Mother's Day

This is a day I can claim, for doing something worth - which made a very special person happy.  Some spare time I got to browse through, saw a marquee about Mother's day gifts and celebrations. Got reminded of how my sister and I used to celebrate Mother's day when I was back home. We used to get cute gifts, though useless my Mom used to treasure them. It was always my sister who used to remember all the special times and drag me to partner them.


She is one wonderful person who I always admired. A person full of energy and life, and indeed talented. I always wanted to grow beautiful, intelligent like her, though it was never been expressed anytime. Anytime i feel down or lonely, its none other than her who can speak sense to me. Any good or bad, she was always by my side supportive. She makes me feel special appreciating the very little thing I do. I just love her endless.


Drafted a mail after and sent her. By the time I reached office saw her respond to my email. It was difficult to keep tears off me. Felt very good about the little gift and may be a surprise I could give her.


Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful and blessed women!

They call it Social Networking!

Guess I would be that one primitive figures who still cling on to texting and emails. The new era of social networking, is way too difficult for me to catch up. Face book being one of the most used ones. I have no complaints against the same and in fact like most of the features offered by the website. It was really amazing that I could catch up with some of my long lost friends, classmates. Being away from home you get to see the glimpses of what your dear ones are up to.

My friends list is too large coz of the big volume of people who I know. The initial irritation were updates from applications like Farmville, Café world, but they seem silly these days. Folks have started posting all their daily chores in FB. “At starbucks enjoying coffee with Mr B”. I know that boss, I just saw you walk by and get down for a coffee – and why that has to be posted and rejoiced in FB is still a big question. Moreover you see people coming and liking the status. I would suggest FB come up with a “I Hate” status.

Recent incident, the tornado that hit The US, we were anxious about our friends living in bay areas. My friends out there were asked to vacate before the waves hit the shores. I could see most of them update the FB on status between the busy evacuation. I felt myself worrying and sweating about it was useless. And the comments that get posted for every status update is un-imaginable.

People get angry, frustrated due to any random incident. The feelings you go through are very personal which you might refrain from sharing or just speak out to your close ones. Happen to see a lot of such posts these days. I am not sure what is the intent behind sharing it to network space. Either to make the world aware that you are bold enough to express your feelings, or just to make the other person undergo the torture of reading it. There are folks who like the status and even comment on it – “truly said”, “fact of life”. Many a time, it get to tip where I would just go and tell folks. Later thinking over it, I realize that it is better to remain mum than earn their hatred.

I know speaking over the blog is not helping any, but serves to express myself. Happy for the fact that my whole friends list have not turned out to react the same way. Still have that flock of people with whom this random topic of discussion comes up. Technology is a boon, but too much of it is an over head!!

To all my friends, please don’t count this post offensive. I still love you all!

*** FB – Face Book

Coffee time!!

Coffee time. Agree to the fact that coffee beans are one of the most tastiest discoveries of mankind. When I was a kid used to wonder why Nescafe adds used to be so expressive and odd, though I loved the theme song. Now I can speak about it. The aroma of coffee enlightens your taste buds and all that annoys you is just blown off your mind.

I never remember one instance during my college days when I had coffee. Most of the so called break-time was spend chatting and roaming around. Since my footsteps found their way to the corporate world, I could realize how important and evident the coffee break was. At Bangalore, it used to be Café Coffee Day – everyone’s favorite coffee station. I bet coffee costs at least 10 time more than the normal ones you get in the cafeteria or the ones you can just make yourself. Still you find a flock of folks camping around the place waiting for their much awaited cup of relief. Since I am in foreign land – the place is different though the trend is all the same – Starbucks!!

Everyone have their own stories to share for ones love towards coffee. For some it is more than an addiction, where coffee finds its place among the most necessary elements of life. The coffee cup is refilled each time they walk by the shop. I swear there are folks for whom coffee and its taste really doesn’t matter – they should be looking forward for sometime outside work. I don’t blame them as I fit into the same at times. Here goes my justifications for a coffee break. Mostly it is to accompany colleagues and get some room for quality chit-chat. There can be millions of topics to discussed over coffee, which changes with the crowd. Most extensive topics being discussion around work, people and the chores - Nothing worth is being spoken or exchanged, sheer cribbing and complaints which are supposed to ease out the work load. Managers discussing how to make people work more or to snatch more projects from the client side. Some may look serious and hang around with the intention of hitting that complicated design or idea which can make the whole system work. Another important batch discussing all big money and strategies.

You may miss an important meeting or appointment. But when it strikes 4 in the evening, there forms a never ending thread at the coffee place. I have always found this job @ coffee shop very interesting. You get to see and talk to a large crowd daily, who will value you for that cup of coffee you brew for them. A bunch of delight that makes a person’s day!

The White Christmas

The season is almost fading away when I am making a genuine effort to scribble. "Winter" - the most handsome season of the year. Love to see the winters. As folks say most unusual for a person like me, raised in a tropical country and one of the most humid states where the word winter is just confined to books. This may be the reason why I have a strong desire for the season.

