life is yuckie muckie

2012-01-25T06:49:00.001-08:00

the first adjustment....

Mane ungh aave che...

2011-09-15T01:14:00.000-07:00

Aakho diwas. How very dull. Even my bed has now started behaving weirdly, to the extent of hurting my shoulder as a means of taking revenge. Poor me. Isme mera kya kasoor hai agar mujhe bohot neend aati hai to

idhar udhar ki baatein....

2011-09-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

'Dunki laage' - i like! very cool...

wedding talks, customs, paeri pona, jewelry, salwar suit, make up - I tolerate

b-301, shivranjni - is one of the most beautiful homes in the world

late night party at a farmhouse - mmmm... not too sure... exciting, but in a good way? perhaps going with the flow is the best option

Disagreements - I hate, but I am not always wrong

Embroideries - a hilarious book... read something like this after a loooong time

'there is nothing like the biggest mistake of my life. life is very resilient, it bounces back' - i am yet to find a statement with more truth than this in it

Shopping for ones own self is therapeutic. But it ought to be plain shopping, nothing like what will I wear when and what goes with what and whether someone else will like it.. NO!

Whether I like it or not, whether I admit it or don't, at some point, I got to change a bit... start filing nails.. need to make a start somewhere

I have a nice smile... it makes my eyes look kind...

The lil girl who put her tiny boots in her dad's shoes keeps coming to my mind...

No one appreciates my cooking like dad does.

Akki's hands smell the best

Everyone loves KBC (including me)

I think Idea's 3G ads are crap and should be banned

One should sleep as much as possible while one can, there's absolutely nothing wrong in falling asleep in a movie hall which has comfy sofas

Its just how it is...

2011-06-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

It means a lot to me that my boss had faith in me when no one else did (akki wasn't around then). I will always remain indebted to him for this.

Today was a bad day work wise, and it really helped that H was supportive. Once again, I felt touched. Once again, I was reminded of how much I admire him. Once again, I realised, how its not necessary to be able to define clear boundaries of relationships. What I share with him, is sweet, its mutual and am very lucky that I have a life partner who understands what I feel. Understands the sentiment behind all the praises that I shower on my boss.

Its just how some people click.

To Honey - It will be the end of an era for us when you leave. An era of super fun, immense respect and gratitude, and lots of affection. For Akki and for me.

2 years at Infestis...

2011-06-08T01:22:00.001-07:00

hee haw haw!

you bet I am happy!

2011-06-02T04:29:00.001-07:00

Absolutely the best!

2011-05-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have the best mom in the world. The best bro and the best dad in the world! Am so glad that you do too!
We also have the best boss in the world! :) :) :)

Dearest boss, I am not sure if I can or will ever be able to thank you the way I should, but you rank no 1 in one of my lists and our call today restored my faith in friendship... THANK YOU!

2011-04-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

It is pointless to expect anything from anyone

The columnists

2011-04-03T02:03:00.000-07:00

I really liked Shobhaa De's column in today's Sunday Times on Mahatma Gandhi. I am not an avid reader of her articles, nor am I a strong believer (or follower) of the Gandhian principles. I have also felt that an overdose of any sort of information is not too good, and this country has had an overwhelming overdose of things related to the Mahatma. Especially in Gujarat, we are happily or unhappily, living some of the principles levied on us unnaturally. But Shobhaa De's write up was witty, and realistic. Perhaps it was written for a certain age group and that's why it appealed to me. I have also enjoyed her book on India, when we celebrated our 60th independence year and this glamorous journalist turned 60 too. I have generally found her books to be full of dark realities, sometimes bordering on the edge of sleaze. But this one was different, and really enjoyable. My favourite columnist, however, remains Jug Suraiya. When my brother moved to Noida, I actually exclaimed that he could meet the writer someday there, and he looked at me like I was nuts. Well, yeah I am a little. But this man's writing style is really something. There is a general impression about Gujaratis - their english is very poor. But a man belonging to kutch, and living in noida, proves otherwise, almost everyday.

The finale

2011-04-03T01:54:00.000-07:00

I watched the final innings of the match for the cricket world cup alone. At home. It pinched me more than I would like to admit, even to myself. There was a group of kids, who just gave their board exams, in the house opposite to mine, screaming their lungs out. I have never been cricket crazy, but seeing them, I felt sad. I had a big group of friends too, or rather I still have. How much would it have taken to organise something where everyone could have enjoyed this moment... if not everyone, atleast those who really matter would have been there. But I was made to be at home and alone. Everyone had plans, including my parents. When the team lifted the cup, I didnt feel anything. I didnt pick up calls then. I decided to sleep before I felt more sorry for myself. Dukhi atma.

Dreams...

2011-03-23T09:42:00.000-07:00

The weird, funny journey of images, sounds and sometimes just thoughts, that harbour somewhere between illusion and the notion of reality... Sometimes these dreams are so sharp, crystal clear, that they do not remain limited to the subsconscious mind's aberrations or get washed off with the face wash early mornings. And sometimes they are like a faint murmur that I badly want to hear, decipher, and see it to its rightful conclusion. There are the ones that titillate.... and then there are ones that make me welcome even the darkness and solitude around me when I open my eyes. Sometimes the scream gets choked in my throat, and sometimes the smile doesnt leave my lips long after my eyes have adjusted to reality (more sulkily than ever).

Sitting in bbq nation with two dashing guys(mine!), and smiling so much that my cheeks are aching
Trying hard, very hard to cry, but not being able to
The fragrance... the one I love, and which makes me feel at home... all around me
Getting caught for lying
The eyes... and the grief in them, the eyes.. and the panic in them, the eyes... and the relief in them
My best friend... and her tinkling laughter
The comfort of office

I see snapshots of these and more in my dreamworld...

:)

2011-03-08T05:48:00.001-08:00

aahatein ho rahi teri

dil k dar pe mere

tu yahin hai kahin na kahin

kabhi mere khaab sa

kabhi uljhe jawab se

ki chanda mein bhi daag sa

mere jaisa tu

ke daraya ka ho ek sira

ki armano ka silsila

ki sehra mein bhi aab sa

mere jaisa tu

There is no end to the demands

2011-02-15T06:33:00.001-08:00

WTF!

