tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31173475357053331142024-03-13T12:45:04.833-07:00Just an ordinary woman's interpretationsInterpretations, experiences, observations of people, moments and life & what it givesEktahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-81347540549524698942013-03-04T01:00:00.001-08:002014-02-26T18:09:55.947-08:00WWW: Web world of women<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtRufEMIEO86NR5Fp-SsfRRmzr5VMGJrlIIEeYkM09Oq1vG7aUU27jJX2v0PvbKmyAzjS1udADVPzKuNzSfMrD93nkpsmHqXTUJlrs2WKT3SjQeTQvC2A-O-xMsscN7kPIfDM2aZMKhs/s1600/stock-footage-smiling-woman-chatting-on-her-laptop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtRufEMIEO86NR5Fp-SsfRRmzr5VMGJrlIIEeYkM09Oq1vG7aUU27jJX2v0PvbKmyAzjS1udADVPzKuNzSfMrD93nkpsmHqXTUJlrs2WKT3SjQeTQvC2A-O-xMsscN7kPIfDM2aZMKhs/s320/stock-footage-smiling-woman-chatting-on-her-laptop.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Men give love to get sex and
women give sex to get love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">This to me is the most
fundamental difference between men & women. I know we are stereotyping here
and the fundamental flaw in stereotyping is generalisation. Having said this,
stereotypes are always true enough to explain larger skews & inclinations.
Thus this fundamental difference between men & women explains a lot of their
behavioural & emotional differences. It also contextualizes the difference
in the relationship that men & women have with digital; their online time.
Men are skewed to seek utility or performance whereas women online experiences
are more emotionally satisfying. This is not to say women are not performance
driven. They are biggest multi-taskers & digital does bring efficiency in
their lives, but alongside it satisfies their emotional needs in new ways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Digital has enabled 5 key
things for women:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">1)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Empowerment<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Digital is a medium where
everyone has a view about everything. From socio-political issues to an
incident in friend’s life, one has a say. Because if you don’t, then how will
you be part of the most ‘liked-shared’ circle. While this may be just a medium
for expression, for women it is empowerment. It is freedom to voice your
thoughts & opinion in everything that interests you. It is where you can
find your audience much easily than in the offline world. For stay at home women,
it is where their opinion matters even in issues beyond the home. The number of
women bloggers is much more than men because of this and not merely because
women have more free time. (that’s how some men would like to see it). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Digital has opened up
opportunities to work from home. It has brought like-minded women together to
share, express, sometime revolt against commonly felt issues. This is empowerment
for women.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">2)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Escapism<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Often the woman that I am is
different from the woman that I had wished to be. Digital bridges this gap. It
is a means to reconnect with all my passions, hobbies, quirks, fantasies that I
had left behind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">‘I
lost my chance to be an interior designer & ended up being an HR manager
but I still keep a Pinterest board on home décor & guess what, it gets many
repins’. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">‘I
had to quit my travelling job at the time of my son’s birth, but now I travel
the world through my blog’. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Digital transports them to
different places, different experiences, different worlds where their online
self lives life with arms wide open. It is window shopping the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">3)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Inspiration<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">We don’t always wake up with
ideas or creativity, we often need inspiration. Be it fashion, beauty, décor,
food, paintings, there are ideas & inspirations for everything here. How
celeb & experts do it or how your friend is doing it, motivation can come
from anywhere. On the lighter side, please note it is ‘inspiration or
motivation’ & not stealing of ideas. At least that’s how we would like to
believe it. It is anyway a two way traffic, if you get inspired by someone, you
also have something of your own to inspire some others. This is one of the key
insights behind the success of many platforms like Pinterest, Tumblr etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">4)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Sisterhood<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Whether it is Sex & the
City circles of New York, the kitty parties of India or the ‘only women’
parties of middle east, women time & bonding has always meant a lot to
women. Thanks to social platforms, this sisterhood is now easily accessible
& on-demand. You can tune in & out as per your convenience. It is an
always on ‘women’s ghetto’ with your own social circle of friends. Like every
‘girls night out’ it is competitive. No wonder an average number of times a
