Life , here ,there and Now where?

Experiments.

2007-02-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

Past few weeks on ..my friend (M) and myself have been exploring on the differnt hairl colors na hair dos'.

@ weeks ago ..I went to this beautician (B) (this is the place i go to get my eyebrows done.) and told her "along with threading off the extras on my face could you please do soemthing to my hair?" She gave me the look - "err do you want it short?" I said "no, keep the length as much as you can and STYLE" it."
To give oyu an insight ;-)..I basically have curly hair..which undergoes lots of torture and end result it is straight always :D The "orginal" length of my hair after straightening (ofcourse) is quiet long ...almost close to my waist!

B says " Ok shall I give you layers ..long ones?" I am like "Ok...but can you actually give short layers in the front and then do a "U" at the back?"
B - "errr..OK"
There goes chop , chop, chop...and whoosh...done.
I look @ myself to see short layers in the front - which is ok.. but the length of my hair is only till the shoulders!

I refuse to look down on the floor to see all the snippets of my hair. I pay and I leave.

My freind M comes home in the evening and she say -" Wow...your hair looks nice...it is a good style" That got me grinning. Mand M(the second M here is me:D) decide to get out hair colored. So off we went to CVS..to pick up hair colors.
I am still nto bold enough to make drastic changes...so I am conservative and I pick Garniers - Medium Dark Red for myself and M picked Light reddish brown.
We get back home to see M's hubby(R) @ home. We silently run off upstairs to start the lab experiments!
I first apply all the color to M and then we take turns.
According to the carton we were suppose to keep it for not more that 25 minutes.
We each put shower caps on and go downstairs. A1 and A2 jsut ket starting at us and then A2 asks me - "mama lala pochee in the bathroom not downstairs in the kitchen" (lala pochee = shower)
My mom had made yummy dinner and we sat off to eat...we ignored the clock!
Almost an hr pass by and then we both squeal and run upstairs to wash off the color. All the while M kept saying - "Ok are us sure the hair aint fall off"

We washed it , dried it...and came downstairs -
R looked at me and said -"Madsies, did you color your hair with invisible red?"!
M and M go --- Grrrrrrrrrr....

That was episode -1..episode -2 is about highlights @ Hair cuttery ......

2007

2007-01-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a very happy and wonderful 2007!

Holidays was great! Had my sis and family here. My mom is here too (from India). It is great to have family around.
Lil cosins played a lot. it was so much fun..... and today I had to drag my feet into work :( This sucks.
Mom is @ home enjoying the "gemini - door-darshan". Kids are back at daycares and hubby is scrambling the last few days at work before he leaves for India (yea offcial trip !)

On Jan 1st all of us were in front of gemini channel and the program was - "very gooddu" Apparently they pick a hero or heroine and ask her questions related to "very gooddu" answers.
The anchor is shown to be in a mega size "EGG". FYI - Gooddu translates to egg in telugu! Her head is the only one sticking out and she keeps moving her head to the side, back and forth - jsut like how a hen/rooster would do! With her eyes all rolling and it was so hillarious as she would keep saying - goodu goodu!!!!
But then comeon how would this girl show her expressions when her entire body is stuck inside an EGG!

Oh what creativity - "very gooddu..very gooddu"

Special Days.

2006-12-12T11:51:00.000-08:00

Birthdays have always been very special for me. They mean a lot. Not just mine...
I have a "SUPER" memory (Yea keep my middle name - MODESTY aside for a while!)and I tend to remember anybody's B'days once told. (This includes colleagues, colleagues kids...my cleaning lady ...ok this is over board!) you get whst I am trying to say!

During my High School days, my good friend D, rubbed it into me that B'days are special days of people who mean to you. The least you can do is remember it and wish them.
From then on I started paying attention to this and I do feel bad when some friends don't remember to wish me on my B'day.
It feels so good to recieve a call or an e-mail from a friend /family....It brightens my day....

I guess I made myself pretty clear that my In-laws NOW think that "they better wish me or else I will be Mad"
I think the have the concept wrong here....it is not that they need to wish ME - but come on make an attempt to book mark your calendar for special days of people with whom you might just like, enjoy thier company, care, love ...admire...look up to....or just because they are family - the least you can do is acknowledge them especially on those days...

We are busy with our lives..but you can use say Y! calendar to help you..you never know you might have made someones day by dropping in a "Happy B'day".

How many of you feel there is a specail day in each ones life?

East in West.

