Heal the World

Cannot pass this one !

On a vacation on my favourite city last month, was visiting a lovely family as I always do. I get free food, accommodation and play time with two of the most lovely little ones I have ever known which obviously makes the city so close to the heart. So with the weekend passing on eat, play and be merry ideology it was no wonder the time to bid adieu came so soon. As I always do and love to do, I offered to drop the youngest one in his school that morning as tradition.

Setting off in the direction of the school(with two children in tow) we cut through a small clearing calling out to birds around, a Tarzan's act of sorts. We raced each other, jumped over dead branches and danced all the way...!

I stopped bringing the rest to an abrupt jolt. 'Dandelions..' I cried and we ran into the green to pick two(which I concede were all that was!)
"Save the rainforests, save the Earth, save us all... " muttered the first one with an unquestionably sincere tone. Would love to see if the G20 are half as genuine as this seven year old in their concerns for a greener planet and if we can talk less and do more about recycling..
"I wish aunty stays here forever.." - the four year old, with eyes tight shut and clutching the fragile flower as hard as he could. Not hard to imagine I stopped in my tracks(again..). As the children opened their eyes and blew their respective flowers, I dropped on my knees with very moist eyes and hugged them both hard for reviving my trust in this world.

The few unadulterated emotions that are still around in this world are from the young and innocent I s'pose ! Of course, it's also not difficult to see why parenthood is a huge responsibility which should be taken up by only those who can live up to it, like me friends just proved they had !!

Better than Lotto !

Yippeee.. I won !! I 'actually' won... an award for all sporadic ceaseless ramblings on this blog... almost makes me want to blog everyday.. about the award of course :o)

Never won a raffle, never a lottery.. never a scratch card even ! Thanks for the honour, Richa..

Dumb !

Ah, the innocence of it all !

My trysts with the upcoming generation is quite well known on this blog. So here's one more in the series.. on a sunny afternoon when I was baby sitting, my now favourite pass time..

The Lil one: Aunty, I would like a bubble bath !
Me: Uh, I don't think so, am not sure your mum is going to approve of it ! You have a cold..
The Lil one: But I feel like one..
Me: Right ! Let's call mama and ask her if it's OK to give you a bubble bath.

Did I confess to now believing age comes at a price ?? I go from room to room looking for that tiny communication instrument which is supposed to help me get in touch instantly.

I find the Lil one in the bedroom with my mobile. He looks ever so serious and means all business as he converses and with a final nod puts down the mobile, looks at me in the eye and with masked earnestness goes "Mama says she is OK for my bubble bath.."

I look at the mobile's blank screen suddenly remembering(warned you of my belief about age !) have been meaning to charge it for a few hours now. I meet his smile as memories of matching my mum's wits flood my mind when at a more intuitive age..

To live or not to

Yay, I love sneaking breaks at work when possible.. and this one is just before a team meet :o) !

Yesterday I passed this office on the way home, after a park walk - Co-operative Funeral Service. My first thought was, "people here even need to plan their funeral ?!?! Do we not leave it to our children by default and trust they would take care ?? Is it not a given we do our parents last rites ??" Yeah, that's the desi in me popping out and playing it's part.. but three and half years is a long time to be spent abroad especially if you have made only one trip back home in all the years.. the pardesi in me pops out next as expected, "What's wrong, why not do it ?? You can't seem to plan your birth but why not at least choose to be sent off in (your)style ??"

I continue thinking as I walk towards the lights. I conjure up this picture of me-no-more and suddenly wished to be burnt on sandalwood logs; could imagine people around the neighbourhood(of the crematorium of course !) sniff the air and comment, 'must have been such a sweet (smelling) person' !
As a rude reality check, I could also imagine suddenly the fodder it is likely to provide political & various other religious parties back home -
National Party One - "We need a reservation to help minorities access sandalwood more when they are gone.."
National Party Two - "We will ensure a sandalwood forest is created for the majorities, it's their land and deserve more even if no more !"
State Party One - "Sandalwood here belongs only to state-born, lets drive out everyone else after ensuring they contribute some more to help ease our sandalwood stocking budget.."
State Party Two - "We all would fast until death if no sandalwood after death assistance is provided to our neighbouring country which is another motherland to these state dwellers.."

