Thursday, August 23, 2012
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
New Happenings
The month of Feb so many new advents. Kushal and Arya have started guitar lessons at Yamaha on Sat afternoons. They are 2 lessons down and are greatly enjoying. They have different timings but the same teacher, so mostly the homework is going to be the same. I have signed up for Spanish lessons on Monday evenings, starting next Monday, with Vani and Nikita. Think it's going to be great fun. I remember when I wanted to master a lot of languages and a lot of dance forms. Maybe this year will see me make progress towards that goal.
This year for the first time, Kushal wanted to celebrate his own birthday. That's surely a first, I must be a good influence on him. We baked him a nice homemade cake and he took care of the rest of the food. He had only his few favorite people invited :-) and he was reluctant to even open any of his birthday presents.
We have been exercising regularly, one of these days I walked for 18km. The very next day I saw a python on the trail. That put me off the jogging track for a while.
I went to Rupee Room for a Girls nite, had fun with some new friends. Also watched a movie with Monisha - Bride Wars, it was cute. We also watched Slumdog Millionaire and liked it a lot, K liked it especially. But have heard so many detractors criticizing it that it almost feels like many people watched the same movie but took away different things. Waiting with bated breath to see how many oscars it bags. It got 4 Golden Globe awards.
This year for the first time, Kushal wanted to celebrate his own birthday. That's surely a first, I must be a good influence on him. We baked him a nice homemade cake and he took care of the rest of the food. He had only his few favorite people invited :-) and he was reluctant to even open any of his birthday presents.
We have been exercising regularly, one of these days I walked for 18km. The very next day I saw a python on the trail. That put me off the jogging track for a while.
I went to Rupee Room for a Girls nite, had fun with some new friends. Also watched a movie with Monisha - Bride Wars, it was cute. We also watched Slumdog Millionaire and liked it a lot, K liked it especially. But have heard so many detractors criticizing it that it almost feels like many people watched the same movie but took away different things. Waiting with bated breath to see how many oscars it bags. It got 4 Golden Globe awards.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Happy New Year
10 days into 2009, I am updating the blog to talk about the resolutions that are going well. I did read a couple of books. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariele and a chicklit book Beauty Shop for Rent by Laura Bowers. I am halfway into Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. So I am doing well on the reading new year resolution. 3 cheers for audio books.
K and I are hitting the gym with alarming regularity and I have also started taking the 40 min route while walking to and from work. While walking alone, I listen to the audiobooks, thereby knocking off 2 resolutions in 1.
Interrupted by an interesting program on TV. Will be back
K and I are hitting the gym with alarming regularity and I have also started taking the 40 min route while walking to and from work. While walking alone, I listen to the audiobooks, thereby knocking off 2 resolutions in 1.
Interrupted by an interesting program on TV. Will be back
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Another Year Ends
It's that time of the year when you do a performance review and I am wondering how I fared. I hadn't written down my goals for 2008, but I guess I know what I wanted to achieve. Here goes in no particular order of importance -
Go back to pre-pregnancy weight of 52kg. Haha, Arya is now 10 yrs old and I am still hovering in the 58-60kg zone, so far away from my goal. So this is something which I definitely need to work on for 2009
Read more books. I fell woefully short of this too. I could not infact complete a couple of books that I had started. I didn't put a number on this. I can remember that I did manage to read Shobha De's Superstar India, infact I even went to the Book launch, but I couldn't make time to go to at least 2 more book launches that I did want to go to
Write. Again, as you can see on the blog, this is my first post of 2008. Yucks! Never thought I could get that lazy or that complacent. Watched a movie Ghajini where the protagonist suffers from short-term memory loss, and it actually inspired me to write my diary, this blog.
Dance - Ok this I did aplenty. I continued with the dance classes that I started last year, although the josh had died down quite a bit. My number of students have receeded too. But surprise surprise, it's Arya who wants to learn dance from me earnestly now. So I am going to definitely focus my energies on getting her to do more activities and regular dance practice
Keep in touch with the family - Yes, I have been hard at work, keeping in touch with all my family and with special emphasis on my parents. Papa had another heart attack this year, I know that's not good. I try to talk and chat with them as much as I can. Looking forward to the big family vacation when Yogita gets married May 23
Do more stuff with Arya - I don't think I can do enough with her. 2009 calls for more, after all she'll be a year older and many times smarter. Looking forward to more outings, library visits, dance classes, movies, the list goes on
Do more stuff with Kushal - I think we made progress this year. We have partied a lot, he's definitely more outgoing and finally planning vacations as well. I also discovered that I can bake :-) which means I can spend more time in the kitchen with him. As for photography, I continue to want to be in front of the camera rather than behind it. So I have to work quite a bit on that. He bought me a pink cybershot camera which is too cool.
