WHAT MADE ME FAMOUS...

During my second year of engineering, there was one particular incident. Those days we were a group of seven girls, a gang in college. Our batch was giving welcome to our juniors. Some guy, while giving his intro, on stage, mentioned
NAARI NARQ KA DWAR HOTI HAI (Woman is the entrance to hell).

That had somehow agitated my dear friend LP, who was sitting below as audience. She couldn’t take this attack on the modesty of women and impulsively gave it back to the guy, at the top of her voice…
SAALE!!! USI DWAR SE TOH TUM LOG NIKALTE HO (You guys come from the same entrance).

Suddenly the entire hall went quiet for a moment. And the next second moment, the roof came down, with the whole crowd roaring with laughter. We were scandalized…our group had just become famous. After we returned from the event to the hostel, others in the group had no qualms giving her a piece of their minds. LP was obviously quite apologetic about her remark…but the thank-God-cows-don’t-fly moment was when she mentioned that what actually she wanted to say was,
USSI DWAR MEIN GHUSNE KE LIYE TOH TUM LOG MARE JAATE HO (It’s the same entrance you guys are dying to drive in to).
She opted for the other remark, since she believed this one would be too indecent to say. I must say we were obliged to her with our lives for having spared us those golden words.

While on our vacation last week for Bhai’s wedding, we happened to make a visit to one of Db’s friends. Knowing the name of my college, he got excited suddenly, it seems his younger brother was my junior at college. ‘I will tell him your name, I am sure he’d recognize you’, he said.

I bet he would…

FILING FOR VISA

Got to file my HSMP Visa ASAP. It seems they are gonna change the selection criteria, starting from April. I would then have to be a post graduate to file for the same. So this VISA thing has to be catalyzed to be completed by March lest I do not want any longer single hood days extending to a year or more, nor do I want to travel on a dependent VISA with no work permit.

The toughest part is, need to invest almost a LAKH for the VISA it seems…
AAHHHHHHHHH…MERE PAISE!!!!!

A LESSON LEARNT...

I came back from my brother’s wedding the day before. Frankly speaking I have never been very fond of my sister in law, not that we are on logger heads, we are rather very cordial to each other…but we aren’t the best of friends, unlike the way I am with Db’s sister.
But there is always something to learn from every person.

I remember the days when I just got married, I looked nothing less of a villager, straight out from a KANJIVARAM house, loaded with gold, and overdosed with red. That’s because, the new bride is supposed to look like a showpiece to respective relatives, of the kind of clothes and ornaments that she brings along. My in laws place had had a huge gang of relatives (the wedding video has it…when I entered the house, I feared my life…I thought I would die in the stampede), and a good chunk of them were above middle aged, who are in general more particular about the bahu looking like a bahu. So I had to be all red, with huge red BINDI, gold jewelry, GHUGHAT, heavy KANJIVARAM SAREES and above all GAJRA…eeks!!!! Db and I mutually decided we didn’t want to see those pictures again, so the album has been shoved into a corner and I have no idea where the CD is lying…and we also don’t show our wedding pics or CD to anyone.

But here I saw my SIL in a welcome new avatar.
Despite of the fact that I loathed the long hours that she spent in the parlors, the kind of money she spent on every single dress that she was wearing (more so since they are not reusable), but that fact that she was all so interested in herself is commendable. She was particular about every single inch of fat that she might put on, the kind of colors that suit her, the kind of jewelry that would go with her dress and personality. She wore all fancy sarees, not necessarily in red, she wore all good looking PATIALAS, slacks and Kurtas, perfect make up, and I must say she was looking great. I agree to the fact that, it was more because, we do not have our so called relatives breathing on our neck all the time, and my family is absolutely liberal in terms of what the bahu has to be wearing…but she took up this chance and was at her best…sure she wont be hiding her wedding albums from everyone.

May be I could have done the same. Agreed there were more people to please, and ones who are difficult to please as well, but It could have been better than what it turned out to be. May be I could have shopped for myself than leaving it all on my Mom, instead of just surrendering to what people made me into…I could have taken a stand and done myself they way I would like to see myself. But I rather, concentrated on pleasing others and hence a made a mess of one of my most memorable experience of my life.

