A question

I recently came across this question. I think it was somewhere on the net. Well, I still dont have an answer to it.

" How does Bappi Lahiri manage to get past a metal detector??!!"

Any clue?

Driving and Me.

Recently I began driving. I have had a license for a while now ( does that raise a few eyebrows??). Well I learnt driving years ago, just that I never had the time to practise which in other words translates to "some people wouldn't let me drive their car!!" So, you ask naturally, "What has brought about the change now?" Ofcourse you have presumed that I still do not own a car. You are right! Unfortunately I don't. As to the question you have asked, I seriously do not have a reasonable answer.

The place where I am staying currently is more of a small town. So, you find more of narrow lanes, unruly traffic and most importantly people who get scandalized  at the mere sight of a lady/girl/woman ..well any sort of female species driving! When I say unruly traffic, I am mostly trying to generalize things like...

1. Folks who believe they belong to the royal lineage, so naturally they need the entire road when they drive and ofcourse it hurts their sentiments if you overtake, so they just make sure you can't. Honking/No honking, they just don't care.

2. If you have watched the movie Kaante, you'll know what I am talking about. In othr words the human chain. I call it the Kaante style driving wherein you'll find a group of people holding hands and driving bikes ( well mostly bikes, heaven forbid if they start driving cars that way! No please God, Spare me!!)

3. People who feel the best place to chit chat is right in the middle of a road. So, when you honk at them, they give you the "What the hell!!" sort of a look.

4. Cows/Buffaloes munching the cud to glory on the road (obviously!).

5. Pedestrians, who as a rule cross the road when they see a car hurtling towards them at breakneck speed.

The list is never ending really. After reading this you are bound to ask " Is there any need to experiment my driving in the above mentioned scenarios?" I say "YES!". Where else do you think I'll have ample reason to give to the car owner when he asks me " What on earth have you done to my car??!!" :D

I'm a part of IndiBloggers!!

 I registered this blog at IndiBloggers around a  week back. Finally got the approval mail today. I know it is no big deal really, but I was quite happy to receive the mail ( guess that goes to show how bored I am in life??). Well, my inbox these days is mostly about "try HDFC bank/ ICICI bank/ AXIS bank/BLAH BLAH bank credit cards" or "You can crack GMAT too!!" (sigh!) or " your friends want you on Facebook/WAYN/Orkut/Twitter" ( I can sense some eyes bulging out of their sockets....just get a hold people!! I haven't ostracized myself!) . So, now after this helpful insight, you would know what a relief it was to actually see a "non shift+del material" ...err....I mean the approval mail.

Moving on. For people, who are wondering what IndiBlogger is all about. Go and explore IndiBlogger.
For people, who want to know what inspired me to join it ....read on....

1. I wanted to know, where my blog stands.

2. I like competition. Period. It does not bring out the best in me.

3. I was bored!

On a more serious note, I think a lot of blogs out there are great. So, I am really looking forward to expanding my network ( as the mail mentions :P) . Lets see how things go.

Books I have been reading lately

I just finished with Twilight. Picked it up, a couple of days back. Found it too sugary to my liking. I don't think I am going in for the rest of the series. People told me, its the next big thing after Harry Potter. I don't think so at all. It just goes to show, I am no longer a teenager, I suppose :)

2 states was what I read, before twilight. I won't be too surprised, if they make a movie out of this one too. Its got everything in it! A typical Chetan Bhagat novel. Easy on the language, lot of humour thrown in and the Indian feel. A one time read. I was too bored with it in the middle, and was waiting for it to finish.

The past month or so, I have mostly limited myself to light reading. Nothing too heavy, so I guess I shall get back to Feluda now. I still have a few of his adventures left.

Any of you guys, having some good books in mind, do let me know!

catch you soon.

Bapa

That is how we ( my brother and me) address our Dad. The very presence of whom, melts all our problems away. For me, he has always been someone I have looked upto and tried to be.

I have fond memories of the time I have spent with Bapa, as a kid. How the mutton curry would always taste better when he would feed me. How the problems in math would make sense when he would solve it.

Bapa, would travel a lot, when we were young. I remember eagerly waiting for him to get back, so that I could complain to him about something or the other ( usually it was something about mom scolding me or a fight with my brother). I loved every bit of his attention.

