Things I miss about Aol.

It's nearing a month since I left Aol., yet there are these things that I just can't stop missing.

1. Looking at the landscape of EcoSpace and feeling lucky.
2. The security man saying, "Mam, please display ID."
3. Thanking the lift man for taking us to my respective floor. This I miss the most. I still say, "thank you" to an empty lift while exiting.
4. Miss seeing Paris Hilton on TV
5. Miss the smell of coffee
6. My well deced up desk, and the photo of Robert and me on my pod.
7. The 12 noon hunger pangs and gathering people for lunch.
8. Standing in the queqe for food. Smelling the plate and wiping them with the tissue and then complaining about the smell and dirt.
9. The 2 hour long lunch break.
10. The mouth freshner and reading the feedback book and passing comments on the food feedback.
11. Miss all my bitches and the entire ad.com team
12. Miss being reminded that I would one day be terminated because of SBC voilation.
13. Most of all I miss knowing that Paresh and I are just 4 floors away. 

Twilight-a book review.

"Never judge a book by its cover", they say, but for me, its been the guiding star to select a book. Apart from forming a special attachment to the writer, my only criteria for picking up a book of the store, is its cover. Something that looks beautiful from outside, my theory say, has to be good within. Stephenie Meyer's Twilight too caught my fancy in the same way. Many a time that I saw it in the store, the sheer size of it made me avoid buying a copy. The size of the book was accurately, irreversibly proportional to the time I had in hand. The fatter I found the book to be, the lesser time I thought I had to finish the book. But the cover of this book, Twilight, had something very attractive about it. Black background and a pair of extremely fair hands  holding  the forbidden fruit. Bite-able.

Let me assure you, every book that I have read based on its look, has mostly turned out good. And this book, Twilight, has been just unexplainable. A fantastic story line, tender and extremely sensual. Told in the voice of 17 year old  Bella, this story narrates the attraction between two species. Bella who moves from Phoenix to Fork to complete her high school finds herself falling in love with a person who has been thirsty for her blood since the day he first sniffed her presence. The story moves on to describe how difficult it is for them to continue together and yet so difficult to part ways. Of course, like they say, 'love conquers all'. And that is what happens here. Love conquers all, the day the vampire tastes the blood of his lady love. Stephine Meyers describes the vampire so magically that it impossible not to fantasize a moment with Edward Cullens.
Twilight is a must read. I am looking forward to get the other 2 book of the trilogy.

Happy reading.

coffee?

A dedication to Dragon's ever lasting love... Coffee... :-)

Sitting with you on a flat bottom boat,
There is a longing arise in my throat.
The aroma of your skin
for long lingers on my chin.
My lips want to rest where you are slim
Yet I do not want to commit another sin.
I look at you and try to absorb your color
Reddish gold and caramel
It overtones the sunrise and the sunset.
I drop some sugar on your body, a lovers sweet embrace
You gently gulp the sweetness of the world, leaving behind the velvet darkness.
With care, I clasp you in my arms, and bring my lips on yours,
A molten gold, my tongue on you with pleasure
Mesmerized by the purple tones of the Jacaranda flower.
Tough emotions glancing off my most tender smile,
breathing your aroma that have crossed miles,
As each thought stretches to a simple perfection
My innocence is lost in your reflection.
Only a devil, I think can make such an enticing flavor
It makes me helpless when my body yearns for you every hour.
You are my love, my Grande Latte. 

Wake me to a brand new day

Face to face with Dragon, once again.

