This Day That Month

August 6,2012; Monday; 6:45pm- S and R enter wedlock

December 6,2012; Thursday; 6:45pm- S and R married for 4 whole months

....and boy has it been a fun journey!!!! The first 4 months of marriage are so important. They help you build the foundation for the rest of your lives. It is the time where the couple have to probably make lifestyle changes...most often they are big changes but they are ones that happen so readily, so easily and naturally that you really have to think back hard to recall how it was before. Both of us have lived through a lot these 4 months- Our 1st trip post-marriage to Mauritius, my moving to Bangalore for 2 months for work, his frequent trips to meet me, my final move to Hyderabad. Amidst all these movements back and forth across cities, we found joy in simple things together- be it our 1st month anniversary cake or silly banter or buying stuff together for our home.

Our Story in Brief: It all started with a chat of few mins, but as time went by, few mins, stretched to an hour and then few hours and then all night. We had no choice, we had so much to say to each other that a lifetime seemed insufficient. We had to get married.

Every woman feels that her husband is the best in the world and it is because she has found the missing piece of a complex puzzle called life and believes he is 'THE' person she can spend her life with, without any regrets. I am one such person I guess :-)

Anyway, all this said and done, I now feel qualified to impart my knowledge and share my experience with those who are planning to about to enter wedlock by busting 3 common myths.

Myth 1: You both have got to have the exact same interests.
Reality: Both R and I are incompatibly compatible. We have similar interests but they are quite dissimilar. For example: We are both fond of reading but the kind of books we love to read are entirely different. I love reading fiction mainly and sometimes a bit of non-fiction. He loves reading books on codes and computers, philosophy and occasionally non-fiction. We love listening to music but the genres again are quite different. He loves Rap (and I can't stand it) while I love Rock, a bit of Indi (Tapori numbers he says, but honestly I like anything peppy and/or melodious), pop and a bit of classical. These are just examples. There are so many other similar (dis)liking. So you see, you we have interests that may seem similar but are actually poles apart.

Myth 2: You will be tied down once you are married and will not have as much freedom as you did as a single. You will lose your independence.
Reality: I was a big believer of this and would avoid the topic of marriage as much as I could. I knew a bunch of people who seemed very clingy to their spouse. Now, that I am sailing in a similar boat, I realise that I have all the independence one can ask for and more. My new family is so supportive and encourage me to pursue my interests. My space was of the utmost importance to me and I am so happy that I have it in abundance and it is very well respected as well. Of course, there are some responsibilities, but these are responsibilities one enjoys to take up on and does not look upon as punishment. Marriage is not the finish line but a new beginning.

Myth 3: Hindi daily soaps (drama) depict what happens in real life
Reality: Huh?? You don't believe this, do you?? Well, an honest confession- long long time ago, when I was naive and in my early 20s, I did believe this. With whatever little of the soaps that I watched- all saasus seemed so vicious and scheming. To add to that, there were a host of chachis, maamis, nanads, mausis who could do nothing all day other than spew poison and scheme to put the new bride through all kinds of agni-parikshas and test her patience and resolve. In reality, I found this so very far from reality.  My mother-in-law is such a loving, caring woman from whom I learn a lot as the days pass by. R's aunts and uncles are such a joy to be with and such wonderful, loving and kind people that I cannot even imagine in my wildest dreams that they can even think of anything negative for anyone who is not family as well.

Having said all that I have so far, it is quite important to know what you are getting into before getting married. The myths can become a reality if you dive into the sea of marriage blindfolded. Spend time together with each other and try to get to know him/her and try to look for that inner-voice that says- This is it!! I may have painted a rosy picture of marriage here but remember, it is not always roses and peaches. There would be thorns that would prick and prick real hard at times. It is your love and togetherness that will help you through the toughest of times.