woman changes profile picture is much more than men. And paradoxically, like every ‘girls night
out’ it also is a mutual admiration society where everyone compliments everyone
else. It is where you share your secrets, console others & gossip about
ones not present.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.0pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">5)<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Efficiency<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">Like I mentioned in the very
beginning, digital has also enabled efficiency for women. From job hunting to
recipes to how to’s, the answer to many of her problems is usually just a click
away. Skype helps working moms connect with kids when out of town. A gadget is
the new baby sitter. Wardrobe management apps, online shopping, day planner
apps, homework apps, online magazines, digital has brought efficiency in different
ways. For her, this is comfort, a bit more of ‘me time’, lesser guilt for being
away & thus priceless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">This is why I say, that for
women digital is more than just a medium or performance driven utility, it is
an emotional connection where a different sentiment gets unlocked with every
log in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; padding: 0cm;">If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do leave a comment. I love reading your thoughts.</span></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-3554369641289219162012-04-18T04:19:00.000-07:002012-04-19T04:46:25.069-07:008.55 Goregaon Local<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6FnEtrW378ukYRWcra5VyFfWrloyEgfmR5y4wm7_b4wK5QOSVDIrlxlyEE9nb-2CiY9tkhjLHDm-bTnqQE7_ne-8DNgknY4jY4jGoOV6Nr33eWDepPbWqQJmMoq0awFEnbW1_ggepSw/s1600/Local+train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6FnEtrW378ukYRWcra5VyFfWrloyEgfmR5y4wm7_b4wK5QOSVDIrlxlyEE9nb-2CiY9tkhjLHDm-bTnqQE7_ne-8DNgknY4jY4jGoOV6Nr33eWDepPbWqQJmMoq0awFEnbW1_ggepSw/s640/Local+train.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Family, Peer, School are some of the key influencers in creating a
person’s personality. In addition, there is the city you grew up in, especially
if it is Mumbai. As for me, Mumbai is now in my genetic code. I always have the
urge to write about it. So today it is about Mumbai local trains –the life line
of Mumbai.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I lived in Suburbs and my office was in Nariman point. So for four years
every day I commuted by train to office. The train started from Goregaon
station at 8.55 a.m, people arrived before the train arrival, so that they
could board the train even before it stopped to get a place to sit. Every
minute mattered, if you came a minute late, it could mean a standing journey of
45 mins. In just couple of minutes after the arrival of the train, it got fully
crowded like it is taking an entire town from one place to the other. The
ladies compartment indeed is like a self-surviving township. And the people in
this township can be broadly categorized into five types. Each type had a
different character and a different story.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Regulars – </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">These are the founder members of this train township. Their body language
is like of the proud owners with their right on the train more than anyone else’s.
These are women who have been taking the same train for ten, twelve, fifteen
plus years. These are usually the employees of government offices in south Mumbai.
After finishing cooking, cleaning, school, kids, husband tiffin, all household
chores, they come to the train, a place where they will finally sit in one
place for 45 mins. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they somehow look
forward for the journey. They have regular friends and this forms many such
mini groups in the train. They vent out about mother in laws in the mornings
and bosses in the evenings. With a lighter heart they then discuss TV soaps, Bollywood
and the latest sari designs worn by these heroines. Along all this, they even
shop in the train. There is a mini-bazaar behind those rusty old windows of the
trains. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vegetables, beauty accessories,
bindis, bangles, nighties, under garments, chappals, you get everything here, that
too coming to your door step, I mean seat step. They buy vegetables in the
train and also cut them in the train itself, saving the cooking time. These are
the real super women. If there is any award for multi-tasking then it should go
to them. If trains are the life line of Mumbai, then these women are the life
line of the ladies compartments of these trains.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Entrepreneurs – </span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">These are the business women who see the train as an opportunity of
potential buyers. They are all kinds of small businesses here; Insurance
brokers, Amway dealers, tailoring, homemade papads and pickles, imported purses
etc. While the regulars who are happy within their own regular groups, these
women like to make new friends in the train as they see that as possible new
buyers. They are the true negotiators with commendable selling skills. This is
their second income over and above the regular jobs but this comes across as
