A dear friend of mine has adopted a baby girl recently. When she went in for the adoption, she found her child and messaged me 'I found my daughter' and I know she meant it immediately. When she came back and informed me in person, her face was radiant with happiness and lit up with joy. When I hugged her tightly, I saw her bright-eyed with tears. I said a silent prayer for my friend who has been through a lot...

Her excitement and happiness is so infectious that I can't help being happy for her. She will bring home the baby today and we plan to go visit her tomorrow and welcome the little bundle of joy with gifts, love and loads of affection.

I have a small request to the readers of this blog. I blog in my original name, I know....and essentially write for myself, to chronicle my life...in the process, if you would like to know or interact with me and my thoughts, i totally love and appreciate it. But please do not discuss the blog topics with me or my family. For the simple reason that what i write here comes from me, not S, not my family...and once again, its MY blog! Thank you very much. I appreciate it. If you have something to say, say it here...you have to take the effort to comment. You can choose to remain silent too...not only here, anywhere! PERIOD. If you are inquisitive, its your problem! Deal with it. and NO! I am not going to stop writing!

Tales of a different kind...

I love watching T.V. and I have no qualms saying that! Having said that, I don't really watch the saas-bahu serials with a vengeance, but follow 'travel and living' and am a big F.R.I.E.N.D.S, Desperate Housewives and offlate, SATC fan!


I have been watching a new serial 'Balika Vadhu' on Colors Channel. 'Balika Vadhu' literally means 'Child Bride' which is prevalent in the rural areas of India even today! It beautifully describes the travails of a child bride, from the child's perspective with some fun elements too. The protagonist is a lovely child with such expressive eyes and innocence that when she cries or longs for her mother or wants to live her life as a child instead of being burdened with 'adult' responsibities so early on in life, it tugs your heartstrings...for that matter, all the characters in the serial play their part very naturally which is probably why I look forward to seeing it. The obvious discrimination angers you...


Hats off to the creative team for coming up with such a meaningful serial which not only entertains but also sends a message across clearly.

* Conditions apply!

You look at some interesting sale or tempting offer and get all excited. Your excitement is all dampened the minute you see the little * somewhere in the corner, in a tiny font yet it can't be ignored. Lots of things in life too comes with conditions, don't they? Let me list down some I have noticed among people, mostly the unsaid part!

• I love you if you love me too*
• I love being in a relationship provided I have my space*
• I enjoy working provided every alternate day is a holiday* ;-) ( This could be my wish!)
• You can be very frank and say what you want to, as long as you say what i want to hear*
• I feel close to people as long as they say all the right things*
• I am open to feedback as long as you don't criticize me*
• I love my parents as long as they don't interfere in my life*
• You adore me only if I buy expensive gifts for you regularly*
• I am a good person only if I don't have an opinion of my own on anything whatsoever*

You can comment here only if you have the patience for it*

*Conditions apply! Go on, add some more if you have anything...

'A thousand splendid suns' - Khaled Hosseini

I was so desperate to read this book and since I just did'nt find the time to go buy it or for that matter, when I did go shopping I simply forgot, I read the e-book ( I can hear book lovers gasping coz I know lots of people like to read from a physical book). I know that there is a certain charm in reading books which goes missing when you read it virtually. Well, something is better than nothing.

I have heard so much about this book from different people that I had great expectations. The author's eloquence takes your breath away and makes you feel as if you are with the protagonist as she goes through hell in every stage of her life. There is a world of difference between feeling sorry for those brave women by reading through the pages of a splendid book to actually going through all those adversities, humiliation, pain, agony, injustice, fear and so many conflicting not-so-pleasant emotions!

It made me think how lucky and blessed i am...to be where I am right now!

Edited to add: I am planning to read 'The Kite Runner' next...I have to warn you that the book does not leave you with a very happy feeling, it makes you really sad. On a totally different note, i saw 'what happens in vegas' this weekend, usual story but very funny!! I thoroughly enjoyed the movie!

Ban gaye ho tum meri dua... ( You have become my blessing!)

Like everyone else, if I know someone reading a palm, I extend my hand very eagerly...Offlate, I don't...but when I was in college, I would do that! My friend Ramya said I would have a very happy marraige and I would find someone who would love me unconditionally. I silently guffawed at it and thought 'yeah right!'...

Little did I know that it would indeed come true! As I see many relationships crumble around with me, even the 'intensely in love couples', it reminds me of how blessed and lucky S and I are, that we found each other. God does love me in his own way...sometimes, he gets angry with me and I have to go through some lows, which is bearable when we are there for each other....to help us tide through it. :-)
S is the perfect balance in our relationship. We (S and I) are a combination of introvert-extrovert, cautious-spontaneous, composed-flustered, mature-child-like, patient-impatient, guarded-expressive, diplomatic -outspoken...so you get the drift. We are absolutely different individuals, which is also the reason that keeps us glued together, maybe...

I love those moments, especially when I see him at the end of a work-day or when he hugs me, I feel like all is picture-perfect in my world! NOONE, but S, can bring that kind of warmth and security in my mind.

A friend of mine tells me I am a sappy wife. Honestly, I don't care what others think of me, to a large extent. No, this is not arrogance. Largely, I know what i want, cherish, treasure and love and I believe in appreciating the good things in life or the wonderful people in my life. I never want to have regrets later in life when I feel why did'nt I tell him how much I love him? Only change in me nowadays is that I simply smile. Earlier, i would get upset. Everybody is entitled to their opinion and so am I ( which i try to keep to myself). PERIOD.

Music, the rains and a long drive!

Last night, I had to stay back at work for a call late at night. S was off yesterday, so with much tredipation, I took the car to work...though i did'nt remember or realize that I would have to stay back for the call... So its about 10.30 p.m and I have to drive back home, late at night, and to add to that, its raining. Let me be honest, I was shit scared that I should reach home safely ( with S calling me every now and then, worried about me...it added to my apprehension!). Anyway, I got off to a good start and there was not too much traffic, obviously coz it was pretty late.

I put on the radio and there was some nice old hindi numbers....the lovely rains and the pleasant breeze....what can i say? I began to relax slowly and thoroughly enjoyed the drive...Usually, I don't even put on the music, coz I am scared that I won't hear others honking or something like that...I am on edge to even enjoy the music...

Sometimes, in life, some things turn out quite well even if it seemed really difficult when you started off, it could be the smallest of things!! When I first learnt to drive the car, I felt I could never do it right...I would think, you should know when to change the gears, also keep an eye on the road for cyclists, bikes, lorries, other cars, humans, animals AND maneuver the big thingy without hitting on anyone AND balance the clutch, accelerator and the brakes! There is only so much I can do, right? I am not yet there....but I am slowly getting there, in the process, learning to enjoy driving as well... Now, S need not force me to drive over the weekends ( I know he is doing it for my own good!), I volunteer to drive, which pleasantly surprises both of us!!

Its a very big deal for me to be out firstly, that late at night all alone and all by myself drive the car home! So i was thrilled to bits! :-)

I bought a nice skirt, one size smaller deliberately, so that its an incentive to work out...and you know what?...It already fits!! I am thrilled to bits...
I want to put it down here, so that I am encouraged to work out and discipline myself everytime i read it! :D