One

I heard in French today - Dieu est un comédien jouant devant un public trop peur de rire.... translated to God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh!


Ha ha ha....

Evening Spring

Picked a friend at Exton station and dropped her at home, she was sick, i was sick, her kiddo was sick. But the spring air was anything but, my mind was racing, my heart was racing.

It reminded me of those care free evenings with just a hint of coolness in the air of hyderabad, after a long sweaty day.

Right after the shower, when you step out on the balcony....
Right after dinner, when you sit on the bike for a ride....
Right after finishing that ice-cream and stepping out of that baskins at middle of the night with cousins and uncle.
Right after wearing a crisply ironed kurta and smell like Mysore Sandal and head to that movie with bunch of friends.

I'll never point to motherhood for stripping me of those moments, i'll, however to the rigid discipline i follow for myself and my son, to the harsh winters of north east.

I was in a part of town that i was not too familiar with, but it let me see the world i had left behind, a book i finished reading was coming to me, places i havent been to, and been to were entwining me.

Is it really....

From Post Secret

It's amazing how world around you resonates to what you feel. My thoughts go out to this post card sender, whoever you are. Hope peace and affection find you. i keep thinking of sending some of mine too, but then everyone else does such a great job that, i'm more inspired by thier woa (work of art).

As you turn around the corner of the street, as you go across a familiar place, as you see a dear one's facial feature in a strangers face, do you wonder- who does your thoughts tie back to?

The road ahead seems so fiercely gravelly, can i walk bare foot, can you walk bare foot....ever think.

Pick your battles....

Few weeks ago, after a mother of headache slaughtered me for 2 days straight, i knew who to point my blame on....my teeth. Except for one root canal and few other minor issues, i'm in good shape, was my assumption. 

During a much needed dental visit, my Canadian dental hygienist, who was admiring my purple shoes and how she loves purple, and how after 4 yrs she painted her room purple (ok sista!), and is also venturing on border stencils (wow! bit much)....she asked me the most dreaded question, how often is it that i floss. AAhh...the F word again! I honestly admitted to her how i brush twice, sometimes thrice a day, but i detest flossing. It looks complicated, i'm not sure i'm doing it the right way, not sure if it's doing its job, i attempt it however but only to stop rather quickly.

Waterpik

After hearing me, she google chromed me to show what a waterpik was? hmm....interesting, mental note made to look it up asap at home. There i was after shiny clean teeth paid out of my pocket, and a estimate for the implants to remove my root canal filling that made me roll my eyes, i rushed back to look up what this hoopla about waterpik was. 

Read all about it in 10 mts and thanks to Amazon, few days later, this wonderful product made it to my home. Post charging, i tried it on this am, it kinda feels funny the way the water works around your mouth, but i think this product has potential. The instructions say, i can even fill it with mouthwash. It's a oral irrigator, a fundoo word, but me likey. A worthy alternate to traditional flossing. 

This is in no way promotional for the product, but my sheer amazement that, how we are not aware of some wonderful products there, which make our life so much easier, healthier and cleaner. 

Rocket for a Princess

While growing up, amongst treasure of books as toys, i had oodles of "sketch pens" aka markers in US of A, so no matter what i get for T, i always load up on extra markers for him when i'm at the store for his "out of the blue surprises". He randomly lies on the floor coloring this and that, he's never inside the lines, which is absolutely fine by me.

Castle for Mamma!

One morning, he made a leaning tower of pisa (if you ask me) out of the markers and annouces "oh mamma i made a rocket ship". Like any proud parent would, i expressed my pure sense of joy at his whimsical imagination and continued making his lunch. But then he changed his story by the end of his lunch hour and exclaimed that it was now a castle, "Castle for you mamma!".

I had to give him for that, and gave my undivided Wows and thank yous. Then he pops a belated question - "Mamma are you a princess"....Meri jaan, mera baccha, xoxoxo...i let a cloud of thought float above me which said "Depends who you are asking darling".

The boys brought it home!

