May the year ahead be the year for you

The ‘Girlie’ stuff...

I read nowadays how the girls worldwide are going crazy over the ‘Vampire’ Edward Cullen from the ‘Twilight’ series. There even was an article in the press sometime back that was trying to analyze “why the craze?” with some psychiatrists saying that the “girls love the idea of romancing the impossible. They fantasize about love stories triumphing over grave dangers and being in a fatal love gives them the thrill.” Hence, the craze for Edward Cullen – what could be more dangerous than being the love interest of a vampire which feeds over blood of young girls but could not bring himself up to doing the same in their case as he is madly in love with them?


While reading the article, I wondered whether I was like that. Well, may be and maybe not. I was never really crazy about vampires, superheroes, wizards, etc. But, then I just loved Jason Bourne and his love story with Marie floored me. Would that not qualify for similar circumstances and explanation? I guess it would.


I have grown up studying my entire first half of life in a girl’s school and since the girls are quite vocal about their likes and dislikes in such an environment, every day I came across stuff that was typically ‘Girlie’. Sometimes I wondered why the girls around me were crazy about a certain thing and what a big deal it was about. It was as if most of the teenage girls had all the same characteristics and though I did share some of them, I certainly did not have most of those traits. I always thought I was different from most girls. But, then again I have, more often than not, taken pride in being different from most girls anyway, especially during my teens.


How about listing the ‘Girlie’ traits here? Well, here they go...

• Reading Mills and Boons at weird hours of the night...
• The unending dieting and even unending cribbing about it...
• Being unable to resist chocolates and eating whole bars and boxes (even if they later grumble about foregoing their diet)...
• Gossiping on phone for hours and telling their parents that they were discussing school homework...
• Studying in groups even if half the time is used in bitching about other girls and teachers...
• Finding every other guy they came across as “hot” and changing their viewpoint as and when the guys changed their dresses...
• Making special preparations for Valentine’s Day even if they did not have a boyfriend (and all the while dreaming about one)...
• Celebrating every single day mentioned in the Archies Calendar, Valentine’s Day, Rose Day, Chocolates Day, Hug Day, Friendship Day (the list is endless)...
• Going crazy over a new Bollywood star every Friday (I guess there are always at least 10 Bollywood stars – I say ‘stars’ and not ‘actors’ – who are referred to as ‘Heartthrobs’ at any point of time)...
• Fantasizing about a “knight in shining armour” though half the girls wouldn’t even know what a ‘shining armour’ looks like and instead describe a ‘chariot’ when asked to explain...
• Being a Rhett Butler and the “Chocolate cream soldier” fan (this one is for girls who have actually read “Gone with the Wind” and “Arms and the man”)...
• The fascination with the colour Pink and furnishing their entire room with everything in bright fuschia pink...
• The adorning of the title “Princess” (even if they are just self-proclaimed ones)...
• Dreaming about owning the prettiest Evening Gown ever along with the prettiest and costliest diamond necklace ever (in the days of ‘Titanic’, the “Heart of the Ocean” adorned by Kate Winslet and Celine Dion was every girl’s dream)...
• Owning a fancy and slick ‘pink’ diary even if it’s only used for putting in dried roses or, even worse, writing telephone nos. (I guess telephone diaries should not be applicable anymore with the girls getting their hands on stylish mobile handsets nowadays)...
• Decorating everything they own with ‘girlish’ accessories e.g. beady hangers on mobiles, satin mobile covers, Smilies and Barbie broaches on bags and purses, studded Key-chains on zippers of their trendy bags and purses, etc....
• Sleeping with Teddy Bears and filling their beds and rooms with stuff toys (and letting their mums assume the tedious tasks of washing and keeping their stuff toys clean)...
• Owning the tightest jeans possible assuming that the same will make them appear slimmer (even if that hinders them from moving and sitting)...
• Shelling all their pocket money on fairness crèmes, sunscreens and perfumes and applying them all over after every other hour...
• Wishing for a rich and famous guy as their boyfriend who is absolutely crazy about them and would go to any length to prove his love – someone who drives them around in swanky new cars; gives them red roses and costly gifts everyday; and would make all their girlfriends jealous of them...
• Crying their heart out over Eric Seagal’s Love Story even if they are reading them for the nth time (and complaining that Seagal’s Oliver’s Story did not match up to the standards)...
• Cooing to every small baby they come across and trying to pick them up and cuddle them even if that irritates the baby who sees them as complete strangers...
• Complaining about all the guys watching them everywhere they go even if they enjoy every bit of the attention...
• Telling all their friends that they would love to have a boyfriend who is “tall, dark and handsome” and yet always swooning over fair skinned guys...
• Dressing in trendiest (backless, halter-necks, etc.) outfits on all weddings and refusing to take a shawl or a sweater even if its freezing cold and the celebrations are in an outdoor location...


