Seeking Comfort...

The post below was written on 21st April 2006 when I had gone through a rather rough patch and one that had me oscillating between happiness and sorrow. The last couple of days have been undoubtedly some of the most disappointing days in my life. I read through this post in the morning...simply to feel better about myself and things around me...(edited the last bit ofcourse)...

"Over the past few days I have been through a whole range of emotions and in the process wrote two posts…each very different from the other and depicting different emotions…I am putting them up together today…

Sometimes I feel you won’t find a better example of a true Gemini anywhere else ;-)!!! …

The first one was written on 20th April 21, 2006 (Thursday) and the second one the following day on 21st April, 2006 (Friday)…today.

Words…

There are times when I stop and question my faith in the almighty...testing times…painful times…when happiness seems to be a stranger.

But then I find solace in words…words of people known and unknown…in the faces of loved ones…in the concern in their eyes and the love in their hearts.

Circumstances overwhelm me sometimes…but I guess time heals all wounds.

I read these quotes and I do believe they strengthen my belief in words being comforting…

“Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”

“There is sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love.” - Washington Irving quotes

I am not one to let tears overwhelm me forever…I know letting go of the past is not easy but I cannot be blind to my future…because ahead is where I know life will give me more experiences…good…bad…happy…sad…and I for one want to live every moment…to the fullest.
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Reasons to Smile…

When we think of luxury…we think big homes…cars…expensive clothes…shoes!…Everything materialistic…But I think of luxury in terms of time…time well spent…time with loved ones…with special people…even time spent alone doing things we normally wouldn’t find the time to do…be it reading a good book…watching our favorite television show…enjoying our favorite meal…or spending time in doing something creative…or like I am doing now….time spent blogging :-)!

One small exercise for everyone…think of something that made u smile and feel good about yourself today…and if it isn’t too personal, tell me why! :-)

Mine first :) (31st July, 2007) …

Guess this will not surprise anyone coz it’s about Vedant! … well, every morning he has this routine…once ready for school he walks out of the house…picks up the morning paper and hands it to me, gives me a nice longgg hugg and a big kiss! So I am assured that on weekday mornings I will be smiling!

It’s the little things in life that matter…right?"

My Frame of MIND!

ANGER
It doesn't matter
I really don't care!
Why show you bother?
...that you're there!

I can see right through you
Your fake concern
You make such an issue
Inside I burn

I hate hearing you
I hate looking at you
I know I don't need you

I have love in my life
I value people who matter
People who genuinely care
Who listen...who share!

Can I be more explicit?
Do you not get it??
You're making me hate
The person I am!
Filled with resentment,
That's what I am!

I'm a better person without you...
Believe me...
My life won't crash with out YOU!

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Steer Clear!!!
You don't like what u see...
You say I’m being unfair...
You think u know me...
You think I really care?

You have no clue...
I’m not just about
Sentimental shit...
Agree with you…
Day in and day out...
That’s just something
I won’t do…

When I have a bad time,
When I’m in that frame of mind...
It makes no difference
If my poem doesn’t rhyme
And makes no sense…

So long as you get the drift…

Read my lips loud and clear…
Stay out of my face…
Get out of here…
And off my case!

I'm Voting For ...

A lot of people I know think watching "Indian Idol" on Sony TV is so passe' but well I'm all for it and don't miss it! Ditto for "Voice of India" on Star TV. But this is about my favs on Indian Idol :))

By far my favorite is Ankita :) though I do really like Deepali and Amit :D .. my fav performances fromt these 3 so far ... watch the videos below (time nikaal ke..araaam se!)

This one by Ankita always leaves me smiling...esp. when Govinda joins her on stage... :))))

Amit has that sumthin in him na....*sigh* ;-)...and he's brilliant in the "nasha yeh pyar ka nasha song" (video below) but I loved him in Gala 4 too when he sang "Tum kya jaano" no.... R will tell u I was dancing away here (watch this link :):)..!

Deepali rocks :)... this girl has sheer talent!! :)

Finally, I'd love to see a girl be the next IDOL! :))

What a Shame!!

Strange I'd never heard of this so called "Bikers Club" that creates havoc on Delhi roads couple of times in the month! I first heard of it while watching one of the news channel. 100-200 odd bikers on the roads...speeding and having fun at the expense of other commuters discomfort...eve teasing on the roads and then attacking the cops who came to restore normalcy. What a SHAME!!!

Not that these guys are criminals or from a bad lot. They appear to be from normal families yet look what happens in a mob situation. Your reasoning goes for a toss. Pity! And I wonder what kind of upbringing these guys have had....I mean tomorrow if my son were to indulge in this kind of behaviour I would question myself...What did I not get right?! The parents of the guys...I really wonder if they were so ignorant of where or what their children or in some cases *grown* men were doing?!

Stuff like this disgusts me. Remember the kids in Gurgaon who hit the watchman of a building? And how the parents of the kid actually defended their kid! Agreed they're young and reckless ... whose fault is it? And then instead of making them realize the gravity of the situation, parents simply set an even worse of example by not even admitting their child made a mistake...a huge one that could have cost a poor man his life??! And why the hell, did they let an underage kid drive a car??!! What kind of families are these??!!

I really really worry about the kind of friends V will be interacting with as he grows up. Sometimes I feel all these schools with their fancy images and insanely high fees are all hogwash! If need be I won't hesitate to pull him out of the one he is in, if I have to keep him away from kids of such irresponsible parents. It's one of my biggest insecurities coz I know all kids go through an age when friends mean everything and God forbid he gets into *wrong* company...It'll be hell getting him back on track.