It snows very less in Charlotte compared to most of the other places in US. The Last Christmas day (2010) was a prime one, as it was welcomed with snow. The city looked awesome covered in white bed. I could map it to the traces of heaven I see in my dreams. The moment it showered, I was at one of the townships near my place with my friend. The place looked awesome with all the Christmas decors. The huge Christmas tree, the Santa with his chariot, the rein deers, it was nothing less than a perfect Christmas town. The folks around were decked up in their best winter attires.

Starbucks seemed to be the most happening eat outs that moment as it can be none other than a coffee which can serve you the best in the cold. Starbucks treated us with classic taste of their brewed coffee. Most of the shops and boutiques in the street were closed as it was a holiday. How I wished they were open and I could grab some of the best outfits that were displayed. Every time I get these temptations - they are tagged by the scenes of the movie "Confessions of a Shopaholic". A walk around the street in the cold breeze was refreshing. I wrapped myself two fold inside my coat.

The chillness was not an annoyance when it came to the snow fight. I showed up more to the receiving end irrespective of my sincere efforts to attack my friend. The residents would have been the most pleased to see their car tops being cleaned up. I remember making a small snow man on the table top, which barely looked like one. We drove through the residential area near the place. There were those amazing houses which had lake front. Reminded me those pretty castles in the Disney Movies. We saved some clicks to remember the beautiful Christmas. The day was completed with an awesome Indian dinner, wrapped by with an Italian Tiramisu.

It was definitely one of the memorable days of my life and a million thanks to my friend for making it happen.

Just Me

It is all me in this pretty big apartment, luxurious enough for a single soul. My friend and X-Roommate shifted to her new apartment. Not sure of the exact reason on why I am not frantically looking for a new roommate to share the apartment. Strongest reason being it will take a bunch of quality time for me to get adjusted to the new person and I am in no mood for a brand new start. Also I am hoping to bid BYE to the place soon.

As I have mentioned, it just me in the big den and a few corners of the house I use, the rest remain all dark and un-attacked. With lot of people around always I have never found time to do anything that have been planned. It was a bit odd in the beginning where I started to realize the difference – the biggest agony being that I have no one to speak to. Daily chores have become a time table to me. Have started my cooking efforts religiously as it is the question of existence. Fixing myself in a room and spending hours on the laptop is not very interesting too. A set of new things have crept in now, which keeps me engaged these days. Most of them may sound lunatic but since there is no one to comment or compliment I have no regrets.

A random cleaning drive which is caused by an unexpected sight of the messy room. It is never cleaned completely, but the process goes on till I get distracted by a phone call or a guest.

Count the number of outfits I have. The big count upsets about myself shifting to any place, as the thought of abandoning one of the them is killing. I will keep trying out all those dresses which I have not worn for a while. This makes me feel good about the choices I have made “once up on a time”.

Try out some different cuisine – sometimes it will be a Thai Redd Curry or a Italian delicacy. Browsing through the net for that recipe for which I have all the ingredients is a tedious task. At last I throw off the idea of following the food book. Try to fit the dish with my limited cooking knowledge.

Hunt all over my iPod to find that song, which can set my feet moving. Listening to the same song some X number of times and designing dance moves. I keep reminding myself the different dance forms I want to master given an opportunity.

Play loud music of all those songs which I love to listen to. I know there is no one in the whole house who I can annoy.

Call up all those friends, whose phone numbers I can find– I bet they will be wondering at my unexpected thrive towards regaining old contacts. I swear I miss all my friends and really want to keep in touch. Laziness at its zenith took over me which often make these things difficult.

Do all bits and pieces of the craft arena I have collected over years and never worked on. If it is a woolen muffler to be knitted today, it’s a scrap book tomorrow.

Watching those serials which I have watched long back all over again, which bring me memories of my school and college friends. Also trying to complete all the backlog of movies that I wanted to watch. The star cast and story is never a question – It serves to kill my time.

There are many more of them which gets added on a daily basis to the list. It was strange for me when it started off being all alone. But now I feel good about it as there is more time I invest for myself. Helps me understand how silly I can behave and how serious I can mould back to. Rather than phrasing it All Alone, I love to call it – “Just Me”

Hate to be Rude

Being rude to anyone or anything is insane coz it neither make you happy nor the receiving end. In turn it serves you with a disturbing mind. A self analysis gives me an impression that I cannot be angry or upset with someone for a longer time. Moreover I am a person who speak a lot, A LOT :-). Even if there are disputes within friends or family, I am the peace maker. Being victim of someone’s anger is very depressing. I have been in that state many a time and I know how it feels. My previous posts regarding the college lecturer is one of the case.

What made me write this post – has a specific reason. I wanted to write or rather confess about something that has happened some time back. The episode is a lot old, and hard to remember the exact details. I was doing my under graduation – Pre-Degree to be specific. I joined a Women’s college which was near my house. I was forced to join the college, as it was the same place where my Mom studied and she had lot of acquaintances. I hated the college at the first place, it looked to me like a nursery school where more than new faces, I could find people knew my whole history. Initial days were very hard, as I was not able to find much friends or rather I never invested time on it. Slowly started to jell with the atmosphere and was lucky enough to win a handful of friends who were too dear to me. We were a gang of 6 girls, and almost never allowed anyone to peek into the group.