2006-11-28T13:27:00.000-08:00

A long due vacation was planned and executed.R me and the kids sat on a flight on 18th november afternoon and started our trip towards the west coast. Yes we were going to California (!)
The whole exercise made me relive my India trip last year same time. We have family and tons of friends there and we had been plannign a vacation for a long time now.
So...we landed at the Oakland Airport (yea saw the Raiders coliseum)and sat through an almost hour and half drive to sacramento (at around from 11.00pm). This is where family lives.
This is my 3 rd trip to CA. When I first landed on this side of the globe, I was here. Everytime I made my trip here, feels as though I was going home.
So we reach home, talk about how each one of us have put on weight, how the kids have grown up, the house looks beautiful...blah blah blah...and then call it a day.
Then R decided to meet his friends who are now in Cupertino. Few calls made, plans decided on and my poor Bro-in-law (R's bro) drove us to San Fransico.
Now are the patel points for pictures. We took the cruise to Alcatrez. Did the Audio Tour, Wow'ed at how Frank Morris and the other 2 guys escaped and top it all FBI is still looking for them. FYI - Alcatrez closed on March 21 1961. These guys escaped around 1958 (!) Again praised Clint East woods's classic - "Escape from Alcatrez". By now we are hungry.
So back on the cruise, get to the main land and then we drive through the Fisherman's wharf. I would translate that to RangaNatha Street in good old chennai, with all the vegie vendors replaced by Mexican/Chineese/whatever shops.
A1 says shes hungry. So we stop at this Pizza/Pasta - joint.
We walk in and we are kindly shown the table and handed the menu. I scroll down to the pasta section and I see Spegatti with marinara sause lunch portion priced at $18.50. I was ....what the $%&*????
We settle for a pizza and chow it down as fast as we could nad headed to the next patel vista point - Golden Gate. Couple of pics there and we started driving towards Cupertino.
We reach this friends place. I have to mention this here - This friend, lets call him C - C and family moved from Boston to CA 2 months ago.
Again the usual - hi /hello/blah blah ....some wine for the heck and then C took us to this restaurant - SARAVANA BHAVAN.
Mind you "Saravana Bhavan" is written in tamil outside and people were all gathered there.
C walks in puts his name down and we all wait outside.
Within a second on the "loud speaker system" we hear - "Sridhar party of 4". R , me and C's wife - A - were whats this?
The next name "Venkat party of 2 +1" Another friend says - "yenna 2+1 = 3 illaya". So A ane me scream +1 is the kid!!!!!
Anyways C was called and we settled - and had awesome food.
The next A took me on a drive on that famous road (whats that - Camino ..something...). I sit and i look aorund .....and I look both the ways - Strip malls - with shops like - Sujana Jewellers, Manisha Jewellers, Kumud Groceries, Kumud Electronics.....etc..etc...oh yea some chat bandars...
Man u can get vada pav for a buck!

Weather - It was awesome - it was around 65 - 70. All the kids were in hooded jackets , where as my kids were in shorts and T-shirts :)

Finally jsut before we said bye R asked C his opinion about moving to the west........

C hardly put any thoughts in it and said - "When I was in Boston I missed India , now I miss America"

Ah well all in all I had a great trip .....and I am damn sure that I will make a visit again as a vacation but nah - never would I want to settle there!

Vetti.

2006-11-08T13:13:00.000-08:00

Idha idha thaan vetti time pass en solradu. Actually full kozhpu. I have these bunch of reports to write up. But I am not and I am sitting here and surfing idle brain.

Drooled looking at Mahesh Babu...wondered why Charmee acts like that, rather poses very wierd, read review of Samanyudu, droooled again at Prabhas in Yogi.....and then I tripped into the picture gallery of "Pogaru" (that means kozhpu, arrogant...etc etc on those lines!)

This guy is - Vishal. I dont think I have see any movie of his..ok wait ... maybe I did but I dont know. Anyways....he is paired with Reema Sen, Kiran Rathod and this guy .....oops(!) sorry girl called Sriya Reddy.

Reema Sen is cute - I liked the pair of earrings she was wearing...... here...

Kiran rathod - Never heard of her. Why is she getting kicked by Vishal????

Shocks of all is this - SRIYA REDDY..... Yenna orru kodumayi appa!

Honestly she hardly looks like a girl .....

and apparently she is a famous DJ. But previous janma could be a Vampire....and why I say this.....> for your Eyes Only!

Poor Vishal.....he must be thinking in his head - "They better pay me double the money for this torture...My life is in her hands!!!!!"

After all this trauma for your eyes and brain ..........

Don't they look cute :)

Tagged

2006-10-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Rads tagged me.

Shilpa havent forgotten your tag. Thats coming soon too!

But I have been getting too many calls from Rads asking me if I am alive. I guess before she decides to call a mourning date and land on my door step dressed in expensive Ann Taylor black.

Ok Rads why did I chose Ann Taylor - no idea...(Hint! Hint! ... I have the shopping bag in front of me!)

So here you go ......

Smells I love:

1. Lavender oil
2. Have you tried the Febreez fabric care?
3. Fresh paint

3 Smells I hate:

1. Something that just got burnt (yes you got it right - burnt food - that happens so often at my place)
2. stagnant water.
3. Damp laundry sitting in the basket for too long (lazy me)

3 Jobs that I have had in my life:

1. Wife
2. Mom
3. Daughter - in -law

3 Movies that I could watch over and over:

err....too many of them. Ok let me think! Oh yea BTW I like wathcing horror movies and then get scared thinking about it for few days later! On those lines...
1. Omen
And now to some normal ones..
2. Punagai manan
3. Silsila

3 Fond memories:

1. My hostel days (in a way!)
2. The travel in the train from CDM to Chennai with no reservation
3. My paris trip (with R )

3 Jobs I would love to have:

1. School Teacher - I love spending time with kids.
2. Astronaut
3.Fashion designer ( this is really a wish list rt?!)

3 Things I like to do:

1. Write
2. Dance
3. I like playing my veena.

3 Of my favorite foods:

1. Pav Bhaji
2. My mom makes this potato fry.
3. Maamidikaya pappu (mango daal!)

3 Places I would like to be right now:

1. India - chennai Home. (childhood with sis - ofcourse I bugged her quiet a bit and I enjoyed that so very much!)
2. Right after college working at EDS.
3. With R and girls. (with R's attention on us and free of stuff on head...this can be in my very own cozy home right now)

3 Things that make me cry:

1. When I am hurt by my friends. I give my complete self in friendship and when I get messages that I really dont matter to them)
2. When a friend tells me that "I know you ,you dont mean that." - The trust.
3. When R gets back after all his travel and tell me - "I missed you."

