Olympics and India

It was a truly historic moment to see Abhinav Bhindra win a gold at the olympics.
But why has it taken so long for India to finally win an individual gold.

THIS
article from Saumya, was thought provoking as to what we Indians(who have excelled in all other sphere's) are lacking and what could be done to finally see some gold.

Here are my thoughts. I was going to leave comments on her blogsite but it was long enough to warrant a post.

What steps can be done to improve the state of sports in India:
In my opinion unless the incentive provided is lucrative enough, the interest in sports cannot develop. Just a railways job is not good enough....there have to be better college/school scholarship's. Instead of the n number of existing quotas we can actually have some good college scholarships based on sports.

In India the stress has always been on education....sports is never a viable option. Nowadays parents are becoming more aware and trying to channelise and making their kids all-rounders. But then again they are caught in this web of fierce competition....so after a while it will be you have to score better to secure an engineering seat etc. the cycle continues. So at some level this basic thinking has to change. That will happen only if there is a push with more incentives and encouragement for taking up sports as a career.

Privatising sports is a very good option. Most sports that are privatised, with money flowing in thru events etc have done quite decently. It will be more organised...less bureaucracy!! Take cricket for instance.

Third thing I feel is from the olympics perspective we have to take a check on our strengths ie which sports we are likely to succeed. Sport is a combination of strength/stamina/skill/team work in varying levels. I personally think India would do well in sports that need more of strength/skill. Take the case of China too, they do well in sports that involve more of skill/team work/strength say synchronised diving/badminton/gymnastics. They may not do as well as US in sports that involve pure stamina/speed like track and field. I feel they should identify the area's where they are more sure to find success and hone their skills in those area's. Not stereotyping, but it is just some nations/people maybe cut out for certain sports more than others. Maybe once they identify the areas they want to focus their energy on those. If it is privatised they could have international coaches for training in those sports alone.

Making the training/infrastructure more affordable at schools/college level is another way to generate the interest early on. Schools could have better track and field areas/swimming facilities/sports events.

While typing this blog I was reminded of the essays we used to write for school. :-)
Hope it doesn't remain an essay. Any inputs are most welcome.

2 words. Many thoughts

Since I have procastinated long enough and not posted anything. I took up Aparna's tag.
So read along...

I am: quite a balanced person most times. Atleast I think so ;-)
I think: I have come a long way from my carefree days to trying to be a responsible mom to my twosome.
I know: I can't have the cake and eat it too. and don't aim for it.
I have: more than everything I ever wanted.
I wish: there was a sure shot way to calm a toddler.
I hate: hypocrites/double standards. Being late
I miss: life in India/watching movies in the theater/window shopping.
I fear: bad news/roller coasters/snakes. In that order
I hear: the constant opening and closing of the restroom door. thanks to my cubicle positioning.
I smell: the air.
I crave: for some quiet time!!
I search: always on google :-)
I wonder: whats next in store for me. Also what to cook for dinner!!
I regret: giving up on my hobbies and also not keeping in touch with some old friends.
I love: my kids more than anything in the world. followed by hubby.
I ache: when my loved ones are in pain and I can't be of help.
I am not: a great conversationalist. it takes me a while to warm up in a big group!!
I believe: There is a silver lining to every cloud.
I dance: with 2 left feet. yup I'm that bad!!
I sing: very well. in my head that is!
I cry: very very rarely. But when I do....its hard to stop the water gate!
I fight: very less with my hubby these days ;-)
I win: most often he does!!
I lose: my temper and my purse very less these days. signs of progression towards patience/responsibility.
I never: forget to say a prayer!!
I always: end up procastinating
I confuse: myself very often !!
I listen: carefully to any advice offered and then decide on my own.
I can usually be found: cooking/watching tv in my free time.
I am scared: of losing my dear ones to an illness.
I need: a pep talk once in a way!!
I am happy about: life in general
I imagine: this post could have been funnier
I tag: anyone willing to take up

Rewind 10 years...

Laksh's blog http://www.lakshmusings.com/musings/2008/07/16/living-my-dream/ bought me out of hibernation and gave me some fodder for thought.

Lets see 10 years back where was I
Having passed out of college in 1997, and secured a decent scholarship-job immdly thereafter. In 1998 I must have been at an all time high. Missing home, at the same time enjoying the new found independence. Forging new frienships and exploring places. My career was going great guns and I was parallely working towards an MS. So all in all I couldn't have asked for more. It was a carefree life with no responsibilities to shoulder. I enjoyed working till dead end of the day, as work was my life back then. Weekends would be the time to catch up with friends, movies, MS classes.

