Shouts n Whispers

A Short-lived Adventure!

2012-01-04T13:36:00.000+05:30

This entry is a part of BlogAdda contests in association with Zapstore.com

I spotted a man

Hovering suspiciously beside a van,

I said, "Here's my once in a lifetime shot at adventure."

So I followed him around

Until I found,

That the poor old guy was only

looking for his dentures!!

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

2011-08-09T08:32:00.000+05:30

A muted sigh,

An unshed tear,

Somebody...

Send me a cold beer

Summer 2010

2010-09-12T10:20:00.000+05:30

56 days, 10 movies, 8 blog posts, 7 1/2 books, 3 reunions, 1 Tuesday Pick, 1 play, 1 blog meet, countless love, homecooked food, endless hours on Facebook and Twitter, a long impending end, and a new beginning...
Does my vacation have to really really end?

Headlines 2020- Facebook kills the reunions

2010-09-06T12:34:00.001+05:30

So thanks to Facebook, Orkut and other social networking communities, I had a blast with the past. Nice to catch up with people, squeal in excitement and at times in shock to see how your friends have turned out. And yeah, catch up with them finally after so many years.

I sometimes wonder how people managed to stay in touch before the advent of social networking sites. How effective really were alumni associations?

With all and sundry now being connected on social networking sites, you KNOW what's happening with your friends, on a daily basis. You know where they've been, you know how they look like, you know what they do, what they do for a living, relationship status, employment history, et al. How will reunions look like, 10 years from now? Will there be reunions at all? Won't social networking take the whole fun out of reunions?

Facebook Friend Hunt

2010-08-29T19:54:00.002+05:30

The last one month has been hectic and thanks to Facebook, quite interesting too! I've been jobless (read on a vacation) and with nothing much to do, I attacked Facebook with a frenzy that I've never known before. I unearthed several friends and have had at least 3 reunions, not counting the friends Ive met on an indivual basis. Connected with ex- colleagues, students, college friends and even some school friends... It was real nice to catch up with long-lost buddies after almost 17 years, and get to know what was happening in their lives.

Mind you, finding old friends can be quite a task given that you get 89 results once you hit the search, and scan through pages that give you only a limited access of their profiles. Some of them have cartoon characters as display pics, or worse still, no pics at all, and well if the friend has added oodles of weight, the way I have, it is quite a herculean task to figure out if the person in the pic was the same one who stole 18 Rs. from you in seventh grade, or the same girl you used to bunk lectures with. To find out old friends belonging to the female species can be quite ardous, given that most of them would have married and changed their second names. So exercise your brain cells and retrieve the names of their brothers from your already rusty memory! It actually worked for me, at least once...

So what happens when the friend you are looking for had no brothers that you knew of, or couldnt recall their names? This was a dilemma I faced when I was looking for RP, a dear friend of mine, who unfortunately I hadn't managed to stay in touch after college. All of a sudden I remembered a guy- RK whom I had a huge huge crush on, and since he was her neighbour I hoped she had stayed in touch with him. So I type in his name and manage to find him on Facebook, given that he has a rare combo of first and second names. Plus his DP made it quite obvious that he was the same tall guy I had a crush on. A peek into his Info confirmed this further and before I knew it, I sent him a message.

After a week long wait, he responded at a time I happened to be online.
Here is what ensued between THE Ex Crush and me:
RK: hello
Me: hi R
RK: how r u? after long long time
RK: surprise
Me: yeahhh im good n how r u doing?
RK: all is well
RK: do u still write marathi poems
Me: (Geez, you don't waste time do you? This is getting a bit awkward, me thinks, what the heck!!)
i never wrote marathi poems...hahahaha they wr stolen from somewhere 2 impress someone....now give me RP's number
RK: oh god
RK: to impress whom?
Me: aree....thats history
RK: ha ha ha ha ha
Me: chal now dont embarass me.....just want RP's number

What do you call a moment when you are undescribably embarassed and having fun at the same time?

Well, all's well that ends well. He did manage to give me RP's number and we (RP and I, what were you thinking?) met the very next day. Another Facebook conquest...

Teacher's Day

2010-08-25T21:15:00.000+05:30

Who is/was your favourite teacher, and why? Post your tweets @mumbaiteacher or email your entries to mumbaiteacher@gmail.com Sub line- My favourite teacher.

All your entries will be posted on mumbaiteacher.blogspot.com on 5th September, Teachers' Day. Hurry!! Send in your entries before 2nd September, 2010.

Toeragz on BlogAdda

2010-08-24T16:33:00.001+05:30

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!! My blog post Once upon a time has been selected by BlogAdda @ http://adda.at/Tangy11 as one of the top posts for 'Tangy Tuesday Picks'.

Toeragz on BlogAdda Tangy Tuesday

Once upon a time

2010-08-17T19:19:00.001+05:30

A not-so little bird, happy and gay

Once looked up in the sky,

Saw birds flying high above,

Twittering and chirping away.

She wanted to be with them,

Know new birds and trees,

She went and met their Chief,

He welcomed her,

And put her at ease.

So she left her lovely nest,

In search of a new one,

But when she reached there,

She saw the birds,

Who once she thought, were so much fun,

Had not kept up in the race of evolution.

She remembered her lovely nest,

And sang a beautiful song,

But all the birds looked at her

And said her song was wrong

She felt terribly sad,

In her grief,

She went to the Chief,

And asked him to help fix things,

He said all would be OK,

The bird found her wings.

As we read the poem,

She still waits and wonders,

Will she lose her voice?

Or will she rejoice?

Memories

2010-08-03T22:43:00.001+05:30

I remember waking up to the sounds of the whistle of the pressure cooker in our small and modest one room cum kitchen every morning. I must have been around 4 years old then, and unlike most kids my age I wouldn't ever complain about being whisked away for a bath, coz I would eagerly await the routine that followed next. Watching my mom getting lunch ready was a visual treat every morning. Sometimes, mom would get annoyed with me for getting in her way (it was a small place after all) but more often than not, I would be allowed to stick my fingers in the dough and play with it till mom was ready to roll out perfectly rounded yummy chapatis. Mom would then pack dad's lunch box with chapati and the subji of the day and then drop me off at the babysitter's.

One day, it got into me to make a chapati for my dear pappa, to earn a proud look from him. As mom wouldn't let me anywhere near the stove, I waited patiently for her to place the hot tawa under the cooking platform. As soon as she got busy, I pressed the tiny bit of dough that I had stolen, on the tawa making sure that it was brown on both the sides. Voila! I had a mini chapati prepared by me. I ran to mom and showed her my creation. It didn't earn the appreciation that I had expected. : ( Not knowing what to do next, I slipped the tiny chapati into my dad's tiffin box and told her to tell dad that I had made it for him.

All day long, through school day and later, I waited for my dad to come home, sweep me in his arms and tell me how he loved eating the chapati that I had made for him. Finally, it was time for him to come home, time for my sterling moment. Alas...no such thing happened...he hadn't noticed the tiny chapati I had made for him. It was as if it had never existed, it remained in my memories...the immortal chapati....

Rant- unedited

2010-08-03T08:23:00.003+05:30

it breaks my heart to see kids treat their parents shabbily when they grow up. Kids who mock their very own humble beginnings and feel embarassed to acknowledge their parents coz they dont fit into their new 'social set' which they wdnt have gotten into had it not been for the hard work and sacrifices made by their parents. Sad to see such self proclaimed successes who straitjacket their parents into their new lifestyle without considering whether or not their parents are comfortable with it.
Sorry guys...no matter what u earn and where u live and what u drive, .if you cannot treat ur own parents well, you fail to impress me. Can u really find true happiness after hurting the ones who gave u birth and brought u up with such pains?

Paul, I'm hiring!

2010-07-12T16:12:00.000+05:30

Now that your short but glorious stint with FIFA is over, you can look forward to an exciting career as my Assistant Vice President- Decision making.

Please send in your responses to the following choices that need to be made, so that your resume can be forwarded for the necessary formalities.

1. Acer OR HP?
2. Home OR Career?
3. Money OR Love?
4. India OR Gulf?
5. Speak-up and be ready for a public flogging, OR shut up and die within.

Tweet, or post your responses on Youtube by the end of this month, failing which I will consider the next on my list of candidates.

Tinu, the worm
Kasparov, the polar bear
Ngorongoro, the baboon

2010-06-23T20:21:00.001+05:30

Nothing like a tag to get back in touch with your old friends. So thanks a ton Bikram for tagging me, I am gonna pass on the tag to my old blogger friends, and wake some of them from their slumber...perhaps?

Here goes...

1. What one material thing are you hoping/ scoping to inherit?
NOTHING. I would welcome anything that comes my way of inheritance, but I haven’t HOPED for any such thingie.
2. If You were a character in a movie that you've seen who would I be and why?
Soooooooooooooooooperman!

3. If You could do one thing for Someone, no matter what it was, what would it be for Who?
Give my eyes to a child who cannot see

4. You’re driving. It’s great weather. Attractive member of opposite sex in expensive car looks at you and half-smiles. You’re in a relationship. Do you return the look and half-smile back?