My "A" girls

2006-09-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

A2 started getting into a formal daycare yesterday. She is 22 months young and I cant see her growing to be all independent.
On Monday I dropped her off and I was talking to the teacher in charge and A2 was in her lap. She had this look on her face that she would burst out in tears at any time. My heart was in pain.
Then teacher to A2 ..."say bye bye to mommy". A2 turns around and waves at me still the same look and blows me a kiss.
I swear she had this look on her face that "I understand mom you need to go , I dont like this but I will do so..." I'd rather have her be a baby and cry. After all come on she's hardly 2.

This morning, I go to school to drop off A1 and A2.
They both get off the van and both of them have their backpacks on (A1 - princess and A2 - Mickey mouse!)
A2 holds on to A1's hand. BTW A1 turned 3.
A1 to A2 - " You see all moms dropoff and Dad's pick up. Its not bad here. You like Dad right, so he will come soon and pick us up and we can go home to mom too."
A2 - Yesh...!
A1- This is your playground (points to it) and I am just in the next one big kids playground. It fun to play on the swings.
A2 - yesh....
A1- Miss Natalie is very nice.

So we go to A1's class, drop her off there, hugs and kisses ...and A2 trots towards her class.
I am thinking maybe she will cry today. A2 walked all by herself into the classroom to the library and picked up a book and started reading, her mickey mouse still on her shoulders.
I was almost in tears. I gave the stuff to the teacher and I walked to A2 , kissed her and said bye bye and walked out sniffing into a tissue.

OK after such a long time!

2006-08-16T14:48:00.000-07:00

Yes ....lots of stuff happening in my world! Too many things....Work , family, work, fmaily , friends, family, work...ok ..you get what I am trying to say!

Last saturday bunch of my girlfriends and 2 poor husbands were dragged to this mega budget movie - 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kahen" (KANK).
One hyper friend of mine - lets call her S, was so enthu to c King Khan said we need to be there early yaar, nahin tho tickets nahin millengey!
So here I am up @ 5.30 am (Sat morning) cooked, colored my hair (no not a requirement to watch Karan Johar's movie), fed my kids, cooked lunch (oops am i emphasising too much on that - but i did) and then got out of house at 11.45 (for a 2.00pm show) leaving the kids @ daddy day care.
I go to friend M1's place (yea there is another M coming along). She is already out hiding in her car from 11.30 am (yeah over enthu and I think its more like let me run away b4 my kid realises)

Together we go to S's place ---who by now hogging away and saying hey I cant miss my thaiyr saadam ok!
Then comes along the other M lets call M2 along with her hubby.
So at 12.10 we are all in the van drive towards Showcase theaters.
It is S, Hubby of S, M1, Myself, M2 and hubby. We reach the theater @ 12.55pm. Not a soul around. Ok by now I am thinking are we in the right place ? - Come on re its King Khan, and Johar movie...one would think it will be packed with people.
We walk up to the counter - yes we see KANK and say we need tickets. And she says yea $5.25 each! I am like yup thats enuf for Mr. Johar!
So now we have a full hour to kill. The 2 poor hubby souls drag thier feet into the "haunted" theater and were engrossed talking about soem new cell fone in town (!)
We girls decided we need to go get soemthing to drink....we walk out and stroll into the near by Dunkin Donuts.
I walk up to the girl there and say - Coffee Coolata with no whipcream. Nope - Coolata machine down.
Next --we settle for cofee latte and pick up , a muffin, donuts and yes some smothies for the hubbys back and walk back into the theater.
Its almost 2.00pm and the theater still felt haunted.Ah well does that stop us from sitting still for 3 hrs! nah!

I enjoyed the trailers - Kabul express and Dhoom -2 . So anyways drooling for the day done. (Kabul express- John Abraham, and Dhoom2 ofcourse Hrithik and Abhishek)
Finally comes the KANK movie. Its as usual the amount of richness they flaunt around, Rani crying, Shah rukh with his sense of humour and Priety Zinta just hanging in there and the best was Abhishek!
Man..the dresses ..coming to think of it a teacher in NY/NJ area makes so much money, makes me think of switching professions.
Sexy sam alias Samarjith (Amitabh) did his share of a song, few punch line dialogues and a cool dude ..errr...sorry dad.
Anyways ....I think its a novel idea that he made a movie out of and he did take care of the critics , of not turning it to be a controversial movie by making it all happen in US of A.

I had a blast with my friends and I should say that this movie will get into my star rating of 5 - def not for the movie but the company.

The "topic".

2006-05-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I wrote and yes it is Friday.. I should be writing something all happy.... Well thats what I thought when I left home this morning.

My usual 'catching" up with the world happenings is mostly on my half hr drive from home to work. So here I am driving(ofcourse after dropping off A1 and A2)and I turn NPR (National Public Radio) loud. I am one ardent fan of this station.