Aspirations...back then
10 years back, I would have wanted to be successful in my career. Maybe persue an MBA down the lane. I always wanted to visit the UK/US on project assignments( just to see what was the big deal, back then). But never for once thought of settling down outside India. I never gave much thought to marriage/kids back then, as I knew it would happen when the time comes. I always wanted to remain close to my family and still have that aspiration. Wanted to buy a beautiful house.

present
Got married in 2002, and settled down in sunny CA. One of my dreams of visiting the US were getting realised while another dream of successful career eluded me for a long time. Still, I was enjoying my new life settling down with a loving hubby and having a great set of friends for company. After a long Haitus, I re-started my career with consulting. Was enjoying it for a while, when pregnancy struck. It was all well planned, in the sense I hoped to have a kid after 2 years of marriage. What I didnt plan was having twins. It took us by a complete surprise. Since then, it has been a roller-coaster ride. It has been fun/stressful/exciting/challanging 3+ years and I'm sure it will continue to remain so. A lot of my dreams/aspirations now circle around my kids/family. Even though I do have a job to get to, I would call myself more of a homemaker than a career woman. Careerwise, sometimes i'm working, sometimes on a break, but it doesn't seem to bother me.

Looking back I can say I enjoyed the life I had 10 years back and I'm enjoying the current phase to the hilt. I wouldn't trade one for the other.

10 years down the lane, I hope we continue to enjoy good health and happiness in the company of friends and family. Oh yes, by then I hope we settle down in India for good. My kids would be teenagers by then, I hope not to re-live any scary teenage stories. Or rather god give me enough patience and maturity in handling them. would be in 40's by then and hitting a mid-life crisis, Hope to successfuly sail thru it.

blog-o-mania

blog orkut here and a facebook there.
here a youtube, there a blog everywhere a blog orkut facebook youtube......

I'm simply amazed at the surge in not just blogging....but orkut/Facebook the diff means of networking. A year back, when I was still new to the blogging world, being a silent visitor to a couple of blog sites. I happened to mail a friend whom I had no contact for the past year or 2. So general enquiries led to what have you been upto the past year/would you care to share some pics. The response it evoked was...."Its all there in my blogsite xyz." surprise surprise I didnt know where to look for information :-). It was like a whole generation gone past suddenly.

Rewind 20 years back.."Nobody has time to write(I mean pen and paper), when you are just a
phone call away".
10 years back "Nobody has time to call, when you can simply mail/instant message/SMS"
present --> "why bother emailing/messaging when you could more efficiently nerwork through
Facebook/just leave a blog for the whole world to read".

Why did I think of posting this. Its all been there for the past few years, nothing new there. What is new, is the dimension/spin added by this to - Politics, media, sports you name it.

For instance
- On Facebook, BO has 1,000,400 supporters while JM has 147,000.
Just wondering...can Facebook and like technologies be a difference maker in the broader general election?

- HC is said to have lost a few supporters, thanks to some of the Youtube ads misfiring.

- Back in India, a lot of the top brass of B'wood, have blogs as a way of reaching out to the masses/promoting
their movies/lashing out at their peers. It is become the latest fad.

Till recently I used to think of these as a mere hobby/timepass. But no, they can mean serious business to some. While on the topic of blogging....I never thought I would get so hooked(taken hook,line and sinker
if you may) to it. But I have had the best time blogging, and hope to continue doing so.

One nation in need of a vacation

As my own vacation to India looms around the corner, this article I was reading in VIA mag couldn't have come at a better time.

Its going to be close to 3 years since I last took a long vacation. I think the longer the gap between your vacations, the more the depression sets in and more the craving increases to get as far away as possible. That may be the reason I'm litrally counting days to jet set and be as far away as possible from my home/work/and familiar surroundings. Escapism, you may say. but hey everybody needs it!!

I have always been appalled at the paltry 15-20 days of vacation time offered here in the US. (we still don't take that little vacation we are offered) Acc. to the article on an avg we use only 11 days of the annual allotment.

Even Japanese have an avg of 17.5 per year. The french who gave us the word leisure - get 36 days and take 94 percent of them. In England you get 24 days vacation time.
Acc. to the researchers at NYSU, guys who took annual vacations reduced their risk of death due to heart disease by 30 percent. And women who vacation at least twice a year are less depressed than women who vacation every year. and why wouldn't they be. Studies have also shown that Americans would be more productive with the increased time off. In fact now some companies are mandating that their employees take the annual vacation.

I guess the article made a strong case. i'm def. going to stick to once in 2years trip to India and every other year in between plan a vacation close by.

In short it is not just our right to annually abdicate duty. Its our duty.

Gas Prices!!

Birthday blues??

Can you blame me if I have one!! Strange but true, somehow once you hit the magic number 30 you suddenly feel like a million years old and you actually want people to forget ur Bday!!I'm long gone, past the phase when people ask me "what are your Bday plans" and I actually have one.

2 years hence, I'm a little more saner and wiser today to realise it is just a number. I was attaching way too much importance to it. In fact I don't feel a day older than I was a year or 2 back.

Thankfully it is not hitting me so hard :-) In fact I'm looking forward to cutting the Bday cake with the kiddos and cherishing the great moments that this past year has offered and looking forward to making new memories. I was already in a super-duper mood thanks to the cutesy cards and Happy Bday singing in the morning courtesy hubby/kids/mil/fil/mom/bro etc. You get the picture. Needless to say, I'm grinning from ear to ear typing this blog.

The tussle for remote

I guess in most households the tussle for the remote is among the couples. My home has to be an exception to the rule. For the last 6 years, I have been ruling the roost here, with hubby relegated to the background, where remote is concerned. In my defense, it is not as bad as made out, my hubby is least interested in spending time in front of the idiot box(quite unlike me). So that left me to spend time with the remote.