The Forgotten News

The afternoon was very warm. Raman's old fragile body was tired. His mind was weary with the day's proceedings at court. He seated himself on an easy-chair, his eyes stared idly to the ceiling where the fan went on slowly in circles making that rusty sound- krrrr krrrr. 29 years had passed by and it only seemed like yesterday. His eyes fell upon the old scrap book. He clasped it and sighed silently. Some of the pages of the book had started withering and discolouring. Slowly, he turned over the leaves of the old scrap book and memories came forth with the speed of light. 

29 years had passed by- Raman was the most talked about person in the country. As he turned pages of his scrap book full of newspaper clippings, he observed how the papers called him 'the Revolutionary Common Man' and 'the One Man Army against Corrupt Politicians' and 'the Lone Warrior'. How they had glorified him! Raman was one of thousands of common men who had been cheated by a corrupt politician who devoured their lifetime's savings. He was the only one of those thousands to raise his voice and courageously take legal action against the one who cheated him. 

India was looking for role models and heroes for motivation and inspiration. When a common man like Raman came to the fore, India got just what it was looking for. Every newspaper carried news about Raman's case and interviews with him. The news channels on TV and radio were flooded with news about him and many a debate took place on the success of his pursuit for justice. In the evenings, friends would meet after work to discuss Raman's case at length over tea. Housewives would discuss with each other of what they thought and what their husbands thought of the whole situation during their free time. Raman was every where in the air. He enjoyed every bit of attention and support he received from any quarter as it would strengthen him and give him the moral boost he needed in tough times. It made him believe that success would eventually be his and kept him beaming with positivity. To top it off, every big lawyer in the country wanted to be on his case, for if he won, it would take them to greater heights in their career and give them the visibility they yearn for, as, media watched his case like a hawk.

Media watched his case...like a hawk....for one entire month...and during this one entire month, Raman would clip all articles on his case and about him and his quest for justice. He wanted to show his children and grandchildren that it is possible to be victorious when you have truth on your side...for one entire month...

...and then India won the World Cup Cricket tournament. Eleven heroes were created in a day. India found its heroes, people they could idolise and have for role-models. It was a huge achievement for the country. All the media focus shifted to this newly acquired glory. It was something that put India back on the world map...at least on the cricketing map.

Then, there were floods- massive floods that took up the media attention...900 dead, 500 missing, 100,000 stranded. When the country was recovering from the flood, there was a major military operation and loss of the Prime Minister followed by massive riots. Media attention could not be anywhere else but on these. As these events unfolded one after the other, the household talks also changed accordingly. In addition, other emotions such as anguish, anxiety and fear also took over. It is not easy for a country to have an assassinated Prime Minister and not react to the situation.

Amidst all this, Raman's news got buried...his quest for justice went on but his big support system- the media and people left his side for there was so much more happening in the world that was more captivating than a common man take a politician to court. People had forgotten him and his cause. He treaded on alone. It is funny how the popularity of a case in the media is inversely proportional to the fees charged by lawyers. As the popularity of his case dropped and nothing of it could even catch the eye of the media, the fees levied by his lawyer sky-rocketed. This was after-all not 'THE' case that could give them the popularity to win them a seat at the parliament or at the least, fatten their wallets for future cases. 

Raman is still 'the Lone Warrior' with the support of his family broken in spirit and a disinterested lawyer. He has not given up. He is still fighting hard for justice and his lifetime's savings against the politician who is dead by now....He has still not been able to tell the story of his victory which he really wanted to, to his grand children....He also slightly misses the attention from the media and people which 29 years back, for one whole month was entirely his...his only solace on that warm afternoon, lying on his easy chair was the scrapbook bearing the many clippings of the Forgotten News...

My Combat With Linux

I wrote this post way back in 2005 in my erstwhile blog. I realised the importance of blogging in our lives when I read that post. It really helps us reflect and take an overview of things. For example:

It is amazing to see how much progress we have made in terms of technology when we look back. Back then in 2005, I was using a dial-up internet connection at home and now I have wi-fi at home...and of course I had that in-between wired broadband connection.

