Some Sizzling Scintillating Speculations

Thought for the day: The way we see the problem is the problem...-- Stephen Covey 'Kutte Billi Baras Rahe Hain' is all I can say. i.e. it's raining cats and dogs. Here I was, thinking that the January monsoon season has passed, and, since last week when the hailstones made their presence felt, we've been having rains out here. Today was tremendous, with one of the thunderclaps lasting a full 30 seconds. I'm sure disaster, i.e. lightning struck somewhere. The paper will tell. ---- Do you watch Pogo or Cartoon Network? I don't mean violent serials like Tom and Jerry, of course...(Though, I am a fan!LOL).. Don't say 'how kiddish'- just try it- it's good to feel like a kid at heart, sometimes!:) Programs like Pogo's ' Just For Laughs'- they're enough to pull anyone out of a dull mood, like I was in, yesterday.(Which is why I sat down to post and didn't, finally-no point in posting if my mood's not right, I feel). It's a p...

Thought for the day: The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else. --  E. E. Cummings Two of them-strategic placement. On either side of the road, cleverly concealed behind either a tree or a pillar. People walk out of the bus stop, take the short cut to cross the small one-bus-and-one-car wide road. From the other side, people walk out of Carrefour, again in a hurry, and cross the road from there to the bus stop. Out come both the guys. Out come the notebooks. Hand over your labour card. Wham!You're fined AED 200. Go to Al Barsha and take it back. That place is another 50 dirhams away by taxi. So, AED 250*13= Rs. 3250/- gone. And, when a poor guy narrates this, I can't help but feel sorry for him. And, of course, my resolve to avoid crossing the road at non-zebra crossings deepens. Yep, life and money are too hard earned to let them go this way. I'm told by the guy that they fined @ 150 people that way, in the hal...

Quote for the day:  Life is as easy as 3.141592653589 Ah, another week began yesterday. Let's see what the Piscean predictions are: Paper 1: - If ever there was a time to speak up, with passion and conviction and what you believe in, it's now. Waste no time worrying about gathering facts, crafting the right words or even whether you've thought things through. The depth of your feelings will get your message across, loud and clear. Paper 2: - You may be in contact with people who are gripped by an obsession. Rather than resisting the temptation to join in and fight fire with fire, let this not act as a stimumus to triger your own passions this week. Haha- now, aren't those two contradictory? Well, I read between the lines, so, will review on Thursday evening to see whether my reading is correct. (Have to update the previous week's predictions,i.e. the results,too!!:) Someone had asked in a paper what the right gift for a Piscean is, and the reply was more complex tha...

For some reason, I'm filled with nostalgia today..maybe because I'm missing travelling by Baroda Express or Rajdhani Express or any of the other trains for more than a decade, nearly every other month, when I was in my first company- it would usually be to Mumbai or Delhi or one of the cities in Gujarat...and, a sandwich would always be the most hygienic food on the trains/at the stations!!:) Ah, this miracle of an invention- will check out wikipedia to learn it's origins!:) But, this memory goes earlier than that. I'm reminded of the sandwich served at the Railway Station- it was always a favourite for me- and, I'd always be trying to convince Dad to take me there when we were near the station. What was special about it? Well, it was something like the pic above- they'd cut it in the centre, and then, the two halves would be cut further in their centres, and then reversed, to form a star. And, those four pieces would taste much better than two whole slices of...

Find The Man: THE TRICK IS TO FIND THE MAN AMONG THE COFFEE BEANS: This is bizarre - after you find the guy - it's so obvious.  Once you find him - it's embarrassing, and you think, why didn't I see him immediately? Doctors have concluded that if you find the man in the coffee beans  in 3 seconds , the right half of your brain is  better  developed than most people.  If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute , the right half of the brain is developed  normally .  If you find the man  between 1 minute and 3 minutes , then the right half of your brain is functioning  slowly  and you need to eat more protein.  If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the advice is to look for more of this type of exercise to make that part of the brain stronger!!! And, yes, the man is really there!!! (It took me around 15 seconds..now,you be honest and tell me-how much time did it take you?)