Ah well!!! My SIL, deliberately or not deliberately has taught me the value of taking care of oneself. There were people congratulating my brother on his wedding and also for having got such a pretty wife.
Ever since my marriage, I have been more careless than ever, I hardly go to a parlour…my hair, my face, my clothes are all in a mess. I haven’t taken care of myself ever since. When we clicked a pic with my Dad, him holding me on one side and my SIL on the other, I could see the difference, she looked like a princess and I like..errr ahem ahem!!!

No I haven’t got a complex…for sure. I have always been like that…when in college I wouldn’t look at the mirror for days together, my friends would joke at me by asking when was the last I saw the mirror.
But I just see the importance of taking yourself seriously.
In April a few of Db’s friends are expected to come to Bangalore. It’s the same friend whose wife saw my wedding pics and commented on my weight (grrrrrrrrrr!!!), though I wasn’t all that fat, it was just the KANJIVARAM Saree. I really wanna present a better self to them, cant wait to see the twinkle on Db’s face when they compliment him about me.

OUR FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

To my wonderful husband, Db, and I. Wish you a very happy anniversary.

Whoooooooa!!! We have completed one year to our wedding, but lemme tell you it doesn’t feel half as long. Yes, the initial couple of days were trying times, but for sure, that has made our relationship a lot stronger and we, as a couple have grown so much closer.

Db is the best husband I could have. Yeah I know, a lot of women say the same thing about their husbands, but Db sure is. There are a few observations which bring me to this conclusion.

Firstly, in an arranged marriage in the Oriya community, it’s literally impossible to get a good bargain in terms of an accommodating, non interfering and yet supportive husband who respects your freedom as much as he does for himself. Trust me, I met a lot of DHAKKANS before I tied the knot.

Secondly, I am a real difficult person to be with…more due to my patience which is literally non-existent. I wear my brains on my heels most of the time and my switch for logic is short circuited. He puts up with a lot from me & right now I am taking this opportunity to tell him….THANK YOU! THANK YOU for ALWAYS being there for me. You are my everything. Without you I’m pretty sure my world would not exist.

And also, we have NOTHING in common, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING …and no marks for guessing who KINDLY ADJUSTS.

I guess what I’m trying to say is our differences hold us together, make us whole and keep things interesting.

I love that you are the last person I talk to before I go to sleep and the first person I see when I wake up…

So here’s raising a toast to our HAPPY WALLA wedding anniversary and I sincerely hope we have many more of the same in the years to come.

Cheers!!!

ADIEU SINGLEHOOD...

Db is back since last night…so hereby my single hood days come to an end.

Hey not that I am complaining. Of course because Db has got me soooooooooo many gifts from London, and a new microwave last night, and more new dresses and jewelry coming up this weekend, for my brother’s wedding in feb and not to forget we planned a vacation also(hurray !!! couple pics finally!!!). HOR KI CHAEEDA.

Of all pics that he’s got from London, there’s one that needs a special mention. Have a look at this one.

I was wondering whose statue was that, but that actually turned out to be a BEGGAR on the streets of LONDON. BEGGARS!!! IN LONDON!!! News to me!!!

Also the first question that struck me was…the money he spent on his attire could have easily sufficed him the money for food that he was begging for. But Db tells me that the beggars in London are not like the ones in India, they are pretty better-off financially. He mentioned a beggar that he spotted on the railway station who was playing an electronic guitar, which costs 200$-250$ on an average.

I wonder then why do they have to beg at all.

Hey, in that case, was the Bachan senior playing a beggar in JBJ??? All this while I thought he was playing rock star or something.

Hmm….

GRRRRRRRR!!!

@ 12 am

For more reasons than one:

Db's stay has been extended by another week...

I have had enough of my singlehood days...FULTOO BORED

None of my friends are free to meet me over the weekend...

My code is giving some weird error...

Satyam shares have fallen down to rupees 6...

And while I am ALL-SO-ANGRY, i am over a conference call with Db and his friend, who are discussing the margins if they open a boiled egg/omlette shop at the major office locations in Bangalore.

Grrrrrrrrr!!!

UPDATE @ 1 am

Now they are advocating laziness. All intelligent people are lazy, and only fools work hard. And the fact that we are lazy makes us intelligent.

I am not even in a mood to challenge this utterly KAMINI philosophy.

Grrrrrrrrrr Again!!!

HOME ALONE…BACK TO MY SINGLE DAYS FOR SOMETIME – III

My colleagues at office argued with me last night that Surya was better than Aamir in the Tamil version of Ghajini, I managed to catch a few scenes of the same on youtube…and without any doubts…Aamir rocks!!!

