Bye bye 2016! You will not be missed (just kidding)

We are at the end of 2016, time to review the year. I can straight away say, without batting an eyelid, that 2016 has been the hardest year of my life. Not only has it been physically exhausting but it has drained me emotionally too. Even then, as you can see, I cannot bear to tell it off :D Let’s do a quick review of my resolutions. I think I have made enough, to last a decade :P

Financially, I have done well. I have managed to limit my shopping and the use of wallets and coupon codes have saved me a lot. I started investing in mutual funds too. Although I have not set up a separate vacation fund, I am saving up. Getting the documents on cloud storage is yet to be done. On the health front, my love-hate relationship with gym continues. I need to work on my diet and sleep schedule. I have definitely scored on the hobbies aspect with my monthly book review and felt crafts. I haven’t found a chance to volunteer anywhere and my cooking is still a bit rusty :P Looking at my Lifestyle goals, I am seriously thinking of rewriting them. I have failed terribly at all except setting up a business. The well-being part is the most neglected part of my resolution list and I feel that is what made my year so miserable.

The long trips to Bellandur has taken a toll on my body. I am too tired to work out, which means I lose all my happy endorphin. Work wise, nothing interesting has come up, creating a boring routine. My promotion has been postponed by yet another year, although I managed to get rank 1 in the appraisals. Marriage has become a huge question mark. My parents are very supportive but every time a proposal doesn’t go ahead, their worries multiply tenfold. Having done well in every aspect of life, I am reduced to a failure when I see my parents disheartened. Also, I realized that I am a recluse by nature. I don’t enjoy going out as much as other people, especially spontaneous outings. I have been pushing myself too hard to be outdoorsy. On the other hand, I do enjoy spending time with my close ones and get frustrated when they don’t plan anything :D I am such a paradox!

The up side is I ticked off an item on my bucket list by watching the IPL match. I explored my sewing and craft skills (I managed to make a never-ending card) and ended up opening my own shop. I got a tarot reading done, which is a first for me. I am the proud owner of a 70k phone (Yikes!!). I was able to take my parents out for a spiritual trip and managed to squeeze in a friend's wedding too. I am still coping with some disappointments but life is all about moving on, right? :) I almost ruined the new year for my sister when she suggested going out for a party and I was too self-absorbed to go along. Luckily, I came back to earth on time and we are now heading to a grand new year party with lots of performances, good food, hopefully Bollywood music and definitely fun.

I still believe I am God’s favorite child. 2016 has been grueling and cruel, only when compared to my younger days. I hope to learn and mature and get my foothold back. 2017 demands changes and I am up for the challenge. Bring it on!

The Reading Challenge 2016

I am not a very enterprising person. But my sister somehow manages to pass on her crazy ideas and gets me involved too. I still remember how she started playing a number of facebook games. Being a gemini, she quickly lost interest and moved on from one game to another. However, poor me got sucked in to those arcade games, always wanting to move higher up the never-ending levels and reluctant to leave a game half finished. This year she set me up for a reading challenge. Half way through the year, she called me from Germany and said she had seen a lot of challenges on pinterest. Given my epub collection and the fact that we are huge bibliophiles, a reading challenge was perfect for us. This seemed to align with my new year resolution too. So we drew up a list of genres we would like to cover. I even made this cute image, just because I could :P 

We created pinterest boards too so that we could track each other’s progress. Soon, my sister pinned her first book. Not the one to be left behind, I started looking for books from each genre and powered the challenge with full thrust. My OCD rejoiced, having found something to track and obsess over. Here is a list I maintained, so that I could tick off or rather star the genres I had completed :D

* Based on a fairy tale - Beauty
   Based on a protagonist having your occupation - Snow Crash
* Book transalated to English - In other words
* Award winning Book - Matilda
   Romance set in future - The Host
* Under 150 pages - Memories
* Book that is becoming a movie - The girl on the train
* Self improvement book - Unposted Letter
* Book written by a celebrity - Mrs.Funnybones
* Book at least 100 years older than you - A Christmas Carol
* Science fiction novel - Deception Point
* Book published this year - The scandal
* Murder mystery - Girl on a train
   Book written by a comedian - Bossypants
* Dystopian novel - Hunger Games
* Book with a blue cover - The Art of Racing in the Rain
* Autobiography - The Diary of a Young Girl
* Book about a road trip - A walk in the woods
* Book about a culture you are unfamiliar with - A Thousand Splendid suns
* Book that takes place on an island - Anne of Green Gables
* Book that is guaranteed to bring you joy - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Princ
* Satirical book - Animal Farm
   Book based on summer - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
* Political memoir - Malala 

Being competitive by nature, I devoured books one after the other. But I was also careful to ensure that I was not carried away by the challenge. I tried to understand the book’s intent and what I was taking away from it, often writing reviews here debating the pros and cons. As December approached, I realized that I will not be able to finish the challenge with five more books remaining on the list. I shared my sorrow with my sister only to find out that she had made only one more addition to her board!! Now you know how sisters torture their younger siblings :(

Although I have made a mental note not to do any more challenges with my sister, I am glad I did this one. We handpicked genres for the challenge, including the ones we were not very fond of and some that we hated. For example, it is very unlikely that I would have picked up a travelogue and a satirical book was definitely not on my list. I finally read books such as ‘Matilda’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’ which I meant to do since a long time. I even found gems such as ‘Anne of Green Gables’ and ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’. A pleasant surprise came in the form of ‘Animal Farm’ which proved to be much more engaging than I expected. I also discovered a latent prejudice in me, which I knew existed but in much more magnitude than I thought. India and Pakistan share a strained relationship. However, I got to know how strained when my mind refused to read ‘I am Malala’ for the political memoir just because it was written by a Pakistani. I think my annoyance also stemmed from the fact that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 was shared between her and Kailash Satyarthi from India, which I thought was unfair. I boycotted the book for quite some time before realizing that even Kailash Satyarthi may not be as bothered about this issue as me. Good sense prevailed and I started reading the book. I have found it interesting so far, occasionally smiling at Malala’s showing off, which she deserves to do BTW :)

So, that’s the story of our great Reading Challenge. 20/24 is not a bad score I guess. I don’t know if I will ever complete the challenge. Chances of my OCD taking over are huge, but my laziness is a powerful opponent by itself. So, what do you think will happen? Who is betting against what? :P

Snips n Strokes

Hello people, I have really exciting news to share! It's been one of my ambitions to be an entrepreneur. I have toyed with the idea for a long time, considering various options. Anything involving physical labor is hard. Not only does it demand a lot of time, the logistics are going to be a pain too. Thanks to all my pinteresting, I came across journals and planners. Especially, Project Life journals and Erin Condren planners. Trust me, people take these very seriously. And I can understand why :) Being an insufferable planner myself, this seems the perfect way to combine work and fun. Also, it takes away the pressure of making those too good to be true scrapbooks!

So, coming back to my business idea, I thought why not journaling cards and planner stickers? I can create digital files and sell them on an online platform like Etsy. And that’s what I did :) The fruits of my labor are now elegantly displayed in my online shop *drum roll* ‘Snips n Strokes’ *claps and whistles*. Here, I plan to sell digital art such as pattern papers and scrapbook elements too. It is like my first born baby and I have recorded the date and time of it's entry into this world - 24th December 2016, 7:15 PM.

I have always believed that it is necessary to have a backup skill. In case I happen to lose my job or suffer a burn out, I wanted to have an alternative source of income. Some means of financial stability. Granted, this does not pay much. But it does a lot to my confidence :) Also, it provides the much needed creative outlet I need. I hope to keep working on it as much as I can. I have not started out with huge expectations, but the day I make my first sale will definitely be one of the biggest moments of my life!

Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The last book review for this year! *wipes corner of eye* Tears apart, I am quite happy to announce the finale with “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. It is a dystopian trilogy and I have only read the first book so far. Dystopia is a conceptual view of a society characterized by a drastic change in environment or government, towards the negative extreme. Living conditions are pathetic due to deprivation or oppression. “The Hunger Games” takes place in post-apocalyptic North America called Panem. It is divided into thirteen districts identified only by numbers, governed by the Capitol. Each of the districts is assigned an occupation like 11 for agriculture and 12 for coal mining. District 13 dares to rebel against the Capitol and is wiped off the map. As forethought to quell any future thoughts of rebellion, the Capitol designs a competition in which a boy and a girl, aged between 12 and 18, are chosen from each district, to fight for survival by killing off each other. They call this ‘The Hunger Games’ and turn it into a televised event, like the reality show these days, with mandatory participation from each district. The underlying message – we are in control of your life and you can do nothing about it.

Although I found the language a bit simple, the writing is fast paced and engaging. Things happen quickly enough to keep the adrenaline pumping and yet this works against the book too. Sometimes a bit of high tension drama is needed to get the readers curious about how things unwind. Katniss is a very strong female character and I have to admit I kept imagining Jennifer Lawrence in every scene :) She has been taking care of her family since her father’s demise by hunting for food in the forests and cutting deals in the black market. This gives her a strong background, defines her no nonsense personality and makes her a tough competitor with the much needed survival skills. I also love that she is not a damsel in distress. Rather she takes care of Peeta, her companion from District 12, and is openly shown to be more capable than him owing to her brought up. She is sensitive towards the people she loves and does not appear shallow or self centred.

The problem with reading books from a specific genre is to constantly remind ourselves to look at things from the perspective of the target audience. In this case - young adults. May be I have had too much of Game of Thrones, the book seemed too tame for a dystopian world. However, I am not talking about the violence aspect of it. An oppressive government is all about mind games. The whole point of taking in kids is to create terror in the minds of the people. But everybody in the book seems to be indifferent about it, almost accepting it as a way of life. Even within the game, I expected situations that would push contestants to extremes, thereby bringing back the primal instincts of mankind – kill to survive. The competition is ironically named ‘The Hunger Games’ but there is never a lack of food. There are man-made calamities like fire and thunder but no real predators or reptiles. Water is almost always found. Although, I’ll say the wolf mutations made to resemble ex-contestants was inspired.

I am okay with the violence toned down. What about moral ambiguity? The author plays way too safe by justifying every one of Kat’s kills. It is garbed as an indirect insect attack, served as moral justice or simply treated as mercy killing. The other contestants are conveniently wiped out and we do not even get to know how. Kat is extremely lucky being saved twice. My heart went out to the quick witted and elusive Foxface who met an unfortunate death. I have no second thoughts about Kat’s capability, but I would have really liked to see what she would have done, had she been forced to choose between Peeta and Rue or between Rue and herself. At the end of the day, I would like to take away something from the book that will compel me to think beyond my comfort zone.

Despite the above, I was still with the book. But the climax was a huge letdown for me. A faceoff between Cato and Katniss would have brought home the point that we have conveniently forgotten through the course of the novel. Be it utopia or dystopia, children are pure and innocent, and using them as sacrificial lambs is inhumane. Will the survivor ever be able to live a life weighed down by the deaths of 23 others like him? Add to it, the totally unnecessary love angle. How do spectators even connect with the idea of love when kids are being murdered so brutally? I would have liked to see Kat as an independent girl who fights for a cause, rather than be reduced to a Bella Swan whose priority in life, after witnessing cruelty at such close range, is choosing between two boys. I got to know that the district gears up for a rebellion after the sequel. Yet, what a shame that the first book ended on such a low note.

Secret Santa Mystery

So there I was, cribbing to whoever had the patience to listen to me about how much I missed playing secret Santa. Our hectic schedules and long travel did not allow these luxuries. Imagine my surprise when I come to my desk to find this.

Gift #1 - Bouquet

Yep, there is this lovely bouquet of orchids sitting on my desk along with a sweet note! :D I couldn't believe my eyes! Who could have sent me such beautiful (and expensive) flowers? I had four main suspects - my sister A, my partner in crime M, my seedha saadha friend R (yes, the lucky guy who got the felt toys) and the monkey C. C is in the US and went straight out of my list. R did not have motive and M did not have opportunity, since she was in a meeting with me. A doesn't have access to our office. So whodunit??

The curious me tossed and turned through the night but did not get any more clues. The next day, work pushed the flowers out of my mind.  Post lunch, M sat down to have a quick skype chat with her hubby and I went to meet A. When I came to my cube, hidden below my desk was this.

Gift #2 - Red Velvet Cake

My favorite Red Velvet Cake!!! And look, there was a secret message on it. But to add to my woes, that message was smudged :( R was not at work that day and M seemed to be skyping. A was with me! So who kept the cake? I had serious doubts on M and gave her a taste of my interrogation skills :P She came out clean and said she had nothing to do with the cake. Then an idea struck us. We called 'Warm Oven' who had delivered the cake. Initially, it looked like my luck had run out but then the voice on the other side of the phone said a name.

Guess who, guess who?

Bingo! It's my sis!! Lol! Had to be her right? She has always been so indulgent towards me. Nothing but the best for her chotu. She had enlisted Agents M & R to carry out her plans, which they did excellently. But they couldn't outwit me :P I think A was a bit cross at me for playing Sherlock, however I managed to mollify her :) I have always got my way with her. She loves me a lot and wants to fulfill every wish of mine.  My week had not been going well and she wanted to cheer me up. Am I not the luckiest person ever? :)

Wait, this is not the end. There were more gifts to follow. My sis had planned a whole week of surprises for me :D Unfortunately I couldn't get pics of everything and I did not want to delay this post anymore. I got a wonder woman bag, cinderella shoes, couple of books and a very cute panda which looks just like me :P

Gift #3 - Cinderella shoes

Gift #4 - Angry panda

Psst: In case you were wondering, the message on the cake said "Ho ho ho..". Would have been an awesome hint, no? :D

Those four shades

I wish I could write as well as this..

https://sahajapatel.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/those-four-shades/

Book Review: Unposted Letter by Mahatria

This month’s book review is claimed by ‘Unposted Letter’ – a collection of insights to life by Mahatria. Let me warn beforehand that you will take a long time to finish this book. Not because it is a hard read. But for the sole reason that you will want to understand what is being said, introspect to see how well it relates to your life and take time to incorporate it immediately. This book does not unravel the mysteries of life or preach philosophy and religion. There is a high probability of you already knowing most of its content. What this book actually does is act as a refresher for all that we learnt as we grew up.

Daily life is a struggle, for everybody. Be it rich or poor, young or old. Each one has his own set of challenges. And in trying to cope with the responsibilities, we often find ourselves getting angry, stressed or depressed. But, there are times when we feel happy and contented too. In this state of buoyancy, we often rise above the mundane and wonder why human beings can’t be at peace with what they have. Why is there a constant greed for more? This brief period of enlightenment tells us not to want more but to do more. And we do try to act on it. For the whole of that day, we try to be a bit more patient, a bit more understanding and a bit more selfless. Unfortunately, the next morning we relapse into our usual state of neglect.