It has been 19 months until last evening that I met Dragon, and he looks as sexy as he always did. Deep eyes, square jaws, wide smile and a grin that reveals the horsey teeth gifted to him, guess the day he was born, slouch in his back, and the same old gazing into zero when either of us is acting busy or occupied in their own world.
There was such confusion when I had the time to decide whether to meet him or let go. But when given no time and said, "here I am, come get me", all I could do was to accept the offer with a smile. And I am happy to have met him. Grande latte and patties on one side and a lemon demon on the other, and we are still wondering what more to talk apart from "just the usual", "good fine" "aur bolo". When I wasn't looking at him, his eyes would be towards me, (mind it. They are not ON me.) and when I am looking at him, he is busy gazing at zero, talking to his own mind, silently. Just like the first time we met. Lots of coffee, no particular topic, two strangers who without even meeting one other, felt a deep connection from within. And as he gazed into zero, all I could think of, if I had to see his skull, his eye socket would be two real deep deep holes, and a jaw line that would be purposefully artistically sharpened to form a straight line.
Dinner at Little Italy, and maybe that is where the emotions started playing hide and seek. Each trying to hide their feelings and the other trying to seek and yet act like they didn't see it. Gradually the talks took the path of the memory lane.
I am sure, dragon wanted to avoid the past smiling at us as much as I did. At least, I totally wanted to forget my good times. Each and every second I spent with Drag, were one of the best moments I have lived. If I was asked to change even one tiny bit of dragon and me era, I wouldn't want anything happening differently. And as beautiful the dragon era was, the no-dragon forever era was much worse. With all my heart I wanted to be with dragon forever. Probably he had every quality I wanted in a guy. A runner, a singer, square jaws, talks to make you week at the knee, and humor to make you cry. But then, at dinner, the past just seemed like a stack of photographs, placed face down under my hand, which I could randomly pick and recollect the entire series of events.
And I waked the watch I gifted him, and it is this watch that tempts me to write this blog. As the seconds tick on my wrist I remember the day at NDA, the period nearing his POP when he threw the watch away in anger and it got chipped. The watch reminds me of all his physical draining that he spoke about while he was in NDA and all those moments I missed listening to when he was flying his bird at AFA. I just wanted to get rid of the watch and all the memories which kept resurfacing with the ticking. Pondering again over the thought, Destiny or beautiful stranger. But these emotions were only till this afternoon. Sitting here now, next to Paresh, seeing him work his ass out on new years, reality check speaks, "everything happens for good."
It took me time, but I did move on. I don't know if Dragon had to take pains to move on or not, but I am sure he too has moved on. This morning I told myself, Dragon was always a beautiful stranger, but now, as I post this blog, I feel, he was always my destiny, and will always be. A destiny who was meant to come into my life, for a short period, and make me realize a few more good things about myself.
I loved every minute I spent with dragon, and love every minute of not being with him as much.


Here's to another year of knowing what it is to be in love. Happy new year dragon and to all who have been a part of my people in a lifetime.

The shopkeepers know I am getting married.

Feels like every friend of Paresh just decided to get married. Every other week Paresh has been telling me about the wedding we need to attend next. And if it not Paresh's friend, it is one of my colleague who is getting married. This has left me wondering what do I wear? I do not have fancy salwars to portray, sari wearing is a challenge to me, and if at all I am ready for the sari wearing challenge, I realize there are no blouses that fit my every growing body. Anyway. So I decided I need to go shopping. And with my wedding ticking to almost 27 days away, I am getting quite some sponcerors for my shopping spree.
I have been out there shopping shopping and shopping and looks like all the shopkeepers know what I want. Paresh and I were at lifestyle and I was telling him, "I want a new watch." I shopped for Rs. 4000 at lifestyle, and got a gift voucher from TITAN for Rs. 2000/- (Of course, there are conditions apply with a tiny star, which does not allow me to buy a watch with the voucher straight away.)
The next day, we were discussing about what kind of a dinner set and oven we need to buy. We shop at Shoppers Stop and get a complete 24 piece microwave safe dinner set worth Rs. 3000/- free.
I guess next time I enter a shop, I will tell it loud to Paresh what else we need for our new house. Think I will be lucky again to get what I want?

Jingle All The Way

Come December, and with it comes the anticipation to welcome a brand new year, buying Christmas and New Year gifts for the near and dear ones, and with it comes the game of Secret Santa.
Secret Santa- a game we have been playing since school, college, and are still continuing the tradition. At office I see groups all over playing the game of Secret Santa. People are handing chits to the security guy to pass on. There is the cafeteria guy who has been put on the job. A look out for a trustable messenger is at high. People are making a wish list for their Secret Santa to get them. People are giggling with what their Santa’s got them, there are pranks being played all around, and every one has turned a detective to figure out who is whose Secret Santa.

