Back to work ….

… after a long hiatus. I stayed home with Nan for the first eight months after she was born. I wasn’t keeping too well; took me all this time to get on my feet and (hopefully) endure an eight-hour work day.

I thought it would break my heart to leave my lil one at home and sit at a desk, but it has not been bad so far. Maybe it is the fact that I can work Tuesdays and Thursdays from home. Maybe it is the fact that I work close to home and can head back for lunch. (Ok don’t get jealous!) But it does feel good to be more than just being useful at home. (I actually organized the Mister’s closet. I have folded loads and loads of laundry. Not to mention perfectly organized items in newly purchased boxes that will be heading to the basement this week.)

I wonder if it feels this way because I have a working mom. I think it must be a tough choice for mothers, who have had stay-at-home moms. Many a times over the past eight months, (like all new moms) I have wondered if I would like to work or just spend my time with my lil one while she is little. As of now the answer is “Yes, I would like to work”. Possibly it is due to the comfort factor that Nan is with her grandma at home. Once she starts daycare and work gets hectic, will the answer be the same? Only time will tell.

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Just like that

Ok, so I don’t intend for this post to be satirical or deeply reflective, but you have to pardon me if it ends up being one. So, the MIL (mother-in-law), the mister, Nan and I went to the Hindu Temple this weekend as a part of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. We meet this lady, who is distantly related to me, is a year younger than me and has two kids. (Let’s call her Mrs. X. And let’s hope she does not stumble upon this blog, cause she will know I am talking about her.) So here’s how the conversation went.

Mrs. X: So is Nan in daycare?
Me: No, but she is going to join in November when MIL heads back to India
Mrs. X: Which daycare?
Me: A branch of the same daycare, which my office colleague L is sending her son to (Unfortunately Mr. and Mrs. X know L, so the conversation did not die at this point.)
Mrs. X: You know that L is going to send her son to our daycare soon, don’t you?
Me: (Silent)
Mrs. X: You know that it is a Christian daycare, don’t you?
Me: (Cloud over my head) I don’t care. I went to a Convent school myself. And I don’t think I am any less of a Hindu than anyone else I know. Besides I also know a ton of stories from the Bible. (/Cloud over my head) (Out aloud) (Silent) (/Out aloud)
Mrs. X: Our daycare is the best. It was very tough to get admission for my elder one in the daycare. They took my elder one only after we had the second kid.
Me (at this point, ready to pull my hair out): (Cloud over my head) Why are humans social beings??!! (/Cloud over my head)

Why do people feel the need to justify their choices to other people? And why do they think other people would care about it? I am a person of few words. (I hope) I don’t speak when not needed. I don’t give advice to random people, unless they ask for it. I don’t want other people to be exactly like me, but they could try to understand my personality a bit and just BACK OFF.(Phew! My blood is boiling even as I write this post.)

Anyways, writing this post watching the Nadal-Djokovic US Open final and hoping that Nadal wins. Only (a little bit of) time will tell. I can say though it is a highly explosive and inappropriate match for children to see. I happened to turn it on when Djokovic was smashing his racket alternatively on his feet, head and the ground. Both Nan’s and my eyes popped out of sockets. So I have resorted to seeing the score once in a while. Vaamos Rafa!

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Roller Coasters ….

… are not my cup of tea! I vividly remember my first experience. It was the green caterpillar roller coaster (if you can call it that!) at the entrance of Appu Ghar (Delhi) about a gazillion years back. My head was spinning hard, once I got off it, and I did not venture on most of the rides in Appu Ghar. My poor parents must have thought purchasing my ticket was a waste of money.

My next experience with a thrill (why don’t we call it a KILL ride, instead) ride was the ‘4G Mars Attack’ at Epcot. Again, my first ride at Disneyland, and definitely not a fun one! I was queasy for an hour after the ride. A couple of years down the line when a young boy died on the ride, I gave a look to Brat. He deserved it. He was (and is always) the one, who insisted I need to give him company. The ‘look’ conveyed “It could have been me!”.

After that though, thanks to Brat’s insistence (he probably calls it a request for company), I have graduated to riding on indoor roller coasters. I have been brave enough to ride on ‘The Mummy’ in Universal Studios, ‘Aerosmith’ in Epcot and ‘Hollywood Tower of Terror’ in MGM Studios, Disneyland to name a significant few. However, just looking at outdoor roller coasters like ‘Mount Everest’ in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the one in New York New York in Vegas, gives me the shivers. I just don’t understand how people can stand in long queues just to be terrorized in this fashion. (For me, the wait is more terrorizing than the 3 – 4 minute ride itself.) I wonder if Nan will be brave like her dad, or be a wimp, like me, as far as joy rides are concerned!. Either way works for me! She could give her dad company (sparing me in the process!), else we could be in the majority and just enjoy the simpler rides in the theme parks that we visit. Aaah dreams and possibilities!

