note to myself

for the scattered soul that is me,
let me bring the pieces together
let me look once again at the mirror
and try to laugh back again

for the lost mind that is away
let me remind it once again
that life is hard and work is bitch, for everybody
and better count your blessings than cry


it's time for me to be on "Constructive mission"

welcome idiot-box

So, in february last year, i wrote this post about the absence of idiot-box in my life. Strangely, I never felt the need and it used to surprise my friends and parents.'Kanjoos' they would say to me 'but how can you stay without tv, yaar?'. After marriage, since I and ZZ had to live in separate cities for some months, my austere life continued.
But in August, I changed location and moved in with ZZ. Our days of living as bachelors had come to an end and we have to make a "grihasthi";). Shopping started, priority list made of what to buy first and what is urgent. I had made him clear about my stance for TV and TV was at the bottom in our priority list. But then, everytime we were at Home-Town or Big-bazaar, I could spot ZZ looking dreamily at the TVs on display, enquiring about the features and offers. Every morning, while reading newspaper, he would exclaim on seeing ads" hey, great offers on Tv yaar..there's this new technology LED which.." You get the drift, right? Then, the big sporting extravaganza called CWG happened, and the need of TV was felt more.
One cant keep a man away from his toys for long, so I had some time back, have agreed of us buying it this Diwali. While I am the kind, who thinks a lot (and dont do much) and asks for opinions/ reviews before any purchase, ZZ is more of a instant kind of buyer, getting anything he likes without much thought. and in the same fashion, today morning ZZ declared we are going to get a TV today. The man kept his words, and right now, busy setting the TV while I write this post.

Stay tuned for the news of TV/ remote wars.

Realisation:5

A seat in the line of sight of boss's seat will never do you any good.
*sigh*

the month august-1

For a large part of August, this song described our situation very well...


This is one reason why i was not regular in this blog.ye alag baat hain ki in my new office i have no access to blogger....

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..

Realization 4: Height of Narcissism

On a drizzling day, walking alone in the street carrying an umbrella and humming "Pretty woman, walking down the street..."