iFears

Recently I lost my smartphone. My greatest concern was that my gmail was signed in, in that phone. There was no way of removing that device from my google account. I could, nevertheless, change my password and protect my mail from then on. But, for the first time, the incident incited in me a new kind of fear. For the first time I felt creepy about my online security.

For the first time, it opened my eyes as to how much vulnerable I am, and all of us are, to our online data security. I was just reminded how much depended I am on these networks and devices. What if one day, my laptop crashes and I lose all the valuable data that I stored in it. What if one day google deletes my account? I could ofcourse, back up the data. But how much data will I back up and how many levels of backups would I do. How much hardware would I need?  Now, don't tell me about using the Cloud. It somehow makes me feel exposed. Yeah, I know a great deal about cloud computing, its protocols, types etc and yeah, I even know all my accounts like gmail and FB are on cloud. But, still when I had the option to backup or not to backup my ipad on the icloud, I chose the latter.  

Sometime back, I painstakingly scanned and made digital records of all the old and treasured photographs at home. Those photographs were getting spoilt or already were. I remember my emotions that day I completed scanning all of them. "Now I am gonna fix you guys up in photoshop and then nothing can touch you!!!".  

The first thing I did after coming out of the hangover of losing my phone was to copy all the contents on my laptop including those photos to my external drive. I am still not calmed, but for the moment have my fingers crossed. 

We just take it for granted that nothing will go wrong for us. We know about all the unfortunate things that can happen. But they don't happen to us, do they? And when they eventually does, we go hulla-bulla.

I had read about email accounts getting hacked and being deleted by the service providers themselves and all. But until recently they were all alien concepts. Until the day may dad's got blocked. We tried our best to retrieve it but in vain. I doubt if it is some corporate strategy to be paid for the retrieval.(Sort of ransom? you pay us this much and we release your valuable info!! But what the hell!! my dad could go without it.) But thank God, from that day, I dont have any critical info saved in my mail either. 

Like that non-trustworthy boyfriend, keep your distance from these online accounts. they could ditch you any moment. But yeah! you need them until they do! :-p

I remember sharing a link on my FB wall sometime back - "Google is watching you!". It described the analytics google uses to track user search options etc. I had an uneasy feeling after watching that video. The feeling just worsened now. It's my privacy that is being encroached. These days. you tube makes recommendations to me as to what I should be watching. Now, come on ya, just because I liked a movie some day, doesn't mean I would always prefer that genre. 

Somewhere, within all the comforts that technology provides, our lives are being affected. Of course we have to move with the tide and it is the technology wave that we are riding. In the last few years technology has indeed created a revolution and I am definitely enjoying every bit of it. I am thankful that today I have google to find solution to any of my problems and that I have skype which has helped me travel in time. (I am talking about the time differences when I talk with my brother in Canada, my sister in India. This brings me to a philosophical thought as to what is time? :) may be in the next post!!), ofcourse at the cost of my privacy. 

I am a great connoisseur of technology. To be honest, I am totally awed by the analytics these sites use and the concept of cloud and all. But like everything else, technology also need to be used with caution. Because there could be some evil doer out there trying to take advantage of that teeny-weeny hole in the fabric of these technology. 

And also be ready to bare yourself out there, because in that digital space you are completely exposed!

17.07.2011

Every night I make amazing plans as how I am going to revolutionalise the next day. Getting up early in the morning is the start. And for the last couple of years all the plans, undoubtedly, have been failing beginning with the waking up part itself.

I am one of those nocturnal creatures who can stay awake late into the night. My whole server is up only in the dark hours. But, once the sun is up I am down!

So the summary is this : I sleep early since I have to get up early the next morning and in the morning someone indubitably drugs me.

The plans were on for today as well. I were to wake up at 5 am, do some work out(I have been planning this for a quite a while. Thought getting into shape would be great motivation to wake up early. But I guess my subconscious mind believes in the beauty sleep more!), do some reading for my class (One and half years of MBA and I haven't started yet! I still don't know how my grades are dangling on the lectures alone!) and get ready for my class at 8. 30.( Yes, I did have a class even on a sunday morning, that too, even on a sunday that rains heavily!) :( .

The perfect torture for a morning-sleep-freek !

The cliched waking-up-before-the-alarm-so-as-to-switch-it-off activities were no more done as innumerable iterations have already been performed. These days I have to get up at 5 am to turnoff the corporation water tap(the water is also nocturnal I guess. Is in full force only in the wee hours! Don't ask me why I have to turn it off. I Have To!)

Anyways, coming back to this morning..

So I turned off the tap and curled back into the blanket. So mission work out and reading have been aborted. The alarm rings at 7 am, enough time for me to get ready for the class. So I snooze it 10 min, then 10 min ...

As I toiled with the idea of snoozing or waking, (let me tell you I had no intention of bunking the change management class today)it started raining heavily rocking me to sleep again.

