Shiny New Life and Pigeon Magnetism

BlogOwner(BO) is not exaggerating when she says she’s been having the time of her life *ahem* since the past three weeks. No, seriously. Okay so she’s been working like she’s never worked before but she’s also enjoying it all.

She’s also bringing you some pictures of her shiny, new life. Of course, she misses Abhu’s, TC’s and the gang’s antics. Those were the good old days when she’d bring you funny tales about these characters, innit? Aww, she misses them too! And she loves this blog more than ever NOW that she can go back to all those delightful light blue links and relive the hilarious moments one again. This is much needed at times, especially when she’s in the library (lib, henceforth) at 11.45 pm, struggling to find SOME relevant info for her term paper. Talking about the lib, she must let you most intelligent people (like, of course! You’re reading this scholarly blog. BO loves you. Honestly.) know that it happens to be her favourite place on campus. No, really. It’s not that she’s nerdy- which, by the way, she most certainly isn’t- it’s just that the lib is nice and crowded most of the time and BO loves it.

Now, now, there’s a lot to be told. Three weeks seem like forever, in a good way. Oh, it has been ascertained that BO is a pigeon magnet. Window Sill, Bathroom, BO’s room is where another branch of that good old Maternity Home has been set up. It’s doing really well. A couple has already built a nest and the eggs are on the way! BO can’t wait. No really.

Okay, take a look at some pictures.

The upper berth is BO's resting place.

Football match in action. The clouds were more interesting, though.

Most of the batch.

New pigeon! Woo Hoo! His/her mate was around but BO couldn't get both of them AND the nest in the frame.


I know I know, this post isn’t as exciting, fun-filled and oh-I’m-so-happy-I-could-just-fly as BO's usual posts (What did you say? No, come again..?), but please bear with her. Thank you very much.

BO is a huge fan of these. All of them make sense to her but this one makes a LOT of sense. Change the ‘lab’ to ‘lib’.

Oh, by the way, BO’s shiny new friends (the kinds that come in dazzling pink and blue wrappers) (with a red ribbon) include a fish (Piscean for the uninitiated)(Crack, henceforth), a ram (Aries, who, by the way, happens to be fish’s roomie and calls fish ‘her crack’(Ram, henceforth). BO loves Ram. And her crack. Heh.) her own roomies both of whom happen to be librans (imagine a room filled with 3 librans!) and many many others. Okay this paragraph was inserted to somehow mention the ‘crack’ bit.

This has been BO's super favourite song since quite some time. *sigh*. If someone would play and/or sing THAT for her, she'd like, fly or something. Or drift away. Or something in that line. You get the picture, dont' you?

The Return Of The Zombie.

Right. I have been away since a long time but this is my blog and I happen to be the BlogOwner and I shall do what I please and I am NOT feeling guilty about having abandoned this haven of mine.

Okay now that that is out of the way, I’ll fill you all wide eyed, bushy tailed, anxious and curious people about what has been ‘up’ in my whatever excuse for a life that I have.

~~ The baby pigeons* are flying! They’re so grown up. I feel like their gramma. Here, look at them. I’d thought I would provide you with this week by week update of their development etc, but that has not been possible. They’re so quick at growing up. They’ve been very, very naughty since they learnt how to fly. Their favourite spot to perch on is the wall unit.

Papa Pigy

Papa Pigy and Elder Baby Pigy (Lechu henceforth)

Momma Pigy, Lechu and Papa Pigy perching on our wall unit with much pride.

Momma Pigy and Papa Pigy
Lechu on the wall unit

Lechu and Papa Pigy basking in the sun and posing in their usual fluffed-but-flat way :D

(Btw, the younger one has been christened 'Pechu'. Pechu has started flying but not as much as Lechu. I'll put some pics of Pechu as soon as possible.)

~~ Since I’m going off to law school, I’ve been given this laptop of my own, which by the way, is awesome. Like, totally. I haven’t yet removed those plastic screen covers, but still, take a look. It looks a lot sleeker in real! Lenovo 3000 Y500 37Q.

~~ My old cell phone landed in the commode. Do not ask what I was doing with the phone in the loo. Hell, okay, I’ll tell y’all. It was a dark and stormy night (all nights are dark, aren’t they? But all nights are surely not stormy). There was no electricity and the bathroom bulb isn’t connected to the inverter. It was pretty spooky. I always use my phone as a torch. Hee. So anyway. As usual I had taken my phone along with me and BEFORE anything unmentionable could land into the commode, my phone landed in it. I don’t understand how these supremely trained hands of mine could not prevent such a fall. Nevertheless, the phone thus suffered an unglorified and shameful death. The circuit was gone. Completely. SO. I got a new phone. Woo hoo! I’m very happy with this one. What is surprising is that its 1.3 MP camera clicks incredibly good pictures which are even better than my mom’s Cybershot 2 MP camera phone which has autofocus, flash and all that jazz.

That's my new phone (mom's phone has taken this shot)

And here are some shots I took with my phone


Okay, don't look at the mess. Look how sharp they are!

~~ I have exactly 7 days left at home. I can’t believe I’m actually going. No, actually I can believe that I’m going. It’s just that I seriously hope things turn out the way I want them to and everything is just fine.