Back to the "Bikers Club"... I saw the media clippings on TV and these guys looked they could hardly care and all that mattered to them was having FUN and showing off big time. No regard for anyone or anything.

One cameraman of the TV channel was bashed up bad by these "biker" goons so that these images wouldn't make it to the news. The cops managed to arrest 40 odd guys but then if it's true that many are from well to do families and we already know the kind of value system they have from these incidents....we can be assured that these guys will pay off the system and get away scott free...!! And get back to hounding the city streets...

As though having to worry about terrorists and bombs, blue line bus accidents and killings and diseases like Dengue and what not were not enough to deal with!!!

Addicted :-)

Couldn’t resist taking this quiz!

How Addicted to Blogging Are You?
You are 84% addicted to blogging!
84%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

84%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Answering some of the questions was fun!! I kind of guessed what my score was going to be :-)

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I’m getting very impatient u know. 21st will see the release of the next “Harry Potter” book. In fact the last of the series and I dread to think of what after Harry Potter. For all the harry fans, it’s not about just another book! It’s about the end of a journey. A journey which has taken us to a whole new world of magic and fascinating tales…of characters who’ve become so familiar and who we relate to much like we do with our friends.

I for one am left with mixed feelings…a sense of excitement to know what next and a sense of loss at knowing….no more after this!!

I am sure all “Potter” fans are experiencing similar emotions. It’s truly going to be the end of an era…a whole generation that lived and experienced the “potter mania” as it unfolded through the past years.

Yes when my grandkids read these books (if I live long enough), I will tell them about all the hype every time a book released….how the movies ran to packed theatres…how crazy we were about it all!!

I will miss it… I truly will… the only consolation is that there are still two more movies to wait and watch…

I guess if I get the book on time … I pre ordered on the net u see… I will be quite inaccessible through the next week or till I get done with the book. I intend to savor each and every word…:-)

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The last thing of course is the big birthday bash this Sunday which has kept me busy most evenings…sending out invites, packing return gifts and settling details. All is more or less settled. There’s also a science exhibition in V’s school on sat. A busy weekend again. And no school tomorrow because of the exhibition. Phew…

That’s it for today!

Ps: Got a new Jukebox on the sidebar....pick a song and enjoy... :))... currently bollywood music only but I'm working on more playlists!!

What a morning!!

Now that I am done fiddling with the template here and pretty much satisfied with the current look, lets start writing right?

Today's papers had a front page story on road rage and a man who was killed on the roads after a fight. It was the most disturbing thing to read early morning when I usually munch my toast and sip my tea. What kind of people are these? Who simply beat a man mercilessly to death just coz their vehicles scraped each other??!

Apparently, the victims car was scraped by a bike with two guys on it and they had an argument. Later when this man drove away, these men followed this guy to the next intersection and this time were joined by three other friends. They caught up, beat this guy and finally hit his head with a stone flower pot ... leaving him to die...

Road Rage is an urban disease...a menace. One that sadly we bring upon ourselves. Everyone's in a rush to get somewhere...people have no regard for traffic rules...regulations. I mean hey if we're not gonna get caught...so who cares right if I skip one red light or overtake from the wrong side? Or if I speed a litte? And watch out dude if you hit my car, I'm gonna smash your face!!! Or do you know who I am ... do you know who I know??!!

The guy yesterday was on his way home from the gym.... going back to his family ... a son and a daughter and his wife! Who would've thought he would never make it home?

Everytime R gets into an altercation on the roads...my heart races. I know he wouldn't hurt anyone but what do I know of the guy in front of him? Who knows who has a gun these days.... there are instances galore of people getting shot and deliberately run over.

What kind of people are these? Where does all this rage stem from? How do they simply kill a perfect stranger? If they're leading stressful unhappy and angry lives, that's their problem! How does lashing out on a stranger on the road make things any better?

It's a sad world we live in. Will things change? How will they? Who will...make the first effort to say "hey sorry...I should have been more careful".... Is "sorry" such a dirty word?

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The one happy thing today is of course the fact that it is Vedant's birthday :) :) ... that happiness is shared in my daily blog :)

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The song playing is unrelated to the post... from the movie "cash"... the title track! Yes I know...sounds like u've heard it before ;-)

Cash (Extended Mix...

I AM BACK here...

Coming Back To Life - Pink Floyd
Where were you
When I was burned and broken
While the days slipped by
From my window watching

Where were you
When I was hurt and helpless
Because the things you say
And the things you do surround me

While you were hanging yourself
On someone else's words
Dying to believe in
What you heard
I was staring straight
Into the shining sun

Lost in thought
And lost in time
While the seeds of life
And the seeds of change were planted

Outside the rain fell dark and slow
While I pondered on this dangerous
But irresistible pastime

I took a heavenly ride
Through our silence
I knew the moment had arrived
For killing the past
And coming back to life

I took a heavenly ride
Through our silence
I knew the waiting had begun
And headed straight..
Into the shining sun...

Liked the lyrics and now play the song :)

Pink Floyd - Comin...

Yet another year drifts by....

This post is up a day ahead because I may not be around tomorrow (20th June)...it's a poem I read while surfing through sites and it seemed perfect for my birthday :).