What a dull day this morning!!!

While I am staying alone, getting up at nine in the morning seems too early. Half the days I skip my breakfast and the other half of the days I skip my dinner.

My alarm shot at nine today. There was no sun in the balcony, I checked and rechecked the time, since it appeared no more than seven. Damn it’s actually nine. I literally dragged myself to cook something for dinner lest I skip dinner again today. I felt like a drunken monkey.

Reached office but there isn’t too much work either. Since last two weeks I have turned quite efficient. I am quite happy with my own performance this fortnight. That matters more than what others think. I can also point out a few limitations and bugs in hibernate. Howzzat!!!!

I never knew there were so many CHINDICHORS in my office. I got a new 2GB memory card and a pair of new earphones for my phone the other day. I kept the earphones in my drawer and somehow forgot to lock my drawer. My earphones are missing this morning. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!

The entire office, the news channels, the newspapers…all are talking about just one thing…SATYAM. Dude…I have some shares worth a ten thousand with Satyam, I bought them at 138 and now they are worth just 35. Damn!!!
I had this discussion with my colleagues this evening on this, as most of them would say that Ramalinga Raju is a fraud. Lot have been said and done about the same, Satyam Computers stripped off Golden Peacock Global Award, and they have been removed from the Sensex and Nifty as well…and sure a lot more is yet to come with each passing day.

But I actually feel sad for the guy. I mean…come on…who doesn’t manipulate balance sheets. I am sure all companies do it to some extent. You cant strive in business if you are a saint.

At school we manipulated the readings in the physics lab, the teacher knew it, I am sure he would have done it when he was in our shoes.
We get adulterated stuff everywhere, the milk, the rice, the oil…you name it.
People tamper with horoscopes in marriages.
The shopping malls increase the market price by 75% and give a 50% SALE on it.
Don’t we all tamper with data at some point for personal gain.

Yes, the crime is to get caught...and that's where Satyam went wrong.

I don't advocate what Ramalinga Raju has done but for sure he is not the only one, he is the only one who got caught...yet if he is to be believed, he hasn't used the money for his personal benefits, he just wanted to prevent his company from being taken over. So all I feel for him is pity and more so towards the employees who have their jobs at stake, more so since the IT is going through the worst recession phase...and the investors like me who are losing their hard earned money.

LOOKING BACK AT 2008

Some of my favorites moment of 2008:

The day I returned from our engagement and we went to the coffee shop at ROYAL ORCHID at 2am. 

My wedding with Db.

Our first valentines day, which was also the 4th day of our married life.

My first diamonds.

My new bike .

The day Db score 99 percentile in then SIMCAT, with absolutely no preparation.

Watching JODHA AKBAR with Db, which was our first movie together. 

The late night long drives.

Getting into the TCS top 100.

The few weeks that Db is out of country, I loved my single days.

My favorite movies:

Rock On

A Wednesday

Ghajini ( that’s only for Amir Khan)

Madagascar

Slumdog Millionare

HOME ALONE…BACK TO MY SINGLE DAYS FOR SOMETIME – II

It was a normal day at office.
I am getting to learn hibernates better with each passing day, which is also helping me get my confidence back. Well I always believed that being single makes you more efficient, so I hereby rest my case.

Last night I reached home around ten. Had a quick dinner (GOBI DA PARATHAS, again), spoke to my brother and his fiancée (huh!!!) on a conference call. Then spoke to Db on web cam till one. He showed me his apartment in London and a few pics from the flight.
At one I decided I wanted watch some movie, so scanned my pen drive for something that might look interesting (Db had actually copied some movies to my pen drive before leaving for London…cho chweeeet), got a movie called DIL KABADDI. It had quite an impressive cast but the movie was equally DABBA.
By two thirty, I couldn’t torture myself anymore with that shit. So I decided to sleep.

