Getting to the Ganga

The Himalayas are still too far away to get to this time around. But what we did get to was the Ganga. And places like Rishikesh and Haridwar, which all of which were just names I heard from my grandparents. Till now. And a huge area called Rajaji Wildlife Reserve - it was gorgeous to see so much greenery (and animals) here.

And of course, local shopping, exquisite mehendi (henna designs) done on our hands on the road, a glut of sweets....the list goes on. Only a few more days to go here, till we move down south...

In Dehradun

True to form this time, even my last flight from Delhi to DDN was late. I was in a foul mood and completely exhausted.

The 40-seater small aircraft and its bumpy takeoff didn't help my mood any. Till, in the distance, I saw the first sight of the Himalayas - snow capped and extending in both directions as far as I could see. I was moved. I had never imagined that I would set eyes on the Himalayas in person in this lifetime or that it would affect me so much. It was just awesome and was so completely unexpected. Suddenly, it was as if all the hassle with getting here never even happened.

And so now, I am in Dehradun. Small city, friendly people. The house has a view of Mussorie from the front balcony. We are planning to go there soon.
**********************************************************************************
It is really surprising to see what draws the attention of kids. Small N is fascinated by a brick house being built next door. She spends hours watching them lay the bricks in a row, putting cement on top and then moving on to the next row. She's never seen any brick houses being built, only wooden houses in NZ.

Still in Singapore

Thanks to my AKL-SIN flight being cancelled on Nov 29. Spent Nov 29 in Akl & Nov 30 in Sing. Sat around in AKL departure lounge till 5 am to be told that the flight had engine troubles that could not be rectified and that it was being cancelled.

Exhausted after two nights of hardly any sleep and now third night of the same looming up in the form of Delhi flight.

If all goes well, should reach at least 1 Dec.

It has got to end

Almost set to go. The bags are packed and the tickets and passports are in my bag. But I feel so different to what I did just before the happenings in Mumbai.

I feel rage, sorrow, horror ...and the hostage situation is still going on. It is obvious that it is not just the whites who are being targetted. It is all the 'infidels'.

Your God, their God, my God or any God in whose name such things are done, will damn their souls to all eternity for all that they are doing now, all that they have done in the past and what they will undoubtedly continue doing in the future. If I had a gun now, I would have willingly shot the bastards.

But anger is not for now. I say Om Shanthi shanthi shanthi: and think of what Gandhiji said: an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.

When will all this end and how?

Born or made?

Had this really heated argument with friends here yesterday.

Perspective #1: All kids are born with innate intelligence. It is how life and circumstances enable them to apply what they were born with that creates geniuses and super-intelligent kids – ie, everyone has the ability to ‘shine’ but only some are given the circumstances that enable them to do so.

Perspective #2: Only some kids are born with the ability to be highly intelligent and to do well academically and otherwise. That is why not all kids are bright and superachievers because they don't have that ability .

Three of us screamed like banshees for 5 minutes, trying to convince each other that our perspective was the right one. The fourth one was waiting for the right time to make her point. After 5 minutes, we all had to split to complete various other chores at home. So the debate was inconclusive. Just as well, as otherwise, being mature, intelligent women, we might have come to blows;-)

Now, which one is the right perspective?

Counting down now …

… and only 4 more days to go.

Feeling faint trickles of excitement.

Also, trepidation when I think of how much I want to squeeze into those 6 weeks away.

And annoyance at having to repack my bags for the nth time to make sure it is all within the measly 20 kg baggage weight that I am allowed (I hate the fact that just because I am not flying from or to the US, my baggage allowance is so drastically reduced - that's just so wrong).

And just sheer irritation when I think of the number of flights – 4 – that I have to take to get to my destination.

WLG-AKL-SIN-DEL-DDN – here I come.

Checking the checklist

I am getting nervous.

So many last minute things to do before going away to Bharat and I can't remember half of them.

Yes, I have made a checklist, but the problem is that I forget many of the things that pop into my mind, before updating the checklist...

