Analyzing Me!

Literary salvation..

Shweta — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:36:36 +0000

It’s been about a month that I moved in with my aunt.. and by the looks of it, I believe my duration of stay might double itself. Frankly, I am feeling slightly awkward, what with me spending most of my weekends in Bangalore and of course the inopportune feeling of obtrusion into some family’s daily setup. Citing thus, I decided to go low profile and cause minimum trouble to them. Now it’s one thing to maybe spend a week with some one and it’s another to stay for a while, a longer while (read more than a month). Having done it already in the past, I didn’t have much trouble in figuring out this family’s daily protocol, likes, dislikes etc. I pitch in for the dinner preparations, spend time with the kids, blah.. basically, I do my bit to let them know I’m around and I’m not sticking up like an ass.

The one thing that gets this little family on each others nerves however, is the television. The kids always want to watch cartoons, the aunt sticks to the regional channels and the uncle prefers some lame Hindi movies/serials (really weird)!! Looking at them fight for it, I almost lost the will to request for some TV time of my own. Which got me thinking of alternative sources of pleasure. The frequent (almost every) weekend trips came to a sweet rescue. As I struggled to balance tired eyes and sleepy thoughts, I eventually started picking up books for the long boring flights to Bangalore. Since the weekends never offer enough time to read, i continued reading them through the other days, evenings mostly while the other 4 battle it out over the TVie! I really don’t know whom to thank. I’m loving every moment, I’m reminded of a more younger me in school when I couldn’t keep those story books away. I don’t find the need to watch TV or indulge in unnecessary conversation where my participation is not required. I believe the family is happy that I don’t butt in too much. And i am too happy to settle in with new books every week. It feels so good to be reading like this again. It’s got me thinking too much, but eh, what the heck? I am loving it..

The married bachelor..

Shweta — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:40:37 +0000

Yes, so we got married, we honey-moon’ed and now we are back at work.. at our respective workplaces, in different cities in different homes !! As we parted that day with muzzled goodbye’s in anxious undertones, i guess we were both left wishing for the Monday when i’d not have a plane to catch. Having said that, i find it amusing, how the two of us after having survived two long distance relationships over the past three years, find it difficult to stay apart for a month or two. Is this what marriage does to you? I wonder, what’s really changed? Its still the same us, its still the same setup, its still the same relationship under a more guarded presence, a matured name. Is it the freedom of having a well (ahem legal) relationship in Indian terms of interest or the thrill of the fact that we no longer have to hide around? And though we still have other issues to grapple with, I’ve decided I’m done living like a bachelor. I want to enjoy the benefits of being married and bestow the same on my other half ! I want to stay together and i want to enjoy marital bliss.. I’m done being a bachelor.. I’m done being a married bachelor…

Outside my window..

Shweta — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:40:17 +0000

When i moved to Pune about a year ago, i had a hard time looking for places to live in. I finally zeroed in on 2 apartments, one which was smaller and cozier and one that was bigger with an attached terrace. Thinking then, that i might always have someone to live in with my brother/parents/friends et al, i picked the bigger apartment. The one thing that most attracted me towards this place however, was this pristine gulmohar tree in full peak overlooking the window in my living room. Such was the beauty of spring last year that the tree seemed to furnish my empty apartment with its mere presence and rosiness. I decided right then that this is exactly where i would love spending most of my early mornings and tired evenings, sipping tea beaming at the beautiful tree outside my window! I eventually bought furniture which went more with the ruby flowers than with anything else i ever owned. I got red curtains, red wind chimes, and everything else in shades of red. As spring wilted away, so did the tree eventually. I, in the meantime was going through a pretty rough patch in my personal life. Things were not quite working out with me and R, my parents were over and the daily discussions on delicate issues were taking a toll on my mind. Every time i looked outside the window, it was like this tree kept asking me to hang on, telling me that there’s always a spring to look forward to, and that blushing days will be back again.

As things at home began working out, i got engaged to R and somehow things fell in place. As everyone else busied themselves with the wedding preparations, i woke up one morning to a pretty sight in red..the first bloom of this spring, the first glow of perkiness, the first feel of freshness and things were good in this world again!

Just yesterday, i couldn’t help but think, one year has passed and so much has changed. But its spring time in my life again and its time to bloom !

Buzzing ‘Ap’..

