Some more questions....

These are from Keshi's post "On the sofa with me... "

I guess I could've answered these in my comment there but since I doo have so muchh time on hand!! and generally not inclined towards putting in too much effort into writing a post:-)...I chose to do this here. And yes some questions are similar to d ones in d tag I just did....so if you do feel u have something better to do...go right ahead do it!! And if u think u can get to know me better...read on...

What time of the day is it right now?...(again?!)6:15 pm @ Delhi
What did u last eat?...choco chip ice cream…yummmyyyy
What are u wearing right now?...what’s wid askin dis question everywhere?!! And being my honest self…m wearing a summer sleevless dress…black wid white flowers…soo comfy :-)
What was your weekend like?...with family…nice, pleasant and good grub! Next one’s going to be fun too! Partyyy time:-)
Did u sleep well last night?...ummm.. No:-( got sum sad news…was worrying thru the night till sleep caught up…finally…
What’s your favourite time of the day?...time spent wid Vedant when he’s in a non-tantrum throwing, wanna hug mommy kinda mood!!
Who did u last kiss?...nice, slurpyy, innocent kiss!!...who else…Vedant! Abt a few seconds ago…!:-)
Did u c any cute guy/gal today?...i c one every day na….!!:-) take a luk for urself.....>>>>

When did u last speak to your mom/dad?...last night…to both
When did u last have an argument and have u patched up?...Today afternoon and not yet patched up!!

Who/what can’t you live without right now?...who = family! What = this pc!
Are u in love right now?...hell yes!
If u met me in real life, what would your first expression be?...met who…need to know that first??
Have you ever loved sumone who’s already taken?...yes…ironically when he got unattached…I wasn’t!!...such is life!
If I came over to your place what would u do?...here again who is I?...I’d cook a meal…(Nooo…don’t run away coz’ thanks to my cook’s longgg leave…I guess I can do a good job of it now!)
How do u watch TV?...when I do get a chance to watch what ' I' like…that is! I have d TV in my room, so I like lying on my tummy…pulling d pillows below my chin…
What do u need right now?... A hot…hot…hot…..mmmm…cup of tea!! ;-)
What’s ur favorite sense?...touch…undoubtedly
Where would be the ideal spot to be with sumone u love?...If I’m with the person I love…any place we are together…would end up being ideal ;-)
What’s closest to your bed?...books…flask of water…and my cellfone!

Hmmm…I know I know…u could be bored reading this but this is one those weeks when I just want to laze around and relax! But last night we had guests over for dinner…the evening started pleasantly but then I got news about a cousin which had me worrying. Anyway called and talked to him finally, things will be fine soon… (By God’s grace)

This weekend should be fun though. Rajiv’s office will be having their Annual dinner and the venue chosen this time is close to my in-laws place. So now we can leave Vedant to play with his cousins, while both of us have a nice evening with friends and colleagues. And another friend from work is leaving so there’s a party for him too.

Vedant will be back in school on Monday…now in KG…and I will have time to hopefully write some meaningful posts!! And stay off tags and questions for sumtime…though I must admit I don’t hate tags as much as some of u do!!

Been reading some new blogs…and some wonderful posts…never ceases to amaze me how gifted some people are…and sometimes I end up feeling inadequate and my own posts seem so shallow?? Know what I mean??...but that feeling doesn’t last…it kind of just pops up once in a while…and then goes off…

Guess it’s more about expressing urself honestly…just being yourself and luvving what u do….in this case luvvin what and how u write…

Tag! Tag! Tag!!

okk...got tagged over d weekend by Sudeep... and this is it!!!


1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn on page 18 and find line 4

…“Birthday presents, eh?” said Gobbo thoughtfully…

from d book “Noddy’s Perfect Gift & Other Stories” – Enid Blyton (Courtesy: Vedant!)


2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can.

mmmmmm….that felt good:-)


3. What is the last thing you watched on tv?

Sum cartoon show on Cartoon Network…lots of multicolored dinosaurs *grin* (that’s all I get to watch…Cartoon Network / Pogo / Toon Disney / Disney Channel….!!!)