Even after my kids entered the scene, I did not once relinquish control. Which worked well, considering the disaster of handing over the remote to a 3 year old. The way it is been working is, the TV would incessantly play the kids program but the controls would be in my hands. All that changed suddenly this week, when 1 of my kiddos(M) innocently asks me “Can I please try pressing the button once. I will be very careful” How can you ignore such cute requests. My maternal instincts gave in and I taught her how to use the pause and play button. Oh!! the joys of discovery…seen in kids eyes are really worth dying for. The remote was her next fiddling toy for the next 30 mins or so, very carefully pressing the pause and play and in-turn not letting anyone watch anything in continuity.

This is when her sibling(T) who had been devoid of all the attention up until now, interjected “It is my turn now” After a flow of “No its mine…its mine” followed…..
(I’m just so accustomed to it by now. Its almost like music to my ears) T-> why cant we have 2 remotes(just like everything else is in two’s) My response -> When will you learn to share(lectured for the 1000th time) M -> “but its mine….mummy made me in-charge of it”. You see how the humble requests suddenly turn to control.
Me -> ok that’s enough. Nobody gets the remote except me.

Finally managed to get control of the remote(it feels so good to have it back in my hands). Today’s jobs done…tomo is yet another day and now remote is added to the list of tussle’s.

Memorial day and the sale

This memorial day I was itching to check out atleast 1 sale as I hadn't been to a store during sale time for a really long time. I'm not too bitten by the sale-bug, as in the US you have a sale for every small rhyme and reason. In fact every week there is a sale in some xyz store.

Last 2 weeks I was seeing the close-out sale at Mervyns. Mervyns not being top on my list I just ignored the initial pangs. The third week...my better half suggested maybe I should check out the sale and see if I find something for myself. Last couple of years
most of my shopping ends up with accumulating more and more junk for my kids. One of my kids wanted to tag along esp the fussier of the kids wanted to tag along. That should
have spelt disaster as it very often happens and I end up buying things I never intended.

So my plan was to avoid the kids section and head in a different direction. Since most
shops have the women's section right in front so I thought the plan would work.

Enter Mervyns and the first thing I see is hordes of kids clothes and nothing cheap as advertised. To myself "They really know their target audience" I think 30-60% is a gimmick as most thinngs end up at the upper limit. whatever, it worked well enough to get me in.

My daughter who has the weirdest dress sense for a 3 year old, rushes in and starts picking up the most outrageous dresses and all the wrong sizes. By now we have already spent a considerable amount of time and not got anything done. so I pick up a saner costume even if it means having to spend extra bucks, to dissuade my girl from what she had initially picked. couple of things later I head to the billing counter to see a huge tab.

Worst of all I tried to see if my Mervyns card fetched further discount, only to know I can only use it to add points. That dumb card hasn't been worth a single discount and only adds to the weight in my purse.

Just when I'm getting out of the store I see a small sign in the most obscure places telling me "Close out sale. We are moving to a new location opposite the road". To myself "ok so it is really not a close-out sale in the real sense of the word. and I'm 83bucks shorter with things none the cheaper and dresses my kids could have easily done without"

So much for the great memorial day sale!!

One year and counting

Today would be exactly a year since we moved into our new home. Just thinking of the past year a lot of memories come flooding. It is like a trip down memory lane, when thinking of what started as a casual 'open-house' with no intention to buy, to getting to know a whole bunch of new terms, to going through bidding process, to being proud and responsible home-owners(with a huge dent in our Bank balance).

It all started when the rents in our apartment was on the rise. We were on the lookout for a better apt for the same increased rent.

This is when a colleague of mine litrally sat me down and convinced me abt home buying. Same discussion that I have had with V often, except, maybe it sounded more convincing coming from a third person. V was also bought into the idea and after a few calculations we
were on the home buying expedition. For the next few weeks/months our days were filled with going for open houses, researching on the net and reading up stuff. We also banked on the knowledge base of our close friends who were buying around the same time. Thanks to them we were spared of re-inventing the wheel.

After going through a whole bunch of houses(some shown by our agent and some on our own) --> we found houses that were - over the budget/too old/not a good school district
/high maintenence....in short nothing to our liking.
Just when we were about to put a break on our search, our Agent sent us the link to our
current home. We were not too keen on it, due to the extra commute involved. But everything else fitted the bill so it was not easy to pass.

The first time I set sight on it....It wasn't exactly the dream home I had imagined or read about. But came very close to it. The selling point for me was the open and beautiful re-modelled kitchen and the backyard.

Its been a year since then and the house has undergone a lot of transformation - got a dash of color/remodelled floor/fireplace etc and every now and then something breaks down/needs fixing. It gets quite stressful at times with having to fix one thing or another. Nevertheless the immense satisfaction from knowing your efforts are invested in something you can call your own is
extremely gratifying and makes me completely forget the sub-prime issues or any minor irrants associated with the house. Its simply a great feeling when I don't have to walk a block to get my clothes laundered/when I watch the kids frolic in the backyard/just enjoying the space....I think it more than makes up for the hefty mortgage. V, would agree to disagree on the last part ;-)

Here's to more memories and fun-times.

