WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY 2009!

Hope the New Year brings you joy and prosperity...

That whatever be the difficulty, you will have moments of laughter

and the strength to get thru the tough times...

I also pray and hope that the new year brings peace and tolerance...

(Image courtesy: Google)

Happy New Year to all my faithful and wonderful readers...

Wishing you and your families a joyous and peaceful year ahead.

(Image courtesy: received it by e-mail, not really sure about the actual source)

(Go on, de-lurk and leave a message behind! :-)!!)

The year that was...

I had written last year , as to how unhappy and unsure I felt about 2008 approaching...
I was so right!
I remember writing about unfair people at work and as I read that post, I remember how unhappy I was at that time...
I also tried to fight... to make my point heard...
But, you know - it's a good thing to quit sometimes too...it's good to let go.
It was good for me - personally and professionally to let go, sit back and relax a bit.
I learnt a valuable lesson - somethings can't be changed. Some people are fuckwits and there's nothing you do or say that will change this all important facts.
2008 has been a pretty OK year.
It had a lot more tears than smiles...
It was also a good year because my husband had another chance before recession hit, to work at client side and me quitting my job.
Quitting my job helped me regaining my mental peace, my health and my sense of humour.
2008 saw my husband losing his father and me falling sick with spondylitis and falling sick with advanced case of fibrosis for my back (upper back) which meant a lot of physiotherapy, diet and exercises.
Spondylitis has been cured, but my back problem is probably a permanent one.
I have been advised - not to gain extra weight, to stay warm, to walk and to continue with my back exercises. I am 100% fine now which is again a good thing.
2008 also saw me getting a better job, a pretty stable one for now (TOUCH WOOD!), it saw my husband wondering about job options before he was told that he won't be removed or scaled down!(YaY!)
2008 made me realise that sometimes, just sometimes it's not really your fault when something bad happens.
2008 also saw me blogging more, reading more and making more friends...
Some blogging friends have become very close friends now and I wonder how I ever managed before I met them!
I look forward to the New Year with hope and a lot more faith than what I had for 2008.
I hope that both of us and all our friends keep their jobs and their homes during these difficult times.
I also pray and hope for more tolerant times... lesser corruption, inequality, and discrimination.
I pray that new parents have healthy kids and their kids learn to respect one another.

How was 2008 for you?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I received not one, but 2 awards from the very sweet IHM and its Christmas! :-)
So, here they are:












And,











I want to pass on these 2 awards to all my readers, all of you -
My sis, Grail, Rayshma, Galadriel, Swati, Vicky, Illusionaire, NM, Cantaloupe's Amma, Mandira, Sachin - you guys have been great... reading almost all my posts and commenting on them too...
the support and love has been great!

I also want to give it to Ritu, IHM (Yea, back to u!), Renu, Pallavi - my new readers and new friends!

All you guys have been so inspirational and I have learnt so many things and you guys have given me the courage to stand up straight for the truth... you have helped me change my views about so many issues and have given me clarity for my thoughts...

Thank you guys... for all the support and love.

Here's the friendship band which I picked up from IHM also, for all you wonderful people out there!








Merry Christmas everyone!



















Image courtesy: Google

The other side of the fence

It's official people!
The grass IS greener on the other side of the fence!
I always used to wonder, you know, before, when I looked over to the other side - where you see people lying around in the shades of huge trees, on lush grass or having picnics or simply sitting about smoking expensive cigars!
Now, that I have jumped over the fence to the other side, it really IS Good!!
Wondering what I'm talking about right? Right, I'm talking about my promotion... which puts me in the league of the so-called leads and managers!
Heh!
I have 3 guys in my team, who think that by impressing me, they will get good appraisals! LOL!!!
I attended a training last week, and there too I was amongst the elite!
I mean, there were people with 8-10 yrs of experience and they carried 2 mobile phones! (I think carrying 2 mobiles is impressive!)
I thought I was very ill-prepared for the training because I didn't even "Google" what the course was about before attending.
BUT, I actually knew stuff!I had the experience to talk about the terms used!
I gave useful information and had pretty good examples, info to share with the class!
I totally ROCKED!!!
AND.. AND ... (Hold on to your breath!) The guy who took the training was mighty impressed!! He said that we should get together and talk about some of the ideas I had and see if anything concrete comes out of it which might help the organization!!How cool is that?!! (I still love my new job! TOUCHWOOD!) (We have a meeting set up for that in January!)
On another note, I walk about 1.3 kms everyday to board my bus and I leave home really early - 6:45 AM.. the bus is at 7 and I need around 13 minutes to walk the distance.
I have really grown to love these morning walks.
The time's ideal, its good exercise and I get to see the world waking up to another chaotic day in Bangalore!
I have no complaints about the walk or the journey to my new work place... I like my work now even more than before and I like my team...
(I want to do another post about stereotypes and about this girl in my team who has come to Bangalore from Mumbai for the very first time)