Kya match tha, by god, Sri Lanka Vs India, two asian teams first time in world finals. Great job by Sri Lankans, but then when we started it was like watching a team coming to support each other. Loved it, loved it, loved it, my boys. Go Go Go Team Blue, Team India. After 1983, a well deserved cup for a well deserved Captain, Dhoni saheb. XOXO to our team. India Won the World Cup Cricket. Dhoni showed his talent for sportsman and showmanship. Well done sirji, esp, woh aapka last sixer tho by god, mashallah tha! But Gambhir, what Gambhir did was lagaam dheere dheere se kheech kar, he brought us over to the kinara. The grace the team portrayed by saying it was all for Sachin, wah! It's what we do for others that we are remembered for. Love it, ekdam cream of the cake game tha. Cheers....enjoy the victory hearties!

Size it up?

From a distance, today i saw a grown daughter hug her much older father with such love in her hold....in that minute I felt a pang of fullness in my arms and the comfort you feel when you rest your head on your dad's shoulder.

In Ajmer, daddy being goofy :)

My dad's presence was all i felt, i could see the freckles on this skin and just as the thought was taking a full circle....I realized how it must have felt like for my dad when i was a kid, when i was all up and gone, would it have been the same way like i feel with T?

All the snapshots of moments of T growing up in his size of hugs in my arms and all the times when i hugged my dad in the decisive moments of my life was flocking to my head. One heartfelt hug can close all the distances we conceive in our minds and heart, aint it?

Have a tight squeezy huggable weekend, my sweets.

Rock it, India, Rock it

The mounting tension, the what ifs, the gut wrenching desire to win, nothing spells competition like India vs Pakistan cricket match. I have collective memories of people breaking stuff, banging doors, yelling at TV, fist pumping, the jubilant victories,  jo bhi.....tomorrow there'll be a lot of people working from home and calling in sick to watch the game....

The most anticipated game, no matter what, a lot of hearts will cry with joy and break with tears by the end of this game. These two teams are "allowed" to lose to any other country's team, but when it comes to playing with this respective team the spirit to pulp the other team into pieces is right up there. 

When i was little, ammi's cousins, my brother, sister, myself, all of us would sit on the huge bed, spread on the floor, and watch the game with such adoration. I wish i was in India watching this game, i know my mom is so psyched up. For those few hours everyone i know will be carrying their hearts in their throats rooting for India. Nothing sings spirit like this song, go for it, darlings! Inshallah may India win : )

The soul of my being!

He constantly bowls me over with his childhood innocence, sitting on the counter, with his chaddi, singing his own tune...from last summer. Vous etes chez moi, my babylu.

R.I.P

to Jessica Lall. Though i dont know you, the woman in you and i, is the same. For that, i stand with the family, your truest friends, and the public who stood by you.

I remembered reading the news online many years ago when Jessica Lall was shot in the Mehruli club for denying a drink to a politician's son. As i read the news that day, knowing india's mindset of the rich and the poor, i knew how the law would slant. In 2006, i saw the news of the killer being arrested as top class journalism prevailed the justice. At the time i had South asian channels at home and actually saw the news on tv and felt escalated at Tehelka's persuasion of the truth that was conveniently tucked behind the curtains of bureaucracy.

This afternoon, I watched that movie, No One Killed Jessica, and as i did, i felt enraged, sick to my stomach how somebody would feel when law fails them, when the obvious is so valiantly ignored because of the power in the wallets and the dirtiest tricks of politics that can clout the weak.

Justice has been served but it had been so twisted and tried. The song "mera kaat kaleja dilli..." aptly depicts the mood a justice seeker would feel...kaat kaleja! Kudos to Tehelka! 

Curly story

He was looking in her direction, she felt the gaze of his sight, but in a room full of people she didn't feel like she was the subject and continued her work.

Somebody else caught sight of it, smiled towards her, and made a comment to him about how sweet it was the way he was looking at her. Caught off guard, he made quick rebuttal (silently hoping she would rescue him) looked at her straight in the eye and said "I was looking at how beautiful her curls are today", she felt the drift of his vibe and jubilantly touched her curls and beamed "coming from you, it means a lot". With a smile he shyly shrugs and walks out of the room.

In two minutes she receives a msg from him saying - "You are really awesome"....

