Main Pareshaan!

Parineeti Chopra- She is such a refreshing face! I saw some part of Ladies Vs RB, and i fell in love with the girl. Her expressions are so genuine and straight from the heart, that i cannot help but listen to this song back to back since morning today. While i am loving Arjun Kapoor also, Parineeti steals the show here. A bright promising actor she looks, i am sure she would go places.

And not to mention- I am in love with this song too. A wonderful composition by Amit Trivedi!

Random- this summer

This is a random post about certain things/ incidents I came across in last few days.

1. The other day i stepped out of my office to finish some personal work. I had to take a rickshaw- so when i spotted a rickshaw parked at road side with the rickshawpuller stretched on its seat talking to someone on his mobile very intently, i went near it and stopped. I asked -Chaloge? The guy alighted from the rick and started telling me to hush; simultaneously noding his head in yes. Totally ignoring his gesture of hushing – i asked again - chaloge bhaiyya…he again repeated his gesture…trying to end his phone conversation. When he finally put his phone down..he gave me a broad smile and said-” Vo asal mein humari madam thin..”…”Unhe pata nahi hai ki hum rickshaw chalaate hain….aapki awaaz suni to poochne lagi ki kaun ladki hai”…”Humne keh diya …ki koi nahi..koi raasta pooch raha tha..”..:D and he grinned generously!

2. I was seeing a doc few days back. Given the average health i keep for many years now, visiting doctors was a very regular phenomenon in our family. And since my parents have been based out of the same place for almost 30 years now- we do have family doctor/ s for almost all regular ailments. I have noticed that more than anything else, one thing that helps building trust on a doctor is how much mental comfort can he/ she give you. And this definitely is not a function of the doctor’s skill. This doctor that i was visting till few days back- was one of the most wonderful doctors i have come across in my 30 years of life. Very soft spoken, very relaxed, takes keen interest in each and every question you have and goes to the extent of drawing on paper to explain things. And most importantly, does not create imaginary panick filled scenarios for you to take back home! While some doctors who may be very high on skill and experience, take you down a panick journey with worrisome expressions and reactions which make you feel more depressed everytime you visit them.

3.  I recently diuscovered Khus ka sherbet. And i am delighted to have it. This bright green color sherbet is one of the best coolants during summers and it leaves a divine aroma in the mouth once you have it!

4. I am amazed at the way online retail is picking up in India after Flipkart. So much so that i have started getting calls for job from places like Jabong! But its really good to see this. Best part is, now the urge to shop due to uber frustration, boredom etc can be curbed instantly..:D its just a click away!

 

Tag- another one

I started writing a post, it was coming out very well when a meeting reminder popped up and I had to save the draft for completing it later. Next when I checked the draft was gone..:(

Since I could not re-create the post again with a mood which totally spoilt by this loss; I decided to take up a tag and found this in a fellow blogger’s profile. Here we go..

1) Tell us about three ways you express your creativity.

Hmm…Painting and writing at least i think so..:)

2) Who’s your favorite character from a book, play, film, or other work of art?

Amol Palekar’s, Farooq Shaiks’s characters in all their films- Golmaal, Choti si Baat, Baaton Baaton Mein, Chashmebadoor…you get the idea..right..:)

3) What’s something you do really well that other people are amazed by?

Hmm…till now its my sleeping habits and laziness..:D

4) What are you shy about? Or, what situations do you find make you shy?

Shy, not sure, but hugely embarrassed when complimented! I have really no clue how to react to compliments.

5) What was the best day of your life so far?

I am not answering this.

6) What are the next five books you want to read?

Good one..:). . but i do not have any list ready. I want to bring some change to the genre i am reading currently and that is Indian Partition and related books. I think I need some self-help books and some foreign authors. Pls suggest some good books. It will be really great..:) 

7) Write about something you feel should not have been invented.

Microsoft Outlook syn on BB. I hate the red star. I think it just creates loads of stress. People send mails at 4 am and 12:30 am – and on Holidays and on Sundays. I hate getting e mails at such odd hours; even if it does not require any action on my part; its a like a constant pressure of  being available, reachable all the time!

8) What do you want to be admired for?

Wow! that’s an aspirational question..:) For being calm and composed and being able to handle both home and work efficiently when i have kids..:)

9) What do you prefer listening to, music with lyrics or music without?

With Lyrics. Though i like without lyrics also instrumentals etc- but somehow with instrumental, i get a bit restless as the subconscious mind is so tuned to listening to lyrics also, that I find myself waiting for words..:)

10) Kant said that we require three things by which to measure happiness: someone to love, something we like to do,and something to look forward to.

Someone to love: Family

Something we like to do- everything- office, reading book, household chores, sitting ide- in a balanced way

Something to look forward to- changes with time and age. But yes- getting back home after day long work

11) Tell us about the day you were born.

It was World Technology Day in 1981..:D and is every year..:) Monday early morning. Rest my mum would know as she was the one for whom it would be memorable for obvious reasons..:D

12) Tell us about some of the things you experienced for the first time in 2010.

