For old time's sake

An ode to my first watch

When I was in eighth class, my father gifted me my first watch. A Timex. This was literally my first watch. I dont remember if I had worn any fancy, plastic, digital kid watches before that.

It was love at first sight. I had never seen any beauty like that before. My mom had an old HMT watch-that classic gold dial with black leather strap. And I had never liked that watch. Mine was black metallic dial with pale gold interiors and diamond-like crystals at the four cardinal points. The strap was black of silicon-like material with horizontal engravings along its length. It sat pretty in my left hand and I was ecstatic.

The watch came with a stand. Something like the below image with a glass cover. I still remember, after coming from school I would dutifully strap off my watch and adjust it in its stand. This was my daily routine during my school years. One of my relative noticed me doing it and intrigued, asked me why I do it. "Out of habit, I suppose." I told her. The thinking logically, I answered "this way the watch doesnt get any dust". She thought about it and told me "No. By putting that watch in its stand you ensure that you can see the time on the watch from afar. which would not be possible if , instead, it lies." Touche, but I definitely didnt gather her point as my dainty little watch sits in the top shelf adjacent to my bed and I had a big clock in the same room.

the case in question (Image courtesy: Google images)

The watch came with a warranty of 2 years and I remember very correctly just a month passed after its 2 year anniversary, the cells went down. As the watch was not purchased from my town and the cells were not available there , I waited for good 2-3 months before I could get it repaired.

That watch has seen thousands of academic hours spent in school and college, standed the pressure test of many exams and been a witness to many triumphs and frustrations. My 10th board exams, 12th Board exams, college semesters, competitive exams- the watch can proudly say "been there, done that".More than 10 years that watch sat elegantly on my left hand.

In those 10 years, the batteries were replaced a no. of times, the strap was changed twice and one of the diamond crystals fell off but the watch remained a sturdy companion. That watch begin my love affair with timepieces. When I got job, I fell in love with another watch, a Titan Raga this time. This new watch replaced the old one and my first watch finally caught dust in the spare watch box. But as they say, the first one is always special.

Lessons to remember

The trip was planned two day in advance. The weather had been nice for these ywo days and we were looking forward to a sunny weather on the day of trip as well. The morning of the trip begun late. and by 8'o clock when everyone of us was ready, I looked outside. It was a cold grey day and had started drizzling. My first reaction was that of anger and annoyance. "Why!!! Its raining. Why does it have to rain today only. Its going to be a cold day.Bah. Why???!!" ZZ was non-chalent but wondered "It seems that it is going to rain continuously". Mummy was cool and pondered how nice it would have been if the weather were nice like the previous two days. I usually blame my irritable behaviour to my father. Oh its always better when you think you are not responsible for your behavious but its the fault of your genes;). Papa in his calm demeanour said " Its good that it has rained. It will provide the much needed moisture to the soil. Let's wait for some time and then start this journey."
Oh and we did start the journey within 15 minutes and the rain left us midway to our destination and the sun shone later.
And I was left wondering of the positive thinking of my father. Oh high time that I stop complaining and act positive.

Quote-Unquote

"Tomorrow God is not going to ask-

What did you ddream?

What did you think?

What did you plan?

What did you desire?

BUT He is going to ask-

What did you do?"

           In my college 3rd year, I got to read this quote somewhere and found it profound enough to hang it in front of my study table so that I could take motivation and study instead of just day-dreaming planning to study.
            My room-mate when saw a new quote hanging above my study-table came over to my desk to read it. Her reaction: "Dear, God is not going to ask that as well.."

Random memories and dreams that involve music

Random memories and dreams that involve music

1)      My earliest memories of music is holidays, afternoon time, lying in cool bed with my head on my mom’s knee and listening to cassettes in the tape-recorder. Getting up from bed every-time when the cassette stops after its full turn to change side , or pressing the button of fast-forward or rewind to get to the favorite song and playing it on loop.