I thought that I could love no other...

2011-02-13T19:29:00.000-08:00

Until, that is, I met your brother! LOL
Happy Valentine's day!

Dhobhi Ghaat

2011-01-29T01:15:00.000-08:00

Surprisingly, or not, I liked the movie. Thought I felt 'Mumbai Diaries' is a more apt name for the film which has a slightly refreshing take on Bombay (yes, I will always call it that) and the story of its people. Not the usual shots of local trains, rains, chawls. Even marine drive has been shot beautifully since showing Bombay without the beach would be fatal. The only drawback being that the movie should have not been positioned as part of commercial cinema at all.

What I awesomely loved about the film -

1. Prateik Babbar - hopelessly in love with him, his voice, his performance. His simple heartwarming one liner - Main kaisa laga apko?

2. The painting - took my breath away when it was unveiled. I felt Yasmeen looked more beautiful in it than she did in the videos

3. Shai - super cool, and hot. Both.

4. The background score - I missed a heartbeat :)

CA and all man...

2011-01-21T02:48:00.000-08:00

WOW! :P Congo!

Delhi

2011-01-11T07:05:00.000-08:00

Here I come.

B...n - don't dare come in front of me

2011-01-08T01:28:00.000-08:00

I will kill you.

The Card

2011-01-08T01:12:00.000-08:00

Nush teased me about this yesterday, she knew it was coming on my blog... and I really cant stop myself.

Bharat actually spent 20 minutes trying to cut the chart paper to make something that looked like a smiley... or maybe a fish... it turned out to look like a tribal mask, but we just HAD to put it on the card. And I couldn't stop gushing about how cute his whole effort was, right in front of him. But I guess he is used to me by now.

Nushi... what she wrote was so straight out of the heart, it brought tears to my eyes.

Vai... I knew exactly what she was feeling when she burst into tears.

The couple... both forgot to write their names below their messages... how delightfully similar :P

Boss... settled down as if to draft a legal document and turned up with 4 simple lines, typically him.

Rajjo... rockstar that she is, her message was just as cool.

Vrush... am not sure if she realises that she is everyones darling no matter how inconspicuous she would try to be...

It was really touching to see how people were so happy at being asked to write a note for jas... goes to say how much everyone admires her.

And I don't want to even begin writing about John and his little JPEG, because that is another whole blog in itself with nothing but my silly adoration.

As the tradition goes…

2010-12-31T03:49:00.000-08:00

I generally post something on New Year’s Eve or on the first day of the new year, so I thought this year should be no different. I have been in the limelight for quite a few things this year at home, office, among friends and more for bad reasons than good, so couple of thank yous (already imagining myself on stage) -

1. God, for giving me the strength to take a decision and abide by it

2. Y, for everything ( I wish you all the happiness in the world)

3. Akki, for being there

4. Bataki and sow, just for being themselves (so I know that there are equally crazy people, I am not alone)

5. Mom, for telling me that she loves me as much as she loves my bro

6. Jaz, for making me realize how wonderful it would have been to have a sis like her

7. Bhai, for sharing certain things with me

8. Boss, for the daily entertainment dose and for recognizing my efforts

9. Ayn Rand, for ‘The fountainhead’ – this I think I read twice every year and will always be thankful

10. Myself, cause am such a rare gem!

what kind of a person am I ??

2010-12-21T02:30:00.000-08:00

khud khush nahi rehti aur dusro ko bhi nahi rehne deti

Little Italy

2010-12-16T06:49:00.001-08:00

Now this is supposed to be my favourite restaurant. Foodwise. Ambiencewise. Servicewise. HOWEVER, after today's experience I am going to remove this place from my list of 'must take every new good friend kind of place' list.

Because we reached there at 2 50pm. And the place is supposed to shut at 3 30pm. The guy at the door said - 'nahi, hum 3 baje band karte hain.' OK, but abhi 3 bajne mein 10 min baki hain. What's your problem dude? you are letting 4 customers go. One of them being ME. This is utter crap.

I am not going to little italy now, atleast for a few months. Its not like there aren't other good places around. Doh!

Yamla and Pagla

2010-12-16T06:47:00.000-08:00

The yamla works like a turtle and is panic proof. Nothing you say will wake him from his permanent slumber

The pagla is proactive and smart, when he has to manage events out of office hours

The yamla waits for 30 min after office hours till nashta arrives

The pagla puts in loooong hours, practically lives in office, but is not at his desk when needed

The yamla sits beside me, but is too shy to congratulate me and can only manage a deeper smile

The pagla places a gift on my desk with the price tag on

The yamla's name actually suits the pagla and vice versa

Interesting characters.

Sholay reloaded

2010-12-03T09:13:00.000-08:00

Before the sourness in office engulfs the euphoria of that evening (and the week preceding it), I should capture it here –

1. The very first meeting for the play when DHR said ‘we will make sure that there is nothing indecent about the dialogues narrated in front of you or for you’ – ussi din ladke ne dil jeet liya!
2. The uncontrollable giggles and laughter during the practice sessions. How I missed one of my friends at that time! Since nush is very seedha, she would be shocked at the kind of comments I can sometimes pass, and only he can have a laugh with me on them in office!
3. Listening to nush sing ‘Baahon ke darmiyan’. Mixed feelings.
4. The argument. Which was hardly heated, and probably just one sided, but still made me realize how much I hate getting into one. And also how impossible it is to avoid one at all times!
And finally the evening…
1. DHR – ‘you are one of the most sporting people around…’
2. Adi – ‘Basanti! Tu sirf meri hai!’ every few minutes in different tones
3. Adi – ‘how are you going to the venue?’ just the way he asked
4. Veeru – ‘ Basanti dhasu lag reh li hai’ twice, before and after the change, and then an apologetic look at which I couldn’t help bursting into laughter
5. DHR, T, Pr – standing guard outside the room in turns. Touched me.
6. Surprise, surprise! Tan – ‘call me for any help at all that you need this evening’ she really isn’t so bad
7. Adi’s thank you speech. Reminded me of how I was in my graduation days
8. Ujj and Miki – simply the cutest
9. D’s coming and taking my hand – just a brief touch and big smile, all solved and forgiven
10. AB – ‘ you should keep dancing’ and the twinkle in his eyes when he said that
11. My boss dancing – matchless
12. Boss – ‘ I am more worried about how you would go home, I need to figure out something’ and then it ended up me arranging something for myself as well as him, but itna bol diya wahi bohot hai
13. Brij’s reply to my text announcing his award – very very sweet. I wish the guys in the team were not so sweet; it would make it so easy for me to quit. But they are all so damn sweet in their own ways
14. Being gently dragged to the dance floor and then the music and the hilarious dance
15. DHR – ‘how will you go home? Call me before you leave’ again just the way he said, it was in fact with a kind of authority that made me laugh and also feel good
16. Meeting ujj’s wife and daughter – a picture perfect family. Managed to give a peck on the kid’s cheek by distracting her
17. DP – ‘you keep the award! You deserve it for the fantastic performance, it was too good’ speechless
18. Mtq – ‘aapse hi milne aa raha tha’ with a warm smile
19. The strong urge to call right away since people want to get drunk and feel uneasy. That too when you are wishing they would be around to share the enjoyment
20. ‘hamara group hai’ – I don’t even remember who said this, in what context and when. Just remember that really touched me to be so easily accepted into something so sweet. Felt like a kid
:)