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6 weeks notice

A perfectly magical period!!! I am blessed with a 6 week old daughter. Let me introduce you to Nan. Today she is wearing a shirt which says ‘best gift ever’ and that really about sums it up. Life seems so different; I cannot imagine another day without my darling. Feeding her, diapering her, staring at the multitude of expressions she generates within a minute, enjoying her relax on my shoulder, are a way of life now. Looking forward to sharing many new adventures with her.

I must mention the 6 week period that pregnant women are given to recover from their experience of child-birth. The recommended period exists across all cultures and both Mom and I think it is such a well thought-of timeframe. I have been feeling great for the past week, and today I feel even more terrific. I am getting back to my regular activities now; of course I am no where close. Brat and Mom have been great all along, also bearing my postpartum mood swings while they took 100% care of me and continue to do so. (Hats off to people who join work in 6 weeks!)

So before I eagerly move on to read the email from Baby Center in my inbox titled ‘Your 6 week old’, I would like to thank the lord for this little bundle of joy and taking care of me and my family.

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Mindless forwards

What is it about mindless email forwarding that bothers me? Let me define mindless forwarding first. It is the kind in which you haven’t written a word. It is the kind which would not impact the life (ok! thoughts – let me not be dramatic) in any form or fashion. It is the kind that you send to people without sending them any communication throughout the entire year (just choosing a random period, here).

Do people think that they are staying in touch, just by hitting the ‘Forward’ button? I would rather people write to me and ask me how I was doing, did I like the book that I last mentioned that I was reading, did I enjoy my parents trip to the US! I guess I am talking of personalization here.

I do understand if you are in a group, which communicates regularly (in person, or via phone, or even email), discusses a particular set of things, argues and laughs over issues, and THEN you forward emails to the gang. It is an (in the worst case, a sub-conscious) effort at personalization. Or if you read something that you know a particular set of friends and acquaintances will enjoy, and THEN you do the act.

I absolutely do not agree with adding your newest acquaintance to your email list and start bombarding them from the next day on.

Perhaps, you are thinking what brings this onslaught? A cousin got in touch with me this week, and after the first email (bam!) I start getting forwarded emails from him. Grrr … Maybe something is wrong with my thought process! Maybe someone can tell me the other side of the story. But as of now I am bit agitated with mindless forwarding.

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Welcome 2009

A very Happy New Year to everyone!!

B and I had a wonderful long weekend, ourselves. A whole lot of rest, lots of good food, movies and games. 🙂 I must confess I enjoyed this weekend a little bit less than the earlier one; cause I know the next long weekend is 5 months away. 😦

Anyways, spent a simple new year’s eve with friends, with good food, games and lots of laughter. Crashed into bed at 1PM; I wonder if the simple and quiet New Year’s Eve approach comes with age!

We saw Ghajini; liked the movie. I had heard a few bad reviews so did not have any expectations; but the movie turned out to be quite ok. I had to close my eyes for a few violent scenes during the movie. Also saw Madagascar; did not like it that much.

Oh! Highlight of the weekend – Wii. We finally setup our Wii and loved it! My fav game so far, is Tennis. I had an aching arm the next morning from all the backhand cross-court shots that I hit. Looking forward to enjoying more Wii games!

New year resolutions?! – Well, just one – To do Yoga (a few Pranayam’s) everyday! (I don’t think that is asking for much. I will post an update here, on my progress 3 months down the line.)

Not really a New Year resolution, but an on-going action item – Continue to improve as a person. Learn good traits from people; try to incorporate them into actions. Observe the not-so-great traits, forgive – if you were negatively affected by it, and resolve never to affect someone else in the same way. As George Bernard Shaw says “Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world.” And I signoff on this note!

Have a great 2009!

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3 movies, 2.5 books and some shopping :)

Watta weekend, I say!! I am sure all of you are enjoying the last few holidays of the season, before the draught hits.

Movies B and I saw:
– Slumdog Millionaire (Must see movie!! Fantastic plot and classic narration! Some of the events are not so pleasant and heart wrenching, but are very well embedded within the movie.)
– The Incredible Hulk (on DVD) (Loved it! Loved Edward Norton in the movie. Frankly, I could not sit through 10 mins of the first ‘Hulk’ movie, but this remake was too good. Fast paced and brilliant performances!)
– The curious case of Benjamin Button (Makes you feel curious, throughout the movie. Interesting concept and implementation, but a bit too long for my taste.)

Books that I gobbled up:
– Murder in three acts – by Agatha Christie – Regular Agatha Christie plot; I could not guess the murderer though. As usual, an ingenious way to murder. Reminded me of Byomkesh Bakshi!)
– Tales of Beedle the Bard – Interesting, a bit kiddish though! I wonder if this will lead on to a new series of books related to the wizarding world.
– Eclipse – Loving the book so far! The plot is much better than New Moon (I guess the presence of Edward makes all the difference!).

Of course, since the weather decided to be meherbaan, B and I could make our (now regular) visits to furniture stores, and strike off some purchases off our ever-growing list.

This morning, I actually felt enthused to come to work! Now, doesn’t THAT speak tons of the relaxing weekend, I had. Eagerly looking forward to the next one! 😉 🙂

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Long time no see!