4. Without looking, guess what time it is?

2:30pm?


5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?

2:35pm! …wellll………close enuff.


6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

an assortment of sounds…music on d pc (“turn of the lights”….nelly furtado), the sound of sum cartoon…kids yellin downstairs….bird chirping…sumone’s dog barking….the distant sound of cars…


7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

Around 5 hours ago…wz takin out the trash!!!


8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?

Sudeep’s blog to get this list!!


9. What are you wearing?

My fav tee and my fav shorts… (and yash…no hairy legs here…!!!!)


10. Did you dream last night?

Lets not even get there…I hardly slept and when I did I had three dreamz……connected in a weird way… all scary stuff (haan pata hai sudeep…I shud give up reading thrillers for sumtime and read sum more noddy books!)


11. When did you last laugh?

A couple of mins ago while reading sudeep and yashita’s answers to these questions…


12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?.

lukin….5 paintings…n a clock…! But if I turn right ( and I luvv doin this)…I see my reflection in a life size mirror..!! hmmm:-)


13. Seen anything weird lately?

Unlike Sudeep…I don find my self weird in d mirror! ….

Weird…ummm…two headed dinosaur in the same cartoon show mentioned above!


14. What do you think of this quiz?

Mindless…but good TP…


15. What is the last film you saw?

Malaamal Weekly :-(


16. If you became a multimillionaire overnight, what would you buy?

What wouldn’t I buy!!...


17. Tell me something about you that i dunno.

Everyone knows sumthin or the other…there’s nuthin that sumone sumwhere doesn’t know…sooooo…!! Next…ques plz…


18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

Ummmm…..just one thing?? Lets be serious abt this one okk…make it safer for women…


19. Do you like to dance?

Ohh so muchh…


20. George bush.

What abt him??? Y not bill clinton?....JFK?....Manmohan Singh? Sonia…? But just to be fair to the question… George Bush = …..*thinkin*...ummmm….hmmmm….*sigh*…I GIVE UP!


21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

I did think up names u know wen I was pregnant wid Vedant..:-)…. And hell m superstitious abt these things sooo…wen I have her:-) *touchwood*… I’ll let everyone know!


22. Imagine yout first child is a boy, what do you call him?

He is a boy! And I guess u all know his name now…:-)


23. Would you ever consider living abroad?

Yep … only in d US of A …mid west to be more specific! Chicago to be VERY specific…lolz..right next to my brother’s place (dunno if he’d be too thrilled though…still sees me as that pesky lil sis I guess!..lolz)


24.What do you want GOD to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?

Uh oh… why’re u alwaysss in such a big rushhh ishi??


25. 4 people who must also do this meme in their journal.

My new blog fren… Jeetendra (and this wld be his first tag I guess!)
The one who’z answers I know will be the Wierdest…Vipul
My besttt fren…Suchi
And then of course …Abhi

Spring

Summer in Delhi gets quite torturous. Spring or rather March is one of the better months…I always tell people who intend to visit Delhi to stick to Feb-March or November. Rest of the time, Delhi’s got extreme climate…too HOT or too COLD.

There’s this tree outside the window here (the room where my pc is in and where I spend most of my time:-)!!)…which goes all bare right about the end of winter and then couple of weeks later…I luv to watch the tree come back to life…new leaves…that fresh look!

And then through out summer it keeps the harsh sun away from my room…just as it lets in the very same sun light stream in and keep me warm when it’s cold... :-)

Like a good friend…teaching me how sometimes we need to shelter others and sometimes we need to let them grow and bask in their glory…much like I’d like to be for my baby as he grows.

All bare… (pic taken a month back – 2006) ...What u see above is the tree…but the greenery is of the trees beyond. It’s a hazy pic I know!