9.00 am is the BBC news (yes madsies came in late today!). The topics were ..blah, blah, blah and "Caste system in India". My eyebrows went up and was hoping the blah topics would finish fast before I reach my work, so I can listen to the "India" thing.

Luckily Blah topics woosh went away and this guy starts talking about "Caste in India". How apparently the underpriveledged (caste sense) getting more underpriveledged (reservation sense) w.r.t education.

The Future Giant posing a threat to the west might stumble because of caste?
Here I am listening to all this.... And then a report from Delhi that medical students on hunger strike for 73 hrs now ...about caste system and its effects.
This got me reminded of my school days. I know of this friend who was an ace /hardworking and very intelligent student and because of "reservation" policy she lost the most longed and tried_hard_to_get admission by some 2 marks.
I remember how she was crying in the school campus after recieving her marksheet as her dad would be very unhappy and no way could she have afford the "payment" seat.
She had her dreams defined long long ago, days when I did not even know what professional courses were!?
In true sense ...... is complete "Hardwork a key to success?"

Finally!

2006-05-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

Allrite.... It had been such a Roller Coaster ride for me for the past..let me see..(seeing inside my clouded head)damn..I can't even remember when I was not in one :(
Ok..now to some of the whoosh whoosh whoa happenings over the past days /weeks..

First of all I wonder why the Corporate world thinks meetings/conferences are really a success? Having said that read on....

I have been offlate attending, scheduling such meetings. Some of them being TOKs' (Transfer of knowledge..he! he! he!) those were really strenuous,yea for botht he mind and the eyes(slide shows).
Some of them those general management stuff and the interesting ones are the Ron des vouz with cutomers.

It was one such meeting where lots of drama happened.
Since I have been visiting the conference rooms pretty often, I decided to leave one of my formal jackets in my office room.(You never know when I would need it)I typically don't wear it when I am in those chumma general meetings, other than the ones I would interact with customers or with the board.
Ok now that the intro is done..to reality!
One Wednesday had been crazy, from 8.00 am I was hearing people talk... in 4 walled rooms, with lights turn off /on as unnecessary. At 6.30pm decided to move it over to the next day.
Thursday - Stress was getting to me..so tired. I get into the building into my office room and check "Outlook" to see a meeting in another 10 minutes (yea an impromptu customer). Now the call is for 'my' blazer. I wear that on and I go.
I come out of the room after like 2 hours. Again a break of half hour and I enter the same room now with different crowd. Remember I am wearing the "same" blazer from the start to the end.
I leave the blazer back in my office before Ileave for the day, no, not in purpose but I just don't feel comfortable with that on when I am "Working".
Ok all said ..now it is Friday, and that same old customer guy schedules another meeting. Me with the same blazer enters the room. Now it is the same crowd from meeting number 1 and 2!
I walk in , and I was supposed to write up something on a paper. I open my bag and confidently pull out 'something" which felt like a pen then..! I open the cap of the so called pen, still confident that it is a pen and I put the tip on the paper to realize it to be a "Eyeliner"!!!!
Oops...I put it back in and look around for someone to lend me a pen.
Here I am in the same blazer in a room full of customers, board members and all sorts of Engg folks with nothing to write with!! yenna orru SITUATION!
My manager giving me the looks! If I read his mind right --- "Madsies needs a pay raise!"
More of my roller coaster rides with no base will be shared soon!

Life can't be that busy! But....

2006-04-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

yes... unfortunately it has been for more than a week now!

I have tons of topics to blog about and will be back soon!!

tata :-)

Drizzles...tip tip...tip...

2006-04-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day. 65F and it was just apt for the kids to jump around in the lawn and play. A1 and A2 were all excited to play outside. Being a very protective mom I put on their light jackets and a hat and sent them out.I decided to run around with them. A1 was on her Dora scooty and A2 was tyring to kick a soccer ball around.

Suddenly few drizzles. I was all excited that it was going to rain. But i continued to play along with A2. A1 came running to me:

A1 - Maama lets go in ..its going to rain.

I was reminded of my childhood... during those occassional rainy days in Chennai, when I was in Junior school, mom used to make sure my sister and me had our raincoats on when we stepped out. I used to hate those raincoats. I remember I had a Pink one and my sister had a nice Cream yellow color.

Come the High school days, though my mom used to silently slip in the raincoat in my bag, I used to deny that I even knew it was in there. So.. my friend V and me used to make sure we got completely drenched in the rain on the way back from school :-)
We would exchange those smiles and jump around in the campus splishing splashing in the little water puddles. I used to even lift my head up towards the sky with my eyes closed and try to drink the water. I dont know exactly if I really did get to taste it, but just the feeling of uncontrolled force of water just splashing on my face was amazing. Ofcourse, mom was unhappy at home and then fell sick the next day and school mattam! V and me can never forget those days.

