Experiences...

Hello there!

How are all you lovely people doing? I hope you had a colourful Holi and a marvellous Easter :-)


They say what you deserve comes to you, even if it comes late. It is hard to believe this when you do all the good possible in the world and then you are rewarded with loss and frustration. I have been down in the dumps for as long as I can remember owing to certain complications at work and outside. But der aaye durust aaye. Things are looking up now. And as you are my trusted well-wishers, I do hope aap log nazar nahi lagayenge!!


My husband has been pampering me no end. But we've also had some horrid moments. Turns out life isnt all hunky dory if you marry a person of your choice... LOL. In the end, it all boils down to adjustment and tolerance. The fact that count is that we cannot live without each other. And equally true is that we make life horrible and beautiful for each other. Part of the deal...

Appreciation has been flowing in at work. Better late than never. It's been 3 years and I thought I would be the first one in history to get promoted in record time. But time takes its course and seems like my due will be meted out to me soon. Been very busy and working very hard, so its only fair! But then, whoever is part of the corporate world or even the human world for that matter knows that fairness is a myth.


My parents love me to bits. They all do. Its a wonder how. Given the pathetic ways we treat and hurt them. They're angels, man. I feel so awful when I hurt them. But then, I forget that when I think they're acting nutty... The cycle continues, love you loads guys.... I do hope you know that despite my sick behavior.


Life's good. I hit the spa pretty regularly since my Four Fountains membership is about to expire soon. Going again tomorrow. Gudi Padwa custom! Hehe...


I stay impossibly busy these days having taken up a lot of new challenges personally and professionally. It's great. I also seem to be sleeping better despite all my zillion engagements. All in all, the uphill tasks seem to be done. Hope to carry the zest and success with me for a considerable time to come.

The Bollywood movie Himmatwala and Dia wine effectively ruined my long Easter weekend, but I watched G.I.Joe in 3D so that kinda killed the bad taste in the mouth. It did not however end up as marvelous an experience as my hubby led me to expect, as the person next to me was stinking worse than an open gutter. Talk about a horrid smell in the nose... Himmatwala was a torture and I shall forgive my darling dad for recommending it in the first place, but I cannot forgive Dia for being such a sickeningly sweet drink. I shall go the beer and red wine way the next time I feel like getting high and happy, thank you very much.


Lemme tell you more about the book I've been reading recently - Spicy Bites of Biryani by Ashwina Garg.


The cover of the book looked like your typical chic flick novel and the title was likewise. However, I was in for a surprise when the book turned out to be a refreshing read. The characters are real and the story is smart. You can easily relate to what the protagonists feel, and I found myself identifying with each one of them in their nightmares and joys. I especially loved the chemistry between Aditi and Sanjay, they are so different and yet their scenes together are fun and sizzling. Even the sensual bits are tastefully described. Aditi a little deviant, Sanjay a workaholic. Jayshree wanting to invite a little excitement in their life yet afraid to go the entire Mayank way.


Emotional scenes where serendipity struck more than a few times - how despite being together people stray in a relationship as they do not get enough attention and time from their partner, warding off boredom by means of something novel even if its not socially or personally acceptable, the concept of space and boundaries in a relationship, feeling helpless though intent and effort is right, men comfy in their unkempt skin while ladies obsess even if they look like fairies, envy and insecurity even if person publicly and formally your own....


Being an English virtuoso, I could not miss the typos and grammatical glitches, but thankfully they were few and insignificant. The drama quotient is upped a few notches towards the end, and while it is not innovative, it is what flows naturally.

I might be toeing the line here but I will go as far as to say that I liked reading this one better than Ravana, Oath of Vayuputras (Shiva trilogy by Amish) and Chanakya Chant. Writers these days are very talented and intelligent, but most of them cannot prevent the story from dragging. In my opinion, that is the biggest roadblock for Indian writers. Talk about Jeffrey Archer whose Clifton chronicles is about to unleash its third wave, or all those courtroom and thriller writing authors - they all have such a grip on the reader's mind that he cannot relax until the last page has been turned. What finesse! What genius! Got loads to learn, rising Indian stars.


