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Showing posts from June, 2010

Shape Up and Laugh

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Hi,all...have a nice weekend..our weekend's just ending out here...amongst memorable things of the week, there's the Skechers Shape Up shoes I just got- plan to try them out this week-today,maybe...but, I haven't seen the CD or the instruction booklet yet. Yep-the shoes come complete with these,and the salesman said it's good to see/read before wearing the shoes. ---- Now,ask why I'm buying shape up shoes?hahaha...well, isn't it clear? To shape up,of course- I decided to begin my usual diet-n-exercise routine  once more-gymming,walking,dieting...blah blah...2 weeks, 3 kgs down...let's see where I reach this time, before it's 'just maintenance' mood.Wish me luck. ==== Now, on to the joke, that had me ROFLling when I read it. Enjoy, and wait for the next post that's coming up very soon. ------- India holds a certain sense of mystery for the world outside its   borders... read on to find how curious foreigners are about India and its   w

Those were the (initial) days

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Let me begin by explaining something- my college elective was CAME, abbr. for Computer Applications in Mechanical Engineering. And, the Co I was selected for,was/is a Central Airconditioning Co. Now, in those days, we did not have any mega malls or the like in Baroda. Hence, the only first hand info I had I had on aircon, was @ window airconditioners. So, I couldn't understand what the big need was, to have a mechanical engineer recruited for window airconditioners.  I mean, what could be designed in window ACs? A cutout in a window and some electrical wiring? Anyway, I began going to the workplace from 15th June. Some of the funny people  I encountered initially, included a guy who'd come in 1/2 hr early daily, just like me. And, even if I was reading the morning paper, he'd ask me for it, believing that it was his right, since he'd joined the co. earlier. LOL. No hassles. Turns out, central A/C is/was much more complex than window A/Cs.(If anyone's keen,

Mirrors

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You know which people have a lot of fun? Those sitting and observing the security camera videos. Specially if there are mirrors in the area. Take, for example, the most common area-  a lift/elevator. ..If you walk in alone, you'll surely do something and not just stand there like a nut, right? You might: - Smile at yourself to see how you look, if you're going for an interview, - Fluff your hair with a comb or with your hands if you have no comb. Particularly if you're a Gujju guy- a comb is a necessary accessory to be fitted into the trouser pockets. Not a strand should be out of place. - Open your mouth wide and see if there're any cavities, if you're planning to visit the dentist shortly. Or exhale sharply so that your breath touches the mirror and bounces back-this tells you whether you've got good or bad breath. - Pull up or pull down your trousers/skirt, to make sure it's just perfectly, well, placed, for lack of a better word. Why do we do this

22 Saal Baad

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The year: 1988. Month:May. Third week. I was in Ajmer, visiting relatives, after Final Year Engineering exams. Got a call from Dad, that I had an interview call from BSL. In those days, interviews were few- and the first 2-3 I'd been to, had been just to get the feel of it. There was this friend, who, during our first interview a few days after exams, told me 'when they ask 'what are your career plans?', I always say' 2-3 years in private sector and then, rest of life in public sector due to job security'...believing that this was a smart answer but not really knowing what it meant, I parroted it at the first interview and was surprised to see them looking astonished(But naturally, since I was the year's  topper). Well, they were from the private sector, and were looking for long term players. The BSL  interview was on 4th June, so, I came back to Baroda before this date, not being too hopeful but still feeling optimistic. I reached there, having

Conversations(I did it again) and other topics

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(This Dilbert one was amazing- goes so easily to the roots of the insecurities of people at many offices) Did I tell you, I did it again...asked a simple question that led to a long-drawn out answer, just a day before I was leaving from Baroda. I asked out friendly neighbourhood dhobi, who operates his business from a larri sheltered by one of the many trees in our area. Me:' Aap kal shaam ko nahin the, 430 pe? (You were not there yesterday at 430?)  (Translated from Hindi, for everyone's benefit)'Oh, I had a wedding to attend so I left early. This season has so many weddings. My son had gone to one, and he came back yesterday after 4 days. Tomorrow evening, I am going to Disa for another wedding. My son will be here. I am going by bus, since there's no direct connection by train. It will take us 3-4 hours to reach there. I should be back in 4 days. But my son will be here'. Knowing I was running out of time, I fled with a smile. Otherwise, he'd probabl

Kuch Nahi

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Do you have visitors at your place, and , when you ask them'Kya lenge?', i.e. 'What'll you have?', well, the answer is 'kuch nahin'...and, you smile and,after asking again, you settle down? Well, it turns out that what they're asking for is: Kuch Nai . I couldn't believe my eyes when i saw this. and, wait till you see the second pic I got via email. It explains the meaning of Kuchh Nai. Hahahahaha...gotcha there,huh?So, next time someone says 'Kuchh Nai', look them in the eye to see if this is what they really want.:) Have a great day...our weekend's coming up-just 1 more working day to go..looking forward to it,really...been so hectic...:)Cheerio.

Fun time

"Hallo- haan, mein bol raha hoon"(Hallo-yes,it's me speaking) "Haan, kya chal raha hai?"(Yes, what's going on?) "Munna so gaya ya abhi bhi ro raha hai?"(Has Munna gone to sleep or is he still crying?) "Haan, mein bus ke liye wait kar raha hoon."(Yes, I'm waiting for the bus) (The person on the opposite side must've said, shocked"Bus? What bus? You're going to Dubai on a plane, na, not on a bus?") "Arre, woh bus nahin, yeh airport ka bus hai- humko uthaakar plane tak le jaata hai"(arre,not that bus, this is the airport bus-it will pick us up and drop us at the plane) "Theek hai, meine plane mein pahunchke phone karta hoon"(Ok, I'll call you from the plane when I reach it) ---------- "Haan, pappa, mein airport pahunch gaya. Nahin, koi problem nahin hua".(Yes, Pappa, I reached the airport. No,no problems) "Haan, mein Dubai pahunch ke phone karoonga"(Yes, I'll call

Conversations in Baroda

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The sweeper starts at the 10th floor and works his way down. He's here at 830 AM everyday. He collects all the garbage on each floor, takes it down and leaves it for the Municipality truck to carry away. He knows he has to come on time. If he doesn't, the truck goes away. He then uses a wheelbarrow to cart away the trash and deposits it at some distance from our building. He's much better than the previous sweeper, who used to take money from flat-owners as well as the building people, on one pretext or the other. This one also clears all the landings on each floor. Good, hai ke nahin? We finished painting the exterior of the building. We can do the interior, but need to check with everyone as to whether they agree to pay a little extra to get it whitewashed or distempered. We would like to get the shutters of the 5 shops on the ground floor painted, as well. However, the shop owner(s) has not even paid the Rs. 6000 for the building maintenance yet. Remember he promise

Rainy Day

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What a great morning walk-somehow I was feeling too 'inspired'today, and hence, was about to complete five kilometres (Last 2 in Sayaji Park) when they fell...no, not pigeon droppings, nor any satellites, but - the rain drops...the first rains of the season..some of the walkers, including me, continued walking. As it became more severe, people went and stood under trees...I continued another 5 minutes, then decided it was enough and time to enjoy it on the two-wheeler..so, went home with the raindrops falling on my head..hahaha..and, just three days back, the chai guy was telling me'last time you went to Dubai, your brought rains there..'(It'd rained the day I reached, last time and they read in the papers...LOL)..I just grinned and said'Ok,now I'm here,so it'll rain here also'. Of course, this was just a short burst- a quick shower, so to speak. Reached home, and, expectedly, the fragile electric wires had conked off- hence, no power..and, the gene