often wonder what happens after that- a week later, a month later, a year later?? What happens to these people whose life gets disoriented by a disaster as vast as this. How do they bring their tattered lives under control again? One moment you are leading your Life, next moment death, destruction, violence, bloodshed stares u in the face. Some lose lives, some lose limbs, some lose family, some lose sanity, some lose trust .... the list is endless....And then what happens......??? What happens to those people who r victims of Terror perpetrated by someone they do not know, never been associated with them and never knowingly harmed them. What happened to the Hiroshima Nagasaki surviving victims, what happenened to the surviving holocaust victims, what happened to the 9/11 victims , what happened to the Bombay Blast victims....... How do they live life again...how do they restore their trust , their faith in life, how do they start working again.....Where do they get the strength from....I wonder if our maker's Progress Report is to be assessed- Would making the Earth count as a success or a Failure??

The End or the Beginning??

2006-07-24T00:28:00.000-12:00

There used to be a Teleserial called "Chunauti" -the subject was drug-abuse amongst youngsters.Those were the days of Doordarshan serials- Rich in content but average in execution, less expensive production sets etc. I remember a very poignant scene in the serial-the protagonist, a young guy of about twentyfive who has been doing drugs, and is on the brink of realisation that he is on a path of no return and needs a push to change tracks-The push came unexpectedly -he takes a vacation to Kanya Kumari-our country's southern most tip which boasts of the confluence of the 2 seas and one ocean which flank our coasts- he sees the sea all around and a slice of land- and asks a lady painting nearby- "Is this the end- I see vast endless sea all around..where do I go from here......?" Without looking at him, she replied- " Depends on how you look it it....I see it as the beginning of life..The deeps end and- bright, green pastures begin where there is light, life and Hope". That was the turning point in his life.
Though I was a child when this serial used to be telecasted- I remember this scene well enough.
We all have such phases in Life- when Hope gets dim , where we start to doubt our own purpose of existence. But What is Life without Hope and what is Hope without Faith.
Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark..... But the very existence of dawn signifies that there is a morning soon to come.

My friend's brother passed away in the Kargil War- He died a Heroes' Death and the nation mourned with the Family -but soon after the beagles stopped blowing for the Martyr-the Family were left alone with their grief- the silence was deafening.But somewhere Hope and Faith were still burning faintly, and today after more than 6 years a tiny bundle of joy has entered their lives mitigating all their sorrows, the shadows of the past remain , but the darkness is gone-For Good.

My another experience with Bright Hope- He is my friend's friend- That evening we had Pizzas together. The next day he met with an accident-Doctors gave their verdict-Paralysed for life- Irrepairable damage to spinal cord. I remember the day I went to see him at the hospital-We were all trying hard to hide our tears- and he smiled at us" Damn i hate the hospital food!!" Perhaps his guardian angel woke up- perhaps he fired his guardian angel and took up the job himself- His indomitable spirit remained unscathed and This man leads a happy life today- His Wheelchair cannot bind his free mind and will.

And here I am -Sitting and Cribbing about a Bad Day@ Work

Wake up Mishi- Go....Run....Catch...The Bus......Before it is too late:)

Home

2006-06-28T20:55:00.000-12:00

Home is where Maa and Baba are- the only 2 people in this world who love u more than u love yourself. I have always been the black sheep of the family( am not being humble). As a child I was naughty and that is a understatement in itself.
During my growing years i did show some spark of brilliance as a student, debater, quizzer, monitor of the class etc but all those achievements were eclipsed by my umpteen misdeeds and pranks.As a sibling I have always been a rebel. My elder brother(God Bless him) certainly deserved a better behaved sister. Add to this all the illnesses i managed to gather-jaundice, typhoid , chicken pox-the list is endless. All those actions that I used to take from granted- the presence of my parents close to my sick bed, baba buying me things on my mere asking for them, maa cooking for us, bearing our tantrums....Man!!! when i think about it-i just wonder-what stuff are parents made of??? How does God make them-that they have such tremendous capacity to shower love, be so loving and caring, and so patient and so forgiving-the list is endless....I always argue my with my Maa on various issues-we always have conflicting views on almost everything and yet she is always there to worry about me , to listen to my endless complains about work and other issues in life, she is the one who is always buying me jewellery and sarees, she is very easily able to detect the tremor in my voice when i am having a fever.I have been away from home since the last 5 years and each day i more and more realise the value of home, the value of having a loving and caring family.