Do more with Max - When Lorena told me a few days ago that she is going away, after she gets married, I realized how much Max is going to miss her. I have made up my mind to take him out for walks more often and give him a bath etc. Poor Max, I haven't spent much time with him at all.
Special wish for 2009 - Hope there's peace and goodwill everywhere. As for me, I want to continue to do my bit to help.
Go back to pre-pregnancy weight of 52kg. Haha, Arya is now 10 yrs old and I am still hovering in the 58-60kg zone, so far away from my goal. So this is something which I definitely need to work on for 2009
Read more books. I fell woefully short of this too. I could not infact complete a couple of books that I had started. I didn't put a number on this. I can remember that I did manage to read Shobha De's Superstar India, infact I even went to the Book launch, but I couldn't make time to go to at least 2 more book launches that I did want to go to
Write. Again, as you can see on the blog, this is my first post of 2008. Yucks! Never thought I could get that lazy or that complacent. Watched a movie Ghajini where the protagonist suffers from short-term memory loss, and it actually inspired me to write my diary, this blog.
Dance - Ok this I did aplenty. I continued with the dance classes that I started last year, although the josh had died down quite a bit. My number of students have receeded too. But surprise surprise, it's Arya who wants to learn dance from me earnestly now. So I am going to definitely focus my energies on getting her to do more activities and regular dance practice
Keep in touch with the family - Yes, I have been hard at work, keeping in touch with all my family and with special emphasis on my parents. Papa had another heart attack this year, I know that's not good. I try to talk and chat with them as much as I can. Looking forward to the big family vacation when Yogita gets married May 23
Do more stuff with Arya - I don't think I can do enough with her. 2009 calls for more, after all she'll be a year older and many times smarter. Looking forward to more outings, library visits, dance classes, movies, the list goes on
Do more stuff with Kushal - I think we made progress this year. We have partied a lot, he's definitely more outgoing and finally planning vacations as well. I also discovered that I can bake :-) which means I can spend more time in the kitchen with him. As for photography, I continue to want to be in front of the camera rather than behind it. So I have to work quite a bit on that. He bought me a pink cybershot camera which is too cool.
Do more with Max - When Lorena told me a few days ago that she is going away, after she gets married, I realized how much Max is going to miss her. I have made up my mind to take him out for walks more often and give him a bath etc. Poor Max, I haven't spent much time with him at all.
Special wish for 2009 - Hope there's peace and goodwill everywhere. As for me, I want to continue to do my bit to help.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Baby Aji is no more
No words of comfort can wipe away the tears that we shed for Baby Aji. Baby was what she was fondly called by my grandpa and I made her Baby Aji. She was Vahini to most because she was the oldest bahu in a brood of 12.Kamal Shanbag became Shobha Prabhu when she married by grandpa. She was Aai to her children and Aditi, who spent her first 5 years in her chatrachaya.
Being her oldest grandchild, I had the pleasure of delivering to her, the title of Great Grandmother by way of Arya, and Atul followed suit with his own contribution, the little Anjali. As she had for so many babies before, she knitted a sweater and a woollen cap and little socks for her latest heroine and thanks to Skype, she even saw her walk. Anjali will only see Baby Aji in photos though.
There is so much to say about Baby Aji and somehow I don't want to believe that she is no more. She did leave a little part of her in all of us. It is impossible to let go of her.
Being her oldest grandchild, I had the pleasure of delivering to her, the title of Great Grandmother by way of Arya, and Atul followed suit with his own contribution, the little Anjali. As she had for so many babies before, she knitted a sweater and a woollen cap and little socks for her latest heroine and thanks to Skype, she even saw her walk. Anjali will only see Baby Aji in photos though.
There is so much to say about Baby Aji and somehow I don't want to believe that she is no more. She did leave a little part of her in all of us. It is impossible to let go of her.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Happy National Day Singapore
Wow, I seem to be able to log in only one entry every month, which is bad considering that I flaunt the fact that I love to write.