God! Was it a good sleep! The taste is still in my tongue! Yes, I meant it. That's how I feel after a fulfilling sleep.

But it didn't last long.There was to be some maintanence work in the house and the people were coming! ;(

Since external support was involved I had no option of snooze!

As fate would have it, no work could be done due to the heavy rains. The sleep I sacrificed on a rainy sunday morning and the lecture I bunked were the left overs.

And here I am blogging my frustration.

God! Do I envy my sister still sleeping out there!

Nostalgia

22 months later, down the same lanes, amidst the same spirit, I try to get a glimpse of the me that was. I try to find my shadow in the milling Bangalore crowd.

Bangalore was still the same. Yet, something was different. Laughing, ecstatic crowd, restaurants and boutiques, malls and multiplexes. Yet, something had changed. It is not the same crowd, or the same buildings. The spirit is the same, the form had changed.

In the distance I could see a group of young girls walking towards me. Happy, vibrant and indeed having a good time. As they walked past me I caught a phrase or two of their conversation. They were just out of college and had just moved into the city with their new job. New found friends, new found independence – they were just celebrating.

Did I get a glimpse of myself in them?

Independence, confidence and a lot of fun times with friends, that is what the city had bestowed upon me.

I walked around A2B and reached ‘Friends’. The familiar aroma of the snacks and tea at A2B filled my nostrils.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiii….."

"AAaaaaaaaa Eeeeeeeeeeeeee"

"Oooooooooooooooooo"

No matter how much we had grown up (Or had we??), we still remain the same young girls who came from different directions to this city to start our lives.

Anu and Sheethu were waiting for me inside.

Lunch was just a formality. We had lots more to catch up.

"Gal, You have lost so much weight!"

"Wow! That’s a pretty dress!"

"And look at you, so stunning!"

Girls are always girls!

But, indeed, the girls had grown up.

"So, How is your hubby doing??"

"Hey, is that your baby’s photo??? Cho Chweeeet!!!!!!!!!"

"How is the wedding preparations going on…"

We never had a dearth for topic anyways!!!

Coming back to the rear gate of Bosch, it felt like any of those ordinary days at work.

Through the gate I could see people still doing their post lunch rounds around the building.

I left Anu and Sheethu there and made my way to the Forum mall. As I walked around the corner, I could see the BOSCH sign on top of the building. A familiar wave of joy swept past me. It just brought to mind our initial days here, when we had our tea on the terrace.

Forum is always full of people.

Memories about the place can never be contained in a few lines. 33 months of life at Bangalore had revolved around this haven. 'Tharavad' as we lovingly called it.

We were there at every nook and corner of the place. Celebrating every occasion here, including boredom. And even today, I could find myself every where.

I could see us sitting on the pavement outside, laughing and cooing.

I am amongst the crowd milling inside. I am one of those in that bubbly group of youngsters thronging near the entrance. I am one of those single shoppers finding my way through the Brands.

I am one of those bookworms getting my hands on each and every book at Landmark. I am amongst those shoppers moving in and out of Soch.

I am there in that group lounging at Transit and yes I am definitely in the ticket counter at PVR.

After, doing my rounds at Forum, I came down to meet Ghoshettan at the ground floor. Another series of reminiscence.

The breeze still carried the chime of our laughters, the lanes still spoke of our togetherness.

Nostalgia is only when you miss something. I have always felt this spirit within. I have never been away from this fun. The whole world around me, now, might have changed, but I realize that the frame work, the friendships, that held the world around me is still intact. My shadow had never let me.

As we walked along, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the glass panes of the exit.

"Gal, keep up the confidence and spirit. Have a lovely life ahead."

"Adieu."

The Engineer Syndrome

If I say the last few days have been hectic, it would just be an understatement.

4 project presentations in 2 days is the synopsis of the situation.

And Oh, My! did I enjoy it!!! To the hilt!

I attribute it to the engineer in me.

Why the Engineer? Such is the conditioning of an engineering student and that is what gave me that High.

The last minute ppt preparation, report perusal, the 11 th hour project hunt (and I mean quite literally! After almost 2 hours of feasibility study on a project, we decided to change it at 11p.m the day before the presentation) I enjoyed every bit of them.

This is what I call the Engineer- Syndrome, the 11th hour adrenaline rush!

We engineers are known for quite a number of syndromes, and I found I could add this to the list as well. We do things Just In Time and somehow things work and most of the time they work the best! Minimum effort, maximum result, now, that is what I call efficiency!

(May be others do it the same way too, but I found all engineering graduates inevitably belong to this category subjected to a 5% error on my hypothesis)

I remember getting a forward message during my Engineering days(and I find it is being circulated even now!).

You give a 1000 pages book to a lawyer and ask him how many days he would take to finish reading it and he would say may be XX days, You ask the same to a doctor and he would say YY days, You ask the same to an engineer and he would ask, "when is the exam?"