I loved going to the airport to receive him. Back then Bhubaneswar had a very tiny airport. A small building with two floors ( yes! thats all!). I remember how I would scream with joy, the moment I would spot him alighting from the plane. After that I would wait expectantly, hoping for a surprise gift :)

Throughout the growing up years, Bapa has always been my pillar of strength. I don't know how, but just a " Everything will be fine " would put all my worries and apprehensions to rest. It still does.

Coming back to the present, this year would have been ten times more difficult without Bapa. I am at peace because I know he is there alongwith Mom and Suvi ofcourse. Thanks for everything Bapa! I wish you all the happiness in the world. Love you a lot!!

Days of the week.

I have always wondered, which day of the week goes best for me. Fridays, I believed were really great until a few months ago. I am sure a lot of people, mostly software folks will surely pick friday as their best day. The TGIF thing. People hardly work on fridays, I don't :p . But, when you get to the Govt. servants, its more likely, that they pick Sunday, or maybe Saturday. Actually come to think of it, some folks might actually say a monday or a tuesday. I mean not everyone detests week days or work days right??

I sometimes hate sundays, because the next day is monday!! ( talk about finding a reason to hate things!). Most definitely, I suffer from monday morning blues. Tuesdays for me, just go by, as if they don't even exist. I am so buried in work by then. Wednesdays are sort of okay. Sometimes they get really good. I believe I am at my creative best on Wednesdays. ( don't ask me why, I have no proof) Though my work doesn't need an iota of creativity.

Coming to Thursdays. I am always a little skeptical about them. They can go either way for me. I have had good and bad things happening to me on this day. Next day- Friday ! Not soooo happy with them anymore. More of a mixed bag.

Saturdays have been good off late. Get to eat good food and laze around a lot :). Nice. About Sundays, I think the mornings are best. In the evenings, the blues of the next day start taking over :p

So, all in all that is what I generally feel about the entire week. Today being a tuesday, I better get back to work :p

Things I want to tell Mom..

    I.........

1. love you a lot! :)
2. hate the fact that, I have to be away from you.
3. love the way you care for me. I do not think anyone else does it the same way.
4. like gossiping with you about anything and everything.
5. don't think, I could have got through this difficult year, without you by my side.
6. like the way you know my moods just by listening to my tone over the phone.
7. know you will always be there for me.
8. don't think, I would have come this far in life, if you weren't my Mom.

Suvi And Me!

Suvi and me,
are like chalk and cheese.
He likes the shares,
and I like the music.


Mercury is Suvi.
Pluto is more like me.
Suvi is sincere,
'Laid-back' - me!


Suvi and me,
are not totally chalk and cheese.
We both are goofy,
and we both love the movies.


He cracks jokes,
the joke is on me.
I get sarcastic.
My subject is Suvi.


I have the problems,
Suvi solves them all.
When I get irritated(with him),
Suvi has a ball!


Suvi is the fire,
I am the breeze.
Want good company?
come to Suvi and me!

Memory Issues - I

As a kid, I was proud of my memory retention skills. I was good at remembering faces, names, birthdays, latest car models.....well you name it and I would remember! As days progressed someone up there decided its high time and something ought to be done. I did not even realise when the deterioration started, until one day , rather evening ,when it hit  me right on my face.

This was way back during the third year of my engineering. After spending the summer break at home in Kolkatta, I was heading back to college in Ranchi. At the station, I met my room mate's Father. He asked me a very casual question, a question which had no association with rocket science, whatsoever!

Friend's Dad: So where do you stay in Kolkatta?

Me(smiling): ??!!?? ( blank)

.....after 10 seconds........

Me(still smiling): ??!!?? (still blank...like a recently formatted pc!)

Friend's Dad (with a concerned smile): Never mind....( she is too young for alzheimers!!)

This is when my room mate, thankfully stepped into my rescue. I have nothing to say to my defense really. Neither was I new to Kolkatta, nor was the name of the location (where I stayed in Kol) a tongue-twister of any sort.

After this, there were many more incidents to follow like ...

1... the time when I ask one of the most dreaded Profs in college to repeat his question ( during a viva exam), not because I was trying to buy time, but..yes!! I did manage to forget the question as soon as I heard it. ( Can you beat that!! Can anyone beat that!!!!)

2...right now ... yes!! I have forgotten what my second incident was...but I assure you I will be back with Memory Issues - II as soon as I remember.

Winter has set in!

Today morning, I woke up to the smell of napthalene balls. My bedroom was filled with the lovely smell. Mom had taken out old woollen wear, to dry them out in the sun. Never realised, how much I loved this smell.