I should find some way of making sure that my checklist is complete and that I complete all the things on it. Heaven help me!

Goodbye Helen

I really enjoyed this au revoir piece on Helen. Funny, not too maudlin.

Helen had to go not because she was bad for NZ (au contraire), but because we'd gotten really bored with seeing her mug on telly for the last nine years.

And, in spite of an Aussie newspaper calling us druken slugs for having voted a former investmnent banker to power, I am still looking forward to John Key.

My first freegan encounter

While waiting at the supermarket checkout on Sunday, I was idly flicking through a mag on all things green. And in there was an article on the food fad known as ‘freeganism’.

Click here to read the rest of the post.

Oops! (or is it actually sigh?)

It’s now more than two weeks at the new job, and things couldn’t be any different or any better.

There is such a strong team culture and doing things as a team is the norm here. And I actually heard words like well done and perfect applied to work done all the time. And of course the fact that work is only 8km away from home and I can drive in each day and get free parking. Any wonder that I can’t stop grinning?

It is a whole new world of GA (general aviation), RPLs (recreational pilot licences) and what not. And it is such fun (yes, fun).

But there’s a fly in every ointment. My own personal dhristhi pariharam. The hardest thing is not the jargon, but getting used to and recognising a whole set of ‘new’ people. I am beginning to suspect that this is something I am rather hopeless at. And this is because....read on.

I went down to the main kitchen to get a cappuccino this morning. Saw a whole crowd of blokes hanging around there. Said hi to them and waited for the machine to make my cappuchino. One of the chaps looked strangely familiar. I sneaked another quick look at him and decided I must have seen him:
a. on the train to Wlg in my previous job
b. he had been a retail assistant in one of the shops I frequented
c. he had been on TV, that’s why he looked familiar.

For some reason, I was convinced that it was option c that was the right one.

It would have been alright if I had stopped with just thinking that. But me, I have to talk, don't I? So I said to him, have we met before? He gave me a very strange look and said yes, we have, we had all our IT training together last week. Then it hit me, he was J, another newbie like me in my workplace and we’d gone through two 2-hour systems training sessions together just a few days ago. And I thought I’d seen him on TV!!! OMG! How could I. How did the TV even come into the picture? I’ve officially lost it.

I apologised profusely and said all the right things about how my memory was a like a sieve and he was nice enough to come up with some of his own faux pas. But this is worrying. I can’t be so scatter-brained. Just not good enough.

And ...this isn't the first time such a thing has happened to me.

35 years ago

SGR: 30 June 1942 to 30 October 1973

It was the lightning that woke her up. At least that’s what she thought. She could hear the rain and see the lightning through the small window in the bedroom. As she closed her eyes again, and curled up all ready to go to sleep again, she saw her father coming into the bedroom. He was leaning on her mother and saying Muddiyalay, oru madhiri irukku (Very tired, feeling unwell/uncomfortable). She went right back to sleep the comfortable sleep of a four-year old.

Till she was woken up yet again. She was angry then. She didn’t want to get up. But somebody was asking her to, calling her name and patting her shoulder. She sleepily opened her eyes. How funny!!! It was still dark. And there were so many people in the bedroom. The auntie from the opposite flat. Some man who was rubbing Daddy’s feet – Daddy was lying still on the bed. And someone else too. And where was amma? She was standing near the bed and was she crying? Where was her little brother?

But before she could go to her amma, the auntie grabbed her hand and said, come on, let us go and sleep in my house. No, no, I don’t want to, she said. I want to be here with amma. But somehow, nobody seemed to be taking much notice of her – not even when she burst into tears.

She didn’t remember where or how she slept in that auntie’s house that night. Nor did she remember what happened the next few days except for a few stray incidents. Lots and lots of people in her house, thatha, patti, mamas, mamis, periappas, chittis etc. The whole gamut of relatives and lots of other people she did not know.