Now shifts the scene in my mind to our media, we can never do without them, can we ! I began to sweat in spite of the chilly evening as I imagined every channel hosting chat shows about me-no-more(a person who loves to be alone in a crowd !)
"Enough is NEVER enough - a NRI's dream"
"Sandalwood Scandal vs Watergate Scandal"
Every paper in the country, digs into nooks & corners of my life to bring out some smashing headlines of my closet skeletons -
"She bought an ice-cream from Rs.5 found on the road, how immoral and unethical even when only seven !"
"She flunked her Maths(lets forget she was off ill and turned up to school to find it was an exam day), must have got through college by corruption. Please sign online petition for an enquiry into her examination results"
"CBI probing possible nexus between her and Veerappan, they were both Madrasi. (Aren't South Indians are ALL Madrasi ??)"

I reach my apartment and take the lift to friend-cum-neighbour's home, but my mind is still working out if-am-no-more facts...
The news obviously catches International attentions and I could envision the debate it was going to set off abroad too
"Migrants loot locals to die in style"
"Migrants to be made to pay for their death". Well, that's just what I thought I did !
"Let's call for a quota system on the number of migrants to be allowed to die"
"Let's tax all migrants who die in our country"

I knock on the door and my friend opens, smiles warmly and wishes "Happy B'day dear, come on in.."
Suddenly, it struck me life is more fun when you are living it than not ! I smiled :)

Tagged !!

Yep.. resurface.. oh yes, tagged.. of course, I honour friendship !
Am now obliged to reveal a bit about me but those out there issuing tall order should realise 25 is a big number !! Nevertheless, here I go..

1. I burn out fast - my blog is the proof. Can't keep at anything for long and run out of steam soon. No, redbull never worked for me..

2. Am a self confessed technology freak. Technology is the necessary evil and is bound to make us feel older than we actually are.. so am fighting the signs or rather attempting...

3. Some patronising friends of mine call me a good photographer which I believe may not be true at all but all the same it brings to light my weird experiments with the lens..

4. Love books yet I can't learn. Reading is fine but studying never was !

5. Children are my weakness. Time is never a constraint and we can cause quite a headache to parents when teaming up..though at the mo am content with playing with others children, giving them back and returning to a neat home !

6. Yes, am a neat freak. A place for everything and everything in it's place or a out-of-control me.. choose your pick.

7. Love the Sun(who doesn't !). It's a pleasure to spend sunny afternoons by Scottish countryside with music, Godiva treats, good book and my SLR for company.

8. I believe my mobile phone is for MY use, so no surprises I take calls when I only wish to..

9. Am "sometimes" opinionated which drives dear ones up the wall. Next time will remind to make them useful by pointing out the cobwebs :o) !

10. Ayn Rand - inspired me. Read her books as a teen which lead to two periods in my life - before AR and after AR

11. Can't help but wonder aloud why we find it so difficult to accept Slumdog Millionaire when Bombay by Mani received nothing but accolades... this statement is at a national level !

12. Am addicted to news. Browsing news websites during breaks, tuning into news channels at home, reading newspaper everyday to work is perceived as boredom by some roommates :o) !

13. Loves travelling ! Can go on and on but am constrained by purse strings :( ! Am not much jet lagged which maybe just goes to reiterate me being a travelling soul..

14. Can be perfectly happy alone. Not many can do this I bet !

15. I believe taking one risk every year. This year, have risked exposing myself on this blog !

16. Don't much believe in luck.. so am secretly hoping to win the lottery without having to ever buy a ticket.

17. Was fairly good with video games at a much younger age but somehow deteriorated. Nintendo Wii on the agenda to help arrest the downslide..

18. Prefer trains to any other mode of transport but with ever increasing yearly fares, am considering cycling to be a healthier option !

19. Never always play fair. Why do the hard work when same comes for lesser work ??

20. I hate lists longer than 20 counts, so I rest this post. Unfair ?? Hey, did you not read the previous line ???

Now comes the even trickier bit.. tagging more and all ! In all (un)fairness I tag thee people - friend & roomie !