Managing Examz

I have finished the initial set of exams after my first trimester and these are my valuable findings :

1. You can always attempt a management exam , except statistics and accounting, without actually studying for it. All these years of your existence would have given you some insight into the subject to pull it off! There is always an option for new theories. Management is all about innovation.

2. Open-book exams are not really helpful unless you actually know which page (or which book?) to open.

(Blink!).

3. A manager should always update herself with the latest technology.

Mobile phones are out, smart phones are in.

Earlier concept of management : getting work done through people.

Modern existence/survival theory in management : getting work done through Google. (I told you, it's easy to formulate new theories).

4. Group discussions are confined not only to classrooms. Take them beyond classrooms to exam halls.

5. Thank God it's relative grading. Make sure you know everything your neighbour knows.

PS: Note the time I am posting this. Exams can still give you sleepless nights

I have arrived.

Well, finally I'm here.

Had always looked forward to being here and am happy that finally I'm here. ;-)

So perhaps the coming blogs might some how be related to NIT-C and MBA.

Ah!! That reminds me, let me put across my MBA experience so far.

I seriously believe an MBA is better done after an initial industry experience. It helps you connect so much with what you are studying. I do that. For everything I learn here, I try to find some sort of an example or relation from my previous life! And many a time, I can find it. :-).

Hey, but all work ex people in the class could be really boring yaar.

It is those people right out of college who are the real charm of the class.

For one thing, they take me down a year or two or more along my ageline ;-), but more seriously they proclaim aloud the innocence and naivety of life. And I simply love being around them, happy that I can share their zeal.

And about the pedagogy, what more do I say than that I have never looked forward to attending a lecture though the subject may not be my favourite ones. :-).

As they rightly claim they teach us such that we don't even realize that we are being taught.

What I find the most attractive about the course is that we are taught how to think. We are taught to be better people. We are taught to understand ourselves better. We are taught to relate to us and to everyone around us better. But what gets me wondering is why this delay yaar? Why did it take all these years for our educational system to give me these wisdom? Some may disagree, blame my choice of institutions. But the fact is that there have been people like me affected. It would have made a lot better if in our school curricula we were taught at least HOW TO THINK.

Perhaps everybody should be doing an MBA. Or atleast every professional.Management is something we all do throughout our lives, then why not be a little scientific? The course is hectic, but it is not tough. It requires hardwork and daily effort, but it doesn't have tough equations or formula.

Well, really looking forward to the time here.

10 June,2010

Feeling very nostalgic and depressed and all.

The monsoons always bring to mind the reopening of schools.

New bags and umbrellas and water-bottles and all. Isn't it a treat to watch the lil ones go to school.

Give me some sunshine

Give me some rain

Give me another chance

I wanna grow up once again

The lines are playing in my head in a repeat mode.

I really wish , I could go back in time and live some older time.

I remember looking out of the window ,in some high school class, at the heavy shower.

It was one of those typical moments were everything else froze, the professor and the class and all, only the rain drops moved.(And I remember, it was the Physics class of XI)

I wish to go back to school, to that class

I miss those days.

If any of you dumbos are reading this- I miss you guys!!!

The only tension those days were getting more marks and the pimples!!

I miss the gang,the canteen,the fights and so many things. These are cliched words!!!

But when it comes to nostalgia, everyone long for the same , I guess.

The farm bug!!

I used to wonder why people are so crazy about their FarmVille points and why they put up the 'help' posts.I get the reason now. Once you are hooked to it, it becomes an addiction and let me confess, I AM ADDICTED,atleast for the moment.

But the veterans tell me that the addiction doesn't last forever.(Thank God!!I get bored quite easily.)

And I find the erstwile FV addicts put up status like "I dont care about your farms, crops" "I don't want a farm" etc... ;-)(So, there is an open door,I guess)

So in this vicious circle newbies like me replace the dormant farmers!!! And the cycle goes on and on and on!!

Something, I noticed- the addiction is contagious. Once you are hooked, you tend to get everyone around you hooked too.That is how I got addicted and I have been successful in getting quite a few addicted!!!.Those who play or have played FV know that it's a survival tactic.

It all started for me when my brother flew to Canada to do his MS(in Mechanical engineering,supposedly!!!).

Perhaps he missed our greenery and flowers and all and took to setting up a farm for himself over there.

But the country and climate was not so cooperative to his sentiments,I guess.

So he begins his great online farming and starts sending requests to everyone on his contact list including me and what started off as a submission to his pestering becomes an addiction and I continue with the tradition - adding more neighbours and posting my farm status and so on...

In our tryst with FV, me and my brother realize that we have started farming at a time when all our friends have almost quit.

Now to find farmers of the same level is quite a challenge.But, luckily as I said before, we have gotten everyone in the family to be bitten by the same bug ;-).Some relief!!