~~ I’m thinking I should perhaps write about something deep, meaningful and blah blah. But I like the funny old me a lot more than the apparently serious me. What do you think? It’s just that I’ve ceased being as funny as I used to be some day *Sigh* No. Actually, it’s just that Abhu, TC and S are behaving in a strangely sane fashion these days which is why I can’t find anything to write on and they were always my blog fodder! I hope I soon get some blog-worthy content. Muahahaha. I’m pretty positive I’ll be blessed with fresh raw material soon enough ;)

~~ This is a reply to the comments on my previous confessional post :

I DO NOT record secretly. Hullllooooo. The phone beeps like crazy when the convo is getting recorded. I am NOT loud and childish. Sheesh. Abhu needs to reduce the volume of her speakers. TC will vouch for this. Hello to all the first time visitors to my blog who bothered to leave a comment. You know, comments mean such a lot. I feel like putting up a ‘Please let me know you were here!’ batch like the one Asha has. It makes my day. I feel so grateful for the fact that >2 people may actually be reading this blog! THAT is quite a feeling, you know.

* Click here for the entire pigeon series.

Talk To Me

…. But not on the phone!

You see, I have this thing against talking on phone. Especially when I’m talking to someone for the first time, I’d rather talk face to face. You see, it becomes very difficult (or so I assume) to imagine what I must be looking like in real if you talk to me on phone. I, erm, sound like a 2 year old. Okay. So, I’ve said it. Whew. My voice. There is something in my voice that makes me sound sooooooooo… young, almost kiddish! When I was in 7^th Std, someone, who had ONLY heard me over the telephone, had offered me a dubbing role in one cartoon. He thought I was in 2^nd Std or something and my Dad had a tough time convincing him that I really WAS 5 years older than what he thought. When he showed our Kullu-Manali trip pictures to everyone in his office (in the same year), all those who had heard my voice (I was a regular caller, “ May I talk to blah blah, pleeeaaasee” I literally used to sing this line out. Okay, this once when I was in 3^rd Std, I had called my Mom’s office and the convo went something like this… “May I talk to my mother, please” “ Who is this?” “I’m my mother’s daughter” “Hahahahh. And who is your mother?” “Oh! Erm.. she’s [name]” *blushing red and crimson*) were expecting to see a toddler or something perhaps because they were shocked to see such a grown up 11 year-old!

This voice problem of mine (which at times turns out to be a good thing as well. S says she and others find it hard to believe that I can ever be rude (even when I AM rude) because no matter what I say, it sounds very ‘sweet’. Right. Now THAT must be a surprise to you all. Acidic BlogOwner isn’t REALLY that acidic, then. Hah!) has been thoroughly tested by me. I was always the voice on the answering machine at home, so, *sigh*, I have heard it many, MANY times. I have even recorded my own conversations with TC and Abhu, where I’ve purposely thrown in all sorts of voice maneuvers or whatever (like giggles, expressions of indignation, horror, etc) just to hear what I sound like. Was I shocked! I do sound…. Cute, may be. But erm.. I sound like a very, very, VERY smart, intelligent and discerning 6 year old.

(The above is applicable only when I’m in a normal frame of mind and body and I’m not down with cold or fever or hysteria or something.)

My second problem with phone conversation is that there is no facility to ‘pause’. One has to keep talking. Blank phases make you sound stupid. You can’t multitask or talk to 5 people at once or pretend to be absorbed by the beauty of the lettuce sandwich kept on the table when you’re on the phone. You just HAVE to……talk.

Problem number three is that if the line is *bleep*ed up then you have to keep going like “Pardon?” “Sorry?” “er.. WHAT?” and pretend that you’ve heard what they’re saying and feign a “Er.. Okay..” or “Hmm..” or better yet, a little “Hmehemmehe” which is “Hmm” in a giggly way, so that works at all times, in all situations, except when the other person is asking you a question.

So. Yes. Don't call me, okay? IMing is SO much fun! You can send smileys and winks and nudges and whatnot. We should take advantage of such technological advances, innit?

P.S.: Okay so half the post has been written within pairs of parentheses. I had no other place to fit those!

P.S.2: My voice isn't THAT kiddish, also. I think I've exagerrated a little, but who cares?! Same thing!

O Blog Pals, This Is BlogOwner, Live from The Pot!

(Okay. So the title sounds corny. Sue me.)

O Blog Pals, pardon me for having abandoned this sweet blog for more than 10 days. You see, there was so much going on in ‘real life’ that ‘net life’ had to be given a little less time than usual in order to cope with the surging wave of real-life events. Okay, I wasn’t THAT busy. You can couple this real-life activity (major) with utter laziness and boredom and you’ll get a fair idea of the last 10 days.

I won’t go into details NOW (They’ll be coming soon. What fun! Wheee!) but this is a round up :

1) Some extremely good news which will make sweet ole BlogOwner(BO) a lawyer!

2) Some rescheduling and re-dreaming up of future events.

3) Point 1 has led to a fair amount of freak-show taking place at our residence and S, of all people, is fairly annoyed with BO’s theatrics. (Who would’ve thought that S, queen of all drama (okay, she’s going to KILL me for writing this!), will say.. “Okay, fine na. Now shut up and get back to lazying around.”)