I am back to blogging. Life has been a roller coaster ride for the past month and a half. The mister and I are finally settling into a nest of our own. It feels great!

This post is not about that, though. It is a tribute to my teachers, who encouraged me and have made me what I am today. Many a times we doubt ourselves and the direction in which we are headed. I have been fortunate enough to be guided by these fantastic mentors, who have gently boosted my self-confidence, and led me to do the thing that I like doing the most, profession-wise.

1. P. Sir – From my classes in 12th standard. He supported me and believedin me, when I was undecided whether I was going to take up engineering or medicine till the last month of the board exams. This was the time when people knew they wanted to do IIT, or skipped Biology because they wanted to go in for an engineering degree, basically something really smashing. That was not the case with me. I don’t know why I chose to be ordinary/undecided. P. Sir calmed my mother, saying I was a good student and would make my decision when the time was right. It is good to have someone believe in you, when you don’t believe in yourself. 🙂

 2. Dr. F. – from Masters. I guess I was foolish enough to take an independantstudy under him. It was the only course in which I got a C grade. Considering I had straight A’s in most of the other courses that was the most miserable performance in my Master’s degree. All said and done, the work I did with him has tremendously helped in my career choice. Dr. F. once told me that the level of detail that I included in my work was fantastic. Coming from him, that description of my work was HUGE! Can you imagine what a confidence booster that was, and still is. 🙂

 3. Finally Dr. RR – Boss at my first workplace in the US. Actually less of a boss, and more of a mentor. He encouraged and supported my work, carved a position for me in the organization. This was when I was a fresh graduate. And even though I have moved on my work is still appreciated at the old work place. Can there be a better compliment to him than this?

 Why do I write this today? For a big ‘THANK YOU’. And while I may not be in touch with all of you today, I think of you and appreciate the way in which you have touched my life!

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Of friends, communication, and the like

Yesterday night, I was (re-)reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I was at the initial chapters reading about Dudley saying goodbye to Harry, experiencing the moment when both know that in most probability, they will never meet again. I thought the scene was wonderfully expressed by JKR. Separation is one thing, but mutual exclusion from the others life is a whole different story. I think we humans are not programmed well enough, for that.

I remember, when I was working at Patni Computers, and one of our seniors was heading out for a posting out of India. And I knew when he would return, I would have left to the US for my Masters degree. Now this person was not even a friend, just a colleague, but somewhere I knew that out paths would never cross. The goodbye was plain awkward; I was quite eager for the moment to get over.

I am glad we live in the age of the telephone and internet. My aunts have told me that they lost all contact with their friends after they (or their friends) got married and moved to a new place. I cannot imagine what I would do without email, phone conversations or even writing a post on this blog. So there are a fewer complete ‘separations’ in the this age and time, I guess.

It is nice to be able to say goodbye with the promise of meeting again, virtually or otherwise (obviously if the feeling is mutual); make an effort to meet with friends in the US when you visit their hometown, or catchup with them when you get back to India. A couple of years back I met my school friends in Chicago for a reunion, after 12 years (thanks to Orkut); it was great fun! So as much as we take it for granted, I am going  to say “Hail Modern Technology”!

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Experience at the Cinci ATP tournament

Last weekend B & I headed out to Cincinnati, to watch the semifinal match at the Western & southern Financial Masters and Women’s Open ATP tournament. We had purchased our tickets online for 40$ a piece. Unfortunately, after we purchased our tickets, Federer was kicked out of the tournament by Ivo Karlovic. So the semifinal at 1PM, which we were scheduled to see, was between Andy Murray and Ivo Karlovic. B & I were a bit disappointed that it was not one of the biggies like Federer or Nadal or Djokovic. But we just decided to enjoy our day – meet a friend on the way back, maybe head out to Ikea.

However, after parking we noticed people selling tickets in “black” for the seminal in the evening (Nadal versus Djokovic). As we started asking people on the way to the stadium, the price dropped from 125$ a piece to 45$ a piece. B and I thought, why not? And it turned to be one of the best decisions we have made. We got fantastic seats for the Nadal-Djokovic semifinal, about 12 seats away from court. (“Rockstar seats” as L from work would have described them, right in the middle of the action!)

We enjoyed the first semifinal – Andy Murray versus Ivo Karlovic game. The stadium wasn’t too too big, I’m guessing from the TV camera views of the Center Courts at the US Open or Wimbledon. Got to see Mahesh Bhupathi at the Men’s Doubles Semis.

The moment of the day was when we got to see Nadal practice. Here’s a picture:

I know I sound star-struck! But it was so unbeleivable!! Very rarely do you get to see your favorites in action, from such a distance. 🙂

Nadal lost 6 – 1, 7 -5. Djokovic played a great game, expertly testing the boundaries of the court, serving well and maintaining pressure throughout the game.  

B & I drove home happy, chattering about older tennis players – Becker, Edberg, Agassi, Philippouses, Jim Courier, Sergei Brugera, Ivanasevic, Krajicek, of course Sampras; some brilliant tennis games in the past. Summer is the time is meant for fun activities, and it couldn’t get any better than this. 🙂

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