Happiness is: The delighted look on a NRI's face, when the rupee falls against the dollar, and,naturally, against the dirham which is pegged to the dollar. That is, of course, if it's at the right time-around payday and he wants to transfer money. On such days, I always take my walk via the UAE exchange area, to see the smiling faces of customers there(And, sometimes I'm lucky enough to be one of the smileys). How mean NRIs can be, na- to be happy when our currency drops..well,in these times of recession and pink slips, every little,err, slip counts, na? Of course, it has also led to the 'into 12' factor becoming the 'into 14'factor! (You know what this means, right? ---- Got this one as a forward and couldn't help smiling at most of the accuracy outlined therein..(I can see some claws coming out, now...*runs for cover*): 9 famous 'last words/phrases ' women use-what they say and what they mean: (1)   Fine :   This is the word women use to end an...

(Note: The above cartoon is a dig at the rush with which towers were being announced here. So, whoever made this tower, was making an awesome metaphor) Have you ever been nostalgic? I bet you have-about anything-from childhood to school days to college days to first loves to....:) You see that someone or something and memories come flooding back. Ah, but I bet you've never been nostalgic the way people are these days, out here- they're nostalgic about traffic. Good Lord, was my first reaction. First they used to groan about how the traffic here never allows them to be on time for anything- a meeting, a date, a dental appointment. People who had office at 8 AM, would reach at 9 AM-purportedly because of traffic. Now, with the current recession-like situation, the roads are relatively less crowded. So, they groan about that..I've been victim to dialogues like( From people whose jobs are secure so far): - I used to reach from Bur Dubai to Rashidiya in nothing less than an hou...

1. You just have to play by the rules;you don't get a chance to make them. If you are obedient today you will have ample opportuinties in the week ahead to flaunt your uniqueness and stray from the beaten path. 2.One of your biggest challenges is saying a firm and uncompromising no. You intend to, but then soften it, saying 'perhaps' or 'maybe'. One particular individual is counting on this. When they've been pushy in the past, you've always given in. But this is the beginning of a new era, and it starts with them. 3.If you think about making major changes now, remember there is a cosmic red light in the heavens. If you stick to the rules, and don't take resentment and criticism personally, you will emerge unscathed. --- Whew!Those three 'your stars today' predictions, pretty much summed up what's been running in my mind the last 7 days. Now, to wait for next Sunday to come and see how things progressed!!Will update here! Off to work, now!Fir...

Yesterday, I was locking the door to the flat, when leaving for the day at work(And, believe me, it was hectic). I glanced at our neighbour's door and saw a yellow stick-it note on it. I've always seen such notes in our building in Baroda, where people scribble on all sorts of papers, even on newspapers with a sketchpen(The right thing to do-conserves paper), and leave notes for the milkman or the building watchman who doubles as a milkman to earn a bit of money- to leave 2 bags of milk or no milk or something to that effect.  We don't have any milkmen in Dubai, at least, not that I know of, so, curiosity got the better of my and I peered at the note. What it said gave me the first smile of the day. 'Hey, Baby, Don't call  MeMom is at home today,  :) Girl' Images of a gangster sitting next to the phone(Oh, I've seen enough Bollywood movies too), ready to shout the 'kutte, kamine-meri beti se door rehna' dialogues, floated into my mind...and, I was st...

That's the name of the game-an old flowchart, but, the home truth hits every few months! Time to read' Who Moved My Cheese', I believe!

Hi,all!!This month, a major excitement for expat pros was the rush to get their ID cards. It was announced that those who do not get their cards by the 28.02, could have difficulties in using government services. So,all those who had not gone to the ID card centres for their cards, were early morning (Some, from midnight)queues all around the country,to get their cards. ---- These ID cards will soon replace all other cards, like health cards,labour cards,et al. In fact, it seems like they might become what a friend from the US calls their social security numbers- a Qaidi no. So, all your information gets electronically stored via these cards. On these lines, someone circulated a hypothetical future situation which had me LOLling,but, may well become reality. So, here goes:(In fact, I heard they are talking of such cards in India,too..so, beware!!) --- Operator: 'Thank you for calling Pizza Hut. May I have your....' Customer: 'Helloo, can I order..' Operator : 'C...