First things first, it's Singapore's 42nd National Day. I was wearing Red and White at work yesterday and imagine my surprise that the only other person doing that was American. In our condo, we have a potluck party tonight to celebrate both National Day and the incorporation of the Management committee. Arya had to wear Red and White too, and we went to buy her a Red t-shirt a day earlier. Can you really believe that MY daughter did not own a single Red T-shirt? I was quite taken aback with this discovery. Red is her favorite color too. But she just never asks for anything.
The next piece of FANTASTIC news is that I got promoted at work. I have just been here for a year and it feels absolutely great to get your efforts rewarded so swiftly. I am all motivated and happy. Also by a lucky chance, there is a Customer event in Austin from 21-23 Aug, which I am going for in my new and exalted role ;-) which is perfect because I can go to Anjali's birthday on the 24th.
And then something which made me sigh with satisfaction was the fact that K finally finally finally gave me a Surprise Birthday Party. The odds were all stacked up against a chance of that ever happening in this lifetime. We've spent 10 years together and never have I been given a surprise. My birthday especially has been celebrated mostly by me - I am such a birthday fanatic. But this 34th birthday was different. I went to work and there were 3 cards on my desk from my department and other colleagues. Then there was a beautiful bouquet in the most perfect mishmash of colours. It made my day and coincidentally matched my dress too. Then Sara and Lit Yang took me out to lunch at Go India in Vivocity, they were both all dolled up just for me and my special day. LY left early for a meeting she said, but it was really to get my cake, HaagenDaaz macadmia nuts and vanilla icecream cake, it had pink colored white chocolate shavings on it...wow it was such a dreamy, yummy cake. But I didn't know that yet, as I was tucking in the last bits of dessert at Go India! And Sara bought Godiva Truffes and we headed out to office. Everyone was waiting in the dark with the cake and candles all lit up. I wish I had taken a picture, but I was just too shocked. Such a sweet shock - Godiva Chocolates and Haagen daaz icecream..ooh! my friends know me only too well. Plus the fact that almost everyone who worked with me had been sitting patiently in a dark room waiting. I was truly surprised and grateful.
And then, Kushal came early like he said he would and we were all dressed up to have a quiet dinner at Sentosa. Oh by the way, Kushal had bought my favorite Chocolate Indulgence cake the previous night and that was a surprise too :-) We didn't manage to cut it then because Arya went off to sleep. So we took the cake along - i was mighty surprised with that. Hehe, then the cake was left behind in the cab, and K tried hard to get it back. Usually he would have just let it go, but he told me to go ahead to the restaurant and waited outside himself. Arya and me went to the restaurant and I saw Kausar, Karim, Maya and Viren. I really thought to myself - wow, what a coincidence, on a week night too! and then they got up and said Happy Birthday, I was just speechless and saw that they were sitting at a much longer table waiting for others to arrive. Then came Rajani, Mitesh, Tulika Nandu and Adu, Vinod and Veena (who were very late) and everyone's bachchas (kids) I was just so overwhelmed, I had no idea. These are all people I talk to on a daily basis and yet no one divulged anything. K's master stroke was that no blood relative of mine knew anything so Arya and Adu were not in on the secret, cos as per him, these 2 wouldn't have been able to keep it from me - hehe, that is true. And I am glad I was well and truly surprised.
What a wonderful birthday!
First things first, it's Singapore's 42nd National Day. I was wearing Red and White at work yesterday and imagine my surprise that the only other person doing that was American. In our condo, we have a potluck party tonight to celebrate both National Day and the incorporation of the Management committee. Arya had to wear Red and White too, and we went to buy her a Red t-shirt a day earlier. Can you really believe that MY daughter did not own a single Red T-shirt? I was quite taken aback with this discovery. Red is her favorite color too. But she just never asks for anything.
The next piece of FANTASTIC news is that I got promoted at work. I have just been here for a year and it feels absolutely great to get your efforts rewarded so swiftly. I am all motivated and happy. Also by a lucky chance, there is a Customer event in Austin from 21-23 Aug, which I am going for in my new and exalted role ;-) which is perfect because I can go to Anjali's birthday on the 24th.