Yeah, why not? I would return the look and drive past. No harm in light flirtations, right?

5.Pick a situation
a. You’re 42. Would you rather go without sex for three years and win a lottery after that, enabling you to never have to work again? Or
b. Get twice the lottery money now (at 42) but have your partner sleep with your boss?
Definitely A. Cant share my man.

6. What has been the craziest thing u have ever done?
Taking up this crazy tag.

7. God gave u chance to alter any one event in the past, present or future. What wud that event be?
I would wait for a few more years before getting married!

8. Would you rather go bald or lose your front tooth?
Wouldn’t mind losing both. With the lottery I have won, I can afford hair transplants and a new set of deeeeeezigner teeth. Muhahahaha!

9. Your sibling is sleeping with your married close friend. Who do you go to first, sibling or married close friend?

Neither.

10. Would you rather your kid turn out to be a nymphomaniac or gay?(For my amusement, please answer in the format: I would rather my kid be —)
I would rather my kid be a nympho than a gay. (So yeah I am a bit of a homophobe)

So let's play tagggieee

Sriram
Sheriff
Eroteme
Ideasmithy
Nupur- if you are still alive
Mistress of Magic
Prasad
Xena
Satosphere
The Monk
Bishwanath Ghosh
Wise Donkey
Tarun
Prabhu
Praveen
Magix
Neuromancer
stone

You are supposed to answer these questions, and pass on this tag. Post a comment on my blog, after you've posted ur tag...

Burning a hole in your pocket- redefined

2010-06-20T19:52:00.002+05:30

The summer break is fast approaching, so I taught the song Summer Holiday to my class and they loved it.

RN: Ma’am, we will miss you in the summer holidays.

Me: I’ll miss you all too.

AJ: Do one thing. Take our phone numbers, and call us when you miss us.

Me: That will burn a hole in my pocket.

AJ: Ehh..? Burn a hole in your pocket? What does that mean?

Me: Uhmm..I’ll give you a clue. What do you keep in your pockets?

FM: Purse?

SS: Mobile phone?

RN: Aaaaaaah! I know I know!!

Me: Ok...tell me.

RN: If you call up all of us (28), then your mobile handset will become hot. When you keep it in your pocket, it will burn a hole in your pocket..

Me: ....................

2010-06-16T18:50:00.004+05:30

After introducing pronouns in my class...

Me: Identify the pronouns in these sentences.

Me: They went to Cairo.

The whole class in unison: Theyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Me: He was born in Egypt.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Me: She made dinner for the whole family.

Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Me: It is yellow with black stripes.

Ittt

Me: Will you come to the party?

Yesssssssssssssssssssssss!

Me: (barely holding my laughter)- pretend anger now- Pronoun???

Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Me: We are well-behaved students.

Thank you, ma’ammmmm!

Me: (laughing so hard now, can barely get my words out.) Pronoun???????????

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.........

I am all giggly now, and can barely think of a title for this posssssssssssssssssssssssssssst.

Comics St(ripped)

2010-06-14T20:22:00.000+05:30

For all you fans of Phantom, Mandrake, Rip Kirby, Flash Gordon, Buzz Sawyer, Dara, Zorro.....I found some of my favourite comics here!!! Brought back my childhood memories in a flash...

Soooooooooper Lat(e)ive

2010-05-30T19:19:00.001+05:30

Just another of those times I was rendered speechless by my class..

Kid walks in 5 minutes after assembly.

Me: (giving him an inquiringly glance) You are late.

Another o' them remarks: Yes, you are the Latest today...

And I haven't even started with 'degrees of comparison'...

Grand teacher?

2010-05-05T17:04:00.000+05:30

Most of the students whom I taught when I first started teaching, have children now. Does that make me a grandteacher?

This is making me feel so ancient... sob..sob..

Psychological assassination!!

2010-03-13T23:40:00.000+05:30

Flashback moment: Years ago, an awkward pimple faced, bespectacled, extra tall teenager sat through a ‘Moral Science’ class and realised that what she and everyone around her had passed off as shyness, was in fact a deep rooted inferiority complex. She made half hearted attempts to battle this complex, for in the heart of hearts, she believed there would NEVER come a day when she would look people in the eye and have a conversation, without her knees turning into jelly or the world spinning in her head

Several years, self-improvement books and agony columns later, she started on her ascent and blossomed into a beautiful, confident person. Her passion for teaching inspired her to work hard, and finally she was able to carve her own niche in her field. Her work won her several accolades and honours.

20 years later, she has just been told to get over her ‘superiority complex’ Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!

Restart

2010-03-01T14:22:00.000+05:30

Don't you sometimes wish that your life had a restart button? I do...ALLLLL the time!

My blog- The Glorious past

2010-02-25T21:22:00.001+05:30

I cannot believe that my blog used to get as many as 1200 hits a day. Thanks to Statcounter tools I can go down that memory lane anytime..

People!!! I have started writing again!!!!!

Lost and found- Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T19:55:00.008+05:30

Date: 14^th February, 2010

Time: 6:45 AM (20 minutes before morning prayers begin)

Place: In my classroom

Me (Enters my classroom looking crestfallen. My laptop is missing since the day before.) What follows is Berne’s TA theory in full action.

V: Why are you looking saaaaaaaaaaaaaaad?

Me: I think I lost my laptop.

S: Did you look in your ‘office’? (They are very proud that their class teacher (also a PRO) is the only teacher who has an office.)

Me: Yes, I did.

S: It must be at home.

Me: No, it’s not, I checked. I looked everywhere, I couldn’t find it.

F: You only told us, “Try, and try till you succeed”.

Me: (Yeah..now hit me with my own shovel) Deep sigh!

V: Don’t worry, you will find it ma’am.

A cheery K enters the class: Happy ValenceTimes Day!!

Me: Errrrmm..what is Valentine’s Day!

K: (in disbelief) You don’t know????

(Teachers usually enjoy a demigod status. There is NOTHING that they are not supposed to know)

Me: Nopes!

V: When you like somebodyyyyy, you give them a card on Valencetimes day, and they become your Valencetime.

I’m enjoying this now, and its helping me take my mind off the 45+ suspect list that I’ve been making since yesterday.

Me: I am not sure I understand that.

F: Why don’t you look in the internet??

V: Ma’am doesn’t have her laptop remember silly.

(You won’t let me forget that, will you?)

The school bell’s ringing puts me out of my misery and signals the beginning of yet another day....

P.S: I found my laptop

Valentine Wishes from my archives

Compound Sports

2010-01-20T19:19:00.002+05:30

During a lull in the Sports Day rehearsal..R- the most creative kid in my class remembers what he’s just learnt in English class- compound words

R: Ma’am..Pointing to Keagan his friend..Key and Gun- Keagan.

Me: Hmm.. now that’s interesting.

R with a renewed interest in the new sport, looks around for more ‘examples’ and finds Sandeep, Anand, etc. and continues his dissecting explorations. He turns his attention to Achuth.

Me: (Hit by a zillion sonic booms)

R: Misses Achuth and looks around for greener pastures.

Me: Phew!!

'Dhut'ing

2010-01-14T21:16:00.002+05:30

Getting back in touch with 2 of my college friends, thanks to Facebook, has brought a now extinct word back to me.. 'dhut'ing.. I never got what it really meant...any clues?

Class Encounters

2010-01-07T20:17:00.002+05:30

Me: (to 7 year old girl,who is wearing glasses for the first time) Good morning, angel!!
7 Y O: (sulking) Angels don’t wear glasses.
Me: ……………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Another time, same class.

Me: What’s happening, T?
T: (Grumpy) R is disturbating me.
Me: ……………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Breaking Wind

2009-10-06T18:32:00.004+05:30

I’m substituting in a class. Most of them kids are busy, studying for their forthcoming tests. Suddenly two boys start laughing. I give them an enquiring look. “Ma’am, he farted.” “Errm, it's called 'breaking wind'"I correct him hastily. “Wind?” asks the boy, “he can break the wall with that tornado!”

Swine flew!!

2009-10-05T18:22:00.002+05:30

My class invents a swine flu hug, a swine flu high-five and a swine flu handshake!!!

Mumbai Terror Strike

2008-11-27T01:19:00.001+05:30

Mumbai is under terrorist attack once again. This time high profile hotels and restaurants are under fire. Oberoi Hotel, Taj Hotel, and Leopold’s in Colaba have been targeted. There’s news about a hostage situation in the Taj. Reports of shooting in hospitals and some hotels in Juhu are coming even as I’m writing this post. I wonder what Mumbai will wake up to tomorrow morning.

Is the 'common man' now off the terrorist radar??

Pay Attention!

2008-05-28T11:34:00.002+05:30

An unusual thirst!