And if this reader is some one who hasn't played this game, I must say, "You should." It simple and gets lots of joy of peoples face.

Here is how you play it.

Number of players required: 4 or more.

How to play:

You make chits with the name of all the players.

Each player picks one chit. The name on the chit is whose Secret Santa you will be.

Once you know whose Secret Santa you are, you need to do something each day to make that person happy. You give them a gift, write them an email, or post them a letter. The wish is yours. The only condition is that you can not tell whose Secret Santa you are. Simple? Indeed. This may sound childish, but trust me; it is a great team building game.

Merry Christmas!

writing on poop!

Ever wondered what it would be to write on poop? Such stinky ideas do not strike people like us, but then there are always people like Mahima Mehra and Vijendra Shekhawat who come up with innovative things to write on. Five years ago, 37 year ole Mahima, a Jaipur-born Delhi entrepreneur and her companion, 26 year old Jaipur based Vijendra, then a small time executive in the paper industry, were on their way to the mystical Amber Fort on the jagged Aravalli hills. Climbing up the hill on that windy day, they stooped to squint at the source of all the dust that was filling their eyes. The source was dried moulds of elephant poop, flattened by the tourist vehicles and that was their ‘eureka’ moment. The thick, long fibrous look of the poop reminded them of mashed paper. Paying no attention to the curious looks and nudges of the tourist, the two scooped as much poop as they could and lugged it back home on their bike.
Back home the experiment began to understand the health hazards and profitability of using elephant dung to make handmade paper. It was concluded that using the dung was economical and manufacturing paper out of it would do good to the soil as well. The procedure of converting elephant poop to paper was the same as making other varieties of handmade paper, with the only challenge being to make it safe for the papermaker as well as the user by using disinfectants to make the paper as bacteria free as possible. The dung is collected from various elephant stables, and cleaned in large water tanks. This water is then drained into the fields which act as an excellent fertilizer for the crops. The fiber is softened by cooking it in water for 4-5 hours with salt, and then washing it with hydrogen peroxide to make it bacteria free. The pulp is later dried in the sun, removing any non-usable fiber. It then goes into the Hollander Beater, and is laid on wooden or cement vats filled with water. The sheets are dried in a cool and shady area. Once dry, the sheets are calendared with zinc coated metal sheets under pressure, to make them smoother and writable. They are then cut to the specified size, packed and sent to their required destination.
Christened as “Haati Chaap”, which means “Elephant’s print” the paper is used to make bags, frames, photo albums, notebooks, cards, tags and other stationeries.

ISS DIWALI AAP KISE KHUSH KARENGEY

There are a group of people, who make sure our morning is a ‘good morning’. Come rain or cold, it is they who see to it that our mornings remain as good as the mornings of spring. I am speaking about the milk man and the newspaper boy delivering milk and paper in cold, early hour of the day. This diwali, I am going to make them happy.
Remember the times when you simply put off the alarm to be able to get just a bit more time cuddled in you blanket to avoid the cold? Or the times when you decide to nap a bit longer seeing the rains outside. And finally, when you are awake, you always find the milk packets inside the bag hanging at your gate. Imagine a cold, rainy day when you woke up and found no milk in the bag. You do not get your morning tea and the whole day goes bad. The milk man acts like the Santa Clause. The only difference is that he isn’t from the North Pole, is not a fat man dressed is red and white, and does not say ‘ho-ho-ho’. But what he does is no different from that of Santa Clause. What more, he is real.
What about the newspaper boy who cycles to all the houses in the crisp cold, delivering newspaper so you can get a glimpse into the world around you as you sip you morning chai? This same boy later goes to school and gets back home to help his father.
We see these two people only at the end of the month when they come to collect their salary. No conversations are exchanged. They deliver the bill and we make the payment. Do we even know what their name is?
This diwali, I pledge to be a reason for a smile on their face. I would want to thank them for making my morning smooth. I would like to sit with them and talk. Ask them what their name is.