Shweta — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:41:53 +0000

Ever since i joined my current organization and ever since Ap joined hers, we’ve had one thing in common – an unrestricted access to gTalk. While we were inseparable in college, we had kind of gotten wound up in our lives post graduation. And while we were still in touch pretty regularly, gTalk revolutionized it to a great extent since!

Every morning as i logged in, it used to give me a lot of relief to see her online, because that meant, that i had someone to bug throughout the day or for any part of the day when i felt like. R is pretty disappointing on chat sessions and Ap usually satiated my usual old-pal-chat hunger. There have been countless days when we’ve had nothing to talk about and we never even buzzed, and yet, the green dot next to her id always seemed to offer some comfort! Now that she’s moved on to her new job, i guess chat might not be a common scene anymore which saddens me to a great extent . Like i mentioned in one of my earlier posts, i am getting really obsessed with the whole fitness routine thing, and lately most of our chats were dominated by exchange of workout notes. Now that used to be a lot of fun, and I’m really really going to miss those.

So, here’s to you Ap, really missing you online. Also, wishing you all the best with the new job (and hoping they allow gTalk there).

Shweta — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:46:19 +0000

bavra mann dekhne chala ek sapna ..

bavrese mann ki dekho bavri hain baatein
bavrisi dhadkane hain bavri hain saanse
bavrisi karwanto se nindiya kyon bhaage
bavrese nain chahe bawre zarokhon se bavre naazaroon ko takna

bavra mann dekhne chala ek sapna

bavrese is jahan mein bawra ek saath ho
is saayani bheed mein bass haathon mein tera haath ho
bavrisi dhun ho koi bavra ek raag ho
bavrese pair chahe bawre tarano ke bavrese bol pe thirkana
bavra mann dekhne chala ek sapna

bavrasa ho andhera bavri ho khamoshiyaan
thartharati lav ho matthamm bavri madhoshiyaan
bavra ek gunghata hole hole dinn batayein bavrese mukhadese
bavra mann dekhne chala ek sapna

(Lyricist: Swanand Kirkire)

Of beautiful women in beautiful sarees..

Shweta — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 07:45:47 +0000

You know there are times, when you are so frustrated with your mediocrity, that your desire to be perfect makes you curse the ones who (you think) are. But mostly, we fail to realize that life, is one complete package; even for the ones we believe are absolute. Somehow, the quote which said beauty is skin deep, failed to take effect with Lisa Ray, for she, as i see her is perfect. Just as she is today with a tonsured head; just as she was yesterday as i recall first seeing her on tv in the Garden Vareli advertisement. I remember wondering in awe if this was the most beautiful woman in the most beautiful saree ever! Many beauties since then have walked this earth, many have faded and many have held out. But the image of that beautiful woman in the beautiful saree still spells the word “beauty” for me!

Lisa Ray’s blog: http://lisaraniray.wordpress.com/

From being a couch potato..

Shweta — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:02:31 +0000

to now..! As i wiki’ed the term “couch potato”, it redirected to the entry filed under “sedentary lifestyle” and reminded me of the endless fights i had with my parents with their repetitive use of this term and how it defined my lifestyle. I don’t really blame them though. I always did acknowledge secretly, that my lifestyle had indeed become pretty sluggish and that began reflecting on all my actions. Anyways, thanks to them, and a little effort on my part (who is to thank for that really??!) i hit the gym about 6 months ago and started living my life again! When i say “living my life’, i almost try and glorify it, like i am returning from the dead or something, but trust me, the effect is pretty much the same. Lack of exercise DOES put you through some kind of hibernation mode in life.. and getting back to it does feel like rising from the dead ! No kidding.

Though i did cut some slack in my fitness routine in the last two months, i’ve been pretty regular since the last one. And that feeling is hands down awesome. To feel like the only breathing soul among this mass of zombies really gets the zing back in you. As me and Ap keep exchanging our corresponding workout notes each day, i realized i am getting pretty obsessed with it. So much so that i spend most of my free time reading online fitness journals or new techniques etc. But in the end i feel exalted I don’t care if i don’t get “thin” in a lesser time frame, the fitness motivates me more.

Happy working out!