4) The Baby Pigies (yes! There are two of them!) have grown up SO much in SO little time! They’ve even sprouted little wings by now and they start flapping those whenever I climb up the sofa and crane to look at them. Adorable, aren’t they? I don’t click pictures because I’m afraid they’ll get scared, or shocked, or something.

5) BO has been doing a fair amount of reading.

6) And MAJOR networking. On facebook AND orkut. This is my official request to all those who’re on my ‘friend list’ on Orkut. Please (please please please please please please) shift to facebook :) There are NO fraandshippers there! Plus, you have a lot more privacy (you can change your settings though). Plus, better interface. Plus, the registration process is a toughie. So there must be fewer fake IDs which implies there’ll be fewer weirdos. You see, the very many advantages of FB. Join in, please? Thanks!

7) BO has been pestering her friends to join FB.

8) Only 1 has obliged so far.

9) While that ONE has managed to make 10 people sign up for yet another networking site which he considers a great achivement, since, he says he is the ‘lone campaigner’. How very brave. BO calls no contest.

10) So this, my dear friends, is BO’s life. Amen and Awomen.

P and I

As you may recall, P is a much-delight-causing Sag friend of mine. We don’t live in the same city any more (it’s been 4 years since I moved) but we’ve kept in touch. Well, the only problem that does happen to crop up at times is the apparent lack of juicy topics to talk about. In order to address this issue (according to P alone, I in no way think this addressed the issue!) P has come up with a rather brilliant (in her opinion. Don’t ask for my opinion, P is going to read this!) way to ‘keep talking’ (on MSN of course). Her standard question after the absolutely loathesome ‘wassup’-type questions is invariably, “ Sooooo, any new crushes?”. Now, I have told her in length, in may be about 5674328 words, that I absolutely have no such inclination towards any such character at this point of time. If miraculously I DO happen to like someone in my current scenario, then hell, I’ll let you know. For sure. Now STOP!! She doesn’t stop there, you know. She goes on prodding… and on….. and on….. in a fashion very similar to my way of going on… and on… okay, we’ve gone through this.

So, sweet reader (Hi! And hi to you too! Oh, no more of you is here. Damn.), I’m often prodded by P in a way that is so unimaginably prod-ful that no amount of so-how’s-the-weather-there or which-book-are-you-currently-reading or saw-any-new-movies or even what-colour-is-your-chaddi type questions fall flat at the face of P’s intensely powerful prodding. You can imagine.

She does, however, acknowledge the fact that the apparent-crush-talk is a total blooper. So I suggest to play Minesweeper Flags on MSN. Don’t even ask what her reaction is! She HATES that game because whenever we play, in some evil way, I always (okay 90% of the time) win and in general she hates the game and finds it ‘irritating’. So another rather superb option, gone.

We tried making lists of mundane and not-so-mundane-questions like…

-how long is your hair ( I suggest)

-who u crushin on huh ?:P ( P suggests) (what a surprise there!)

-did you shop this week (I)

-wat did u eat today (P)

-wat song u listenin 2 (P)

-how much did u sleep 2day (P)

I even considered talking about a future joint-venture that we (at least I would!) would call Amma’s Paratha (it has some inside joke-type meaning which only P and I understand. Heehee) to which P’s response was – “i wud rather die of hunger”. So much hatred, for Amma’s Paratha, P? What is SO wrong with the name? Tell?

So anyway, after meandering about in many such absolutely non-sensical loops, we concluded rather gravely that “P-Sneha convos are MEANT to be psychospeak”. How genuine are we.

On How I Found The Next-to-Perfect Template

New template. As you’ve noticed by now. Pretty, innit? Classy, innit? Smooth, innit? [Insert absolutely-stunning-type adjective], innit? And oh, did you scroll way down and have a peek at the ‘Credits’ section? If not, then please do, for I have revealed some exciting facts in that very section.

….Okay, so you’re back?

Oh now! Thank you, thank you. Oh, please, stop! I’ve been humbled. *waves around like a movie star* [Take the hint! Carry on, I say!]

After a long and rather *ahem* torturous journey, I have finally tweaked this template quite a bit to my 90%-satisfaction mark and mind you, that is quite a high mark. So till I find (or make, or ask someone else to make) that absolutely gorgeous, stunning, very-like-me template on seeing which I’d gush—“That’s THE one”, you know, when you find that top while casually looking at clothes in some random shop and you must totally have it right then, or that pair of jeans which fits you so perfectly that you never want to take them off (urgh, this reminds me of those dreadful ‘Killer Jeans’ ads). So, you get it right? Till I’m struck with that time-just-stops type feeling, I’ll be happy, very happy, with this template.

Let’s have a poll, then. Just for fun, since I’m so not changing this one.

(Obviously, one of the votes for the first option has been cast by me.)

Opinion Polls & Market Research

And The BlogOwner Rambles On...And On.....And On.....

~So today is Mother’s day. Happy Mother’s Day to those 2 or may be 3 moms who might be reading this! Y’all are the best, no, The Best!!