We ,very religiously, harvest our crops in time, send gifts to each other and help each other's farm.My Brother wakes himself early enough to do all these before he goes to University.

We discuss at lengths on how to improvise and beautify are farms,makes demands for gifts and so on.

Ofcourse critics like my sister always have a say!Like asking me to go out and atleast water the garden!! But, why bother these pests,I say! These days everything is online!!!!

What is so special about 25Feb??? ;-)

There was a time when I used to wait for it to be the 25th of feb.
I would start the count down from the New years day and eagerly wait for the day.
More than the gifts and cards,it thrilled me more to find out how many of my friends and other close people actually remembered.
Of late,the thrill has been fading.Maturity I guess. ;-)
And since last year,I had been dreading the date.I some how wanted time to freeze, so that it wouldn't be 25th feb this year.But the truth is ,I can ignore it,I can overlook it,but today it's the 25th feb of another year. I am one more year older and the fact is staring back at me from my mirror!!!How I hate being on the other side of 20.

But yes!even today all my friends and close people have made my day!
The best thing I like about birthdays is that it is a day when the world comes calling at you,literally ;-)

Amidst all the routine greetings and messages,I have noticed that few things haven't changed.Not that I am complaining.Nonetheless it was amusing to note.
I woke up today at midnight to the same voice who has been greeting me birthday the first for the past few years,ever since we became friends in hostel.
The same people needed to be reminded to wish me(They know the date,but have to be reminded that the date is actually that of today ;-).Since their wishes mean a lot,I didn't mind asking for it.And then, it is not my birth I am celebrating,but their being my parents.)
And finally,as usual my brother called me up at midnight,but had to be prodded to wish me.These sort of wishing and all are a bit embarassing in the family,to receive and to give.;-)

Thank you all, for your wishes

Facing fears

What is the greatest inhibition on our way to winning our desires.
Fear, I would say.
We are all scared of something or the other,right?
We all have fears of varying degrees for various things.
And how can we win over fear.

The best,or perhaps the only,way I would say,will be to face it.
Face your worst fears.Don't run away from them.
Easier said or blogged than done,I know.

Might not be a great example but here is a tiny incident which will definitely give me the power punch next time a fear holds me back.
I had always been scared to ride a vehicle.I knew how to ride.I had confidence I could ride well and I even had a license.Still,a very weak twine from within always held me back.Then,one fine day, with some encouragement and support, I managed to take my 2 wheeler out.It went fine.I thought it raised my confidence level.But the fear had been stll lurking inside and it manifested as recurring nightmares.Every night I would see one or the other images of me and my Activa falling down.Somehow I would force myself to give one more try the next day.And one day,as if reliving my nightmares,I actually fell with the vehicle.I still remember how i felt.It was exactly the same fear I had in my nightmares.I knew if I let that fear win this time I would never touch a vehicle again.I gave it a shot again and yes it did help a lot.My fear has subsided greatly.And I can be sure of it by the decreased frequency of my nightmares!

Sometimes, a simple incident like this becomes an eye opener when thought about deeply.May be the rules can be applied elsewhere too.

The Get together

The onset of monsoon every year inevitably reminds me of the same thing--the reopening of schools after the summer holidays.
I have been contemplating this post for long.But every time I start it I become nostalgic and just stall it.
Any way here is a fictitious batch get together of my school mates.
I have wrapped in some true humurous incidents on the pretext of an imaginary reunion.

There are still more incidents,still more characters and memories.Let them come out at some other occassion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It has been 10 years since our batch left the premises.
College,Office,marriage...each of our lives have changed a lot.
And after the long gap we decided to catch up with the changes.

Today we are all going to meet after a decade.
We could think of no better venue than what came up in our minds on the first note. Unanimously we decided it to be the same old school grounds.
So be it!

My heart danced at the thought of the reunion,at the thought being the roll no 25 again,at the thought of going back to 12B.
Everyone would come,I am sure,may be with their husbands,wifes,kids..
How would they all look??I myself haven't changed much though.
I tried to imagine each of them weighted by the 10 years.
My curiosity kept mounting.

Atleast today let me be the first one in the school.;)
As I stepped in the campus, a familiar breeze caressed me

"Sahil"
Present ma'am, I replied

A slight shiver ran through me.

The buildings were all different,yet the same.
The auditorium,canteen,classrooms,all echoed our screems,our cheers,our tears!!

There goes the long bell!!
One by one, the bikes screeched to a halt near the gate.
The vice principal madame had issued a strict warning the previous day to those who came on bikes.
The result: even those who didn't have bikes came on one today,after borrowing,begging or may be getting a new one!!!

Teenage pranks!!!
As I laughed to myself musing over our audacity,I saw kabir enter through the back gate.
I couldn't supress a laugh.
He had never been on time.Always stood at the door with the tie loosely dangling around his neck as the teacher took the attendance.This, given that his house was the nearest to the school!!
Today not only was he early,he had his tie properly knotted too.