IRRITATED

2010-11-19T01:25:00.000-08:00

to the core.

Some things never change

2010-10-21T06:56:00.001-07:00

nor do some people.. and I am so glad! 6 years... but the same sense of comfort, the same level of dependency and the same stupid jokes. The same plans for a food joint, the same questions around moving to this city and the same fake promises. And even though I know the promises are false, they will make me smile for a few days, yeah I am really that stupid!

just like that

2010-10-19T20:52:00.000-07:00

I am not sure what I want to write today, I just feel full of writing. My mom was telling me about her parents a while back and I instantly felt guilty for not talking to them since a long time. I feel scared to hear about their deteriorating health at times and wonder how I would be 40 years from now. Not a very pleasant thought…
I feel like talking about my grandma. My paternal grandmother, whom I resemble the most in the family. I do not have her complexion, hers was fair and smooth, a far cry from my freckled, tanned, chicken pox marked, and accident stitches scarred face. But the eyes, forehead, chin and nose are the same. I miss her sometimes. I recall the faint fragrance of sandalwood powder that always made me smile when I hugged her (which was quite often since I am a super jhappi prone person). I remember her style of cooking and how she taught me that when one roti is ready to be taken off the fire, the next one should be round and ready to go in it, that kind of speed is a must J
I also remember how she was always worried about my weight (my mother has carried forward this tradition impeccably), always urging me to eat more and never understanding how one could not like sweets made out of milk. She was someone who could speak bits and pieces of English, who had the courage to roam on the streets of London alone with this limited knowledge of the language. I never saw her scared or nervous. She was always in control of everything.

Ma, I love you. If you are watching everything that I do, I hope you are not feeling disappointed in me.

ill

2010-10-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

Main bimar hu... :( the doc says its psychological... yeah right! stupid fool. When you have spent the entire night throwing up, its not just in the mind.
kitne kamine log hote hain duniya mein. I want to see your fake degree. I want to go to that fake university where some brainless people actually awarded you that piece of paper that qualifies you to practice this noble profession, and slap them
I hate everyone. I want my familiar old physician.

crossword

2010-07-31T00:41:00.000-07:00

mane crossword bau gamey che. mane crossword nu frangrance, enu book collection, enu coffee shop and enu ambience bau gamey che. hu crossword jau to mane bau khushi no anubhav thay che. mane crossword thij books levi gamey che.

crossword ma library hovi joiye so that hu tyaj besi rahu on all free weekends. aa crossword ni ad nathi, aa mara hriday no avaj che :P

A new design! Woohoo!

2010-07-31T00:37:00.000-07:00

I suddenly thought I needed to come out of the black so I now have a brand new layout for my blog!

Sweeeeet! :)

here we go again!

2010-07-01T04:54:00.000-07:00

No.. please don't ask me to take decisions.. I hate it.. I am not going to do it.. Just tell me this is what you have to do and I will somehow do it.. :(

All the time I have to choose and decide and choose and decide what to do and what not to.. Crap Crap Crap

The Men/Boys at office

2010-06-28T03:53:00.000-07:00

And am back after a long gap!

Just to talk about some silly stuff again. The men/boys at workplace -

1. My boss eating a chocolate in front of me. Hilarious somehow. and cute. Made him look vulnerable and unlike the top shot for a split second

2. Chandu driving like mad and then waiting for a lady to pass with a big smile on his face. He didnt do it to show me but I turned around just in time to see this. Warmed my heart.

3. Brij and his kindness when we went out on kaka's last day. Quite something.

4. Rollie's tantrums - when I pinched him and pulled his pony annoyed by his hippie like behaviour.

5. Jitu's matter of fact - In my opinion, you are a good PM. I blushed.

6. Milan's simplicity. I get a big smile on my face everytime I see him

7. Vineet's funny email about chocolates. Well wasn't exactly funny but Vineetish in nature!

8. Amit's constant kindness - always ready to bail out people. Super cool. I am lucky to have him beside me.

There should be a separate post on the gals too who are spicing up my life everyday. As the old friends slowly start to fade away, I am glad the new ones are here.

office!

2010-04-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

Its amazing how office has become such an intrinsic part of my life now! I will be completing an year in June and this has definitely been one of the better years of my life. I totally love subbing websites, I don't think I could have got a cooler job or a more satisfying one straight out of college. A lot of people ask me if I miss advertising, and I always say a firm NO. I don't. I am really happy being a sub editor. This is something that I enjoy, besides the fact that I am good at it. Not to mention that I have some super cool colleagues at my workplace and working with them is a pleasure anyday. We also have some weird characters and some jerks and we have our share of ups and downs but then we enjoy that part too.

I felt really proud of myself when I was considered for a certain higher post. I have given an interview for it, but I know that even if I don't make it, I will always feel happy that I, among all, was considered for it. And if I do get through, life will change to quite an extent. Lets see..

2010-01-13T02:38:00.000-08:00

There's something very scary and troubling about the word - distance. Lately its been giving me a dull ache in the tummy, the kinds I used to get as a kid when I was very scared of certain teachers. Yeah I was very timid as a child. But thats not the subject of this post.