Professionalism and customer service in India have a long way to go as well. My husband is battling with Kotak Mahindra while I am locking horns with Reliance Internet over pathetic service and unacceptable customer care. Hardly had I typed this, when Airtel decided to join the bandwagon with their ridiculour security checks and unwillingness to help. So much so, that they disconnect calls when they cannot help or you wont accept their word. So much time and money wasted. Not to mention frustration and irritation. But finally what can we do about it? Nothing. This is India after all... Customers are a pain in the a$$ here.


About the LBT - Local Body Tax or something... I'm so done with this strike in Pune that began over 2 weeks ago. Whoever applies the tax and whoever pays it, it is only burning a hole in the consumer's pocket. So why all the drama? We were mute when petrol prices were hiked and we will be helpless when they raise costs of other commodities. So why this chaos? What difference does it make to anybody else really? We're at the losing end no matter what... If only they'd tax Sharad Pawar, Vijay Mallya and other millionaires, everybody else would be spared.

That's about it for now...


Wait. Before I sign out, I must share this.... A trainee at work met with an accident and he is no more. I am shocked with this news, and it serves to remind us that life is unpredictable. Be the best you can be and live life to the fullest. Don't regret and don't hurt anyone. Make this a wonderful memory that you and everyone else remembers with bliss.


Until we meet next...



Cheerio!

Princess  

No Alvida's

He got into the lift just as she was about to close the door.

She had thought about this moment several times in the past month, but fortunately or unfortunately, it had never occurred before today.


She had moved into the massive corporate complex at HWG Corp and she knew that sooner or later they would bump into each other. Her ex had been with the same company for the last 7 years and she knew he worked at the same site as the one she had been posted to.


They looked at each other for a brief second and then looked away. Neither knew what to say or think. Having dated for 5 years, they definitely had "something" between them and ignoring was way too rude. Yet, now that they were both married, too much conversation was inappropriate. Civil was the way to go.

"Hi", he said shyly, before she could say anything. She recalled that he had always been shy and polite. Even when he was wooing her, she had not figured it out until well over 5 months later.


"Hey, how are you?", she replied. She really wanted to know, they hadn't spoken in ages...


"Good. And how is married life?"

He knew she was married. Hmm. Did that mean anything? She decided not to think about that too much.


"Great."

He keeps telling me he loves me, but I don't feel very loved most of the times... is what she actually wanted to say. But then, everyone knew that these conversation starters were not meant to be taken literally. "Good" and "great" were the only responses one was looking for when they enquired.


She looked at him carefully, taking care not to stare. He was wearing a checked shirt of his favorite color blue. His face looked chubbier than before, but everything else looked the same - his big sparkling eyes, his upturned nose, his wide smile and hesitant body language...


"So, how's work?" She asked him casually.


"Good. Are you still with Global Wiz?"

"No, I have joined HWG. It's been a month."


"That's great. You will like it here."


"I hope so. Thanks!"


Such inane chats were never her forte. Nor his. They had long conversations earlier where he told her about the world she knew nothing about - business, economy, GK, and the like. And she told him about nightlife, latest trends, astrology and gaming. Soon their conversations dwindled. While he pampered her and loved her more than his life, she realised there was a generation gap between them that they would never be able to bridge. When she had expressed a desire to move on with their lives separately, he had lashed out and pleaded in turns. But just as destiny had brought them together without warning, it flung them apart in a jiffy. He had gone on to get married to a girl within his caste. She had found her heart and soul in a guy that she had recently got hitched to.

As this history flashed in her mind, she noticed that the floors weren't changing. The lift was stuck! A complex like HWG and a power cut? No way!!


He pressed the alarm button calmly and smiled at her to reassure her. A bell rang to signal that there were people in distress.


Some things never change - he was still as gracious and responsible as always.


The light came back on and the lift started moving. What the hell was she thinking? This wasn't a movie where stalled lifts gave way to romantic encounters and out of the blue realizations about hidden emotions.


Her floor arrived. She got off gingerly and looked back to say bye. He was already looking at his mobile and just as he was about to dial a number, he looked up and saw the doors closing.


Sometimes, its better not to say bye. Who knows when we will meet again....  

- Princess