I’m quite sentimental about this tree having been in this place for almost 14 years now and watching it grow from day one…there was a time when the management of our apartment complex was toying with the idea of cutting down some trees and putting in new ones…in a bid to improve the landscape. My tree (yes I call it mine!) was part of this whole demolition bid but I would not hear of it! That was few years ago…and she’s still standing…ummm…yes I think of the tree as a “she” :-)

A funny incident with the tree was when our downstairs neighbor’s help ( a young guy of about 15-16) would climb the tree and impersonate a monkey to keep my son amused (Vedant was about 2 years old then)…it would make me laugh too…

Beneath the tree is a bench…a place Rajiv and I would sit and talk…when we dated :-) in the past...and where, now, my son sits and has picnic lunches with his friends…

Well, now my tree's getting new leaves and seems to have grown even more since last summer…and as I sit and write this post…for her…I can’t help but smile…watching her outside my window...

In all her Glory… (pic taken in 2005)...The same tree again…but this years she’s looking bigger!

Ps: Coming up Next.....Sudeep's Tag...

Happy Birthday Suchi...!!! :-)

I know it's just a day since my last post "New Look!"...and waiting for reactions had me excited all day:-)...late comers please do lemme know what u think!!! But I have to put in this very special post for a very special person in my life...most of you who get here regularly have read a lot about her here in my blog...you see:-)... it's Suchi's Birthday!!! tomorrow (22nd March) and this is my little dedication to her:-)...and although this poem has been posted here back in September 2005 and yes I do have a new space for my poems but I want this here on my main space on her main day!:-)

For Suchi...

She brings a smile to my face…
Her name means just that…
Pure smile…
She listens…She Cries…
She even scolds me…
Once in a while…

I miss her now that…
She is away…
For her happiness…
Her joy…Her well-being…
Night and Day
I pray…

I long to be with her…
To sit through hours…
Of long conversations…
With her…
I wait…I watch…
As time flies by…
I know…
I have to bide my time
With patience…

Suchi…(U know)…
U’re not just my best friend…
U are my inspiration
My most precious…
Possession…

I hope I am always a reason for u to smile,
To always feel happy and secure…
Remember I am always there for you…
Will never give up on you for sure…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! :-)

-------------------------------------------------------------

New Look!

Don't u get tired of the same luk every day??! When I get bored with the way I look, I experiment with hair cuts or styles...and off late with hair color!

Well...that's pretty much why u're seeing the change in my blog...new template and color scheme! and also coz some ppl had a prob with the previous one not being too clear...ummm..I guess that was 'coz of the white background. Soooo I went for a drastic change to Black! But then again I wanted a colorful look and I think I got the whole effect right:-)... which is why I like d above pic too...I luvv d colors!!

However, since I can never make up my mind about stuff like this...I still have the old one saved...just incase!:-)...I'm sure all of you will notice (!!) the change and let me know what you think!...!

And since I don't have anything specific to write about...I'll just go ahead and post another poem in my new space pOeMs 'n' QuOtEs

Ps: This template change is still "Work In Progress!"...and I'm open to any interesting ideas...

Something New...& BNP again...

For a long time I was toying with the idea of putting in the poems, I write occasionally, in a seperate space and today I sat and did just that:-)...my new space is pOeMs 'n' QuOtEs! Hoping you all will take a look there too and give me feedback!!:-)

And I want to welcome my best friend Suchi to the blogworld :-) and I hope she likes this whole experience as much as I do... and I want to wish her

Holi was a splendid day...and my wish for a bright and sunny day was fulfilled! We had a nice time with family and friends:-)...

Thank u all for all your wishes and hope everyone had a nice time too...

I had a look at alapana's post on Eve Teasing and read her story on her own nasty experience ... it had me very upset and angry. And I really admire her courage and presence of mind. A thing she said in the comment she left in my post..."It sure helps when a issue is debated and discussed upon. Most of the women are always taught in this country to be silent, without any of their fault they are asked to hide about it. Awareness always help ,BNP or women’s days might come and go, but the Spirit must remain forever, and for that we all bloggers post our experiences, Its to remember ourselves and to remind others also that "To fight back is the solution for this problem"

That in my opinion is the very purpose why people are talking about this or why bloggers would and should choose to blog about this issue.