There was a time when I :  Would select the Noddy books which I did not have, at Allies’ book stores, and inform each Uncle one of the serial numbers from 1 to 24 accordingly. (We couldn’t afford to buy them all-they cost a princely Rs 4 to Rs 8!). Would look suitably thrilled when the books were given to me, duly marked’With best wishes from…’. Would select Famous Five / Five Findouters/Hardy Boys books.  Same reaction as in the case of Noddy. haha.  (And, in this way, my books and comics collection continued growing.Haha) Would distribute the simple variety of chocolates in school and the other batchmates would go into singing mode, while I looked on shyly. Was in Kirloskar Pneumatic, Pune one year, for an inspection with a Consultant and reached Mumbai at 10 PM, to find that my relatives were still waiting for me to return. Was in EIL, Delhi , for a meeting and had to tell them what day it was, so that they would let me go early. Was in UHDE, India for a meeting an...

I was enjoying my tea at Bombay Chowpatty(But naturally) and was amused to hear this conversation from the next table. --- Little kid, sharply dressed in a kurta-pyjama,must've been 4 or 5 yrs old. He's friskily jumping about, and Daddy suddenly gets up. "Who wants this Galaxy chocolate?" 'Kiddo naturally jumps happily'. Daddy:"First you finish your lunch" Kid turns towards plate.  Daddy quickly peels off the wrapper. Bites off half of the chocolate bar. Kiddo looks stunned. Their friend who's with the family of three also looks astonished. Daddy(By way of explanation): "Eni paase chhe ek chocolate"(He has a chocolate), and proceeds to put the bar in his pocket. Me:*no wonder, a Gujju baniya", and I grin away at the first laugh of the day!!Wonder whether the lil kid got his chocolate finally. I almost wanted to get one for him when I saw his face when Daddy was munching half of it.LOL. Just proves- we can all be kids at heart in di...

Hi,all!!Another fast-moving week. Have been just eating,dreaming,sleeping work!!So,while I write the next post, here's something which inspired me on this last working day, just as I'm about to leave for work(It's 7 AM). For more such inspirations, do see my  Inspirations blog. To realize  The value of a sister/brother  Ask someone  Who doesn't have one. To realize  The value of ten years:  Ask a newly  Divorced couple.   To realize  The value of four years:  Ask a graduate.   To realize  The value of one year:  Ask a student who  Has failed a final exam.   To realize  The value of nine months:  Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.   To realize  The value of one month:  Ask a mother  Who has given birth to  A premature baby.   To realize  The value of one week:  Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.  To realize  The value of one minute:  Ask a person  Who has missed the train, bus or plane.   To realize  The value of one-second:  Ask a person  Who has survived a...

Whew!What a week. Hectic, workwise. And,comic,food wise. Now, being someone for whom food is more of the 'eat to live' rather than 'live to eat' necessity, I never really expect it to give me such good laughs at the end of the day. So, here goes- some of the foodie events of last week: - Decided to have baked beans on toast, at one of the restaurants(One of my recommended diet items, at present-but,that's another post-the diet, I mean). So, I made a detour in the middle of my walk, and, well, walked into this restaurant. The lady at the counter begins the conversation: "Yes, Sir..good evening. What would you like to have?" Me: "Do you serve baked beans on toast at this time?" She(Looking at her watch first):"Yes, Sir.But, it will be toast and baked beans, not baked beans on toast" Me:"Why? The menu says 'baked beans on toast." She: "I'm sorry, Sir. But, we can only serve baked beans with toast." Me:"What...

