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OK. Few days back I decided to invite people to write something for my blog. Discussing this with my friend, I had some topics in my mind- most embarrassing and amazing moments of life, what did you do with your first salary etc etc. But then thought that they might not encourage most of you. I mean, I am ready to reveal the most embarrassing moment of my life but most of you may not be. So thought to start on with this concept with a relatively easier topic. First memory about me. What was on your mind when you first saw/met me. So, drafted an invitation mail and sent it to all my close friends and relatives-cum-friends. But unfortunately, very unfortunately, I got ONLY TWO (2) replies. This may be because of reasons, like:

 

1. They didn't get my mail: but I didn't get any delivery failure message

 

2. They didn't check their mailbox: but I sent it on 2nd July, 1 Month and 9 days back

3. They had no memory about the first meeting: that hurts. Though one of my friends actually told me that he does not remember when and how we met for the first time. So, thats a valid reason. But none of you had any recollection??? Anyways...

 

4. They have no time to pen down their replies: I was not expecting a testimonial for me. Just any funny or stupid or awkward (whatever) recollection of the first memory about meeting me, 3-4 liners may be sufficient

Anyways, I thought that I will publish the replies as-it-is on my blog as soon as I get atleast 5 replies. But sadly, I got only two. So, was thinking to keep those two precious replies in my mailbox only but then, they had replied back to me and I should keep up my promise.

So, the first reply came from the most unexpected person. There have been times when I would send her mails and forwards but she would reply back only after a month or may not even reply to any of them. But this time, I got her reply within almost 10-15 minutes of sending that invitation mail. She is Divya Saini, my friend since MBA days. Before pasting her reply here, I must also share what I had on my mind when I first saw her.

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She was in my section only (Section F) and in the initial days, all of us had to introduce and re-introduce ourselves to every new lecturer. In one of those lectures, Soft Skills, we were to introduce ourselves with more details apart from regulars: name, where we belong to, educational background etc. and that too while standing in front of the class rather than from our own benches. She came and literally blurted out all her details in one breathe. And then, she paused for sometime, looking lost and I was expecting her to end her introduction but just then, she started again and again paused. Finally after some 2 such pauses, her introduction came to an end. In her intro, she mentioned that she was in South Africa (working) for 2 years before coming back to India and joining ICFAI. Instantly, I thought to keep her name as "Jhinga-la-la" (because still most of us, including me, knows South Africa as the land of tribals), even when I was not formally introduced to her by that time, but I still kept her name. Though, eventually, we turned out to become best friends and she has been honored with lot of other names but Jhinga-la-la will remain her name for the lifetime (for me atleast). That was the first memory about Divya.

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She has actually written down her initial feedback about me, rather than the first ever memory about me. But accepted and thanks Divya. Here it goes...

 

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Ummmm… have to go back 4 years.

 

Huh..so when I saw you for the first time…you were a very simple gal..bit shy but confident bit flexible but with a stand of your own.

 

I will be true without caring if you like this or not..

 

In the very beginning we were all in so many things of our own that we did not really notice each other much..but with Mxxxx …(hey forgot her name, really an example of my good memory)

 

Anyway, you will understand as I will talk abt her..she was your best friend in the beginning of MBA and seriously she was really dominating you..i mean was perceived as..and I used to find both of you "same to same" ;) …( don't kill me for this now)

 

But this was for a very short time, very soon as I started interacting with you the impression changed… I really discovered you slowly and realised what an amazing person you were

 

I must say you developed you self so well in all the ways…not only in your profession skill but personal as well and neva to forget, your looks ( looks were amazing earlier as well but see the transition man…uuffff..too good)

 

Even if there are so many changes in 4 years ..few qualities still same and probably will alz remain….i neva saw a perfect combination, of Love, care, patience and maturity till now…you are just an exception, your's and Maum's qualities match also..that is why you both make a perfect comrade probably…main bhi thodi bohut entry maar leti hoon tumhaare beech mein but you guys really gel so well.

 

I must say, you deserve the best in life as you are the BEST

 

Cheers

 

Divya

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Second reply, I will post in next blog... just in next 30 minutes. CHEERS !!!!!!!!