I was behind a pillar in the new building on the other side.He wouldn't see me unless I moved a little.
I am not yet ready to meet him.I have a lot more to reminisce.

He walked into the the class room.Yes,into our 12B.

"Suppandiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii"
The call came from the other class 12A.A sort of good morning greeting.Tres's way of announcing her presence.

"x#!&&***"
The reply too was spontaneous.

And our class teacher would just look at us smile.
Yes! all these happened when she was in the class.
She was the silent accomplice in all our mischieves and always our saviour.

I could see few people enter the campus.It took me some time to figure out who.God!It's Tres,Varun and Sajan.
I am sure Kabir would now leap out to meet them.
"Macha"
"Dude, what's that patch on your chin"
They all screemed and hugged.
Laughing,fighting they returned to the class

I continue my tour of the campus.
The canteen is completely different now.It looks more like a canteen now.!!
I miss canteen aunty's fried rice!!

It used to be one plate and multiple hands.Hardly a mouthful for each of us,but that could fill our hearts and stomachs.

Here comes Dr.Chetan.He waved at me from the distance.I am coming,I gestured in reply.
He smiled back.
He was the studious,hilarious,smart,witty one.And today our little master is a Doctor!!
He entered the class and a whirl of laughter spurted out!!With Chetan,I should have guessed!!!

Sakshi,Lakshmi,Sana,Jiya,Sumi the ladies just came in.
They all look fabulous.So much changed,yet so much the same.They cooed and laughed and joked!!

"Sanaaaaaaaaa"

"oooooooooooo"

"hiiiiiiiiiii"

"Where were you"

"I called you so many times"

"Hey,what are you doing these days"

"You look so slim"

"I saw your pics in Orkut..Beautiful dear"

"Hey guys, did you know, the guy near my house........."

"Where did you get that necklace from.It's gorgeous"

Ouch!!These ladies!!!Give me one topic they cannot talk about!!

The guys were being rather formal.Starting trouble perhaps.International topics and politics and business and all!!

"Macha ##@@&&%**"The remaining batallion trooped in.

"School Sawdhan!!Vishram!!"
And our school captain entered with a broad smile.

Everyone once again became the old Suppandi and kuttosan and kapish.

I can't restrain myself anymore. Let me join the pack!!!

Guys!!Guys!!Look at this.
Someone shouted.
We all poured are heads to get a glimpse of the subject of interest.

The wooden desks and benches still carried our names.
10 years back we had engraved them on these.And it had not come without any pain.
For one whole week we were punished.We were made to sit on floor.The desks and benches were removed from our class!!

We laughed at the memory.

"Friends!!!
Thank you all for coming.
Gone are those days of History,Geography and mathematics
Gone are those days of practicals,labs and dramatics
Gone are those days of innocent fights,mischeives and jokes
Gone are those days of beautiful school days

But their memories will always linger,in me,within me and around me,you and all!!

I am happy to see you all.Happy that we all could make it.Happy that we have all carried forward the goodness this institution has instilled in us.
But there is a face I miss today and I am sure , even you do.

To you,Sahil!!May your soul rest in peace"

Chetan inaugerated the get-together.

The class was silent.
Time heals all wounds,but leave behind a scar.
Even after 10 years,the loss of a friend hurt.

My class looks complete,wonderful.
Doctors, Engineers, Businessmen,Celebrities what not can't I boast about.
I am happy that we were all here once,that we were all here now.
This is my class.Sahil's class....

"-----------------"

At the end of the day,
All that I need is
You by my side.
To sit beside you
and dream as we always do
To just hug you
and feel loved
To just cuddle unto you
and feel safe
Wipe away my tears,dad
Like you did the other day I failed that exam
I am your little one dad,
And will just be.

At the end of the day,
All that I need is
You by my side.
A little space in your lap,mom
To rest my heavy heart.
Every time you ask me to take care,
I would look back and growl.
Now, take care of me mom,
Lest I lose my way
I am your little one
And will always be.

At the end of the day,
All that I wish is
To be just like you.
As beautiful as you mom
As brave as you dad
As loving as you both
As wonderful as you both

I'm nothing without you,
All I am is just you.
I love you,
Not just for what you are
But also for what I am
because of you

I Dream

It is an established fact that pisceans are dreamers.
I am happy to be in the club ;)

I will not talk about the reveries we have. They are hopeful thinking. The long cherished wishes we have.They are something we have control over.

What I would like to talk about here is the real dream. The movie which flashes on our unconscious mind.