Hostel days ...was completely a different scene alltogeher. No one to remind me of the raincoat, umbrella was a sinful word to use and litterally we were like the "avuthuvittey kalladeynga". One firday evening I was getting back home for the weekend from hostel by the train. (It takes an overnite journey to reach home.) D,S,and Me had no confirmed reservation and were travelling by the famous UN-RE. We were so tired that we got into the train and dozed off pretty fast.Yes,we had no reserved berth and we were sleeping on the floor of the train, using our dupattas as blankets.It was early morning and the train was @ stand still. We looked out to see some of our college students standing outside and dhumming..
D- Eh? yenna acchu?Why are we still here?
M - Wonder what happened?
S- Sleeping (When S sleeps she really sleeps despite the conditions, thats another topic to write about!)
D and me step out...and enquire from one of the dhumming senior guys...
D - Hey enna acchu? why train has stopped?
Sr- O..neenga yenna nalla thookamma? 4 hoursa nammo inga thaan irukkom! Addhu guda theriyammey orrey thookam polla?
M - seri..adduka thaan keykarrom, why we are here?
Sr- Illay sammey mallai thats why tracks all flooded ahead, no way we will be starting anytime soon!
D and Me exchange looks ..ah well the flip side of rain :-)

Anyways....back to A1. I was surprised with the thought process of A1.... vs.. me back in those days!

Birthday candles.

2006-04-07T07:40:00.000-07:00

I was generally blog hopping and I stumbled upon vinesh's blog! I was reading one of his archives and the topic that caught my attention was the one on B'day candles.

Typically the ritual has been , have a B'day cake and lite, if possible, # of candles and let the kid make a wish and "BLOW" off the candles and then ..sing the famous "Happy B'day" song and clap hands! The kid is by now all smiles and happy :)

R's bro's wife (my co-sister) was always against the candle blowing scene during B'days. Its not like she would not have the candles there on the cake , she would have them there...everybody sings and then she would neatly pull them off the cake and put off the fire , by not blowing and then the kid cuts the cake. The kid has even asked her that she wants to blow the candle, but she would simply turn back and tell her -"No, we dont do that." Kid feels bad, but soon is happy when a piece of cake is given to her and all is forgotten.

That used to always make me wonder why she is so particular about not blowing the candles. Well, naturally I was more bothered about the kid's feelings.
I asked her couple of times, about this and she would tell me that she did not like the concept of blowing off "the lights" which we light them up in the first place. She would in-return question me , when we consider "bringing in light" as something auspicious and good as light chases darkness away then, why, when we are celebrating a birth we put them off?

Ok I did not have an answer then and even now :D

What is the reason behind blowing off candles and why is it done on "B'days"?

NBC to CBS

2006-04-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

Katie Couric the anchor of the "TODAY" show on NBC leaving, Today :(

After 15 years of hosting this show she is leaving NBC this May End. I really like this lady.
From the time I came into this country I watched this show in the morning and it was really nice to see Matt Lauer and Katie to-gether bringing the happenings of the world to us . She has come a long way... She created a awarness of "Colon cancer" amongst many.
Colon cancer had taken her husband away at a very young age. She and her girls pulled it together after that.

She is an excellent journalist. Matt and she together make such a lovely pair.The open fliritng, arguments etc..made them very popular anchors of the show.

Now I kind of feel vague that form June on, I would not see the cute couple again. Ah well I know its not like shes gone from the face of Media, but still! Just feels bad that I cannot see Matt and Katie together :(

Japanese Food.

2006-03-31T12:24:00.000-08:00

Japan customer visits here. Managment all set to give extra "mariyadai" to this fella! All decide to set out for a Lunch meeting. Naturally the most popular choice was a Japanese restaurant. We were a 6 of us to "accompany" this guy :-) I am the only Indian and that too a VEGIE.
So already thoughts in my head..I better still have Noddles in my office and the Yougurt in the fridge! The group consited of 3 chineese,1 Indian, 2 Gore, and the maha buddhisalli who we were trying to impress.
We land @ this restaurant and we were shown in. Alls fine. I start making this conversation with one of my Chineese colleague.
Me- hey do you know how to distinguish between a Chineese and a Japanese by their looks?
C1- Oh i cud. Let me see.
(Avallevu daan orru saaku nu irrukara yella waitress a vothi vothi pathindrindaan)
Me (thinking) - dei Poddum appa ... naa ketta Q yenna nee panreddu yenna?
Okay, that was his prime job during the luncheon.
Menu arrives and me "thiru thiru mullchings" . Finally I decide to have vegie - Sushi with Soba noodles.
Chumma thirimbi patheyn, orru aquarium kulla nanddu,fish ,yellammey paavamma angey turn kaaga waitings. I asked the Chineese colleague 2 (C1 still busy with his task!) is that for ambience?
And he casually answered , NO. U can choose from them!
Food arrived, along with it were the "ChopSticks". Honestly I have tired so many times to eat with that pair of innovative wooden pencil type sticks. But I am not made to eat with them.
So again I waived out to the waitress and asked her for "the" silverware!
Well, vegie sushi was good , ofocurse with all the added spices , Japanese tea was refreshing, Soba noodles was yuck! The water kind of thing that it comes in, smelt like algae in water esp in chennai when there is lot of rain(i am talking abt monsoon times) and you step out on the road, you see all sorts of vague greeninsh things on the road and the smell that you get?! I am not sure if you know what i mean exactly, but in short it was "TERRIBLE".
Finally the customer was happy and he seems to be a nice guy after all! I have a presentation for him Monday, lets see..hope he does not drag us out to that place again, any other place and I am in :-)

Weekend stuff!

2006-03-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Friday evening A1 had a story telling in PJ's at her school .We went together and sat down cozy with her all cuddled up in a sleeping bag, looking up at imginary stars...! It was a nice pleasant evening:)

Saturday morning, was a her time with Dad. They went out to Boston for the "LIVE CLIFFORD" show( Clifford is a BIG RED dog show on the PBS).Anways ..they were off!

