On Why We Should Still Have Faith!

We do fight with them, we think they fleece money, we think that they drive in full speed to take our lives but we cannot do without them. I am talking about Auto drivers. Yes, we do have a long saga of fleecing auto drivers and there is a sweeping generalization that all of them are just waiting to get a chance to extract money.

Mornining was hectic as usual. On top of that, some confusion with the office cab pick up. So, I decided to take the auto to office. Shared auto's are the lifeline of Hyderabad in the Hi-tech city area. A fixed rate and anyone can get in. I got into one - why do I need to take a metered auto for just a 10 min journey. After about 10 mins, I fumbled around for my phone. Nops, it was not in my hand. It was not in the small pouch either. Panic strikes - I assume I left it back at home and try not to think of the possibility of losing it. Now, I have a long history of losing stuff - from watches, wallet, driving license, election ID card to credit cards - I have lost them all. I desperately did not want my Nokia N72 to be a part of that list.


I ask the auto driver to stop, pay him and gallop (with my dupatta, a stole, a handbag and a laptop bag) across the road to get another auto to take me back home. Meanwhile, I see a co-passenger of the shared auto waving somewhere frantically, passing him off as a possible eve-teaser, I chose to ignore him. Soon, I see the auto driver running across the road. Within a flash of a second, he comes to me and hands me over the mobile. I hold my mobile and almost do a mad happy dance on the road. I am overwhelmed and manage only an embarrassed 'Thank You' to the auto driver, who smiles and says a polite 'Welcome Madam' and runs back to his auto.

I am about to thank him and tell him that he is a nice person and there are only a few people like him. Before that, he is back in his auto and speeds off. For him, its just another day!

The Happy Tag!

After a couple of rather irate posts which were about me catching the cold and my hard disk crashing, I stumbled upon something really sweet and happy. Scarlett's blog post was delightful to read and I just could not resist the temptation to pick it up. Yes, I could do with some sunshine - its been either raining or cloudy for the past of 2 weeks.

I so agree with Scarlett when she says that these little things cheer up when someone is stuck in a rut. I feel nice just thinking about them - I am sure I ll feel better once I finish writing/blogging about them too.

1. The smell of the earth after the first rains - it does bring in a new high, doesn't it.
2. Cozying up with S and watching TV together.
3. The gummy toothless smile of a toddler and the pride of the parents when they see the smile.
4. An occasional ping/chat with a long lost friend.
5. Arrowroot biscuits dipped in Tea.
6. Getting down from the train/plane and looking around for that familiar face and finally spotting it.
7. Extended Lunch table conversations.
8. Countdowns - I am such a sucker for countdowns - even for something trivial like a TV program or for a much awaited trip.
9. Friday evenings - even though I am not doing anything great.
10. Compliments - Its always a feel good factor.
11. Cracking Crosswords - I am not very good at it, but I do attempt it and solving just one clue gives me a kick.
12. Jigsaw Puzzles (1000 pieces) - Ah What fun!
13. Bright sunshine after the rains.
14. Fruit cakes - Baking them, eating them or simply reading about them in cooking blogs.
15. Collecting key chains from different places
16. Catching the re-runs of the all time movies by chance while browsing through the channels.
17. The strange excitement that engulfs you the evening before you travel.
18. The happiness after I see that a photo of mine has come out well.

Thanks again Scarlett for this dash of cheerfulness and happiness.

Dealing with Data Loss!

After almost recovering from a cold, getting it back and again almost recovering, I was in for another shocker at work. The hard drive of my official laptop crashed and they informed me that there is no way to recover the data. I had oodles of stuff on my laptop - including photographs, write-up, bookmarks of the blogs that I read, music, movies and so on. I just feel like losing an old album or losing your hand bag!

I suddenly feel robbed of a lot of precious stuff. Lesson well learnt - I will be a little more careful with my data from now on. S has been warning me from a lot of time about backing up my data. Strangely, the thing that I am most worried about recovering is the picture that S drew of Calvin and which I have had as my wallpaper. I hope that we have a backup somewhere - in some email or on some phone.