2008-03-03T22:36:00.008+05:30

So I’m at the only South Indian restaurant in a city in Gujarat (yeah! I work there now) waiting for my bisi bele huli anna. My colleague-friend is on the phone and I’m left to my own devices. I take a quick look around at the people engrossed with their food. Bored, I watch the goings-on outside the restaurant. Bang opposite the restaurant is a roadside stall serving Chinese food. What it lacks in ambience, it makes up for in speedy service. A group of people enter the restaurant and occupy the table next to ours. After deliberating on what to order, they start chatting not bothering to keep their voices down. Darn! Where’s my food!! My friend’s still busy with her phone. I focus on mine and work on Feng Shuing (read-uncluttering) my inbox ever bursting its seams with text messages. Food's served now, finally. Suddenly I hear a woman’s voice loud and clear, “I don't know about you, but I cannot resist Cock.” I wheel around to see who is so bold enough to air her sexual preferences in public, just in time to see the woman sip out of her favourite soft drink bottle! And almost deep-throat a spoonful of bisi bele huli anna.

Quotable quotes

2008-02-12T19:37:00.000+05:30

"I like being a mess, its who I am."
- Ally McBeal

Chak De!

2007-08-27T19:02:00.000+05:30

As usual, my friend Nilesh Rane has beaten me to writing the review of Chak De! So here goes : )

Chak De India!

This one is must watch. “Chak De India’, in a way, symbolizes a resurgent India, breaking free from the shackles of the past and looking ahead for a glorious future.

A film, which I am sure, has touched a chord (or two), in every person, who has seen the movie.

It’s the story of ‘ Kabir Khan’ ( played by a subdued SRK), who is a committed captain of the Indian hockey team, which, loses to Pakistan in the final of the World Cup. Kabir, who takes the last penalty shot, miscues it and is ostracized by the country, with allegations on having ‘sold’ the country for the sake of money.

Kabir, then disappears in the oblivion, only to reappear after 7 years, to exorcise the demons of the past, by coaching a team of 16 girls, which, the Indian sports bureaucracy has written off even before they leave for the world championship.

The movie revolves around the grooming of this ‘underdog of underdogs’ team into a world-beating outfit. The grueling training that their coach puts them through, the sense of self – belief that he instills in them, the camaraderie that he builds in them and ‘can-do’ spirit that he puts in them.

The movie touches upon the sorry state of affairs of women’s sport in the country and the chauvinism, which is omnipresent, even 60 years after India gained her Independence.

The movie has its poignant moments and for once, King Khan has let the limelight shine of this bunch of young girls and a sport, which even the men’s team has very few takers in this country of Cricket lovers.

The Director has kept the pace of the movie even and there isn’t one lax moment. The portrayal is realistic and the characters, very life-like and very believable. The movie does make you sit up and take notice and it involves the audience, in this women’s team tryst with destiny.

You feel a wave of patriotism run through you, as this team, manages to surge ahead, in spite of all odds, and beating some of the top teams of the world. And even as you walk out the theater, you will still find yourself basking in the after-glow of the ‘cinematic’ victory of ‘our’ girls!!

This is a must-watch for every movie-lover, and not just for the joy of watching a good movie, but also, to reaffirm the film industry’s faith in this so called ‘off-beat’ cinema, which also make commercial sense.

The audience is waiting to lap up and endorse good cinema and the powers-that-be of Bollywood better take cognizance of this fact and encourage and support fresh talent, with ideas, which may not be main-stream, but are very refreshing and saleable.

Nilesh Rane

Cat(s)naps3!

2007-07-31T15:30:00.001+05:30

Cat(s)naps2!

2007-07-31T15:09:00.001+05:30

Cat(s)naps!

2007-07-31T14:34:00.000+05:30

Life in a Metro

2007-07-07T14:56:00.000+05:30

A review on the movie, Life in a Metro written by my friend, Nilesh Rane. I know its prolly too late to post this now... but I'm sure you'll agree with me when I say it's a well-written review..

SO HERE'S PRESENTING THE GUEST WRITER...NILESH RANE

“Life in a Metro”; the sound of this title conjures up images of a pseudo, modern-day take, on what is a life in a metropolitan city all about.

The director has more than surprised me on this one. Anurag Basu, coming from the “Bhatt” school of film making, has really carved a niche for himself with this splendid effort.

The casting is just right and the script, as crisp, as corn flakes! The pace of the movie, fast enough to keep u engrossed and yet, the movie captures the essence of city dwelling.

The protagonists, there are 7 of ‘em, do have something in common, it's one of them!

KAY KAY and SHILPA SHETTY, are living out a failed marriage…something neither of them have been able to fathom.

SHARMAN JOSHI, as the eager-to-please, exec at a call centre, is believable. KAYKAY, as a disillusioned husband, indulging in sexual liaisons with his starry-eyed KANGANA, is good. But, he has to look at doing varied roles to avoid the risk of getting stereotyped a ‘serious’ actor.

The surprise package of the movie is easily, IRFAN KHAN…a late-thirty something bachelor, with his dry sense of humour and rustiness , which tends to rub, KONKANA SEN, who plays, SSs sister in the movie, the wrong way initially, is adorable.

SHINEY, who, makes his entry, pretty late in the movie, also, has very little to offer, as a out-of-work, theatre artist, trying to find his feet, in a city, which has long buried its theatrical roots!

The director, along the way, also touches upon, some simmering, social issues, like homosexuality and infidelity, without really losing the grip on the film.

The film revolves around the lives of these people, who are seeking salvation, in some form or the other.

Be it Shilpa’s quest to search for love outside marriage, or Konkana’s charmingly sketched, character, who metamorphoses, from a goody-2-shoes, all- believing girl, to a well groomed, with-it girl for the most sought after RJ at her work place, only to discover later, that he is gay;

Be it Irfan Khan’s, search for a ‘eligible’ arrange-marriageable girl, with his libido on his sleeve, which turns Konkana off; or Sharman Joshi’s heart tugging at the sight of Kangana, who, in the mistaken belief of money-can-buy-me-everything, sleeps with her boss , KAYKAY..

Shilpa has again proved in this film, that given the right canvass, she can act well. The mental battles, which her character fights, when, she decides to take that forbidden step into the world of infidelity, are well etched.

Both Shilpa and Shiney, share a good on-screen chemistry, and that helps to enliven the characters..

The music score is also a big plus. PRITAM, has doled out some excellent tracks, with rock as a base, and this is a sure fire chartbuster.

This movie is a treat to watch, a break, for those seeking some refuge from glossy, pop-corn movies.

Watch the movie carefully, maybe, someone in the film, may bring a sense of ‘been there done that to you!’

AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaRRRGHH!

2007-05-24T01:42:00.000+05:30

Have you ever gone a long train journey & felt trapped with a co-passenger or two who drive you up the wall? If yes, skip this post. Read on if you haven't met your nemesis yet.

So, I’m in this boring air-conditioned compartment, foggy windows..and I cant look out. A half-read book that I have picked up and put down several times! I miss the cacophonic shouts of vendors selling chai..kaapi. For company we have Mr. Oil-running-down-his-face and Mrs. Skinny-Dumb-Grim face. Man and wife go about tucking their baggage safely under their berth.. one sidelong glance at me that makes me feel like a Chambal ka Daaku : (

Munch time! Man and wifey can put Mr. Bean’s putting-together-a-sandwich-on-a-park-bench act to shame. Grim-face pulls out a big bag of puffed rice and places it on a spread out newspaper. Mrs Grim-face and Mr. even grimmer than grim face start to partake the meal. Man now regales wifey with tidbits of information that he has obviously picked up from the well thumbed, ‘Trains at a Glance’. Wifey seems super awed by hubby… and rewards him with a bag of chips. I grit my teeth as they take sadistic pleasure in biting noisily into the crispies. A passing vendor provides momentary relief with his melodious rendering (did I say cacophony earlier on? Feigns ignorance) of “Kaapi…Kaapi”. I’ll spare you the details of Man haggling with vendor over the cost of coffee and the slurping sounds that follow : (

I almost forgot to mention about Cool-Dude a 25-something, the other co-passenger. All my attempts to strike up a conversation with him come to a naught. He is more interested in reading up the half-a-dozen Commando comics that he is carrying with him. I wanna screaaaaaaam!

So I try and focus on my book- Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs. And just when I reach an interesting part…

Man: Are you really going to read till 10 p.m?

Me: Errm..

Man: We have the habit of sleeping early. (Sic!)

Me: (looks at cool-dude, shrugs, sulks)

I’m too polite and tired to protest lest Mr. Grim-face lectures me on the virtues of sleeping early. I put away my book, grab my blanket and try to sleep.

Man pulls out a suitcase, unlocks it, carefully pulls out his nightwear, locks his suitcase, goes to the washroom, changes, pulls out his suitcase yet again, in goes the carefully folded shirt and trouser, out comes the scarf, locks the suitcase, pushes it back under the berth. Sigh!

Me in my jeans and tees looks comparatively under-dressed.

I try and squeeze my eyes (and ears shut) as a series of plastic bags crackle to life and die in succession. Sounds of plastic bottles being twisted and crushed out of shape. The place looks like a Poltergeist was just here. I turn to the other side and try to think of happier times…music.. friends.. books..THIS ISN’T helping a BIT! Try movies…the beach.. the mountains...SEX! Man choses this exact moment to chant his prayers and me goes, “God forgive me for I have sinned : (“

Man helps wifey get on to the upper berth. Man and wife create a dust storm as they shake out the blankets and make sure there are no roaches or lizards lying in wait for them.

Lights off!