My friends(those in the s/w field) call Linux- The Wonder Software(I still have my own questions regarding what a software can actually be but I'll save it for later). The length at which they speak of it, had a great impact on me. It gave me a feeling that it is God sent and ignorance about this divine gift is definitely not bliss. It is considered cool and the widely used Windows is termed crap and far more inferior to Linux. Impressed by all this Linux talk, I decided to try using it myself. My Big B had already installed Linux on to my PC and he like my friends asked me to give it a try.

I accessed it. It looked awesome. My 1st attraction was the games. I was impressed by the wide variety it had to offer. It had everything from traditional games to action and adventure. I said to myself ''Why didn't anyone tell me about this before?'' After enjoying the games, I moved to my next attraction - Painting and drawing tools. These were impressive as well. The presence of grids made drawing etc; really simple. I said to myself ''Why didn't anyone tell me about this before?'' Another attraction was the touch-up one could do with pictures and photographs. Amazing......... For me, my PC means a lot more than playing games or sketch or improvise on errors made by photographers. It is a means of staying connected with my friends, news , views, gossip, home-work, assignments etc....etc..... and to accomplish this I require a blessing called the Internet. Internet it was where it all began- My Combat with Linux. 
Setting up a connection was no child's play. I don't quite remember what I did but permutations and combinations of all sorts help me set it up. It didn't take me very long. Maybe.... mhmm.....5-6 hours in all. When it was all set-up, I dialled as anticipation welled up in me. Everything about it was so amazing (so far). After a short pause ittold me - The modem is busy ( busy?? my modem?? it is a Sunday afternoon for Chrissake!!!!!! my modem is my ardent follower- totally jobless). I am not the kind of a person who could succumb to such blatant lies thrown at me by a s/w I've just met. I decided not to give in. I had to stand up for Humanity's sake. I kept on dialling and staring back at the lies it slapped at my face. Finally, I was victorius. No, I wasnot able to connect to the net but the more I dialled my computer got hung. I wouldn't let it kill my long time buddy-the comp. I restarted and worked on it again. Dialled again. But apparently it was bent on strangling my computer. I am not a person who can be defeated by the antics of a s/w. I persevered. I was persistent. I restarted my computer again and again. Finally, Linux broke down.Each time I tried to access it a blank black screen stared back at me and after a minute or so my computer would restart again. I knew that this s/w will put up all kinds of strategies to beat me but it just didn't know who it was up against. It totally gave up in some time. I CONQUERED LINUX. Yes. I did it. I rendered it incapable of evenrestarting the computer. All it showed me was a blank black screen representing the acceptance of grief, defeat and remorse. I said to myself-''Why did anybody tell me about this-EVER?'' (The Wonder Software had flopped miserably)
I Returned to Windows.

Windows who had been a silent observer all this while got a hint- Never to mess with me. As I returned to Windows. I got a familiar friendly and inviting welcome. Everything about Windows was so easy. It gave a high degree of comfort to work with. Internet connection was so easy to set up and connected with a click of finger (on the mouse). It so well behaved, never giving a tough time. This is why i think they say - Looks can be Deceptive. Linux was deceptive.

My Literary Bong Connection

Calcutta (or Kolkata) is known to be the cultural capital of the country. I would say the whole of Bengal could easily be the cultural capital of our country. It is from this state that I have witnessed very rich literature being generated.

I have to thank my best friend Malabika for introducing me to Bengali literature. Since I cannot really read the language very well, I had to depend on the translations. It made me think if I could enjoy the translations so much, I, most definitely would have fallen in love with the literature in the original language of writing. It is a deep sea of literature. I have read most of the recommendations of my friend but I know there is still a lot to discover. India is slowly waking up to the joys of Bengali literature. I say this going by the rising number of translated versions of Bengali books available in big book stores in the country. Now, most of what I read was very old literature, some written in early 1900s and some even earlier. There were some that were written in 1960s. The literature was quite varied and encompassed a wide array of genres and mixed-genres.

What struck me most from my reading!!

- One thing that was most notable to me from all the reading (translations of course) was how progressive and modern Calcutta was back then. It is the case even now, but Calcutta being an Indian metro, we expect it. It also portrays Calcutta as one of the most important business hubs of the country. People back then would travel length and breadth of the country to look for opportunities for business and jobs not only to Mumbai but also to Calcutta.