their real passion. They are the ones who teach you to never give up.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The College girls</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> –These are the short distance travelers going to their college, which
is usually not more than 4-5 stations away. So these young girls keep coming
and going at different stations. They come in small groups of two three girls. They
increase the fashion quotient of the train. Like all girls this age, they are
usually talking about boys and affairs in the college. They believe that their
life is outside the trains and this is just a temporary arrangement. They like
to stand near the doors instead of sitting, as if they want to keep their
association with the train restricted and don't want to really get into the epic
entre of it. There is hope and excitement about life and trains don’t currently
feature in life they see for themselves.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Young working women</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> – These are the employees of big corporates. They have only recently
started travelling. They take different trains every day so don’t really have
regular friends. They are either reading a book or listening to music. Mentally
they are still pre-occupied with work – boss, targets, and delivery deadline
and so on. The train is as indifferent to them as they are to the train. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Sleepers</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- This is the most impressive type for their amazing skill of falling
off to sleep the minute they hit their seat and to wake up exactly in time for
their station. No noise or chaos in the train can ever disturb them. They usually
run to grab the window seats so that they can rest in peace.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I learnt more about Mumbai and its daily lives, in these four years than
ever. This 45 minute journey unfolded so many stories and insights which have
gone a long way with me, in my life even beyond these four years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To end, some interesting and amusing facts related to Mumbai local
trains:</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The system carries more than 7.24 million
commuters on a daily basis. It has the highest passenger densities of any urban
railway system in the world.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">40 trains per hour arrive and
depart on every station and on every track</span></div>
<div style="margin-left: 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A train is made to commute 1700 passengers
at a time. But it carries 4500 passengers</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mumbai local trains have <i>Super-Dense Crush
Load</i> of 14 to 16 standing passengers per square metre of floor space. Thus
the idea </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">of personal space is no one actually standing on your toes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Train timings (9.27, 10.49 etc) are really important events of
life in Mumbai.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In Mumbai, you spend more time each month traveling than you spend
at home.<br />
<br />
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If my
thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do leave a comment. I love reading your
comments.</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-4713472513120102792012-04-16T03:50:00.001-07:002012-04-16T03:51:03.533-07:00The Versatile Blogger Award<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYaIrxPt9KOCSAndur2FYl8fu-JETuC-tktBtOA7nsKfeKGxbcT7Yj867NfChGhcRswRriOKzyTWNTuhZ9pQ1a2XgfTyVOWZuQRx5AbnBAkcs-hnBwk63-RYOgN5_UIgW_M-VTKbGH8s/s1600/versatile_blogger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_s7gyus="2" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYaIrxPt9KOCSAndur2FYl8fu-JETuC-tktBtOA7nsKfeKGxbcT7Yj867NfChGhcRswRriOKzyTWNTuhZ9pQ1a2XgfTyVOWZuQRx5AbnBAkcs-hnBwk63-RYOgN5_UIgW_M-VTKbGH8s/s200/versatile_blogger.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today I had decided to make it a non blogging day, as I had to finish
something important. But the temptation to check my blog arrested me and I
planned to take just a quick glance at comments for my latest post. To my
pleasant surprise, I saw this award for a Versatile blogger. I got this award
from N, the writer of <a href="http://unfoldthefolded.blogspot.in/"><span style="color: blue;">http://unfoldthefolded.blogspot.in/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I would like to thank N for reading my blog and finding my writing
versatile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now, as a Versatile blogger I have to follow some
rules.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here are the rules that I followed and my winners
will also have to follow.<br />
<br />
•Nominate 10-15 fellow bloggers<br />
•Inform the bloggers of their nomination<br />
•Share 7 random things about yourself<br />
•Thank the blogger who nominated you (with blog link)<br />
•Add the Versatile Blogger Award Pic on your blog post<br />
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<b><u>Nominate 10-15 fellow bloggers</u></b>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is the best part as it gives me the
opportunities to express my appreciation to some interesting blogs that I like.