I have been worried all these days that when Db would be away, I would be scared to sleep alone in the dark. More so since just a few weeks back, a family staying just the floor above had committed suicide. I can see the living room window of that house open from my main door, and that open window scared me. We made sure that before Db leaves, we have good bed lighting system in the house and also I decided to keep the kitchen light on while I am sleeping during the night, never to step out to look at the gaping open window and avoid the kitchen as much as possible late night. But at the same time,all of it seemed weird, I have never been so chicken hearted all my life, so what is it that's tarnishing my spirit.
But thankfully, my spirit hasn’t died yet. Last night I came at ten in the night while the window was still open, moved to the kitchen quite a few times within twelve to two thirty in the night, and slept with all lights off. **BOW**

Well…in the morning the alarm shot at nine. I hit it shut and went back to sleep. Then suddenly the door bell rang, I woke to see that the maid was here for work. Damn she is early, I swore. I glanced at watch in the drawing room…I somehow felt it said 10.45. Ah!!! That damned watch has roman letters, and I am still half asleep to read roman.
I look at my mobile for time, its INDEED 10:45. DAMN!!! Suddenly as if the FORWARD button has been triggered on me.

Déjà vu…I wonder when was the last time I had been this careless…waking up almost before noon and rushing to office, skipping my bath ;)

HOME ALONE…BACK TO MY SINGLE DAYS FOR SOMETIME-I

Db is out of country for a fortnight. He started today morning around 5, I have been awake since then. First, it was the anxiety till his flight takes off and I am awake till now, for a similar anxiety for his flight to land…TEN TEN TENNEN…I have turned a wife…humph!!!

But it's comes with a good puff of my good old spinsterhood days. My TV hasn’t been off since 5 in the morning, I watched GHAJINI online (a full paragraph on that is coming next), had a conference call with Mom Dad and my Brother ( and his fiancée…huh!!!) online, finished a bottle of Thumps up, cooked for myself a couple of GOBI DA PARATHAS, planning to watch a few more movies(Oye Lucky Lucky Oye is in the queue) , in days to come after returning from office(late night, that is…), catch up with some old friends...quite sums up my life when I was single. The only difference is, I am missing Db a little too much…sigh!!!

Well coming to Ghajini…
I don’t say it’s a great movie…I saw a few scenes of the Telgu(or was it Tamil???) version and seems like it was a scene to scene copy of the original. But what makes this film special is one person called AMIR KHAN. I mean each word when I say I have no words to describe his acting. All bullshit that the media does about who is the King of bollywood…no SRK, no Salman, no Akshay can anywhere come anywhere close to Aamir. What an Amazing(with a capital A) performance…man you rock. You outdo yourself each time. He has very few dialogues in the movie, I have hardly seen a film where the main protagonist has such less words for himself…but man he still speaks louder than any of his costars, through this face and eyes. My favorite scene is the one when Jiah Khan reminds Aamir of his past at the hospital…the opening of the scene when Aamir is sitting on his bead totally blank, to the confused look on meeting Jiah, to his expression of ‘please tell me more’ all conveyed by his eyes and then his explosion in rage when he remembers his past…all these expressions come in a matter of some 10-15 seconds…left me spellbound. Asin is good , in fact quite good for a start in a peppy lovable character, while I wish Jiah Khan would have played a character who was dumb. The movie isn’t a very sleek one and the background score was irritating.

Well…more to come on my blog in the next two weeks, since I haven’t got too much to do after office…

Are you a ‘DUKHI COUPLE’???

We complete 10 months to our marriage today. yeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Kudos to Db for bearing me for that long, well…it’s still not over for him though.

Db and me, we had this discussion last night…it was triggered by the pictures of one of my very close friends who got married recently. Apparently she’d been to Mauritius for her honeymoon and hanged some her nice couple pics on orkut.

We have none???

Many of my friends on orkut have been complaining, requesting, urging me to hang some couple pics, but I can’t since I haven’t got any!!!
We couldn’t manage to go on a honeymoon due to our long wedding procedures and the paucity of leaves. Then we had Db’s BILLY and soon after the BILLY was out of the basket, Db has been ever so busy with his office work. So, we never managed to have a good social life either.
That explains the dearth of couple pics.

So do we look like a DUKHI COUPLE!!!
Since we don’t have couple pics, we do not meet a lot of people, not many social gatherings either, do we look like a DUKHI COUPLE to the world of our friends and acquaintances.

Db says it doesn’t matter to him what they think…but somehow it’s bothering me. I need some pics, in some nice location, holding hand in hand, smiling like there is no tomorrow…like a SUKHI COUPLE. Sounds silly…I know, but I want them…and I want them ASAP.

Why ASAP…there is a reason to that. I want to click some good pics before I put on any more weight than I already have.

*Wink!!!