The junk that came

My hubby once in a way takes pity on me and takes it upon himself to get my handbag in order. By that I mean he litrally just empties my handbag and keeps it in sight so I have no option but to sort out the junk.

On my part to avoid accumulating junk I have tried downsizing my handbag. My logic if there is no space to store, there will be less clutter. I thought it was working fine, until yest when I saw what came out of my small handbag.

12 pens. yup!! V just gave me this look..."Really?Are you stealing at work". For this I plead selective amnesia. What can a poor girl do if she forgets it is in her purse all along. And I have so much going on to keep count of pens in my bag.

Next is my collection of to-do lists or to-buy lists. abt 20 in all stuck in different pockets and waiting to be trashed. To this what can I say I'm so good in planning see how diligently I have written out the lists. V countered with "if only you were as good in executing" It did not stop with that he went on to read the lists. one of the weekend to-do items "Try to keep kids as entertained as possible" V (lol) -> "Are you planning to put on an act". But believe me this is a task in itself....although doesn't need to be on the list.
V after going thru the lists "aren't you being over-zealous....I mean how on earth are you planning to get all this done in 1 weekend with 2 hyperactive toddlers in tow" My response " Who said I need to get everything done....I just over planned so that atleast somethings on the list actually get done. If it is not done it would get transferred to the next weekends list.Simple.".

Moving on...next is a bulky purse which holds the credit cards and other essentials. Thats a must have how can you argue with that. V -> atleast it can be a less bulky purse. Me -> No thats not possible I really like the purse. it has always been with me(even though I have misplaced it numerous times....it hasn't managed to leave me)

Next accessories. V-> why do you have a comb, chapstick, and 3 hair clips. Me - "Hello you call that a lot. you should have had an American wife then you would know what accessories mean."

Bills -> truckload of them. ok that needs to be torn and trashed. Point taken.

Yay!! My bag does feel lighter today. I signoff with that until the junk starts accumulating again.

Happy Mothers Day!!!

Maa - Taare Zameen Par


Main Kabhi Batlata Nahin
Par Andhere Se Darta Hoon Main Maa
Yun To Main,Dikhlata Nahin
Teri Parwaah Karta Hoon Main Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata, Hain Na Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata,,Meri Maa

Bheed Mein Yun Na Chodo Mujhe
Ghar Laut Ke Bhi Aa Naa Paoon Maa
Bhej Na Itna Door Mujkko Tu
Yaad Bhi Tujhko Aa Naa Paoon Maa
Kya Itna Bura Hoon Main Maa
Kya Itna Bura Meri Maa

Jab Bhi Kabhi Papa Mujhe
Jo Zor Se Jhoola Jhulate Hain Maa
Meri Nazar Dhoondhe Tujhe
Sochu Yahi Tu Aa Ke Thaamegi Maa

Unse Main Yeh Kehta Nahin
Par Main Seham Jaata Hoon Maa
Chehre Pe Aana Deta Nahin
Dil Hi Dil Mein Ghabraata Hoon Maa
Tujhe Sab Hai Pata Hai Naa Maa
Tujhe Sab Hai Pata Meri Maa

Main Kabhi Batlata Nahin
Par Andhere Se Darta Hoon Main Maa
Yun To Main,Dikhlata Nahin
Teri Parwaah Karta Hoon Main Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata, Hain Na Maa
Tujhe Sab Hain Pata,,Meri Maa

A getaway at Reno-Tahoe

Reno-Tahoe has always been a hotspot destination for us, mainly due to its easy accessibility added with the varied offering(where else can you get a mix of casino/snow-capped mountains/beaches/breathtakingly spectacular lake).

As for me it will always hold a special place as it was my first ever trip outside of the bay area, after landing in the US . However many times I have visited, the place never ceases to hold my interest. So last weekend the trip finally happened after 1-2 months of me dropping hints to hubby dear. Not that he is not bitten by the travel bug....on the contrary he would be the first one to pack his bags at the word "go". It is just that we had been stuck in our routine world doing the same mundane stuff.

Getting back to the trip. After much promises to the kids to make them see the snow before the seasons last snow melts we headed to destination reno-Tahoe. Each of us had our expectations. The weather seemed reasonably good. I wanted to see enough snow and also wanted it to be sunny and warm(much like having the cake and eating it too). My kids on their part imagined it to be magical white land where santa/christmas tree/reindeers coexist....thanks to watching the christmas barney over and over. That was their preparation for the trip :). V, had no expectations except to have a good time.

The drive estimated at 5 hours surprisingly took only 5 hours with brief stops in between. The casino circus-circus was good fun although we realised the kids are still a little young to enjoy the games. but whatever little time we spent was time well spent. The next day was destination Tahoe.

After a heavy breakfast(heavy for us...kids were just filled to the brim with excitement to bother about food) at the Casino we headed to Tahoe. Stopping in between to get some vista shots. We stopped at 2 beaches in between. There were some traces of snow covered with mud. My daughter couldn't believe snow could be this dirty and refused to walk anywhere near it.