On another note, my husband's team is being ramped down almost 60% because of the recession and his clients don't want to risk their profit margins...
So, its been a wait and watch to see if he will be moved out or not.
He does have a couple of projects lined up with different clients in case he needs to move out and I'm glad that he has very good friends and managers who have helped him out.(TOUCHWOOD)

His manager doesn't want to lose him in his current project and is trying to see what best he can do...
At times like these, its good to see such people, especially managers who are worried about their team...
So, praying that things work out for him, either in his current project or elsewhere as well.

So, I really do believe that THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE! YAY!!

Don't have a title for this post...

While growing up, for both of us, our marks in Maths mattered more than house-work.
My parents always said, studying is THE only way out...
My mom sealed the whole deal on "studying is more important than anything else", by saying we will be rich, making pot-loads of money if and only if we studied!
So, we studied...
The discriminations, the boundaries were applied only by visiting relatives and one set of grand parents...
It still got me. I am not too sure about my sister, but being the eldest had its problems.
I remember, when I was 12, my granny telling my mom that I should stop wearing skirts, because good girls from good families don't show off their legs!
My mom made sure I didn't wear skirts when we visited them in the village during vacations.
I realised because of these small incidents, (many more - but, that's new-post material) I gradually disliked going to my native for vacations, family functions...
All these so-called family functions were missed most of the time because of exams, work, tests - very convenient and always supported by my parents!

I loved draping the saree on me when I was young...
I always dreamt that after I completed studying and started working, I would drape myself elegantly in beautiful sarees and go to work and my colleagues and friends would notice how I bought 3 new sarees every month!
Then, as I grew up, and people around me started insisting that I was all "grown up", I resented the saree, for it represented a house wife, someone docile and traditional, who stayed with her dominating in-laws... (Don't ask from where these ideas were got from!!! however, ludicrous they maybe, it was true!)
So, I unlearnt how to wear and love the saree and didn't bother with it till recently.

My mother hated the shirts, big and out of shape ones which I wore. I loved them, because, funnily, it made me look unattractive!
When I was doing my graduation, I wore them a lot, along with loose-fitting clothes, saying that they are comfortable.
The real reason being, it made me look unattractive. Boys, marriage proposals wouldn't bother an unattractive girl in jeans and huge specs!
And I would be left alone to pursue my studies so that I could get a job!
It was only after I started my post-grad that I stopped wearing loose fitting clothes, because all my relatives didn't like the fact that I was studying and not making babies!
And gradually, they stopped bothering my parents as well...
So, now, I don't wear loose fitting clothes, I know how to drape a saree and look nice.
I love wearing all colours and not just "light shades" because I am "dark skinned"!
I am what I am and I hate putting on appearances just to please others (Read, relatives!)
I still put on appearances sometimes while visiting my grandfather...
I still fight with my mother to wear bangles while visiting the said relatives...
I still thank my parents for shaping me and for influencing me to be the person I am today.
I still love my sis and my husband with the same passion in different ways after all these years...(I think I started to love my sis when I was 10 or 12, till then she was this annoying little twit in my life!!!)
I still love ice cream and rain and the cold weather...
A hot cup of coffee, a good book, a warm hug always make me happy!
A few good friends, dignity, respect, happiness, good job, decent bank balance, a husband to go home to and a family to love and respect is what I have always wanted...

Still searching for a cause to support for its sake and not for tax rebate...
I still feel just as strongly as I did when I was 12, about discriminations, harassment, inequality, gender bias...
The difference now is, knowing when to shut up and when to raise my voice!

Awarded!

Yay! Got another award! This one is from Madira -

Thank you my dear...I'm truly touched and honored...