"A Dog's Life: (n) Slang, A miserably unhappy existence." Really?

There are so many phrases that humans have created after the dog. One that catches my attention the most is, "a dog's life." It always makes me wonder, 'why is only a sad life associated with a dog's life?' I did a Google search for the phrase, and this is what I hit upon:

This expression dates back to the 1600s - its meaning is: 'a life of misery.'
A Dog's Life: n Slang, A miserably unhappy existence.
A miserably unhappy existence, as in He's been leading a dog's life since his wife left him. This expression was first recorded in a 16th-century manuscript and alludes to the miserable subservient existence of dogs during this era. By the 1660s there was a proverb: "It's a dog's life, hunger and ease."

I have never noticed a dog leading a sad miserable life. Look at this picture. Does the dog look sad or miserable in any way? Man I feel he is smiling. And what about all those cute adorable dog pictures we see in all the forwards? To tell you more, I was born with dogs, went to school with dogs, went to the playground with dogs and I am sure, one day I will be a mother of dogs. Ah! think about saying this. Hi! these are my babies. I am the proud mommy of Pepsi and cola. Wink. Anyway, back to the phrase, It's a dog's life." To tell you the truth, dogs have a fantastic life. If I could choose, I would choose to be a dog.

Unlike the human life, a dog's life is very comforting. For a live example, I asked my dogs to share their daily time table with me and this is how it looks like:

4:30 am : Wake up Baby or papa. Get lots of love and petting from them. Get them out of the house.

4:30 To 5:30: Run like mad in the open fresh air. Oh! piss at the BMW standing in front the house of the old man who smells like a fish. Poop at house No.17 and cover with mud. Talk to Goldie and plan a prank on the milkman who would arrive at 6. Plan a strategy with Tike on scaring the postman away.

5:30: Get back home. Be petted by the human. Listen to all the good things they have to say about you. Wake the humans at home who are still sleeping. If they do not wake up with a nudge of the wet nose, lick them. Still no luck, use your paws and howl to wake them up. Get appreciation and petting for waking them up.

6:00 Chase the milkman and have fun at his expense. Listen to your human say, "good boy, good girl" to you.

6:30 wait at the kitchen door and expect for food. Be petted by all the humans in the household.

7:30 Expect food

8: 00 Food finally arrives. Eat and again be petted.

8:30 ask the humans to take you for another walk.

9:00 Nap

10:00 nap
11:00 nap

12:00 go out and judge the temperature

1:00 Nap

2:00 Nap

3:00 nap

4:00 Drop the ball at your humans feet and force them to play. Get petted. Listen to all the good things they have to say about you.

4:30 Snacks time

5:30 Bark at the noisy children playing in front of my gate

6:00 Go for another run in the ground. Scare the old ones and snatch the football of the boys playing

7:00 back home. Drink water. sit in front of the kitchen and expect food

8:00 expect food

8:30 eat. go out poop again

9:00 Jump on the couch with your favorite human and watch TV

10:00 Get into your humans bed sheet, occupy the most comfy spot. Good night.

Wow!

Do you call this a miserable life? Unhappy existence? No office, no cooking, no project deadlines, only lots of pampering, petting, appreciation, adoration and free food! This is not the definition of a miserable life. Hell this is what is called "Life". Whoever came up with the phrase, "A dog's life", implying a miserable life, was maybe right during the 1660's when the dogs did not have posh homes and had to hunt food in the garbage. But hey! did humans at that time have the luxuries? And if you debate that only a home owned dog has a good life, let me show you the dogs in front of my house who live next to the temple. They eat the prasad and have a huge gang of their own. Feels like a whole pujari dog family. What about the dogs near the meat shop. Have you seen their size? The mongrels are huge and strong. And with people like Menika Gandhi, gone are the days where dog's had a miserable life.

I sure would ask my doggies if after a day of heavy work (chasing the milk man, chasing the post man, shredding the newspaper thrown in in the morning, barking at the kids, running in the ground) if they would sit down and say, "It was a human life"?