That is when I met “Ms S” in college. Sorry for the fact that I am a bit reluctant to reveal her name. She was in the same class as I was. She tried to get close with me and my gang, which my friends never gave space for. Myself and “S” went for the same tuition classes, where we met very often. I felt it real bad for avoiding her all the whole in spite of her being really nice and caring to me. My poor heart, rather I would say –“dumb heart”, decided to take her as my friend. Later we came to know that she was a very distant relative of mine. I started helping her in studies, and stood by her whenever she had problems. My parents were not very pleased with my friendship with her and neither my friends were happy about it. I used to get scolding for getting her home and visiting her place. My friends used to constantly warn me on what a person she was and that she cannot be trusted. Irrespective of all the advices, I decided to support her.

I don’t know when things started changing and by the time I realized, it was way too late. There were lot of issues to which I was pushed into related to “S”. Many people told me about the ill words that she had spread about me. I kept defending her to the certain point till I got to witness incidents myself. It was hard for me to believe and accept the fact she could backbite on me. Some explained it as jealousy or being eccentric. It was not easy for me to forget the whole thing, as I could find no single reason for which I could have been mean to her. It took me a long time to get out of the impact as I was scared to believe anyone or anything. I had my friends standby me and support me through out.

Under Grad days were almost ending and I got into one of the most prestigious college for pursuing my engineering. I got into the branch I wanted and was very happy with the environment. “S” also joined the same college for another stream. We used to take rides in the same college bus, see each other every single day. Never have I uttered a word or pay her a distant look. She did make her best efforts to make up for the damage she had done. I never granted a opportunity that she could speak to me. There were mediators who tried to talk peace, which never went through. I can’t recollect myself being so rude and arrogant with anyone or anything. Moreover I had no regrets on what I have been doing. My college life went all great, good friends, descent marks, a handsome job when I walked out of the college. I knew that she had no good scores, no job and was going through a bad time. My marriage was fixed and I made it certain that she and her family was not invited for any of those. It was not any grudge and never have I cursed her. More than being stubborn, I had a numbness towards the whole thing. I did not want any of those memories to creep in and break my harmony. It will be a wonder if I am successful in posting this blog, as this is not the first attempt to write about the same.

It is some 10 years crossed now, there have been huge transformations in me – mostly positive and that helped me cross my kiddoo behavior. I still try to weigh it, this one still sticks to its old. Some things never change!!

I am Scared of hmm...

If you ask me this question ever – “Are you scared of anything?”, you will get a confused look. It is not because I have the confusion on ‘What to convey?’ but on ‘What ALL to convey?’.I am scared of almost all the things I see around. I try to put up that Ms Serious looks everywhere. But those incidents that reveal the ‘Real Me’ just pops up everything. Many make fun of the way I behave and there are some who try to scare me more. My better half thinks that most of them are my illusion and I never make any sincere effort to get out of it. I do not blame him for this :-( .

Just rolling back to few of the incidents. I have a huge – huge scare for heights. May it be a small hill or the corner of a tall building or even a big mountain that is XXXXXX ft height, it is all the same. One look down, my vision blacks out. The time my husband and I visited The Grand Canyon - one of the most famous and beautiful tourist spots in the world, rather putting efforts to pose for the best snap, I was worried about a random wind or some thrust that would pull me down the valley!! When we go for trekking, to hop from one rock to another – irrespective of the size of the rock, I start stretching hands for help.

Thunder Storms and Lightening, another piece that freaks me out totally. I love the rain, but can’t fight the thunder bolts. At my place when it storms and there is heavy rain with thunder – two people seize the best possible shelters, Myself – on the bed with two pillows covering my ears hard so that it leaves no chance for the least possible noise. The second candidate was Julie – our doggie. She was equally scared, and used to hide below a couch or bed. The chill of fear is still there when I hear the same symphony.

Insects, reptiles and all kind of “Not So Good looking” creatures. Sometime I feel that can handle the King of Jungle (Lion) in a better way than a cockroach or a spider. The most dangerous dream I can ever witness is a Snake. One of such dreams can upset me so hard that I lose sleep for rest of the night. Seeing programs in National Geographic or Discovery was a pain when these were described. Mostly options open are to run off from the TV or switch channels.

The most lunatic part of my Scare list was none other than Horror Movies. You have no idea how much interest I show to watch a ghost movie. I try to pep up the crowd to opt for horror movies. Whoever takes me for the movie, by the end of the movie used to make up their minds never to fall for my words again. For them the more scarier part was seeing me scream and panic than the movie clips. For major part of the movie, my head would be covered behind the pop corn basket or the seat cushion. After effects of the movie are – scared to sleep alone, seeing ghost like images for one’s own shadow, a restart of the fridge compressor giving the feel of an intruder inside the apartment.

The list goes on and on and on. Most of them are real stupid to even disclose. Being a scary piggy, I lose to do most of the exciting things. I am gonna put my sincere efforts to work on these phobias. If not a cure, atleast reduce its effect!...