This is where the book helps us. It acts as a medium to reach the neutral state of mind, in a faster way. Each of the simple chapters tells us how we can lead a better life just by trying to be a better person ourselves rather than waiting for the whole world to change. Tolerance prevails as the main theme. An old song from the Hindi movie ‘Guddi’ beautifully summarizes the entire book in these few lines -

Humko man ki shakti dena, man vijay karein
Doosron ki jai se pehle khud ko jai karein

(Give us the maturity to gain control of our mind
Let us triumph over our evils before correcting the mistakes of others)

The general attitude when reading self-improvement books is to question and argue with the beliefs of the author. I am not condoning it. In fact, I have almost never accepted any philosophy without question. It is not arrogance. It is genuine curiosity to know the pros and cons of a subject in order to understand it completely. Some of the teachings in the book may seem contradictory. For example, one of the chapters says that “love is not love that pampers”. Love will constantly provide feedback so that you can improve on your shortcomings and become a better person. But another chapter says “Do not benchmark expectations”. Everybody has their positives and negatives. We must stop focusing on isolated qualities and start relating to the whole being. So, should you help others overcome their negatives or cut them some slack and choose to see their positives instead? Of course, mull over it a bit and you will understand that the teacher is asking us not to obsess over the flaws of your loved ones. What I am trying to say is do not take a cynical approach. Read the book with an open mind. You will have questions, which is a good sign, because you are taking the content seriously. However, do not stop there. Discuss it with family and friends, anyone you deem fit. Arrive at your own beliefs. You are fully allowed to develop your own opinion as long as you have arrived at it in a holistic manner.

I won’t dwell on why we should read this book because the reason for picking up a self-improvement book is self-explanatory. This particular book appealed to me because it is not heavy duty like most other books of this genre. It suggests making simple changes to everyday life which can be followed by anybody willing to make the change. I don’t recommend it as a must read. I recommend it as a daily read. Stay in touch with it until it becomes a part of you. Let your heart rejoice in its new found peace.

Buy n Save

I had been thinking of buying some clothes online. There was a BOGO offer going on in an online clothing store yesterday. I selected two tops each costing Rs.795. They had free shipping on orders above Rs.995. Since there was nothing reasonable for 200 bucks, I did not add any more items. The total amount with delivery charges and VAT came up to Rs.874. When I went to check-out, I was pleasantly surprised to know that the store had credited me with Rs.200 :D Happily, I decided to pay my bill of Rs.674 using my online wallet. The best part is that I had Rs.150 in this wallet as cashback from some other transaction. I paid Rs.524 like a boss and could hear some reward points falling in my credit card kitty :P As you understand, I had to brag about my great achievement to somebody and my parents were selected for the honor. I saw them suppressing smiles, though they pretended to listen to my tales of kanjoosi with absolute awe. But I chose to be smug about it :P As I walked back contented, I received a message. It was from my online wallet company and said I had received a 10% cashback for my recent transaction!! I went running to my parents to announce the message and all of us rolled in laughter :D If we were to do some quick math, the actual bill amount with revised VAT is Rs.1709. I paid just Rs.524. So I got a whopping discount of Rs.1185 which is almost 70%!! Now, that is a very very satisfying shopping experience! ;)

Up in the Loft

Yesterday, we went to this amazing place called Loft 38 in Indiranagar. Although we have been having a slew of parties recently, this was a proper night out with the dirty dozen. The lounge bar looks exquisite with a high roof and purple lights creating an electric atmosphere. The dance floor is the focal point on the ground floor with tables placed on different levels at the sides. Perfectly suitable for those moods when you want mehfil mein tanhai, privacy amidst chaos :) We got our private space on the second floor with our very own drinks counter. The dance floor has a bar nearby and was beginning to get crowded by 10 P.M. Towards midnight the place was jam packed!

For starters, we had Crispy Avocado Pastry, Nachos, Peri Peri Basa, Go Chu Jang Chicken and Chicken wings. All of them were yum especially the Avocado Pastry. I skipped main course which looked reasonable. However, the walnut brownies and vanilla pannacotta with strawberry coulee were deeliiiccious!! My heavily watered Virgin Mojito was a let down. The fruit punch kind of made up for it but I heard the cocktails were better. All the same, I stuck to orange juice for the better part of the night because you need vitamin C for non-stop dancing! We had DJ Answer churning out music. It wasn’t exactly dhik-chik dhik-chik but we were more than glad that it wasn’t like the trance we got to experience at Blue Frog. There was one particular guy who caught my attention. It looked like he had come alone but that did not keep him away from the dance floor. He was unstoppable going from hip hop to Bollywood like a man under spell. When I wasn’t dancing, I was busy admiring his moves :D

An evening of fun was about to end with a long-lost tradition - being thrown out by bouncers :P We were amongst the last ones to leave. As we sat waiting in our cab for the traffic to clear out, I was mindlessly staring at the cab ahead of us on the next lane. Out of nowhere, a bike sped straight ahead and hit the cab! Bam!! Fortunately, there was no bloodshed, just a dent on the car. As the rider got back on his feet, I noticed that he was the same guy who waited on us in Tipsy Bull last week. Such a small world. It also made me wish we had gone home sooner. I am terribly scared of accidents and watching one at close quarters does not help.

Although, I was initially reluctant to attend the party yesterday, I am glad I did. Bangalore is my birth place and I am totally in love with it. Being alien to its happening night life, which has become a distinctive feature of this beautiful city, does not go down well with me. And thanks to my cousins, lazy-ass me gets to be a part of it :P More than that, there was this really special moment when one of my brothers called me aside and said “You are my sweet sister. We will always be by your side no matter what. You don’t have to worry at all. We will stay together”. Ignoring the fact that he was terribly high :P and that I have no brother of my own, this rare display of affection caught me off-guard. I looked around and realized that despite all my cribbing, I love each and every one of them. I am so happy and grateful to have this mad, crazy family with me. We do have our share of squabbling and back-biting. But I also know that we will always be there for each other. And that, my friends, is the best feeling of all :)

Book Review: Matilda by Roald Dahl

For this month’s book review, I picked up Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’. I originally wanted to read ‘Confederacy of Dunces’ by John Kennedy because it would cross off one more category on my Reading Challenge – award winning book. Due to lack of time and because I was in a mood for children’s books, I opted for ‘Matilda’. I knew it was a book about a girl who loved reading which made it all the more compelling. It is a small book and I finished reading it in few hours.

Roald Dahl starts off describing the two kinds of parents. The first are parents who can never see a fault in their offspring. The second are those who fail to see the virtues of their kids. Although rare, they do exist. Matilda is the story of a precocious kid who is born to the second type of parents. Narrow minded and stereotypical, they believe girls are meant to look pretty and snag handsome husbands while the boys are the ones to continue their legacy. Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood are incapable of seeing Matilda’s prowess despite knowing the fact that she taught herself to read and is very good at math. However, Matilda is not someone who goes in quietly. She plans her revenge and gets back at her parents. The situation gets better for Matilda when she starts school. She meets the amiable teacher, Miss. Honey, who understands Matilda and provides her the much needed emotional support. However, she also has to deal with the evil principal Miss. Trunchbull who derives pleasure in terrorizing students and teachers alike. How Matilda gets the better of Miss. Trunchbull and finds her true calling with the help of Miss. Honey forms the rest of the story.