I close my eyes shut and go off to Zzz-land only to wake up to the noise of russstling plastic bags. Husband and wifey get into the morning routine. Out comes a bag…a toothbrush.. an oil bottle?

Moral of the Story: I’m not gonna be travelling for a long long time…

P.S. The only saving grace of this trip, my co-conspirator Cool-dude-hunk without whom I would have jumped out of the train out of sheer boredom, Ajji 1 and Ajji 2 who get together with me as we bitch about the oily-noisy-grim couple after they get off the train*Grins

that's me!

2007-05-10T22:01:00.000+05:30

I am my own Knight in (Shining?) Armour...

2007-05-01T23:47:00.000+05:30

and I'm scared..

And finally...

2007-03-13T23:54:00.000+05:30

“And she finally stopped playing their song, when she realized she was dancing alone.”

Fwd: Mumbai Drivng Test !

2007-01-25T21:24:00.000+05:30

Zzzzzzzzaaaaapp!

2006-12-15T20:47:00.001+05:30

Current pastime...

If you haven't guessed it yet, that's my latest acquisition- a mosquito swatter. It's very handy when you want to zap those beastly li'l things. I think the Indian government should distribute swatters freely to every Indian & put an end to the mosquito menace.
(and I'll let you guys in on my deep dark secret. I'm actually taking perverse joy in electrocuting mosquitoes. hahahaha!!)

Shhh! There goes another one ........... Zaaaaap!

A-muse

2006-09-20T11:22:00.000+05:30

When you have nothing to look forward to… you
start looking back. The past is a comfortable place to be in.

Lage Raho...

2006-09-06T18:33:00.000+05:30

Lage Raho Munnabhai...
This is one sequel you should not miss.

Book Lovers Don't Miss....

2006-08-03T21:52:00.000+05:30

The World eBook Fair

Download free ebooks until August 11. Hurry!

Beware of the Orkut Virus!

2006-08-03T20:08:00.000+05:30

The Song Tapper

2006-07-17T20:15:00.000+05:30

Came across this fascinating site that lets you search for songs by tapping the rhythm of its lyrics. Though I got just one song right out of the 10 i tapped, I still loved this site. Here! Why don't you try your luck? The Song Tapper

Arrrrrrrrrrgh!! For some reason I haven't been able to surf blogsites! No! Not even my own: ( I tried opening it in Firefox and IE, but it just won't OPEN:((

Comfortably numb...

2006-07-12T21:47:00.000+05:30

Once again, Mumbai will don the garb of the Mumbai spirit and oft-romanticized resilience and bounce back to life. Once more it will wipe its tears (only to flow freely when Mihir Virani battles for his life) Once again Mumbai will combats its fears with the help of its daily diet of saas-bahu serials and the serial blasts will soon be a distant memory. Once again its anger will dissipate and apathy will take its place. Once again...

(Thanks for all your messages, emails and phone calls enquiring about my safety..am deeply touched)

A Very Inspiring FWD,.

2006-07-09T22:59:00.000+05:30

A candidate for a news broadcasters post was rejected by officials since his voice was not fit for a news broadcaster.
He was also told that with his obnoxiously long name, he would never be famous.
He is Amitabh Bacchan.
-------------------------------------------
A small boy - the fifth amongst seven siblings of a poor father, was selling newspapers in a small village to earn his living.
He was not exceptionally smart at school but was fascinated by religion and rockets. The first rocket he built crashed. A missile that he built crashed multiple times and he was made a butt of ridicule.
He is the person to have scripted the Space Odyssey of India single-handedly - Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
--------------------------------------------
In 1962, four nervous young musicians played their first record audition for the executives of the Decca recording Company. The executives were not impressed. While turning down this group of musicians, one executive said, "We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out."
The group was called The Beatles.
--------------------------------------------
In 1944, Emmeline Snively, director of the Blue Book Modelling Agency told modelling hopeful Norma Jean Baker, "You'd better learn secretarial work or else get married."
She went on and became Marilyn Monroe.
--------------------------------------------
In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, Fired a singer after one performance. He told him, "You ain't goin' nowhere....son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck."
He we nt on to become Elvis Presley.
-------------------------------------------
When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, it did not ring off the hook with calls from potential backers.
After making a demonstration call,President Rutherford Hayes said, "That's an amazing invention, but who would ever want to see one of them?"
-------------------------------------------
When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2000 experiments before he got it to work. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, "I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2000-step process."
-------------------------------------------
In the 1940s, another young inventor named Chester Carlson took his idea to 20 corporations, including some of the biggest in the country. They all turned him down. In 1947, after 7 long years of rejections, he finally got a tiny company in Rochester, NY, the Haloid company, to purchase the rights to his invention -- an electrostatic paper-copying process. Haloid became Xerox Corporation.
------------------------------------------
A little girl - the 20th of 22 children, was born prematurely and her survival was doubtful. When she was 4 years old, she contracted double pneumonia and scarlet fever, which left her with a paralysed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependent on and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was a miracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered a race and came in last.
For the next few years every race she entered, she came in last. Everyone told her to quit, but she kept on running. One day she actually won a race. And then another. From then on she won every race she entered. Eventually this little girl - Wilma Rudolph, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.
----------------------------------------
A school teacher scolded a boy for not paying attention to his mathematics and for not being able to solve simple problems. She told him that you would not become anybody in life.
The boy was Albert Einstein.
----------------------------------------

I'm looking for the PowerPoint version of the above. If you happen to have it please mail it to saumya.kini@gmail.com

Monsoon fury...

2006-07-06T23:35:00.000+05:30

Nature's way of telling Mumbaiites to Take a Break!!

Fanaa

2006-05-28T21:30:00.000+05:30

Movie: Fanaa

My hubby lured me away from the whodunit that I was glued onto, to catch Fanaa on Friday. Being the big Kajol fan that I am, I didn’t wanna miss watching her comeback flick and I gave in after half-hearted protests. To my surprise, we managed to get tickets for the show. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the biggest disappointment after my 10th Standard Board Results. The movie moved way too slow in the first half, and it really dragged in parts. But for the kid sitting next to me (no, I’m not talking about my hubby) who pestered her father with her incessant questions (and he really deserves a place on the cover page of Parenting magazine ), I would have drifted off to sleep...Sigh!

I must admit though, the second half did make me sit up on the edge of my seat, (much to the dismay of the short lady sitting behind me) only to settle back when I saw glimpses of the stiletto murderer from ‘ The Eye of the Needle’ – Ken Follet. The story was too predictable as the end was a rip -off from the same book. Kajol and Aamir Khan acted well, but their mediocre performances did nothing to add value to the movie. The songs were just about OKAY. All in all, the movie was nothing out of the ordinary despite having a great star cast and the hype surrounding it.

The only saving grace? The Shayaris! (though I still don't know what Fanaa means:D)

I only hope the Da Vinci Code doesn't disappoint me as well.

Ur take?

2006-05-26T15:33:00.000+05:30

Check out...

2006-05-07T12:03:00.000+05:30

Bird Bra.in

World Jump Day? (D'yu think this will work?)

Subject: Fw: Fwd: Marriage proposal

2006-05-07T12:01:00.000+05:30

>
> Marriage proposal
>
> Madam:

> I am an olden young uncle living only with myself in Bangaloru. Having
> seen your advertisement for marriage purposes, I decided to press myself
> on you and hope you will take me nicely.

> I am a soiled son from inside Karnataka. I am nice and big, six foot
> tall and six inches long. My body is filled with hardness, as because I am
> working hardly. I am playing hardly also. Especially I like cricket and I
> am a good batter and I am fast baller. Whenever I come running in for
> balling, other batters start running. Everybody is scared of my rapid
> balls that bounce a lot.

> I am very nice man. I am always laughing loudly at everyone. I am jolly.
> I am gay. Especially ladies, they are saying I am nice and soft. I am always
> giving respect to the ladies. I am always allowing ladies to get on top.
> That is how nice I am.

> I am not having any bad habits. I am not drinking and I am not sucking
> tobacco or anything else. Every morning I am going to the gym and I am
> pumping like anything. Daily I am pumping and pumping. If you want, you
> can come and see how much I am pumping the dumb belles in the gym. I am
> having a lot of money in my pants and my pants is always open for you. I
> am such a nice man, but still I am living with myself only. What to do? So
> I am taking things into my own hands everyday. That is why I am pressing
> myself on you, so that you will come in my house and take my things into
> your hand.

> If you are marrying me madam, I am telling you, I will be loving you
> very hard every day. In fact, I will stop pumping dumb belles in the gym.
> If you are not marrying me madam and not coming to me, I will press you
> and press you until you come. So I am placing my head between your nicely
> smelling feet and looking up with lots of hope. I am waiting very badly
> for your reply and I am stiff with anticipation.

> Expecting soon,
> Yours and only yours
> Ajit Gupchup

the answer

2006-05-07T11:58:00.000+05:30

is..
LK Advani because of his penchant for Rat(h) Yatras

*Grins*

Who is?

2006-04-13T01:41:00.000+05:30

Guess who's the modern day Pied Piper?

Clue: He is Desi

New Blogger Welcome!