Another Year
by Libbie Richman

Yesterday is behind closed doors
Sometimes I wish it could be restored;
Today is rushing past
Moments that will not last,
Tomorrow you will wonder where time went
As the hours are spent.

Hold on to your expectations
Plunge ahead without reservation,
When doubts cause you to shed a tear
Just think how lucky you are to be here
To conquer yet another year...

Out of the past we came
Taking with us moments that can't be rekindled again;
Minutes that were sometimes nasty
Others that were nice,
Love affairs that were fire
And relationships that turned to ice.

When you expect too much of today
When you long for a moment from yesterday
When things don't seem completely clear
Just think how lucky you are to be here
To conquer yet another year...

Like the shadow of water caressing the sands
Like the gentle touch of a friends hand
Like the sun that kisses the mountain top
Days move ahead, taking the hours away,
And the minutes can't be held by any clock.

Take your dreams into tomorrow
From what you've learned you can borrow;
Cherish what is sublime
The hours that are yours and mine,
And think how lucky we are to be here
To conquer yet another year...

Like a love that does not possess
But fills with joy each empty recess
We are given seconds not to use in vain
To follow the sunset till the sun rises again;
So while the path is not always clear
Just remember always how lucky you are to be here
To conquer yet another year...

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The song playing is one I like a lot...one of the few Bappida songs I do :P...!

i. Dil mein ho tum...

My Life in Cliche'd Quotes

"We always thought we'd look back on our tears and laugh, but we never thought we'd look back on our laughter and cry."

Living in the past is something I simply have never advocated or supported. Learn from the past and move on...Life is what lies ahead and not in the memories of the past!

Then why have I been drifting to memories of my past and seeking comfort in them. And what's more...I've loved and I still love every minute of it!

"A friend is someone who is there for you when she'd rather be anywhere else."

Thanks Suchi for the evenings of incessant chatter, silly banter...real smiles and heart to hearts...

"Advice is like snow; the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind."

Something to ponder on....lines I wish everyone reads and understands. LOL with me, advice has been given like a blizzard....whooooosshhhhh....and m still dusting off the last of the icicles!!

"You can understand and relate to most people better if you look at them -- no matter how old or impressive they may be -- as if they are children. For most of us never really grow up or mature all that much -- we simply grow taller. O, to be sure, we laugh less and play less and wear uncomfortable disguises like adults, but beneath the costume is the child we always are, whose needs are simple, whose daily life is still best described by fairy tales."

Vedant baby...u keep the child in me alive :)

*sigh*

And off I am to take on another day....Life Here I Come!!!

"The remarkable thing we have is a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude."

The song playing is "Main Jahan Rahoon"...

NAMASTE LONDON - 0...

My Wish List!!!

I just put this up in my personal blog "Ishi's daily dose:-)"! I was excited making this wishlist so had to share it here too:P! It was like going window shopping :D Ofcourse this is keeping in mind the fact that I do have my birthday coming up!!!

View all my wishes at wishpot.com >>

The song playing is "Dreams" by Cranberries...one of my all time fav bands:-)

Dreams - Cranberri...

"Oh my life is changing everyday
Every possible way
Though my dreams, it’s never quite as it seems
Never quite as it seems

I know I felt like this before
But now I’m feeling it even more
Because it came from you

Then I open up and see
The person fumbling here is me
A different way to be

I want more, impossible to ignore
Impossible to ignore
They’ll come true, impossible not to do
Impossible not to do

Now I tell you openly
You have my heart so don’t hurt me
For what I couldn’t find

Talk to me amazing mind
So understanding and so kind
You’re everything to me

Oh my life is changing everyday
Every possible way
Though my dreams, it’s never quite as it seems
’cause you’re a dream to me
Dream to me"

Don't expect me to be your friend

I remember hearing this song when I was growing up ...

Yet another facet of love.

“Not all love stories have happy endings” – is a phrase I didn’t give much thought to as a child.

But that phrase is a living reality.

In fact I often wonder ... “Most love stories end up unhappy…just few stand the test of time, faith, commitment…”

The song above is close to my heart because I know how difficult it is to sustain a relationship with someone we have loved in the past but who has since moved on. Not many can do it successfully. Sometimes the hurt and pain is too much. Sometimes the reasons don’t make any sense.

Life isn’t fair. Life isn’t ever ... But life still is what we make of it.

And Love happens ... not just once. It happens many times in one lifetime.

Don’t hang on.

Let go ...

Help my friend - Puja

Hello Everybody,

I need your help.

My niece, Prachi (11 mths) is suffering from Brain Disease - Leigh's Disease. It’s spread all over in her brain. Leigh's disease usually begins between the age of 3 months to 2 years and progress rapidly. My niece is not able to walk, sit, eat any solid food, she is always on liquid. Her body is very stiff. From the last three months she is undergoing physiotherapy exercises. She is very weak and always needs support. She has the tendency to put on weight very fast.

We have showed her to a Neuro Surgeon in Bangalore. Consulted with so many other doctors and this they have to say "She will not live for more than 6 mths or Max 1 yr”. We are doing everything here, but still there is no progress. Please help me!! There is no cure for this disease. We have showed her to many doctors, but everybody gives the same answer. But we have still not lost hope. Please can you give me the name and contact number of a good Neuro Surgeon, physiotherapist, whom you think can help us. She is in pain; my sis-in-law is heartbroken. My family is suffering and is in lot of pain and I have to be strong and do something.