I think the author tried to represent every factor that influences a kid as a character in the book. For example, Matilda’s parents stand for every important person in our life whose lack of trust in us deprives us of the courage to fly. Miss. Trunchbull represents all the bullies who are forever trying to break us down. Miss. Honey tells us how a bit of understanding and encouragement can do wonders. And finally, Matilda shows how positivity and confidence can help us get past every obstacle. When Matilda is with her parents, she is neglected and ridiculed. Yet, she finds ways to nurture her love for books. She stands up for herself and others and takes on the mighty Miss. Trunchbull all because she believed in herself and her strengths. I enjoyed the part where tables are turned on the formidable headmistress.

This is a highly acclaimed book. I was hesitant to give it only 2 stars out of five which means I found the book just okay. The situations in the book seemed highly exaggerated to me. I say this after reading Anne of Green Gables! And I am not referring to Matilda’s extraordinary reading capabilities or amazing telekinesis. It is more about the storyline I guess. The book turns violent and abusive at places. For example, Matilda gluing her dad’s hat to his head using a super strong adhesive or making him dye his hair platinum blonde seems extreme. I was horrified to read that Miss. Trunchbull picked up kids by their pigtails or ears and hurled them outside the window or across the playground! I honestly would not want my kids or anybody else’s for that matter to read such content at a highly impressionable age. I cannot summon a laugh even if I wanted to while reading lines that addressed kids as different types of parasites or infections. I am kind of relieved that I did not read this book when I was a kid. I still remember being scared to death after watching an old Hindi movie called ‘King Uncle’ where the orphan kid is made to sit in various kinds of roller coasters in the middle of the night and at one point of time, the evil uncle and aunt peel off their eyebrows!! Eeeww..

Also, I find it very annoying when enough insight is not provided on why a character is the way he/she is. I understand that some characteristics are inborn but not every person can be so one-dimensional. Why do Matilda’s parents hate her to the extent that they readily disowned her? How come none of the parents and teachers complains against Miss. Trunchbull’s atrocities? I would have liked the author to describe what a person’s environment or upbringing can do to his nature. And then prove by example, that like Matilda, we always have a choice on how we let circumstances affect us. Even the conclusion was quite abrupt, almost like a rushed fairy tale ending. The book doesn’t show a single character regretting their action or turning over a new leaf.

However, while reading about the book on the net, I found adorable pictures and videos of the screen adaptation of Matilda. I searched for the trailer and seems like they have added a lot more scenes to the movie version. The girl who plays the protagonist looked like she fits the role to a T. I guarantee you that the movie looks way better than the illustrations in the actual book. I have a feeling that this might just be another case where the film turns out to be better than the book. Looking forward to rediscover Matilda :)

Let the fun begin!

I got a lot of gifts for my birthday. One of them is a memory box gifted by my sister. A memory box is a box containing keepsakes related to an important event or person. Usually, people have a memory box for their wedding or when they have a child. But my memory box is going to be more like a time capsule. I plan to put away collectibles through out the next year and seal it. I will open it only after ten years or so. Isn't that exciting? :D

Ever since my sister returned from Germany we haven't had a proper sister's outing. When she was at our place couple of weeks back, she regretted not going out more often. I feel the same. The problem is whenever we get together, we have so much to talk about and do at home that we rarely go out. And that's why I came up with these flash cards. We will try to do one of these every month or so and take a picture while we are at it. This cute shishter snap will then get locked in my memory box and will be available for reminiscing only a decade later! I can't wait already :)

Hayao to the rescue

I spent the best part of last month sewing. To be honest, I need some motivation to get on to my felt crafts. Unless I am stitching for somebody, I don’t feel like picking up the needle and thread. But if you look hard enough, opportunity is bound to present itself to you :) For days together, I was trying to come up with a memorable gift for my friend. And I am not at all joking when I say it’s hard to shop for guys. The best way to gift somebody is to round up their interests and hobbies and get them something related to that. He is a big fan of animated movies and the Hayao Miyazaki movies by Studio Ghibli are his favorite. If you haven’t watched these Japanese animated movies, then you must. The characters are simply adorable. This gave me an idea. Why not make felt toys out of the Studio Ghibli characters! :D And that is precisely what I did. Look below!

Can you identify all of them? :P

Starting from the left, I have named the characters along with the movies they star in.

            Totoro – My neighbor Totoro
          Calcifer – Howl’s Moving Castle
                  Jiji – Kiki’s Delivery Service
          No face – Spirited Away
Dust bunnies – My neighbor Totoro (not in the pic)

The last one is not covered in the pic. I bought black pom-poms and added googly eyes to make them look like the soot bunnies. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of everything and this is the only picture I have. You can see that my stitching is not very commendable :P Totoro’s stitches seem too tight and I ran into a knot when I was finishing up Calcifer. Jiji had its own issues with the eyes melting the first time I tried to stick them using Fevi-kwik (Oops). I did not find time to stitch up No face. My sis and I struggled to glue everything on to his face :D I also wish I had kept everything in the same size. But may be Totoro needs to be a bit bigger than the rest? Hmm.. I don’t know. But I do have a chance to correct my mistakes. You know why? My sister loved these so much that she wants a set all for herself :D 

Yayyy! That’s my first order!! Howzzat :D

Book Review: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

I finally managed to read ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank. Somehow, I perceived this to be a very serious book and hence never ventured to read it when I was younger. I wish I had. The book is easy to read although some words may have to be looked up. Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who went into hiding along with her family in Amsterdam during the Second World War. They hid in the secret annexe of their office along with another family and took in one more man sometime later. After listening to a radio announcement that said diaries and journals maintained during the war will be published as historical documents, Anne made up her mind to record the daily events of her life in a systematic and elaborate manner. The family was in hiding for two years and the book narrates Anne’s experiences in the annexe, her interactions with the others, her thoughts on various subjects and her dreams.

I don’t think it is appropriate to be reviewing someone’s diary. A diary is basically a person on paper. And we have no right to judge a person. A fictional character has traits established by the author. It is easy to criticize when the character doesn’t stay true to its personality. But how do you comment on a real person? Anne’s diary reaches out to us at a personal level. The book may seem to be full of teenage angst. But let me tell you, I had a diary at a similar age and it was no different. There were times when I thought I could have been Anne Frank in my previous birth :) Then again, maybe every other teenager felt so. That’s the reason I think that this book must be read by both adolescents and adults. Anne expected her parents to treat her as an adult but her parents had no clue. These days, it is known as the 'generation gap'. Anne seems bright and mature for her age. She is spunky and has an opinion on everything. I wonder how many kids can cope so well in a restrictive environment. Yet, she is constantly subjected to age bias.

But that does not mean that her parents did not care for her. They ensured that their kids did not miss out on education. They even remembered to bring Anne’s movie poster collection. The only area where they fell short is in understanding their daughter. To be honest, during the first half of the book, even I got tired of listening to Anne’s rants. Then, I imagined myself being cooped up in a small house with several people, not being able to go out, having to eat the same food, listening to the horrifying stories of cruelty being meted out to people and thinking will I be next? I could relate to Anne much better after that. Once I had taken these few steps, the rest of the journey did not take long.

I think the main drawback of the book is incorrect publicity. This book does not describe the holocaust or its atrocities, as often stated. Anne fleetingly touches these topics since she wrote this book when she was in hiding. In fact, I will go to the extent of saying Anne’s family was relatively safe while the diary was being written since they were in the annexe. But it surely affects you when you get to know how these people were denied basic rights. Despite having shelter, the family never felt secure. They had to be on constant vigil. However, Anne’s optimism even in the face of danger is inspiring. You can actually see Anne growing mature and dealing with the situation better.