Playing ‘Peter-Pan’

Shweta — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:47:14 +0000

As we headed to the cafeteria for lunch today, Me,Jyo and Ru the new intern in office all we wanted to do was ‘hog’ (which we did eventually.. and how !!??!!) .. So anyways, this new intern Ru, a hot babe oozing poodles of attitude, is like a breath of fresh air in our 27 age group lunch group. I’m still not sure if she really enjoys our company or even relates barely to our talks, but she seems to have gelled in well. Today at lunch, an interesting topic caught the fancy of our otherwise dull”gharelu” discussions. Ru opined, that there might be a generation gap between her and us (we being 27 odd and she being 22 odd).. and though it might sound logical to many, i refused to buy that argument. In my defense, a generation gap ought to be defined, when the older generation is not able to comprehend the logic or thought behind those of the younger generation. That said, I also believe that it’s a completely individual perspective on how one proceeds to embrace another person’s thoughts or actions. So it might very well be possible that what i feel right, might even be held as conservative by a younger person. Which got me thinking, why this branding of thought to a certain time frame when an individual takes birth? So what if I choose to think differently than my “generation”. Does that make me a rebel? Or, does that make me non-conformist? And if I still tend to think or approve of the ideas as portrayed by the “younger generation”, does that mark my refusal to grow up?

2 month reverse countdown..

Shweta — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:07:01 +0000

As i glance by the calendar flashing on the bottom right of my screen, i can’t help but skip a beat for a moment. And though the exact nature of this skip is really indecipherable to me right now, i can’t help but not think about it. Exactly 2 months from now, on the 20th of June, i will be a married woman!! Wedding jitters anybody… borrow mine !!

As the reverse countdown begins, the endless list of to-do’s keeps piling up with new action items. The job, a place to stay, the shopping, the gym, the invites and of course, needless to say, the part where you keep telling yourself that “all’s gonna be well and life’s gonna be swell!!”. Somehow i am still too lazy to think about the future and i gladly rest the deliberation upon the better half to be (knowing things will be taken care of, though i also keep reminding myself that i shouldn’t get used to such inflicted perfection). Suddenly two months shrink to a time frame spanned by two days and i wonder how time flies.

Wedding diaries – Part 1

Shweta — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:54:43 +0000

What can easily inspire a Bollywood potboiler, my so called love story, is actually enhancing towards a self-proclaimed “happy ending”. Every relationship witnesses its own share of up’s and down’s.. but i never imagined ours to end with an “UP”

Anyways, so with the families settling in with our decision to get married, and the engagement hence, the wedding preparations have commenced with great fervor. I’ve seen a major role reversal with my folks, who started out with saying that they’d have preferred a court marriage, to going gung ho over the wedding preps back home. The house has been painted inside out and most importantly the shopping spree is ON. Just two weeks ago, when i visited Nagpur to help them with things, i was amazed to see their excitement about the whole thing. There is something about weddings that gets the adrenalin pumping in the lamest of us. The saree shopping really got the best of us. This being the first wedding in my family, the entire gang is pretty charged up. As we visited shop after shop, checking out sarees and shalus, i was really impressed with my dad’s patience… after all, shopping with three shopping-taxed women for sarees must be a pretty daunting task for a man to accomplish. I am proud to say, my dad scored spot on. The best part about the saree shopping is the “baithak” in the shops and the air conditioner. There are mattresses laid down for people to sit and sarees to impress! As we went awwing and trying them sarees one after the other, my dad gave in to gravity eventually to make way for a peaceful nap. He kept nodding once in a while to certify his participation. This ultimately turned out to be a regular feature for all our saree trips, and eventually he started looking out for our saree shopping more than us!!! That’s when i realized, men really have no reason to complain when women shop. They get their own perks which are rightly missing in most men clothing shops. Forget the mattresses, we didn’t even get chairs to rest our tired asses on! So after a successful 2 day trip in Nagpur, the troop headed over to Pune to march the much famed streets of Laxmi road on Pune. Though the 4 day episode took a toll on our energy levels, it turned out to be a totally adventurous trip. We even kept visiting the same restaurant for lunch each day (i mean, who does that??). My father found some delightful nap-company in my brother, and with my aunt’s kids accompanying us for the shopping, the whole event was pretty hilarious. The kids kept dishing out comical comments and their “insights” on our choices, especially Tanmay’s obsession with the parrots on the sarees (which is a speciality for “paithani’s”), and Tanaya’s karaoke with the iPod. All in all, it was a half week of total frolic and a very minimal insight on just how entertaining the actual wedding is going to be.