A DAY OF SURPRISES

Last week was a two day week for me, since I was on leave for three days due to my bronchitis treatment. I joined on Thursday only to find that so many issues had been pending. So Friday was a mad mad day, sending status reports, metrics, issue trackers, response of which were awaited on Monday, since Thursday and Friday were bank holidays in US due to the Thanksgiving.

Monday there were no mails at all, no updates on issues, nobody available on the sametime too. We idly waited till 8 and left after leaving a reminder mail.

I come office this morning, I open my mail box and there is a farewell mail from my onsite co-ord. Had he resigned???…I speak to my team mates, nobody seems to know anything. Four other people have been released from our project too, including my manager. It’s believed to be due to cost cutting measures.
We have a release scheduled this Friday, we have been learning web services all these days for a new requirement coming in Jan, there are quite some issues to be fixed in the application…what about all that.

My mail box has a meeting invitation from my client late in the evening today. Is he going to say that we are also getting released? Oh this suspense is killing. I don’t want a release from this project. I have loved this place. Let’s see how the call goes. The future is unsure as of now.

Sigh!!!

UPDATE 3rd Dec 2008:
Seems we are safe as of now. Some people from onsite have been sent back and also a few people from offshore have been released due to cost cutting measures. But seems our team is supposed to hang on for a while. The application release is still schedule n Friday the 5th and we are supposed to fix all pending issues in the next three days.
Quite a relief though.

FEELING SICK AND GUILTY

A grew up hating doctors. Somehow I feel, doctors and hospital make me more sick, I feel they are gonna screw up my immune system.

I have this cold and cough, which is like an accepted companion for life now, I have learned to live with it over time. Nothing new for me this time as well, my most loyal companion has come to visit me yet again. I tried to hush it up with a few cough syrups, but it still managed to come back to me over and over again. But it has been more painful than ever before. Why is what I fail to understand. I have had this problem since ages, never had I been so sick or been taking so many leaves from office. I recall, with my previous employer, once I had met with a serious accident where I hurt my kneecap, I was limping to my office even on weekends…I got an infected eye due to my lenses, I was wearing my thick glasses to office, working with my eyes just a few inches from the screen, since I couldn’t see effectively through the glasses…I still cooked my own food in my flat…managed to go places for grocery and other chores all on my own. So what makes it different this time? I haven’t been cooking since last two days, Db picked me from office last night, and I don’t remember the last week when I worked for 5 days in office.

If Db is to be believed, he says, he’s seen many of his teammates (females) started applying for more sick leaves after they got married. But why. Is it because you get somebody to pamper you…!!! And I have a more comfortable team this time, so I can afford to get relaxed. I guess these are the reasons.

But also, I have a feeling that I haven’t been performing well at office this quarter. Somehow I sense I am the weakest link in my project, due to my performance and due to the fact that I have been taking so many leaves recently. They gave me a rating of four for my confirmation and the hike of a dream, but sure they expected more outta me, which clearly I didn’t meet. I make silly mistakes at work, I mean real silly ones, can’t focus on one thing, and I feel as if everybody around me realizes it too. What hurts me most is the fact that I am not inevitable for this project, while wherever I worked before, I was inevitable for the team. You know, it could also be me and just me thinking that way, since I tend to be a very unconfident individual myself…may be my team doesn’t think so. But so be it, when I feel that I am not worth the ratings I received from this team, I feel sick. I have even considered asking for a release from this project, but somehow I feel that urge to fight back. I try to pick up the toughest work of the assigned ones, but somehow I fall flat most of the time, since I am not able to focus.

I want to come back, gain faith on myself and my capabilities, and prove myself all over again, not to others, to myself primarily. But if I can’t in a few months, I will certainly ask for a release from this project, or look for another job where I can start afresh. I can’t stay here anymore with the feeling that I didn’t deserve what they gave me.

UPDATE 24th November:
I have been diagonalized with Bronchitis. So all that feeling of being sick all these days wasn’t a just a feeling in that case.
I was feeling guilty all the way since I had to take Friday off from office, but now, here I am, on leave on the Monday also, and may be on Tuesday and Wednesday too. I need to visit the hospital twice a day for the Nebulization. So you see, I am quite incapable of joining office. But the guilt factor is growing bigger, I am not capable of delivering what I am expected to. Sigh!!!
I need to try harder and give my best when I join office later this week.

RE-LIVE YOUR LIFE

Some one once told me that wish we had an edit button to life…we could have edited the things that happened which we didn’t like, only preserved things that delight us.