I for one have never been comfortable with the thought of writing about many such incidents I have faced...although now I have come to realize that every experience narrated helps someone somewhere...by making them more aware and cautious!

And I'd like to narrate one such personal experience that changed the way I dealt with Eve Teasing...

"One of the many distasteful incidents I remember happened many years ago...I was walking outside our apartment complex with two of my friends. When two guys riding a bike passed some dirty comments. While I ignored them (which is what most girls do), my friends did not and yelled across the road to two cops that these guys were teasing us! Within minutes a chase ensued and one cop caught up with these two guys and dragged them back to where we stood. What followed was even more frightening to me...the cops began to beat these two guys mercilessly! I was aghast...

The guys kept saying sorry sorry and falling at our feet! Sorry sister??!! ... I was disgusted!! The cop after all the beatings asked if we would lodge a formal complaint...but we felt the guys had learnt a lesson...and we did not lodge the complaint.

Most guys think that they can say anything and get away with it. And fact is more often that not, they do get away! Because we (women/girls) do not raise our voice! And that day I learnt NOT to IGNORE…but TO SPEAK OUT!

When something BIG happens then a lot of women speak out...but day after day, small and rather insignificant incidents such as the above...keep happening. What I learnt that day was that all I need to do is RAISE my VOICE and OBJECT! Nobody...whether it's a teenage guy or a middle aged guy can get away thinking...she'll just keep quiet like the rest...I don't want to be the reason for him to go on believing he can get away with this with another woman after me..."

There are many…many…such instances. Worse than the above...but the above incident ensured I always spoke up...objected...

Like I mentioned elsewhere, even as I sit and write here…some girl / woman is facing a similar situation.

We (women) may not be able to change the way men think but we can change ourselves… like I did that day.

...............................................................

Ps: I must mention here that my family wasn't too happy with us "making a scene"...their main concern being "what if these guys were some anti-social elements and what if they were to come back later and extract some sort of revenge??!"...I guess one can't blame them for thinking this way and worrying for our safety. But it's just this kind of thinking in many homes...that conditions the minds of women and teach them to be submissive and not speak up...

Happy Holi

Finally the sun's shining outside!! It’s 1:50pm here and it’s been raining all this time…unusual weather for Delhi. We have hailstorms around this time but not continuous rains like this. It was pretty hot last week and that makes this weather very welcome:-)! But tomorrow’s Holi and I’m praying it’ll be a nice, bright and sunny day so we can all have a totally fun Holi with colors “gulaal” and paani!…I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow with family and friends!

I’ll be visiting my in-laws and then there’s a party at a friend’s place which I hear is the place to be…and I’m really looking forward to it.

Some things which have me smiling this day…well, I got my new phone (the Motorola v3i):-)!! Finally! And a new connection…been fiddling with phone all the time and catching up with friends…and putting in all my favorite music! I’ve been through a lot of debate over this phone buying phase…“Nokia vs. Motorola…or Sony”. Eventually I was ready to buy any phone so long as it worked! Phew…

The other thing has to do with one of my New Year Resolutions…@ learn to cook…! My cook went on leave for a week and that was last week! She hasn’t come back yet and I really am not sure if she will :-(…! But as a result of her absence, I’ve been struggling in the kitchen…and doing some serious cooking!! And what do you know?! I’m not that bad at it either….food is not just edible…it tastes good! Wonders never cease…*grins*

Last but not the least, all the positive comments and support that my last post fetched…Thank you all :-)...

17th is when Vedant’s vacation starts and school will reopen on April 3rd…and of course he’s moved on to KG! He’s totally excited about it…telling me he’s now a BIG boy!

Oh yes, before I stop now…yesterday when I went to get Vedant from the bus stop, there were kids on a nearby building terrace…attacking us with water balloons…two of which splashed right near my feet! And Vedant yelled indignantly, “Kaun melliii mummyyy ko maar raahaaa hai!!”…lolz…he’s been pestering me to get him some of these water balloons…but he’s been down with a nasty cold for the past week…it’s going to be tough keeping him away from all the “hulla-gulla” and “masti” tomorrow!