These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this text into the body of their award.

I would like to pass on this award to:

• My sister
• Grail
• Swati
• Renu
• Cantaloupe's Amma
• Vicky
• Illusionaire

Thanks again Mandira, for making me soooo happy! :-)

TAgged!

The ever Charming Renu tagged me with this really different tag!
The rules are simple:
Answer the questions below and do a Google image search on your answer,pick a picture from the results on the first page, with minimal explanation

1. The age you will be in your next birthday: 29

I have no idea why this image got pulled up! But, it looks good!!!

2. A place you’d like to travel to: Vienna

3. Your Favorite place: Mysore!

4. Your favorite food/drink: Akki Roti/Watermelon juice/wine

5. Your Favorite pet: Not really, but if I had to choose, it would be a Golden Retriever!

6. Your favorite color combination:

7. Your favorite piece of clothing: Jeans and Kurta (Couldn't get a decent enough pic of both together)

8. Your all time favorite song: Careless Whisper by George Michael, Mungaaru Male Title song (Hindi -can't think of any at the moment!

9. Your favorite TV show: FRIENDS!

10. Full name of your significant other: I didn't get anything for his full name, but found pics which come close!

11.The town in which you live in: Bangalore/Bengaluru

12. Your screen name/nickname: Pixie

13. Your First job: I taught in a computer training school for pocket money while doing my post-grad!










14. Your Dream job: Bharatanatyam Dancer!!














15. Bad Habit you have: I bite my nails...














16. Your worst fear: losing my specs and not having a spare pair!
(Couldn't find a decent pic to represent this either!!)



17. The one thing you’ll like to do before you die: Travel around the world!












18. The first thing you’ll buy if you get $1,000,000: The latest fantasy would be to buy a castle in France!










I tag, Rayshma, Galadriel, Grail, Cantaloupe's Amma, Mandira, Swati....
and of course anyone else who wants to take it up!! Enjoy Maadi!!! :-)

Edited to tag: My sis as well since she was complaining in the comments section ! (Happy?!)

Another story...

OK, I'm trying my hand in writing really short stories... And, here's one such piece... Tell me what you think! :-)

She walked slowly, each step faltering as she inched closer towards her apartment building. She sighed, deep and long and walked into the compound with a false and cheerful smile fixed on her face.
The watchman of the building was delighted to see her and wished her saying that he and the others had missed her during the last one week she was out of town.
She smiled at him and thought of her blissful 1 week freedom, away from her family, especially away from her husband.
She knew that he would be waiting inside for her, to reclaim his possession and to remind her not so gently that she belonged to him.
She opened the door with her keys and let herself in. She could hear the TV and knew that he would come looking for her into her room.
She would be ready this time, she promised herself. She walked into her room and threw her suitcases on the floor, each falling on the ground with a resounding thud.
Then, she heard him, get up from his place, turn on the volume of the TV so that it would block out all other sounds.
She waited patiently behind the door, her hand holding the very bat he beat her with everyday. She could hear him search for the bat and then, she heard him grab his belt from his closet and walk into her room. This time, she was ready, she swung the bat as hard as she could and hit his face.
She stood over him, satisfied, watching him whither in pain and lose consciousness. Then, she stepped over his unconscious body, picked up her empty suitcases and walked out and into the taxi where Sameer was waiting for her.

Take your time and read and do comment!

I have always been excited about new places, meeting new people and experiencing different things.
But, this time I was vary of the new company I was joining and a bit hesitant to be friendly as well.
Again, I was pleasantly surprised... I've met a few interesting people and what I've learnt so far about my work, seems to be challenging enough.
Right now, I don't have too much to do... just reading up on the project and getting into trainings and knowledge sharing sessions.

We have all been witnessing the terrible things happening in our country for the past 1 week... the terrorist attack, politicians resigning, making statements.
We see the fury, feel the remorse and with some share the pain of the loss of a loved one.
I read a lot of blogs, links which condoned the attack...
Some pointed out rightly - what about the people killed/injured in CST? Why are they not being shown?
(Hop over to Mad Momma where she shares this link - for better clarity)
I have a friend, whose aunt is the head nurse in one of the hospitals in Mumbai where these injured were treated...
Apparently, the numbers are greater than the ones released by the govt/police...
Also, apparently some of the hospital authorities were so incensed by the attacks and the neglect shown towards the people hurt/killed in the attacks on CST and on the roads, they demanded money from the rich who were injured in Taj and Trident!!