Marriage…do i need to say more?

13) Describe what happiness means to you using just six words.

Good health and peace for all

14) What’s the fastest you’ve ever driven, where, and why?

I don’t drive, but I have rushed to places multiple times through auto, taxi. Latest i remember is husband driving to New Delhi Rly station on 26th Jan morning. I had a train at 6:50 and all roads leading to rly station were blocked for 26th jan parade. We had to almost go to ITO from Ggn, to reach the station, but the good driver he is- we managed well.

15) Do you have a special, non-traditional cure for cold or some other illness? Share it with us.

Yes, in case of nausea, lie on your left side for some time. It helps.

16) If you had been born the opposite sex, what do you think would be different about your life right now?

I do not even want to think about that. I would have been a terribly lazy and careless boy!

17) What’s the best thing someone could say to you right now,right this minute?

The 5:45 pm call is cancelled. Go home and chill!

Tags are good. They act as a saviour whenever I am desperate to write and nothing comes to my mind..:)

 

Random

Winters are over in Delhi. Its the post Holi time, when all woollens are ready to be packed away for another 8-9 months and for people like me, who do not like winters at all; this is a great time. The weather will be pleasant like this for another couple of weeks till the summers attack this part of the world with full fury.

I have noticed over past few years- especially after staying in Bangalore- that weather has a very huge impact on my state of mind and my general feeling of peace with life. When in Bangalore, my life was as average as it is today, but on all days, the moderate temprature and the super pleasant evenings played a big booster to my mood. The pleasant wind and rains in the evening made up for all bad office days.

In Delhi, only March and October are those times when the weather God is a bit kind- the time between onset of summers and winters respectively. Suddenly a wave of optimism fills my mind, and things start looking bright and promising.  The days start becoming longer, and there is more time at our disposal. Earlier I use to love this, because it meant getting at least 1-1 1/2 hours of siesta everyday. Now I love this because even after reaching home at 8:30 in the evening, i still have time to spend with family or read a book. getting out of the bed at 7 is much more easier and roads are still beaming with activity till 12 in the night. It feels good.

And there is nostalgic feeling of those school days, when March was a season of exams. So while there was anxiety of how would one fare in them, there was also this relief of a full cycle of study coming to and end and a new begining of next class in April. Towards end of March, the mind was relatively free, from all burden of books. A beautiful song for this beautiful weather…

The Vague Woman’s Handbook- A book review

I finished reading A Vague Woman’s Handbook- by Devapriya Roy. I had seen the book many times at the book stores, but was never too sure of buying it. However, in World Book Fair held at Pragati Maidan in the 1st week of March, I was tempted to buy almost ALL books in all stalls. Book Fair was a grand event, with publishers from all over the country and other parts of the world also selling a wide variety and range of books. It was an awesome khazana. We – that is me and husband also ended up picking quite a few books from there; though the discounts were not great as the same books are available on Flipkart at much better rates but then there is something about feeling the books in paper and ink, strolling around the book stores and selecting your picks, which an online store can never offer. The books brought from the book fair were more for the experience of it than anything else!

The Vague Woman’s Handbook was also one of these. Its a a light read about two females aged 22 and 52 who happen to work at the same place in Delhi and become best friends. Both are lost, unorganized, impressionable, happy-go-lucky in their own ways, at the same time facing the challenges of a self financed (love) marriage and living with and looking after a family of 3 old people respectively. These common traits bring them together and the book shows how their lives take a comparatively peaceful turn for better over a course of a Delhi summer.

Sharmila Chatterjee and Indira Sen and two very believable and fun characters, whom at least I could relate very well to plainly from the “vagueness” perspective…:) The book is a light, fun read which can be picked up for a Sat afternoon. Its written in a very lucid manner, and the author does not go into too many unnecessary details to increase the pages in the book. It is humorous, and i could find myself nodding in agreement at many places in the book.  Pick this one if you are looking for any light, refreshing read.

Book: The Vague Woman’s Handbook

Rating: 2.75/5

Price: INR 199

Author: Devapriya Roy

 

A Tag- Random

I was about to write a book review- but the i found this interesting mime/ tag whatever you call it from Preeti Shenoy’s blog. And here i go:

1) Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?

Hmm..yes and no. Sometimes I do, but mostly I do not.

2) What is your astrological sign?

Taurus

3) Do you save money for anything? What?

Yes, I do. Right now its for buying a house, and for future of course.

4) What’s the last thing you purchased?

Bread and Vanilla icecream from Mother Dairy yesterday and Femina March edition.

5) Have you ever had a relationship that you realized was lust not love?

Hee…yes..:D

6) In a relationship?

Yes! Very much, completed 2 years of marriage last month.

7) How many relationships have you had?

None before this…

8) What do you want to tell us about your day?

Half of the day is still left. Its only 12:15 pm. It started peacefully, even though the cook bunked today, but I managed to prepare breakfast for husband and lunch for sis. Happy!