And then something which made me sigh with satisfaction was the fact that K finally finally finally gave me a Surprise Birthday Party. The odds were all stacked up against a chance of that ever happening in this lifetime. We've spent 10 years together and never have I been given a surprise. My birthday especially has been celebrated mostly by me - I am such a birthday fanatic. But this 34th birthday was different. I went to work and there were 3 cards on my desk from my department and other colleagues. Then there was a beautiful bouquet in the most perfect mishmash of colours. It made my day and coincidentally matched my dress too. Then Sara and Lit Yang took me out to lunch at Go India in Vivocity, they were both all dolled up just for me and my special day. LY left early for a meeting she said, but it was really to get my cake, HaagenDaaz macadmia nuts and vanilla icecream cake, it had pink colored white chocolate shavings on it...wow it was such a dreamy, yummy cake. But I didn't know that yet, as I was tucking in the last bits of dessert at Go India! And Sara bought Godiva Truffes and we headed out to office. Everyone was waiting in the dark with the cake and candles all lit up. I wish I had taken a picture, but I was just too shocked. Such a sweet shock - Godiva Chocolates and Haagen daaz icecream..ooh! my friends know me only too well. Plus the fact that almost everyone who worked with me had been sitting patiently in a dark room waiting. I was truly surprised and grateful.
And then, Kushal came early like he said he would and we were all dressed up to have a quiet dinner at Sentosa. Oh by the way, Kushal had bought my favorite Chocolate Indulgence cake the previous night and that was a surprise too :-) We didn't manage to cut it then because Arya went off to sleep. So we took the cake along - i was mighty surprised with that. Hehe, then the cake was left behind in the cab, and K tried hard to get it back. Usually he would have just let it go, but he told me to go ahead to the restaurant and waited outside himself. Arya and me went to the restaurant and I saw Kausar, Karim, Maya and Viren. I really thought to myself - wow, what a coincidence, on a week night too! and then they got up and said Happy Birthday, I was just speechless and saw that they were sitting at a much longer table waiting for others to arrive. Then came Rajani, Mitesh, Tulika Nandu and Adu, Vinod and Veena (who were very late) and everyone's bachchas (kids) I was just so overwhelmed, I had no idea. These are all people I talk to on a daily basis and yet no one divulged anything. K's master stroke was that no blood relative of mine knew anything so Arya and Adu were not in on the secret, cos as per him, these 2 wouldn't have been able to keep it from me - hehe, that is true. And I am glad I was well and truly surprised.
What a wonderful birthday!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Phuket
Life has been busy. It's just one thing after another until you feel the days all merge into one. K's been travelling a lot, so much so that Arya and I sometimes forget whether he is in town or still travelling. She had vacations and so it was hard to keep her occupied and keep up with all the late night telecons and volunteer work and social butterfly stuff (I feel more like a social sloth at this moment)
It was summer and a vacation had to be taken so we flew off to Phuket. Now we can say "Been there, done that" We spent two glorious days on Patong Beach and one day souvenir shopping, checking out local attractions and basically doing nothing. Arya was in love with our hotel, the Holiday Inn. She spent a substantial part of our 3 day vacation in the Swimming Pool - she especially loved the wave pool.
One consistent strain for every vacation is that Arya embarks on a new place and has to find the souvenir shop to buy gifts for all her friends. Now this was a fine quality (meant to be encouraged) when we went on a 3 week vacation to Europe or a 2 week vacation to San Diego, with ample opportunity. Plus you can really understand the fact that she is missing her friends when you have been away for weeks, or that she wants to tell them - "I thought of you when I was away"
But in Phuket, and with the 3 precious days that we had, I wasn't willing to go up and about and look for the perfect gifts for all her friends when the sun, the sand and the sea was just beckoning.
However, Arya got her way as usual. She bought some colorful wooden frogs for them. It is really very sweet of her to think of her friends all the time. Without any expectations too. None of her friends actually reciprocate in kind, hehe!
The other highlight of our trip was Phuket Fantasea...I should call it a lowlight actually. This was touted as Phuket's answer to Disneyland and seemingly had everything that Disneyland did except Mickey Mouse. However, when we landed up there (after having paid Disneyland prices for entry) we realised that we had been had. The thrilling adventure rides and games were nothing but "ring toss" or "shoot the balloons", the oodles of shopping was nothing but overpriced souvenirs and really glitzy and garish jewellery shops. Oh, did I say overpriced already? And then there was the "Biggest Buffet in the World" What did you expect? Oh no, it was not the largest array of dishes that you have ever seen. By biggest they meant seating capacity. 4000 people can be accomodated in that hall. Imagine 4000 people waiting in line for a dismal spread.
