~~ [Meme] A Song For Every Feeling ~~

Picking this meme from other bloggers. To be completely frank, I just wanted to publish a new post to experience the revamped version of the dear old blogging platform within our organization :) Well, No, I don’t have anything against music nor the meme, in fact, I love anything related to music and I am supposedly also a meme queen in the internal blogging platform – What kept me from picking this meme up was just the fact that I knew I wouldn't be able to restrict to just one song per feeling. There are numerous songs which have been my favorites during some phase of life and they still continue to be my favorites. Then, there are also those countless ones which were my favorites for a while and now I wonder why, but they are still the ones I prefer to listen to, at times.  There are also these songs which I have knowingly ignored for reasons unknown to self, and then later, they turn out to be my favorites for the silliest of reasons.  Complicated, I know.

I grew up in a household where music was and still is a basic fragment of our day to day life. No, this does not mean we are this musical family with lots of veena’s and violins on display or in use, and no, there are no prestigious awards on display. It’s just that I grew up listening to a Mohd.Rafi fan in my Aanu –My dad. Because of him, there were and there still are so many Mohd.Rafi songs that I know and sing too, even though I have hardly watched the movies they are a part of. He would get so engrossed in singing that there were times when I and my brother would actually request him to stop singing as we needed to concentrate on our studies :) Amma had/has this unusual habit of singing through her house hold work - and yes, she has passed on the legend to me too and I have passed it on to my daughter as well... I still remember her "Satyam Shivam Sundaram" melodiously sailing out of the kitchen, every single day, after our dinner, amidst the clink-clank of utensils.  To add to that, my maternal uncles owned an orchestra (they still do actually). So most of my summer vacations were amidst their orchestra rehearsals and their live performances. I was so very much surrounded by music, that I am sure there is a song for every single minute of my life J  so, well, I guess, you get the drift. I have multiple songs per feeling, and I have tried in vain to limit the number here. I have attempted to list those very few that I keep going back to very often, though, again, those are not the only ones. 

Anyways, let me get started with the meme -  

1. One song that reminds you of your favorite season/day/month/year

• Maargazhi Poove - From "May Madham" 
• Har ghadi badal rahi hai - From "Kal Ho Na Ho"
• Tumhi Dekho Na - From "Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna"
• Pacchai niramae - From "Alaipayuthey"

Don’t ask me why - I don’t know. These were the songs that just popped up when I thought about seasons. I just love the vibrant colors in these songs.  I must now analyze and figure out the connection and then finalize my favorite season!

2. One song that you prefer to listen to at night

None - If I listen to songs at night, I would have to compromise on sleep. And I have already lots of reasons to compromise on my sleep. 

3. One song that reminds you of someone you care about

• Kaalayil Dhinamum Kan Vizhithaal Naan Kai Thodum Devathai Amma - From "New"
• Oru Deivam Thantha Poove - From "Kannathil Muthamittal"
• A thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton
• Newyork Nagaram - From "Sillunu oru kadhal"
• I'll be there for you - The rembrandts

4. One song that makes you feel like flying

• Yakkai Thiri - Kaadal Sudar - Fannnaaaaaaaaaa - Just goosebumps throughout!
• Everybody Rock your body - BSB
• Summer of 69 - Bryan Adams
• It’s my Life - Bon Jovi

5. One song that makes you feel like falling

• Yen idhayam udaitthai norangave - Hosanna - From "Vinnai Thandi Varuvaaya"
• Minnale nee vandhadenadi - From "May Madham"
• Ankhon ki gustakiyan - From "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam"
• Sajde main yun hi jhukta hun - From "Bachna ae haseeno"
• Aao na – From “Kyun, ho gaya na”
• Tera Hone Laga Hoon -  From “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani”

6. One song that you listen to when you’re sad

I prefer to listen to peppy numbers when and if am sad. However, few that I definitely listen to are -

• Bhool Ja Jo Hua Usse - Shaan
• Numb - Linkin Park
• Tanha Dil - Shaan
• Show me the meaning - BSB
• Remember the name - Fort Minor

7. One song that you’ve fallen in love with recently because of the lyrics

It’s been long since I have actively listened to any new songs and have had time to actually fall in love with the lyrics.  If I have to go with a recent one that I liked - I guess, I will go with - Kaun tujhe yun pyar karega from M.S Dhoni.