- Bengalis had great respect for people who are well-read. Most conversations that people would have was on literature, science, arts, history and politics. Not saying that people from other states did not..but Bengalis most definitely did.

- Though the literature is quite varied, there was one thing very striking across almost all the books I read- be it thriller, suspense, romance, drama. Bengali writers observe human nature, pscyhe and behaviour very very closely and finely. The analysis and detailing that went into the books I read was absolutely impressive.

Mhmm..so what did I really read?!!?

Sharadhindu Bandyopadhyay

Any kid in India who grew up in the 90s will definitely remember Byomkesh Bakshi. How we all would wait for the clock to strike 9 to watch Byomkesh solve those mysteries with a snap of his fingers!! Well, we couldn't have made him a part of our childhood, had this man- Sharadhindu not created him. I must say, the book had me hooked. I read it from cover to cover in just a day and I could really go back in time and relive the excitement of watching television series as a child. It made me go to youtube and watch each of those episodes.

Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay

I have not read most of his work- just 2 or 3 and what I observed from these stories was there is always a 'third person' in relationships in his stories. This 'third person' person could be anything from a silly doubt that poisons the mind to a mother interfering in a husband and wife relationship and of course extra-marital affairs could definitely not escape a 'third person' relationship story. Remember watching a  series back in the 90s called Charitraheen?? Okkkk you don't..remember the movie Devdas?? You have to..it has been made twice and was a blockbuster each time. The point is, this man Sharatchandra was responsible for creating both these stories..both kind of tragic...and both touched a chord with people of India. Though personally I am not a a fan of tragedies with 'third person', this man's scrutiny of the human mind is commendable.

Bhibutibhushan Bandhyopadhyay

I got a book of his short stories. It dealt with people from all walks of life. Each of them beautifully narrated. The most striking one for me from that book was 'Tiroler Bala'. A tale of a mentally disturbed young girl which ends in a blood shed. This particular story with its many uncertainties, faith and belief in the almighty and the final end is for adults only (nope- no problem with the language) as it could really scare the tender minds of children. It did scare me. We can never really speculate how a mentally disturbed person would react to situations even in the presence of those who love and care for them. Anyway, one can easily identify with the writer. Pather Panchali, the cinematic rendition had won numerous accolades like 'Best Human Document' at the Cannes Film Festival, 'Best Foreign Film' at the New York Film Festival etc was a creation of Bhibhutibhushan Bandhyopadhyay. I have not yet read Pather Panchali and look forward to reading it someday. I have watched the movie though.

Upendrakishore Roychoudhury

I will be honest here. I have only read some of his works for children and oh have I fallen in love with them or what! The book of his I picked up maybe targeted at a very young crowd (6-12years) and I read it in my 20s and enjoyed it thoroughly even at my age. The book is none other than 'Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne'. It is a delightful read with a lot of fun and magic just like the movie that has been made based on it. I wish I had got hold of it when I was a child, it would have made my childhood more memorable.

Satyajit Ray

If I speak of Pather Panchali and Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne and stay mum about Satyajit Ray, it is almost blasphemous. For, this is the man who directed the 2 movies. Also, it is worth a mention that Satyajit Ray is the grandson of Upendrakishore Roychoudhury. This man, Satyajit Ray, is a big literary genius and his skills with making cinema is a cherry on the cake. I have 2 great books of his- one is a collection of his short stories very simply called 'the Best of Satyajit Ray' and the Adventures of Feluda. The former deals with mostly thriller and supernatural and keeps us guessing and the latter detective stories. Feluda is a detective who Satyajit Ray has created and the stories are non-put-downable. All his stories, be it Feluda or any other story, it is so grasping that you do not want to take a break for eating or water or even answer nature calls. You sometimes curse yourself that you cannot read faster than what you can already read because you want to know constantly what happens next. He is a genius who knows how to tell a story fitting to feed the curiosity of a keen mind. I really love the Feluda stories and honestly I love the kinds of Feluda and Byomkesh Bakshi who have really used their minds and art of deduction to solve mysteries with minimal or no help of forensics. In today's world where most of the mysteries are solved based on forensics, the use of the human brain/mind has considerably reduced. Some of the detectives just throw their hands up in surrender if they do not have the results of some DNA tests. It only makes me really admire the likes of Feluda and Byomkesh.
Coming back to Satyajit Ray, he for me is a master story-teller be it in the form of writing or cinema.