2006-04-04T21:10:00.000+05:30

Welcome Attila the new blogger on the block! Stop by at his blog Attila Says! and give it a looksee.

A Small Victory

2006-03-10T09:41:00.000+05:30

Update! My woes finally came to end on March 3, when Reliance finally credited the incorrectly deducted amount to my account.
*Does the victory dance!!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!

Creativity

2006-03-01T21:44:00.000+05:30

At the end of a Creative Writing activity that I'd taken up, an 8 year old came up with this fantastic piece!

A bee stung a drunk,
and then it went,
and dashed against a tree trunk.

How to Prevent ...........?

2006-02-25T23:01:00.000+05:30

Complete the question..

Attn : Mr. Anil Ambani

2006-02-22T09:19:00.000+05:30

Exactly a week ago, I came across an ad somewhere- The Happy 2006 offer from Reliance. It promised customers Free Talk time worth Rs. 2006 (Valid for 2 months) + 2006 SMSes free. My old cell was already in its last stage and I succumbed to the temptation and went in for this offer, despite well-intentioned warnings from friends.

Everything was OK till the evening of 17^th February. I tried to download a Ring tone and gave up because it got stuck midway. I cancelled the download cos I had to make a call. Later that night my balance was Rs. 1990. The next day I went out of town for a picnic. I left my ‘new’ cell at home. In the evening I tried to call up my mother, and was shocked to learn that my balance had come down to 66 Paise. Innumerable calls to Reliance Customer Service didn’t yield any results. They were uncooperative and most of the time sounded like ill-programmed robots, rattling off their Quality Policy. Earlier on, they were not able to get the details, as their system was either hung (hanged- to quote Reliance Customer Service) or getting upgraded. When I asked them to escalate the issue, I was told that the superiors had left for an emergency meeting. A few more calls later, I was told that the amount was deducted because I had been downloading Ring tones. I was then promised that the matter would be ‘escalated’ and the issue would be resolved in a few hours incase the error had occurred on their side. I visited the Reliance Infocomm website and dashed off a few mails to the Chairman, and yet the issue hasn’t been resolved.

At present the matter has been referred to the Technical Team, who has not been able to figure out that one cannot, even if one wanted to, download 284 rickshaw errr.. ring tones overnight. Either something is wrong with the handset- LG6230, or there is a problem with their software.This should go down as the most expensive ring tone in history, (and one that never got downloaded at all) I’m sure I could have watched Bryan Adams perform live for the same amount.

I haven’t been able to make any outgoing calls or send a single SMS from my cell since 18^th February, and it’s driving me crazy.

Valentine Wishes

2006-02-16T22:55:00.000+05:30

Suggest a suitable title for this one...

2006-02-15T22:31:00.000+05:30

You are late. You finally manage to hail an auto rickshaw. You contain your irritation while he misses the right-turn and lets the whole world drive past his vehicle. You urge him to drive faster and guide him through short cuts. At last you reach your destination. Fare despair! You shell out a 50-rupee note. He grins and declares that he has no change. You shake off the irresistible urge to wring his neck till he turns blue but time is running out on you. So you dig into your purse/ wallet looking for the exact amount. (You could give any excavating archaeologist a complex) You finally find a tenner. All you need now is some loose change. You look for a five-rupee coin to expedite the process. No such luck! You manage to scrounge up some 50- paise, one- rupee/ 2- rupee coins and if you are really running out on your luck and time, some 25-paise coins. You add up the coins to the required sum, you still fall short of a rupee. Exasperated, you dig inside your coin purse and pockets wasting precious moments in the process, to find that elusive rupee…Your fingers finally strike gold…err…metal. You heave a sigh of ephemeral relief. The metal that you managed unearth is a five-rupee coin! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!
Start all over again: (

A Hair- Raising Experience!

2006-01-25T23:52:00.001+05:30

So, I’m walking down the corridor and this child walks up to me. She wants to know whether I have coloured my hair. Her friend cuts in to correct her, “Silly! Miss has highlighted her hair.”

Reactions from colleagues and friends ranged from “Wow!” to “Great!” Hubby as usual had a neutral reaction (whatever that is supposed to mean) Mom frowned and made her disapproval very obvious.

Flashback moment!

My tenth standard exams were just over and we had a long vacation before Doomsday (read day of results) dawned. Save the nightmares I was having about my results, my days were fun! It was a season of firsts! It was the first time I went out for a movie and an outing with my friends. I was delighted and emboldened. Raring to reach new heights of my new- found independence.

It was one of those afternoons that my friends and I were browsing through girlie magazines. One of us chanced upon a recipe for making a hair-removing wax. We went about collecting old rags, lemon and sugar and excitedly set upon the task of waxing our legs. About a couple of hours and burnt skins later, it was my turn. Wow! My legs looked great! An afternoon well spent, I said to myself. Stupid me, I was so caught up in the moment that I had totally forgotten about my mom.

I came back home, ‘cos it was time for my mom to get back from her workplace. Then suddenly it hit me! Drat! Mom would never approve (to put it very mildly) of this depilatory act of mine. Afraid of facing her, I performed the world’s fastest hair transplant. I drew small lines on my legs using a black ball-pen. Yes, I did! And continued to do it religiously everyday till my hair grew back again. :P

Let’s talk about sex

2006-01-15T11:10:00.000+05:30

I still remember my first skirmish with sex, rather the word 'sex'. I was 9 and somehow had gotten into this habit of filling up those forms found in kiddy mags like Chandamama, Champak etc and sending them to addresses that promised freebies like craft activities, recipes for Monaco toppings etc. It was while I was filling one of those on a lazy Saturday afternoon, that I saw the word sex. Little did I know that the tiny harmless looking word would get me into so much trouble. It had a dash (yes, that’s what I called blanks those days) against it. I left it for later, filled in the other entire details… name, age, address, birth date, etc… and now for sex!

I ran to the other room where my mom who had just come from her work (Saturdays were half-days) was chopping some vegetables. It was not the best time to ask questions when she was tired… nevertheless this couldn’t wait. It was Saturday it had to go today…(doing some mental calculations) it should reach the company by Tuesday, and next week I should have the freebie in my hand. So I snuggle up to mom and in my sweetest voice ask,” Amma, what is sex?” She looked scared for a moment (perhaps I was mistaken) because in the very next moment, a slap landed across my face! I didn’t know what had hit me, yes I did, it was my mom’s hand smelling of onions… not a very pleasant smell. Despite the pungent onion smell, it took a while for the tears to come. I didn’t dare to ask her what I had done to deserve the slap, besides, I had more serious issues to worry about, my ‘How to make a pencil box’ booklet was at stake. So I went back to my ‘coupon’ not knowing what to do with my unanswered question. I started cutting the coupon neatly along the dotted lines albeit, half-heartedly, I was sure they wouldn’t send the freebie because I had left a 'dash' unanswered. I was copying out my address neatly on the envelope. It was then that I noticed mom in the room. She had calmed down and was trying to look as mild as possible but I could sense her anger and there was something else that I couldn’t comprehend. She asked me, “How did ...who told you about s.s..sex? Wordlessly, I handed over the coupon to her. A wide grin spread across her face when she read the word… bent down..hugged me, kissed my tear stained face, and told me the answer was ‘female’. Well things were OK later…and I didn’t get any stinging slaps, but that incident was enough to keep me off from asking questions for the rest of my childhood. The next time, I simply used the dictionary.

Years later, I often laughed the loudest when a ‘non-veg’ joke was cracked. I was too shy to ask friends. Most of my knowledge of sex came from Agony columns of women’s magazines.

I’m glad things are a shade better today. Lots of schools impart sex education and kids don’t hesitate to get their doubts cleared from their teachers and parents.

Me..with the folk group

2005-12-26T17:15:00.000+05:30

A young Rajasthani folk dancer

2005-12-26T16:56:00.000+05:30

Rajasthani women

2005-12-26T16:29:00.000+05:30

Kesariya padharo mhaare des...

2005-12-26T16:15:00.000+05:30

Jaisalmer

Blog Birthday

2005-12-07T22:51:00.000+05:30

Exactly a year ago, Toeragz was born. When I mentioned this to my fellow blogger and good friend, he insisted on writing his views on the same.

One day last week, when it was pouring heavily in Chennai and I decided to stay home and blog hop, my toe got stuck in toerag.blogspot.com. The blogger's latest post was about 100 things one should do in life. Now the Internet is full of such things, but something made me go through each of those 100 tips. What was that something? Was it that something which had brought me there in the first place? What was that something anyway? Or was it someone, instead of something? It was someone, I realised, as Sangeeta popped up on my screen. She said Hi, held my hand and took me on a guided tour of Toeragz. There, hidden in a corner of the screen, I found several small pieces, soaked in compassion and sensitivity. The pieces pick out the tiniest of human emotions which most of us tend to miss out.

My favourite is the short, short story about a woman addicted to blogging. And of course, her experiences with the tiny tots. There are many more, and many more going to come. And today is Toeragz’ first birthday. I wish to raise a toast because a blog's birthday is no less significant than a blogger's. A simple detail will explain that: just click on Sangeeta's profile and you will see it has been viewed by a few thousand people. Of them, a hundred must be returning every month to take a look, and of those hundred, a few dozens must be returning every week. And at least a dozen of them click on Toeragz every day: they are people who love Sangeeta, rather people who have grown to like Sangeeta. And she has accomplished all this without even stepping out of home.