Lots of men chanting and her father lying in balcony of their home. And horrors, someone cutting away his shirt. Actually cutting it. She ran forward, asking them to stop, but again, she was shushed, albeit gently. Didn’t they understand that they were ruining her Daddy’s shirt?

She also remembered a whole group of people going away from home, some of them carrying her father on their shoulders. And she was angry that her brother got to go out with them and she wasn’t allowed. She wanted to badger her amma till she was allowed to go with them. But she was told that she couldn’t,and once again her mini-tantrum was ignored.

As days passed, she simply accepted the fact that they were now living in Mylapore, with her thatha and patti, instead of in Ashok Nagar. She accepted that she had a new school and a new life. She accepted that her mother had to go to ‘office’ now daily. As children do.

Things went on as per normal.

Being a child, she also accepted the gradual realisation that came to her – that she would never see her Daddy again.

This is what I can remember about the night my life and my family’s life changed forever. Sometimes I wonder how I can remember it so clearly when I can barely remember anything of my life before that day…

New day, new job, new jargon to learn...;-)

Navarathri manjal kungumam invite

Happy Saraswathi puja to you all.

Ladies, and girls: check out our kolu (in its full glory below) and do drop in for manjal kungumam (haldi kumkum) and prasadam (sundal et al).

The men are welcome too!


this here is our wildlife reserve on the right and the farm on the left.

This is of course, Disneyland!!!! Don't miss the skating rink.

PS: In case you are not familiar with the bommai kolu concept, please remember that a willing suspension of disbelief is essential to enjoy the spectacle in its entirety.

An award: and going, going, gone…

My first ever blog award! Thanks to Shyam for giving me this.I am touched and pleased!

And then, along with Navarathri rounds, things are happening so quickly now, they still haven’t sunk in. Life’s a bit of a blur at the mo.

I am moving from here. Moving, moving, moving. Just in case you didn’t get it, it’s time to move on from here, new job beckons. But before that, I am taking some time off to get to know I, me and myself all over again!

The countdown has begun!! Only today and tomorrow to go…

No more train into town at unearthly hours in the morning. Although I admit, I might even miss it and the fellow sufferers who travel into town along with me every morning. I will miss the sweet-looking old lady who has her hair up in a bun everyday and wears a skirt. I will miss the flat-faced bloke with green hair and jeans that just about manage to stay up on his waist. I will miss the guy with the earphones who looks like he has burnt skin. I will miss the mustached man who gets off at Ava daily. I will miss the middle-aged couple who hold hands when they get off from the train in Wellington. I will miss…

But, most of all, I will miss all the wonderful people whom I will leave behind when I walk out of this role. They are more than workmates - they are friends and I truly will treasure the time I have spent with them.

But for now, leaving, leaving, leaving, that’s the only thought in my mind. Freedom beckons…

I managed to make time to watch Singh is Kinng on the weekend.

I wish I hadn’t. Singh isn’t the king or even a yuvraj or a manthri, but rather, a complete two-dimensional moron, who ends up getting the gorgeous girl only because it is a badly-made Bollywood movie. *snore*

Can somebody, anybody tell me how that movie became such a hit - I do have a very fertile imagination, but this one is beyond me!

Dy(e)ing to design

I was at the littlie’s school last evening to demonstrate ‘India’, as their topic for this term is India. From saris to ghagras and Diwali, we talked about all that and then talked some more to the kids about henna.

Finally came the practical session, which was also the grand finale of the evening: we had to put henna on the kids’ hands. Although I can do the southie way of henna quite well (which is more basic shapes, as opposed to the really delicate northie designs), I did my darnedest best to accommodate the kids’ requests, such as hearts, butterflies, suns etc. Till it was one little boy’s turn.

Little Boy: Can I have a shape done on my hand too?
Me: (encouragingly)'Course, u can. What shape would you like?
LB: A body?
Me: A body? (struggling a bit here)Um, sure, what sort of a body?
LB: A dead body…

Of xenophobes and lunatics

Such xenophobic, parochially prejudiced idiots are dangerous and should be made taboo, illegal, and certified - permanently. If you listen to him talking, then you’d think that Maharashtra is a separate country, as are Delhi, UP and the South – separate from India, that is!!! And targeting famous faces only, as that is good publicity. And we all know that any publicity for such slime is good publicity.