Rabindranath Tagore

It would have been a complete sacrilege if I spoke about all the aforementioned greats and not having read or spoken anything about Tagore- the man who composed the Indian National Anthem. Like any other true citizen of India, I love our national anthem but I also love some of the poetry this great man has composed. Gitanjali- the one that brought him the Nobel Prize for Literature. I have not read the entire Gitanjali, just a few verses here and there and it is beautiful. I am also a proud owner of a collection of his short stories. Again, I must emphasise the scrutiny into human psyche in all his beautiful short stories. Kabuliwala which we all studied in our schools as a part of our curriculum is luckily a part of the collection I possess and was a very popular Indian movie of the yesteryear. Stories of Tagore are stories of common people and the common occurrence in our household with which everyone can identify. Bengal also reveres him for Rabindra Sangit which if I am not wrong is the musical mode of communicating his works. It is supposed to have revolutionised/reshaped Bengali music and Tagore was considered responsible for it. Recent Indian Hindi cinema has also embraced Tagore's work by popularising 'Ekla Chalo Re'.

In the modern context, I have read a some of the works (The Namesake, Interpreter of Maladies, The Unaccustomed Earth) from Jhumpa Lahiri, another Bengali who lives in the US. Her stories are mainly around Bengalis who live outside Bengal and India. Again, sorry to repeat myself, there is an excellent observation of the human mind in her works. I have also read The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy but her work did not really give me the Bengali flavour that I was used to from most Bengali writers. It was a good book but the style is not really Bengali and more biographical.

I have a bunch of other books by Bengalis from all different periods of time. I guess I should get cracking already but currently I am on a break from Indian writing. I will get back to them probably sometime mid-2013. Until then, if you chance up on a book by a Bengali, grab it and let me know if you enjoyed it and your views on the same. I will be very interested in reading it too :-)

P.S: Did not realise that this post turned out to be this long. Hope it will be worth the effort of reading through the whole post. :-)

Rebecca By- Daphne Du Maurier

I would never reveal the plot of any of the books and deprive anyone of the joy of reading. Atleast, not more than what has already been revealed on the back-cover of books.

Rebecca- This book is easily one of my favourites. I have read it three times and it keeps me hooked each time. There is something very captivating in this book which can only be experienced and not expressed in words. It has both romance and thrill- a very strange and different kind of romance and thrill that you do not really see in books of these genres most of the time.

What I love about the book is the strange sense of mystery that one experiences as soon as one of the main characters- Mr. De Winters makes his entry in to the story- the sense of mystery which the protagonist of the story cannot decode until the very end. The main character of the book Rebecca does not really exist per se. It is only memories of her that linger around. The first name of the protagonist is never revealed in the book. She is always addressed as Mrs. De Winters. All other lesser characters in the stories only add on to the mystery as and when the story progresses.

Right from the time I was a child, I have always been fascinated with palaces and castles and stories which have good amount of details and description of these. Though the location of the story is an estate (Manderley) with a huge mansion, the description of the entire estate is really wonderful and created an image of a castle in my mind and transported me to it. I felt like a silent spectator of the events that unfolded in the beautiful mansion. The surroundings of the mansion are one to die for- moors and the sea. Instant magnet for me.
Below is a picture that was depicted in the movie based on the book.