“Relatives never help”

I have sent across mails to most of the Organization who are looking after such kind of diseases, but no body has answered, accept one who gives me the same answer “There is No cure”. I know I am asking for too much, but if you can take a couple of minutes from your schedule and can find out any info on this (the name and contact number). It will be really grateful.

Request: For all the women’s who are planning to have a baby, or who are already pregnant. Please get your Genetic test done in the 2nd month of the pregnancy. Doctors say that in US and others countries out 77,000 one child gets this disease. But in India out of 100 pregnant women, 10 children are affected. And there is no Cure. I am being a little rude here, but NO body will want there children to be born with a disease which is not curable, which leads to death or abnormal disorders.

Please help me!! If there is any info can you please drop an email at puja.jain12@gmail.com

Thank you so much for all ur help

Puja

Thank you Ishita :)

"Between Friends" ... it ROCKS!!! :-)

I can't believe just how much I've neglected this space!! I don't blog here as often as I did. I don't visit blogs as much as I did in the past! So, am I finished in Blogsville?? Far from it!!! The reason why I've been missing from this space is because of this>>> http://www.betweenusfriends.com/

Yes YOU read it right! That's our very own website *ahem* :)). I've been talking about the new blog "Between Friends" I started out back in March this year and what started out as just a common space for couple of blog friends I've made in the past two years spent here in Blogspot is now growing bigger and better :). Right now we are close to 30 members and every fortnight we have new members joining in. Though it's been just about two months we've already got 70 plus posts up :)!

Those of you who still get here ... intentionally :) or accidentally...must must have a look at the new blog:). It's a whole lot of fun and if you're as passionate about blogging as I am, then you're sure to love it! :)

At "Between Friends", we run a topic every two weeks and every member writes a post on the same. The topics are suggested by the members themselves and then put up in a poll counter in the blog. The one that gets the max votes is put up :). There are some rules in place which can be read up on the main website www.betweenusfriends.com.

If you like the place and want to join us, all you need to do is fill in the request form here. We will contact you and send out an invite as and when we are ready for new members.

This week we have two topics running "Share your recipe" and "10 things about me" :-) and posts on these are already up in the blog. Besides that, to celebrate the launch of our brand new website, we have a blogathon running where members of "Between Friends" will be writing about their experience with "Between Friends" in their respective blogs.

We've also very proud to flaunt our new badge which you will notice in our member's blogs too

That's it for now ppl...hoping u will have a look at the site and the blog and do leave us your feedback and suggestions!

Chail Trip :-) .. "A walk in the clouds"

Long long time since I updated here! I've been concentrating a lot on my new blogs @ "ishi's daily dose" and "Between Friends" and also been caught up at home। My usual ramblings can be read in the "daily dose" blog and I will not repeat all that's been going on with me here all over again :)

What I got here to write about is the trip I made to Chail this past weekend. It was R's annual office trip. I blogged about the last trip here >> "Heaven is a place on Earth :-) ... The Khajjiar Trip!"

Sunset view from the resort

We left Delhi by Kalka Mail on thursday night. The train was running late but we made it to Chandigarh at around 4:15 am and then took a bus ride to the resort which was around a 4 hour drive. The resort "Tarika Jungal Resort" was some 5-6 kms away from main Chail on a hillside with a grand view of Shimla and Solan on one side and snow peaks on the other.

View from our balcony

We were a group of 50 odd people. Most of us travelled together on the train and bus (two 35 seaters) while some others travelled in their own cars. We had much of the resort to ourselves and the children were delighted with the play area for kids :)...there were swings/slides and other games to keep the kids occupied. The resort was spread over a rather vast area and had different living arrangements...cottages, rooms, suites, etc. What was interesting was the glass dome like buildings of the reception area, gym/suana/spa and the honeymoon suite which gave a nice view of the sky and hills around....hmmmm :)

Suchi had joined us in this trip and we got two adjoining rooms with balconies that had a lovely view of the peaks. Lucky for us the rooms had a connecting door which made it easy for us to be together. Vedant decided that one room was for the boys (that's him and Rajiv) and the other was for the girls (that's Suchi and I) :)

The walk from our rooms to the dining area was very scenic indeed. We took a nice path that cut across the resort area and gave us a spectacular view of Shimla and Solan towns in the far distance. At night watching the twinkling lights of the two towns reminded us of jewels glittering in the dark :)... loved that!

There were a lot of activities too. One could make use of the gym or take walks/short treks to a temple nearby/ get a kerela body massage (i heard that was very relaxing!). There were games like basket ball or cricket and a pool table. We had our own games for the kids and the adults too. Of which Rajiv won the "fire in the mountain" game :P and later at night we partied a lot. Rajiv was lucky through the trip winning the seconf prize in the fancy dress nite. He went as a bashed up guy with a broken head/legs/bruises all over/black eye etc and a placard that read "I kissed my neighbhor's wife!" LOL! :D I went as a gypsy woman and V was a fireman! :) The first prize went to one of R's colleague's .. a guy who dressed up as a glamourous woman :P ... truly outrageous but a helluva lot of fun! The best win was when R and I won the couples paper dance :) ... don't even ask what a task that was... he he!

There was also a trip to the famous Chail cricket ground (said to be the highest in the world) and to a famous temple nearby.