And Hindi films are banned in the South in Tamil Nadu? Does he even know what he’s talking about? Some of the highest grossing films recently have been Hindi movies. Talk about rabble rousers and opportunistic politicians! Disgusting!

Is it…? Yes, it is Ganesha, but not as we know him

The pits. PC gone crazy. How can Pillaiyar be Pillaiyar without that distinctive 'thoppai'? A slim Ganesha???? With 6-pack abs?

Anyways, a happy Vinayaka Chaturthi to you all. And the Ganesha I know and love at home still has his paunch intact.

Solliloquy

Why, why, why? To eat or not to eat, that is the question.

I am only human and like all humans want to impress the top boss on the rare occasions when I do see him. Today I did see him, he came down to my floor. And what’s more, he came to talk specifically to me. And what was I doing when he came? I was in the process of shoving a large spoonful of smelly rice into my mouth. Very edifying spectacle. I am sure he went away completely impressed.

Why, why why? Why couldn’t I be talking impressively on the phone, or typing an official email or organising some meeting or making a clever joke when he came? Of course, since I am eating most of the time I am at work, maybe that is to be expected;-( I am depressed. I am off to eat some more comfort foods (chocolate).

Theratti paal in ten minutes

Fancy home-made theratti paal in 10 minutes flat? Then check this out.

Madras nalla Madras

Apparently, now, Madras day is on Aug 22. This is the first time I’ve heard of it, but I say, way to go.

The city that is used and then abused by many, even its ex-natives, has a lot to offer. Come hell or high water, Chennai is home.

Here
are some choice snippets to celebrate the ‘real’ city and
here you have a view from a moderate ‘northie’.

Read on and if you have been one of the city's abusers, regret!

A corny tale

When I first read the headline, I thought it was a deliberately misleading one. Like the ones goss mags use: Aamir kicks SRK etc. And then you read the article to discover that in reality, Aamir had kicked a dog named SRK or whatever…..boring.

So, that’s why I thought it was one of those headlines. Because, like you, I too thought corn was more than healthy – super healthy, in fact. A lot depends on how you use it I guess. Click here to see what I mean.

This is yet another example of the US sowing the seed and the whole world happily reaping the fruit or in this case, kernel. Like they didn’t have a mind of their own!

And of course, not to mention the gazillion dollars that will be spent in‘re-educating’ people around the world about healthy food, exercise et al. Except maybe in Africa.

Sometimes I think the US is the worst joke that someone played on the modern world. And on those poor Americans. God save America.

Rats!!

I am sure this is a joke, although in very bad taste!

And here I was thinking the Aussies had gone weird by putting kangaroo meat on their menus as their way of eliminating those ‘pests’!

And rat ‘meat’ is a healthy alternative? Carry on like this, and we’ll have a mad rat disease soon enough. Like we don’t have enough to worry about in India.

Faking it

This literally makes me see red.

I can live with (or without) the fake fireworks and the fake cleanliness. But this?

How could they do that to a child? How? Start early. Start telling them from now that they are “ugly”. No age is too early to start the stereotyping. I feel sick.

What else will they fake next?

Triumph

If all the 6.684 billion+ people in the world cheered at the same time, at India winning its first ever individual Olympic gold medal (Abhinav Bindra, Beijing Games) what would it sound like?

Cashew memories

Take a childhood memory.
Fry it in lots and lots of nostalgia.
And what do you get? Click here to see.

Saw Mamma Mia last night. Strongly recommended (by me) as feel-good chick flick with stunning visuals (shot in Greece), gorgeous colour, plenty of eye candy (Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and lots of other young laddies), charged acting (Meryl Streep, Amanda whoever) and lots of old ABBA hits (it is a musical, after all). Only, Brosnan can't really sing but gets to do quite a lot of it. Firth can sing, but doesn't get to do a lot of it.