Another thing which I love to read in books of fiction is the description of food. I am just not satisfied with 'we had a quick lunch and ran for the bus'. I prefer- 'we had a quick lunch- a veggie soya chipotle sub with extra cheese, nicely toasted with some guacamole and ran for the bus'. I do not know what it is with me and food descriptors in books. Any book with well described food earn extra brownie points from me. Rebecca is one such book. It satiated my appetite for good descriptions and details of food in it and guess what- all meals were covered I think :-). Extra points from me :-)

The story is a romantic-mystery with the most unexpected twist in the tale at the end. It is not a '...and they lived happily ever after' end,but then it is.. The story is about a young girl marrying an older rich man who was previously married to Rebecca- beauty, grace, style, elegance and wealth personified who died before the story in the book could begin. She finds herself being constantly compared to her predecessor. The story unfolds in such a way that she comes face-to-face with Rebecca's reality. Any more revelation from me is a definite spoiler.

Alfred Hitchcock has made a movie based on this book which is also called Rebecca. With due respect to Hitchcock (I am a big fan of his), the book is much more captivating than the movie. Words can express so much and sometimes cinema, though an audio-visual medium, cannot capture the essence of words just as much. I am not saying it is a bad movie. It is quite good but falls a little short in comparison to the book.

If I had to rate the book, it is 5/5 stars and the movie 4/5 stars.

Through the Eyes of an Idle Mind

I would like to start with a warning. This blog is very true to its name- My Ramblings and can take its toll on you. If you survive at the end of it or can read it at one go, I acknowledge you as a person with tremendous patience and fortitude.

The 6th of August, in the year 2012 has a huge significance in my life. It is the day I entered wedlock with Rakshit Pai. Come to think of it this is possibly the only celebratory milestone in my personal life. Well, some might say there is another one- the day I was born, but I hardly consider it as a milestone in my life...Being born is not really a milestone in the life any individual...It might however be a milestone for the parents of the individual. It is, however, a celebratory event. There have, of course, been other milestones- like toothing, taking the first step as a baby, 1st day at school, graduation day, post-graduation day etc., but these are not really milestones which one celebrates year after year. These are more of memories than celebratory milestones. More on the wedding will follow later in a separate blog.

On 8th of August, I arrived with my new family at Hyderabad and was taxied to my new home in a car adorned with beautiful flowers and on arriving at my new home, was given a very warm welcome customary to new brides. On 16th of August, we left for Mauritius via Mumbai and returned to Hyderabad, early in the morning of 25th August- more on this trip will follow later in a separate blogpost (No, I am not putting it off for no reason. Continue reading this post and you will completely understand why I am saving these for later).

On 27th of August, life returned to normal for my new family with everyone returning to work. I, on the other hand, had taken 40 days off work to relax and fit-in to the new life. These days though uneventful  allowed me to reflect on and observe a lot of things. The 5 most striking things have been put down below.

1. Facebook- Man's new best friend

Yes, you read it right. I know most of them who read this will not agree and brush it off as nonsense..but really, most people I know mostly live for it. When pictures are taken when they go places, I have heard them say- '...and one for the FB profile picture' and many people put in each and every move of theirs as status update. Mobile phone apps have only made it easier for people to share their lives with each other via media such as Facebook constantly. Now, I definitely do not mean to say that there is anything wrong with it. It is just personal preference on how people want to chronicle their lives- some blog, some write journals, some update their Facebook timeline. During these days off from work, Facebook definitely came as my saviour from unimaginable boredom when my family was at work. It offers a lot of apps to play around with. Almost every magazine, every hobby, every TV show, movie or anything that you like has a page and one can find a lot of interesting stuff to read, play or do. It can fulfil a regular person's desire to farm with apps like Farmville. It keeps you updated on what your friends are up to and where they are, what they look like- basically a peek into their lives. So, why not make it your best friend because it gives you just what you want (almost!).

