My latest addiction: Friends!
Nah, not my friends, but THE Friends-sitcom.
Ok I know I am wayyyy out of date but the truth was that I was never a big fan of TV. We didn’t take up a cable connection at home till I finished school, as my parents believed (as most parents do) that it would prove to be a major distraction to irresponsible kids such as ‘moi’.
That left us only with Doordarshan, most of which was in Hindi anyway which I couldn’t understand.
So I much rather preferred to read and thus became a bookworm with big, thick glasses and to this day, can never really understand some people’s constant need to have the TV switched on at all times of the day
Example:AJ!)
But recently, having a looottt of time on my hands, I just finished watching alllll the 10 seasons completely.
Whoa! They are soooo funny! Many of my friends used to be such big fans of Friends that they used to spend hours discussing some episode or the other.
And now I know why! I’ve even been dreaming Friends dreams!
My fav character: Ross-A sincerely geeky fellow!
And I also recently realized, I used to know a girl who we all thought was so cool. Turns out she has been imitating many of the mannerisms, language and style of the Friends characters.
C’mon gal, be atleast a lil original!
I’m so sad that there would no longer be any more new episodes shot.
But I guess it wouldn’t have made much sense to drag it on and on – as they do with the countless soaps.
Oh well… as the saying goes all good things should come to an end.
Meanwhile there are reruns and DVDs to watch whenever I need some cheering up :-)
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Mamma Mia!
is such a charming movie!
Being an ABBA fan I already luuurrvvee all their songs. (Thanks to my friend Martin for introducing me to this)
Added to that, the picturesque locale of a bright, cheery, sun-dappled seaside island with sparkling azure waters reflecting a spotless sky, orangy-pink tinged, dreamy dawns and romantic dusks, a quaint little old Church on top of a cliff and the light, bubbly ambience of the film, not to mention, an exuberant Meryl Streep (OMG! How young is she@60?!?) It has easily become one of my fav movies :-)
On the contrary, just watched Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani a few days back. What a clichéd, boring movie :-( The lead pair looks attractive and watching Katrina Kaif gives me an inferiority complex, but that’s about it.
And seriously, does anyone sporting a beard, long brown hair and blue eyes become Jesus?!? Thank goodness that Ranbir Kapoor says “Jesus?!”-Else it would have been hard to guess really!
P.S: Yeahhh!!! They display English subtitles in theatres here. So I can follow Hindi movies without having to bug the person next to me for translations J Only problem is that I got to read, understand, figure out the jokes and then laugh-by that time everyone is already done with their laughing...
Oh well! It IS better than not comprehending anything at all.
Being an ABBA fan I already luuurrvvee all their songs. (Thanks to my friend Martin for introducing me to this)
Added to that, the picturesque locale of a bright, cheery, sun-dappled seaside island with sparkling azure waters reflecting a spotless sky, orangy-pink tinged, dreamy dawns and romantic dusks, a quaint little old Church on top of a cliff and the light, bubbly ambience of the film, not to mention, an exuberant Meryl Streep (OMG! How young is she@60?!?) It has easily become one of my fav movies :-)
On the contrary, just watched Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani a few days back. What a clichéd, boring movie :-( The lead pair looks attractive and watching Katrina Kaif gives me an inferiority complex, but that’s about it.
And seriously, does anyone sporting a beard, long brown hair and blue eyes become Jesus?!? Thank goodness that Ranbir Kapoor says “Jesus?!”-Else it would have been hard to guess really!
P.S: Yeahhh!!! They display English subtitles in theatres here. So I can follow Hindi movies without having to bug the person next to me for translations J Only problem is that I got to read, understand, figure out the jokes and then laugh-by that time everyone is already done with their laughing...
Oh well! It IS better than not comprehending anything at all.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Facebook-ing, Orkut-ing, Hi-Fi-ing etc etc.....
Its been about 5 years since I got onto Orkut. In the beginning it was incessant friend requests, obsessive scrapping, prompt profile updating, eager photo sharing, sneaking a peek between work and what not! After a couple of years though the initial excitement waned. Just did some follow up off and on. And quite frankly am sure most people, especially the gals, would be bored of the "can I do frenship to u?" jerks. So in spite of the umpteen invitations to umpteen other social networking sites, I didn't join any other. Until yesterday. Now it seems that AJ is bent on becoming a Mafia Don. So....Facebook here I come!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Shop Till U Drop!!