8. One instrumental song that you love

• Yanni.
• Thaye Yashoda from Morning Raga

9. One song that you want to hear live

Of playback singers, I have till date only heard Udit Narayan perform live, and, well, the concert was just so-so.  For ages now, my one single bucket list item on live performances is to hear Yanni play live.

10. One song that was top of the charts when you were born

I don’t know. I was just born, right? Of course, I can google now. But well, I would rather mention one particular song from my childhood that is etched in my memory for reasons unknown.  “Hawa Hawa Yeh Hawa Khushboo Luta de” – I think I had heard this song when my uncles were probably rehearsing this for their orchestra (I, till date haven't watched the song :P )

11. One song that reflects your personality

Interesting question. I am not sure, but, I guess, I will go with, "I am unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield.

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Phew, there, I am done. There are so many more songs that I really want to update in this list right now, but I will let that feeling pass. Feel free to pick it up and tag more people if you want to :)

~~ Mini Reviews - Of Movies & Books ~~

Originally written on 12-Dec-2015..

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~~So, we went to watch the 3-D movie – The Good Dinosaur today noon! It’s been a while since we watched a movie in theater!!! Poor kid, was quite excited, about this whole movie thingy and so was I – of course, not to mention, my love for popcorn, which she shares too! She didn’t touch her popcorn throughout the trailers in the beginning and reprimanded me when I sneaked in one or two (oh no, not from her bucket, but my own)!! Though she kept munching on and watching intently during the initial cutesy dino family growing up phases, things got worse as in any movie it does, and poor kid had to finally end up sobbing through most part of the movie… whenever there were thunderclaps and lightning flashes in the 3D scale combined with the sound effects -she wailed, gushing waters-she wailed, dino fell from a cliff-she wailed!  Well, this is not her first movie experience in theater, we have watched a few animated movies before but she had never ever wept like today! Poor kid, loves such movies, and I am sure, would have probably liked the movie if we had watched it @ home rather than in the theater!  So if you have a < 5 year old, I would say, better skip the movie! Even otherwise, I wouldn’t say it’s a must-watch kind!

~~Speaking of movies, the latest I watched on TV was Bahubali… I knew that the movie ends abruptly indicating a part-2 in the rise, but when I actually watched it, I didn’t expect it to leave me overwhelmed and cheated at the same time :P I didn’t want the movie to end – yeah, I just didn’t want the movie to end and I kept staring at the TV unbelievably, thinking that it must be a mistake :P I would have definitely loved to watch this one in the theater!  May be the second part next year.

~~ Any of you watched Talvar? Read Aarushi by Avirook Sen? I did and it left me shaken for various reasons! Not that I was unaware of the case before and not that I haven’t read any crime fiction or thrillers before – but the movie and book somehow freaked me out, book more than the movie, maybe because it is not a work of fiction… So much so, that, as soon as I was done with the book, I kept it back on my shelf with the cover page with the title facing the wall so I don’t have to look at the cover page again (I somehow feel the cover page could have been a bit less intimidating for weak hearted souls like me, but I guess, it was so to make a point) …. I am not sure if you would understand when I say this – I don’t like lending my books, but then, for the first time in my life, I finally gave a book away asking it not to be returned but just being passed on……

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~~ Mini Reviews: The Fault in our stars & Looking for Alaska ~~

Originally written on 08-Dec-2015:-


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~~ So, I am going to try and post few mini-reviews of long review-pending books.. I recently went through the reviews that I have posted earlier – they are awfully huge, almost like a chapter from the novel that I have reviewed…  :P I have been always that way…. During the beginning of my career, I would write lengthy emails to my onshore counterparts and my team mates would yawn and then start reading them! I have toned down on emails now, but should work on the reviews…. So this attempt! I must warn you, there are spoilers even if these are just mini-reviews.. So proceed only if you don't mind and of course, do let me know your reviews on my reviews :)

~~I read 2 of John Green’s novels back to back a few months ago.. The Fault In Our Stars & Looking for Alaska.. Honestly, I probably would have written a review immediately, if I had read it as a teenager! I just read it a tad late, but nevertheless, they both still managed to move me and bring tears to my eyes!! If you are going to read these, please do remember that this is teen/young adult fiction and few of the stuff will be a bit dramatic or childish for us mature minds (if I may say so) :P