To read a complete review, click here.

Also recommended: Kung fu Panda. Yes, for adults too. Jack Black rox.

That'll be the day

Abhi dancing like Ash? With his two left feet?

This I've gotta see.

But on second thoughts, considering how much it costs,it probably isn't worth it;-)Sour grapes?

Teacher talk

(This is a true incident. Names of teachers, students and subjects have been changed for their own protection:-)

Student Brinch: Miss Maples, can we please have our philosophy assignment grades.

Miss Maples: I am sorry, but you can’t because I haven’t marked them yet.

SB: But Miss Maples, Miss Figg’s class have had their assignments back 3 days ago. Why can’t we?

MM: Well, Miss Figg may not have a life, but I do!!

Whoever said it’s only the youth of today who are goners?

Heroes

They come in all shapes, sizes, colours and flavours….er, maybe not flavours (got a bit carried away there, sorry). But there’s no telling who could be the next hero and where. I just found an unexpected one last week.

It gave me back some of my childhood ideals to see someone who will speak up against injustice and unfairness, even though it wasn’t directed against them, and never mind the consequences. It made a huge difference seeing that someone cares enough to want to make the place a much better one for others to be in. It matters, hugely, that someone would go out of their way to do it, instead of going their way, saying, “Oh, that isn’t my business.”

If you are reading this, you know I am talking about you. Nunri, gracias, merci, dhanyavad, shukriya and thanks…This may not change the world, but sure as hell, will change mine, for the better.

Page 123 - The Book tag

This tag from Shyam (well, who else?). Considering how long I normally take to do tags, this one has been completed in record time.

Rules of the game, I mean, tag:
1. Pick up the nearest or any book handy.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge the person who tagged you.

At long last, I have a book with me, thanks to this tag. It is On Beauty by Zadie Smith.

A Sunday Times topseller and according to the NY Times, “…it is that rare thing: a novel that is as affecting as it is entertaining”.

I have no clue what the book is about or how the novel will be as this is a new author I am trying out now, thanks to a workmate. And I haven’t even read Page 1. But for the tag, here is extract from Page 123:

“Like one of the statuaries in the bottom of the Fitzwilliam, in Cambridge. You’ve seen those, right? Such an anciently wonderful face.”

Ooh, sound interesting and intriguing.

Now, for rule #5. Hardest of all for me. Finding 5 more to tag. I mean, I don’t even know who visits my blog anymore, ‘coz most people just zip in and skip out without even saying hi (hint, hint). So, I’ll just have to guess and pick, eh? I do know that some of you don’t have blogs, but you can stick your replies in my comments box. And let me know when you’re done, please....

1. Rads
2. Lak
3. Vidya
4. Heather
5. Jo

Throwing stones...

And here’s the next article (obviously written by an American or someone very pro-US) blaming the BRIC countries (that’s Brazil, Russia, India and China, in case you didn’t know), especially India and China for everything from the US recession to rising prices. I can't be more specific that that, as this is a yet to be published article that I am currently working on.

But hey, when you live in a glass house, you shouldn’t throw stones at others. If you do, you’re liable to get bric(k)s thrown right back at you;-)

Having brought the world to the current mess it is in now, the US and its cuzzies have some gall, asking India and China to control their emissions and resource consumption!!! Bio fuel, any one?

Experiment

Aim of the experiment: To find a de-stresser, beat the winter blues.

Apparatus: One primary school, whole lot of parents, their kids and a few dance moves.