(Now, I don't KNOW how true these stories are... I couldn't find anything to support these statements on the Internet. If you find anything, please do leave a link and if this is incorrect information, please do go ahead and leave a comment)

I have a couple of questions though...

-> Did it take an attack on the rich and powerful for our govt to wake up to terrorism?

-> Why was POTA removed? Its replacement was the United Progressive Alliance. How helpful has this been? The reasons I found for POTA's removal didn't seem to be very convincing. If you have anything else, please do share the information.

-> The families of the top officers who laid down their lives were offered compensation which was turned down...
But, what about the 18 odd constables who died and some 30 or so still fighting for their lives?

-> What about the cooks, waiters who were killed without a second thought, after serving food to the terrorists?
Why hasn't any News Channel/reporter spoken about them?

-> Where were all the celebrities who spoke up AFTER the attack got over until then?
What are they doing to help the "common folk" who were injured/killed?
When the whole issue of Raj Thackery happened, a lot of them were officially quoted saying "This is my city, my Mumbai" etc etc...
What are they doing to help now?

-> My biggest question - where was our PM?
Why were there no re-assurances from him?
My sister commented that, not all great administrators are eloquent speakers, to which I do agree, but, wasn't it even more necessary for the PM to make a slightly more impressive speech, stressing on the importance of justice, peace and harmony during difficult times like this?


Makes you think doesn't it?


I also had a couple of arguments with the new friends about Islam as a religion and Muslims in general...
I mean, you can't blame the religion or the entire community for what has happened right? We have bad eggs and extremism in all the religions.
Fanatics exist everywhere... and more importantly these so-called leaders of these various extremist groups know who has to be brain-washed and where exactly to hit, so that it hurts the most.
This is not just true with the Muslim fundamentalists it's true with the other religions' extreme groups as well...
But, here again, when one says “Muslim fundamentalist”, what it would mean is “a person who strictly adheres to the principles of Islam”.
The same would apply to a Hindu/Christian or anyone else for that matter. But in today’s terms, the term has been twisted out of shape, which is pretty sad!


Don't show animosity towards a person based on their religion...
This is the time for unity and a small effort on our part to be a bit more open-minded.
This is the time for us to vote more cleanly and sensibly...
(However ideal it may sound and slightly impossible in many ways!)
It's the time for togetherness and to send out a message that we won't bow to Terrorism either from the terrorists or from our "Esteemed" politicians!!

Sending out a prayer for all those injured/killed in all those attacks we as a country have faced in the recent past...

PS: These are my views along with some of the stories found on the Internet... Again, I stress the fact that if your views are different, go ahead and voice them, but be polite and open the door for arguments and not fights.

6 Random Things about me

Galadriel tagged me to write 6 Random things about myself...

So, here goes...

- I like wearing Green Nail polish on my toes... I think that whatever I maybe wearing, the nail polish always matches my outfit. I wore it for a wedding, dressed in a silk saree, and it matched.

- I don't like mint flavored mouth-fresheners like Polo, Menthos, Gum... it makes me blow cold air out of my nose and that feels weird.

- I think my husband prepares upma better than me...

- I enjoy browsing the Internet and watching TV simultaneously. It's an art I have managed to perfect these last 2 months...

- I have watched all 10 seasons of Friends and all the seasons of Seinfeld and I still watch it everyday as if I'm watching the episodes for the very first time.

- I can read a book I really really liked (you get the drift right?) any number times with the same interest and seriousness I had when I read the book for the first time. My sister says she admires me for this!!!

Stopping now with great difficulty! I was on a roll there!!
6 random things about me!

If you haven't done the tag, go ahead and take it up!!!

Back to work...

So, I finally decided on getting back to work... Just a few more days of blissful freedom, before I start leaving home at 7 AM again!!
Sigh...

The days of lounging around in jammies all day, watching Grey's Anatomy reruns, Friends, Seinfeld in the mornings, drinking the second cup of coffee standing in the balcony and watching the neighbour's kid scream the place down, all are over for now...