Distance. Many people would say that sometimes distance is good for a relationship which has seen tough phases. Like a girl's relationship with her in laws! haha. Yeah if they have fought like cats and dogs when they lived in the same house, it would probably inculcate some amount of respect and affection in the relationship if one of them would separate and live at a distance. I would definitely say that my relationship with my parents would have been much much better too had I gone out of the city to study... not that its any bad now... but the arguments would have been lesser and they would probably be much more lenient towards me. or maybe not. Who knows.

But more often than not, I have seen distance being harmful for a relationship.. especially for those forms of relationships where the physical presence or the moral support of the people involved is vital.

I dont want any of my friends to go through anything horrible, I really do care about them and respect and admire their relationship and the way it has evolved through the years. I want them to build something so strong between them that it overcomes any problems caused by distance. Things like mistrust or career should not creep into the relationship, certainly not because of distance.

Shub had once told me that a relationship is all about being available. True to a large extent definitely. But a relationship is also all about 'understanding' if the other person fails to be available for some reason.

:)

2010-01-13T02:33:00.000-08:00

Some people I know just dont cease to amaze me by their acts of kindness. Everytime I feel that ok I know this person now and nothing that they do would now make me feel wow thats so nice of them.. thats precisely when they do something that touches my heart yet again... :)

Highlights of the past few days

2010-01-07T03:59:00.000-08:00

1. In the New Year eve's party, playing dumb charades and trying to make it difficult for the opposite team was super fun ( no, not because of what had gone in my stomach that night). I didnt know chapsy was so good at it.. and I also didnt know I would gel so easily with Chiggy wiggy, I generally take a long time to be myself around people I am not too familiar with. Must say it was supppper funn!
2. Playing with little yash cutie in ahmedabad! The grin he gave me when I plopped him on his little bicycle and pulled him back, made my evening! Strangely he enjoyed going reverse on his bike more than going ahead... very sweet kid :) (not just cause he has that name!)
3. While my bro and I were returning from a party at night in ahmedabad, a girl drove past on a bike and a guy followed her on a scooty. My bro immediately said - we men need to start talking of equal rights now. I burst out laughing even though it wasn't that funny or anything. hehe
4. The first day at office on the 4th Jan.. totally cool! The office had a new look with Investis Corporate Communications boards everywhere and our day began with a nice meeting where Jas discussed with us our new approach and targets and quality enhancement and all. I felt all charged up!
5. The day my partner polo got a cam to office and we got crazy pics clicked... the entire day was crazy, and I was especially in a funny mood. hehe

Buhbye 2009! :) : ) :)

2009-12-30T22:29:00.000-08:00

No I don't feel sad at all.. am glad its 31st Dec today and tomorrow a new year will begin. Not that 2009 was horrible or anything.. I mean I did find a good job and am still at it and made some new friends.. But even then, am glad its over. I like new beginnings :P

I am looking forward to the cool party tonight, but I also want to look back and post a similar kind of thing here like I did last year.

What did I do in 2009 -

1. I had a super cool 31st Dec ( ok thats 2008)
2. I worked on my dissertation and it turned out to be great! My favourite teacher praised it a great deal :) which means a lot to me. I really love my dissertation copy.
3. I passed my final year of post graduation and stood second in the class
4. I fought for something I believe in (every few months)
5. I kept fighting the fear that arises in me sometimes
6. I got confirmed in the company where I work after the initial appraisal, no rise in pay:P

this post was left incomplete on account of a thunderstorm of work on a poor kid like me. So I shall continue it today :P

7. Apu left Baroda, returned and left again. Shes not likely to be back now
8. Sow left Baroda for further studies
9. Chapsy left for Ahmedabad and came back, but is likely to go again any time
10. Fought lots with chapsy but made up each time
11. Evaded 3 marriage proprosals successfully
12. Unfortunately, cried buckets this year too
13. Refused to let recession affect me
14. Came across a crazy italian whom I would kill at the first chance I get
15. Came about adoring some people at office! They are simply great!
16. Had an awesome new year's eve!!! totally cool!!!

Baaki yaad aayega to add karugi, ciao!

sorry bloggie

2009-12-28T23:56:00.000-08:00

gosh, I have been so negligent... I didnt bother to visit my blog all this while. sorry bloggie! kissie on your nosie! hehe (why does this remind me of somu)

I am just putting in some crap here at the moment.. will come back with better stuff now that I have looked at this. Am in office but am not working :P hehe. My partner polo and super service sub nush have gone to get some pasta for all of us... yum!!!

tired of roz ka roti sabji.. :)

three cheers for me!

2009-05-24T22:21:00.000-07:00

When everyone scared me that these were bad times, the market was really down, there were no vacancies and everything... I got two brilliant job offers and I finally narowwed down on one...!! I got them both on my own merit, without any reference or contacts, I cleared all the rounds of selection at both places... I am extremely proud of my myself!! Collars up!!

24th May

2009-05-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

Spoke to bhai at 12 am sharp, spoke to mom, jadiyo, nidhi, sow, heenu, shrutu, rajjo, montz, apu, nehu, guddi, dad, sam, googly, bataku, saslu, micku... sms chatting and talking over the phone gpt over by around 2...ate a choc and read mom dads card and fell asleep... in the morning, starting 7 am spoke to kirit kaka, nanu, nani, cousins, masi, masa, again bhai, bhabhi, bu, ushi, sow, apu, nehu, shu, sattudi, i ve lost count... might have missed a few... had my favourite breakfast, corn in white sauce in toast... went to mandir, felt good...
went to little italy with fjc gang, cut cake, clicked pics, ate, chatted, laughed... had the best time in the afternoon and some part of evening ( just like last year) amidst balloons, penguins, rabbits, cards, gifts, love, laughter, music and masti...
Went home, clicked hilarious pics of mom dad.. went to havmor, reached almost an hour late... ate lots, had a blast with bumbum, jaanu, and ravan..clicked pics, cut cake, had sizzler and chinese.. yum!, spoke to bhavu, amlu and rits, went to kamati, took a small walk, sat on the bench, chatted, laughed over ravans hilarious stories, had rickshaw soda:) hehe and cam home.. again cut a cake and clicked pics... did masti with gifts, spoke to sow, saslu and bataku... exhausted, fell asleep...!!

it was my birthday yesterday.. hehhehe:) I am now 23 years old...!