Of late Life seems to be one endless shopping expedition.
All my free time-am shopping!
Weekend plans?-Shopping!
Never thought that I could possibly get bored of shopping :-(
But looks like I am-or at least soon will be.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
School is Cool!
How many of you remember your first day at school?
I do.
I kicked and cried and rolled around on the ground and made a big fuss to let go of my parents in that LKG classroom. The classroom had a wooden rocking horse on which every child wanted to ride and lots of colourful building blocks in all shapes and sizes.....
14 years later it was tough to let go. It was hard to say goodbye to a place which was almost like a second home. It was difficult to bid adieu to a wonderful place which had become a part and parcel of my life.
This year, my Alma Mater, Sacred Heart Mat Hr. Sec School, Church Park is celebrating its centenary year. It was founded a century ago by Nano Nagle in Ireland and is part of The Presentation Convent. 100 years of dedicated service in the field of education. I have long been thinking to write up something on my school and this seems to be a good time to start.
My school was a truly beautiful place in all aspects. It today’s world of tiny, cramped chock-a-block schools, Church Park enjoyed vast grounds at one of the prime locations in Chennai. Overall there were 4 schools inside- Sacred Heart English Medium, Sacred Heart Tamil Medium, St.Ursula’s and a Teacher’s Training school. A large basketball court, volleyball court, playground, kho-kho court, a small canteen, a pretty garden with a fish pond where you can feed biscuits to the fishes plus sprawling open spaces covered with shady trees to beat the heat. All the labs and library were pretty good and had good stock of everything that a school student would ever need. And there was a serene chapel inside too where you could go and pray in peace-except before exams when it used to get over crowded ;-)
But more than the facilities I think that what makes my school special is the countless good memories, fond remembrances, fun times and wonderful people that I shared all this with.
I still remember each and every teacher who taught me all the various lessons. Mrs.Mary Jacob(for some reason I don’t remember now I nicknamed her as pattani miss!), Mrs.Vasudev,Mrs.Morris,Mrs.Gnyanam,Mrs.Jeyaraj,Mrs.Raymonds, Mrs.Lakshmi,Mrs.Sunitha Thomas,Mrs.Christy Joseph,Mrs.Manjula Sampath,Mrs.Grace,Mrs.Sarla Thomas,Mrs.Susan Abraham,Ms. Nandini, Ms.Freda ,Ms.Fathima, Mrs.Shaguna, Mrs.Rajamanickam, Sister Prabha,Sister Anitha,Sister Lisetta and soooo onnnn!
From the beginning I was in the Shamrocks house-Green colour; always at loggerheads with the other houses-Lilies, Violets, Lotus and Rose. Sports day was when one’s team spirit came to the fore and it was a major gala event every year with games, athletics, performances-though I was never much into sports. Every year there used to be an art & crafts exhibition too…We used to prepare for that for months and months together. Also every class had turns to present the morning assembly and it was such fun to skip classes and go for practice sessions when it’s our turn! In fact our morning assembly sessions were one of the main inspirations for me to fall in love with the piano and take up keyboard lessons now. Piano music has always soothed and calmed me since then.
All the teachers were so kind and cheerful. Of course we definitely were shouted at ((but never beaten) with things like "Is this a fish market or classroom? Why are you girls making so much noise?" but all the teachers always had a “These-are-my-kids” attitude. There were so warm and genuinely cared for each of us. We were taught what it was to love, care and share with everyone around and I hardly ever came across anyone who was mean or narrow minded. My love for English was cultivated in this place. There were such interesting and interactive sessions.
Childhood is one of the best periods in an average person’s life. I thank God that he made mine and my friends even more beautiful with the gift of our school. It’s something which I recollect and fall back on whenever Life gets me down. And It’s enough to push me back on track ;-)
I do.
I kicked and cried and rolled around on the ground and made a big fuss to let go of my parents in that LKG classroom. The classroom had a wooden rocking horse on which every child wanted to ride and lots of colourful building blocks in all shapes and sizes.....
14 years later it was tough to let go. It was hard to say goodbye to a place which was almost like a second home. It was difficult to bid adieu to a wonderful place which had become a part and parcel of my life.