As a child, I would hate this season. Winter meant falling sick. It was either a perennial running nose or a wheezing cough, which would lead to the inevitable - several visits to the Doc. Even during my engineering days, I dont remember loving winter all that much. The weather at Ranchi(place where I did my engineering) was more like a hill station. It wouldn't snow, but it would get unbearably cold.

On the other hand, Summer meant fun. Summer was "Mangoes" for me. Lol!! My fav food (Yes! I still have a thing for the mangoes). Summer also meant going swimming, and splashing water aimlessly at kids in the pool, and jumping into the pool like mad people (hahhaha...). How can I forget the wonderfully loooonnnnnnggggg summer breaks! ( though as a kid I dint think they were that long)

Its been four years, since graduation and I have suddenly realised that I do not hate Winter all that much anymore. This time around I was actually looking forward to it. I think I have gradually fallen in love with the hot 'adharak wali chai' and the 'intoxicating winter-sleep'.

Ten Years of 'The Wonders'

Way back in the year 1999, the year of m Xth boards, I was a big Tom Hank's fan. I still am! That was the year of 'The Wonders' for me. I was crazy about 'That thing you do'. Awesome music really. All the somgs in there are truly amazing. Though I watched movie to see Tom Hanks, I gradually fell more in love with the music. I remember my poor father had to get the cassette all the way from Delhi, as it wasn't available in Orissa.
This post is dedicated to ' The Wonders' and their 10 years in my life!! :)

I shall sign off now, but not before leaving you with the lyrics of my fav song from the movie...

I need you................here it goes

*************************************************************************************

I never thought my life would end up quite this way

Sometimes it's hard to figure out what I should say

I tried alone to mend this broken heart

I need you that thing you do

When we're apart I find it very hard to smile

You know that other girls have never been my style

Well there's a feeling that I get when I'm with you

I need you that thing you do

I could search around the world only to find

The only thing I need is you right by my side

There's a feeling that I get when I'm with you

Oh oh oh that thing you do

I could search around the world only to find

The only thing I need is you right by my side

I never thought my life would end up quite this way

Sometimes it's hard to figure out what I should say

I tried alone to mend this broken heart

I need you that thing you do

Need you that thing you do

*************************************************************************************

On my B'day.....

..lots of people called. Mom was ofcourse the first one to wish me. Pinky nani ,Bubun bhaina, Dadei, Dathai, Ma and Daddy. Even Shabana (Yes!!) called, all the way from U.S. Keerthi too called in. Shabs, Keer and me actually had a 3-way conference going. It was fun, took me back in time to my hostel days. How can I forget Lavanya! She has been wishing me on my bday for the past 10 years or more I suppose. Love her! Sri and Pupu also called. Thank you guys!! I know...my bday is a BIG deal!! :D

Tuni aunty had sent keema curry for lunch. It was delicious. Suvi finally came over at around 3:30pm. He took me to Oxford. Gifted me two books:

1) The story of my life.

2)The hindi bindi club.

Suvi has convinced me into writing a book. Thanks to him for seeing an author in me :). We both went to Campus Cafe and had a good snack.

Bapa got back from Sambalpur at 6pm. He had got me a nice sambalpuri top. I had no idea what was in store for me in the evening. It was a wonderful evening really. Suvi and I had initally planned to go to Mayfair for dinner, but we weren't sure because Bapa must be tired after his long trip. But Bapa insisted that all of us should go.

Bapa had planned a nice surprise really. On reaching Mayfair, we were taken to Regent Villa ( in a golf cart!!! :D..yea these things excite me ) where I cut my bday cake , burst balloons, had chocolates and a wonderful sumptuous dinner( including the all time fav bali prawns!). A pic of the villa is attached above. Lovely isn't it?

So that was basically all I did on my Bday :). I am signing off now hoping that some day I can afford to take my folks and Suvi to such a good place.

Language of the techies

Newbie techie : Hello there!

Manager techie: Hi!

Newbie techie : How is your son doing now?

Manger techie: He is much better now. Two more days and he will be discharged from the hospital.


Newbie techie : What happened, exactly?

Manager Techie: Oh! you see..he developed this breathing problem. It got severe. Actually I too had the same problem, when I was young...so you see..there is a "bug in the code"!

Newbie Techie : Oh... ok ( :O)

The long wait.