The much awaited trip…

On 30^th July, we finally left our respective offices for the much awaited and long due trip to our homes- Jaipur and Delhi. It was the first one after our wedding, which made this trip even more amazing. My father was retiring from his bank service after almost 35 years. As I had mentioned in one of my earlier posts (Retirement), I was again stumped by the number of years that he had spent in the same organization. My mother was waiting for me but more importantly was concerned about all the arrangements since her son-in-law was also coming home to stay for the first time. Each part of each of the days that we were to stay at Jaipur was already planned. Papa got a new Nokia mobile phone from my brother and sister-in-law and we presented him with the bar accessories. He was smiling from ear to ear after getting our gifts.

The retirement party was arranged in the hotel, which has unofficially being declared as our own hotel. As the guests started pouring in, after papa, special attention was on the kids (i.e. us), since we were meeting everyone after almost half a year. I guess papa got so many gifts second time in his life (first time can be his wedding day). My brother's and my in-laws had come down especially from Neemuch and Delhi respectively to greet my father. We ended the day with unwrapping of all the gifts.

Next day was even more jam-packed. Our in-laws were invited for the breakfast. Another reason being the sindhara (ritual for one of the festivals- Teej). I was loaded with sarees and suits and chocolates and a beautiful set. Lunch was at my sister-in-law's uncle's place, where my brother struggled to pop open the Champaign bottle. Final meal of the day was already booked at my mausi's place.

Next day, I and Nimit were legally and constitutionally declared Husband and Wife- we got our marriage registered- a mandatory rule implied since not long back. After a long time I witnessed the laziness and lousy attitude of the government employees (which, according to my father and mama, was fairly fast as per the normal government office working standards). Paper work was already done after reading all the instructions. But when the papers were handed over to the sarkari babu, he rested his specs on his nose and tried to point out something or rather anything wrong in the papers- "10^th ki mark sheet nahi lagayi kya?", only to find out that the next page was the 10^th Mark sheet; "ye type nahi karwaya kya?", only to find out that it was typed exactly what was required. Finally, he exclaimed that "Mathurs never do anything wrong" and Bingo… He found out something to crib about. As my father handed over the photographs of the wedding, he pointed out that the two girls seated behind us in the photograph are wrong. We should have got our exclusive photograph. But somehow he graced us and filed all the papers to be signed by the bade babu. Now, if you find a man working on this table with at-least 3 persons (lazy and boot-licking kind of people) sitting in front of him, you must know that he only can be the bade babu in a government office. These 3 persons think sitting in front of their boss is their only KPI. We should the file to him and he signed but one of the idle persons sitting in front of him has to say something to show importance. So he says, "you should have got bigger photograph… You know its better for the future". My father ignored him since the photo size was as per the guidelines and that's exactly the size that can be accommodated in the certificate and the forms. But after all this drama there, we got registered in record 2 hours time.

Throughout our stay there, mummy prepared her special dishes, making sure not to repeat any item and I love her food… Finally, after 3 hectic days, we started on our 2^nd phase of the vacation- Delhi. Visit to doctors and tailors were the prominent activities there. Mr. Mathur chose to attend his Gurgaon office while I actually enjoyed my vacations. There also we had two formal dinners and one instantly decided KFC treat. I saw all the old photographs of Nimit and the bachcha party. It was fun to see their childhood days. Met two of my best friends after a long time. Thank God they have shifted to Delhi. I can meet them almost every time I visit Delhi.

The days and time spent at Jaipur and Delhi seemed short to sit and talk at length with everyone but it definitely was a much needed visit.

I am a Multi Millionaire...

I am not saying because of any alcoholic hangover of last weekend. I am actually a Multi Millionaire. If anyone of you need some thousands or lakhs of rupees, just drop a mail to me. Such petty amounts may not affect my bank balance.

Okay, close your mouth and bring your eyes back to their normal sizes. Here I am referring to those so-called lotteries, awards and rewards from anonymous companies and contests, which keeps on sending mails claiming that I have been awarded some $1,000,000 or GBP (Great British Pound) or Yuan or what not. And to claim my prize money, I must send a mail to some bogus mail ID stating my bank account details. So, if I add up all the prize money that I have been awarded till now, I can make Bill Clinton shy away from me and hide himself in some corner of the world. I cannot help grinning on learning the fact that I am always tagged “the luckiest winner” to win this prize money over some 2500 companies' mail ID worldwide or over all the e-mail Ids of the world. I mean, its a great achievement. Can I write this achievement in my resume? Or I can even highlight myself as the luckiest person on earth to have won so many lotteries without any effort. Which company will not hire me? I may prove lucky for them as well.