~~The fault in our stars is about Hazel Grace (I love the way how Augustus, hero of the novel keeps referring to her this way) who is a cancer patient and meets Augustus, an ex-cancer patient in a cancer support group meeting which she actually till then detests to go to! Its about how the dying Hazel Grace & just recovered Augustus fall in love slowly, through their sickness, through their realities, through their insecurities.. Its about how Hazel Grace keeps thinking how she would be the first one to go, but is finally left alone to bear that extra pain of losing a loved one….Its about how a novel that’s her favorite is read by Augustus and how both discuss about the cliffhanger ending.. which then further fuels their quest to find out what happened next from the elusive author who agrees to answer only in person, even if it means, they have to travel to a different country altogether…Its how they go through the shock together, of realizing that their favorite book’s author, who they took all the pain to travel albeit their sickness and come meet in person, just doesn’t care and is a mere drunk and to add to it, an abusive person! Its how Augustus who was supposed to live longer than Hazel Grace, succumbs early and during his final few days, tries to write the sequel of that favorite novel, on his own for the love of his life… Well, at the end of the book, you are engulfed with so much sadness that you want to stop reading and just live your life! At the end, you are just thankful to the life you have, because you know, that there are lives out there, living a much more sad & pain-filled life without complaining, and well, you just have no reason to cry and complain about yours!

~~Looking for Alaska is all about looking for Alaska Young, the young beautiful confused teenage girl, but in the process, just finding self! Its about friendship, school, hostel life, pranks that friends play on each other,  and how serious these pranks can get, sad secrets that seemingly happy and care-free teenagers try to hide, how friends look out for their best buds, how when even one link in that tight friendship-bond is broken – everyone feels lost and nothing is ever the same again, how sometimes life just abruptly changes with no explanations whatsoever and how we should just move on, instead of dwelling on the “Closure” part….. The book in itself leaves you with a lingering sadness, mourning, but still looking for Alaska!

~~ Love to Hate it !! ~~

Yayyy! I won a 55F contest - My first ever win in my blogging history... Most of the times, I end up as the special mentions or make it to the last but not the very-last round!! This win meant so very much that even words fail to express, no, not even in 55 words…  Believe me, every 55F that I have posted (that are yet to be synced up in this space), has been the toughest ones for me to write, I am so used to word vomit, that restricting myself to write something in just 55 words and still make it sound interesting, is a herculean task! So winning for the first time ever for a blog post and that too for a 55F is just something in-explainable! *dance* 

Now inspired by this win, I tried to explore the territory I so so so don’t understand – Yes, poems (Well, I do understand a few simple ones)! Okay, so English Gurus or Grammar Gurus or Rhyme Gurus – if what I have written doesn’t justify to be called a poem –  pardon me, let it go and do let me know (at-least I will not feel like a dud for not being able to understand so many of them out there when writing this one seemed so simple)

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Few are light, few are bright!
Not even one of you is a lovely sight!

Oh! You are such a painful fright!
A reason to fret day and night!

Few let it go and a few put up a major fight…!
Try to get rid of you with all their might!

What do you gain by being painful yet polite!
Can’t you just fly away like an aimless kite!

You always appear when the time is not right!
And leave a scar that’s visible from any height!

Oh dear, you have no right!!
To ruin my life with your pitiful plight!

You must know, you are not a delight!
Oh my fresh pink pimple – I sure hate you with all my might!!!

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Originally written on March 01 2016

~~ Meme: I Mustache You Some Questions ~~

Loved the meme for the simplicity though I didn't understand why it is fixated on the number “four”  - Anyways, here you go!!

Four Names People Call Me Other Than My Real Name:

• Amma :P
• Deeps
• Deepu
• Dimpy

Four Jobs I’ve Had:

• Teacher/Akka - I used to give Maths & Science tuitions to school kids during my high school & engineering times – and probably have done a good job at it as am still remembered by a lot of my tuition students and few are still in touch :P  
• Always been in IT from the time I stepped out of college and have played varied roles – of all the roles played till date, I absolutely loved the phase of being the Technical SME/Onsite coordinator for applications during the developer/module lead phases. The most varied experience in my job stint would be of being a QC for about a year. Believe me, the varied learning experience & exposure during that 1 year stint was just just great!
• Baby sitter to my baby cousin once upon a time :P There was no actual payment – but would want to say that payment was in terms of pure fun & loads of experience :P
• Though I don’t have any concrete plans and this is not the fourth job yet, in future, someday, if not IT, I would like to be a teacher (I know its late, but would love to teach little kids in whichever way I can) or/and a novelist (am I eligible to be one is a question that I would like you to answer :P

Four movies I have watched more than once: There are many – I am quoting the recent ones only. 

