Some Sizzling Scintillating Speculations

Situation 1: 745 to 8 AM: The Man takes a deep breath as he parks his bicycle. He enters, and, the first thing he does, after folding his hands in front of God’s picture, is to tell his assistant’ take this glass and get tea ’. The tea comes. He divides the hot tea into three(The glass, one saucer and another glass) portions and sips his portion. The sipping process (which goes ‘slurrrrrpp’ and ‘hsshhhsshh’ in turns, takes five minutes) He ‘arranges’ the cloth, picks up his instruments, sprays ‘the area’ with water and begins his work, nee, his arduous task. In ten minutes, he takes another deep breath. He again puts down the instruments and begins smoking a beedi. (Indian cigarette). The process takes five minutes. He looks refreshed…begins working again…a snip snip here, a click click there and a snip snip here again. He talks about weather, politics, family, kids...ten minutes pass pleasantly. He again needs a sippa from a cuppa. His assistant goes across the street, gets anothe...

                                                    (Above pic: Entrance to E.M.E. Temple) Thought for the day: The difference between ignorance and apathy? I don’t know and I don’t care. ------------------------------------------------- No visit to Baroda is complete without a visit to the old city. Strangely, for some reason, whenever I’m in Baroda, both my watches stop working, and my trusted watch repairer has his shop on the ground floor of our ancestral home. (which we’ve sold, btw, as I mentioned some posts ago). So, this time also, I headed that way, with both watches having misbehaved. And, while on the way, memories of ole days couldn’t help but come flooding back. - Of the cycle shops lining our street, of Diwali and how much fun it used to be on New Year mornings with so many shop-owners setting off firecrackers -Of Balubhai’s Khaman(Austy, you know these?)- some of the most scrumptious Khaman/dhokla are made by him, with his tag line being ‘ Hawa ke Dawa karta wadhaare chh...

Thanks,everyone,for the response to the previous post. ------- (I still cannot post pics with my posts, for some reason-maybe coz uploading speed is less these days) Besides Sayaji Park, another regular place for me when in Baroda, is the E.M.E. Temple. But, I got a bit irritated this time. More about that coming up below. Most of the time, it's a smooth entry from the gate, and, walking to the temple,going to the shoe rack, walking out barefoot (Not to worry-it's totally clean) to the various locations inside is a gem of an experience in itself. As usual, the Panditjis(there're two of them) recognized me, and also the two old gentlemen who come regularly for the Pooja morning and evening, since the time I first went during this auspicious time. (Frankly, folding one's hands in greeting(Pranam mode) always seems to be so much nicer than the 'mod' 'shake hands' mode. I feel a sense of strength,each time I fold my hands thusly. Try it consciously).  In the...

I've said this earlier and I continue to say it.It's great to be alive, to have all our bodily functions intact and to be in the 'pink of health and spirits' as they say!*smiles* Everything else is secondary - how much we earn,what our neighbour has, what his neighbour has,why our flat is small, why he said this to me, why she said this to her, gossip...everything. We shouldn't allow it to spoil the gratitude we need to feel towards Him for each day which is passing without any real problems. Having said this, please go through this email I received from a friend, about a friend of his. I've reproduced it below: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Message from a friend of mine: Tragedy stuck a close friend Ramani: At this juncture of our lives and in the current scenario, I believe all our problems look meagre compared to what Ramani and his family are going through... I have known Ramani since several years during our ...

Hi,all!Whew-that was one quick trip, I'd say-but,frankly, I feel I achieve the same things in one week that I would do if I'd gone on a month's vacation. The reason is- when the vacation's a long one, the first few days go in just taking it easy, knowing there's enough time.:) Let me go back to day 1. We landed safely(Naturally,since the pilot was my namesake(Amit Jain). The usual wait at the conveyor belt for the luggage, the usual remark from the security at the screening machine(Saab, chai paani ka kuch de do khushi se- (Sir, give us something happily,for tea-n-snacks)) and,out. Reached home in a good two hours(Takes 1 hr or so, usually-but, at 6 PM,it's rush hour in Abad,so, traffic doesn't allow fast movement). And, whammo-the door was locked. Coz I'd kept my trip a surprise visit. Anyway, the neighbours have a spare key, so I took that, put the luggage in, locked the door and went to the neighbours, who'd invited me in for a cuppa tea while I w...

Hi,all!!Thank heavens-my trip materialized,even though it's just for seven days,and,today's day 2. Yes,I'm in Baroda..had planned the trip last week,checked out the net bookings,and,here I am..kept it a surprise for everyone and did not inform a soul,so everyone was astonished. It's done me a lot of good already,these first two days...away from office thoughts,away from work related calls and calls and calls....ah,but,let me not ponder over that at this time. Let me recount a bit of my trip...this time,I decided to travel by a budget flight...(Air Ind Exp)...just to see what it's like,and,of course, coz this is not the yearly vacation where the Co pays for the ticket..hehe! So,anyway,the flight goes from what I can term the 'kid brother' of Dubai airport terminals 1 and 3....i.e. terminal 2.Compared to the kilometre(s) of walk one does to reach the Departure Gate at these two terminals,this one was a cakewalk.Reached the checkin area well in time,and found ...

Thought for the day: How much easier it is to be critical than to be correct..... -- Benjamin Disraeli, "Do you know, S got a new Pajero?" "Oh!Let's go check it out tomorrow" YAWNN! "(In a car): That's the new Mitsubishi model going by. There's hardly one or two in Dubai.It's got a....and a ....." YAWNN! " Is that a new phone? which model? What are it's specialities?" " Oh,yes..this is the new Nokia.....Price.....It's got __ GB memory,GPS and email and blah blah blah" "But,you got a new one just a few months back?" "Yes,but, I got tired of it" YAWNN! "How's the share market?" " I lost....in the recent slide, but, earlier I'd made......blah blah...you know, this share of.....Co...." "Oh yes...that and the shares of .......will remain steady...blah blah" YAWNN! "Hey,is that a genuine watch?" "Of course...I got it from..... for......." YAW...

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...