Our plan was to go up the heavenly slope to see the much promised snow. It turned out to be a damp squib with the slope being closed due to high wind warnings. With no other option we headed to the hotel. That for my kids was the highlight of the day. They just prefered being inside and jumping on the bed. That for them was fun....even remarking in between "Tahoe is fun" Hello?? we didnt drive 300+ miles to be cooped up in the hotel room.
We packed up the kids and headed to another destination called "Emrald bay". Getting
back to the hotel the kids retired early and so did we, with nothing much to do.

Next day we were to drive back. We took a last shot at the heavenly slopes and voila!! the gondola's were functioning. so dressing the kids up in layers much to their resistance(my kids and dresses are a whole diff story. another blog reserved for this) we were up the gondola's(which are just like what you call winches). the kiddos though initially scared at the elevation later enjoyed the ride. We got to the first destination where we could see a lot of snow and clicks some pics but not touch the snow. The next spot was at a much higher elevation. This is where the snow activities happen like tubing/skiing etc.

As soon as we got there we were greeted with a wind chill. and my kids crying "Its cold Its cold lets go back." We could hardly hold them for 10 mins before heading down. overall it was a great experiance for them seeing snow for the first time. Next time hopefully we will be better prepared. With that we headed back to our home sweet home. Again made it in good time.

Good trip...looking forward to the next one!!!

Of dreams and nightmares...

Today my lil one Trisha came down sweaty and crying after her nightly nap. It was quite a surprise from her usual cheerful self. Most mornings I would be busy in the kitchen fixing the breakfast/lunch to take to work basically busy, my daughter would walk in thinking I haven't heard her. I would play along and surprise her!!!

I heard scream and cries. My first instinct was, that my daughters got into a fight. I gave it a minute to settle down before dropping everything and running up.

She quickly told me that there is an aunty hiding behind the closet who is trying to take her away. I tried reasoning with my 3 year old that she had seen a bad dream and how when you wake up the world is still beautiful as supp to be. trying to cite
Barney's example to make my point. in between my other lil one interjected asking "but what is the aunty's name"...hello there is no aunty. so after checking the rooms and re-assurance from me and V my daughter settled into her routine. Checking with me every 10 mins abt the non-existant aunty's existance.


I was left thinking, how much my 3 year olds are assimilating their environment and what we say. I concluded I'm partly to blame for the situation. Just yesterday, when I took my kids to the park, I noticed T branching away and following some big kid aimlessly. She has this fascination for kids older than her. I told her quite firmly that she needs to be aware of her surroundings and check where we are. Going on to explain that there may be some bad people who will take kids away so one needs to be very careful. Much like how we tell kids abt crossing the road.

Today I was left with thinking "oh oh....maybe I didnt put the point across correctly/I scared her a little too much. where should I have stopped".

After mulling over it for a while and going through the guilt trip I realised I did
what I thought was right. As a parent I have to tell them what is right/wrong even if it hurts. Maybe next time I'll dial it down a little but never am I going to not tell my kids as is and let them think everything is fine and has no consequences. I sure learnt a lesson today and I'm sure many more to come in the road to parenting.

IPL Frenzy!!!

IPL is the toast of the town and why not....with all the buzz it has generated be it the merchandising/music/brand ambassadors/international players all in one package.

I think I myself, not being a sports enthusiast have started following cricket, more for the buzz factor than anything else. I'm just amazed at how much of the western influence has rubbed on on the good 'ol game of cricket, with franchising coming into play.

I used to have this discussion with V, abt sports in US and very plainly ask so how come xyz who belongs to state A or the west coast play for the east coast team...or soccer players traded off to a whole other country...how does it work!! It boils down to its all abt the moolah!!that was the discussion back then...but now I'm getting to see it being done on a much larger scale. With the nations bigwigs getting into the action, we are now being treated to a complete entertainment fest. With the likes of Mukesh Ambani, Vijay Mallya,priety zinta and Shahrukh you can't expect anything less.

One thing that struck me though I used to tell V that ppl in the US dont have the patience for long drawn sports(much like me) thats why cricket is not their cup of tea. As it turns out the 5 days soon gave way to the ODI to be replaced by 20-20. Much like the basketball matches are also watched intently for the halftime shows....the trend continues here too with music scores being composed and star brand ambassadors adding the glamour quotient. No one cares if the game is won or lost.

Another thing is abt the teams(rather the investors) bidding for team players. It almost looks like if A doesn't have the money the player gets purchased by B. The sheer magnitude of money being dished out has attracted some of the top international players to try their hands. so we have ganguly playing along side ponting or dhoni playing along side hayden.
It makes me wonder is India extremely cash rich when it comes to cricket....it is almost leaving all other sports in the the "Indian Poverty league"

I'm also not sure how this all effects the team psychie to be playing against each other and then play together during the ICC. The positive side of the IPL's as I see is each country can learn and benefit from the other countries skill, past experience and emerge as better teams.

Sure to say the 44 day event has lots to offer for a cricket frenzy nation. All we have to do is sit back and be treated to a paisa vasool show.

Its sad I dont get the IPL matches here. No guesses here...I'm rooting for the "Chennai super kings".

Five point someone

This is my first attempt at book review. More than review it is an insight and the memories it bought back for me.