That's the amazing thing about blogs: it connects hearts and minds without the help of middlemen. Physical presence is not at all necessary. In any case, it is the mind that matters. So here's raising a toast to blogging and to the great mind. Happy birthday Sangeeta, er, Toeragz.
- Bishwanath Ghosh

Thank you Bishwanath, for your kind words (me's blushing) To conclude this post, I have listed a few of my favourite posts

Best Laid Plans

Best Laid Plans-II

Class Act

Casper-The Friendly Ghost

Giving 'Miss' a miss!!

Close Dose

Baby Talk!

What was that again?

(I tried to look for the top 10 but could come up only with 8.

(Fishing for compliments.*Wink Wink*)

Uhmm, post The Great Indian Comedy Show, I would love to rename this post as Pehchaan Kaun? LOL

I started this blog when I was going through a difficult phase in my life. (which explains the name I chose for my blog-Toeragz) But since then it has been a great year! The Blog world has given me so many friends. Thank you all of you, and hugss!

Innocent Days, Innocent Ways

2005-12-04T22:45:00.000+05:30

I walk into this class during Recess and notice this li’l boy looking forlorn and lost. His arm is in a sling so he can’t play with his friends. They have left him alone. I have seen him before and he doesn’t look his usual chirpy self. Time for some pep talk!

Me: You know what I like about you?

Kid: (Shaking his head) Uhmm… No, Miss.

Me: Your eyes twinkle when you smile. I like that… a LOT!

Kid: (Smiling, anxious to return the compliment and obviously is very generous with it)

Miss, I like your whole body!

Me: (biting my lips. Simply dunno where to look)

Trying Times....

2005-11-28T22:44:00.000+05:30

God knows I need a laugh :(

Hi!

2005-11-13T18:03:00.000+05:30

I'm just back from a trip to Tirupati and Rajasthan. Will post the pics in a few days. Have a lot to catch up with..see ya!

Happy Diwali..

2005-11-01T10:48:00.000+05:30

Wish you all a very Safe and Happy Diwali!

100 Stress busters...

2005-10-25T00:10:00.000+05:30

Getup 15 minutes earlier
Prepare for the morning the night before
Avoid tight-fitting clothes.
Don't rely on your memory
Practice preventative maintenance
Make duplicate keys and store them where you can get to them
Say 'no' more often
Set priorities in your life
Avoid negative people
Use your time wisely
Simplify everything you can
Make copies of important papers and store them where you'll be able to find them
repair anything that doesn't work properly
Ask for help
Chunk down big jobs into little ones
View problems as challenges
Look at challenges as opportunities
Unclutter your life.
Smile
Be prepared for rain
Laugh at something
Pet a dog or cat
Don't try to know all the answers
Look for the silver lining
Say something nice to someone
Teach a kid to fly a kite
Walk in the rain
Schedule some time each day to play.
Take a long shower or a bubble bath
Be Conscious of the decisions you make
Believe in yourself
Stop beating yourself up
Stop saying negative things to yourself.
Visualize yourself winning
Develop your sense of humor
Stop thinking that tomorrow will be a better day
Set goals for yourself.
Say hello to a stranger
Ask a friend for a hug
Give a friend a hug.
Look at the stars
Breathe slowly
Learn to whistle
Read a poem
Listen to some music you've never heard before
Watch a ballet
Read something
Do something new.
Stop a bad habit.
Buy yourself a flower
Smell the flower
Find support from others
Give support to others
Do it today.
Work at being cheerful and optimistic
Put safety first.
Do everything you do in moderation.
Pay attention to your appearance
Strive for excellence, not perfection
Stretch your limits a little each day
Look at a painting or a sculpture
Hum a song.
Eat nutritiously
Plant a tree
Feed a bird
Practice grace under pressure
Stand up and stretch
Have a "plan B"
Draw a picture
Buy some crayons and color
Learn a joke.
Be responsible for your feelings
Meet your own needs.
Know you limitations and let others know them, too.
Throw a paper airplane
Exercise
Learn the words to a song
Get to work early
clean out one closet or one drawer
Go on a picnic
Take a different route to work
Put an air freshener in your car
Watch a movie
Eat some popcorn while you watch a movie.
Write a note to someone you haven't heard from in a while
Take a walk.
Go to a ball game and scream
Eat a meal by candle light.
Recognize the importance of unconditional love.
Remember that stress is an attitude.
Keep a journal
Practice a smile
Remember that there are always options
Develop a support system
Quit trying to "fix" people.
Get enough sleep
Talk less
Listen more
Praise others
Stop counting things.

Author unknown

Check this out!!

2005-10-23T22:25:00.000+05:30

An online exhibition of watercolours by my talented cousin Prashant Prabhu...Do visit ...Reflections

Marzipan Babies

2005-10-21T10:29:00.000+05:30

A Squeaky Question...

2005-10-08T15:15:00.000+05:30

What is the plural of a computer mouse?

Is it "mouses" or "mice"?

Vision 2020

2005-09-25T09:06:00.001+05:30

Welcome to 2020,
Welcome to the age of plenty

An age of world peace,

No politicians with palms of grease.

No goons brandishing blood thirsty blades,

And yes, we’ll have found a cure for AIDS!

No garbage, no more slums,

No waifs scrounging around for stale breadcrumbs.

You wont find even the faintest trace of crime,

No killings, for reason or rhyme.

In virtual classrooms the teachers will teach,

Education will be within every child’s reach.

Everything around us will be clean and green,

A pollution free city... Is no longer a distant dream.

Formula 1 tracks in every metro, For the Narains of tomorrow,

No international funds will we ever need to borrow.

Once again India will be a land of milk and honey,

Teen writers give JK Rowling a run for her money.

A safer place for children this world will be

Look! Snaps of teachers splashed on Page 3!

Girls and women, well have no fear,

There will be no Sunil More’s lurking around here.

For 2020, this is my vision

Come on, let’s get working …

WE ARE ON A MISSION!

The Write Stuff

2005-09-21T20:12:00.000+05:30

Hey! My blog has been reviewed by Ashish! Check this out!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!

2005-09-08T08:46:00.000+05:30

Here's wishing a very very Happy Birthday to a very special friend Neelima!!

Happy Birthday to You Neels... may all your dreams come true!!

Hey all! Do leave your birthdates in the comment box so we can all wish you too!

Making a Difference!

2005-09-06T10:29:00.000+05:30

Last month an essay contest titled ‘An Idea That Made a Difference to My Classroom’ was conducted by Scholastic India. I sent one of my tried and tested ideas across (Remember Casper?) and my entry was chosen as one of the top 100 from over 1500 entries that were received across India. As a token of appreciation I was awarded with a certificate of honour, a set of books and a jewellery box as well. The news made my Teachers’ Day even more special. Thank you all for your wishes..

The big and small of it

2005-09-02T09:21:00.000+05:30

Last evening I was waiting for the elevator , I was surprised to see this little girl alone inside it.
I asked her," Where's Mummy?" After a moment of thought, she replied, " Small mummy..in the kitchen, and capital mummy ... to the market."

What did she mean? Now you figure that out! :P

Current Music- Native American flute music -Carlos Nakai

Under the Microscope...

2005-08-25T23:43:00.000+05:30

I first began teaching when I was 18/ 19, when friends would approach me to get their doubts cleared. I started taking up tuitions of my next-door neighbours (now very good friends of mine) at the request of their mother. By the time I graduated ( 1993) , I had made up my mind that I wanted to take up teaching as a profession. Easier said than done! My parents wanted me to become a Chartered Accountant, but nothing could make me change my mind because by that time, I had realised that even after 5 nightmarish years of studying accounts, I wasn’t really able make any sense of what my teachers had tried to teach me. Much to the chagrin of my parents and brother I applied for a teaching job ( I needed to be working to get admission to a part-time course in B.Ed) in a school located in a god forlorn part of the city.

After a brief interview, I was appointed as a teacher in the Secondary Section. I was to take up English in Class 5 and Economics Class 10. Whew! Now I thought that teaching English to the 10/ 11 ear olds would be a cakewalk and it would be a pain to teach Economics since I really really hated the subject.

And here’s what happened on the very first day of my teaching career. I entered the class a very confident teacher, armed with my English textbook, all set to wow the children with my teaching . The lesson was about Microscopes. I explained the lesson in great detail showing them pictures of microscopes and flashcards of new words. ( I must mention that 90% of the children were first generation learners and most of them would converse with me only in Hindi) so after I was through with my droning I encouraged them to ask questions if they had any. I was pretty sure that I had done a great job and that there would be none… one hand went up and I nodded at its owner (actually dared him) to go ahead and ask his question.

Boy: Teacher..(thoughtful pause) germs/ micro organisms bahut chote hote hain na? (The germs/ micro organisms are very small aren’t they?)

Me: Yes, they are very tiny.