I actually like analysing them after I wake up.Not that I remember everything.But I try my very best to put the pieces together.
Most of my dreams are related to some events or people from my life. May be because they had been in my mind for long and the effect of these dreams linger long too. I can feel the emotions for long. They feel a sort of dejavu. That's why I try to erase them quickly

But then, the interesting type of dream is the other kind. The real fantasy ones.Like in hollywood movies.(I would say the first kind is bollywood style-emotions,relations etc etc and this one is hollywood style-style,action,adventure)
Let me describe few such ones,just for the joy of sharing them ;)

The recent one is something really fantastic. I can't put it in words. Am not that good at writing ;) and secondly don't have the patience
It goes like this...
I am being chased by some people. Don't know if I were the villain or the hero;)
But suddenly I realize I have become invisible. ;-)
Wow!!!There is no reflection for me in the mirror.
There is more to it,somethings to which I cannot apply any logic.;-)
So I excuse myself from describing them. Its something like,the invisible me taking the form of water,like in Hollow man(hope i am correct.Am not that into English movies), wind etc ;)

Then there is another one.
I jump from a cliff and land in something like a highland. A picturisque location like in some classic English movies.Some sort of a meadow in between snow capped mountains with a stable and all. But there was only a white horse. I even rode it at some point in my dream ;).God knows how!!
Then some lady,dressed in a very long velvety gown appears.Yes, I remember her face and details even now.She was not scary but appeared very powerful. She rose her hands to the sky and chanted something and then somebody whispered to me that she is a demi-goddess. [The surprise is, that was the first time I remember hearing that word. Later when I woke up and referred the dictionary, the word actually was there.;). May be had read it somewhere sometime.] But I couldn't recall her name,Schade!!!;-(
I haven't read a Harry potter so far, but have heard about it from friends and cousins.
May be a lil' influenced;)

In another one, I actually entered some magic land. Some scene like in Smurfs ;-). I think I was seeing a lot of cartoons then.

These adventurous ones are really fun. Later when I think about them, I feel I had been to some other world and back.

God takes the soul everytime we sleep and then put it back into our bodies when we wake up.
Is the soul in another realm then??Do they really experience these dreams???

Some schocolade fundas

I love chocolates!!!

Those dark, brown beauties!!!

When it comes to chocolates,I forget all about those calories and aerobics.

I have seriously got a very serious addiction to them and the worst part is that I don't have the slightest guilt.;-)

And the dark queen who has won my heart is

I can have these at any time of the day or the night.The only problem is though I start with a small piece ,I don't stop until the whole stuff is finished.;-)

As they say"No one can have just one!!!" Or rather "I can't have just one!!!"

And then after I have devoured the last bit, the cravings start again.

I don't mind those nuts and crunches in them though I am not a fan(but I don't mind having them under extreme conditions),but I can't stand the dry fruits and caramel.Why do they spoil the taste of fine,creamy chocolates!!

And now finally, the award to the chocolate I hate the most goes to--dark chocolate!!!

"Applause!!!"

I hate them. Yeek!!!And those wine/alcohol chocolates too. Sorry,I forgot their name.Even if I go chocolate starving for ages,I will not have even a piece of those.I swear! ;-)

so now you guys know what to treat me and how!!

The best compliment I have received

My name is pronounced differently by different people.
Some stress on the "fa" and some on the "ri". (The latter is my official name pronunciation)
Some prefer to call me feri like in "hera-pheri".
There is also an old aunt who calls me"pyari".She is not a hindi connoisseur,its just how she can pronounce it. Though as a child I detested it,as I gained proficiency in hind I didn't mind it ;-)
Now,let me stop digressing from the topic.

I met a cute little girl yesterday.A doll!
I was meeting her for the first time and I had been introduced to her as the ''fari" with the stress on "fa".
She thinks I'm a "fairy"!She did a literal translation and calls me ''pari".
Now ! I have had that nickname long back, but this is different because it comes from a sweet little girl whose world revolves around barbies and cindrellas.
That has left me too happy.That's the best compliment I have got .
I am happy that I am a part of the world she shares with her stories and fairies
Thank you my baboocha!!;-)

The eyes that haunt me!

A tinge of the night sky lurks in her angel eyes
They look at me,sharply in the eye,
Her gaze boring through me
They hold a little mischief , a little darkness!
Her eyes! They haunt me!!!!

BMW 7 series Angel eyes

My song

There are lots of one-one mappings in my memory space.
I mean, my memories are mostly linked with something,some song or some word or some colour or something like that.
Here!
Let me do the association between songs and memories for some of them from my memory bank.
These are the first image or visual I get or people I think of on hearing the particular songs ;-))

1)mera juta hai japani ---
This song reminds me of my sister's KG teacher.It has been quite a long time now,the picture is a lil' hazy.But yes, I can see her made up as a clown and dancing to this song. it was some activity day for the kids

2)Subhan allah(Fanaa)---
This one's for you Meera.
Back to my hostel days at thrissur
.We used to rent movies almost every day of the final year study leave and watch them together in Zeba's computer room ;-)
Yes!just the both of us
.It used to be fun.