I was to spend time with A2. A2 was unusually very fussy ,not typical of her at all. So anyways...I was holding her and walking up and down. When my sister called me and told me that one of my cousins were leaving for India , for good damn it! And he was leaving NOW!

How....why...what? Both of us were pretty shocked and disappointed...aggreed we(me and him) did not talk much(coming to think of it we all grew up together!) after he moved here..But sis was in touch with him.But leaving and we (Sis and me) did not know about it. And worse leaving and telling us just a few hours before he took off! Sis felt very bad. Poor thing she always makes attempts to keep the relations going.But damn somehow some people dont get it into their heads.Ok, granted he had a pretty silent personality,but this was too much to take. He could have atleast called us a day before and let us know, rt? Too much to ask? Ok now he has a wife too.... she has also not taken much interrest in keeping us in the loop either!

I took it, parvaillay types. But as I was talking to sis, my heart just feels bad..why people, especially cousins of this generation behave so wierd?Sis and me jsut pour out our emotions and we were soon :-) ing. Anyways..good luck and best wishes with thier decisions!

Sunday....R got sick..A2 sick...A1 and me wondering what can we do?! At 4.00pm A1 and me stepped out for some random shopping..!

It was fun shopping with my toddler.Avo very cute...na vanda irakara kuppai yellamey porikindriden and she would go.."Mama I think tats enough..,you already have lots of them!" (And mind you she is only 2 and half!) I went into the shoe section and was wanting to buy a pair for myself. I was trying out those boots, when A1-"mama, u have okkati(one) at home" Aay Aay Aay, no worries of not having my MIL here with me :

Anyways..all in all ...nalla shopping panni...Pizza Hut poyee Pizza va saapttu, A1 ye saapdaveche ... returned home.

A1 excited opens all the bags and appavaka showing... Suddenly A1- "mama where is the elmo DVD, A2 brush, nana (dad) shirt?"

Me- Eh?... illaya inga?

ha ha Excellante... I left a bag back in the shop ! Again...all seated in the car along with A1 drive back ....got the bag back home.

This time A1 made sure that all the things were intact (sheesh!)

I am glad I have my Mom,MIL ,Friend and my daughter all in one package :-)

Poi!

2006-03-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a friend that I got the mp3 of this new movie-"Poi"...The once popular Telugu actor Uday Kiran, now the hero of KB's new movie. I dont know anything about this movie..zilch,nada, nothing about the heroine either :D

As again, work romba slow ...Ipod irrakara nalla ..saved! ..Listening to recently added -Poi...

Song - Kannamoochi...
Singer - Famous, SPB
Song ---OK...slow music...(I am assuming its a sad number)

(Ofcourse this is just the first opinion on this!)

Aanna onnu thaan puriyalla...yeddaka passport, passmark yellam varada pattala?

Cannot fight destiny I think... where ever u go, its passport, visa, passmark, semester, exams..blah! blah! Always Orey Tension!

Indha Pattu kettathu podum..moving on to next number on my Playlist,
"Ladki_Kyon (Hum Tum)"

Wah! Re Wah! What a face!

2006-03-22T12:01:00.000-08:00

chand ka tukada- Lakho mein Ek!

Ada kadavallei ..what kodummayi is this!
What do you think his role would be?

Any guess???

Boredom!

2006-03-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

Yennakku innikki bore addikaradu! vella panna thonnallai! Project peak time allz done! It is one of those days.....
Trying to concentrate on design specifications. Hmm..Now bore...
Its too early for lunch(10.15am) But passikaraddu.
Is that because I dont feel like working?!
Official Spring arambichiduthhu! But Outside spring feelinga vey illai...still brrrr cold -23F.
A1 A2, nicely wrapped in jackets and playing. Well atleast they are happy!
Bore adikarda nalla passikarada ann yoschindriken! Innika paatha lunch verum "2 minute Maggi Noodles" Ahh ... yougurt also there I think in the fridge.
Aana..inda bore la noodles mattumey pathadey! frienda ask panrein to go out for lunch..atleast appidi aavadu OB addikalaam. Konjam shopping panlaam ann paakarein..anna bore..mood illai.
Saapattu side ka da mood is taking me.
So i am going to List all the foods that I feel like eating...

Luv the "mexican" appetizer which Rads makes , she makes this Avocado - guacamole too .. with Indian touch, some green chillies and lemon juice..slurp yummy!

Next once served "Bandito Burger" @ chillies. (the chillies I visit often , paddapaavi pasanga re-orge'd their menu! no more of this burger!)

Some hot samosa Chat ..... that is served in the mall here!(Yes there is a Punjabi fast food place in the mall !)

Then the sambar vada (udipi trade mark!)

Then I also want to eat merapakkaya Bajji (Mirchi bajji) Andhra eshtyle!

Ah ..yea....Olive Garden - Stuffed Spinach Raviloi....hmmmm

ok yippo some dessert ....again Rads famous "rava payasam"........

yidikku naddula chineese vegie pancakes irrunda appo appo thottuka nalla irrukum.
Ayyo how can I forget my Thair saadam adduvum with maavadu :)

Saapattu raami maari orru feeling varade..is it true???
Ok now that I wrote down all I feel like eating , I shall go and enjoy my "Do -minute maggie"

Thinking....