2)      Children who grew-up in 90s will vouch for this one. A new album of Pankaj Udhas was launched and the title track was ‘Aur ahista kijiye baatein’. The video of the song featuring Sameera Reddy depicts the love-story (inspired from “The Gift of Magi”)of an Indian girl and English boy. My favorite-est video of that time. I would stop on my tracks when that song used to come on-screen. I loved that song so much that I decided to buy the album cassette to listen that song only. So, on my mummy’s birthday, along with a card came a small wrapped gift. No guesses, it was this cassette only and as soon as she unwrapped it, I told her how beautiful its songs are and almost snatched it from her hands to play it on the tape-recorder.

3)      In my college years I was gripped with the “Sa Re Ga Ma” fever (a singing reality show). During that period sometimes when I used to sing/ hum in the solitude of my hostel room,  the scene was something like..my right-hand would be curled in a way that looked like I was holding a mike and the fingers of other hand Oh yes imagine a girl sitting on her study chair with a fat Communications book opened in front of her and she looking I front of ger (sometime with closed eyes) singing a song with one hand working as mike and the other waving as per beats of songs.

4)      Bryan Adams was the first English singer that I actually listened. I borrowed his cassette “Best of Me” from my friend to listen him first time.

5)      I think that I have an okay sort of voice and plan to learn music some-day. Someday yeah!!

Complimented

      Your teacher praising your work in front of class:"Excellent", you yourself praising your work to yourself: "Super star" and overhearing your parents praising you: "Priceless"

       It was a week day,I suppose some 18-20 years back. I had woken up but still not woken up.You know what I mean. I had woken up but my eyes after a glance on clock have closed again and were not willing to open.I still do the same. Old habits die hard. I was still in the warm embrace of my quilt. In the room, beside the bed there was a study desk where I used to do my homework. That evening before, I had done my homework and my notebooks were still lying in the table stacked one over another. My parents were sitting in the bed looking over the table, having their morning cup of tea.They had their back towards me.With a squint eye I had seen them and closed my eyes and trying to catch a nap or two before they wake me up.

        "What a neat work!!' gushed my father to mummy as he turned the pages of my notebook. I think, it was either my Geography or Science notebook where we have to draw diagrams/ maps along with answers. My mummy gave a happy "hmm...vaakyi.. Yes her handwriting is good and..blah blah" as she along with my father watches over my handiwork.

          This was the first time I have heard my parents praise me (in front of me). I didnt leapt over over my bed hearing this praise from my own parents. Instead, I smiled and savoured it. I covered my face under the quilt. In my bed, under the quilt I was grinning and beaming so proud.

.

Hair story

               I have straight hair. By birth. "I am so lucky", tell my friends that I would never have to pay for straightening. But they dont know the experiments my hairs have been through to be manageable. Having thick straight hair which are dull, drizzy and not in your control is not a blessing.  I still remember my father oiling my hair and wetting it every morning before school so that my boycut hair could be parted and I could look presentable.

               I longed for curly hair like Maggi. The heroines of the late 80s and 90s had curls, my friends had curls, some had straight hair which looked lovely in blunt cut.I never liked my straight hair. Thinking that if I keep long hair it will be more problematic than they are right then, my hair were kept short all the way. When I was in Class 4^th we went to Delhi for our vacations. There my mother took me to parlour, shared my hair woes and the parlour girl suggested to get my hair curled. The weird logic being that once the hair is curled it will change the natural texture of my hair and the hair will be manageable and able to parted in any direction I (my parents) wanted. So using strong chemicals and curlours hanging on my hair for hours, my hair were transformed from straight to curly. After paying a hefty sum to the parlour wali aunty my parents thought that the problem resolved .

                 But just like a dog's tail cant be straightened, my thick straight hair couldnt hold the curls for long and in a few months my hair started showing the signs of their own. And beneath the curls the straight hair started sprouting. And with the next cut, the originals were back. The huge sum that was spent got lost with the curls.

                   Now that I had seen both kinds of hair, I and my parents made peace with my hair. Using light, chemical-free shampoos and conditioners, weekly oil massages I started caring for my hair. Later after my Class 12th, I started keeping shoulder-length hair. With the whole world around going gaga over straightening, I get compliments for my natural straight hair What can I say. I still love curly hair like maggi but given a choice I would rather keep my hair straight.Oh, I love my imperfect straight hair.

This post is written for Sunsilk Straight Hair Experiment Contest.

Favourite Rain Song

As I was blog-hopping I came across a blog where someone has written down her favourite rain songs. This brought back the memories of an incident that happened last year.