Everything that could be charged for as "extra" was. This is what I hate about developing nations, everyone wants to make a fast buck. Leaves a really bad taste.
Now, we were hoping that the grand finale to the evening would make the whole episode worth it (and we wouldn't feel like complete fools) But alas! They made us leave our phones and cameras at a security desk, only so that if you wanted pics with the animals inside you'd have to buy them. The show itself was more glitz and garish costumes. The animals came on stage and went off. Any roadside circus in India has better animal performances or acrobatics. Anyway, saving grace was that Arya enjoyed herself. As we were trudging out, secretly trying to take our minds off the fact that we had just been duped, we saw some baby elephants waiting to be fed. Of course Arya wanted to feed them and of course, they were charging 200 baht for it. So we said - Fine...and bought bananas and sugarcane (which would actually cost about 20 baht at best) for the pleasure of feeding the elephants and Kushal was trying to take her picture when the mahouts generously asked us to pose with her - Whole family picture they said and took not one but two pictures. Just as I was about to say Thank You, they said - 100 baht...please give elephant. Sheesh!
Now of course it was not all bad. I definitely needed a break and I got it. We all emerged happy and refreshed. But I will obviously recommend that you avoid Phuket Fantasea if you ever land up there.
It was summer and a vacation had to be taken so we flew off to Phuket. Now we can say "Been there, done that" We spent two glorious days on Patong Beach and one day souvenir shopping, checking out local attractions and basically doing nothing. Arya was in love with our hotel, the Holiday Inn. She spent a substantial part of our 3 day vacation in the Swimming Pool - she especially loved the wave pool.
One consistent strain for every vacation is that Arya embarks on a new place and has to find the souvenir shop to buy gifts for all her friends. Now this was a fine quality (meant to be encouraged) when we went on a 3 week vacation to Europe or a 2 week vacation to San Diego, with ample opportunity. Plus you can really understand the fact that she is missing her friends when you have been away for weeks, or that she wants to tell them - "I thought of you when I was away"
But in Phuket, and with the 3 precious days that we had, I wasn't willing to go up and about and look for the perfect gifts for all her friends when the sun, the sand and the sea was just beckoning.
However, Arya got her way as usual. She bought some colorful wooden frogs for them. It is really very sweet of her to think of her friends all the time. Without any expectations too. None of her friends actually reciprocate in kind, hehe!
The other highlight of our trip was Phuket Fantasea...I should call it a lowlight actually. This was touted as Phuket's answer to Disneyland and seemingly had everything that Disneyland did except Mickey Mouse. However, when we landed up there (after having paid Disneyland prices for entry) we realised that we had been had. The thrilling adventure rides and games were nothing but "ring toss" or "shoot the balloons", the oodles of shopping was nothing but overpriced souvenirs and really glitzy and garish jewellery shops. Oh, did I say overpriced already? And then there was the "Biggest Buffet in the World" What did you expect? Oh no, it was not the largest array of dishes that you have ever seen. By biggest they meant seating capacity. 4000 people can be accomodated in that hall. Imagine 4000 people waiting in line for a dismal spread.
Everything that could be charged for as "extra" was. This is what I hate about developing nations, everyone wants to make a fast buck. Leaves a really bad taste.
Now, we were hoping that the grand finale to the evening would make the whole episode worth it (and we wouldn't feel like complete fools) But alas! They made us leave our phones and cameras at a security desk, only so that if you wanted pics with the animals inside you'd have to buy them. The show itself was more glitz and garish costumes. The animals came on stage and went off. Any roadside circus in India has better animal performances or acrobatics. Anyway, saving grace was that Arya enjoyed herself. As we were trudging out, secretly trying to take our minds off the fact that we had just been duped, we saw some baby elephants waiting to be fed. Of course Arya wanted to feed them and of course, they were charging 200 baht for it. So we said - Fine...and bought bananas and sugarcane (which would actually cost about 20 baht at best) for the pleasure of feeding the elephants and Kushal was trying to take her picture when the mahouts generously asked us to pose with her - Whole family picture they said and took not one but two pictures. Just as I was about to say Thank You, they said - 100 baht...please give elephant. Sheesh!
Now of course it was not all bad. I definitely needed a break and I got it. We all emerged happy and refreshed. But I will obviously recommend that you avoid Phuket Fantasea if you ever land up there.
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