I realized how important it is to channel our emotions and try to do so in a constructive manner as much as possible. Writing helps me gather my thoughts and reflect on them. It is really sad that Anne never got to experience freedom in the end. The after math is too touching. Anne’s family was compromised and they were arrested by the Gestapo. All her loved ones were separated from her and she herself succumbed to Typhus. It is indeed tragic that the concentration camp where she spent her last days was liberated soon after her death. A special mention goes to all the Germans and Christians who helped the Jews, during dark periods of struggle, without caring about their own safety. Every one of you is a brave heart. After living Anne’s life through her diary, I am happy that at least her book got published, thus fulfilling her lifelong wish. I will sign off with a quote which appeals to both Anne and me..

"Paper is more patient than man."

A birthday to remember

Another birthday has passed! I so wanted to write about it but did not find time at all. That’s because there is so much to tell. Ever since I remember, birthdays in our family have always been more of family get-togethers. It changed a bit when my sister started working. To give her full credit, she has always made it a point to make it special for me :) But these couple of years, everybody tried their best to turn the whole day into a big celebration!

I love birthdays and there is nothing better than surprise gifts :D With my sister back from Germany, I knew she would definitely have something up her sleeve. My birthday fell on a working day this year. So, the previous night, I tucked in to bed early only to be woken up by her. She was in full on party mode and got the karaoke set out. I couldn’t resist and there we were belting out songs at midnight. When the clock struck twelve, I was called out into the hall. There was a decorated table holding a pretty cake baked by my sister. I went through the ceremony with much fanfare. I was overjoyed to see that my usually reticent mom went out of her way and indulged in some PDA just for me :D Couldn’t have imagined a better start!

I started to work with a spring in my step (told you birthdays make me unusually happy). My car pool buddy had a little surprise for me. A spinion!! Okay, I made that up :P It’s actually a minion dressed up like spider man. How cute is that! When I finally got into my cube, my white board had a big ‘Happy Birthday’. Of course, I know it was by my all in one neighbor/team-mate/lunch-mate/partner-in-crime - ‘M’, as I will call her from now on because I think she may keep popping up :P It put a big smile on my face. M did not stop at that. A cute little hand-made box rested on my desk. It had the prettiest earrings ever and a custom made ring. M is into quilling and she had gifted me some of her best stuff. Awww.. It feels so good when someone actually takes out time just to brighten up our day. Of course I realize that love doesn’t always have to be expressed explicitly, but a few gestures like these make such a huge impact.

By afternoon I was hungry for cake :P Guess what? There was a beautiful red velvet cake waiting for me and my friends had remembered to make it eggless too (I don’t eat non-veg on Thursdays). Three quarters of the cake had disappeared by the time I was allowed to open my present (I had to hunt for it all the over the place btw). I unwrapped a 50 piece coloring set which had all the colors I could think of! I was always complaining about not finding the right skin tones and they had remembered (that is if I ever let them forget). They are so sweet! When I returned to my desk, there was one more parcel waiting for me. It’s raining gifts, hallelujah! :D The parcel had two coloring books and the pictures were simply magical! That’s not all. I even got ‘Humans of New York’ books. I usually don’t buy coffee table books even though I long for light reading. These books with bright pictures and a short story are just perfect.

I came home loaded with gifts. Like all other days, this one had to end too. The similarity ends right there because this day had not been like any other day of my life. I drifted into my room in a happy daze. What I saw next was totally unexpected! My room was filled with balloons :D I pushed them away to find a small pink bucket. Further examination revealed that my sister had decided to have a go at my bucket list :P She had filled up the bucket substituting my wishes with funny equivalents :D We had such a good laugh. Just when I thought I was done with surprises, I was greeted by my third cake of the day. A yummy strawberry cheesecake made by my mom and sis. Phew! So that’s the story of how I got my cake thrice and ate it too :D

When I look back, I realize how loved I am and how much my family and friends mean to me. I feel silly for having let a certain situation shadow my entire world. Everything is not perfect and we have to deal with disappointments and let go of expectations. That doesn’t mean the end of life though. We have people around us who are constantly working towards bringing a smile on our face. It may be a direct attempt or an unconscious effort, but we owe it to them. With that, I hope to be much more sensible and lead a better life from now on. Thanks for the wonderful birthday everybody! You make this world a beautiful place for me and I hope to do the same for you.

I wish I had arranged my gifts a bit better.. Oh well!

Book Review: Anne of Green Gables - L.M.Montgomery

This month’s book review is for ‘Anne of Green Gables’ by L.M.Montgomery. I am so happy that my sister recommended this. While she was talking about the TV series, I thought she was referring to the book. The reviews say that the TV series is well adapted but I am sure that I would have preferred reading the book before watching the series, even if I knew about it. As Anne would say “there is more scope for imagination” when reading. This book is so delightful that it simply cannot be limited to a particular age group. I think there are eight books in the series and a couple of chronicles. However, Anne reaches adolescence by the end of Book 1 and I am positive that Book 1 will remain the best of the series just because of the fact that it captures the childhood innocence of Anne. It is probably the first time I gave any book 5 stars.

The plot is simple. Mathew and Marilla Cuthbert want to adopt a boy who can assist Mathew with all the manly chores that need to be done at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island in Canada. They are baffled when a miscommunication brings them Anne (with an ‘e’ mind you) Shirley, a red haired orphan. Although Mathew finds the girl charming, Marilla is worried about taking her in. Through Anne’s incessant chattering, Marilla discovers that the child is lonely and craves for love. Ultimately, they decide to adopt Anne. And with that begins a roller coaster ride of Anne’s adventures in Avonlea accompanied by her frequent bouts of imagination. Book 1 mostly chronicles Anne’s school life, her merry making with friends and her rivalry with Gilbert Blythe, a boy who becomes a permanent victim of Anne’s unforgiving wrath for making fun of her red hair. The book also beautifully portrays how the Cuthberts not only provided Anne a home she longed for but how they found a family in her too.

Right from the start, the narrative flows. Anne is a high strung girl with an equally captivating imagination and a penchant for big words. She perceives the world as a beautiful place and always chooses to see the silver lining. The book is a day to day account of Anne’s life with everyday problems. The ordinariness of the problems is what appealed to me the most. There is no melodrama in the situation itself although Anne describes them in a very colorful manner. Her never ending monologues are very amusing and never seem repetitive. Marilla’s sensible upbringing and Mathew’s occasional pampering can teach a lesson or two to modern day parenting. Even though Anne is impulsive and often lost in day dreams, she is never selfish. She is well aware of her blessings and dutiful towards responsibilities. Anne makes us realize how important it is to never lose the child in us. There is always something good to look forward to. To quote her again,

“It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.”

A narwhal for sis

The next edition of felting joys is here! My sister just returned from Germany and she came back loaded with presents for me. Yep, that's why you need a sister :P I bought her some gifts too. But then, nothing beats a DIY right? With my new found crafting talent, I had to make her a felt doll (coz she asked me to :S). I wanted something cute and magical. I think fairies and unicorns are all over the place. I wanted something different. I kept poking around and there it was! A narwhal!! As per wiki, the narwhal, or narwhale, is a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. Now let me warn you. A narwhal is a scary looking creature and nowhere near cute. Look below if you don't believe me.

However, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder they say. Proving this right, the creative people around the world have brought out the cute side of the narwhal. And although, I haven't heard of any magical stories associated with the narwhal, its prominent tooth is treated like a unicorn's horn, just to give it a magical touch. Based on the template from here, I made this enchanted creature! Hope it brings lots of luck and a big smile on my sister's face :)

Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

This month’s book review is late. Even though I finished reading Khaled Hosseini’s ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ some time back, I never got around to reviewing it. But that does not mean that the book is not interesting enough. Rather, it had me captivated from the start to the end. The blend of Afghan words in the narration is very natural and the detailed description of the scenarios paints a clear picture in the mind. It effortlessly transports the reader to Afghanistan. The book is about two women whose lives have always been determined by the men around them. Yes, the story is definitely not feminist but so is the case with the place and the period in which the story is based. Mariam is the illegitimate child of a wealthy trader who is married off to an aged widower. Her inability to conceive becomes the sore point for her husband who finds himself a younger and prettier wife. Mariam, who initially hates Laila for stealing her husband, later realizes that Laila comes with her own baggage. The prisoners of pain gradually become each other’s strength. But are they powerful enough to challenge the misogynist society and change their destiny is the big question. 

The tale is set in a war backdrop. However, the emotional connect is huge. Mariam’s childhood makes you wonder who is better – a mother who prepares her child to face the harsh realities of the world by crushing her confidence or a father who lures his kid into a false sense of security by providing her momentary happiness. Both of them are wrong. I feel very sad for the children who suffer in the hands of their insensible creators. Yet, the human mind is capable of so much more. Even though Mariam enters wedlock without any love for her husband, she tries to find happiness in it. The determination inherent in women is super imposed when Laila conspires to defy the rules and own her life. The subject of domestic violence is not glossed over and handled very well. The story also deals with how political upheavals affect the citizens of a country. Although the commoners only wish for peace, the government fails to give them that. Their hopes are raised and crushed with each new governing entity. That is why I love the book’s climax where the protagonist decides to go back to her roots. Rather than being relieved to have escaped her drudgery, never to look back, she goes back to the very core and works to make the world a better place.

Honestly, I found the book upsetting and nail biting at the same time. It made me feel helpless when looking at the plight of the people involved. But then, it also made me rebellious and cheer for the protagonists to claim their right. I was so involved in the plot that I failed to notice anything else. By far, the only criticism I came across for this book is that it is too depressing and the narrative is repetitive when compared to the author’s other books. I cannot comment on the second point because I haven’t read Hosseini’s other books. However, I do not agree with the first. Some things should be shown as they are. As I turned pages, how I wished to read the book without a sense of foreboding. Every small ray of happiness put my senses on high alert. I kept dreading that something terrible was about to come. Imagine if that was your life. If you had to constantly live in fear with no hope of escape. I am so grateful to be living in a liberated society with freedom to speak, wear and do whatever I choose. Books like these make us appreciate the blessings in our life. There are no fairy godmothers to change fortunes. There are people who are actually living the life described in the book and we better sit up and take notice before we become one among them.

The day he made French Toast

Today was an ordinary day and I was not particularly excited about anything. My dad picked me on my way back home. After the usual talks, he said mom was going to make French toast. French toast is my most favorite dish and I can have it anytime any day! :P My appetite woke up and I couldn’t wait to get home. Eagerly, I asked mom for food. She said there is some rice and chicken. What?! I cannot even describe the disappointment that washed over me :( Apparently, dad was joking. After it became clear that there was no French toast coming, I ate my dinner unenthusiastically. I made plans to cook French toast for breakfast tomorrow. With that in mind, I sat watching TV. Sometime later, Dad checked on me. He enquired about my dinner and left me to myself. As I turn off the TV, I hear some noises. Starting to feel wary, I step into the kitchen and see dad making French toast!! My dad, who doesn’t even make tea for himself, was making French toast for me! :D I was so sooo surprised! Of course, my mom loves me too. But she is very laid back. However, my dad pulls out such a stunt once in a while which totally floors me and my sis! I feel so blessed to have such caring parents. Every family has its own set of problems, but every family has its own moments of togetherness too. And today is one such day which strengthened the bond between me and my dad. Thanks papa :)

The burden of unspoken words

We never stopped talking. Like a chain of thoughts always connected to each other. When one broke off, the other picked up. It was such an easy camaraderie. The kind where one did not have to think before speaking. And yet, here we are. A pair of islands in the ocean. Connected and detached at the same time. We remain face to face, incapable of eliminating the barrier between us. The distance pains me. When I cannot fathom the intent behind your words. When I know you are upset but cannot cross the boundary of personal space. The times you say something random and I yearn to know what went on in that mind of yours. I wish to be so integral to your life that I don't have to rely on guesswork. However, I know that islands are bound and cannot move. Unless, there is an act of God. A tremor that could make the ripples in the ocean favor us. The very barrier separating us could become our biggest ally in uniting us. I picture us together and I swear I can spend my whole life wishing for it to happen.

But I cannot. As much as I would like it, I do realise that a tremor in our life could mean an earthquake for the rest of the world. As my daydream ends, I cradle all my thoughts in my bosom. They must remain within me. I don't know what catastrophies will arise when I unleash my words upon the world. Most importantly, upon you. Like dewdrops on a rose waiting to fall off, the urge to let the words slip through my lips is uncontrollable. I use up all my strength to remain mum, but the heart doesn't surrender so easily. It wants to be heard, to be comforted. It misses the reassurance it has been accustomed to. I grow weary of the continuous turmoil. I finally throw away the mask of false bravery and collapse to the ground. The burden of unspoken words seems to feel a bit lighter, as they find a way to escape through my eyes.

iGadgets

Whoa! I am suddenly in possession of two cool Apple products. I can't believe it! I love listening to music when am working out. Also, I wanted a dedicated music player on which I could watch video too. After looking at various products I decided that an iPod is the best choice. Since I was looking for something very light and portable, I went for an iPod nano. This is the first time I am splurging my salary on a luxury! Trust me, nothing can beat this feeling!! :D

At the same time, my uncle decided that it is time he adopted me into the Apple family. He went big and got me an iPhone 6s plus!! Now me, being a hardcore Android fan, did not warm up to the idea at all. That is, until I set my eyes on this ethereal being :P No wonder the color is called space gray. After some research (which means making absolutely sure that my favorite google apps are available on iOS too), I gave in to temptation. Yesss! Am moving to iPhone. You saw that coming right? :D

Check out these beauties! Yayyy to better photos. Hopefully my collage making skills improve too :S

The earbuds fit into the ear so well and I just love the lightning connector. Nobody can beat the Apple finish. However, even now, I am much more excited about my iPod. I mean, look at that hot pink shade! I even got a personal quote on it which goes "The key to a woman's heart is hidden in her playlist". Get it? ;) This is so meee!! I am yet to learn how to use the iPhone, it seems like a totally different world. But am looking forward to the experience :)

One of those days

It’s one of those days again. Days that are too heavy to bear. The load of it keeps me rooted to the ground, while life rushes like time lapse photography. Everything is flying past me in a blur and I am not able to hold on. I don’t feel the urge to. I wish to be ignored, like a useless piece of furniture. Excluded from the mundane discussions of everyday life.

There was a time when just clearing my desk uncluttered my mind. But today, even the utmost focus is not helping me discern the numerous thoughts in my head. My brain has become a labyrinth of chambers and I don’t know what is stored where. I wish I could turn it upside down like a school bag. Toss out the rubbish and stash the keepsakes. Make space for new thoughts. And go about with the proud feeling of someone who has everything sorted out.

But here I am. Unable to describe my situation. A stranger among my own. Every happy thought seeming like a faraway memory. Despair thick in the air. I seem to be treading on soft ground. Utterly lost, unsure of when the land might give away. Half wishing it would so that I don’t have to worry about a destination. I had a dream, built on confidence and hope. The vision is hazy now. My patience wears thin and I am consumed by self-doubt. My decisions mock me. Pestering me to retrace my steps.