When I picked up the book it was for the buzz it had generated more than anything else. I was pleasantly surprised when I couldn't put the book down. I completed in in 1 weekend. It is a rare accomplishment these days, thanks to my kids.

The book is a light-hearted narrative about the life of three average guys at the Indian Institute of Technology . Stark and poignant points abt the current educational system bought out in a humorous satarical fashion....is what make the book a big hit.

The book starts with a disclaimer "This book is about what not to do at IIT". That is enought to get you started on the fun rollercoaster ride. For most of us who have gone thru the edu system in India, know for a fact that IIT'ians are held in the highest pedestal possible. My closest and only association with IIT, was venturing to write the entrance exam with no preparation whatsoever. Yup!! it was a day and age when parents wanted you to gain experience by taking the exam. I tried to reason that people prepare for years and tried citing waste of money...but all to fall in deaf ears. According to me even understanding the questions would need years of toiling so the 2 hours I spent in the exam hall, only I know. That was a sidetrack on my asso. with IIT.

Getting back to the book. The book is about 3 below average students Hari, Alok and Ryan. Thanks to the GPA system, their already below the mark scores are made to look even worse. The GPA's are a curse or a boon I'm not here to comment. But let's just say the peer pressure, memorization, bureaucracry, being slotted does take the fun out of learning and does get to you!!

So it did for the 3 characters who were slapped with the lowest GPA's after the very
first assignment, only to be pushed into a bottomless pit of woes. Thus, started their 4 years of adventure at IIT and trying to beat the system, work around the system, or just survive it.The author has managed to etch out 3 exceptional characters in this book.

Alok --> with a lot of responsibilities to shoulder, his main aim is to get thru IIT
with flying colours and land a well paying job. He potrays the stereotypical, obedient son who could cry at the drop of a hat(ha ha that part was fun and well exagerated). All that was until he met Hari and Ryan.

Ryan --> Rebel with a cause. often there is one category of people who would question anything and everything and waiting to break the rules. Ryan is just that.

Hari --> somewhere in between the 2 extremes. Can be easily swayed to fit in either categories. He is potrayed to be pretty much neutral throughour the book. But then again it is his narrative. I think of the 3 characters I would relate to Hari's character the most. While I try to do the right things in the right space and time....there is a rebelious streak in me which wants me to just get out of the mold and have fun.

The book for me brought back so many memories. The friendship's....the kind of buddies you only find in college(your partners in crime), going through crushes, the adrenaline rush you get the night before the exams. the flutter of activities and the buzz during assignments....photocopying notes.....and so many more.

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Follow the line...

In Mumbai, they say you dont have to do much to get from 1 point to another. The crowd pulls you along. Such is the mechanical and fast pace of life. Though I haven't been a witness to that, but my commute in public transport here, reminds me of just that.

Taking the BART for the first time. I wasn't sure what to expect. I decided to have an early start to beat the crowd. I arrive promptly at 7:30am only to find more than half the parking lot full. With instructions from V that if I need directions on what to do or where to get off just ask....I marched ahead having parked my car half a mile away.

With clear instruction on ticket purchase its easy breezy.Anyway I had to disembark at embarcedero(guess that rhymes). so I sat patiently studying the map and listening to the announcements. which I later felt was a waste of effort. Come my station and bulk of the train offloaded. And I soon realised all you have to do is move along, and this huge crowd just takes you along and deposits you right outside the building. It is almost like a well practised routine. Get out of the train, dont look left or right just follow the trail and head to the escalator.If you need to take the stairs take a quick cut in the line to avoid glares walk non stop.when you are in the stairs, mind you there is no time to puff pant and heave. you made the decision 2 mins ago and now there is no choice but to walk and walk fast and get out. if you are on the escalator pre-determine ur speed. slow coaches on the left lane would be subject to glares and occasional cussing.

Once you are out of the escalator-stair madness, head straight to punch ur tickets out. No fumbling for tickets or pleading ignorance. Just punch and go, almost like an assembly line.There is no time for thinking/observing people. The maximum I can ponder to see is the coat and shoes.

Six months of practising the routine and I can say I'm now completely sucked in by the system.I'm a pro, as I proudly tell V.

Spring is here....

Yesterday was officially the first day of spring. unofficiallyit seemed like I was eternally waiting for Spring and summer to finally make way. When it comes to weather I'm a complete sucker for warmer climes.
You would think having spent a lifetime in Chennai where the only season of the year was summer....would have somehow changed my belief. If anything it increased my affinity for the hot weather. I just hate winters period. I can't thank my stars enough that I'm in Calif. where I dont have to experiance the harsh winter. Even then I complain big time when V turns the heater down.
Spring brings a lot of beauty with it...everywhere you look there are flowers/fruits blooming. Even the uncared for trees in my backyard have started flowering in abundance. It is so refreshing to just look outside my window.
I also love the spring for the daylight saving time change which gives us an extra hour of sunshine. It feels great to be back home when there is still daylight.doesn't seem like we are working too hard(which by no strech I am).
The other reason I look forward to this season is to finally get to wear my summer clothes - summer tops/skirts/capris. without having to cover it up with an oversized coat.The colors and the floral prints on display are just amazing. I cant wait to go shopping.
Spring on the other hand is also a season of allergies. Hope I dont start sniffling!!