Flashes of light...

2009-05-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

There are small moments, just flashes actually, when I feel myself being lifted high up in the air, but feet firmly on the ground... I feel taller than ever before... And I feel proud to be me... And surprisingly it does not happen when I belittle others in my thoughts or when I across less-equipped people... Its actually the opposite. It happens when I meet people who have that spark, that zing to pursue their dreams... It happened one or twice when I met little students at PT... they made me feel great... and ofcourse when I met Poonam... to hear her talk of France and its culture, why it was so important for her... her entire journey... her quest to know more... her complete dedication to not her work, per say, but the purpose behind it, to her partner... and basically LIFE...It had nothing to do with me... Poonam and I are completely different from each other... and yet, this knowledge that we are definitely different from the others, this convent and FJC background that gives us such a differnt perspective of life... it binds us so well... I ve felt this with sow so often... and with one more person...

I really wish this phase lasts longer...

My university

2009-05-02T23:22:00.000-07:00

As i sadly bid adieu to Faculty of Journalism and Communication which has given me so much, helped me grow and blossom, I realise with a jolt that this is also goodbye to my dear University. 5 years... 5 beautiful years in M.S.University of Baroda. The first 3 years at BBA were a tad different because then we were majorly cut off from the University, we were snobs dwelling in our own world... But in FJC I was in the midst of all activity on campus. Contrary to the many people who complain or criticise this great university, I say that it is a GRAND institution, definitely one of its kind. I love the greens, the grounds, the students, the teachers, everyone. I have always felt SAFE and I have always admired everything about this place. I love the little bridge near C.C.Mehta audi.. I love the science and edu psycho canteen, i love a cup of hot tea and samosas at Architecture, I love the Arts Dome, I love the 'Bodhivriksha' and the cricket ground facing my faculty... I will miss all this. I am thankful that I studied in this University.
The atmosphere on the campus when the youth festival is on every year.... MATCHLESS!!

I big hug to my dear M.S.U. and my darling FJC... the smallest family in the university is at FJC, yet we are rocking, making our presence felt all the time. I hope life gives me a chance to give back...

the election frenzy...

2009-05-02T23:12:00.000-07:00

A feeling of immense satisfaction has enveloped me since the time I voted this season. I have voted before but at that time I was absolutely sure that I had to vote for narendra modi. This time though, I followed the run up to the elections very closely. I read every news item in the papers, religiously followed arnab's election debates every night on Times Now and then took my decision. I feel proud of myself:) Politics had never interested me before but I must say that Amit Sir's political science classes coupled with my dissertation topic which was also political in nature has instilled a sense of awareness in me about politics in India.

Besides this, I also enjoyed following the election campaigns of the 2 major parties since they have turned into huge brands and thats very good news for my field - both journalism and advertising. The 'Bhai Ho' campaign on TV by the BJP was extremely effective ( I speak purely as an advertising professional and this does not echo my political views or bias:))

I am eagerly waiting for May 16. It will be one heck of a day surely.

Impatience is the new life

2009-04-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

Amidst all the brand building exercises carried out by various political parties, I was finding a certain monotony setting in the advertisement pattern on TV... Airtel Broadband's new campaign certainly came as a refresher... "Impatience is the new life" targetted at the youth, and brilliantly shot... A very effective TVC indeed...

tiger shiger and all...

2009-02-27T21:03:00.000-08:00

helloooos... hhehehe Well so today is like my 6th day at my internship with this ad agency and the experience so far.... mmm... okay types.... firstly cause I just can stop comparing it with the place I worked with before... secondly cause there's not too much work to be done... thirdly cause the room where nehu and I sit is stuffy and depressing... fourthly cause the people here are not really friendly... I mean woh apne kam se matlab rakhte hain... (I miss my darling Ati lots...she was like my real pal at adshla apart from poo) and lastly cause Satya, the copywiter here, went on leave the same day we joined... so we ve gone through the entire week without him... hes gonna be back on monday so hopefully we wont feel so lost then.. Nehu and I even smsd him and begged him not to even think of extending his leave... heheh hope we didn sound weird to him... hes a sweet guy... The good part here is that my pc is really good and has a net connection... though the net jus stops working anytime, stil its good to have it...

baaki toh days are going... met shu and jadiyo yest for a lil while... as usual they enjoyed pulling my leg.. hehe
I really enjoy dressing up for office in the morning hehhe am a psycho really... I enjoy the weirdest things and when the whole world is enjoying something I get bored heheh

A tad wiser

2009-02-16T04:25:00.000-08:00

I was down with slight fever on Sunday, my throat was paining and my right jaw was aching immensely... After a while even my right ear started paining... I was like shit, not this when I am drowned in dissertation work... monday morning, the first thing I did was to get my doctor's appointment. I was feeling extremely unwell and also little depressed since this problem of cold and throat pain has been with me since childhood and is simply not leaving me... I even got my tonsils chopped off( crude language I know) just before my 12th Science boards and yet... As I stood waiting my turn in the clinic, the whole illness thing was overpowering me, there was a disgusting smell too filling my nostrils and had Apu not called at that time, I would have surely puked. My turn to see the doctor came and I immediately felt better... I love my physician... Hes simply fantastic, the way he handles people with patience and always a smile on his face( a special one for me:)).. When I heard what was wrong with my jaw I burst out laughing! My wisdom tooth was coming out! hhahahaahha! Though I was having an ulcer where it was scraping the skin to make its way and though the entire portion had inflamed and I was definitely having a sour throat as well, I just couldnt stop laughing even when the doctor was describing the whole thing seriously... hehhehe I came out of the clinic and went smiling to the chemist, I was gonna have a wisdom tooth! It was a personal titillating moment for me when I felt like hugging myself... hehhe I was gonna be wiser from now on, i had a wisdom tooth with me! hehehe... No wonder am called nutty by bataku...

:):):)

2009-01-29T20:59:00.000-08:00

aye masakkali masakkali... aye matakkali matakkali.. masakkali masakkali matakkali matakkali... no one can do this step better than me hehehehheheh!! am haaapppppyyyyyyy!!!

