10 Day You Challenge: 1 photo

The tag continues..
And here I am..




Glad that I FINALLY finished the tag before the new year(the tag was supposed to be done in the month of July though)..

10 Day You Challenge: 2 songs

2 Songs
Strange how some songs holds memories. One day I was listening to some song and it reminded me of a college friend, a random song playing in the radio brought back the memories of days bygone. So the two songs are not only the favourite songs but favourite old memories also..

1) Dil dhoondta hain: An old friend introduced me to this song. I bought my first Gulzaar cassette at that time. Everytime I listen to this song, it reminds me of those lazy afternoons when me and my mother spread on the bed listened to the songs, me fast-forwarding/ rewinding the cassette so as to reach to my favourite song, getting in and out of the bed to change the side of the cassette once it has rolled completely. Those were such carefree days and everytime the song sings of the lazy afternoons of the winters and breezy nights of the summers, the heart dreams to live them.



2) Way Back into love: I had just watchd the movie, courtesy ZZ to whom I used to hand-over the list of good movies which he downloaded for me and brought to me during those days. I loved the movie and this song too. Inside one Diwali Greeting card that he had posted to me, there was a paper in which he had written the song in his specially-calligraphed writing in ink pen. I was back into love.

10 Day You Challenge: 3 movies

3 Movies

1) 1Dil Chahta Hain: The kind of movie I would enjoy watching again and again and this statement itself speaks a lot on how much I like that movie. Superb styling, witty dialogues, fantastic acting and fabulous script. “Hum Cake khan eke liye kahi bhi pahuch jate hain..”, “ Tumke kya lagta hain main pillow mein roz baithta hoon?’ etc still can bring a smile on the face.

2) Before Sunrise/ Before Sunset: I have to trust my brother’s choice. He told me long ago that “Before Sunrise’ is a nice movie and you would love watching it. But like his every advice, I ignored and one fine day when I watched this movie (smuggled from his Hard disc), I fall in love with the movie, the actors especially Julie Delpy (such an original) , the locales. The kind brother helped again telling me that its sequel is also there. Downloaded the movie and yes, I enjoyed it as much as the earlier one. One (Two) of the favourites.

3) Amelie: The very charming Audrey Toutou stole the heart. I get ZZ to download this movie for me. Loved the movie. Have already watched it thrice.

Conclusion

Its not a good sign when your Boss asks ' But why shall I do this for you?" at the crucial point when you ask for support.

10 Day You Challenge: four Books

1) The Time-Travellers Wife: This was such a different kind of book. Took some time to understand the story but once you do, the story engrosses you completely. While reading, I kept wondering how it would feel to have a Time-Traveller companion. It was late evening in the winters when I along with ZZ were roaming in the market when I decided to enter one store. So I stepped down from the bike and ZZ proposed to park the bike in the parking lot. And while I was wrapping the stole around my neck, I looked around and found him vanished. Yes not in the parking lot ahead nor around. And the first thought that came in to my mind at that point was oh, so this must be how Lizzee feel when her husband went away. See, the impact the book made on me.

2) The Catcer in the Rye: Well, I got to read this book in my mid-20s but then better late then never.

3) Memoirs of Geisha: I borrowed this book from the library. And I was transferred into that Japanese era of Chiyo. Later I watched the movie also but didn’t find the movie half as good as the original book.

4) Jeffrey Archer Short Stories: I was tempted to write Jhumpa Lahiri short stories but then of all her short stories, I remember only one even though I enjoyed reading all of them. I love how she plays with memories, fights with love and lonliness in her prose. But Jeffrey Archer style is more I like-straight to the point, with its own twists, the language simple yet captivating. Currently reading “Kane & abel” in ebook format and cant wait to finish it. This may well explain my bias towards the author.

10 day You Challenge: 5 foods

After such a long break, it's no sense to continue this tag but well its end-December. And like many things, I want to finish this and step into the new Year afresh, with new tags to do;) and no laments for the old incomplete ones;)

So here goes my favourite 5 foods:

1) Besan ke laddoo: Ma ke haath ke bane huwe. No matter how less time she has, she always ensures to pack a box of laddoo for me.

2) Biryani: that ZZ makes. I am a big fan and on special demand, the guy cooks his awesome biryani

3) Corn: bhutta, bolied corn, sweet corn, baby corn-corn in every form. I like.

4) Khandvi and Dhokla- I so much relish these snacks.I have tried making Dhokla more than 5 times and eveytime it ended non-fluffy and hard. Hmm..in new year I have to get some of my culinary disasters right.

5) Sweets: I have a sweet touth. As a kid, I was notorious among my relatives for my love for anything sweet.

random Realization

So finally today I took a stance and spoke for myself and asked for a sort of favour to the boss. I dont know what will happen tomorrow or in the long run, but I am kind of pleased with myself that finally after a lot of dilly-dallying I put forward my situation and asked for a way out.

Also I learnt an important lesson: Whenever you are in a position to help your subordinate, help. Whenever you are in a position to make or break someone's review, make it better. Whenever you are in a position to choose between forgive and forget and revenge, choose the former one. You may not realize it but small deeds like these will make a huge impact on your subordinate. 'Whenever possible, Be an open-minded Good Boss' as a retired GM said in an meeting.

The lesson that I learnt above doesnt mean that this was the response I received. But I would rather be what that ex-G.M than any other version.

All that I would like to believe at this moment is " All that happens is for good."

A monday morning of December

As I enter that compact room
That seats four and some more
I bowed to the man sitting ahead
And waved as another passes by the door

I went to the small cabin inside
To mark my presence for today
And back to a table that houses
A pile of folders with sticky notes

I powered on and logged-in the screen ahead
And checked the emails of previous days
And replied to some and forwarded a few
And later browsed the company’s web page.

It’s a cold Monday morning, I woke up late
And rushed my way to this place
The mood not good and the work too
Is not feeling the same today

And as I sip the office tea
I noticed the sunlight playing
on the glass surface of the table
Filtering from the large window panes

Yes it’s a cold Monday morning
And now I feel warm
For the winter sun has given
This day a blissful charm.

And now I also remember
The boss is today on leave
Oh what more can I want from Monday
Some sunshine and some peace.



Edited to add: this i wrote in the morning and by evening there was no peace but some turmoil in the mind. Hope all will be well.

On Marriage

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow

-Kahil Gibran on Marriage