3)Ye tara wo tara ---
Again for you Meera.

4)Humko humi se churalo--
This is to my school days and particularly to my friend Hiba.
Those days singing used to be a background activity,whether classes were going on or not.
Once, she was singing this song at some free time.Perhaps it disturbed somebody that immediately she got a response"hamke!!!(This is a malabar gaali!!!;-))" just as she finished "humko"

5)dil chahta hai---
again to my school days.
It reminds me of our gang and all are pranks and fun.

6)Kanana chaayayil aadu meekan(malayalam)---
This songs for my grandfather who hums it now and then ;-))

7)nilavinte neela bhasma kuriyaninjavale---
This one is for a friend from college.
I can still see her expressions as she sang this once in our room ;-)

8)Pyar ke pal---
To our happy days at HI, Renu.
Me and Renu(my friend in bosch)wanted to sing this for some team activity while at Germany and we used to meet up at each other's house and practise it on and on.
But,we could never present it,even after returning back. Schade!!

9)Thumbi vaa ---
To you Sheethu(My friend in bosch).
Once we both volunteered for some singing audition at Bosch.As our turns approached nearer both of us panicked and I backed out at the last moment.(when my name was called,I sat there calmly.When they repeated my name,I myself started enquiring amongst the crowd for Fariha ;-).
I winked at the only other guy who recognized me cautioned him not to reveal it.)
Sheethu had sung this song then and it was pretty good.

10)Khalbali --
This reminds me of our final year tour at GEC and paaji(That's the nick name for the guy who sang it ;-))

11)Soni pe nakhde--
Our aerobics classes,vasudha and my attempts to learn the steps..

12)Mein kudi anjaani hu--
I can never forget your dance to this song,Arya(My friend in Bosch)

13)Marannittum enthino--
I used to force Anju(GEC,Thrissur)to sing this song.I loved her singing this.

There are lots and lots more.The list could go on and on but let me stop here,before i become emotional ;-)).

The Plight of a nascent blogger or the Predicament of the unfortunate readers!!!

Before I start the post,let me make my intent about it clear.
To introduce to the blogosphere a budding(perhaps shooting and flowering by now!!)blogger.

Now a little background into my title for the post.
Well, what better phrase for a neonatal specialist!!
If you are wondering what a Doctor is doing here amidst us,then you are in for a surprise.Blogging is just one of the trades of this Jack.No matter how busy he is, I am sure if I ring him up now and tell my post on his blog is ready,he would read it immediately. Such is his dedication to this new passion of his(And when you read this, Uncle bluffmaster,let me remind you !!your readership of my blog has starkly reduced!!!Better include more comments in my posts to avoid stringent actions!!Yes!This is a warning !!).
The latter part of the title would be clear as you go through the blog!!!

Having grown up hearing and believing his stories and bluffs(and believe me we could never make out the trick unless he let it out!I am sure my siblings and cousins,the other tender coconut pond products, would definitely agree with me)it was no surprise to me when he announced his advent to the blog world.And what better title to describe his blog(Bluffmaster from tender coconut pond)!

So, though his blog meant more work for us(Not only had I to create it but also had to customize it and modify the look and feel)I volunteered to do the publicity campaign.(Why should only we suffer!!!;-p)Moreover I owed it to him. He is one of my earliest readers and constant supporter and now my encouragement too.If his blog can survive, why not mine???;-)
Most importantly,it is actually a symbiotic relationship.According to the pact we signed,he is
supposed to give me equal publicity in his blogs and increase my readership as well. At a time when Aamir khan and Amitabh Bachchan use their blogs to christen their cats and dogs, we ,uncle-niece, thought of using ours in better ways.

Only great ideas would come from him,the execution is outsourced.The Doctor's RAM is slow and can't do multi-tasking, so the blog post will depend on his assistant's availability and the doctor's persual ability.The assistant, I am told, is given the stipend for typing each post well in advance. But the blogs are not updated that quick!Network problems,I guess!!!
Even as the assistant plays hide n seek with our bluffmaster(My cousin literally flees as my uncle comes with a new post), he makes sure that you and I get regular blog posts

So if stressed up, need a break and are ready to laugh your hearts out please visit: www.raheem-musings.blogspot.com
"If you have given up on life, have no interest to live, and are thinking of suicide then please read this blog".This is what my aunt had to say!!!E-suicide I guess!!!
You can expect lots of Pjs and Pjs and Pjs(and you were calling me Pj queen!!!Now you know It's in the family).The title of the blog itself is a PJ.If you cannot make it out,I am Happy to Help!
But if somehow you tumble upon some better stuff,have no doubt about it,it would be written by his better half ;-)

Disclaimer: The contents of the Bluffmaster Blog are strictly its author's choice and words.Me and my blog"Reflections"have got nothing to do with it.This author will not entertain any comments or feedbacks about the Doctor's blog.If anyone feels dizzy after reading the blog, please do call me,I can arrange an appointment for you with the doctor.Regular consultation
fees will ofcourse be applicable ;-))

Reality fumes and fire!!-My pick on Reality Shows

These days all I can see on TV are reality shows,in any language,in all variety.Either the programme or its repeat telecast or its ad !!!!!
I keep changing the channels every few minutes,unless the current channel has at least a bit of Shahrukh Khan ;-))
(I don't know why, every few minutes I get this feeling that some other channel would be airing a better programme).
So its obvious how many times I come across them!!
Where once soaps and mega serials reigned, the throne and the crown has now been passed on to reality shows.