Regular office work otherwise.

9) Where were you yesterday?

At Home.

10) Is there anything interesting within 10 feet of you?

Yes, Femina, A Fine Family by Gurcharan Das- the book I am reading these days. My bed- on which iam sitting right now- practically everything which a bedroom should have..:)

11) Are you wearing socks right now?
No. I do not like wearing socks, and anyway winters gone in North India, so all well.

12) What’s your favorite animal?

None. 

13) What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?

Hmm…I am my witty and funny best..:)

14) Where is your best friend?

NY

15) How did you end your last relationship end?

NA

16) What is your heritage?

My country, my native 

17) What were you doing last night at 12 AM?

Reading – A Fine Balance

18) What’s new?

Hmm, nothing much- we are planning a much awaited trip to Uttaranchal in April. Lets see if everything falls in place and we can make it happen.

19) What is the key to seduction?

Pls pls..tell me..:P

20) What was the weirdest thing that happened to you this week?

Weirdest..hmm…none

21) You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

I will try to save the dog. Will call the boss and tell him why I am late. Will ensure that i am totally drenched in the saving process and reach office in that state only and lend the whole episode a sense of authenticity…:D

22) You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?

a) I will tell all those who matter, actually I will tell everybody!

b) Call ALL my family and friends one by one and spend time with them. Tell husband about my finances and investments, tell him all my passwords of bank accounts etc, call and thank all those who mattered, will go on a trip to my native, eat all roadside food..:D, buy the fanciest dresses and treat myself at a parlour at least 4 times that month…:D

c) Hmm..afraid don’t know, but yes sad for my family!

23) You can only have one of these things: trust or love.

Love- trust will follow!

24) What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

There are many..all old songs, all good bollywood songs…

25) Who has your cell phone number (other than family)?

Many people- too many, i don’t even know how many!

If you liked the meme, you can do it too! Though i didn’t have great fun!..

cheers

Delirious Delhi- Book Review

There are few books which are very difficult to put down once you start reading them. These books may not be the best reads but they are very fast paced and the urge to know what happens next does not allow you to put it down. I generally go crazy when i am reading any such book, as i would try to grab it every single moment i am awake. In cramped Gurgaon tempos, standing in a crowded metro, even between office meetings when everybody is out for a short break!

Then there are books, which you wish never eneded! So while the urgeny to read the next chapter may not be as high, the pleasure of reading them is so much that when you fnish redaing the, you are left asking for more. They may or may not have a lasting impression but they definitely have the feel good factor which makes you believe that life does has some good thins to offer! I can put Shantaram and Memory Keeper’s Daughter in that category (these are the one sthat are coming to my mind right now). These were both cherished while reading and have had a lasting impression in my head.

One such book i picked up at the book fair- which i enjoyed reading in the latter manner described above. No rush to finish, at the same time thoroughly enjoyble. Dave Prager’s- Delirious Delhi.

Dave and his wife Jenny move to India few years back as Dave got a transfer to his India office from NY. The book provides an insight into their expereinces in Delhi during their 18 months stay here. It is a wonderful book where Dave has described the Delhi life from a foreigner’s point of view and i do not think it could have gotten any better than this.  All the facets of Delhi right from -negotiation techniques with autowallahs, to the charm of Old Delhi, the by lanes of Daryaganj, the food that Delhi has to offer, the weird U turns which are a way of life for us Indians, MG road traffic, dusty Gurgaon, momos, malls..almost everything which Delhi has, has been captured beautifully and aptly by Dave. His observation and insight in understanding and depicting Delhi behaviour is something which is the soul of this book. It is a perfect combination of intelligent reading and adequate dose of humor!

Dave has undersatood Delhi very well in the short span of time he was here- short because if 5 days a week are spent travelling from Hauz Khas to Udyog Vihar in gurgaon via MG Road – there is generally little energy left to savor the rest of Delhi in the remaining days, and this is something every delhi walla who makes this audacious jorney every day would agree with.

His description of the ever hardworking Indians whos priority list always has work at its top, the immense tolerance levels displayed by Indians in their day to day life, the economics of cheap labor and customer services- apt is the word for it! He has penned some very humbling and gracious thoughts towards the end of the book, which make him the kind of American, Indians from all over the world would love to invite home for a meal…:)

All in all I LOVED this book. Read this if you have ever been to Delhi/ lived here and want to see your life from an outsider’s perspective. It is a feel good book!

I have reviewed the book on Flipkart also. Below is the excerpt from that:

*This book is simply awsome. While i have read many books on Delhi, never have i seen an author writing straght from the heart. All over the book, you can see Dave’s love for Delhi and his genuine liking for the city. Its a brilliant book with intelligent insights and very keen obesrvation on Delhi life. Its adequately humoured and after reading the book one feels as if you know this couple for long and would be more than happy in inviting them home for a home cooked Indian meal..:) ALl the best Dave, i loved the book and keep writing!*

Author: Dave Prager

Price: INR 399

Rating: 4.5/5

cheers