This year, my Alma Mater, Sacred Heart Mat Hr. Sec School, Church Park is celebrating its centenary year. It was founded a century ago by Nano Nagle in Ireland and is part of The Presentation Convent. 100 years of dedicated service in the field of education. I have long been thinking to write up something on my school and this seems to be a good time to start.
My school was a truly beautiful place in all aspects. It today’s world of tiny, cramped chock-a-block schools, Church Park enjoyed vast grounds at one of the prime locations in Chennai. Overall there were 4 schools inside- Sacred Heart English Medium, Sacred Heart Tamil Medium, St.Ursula’s and a Teacher’s Training school. A large basketball court, volleyball court, playground, kho-kho court, a small canteen, a pretty garden with a fish pond where you can feed biscuits to the fishes plus sprawling open spaces covered with shady trees to beat the heat. All the labs and library were pretty good and had good stock of everything that a school student would ever need. And there was a serene chapel inside too where you could go and pray in peace-except before exams when it used to get over crowded ;-)
But more than the facilities I think that what makes my school special is the countless good memories, fond remembrances, fun times and wonderful people that I shared all this with.
I still remember each and every teacher who taught me all the various lessons. Mrs.Mary Jacob(for some reason I don’t remember now I nicknamed her as pattani miss!), Mrs.Vasudev,Mrs.Morris,Mrs.Gnyanam,Mrs.Jeyaraj,Mrs.Raymonds, Mrs.Lakshmi,Mrs.Sunitha Thomas,Mrs.Christy Joseph,Mrs.Manjula Sampath,Mrs.Grace,Mrs.Sarla Thomas,Mrs.Susan Abraham,Ms. Nandini, Ms.Freda ,Ms.Fathima, Mrs.Shaguna, Mrs.Rajamanickam, Sister Prabha,Sister Anitha,Sister Lisetta and soooo onnnn!
From the beginning I was in the Shamrocks house-Green colour; always at loggerheads with the other houses-Lilies, Violets, Lotus and Rose. Sports day was when one’s team spirit came to the fore and it was a major gala event every year with games, athletics, performances-though I was never much into sports. Every year there used to be an art & crafts exhibition too…We used to prepare for that for months and months together. Also every class had turns to present the morning assembly and it was such fun to skip classes and go for practice sessions when it’s our turn! In fact our morning assembly sessions were one of the main inspirations for me to fall in love with the piano and take up keyboard lessons now. Piano music has always soothed and calmed me since then.
All the teachers were so kind and cheerful. Of course we definitely were shouted at ((but never beaten) with things like "Is this a fish market or classroom? Why are you girls making so much noise?" but all the teachers always had a “These-are-my-kids” attitude. There were so warm and genuinely cared for each of us. We were taught what it was to love, care and share with everyone around and I hardly ever came across anyone who was mean or narrow minded. My love for English was cultivated in this place. There were such interesting and interactive sessions.
Childhood is one of the best periods in an average person’s life. I thank God that he made mine and my friends even more beautiful with the gift of our school. It’s something which I recollect and fall back on whenever Life gets me down. And It’s enough to push me back on track ;-)
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Say Cheeeese!
“Will it pain?”
Well that is an obviously dumb question to ask in my situation.
Obviously if 2 of your teeth are going to be pulled out-it is going to pain.
For the past few days, I was having great difficulty in eating or swallowing or
Talking or for that matter even simply being.
My right jaws were really hurting, from what I first thought was ulcer and then throat infection and then mumps (?!) and then subsequently wisdom tooth eruption-which is what one fake (presumably) doc diagnosed.
After a week of enduring the ever increasing pain and complaining to my entire team, I visited the dentist. And from that day went around asking everyone “Have they ever extracted your wisdom tooth? Did it pain a lot?”
Coz the dentist had said that all my wisdom teeth had erupted long back but 2 of them were facing space constraints-so out with em!
Finally the fateful day arrived and I went with great trepidation.
Anyone who has ever sat in the dentist examination recliner chair surrounded by these alien instruments all making some weird and menacing noises, with people peering and poking down your mouth can fully relate with me and appreciate my apprehensions!
Tears were pouring down my face even as the docs and nurses tried to calm me down.
They gave me some injections to allegedly numb the pain but most probably (I suspect!) to shut me up as I was bombarding them with so many questions.