Boy: Hum log unko dekh nahi sakte hain na? (We can’t see them with a naked eye, can we?)

Me: Nahi..Err, no. (getting a li’l panicky now)

Boy: To phir usko pakadke microscope mein kaise daal sakte hain? (Then how can we catch them and put them under the microscope?)

You could have knocked me down with a feather. Don’t even ask me how I wiggled my way out of that question! I won't be able to answer you anyway. I think I lost time ... just blanked out and honestly I have no memory about what took place in the next 10 minutes.
What I do remember is my resolve to be a good teacher (when I came to). Well, I have been true to my word, and 12 years and several schools later I have 2 awards for being 'the best teacher in my section' and several appreciation letters to my credit. That incident was surely THE turning point in my life! Today I make sure that I am more than thoroughly prepared before I enter a classroom... 'cos I wouldn't want to cut a sorry figure in my class ever!
*Grin*

Baby talk!

2005-08-16T23:01:00.000+05:30

Kids are so funny. Just when you think nothing they say can surprise you anymore something like this comes along and says, “Think again!” Sometimes I am amazed at the things they come up with.

Last week I was walking down the stairs with this teacher who is in the family way.
A chubby cherub walked up to us and asked the teacher: What is the matter teacher? Your stomach seems to be growing everyday!
Teacher: (squirming uncomfortably) Err... God put a baby in my stomach.
Girl: (nodding her head wisely) Oh! So you are reproducing…

We really had to exercise super control over our facial muscles on this one!

Oh No! Not Again!!!

2005-08-01T18:45:00.000+05:30

Oh dear God! It's happening all over again:((

Incessant rains

Water logging

Rising water levels

Traffic jams

Stranded people

Power failures

Unpotable water

Dead phones

No trains

Delayed flights

Floating vehicles

Forced holidays…

Loss of lives

Wiped out households

Tragic stories

Panic attacks

All this plus what’s left of Torrential Tuesday

Rotting debris

Unbearable stench

Floating Carcasses

Undiscovered bodies

Missing people

Muck

Grime

Well-founded fears

Rumours

Unfounded fears

Government apathy

Jokes about govt. relief work and its empty promises

Looming on the horizon is another dark cloud…an impending epidemic

God save us Mumbaiites! Please keep us in your prayers…

Horror Revisited...

2005-07-30T22:05:00.000+05:30

I stared in dismay at the heavy rains lashing out, hoping against hope that nature’s fury would calm down by the time for us to leave school. As hours went by my hopes thinned out as I watched the rising water level.
Parents of students in our school had started streaming in to pick up their dear kids. Not all of them could make to school though, and at 7 p.m (one hour after closing time) we were marooned with around 100 children along with 25- 30 staff members (teachers as well as helpers)
The phone lines were dead! There was no way we could have contacted the parents of these children. Mobile networks were down too and we were completely shut out from the outside world! Teachers were frantically trying to call up their families to ensure their safety and to assure them of their own.
Outside, the rains were poring down mercilessly showing no signs of relenting. There was an unspoken pact among the teachers that they wouldn’t leave until all the students had left safely with their parents. We worked together tirelessly to ensure that children were handed over to their parents as and when they came in. The water levels were rising in alarming proportions. Our school library was partially filled up with water and anxiety writ all over our faces.
Very soon we were left with around 30-35 children, some of whose parents who had been able to make it to the school but didn’t want to risk their lives by venturing out into the rains again. The teachers did their best to keep the mood light. The children were oblivious to the fact that something was wrong. They were busy drawing pictures, playing games and chatting away gaily with their friends. Only a few glum faces were noticed, but teachers took them under their loving care and made sure to wipe out any traces of gloom. Luckily, our school had stocked up well on biscuits and soft drinks. We got these distributed to the children who were more than happy to get their hands on their favourite biscuits and soft drinks.
Somehow, our Principal managed to establish contact with a local caterer who was also a parent. Within hours she managed to send us rice, dal, pickle and papads. It was a welcome relief for us. Dal and rice had never felt so tasty before this.
Hours went by and we resigned to the fact that we were destined to spend the night at school. A few classrooms were cleared and mats were laid out for children and their parents to retire for the day… and what a day it had been!
Most of the teachers had already heard from their spouses and checked up on the kids who were in the safe custody of their in-laws or caring neighbours. Another classroom was converted into a makeshift dorm for the teachers. But sleep eluded us and we decided to make the most of the God-sent opportunity by chatting up each other. Most of us were still numb with disbelief. ‘Is this really happening to us?’ was written all over our tired faces. Our sense of humour was at an unusual high and we spent all night cracking jokes and laughing till our sides ached. We simply had a ball of a time.
We didn’t realise it was already dawn. We wished each other a good morning and wondered aloud what time would we sign out in the staff muster. A teacher’s family who stayed near the school managed to send us chai and breakfast. Soon worried parents started streaming in to pick up their kids and soon we were left with just 4-5 kids. The rains had subsided so our Principal suggested we leave soon too and she would wait until the kids dispersed. Outside there was a traffic jam and we could see people wading through waist-deep water. We split up and started off for home. I embarked upon the journey-all by myself :-( I kept telling myself to be brave and … I put my feet in the water. It was cold and mucky and I felt all my resolutions breaking down.
Somehow I managed to take the next few steps and very soon I was in waist-deep water. It was a very risky thing to do, because this road was full of potholes, and there was also the fear of getting electrocuted or worse still, drowned. Strangers offered their advice- ‘Behenji aap is taraf se chaliye (pointing towards the divider) idhar safe hai.
The water was muddy and I could see plastic bags, fruits, onions, pieces of broken furniture, footwear etc. floating and occasionally entwining around my feet. I couldn’t believe this! I, who have always been particular about cleanliness, would wash my hands with disinfectant soaps after reaching home was actually wading through sludge and grime. I shook my head in disbelief. I was still among the luckier ones who stayed very close to my workplace, now if only I reached home on time.
On the way I saw many damaged vehicles, school buses with children in them, public transport buses with passengers trapped inside, autorickshaws, and fallen motorcycles. I looked around and vaguely remembered seeing something like this on TV and here I was in the middle of all this! This couldn’t really be happening to us! What normally would have taken me 20 minutes, took me almost and hour and a half and I finally reached my locality.
It seemed like our locality had faced the brunt of the fury. I rubbed my eyes in shock when I saw that water levels had risen till the first floors (though it had ebbed by morning) Harried looking neighbours and hubby who had been waiting for me looked relieved when they saw me wading through knee-deep muck.

Water water everywhere…not a drop to drink!

If you think that my nightmare ended there…think again! I was in for a few more shocks…no power, no water… and worse still…I had to climb up five storeys:(( As hours went by, tales of horror started streaming in… everyone around was talking about carcasses of cattle, dead bodies floating in the water, people asphyxiated in their own cars…

Each of us has a story to recount… of horror…of survival… and I do so hope that things will get back to normal and Mumbai spirit will stay afloat...

Current Music: Alanis Morisette - Zacce Lyrics - I'm a Bitch

Be Right Back!!!

2005-07-16T19:32:00.000+05:30

Hear This, All Ye Muggles, Hear!

The agonizingly long wait for Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince has finally come to an end. And for all those ignoramuses who don't understand what the excitement is all about, I can only say, "EAT SLUGS!"

I am gonna 'disapparate' for a while so that I can spend every spare moment that I can manage to squeeze out of my busy life, to lose myself in the world of wizardry and magic spells.

I will be right back after the magical break!

Oooops! I did it again!

2005-07-14T10:17:00.001+05:30

Another of my posts has made it to the Deccan Chronicle!! thanks to Prashanth.
Yipeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

I guess you will have to put up with my braggadocio for a while.

*Update - Look what I've found in my mailbox! I now have my post in flesh and blood!!! Anbu has sent me a copy of the Deccan Chronicle!!!
Thank you so much Anbu !

Choices...

2005-07-12T20:40:00.000+05:30

Hindustan Times (its Mumbai edition is expected to hit the news stands anyday this week) or The Times of India( a newspaper that I have been reading for more than a quarter of a century.. .geeez that makes me sound so ancient) ??????

Wanna be here?

2005-07-11T18:45:00.000+05:30

You could be here too !!!!

If you wish to see your blog post featured in the Deccan Chronicle, rush in your bestest posts and details (around 300 words) to prashkrish@gmail.com.

You could also check out Prashanth's Blog for more details.

All the best!

Guess Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

2005-07-06T09:15:00.000+05:30

It gives me great pleasure to announce that Sangeeta's work on the blogsite is receiving the due recognition. Her humorous post "What was that again?" has been published (ofcourse with due credits) in the Deccan Chronicle Chennai.
December 7, 2004 - quite an eventful day, for this blogsite was born then. It has certainly come a long way since then and apart from Sangeeta the credit also goes to the active participation displayed on the part of the members. I wish Sangeeta and others behind this, every success in reaching new milestones with this blogsite.
-Nitin S

Thanks to Prashanth’s efforts, one of my posts got featured in Deccan Chronicle –Chennai yesterday.

When one of my bestest friends and mentor Nitin heard about this, he insisted on breaking the news to everyone himself, so I invited him to post as a guest writer. You will be seeing more of his thoughts on my blog very soon.