But as soon as I start dreaming about these amazing prospects, some or the other friend of mine disrupts me. My friend would have also won such a lottery. Oh My God!!! Even my friend is also termed as the “luckiest” person on this earth??!!! Thats not fair. Only one of us can be the luckiest. The reality is that there might have been over million of such “luckiest” persons who have got such mails. They, obviously, have no intention to make people like us rich. If they have that intention, they'd better donate this money to someone in dire need of it. Don't know how exactly are they going to commit the crime, but it is a fraud. I will send my bank account details and further they would hack my account or do something like that or use it in some or the other fraudulent way. I don't understand why they keep sending such mails when they know that no one is going to reply back. Actually, some of the new joinees in the Internet circuit may reply back to them and they fall in such traps.

But just an advice. Never mail your bank account details or any kind of password to anyone, even if they claim to be your bank's personnel. You never know to whom you are actually sending the mail. A bank will never ask your account or login details. If any mail from your bank asks it, better call the customer care and inform them.

Ya, my bank gave me this extra gyan, which I thought to share here. But dreaming about being a multi-millionaire is just amazing. What all I can do with just a million rupees...!!! Anyways, back to reality and back to work... Be Safe... CHEERS !!!

The Small Wonder...

They opened the tank and put in two boxes containing his food and a flag on each of the boxes and closed the tank again...

He looked at the boxes...

"Oh, I am not hungry right now. Why have these stupid people kept the boxes now?"

They were looking at him curiously...

"Ok, which box should I open first? Whats the menu buddy? Oh, they are not responding. And please, stop staring at me. No cameras please. I need some privacy, am growing old"

They were still looking at him...

"Fine. I will eat now. Which box? Akad-bakad-bambe-bo.... assi nabhe poore sau....sau mei laga dhaga...chor nikal ke BH-AA-GAA. OK, I will eat the food in the right hand side box"

And as soon as he opened that box, everyone exclaimed and shouted and hundreds of cameras started flashing....

"Can't I even eat in silence? Go away you stupid human beings. I will quit this job otherwise and I am serious. Oh, today its Mussels in the menu"

"He predicted Spain as the FIFA 2010 winner. Long live PAUL- THE WONDER OCTOPUS....", the stupid human beings were still shouting at the top of their voices and within few hours the news was on all the news channels and Internet news and by next day in all the leading newspapers.

Well, Hi, I am Paul. Paul- The Wonder Octopus, as you people call me fondly. I hatched in Januray 2008 and started this prediction job during Euro 2008 matches. Though, I got this worldwide love and attention only recently, during FIFA 2010 world cup with my 100% accurate predictions.

You won't know, but I have a real tragic story of my life. Many people are fighting over for me. Not after I came in this job, but the fight started even before that. Few people want me to lead a normal octopus life, in the sea. But other well wishers want me to stay in this confined, safe and secured tanks, simply because they know that I may not be able to hunt for my own food. I love the latter guys.

Whats more... I get the food in my bedroom and I eat and that makes a headline. WOW!!! I mean, who won't want a life like that? There are so many sharp brains who are studying as to how my predictions can be 100% accurate. But, its simple you see. I am almost color blind so I cannot make out the difference between German flag and other flags. Oh, Germany, by the way is my current home. So, my predictons are not always skewed towards Germany. But I normally do akad-bakad-bambe-bo and decide which box to open first. I anyways get to eat both the boxes. Or, I first check whats in the menu and which box is decorated better. I choose that. Or, I just read the newspaper in the morning and comes to know which team most of the human beings want to be chosen by me and I choose the other one. Its important. Just to keep people hooked on to me. I have to keep up their interest levels.

But now, I may just retire now. They say that octopuses normally live on an avergae for two years only. So, I may die before UEFA Euro 2012. But hey, just type "Paul octopus" on Google and you may get 10,400,000 results for me. I am just loving it.

Take care you human beings and please transfer my share of the bets that you have won because of me in my account urgently. CHEERS !!!

Sab Bandh...