2. Hobby- Things we love to do at leisure

We all love our hobbies. We may have scores of them and different kinds- Reading, Writing, Baking, Painting, Gardening, Sports and a friend of mine had Bee-Keeping for a hobby. During these days off from work I realized the true meaning of HOBBY. It is something to do at LEISURE (now this is the keyword). Imagine- you are at work, fighting deadlines, managing your exponentially growing inbox, lot of work screaming 'urgent'  on the phone and the instant messaging system, not to forget the pile of work that gets replenished- as and when you finish something, you realise that there is that much more or sometimes twice as much to do, and then, you come home- relax by reading a good book or bake your blues away. You eagerly wait for the weekend and any other holidays that come by to catch up on that extra sleep and of course your hobbies as there is time at hand. They comes as much needed stress-busters and also help kill time and keeps boredom at bay. By the time, the weekend is over, you wish it were longer to have that extra-fun. Now that you've got the picture (I hope you do), let us see how the reverse theory would work. You have a whole month ahead of you and absolutely nothing to do- no schedules, meetings, no emails to contend with, no timelines etc. It is just you and time for you to kill. You think you will read all those books that you keep buying for fear that it might be hard to find later but cannot come to read all of them (not enough time) or cook that complicated recipe you came across or complete your half-finished painting. You get started and carry on for one or one and a half week with great enthusiasm and then when you come to the second week- you still want to carry on with those wonderful hobbies but you also realise that you do not want to wake up just to it day after day. You do not want to wake up to just read a book and bake and garden and paint. You want to do it addition to something else which will make you utilize that part of the brain that is not accustomed to 100% leisure. You will realise that you can enjoy your hobbies to the maximum only when you use that part of your brain.

3. Enlightenment- Good prevails over Evil

I realized that the proportion of good people against the bad ones is quite high. Most people in this world are good. Good is a relative term. Here, my usage is for people who do not mean harm to other people, who can feel the pain of others they do not even know, who subconsciously care about others- even their so called enemies. This dawned up on me while watching a 9/11 special on TV on 9/11. There were people on the plane and in those towers that were loved but also possibly hated. However, no matter how much they were hated and wished dead- people did not really mean it (I feel this strongly). Also, while watching Just For Laugh Gags- I realised that most people in the world have it in their blood to help those in need without always expecting benefits. It could be simple things- like holding a big box for you while you try and open the door of your car.
Every single day, we read about deaths, thefts, murders in the papers of those people we do not even know but we are so easily able to feel the pain, the loss that they and their families go through. It comes so easily to us. Yes, there are the bad ones too- no denying that but when it comes to proportion- good always prevails over evil (my very strong belief).

4. Bangalore- A Charming City

It is not uncommon for people to compare their place of permanent/ long-time residence to any other place they reside or visit. We love to tell how our city, country, district, birthplace is organized, how things work there etc. I cannot but help compare Hyderabad to Bangalore. These are two cities in the south of India, just 570km apart yet so different from each other. The prevalent language in both cities is different, the kind of food though similar are quite distinct. Bangalore- a much greener city, much laid back in comparison and climatically way cooler than Hyderabad. It is much more modern than Hyderabad in its ways. Hyderabad too has its positives but all said and done- Bangalore, is the most charming city to live in (atleast for me). Maybe if I move to Hyderabad and live here for a few years and get to know it better, I would find it to be the most lovely city to live in.

5. Roving- You can be your best companion

I love wandering about and taking a good look at places around and assimilate it. Though hubby dearest did show me around a lot, it was too much for me to digest all at once. It is only when I ventured out on my own, did I find all the places I ought to know as a woman- tailor shop, supermarket, stores that sell my favourite brand of clothing, shoes, cosmetics etc, the salon, vegetable vendors, eateries, repair shops for a zillion things, shops for photocopies, jewellery stores, electronics goods store....the list is just endless. Now men do not have the same level of enthusiasm or interest for most of the stuff I just mentioned and find it easy to conveniently forget to mention or just do not take notice. One would be doing herself a great favour by venturing out on her own and look about for places of interest. :)

I know what the reader must have gone through while reading this post with all my rambling (true to its name). I guess that is what months of not writing and a period of staying idle does to people. Though I thought my 40 day period off from work was initially exciting, then boring, and just when I was beginning to settle into this kind of nothingness and enjoy it...it is time for me to return to work and get back to the hectic schedule and lifestyle.