2006-03-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

"They say Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir. And we say India is incomplete without Pakistan and Bangladesh."

Got the above as a signature in one of those "forwarded" mails. Got me thinkin.....

Illusions...

2006-03-13T07:45:00.000-08:00

Saturday night R and me decided to stop by @ the "Indian store" to pick up a movie. We had a quiet a party day and kids dozed off pretty early.
Being a weekend ofcourse all the "top"ones were no more on the shelf. I took out this"Na Oopiri"-telugu movie meaning ,"My Life".Ofcourse one look and we knew it was not a fun movie. R hates these senti stuff, but then we had no choice decided to make this the choice.

The movie really moved me. The baseline of this movie is
"If Happiness is Life and you are happy in Illusions than you might as well live in them".

It is about this boy, Venu ,who is very innocent and as a young boy he had his mom with him. When the mom moved on....was his friend turned wife ,Gowri. They have a son, Ramu. Venu's job is good,as a supervisor, good loving friends. Life is as good as an ironed out shirt , until one day Venu is diagnosed with schezophrenia. (yea, Been there , Seen that -- Russel Crowe's "A beautiful mind" , but no its not a Re-make!). He imagines things that he firmly believes in are for Real.

He is happy .....he is always smiling, he seems to be trouble free. But what is real in his life, Gowri, Ramu,job,friends...?

He is happy to live in what he believes in,illusions, should he then give them up?

I liked the movie,(esp becoz of its storyline) it is a neat movie, i dont know much about the technical stuff of the movie. Music is good. Venu(Venu) was good,I did not know this guy had some talent in him, Gowri (Sangeetha) is apt for the role. There is this other character who mysterically enters Venu's life (Anjana) who is crappy!

Apparantely this movie is also in tamil. Sorry, i dont know what it is called.
It is definetly Not_a_Monday movie but sure_ a_ Saturday one!

I am drawing blank lines..!

2006-03-10T10:20:00.000-08:00

When I read http://bizibees.blogspot.com post , jujubby, I can answer that!
Nope did not work ....! I am suddenly drawing -------------------(thats the closest i got to "drawing blank lines")
Anyway...will go back and see what i can write for that!!!

Friends....

2006-03-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

Why?
Hurt?
Excpectation?
Lonliness....

Hmm... have anyone felt all of a sudden things get so busy in our lives that small gestures are overlooked?
We think that "that" soemone is "special" but happenings of life don't make them reciprocate it to you.
Have you ever felt lost ?

*madsies...pensive...*

It had to be longest drive...

2006-03-01T07:04:00.000-08:00

Monday - Outlook reminder - "8.30am Tuesday Breakfast meeting with Mr.C(CEO)"
(@present 85 Employeed company)
Madsies- Ah!OK 8.30 to'row I can make it.
( Madsies @ work by 7.45am)

Tuesday- 5.30am day begins.
7.15am -A1, A2 snoring :( Madsies frustrated )
7.20am- "I told you they should be in bed by 8.30pm last nite,and you just kept playing with them." - to R.
7.25am - A1 -"Gud Morn mama" Madsies all happy forgets frustration.
7.30am - A2 joins A1
7.55 am - A1, A2 all ready (Whew...that was fast!)
7.57am - Gud bye kisses and Madsies on road.
(It usually takes me 20 minutes to get to work!)
Madsies all happy she will make it on time!
8.00am - On the highway.
8.10am - Back routes.(This is a single lane which goes through residential area and ofocurse accomodates,UPS,FEDEX,MAINTANANCE VEHICLES, TRASH /RECYCLE TRUCKS and........ SCHOOL BUSES!)
Madsies-- ah..today is Tuesday so no trash guys around(usually the kuppai guy comes on Fridays)
UPS/FEDEX(Too early for this route!-saved!)
The road seems to be empty --- Madsies still driving with a smug :)
A blind curve and wonder of wonders screeeeech --Break!
A huge trail of cars ahead...Oh no! whats this? Madsies forgot its School time :(
Ok patience its only 8.14am , can still make it. The line starts moving actually running!
Ok...gud.....the cars ahead take their turns and ..screech again...whats this? An OIL TRUCK! (No it cannot be happening!)
Finally ..Madsies makes a left into the parking lot it is 8.32am!
Madsies --Bozos of drivers ..Only today it has to happen of all days!
Dump stuff in the office and race towards the conf room.....voila! EMPTY!!!! - Neatly placed, Bagels, Muffins, and steaming coffee on the table.
Madsies ---- sipping and enjoying coffee....
8.40am Mr C walks in Apologetically!
Madsies ---- Excuses Him (wink! wink!)

One "No Light" Night....