The bloggers who I thought were versatile in their writing and who deserved to receive
this award are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #222222; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
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</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://thedonkeymba.blogspot.com/">Abhishek Ratna – ‘The donkey MBA’<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.sushmaharish.com/">Sushma – ‘Sushma’s page’<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://rahulsblogandcollections.blogspot.com/">Rahul Bhatia –‘Rahul’s blog and collection’<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://sprigblossoms.blogspot.com/">Sprigblossom –‘Sprig Blossom’<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nothingprofund <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://mydailyaphorism.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;">-‘Aphorism</span></a> of the day’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/moms-are-from-mars-moms-blog/blog_redirect">Janene Murphy – ‘Moms are from mars’<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://jeeteraho.blogspot.in/" target="_blank">Indu Chibber –‘Jeete Raho’<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://shilpa-nair.blogspot.com/">Shilpa Nair –‘Servings of mania’<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Indian homemaker – The life and times ofan Indian homemaker</a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://sujathasathya.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Sujatha – ‘Conversations’<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Congratulations! All of you inspire me and
deserve this award. If you would like to further award, then please follow the
above rules.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"></span></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here are the 7 random things about me (with the hope that you will continue to read my blog even after knowing these randomites about me).</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let me start with something about
blogging, I can’t read very long posts. I like short posts making the point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Beach, books and beer is all that it takes
to me happy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I can’t read self help books<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I bought a guitar to learn, but gave up
after 4 classes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I love watching romantic comedy’s and
chick flicks. I hate meaning less action or sci-fi movies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18pt; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I love decorating my home. I love colors
and corners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I need to loose weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Happy Blogging!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span id="goog_455403936"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_455403937"></span></div>
</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-27037736386042660772012-04-10T22:08:00.000-07:002013-07-25T09:38:27.122-07:00The Lone Traveller<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF6xWWr3GgxFFDx5I9xs_hH3_vBmTs7qfvqVYhWINFLZiR7QUyZXKE6uDHwQidg6A9U3xuMNCCOcmuPN8rd-gGJzBjXar2hqZduz2hW2cX6cb_7LGy3rJZ1mu4GVAoWZVPEkChaGxQWA/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF6xWWr3GgxFFDx5I9xs_hH3_vBmTs7qfvqVYhWINFLZiR7QUyZXKE6uDHwQidg6A9U3xuMNCCOcmuPN8rd-gGJzBjXar2hqZduz2hW2cX6cb_7LGy3rJZ1mu4GVAoWZVPEkChaGxQWA/s400/Picture1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“To awaken
quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world”</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> – This quote from Freya stark always got me
interested. I wanted to feel the same feeling. I grew up in an Indian middleclass
family surrounded by people. I shared my room with my sister so there was no
concept of ‘me’ time. After I got married, I stayed in a joint family for few
years, so yet again not much ‘me’ time. After 4 years when I moved out, I got
pregnant immediately and had a baby. So I always craved for alone time where I
could hear my own inner voice. I read and heard about people travelling alone
and found it extremely aspirational and adventurous. When you travel alone, by
default you meet more people, learn more about the culture, you are more
explorative as there is nothing to distract you. I even told my husband that a
month alone travel is in my bucket list that I need to do in this life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whenever I saw lone travelers, I found them
interesting and was anxious about their whereabouts. I met another such person
in my last trip to Bali but this time it was different. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We were living in a small heritage hotel which had individual
cottages. We checked in the hotel around 8p.m. As I was entering into my
cottage, I noticed a German guy who must be in his early 40s. He was reading a
book, sitting in his balcony in the cottage next to mine. The next morning when
we left for our day trip, he was still sitting their reading. By then I figured
he is travelling alone. We looked at each other and wished good morning. After
our day trip, we came back to our cottage in the evening; this man was still
sitting on the same chair, in the same balcony, reading the same book. So out of my curiosity and anxiety about lone
travelers, I smiled at him and…</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Me:</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Looks like you didn’t step out at all. Is this book that interesting?</span> </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He (laughed and
then said)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: I am leaving for Lombok tomorrow
morning for a one month diving trip. So wanted to take this weekend easy and gear myself for diving.