Happy Republic Day!

2009-01-26T05:35:00.000-08:00

Sad to wake up on 26th January and hear news of girls in Mangalore being thrashed and molested by a group of the so- wrongly- named 'Ram Sevaks' or something like that... For what? For being in a pub? Gosh...
Its like we are supposed to be proud of being Indians and all that... some times I doubt if I am proud of it... I have a lot in common with my country... the complex diversity being the most striking one... But a lot of my problems are also because I am an Indian...

Dance pe chance maar le...

2009-01-26T05:34:00.000-08:00

NO ONE can dance like Madhuri Dikshit. I love her... I wanna dance like her...

Dissertation:(

2009-01-16T22:54:00.001-08:00

When I was about to join MCS no one ever warned about the 'D' word... Now it so happens that this 'D' word has made my routine go berserk... I dont wanna do this stupid dissertation... I dont see how its gonna help me... I am doing it on the print media coverage of the Tibet-China dispute... And after reading more than 2 dozen stories on this topic, I feel like am half Tibetan, half Chinese... Even otherwise my friends find my Chinese act cute... heheh

kids...:)

2009-01-13T06:44:00.000-08:00

I have always loved kids.... pesky, shy, cry babies, hurricanes... i love them in all varieties... heheheh.. not that i am great with kids or anything, but once in a while if a kid smiles at me, it makes my day... So the other day, when a kid suddenly came in front of my scooty, i horned loudly and he gave me the cutest ever smile and said sorry... i felt like hugging him... and on the way back from the picnic to jambugoda, when my little cousin slept in my lap, i felt really loved... my feet got cramped, mosquitoes bit me but i tried not wriggle to much lest i wake her up... I remember the moment when i started crying during Adil's session of "SEED" because i was gripped by the thought that what if i never have kids of my own... now thats a horrible thought... I am crazy.... god give me some sense please!

Whats in a name????

2009-01-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

If anyone out there has any doubt regarding the answer to this question, you should come to my university and get a glimpse of the university politics! i will remember yesterday as the day in my life which taught me that its very important to be in the good books of those in power... but what the hell, somewhere u need to draw a line...

My dear dear leader, you showed me yesterday why India could not progress for the past 60 years... Because of great people like you who do not know how to behave with women... who are so gloriusly fond of taking credit everywhere... people who are so shameless in saying things which even goondas would think before saying... how cute... how fortunate we are to have leaders like you indeed.... how silly of my juniors not to have recognised your woooooonnnddderrfffulll efforts in helping them release the supplement...

Sometimes i see a ray of hope for india in events like vibrant gujarat... but when i meet certain kinds of people, i am jolted back to reality!

Threesome;)

2009-01-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

Apu, nehu and me... We dont need reasons to meet... and if we do, we cook them up... Like yesterday, we decided to meet a nd nehu's place... because... well it was nehus moms birthday on the 1st so we had to wish her a belated bday or wouldnt aunty feel bad... and ofcourse we had to ANALYZE our new year party!! I mean come on, so what if the only people at the party were the 3 of us... and that even otherwise we are constantly together... we just have to analyze our party... specially cause this time it was a little different kinda thing.. hehe dont ask what, its top secret!! We met and discussed how much we enjoyed... how we danced... how we got emotional while listening to 'I m gonna miss my college days'... how we giggled at nonsense stuff... why was I taking a fast walk in the room... why was apu so annoyed with the girls whose room light was on and who she accused of eavesdropping on our conversation... why did apu not let nehu eat her biryani... how come we were so sleepy that we hardly understood a scene of some silly movie which we decided to watch at 3 am... all these things had to be analyzed and discussed before we get on with our lives... before we have any other party ... its much more urgent than doing dissertation work.. so what if we are in deep shit if we don match our dissy deadlines... or if am unable to make a decent presentation for the youth fest.. OBVIOUSLY analyzing our party takes priority yaar... and its serious business.. i mean 3 hours toh lagte hi hain discuss karne mein...

GOSH! My friends and me...!!

BuhBye 2008!!

2008-12-31T02:08:00.000-08:00

With a few hours to go before 2008 goes away... I want to make a list of what I did in the past year...
1. I won two trophies in an elocution competition... the judges said it was a pleasure to hear me...
2. I worked at Aadharshila...the best ad agency in the world...
3. I fought with friends and family...
4. I saw the most hilarious play of my life... Birthday Suite
5. I had the best birthday of my life when I turned 22...
6. I cooked more often than ever...
7. I fought some more and cried buckets...
8. My classmates and I made a wonderful movie...
9. My classmates and I worked with Radio Mirchi...
10. Poonam left for France and I took her place for a brief period...
11. I worked on a sickly thing called dissertation...
12. And I fought some more...

Suri Paji

2008-12-31T01:44:00.000-08:00

I loved the subject of development support communication in my first sem. partly cause my senior Adil who took some sessions was too cute and entertaining... we did some superb exercises and had interesting discussions on various topics related to the subject.But hey, we never got to play all the games which our juniors did yaar! My juniors have definitely been given a stronger dose of develoment support communication... they played this game of fairies where in each student had to do something to make another student happy atleast for a day... and guess what my favourite junior Suri did... he wrote a poem for his classmate! Well that too was my suggestion... I never miss a chance to take credit ok... But his fairy was a spoilsport and didnt do anything for him so I promised to do something for him and its high time I do it.. SO here goes...

I asked him once why his name is Surendra...
He said cause maybe hi dad likes Dharmendra!
Don't think he's Surinder of RNBJ or SRK,
He likes Asin and sports the Ghajini look ok?
He takes my notes...
He misses lectures galore...
Yet tops his class and raises no uproar!
Though Hollywood and angrezi music are his love,
His girlfriends are plenty, look at his nerve!
I will miss him when I leave FJC...
But hope to treat him on my birthday,
In Sweden or Miami?!!

hehehehhe.. have written something like this only for two people before... so consider yourself lucky... hope it at least brings a smile on ur face...

One night @ the call center... Hello????

2008-10-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

First I get all excited to meet Chetan Bhagat... When I finally do meet him, I feel disapppointed since he does not match up to my expectation. He comes across as a fake person with commercial interests on the top of his mind. Next, I watch Hello to see how well the book has been adapted and again a huge disappointment.