We were there till sunday morning and left soon after breakfast. Took a bus ride to Kalka town and stopped midway for lunch. We got the Shatabdi (train) to Delhi in the evening. The train ride was fun too. In fact I guess you'd agree that anytime you're in any group outing everything ends up as fun. All the talks, games, gossip sessions, singing, dancing...everything adds to the fun and hulla bullla! :P

Personally, I would like to go back to this resort with just the family and spend a good holiday there. It was nice, secluded and I liked the whole idea of just lazing around and being away from the hurried pace of city life.

I'd recommend it as a place to visist to people living in and around delhi and more so if they're keen on driving up and making it there in their own car. A stop over for the night at Chandigarh would help one get refreshed and start the drive uphill early morning! :)

Enough for now. Changing the music in the sidebar to a song which shows off the hills of North India :) from the movie "Taal" ... the song playing is "Taal se taal mila" (one of the few songs of aishwarya I love)

Birthday Wishes :-)

Instead of counting candles,
Or tallying the years,
Contemplate your blessings,
On your birthday each year.

Consider special people
Who love you, and who care,
And others who’ve enriched your life
Just by being there.

Think about the memories
Passing years can never mar,
Experiences great and small
That have made you who you are.

Another year is a happy gift,
So cut your cake, and say,
"Instead of counting birthdays,
I count blessings every day!"

Poem courtesy: Joanna Fuchs

150 Not Out! :-)

UPDATE : I'm not going to be around here for a while ppl...busy at home coz I have my parents visiting :-) and I have more family visiting the following week! I want to thank you all for your comments on this post :-) ! I wish I could reply to each one individually...I will try but not right away. I've also been caught up with the new blog "Between Friends" which is now all set and doing great! Tonight I've also updated my favorite blog "pOeMs 'n' QuOtEs" ... yes you heard me right...Not this (my main space) but that (my poems blog) is by far my favorite blog of all the four that I am a part of...which is why this is a really special moment for me... :-)!! I love all the blogs but I love that the most! :P and btw anyone who wants to know if all's ok with me...you could check this "ishi's daily dose"... this just started on 17th and is on an experimental basis :) ...

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Okkk first things first...check out the new blog "Between Friends" ... love it hate it...it's here to stay :P ... so go ahead take a look and yaa comments are always welcome :)

Another reason for the wide grin on my face is the fact that this is my 150th post...finally! Considering the fact that I have taken a whole lot of breaks and almost quit blogging a couple of times, getting to this figure is quite a big deal for me!!! :)

But I won't celebrate it in any unconventional way. I'll opt for an old familiar tag I picked up and modified to get sum answers from u guys...so here we go (puhleez do this ppl!)

Where did we meet (I mean came to know each other):
How long have you known me?
How well do you know me?
Do I smoke?
Do I believe in God?
When you first met me (online/in real) what was your impression :{ be Honest}
Color of eyes:
Do I have any siblings?
(If opposite sex) Have you ever had a crush on me: (If same sex) Have you ever been jealous of me:
What's one of my favorite things to do?
What is the best feature about me?
Am I shy or outgoing?
Would you say I am funny?
Am I a rebel or do I follow all the rules:?
Any special talents:
If there was one good nickname for me what would it be?
What songs make you think of me?
What do you think of me now?

And before u run away…just a few more (indulge me okk!)

1 thing u hate about me...
1 thing u love about me...
1 thing u learnt from me...
1 thing u don't believe about me...
1 thing u could give to me (from your personal treasure)...
1 thing u wanna take from me...
1 thing u think I should change...
1 thing u admire the most in me...
1 thing u wanna do with me...

Ps: The song playing is "you make me feel" by Bonfire...an old favorite! I simply luv it!! (yeah...memories with this song!)...

"Deep in the night, when I'm alone
My heart starts to burn, cause I feel for you
I've been away too long from my love
I leave it up to you to understand

I've got this feeling, deep in my mind
Come back and love me, just one more time
On the ground of an ocean, we buried our love far away
My heart's still bleeding, won't you come back and stay

I can't understand, why there's salt in my eyes
I can't understand, why your heart is in disguise
For I still need you, and I want you to come back again
You make me feel...never again

I can't find the answer from a look in your eyes
My heart's still crying...don't tell me your love is a lie
Why don't we give us a second chance

But I can't understand, why you laugh, though you cry
And I can't undersand, why I don't say goodbye
For I still need you, and I want you to come back again
You make me feel like never again

For I still need you, and I want you to come back again
You make me feel like never again"

....*sigh*...I so luv it :)

A friend is...

Enjoy the Holi pics! As you can see it was fun and I'm hoping you all had an enjoyable time. Don't we look a mess?! *grin*

The weather's changing too. Days are getting warmer and its time again to put away warm clothes and get out summer clothes. I've been busy settling the house before mum & dad get here on monday next.

That doesn' leave me with much time to be here and get around. I do spend some of my time checking mails and chatting with friends. And ofcourse check orkut...It's amazing how many friends I have got back in touch with! All thanks to orkut! :-)

Though what really was a nice surprise was getting a mail from a friend who found me through my blog! :-) And that was one friend I would often look for... doing a google search but never found him....till one day his mail popped up in my mailbox!

I'm not very good at keeping in touch...I'll write to friends out of the blue....longg mails and then get caught up with my life here and not write for months! Sometimes I don't call for ages....and then suddenly I just make a call and talk away. That's the thing I love about good friends, you can pick up things from where you left off without feeling awkward.

I read this today..."Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not all still friends."