I am looking forward to this new job, because even with all the recession and the job cuts, I managed a salary hike and a promotion!! (TOUCHWOOD!)
The people I have spoken to, so far, have all been very professional and friendly. Apparently, its also a good place to work. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hopefully will get into a great job with a pretty decent team...

But, these 2 months have been great... I enjoyed every minute of it... :-)

Now, I look forward to making a new beginning at a new place with a new team, hoping to meet interesting people which might form some unforgettable friendships! I do know, that I have moved on, grown wiser and will deal with things in a much better manner...

Here's Cheers to me for my new adventures, which start soon!

Go on and wish me luck and leave your pearls of wisdom as well!!!

Dostana...

So, did you guys watch the movie? Did you like it?
I LOVED the movie!!!
No, I didn't find it offensive or OTT... I didn't think that it was an insensitive movie trying to stereotype the Gay Community...
It was pure, unadulterated fun!!! No KJo-last-15-minutes hamming... no drama-baazi...
Priyanka Chopra is awesome looking in the movie!!! And they have shown her having some sort of career as well!!!
John Abraham is HOT!! absolutely dreamy with a great body... :-)
Abhishek Bachan is awesome!!! A delight to watch him act so well with no inhibitions...

Go watch the movie if you want to have a few good laughs!!!
Don't go looking for meaning... Just go and see how well those 3 have acted...


Edited to add:
I mean no offense to anyone here, especially the LGBT community... If you are looking for a fight/argument, please, don't do it here...
All I'm saying is, the movie was funny and everyone's done a great job...
Its nice to see our "Heroes" do such a great job playing "pretend-gay-men"

Quiz Results!!!

What Kind of Wife Are You?
	You are a(n) Good Wife. You are an absolutely good wife! You're not so perfect that you look fake and you don't nag so much that you'll end up in divorce court! Your marriage has ups and downs but you and your man love and respect each other. You are supportive and expect the same from him. You are right where you want to be and couldn't imagine your life differently.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Heh!!! I am a Good Wife!


Heh!! Apparently, I am Hagrid!!! :-) Which Character are you??

Which Harry Potter Character Are You?
	You are Hagrid. You're an outcast with a heart of gold. Despite your own problems, you always find time to help those in need.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi....

Roughly translated, it means - "A marriage like this also"

Now, this post isn't a review because I haven't watched the movie...
But, I read the story line and it seems the story goes along these lines -
Hero and Heroine fall in love, and the heroine's dad dies leaving her with the responsibility of taking care of her siblings... so, the hero chooses to wait since she can't take her siblings to her "in-laws" place... So, he waits for 12 long years while the heroine struggles to make ends meet...

During the era of path breaking movies being made, I just wish Rajshree Productions had done something decent.
I mean, since the hero is rich, couldn't he have helped out(as mentioned in Rediff reviews)?
My question, Why can't a girl marry and still take care of HER family?

Aren't we all fighting for equal rights? We have feminism written out in bold...
When we are trying harder and harder to voice out our opinion and to make a mark in a chauvinistic society, it would have been nicer to see a stronger script attempting to mix the traditional Indian Family with a contemporary and more realistic approach to marriage and responsibility...
During times where change is the necessity and since still a large a large section of our society gets influenced by movies, couldn't they have shown something different for a change?
I have enjoyed all their movies till date, grew up watching them multiple times, but the story of this movie kind of put me off...

Will I watch the movie? I don't know... Did You watch it? and more importantly, did you like the movie?
I still wish, the story had been more in lines with the title given...

What's right in your life?

My sister wrote about this and I wanted to write about it too, because as she has rightly said, by looking at all the right things it makes sure we stay happy and positive.
I have a fantastic husband, who is not only a great spouse, but also my best friend, support system and my best critic.
My parents are awesome folks, very supportive, liberal, open-minded, and I can always count on them for anything and everything.
My sister, who is very dependable and fun to be with.
My friends who are a fantastic lot and have been there for me.