How long will it take?
I lose patience everyday.
Long time it has been.
Is that day coming?

Agonizing it is to wait.
I cannot help, but do.
After a million failures,
I hope there is something good.

Everyday I wonder,
if something is just around the corner.
With new hope, I wait at the bend,
but slowly, the day ends.

Maybe tomorrow will have something new.
Maybe tomorrow will be my day.
Keeping faith I wait,
for the day that will bring in change.

Mr B

As promised, I am back! Just google searched my name sometime back, and the wonder of wonders!! I am listed fourth on the first page!! ( yippie!!!).

Anyway, back to Mr B da. This dude, is some 2 years my junior, but one can hardly figure that out from the attitude. He happens to be a bengali, who wants everyone else around him also to be one. The first time he met me, he actually struck up a conversation in bengali!! :O Thanks to my Oriya background, it did make sense, but seriously can you beat this guy. Heights I tell you. Whoever told him that bengali is the new national language or something. And yea..one more thing, while I do get it that adding a " bro" here and there while talking ( in English mind you!!) does sound cool, but can you imagine adding the " bengali" substitute for bro every now and then. Totally uncool and disgusting!! If you dont want to go as far as bengali, then you might want to try that out in hindi, its equally bad!!

I have been fortunate enough, not to have interacted much with him. But then my interactrions with Mr BD make up for it. Come to think of it, I shouldnt feel too bad about these people, because who else is gonna inspire me to write?? :P . So until I meet the next weirdo ( actually even if I don't)...bye!!

Back with a Bang and a new Gang!

Its been quite a while since I blogged. Things werent that great off late.What can I say,missed
being laid off by a whisker :(. Well things are looking up now, and I sincerely hope they get
better and better. So while all this was going on, I forced myself into a new team ( to save my
ass). thanks majorly to Sam :D


While most of my team mates are great, there are a few...who well I cant stop myself from
writing about. There is this Mr Bednath who happens to be my lead and Mr Bhanu da who is
"supposedly" my junior colleague. I shall begin with Mr Bednath.


Mr Bednath is seriously the epitome of lethargy. He is perpetually waiting on someone else to
proceed with the work. But sometimes I cant even blame it on lethargy ....because then its just
plain no-commonsense. Seriously read on...

************************************************************************************

(Conversation over the phone)

ME: Hello Mr Bednath!!(bd from now on)

BD:Good morning!! So is the connectivity problem with the client n/w resolved.(Btw BD sits at

client location)

Me: No actually. I talked to the n/w folks. They need the ip address of the particular client

website. Once they get that I should be able to access. Do you have any idea? Or maybe you

could ask the client (since you are there!!!) and let me know. ( yea I know, I shouldnt be talking

to my lead that way...but the guy can get really stuck up , as you will soon find out. So unless

you just tell him straight on, you could keep going in circles till eternity)

BD: oh!! actually this will be a long

process..hmmm....hmmm....hmmmm...........well......................hmmmmmmm .....achaa........hmmmm
Me:( waiting for him to stop "hmmm"ing!!)

BD: Hmmmmm.....................ok ...let me see...

( after half an hour BD calls up and I wonder if I actually underestimated his capabilities)

BD: Achaa so you need the ip address right( Do I??). Well I just found out the ip address of my

pc. I think that should do.

Me: ( Somehow managing not to faint) ....( and then not knowing what to say!!!)

BD: You there??

Me: eh yes! Mr Bednath, I dont think that will work.

BD: Why wont it work?!! See, I am able to access the client n/w.

Me: Well...but its not the same thing.The pc ip address and the client website ip address.

BD: Whats the difference?

Me: (Oh My God!!) well...ummm....

BD: Ip address is an ip address after all. How does it matter?

Me: ( Taking deep breaths)

BD: Just give them my ip address. I am sure it will work. See most of things these days have ip

addresses. It helps knowing them. But...what the hell, you can't go on finding ip addresses of all

the things around you. When will we start working if we go on finding ip addresses of things. Ip

address...bla bla...Ip address...bla bla......Ip address....bla bla..............................................

Me: (Still taking deep breaths)

*************************************************************************************
Actually there was more of the Ip address crap, but I had to cut it short. I dont want you guys to
go through that nightmare really.

Now lets leave Mr Bednath with his ip address phobia and move on to Mr Bhanu da. But I really

need a break before I do that, so I guess Mr Bhanu da has to wait till my next post. I hope you

do too.

Cya soon.