And I think those of us who have such friends in our lives are blessed. Friends don't make demands, don't have unreal expectations... I know everything is give and take but nothings forced in a friendship. You give coz it makes you happy...sometimes happy just seeing your friend happy and you take because what you're getting is so priceless :-)...

My fav friendship quote is "Silences make the real conversations between friends. Not the saying but the never needing to say is what counts." Isn't that how it is with a your good friends too? I know it is with mine...

And I love the way a good friend just knows what's on my mind without me having to spell it out? "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words..."

I started writing this post with some other things in mind...but drifted into this topic...can't seem to recall what I set out to write about now...*sigh*

Ps: The song playing is one I found on youtube called "What's forever for"...nice lyrics....hear it and you'll find yourself agreeing with every word!

"I've been looking at people
And how they change with the times
And lately all I've been seeing are people
Throwing love away and losing their minds

Or maybe it's me who's gone crazy
But I can't understand why
All these lovers keep hurting each other
When good love is so hard to come by

So what's the glory in living?
Doesn't anybody ever stay together anymore?
And if love never lasts forever
Tell me what's forever for

I've been listening to people
And they say love is the key
And it's not my way to let them lead me astray
It's only that I want to believe

And I see love-hungry people
Trying their best to survive
While in their hands is a dying romance
And they're not even trying to keep it alive

So what's the glory in living?
Doesn't anybody ever stay together anymore?
And if love never lasts forever
Tell me what's forever for

And if love never lasts forever
Tell me what's forever for"

Ps: Started a new blog!! Take a look here - www.betweenusfriends.blogspot.com! and do share your comments :-)! Of course, it's still work in progress!

HAPPY HOLI :-) !!!

First things first, thanks guys for taking up the tag and making it so interesting! And also for the comments on the last post :) ... encouraging words there....

I don't have much to blog about. It rained last night and looks like it could rain again anytime. All I can wish for is that we have a nice clear day on Sunday...coz' its HOLI! The festival of color & gujjiyas (sweets!) :-)! Wishing everyone a joyous colorful weekend! ENJOY!!

HAPPY HOLI!!!

I have a lot of things to look forward to in the coming weeks. Besides Holi this weekend, my dance classes (I moved to the next level) are coming to an end and I have the big presentation day on 11th! Sooo time for butterflies in my tummy again! :P Remember I have terrible stage fright??!! But well I'm excited too...!

And then right after that, on 13th my parents are coming to town and they'll stay with us for couple of weeks. I last saw them in summer 2006. More than me, Vedant's all excited. He luvs having them here. His nana (my dad) is his bestttt friend and they enjoy playing together esp. boxing!! :))

Also Vedant will be completing his KG session and hopefully :P move to the next class i.e grade 1 and start a new session end of March. Phew...time flies....realllyyyy does!

Ohkk will be back next week with further updates...right now, I have to get ready for my classes. Enjoy a home video of Vedant singing a song for me :P .... he makes these up himself u see and of course it's in hindi! Don't miss the mess he's made on the walls scribbling wid his pencil *sigh* and it's an old video... u'll see he lost his two front teeth then...ha ha! toothless grin :)) ...

Ps: The music playing on my sidebar is "Baby Baby" by Amy Grant :-)...Enjoy! :)

And oh yes if you have the time and patience, I'd like to share last year's Holi post (click here !) and infact the entire month of March 2006 (click here!) ...it has some of my fav posts and memories :-) *sigh*

Today

"You don’t always get back what you give
Sometimes you’ve got to just keep giving
Without expecting anything in return
Tough as it may seem
To want it all is like
Living an illusion
An impossible dream..."

Ps: The music playing is an all time fav hindi song "tum itna jo muskura rahi ho" sung by ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh from the soundtrack of the movie "Arth". Lines from the song...

"Jin Zakhmon Ko Waqt Bhar Chala Hai

Tum Kyon Unhe Chhedhe Ja Rahe Ho

Tum Itna Jo Muskura Rahe Ho
Kya Gham Hai Jisko Chhupa Rahe Ho

Rekhaon Ka Khel Hai Muqaddar
Rekhaon Se Maat Kha Rahe Ho

Tum Itna Jo..."

I love...

Sorry Yashita!! This was the tag I was supposed to do wayyy back but somehow a lot of other things came up inbetween…but here I am all set to do the tag and hopefully it’ll be up in the blog today!

The tag says I have to list out five things I love about my body and myself…

Ohkkkkk!! I love talking and writing about myself. And I’ve done a lot of that in my posts here in my space but this one’s not an easy tag. Not that I am very pessimistic about myself (anyone who knows me well enough will tell u that I’m quite an optimist in all respects!) but I am also my biggest critic! So to sit here and talk about what I love about my body (ahem!) and myself is going to be a lil tough!!

We’ll start with body: P (in random order)

1. My lips…my smile! Though I’m not really sure if people around me feel that way…I did have couple of friends tell me that I have a nice smile and a compliment I got way back makes me wanna smile some more :) … no not what you’re thinking (though yeah that’s a definite plus ;-)!!)! What I’m talking about is friend’s telling me that any shade of lipstick or gloss looked good on me but my lips without make up had a distinct shape and needed none of the added color…hmmm!! :-)))

2. My eyes! Okk my eyes are too small and look carefully (@ pic) and you’ll see that I have inherited my father’s eyes...they’re not symmetrical! When I smile, they disappear!! So why do I like them? Well because my eyes don’t lie even when I try to…my eyes are truly the mirror to my soul. If I am uneasy I will avert my eyes because I know they give away more than I wish to…

3. Writing about the first two was easy…Now I have to thinkkkk…lol! Ok I love my legs…not that they’re anything fabulous…shapely and long etc etc. They’re normal and okk…but well we’re talking about what I love about my body right so yes I love my legs! I am blessed not to have two left feet…I love to dance and I can dance and I am learning dance…*sigh*…it’s my greatest stress buster!