Slowly my mouth became numb and after forcing my mouth open like a crocodile, in 5 mins – I was 2 teethless!
I guess dentists can never possibly fall in love with their patients…. I mean it is one of the most unromantic and silly positions to see anyone in!!
Anyway then I went home, had lots of ice cream, took my medications and eventually healed. Now I am perfectly fine eating whatever I want to and talking nonsense as usual.
It actually didn’t pain much-but I was soooo worked up and tensed that I even thought about pushing away the dentist and running from there coz I had never done it earlier and was so scared about how it might pain.
Isnt that how we are in real life too?
Sometimes we put up with a lot of unnecessary pain just because we are afraid of the unknown. As the saying goes, we think that “A known devil is better than an unknown angel” and refuse to root out something which gives us unhappiness or sorrow - be it an unhealthy habit, or an unsatisfying relationship or a frustrating job. We refuse to let go due to fear of being lonely or humiliated or rejected.
Of course, any change would be unsettling in the beginning.
But we are so worried about the “what mights” and “what ifs” and “what nots” that we fail to even consider that we might actually smile wholeheartedly after Time has sufficiently spread her healing potion on us.
As I smile now- with my 30 pearls!
Well that is an obviously dumb question to ask in my situation.
Obviously if 2 of your teeth are going to be pulled out-it is going to pain.
For the past few days, I was having great difficulty in eating or swallowing or
Talking or for that matter even simply being.
My right jaws were really hurting, from what I first thought was ulcer and then throat infection and then mumps (?!) and then subsequently wisdom tooth eruption-which is what one fake (presumably) doc diagnosed.
After a week of enduring the ever increasing pain and complaining to my entire team, I visited the dentist. And from that day went around asking everyone “Have they ever extracted your wisdom tooth? Did it pain a lot?”
Coz the dentist had said that all my wisdom teeth had erupted long back but 2 of them were facing space constraints-so out with em!
Finally the fateful day arrived and I went with great trepidation.
Anyone who has ever sat in the dentist examination recliner chair surrounded by these alien instruments all making some weird and menacing noises, with people peering and poking down your mouth can fully relate with me and appreciate my apprehensions!
Tears were pouring down my face even as the docs and nurses tried to calm me down.
They gave me some injections to allegedly numb the pain but most probably (I suspect!) to shut me up as I was bombarding them with so many questions.
Slowly my mouth became numb and after forcing my mouth open like a crocodile, in 5 mins – I was 2 teethless!
I guess dentists can never possibly fall in love with their patients…. I mean it is one of the most unromantic and silly positions to see anyone in!!
Anyway then I went home, had lots of ice cream, took my medications and eventually healed. Now I am perfectly fine eating whatever I want to and talking nonsense as usual.
It actually didn’t pain much-but I was soooo worked up and tensed that I even thought about pushing away the dentist and running from there coz I had never done it earlier and was so scared about how it might pain.
Isnt that how we are in real life too?
Sometimes we put up with a lot of unnecessary pain just because we are afraid of the unknown. As the saying goes, we think that “A known devil is better than an unknown angel” and refuse to root out something which gives us unhappiness or sorrow - be it an unhealthy habit, or an unsatisfying relationship or a frustrating job. We refuse to let go due to fear of being lonely or humiliated or rejected.
Of course, any change would be unsettling in the beginning.
But we are so worried about the “what mights” and “what ifs” and “what nots” that we fail to even consider that we might actually smile wholeheartedly after Time has sufficiently spread her healing potion on us.
As I smile now- with my 30 pearls!
On News and Blah Blah....
Once upon a time, reading the newspaper everyday morning used to be a pleasant activity.
In fact, it was actually considered a good habit. Not only did it help you to be abreast of the worldly happenings but was recommended by many as a great way to also improve your English language skills.
But nowadays it seems like an exercise in pain to read the papers.
They are so full of commercial, catchy and sensationalized news.
Politicians hopping from one party to another and promising all sorts of ‘free’ offers for voters, crazy people doing some crazy stuff on the advise of equally crazy astrologers, youngsters stealing for partying, someone or the other either murdering or getting murdered in the name of religion, killings for the sake of honor and revenge, who is dating who in the tinsel world blah blah!