Holi Hai....

I couldn't resist posting one about Holi. Seeing so many of the Indian websites pompously advertise the "Holi fest" can only bring back fond memories of growing up in Delhi and having a blast at holi.
Over the years my association with holi has kept diminishing to the pointthat last couple of years it has become nil. Holi is popularly celebrated in the northern part of India. Moving to the south/US has snapped all my ties to holi....but it still manages to bring a smile on my face.

Back to my good ol days....Holi always came just before the annual exams.So every year we would be faced with the dilemma weather to sit at home and study or go have fun. offcourse as kids we obviously wanted to do the latter.I, for one would be sitting by the window pretending to read with the attention span of a butterfly. Realising my concentration level, my parents had no choice but to let me go. With a word of caution from my parents and a dirty dress on I would be more than happy to join my friends and just get out of my home.

The previous day we would be busy buying colors and filling up balloons.The prev day to holi is also referred to as choti holi meaning mini celebration.meaning you can catch a few people unawares with the filled up balloons/pichkaris but nothing to draw the attention.

On holi day I clearly remember watching gang of people coming out with colours and water pichkaris from all over the neighbourhood right at the start of day. The thing I really liked was the instant bonding displayed by people(which is rare and far fetched these days). X would enjoy holi with Y whom he/she has never met. Such was the effect, with everyone just enjoying the fest and the fervour.

A whole day of fun would end by late afternoon. Some people continue the fun with a bhujia(snacks) & bhaang(something to give you a high....as if you need one)session.
For most of us the day of fun would end in a major scrubbing and cleansisng process.Mind you, it takes hours/days to get back to ur normal self.

While I mentioned a lot of good thigs about the festival. The standard is degrading over the years and the innocent fun is getting lost to malicious behavior and trouble makers who turn things sour. I think anything is fun and exciting as long as we stick to the limits.

On that note I'll sign off with a "Holi hai"

Going Green...

I have been often enthused abt gardening. But never dared to attempt due to lack of time/interest/space. I wasn't motivated enough.
When we bought a house with a backyard, I immediately envisioned myself toiling in the garden and a garden full of veggies and fruits.
Its going to be almost a year and there hasn't been much progress on that except what was originally left behind.
To my defense I did try my hand at gardening last summer....only to realise that was the wrong season to start esp if you are planting veg/fruits. I also realized how little knowledge I had of the new trade I was taking up. After a lot of rheotoric question which at times pissed off the guys at OSH I picked up some new terms/terminology. For instance I learnt spade/trovel/shovel are all not interchangable. My first attempt at gardening was planting a rose(shrub/bush) and another one. I decided on a shrub instead of a rose treeas it weas more cost effective. Thought to myself I should start with something smalland less expensive. turned out to be a bad idea. 1 plant is dead and the other refuses to flower.
This spring I decided to have a head start into gardening. So the last weekendas a priority I visited OSH and picked up a few tomatoes, herbs and cucumberafter some litrature reading I concluded my chioces were the best.
I have managed to plant the tomatoes so far. Hoping to get the others planted/potted before the end of this week. Just keeping my fingers crossed that my luck is better this time.

Make-up time

I take the public transport aka. the BART train for commute to work.Its is been a very interesting journey for me on most days. frustrating on a few days that the train is delayed or I missed by a couple of minutes. Also on days when I have to bare it in the cold weather and walk a mile to catch the train.All in all I enjoy my "personal time" where I can catch up on books/sleep/news and get away from all the tension.
I'm also equally amazed watching the fairer sex demonstrating a complete transformation in the 35 mins ride. I can refer to them as a seperate lot because I dont indulge in it(make up that is). Not that I think I'm a stunner but maybe it just stems from the fact that....we as a race give more importance to thought/intelligence/wit/even clothesbefore the face. Whatever the reason, I was diligently watching as the lady opposite me started for a whole 10 minutes with the eye curler to be followed by another 5-10 mins of foundation and looking thru a small hand held mirror. Just when I thought she was done she would surprise me with her next move. This went on for abt 30 mins. Looking at the outcome I couldn't resist taking a peek at myself in the train window and going "Oh man I look like a doormat...esp near the piece of work sitting opposite me".
Taking my mind off I get back to my novel and happy to spend the quality time on my fav passtime rather than decking myself with layers of make up.

Cats Irk me....

Before you start thinking I'm an animal hater of some kind. Let me clear this. I do like animals but I'm just intimidated by their close proximity.It is one of those phobia's I have had since childhood. As a child I would walk an extra mile or an extra block to avoid running into stray dogs. Used to dodge behind people to hide from a cow. U can well imagine how I would have walked in a place...where there used to be this buffalo shed(which is now replaced by a multi story building)on my route to the bus stand. I needed to walk to the bus stand every other day.So to avoid the buffalo shed I would cross the road, get to the other side and then crossback again past the buffalo stand. The whole exercise would take me an extra 10 mins, which I didnt seem to mind back then.
Over the years I have been able to overcome some of the fear I have for animals.Thanks to people around me who keep assuring me it is them and not us who are really scared. My daughters have helped reassure me that not everything that moves willbite/bark at the first instance. What brought back all those memories is the fact thatI notice far too many stray cats frequenting my backyard these days. Since they are straythere is no control over their movements. Some of these cats are really huge/plump cats.They look like some mini tigers to me. What irks me most is their running all the way finding a spot to dig up do their job, cover it up and run back...right under my nose.
Some things never change....same way some phobia's take years to go.

upcoming...