Hmmph! Good realization on how much we are dependent virtually! For now, its back to notebooks and pens for me.

What not to do when I have a cold!

Yes, It is in the air and I have a bad cold. I have been trying to recover for a while but it is taking time. I am so sure that all of us who have had a terrible bout of cold will agree that it is the most annoying and irritating thing ever. The last thing I want on top of it are snide remarks. Please do not do the following when I have a cold.

1. I have a cold, I am trying to stay away from people so that I don't pass on the virus. I am in office because I have recovered quite a lot. I am just quietly sitting in my cubicle - trying to wind up the work and trying really hard not to make my presence very conspicuous. You don't have to lunge and come all the way from your cubicle which is very far just to make a comment about how puffed my face looks and how I look pathetic. People, where is all the courtesy gone?  Has no one taught you on how to talk to someone who is not well.

2. Please refrain from commenting about how small my eyes have become. Yes, my eyes enter deep into the socket when I am not well. I know that - some 100 people have told me that and I have seen that in the mirror. From now on, any comments on my appearance will not be accepted when I have a cold.

3. Do not start listing out a huge list of meaningful do's and dont's for me. I appreciate the thought and do take suggestions - but only meaningful ones. Don't tell me that I should stay away from Ice creams and cold water - that is something I do on regular days too. Also, I know that I should use Vicks (I mean primary school kids know that). If you have a quick and instant home remedy - then you can come to me.

4. The reason I am at office/outside is because of something unavoidable . I am not the one who comes to work or loiters around for no reason because I am paranoid about not spreading the infection. Don't give me random advise about taking an off or working from home. I know it  I am mature enough to know that already.

5. Everyone gets a cold once in a while and that too for no reason. I do not need that trying-to-be-sympathetic-yet-happy-at-my-suffering look. I can see through it. So, when you come to be with the elongated "Ohhhhhhh - What happened? You are ill - You poor thing" statements, I can totally see what you mean.

6. Cold brings along tons of irritation and crankiness. Once you see that I have a cold, please do not state the obvious. Do not ask me if I have a cold. You will probably hear "No, I just like sniffing around", 'No, I am practicing a particular yogasana which involves retaining water in the nose and letting it out occasionally', "No, I am anti-paper conservation and I have taken it upon myself to use all the tissue paper available".

Ahh! Now let me search on ways to get rid of the cold quickly .

Mars and Venus?

Do Opposites Attract? Yes, I think so!

How else would you explain two almost totally opposite kind of indivuduals (Read S and me) getting hitched and staying together for 2.5 years!

1. S loves Discovery, Animal planet, History and the boring stuff - I am a total sucker for any reality, drama on TV!
2. One of the easiest tasks in this world is to make me cry. A drop of a hat or pin is enough of a tear jerker of me. The only 2 times when I  saw tears in S' eyes was - 1. Tears after laughing his heart out during the numerous re-runs of friends, 2.While watching Beautiful Mind (one of his fav movies).
3. I am a total drama queen - S is the quiet wait and watch types.
4. I over-react and make a hue and cry even if I spot an ant walking across the room. S again waits and watches
5. I love surprises and S hates them. He is brutal enough to tell me right on my face if he doesn't like the gifts that I picked up so lovingly.
6. I love roaming around and traveling, S is the sit-at-home types.
7. I can chatter non-stop with him about anything - even the aforesaid ant walking across! S needs his own space every once in a while.
8. S knows, understands, realizes and works towards his passion! Right now I am clueless and trying to figure out mine.
9.  S is the king of planning (every travel has a list ready) - I am a last minute dump-stuff-in-the-bag type of person.
10. I yell, shout, cry and argue when I am angry - S turns on the silent mode (does not utter a word)!
11. I am over-the-top experssive kind - Hugs, Kisses and clinginess are totally my thing! S is subtle and cryptic.

Seriously, I can go on and on. Needless to say, one comment that we make often is - You did not tell this to me before the wedding! As if that would have changed anything!
As of now, we are still sane and have not lost it yet. Yes, even now my eyes twinkle when I see him!

P.S - I would love to do the reverse of this post - come up with 10 things that we have in common. That would be my anniversary edition.