So, we were on our way to Rishikesh when it suddenly started raining. It was beautiful weather and we both were humming tunes in between the conversations and silence.

Me: You know what is my favourite rain song?

ZZ(driving=concentrating on the road=eyes on the road and ears towards me and mind dont know where): No. Tell me..

Me (ghumming the son): This one. Have you seen the video. Akshay and Sonali are there in it.. Great Video..lovely music..

ZZ: Ohh..Yes, good song..

Me: I dont have that song in my laptop. I soo want to listen it.Download this song for me, ok.

ZZ: Sure..I too like that song. Akshay wala naa.

Me: yeah..

The song I was talking of is this one..

I really like this song. The voices of Hariharan and Chitra creates magic.

Those were the days when we were in the long distance relationship. The next time ZZ came, he told me non-chalantly that he has brought the video song and I get it copied before he leaves. I excitedly took the pendrive and dear friends this was the song waiting for me..

Apparantly, irrespective of my soulful rendition of that song, the only thing the man's mind registered was "Akshay"+"Rain Song".

Ah well, Cest la vie..:)

When i was 25...

ever since i saw those ads of 25 years of kotak mahindra, i was dying to write a post like this. first, as i have already mentioned,the office where most of the waking hours are spent has blocked blogger and second the home connection was cut for a very long period of time.. So today only i got the net connection back, and here i am writing my idea of how 25 was ..

So when i was 25..
1) no miracle happened. i was still the same confused soul that i am.
2) gifted myself the Dell laptop, i was wishing to buy for some time.
3) got my first bouquet.
4) realised that sometimes God's test your patience and one should use one's senses to deal with it. Emotions are good but one must keep the mind in place to plan and act at the next best chance.
5) got married.
6) realised that no matter how much you smile, laugh, grin at your other photos..its the wedding photos that matter most. So one has to keep the ear-to-ear smile/ coy grin intact on one's face throughout the wedding.
7) flew on plane for the first time in my life! Yes! i am a small town girl.did engineering in the same state, got job in that very state and the job involved no tours. The travel i had of distant places were till date all done in Indian Railways:) and i had a fear of heights so yay, finally i did it.
8) watched "The Sound of Music" for the first time and yes, loved it. And also "Casablanca", and "Amelie" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's".. thanks to zz who has this amazing collection of movies and a decent broadband connection, i got to watch these classics.
9) got my own car, a driving license but no driving skills. I have to learn this.
10) made peace with the fact that if you really want to change something, change your self.

so well, 25 was a great year to be. and i hope the coming years will be more interesting and fun..

Holland vs Netherlands

Circa 1995-96
Characters:
Me 11-12 years old.
A, My brother 2years younger to me

Scene: We both were alone in the house. While surfing channels, my brother came across a football match on some Sports channel. Being an avid sports fan (as he proclaimed then), he got hooked to the match. I was not a keen sports enthusiast. All I wanted to watch was “MTV”.
Me: A, change the channel.
A: (royal ignore)
Me(ordering): Didn’t you listen, change the channel. I don’t want to see that stupid match. Its not even a ‘LIVE’ match!! Some old match..
A: Let me watch na di..
Me (tried snatching the remote from him)
A (successful in seizing the remote to himself)
Me: (got up from the couch and stood in front of the screen making weird body movements in order to not let him see the TV screen at all..
A (annoyed) ; kya hain di.. get lost. Have I ever done this to you? Why do you always does this? I..
Me (yelling): You don’t even know which two countries are playing this match, and still you want to see the match! huh..
A: I know..I know (still trying to catch a glimpse of the match)
Me (in my cunning Judge avatar) : ok, you have to earn the right to watch the match..I ll ask you a question.If you get the right answer, you can watch the match and if couldn’t then I ll have the remote. Fine?
A: (perplexed but seeing that this is his only chance to view the match uninterruptedly) Okay. But it has to be something of my standard, ok.
Those were the days when we were ardent followers of “Bournvita Quiz Contest”. So quizzing each other on current affairs and general knowledge was our time-pass.
Me: ok. It would be an easy one. Tell me, which 2 countries are playing this match?
A(fading smile) : oye..!! let me at least see the screen. I cant even see their jerseys.
I moved from the screen and checked that the score –board was not poping at any side of the screen at that moment. After a good 15 second. I moved back to my place of being a wall in front of him and TV.
Me: So tell me..
A: Give me time..
Me: Ok , I will give you a hint. One of the team is “Holland”. How did I guess?(proud of my knowledge) Because they are wearing the ‘Orange’ jersey. Orange is their national colour of sorts. Now tell me which country the other team represents.
I myself had no effing idea about the teams.
A: (blank face but impressed by my knowledge of Geography and football)
Me: Time up! Give me the remote.
A: (like a dignified loser handed me the remote): But you first have to tell me which is the other team? (ah, the thirst for knowledge;))
Me: Stupid, you don’t even know this and then you proclaim that you are a know-all in sports. It’s between “Holland” and “Netherlands”!! (still suspecting that I might get caught on my ‘high-risk' bluff)
A (with a saddened face and nodding his head) : ohh..
Me (controlling my laughter hard changed the channel to MTV and still couldn't stop grinning all the time of her master-stroke and awaiting her parents to tell them the incident).
That was the age of stupidity of my brother.
Later in the evening, this story was told in front of the whole family how my brother came to believe that Holland and Netherlands were different countries and I know for sure, I would be narrating this story of their father's knowledge to his kids also.. Yes, wicked me:)