On 5^th July, the opposition called for a Nationwide Bandh (Bharat Bandh) to protest against the soaring price rise of fuel and commodities. We also got off from our offices. But our companies were not shut down because they (or we) were supporting the protest but for security reasons. I have not seen any such protest going peaceful. Every time there has to be violence, and the blame game by top party people in some news room. Ruling party supporting its move and opposition party crying out against the violence by police on the "silent" protesters.

We, the sufferers, on behalf of whom these parties call nationwide bandhs and other protests, never asked them to torch public buses, abuse anyone on road, throw stones on public buildings, harass the shopkeepers and dismantle their shops, which they might have set up after pumping in their investments of life time. But we are always the part of these successful bandhs. Read in today's newspaper that wedding of a girl was attended by only handful of people in Pune because they chose to remain indoors instead of attending the wedding and facing any untoward incident which might take place. It must have been the dream of both the families that the wedding should be attended by all their near and dear ones and they might have put in lot of money but thanks to this forced protest, all the arrangements looked like a sheer wastage of money.

I am not supporting the price rise. I am not saying that opposition should not protest. I am not saying that I am okay with this price rise. I am not sad that I got a day off from the office. But the protest could have been peaceful. Let the corporates come forward and close their operations in support of the cause rather than citing the security reasons. I am looking for one valid reason for torching the buses and other vehicles. They threw stones on the government offices. Fine, currently these offices are held by those against whom you are protesting but the same offices would be used by this opposition once they get the power. Even if they do not use the same offices, but it was not built for personal use by personal money. The money used to build those buildings came from us. And I cannot find any participation from the civilians. Those who comes out on road are attacked either by the police or the protesters, who are the party workers. If the bandh/protest is held for our benefit, then why are we attacked? Why do we fear to go out on the road during that time?

First let the politicians decide over who is going to get the ultimate benefit out of such protests- their party or us, the civilians of India? Next, decide if the protests have to be peaceful or violent. If peaceful, then make sure that you pass strict orders to your own party workers that anyone involved in violent activity would be punished (and actually punish them), rather than, announcing a peaceful protest in front of media and at the same time instructing their own workers to initiate violence and then take sympathy in newsroom discussions that their workers were peaceful but the police dragged them like dogs. Dear ministers, we also know who was dragging whom and why. But whatever anyone says, the bandhs and protests are held not in our interest but as a deep rooted conspiracy by the opposition parties against the ruling parties. We are and we will always be at loss.

I Hate Luv Storys

When the name itself is wrong, how can the movie be right? Luv? Storys? I guess the spellings are Love and Stories respectively. I was eagerly looking forward to this movie mainly because of two of its songs: the title track and "Jab Mila Tu". "Bin Tere" song is also nice. Starring Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor and don't like any of them, though I am surprised why girls are crazy about Imran and Sonam is tagged as most stylish and beautiful actress of Bollywood. Imran Khan is an expressionless actor, yet to show his forte. I mean, in emotional scenes, it seems that he is giggling, only to be realized that actually he was sobbing. Yet to see his romantic side and he is camera conscious. My personal recommendation for him as far as his looks are concerned: Please change your hair style (though there is not much scope left there, but if Sunny Deol can get his hair straight and Salman Khan got new hair altogether, anything is possible in Bollywood), please do something about your eye brows (they are so thick, looks like those of Kroor Singh of Chandrakanta) and please don't show of your body till you get atleast 4 packs and some more flesh (your mamu looks way better and charming than you). You looked starving in that song (Sajda). I thought, only Arjun Rampal is expressionless, but you are giving tough competition to him.

Sonam Kapoor. Not much to say about her. She is okay in the movie, though, obviously will take her few more movies to be called a sensational actress, she has some potential, I guess. Thanks to media, she is made famous for her "style icon" image. But yes, she was much much better than Imran.