Well…I wish you all lots of happiness and joy…have a colorful HOLI!! Enjoyyy!

BLANK NOISE PROJECT: Be a part of it...!

I came across "BLANK NOISE PROJECT:bangalore mumbai delhi" while surfing blogs. They had initiated a blogothon concerning “Street Harassment” and many bloggers participated in this effort to spread awareness. Please take some time out to appreciate their effort and read some thought provoking "posts" and support this cause in your blog too. This blogothon was held on March 7th but a cause like this, I feel, needs to be a continuous effort...

I happened to discuss this with a friend and was stung by his harsh critism. His point being that this is just a drop in the ocean and that blogging is not a potent enough medium to even begin to make a difference! It was a long argument...tiring, frustrating...I have never been good at arguing and I lack aggression!

And even though the debate was about the above cause, it also stretched out to blogging...and some of the things pointed out were,

a) People put in posts with an eye on the no. of comments it would get them (thereby implying we - bloggers- are inherently selfish!) and

b) Blogging is a very limited medium - what kind of traffic does your blog fetch in a day??

There was more but I guess you get the general idea. He said if you really want to make a difference then go out and take to the streets...! Change the male psyche?! Write in a newspaper rather than your own personal blog!

I, however, believe that every little step helps. I can do my bit and it will make a difference! The most important thing is to spread awareness…to get people to recognize the effort…and have more and more people involved in this! I can talk to maybe just 10 friends…they in turn to 10 more…and so on and so forth. Doesn’t that matter?

And I know there are many issues out there and not just “Street Harassment” or “Eve Teasing”. But this is an issue all the same and one that we (women / girls) face each and every day in some form or the other.

And this concerns men too! Not just because the women they know and care for, suffer this fate but also because men need to be part of this effort and to stand along with women to help spread awareness and contribute in bringing forth a change…a change in the way men view women! Women are sensitive to this issue…more men need to be too!

So if you are here right now…reading this post, don’t just POST a comment but THINK about this and SPREAD the word…PARTICIPATE in this effort…

Ps: I must mention here that the friend I had this argument with once very bravely risked his life trying to prevent another friend’s sister from being eve teased…he was hurt bad and hospitalized too.

What’s On His Mind?

…I sometimes sit back and wonder…what’s on his mind right now? Witnesses or not….re-trial or not…in the eyes of people there is no doubt of his guilt. How does a man who commits a cold blooded murder…live and move on with his life? No remorse…No guilt? How does a man grow up to be so selfish? So heartless…he could just shoot someone who meant nothing to him personally for a drink? It’s beyond disgusting…

On one hand there are terrorists who are mass murderers but even they are motivated by a belief beyond themselves. And IN NO WAY am I saying they are justified! BUT call it religion or communal…it’s beyond individual thought…twisted and distorted but they believe they are fighting for a cause…a belief strong enough for them to give up their lives for…IF ONLY they had the same “junoon” for peace and humanity in totality!

And here is a man who is worse…who kills someone for a reason as trivial as a drink and then makes a mockery of the judicial system….and then walks away free! Makes his first trip to one of the most revered religious shrines….I wonder what’s on his mind as he stands in front of the Goddess. Does he seek her blessings? Forgiveness? thank Her for getting away free…?

How does another man scoff at love and kill the man who loved his sister? His family pride…his sense of community...blinds any thought for his sister’s wishes?

And yet another man murders his own ex love? Because she realized she wanted to move on? And he wasn’t man enough to accept this reality? And worse still, he walks away free even after admitting he killed her?

How do people like them live each and every day? How do people around them live with them? I try and put myself in the place of their near and dear ones…would I be so selfish about my family? Would I also shelter and protect anyone I care about even when I know they committed such horrendous crimes? In my worst state of mind I look at my lil boy and I wonder…

What do the parents of such people go through?? How do they face the world? How does it feel to raise a son with all kinds of expectations…and then see them as murderers and killers?

I know there are exceptions above…and there are families with a history of crime…but…do parents really wish for their children to grow up to be criminals too? To be worse than them?