~S and I are grandmoms! How cool is that? The egg(s) (I think there was just one egg) has hatched. I was neatly perched on the sofa next to the window in my hall, reading something, when Papa Pigy makes a sudden dash for the window. My, was I petrified! I thought the pigeon was trying to attack! Since when have pigeons become birds of prey?! So anyway, that wasn’t the case. PP swiftly carried Baby Pigy (BP) out the window and most probably to Momma Pigy. Where else would he go? So once again, the egg has successfully hatched at our place but the BP has been carried off to some tree house perhaps. S and I already miss having a cute little ready-to-hatch egg in the house *sniff* Weren’t we entitled to at least ONE good look at the adorable little birdie, you wretched parent pigeons? Answer me, you!

~I was down with a sore throat on Thursday which rapidly gave rise to full fledged fever on Friday. Of course, the fever subsided by Saturday but I still have traces of cold. I chanced upon this wonder gharelu-upaaye for sore throat at this site. I tried the honey-ginger drink. Of course, I knew honey and ginger are both good for relieving cold etc, but I had never tried out this recipe. Here is a shot! (These days whenever I run to get the camera, S runs to the kitchen. She KNOWS I’ve been cooking (or doing anything which is remotely connected to cooking) when I look for the cam!)

This drink was not only uber delicious, but totally moisturised (or whatever) my dry, sore throat and 2 such cups (one Thursday evening, one Friday morning) were enough to completely get rid of the sore throat. I got my voice back so easily, all thanks to this drink from the heavens. Amen. And Awomen.

~I was doing my usual astro-friend-check tally# last night and I realised that I was indeed very weird. I get along with everyone! Yay! Now THAT’s a cause to celebrate. Well, of course, one can attribute it to my Social & Lovely$ Libra nature. Of course, I always maintain that I absolutely adore the fire signs especially sags, moreso, because S is a sag too. How perfect are we!

~Isn’t this new way of bulleting cute?

# Hello-oww. Don’t you know what an AFCT (Astro-Friend-Check Tally) is? You just count the number of aries, taurean, gemini, etc friends you’ve got. As simple as that. It can bring some things into perspective, you know. Don’t you do it? Well, if not, then you absolutely must. No, I insist, you must do it!

$ That, in some creepy way, sounds SO Fair & Lovely-ish. YUCK! I am very sorry, dear reader, that it does, but believe me, it is NOT intentional. We, at A Pot of Thoughts, absolutely loathe those idiotic F&L sorts. Thank you very much.

All About Pigies, S and Therapy

Momma Pigy(MP) and Papa Pigy(PP) have laid their eggs ( I mean, MP has laid their eggs.). It's been about 2 weeks. MP takes the night shift (7 pm – 10 am) which is much longer than PP's day shift (10 am – 7 pm). Very efficiently, they've been working out this schedule of theirs since the past few days. I must take this opportunity to point out a certain point of difference between MP and PP. We( ie. S and I) once tried scaring away MP by brandishing a folded newspaper at her while she was guarding the eggs. In vain. She didn't even budge an inch. S and I were deeply impressed with her parenting skills and by the fact that she guards her eggs with her life. Then PP was tested. PP first looked about nervously and when the level of brandishing was upped a little, he got extremely scared and fluttered out the window, leaving the eggs unprotected. Shame, shame, PP! This piece of news was relayed to all my relatives who knew about those adorable creatures and their home (ie. our home).

Responses were in the lines of

“Now you know what a mother is made of!”

“See! We moms inherently consider our kids a part of us. Quite literally.”

There was, of course, a hint of smug satisfaction (very very justifiably) about the Mommy's victory over the Daddy. Little wonder why MP takes the longer and harder (I guess) shift. *sigh*

S (sister, for the uniniatiated), with much pride, declared that she has been entertaining the Pigies by singing and dancing in front of them.

My reaction-

“Very thoughtful of you, but, please spare them the torture.”

But I must admit that S does a fine job of entertaining. Pigies AND humans.

I have decided that I need Jean Therapy after I saw Oprah last afternoon. I feel so dejected and that something is perhaps wrong with ME after a jeans-shopping (rather trying!) experience. *sniff* Oprah!!!!!!! Send my your jean therapist ASAP!!!!!

In case you're wondering, my search for 'the perfect' template is still on. God. This is turning out to be worse than the supposed search for 'Mr. Right'!!!

I've noticed, these days I don't chew my food completely before swallowing it. I'm to desperate to get done with eating, perhaps? I have to make a concsious effort to chew!! Is it wrong?

Bleh. I don't have any constructive work to do. I'm so bored. Any suggestions? All my to-do lists are failing miserably!! And I need to re-do them. Sheesh. Any suggestions, honestly?

And yes, I do not have anything better to write about.

How Are These?

What do you think about these templates?

Template1 (personal BO fav, even though it's a bit TOO flowery + S feels it's 'pretty'):



Template2 (S felt this was 'nice and interesting'):


You like?

Watch Out! Food Ahead!

This is my off-to-college year which is one of the reasons why my mom has been very co-operative in giving me pointers on everyday cooking. Even though I won’t be cooking in hostel, I feel I should make good use of this summer to learn some basic dishes as I really want to be able to cook for myself after I graduate (etc etc). I don’t really like the idea of someone else (read: cook) cooking for me and me having to complain about the salt, the mirchi, the masala and what not. Better to just be independent, right? PLUS, it’s a helluva lot of fun :)

Okay. So I haven’t really learnt any everyday-dishes so far because I always get tempted to make yummy snacks and that’s exactly what I did!

