1. Best and worst actors / actresses (can safely assume vidya balan to top this one)
2. Best and worst movies ( both Ra.One and Dirty picture will figure….don’t ask me on which lists)
3. Best songs ( kolaveri and sadaa haq)
4. Best start-ups (people r yet to come out of the myth that there are only tech start-ups in the country)
5. World changing events ( Osama, Syria, Jobs)
6. Technology / inventions
7. Best or worst restaurants
8. Most downloaded apps
9. Promising / budding personalities for the next year
10.Sports champions
11. Best Sachin Tendulkar performances

What other lists do you read???

Happy New Year Cheers!!!

Conversation 1

Me (beaming):  See what I got you

Hubby : I am impressed

Me (in a regular foot in the mouth situation) : It was a ‘Buy 1 get 1 free’ offer!!!

(In my defense I said it to impress my ‘thrifty’ mindset on him)

Hubby: Oh! So this is the free one?

Me: No…the other one is free

Hubby: So what is the other one?

Me:  ’Best Friend’

Hubby: So am I not your best friend?

Me: Well….hmm…..you see….

Hubby(now angry): I am waiting for an answer

Me: Let me get you coffee….

ESCAAAAAAAAAAPE

Conversation 2

Me(so excited):  This is what I bought in US

Hubby: Why are you so excited?

Me: Yaar! This is the probably the only proper useful thing I did in life

Hubby: California??

Me (Grrrr): CA may be California for USA but for me it is Chartered Accountant. I am a CA

Hubby: Ok, so you marrying me was not proper or useful?

Me: (OMG, now what do I do?????): You see, our marriage is not something I did. It is a boon that was granted to me by the Almighty and for which I am forever grateful (Phew!)

Hubby: You should be a politician

Door slams

And that, folks, is Wednesday………..

1. I resisted. He persisted. Bloody hands
2. Opposites don’t always attract. Just Married.
3. Good man. Rash driver. Don’t cry
4. Man fasts. Government falls. Chaos reigns.
5. Good weather. Sour companion. Ruined day.
6. His watch.time stops. Memories flood
7. Few fights. Many joys. Graveside recollections
8. Small device. Changed world. Smart visionary
9. No work. Lazy Sunday. Wishful thinking
10. Large house. Eerie silence. Unshed tears
11. More memories less dreams? Good night
12. Ex-lover. Bitchy colleague. Together forever
13. First husband. Fourth wife. Traditions intact.
14. Physical distances. Heartfelt exchanges. Technology miracles.

“I so need a break –A break from it all.

When will I have a vacation? I want a day when I don’t have to do any work, when someone pampers me and takes all the decisions for me. Everyone I know tells me their troubles. They all look up to me to solve their problems and make their life easier. Few invite me during good times to partake their success and triumphs but most blame me for their trials and disappointments. Why do people depend on me? Why don’t I have a destiny, a pre-determined course of action chartered out by someone else? Why don’t I have someone to pass the baton to?”

After his forty winks, the Almighty resumed taking care of the world again!

This can actually be used for all Indian women -working women/ career women / housewife / homemaker / stay at home mom / whatever fashionable term now applies. All your inputs most welcome –

And before you ask, my score is abysmally low on this count! So lets start

1. Number of items you can make under 10 minutes

a. 3

b. 6

c. Abacharam! How can any dish take more than 7 minutes to cook?

2. Describe a scenario when you invited 15 people and over 30 turned up. How did you manage?

a. Took everyone out for dinner

b. Ordered food from the nearby restaurant

c. Dish dash flip flop! Loo and behold a whole new meal is ready and everyone has more options

3. How many blouse pieces have you added to your collection this year?

a. 8

b. 15

c. Naidu Hall just buzzed me if I have one to spare in ‘ramar pachai’

4. What is the ideal number for the ‘to be gifted if someone visits suddenly’ inventory?

a. 3

b. 5

c. How exactly do you want it categorized–by types, age groups or budgets?

5. What do you do with leftover meal from the previous day?

a. Give it to the maid

b. Heat and eat for today’s meal

c. Make 3 varieties from the same dish and serve it as new to the husband

6. Which school does your husband’s sister’s brother-in-law’s child study in?

a. Wait, let me get this straight…..

b. I think he studies in………….

c. The older brother-in-law has only 2 daughters but the younger brother-in-law has one son and one daughter. The daughter is in ____ school and the son in ____ school

7. How many diamonds do you own?

a. 3

b. 5

c. If I could get my hands on the Kohinoor, my collection would be complete

8. What does your neighbor do?

a. I think he is a doctor

b. The husband is a doctor for sure. (I saw the name plate) but no idea about the wife

c. On the flat to our right is Dr. Radhakrishnan. He is not an actual doctor though he calls himself one. Some PhD. His wife works in State Bank Mylapore branch and both their sons are studying in the US. On the right side is Mr.Venkataramani who is a retired government officer. His wife teaches in the school where my sister’s classmate’s husband also teaches. Their daughter stays in Anna Nagar and visits them every fortnight. I wonder why she did not come yesterday.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