Everyday I read the papers…watch the news…I know no one can answer these questions for them…yet these thoughts keep filling my head…

About Blogoholics:-)! And Remembering Thamma...

I am one…all the symptoms are clear…and there’s no cure! And guess what most of u are too…yes we all are complete “blogoholics!”… My self imposed break doesn’t work for me at all. I did try okkk! Today is the 6th day since my last post (ummm…sorry make that 5…since I put in the last post on 1st)! For many that, I guess, is the normal gap between posts but I honestly started feeling odd without writing or putting in a post! This blog isn’t like a journal or a diary but it was getting to be a big part of my daily routine and I guess I should just keep at it so long as it comes naturally :-)…

What I did do while I was on this so called break is visit a whole lot of blogs…to read, to experience, to learn…and some times just to sit back and enjoy…! Left comments…read reactions…it’s been fun I must say.

Well after Holi, when Vedant has his school break I will be less frequent in any case. It’s difficult to write with him around me 24X7!! He’s constantly jabbering away and right now he’s going through the “I must spell everything” phase…and in luvv with a new book “Story Time with Winnie the Pooh” which has 4 stories in it that I have read out to him over and over again!! Now he can read them back (the power of ruttafication!) I think I’m getting allergic to Winnie the Pooh now! I’ve had similar times with his obsession for movies (cds / DVDs) such as “The Lion King”, “Ice Age”, “Monsters Inc”, and “Hanuman”….Help!

My pc is in what is the third bedroom in our house and like the guest room but most of the time, its Vedant’s Toy Room! I can’t believe the number of toys, puzzles and books this kid has...it’s insane! It’s mostly papa’s (rajiv’s) indulgence…I can still say NO! Despite some verrryyy embarrassing moments in malls and in and around toy shops!

"Sweet n Innocent! ...all dressed up for a play @ school"

One such incident involved him lying in the middle of “Pacific” mall (anyone who’s been there will know the central lobby like area) and yelling his heart out….! Or the time he stood at the door of the men’s clothing store while Rajiv was in there getting something…he just stood there refusing to let anyone IN or OUT! All he said was a firm, “Jab tak mere papa nahi aayenge…koi nahi aayega…jaayega!”…and I tried to get him to budge but NO! And people stood there waiting..! Lolzz…don’t ask me why he did that…he just did! I avoid any mall that doesn’t have a playpen…coz without that it’s difficult to manage him.

Last evening we went to “Dilli Haat” after ages. I have a cousin who lives that side and we decided on dinner at the West Bengal food stall coz I wanted to have food that would remind me of home. Had a thali which I couldn’t get through! Followed by Kulfi :-)! It felt good to be there though being a Sunday it was full of people. Had a look at the different stalls before leaving. When I was in college, I would go often to “dilli haat” with friends esp. to have the momos there…it was either “dilli haat” or “chanakya” for momos! Or we’d end up at priya… (Now PVR Priya)

Well…here I am rambling on…jumping from one topic to another and forgetting the main reason I am here and back so soon from my “break”. When I moved from Yahoo to blogger I moved most of my previous posts (read poems) too but there was one I missed out and that’s what I am putting up now.

Thamma’s poem for me



My paternal grandma wrote me a poem when I was a year old. She wasn’t living with us at the time, so it’s like her lil’ letter to me:-) … she called me Anandita (one who gives joy) because I was born soon after my grandpa died. A lot of her poems were published. People say she wrote very well… that her poems on love and longing were beautiful. In one of her books, there are poems on her children and grandchildren…she wrote for all of them and every poem is unique in describing her feelings for each one of them and sometimes describing the people she was writing about. I lost my grandmother (thamma I called her) few months before I got married…she wanted so much to be at my wedding. Even chose the sari and shawl she’d wear on my wedding day. I do miss her a lot. I think of her often. We shared rooms for many years and we fought a lot too about sharing space…it was funny now that I think back:-). Her side of the room would have pictures of all the Gods and Goddesses she worshipped (she was very devout) and my side of the room would have posters of my favorite singers / groups…. actors and actresses! Thamma was loving, kind and unique in many ways. She was very progressive in her views too. Once an aunt commented on the shorts I was wearing and thamma coolly replied, “I wish I were young like her, I’d wear them too.” She was 70 odd years then! Well I’ve decided to post the poem she wrote. It’s in Bengali but I’ve tried to explain what she was trying to say… needless to say, this is my favorite poem ever:-)