Yesterday, I made dosa for breakfast. Onion dosa, my personal favourite. It was the first time I was making the actual, thin and crisp dosa. I have made the normal thickness ones umpteen times before, but would think twice before making these. To my amazement, they came out to be perfectly golden and absolutely delectable! Thanks to the new non-stick pan, of course! Here’s a picture!

Last Sunday, I’d made onion pakodas (which are called ‘piyaji’ in Oriya. Onions are called ‘piyaja’(pronounced as piya-jaw)). They are my mom’s ALL TIME favourite snack. She totally loved them and also shot a few my-little-girl-is-growing-up-so-fast type dialogues which I’m not repeating over here! ;)

Here, take a look!

And another :) I can’t get enough of these!

I had also tried out Asha’s Kodubale but had substituted maida with atta. They tasted real good and everyone liked them but their shapes were all messed up! They looked like famished bangles *sheepish grin* So I’m not putting up a pic! Heehee. I hope next time I try them, I get the shapes right!

Maternity Home for Pigeons

Are you a smart pigeon looking for a safe place to build your nest, lay eggs and perch on your nest till those sweetums hatch? If yes, then listen up! Your search has come to an end. You are cordially invited to lay your eggs (and also to do the necessary before that event takes place *ahem* so call all those who might be involved in the process) in a first-class environment such as this :

The topmost rack on the wall,

Blogowner’s house (hall, to be precise),

Top floor,

Building next to the tall Ashoka trees.

In case you’re wondering about the safety of this Maternity Home, rest assured as we have 90% success rate. Last December (a hard time, indeed, for most pigeons) Momma Pigy and Papa Pigy had wooed each other outside our Home (window sill of BO’s hall), must have mated successfully, had found long periods of much needed rest in one of the guest rooms in our Home (a different area of the topmost rack), had found all the necessary nest-building items from the trees nearby, built the nest over a period of 7 days and successfully laid 2 eggs. You see, Momma Pigy and Papa Pigy might’ve changed their mind after a while since neither the eggs nor the parents were to be found after a week (the week when the human inhabitants of the area around our Home were out). Hence, we say 90% success rate. How honest are we!

The Home provides excellent entertainment facilities in the form of a certain human who is said to be ‘S’. Said S finds our kind rather enchanting and we, of course, love such humans. There is, however another human who goes by ‘BO’- that creature, we do not much appreciate since she keeps the curtains closed most of the time. Only we know the extremely painful periods of longing that one parent spends one side of the curtain, and the other on the other side. It is much like the India-Pakistan saga that we have come to learn about from the 7 or 8 newspapers that these humans read (get, rather). So, be warned of BO. Rest of the humans can be safely ignored.

No human, however, has ever tried to break our Home. This is a huge plus for our kind since we always target peace-loving family-type human territories to set up our special Maternity Home facilities.

Do not worry about food. There is enough around. At times, the human inhabitants offer some to our kind. So be not worried.

From the above information, I’m sure you realise what a safe and comfortable location the abovementioned is.

We invite booking-applications from expecting parent pigeons after 20^th April since we are currently tending to a couple- a beautiful white (with grey specks) pigy and his/her usual grey type counterpart. Remember, the early bird catches a room in our Home!

Happy spring-time mating!

Template Blues- What must be done?

This is a harrowing time for me. The navbar does not appear no matter WHAT I do. As a result, I don't have a search box. I tried inserting codes for a search box in my sidebar, but the sidebar is too tiny and has limited space, which is why none of those search boxes fit (my VDNA didn't fit either, which was why i had to put it up in a post *sniff*). I hate such inflexibility! I don't like the drab blogger templates on offer plus I want something unique for my pot (heehee). I have been pestering S to design a template for me- which she can, since she is excellent at that stuff, but she doesn't know the coding bit which is turning out to be a problem. So basically, I'm stuck with this template (no matter how pretty it may be, if it's as rigid and inconvenient as it is, I shall remove it sooner or later!) and beta blogger. Yes, beta blogger. There are hardly any templates on the web for beta blogger. This stinks!

P.S.: Yes, I'm even creating a new label for this- Template Blues!

Fraandshippers, Food and the Famous Five

You know, after a point, the whole deal about ‘vacations’ gets a tad boring. Heck. A lot boring if you don’t particularly engage yourself in worthy ‘activities’ (perhaps this would give me some ideas of what to include in the ‘activities’ section in my Orkut profile, which by the way, I must say is the stupidest question that one can ever be asked. Would breathing qualify as an ‘activity’? Say?) that keep you from wanting to sleep or only listen to your ipod or read endlessly or some such.

Talking about Orkut, there is new breed of fraandshippers that I have unfortunately come across. They try to ‘make fraandship’ with you by taunting you in some way, or asking you pathetically stupid questions on something that MAY interest you. For instance, this one particular fraandshipper (it should be in the dictionary by 2009, I say!) asks me:

“So, astro girl, what is it about astrology that interests you?” (in horrid grammar which I am incapable (thankfully) of reiterating over here)

I really felt like replying and going like ‘na na na na’ (you know, with the whole making of faces, pulling of tongue and wiggling about, like they do when a team is badly losing) ‘I didn’t fall for THAT haha’, but I resisted. Making their victim reply is the sole purpose of slothful frandshippers and EYE (to emphasise on I) am not going to let them have that pleasure. So, smart me did not reply. I couldn’t resist telling SOMEONE, so I blogged. Hee. *blush*

However, the most common breed of fraandshipper that I have come across is, quite obviously, the one who sends an ‘h’ followed by a string of ‘i’s whose purpose I still haven’t figured out. I mean, WHY would anyone scrap any random person ‘hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’ ? Why? Do you know? I don’t know!