What would you do if you get a chance to relive your life…would you like to it to be the same or would you like add some difference to it.
Let me list out ten things, given a chance, I would have changed:

• I would certainly take up dancing and painting lessons.

• I would spend more time with my parents. I was always selfish to choose to be with my friends, when I should have been with them.

• I would be more fun loving and extrovert at college (parties, discos, boys...I hardly made to any of these) .

• I would do an MBA.

• I would choose the people (read friends) I hang around with more carefully.

• I would be with more men, so that I would get to know the species better (my gang was mostly...all girls) .

• I wouldn’t come to Bangalore (oh…then how could have I found Db then!!! well then…let me rephrase it. I wouldn’t have come to Bangalore for the reasons I did).

• I would work on my confidence, so that I can face life with more of the same.

• I would learn the art of saying NO to people. Something I am still learning… never say YES when you want to say NO.

• I would learn to judge people and their intentions and not to trust them blindly. I then wouldn’t have made a fool of myself. Again something I am still learning.

On the other hand, I don’t really wish to change anything. Since it would also take away what I learnt from my mistakes. I still want to meet the wrong people, so that when I meet the right ones, I’d appreciate them.
Hmm…confused me…ARGH!!!GEMINIS…

Let me hear your list…

Oops I did it again!!!

Yes, I was again offered a chance to move to onsite, but (again), I refused. I can’t you see, just leave everything and off for a year…not possible. I am sure I am soon gonna create a record on my misses, but hey no regrets…I have better things in life to care for.

But then…what’s this!!!

The person who is being sent on my behalf, he asked me to help him fill up his L1 Blanket documents. And here I go…I am jealous...jealous for something which was offered to me first, which I gracefully declined. So, ideally I am not supposed to complain. But here I am, too much human, I want everything…

Sigh!!!

If I could change things...

I am worried for my friend.

She’s been my best buddy since, what, almost ten years.

I remember, the first day at college, the eleventh standard that is. I got through this school, which was supposed to be the best school then, all crème students of the city were part of the school.

Before you start flattering me, as to how bright I was to have made it to this school, I must tell you that it was not my fault at all, the selection panel is to be blamed. I, on the contrary was a round faced, overweighed, unconfident creature, with heavy black glasses and oiled hair, riding on a blue Atlas Goldline Super. Not many were interested in making friendship with me, due to my uninviting personality…I mean not even the girls, forget the men.

I don’t exactly remember how we met, but I do remember that she was the only one I found myself comfortable with…and till date we make the best of friends. She has been there with me thick and thin, though I can’t bet on if I reciprocated the same, I had always been the selfish one. A wonderful person, a great listener, very humble and a go getter. I am completely in awe of her.

Never did I ever think that I would suspect her decisions. I don’t want her to hurt herself. How wish I could help her see some reason. But I can’t, I know.

The most experienced and composed people tend to turn into mere fools. Love actually makes you do strange things; you tend to do things which OTHERWISE you wouldn’t have…because at times like this, you tend to see the world with colored glasses, conveniently ignoring the harsh realities that lie beneath. And when the realities come out in the open to challenge you, the world comes crashing down on you… and all you are left wondering, is how you could have been such a fool. The loss is too much to handle, you lose your innocence, your confidence, the ability to trust people…and all you get is the ghost of the past haunting you all the time.

I wish I could save her from this, since I already see the future which she can’t. I will be happy if she proves me wrong, and see her living happily, and proud of her decisions.

As they say, if you make mistakes in life, God also makes sure you have the capability to bear the consequences. But wish I could change things...

Neverthess, I hope, I am there for her when she needs me.

ONE DAY AT COFFEE DAY...

Yes and I am little too polite (friendly may be) to the waiters at the restaurants I visit…and sometimes it backfires.

There is a COFFEE DAY quite close to my house (within a kilometer diameter is considered to be near in Bangalore). So we happen to visit it quite sometimes. One fine day, when I and Db had been there for breakfast, as we were fighting over the menu, I noticed the waiter smiling at us. I wondered if he understood Oriya, but then we just let that pass.

Many a times, I visit the place on my way back from office, to grab a quick sandwich if I missed my evening snacks at office. One such day, I went in. I was greeted by the same waiter…

Good Evening maa’m…he smiled.

I smiled back

Good evening. Could you please pack me a Chicken Tikka Sandwich. Quick Please.