P.S. I hope the list is worthy of a good laugh – or at least a giggle – both for girls and boys. As already written above, I was not crazy about most of the stuff. Nevertheless, some characteristics I did share. Please let me suffice by admitting this much without having to answer which ones really.

Daughters

When God created daughters

He took very special care.

He gave them smiles of angels
and took a bit of stardust
to make bright and twinkling eyes.

He fashioned them from sugar

He gave them a sunny laughter

And everything that is nice.

He smiled when he made daughters
Because he knew, he had
Created love & happiness
For every mum & dad.


Source: From a beautiful wedding invitation from the bride’s parents.

A Christmas Wish for you!!

The Reinvention of Amitabh Bachchhan: the endearing ‘Paa’

Last weekend I saw one of the most heart-warming movies in the recent times: the enchanting yet entertaining ‘Paa’. I chose it over ‘Rocket Singh – Salesman of the year’ so that my three-year old daughter can connect with it thereby making our movie-going experience pleasurable. Off late, my movie-going experiences have been increasingly classified with endless trips to washroom or purchases of Popcorn and Coke – my daughter’s ways of getting my attention. But, as I hoped, ‘Paa’ was different; and not only because my daughter didn’t need to go to the washroom so often. She laughed with Auro, danced the monkey dance and even felt sad and worried for him every time he was shown hospitalised.

Then again, it would be wrong to say that ‘Paa’ is a movie for the kids. It is most assuredly for people of all ages. For who would not enjoy the antics of the ailing yet full of life Auro. Auro touches your heart right from his introduction scene. It is truly an amazing performance from the biggest living legend of Indian Cinema, the one and only Amitabh Bachchhan. As Auro, he monkey dances his way in the hearts of the people just as smoothly as he glides in the ranks of actors essaying most challenging roles and yet excelling. The others in this rank may be both seasoned actors with born acting instincts (like Anupam Kher in Saraansh and Sansar, Sridevi in Sadma, Anil Kapoor in Eeshwar, Meenakshi Sheshadri in Damini, Om Puri in Ardh Satya and Kamal Haasan in Appu Raja and Hey Ram) and new age actors with practiced perfection (like Hrithik Roshan in Koi Mil Gaya and Lakshya, Rani Mukerjee in Black, Aamir Khan in Ghajini, Manoj Bajpai in Satya, Preity Zinta in Kya Kehna, Sangharsh and Kal ho na ho and Vidya Balan in Parineeta); yet, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Mr. Bachchhan towers over most of them.

‘Paa’ is truly a re-invention of Amitabh Bachchhan. His performance is mind-blowing. A lot has been written, said and discussed about his difficult make-up which turns him from a 67 yr old man to 12 yr kid suffering from ‘Progeria’. However, that very make-up could have marred his performance as it restricts in emoting on screen. The lack of facial expression was more than made up by the very appropriate body language, the lisping speech through skewed teeth and the acquisition of mannerisms befitting a 12 yr old. One does wonder though why a 12 yr old is mouthing dialogues more suitable for a 7 or 8 yr old (some fascination for ‘potty’). ‘Paa’ would have turned out to be an average fare with no fascinating storyline had it not been for Amitabh Bachchhan.

This is not only a career best performance from Mr. Bachchhan, it is also going to be his most revered and remembered performance. Surprisingly, his face doesn’t even once come to your mind as long as Auro is there on the screen. This is worth a mention that Amitabh Bachchhan proves that his presence can be so entertaining in his virtual absence.