If only there was a way to turn back time. But would it change anything? If I could gaze into a crystal ball and see my future back then, would I have made different choices? May be. May be not. I am not completely sure. I do not regret my life. I have not wandered into a path of no return. The thought itself is so comforting. I know I can still make it work. I just have to dig deep and find myself. After all, life is a journey of discovering oneself.

Book Review: The Scandal by John Grisham

This month, I picked up ‘The Scandal’ for my monthly review. Although I read few other books too this month, I chose this one for review because it belongs to a different genre. The Theodore Boone series by John Grisham is targeted at the middle grade kids (8-13 year olds). I am doing a reading challenge with my sister (more about it later) and one of the challenges is to read a book released this year. I like crime-based law and who better than John Grisham to write about this. Only after checking out this book on Goodreads did I realize that this is a novel for children. I grew up reading The Famous Five, The Secret Seven and Nancy Drew. So I was curious to know what the new generation was being presented with.

It is a small book spanning across 138 pages. Just right for 8-13 year olds. Theo, short for Theodore, is born to lawyer parents. It is only natural that he has a keen interest in law. He is precocious and is the only kid lawyer in town. ‘The Scandal’ is the sixth book in the Theodore Boone series and deals with cheating in standardized tests. The district of Strattenburg has to go through a state wide standardized testing format for the eighth graders based on which the students will be grouped into three categories. The top ten percent are taken into honors, the second batch will be intermediate and the bottom most are deemed slow learners and put into remedial schools. Things get murky when one of the low performing schools shows a shocking improvement in scores. An anonymous tip off about cheating makes the district head appoint investigators to look into the matter. Theo gets involved in the case unwillingly and finds out that he has a larger part to play.

A huge challenge for me was to constantly remind myself that this book is not even for young adults but for pre-teens. Bearing this in mind, I was surprised to see that John Grisham has sensed the pulse of the kids so well. The language is simple and at times legal words are explained for better understanding. The whole angle of law itself is a good concept because it familiarizes kids with how the judiciary works. The animal court is something which does not exist in India. Apparently, one can represent himself in animal court which provides Theo ample opportunity to be the acting lawyer and exercise his skills. One of the unsettling things in the book is Theo’s indifference to seeking justice. Being the protagonist of the book, I wish he had showed much more interest in dealing with a scandal that affected the futures of a lot of people. I stand by his belief that test scores cannot determine a person’s skill and talent. But being an honors student opens up access to the best courses and teaching. Seeing how this could work wonders for his friend should have been reason enough for him to sit up and take notice. Yet, I cannot bring myself to be too harsh on him. After all he is just a 13-year old.

Theo has his own redeeming qualities. He is a good friend and sticks up for his mates. His passion for law is inspiring. Also, I like how Theo’s parents get him involved whenever there is something concerning him. Treating a kid like an adult makes him responsible. The book itself has some interesting side plots on the harmful effects of drinking, how it can affect the person as well as his family. A useless camping trip is also included to fill in the pages. Even though I would not put this book in the same category as Enid Blyton’s or Carolyne Keene’s, it is a commendable effort towards good reading for pre-teens. One which deals with real life problems rather than fantasies and romance.

Look what I made!

The Lawn Fawn stamps are so adorable! I have them here on printer paper and colored in with sharpies. The colors have blended in so well. They look like printed stickers! Now I have to think where I can use them :P

 

Shirdi pravasa

It has been a hectic weekend. Last week I was returning from office when my mom called me. My cousins were planning to go to Shirdi and she wanted to know whether we could go too. I have heard a lot about not being able to go to Shirdi unless you get ‘baba ka bulaava’. Plus my parents seemed to be very excited about it. I immediately said yes. And just like that flight tickets and hotels were booked and the itinerary was confirmed.

Friday early morning, we set off to board the 7 A.M. flight. I was feeling very happy looking at my parents. I know that they are at ease when I am around. Sometimes, the OCD in me helps. I obsess so much about packing the suitcases the right way, getting the right amount of food and sleep and about being on time that they automatically leave everything to me :) We were going to Mumbai first since my cousin had some work there. We took the prepaid taxi from the airport to a relative’s place in Thane. The Mumbai weather is humid just like Mangalore. All of us were relieved to get into the comfort of the AC at our relative’s place. After lunch at Viviana Mall, we decided to go to Elco market for some street shopping. I don’t know why but street shopping in pictures from the web looks so much better than the actual experience. The vibrant photos always give me a carnival feel. However, when I visit the place, I am more often than not disappointed. The place was similar to our commercial street in Bangalore. Yet, I ended up buying a pair of shoes, couple of jeans, capris, 3 tops and some jewelry! :P

The next day we went to Shani Maharaj temple in Shani Singapur. Rumor goes that the villagers do not lock their doors here because nobody dares to indulge in crime in Shani Mahadev’s place. On reaching we found out that it was Shani Jayanti and we were unexpectedly greeted with a huge crowd. Our TT driver Javed Bhai was very smart and took us through a short cut. We observed that generally the taxi drivers in Mumbai are very helpful, except for one guy who took us for a ride, literally and figuratively. In the temple, we were told about the rituals to be performed as we proceed towards the God. We bought the puja basket and a bottle of oil. Upon entering the temple, there is a Trishul. We pierced the black cloth on the Trishul and offered coconut and puffed rice. Within the temple, there is a black idol of Shanidev. We offered metal coins (loha) and poured oil into a common channel which is then used for the God’s abhisheka. We also put the agarbatti and other puja items into a homa kunda. We were advised that after praying to Shanidev, we should walk away without turning back. We did as told and moved on to our next destination Shirdi.

At Shirdi, we had booked a hotel called Pushpak Resorts via OYO rooms. Although we booked late, we got the rooms at almost half rate. We were surprised to see the clean rooms with TV and AC, all for Rs.2100 for 3 people. I wish they had separated the wet and dry area in the bathroom. A small slab of stone, few millimetres in height, would have sufficed. Nevertheless, the rooms were very comfortable. We quickly changed and went to Sai Mandir. We were just stepping inside the premises and a sense of calm prevailed over us. We walked in to the soft chants of “Hey sai ram.. Hey sai ram.. Har har Krishna.. Radhe radhe shyaam”. I love that song. I often sing/listen to it when I am feeling low. But we were rudely awakened from our trance as we neared the darshan area. People barged in from all sides and we were pushed and shoved. Just like the Shani temple, I barely registered seeing the Sai baba idol and before I could even say a prayer, I was out of the mandir.

We have a Sai Mandir near our house and honestly speaking, I have felt a much stronger connect to God there than here at God’s own place. Sometimes, I feel that we get so engrossed in following all the rules and regulations of the temple, that we even forget to pray to God. But once we were out of the crowd, the familiar sense of peace returned. We visited the holy neem tree where baba used to sit and the one where baba’s guru used to sit. I got to know that when the archaeology team had excavated near the guru’s tree, they had found lamps which were still alight. The lamps are burning even now and are in a concealed chamber two floors down. The general public is not allowed there. I wish I had read the Sai Satcharitra so that I could have identified these places of importance. Since our darshan within the Mandir was very hurried, we waited for the aarati at 10:30 P.M.. Big screen TVs are set up near open spaces for  people to sit and watch the aarati at close distance. Mom and I sat down in front of one such TV. At the end of the aarati, we felt truly blessed.