I also feel things are "just right" for me because of ME as well! :-)
I am at a phase where I am at peace mentally, I don't get stressed out and I am now able to block unwanted things from bothering me, if not completely, at least 80% of the time.
Things are just right because even though I am now sitting at home without working and I am not worrying about my next job, next company and with nothing on hand, I was able to reject offers because it didn't hold too much appeal.
I have turned out exactly how I wanted to be... You know, when you are 16 and wondering how you will be in your 20's - I am how I pictured myself to be!
Financial independence gives you confidence and stability (I may be wrong here, but this is my experience). This my mom drilled into our heads from a very young age and this made sure we studied hard, worked harder and learnt to enjoy the freedom a job/salary gives you.
The fact that I can provide for my family, for their well-being... the fact that my sis still takes money from me for auto or because she didn't have enough cash on her, etc etc, even though she is working and she has a good job/salary is somehow an extremely satisfying feeling!!
Minor insecurities which seem so inconsequential now have vanished leaving behind a strong (emotionally), confident, happy (Touchwood), woman who is so ready to rock the 30's in a couple of years!!
Yep, things are just right, right now! :-)

A wedding - a Celebration

I had gone to Udupi over the weekend to attend my close friends' wedding... We worked together in my previous company and I was her "mentor" when she joined as a fresher...
She had invited the entire gang for her wedding, but only I actually made it with my husband...

Here's why this wedding was so special even to us, invitees -
Her hospitality was impeccable. She even called me on the previous day to make sure we reached Udupi and whether the accommodation she had arranged was alright...
The wedding was on 2nd, but there was a small get-together the previous evening, of just family and we had the privilege of being invited to that as well! The best part was, it was like an ice-breaker. There was lots of dancing, singing, teasing the new couple-to-be... Basically, it made sure that both families got together and spent time doing something fun so that there wouldn't be any awkwardness the next day.
The actual wedding was another revelation! It was a celebration! A joyous occasion which united 2 families together as well! There was dancing, a lot of laughter and teasing going on and in the midst of it all, the traditional ceremony took place and the 2 kids were married!

Now, when we talk about weddings, it usually all boils down to the food, which, I must say was delicious!!
On both days, the food was finger-licking good!

The best part was, there was no tension, no glaring animosity, no unhappy/serious faces. It was a wedding which symbolized love, laughter, celebration of life and most importantly, their folks made sure that the couple started off their happy life with some pretty awesome memories of their first leg of the long journey ahead!!! :-)

My list...

I did want to talk about what I like the most or even love... Here's my list in random order...

1. Cake. I have this thing about cake... I can't eat it all the time, but once in a while I have this craving for cake, and it will be satisfied only by the greasy sticky stuff one gets at the local bakery!

2. The silence of a Sunday morning. I always wake up 15 mins before my maid arrives and my husband will still be fast asleep. I sit on the floor/bean bag in the living room and read the paper quietly... This unknown to me has become a habit which I have grown to love

3. Cooking for my family. I love it when my parents tell me they loved the food, since both of them are awesome cooks

4. Shopping with my sis.

5. Eating Ice cream in the rain with my best friend V - he used to call me crazy but never stopped indulging me!

6. Climbing the steps of Chamundi Hills

7. My morning mug of tea/coffee/milk with my husband.

8. Bike Rides!

9. Gossiping about everything under the sun late into the night with mom and my sis.

10. Drinking coffee and reading a book sitting at a quiet table in Cafe Coffee Day

11. A walk along Kukkarahalli lake in Mysore

12. Holding hands and going for a walk with my husband - it doesn't matter where we are - it always makes me feel loved, special and peaceful.

13. Stepping out of the house after it has rained... I love the freshness in the air...

14. The satisfied feeling when everything goes well during a production install at work.

15. The smell of basmati rice being cooked...

16. Hot hot Gulab Jamoons! (Yummy!)

17. The silence in a Temple, its peaceful and calming...

18. Writing/blogging -it makes me think and it helps me connect...

Here's my list of a few things I have grown to like/love over the years. Do you have a list too?

Here's wishing all you dear bloggers and your families a very Happy Deepavali! :-)

I'm off to Mysore (yay!) tomorrow and will be back next week!
Take care and keep safe during the festivities :-)






(source: Google images)

Today is KarvaChauth

Apparently, today is KarvaChauth...
I didn't know. I did read a couple of posts here and here....

Now, I have nothing against festivals in general - I love dressing up, the food, sweets, the ambiance at home...

Now, Karva Chauth is one festival which I don't approve of. This whole fasting thing to pray for your husband's long life is something I don't get...