On fountain-pen

Today, when a person from another department came to me for some official work, I noticed him writing with an fountain pen (ink-pen). 'Ohh, you are writing with an ink pen..!!' with a big grin on my face I said. He smiled. It was that moment of surprise and happiness , you know, when you find someone reliving the days you left so far behind...may be in Class 9-10th..

I continued staring at my screen and blabbering the data he wanted, in between stealing glances at the beautiful black-and-red model and the chelpark-blue ink marks it was leaving as it strides along the page. "Is it 'Stic'?" I asked tempting to hold that pen. "I used to have a pen in the same colour once". "Parker" he replied. Ohh.I couldn't help but lend out my hand and hold that pen and write my name in my note-book with the fountain-pen.

It's been long time that I saw someone using an fountain-pen. Even my cousins studying in Class 6th or 7th use Gel-pens and Ball-point pens. n there was time when our Maam used to chide even students of Class 9th or 10th then for not using fountain-pens, as she believed that using Ball-point pens deteriorates hand-writing. No wonder, I never used Ball-points till Class 11th.Yes, only fountain-pens and Luxar Pilot pens for me.

I wonder if Stationary shops still sell these pens?

I wonder if brands like "Stic" still make these ink-pens? I wonder if young students are still finicky about the colour of the body of the pen or which cartoon is appearing in the pen. Like "Show me the pen in red-n blank. No-no, not in blue-n-yellow". Ok, I am sure nobody does it. But I used to do that.

I wonder if a young student still checks the ink in all his pens every morning while preparing his school-bag.

I wonder, if Chinese pens (today the market is teaming with cheap chinese goods and they all symbolizes poor quality/ use and throw type. But in those days, the decade of 90s, Chinese pens were the priceist and cutest with metalic bodies and a smaller nib) still hold the charm of some young eyes who secretly wishes that her cousin leave her 'legacy' to her in the next academic year..

Phases

Living with parents is about dreaming of somedaymaking it big and living alone. You never realize how it is to live with your parents when you are living with them. But once you are away, the reality dawns on you that what you left was heaven where you lived a princess life with nothing to bother except your studies.
Living alone is freedom juxtaposed with boredom. You have the freedom to watch any TV channel you want to without any interference from anyone to change the channel but you miss the nearness of someone along with whom you can share your 2-cents on the movie you watched just then.
Living with friends is freedom. And freedom only. Not a single ounce of boredom.
You watch your favourite TV serial in bits and pieces, in between breaks of the other TV serials that are on,sitting in a common-hall along with 20-something people with constant chatter where you have to “Shoo” them everytime your favourite actor is appearing onscreen.
You cook ‘Bread-rolls’ on a low-flame heater in your room at a corner with a bunch of friends and making almost no noise so that none of the other hostel-mates could know ‘whats cookin’’.So what if the bread-rolls took 2.5 hours to cook, they would remain the best bread-rolls you ever ate.
You argue hard with your friends and with yourself if it is fine to go PVR to watch the night 12:00 show of that block-buster movie and end up going there and munching popcorns and loving the feel of walking in the deserted streets at 4 in the morning.
You sing a line of a song, your room-mate the next and this chain continues from one song to another with bouts of giggles and laughter and breaks for correction in between and you realize that what a joy it is to sing with someone singing along with you and forming the chorus. And you chukle when a freind mentions in your testimonial (in Orkut ofcourse;)) about you singing "Tanha Dil" loud in the corridors of your hostel.