4. My hands…I can’t talk without using my hands. They play a huge part in the way I express myself. And I’m a very demonstrative person…if I wanna hug, I will. If I wanna hold your hand I will…That’s me! I don’t think and show I care…I just do! Oh yes, I love henna in my hands...see the pic! :-)

5. Last but not the least is my hair…ummm…I’ve been treating it really shabbily in recent times starting with a disastrous hair cut after Vedant was born. But that was coz I wanted a no fuss hair cut considering the fact that I hardly slept or got anytime for myself for the first couple of months after he came along! But soon after I tried desperately to get it back to a decent length and cut. And then I experimented with colors…not that I had any grey to cover but well, I thot it would be fun…so colored it at home. Finally last year I got it straightened although I have straight hair…hmmmpfhhh! I told you I am one restless soul! :P But anyway now I’m ok with it…It’s not as lustrous and nice as it was before I got pregnant but it’s one definite positive feature about me…love it the way it is now :-)

Pheww….!! You have no clue how long I took to get all that done..! Now about what I love about myself…ofcourse I’d club all of the above in the first point (that’s allowed right??)…so that leaves me with 4 more to go…hmmmmm:-)

1. All of the above … 5 things I love about my body!

2. My family…that includes my extended family too (with a few exceptions!) and the friends I’ve made coz they do define the kind of person I’ve come to be…the Ishita you know now. The daughter, the sister, the wife, the mommy and the friend that I am.

3. And continuing from the last point, I love being a mommy! I may not be the perfect mom…and I know I am not! But I love being one…it’s the best feeling and it’s just so me!!!

4. I don’t hold on to grudges. I get mad…upset but I let go of negativity in time and try to get back with whoever I might’ve had a tiff with. I learnt this the hard way coz there’s a friend I lost to a lot of misunderstanding and lack of communication. Now when I think back, I feel I was stupid and naïve but you know what they say about it getting too late to go back and fix things…well, that’s true and I know it best! So now I never leave it for later…

5. My ability to connect with people and express myself! I can be quite brash when I want to and very diplomatic when I need to be. But I will not lead u on and be someone I am not.

And that’s it!!!

Who do I tag? Yashita tagged Kesh but I’m not really sure if she’s done this one? If u haven’t, please take it up Keshi :-). Also gotta tag some more of you here…Rajbir, Uttara, John, Suchi, Sanjay, Amy, Lalitha … If u guys haven’t done this already, then please do it!!! :-)

Also tagged Jitendra! :))

Ps: The music playing is "What's up?" by the 4 Non Blondes. Enjoy and oh yes, have a great weekend everyone :-)

I believe...

Ideally I’d like to crib about my lousy connection but those who know me well have been hearing this for ages now and they’re also the ones who visit my space here and I can guess they’re rolling their eyes and saying “Oh God not again ishi!!!” ….. he he :P

Ab kya kare…that’s the plain and simple fact! I feel really handicapped and as a result I’m quite irritable now days. Its frustrating to have things to write about and then have the whole thing just lying here … unpublished! Hmmmpfhhhh!!!! Then when I do manage to get a post put up…I find that I’ve run put of patience and time to surf around and read up my fav blogs…yes yes I mean yours…and your and hmmmmmm…everyone!!

I couldn’t put up my Valentine post on time either. No not here but in my other blog “pOeMs ‘n’ QuOtEs”. I did put it up later though. I guess some times things aren’t supposed to be there when u want them to. You know how people say in hindi “har cheez ka apna time hota hai” (everything happens in its own time).

I do believe that (No silly not b’coz of one post not getting published as planned)! I believe in it seeing and observing the way life’s been for me and people around me. We can plan it all but there’s no surety that we’re gonna get the results we want! Hell sometimes it sucks but sometimes the results are so much better than we could ever imagine!

Then there are those times when we’re waiting for something to happen and it just doesn’t….and the wait seems unending! No light at the end of the tunnel….and then out of the blue, things happen…and they happen so fast, one’s left breathless and too stunned to react. I mean all that in a very positive way…don’t you just love it when that happens?

Something like this happened recently with a dear friend and it makes me smile coz it makes me believe that no matter how miserable things around us get, good times do come if you have the strength to keep moving forward.

Hmmmm :-) ...

Another incident that gives me the strength to face the depressing times life sometimes throws up is to do with a friend I met online. Someone I’ve never met but have known for two years now. We got to know each other at a time when I was very vary of people I met in chat rooms or networking sites. But he came across as a very genuine guy and we hit it off very well. In the course of our conversations I learnt a lot about him and vice versa. He was very candid about himself. It shocked me to learn that a guy so young and with so much to see of life was dealing with an extreme state of depression.