I googled the festival and came across some interesting insights - here are some snippets

" Karva Chauth is a fast undertaken by married Hindu women who offer prayers seeking the welfare, prosperity, well-being, and longevity of their husbands. Karva Chauth falls about nine days before diwali on the Kartik ki Chauth some time in October or November. It is the most important fast observed by the women of North India. A woman keeps such a fast for the well-being of her husband, who becomes her protector after she leaves her parents home. Her husband provides her with food, shelter, clothing, respectability, comfort and happiness.

This is indeed a very tough fast to observe as it starts before sunrise and ends after worshipping the moon, which usually rises at about 8.45 p.m. No food or water is to be taken after 4 a.m. or after sunrise. Nowadays, this fast is kept even in modern educated homes, becoming a symbol of the sentiment that a woman has for her husband. "

My objections to this festival are numerous:
- why should the wife only fast and pray for her husband's long life?
(I know lots of men fast along with their wives, but that's not my point here!)

- Why should WE suffer in order to keep the husbands happy?
(You know, staying hungry all day...)

- Why isn't there a festival for men to fast for their wives' long life and happiness?

- I don't understand the willingness to suffer for another person's well being
I mean, when you are sad/unhappy/hungry/cranky, how could the husband be happy??

The stories behind the origin of this festival are interesting and they vary from website to website ;-)
This particular website: http://festivalsofindia.in/KarvaChauth/Katha.asp
has a lot of interesting details about the festival and about other festivals as well if you are curious.

Wikipedia also has an interesting write-up about the same.

I know lots of women who celebrate this festival and some of them are dear friends and I don't interfere or tell them how I feel about the whole deal... I respect their belief and leave it at that...

But, this space is my own and here, I do want to tell that I don't approve of this festival at all

And most importantly, I will not disagree to any argument made pro-Karva Chauth because I personally can't relate to this festival...

But, all this said - I admire people who actually can fast thru the entire day without eating or drinking anything...

Right or Wrong?

right or wrong?

- To marry the man you had an affair with when you were still married to your Ex-husband?

- To tell your friend you love her/him even though he/she is married.

- The desire to see a person suffer just as much as you did, because that person was the cause of your sufferings?

- To be strong enough to tell a person they are not invited home because you know that if they do step into your home, they will ruin it.

- To say, you don't want to visit a dying relative because you prefer their healthy image in your mind to the sick one you might see...

- To break up a couple just so that you could be with her, because you love her so much?

- To break a person's heart after you promised them marriage just because he/she is from a different community and your parents said no?

What do you think?


Edited to add: Thank you for all your views... :-)
I received a couple of emails from friends asking me if anything was wrong..
No, nothing's wrong :-)
I was talking to friends and these topics came up, so posted them to know what you guys think about it.. and the responses though quite similar have varied and has been interesting as well!

Keep posting your views though! :-)

T20: the tag

RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

RULE #2 Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by continue this game by sending it to other people.

Rayshma tagged me ages ago, so here goes!

1. If your lover betrayed you, what will your reaction be?
I agree with Rayshma - the Don Corleone Method of taking out works for me!!!

2. If you can have a dream come true, what would it be?
Travel around the world...

3. Whose butt would you like to kick?
O! I have a long list!! Do I put them all up?!!!
But, the first person would be my friend K - he is in Bangalore today and
he isn't coming home till evening

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
Pay off the home loan, re-locate to a hill-station, keep the rest well-invested for good returns so that I don't have to work!!

5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
Yep, been there and done that!! ;-)
(I married him too!!)

6. Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
Being loved.. *sigh* and yea.. *I am so selfish sometimes!!*

7. How long do you intend to wait for someone you love?
Again, to repeat Rayshma's words - I only have to wait till he gets home for some of the love to *ehem* be shown!

8. If the person you secretly like is attached, what will you do?
Umm.. keep my mouth shut?!!

9. If you could root for one social cause, what would it be?
Better Sexual awareness - if that's a social cause...

10. What takes you down the fastest?
A cruel comment from my family and very close friends

11. what resurrects you the fastest?
Again, a big warm hug from my dearest husband

12. What’s your fear?
That I wake up one day and find my specs gone... (Yes, I am paranoid about losing my specs)

13. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Fun-loving, bright, talented, intelligent... I would love to meet her one day!