• Gone with the wind (English)
• Bajrangi Bhaijaan (Hindi)
• PK (Hindi)
• Toy Story Series (English)

Four books I’d recommend: I cannot just recommend four books. It wouldn’t be fair. So I am recommending four authors. 

• Dan Brown
• John Grisham
• Jeffrey Archer
• Lee Child

 Four places I have lived in:

• Udupi/Mangalore
• Bangalore
• Mysore
• Chennai 

Four beautiful places I have been to:

• Flower shows (Bangalore)
• Goa temples (I know what you must be thinking, but yes, there are temples in Goa)
• Minneapolis
• Niagara Falls                

Four places I’d rather be right now:  I am happy where I am – But I would rather be 

• With my daughter @ home
• Back to school/college :P
• On my bed with a book
• In a movie theatre watching any latest release.

Four things I don’t eat:

• Non-Vegetarian
• Boiled tomatoes (I keep them aside)
• Alvathi (a green-leafy preparation Konkani foodies would die for, but somehow, I don’t)
• Too many sweets unless it’s really really really really good!

Four of my favorite foods:

• Anything made of potatoes!
• Anything spicy & anything fried   - Wrong combo I know!
• Popcorn
• Konkani Dalithoy (oh, actually, the whole Konkani spread except of course the Alvathi)  

 

Four TV shows that I watch: It’s too difficult to cut it short to four and moreover, I don’t get time to watch TV these days, but if I do get, these would be my preferences in each genre.

• F.R.I.E.N.D.S/The Big Bang Theory/Two and a half men/Everybody loves Raymond/HIMYM
• Castle/Bones/Mentalist/Dexter
• Downtown Abbey/Once upon a time/Grey’s Anatomy (Yes, these are not of same genre, but I had to mention them)
• Masterchef Australia series

 

Four things I am looking forward to this year (2016): There are multiple things! But all that drills down to only one final thing that I strive for – a year filled with happiness!

 

Oh yes, please feel free to pick up this meme and pass it on :)

 

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Originally written on 09-Feb-2016

~~ Mommy Memoirs # 5 ~~

It’s been long since I posted something on Mommy Memoirs… It’s just that, so many things happen around my little girl all the time that if I don’t write it down immediately, it’s quite a jumbled mess to be jotted down later, and well, which is why I started this series in the first place…hmmm…never mind… 

So, this happened yesterday, without any warning (like always) and I didn’t want it to get lost in other million memories that she makes me squeeze into my tiny little head, every single day! So it began innocently like this…..

She: Ammma, does Sun have a son?

Me: Yes, Karna… But you know that already, right Babbba?

She: No Ammma… Not Karna, I meant, does Sun have a Sun too? Like this?

Saying so, she drew three circles, illustrating that the first circle was Earth, the next circle “our” Sun and the third one, Sun’s Sun…

Me (shocked, but recovering): Ohhhhhhh Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun? Hmm… I don’t think so, why?

I then quickly sent this question to a cool Whatsapp group hoping a well-read person in that group will know the answer for these kind of questions along with a quick silent prayer for my network to help in the delivery of message.. She pointed to the TV where the freaky ad (yes, it is freaky) was running in which a blazing Sun was sipping all the water (per her) from random kids head and looked at me back with a question mark on her face… I stared blankly at the TV screen and turned back to her thinking she wanted me to buy her the product or whatever the advertisement was advertising all about…. I was about to say, Noooooooooo babbbbbba, when she asked me again, the same question, does sun have a sun too…? And then the bulb above my head which was till then flickering, glowed in realization!  

I had told her long back that summer & sun's heat makes us thirsty and blah blah blah…. So when she saw this ad, with even Sun being thirsty, she wanted to know if Sun also had a Sun! Phew!! Apparently, my “I don’t think so” was not a valid answer for her… I realized that she was not going to let this go and so I checked if the well-read person had replied and explained her a bit about milky way, stars, galaxy, shooting stars, light years, speed of light, how moon & stars are much bigger than they seem to be and how the distance makes them look so small…. at which point she shot her next question….