After Lombok, I am coming back to Bali which is when I will explore
Bali.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It all made sense to me now and got me even more
excited about the lone traveler euphoria in my mind. So I said.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Me:</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Wow, a month long diving. Travelling alone must be so
exciting right?</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He:</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Having dinner alone everyday
isn’t real fun. I lost my wife 3 months back so this is my first such trip to
rediscover myself without her. But I love diving and the sea, so I am looking
forward for it. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This shook all of me
and everything around. I was speechless, didn’t know how to react. So after a
long pause and a deep breath, I said ‘I am sorry’ but he diverted the subject
to talk more about his diving plans. I was listening but didn’t really hear
anything. My mind was now restless. I needed some resolutions. Am I taking for
granted my non-lonesome travels? Do honestly all the people who travel alone, do
it because they love being alone or because they don’t have someone to travel
with? Shouldn’t I cherish holidays with my family and friends? Is it truly that
exciting to be a lone traveler? I don’t have answers to all this but his one
line ‘Having dinner every night alone isn’t really fun’ opened my eyes to an aspect
of life that I was ignoring. And at the very next moment, the thought of his
diving trip reflecting his undying spirit to rediscover himself also inspired
me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em>If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do leave a comment. I love reading your comments.</em></div>
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Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-89832378760609949722012-04-07T00:36:00.006-07:002012-04-09T21:39:30.287-07:00Generation Innovation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Whenever we hear ‘Generation next’ or ‘youth’, it
immediately creates an image in our mind of young brats, gaming, pubbing and
shopping. Some call it post digitalization generation, some call it post
globalization and some post liberalization. It actually is a generation created
out of sum of all of this. There are both good and bad traits of this
generation however I would like to state the five positive characteristics that
particularly interest and impress me. These are not trends; these are the
impact, the after result of the trends. These are the behavioral traits or
values which I think will play important role in shaping the future. </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Generation innovation</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In first half of their lives, my parents only saw 2
big innovations –television and telephone, in first twenty years of my life I
saw 4 – color television, pager, mobile phone and internet. But today’s
generation see an innovation every year. iPod to iPhone to iPad 1-2-3 and so
on. There is no end. And these innovations aren’t the right of exclusive rich
like some of the earlier ones were, for the initial years. These are meant to
be accessible right from its inception. Some tech students in Hyderabad, India
have created ‘Akash’ an android tablet like iPad to be sold for just 60 USD so
yes we are talking masses here. What does this really mean for this generation
and what is the decoded value it creates. It means progression; it means
confidence of better tomorrow. There is a visible belief of ‘anything is
possible’ in our lifetime itself. MTV now calls this breed of youth as
‘generation innovation’ and I agree with them. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Google brain</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The minute we hear an unfamiliar idea, concept, the
first instinct that comes to us is ‘lets google it’. Google is now our
alternate brain. Some people think it reduces brain power to think on our own
but I think it instead creates more mind space to grab new and more
information. And this is a much more advanced information storage system as
anything can be retrieved even if forgotten with just a click of button. It
also levels the playing field for all, when it comes to information. Information
is no longer the advantage of few privileged ones. This generation has now realized
this and understands that having the information is not going to give them the
edge, what will make the difference is what one does with this information.
This is where the transition from more information to faster innovation
happens.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Non-judgmental</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gays, singles, single moms, married, career focused,
home maker, there is a place for anyone and everyone. Thanks to social
networking, this is probably the most well networked generation however it is
also the only generation which understands and gives the required space to each
other. Nobody looks down upon the other. To each one their own, is the new
philosophy of life. There are no rights and wrongs, no blacks and whites, as
they realize that the real truth lives in greys and which is where we all
operate most times. This may be truer for certain parts of the world than the
other but it is an increasing approach of life. Though a slow, crawling change
but if it continues to be the approach, it will make living easy and frees up
the mind space of every one to focus on progression or to focus on eradicating
real issues like poverty, illiteracy, that come in way of progression<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Socio-eco friendly</span>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While digitalization was the good thing they
inherited, the environmental and socio-political instability is the bad that came
along in the inheritance. Wars can probably be justified but this generation
saw the unexplainable terrorism, be it the 9/11, Mumbai blasts or the Mumbai 26/11attacks.
They also saw the worst of natural calamities like Japan &SEA tsunami,
earthquakes etc. They also witness one of highest level of corruptions in many
nations. So what has this led to? This has actually made them a more socio-eco
conscious generation. They realize that it’s probably only up to them to save
themselves and the coming generations from the possible socio-eco instability.