Maximum pity is, neverthless, felt for those who send their whole bio-data in one scrap. God save them. Please. This particular breed of fraandshippers, somehow, reminds me of Dr.Batawekar and his beloved cow with white teeths who is so attractiu that grasses comes flying to her teeths. How louly. I don’t know! They simply remind me of Batawekar (for the uninitiated, Dr. Batawekar is a character, a rather hilarious one, who features in a string of ads for Happydent White chewing gum).

Among other things, Abhu and I, who SO love BJB Chaat (this is the chaat this is available outside our college. Since college is called BJB blah blah, the name of the chaat wala’s chaat is BJB chaat) did NOT get to eat some on our last day of college. Sad, righ? We were shocked that the chaat wala wasn’t there. Instead, we settled for some alu-dum-dahi-vada (which is served in a leafy bowl along with a single toothpick) which was heavenly. We had never tried that out! Well, the most interesting and challenging yet fun part was to eat all that with a toothpick. It IS an art. Really. But when it comes to eating, Abhu and I are unstoppable. We have such congruity in what we want to eat (absolutely anything that looks and tastes good), when we want to eat (absolutely any time of the day) and how much of it we want to eat (as much as our stomach can fit without tearing at the sides) is delightful. I would say, we are meant to eat together. On the other hand, TC is the one who looks disapprovingly at us (and with a certain amount of disbelief that we can manage to gormandize the manner in which we do) and eats like half of what we do. Heehee *sigh* We shall all miss these food trips. The joys of eating. *sigh*

I cannot write anymore! I must go and eat something delicious now. This reminds me of my Enid Blyton days, when I could read ONLY with a plate of yummy chocolates and sandwiches next to me, for all those scenes when the famous five would ‘lunch’ on ginger beer, marshmallow, sandwiches that Aunt so-and-so had made for them, bacon and eggs, milk etc. It is torture to read Blyton’s books without some food near you for immediate consumption!

'Back' is the word

Yoo hoo!

I am SO back. It pains me to see that I’ve been missing out on so much fun in Blogosphere.

Hmm.

It’s strange. I can’t find anything to write about! God. Is this the dreaded ‘writer’s block’? I hope not. May be it’s just the ‘writers’(who-haven’t-written-since-a-mighty-long-time) block ?

Well, there IS one thing that I do want to talk about- The Beatles. My current ultimate-favourite band *sigh* I simply cannot find a Beatles song that I don’t adore. It’s weird!

*thinks*

*keeps thinking*

Okay. Nothing more to say. Well, there are tons of Abhu, S and TC related stories, extremely entertaining ones, mind you. The problem is that I’m still thinking which one of those to recount in these holy pages. So until I figure that out, I’ll do the tag that Isha has sent my way!

The Three Things Tag (hee, I named it myself!)

3 things that scare me: Fear, fear and fear

3 people who make me laugh: S (max!), Abhu & TC (BIG time), Suk & Raghu (erm.. I’ve mentioned 5 people, but you see, they must be mentioned in groups)

3 things I love: travelling & shopping(THAT, is the motivation behind travelling, you see), Belgian chocolates (the ones that look like seashells), cool, breezy evenings

3 things I hate: bad table manners (I CANNOT eat with people who make funny food-noises. Yuck!), sugar boiled candies getting passed as ‘chocolate’, bad breath

3 things I don’t understand: there are a hell of a lot of things I don’t understand

3 things on my desk: random papers, ipods, watches, calci, books, pens and their holders.. my desk is in a perpetual mess!

3 things I’m doing right now: listening to The Doors, typing, breathing..?

3 things I want to do before I die: 3 is too less a number!!

3 things I can do: forgive (I am the shockingly non-grudge-holding type) and forget, crack pjs at any given time, give long lectures!! P (remember, soul sister Sag?) calls me Grandma!

3 things you should listen to:







Songs apart, you must listen to your Mom!

Okay. Now these are only THREE. There are tons of other songs that I think you should listen to :D

3 things you should never listen to: anything that makes you feel unhappy or morbid

3 things I’d like to learn: I did a whole post on this one! Well, for starters, I’m learning Mandarin this summer :D Don’t laugh!

3 favourite foods: Does chocolate qualify as ‘food’? Well, absolutely anything my Mom makes, mint chocolate chip ice cream from Baskin Robbins, Samosas from Vineeth, BJB Chaat :)

3 beverages I drink regularly: since water doesn’t qualify as a beverage, I’d say Bournvita and Tropicana Mango Nectar (do these qualify as beverages?)

3 TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid: Barbie Book, Newshouse, Famous Five and all those thick, hard cover Enid Blyton books

I tag…. Hmmm.. Raghu boy, Suk, TC and Abhu (4 people will do? Please?)