Procedure:
Step 1: Find out at the 11th hour that your child has a folk dance show at school that evening.
Step 2: Forget cooking (helps when you have an older child who is amenable to making pizza), get child ready, go to school.
Step 3: Drop child off and sit with other parents as (supposedly) audience.
Step 4: Watch group of kids dance and cheer them on, thinking: this is real cute.
Step 5: Discover at the end of that dance that parents of those children are expected to join their kids for the next round of dancing and do the same dance moves (what? I didn’t even look properly).
Step 6: Wait for you turn with some trepidation (yup, this is exactly what I wanted – to make a fool of myself in front of 200 other people).
Step 7: Loving the way your child and her class dance.
Step 8: Psyching yourself up and stepping onto the dance floor, as you know your child will be utterly disappointed if you don’t.
Step 9: Dancing, absolutely loving every minute of it.
Step 10: Feeling great after the dance is over, in spite of the wheezing breath.

Observation: Most parents wore smiles on their faces throughout the evening. So did the teachers and the kids. Personally, you’re left feeling really relaxed and happy.

Inference: It really works! Dancing an impromptu jig with your child, in front of an audience, is a great way to feel good;-) Just try it.

__________________! Aargh!!! Or should it be *sigh*

Graduate no robes

I saw the latest lot of varsity grads doing their usual parade around Wlg CBD during lunch time today. Lovely, with lots of pretty young things and tired old things, wearing the traditional graduate robes.

Was that how I’d looked like when I graduated too? In those robes?

Then I remembered. For some strange reason, me and my good friend S, who both graduated at the same time and in the same subjects, decided we wouldn’t dress up in those mouldy old robes and have our photos taken. While the rest of our batchmates took centrestage and received certs awarded by Madras University, we sat on the sidelines (and sulked?) and picked up our certs later.

You ask me why we did that? For the life of me, I cannot remember what that reason was!!!

One year on...

Fudge was a little darling, for sure. Very good-looking too, and completely aware of it. And the red eyes are from the camera, his were black.

The one-word tag

Another tag, but they’re mostly no-brainers, so here goes. Oh, I got this from Shyam’s blog.

The rules are:

1. After reading my answers, copy and paste the list into your blog.

2. Change my one-word responses with yours (but I have used two words, you’re not allowed to!).

3. Publish your blog post.

4. Send me a link on my comments box.

If you get something out of a vending machine, it's most likely to be: chocolate/chips;-)
A word you sometimes catch yourself misspelling: focused
You least want people to see you as: dumb
You're a little scared of: creepy-crawlies (that counts as one word, hopefully)
The least attractive thing you do in your sleep: Snore
The number of contacts in your cell phone: Heaps
How many of them are restaurants: None
You lose your cool when someone: shouts
When you go to the drugstore, you often can't leave without buying: something
Your dance moves can best be described as: graceless
The majority of your underwear is: ewwwwwwwww
Something you eat even though you hate how bad it is for you: sweets
You think you're really not a great: teacher
How much cash is in your wallet right now: $1
The majority of your shoes are this color: Black
You don't think you'll ever be able to get rid of your: accent
If your breath is bad, it's most likely because you had: garlic/milk
You feel embarrassed when you: stammer
The last public place where you used the restroom: railway station?
Something you don't like to debate in mixed company: religion
You don't think you can pull off wearing: evening dresses
Something you own entirely too much of:clothes
Someone you would love to see in concert who might bring down your street cred: Dunno
The last thing that you spilled on yourself: rasam
If you were on a reality show, the producers would likely portray/characterise you as the: nerd (yay, nerds are cool)

Nostalgia

Yesterday evening, I was belting along the motorway at 100k+, listening to an old tape that was playing in the car – ARR’s Vande Mataram (the original version). And suddenly, out of the blue, I was swept away by a wave of nostalgia and longing so strong, it brought tears to my eyes.

Was I homesick, now, more than eight years away from India? And if that was indeed homesickness, what was I pining for? Family, friends, food, faves? Or was I merely being nostalgic because I associated that Vande Mataram with happy childhood memories of All India Radio playing the same tune? Or was it just the effect of impending winter on an already-tired person? Or maybe it is just that the the tune of Vande Mataram is quite poignant?

I did some soul-searching but just couldn’t come up with any satisfactory answers. Whatever it was (and it lasted a few minutes), it was so unexpected. And it convinced me that you can take the Indian out of India, but you can’t take the India out of the Indian.