This is why the growing popularity of eco- friendly, green products and the
increasing number of candle light marches and the socio-political blogs and
uploads, the new way to make the change.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Larger than life</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Live life Kingsize is the new way of living. This has
been possible through multiple means. There are growing number of online
ventures like ‘bagsutra.com’ where you can rent original designer bags for a
week at a nominal cost. So who says you need to afford a Chanel to carry a
Chanel bag. Websites like ‘group on’, ‘gobble’ offering discounted deals, have
made rich lifestyle no longer the privilege of the rich. You can get deals for spas,
restaurants, holidays, everything that is needed to make your life bigger,
comfortable, stylish and lavish, much more than it otherwise would have been.
And then there is the king of all enablers –Facebook which gives you your 2 minutes
of fame, making your picture, your moment, your story larger than life. This in
some way narrows the gap between the classes and importantly creates
opportunities and new zest to life.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is not a comprehensive list nor is it a
definitive, measured behaviors. This is just the five positive aspects that
make me feel excited to be part of this generation. Does it excite you as well?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>If my thoughts
trigger a thought of your own, do leave a comment. I love reading them.</em></span></div>
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</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-72454712792024653832012-04-05T03:33:00.001-07:002012-04-09T21:30:33.056-07:00Louis Vuitton<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vm9TCUC-lOKk4jIAmY3wptENsPtiAokUsZ9MAvHQL3XoDm1fni8XT0mjxXL9YF1Y3Gd-mr8_6zgFm_05PWfU2ah8wnAlnoXop7bL1E3IvzgPPU2-ZwOVSfcDqN7sDRsfNYQtb_qYRi4/s1600/queue-LV-Singapore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vm9TCUC-lOKk4jIAmY3wptENsPtiAokUsZ9MAvHQL3XoDm1fni8XT0mjxXL9YF1Y3Gd-mr8_6zgFm_05PWfU2ah8wnAlnoXop7bL1E3IvzgPPU2-ZwOVSfcDqN7sDRsfNYQtb_qYRi4/s640/queue-LV-Singapore.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I grew up in 80’s & early 90’s when brands really hadn’t invaded Indian markets. It was just few brands with a very global appeal that had begun to get recognized and had become symbols of aspiration. Thanks to chic flick Hollywood movies and international shows, Louis Vuitton was one of those brands, which were a big aspiration since teens for me. In my initial struggle days at the beginning of my career, I often thought of when and where I will buy my first LV bag. For a woman it is like a milestone in life. We all know it’s the same print cut into different sizes and shapes but owning one LV still felt like I have reached a place in life. It’s like gold in India which is expensive but every Indian woman has at least one piece of gold jewelry. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But here comes the anti-climax. I moved to Singapore about a year back and decided to finally buy the LV bag. I was looking forward for the moment. But in my first month in Singapore itself I saw every second person in the bus, on the road, in office, in the pub carrying a LV bag. I don’t mean to be offensive but even the secretary in my office has an LV bag. It really doesn’t matter whether all of them were originals or not, the reality was that everyone could have one in Singapore. Now isn’t this an anti-climax because what I thought only the rare & few deserving women like me would have didn’t feel like the prize of the price anymore. LV isn’t cheaper here but somehow every woman has saved money to be able to get at least one LV bag, again just like gold in India. It suddenly made something extraordinary so ordinary. But this is more an Asia phenomenon. I read somewhere that LV makes more money in Asia than any other region. The queue outside the LV store at Orchard road explains it. What’s the kick if you have to stand in the queue even in spite of spending two thousand dollars. Now I no longer want to buy a LV bag as I have realized it’s a trap not worth it. LV marketing team I hope you realize the potential imagery issue and the need to fix it. You need to figure out a way to sell your volumes by still keeping your premium, luxury imagery alive, the image that was my teenage aspiration.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do leave a comment. I love reading them.</em></span></div>