I also did this video DNA thing that I spotted at Isha’s. Here’s my VDNA!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

P.S.: Any comments on the new template? Please say it’s nice! No pressure or anything though ;)

Secrets....really!

Er.. Yes, I have this thing of starting new posts with "It's been long...". So this one isn't starting that way. Well, I suppose it has already started in that inevitable way so I'll just let it be.

You (ie. those FEW sane, extremely intelligent and discerning blogger people who have paid me a visit today and who continue to come day after day, hoping and wishing that they would get a new post to live by till the next one arrives (which basically means no one) (my, am I good at talking to myself** or what! :)) might be wondering what had kept me, the former NA, away for so long. Well, a wave of self control (or whatever) had taken over me. Hee hee, okay, alright. That's not true (ok so you knew). I have my boards in March :) :) So this is the cram-NOW month.

Among other news, insightful S has earned my profound appreciation for herself by getting 'The Secret' which we have seen over and over again. I was already aware (all hail Linda Goodman and 'Linda Goodman's Star Signs') of the concept they have focused upon in the movie however the very fact that they had produced the movie so beatifully and explained every single thing with so much clarity and detail is truly a marvel. This movie marks the beginning (okay, well a little AFTER the beginning perhaps) of the Aquarian Age. Sigh.

Favoutite Quote (well, ONE of my favourite quotes would be more appropriate) that has been featured in the movie--

" Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions. " - Albert Einstein

You can watch this trailer and be awed......



(got the YouTube trailer from www.Stevepavlina.com)

..... and watch the whole movie after that :) Please watch it! Please! Please? *bats eye-lashes*
Thanks!

Now, it iz zime fure meh to leeeve. Until next time (which is going to be a long time), dear bloggy and friends, Tata!

P.S.: Now don't you go "Birla"! I am a little biased towards those who sell tea.

**- MSN friends shall testify.

Philosopher S, fellow and Litchi Juice

Right. It’s been long. I have been weaned from internet and gotten myself addicted to tea. Twice a day is how much of it I need.

Amongst latest news, S has become quite a philosopher. She has proposed a very convincing Theory on Eventuality. She has grown all wise and sage-like and keeps thinking for long hours. After her thought binge, she comes to me and tries to make so-what-is-going-to-happen-after-all-this-crap type conversation which gives her an excellent opportunity to showcase her eye opening theories. It may sound funny over here but I have been convinced and have even started thinking in terms of The Theory*** of hers.

Driver-fellow gave a brilliant performance, so I heard *sigh* While I sit typing out this post as a faceless nobody, fellow must be getting compliments for balancing like a pro on that motor-bike. I shall now try to cheer myself up by thinking of those glorious days when my super shiny hair *runs to touch some wood* and I were featured on the SECOND page of the Times and when I was on TV, live performance that too straight from the awards ceremony and when I…. er..er.. there isn’t any thing left *sniff* *sobs*

I saw Lage Raho last night, which, I must say was awesome. I was also very happy to see that they were trying to do away with the whole manglik notion that people have. A manglik is someone who has his/her mars in the ascendant, the second, fourth, seventh, eighth or twelfth house of the natal chart (and there are 12 houses in all). So about 42% of us are mangliks. It’s no big deal. It is very saddening to see some people who call themselves professional ‘astrologers’ go about predicting someone else’s death. One cannot use astrology to predict death! It’s absolute crap. People often forget that the planets incline, they don’t compel. We must blame those who have given astrology such a bad reputation by simply removing the actual essence of this extremely helpful science and reducing it into a trash-worthy subject. Sheesh. So I say, do NOT believe any astrologer who predicts ‘death’ or who just tells you horrible things are going to happen or who asks you to perform a million pujas. That is SO not what astrology is about. *weeps*

SRK is doing a rather lousy job. He overdoes all his pjs and really pisses me and the guests off. I don’t see why someone should have to hug HIM before leaving the show. I mean, save the poor guy that last torture!

Tropicana Litchi Juice is my new favourite. I have been consuming copious amounts of it and have been feeling 0% guilty! Well, I must add that I had chole-batoore for dinner last night. Nah! I am not guilty! Not one bit! Er.. okay, may be I shouldn’t have gobbled down FOUR batoores (hey! They were tiny, okay?!) but I normally think in the lines of God-alone-knows-after-how-long-I-am-going-to-get-to-eat-this-again-so-I-better-
satiate-myself-NOW. Yea, it sounds as if my Mom is one cruel woman, but no. She isn’t. I must add (for her sake) that she is the most fabulous cook and feeds me a hell lot. It is yours truly who tries to regulate our eating habits. I have sort of transformed into the Grandma of the house. Age is indeed taking over.

Shilpa has won and she is RICH!

Songs that are stuck in my head- See Emily Play(Floyd), D'yer Mak'er(Led Zep), All of my love(Led Zep)

See Emily Play-


D'yer Mak'er-


oh oh oh oh oh.. God. I would SO not go if someone sang THAT for me *sighs wistfully*

All of my love-

*** No, I cannot tell you anything else about The Theory. You know, the whole IPR thing. I cannot be the bitch sister who stole her trusting sister’s ideas!