It really paints a bleak, pessimistic and gloomy picture of the world and only helps to increase my BP early in the morning!
Of course, here and there are a few glitters and glimmers, awards & recognitions for talents or about a Good Samaritan helping others-but these seem so few and far apart that they eventually get clouded out by all the hoopla on confusions and negativity.
Leaves me wondering if the world has become a worser place to live in, or if technology advancements are creating a heightened awareness of everything that is happening or if its just me looking at things pessimistically?!
In fact, it was actually considered a good habit. Not only did it help you to be abreast of the worldly happenings but was recommended by many as a great way to also improve your English language skills.
But nowadays it seems like an exercise in pain to read the papers.
They are so full of commercial, catchy and sensationalized news.
Politicians hopping from one party to another and promising all sorts of ‘free’ offers for voters, crazy people doing some crazy stuff on the advise of equally crazy astrologers, youngsters stealing for partying, someone or the other either murdering or getting murdered in the name of religion, killings for the sake of honor and revenge, who is dating who in the tinsel world blah blah!
It really paints a bleak, pessimistic and gloomy picture of the world and only helps to increase my BP early in the morning!
Of course, here and there are a few glitters and glimmers, awards & recognitions for talents or about a Good Samaritan helping others-but these seem so few and far apart that they eventually get clouded out by all the hoopla on confusions and negativity.
Leaves me wondering if the world has become a worser place to live in, or if technology advancements are creating a heightened awareness of everything that is happening or if its just me looking at things pessimistically?!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Happy B'Day!
Due to inconsistent internet connection over here I forgot to post something.
Happy first birthday to my dear blog :-)
BTW should I say birthday or anniversary?!
Happy first birthday to my dear blog :-)
BTW should I say birthday or anniversary?!
Mudhal Onsite Payanam!
One of my teammates is going onsite tomorrow for the first time.
Seeing him I was soooo reminded of how I was before my first onsite trip.
I almost saw my former self mirrored in him. It was nostalgia!
Generally for anyone in the Indian software industry, onsite chance is like a dream come true. After months of getting your Visa ready and being tagged as a ‘Travel Ready Resource’, after weeks of false alarms like “You may travel for so-and-so client next week”- finally you get the much awaited green signal - roughly 2 days before your travel date. Then everything is a flurry of activities.
Getting your tickets booked by the travel desk people, getting forex (and actually handling foreign currency for the first time!), giving treats and farewell emails and speeches, running from pillar to post for shopping anything and everything under the sun ranging from luggage-that-fits-into-overhead-cabins to sweets-that-my-onsite-lead-asked-to-bring , bugging mom to make all the podis and pickles on earth, frantic phone calls to anyone who has ever travelled abroad to enquire about “is it cold there?”,”do we get Indian stuff there?”
Your mind is in a jumble of last minute questions-did I take those printouts? Did I take a backup of my documents Did I surrender my mobile connection? Did I do this, did I do that…. Everything is one breathless blur!
And then comes the packing and weighing. Invariably it will be too heavy-then unpack and repack -Finally leaving behind half the things we had shopped!
Then voila! The Airport Debacle.
Friends and family all surround you and bid their au revoirs. Someone will invariably start sniffling while you are hovering between feeling excited about the whole thing and feeling nervous and worried about leaving familiar shores behind.
Luggage scanned, boarding passes in hand, standing in the never ending queue for Immigration check, security screening - And at last you step into the flight.
I always ask for the window seat-not because the view is great or something but because no one will disturb me to get up often ;-)
And I always pray that the person sitting next to me doesn’t:
1) Stink
2) Chatter non stop
3) Fall asleep on me
4) Stare sideways at every single action of mine
When at last the flight takes off after the preliminary safety precautions are announced and you see the city lights growing smaller and smaller, farther and farther away from you, when the cars and trees and roads have become tiny specks somewhere far down below, when you are lost in the clouds high above the world - it sinks in.
You are on your way! On your own!
Nobody is going to cajole you to eat dinner anymore, no one is going to tolerate your tantrums, no one is going to clean your bathroom or wash your clothes, no one is going to scold you to take medicine if your sick, no one is going to pay your bills for you, no one! Everything becomes your responsibility. It is up to you.
Fortunately or unfortunately you really are on your own!
Friday, February 27, 2009
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