First the characterisation is haywire. I mean Sharman Joshi for Shyam??? one would imagine him to be Vroom perhaps but Shyam?? Gul Panag.. a disastrous look has been given to her and I am afraid her performance is far from good... Sohail Khan has done his best in the movie to justify Vroom's character... But he ends up as just a funny guy... But the biggest setback of the movie is the sequence of God Calling... which is actually the highlight of the book... That part has been treated like... sorry to say Chetan... but like an item number in a movie... which has to be placed for the heck of it and which does not have any substance... God must be feeling ashamed of u Mr. Atul Agnihotri... All in all a very loose adaptation of a bestseller which was actually Bollywood material and could have been treated in a better way...

Apna dost...

2008-10-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

When I was very young, I saw the movie ' Maine Pyaar Kiya ' and I fell in love with Salman. (Now the feelings have changed). But theres a line in this movie which later became a cliche... Ek ladka aur ek ladki kabhi dost nahi ban sakte... And even today in 2008, I agree with this to a large extent. In most cases, its true. But I am one of those few people who found the friendship of a lifetime in a guy... Bataku I call him. I am so glad hes there in my life. What a long way we have come together. I want to thank him today... if I say thankyou to him, he ll ask me to tighten my brain ka screws. But I really want to thank him... hes one person who has accepted everything in me... whos friendship is unconditional... I wish him the best that life has to offer.

that season is back...

2008-10-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

its back... the music, the colour, the excitement... only it doesnt make me happy anymore... just brings back ugly memories... and i feel a sudden pain when i remember times when i used to craze about this festival... come to think of it, that wasnt very long back.. whatever...there will be happy times in future.. hopefully.. ummeed pe hi toh duniya kayam hai:)
ok i know that was silly.

I believe in ME

2008-09-25T23:36:00.001-07:00

Something so beautiful… My friend has written it… I think I shall treasure it for life…

You can bind my legs, but my thoughts run free…
You can tie my hands, but I touch many hearts…
You can blind my eyes, but I continue dreaming…
You can silence my tongue, but I speak my mind…
You can cover my ears, but I listen to my heart…
I believe in ME…

A Wednesday

2008-09-25T23:35:00.000-07:00

I generally like most movies… But there are some which I find extremely intriguing. Having grown up with a good dose of mills n boon, my inclination is normally towards heart rendering mushy, sentimental romances. But an occasional tryst with hard hitting political cinema is also welcomed by me. Hence my encounter with A Wednesday on a Sunday evening, 16 hours before my internals at FJC.
Awesome is the word. Because I was completely awed by the bold story line, the unobtrusive yet brilliant performances, the simplistic clear narration and most of all the thought behind the whole movie. 2 hours of real cinema. Simply fantastic. Mumbai Meri Jaan was a very good attempt too, but A Wednesday is flawless. Jimmy Shergill, man… you are good. Please don’t go back to those ‘Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai’ and ‘Mohobbatein’ kind of roles again. After a good cameo in ‘Hum Tum’ and ‘Munnabhai 1 and 2’, Jimmy Shergill comes as an excellent surprise package in this movie. Naseeruddin Shah is of course a veteran actor and he carries his role with superb ease. His diction in the movie is something that I loved.
I didn’t enjoy Rock On as much as I expected I would, but again, at that time I was slightly distracted by something better. But A Wednesday is the kind of creative work that I would like to produce one day. It reminded of a very dear friend whose father is in the police force, and who was chatting with me a few days after the recent blasts in Ahmedabad. She told me, “My dad didn’t come home for 2 days after the blasts. He was constantly on duty… without bath, food or rest. Yet people say that the police do nothing. It’s very easy to blame the police”. I just mumbled something in agreement; I really had no good answer.

ethical leadership

2008-09-25T23:34:00.000-07:00

A lot of people talk about exposure. I never really understood this whole concept of gaining more exposure when you are in places like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore or abroad. I love Baroda and it would really take something big to take me out of here and certainly more to take me out of Gujarat. But according to all these people I would not get enough ‘EXPOSURE’ here… Sad. But if exposure means dealing with even more difficult people and even more difficult deadlines, sorry I don’t want any of it.
Fortunately, exposure is not that. Yesterday, while attending Dr. Walter Fluker’s lecture on ethical leadership, I realized that exposure was just about keeping your eyes and ears open, about being alert, about ‘staying awake’… and knowing ‘what’s going on’… two terms which he used so frequently and emphatically. And I realized that if I could be sitting in the dreary room in the computer center listening to a great scholar teaching me the most complex concepts of ethical leadership with ultimate simplicity, I need not go anywhere else for anymore exposure.
Ethical leadership. Something that is devoid of any power, position or privilege. For anyone who feels the need to make a difference. The important thing is to know how to NEGOTIATE your way through the chaos. Attitudes do not change overnight. It takes knowledge and its practice to bring about a change in attitude. And only an ethical leader can make that possible. The first step is to accept and appreciate the difference between yourself and others.
Leadership is not restricted to politics and businesses. In fact leadership is most essential in that fabric between business and politics which constitutes what we call the civil society. And media is an extremely important part of it. The masses look up to the media for information. As media practitioners or any other professionals in any field, it is possible to become ethical leaders. To contribute your own bit, in your own way. If for no one else, just for your own self, for your conscience. Practice loyalty to humanity. So that when you look at some other person, your humanity is reflected in the other’s face…

Music

2008-07-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

I often tell this to people... I love music! But what is it that i love about music? Is it the fact that I sing... or like to shake a leg to good music? no. Its not that. I love music because it touches my soul. Listening to good music takes me far away beyond infinity to wonderlands where everything is blissful. I forget my pain, my moods, my work, everything... for a while i even forget the dread that haunts me day and night of the circumstances that await me with their jaws wide open... I envy the musicians and the vocalists who have devoted their life to music.. they have the power... which is almost hypnotic... the power to reach to the deepest pore in people's heart. Music transcends all boundaries...