Some news tidbits last week made me think. Seventeen cricketers - 'sold' for Rs 30 crores- for the IPL(Lovingly called 'Indian Paisa League' by one TV channel)....err,you did say there's a recession going on? I did wonder whether this money couldn't have been better used to help some industries out of recession? Or, maybe, it has, in a way- the cricketers who were 'purchased' can rest easy!! ---- Another news tidbit - the moral police are at it again- the SRS group in Bangalore, which has announced that any 'couple' seen in a 'Valentine'like pose on 14.02, will be married off forcibly.Come to think of it-that might be a good idea...at least all the lakhs which go down the drain in wedding celebrations will be saved...another indirect measure to fight recession,I guess. I did wonder why no film-maker has thought of making a 'different' love story on this topic? ---- These jokes are from Ritu' s blog- spoken by her children and ...

Hi,all!!Well, the last 4-5 weeks have been quite good, where my writing hobby is concerned. For those who are not aware, I write Letters to Editors, and have been doing so since the early nineties. Back then, the frequency was much more, about forty a month. Now, it's down to less than ten. In fact, come to think of it, this (last 4-5 weeks)must have been the maximum in a month, since the time I came here. Which mags? Well, there's the Jan 21 issue of Filmfare, the Feb issue of Cine Blitz, The Jan issue of Glad Rags. I event tried my hand at writing to Marie Claire and the letter's there too(Jan issue).  Then, the caption contest in last to last week's Xpress out here selected my caption as the best.(Ahem!)..no prizes, it's just the selection that makes me feel happy. Then, another letter in Weekend , last week. This one's my letter to Filmfare(One of my favourite movie mags. CB is the other)-it was edited slightly, but, still, believe me, it was and is right f...

-Getting up early(530 AM to be precise) on a Friday holiday. -Going for walk at 6 AM,and finding the streets enveloped in fog(I wonder whether mist is the same as fog?Must google and see). -Walking fast,while the visibility's such that I could see barely 10 Metres in front of me. -Straining eyes,wondering whether,a la our movies,a lovely apparition(real,rather..why apparition?) of a damsel would come floating out of the fog,with a smile on her face.(LOL-the imagination does run wild sometimes,I guess)...but,no such thing happened.Sigh!!:):) -Going for a second round of walk at 730 AM.(It's a holiday,I restarted my weight loss diet,and,what better utilization of a holiday than this?) -Fog cleared slightly. A tubelight or two,in an office in Bur Juman shopping mall in the distance,shines through the fog,even as the sun's rays are trying to pierce through the haze. Maybe,just maybe that was an indication of the silver lining in the clouds being visible?(As I've mentioned,I...

What would you say if I told you that it rained cats and dogs on Friday night? You'd look at me like I was some kind of weirdo who'd seen a mirage, right?("Rain in the desert?" you'd say, *eyes upwards*). Well, it's true- since November end, in fact, it's been rainy season out here in Dubai, in fact,in the U.A.E. as a whole. Usually, I'm the kind of person who would sleep through any kind of storm or noises or maybe even fire but, even I got up on Friday night, hearing the sound of thunderclaps which repeated twice or thrice. As they say, the weather(s), they are a-changing all over the world. One blogger's reported that he saw lightning strike  (Do see the youtube link..it's amazing, what people can shoot) the world's tallest tower six times, two weeks back.  Now, on to the next news, would you believe that it snowed in the Ras Al Khaimah mountains yesterday? I can see more disbelief coming my way, so, here's the link . Amazing, righ...

Good heavens- this week seems like a week lost in my life. Work activity was so hectic, it was like home-office-home daily, except, of course, for the walks!Even there, I skipped one day-fell asleep at 7 PM, got up at 12 midnight, had a sandwich and fell asleep again. LOL. Only to wake up fresh n refreshed the next day. Couldn't even go around much to my favourite blogs. So, woke up early today to do just that and get updated!!:) One of the things I love about walking briskly, besides the energy it brings, is the entertainment value I get by taking a different route everyday. I've tried going to the Zabeel Park walking track- as a track it's great- a good two kilometres to walk around, and walking two or three rounds is exhilarating. But, what comes as an unwanted bonus is the dozens of others who think the same way. And, it makes me feel like I'm walking out of Churchgate station on a working day.(Imagine the crowds).  So, I take a different route daily, which goes str...