</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-26042928976185333712012-04-02T08:33:00.005-07:002012-04-09T21:30:48.334-07:00Damaged by chic flicks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Are you above 25 and your favorite movie still is Notting hill or Pretty woman, When harry met sally or The Note book or all of them? Do you still sometimes read Mills & Boon? If yes, then you are damaged by chic flicks for life. The common notion is that only teens love these movies but in spite of being on the wrong side of 30, I still love watching these. It's these movies that made us fall in love with love. And watching them again reminds us that though love feels faded over time but it still exists, it still is beautiful and it isn’t over rated. It is also like escapism from the stressful real world. So like the way booze, smoke work for some to de-stress, chic flicks work for some others like me. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I also think the whole world can be divided into two halves, one who love chic flicks and the others who don't. The ones who do love, they love them for life and the ones who don't, never ever loved them. Am sure if we make this a point of research there would a lot of characteristics common amongst women who love them. This could even be an interesting diagnostic tool.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are some who find chic flicks lame, calling it puppy love or unreal fantasy but then how real is sci-fi fiction. There also many who are closet lovers, who are embarrassed to admit that they still like watching chic flicks. I have no such issues. I don't think I am a lesser of an ‘in control’ woman if I still love watching chic flicks.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do leave a comment. I would love to read your view.</span></i></div>
</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-5418065828193536332012-01-20T08:22:00.005-08:002012-04-09T21:41:29.980-07:00My dreams are bigger than my city<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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'<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My dreams are bigger than my city', this is what
the lead actress Priyanka Chopra said in an Indian movie Fashion, when she was
moving from a small town to the big bad city of Mumbai. Earlier it used to be
only the men who went to bigger towns but today millions of Indian women travel
from small villages to big cities chasing their dream. It is no longer an era
of only ‘Raju ban gaya gentleman’, even the Rani today aspires for a
transformation and moving to a bigger city gives her that chance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my earlier job, I worked for a mass market
skin lightening brand targeted to today’s Indian women. So I got a chance to
meet many of these women who had the determination to take charge of their own
destiny. One who particularly stands out is this young girl Pooja, who came
from a small village to Hyderabad to learn graphic designing and in the
evening’s she worked in a call center to earn a survival. She was the first
girl in her family to have gone out of her small town all by herself, so she
faced a lot of opposition initially. But she didn’t let that stop her. Her
dream was to open an advertising agency. She didn’t know what it takes and how will
she open an agency but was confident that she will find the ‘how’ along the
way. Pooja represents the spirit & the zest of Indian women today.</span>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Upward mobility
in India has been written and discussed many times but what does it really mean
for women. Surely times have changed but even today when a woman leaves home to
step into this world to prove something, it isn’t easy. This is probably her
only chance to make it happen, the only opportunity to change her life story.
Therefore her stakes are higher and the growing competition only worsens the
situation because the reality is she is not the only one. Today there are many
more who have also come with a similar hope to the same place where she is
today. But this doesn’t stop her. She looks upto ‘Ashwariya Rai, Kalpana
Chawla, Indra Nooyi, Bipasha Basu, Barkha Dutt, all those women who came from
ordinary families and backgrounds but made their dreams into reality and her
dream into a possibility. Big cities are much tougher than shown in Indian
television or movies. Here transportation, accommodation, jobs, expenses
everything is a battleground so she falls & breaks apart multiple times,
many get lost in the crowd but then there are some who rise up, who become
successful and become the inspiration for another million to leave their small
towns. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is why
Rani Mukherjee in the movie ‘Bunty aur bably’ was even ready to be a thief just
so that she can get funds enough to reach Mumbai where she could fulfill her
dreams to participate in Miss India contest. And in the movie Fashion, she
compromises on her value system to be a super model. These are of course
exaggerated situations but still an honest reflection of the insecurities and
fear these women face. Loosing isn’t a real option as they believe they belong
not where they come from but where want to reach. So she will settle only if it
promises to be a step up. Thousands of girls participate in Indian Idol and
many other reality shows every year as it gives them a platform to transcend
their life from being just talented to being an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">‘Idol’. </i>These are the women who will bridge the gap between the two
India’s.</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em>If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do a leave a comment. I love reading your comments.</em></span></span></div>