**I can’t translate it to perfection…but I think I manage to convey what the poem says…of course in Bengali it rhymes :-) **

“Ekti bochhor purno holo
Anandita tor
Anando te thaakbe moni
Aei kaamona mor
Shushto deh mon diye
Deergho jibi hoye
Din guli tor kaatuk budi
Haashi aar gaan diye
Dukhini tor thamma aaji
Bodo dur hotey
Aador chumi paathache je
Aashirvaade’r shaathe’

Kotokhoni bodho holi
Dekhte bodo shaad
Maa’ke bole ekti chhobi
Pathaash kichu din baad
Dadader paashe diye
Tulish jodi chhobi
Tau ekta dibir aamay
Aashay thaakbo aami
Tor kotha bhaabte aamar
Khoob bhaalo laage
Tui je aamar dukher diney
Jaaliye chhili aalo
Bodo hoye maa’r kaachhe
Jaanish aamar kotha…”

And now the translation of the above poem...

“One year u have completed Anandita
I wish your days pass by in happiness
May you have good health
And live long
May your days be full of laughter
And songs
From far away…
Your sad unhappy thamma
Sends you her love and kisses
Along with her blessings
Today…

How big you’ve grown?
I long to see…
Tell your mother to send your picture to me…
If you take a picture with your brothers…
I will wait for you to send it to me
I love to think of you…
You lit me life like a shining star in my sad days…
When u grow up, from your mother, you will hear about me always…”

Of Beginnings & Ends...

I never noticed when I passed the “50 posts” mark. One fine day, while fiddling with the settings in my blog, I noticed “55 posts” and I thought to myself…”not bad ishi!” because I never did take this (blogging) as something serious initially…at least not till I got back from my trip to ‘Goa’. Earlier I was blogging on Yahoo 360 off and on. I moved to blogspot in September 2005 after I saw Vipul and Rohan’s blog (both of them, for personal reasons, hardly get the time to update their blogs).

Anyway, this post is my ‘60th post’ and I honestly feel good about it…I’m 40 short of 100 but I know now that it won’t be long before I touch a century here :-)! In the short space of time I’ve been blogging here, I’ve met new people…and seen very interesting blogs…and reading them has been a very enriching experience. I’m slow in updating the section “Blogs I keep going back to” but that list has grown by leaps and bounds! I’ve made new friends too and that’s something (making new friends) I look forward to as I continue writing and experimenting with my blog…

And now back to the post…this is a poem I penned soon after my last poem (which is the one which had ppl asking me if I was OK :-)!!). This one’s a mushy, sentimental one…and yes written with someone in mind…no points for guessing..!!

If I die

If I die,
Would you cry?
Why?

Because you love me?
Because life won’t be,
The same without me?

But ask me what I really want
If I were to die baby
I’d want you to,
Grieve for me just once…
Then look at life ahead.
You may think you can’t,
But life always moves on…
After a long dark night,
There’s always a beautiful dawn.

When you think of me
I want u to smile
Memories…
Pleasant, sad, crazy, happy…
Flooding your mind
And just for a while…
Think of love…
Of our times together
Don’t regret that we,
Lost forever…
Think of the chance we got
At sharing a love
That truly was,
A blessing from above

So baby if I die…

Don’t u cry…ever

Know that… I will love u…

Just the same…forever

PS: Although I'm going nowhere...no vacation...no busy days ahead...I will be taking a break from "active" blogging...for sometime :-). I could change my mind though...but let’s just say for now...it's siesta time...here @ ishipishi.blogspot.com!! :-)...keep visiting though! I'll be blog hopping and leaving comments all around for sure...