She: Ammmmmmma… what is the size and shape of Intestines and Kidneys and how far are they from my mouth?

Me (shocked):   Hmmmm… why…..?

She: You keep telling me no, that if I don’t drink enough water, Kidneys and Intestines will cry… I think it is not because I don’t drink, maybe it is because I drink slowly…maybe I should drink water fast so it reaches there fast? Like how light travels so fast?

Me (bulb-glows):  Hmm…. but your kidneys and intestines are not far away like moon and stars….

I patted her tummy to indicate that they were close by and explained her that it didn’t matter whichever speed she drank, all it mattered for them was that she was caring for them by drinking water regularly...  She was still staring at me in anticipation for more explanation and when I hesitated,  she jumped to her next set of questions –

She: So a Doctor can see real Kidneys and Intestines?

Me: Yes, Do you want to become one?

She: Nooooooooooooooooooooooo

Me: Then, what would you like to become, when you grow up?

She: I would like to become like “You”  :)

Before I could go “Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww” and revel in the proudest moment of my life – she asked me her next question

She: Amma, but, what are “You”?

Me(shocked but all smiles) :  Hmmm, well, am an engineer….

She: What is Aanu? (Her dad)

Me: Hmmm, an engineer….

She: What is Maamu? (her uncle/my brother)

Me: Hmmm, an engineer….

Figuring that she was probably expecting different answers, I tried to explain to her that there are different kinds of engineers….

She: Hmmm… what Engineer is Maamu?

Me: Computer Engineer…..

She: Ohhhhh…So you are? Laptop Engineer?

Me (Shocked-Smiles, Shocked-Smiles)

Yes, that’s what my little girl thinks now – even after I explained in length that I am not one! 

Go on, laugh away!

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P.S: Originally written on 4th May 2016

P.P.S: Originally Mommy Memoirs # 10. Yet to sync other posts in sequence.

 

~~ Book Review: The Rise of Hastinapur ~~

Unlike with the first book (reviewed here) – I waited until I received the hard-copy of next book in the Hastinapur series by Sharath Komarraju.  Again, unlike the first book, the book cover of the 2nd book in the series was quite intriguing urging me to begin reading this almost as soon as I received it! (No, I don’t judge any book by its cover, but comparatively, this book cover was much much better than the first one)

With the earlier book being about the 2 wives of King Shantanu, this next book, The Rise of Hastinapur, focuses on the next generation of Queens associated with the kingdom.

First set of chapters is all about Amba, who is escorted to Hastinapur along with her 2 younger sisters by Bheeshma, in a fair win, but without her wish nor her consent, ironically in what is supposed to be her swayamvara (groom choosing ceremony)! She is in love with another king, Salva, who doesn’t make any attempt to stand up against Bheeshma when the latter provokes for a fair fight to win queens for his brothers! Blinded by the multiple eternal love proclamations professed by her lover in the past, she is inclined to take a few wrong decisions even when she is advised against it, which then decides the course of her entire life!! The hardships and shame she faces when she goes from one king to another seeking refuge, seething in anger, seeking revenge and in the end, getting nothing from anyone makes us almost cry for her plight! She later turns to a peaceful life, worshiping nature, yet for years, the fire of revenge is still there, somewhere deep inside, smoldering, waiting to erupt just like a volcano at the slightest provocation..! Her hatred towards Bheeshma is so strong, that you almost want to hate Bheeshma for her, but then you also want to knock some sense into her and help her understand that revenge is taking her nowhere!! She makes you so sad for her plight that you want to just hug her and point out that she could have just spoken her heart out to Bheeshma even before leaving her father’s palace instead of suffering and considering him to be the sole reason of all hardships she faced later! She makes you shudder with her strong revenge laced emotions that even you feel her anger, but still wonder at her immaturity when she is able to let  go of the injustice done by everyone else, even her lover, but just not Bheeshma… Ah, story of the scorned lover, but taking revenge on someone else altogether is brilliantly written! Personally, the chapters where she goes back to Salva with lots of hope just to face rejection is brilliant!!By the time, Amba’s chapters were coming to a close, I was deeply conflicted and drained of energy!