I don’t expect everyone and anyone who reads this to agree, but I do wonder: have any of you experienced a similar feeling brought on by some such incident/happening? And what was the explanation you were able to come up for this happening? Do share and enlighten me.

Tagged and about time too!

Last Movie You Saw In A Theater:
Jodha Akbar.

What Book Are You Reading:
Nothing – am I for real? Although I am currently reading some unpublished excerpts from Ashok Banker's works, thanks to the author himself...

Favourite Board Game:
Gah, dunno.

Favorite Magazines:
The only one I read nowadays is Economist and I quite like it.

Favorite Smells:
sandalwood, all citrusy smells, fresh mint, fresh coffee

Favorite Sound:
River/stream sounds, birdsong, child’s laughter

Worst Feeling In The World:
Seeing/reading/hearing about suffering and being unable to help

What Is The First Thing You Think Of When You Wake?
"God", or "What’s the time” or “I hope it isn’t raining or cold”

Favorite Fast Food Place:
None in NZ. Call me ‘pattikadu’ but in Chennai, it is Saravana Bhavan…

Future Child’s Name:
You’re joking – and if you think that’s a name, fine, go ahead.

Finish This Statement. “If I Had A Lot Of Money I’d…”
Quit my job, hire some house help, travel heaps, buy another car and a bigger, more modern house and do tons of charity, of course, all to excellent worthwhile causes - I'd be a regular Warren Buffet and Bill Gates rolled into one.

Do You Drive Fast?
Often *wink*

Do You Sleep With A Stuffed Animal?
No

Storms - Cool Or Scary?
Scary.

What Was Your First Car?
My first car was a Nissan Sunny, white, and on its abso last
legs….

Favorite Drink:
Water.

Finish This Statement, “If I Had The Time I Would …..”
Exercise more, visit more people, spend more time with kids, cook more …well more of pretty much everything I do now, except office.. he he

Do You Eat The Stems On Broccoli?
Strange question. But yes, I do.

If You Could Dye Your Hair Any Color, What Would Be Your Choice?
Black with reddy-brown foils

Name All The Different Cities/Towns You Have Lived In.
Madras/Chennai and Wellington. Haven’t led a very adventurous life, I’m afraid…

Favorite Sports To Watch:
Very very rarely, cricket.

One Nice Thing About The Person Who Sent This To You:
Well, all the things I want to say about Shyam are nice, so hard to pick just one, eh? But since that makes Shyam think that I am side-stepping the issue diplomatically (which I truly wasn't), let me say, she's got a voice to die for, hair to live for, and having her as a friend makes life much more fun!!! (and mind you, whatever she says, all of that is true!)

What’s Under Your Bed?
An empty flower pot.

Would You Like To Be Born As Yourself Again?
Not really thanks.

Morning Person Or Night Owl?
Night owl, but now twisted and warped beyond recognition into a very grouchy morning person (what that means is that I have to get up at unearthly hours to get to work on time;-(

Over Easy Or Sunny Side Up?
If that’s eggs, I don’t eat ‘em.

Favorite Place To Relax:
At home…

Favorite Pie:
Apple, maybe?

Favorite Ice Cream Flavour:
Ooh easy one, esply now: walnut with maple syrup;-)

You pass this tag to -
Can’t think of absolutely anyone, so whoever wants to do this tag is welcome to. Just let me know if you got tagged be me, though…that is, after reading my blog;-)

Of All The People You Tagged This To, Who’s Most Likely To Respond First?
Sorry, I ain’t a fortune teller.

Hmmm...

Have to go to my older one’s school this evening. Parent-teacher interviews.

I’ve been strictly coached by my 15-year-old horror on the proper attire, accent etc. And she ended her list of long instructions with: “Umm, and amma, I know this is a long list of instructions, but one more: can you please make sure you don’t ask my teachers any clever questions, ok? They won’t know the answers.”

Life in the slow lane

and yet it passes by at incredible speed...