Unconventional

2008-06-21T03:56:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why I am glad to be at FJC. But the most important one is that one year at FJC has made me a better person for sure. Three years at BBA made me materialistic, pessimistic, and (this is what bothers me the most) made my thinking conventional. Not even for a second am I criticising the institution I love or regretting my time there...BBA gave my life a whole new dimension...But yes, there was a price to it. The experience at FJC so far has made me understand how important it is for me to be part of the rat race and yet be different. When the world is running after money, how important it is for me to search for high quality of life and to keep up my standards. It has made me a global citizen through the satellite commnication program, it has sensitised me through development support communication, it has showed me the importance of humor in life through folk media presentation and it has instilled in me some amount of courage and conviction through the reporting assignments. Today I know that a situation whether good or bad can be tackled by me only if I dont get over-awed by it, which has always been a problem with me. Today I know atleast to some extent, what kind of life I would like to lead...

Mental stimulation

2008-06-21T03:45:00.000-07:00

I have been spending major part of time relaxing at home in the past few days. It felt really good in the beginning... eating 3-4 meals a day, reading, listening to music,watcing tv, lazying about... but then it gets to you. And to me I thnk it happens faster than to others. I enjoy doing all this stuff most when I have to fight some time out for it amidst a busy schedule..not when I have all the time in the world... So there it goes, I have a hyper-active mind which constantly needs some kind of stimulation and gratification. I get restless very easily, I hate studies but at the moment I wish my college reopens soon.. I want to sit in the class, listen to the lecturers, take notes, read some material...otherwise my brain will get rust over it..hehe

happy birthday..

2008-05-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

every year on my bday, am awake at midnight... i attend calls till 2 or so.. i look in the mirror and wish myself..i write in my diary... i do crazy stuff... but i did nothing of this yesterday.. i went to bed at ten o clock... and woke up at 7 30...attended calls the entire morning, had a ball in the afternoon and mindblowing evenning... and this was perhaps one of the best bdays i have had...it just goes to teach me that i can create happiness myself, i need not wait for it to come to me... if i consciously decide not to feel low, i can bring myself out of it... my dad chose my bday to get electrical work done in the house... there were workers in the drawing room since morning, but i decided that wil not spoil my mood.. my parents were busy with that work whole day... although my mom did cook up nice stuff for lunch...but i made sure i had a great time with the rest of my family and friends...i did not complain to them... i was very happy throughout the day.. i felt the love and care of my dear ones...and i told myself that i deserved it... i work hard at office everyday, i take my studies seriously, i try my best to keep everyone happy.. i deserve to be happy myself too..i have been too hard on myself..i have taken too much guilt and blame on myself...i think i can give myself a break... am 22 years old... am a healthy happy and intelligent( certainly more than girls generally are) person... i have a wonderful life.. and like i was told, and i will always remember this, the best years of my life are yet to come... will hold on tightly... not leave the hand...am loving it...

phew!

2008-04-16T05:24:00.000-07:00

the meaning of work has dawned upon... what it takes to earn a penny.. the horror of deadlines.. its all come to me crytal clear now.. and so i salute all the working people in the world.. all those who earn money( through legitimate means), i bow down to you... and all this just during a silly tiny summer internship! imagine me when I will have to work around 8-9 hours... god help me!!

taare zameen par...

2008-01-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

darsheel safary... aamir khan.. and taare zameen par.. a phenomenon... i cried lots in the movie.. it touched my otherwise hardboiled heart.. i remembered my school days, and i think maybe i had a touch of dyslexia too.. atleast where maths was concerned.. a superb movie and a beautiful message.. beautiful shots in the movie.. and wat a performance by the kid.. hes conveyed so much just by expressions.. he has very few dialouges especially in the second half.. aamir.. u are the best!

leave him alone!

2007-12-27T22:15:00.000-08:00

this blog is biased. yes completely biased. i wil not attempt to justify anything. leave the man alone for gods sake. the CM of my state. to hell with whatever CM stands for..
why cant everyone let him do his work? how may times do u want him to prove himself? just move on. u cant change the verdict of the people can u ? So just let him do his job, he knows better than thousands of us put together.. is that what everyone cant digest? we ll you ll just have to live with it. i am his fan. and i want to see him as PM.

Ms President..

2007-12-27T22:07:00.000-08:00

well so the depression phase is over... it might jus bounce back who knows.. but for the time being, i see a rainbow.. hahahha..
i am now the president of my college student club. donno how.. i donno why i contested in the first place.. am not the leader types.. but maybe for some excitement in an otherwise boring life... but yes in case any of my classmates read this, am gonna take this job very seriously.. no pun intended.
power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.. read this in one of the shiv kheras.. maybe its true..
but power gives this sense of importance.. this sense of ME.. even though as one of my fav teachers says that this ME is just a tiny dot in the universe.. this ME is very important to me.. and this ME wil remain with me no matter what happens..

two sides

2007-11-15T07:10:00.000-08:00

i hate being a gemini... a true typical gemini whos got two people living in one body.. atleast there are two minds.. always two minds.. always uncertain which mind to listen to.. and theres no good side and bad side.. there are just different sides.. its like permanent schizoprenia.. its impossible to remain determined about one thing.. sucks man.. am prepared for one way, all ready for it, and then suddenly the other mind starts speaking.. shouting.. screaming.. such that its impossible to ignore it.. constantly living in two worlds is stressful.. and so i rely on others for deciding for me.. not that my minds agree with those decisions..thats again a problem..i want a direction in my life.. and i want to pursue it without thinking anything else.. is anyone listening.. yea.. the other mind sure is..

how long..

2007-11-13T23:40:00.000-08:00

how easy is it to wait?.. and what exactly am i waiting for?.. for things to get better? what is better for me? what exactly do i want people to do? and can i really have expectations from anyone? there are too many questions and no answers.. no one likes to sound like the sad moron i am sounding at the moment.. but then, no one is in my place.. and theres no one in the world i would want in my place.. i dont hate any one that much..

brrrrrrr..

2007-11-13T23:31:00.000-08:00

its getting a bit cold these days.. my nose is always blocked when i wake up in the mornings..i do like winters though.. they are like real cosy.. and unlike lot of people who associate winter with cold and grey, winters for me are about the warmth of the quilt and red. winter is about hot teas or coffees.. sizzling chocolate brownies.. winters bring lot of memories..