Second set of chapters are focused on Kunti and her futile attempts to save her brother Vasudeva from his brother in law Kamsa’s prison! I have always always thought of Kunti as a complex character with a lot of layers, probably with a few layers, unknown even to herself, a mysterious person with a lot of things going on in the background!! But I was in for a surprise in this book… She is portrayed as this most naïve & completely gullible character that I just kept feeling sorry for her weaknesses! I must say, that the chapters involving her, were, very easily, the least impressive chapters of this particular book! It got boring after some time... And I guess Sharath took a right decision (am not sure if it was intentional) by placing her chapter’s right in the middle of the book, because if it weren’t and if a reader knew her chapters led towards the end of book, a reader might just as well skip it!

The third and last set of chapters are dedicated to Gandhari and again, was I in for a surprise or what! I loved her fiery character and felt sad for her almost the same as I felt for Amba! How as a queen she was constantly defensive of her people, was placing the safety and well being of her kingdom above anything else in her life, her tactical decisions, her one and only worry about her kingdom prospering against odds and of course against Bheeshma has been brilliantly portrayed!  Her fear of leaving the kingdom under her brother Shakuni’s rule when she has to get married and then how she immediately thinks if she will ever get married is subtly put and indeed very hurting to read!  Easily the most positively powerful chapters of the whole book!

Throughout the book, Bheeshma‘s presence lingers mostly in the background, but, believe me, he is out there, making appearances now and then, working towards the rise of Hastinapur relentlessly, an efficient hard-worker with brilliant game plans, sometimes unaware that his actions for the rise of his empire, is leading to be the sole reason or one of the reasons for each of these queen’s lives turning upside down! 

Towards the end, you realize, how seamlessly Sharath has managed to pull this off, without tweaking the Epic in any which way, maintaining the basic essence of the ancient history that this Epic is, effectively trying to build entirely different vantage points to the Epic! In all, as I mentioned for the very first book in the series, it is definitely a very interesting read – a cannot-stop-reading kind of a book which makes you long for the next one in the series which might be out only next year – almost like how a kid in the month of June longs for the summer holidays of next year!! 

~~ Mommy Memoirs # 4 ~~

Originally written on 30-July-2015

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With the news flooded with a single grandfatherly image & with her school declaring a holiday – my ever-curious kid asked me “why”?! !? Though, I didn’t get into too many details, I told her that he was a great man and had now left us all!

She – Amma, why?

Me – He had grown old, Babba!

She was silent for some time and then asked,

She – Amma, will you grow old too??

Me – Yes, Babba…

She – When?

Before I could reply, she volunteered – Is it when you’d have all grey hairs on your head, just like him?

Me – Yes, Babba….

With one swift movement, she pulled me towards her and held my head closer for a thorough inspection and, of course, found a lot of real grey hairs popping out amidst the golden ones (she says so for the grey ones which are lucky enough to get coated with mehendi, which I apply once in a blue moon) & the natural brown ones!

She – You already have grey hairs!

Me – Hmmm…..

Then, all of a sudden, she hugged me tight & started to sob!  I was startled by this reaction, but then I hugged her back, patted her gently and asked her what happened!  The muffled declaration she made amidst those tiny little sobs had me dumbstruck and I am sure would probably stay with me forever!

She – Amma, I don’t want you to have any grey hairs, I don’t want you to grow old and I never want you to leave me! Okay?

I tightened my embrace, continued my gentle patting & with a failed attempt at preventing tears flooding my eyes, replied to her with a soft – Okay!

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*Babba – Little Baby

~~ Mommy Memoirs # 3 ~~

Originally written on 26-July-2015

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This happened yesterday morning – I had recently taught my daughter how to write her name & she was quite enthusiastically practicing it…  I noticed she had prefixed SSV before her name, every time… 

Me:- Babba, What’s SSV?

She:- Friend’s name…

Me:- Hmmmmmm… What’s your friend’s name?

She (with a surprised look and an equally surprised tone):-  Ammmma…. SSV 

It took me a few seconds to finally figure out her friend’s name!!

Any guesses?      SSV is Yeshasvi   

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*Babba – Little baby

~~ Re-Born? ~~

Originally Written on 23 July 2015

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Happiness can be found in the simplest aspects of life – I have always known this, why, I am sure everyone does! But then, do we actually live this? If you are a parent, have you noticed that your tiny little darling is able to live this without having to strive for it! My baby (okay, okay, I know, I have to consciously stop addressing her as a baby from now on) daughter can and I am sure, so does any growing kid out there!