After a rejuvenating night, we started to Bombay. We visited yet another relative and boarded the 9:20 P.M. flight to Bangalore. The return flight from GoIndigo was not as comfortable as the flight from Jet Airways. All of us were spent and just wanted to get back to our beds. We reached home at 12 A.M.. I was relieved that my parents had got through the trip without any problems. It has been a tiring yet satisfying trip :)

Book Review: In Other Words - Jhumpa Lahiri

I finished reading Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘In Other Words’ today. Even as I write, I feel a bit unsure about completing the book. The book is 250 pages long and as I crept towards the first half of the book, I began to sense closure. And to my surprise, right in the middle, the book ended. Turns out the book consists of both, the English and the Italian version! The second half is the original Italian rendition of the book. You got me there signora :) The first thing that struck me when I picked up this book, is the author’s name. It is quite unusual and seems unique. I love finding the meaning behind names. When I looked it up, this is what the author had to say - “Jhumpa has no meaning. It always upset me. It's like jhuma, which refers to the sound of a child's rattle, but with a ''p.'' In this country (America I presume), you'd never name your child Rattle. I actually have two good names, Nilanjana and Sudeshna.” I feel quite sorry for her. For a person who brings such deep meaning to words strung together, it seems nothing short of irony to have a meaningless name. Leaving that aside, I was very excited to read this book. I am always eager to read the works of Indian authors. I want to see how they fare against the foreign authors. Not in a judgmental way, more out of pride. Although Jhumpa Lahiri has lived all her life in the U.S.A. and English is her dominant language, she is of Indian origin. And I could not wait to dive in.

The book is more of a memoir. The author captures her love for Italian and her struggle to make it her own. It starts from what attracted her to Italian, how she moved to Rome to truly master it and how she reached the point where she was able to publish her independent book completely in Italian. Being an Italian illiterate, I read the English transliteration of the book. So, a part of the credit also goes to the translator. The book opens with a beautiful analogy of a man swimming by the side of a lake afraid to cross over to the other bank. It describes the author’s limited Italian knowledge which does not give her the confidence to move from the shores of English to the banks of Italian. Through out the book, the language is fluid and the reader is transported to an altogether different world. The author uses a lot of metaphors to convey her feelings, which may seem a bit too much at times. Nevertheless, they depict her situation quite effectively.

Her persistence shows as she struggles to gain a strong foothold, battling articles and prepositions. She had to endure a lot of prejudice as she was constantly deemed inferior to her husband, who barely knew Italian. You feel for her when she says she feels foreign in every language known to her; be it Bengali - her mother tongue, or English -the language she grew up with or Italian - for which she left everything behind. The only place where I did not relate to the author is when she says that she had to cope with speaking Bengali at home and English everywhere else. As a child, I grew up learning four languages. My native language is Tulu while the local language is Kannada. I was taught English and Hindi at school. And I am proud to say that I have professional proficiency in all four languages and do not feel alien at all. However, I understand that India has always been a diverse country with a lot of cultural tolerance. I may not have been subject to the kind of ridicule the author faced in her life.

I have always had a special liking for autobiographies and memoirs. It gives so much insight into a person. If I had to choose an alternate career, then it would definitely be writing. So these two factors combined made this book a very enjoyable read for me. It is a story of love towards the language which can be felt only by an author or poet. I don’t feel this way often but I am sure I will read this book again.

Masha Allah!

Compliments are so wonderful. They have the power to make us instantly happy. They can also boost our self esteem and confidence. I was complimented by a stranger today. It was so unexpected that I still cannot believe the things she said :)

During our childhood, my sister had a  flair for singing. I was more inclined towards dance. Both of us were intimidated by each other's hobbies and did not even attempt to learn it. But how can anybody stay away from music? I often listened to my sister singing and desired to sing like her. My parents have a good ear for music too and we always had the radio on in our home. That's how music seeped into my life. Gradually, I got into the habit of humming to myself as I went about my work.

Today, I was in the gym. It was almost empty. I usually play music aloud on my phone when I am alone. Out of habit, I started singing along. After some time, a girl came in. I suddenly became conscious and stopped my cacophony out of embarrassment. Imagine my surprise when she says "You sing very well". I awkwardly said that's only because I was singing along. "No" she insisted. "I was listening to you all the while. I was mesmerized. This song is by Shreya Ghoshal, no? Your voice sounds very similar to her at times. Masha Allah! You have a very sweet voice".

Whoa!! Really? Me sounding like Shreya Ghoshal?? (Please don't tell Shreya Ghoshal, she may feel slighted :P) To be honest, I was compared to Usha Uthup in my childhood. Although, to be fair to myself, I can do a very good imitation of Usha Uthup even now ;) On a serious note, that was such a huge compliment! I wanted to hug the girl but I also did not want to scare away my only fan. Thank you girl in the gym for making my day so special :)

Matched

One more off the bucket list! Finally, I watched a match live in the stadium! Just one word – wow!! I went to the RCB v/s Pune IPL match on May 7th along with my friends. It’s been chaos right from the word go. One of our friends wasn’t sure whether she could make it or not. So we were going back and forth between the May 7th and May 14th matches. Once we had booked the A stand tickets for the one on May 7th, the ticket prices dropped. Just for 600 bucks more we could have got a D corporate seat. Dilemma again. Finally, we decided to go with what we have. By the way we also had an extra ticket which was sold off by my friend at the last minute. With policemen all around it must have been quite thrilling to have got rid of it I guess :P

The D-day arrived and we were all seated. We took pictures and showed off the free stuff we had got on the way :P We were very close to the camera too woohooo! There was a sober looking Punjabi uncle next to us. We were eagerly waiting for the match to begin. Just then the camera man turned and I waved to him. I did not expect him to react. I was taken by surprise when he turned the camera to us. And out of nowhere Punjabi uncle starts dancing, tummy and all :D We couldn’t stop laughing! The day looked promising. No sight of rain too. I was pumped up for the match.

As we were waiting for the game to start, someone tapped us from behind. What? Your seats? No way! We had double checked. The guy next to us says “This is F. G is the next row”. If I felt any disappointment then, it was nothing compared to what was coming next. We had booked four tickets in a shot. Imagine how unlucky we were to have got two seats each on either side of the entrance to our box. After failed attempts to convince the people next to us to switch seats, we split up. But our troubles were far from over. We were on the last seats on the bottom most row of the A stand. This meant having our view blocked by people entering and exiting the box. To add to our woes, vendors carrying all types of eatables kept walking in front of us. I have never fought off my desire for junk food as much as I did that day.

The match started and I could feel the energy in the packed stadium. The MC kept the crowd entertained. It was awe-inspiring to see thousands of people follow the instructions of a formless voice. The voice said left and the crowd waved the flags left. The voice said right and a sea of red went right. If you ever want to teach your kids the power of unity, take them to a match or concert :D As the match progressed, we got used to people walking in front of us all the time. The crowd went ballistic as Virat Kohli fielded close to the stands. I wonder how it feels when thousands of people shout out your name :) A lot of pressure for sure. Kohli was playing for RCB and Dhoni for Pune. Both crowd favorites. The sportsmanship of the Bangaloreans showed when they cheered equally hard for Dhoni too. Fours and sixes went off to the shouts of “R..C..B.. R..C..B..”. Annnnddddd RCB wonnnn!!! It was an exciting match with twists and turns. But I would rather leave cricket commentary to Harsha Bhogle :P

Irrespective of the seating problems (did I mention my seat was broken?), I am glad I went to the match. The excitement, enthusiasm and vibe is something that must be experienced. To be in synergy with so many people at once is amazing! No wonder prayer is considered so powerful. And with that, I have crossed one more item on my list. Looking forward to the rest :)