Oh God forgive me when i whine, I have a loving family and the world is mine

Self Pity

2006-06-10T00:06:00.000-12:00

I keep telling everyone-Don't indulge in Self Pity. Why am I so insistent on the same?? What does it matter to me if people are feeling sorry for themselves. Well the answer is I nearly spoiled my life drowning myself in dollops of self pity- now it seems like a long time ago.....the Year in which I lost everything except my life I guess- I lost a academic year, lost my health and more importantly( or so I think) my self esteem.
Hypo-Thyroidism-Nice big medical name-For me it meant -growing obese, losing sleep and appetite, being drowsy and tired at all times and also grumpy, sad, and extremely depressed. How did I manage to get into that condition- I refer to the mental symptoms- I dunno-maybe it was the teenage or maybe the peer pressure. My poor cat-how many times would I kick her in frustation-and yet she would keep coming back to sit beside me- A very important lesson learnt in life- your loved ones dont love you for your looks or your achievements-Don't be mean to them because you are going through a lean patch.
Well Sorry God- I have been a bad girl- but now I am trying to behave better and also trying to make others not go through the same route .
And Thank You Mom, Dad and Dadabhai for being such wonderful people and my dear little Cat-SORRY

Oh God forgive me when I whine
I have a lovely life and the world is mine:)

Blues

2006-04-03T02:25:00.000-12:00

I am sad today....as I have been for the past few weeks.
I seem to be in a state of partial ennui. Work doesnt interest me-neither does anything else. I avoid talking to him-who loves me so much. I know I am causing him pain...but am not really improving on my behaviour. Mundane things disturb me like never before .And all the bigger aspects of life remain unattended to. Where on earth am I heading to?Pranayam doesnt comfort me today-the way it used to do earlier.
Am stressed for no reason...no cause...........why am I living in denial........
Maybe my friend is right-I need a break , a vacation....
Lemme post this before I feel too lazy and bored to do this:)

Shobha and Pooja

2006-01-11T21:16:00.000-12:00

I generally surf through the TV channels while having dinner, yesterday while doing the same came across a very interesting program. Two pretty women having a debate over the treatment meted out to a underworld gangster!!! Shobha De and Pooja Bedi, both of them well known socialites and well known trendsetters in the fashion and glamour world in their respective eras. In fact there are certain similarities in the social conduct of Shobha and the late Protima Bedi-Pooja's mom.
So these two women came face to face on Pooja's show on a channel called Zoom and began discussing the hows and whys of Abu Salem's treatment in India and whether media was glamourising a criminal etc.For once I found myself agreeing to Shobha's thoughts .Having read a few of her novels-starry nights, socialite evenings,sultry days, each of them a biased sarcastic comment on Bombay Socialites, I have never considered her a "A" category writer. However for once I feel that she makes a strong point when she said that the media should not forget that the guy in question-Abu Salem is responsible for the death of thousands of people.Pooja tried to hold her fort for a long time trying to convince the other side that the right to freedom of expression cannot be denied to the media and basically the media are dishing out items that the public wanted. It was a nicely packaged , well directed interaction of two strong women who have led their lives independently and have despite the severe scrutiny of the media on their personal lives, have lived with dignity. A show where the host does not ask " So why did you stop being friends with Kareena Kapoor" , a show where an issue of national importance was discussed without any paraphernalia. Well Indian Television never ceases to surprise!!!!!

