What is the best invention of our times???

Moi says its the cell phone.

When Bish and I were dating, we were separated by a continent but connected with a single, palm sized device. Voila!!!! The cell phone.

It connects us to everyone, whether they are located in the desert or a jungle. Be it Bihar ke gaon ka gora ya london ki mem...They are all hooked to the mobile. During Bish & my time, we had to pay incoming call charges. We made Airtel what it is now ;) But the intense competition in the telecome sector has ensured high levels of service, accessibility and low prices per call. Even better, free incoming calls!!!

Bish thinks the best invention of our times is the GPS. You can never get lost...I beg to differ. The GPS is good for US and the UK. So far India hasn't even got its streets mapped. We have to rely on the local paanwallah for directions. I doubt the situation is different in say, Prague or Italy. They unfortunately dont even have the ubiquitous paanwallah. :))

What is the best invention of our times???

My birthday gift..... :))))

Am so darned excited, I am either bummin' the sofa or hitting the roof...

This year, Bish (that's my husband) gifted me a Singer sewing machine. I am rubbing my hands in glee. To think of the exciting stuff I can make. Thank the stars and my husband, I have a daughter. Now I can make some dresses for her.

My mom used to stitch clothes for me when I was young. She of course, was an expert, while I am a novice with just a little experience in stitching, sewing and embroidering. Thanks to our school curriculum, I have stitched and embroidered quite a few things, even won an Anchor prize in Embroidery competition. This was in 1991-92.

Have to declare, every husband should be like Bish. He has always encouraged me in all, repeat ALL, my pursuits. I have grown mushrooms, started business, painted sarees, and what not.

He has never ever stopped me from doing any of it. Some of my pursuits have been expensive, but my life has been richer with the experience. Never once has he cribbed about money spent.

So all ye folks take a bow. Mine takes the prize for the "best husband" category. Appalause.

A funny experience...

Always thought would write funny stuff when I do get an opportunity to write. Or rather when I would come round to sit still at a place with a pen, other than for school exams.

Turns out, I have turned too darned serious. And I am not even old..My blog doesn't reflect my fun loving side at all..My "sense" of humor gets triggered among like-minded people, who love a good belly-jiggle. So let me share a friend's funny experience.

My husband told us (we of the belly-jiggle group) about a colleague's experience in China. He (the colleague, that is, lets call him M) is fond of food. But in China, he lost a lot of weight due to lack of edible (by Indian standards at least) fare.

At a dinner party organised by the client, M was gratified to see leg pieces (those belonging to chicken). But a friend cautioned him to check out the originating body, if it belonged to a chicken proper or some other exotic oriental animal.

So M approached the server and in his best Bollywood style, pantomimed a rooster and asked "kukdookoo"???????? The server shook his head and said "Bhow-Bhow".

M fortuitiously avoided getting his dharam-bhrast (literal meaning religiosity destroyed) but went without food for another night. He however provided fodder for us to jiggle over.

Life's rushing by...

Time's flying by....Another birthday is round the corner..Unfortunately I don't feel the ageing mentally, only physically.

Got in touch with a college friend recently after 7 yrs... :) She has a baby now and a cute gal she is..

These days I don't hear from friends too much...Everyone is too busy, so I get forwards from friends to let me know they are somewhere at the other side of the globe and my horizon and that we have each other in our thoughts.

Read a forward...loved it..am reproducing it here....

God: Hello… Did you call me?
Me: Called you? No… Who is this?
God: This is GOD. I heard your prayers. So I thought I will chat.

Me: I do pray. Just makes me feel good. I am actually busy now. I am in the midst of something…
God: What are you busy at? Ants are busy too.

Me: Don’t know. But I can’t find free time. Life has become hectic. It’s rush hour all the time.
God: Sure. Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you results.
Activity consumes time. Productivity frees it.

Me: I understand. But I still can’t figure it out. By the way, I was not expecting YOU to buzz me on instant messaging chat.
God: Well I wanted to resolve your fight for time, by giving you some clarity. In this net era, I wanted to reach you through the medium you are comfortable with.

Me: Tell me, why has life become complicated now?
God: Stop analyzing life. Just live it. Analysis is what makes it complicated.

Me: why are we then constantly unhappy?
God: Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. You are worrying because you are analyzing. Worrying has become your habit. That’s why you are not happy.

Me: But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainty?
God: Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional.

Me: But then, there is so much pain due to uncertainty..
God: Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

Me: If suffering is optional, why do good people always suffer?
God: Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don’t suffer. With that experience their life becomes better not bitter.

Me: You mean to say such experience is useful?
God: Yes. In every term, Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.

Me: But still, why should we go through such tests? Why can’t we be free from problems?
God: Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons (to) Enhance Mental Strength. Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance, not when you are free from problems.

Me: Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don’t know where we are heading..
God: If you look outside you will not know where you are heading.. Look inside. Looking outside, you dream. Looking inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides insight.

Me: Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than moving in the right direction. What should I do?
God: Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you. Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead. You work with the compass. Let others work with the clock.

Me: In tough times, how do you stay motivated?
God: Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.

Me: What surprises you about people?
God: when they suffer they ask, “why me?” When they prosper, they never ask “Why me”. Everyone wishes to have truth on their side, but few want
to be on the side of the truth.

Me: Sometimes I ask, who am I, why am I here. I can’t get the answer.
God: Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you want to be. Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are here. Create it. Life is not a process of discovery but a process of creation.

Me: How can I get the best out of life?
God: Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

Me: One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not answered.
God: There are no unanswered prayers. At times the answer is NO.

Me: Thank you for this wonderful chat. I am so happy to start the New Day with a new sense of inspiration.
God: Well. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Don’t believe your doubts and doubt your beliefs. Life is a mystery to solve, not a problem to resolve.

As I am hurtle forward in the age bar, it helps to read such forwards..It gives me some peace of mind to ignore looking for my existential purpose and to simply live.

It is great to be here in the US with a dependent visa...I can't work so I don't. Of course the unpaid housewife role doesn't go away. But I am not an underpaid minion to some egoistic, workaholic. It helps to see my daughter grow a little cm by cm. And little Goldie too :)

So guys bring it on...Forward me the good stuff..

My first pet :))

I am smiling like a toothless turtle sipping cold tea...

I have a new pet..My first ever in fact. A Goldfish...

My daughter named him Goldie..Its a "he" because "he" makes his home very dirty, very fast. But since I am not the one who cleans up after him, I am smiling...

I have to admit, it feels like we have brought our second child home. He is just as demanding. The water needs to be clean and cool, the food has to be just enough. I cant overfeed him else he will get a tummy upset..(Jesus! who knew fishes also had tummy upsets).

It is therapeutic to watch him though..He scoots around the bowl, all the time grazing for food. I found myself talking to him and calling him 'beta' (son in hindi). The first night I switched off the lights, I actually switched it on again thinking he might be scared of the dark and the new place. So I talked to him to go off to sleep and not to be scared :)

My neighbour looked at me as if I was nuts when I told him I was talking to my fish. But I love having these conversations with him. Goldie is always there, no matter what the time is. My human family goes off to sleep while I read, or surf or watch TV. But Goldie gives me company..My daughter has even come up with a new dance step to imitate him. To be fair to him, we are planning to get him a friend. Soon.

Will keep you guys posted on my evolving emotions and Goldie's antics...