Goodbye bills and nasty ills

I will never worry about you again

Goodbye seconds and leftover chicken

Now I can feed the entire nation

Goodbye heat and unfulfilled treats

I will now have silk under my feet

Goodbye buses and crowded trains

And to all the daily pains

No more waiting in line or trembling for favors benign

I will just click and snap to get a solitaire fine

No more nine to five seven days a week

Luck, laughter and lust will make the day mine

I will gladly say ‘I do’

What if he is fifty-two

He has three houses and cars few

Not to mention the swimming pool blue

So I have compromised

Few years for the wealth desired

I am happy and signing

Here is to new beginnings

It feels weird all over again. It is a new place but the three years in Chennai have made me tougher than before. I am no longer apprehensive of new places and new people. I don’t worry about not having my doc around or my tailor or beauty parlour. These may sound trivial in the larger scheme of things but trust me, these were stuff I found it hardest to adjust with. When simple daily stuff are not the way you want them to be, life is unsettled and you feel like you are in Mars. You can call yourself truly settled in a place when you know the small eateries there or where you get fresh flowers daily or who can do all the alterations in your clothes for less than ten bucks. All this usually happens once you have established a network of people -different kinds of innumerable people. But this network gets built over a long period of time.

The ironic part is that I had just begun to get comfortable in Chennai, just begun to know and understand it. I discovered the place, found new routes and started building my people network. But now I have to leave and start the process from scratch. I may or may not be as lucky in Bangalore as I was in Chennai. I may not find similar minded folks around me and I may never know who to go to when I run out of milk. I guess I have not shed all my apprehensions about moving as yet. I still don’t like it. I like the comfort of familiarity. Is that wrong? Is it wrong to want to have familiar friendly faces around?  To have few people to smile at on my way to the local grocer? Why can’t I continue to stay in the same place forever. I thought I had made my share of adjustments and shifts when I made the mega move from Mumbai to Chennai. But I guess it was not enough.

Though I know I have done it before, it still seems to be a big challenge. All said and done, Chennai is a place I have visited since childhood. I know its streets, its smells and its people. I am aware of its moods, its flavours and its culture. I have relatives who are only too pleased to share their knowledge and guide me around. But Bangalore is totally alien. I knew very few people there and from what I understand they stay in the ‘city’ while I am technically outside it. What do I do?

I had grand plans of working from home for my Chennai company but suddenly I am not so sure.  Would it make sense to pick up a regular job in Bangalore -just so that I know more people and get familiar with the place? But is that what I want? To work in a regular job again? When do I do things that I really want to do? What is a good time to start living life the way you want to? What do choose between duty and desire? Between pride and desire?

What do I do?

It was show time. Strumming his guitar Johnson tried to stop her invading his thoughts –her face, that heartbreaking smile, mischief dancing in her eyes, her laughter ringing in his ears and their harmonious lovemaking. He tried to focus on the song as he heard his partner tune the piano. The next song was her favorite and had to be perfect. The last time he played it had earned him a mind numbing kiss. He wanted to block out the pain, the sorrow, the heartbreak and concentrate on his guitar. As the song faded out, a gentleman approached him. “You were amazing. This is my fiancé’s favorite. You must play at our wedding. What do you think Melody?

This also means that I have been asking for filter coffee wherever I go and here are some of the places where I found amazing coffees -

Hot Chips -If you like it strong, this is the place to have the filter coffee. One small cup can keep you up for hours. I tried it at Ampa Skywalk but I guess all of their outlets should have similar connotation.

Kalmanee Coffee -This is again in Ampa Skywalk. It has a nice variety of coffees and tea in various flavours. Must try!

Anise -Yeah, I know you think I am nuts to be going to Taj Coramendal for a cuppa coffee but let me assure you that I don’t regret it one bit and the fact that I did not pay for it is irrelevant to this post. I was frankly skeptical because the coffee at Taj Mumbai had left a bad taste in my mouth. Every time I had a coffee there I was sure it was just hot water. But Anise serves one of the best South Indian filter coffees I have ever tasted. Simply marvelous. It is the perfect taste -not too strong not too mild just perfect with an awesome aroma. I would insist you go there just to have the coffee. It is heavenly

Vasantha Bhavan – at Anna Nagar has a good coffee but I could never enjoy it because I never liked the ambiance there. It did not let me lose myself in the coffee and forget the world outside. If you have no such requirements you should try the coffee there.

As for the teas -

Parfait 3  keeps a wonderful array of organic teas and other coffees like cappucino, etc. I love their ginger tea. Do have a look.

Amethyst – Just loved the masala chai there though I do wish they served it as chai instead of milk and tea separately but nevertheless it is a perfect foil for a late breakfast or good with a snack too.

And I have to mention here that my favorite coffee still remains the one my mom has ready the minute I enter. Yeah, it is cliche and all that but that does not make it untrue. My mom is always the best