A garrulous host or a gorgeous hostess or both holding the center stage, celebrity judges and a whole load of contestants begging(and i mean begging!!!)for votes(like the netas at election times only difference being that here there are specific SMS format!!!!).
The "format" of the show is the same in any channel(for that matter, I have followed only Malayalam and Hindi channels but was also privileged enough to glimpse the same scenario in other channels while ,of course ,busy touring myself through them).
What has me completely bowled over is the variety of the shows.Dance,music(vocal and instruments!!),humor,drama,elocution and sometimes all these in a single one!The genres have me really awestruck.I came across a new variety recently, one on kadhaprasangam in Kairali.
Whether it's kids or grown ups or couples or celebrities, there definitely is a show they can pitch in!.There are some specially for ladies/house wives(why not one for gents I wonder,or is there one which i missed???) and some for celebrity couples!!!
Hey, Don't think I am criticizing these shows too much.
I am not against these talent hunts and promotion of genuine talent.After all apart from bringing into light all the latent talents they also are a come back portal for all the yummy mummies.;-)))(That was the adjective some magazine used for some of the celebrity judges. I somehow liked it!!!).
The participants are all truly gifted and these shows are definitely entertaining too but what bugs me are the publicity stunts. The judges arguing amongst themselves, the emotional athyachaar by the contestants when they have to leave the stage for good, the whole drama of rulayi-dhulayi amongst the participants and the judges!!!!It would of course be disheartening for a participant to leave the competition at some critical juncture,but why the fuss yaar.Why should the judges and the host and all others there too join the tear drain!!!Or rather, even if it is truly genuine emotion, why should the programme air it, or better put,highlight it!!! To capture audience attraction?? -- But, I thought these were reality shows not kyun ki saans bhi kabhi bahu thi... ;-)))

A good thing I like about them apart from of course the anchors ;-) are that sometimes really deserving contestants win .I didn't mean 'deserving' in terms of talent alone.A son/daughter hoping to win the prize apartment for his/her homeless parents,an auto driver who wants to take his mom in an aeroplane with the money he wins,a mason, a bus conductor!!Some of these competitions atleast,provide a platform for these less privileged talents to be recognized(and I hope the doors to these are genuinely fair!!)The idea of audience voting definitely has me skeptical.I happened to see a comedy programme in which the protagonists takes money from the contestants and promises them his "votes".How much transparency is there in such judgements????

Well,These shows have definitely boosted the mobile services and made our janta mobile phone literate!!

Doordarshan too doesn't want to be left behind in this race of reality shows.And DD seems to have bagged the biggest catch. A reality show on rock concerts to be conducted or judged by none other than the big small man,AR Rahman, himself. Don't know how far the rumour is true and when the show would begin,but the rumour atleats sounds good and I join the league of Rahman fans eagerly waiting....

I am not an addict to any of them yet, but I enjoy these
1)star Singer(Asianet)--
All the participants are exceptionally talented,Ranjini hosts it unimitably and none of the judges fall in the yummy-mummy category.After all Chithra hasn't gone anywhere to have a come back!!
Buy ya, i was a little upset by Didi(Usha Uthup) crying (and sometimes Ranjini too) whenenevr some fav contestant left in the last season!!!!
2)Dance India Dance -- Each and every episode has me wonderstruck.What performances!!

If you liked my post or if you didn't please vote for me.It is only through your support that I can do well again.To vote for me please type and send it to "reflections" ;-)))))

A stupid post!!!!

My system has not yet adjusted to the changes.
I am not talking here about any time changes.
No!!!
There are no jetlags and time differences.
Its just the routine changes!!!
No more Office and early morning(at 8am!!!!) trysts to get up from the bed, no more hurrying for the breakfast at canteen and no more e-newspapers.
Now, I wake up aaraam se at 10-10.30,get myself a cup of steaming tea and delicious breakfast(thanks to mom and others at home!!!) and start devouring the news paper.
I am no longer glued to the comp monitor, instead to the TV screens. ;-)))

well, Guys,
this is all just an observation of life through that rosy glasses everyone advices.
Honestly,I am bored and will continue to be so until I decide what next to do.
Well, that's the problem!!!
I still don't know what I should be doing or where I should be going.
Let's see... ;-))