I changed my blogpage name from cracks-me-up.blogspot.com to arch-musings.blogspot.com.
easier to hit upon it.

Note to myself : My agenda for the next week is to create a blog to show case the recipes I have tried, tested, experimented, ripped, inherited and above all loved over the years. so watch out!! This idea is also a rip off from a friend who keeps a journal of recipe's. I found it a very novel idea. Instead of devouring over printouts and different websites to search for that one recipe ur heart is set to make. Why not just put everything in one place.

Morning Madness!!!

Recently I watched a wonderful movie - Taare zameen par. while this movie in itself
has a lot that can be discussed, the scene where everybody jet setting for the morning
...was like a slice of my everyday!!
My mornings typically start at 5:30 am. After hitting the snooze button couple of times I sluggishly step out of the bed. I grumble while my hubby and kids are blissfully asleep.
Then I start timing myself and pacing arnd getting tea ready/breakfast, packing lunch all
this while cutting veggies for dinner and catching up some news. Done with that I decide to set
aside some time for gym. The back of my mind offcourse telling me there is no time. After some
back and forth thoughts I decide to give in.

So head for a 20 mins of treadmill session. Once there it turns out to 30 mins(u see it is once in
a blue moon that I exercise and my logic is to make the most). in between I hear my lil ones
coming downstairs with a cry(which I at times pretend to ignore). done with that I'm refreshed
and ready to take on the next battle.

Its 6:45 and my daughters gingerly descend the steps...a few hugs and kisses later my daughter
very nonchalently asks me "today is holiday" I reply with a firm "No" to which "where are we going today?" Mall" I go "No where do you go everyday. School" which will be followed by "School. but why?".Mind you I have 2 so if one forgets to ask a question she would be quickly prompted by the other.

Finally I decide there is no time for the questions and answer session and nudge them to get on.
10 mins later I find them blissfully playing in their rooms and telling me they are doing "cooking"
at which point my hubby comes to the rescue to continue the rest while I get ready. Thank god for V who takes care of the mornings and ensure I get to work on time.

Once ready I find my hubby struggling with the kids to get them dressed. which by the way is
nothing short of a mahabharat with 1 of my daughter not agreeing on anything sensible to wear.
either she would want to go in a ghagra/her night dress/nothing at all. The poor parents would
be left to cajole/beg/plead followed by threaten. to get her to finally get her act together.
I would heave a sigh of relief. 1 task done...I would leave the rest to my better half and start headingtowards the door after a quick bye and a hug...dreading my lil ones are not running after me.

If I'm lucky I can get out of the house by 7:30. not so lucky on some when my daughters would come racing after me and go "Today mummy is going to drop me to school" I would go "oh no" and I have to convince them that I will pick them up and follow it with a treat. Finally out of the house and it is past 7:40.
Thinking to myself if I'm lucky and all the lights are n my favour I can make it to the station and take the 8'oclock train. I tell myself tomo I should aim for the 7:45....I'm really slacking.
drive to the station praying/cussing that I make the train on time. finally reach and park with a minute to spare and a mile to pace I walk run and partly hoping my bart card does not get demagnetised and force me to miss the train.

Finally made it and step into the train. I take my seat and with a smile on my face think
Thank god for some peace and drift into a nap!!!

Love is in the air....

It was Feb 14th. Although we do not go over the top we do acknowledge the day in our own small way. This Vday we did the usual exchange of cards and I was pleasantly surprised with flowers by hubby dear. He never forgets to get flowers, even though I almost always think he is going to be too busy at work to remember.I'm glad he proves me wrong.

But this Valentines day was made extra special by my 2 sweet lil 3 yr olds. As soon as I picked them up they showed me thay had got cards from their friends(very cutely made cards)
As much as I admired seeing it I was feeling guilty I did not send them with any cards they
could hand out. thot to myself next year I'll be a little wiser.Then I asked them do you know what day it is today? Pat comes the reply "It is Halloween" so after much correction the halloween changed to valentines day.

The icing on the cake was....Trisha handed me a huge chart paper saying "I made this for you mummy" it was a huge chart with very dilligently placed red hearts. To prove her point
she quickly added " see there is red paint on my hand". To think that my little one actually put in all the effort and handed it over to me really touched my heart and made my day. Meghna made it up with a sweetly placed peck on my cheek.

I really treasure all these lil gestures as I know I wont be at the receiving end of the valentines gifts from them for very long !!

Thank you girls for making my valentines xtra spl !!

Toddler Murphy Laws
-------------------

* Have you noticed that the amount of sound that comes from the other room is inversely
proportional to the amount of trouble the child is getting into?

* The more time that has been spent in preparing a meal, the less likely is the child
to eat it.

* Any parent will vouch for the fact that the intensity of a tantrum is directly
proportional to the amount of people around.