Can you think of a day, in say,  recent few years, where your heart was or your thought processes were filled with bliss which stemmed out of pure love, trust & of course the never ending curiosity in abundance with no pride, malice, preferences, jealousy, ego, inhibitions, fear, liabilities, materialistic desires, comparisons etc. etc.! I am sure, it would be a big big NO! It’s very intriguing that as we grow, how well we acquire all of these other qualities that brings down the inner happiness, without noticing it, intentionally or unintentionally and yet we fool ourselves, that we are actually happy!

Before I became a parent myself, though I was fond of kids, I never actually observed how these curious-happy-tiny eyes light up at any given moment for a minutest transformation which we elders tend to ignore as a mundane change! We are so conditioned with different definitions of happiness with growing age that we forget sometimes to realize that joy can be sought from simple things in life, just the way the kids are able to, so effortlessly! 

Being a parent in a way is probably that one chance given to all us elders, to re-learn how to live life, to the fullest, for the moment, in the true sense, all over again …..Though, we take pride in being a parent and having this convincing ability to groom these curious kids for so many aspects of life –  I guess, it’s us parents, who actually are re-born for an interesting re-grooming experience... What do you think?

~~ Just Like That ~~

Originally written on 16-July-2015

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~~So, if you had, by any chance, thought that the prizewinning declaration of my daughter in this previous post marked the end of that conversation, well, no, I was not that lucky that day! It just led to another set of curious questions, the first one being why we need toe nails  :roll:  :roll:

~~Remember?  I was supposed to post a quarterly progress report to keep me on track with the 3 goals I had set for myself earlier this year, but well, it turns out I could post only a mid-year review!! Gosh, time just flies, isn’t it? Losing weight still seems a far-fetched dream with probably a milligram difference from where I started! However, I must say, there has been a considerable amount of progress on the other 2 goals!  I did enroll myself to those driving classes and completed the 4-wheeler refresher course (details in subsequent paragraphs)!! I also managed to get a 2 wheeler learning license after which I have conveniently managed to skip the rest of classes. For someone, who has never bunked any classes in school or college, I do want to blame this bunking act of mine on the pouring rains, but then, I very well know, it’s just partially true! I might resume the classes in a few weeks’ time and hopefully be the proud owner of a 2 wheeler license by the end of this year (whether I will ever have the courage to actually use the license is something only time will tell)!

~~How many of you remember that vibrant & vivacious Asin’s character in Ghajini! Well, I do, because just like her, from time immemorial, it had been one my bucket list thingy’s to purchase a car of my own from my own hard earned money(at one time, it was specifically ambassador, but I have moved on)! So, earlier this year, even before I enrolled for those driving classes, I bought myself a CAR! Yes, you read that right!! The process of selecting from the choices available, comparing and calculating on-the-road prices and revisiting budgets, reading reviews, calling up for quotes, staring blankly at the sales executive, but trying to mentally note down all the mechanical jargon's he threw at me (so I can later Google to understand it better) and of course, nodding at times to give an impression that I understood everything perfectly, asking the silliest of questions, visiting multiple show rooms, and finally finally booking THE ONE – all of it was hell of a ride :)  :) !!! At some level, I guess, this hefty purchase also played an important role in pushing me to take that little step towards refresher course enrollment :P  :P   too much eh?!?!

~~So after completing those 10 refresher classes that I had enrolled for, I asked the instructor if I needed any more practice sessions… He seemed a bit bewildered at that prospect – and then after about a moment of silence, told me that its better I start driving my own car as there is nothing more he could explain, even if I took 50 more classes… I am sure he didn’t mean it in a sarcastic way :D  I called one of my cousins that weekend to accompany me for the first ever try on my very own car! My cousin, who initially, settled quite comfortably in the co-driver seat, without feeling the need of seat belt – moved to the edge of the seat after just a few minutes & by the time I reached the main road, he had secured himself with the seat belt :P  :P  I did have (and still have) some trouble w.r.to the gear shifts (I should have bought one of those automatic-gear-shift models), but well, overall, I think I drove better than I myself had anticipated! Anyways, at the end of the ordeal (for my cousin, though he was sweet enough not to point it out), he rated me an “average” driver requiring a lot of practice :oops: Not bad, I guess :P  :P 

~~ Okay, this post is quite going in the direction of self-deprecation, so before signing off, I need to make a note to post a few in future where I am all praises for myself  :D :D

~~ Mommy Memoirs # 2 ~~

Originally posted on 22-July-2015

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This is quite an old one – but one of my all time favorite..