The way I know u

2005-11-13T20:56:00.000-12:00

It's a journey-a long or short one as the case may be, We Call it Life.
It's 2.29 Pm-IST-Nov-14, 2005 and I am sitting in my cabin finishing off some work.
Ten years ago on this day I was writing my Board Exams. Twenty years ago I was celebrating Children's Day at School with many other children of my age, whom I called friends. Am not sure if I would recognise them if I meet them today and vice Versa. My journey is on........
Coming to the present , currently am employed with Microsoft and can call myself contented. Have a small group of friends here who make me feel good and cherished-I am like a Cat, need to have the feeling of security and comfort at all times else I feel disconcerted.So there is Anand and there is Gagan and there is Subroto and Neha and of course Asim. To tell the truth Asim is the only person with whom my interactions has stayed limited within the office. But that does not make our friendship either less or more. It was in the Cafetaria tht we met each other, His striking resemblance to Sameer Bhatnagar(my buddy from Bombay) was what made me notice him . And there has been no looking back ever since.......
Though I wouldn't like to be judgemental about anyone-there is something very interesting abt Asim tht makes him stand out amongst others-his straight-at-your-face honesty-its definitely a precious and rare attribute,and precisely the reason why I value his advise.There is another noticeworthy trait-He can laugh at himself, though there is no real need to:)
Well the bits and pieces of info that I have got , when I piece them together-I get the image of a person who is friendly and nice, helpful and cheerful, someone who has set standards for himself and lives by them, he can be friendly with people easily, but there is an inner sanctum of space where-in only very dear, very special people have access to-And they are called Friends.

And quietly flowed the tears...

2005-08-31T02:24:00.000-12:00

It happens to everyone or so I was told.
Though the degree and intensity and even the reasons vary to alarge extent for different individuals.
It happened to me and I was caught unaware.
I thought I was brave , I thought i was immune to such weaknesses, but I was wrong. Oh I was so wrong!!! Years of failure and pain had taught me superficial indifference.It was my fear disuised as bravado that made me callous and careless I believe. My mistake!!!! Realisation dawned -It's nice to be nice to others-everyone. But not at the expense of your own happiness.But the deed is done, cant be undone.
But the pain remains, the hurt remains and oh the burden of having to keep a facade of normalcy. I wish I could just cry my heart out ,scream and let all the steam out of my system. Instead I remained at my desk, fighting back my tears, but they wouldn't listen. And quietly flowed the tears..........but nothing changed............

Modern Mallu

2005-03-21T19:42:00.000-12:00

Sumod called- from UK.
Mousie mous. where were u...no khabar i was worried.........
worried?? about me??wow am flattered...........I told him i was touched .........he laughed........There r few things tht he would not admit to openly-like being bullish abt germany, like being sensitive and caring, like being in love with someone in Bangalore,like being FAT...........But i know that he knows and acknowledges all of it secretly.......He tells me abt "village Bicycle" and then conveniently feigns amnesia......And there are a whole lot of things about which he conveniently feigns amnesia..........I have been trying to make him stop calling me "Mous." , with the result that he has added a disgusting... "mousie" to the already bad "Mous".
He is a suave modern mallu, who thinks the world consists of 2 places-Germany and Kerala, who is a Food Freak and has a impeccable dressing sense, and pretends to understand Beethoven.......but beneath all this modernity is a simple man with simple needs in life, who swears by his friends and lives life happily.
Last Year i didnt remember his birthday........he was upset about it.......
This year I barely managed:), with lots of hints from him........
Hey Sumod, I cant remember dates to save my life-tht bad i am......I barely manage to remember my own birthday....(needless to say i have conveniently forgotten the year:))
But dear buddy, I am never-the-less thankful to the stork for having brought u into this world- 20/30/40 50??? yrs ago........
Have a Great Life ahead ......and ahem , shall I send this link to someone in Bangalore???