The movie was a satire on Karan Johar's movie and the character Veer, the director in the movie, is totally based on KJ. I believe, KJ was aware of the fact that he is being made fun of in this movie (he is the producer of this film) and so KJ agrees that he makes same type of movies and labelling them "Different" but has got magic to keep the audience hooked to his movies. Veer is making a film in this movie and while making it what all happens with Imran and Sonam, how they realized that they love each other and imagined themselves in place of the main leads of that film. Imran, again I am stuck with him, could not carry his Casanova image. Please take few tips from Salman Khan (he has played Casanova in dozen movies). But I must compliment him for pulling off the title song nicely. Though, he still was conscious but atleast he danced well. Only if the film that was being made in the movie could have properly used the other romantic movies, it could have turned well. Why was Puja Ghai (the main lead in Veer's movie) shown as Anushka Sharma of Tujhme Rab Dikhta Hai and then Rani Mukherjee of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and then Aishwarya Rai of Mohabatein?? What kind of character was that? Only to pick up famous shots of all the love stories was not justified. Anyways. The movie was enjoyable in the first half and in the second half also, except when Sonam confessed of being in love with Imran and till Imran also realized that he is also falling for Sonam, this part was boring. Scene of Dil Chahta Hai was stolen and used here: When Imran calls his mom after many years (his mom used to call him) and she sensed that he was not being normal (though, he was anyways speaking flatly, I wonder how his mom sensed that her son was crying) and Imran breaks down. In this scene in DCH, Imran's mamu made me cry and here, I was laughing when Imran's eyes were not showing any sign of tears and he looked stupid when he was so-called crying. When Imran's friends make plan and is shown executing it. Stolen from Kal Ho Na Ho. The most irritating thing being: "idhar udhar ki baatein, waherah wagerah"

All in all. This movie was okay types and could have been watched on DVD, instead of going to theater.

(PS: All the Imran Khan fans, forgive me for reviewing Imran more than the movie but could not stop myself)

I am on Diet

Well, thats not what I am on. I cannot do dieting. Ironically, I am the one who has fallen sick so many times and so had been on boiled food kind of diet. But it has never been my initiative.

I wonder why people undergo dieting and what exactly it is. Is it to make your body slim trim and fit quickly and then go back to normal diet or to make your body healthier and stick to the same diet forever? Though, mostly I have seen people taking the first option. Will avoid all fried and oily food, no junk food, no beverages, boiled stuff, lots of salad, exercises etc etc. But as soon as the weight and waist size comes in their preferred limits, boiled stuff is labeled as "Food for Sick People ONLY", coke bottles are back in fridge, exercises can be skipped for a week.

Few days back I was thinking that in such early age, my generation is facing shoulder pain, heart strokes, diseases which we have never heard about, early death, such limited appetite and all. But our parents have started getting them now only (touch wood). What will happen to us when we reach their age? Or will we even survive healthily till that age? I walk up the stairs to 4^th floor and I get tired and heavy breath and crash land on my bean bag. But my father used to cycle many miles when my grand father was constructing his home at Jaipur. What should we concentrate on? Biceps, triceps and 6-pack abs or healthy muscles and strong stomach? Who is to blame for this? I guess, so many things happened all at the same time resulting in this situation.

Population grew drastically but not the production and thus started the practice of artificial ways to increase the production by means of adulteration. Now when we say, Pure Ghee, it actually is not pure. Even if we make it at home, it is ultimately coming from the packed milk, which may not be pure.

As I say, packed milk, thats another reason. People started migrating from their home to other places for earning more money and thus came the need to make packed food available for such people. These days you go to any super market and everything is available in ready made form. Ready-to-eat chapathis, all sorts of vegetables, tomato puree, ginger garlic paste, frozen peas. Then why would I make an extra effort of peeling of garlic or wash and cut tomatoes and make a puree out of it?

More than that, other lucrative snacks, claiming themselves healthy food have made us addictive. Maggi, wafers, chips, cokes, packed juices, nuggets, etc. If we don't have any one of them in our home, it feels as if something is missing.

Fast food is the solution for lack of time to prepare food at home. How-so-ever costly they are, but I would want them once a week. Even though I know that they are costly and not healthy and that I am not doing any physical activity to burn out the calories that I put on with the junk and packed food, but I can't resist. Get up exactly on time and drive to office, sit in front of the most amazing innovation of our life, computers, have lunch, have coffee and tea at desk, move a bit here and there, drive back home, eat, watch idiot box and sleep. Though, few of us are trying to make exceptions and burn calories in gym but thats artificial health. Iota of us cycle to work. I play at max 4-5 games of TT in a day, go home and munch on my favorite wafers. Its not about eating oil free food but healthy and unadulterated food. Even the green vegetables are full of pesticides.

I want to live a long and healthy life, without a joint pain till I turn 50. Is it possible?? I am seriously worried about us now...