:) Aww....isnt that cute.

You wanna join!

One day last year, i spotted Luis's mom struggling to leave her son behind in the classroom, the way i use to struggle outside of T's room. I compassionately non-invasive-ly intruded in her space and told her it'll get better. She told me how they moved from Singapore and he hasnt made any friends yet.

Since then, I'd see T and L play at school, heard T talk abt him. We coincidentally ran into each other at Please touch musuem in Philly one day, it was also Luis's b'day. T and him had so much fun, they gel together so well, touch wood. We exchanged no's to plan for play dates. 

One evening, at school, Luis tagged along with T in my car and refused to leave. I invited them over for some play time, which turned into a lovely impromptu dinner. Another day same week, same thing happened! They invited us over for dinner few weekends ago and like any desi would we arrived stylishly un-deliberate-ly late, but i picked the same german wine to take to thier home that he picked to serve us, good for us, we had plenty wine to be had :) It's uncommon that you can connect with someone effortlessly. No weird gaps of silence to fill, no awkward pauses, just conversations....

A lovely couple they are, banda from German, bandi from Manila....moved from s'pore, banda is into Carrera's....loves to cook, she works in NY. On few occasions, she and i have dropped kids at school, to get b'fast and exchanged stories of our forgetfulness and we just top each other off with the best ones. 

I've invited them over for dinner this weekend and am kinda planning for the menu now. She wants some chicken curry she winked and dropped a hint. So chicken it is!

I've already thought of appetizers but I'm kinda slumped with what to do for dessert. Cheesecake....or maybe homemade warm choclate cake with touch of ice-cream, strawberry/ chocolate syrup and top it off with a cherry. Lovely! i cant believe i just came up with that. Any other suggestions, darlings!

Till the morning sun

you are mine.....

Heard this song on radio this morning, it made me feel bitter-sweet. Thought i'll share with you. Enjoy and have a great day.

Happy Holi darlings!

Chalo bring all the pichkari's, bring in the bhang/beer, bring the fun, come dear friends, pump up the music and dance your heart out ...i remember all the holi's, hiding from friends, mom pointing them to where i was hiding, the gulaal, the ruined clothes, the heavy lunch, the goofy stories later...i miss the holi parties....

Couldnt find the mumtaaz and rajesh khanna song i so like :( but here we go, a very popular holi song...

Whats your story?

We all have one story - a drunk story. I have had friends recant me theirs, have seen friends living a story right in front on my eyes, but for the love of god, I dont have one. I have had quite a few drunk parties but i dont recall one where i totally got drunk and acted goofy and made drunk calls, did something rash that i'd be embarrassed about.

Few weeks ago, at a happy hour, I saw a good friend of mine had literally 2 Mikes hard lemonades, and bang, she was talking funny, swaying form left to right, laughing a lot- after all that, i felt i should be the good friend and wait for her to calm down before she can sit behind hte wheel. We headed to the King of Prussia Mall, ordered tall coffee, sat on the floor infront of the cnady store and talked until she felt better. She apologized the next day, but it was funny. There i was had 4 Mojitos and nothing. I'm not proud of this but i just want to get drunk and call someone. This is when i realized, darn it, how come i dont have a story yet.

I'm always subconsciously aware of my surroundings, i feel more alert when i'm "happy-ing an hour". as a drink-buddy, I listen, i dont volunteer any suggestions and advice...i'll be the person who wont even bring it up the next day, I leave it up to you. I still remember our St. George's vacation with friends, I had 4 straight shots of tequila and all i had was light feet. The other time- my birthday- after i left USA, just being single- N and I went bar hopping during the day, heard jazz blues, had lots to drink and came back home, my jeejs even asked me - tell me the truth did you drink, i put a  stragiht face and lied. He didnt contest and i didnt feel like breaking his heart. Aah...Another time, on new years eve, S, R, myself, jasbir, Laxman, chachu(?), at catalina courts apt, aah this story is so funny, someohter time....

All i wonder now...who'd be my confidant if i was drunk, what would i say, what would i do, I just want to get drunk one day. I'm just very proper, i think : )