There was a day when he was going through a really bad time and all the things he had to say that day had me scared for him. He seemed at a point of no return. I don’t remember all the things I said to him but I do remember telling him that he could never know how wonderful his tomorrow could be if he let his today overwhelm him like this. I kept talking about how much more of life there was left to see and how a negative situation doesn’t last. I admit I said a lot of it just to make him feel better about himself and his life because I for sure couldn’t tell him that I knew what it was like to be in his shoes coz I’ve never been there…never been to that extreme.

I don’t know if what I said had an effect on him. He insists it did. He says that I happened to be there for him at the right time. All I know is God puts us in these situations…

My friend wasn’t the only one who got past that day with a new belief in himself. Today he’s doing well for himself, with a wonderful life, career, and found the love of his life soon after.

I learnt a lot from that experience too.

I learnt that there are times when life gets very tough and we lose all hope and we just can’t seem to see the silver lining. But people around us can pull us through. That just having someone believe in us can make all the difference.

And when I face a difficult situation or get depressed about anything, I think of that day when I talked to my friend. I tell myself, why I can’t I believe in the things I was trying to convince him about? When I put things in that perspective, I find it easier to believe that I can get past it all…

Ps: The music playing is “I believe I can fly” by R.Kelly and has everything to do with the post!! :P ... Lines from the song ...

"I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly

See I was on the verge of breaking down
Sometimes silence can seem so loud
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me, oh

If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there's nothing to it

I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly"

3 Things!

Got tagged by John ...! But before that I know a very special day is around the corner... Valentines Day! A special day to remember loved ones and the very special someone in our lives. I think it’s a blessing in itself to be with and live with love and happiness. And when one has that, every day is special and every day is a celebration!!
Wishing you all A VERY HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Hoping you all find, cherish and live the love and happiness you deserve!!! :-)

Now the tag!

Three things that scare me:

1. Losing someone close to me...
2. The dark!
3. Creepy crawlies....roaches! Rats...etc etc

Three people who make me laugh:

1. My son’s cute antics!
2. Mr. Bean
3. People caught on candid camera

Three things I love:

1. A good conversation and time spent with people I love...family & friends.
2. My pc!
3. Good food :-)

Three things I hate:

1. Malicious gossip
2. Last minute changes...delays...postponements...cancellations!
3. Vedant waking up before I do!!!

Three things I don't understand:

1. How an emotion like love can be sooo good and yet so painful at times!
2. Why is it raining cats and dogs in Delhi the month of February??
3. Why the cartoon series on TV are dubbed in a Hindi that one just doesn’t use in day to day life?

Three things on my desk:

1. This pc
2. My phone
3. Lil cartoon figures – Minnie mouse, superman, batman, dumbo the elephant, tigger, sher khan...lol...!!

Three things I’m doing right now:

1. This tag on a word doc
2. Answering Vedant’s 101 questions! (This one I’m doing forever!)
3. Cursing the internet service (disconnected as usual!)

Three things I want to do before I die:

1. Play with my grandkids...
2. Lose weight!
3. Have my dream vacation!

Three things I can do:

1. I can cook finally!
2. be there for a friend...
3. Dance

Three things you should listen to:

1. Your head vs. your heart
2. Music you love
3. A person who won’t beat around the bush and will tell it like it is.

Three things you should never listen to:

1. Stupid jokes...
2. Cartoon network in Hindi!
3. Me! When I’m in a cranky mood.....!!! :P

Three things I’d like to learn:

1. Some more cooking
2. Salsa ... the dance!
3. Meditation

Three fav. Foods:

1. Mummy’s cooking...home made food
2. Ice creams!
3. My own experimental cooking :-)

Three beverages I drink regularly:

1. Tea
2. Coffee
3. Milk

Three TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid:

1. Tom & Jerry
2. Enid Blyton’s books
3. Disney comics

Three people I tag:

1. Rajbir

2. Uttara

3. Suchi

Ps: The music playing is “Groovy kind of love” by Phil Collins for my Valentine :-)

A Groovy Kind Of Love Video

A Groovy Kind Of Love lyrics - Phil Collins lyrics

Phil Collins Music Videos

Music Video Codes by VideoCure.com

Thanks everyone for your comments...sadly my lousy connection makes it tough to get back with replies...! or visit blogs... *sigh*...

Picture my personality :-) ...

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Mood - Easy Rider....

You’re a bit of a romantic and have a taste for the exotic. You love the feeling of sea breeze in your hair and sun on ur skin...slip those shoes off...you like to kick back. When it comes to Art you are creative yourself, and believe in self expression. You can see the little masterpieces in everyday life. You can be a touch sentimental. As for music, you are a focused listener and always on the look out for something new. Your music collection is your treasure. Your choice of treat shows you really care about your appearance. If u feel good on the outside, you’ll feel good in the inside right?

Habits - High Time Roller

You treasure your possessions. Looking fresh is standard for you – but can leave your pockets light. If you look good, you feel better. Your choice of drink reflects your classic taste. – Yes, you’re a bit of a glamorous one! You probably like to dress up, go out and be seen. As for the home, you favor a cozy, home spun look ... you love the D-I-Y (Do-It- Yourself) vibe big time!

Love - Home Soul

You’re a real home soul! You care deeply about family life and all that come with it, the love of a child very special. When you think of freedom, you think of technology providing you with links to communicate wherever you are. Opening more doors :-)

Ps: The music playing is the final selection for our dance presentation. "Tempted to touch" by Rupee (we'll be dancing to a speeded up version)...

Yashita I've been workin on the tag...saving it for next week :-)...!