Ah those days...

Main Hoon Naa

The three most important words that can make an impact is “Main Hoon Naa”…
Sometimes these are said explicitly and there are times when the warmth in the gaze, hold of the hands make it come alive.
It is this same support a mother gives to her kid when he hold her fingers to take the first steps.
It is the same faith a father renders to his son when he pushes and balances the bicycle to teach his son the art of cycling.
It is the same support a friend gives when he stands by you and lends you his notebooks and teaches you the missed lectures when you were down with chicken-pox.

I remember a particular incident when my father had come to meet me at the hostel. I lived with my 2 room-mates. In the evening he proposed to have dinner outside and asked for some good restaurant nearby. My friend K told him about this great non-veg restaurant “Maharaja” nearby adding “ but we must not go there as it is usually filled with guys and it’s night time”..To this what my father responds still is my friend’s favourite line..He simply said “Arre Main hoon naa..We ll go there.” It was not a big issue but the way he said it in his spirited voice makes it a memorable moment for me as well as for my friends.

When I was new to my job, my boss assigned me with some work which was new to me. Obviously, I was not very comfortable and asked a lot of querries about it.To this he just said me to “work with no fear because even if the project doesn’t turn out right, what I am for? Main Hoon Naa”..I don’t remember what happened to the project, but his words remind me of my father and I smiled and started working as I know I had a firm support at my back.

This idea that no matter what we do, there is someone who has set a safety net for us whenever we fall, someone to whom we can return to when everyone has turned their back to us, someone whose hands are holding you in every step you take, gives a high, a motivation to work your best.

And these three words also show that the person who is saying them has the power and the means to support you as well as that he is caring enough to lend you his support. It is great to be at the receiving end of the someone’s unflinching support but it is more important to be at the stage to say these words and mean it. Because these simple words can make someone to go to his farthest limit because he knows that after a day’s hard work, no matter what the result is, he has someone to go to who is there for you at your every step.

Pic courtesy: Internet

It was today

In the beginning of the year 2009 or was it late 2008 ?,whatever, something new happened. Sitting idle in front of a computer which doesn’t have access to any social networking sites and other interactive mediums, I was wandering in the world wide web to get access to something readable when I stumbled upon someone’s blog, which lead me to a chain of other blogs and in a few days I was so addicted to it that the first thing after reaching the office , after checking mail-box, was to type-in the favourite urls and read the blog-posts. Soon, I started commenting on the posts and dreaming of owning one too..

It was today last year when that dream turned into reality..



Cheers to the blog.. Hoping the celebration of writing and reading and commenting and tagging and book-marking continues…..

December-End

Its that time of the year when

the chill in the air has increased, freshly snowed mountain-tops can be seen from the home, the fog covers the surrounding thus barring the much-needed sun-shine, everybody has his hands in pockets, the pockets are full of peanuts, hand-made sweaters are getting appreciating glances from kids around and an inquisitive look ( to see the pattern of design and copy) by the neighbourhood aunties, sleeping inside the quilt is the best past-time for evening, basking in the sun the time-pass of day, market-hopping to get new year greeting cards for your relatives afar, making hand-made cards for the friends near, eating oranges and other seasonal citrus fruits, exchanging comics everyday with the friends, rubbing Boroline every-night on chapped lips and cracked cheeks, mother cooking gajar-ka-halwa, father buying gajak, holiday-home work still pending, discussing which programme would be broadcast on DD-1 on New-Year’s eve, if Jaspal Bhatti and Gurdas Mann would be there in that programme, running noses, waiting for the New Year cake that mummy would prepare

Yes it’s end-December and nostalgia is at its best…