14. Would you rather be single and rich or married and poor?
Single and Rich?? I need the money!!!


15. What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
hug my husband and open the door to let the maid in!

16. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously who will you pick?
I don't see myself falling in love with 2 people ever! UGH!!!

17. Would you give all in a relationship?
Yes.. But, again as Rayshma states - my individuality, self-esteem, dignity, personal space... these things stay with me

18. Would you forgive and forget someone no matter how horrible a thing he has done?
No grudges... But, no - I am not the forgetting types... forgive - maybe... but i don't forget.

19. Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?
Both. A healthy mix of both is great.

20. tag 6 people.
I don't know if I have 6 people reading this post right now to tag them!!
But, if you ARE reading this and you want to take up the tag - then go ahead by all means!

PS: I haven't changed any of the questions either!

Updates....

Still very much here and yes, still very much at home too...
This whole period has been very relaxing and rejuvenating... It has helped my concentration levels, patience and on the whole I have been very peaceful with no turmoils as such on my mind...
The only thing I need to think about is - what to cook for dinner/lunch/breakfast!
I do have a couple of offers and I still have a few interviews lined up... But, this time I have promised myself that I will not hurry and make a decision... Though, you never know, the new company and project might end up being equally bad!
As a promise made to myself when I quit my job, I have been doing things which satisfy ME and help ME become a better person.

-> I have started going to dance classes again - bharathanatyam classes. My friend is teaching me and helping me remember. I am proud to say that I still dance well and my technique is still very good :)
The only thing I need to improve is my stamina and facial expressions...

-> I have started taking daily walks.

-> I meditate for 10 minutes everyday now. Its helping me concentrate and its really helping my back. This is also helping me get rid of all the negative feelings and bad vibes that I carried back with me from my previous job. I do hope to increase the time though...

We also went to Kodaikanal for 3 days and it was awesome!! We had a great guide and he took us to some awesome places... we did a lot of trekking! :-)

I do plan on putting up pics in my next post!

Awarded!

Swati awarded me the "million-dollar-friend" Award! YAY!
(*Doing the crazy, happy dance!*)
Here's what she says (so sweetly) about me: We share a bond beyond any words , again don’t ask me when how and why please.



She is so right by the way! She just knows somehow what I'm feeling, how I would react... The bond definitely exists... :)

I would like to pass this on to

Grail (of course!) - she is a beacon of light and a true friend... The only regret I have is, we don't live closer...

Swati - Giving it back to u, since as you said - the bond exists and I just can't explain it! You are a great friend!

Vicky - Well, we have been friends for a loooooong time and he also made sure I started this blog!

Last, but not the least -

My sis - You rock babe!!! A good friend and a terrific sister! :-)

A toast to all you terrific people!

What next?

Well, another job in a different company, I guess.

I'm enjoying this break. Seriously, sitting at home and doing absolutely nothing has its merits!
I also realised that I can't keep doing this - sitting at home thing.
I need to work and the fact that I would be working soon - in a different place is what's making sure I enjoy myself today...
I also realised that I need this time to clean out and empty my head and mind before starting out again, before stepping out into the big bad corporate world.
The things I've seen over the past 2 yrs have taken a toll and sadly, made me lose trust on basic human behaviour. The pleasure a person gets out of putting another person in trouble is something I have seen over and over again. Trust me, its not a nice thing - either to experience or to just see...
I saw careers and reputations being spoilt by malicious words of idle men. The insecurities of one person have made sure that an entire team lost out on opportunities...

Office politics are present everywhere. You see dirty, manipulative people in all walks of life.
But, this is the first time I've seen people derive perverse pleasure in ruining another person's opportunities just to satisfy their ego.
At the end of the day, the question that keeps repeating is "How do they sleep at night?"
And, will they be punished for what they did?
I hope so, for after all I am human.
And as its said by the wise people - "You need to pay for your mistakes here; during this lifetime, before passing on"
I really wish they would hurry up and pay for their dirty deeds, for as I said - I am human and a tiny part in me wants to see them squirm just like how I saw them make others squirm...

This whole ugly scenario needs to be drained out of my system; I wasn't happy there and I won't be happy anywhere else if these ugly shadows keep lurking around...

I'm going to take this break for what it is, a time to clean my mind, and to relax...