Me :-  Your soap?
She:-  Pears
Me :-  Amma’s soap?
She:-  Hmmmmm…
Me :-  Dove
She:-  Hmmmmm…

The very next day…..

Me :-  Your soap?
She:-  Pears
Me:-   Amma’s soap?
She:-  PIGEON 

Me :shocked:   

~~ Rants & Rants & Some More Rants ~~

Originally written in my other blog space on 14-Oct-2015 - Syncing here today

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Warning – total incoherent rant alert! 

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~~Gone are those days – When we had no qualms of travelling alone on an overnight journey in a bus…  Where parents could leave kids with neighbors in case they had to attend to any urgent work outside….When parents could let their kids play with other kids in a colony/verandah/park without having to watch them like hawks!   When parents used to feel great about their kids being clicked for being cute! When we used to feel happy about being clicked for being cute! When we used go to school, without any fear, on the way or in the school!  When parents had no necessity to educate toddlers about what is good touch and what is not! Believe me, when my 4 year old looks at me with those lovely small curious eyes holding a puzzled expression as I explain her about good/bad touch – my heart breaks! I am not sure if the current media is successful in doling out sensational/breaking/important news, but it has successfully managed to create a new breed of paranoid parents! 

~~ Speaking of paranoia – I have to say, ever since I started working, I have almost always travelled alone, however long be the journey ….But after my little one came along, I realized I couldn’t travel alone anymore! For the 1 or 2 times that I did have to travel alone with her, I couldn’t sleep a wink the whole night – Well, apart from the fear about the reasons stated above, there was this another aspect of having to leave the baby alone, when bus stops for just few minutes at unearthly hours for loo-breaks! You see, how do I leave my sleeping baby alone? What if something happens to her in my absence? What if the bus leaves before I come back? What if she wakes up when I am away? What if I board a wrong bus and that wrong bus driver refuses to believe that I am in the wrong bus and just speeds away?  – Oh, there were so many other awful thoughts running in my mind that I simply let the loo-break pass! There was also this another guilty-part of me wondering why I had never thought about these important possibilities earlier (well, there is an explanation to that as well – I had never ever used these loo-breaks ever in the past – I would probably be snoring away to glory to not even realize when the bus had stopped and resumed its journey back))!!!! After the horrible experience during the first travel, when I had to gear up for my second lone travel with her, I decided that I would fall asleep as soon as I board the bus so I would never know when the bus stops for a break next! But as always the case, Murphy had other plans for me & well, I spent another sleepless night in the bus staring outside at the passing trees, blinking stars and thinking about adult diapers!! I had decided by the end of my second lone travel, that, from then on, I would book flight tickets if I ever had to travel alone with my little one! It meant spending more in terms of money and almost took the same duration as an overnight bus travel (airports are quite far from both FROM and TO homes).. But I knew, I would be one relieved (if you know what I mean) mommy at the end of these lone travels!

~~ Speaking of relieved, well, as I had mentioned in one of my earlier post, you can feel good about being the world’s best mommy, only if the other experienced good mommies let you feel so! Oh boy, the amount of sniggering that I had to face when I declared my decision and practiced it too – I was literally considered a show off (and am probably still considered one) for opting air travel when an overnight bus journey would have saved me (point to be noted – not them) a couple of thousands!  Would you believe that almost all who did have a thing or two to say for this convenience choice of mine, were of my own gender and were even mommies, at that? (no offense to any nice mommies reading this) Well, I couldn’t believe & I tried offering explanations to a few about why I preferred spending than suffering – It was after all for convenience & safety! Ok, take it from me – explaining such things to other “great” mommies is BIG BIG BIG FAT MISTAKE! They would simply roll their eyes and snub you by saying that they have full control over their (in) secure thoughts & full bladder!   Well, I know, if they really cared, they would have understood without me having to explain or would have just volunteered to accompany me during these journeys to save poor-me from MY unwarranted expenses! Wouldn’t they?

~~ Huh, to think I started with paranoia spread by media to ever-evaluating-great-mommies, maybe I should rant often!