The newspaper doesn't seem to have an online edition, so I am posting a scanned pic of the same, courtesy Krish, who was the first one to notice it and scan in the piece to me.

Thank you guys for always encouraging and being there for me.

This one also goes to my dad who had always wanted to see my pic in a newspaper (and I always thought, "Yeah right, you will, in the MISSING PERSONS section when I run away from home thanks to all the study pressure.") Finally his dream has come true.

I better quit before this starts reading like an Oscar Award acceptance speech LOL
Sangeeta

*Update- I finally have the link to the online edition of Deccan Chronicle.
Click here and here

First Impressions...

2005-06-30T21:27:00.000+05:30

Today evening, I was taking up geography in Std. IV. Since it was the very first time they would be writing a worksheet in my class, I was spending a lot of time going over instructions. “Write your names on your worksheets, today’s date", etc.. When I reached the point where I was instructing them to write the answers neatly, one of my students stood up and mouthed the old adage, “The first impression is the last impression” Obviously the kid has been getting a lot of gyaan from well-meaning adults around her.

That got me thinking about first impressions. Do they really count? I mean I have been taken in by people who have made a very ‘good’ impression on me, only to be disappointed later on.. and there have been other times when while meeting a person I have brushed off the unmistakable ringing of warning bells in my head...only to regret later on...

Now I’m really confused... what’s your take on this?

Literally Tagged

2005-06-26T16:29:00.000+05:30

Tag-o-mania again. This time I have been book tagged by Prabha and Somu.
So..here we go again..

Total Number of Books I own
Around 250-300

Total number of books given to others and never came back
90-100:(

Total number E-Books
241

Last Book I bought
Hotel - Arthur Hailey
(I’d read this one eons ago and wanted to add it to my collection)

Last Book I was gifted
The Broker- John Grisham

Grave Secrets – Kathy Reichs

I purchased these 2 books with the Crossword gift Voucher I got when I won the 1st Prize in an essay-writing competition conducted by my school. The topic was, ‘Strategies for adults to influence student behaviour’

(There… I finally bragged about it)

Last Book I read
Deception Point- Dan Brown

I am currently reading
Nothing.. save my morning daily

Five Books that mean a lot to me
A Little Princess - Frances Hodgson Burnett

I must have read this book around 100 times over a period of 2 years when I was 10 -11. It was my best friend for that period, and helped me to walk away unscathed from a certain phase in my life.

The Harry Potter Series- J.K Rowling

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

As the Crow Flies- Jeffrey Archer
My favourite rags to riches story

Messages from the Masters - Dr. Brian Weiss

I have always been enamoured of occult theories like past lives, reincarnations etc. and was totally zapped by this book and the other titles written by the same author.

3 books I started reading, but never completed
1. Flash Mx 2003.or was it 2004? Tech is simply not my cup of tea.
2. A monk who sold his Ferrari (Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)
3. The Power of Now- Eckhart

Book that made zero sense to me
My Accounts textbooks when I went through a 3 year-old nightmare called B.Com

My most treasured books
Reader’s Digest (1955)
Blackstone’s Tricks you can do (1948)
The Scarlet Letter- Nathaniel Hawthorne (1955)

I have a penchant for collecting old books, and these are a part of my prized collection

Who am I gonna tag ?

Swetank
Sudheer
Shub
Kanishka
Xena
Nupur
Selwa
Shantanu
Ram
Venky
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And finally it’s that time of the year, when we want to have sizzling pakoras and nearly scathing coffee, sit by the window and watch the rains or read a book and listen to your favourite barsaat/saawan songs..

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Do Visit

Cinnamon is back after a long break during which she got marriedJ

Came across Swetank’s blog and was awed by his poetry… Simply amazing...a must-see must- read blog..

I graduated!

2005-06-18T14:01:00.000+05:30

...again!!!!

*Update: (Since everyone is asking for details..)I had appeared for my B.A exams and got through..I'm already a Commerce graduate, so that explains why I said I graduated again.

Questions about percentage and marks will be diplomatically dodged:p

Tag Gag!

2005-06-12T19:05:00.000+05:30

Ok so I’ve been Tagged! Thrice! (When it rains…) Now you will all learn how boring I am.
And you can thank Tarun, Udit and Anbu for it. It had to take something like being tagged to wake me up from my reverie.
So here we go...

Three Names I Go By :
Skinny(hope the labeling works)
Sangeet
Saumya

Three Screen Names :
Saumya
Toeragz
Chutzpah111

Three Physical Things You Like About Yourself:
My eyes..and my smile..and…my height (I stand five feet and eight inches tall)

Three Physical Things You Don’t Like About Yourself:
My teeth, my skin and my pot belly LOL

Three Things That Scare Me :
Roaches
Lizards
Exams

Three Things I Want To Do Badly Right Now:
Catch up with my sleep
…and my reading
and get my hands on Harry Potter and the half-blood Prince (but I guess I’ll have to wait for another month *Sigh

Three Careers I have considered/Am Considering Right Now:
I love teaching but if I ever decide to quit, I’ll consider
-Designing greeting cards
-Running a school in a sleepy village
-Working as a librarian

Three Places I Want To Go On A Vacation
Coorg
Egypt
Calcutta

Three Kiddy Names I Like :
Kaynaat
Saksham
Nishtha

Three Things To Do Before I Die :
Deep sea diving
Travel the world
Get myself a house in Koorg

Total Number Of Films I Own On Dvd/Video:
19 DVDs/ Lost count of the number of CDs

The last film I bought:
None! My hubby buys all the stuff :P

The last film I watched:
Err..err..can I skip this? Can I tell you about the second last film I watched? Waqt
Oh..well here it is..
Bunty aur Babli.(and don’t ask me why?)

Three Of Your Everyday Essentials:
Books
Books
Books

Three Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
A wig, my dentures and a pair of spectacles
*plays canned laughter

Three People Who Have To Take This Quiz :

I don't know how many, if any, of these people have been tagged yet, but I'm going to tag them anyway

Prabha
Harish
Praveen
Gipsy
Vardan
Alex
Pisku
Sophia
Somu
Anand
Sriram
Jinu
Vidya

You said three? Hehehehehe!

And oh! I’m tagging my taggers right back with my own set of questions! Aah! Sweet revenge!

5 stupid things you did as a kid

If you were granted 3 wishes..what would you ask for?

Your most embarrassing moments…

Name a celeb you have a crush on

On a deserted island, you would take ________(whom) along?

And if anyone else wants to inflict this upon themselves...Be my guest!

Laws.........Another FWD

2005-06-07T12:45:00.000+05:30

Variation Law:
If you change queues, the one you have left will start to move faster than the one you are in now.

Law of the Telephone:

When you dial a wrong number, you never get an engaged one.

Law of Mechanical Repair:

After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

Law of the Workshop:

Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

Law of the Alibi:

If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the Next morning you will have a flat tire.

Bath Theorem:

When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.

Law Of Close Encounters:

The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

Law Of The Result:

When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

Law Of Biomechanics:

The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

Theatre Rule:

People with the seats at the furthest from the aisle arrive last.

Law Of Coffee:
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold .

Close Dose

2005-05-27T13:47:00.000+05:30

As teachers we always insist that our students speak in English while at school.

This incident took place a few years ago. During that time, a few political parties had called for a 'Bharat Bandh'. I was telling my students that our school would be functioning as usual the next day. A child immediately stood up and asked, "But teacher, tomorrow is..Bharat...(groping for a suitable word)... Tomorrow India is closed, no?"

Help!!!!

2005-05-27T00:33:00.000+05:30

Hi folks! Rkat needs your help!

Why Men Are Just Happier People?

2005-05-24T18:08:00.000+05:30

A forward from my Inbox..

What do you expect from such simple creatures?
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be president.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO T-shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal. (Ewwwwwwwwwww!)
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood -- all the time.
Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.!
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You have to shave only your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
Your belly usually hides your big hips.
One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.
You can "do" your nails with a pocketknife.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.

No wonder men are happier!

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Currently Humming- Hooked on a feeling (from Ally McBeal) - Vonda Shepard

My Favourite Books

2005-05-22T16:14:00.000+05:30

Here's my all- time favourite reading ..

1. As the Crow Flies- Jeffrey Archer
2. Eleven Minutes - Paul Coelho
3. Messages from the Masters - Dr. Brian Weiss
4. The Harry Potter Series- J.K Rowling
5. The Da Vinci Code- Dan Brown
6. A Little Princess - Frances Hodgson Burnett
7. Deja Dead- Kathy Reichs
8. Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
9. Who Moved my Cheese?-Spencer Johnson,Kenneth H. Blanchard
10. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
11. Master Of The Game- Sidney Sheldon
12. Kane & Abel - Jeffrey Archer
13. Hotel - Arthur Hailey
14. The Faraway Tree- Enid Blyton
15. Dibs in Search of Self- Virginia M. Axline
16. Rising Sun - Michael Crichton.

I'd decided to list top 10 of my favourites, but I just couldn't stop at 10. I could go on and on, but this is all for now. Of course, I'd like to see your list. Do share them with me...