Sure…Au kichi maa’m.(anything else maa’m)

I impulsively raised an eyebrow and smiled at him

Na..setiki ( No that should be fine)

I left with my parcel. I could hear him say…

Sabdhan re jibe maa’m (please drive carefully maa’m)

I was really touched by his gesture. It sure feels good to find a fellow Oriya in Bangalore…and more so when we acknowledge each other.

Last night I happened to go there again. I was greeted by another waiter, though I could find the Oriya guy at the cashier counter. I ordered my usual sandwich, and sat down on the couch with a coffee to kill time. Soon same Oriya guy arrived with my sandwich and the bill.

So how was the diwali maa’m. he smiled at me.

It was good.

So maa’m, what do you do here?

I work.

Where???

IT. What else do Oriya people do here in Bangalore!!!
Suddenly I realized that most of the security guards, watchmen and cooks were also Oriya in Bangalore. But I was sure I didn’t look like one of them.

Married...he inquired.

Yes…my voice had a tinge of skepticism.

Well maa’m, which place from Orissa do you belong?

Rourkela. And where are you from?

Cuttack. Hmm…Rourkela. My girlfriend got married there.
I raised an eyebrow. I didn’t expect him to give me his love details to someone who is almost a stranger. But visibly he misinterpreted my reaction.

No no maa’m. I have no contacts with her anymore…he cleared (As if I was bothered…huh!!!). Last time I went back to my village, she came with her son. That’s when I met her. I am married now, I have two kids…my daughter is 6 years old and my son is 2. So you see, we are both happywith our lives.

Yeah. I started looking at my watch.

I have been across almost the entire west Orissa, worked in almost all kind of restaurants (I was wondering by any chance he believes that people working in IT can refer waiters at restaurants). But then my parents and my brother shifted to Bangalore, so I thought what would I do alone in Orissa, so I joined them too here.

My smile was fast vanishing now.

Oh maa’m. the guy who joins you here often, he must be your husband right!!!

(What the fuck!!!) Yeah. I gotta leave now. Thanks.

Sure maa’m.

I rushed towards the door.

Sabdhan re jibe maa’m (Please drive carefully maa’m).

I went towards my bike without looking back.

I have always been polite to people of the lower grade. That’s because I believe, that makes them happy, feel individual and acknowledged. The lady who cleans the rest room in my office, the security guard who checks me when I enter the office gate, the helper at the coffee machine, the laundry guy for our apartment, my house maid, I always exchange a “hello…how are you” with them. And it makes me feel good since I do consider life is gonna be terrible without them.

But, this time it was like…

बच्चा समझ के गोद में उठा लीया तो कान में सुसु कर दीया

DEEPAWALI CELEBRATION AT OFFICE

Today we had a deepawali celebration at office. Well…I didn’t expect much from it, but some how it was good.

I was really tempted to jump on the stage, but alas…the no. of years and kilos that I have put on, steals away most of the confidence and zeal.

Back in the college days, I remember, jumping on the stage with my friends while the junior was performing on the welcome day for the electricals. We danced the entire song off, while the junior who was originally performing ended up being a spectator herself.

I think I have done it all, all kinds of dancing, singing, a minuscule bit of acting too. But where is the confidence to perform among a thousand people now. I never shied away from the crowd before.

I saw quite a good number of people performing today, not all of them were good but at least they had the guts to come up on stage and give it a shot. A few were so free and absolutely unaware about the spectators, they clearly came to enjoy themselves. I sure believe I was a lot better than most of them, but that’s BOL BACHAN...the end of it, all that matters is, I didn’t have the courage to perform among so many people, which they did. Next time I am sure gonna try something.

And yes...before I forget…HAPPY DIWALI TO ALL OF YOU

The great wall street meltdown

Came accross a nice article on the US recession and the crisis in the finacial market explained in a very simple and interesting way. Have a look:

The great wall street meltdown

FLATTERED...

Off late a lot of people have been surprised to know my marital status. There have been three cases already where people gave me that Oh-you-are-married look to me. May be I am too young to be married…hmm…don’t think so. Then it must be MERI TWACHA SE MERI UMR KA PATA HI NAHIN CHALTA…
Too flattered…more so when Db has been creating a fuss over my steady weight gain all these days.

As happy and thrilled as I am, that doesn’t mean I am gonna forget about my pledge to lose weight. Who knows I might turn into a size zero figure aka Kareena dearest.