2006-02-23T11:53:00.000-08:00

Mr. Wind was on his complete best one friday.
Left work as usual to pick up A1 from school. She was there playing and acknowledged my presence and refused to break away from her dice stringing activity.
Ah, well I wait and then tell her we need to go home and reluctantly drops everything and drags herself out with me...
A1- Why is Mr.Wind taking my colurly paper?(Colurly is the terminolgy she uses for coluring. She had made something special for her sister,A2 :))
So we go together to pick up her baby sister.
A2 all happy looking at me and is everyready(unlike A1) to leave.
All strapped to our car seats and enter our Sub-division.Oops something strange..why does the whole place look so dark?Not even a soul outside(DUH! its too cold for anyone to be just hanging around ! What is this Chennai and little fellas palying cricket/gilli danda outside????! )
50,000 and odd residents with No electricity and we were one of them !!!!(How lucky!)
DH comes at the same time and oops we cant get to open the garage door too...(Again current illaiy(not there)!)
We call up some friends around to check if they had a battery light.Well ..guess what??? some did not even know if they ever owned one,others had no clue where the hell in the house it is and some had it (chammathhu!!!) but wih no batterries!!! :(
so it was in vain......we had the cars running ..head lites flashing...and I (ofcurse A1) go into the house.
Luckily since V-day just went by(ahem!ahem!) I knew exactly where the candle and match box was.
DH standing outside still making calls....
My toddler accompanying me all the time ...
A1- "maama you look Bhayyam(scary) with the candle!"
I walk around like Meena Kumari in "Bees Saal Baath"... minus the white sari and the anklets!!!!
(But what the heck at the end of the day ...I sure looked like one!!!!)

That was one serious 15 minute thanking I did in my life ... Edison,Watt,Volta,

Anyways finally I came out with an essentialls packed bag and A1..... DH finishes his call ......"Yes da .... incentive for calling us over for dinner ..is a sleepover!!!!!"

Feb 14th 2006

2006-02-14T07:41:00.000-08:00

As usual the day started at 5.30 am wiht the alarm jarring at my ears!
I turn it down and slwly put my toddler's leg aside and tip toe(Not to wake ANYONE!) into the bathroom!

Voila..... I see a card! "Dear Wife ...... happy valentines day.....!" Oooooo How Romantic!!

I proceed to the next step in routine..... i go downstairs to turn the coffee machine ON.
What do i see there..another card!

"Dear wife.....you have been so very busy managing kids, work, house and me ...... So this is the least I can do to take care of my valentines needs... "from DH

Open it ......
"Happy Valentines day....Your the best that has has happened to me Dear Husband" From Dear wife .....signed by DH!

Ah!!!!! A true valentine of mine!

India After 5 years - Part2

2006-02-13T12:56:00.000-08:00

India After 5 years.- part 2

We land in Mumbai at around 1.00am .(Thanks to KLM --got delayed in Amsterdam)
We drag all these heavy boxes and hubby still grumpy... finish the whole exercise of the Immigration and now the customs.
The (Indian Customs) officer asks us to step aside.
he tells me I am carrying "illegal" stuff and that i should pay him some (~$500) money!
yea right ..... you can be my guest to take all the diapers/baby food if you need..(I can hear myself telling him that)
Then i start relling out all the names of uncles/grand dads and all the so-called known people from all the "legal" departments and I get an OK form him to leave!
(Welcome to Inida----is what I told myself)
Then comes the next challenge.... Jet Airlines....to Hyderabad!

By this time I am sweating, carrying my baby ..holding on to my toddler's hand and dragging my broken cabin baggage(remember) towards the domestic airport.
Got on to Jet Airways....the best thing till now was the hot breakfast that was serverd. Hot idli,Upma and Mini Uttappam...that was yummy!

I land in Hyderabad......ooo feels good to be home...... i see my dad and FIL waiting and all of a sudden "Madhavan"------ I scream!

Prep to India - After 5 years-part1

2006-02-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

it was 5.am and i was looking for the cabin baggage i intend to carry with me. damn the basement....too much stuff around. Wonder why i still have have all that???!! oh look at that ----- thats my bag that I carried during my college days !(Wonder how it got here!)

wah! wah!wah! Oops! I start running 2 floors up to just see my little one laughing away in her sleep!
Ok I make my way back down and continue my search.
"OK ..did you find it as yet ??? " ----Hubby !
Yea, yea, I am almost there.......
Finally i dig out a bag ..but that has a broken handle. Ah who cares...it still has one handle, i can just dump stuff into it and hang it to the baby stroller!

Finally all the packing done and the weighing begins.
These airlines are crazy..do they have to reduce the weight? 46 pounds. Just weigh the empty suitcase and is almost 12 pounds! The diapers the baby food..the clothes, Similac cans....wipes....list goes on....
3 week vacation and so much of exercise involved!

Anyway.....we have to leave the house by noon to make it in time for "the check-in"
its 9.00am and still we are scrambling stuff in and out these heavy boxes.....

Hubby --"What on earth have you packed , why is it this heavy?"
Me - 'do you want me to open it up and show it to you?"

Finally at 11.00 am we are all done packing and the boxes had to be tied so that they just dont decide to give in by the time we reach Mumbai!
My lil one ----- "Ma, Ma...something to eat....."
Phone rings.
Me- "hello"
Friend ---"hey do you know you can take the exact wt of 32 kgs if you can pay a flat rate of $25/baggage?"

(Feeding lil on.......)
Me---"blabber...."
(Feeding lil on.......)
Friend -"blabber....."
(Feeding lil on.......)
Phone disconnects.
(Feeding lil on.......) (usually this is a long time consuming procedure at our place!)

12.00 noon ---- all set to leave....boxes get loaded.....phone rings again.
Me - "hello'
"Have you packed everything?" be careful with baby" ------ Mom from India!!!

Me-"I am all set amma --we will see you soon"
Mom - "dont bring anything ---- you know, you, get everything here now-a-days! India has changed......."