Last heard, Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchhan are likely to enter ‘Guinness World Records’ as the first father duo to appear in a movie in role reversal performances. Now, that’s some achievement as well. Bravo!

Ten signs that your boss sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most people have some complaints about their manager, but how can you tell when your boss is a truly bad one?

1. The knot you get in your gut whenever you have to deal with him. You never know which person is going to show up — the nice, benevolent manager or the insane, angry hophead.
2. The feeling you get when you have to get dressed every morning. You know, the sensation that life wasn’t meant to be like this, that nobody knows what the day ahead will hold — and not in a good way, either.
3. He’s either absent — or omnipresent. On days when he is supposed to be there, leading the way, guiding his people with a firm and gentle hand, he is nowhere to be found. Yet on days when everybody is executing the plan with distinction, there he is, standing in the middle of everything, gumming up the works, micro-managing, driving everybody crazy.
4. His word cannot be trusted. He lies when it suits him, and worst of all, he believes his lies once they are uttered.
5. He is never wrong. Sometimes he may be “misinformed,” or “misled by others,” but he is never, ever, wrong. Those who think he might be in error had better keep that opinion to themselves.
6. All credit goes to him. All blame goes to others.
7. His only loyalty is to himself. More times than you can count, you have seen him sell people down the river who used to be his favourites. If there is trouble, he’s the first one to throw his colleagues and subordinates overboard into the shark-infested waters. Strangely, he is also the first person to question other people’s loyalty.
8. Work hours are hard to predict. There are long stretches of unmanaged, vague, pointless activity or inactivity, followed by short bursts of frenzy. Weekends are not safe. Vacations are not honoured. Your time is not your own.
9. His door is closed most of the time. Particularly after lunch.
10. He’s the main topic of conversation. Wherever co-workers gather, all they talk about is what an annoying, hurtful, scary, irrational nutbag the boss is. And when a bad boss goes, he dies un-mourned — except perhaps by the one person at the office who did his bidding.

Life's Lesson

I learn, as the years roll onward
And I leave the past behind,
That much I had counted sorrow
But proved that God is kind;
That many a flower I'd longed for
Had hidden a thorn of pain
And many a rugged bypath
Led to the fields of ripened grain.
The clouds that cover the sunshine;
They cannot banish the sun,
And the earth shines out the brighter
When the weary rain is done.
We must stand in the deepest shadow
To see the clearest light;
And often through wrong's own darkness
Comes the welcome strength of Right.


- Anonymous

Faith (Nishtha)

You know you are a thomasite when...

I came across this post on the Facebook STS group page. Oh!! It brought back so many memories. It's hard to believe that this part of my life is already a decade past.


You know you are a thomasite when...


1. The words "outside assembly" sound as a nightmare to you.

2. You do not leave any chance to complain about how bad the senior-school canteen is and how lovable raffle was.

3. You have a feeling that lab assistants are the funniest people on earth.

4. You love to criticize the school cabinet.

5. You believe that "co-ed schools are more fun" is just a myth.

6. You think the Christmas party at sts is the most rocking party of the year.

7. You have been to lodhi garden at least 3-4 times on a school picnic.

8. You are amazed at seeing "any" schools infrastructure for the obvious reasons.

9. You have at least once been corrected by your school principle regarding the pronunciation of some word.

10. I bet you cant sing the school-song without the hymn book.

11. Most of the jokes you crack are aimed at your teachers.

12. A pt teacher is stereotypically associated with a bald head n protruding stomach.

13. Imitation and mimicry of teachers is your favorite pass time.

14. You are always asking for credit facility from the canteen manager, ice cream vendor and lala off course.

15. You like to spend most of you money on buying churans, chatmola nd stuff from lala than the real food.

16. You have atleast been to "pappu ki daukan" once after school.

17. You have a firm belief that all that the school authority decides to do is unfair to the students.

18. You go to the the senior-section, estate supervisor's room and the sick room, time and again to check yourself out in the mirror.

19. You believe everyone who wears a high-waist skirt is a nerd.

20. You are violently sensitive about the correct pronunciation of "Thomas" with "T" than the "TH".