Lalala

1) I have been following the whole Big Brother thing. I have also been watching gazillion BB videos on YouTube. Dirk and Shilpa are SO cute! Awwww *sigh* The whole Dirk-Shilpa Love Fest thing is really funny!






2) I have been wrapping gifts in a rather absurd fashion. Today, S and I set out to accomplish the ambitious task of wrapping 2 gifts (actually it wasn’t very strange for S since she has always been The Wrapper in the house… wrapping gifts and covering books were always HER thing). Anyway, we set out to wrap a rather oddly shaped, cylindrical bag without making it look like a blob of crap. However, it ended up looking like this-----



Doesn't it look like an over sized toffee?




3) We have added Salad (which only includes kakdi, gajar, pyaaz, tamater) as a regular feature with our dinner.



I guess that’s pretty much it. I haven’t really been doing anything much. Yawn. Oh, in case anybody missed it, Shiney Ahuja’s actual name is supposed to be Suraj Ahuja (courtesy TC)(see previous post’s comments section for further details. Thank you very much). I didn’t know that! Poor boy! Having to live with SHINEY when he has such an adorable 5-lettered name, ‘Suraj’, which starts from S! *sigh*



Pssst… This is Post # 50!!! Half century! Woah!

UPDATE!!! 21.01.07

4) While S and I are living loser lives of anonymity (well, almost), our driver-fellow is going places and making news. Literally. Fellow has been practising with his Daddy for some stunts that they'll be performing in the Republic Day Parade that is going to take place here. He has also come on 2 local channels!! He has really been dressing up and behaving less stupid of late. Oh and you know what he said to my all-in-one maid about me??

"Badi didi (S) achi hai. Maa(Mom) bhi theek hai, zyada gussa nahi karte. Lekin, Choti didi (that would be me) thodi gussewaali hai *nods his head in horror* "

Can you believe that? Hahahahaha!! Now, if fellow is late for like 99.99% of the times when I need the car (Abhu and TC shall testify) and I need the car the most out of the three of us, then naturally I'd be a little pissed off! However, I don't say anything 'gussewaali' type. Rather I speak in a low volume when I am pissed off. How cunning! Heehee

Famous People Crush-es

I know this is weird and illogical but I am getting an urge to chronicle all my famous-people-crushes :) It’ll be hard since I don’t remember many, but the ones that I do remember are incredibly incredible (ie. How could I EVER have a crush on THEM!?!)!!

1. Hee hee.. Shoaib Akhtar. I know I know. Disgusting choice you would say. I agree! However, during the India-Pak test series back in 2004 I was a crazy 14 year old. I had collected like millions of snaps of his but was totally annoyed when I found out he used to like SONALI BENDRE. I DO NOT like her. He has bad choice. Just like me. Hehe.
2. Orlando Bloom. Do I need to elaborate? But yes, it was a very short-lived crush :)
3. Mel gibson. I was totally crazy about Mel Gibson for like 3 days. But they were 3 crazy days. (This was after watching What Women Want) (I like Helen Hunt) (I loved the scene where they were dancing around in her new house)(Awwww)
   
4. Michael Ballack!!!!!!!!! One of the few FPCs (Famous Person Crush) of whom I am not ashamed! He is totally adorable, plays football (and is HOT at it)(and the captain of the german team) AND a libran. How perfect is that? Longest FPC this was. Sigh. About 2 weeks. Sigh.
5. Kunal Kapoor. Who wouldn’t have a crush on him? He is totally cute AND a libran AND a number 9!! Brilliant!
6. Shiney Ahuja. Actually, it would be more appropriate to say I had a crush on his character Daya in Gangster. Totally adorable character.
7. Erm.. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. I have no idea why I kind of had a crush on him and still sigh when I see him on TV. :S It was after I saw an interview of his on this channel and felt he was very genuine and very much like a Mr.Perfect.
8. Okay. This is the strangest of them all. Salman Rushdie. I am reading ‘Midinght’s Children’ and for no apparent reason have taken a liking for the author. Oh, by the way I just found out he is a Gemini. Now I know why he gets bored so easily ;)!

Crazy or what?!

This is it.

So yes. The new year has begun. Jupiter must be gleefully bouncing about in Sagittarius and I have finally acquired my Ganpati*~* Planner-cum-Diary after 3 days of 2007 have lapsed.

I am now making a *ahem* public declaration. I am getting my life back on track and I am shifting from the passenger seat to the driver's seat, right behind the steering wheel. Last year, I let things meander about their own way. That is not happening anymore. Tata ghost driver, I am taking charge.

Thank you very much.





*~*- I have this thing for Ganpati diaries. I don't know why. I just have it and I must have a Ganpati diary every year.

Ps.- 1) I am also promising myself to not allow myself to go blog hopping and blogging and such too often. I have contracted obsessive compulsive blogging form somewhere and I need therapy! So, well, I am my own therapist. (Woah, there are many 'myself's in there!)

2) S is fine. She is doing very well. Yes, she is still mesmerised by ants and has pigeons for friends (haveI written about Momma Pigy and Papa Pigy (pronounced as pidgy) hanging out at my window sill?) S is excellent at bonding with birds, insects and such normally ignored creatures. What a lovely being S is *sigh*. Of course, she IS a sag after all. All this animal(or whatever) bonding is pretty natural.