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</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-22888793911007140122011-12-07T03:55:00.000-08:002012-04-09T11:21:33.625-07:00First Diwali in Singapore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Last year was my first diwali in Singapore or for that matter, first ever diwali outside India. Diwali was middle of the week day with just one holiday at office. To be really honest, my expectations of celebrations were really low, for many reasons – no extended family, just one holiday, ‘how can diwali be fun outside India’ etc. However I was pleasantly surprised. My diwali here was really action packed and full of fun. This city is amazing; at least half the year goes in celebrations. From Oct to Feb, it’s all celebrations, holidays and festivity. It begins with Diwali where Little India becomes a month long festive fair followed by a big grand Christmas where it feels like the whole city is one grand Christmas tree decorated with the best decorations ever designed and ends with bright red celebration of Chinese New year, when not just China town is decorated; even the rest of the city offers deals, discounts, decorations, dragon dance, orange plants etc. It makes you feel like there is a place for everyone and anyone to make home here, to make it their own here and even everybody else’s. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anyway coming back to my diwali, it started with card parties beginning from two weekends before diwali and a weekend after diwali so that is continuous four weekends of dinner invites and cards. Now these dinners are a real serious affair, you block dates weeks in advance and you host the best Indian food. The house is beautifully done with rangoli of flowers and lit up with best candles and most ethnically done diyas, gone are the days of simple mud and oil diyas. Some enthusiastic hosts even had themes to the party. One of the good ones that I attended was <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>themed on ‘Indian streets’ where the food served was all Indian street food; batata vada, pav bhaji, keema pav, sev puri and then yummy jalebis. No it doesn’t end here, the icing on the cake was the banarasi paan. The host really took a lot of efforts in logistically organizing all this. The paav (Indian bread) came from Mumbai with some friends and the paan also came a week in advance from India and was frozen – now that I call as some planning and enthusiasm. Food, décor and now comes the clothes - for all these parties the dress code was best Indian fineries. Everyone was in best saris from Sabyasachi to Calcutta prints to Banarasi silks with sexy blouses. I had left all my heavy Indian clothes back home in India thinking I will never need them in Singapore, so I had to make do with the couple of saris that I had, but I survived beautifully well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now comes the turn for my party. Firstly I didn’t know that I would have to host a diwali party so I wasn’t prepared from months before to organize anything from India. So I did something intelligent, I kept the theme of my party as ‘Patiala house’ where everything was Punjabi. Now anything Punjabi is my comfort zone as I am one. The food was chicken tikka, fish tikka, handi chicken, chole, aalo chaat, gulab jaman. Except for the chicken & fist tikka, everything was cooked at home by my helper or me. The dress code was Punjabi salwars as this saved me from not having another sari. And the mood was most Punjabi thanks to my husband’s Patiala pegs and my collection of Punjabi songs. The house was full of flower and diya decorations. All in all it was a fun night and everyone had fun. I lost a lot of money in the card game and that too dollars and not Indian rupees and I got drunk. In between all these parties, there was a diwali gathering in my condo where my son lighted diwali sparkles with his friends. So that’s a tick for the crackers part of diwali, without which diwali would have been incomplete, especially if you have a kid at home.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do leave a comment. I love reading your comments.</span></div>
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</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-399957202446343522011-10-21T04:47:00.000-07:002011-11-03T04:35:05.137-07:00The girl in the bar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5L7mDZyXMMp2wS8VoO801_7Zuh9e5UvZnYZCQuyyq7OlLhKa_d13avUaI-5TtFo4485KWBm_bNU_2b0MuGOiAnCeisYQMUb3VKWjk6Sc0T_Ki5XNicGjbqCrrzjz0OiBBd7p79dw_Q_g/s1600/girl-at-bar-alone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670731616415630146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5L7mDZyXMMp2wS8VoO801_7Zuh9e5UvZnYZCQuyyq7OlLhKa_d13avUaI-5TtFo4485KWBm_bNU_2b0MuGOiAnCeisYQMUb3VKWjk6Sc0T_Ki5XNicGjbqCrrzjz0OiBBd7p79dw_Q_g/s320/girl-at-bar-alone.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify">I have grown up watching a lot of Hollywood movies. One scene that is quite common in multiple movies is this girl coming alone, in her little black dress, to a bar and ordering a drink. More often than not she orders for either vodka-tonic on gin-tonic. And here comes this hot looking young dude hitting on her. Now that is my fantasy to be this girl in the bar. I have never been to a bar alone. I have always had friends or boy friend or husband some one always with me. So I wonder sometimes how it feels to wear that black sexy dress and sit on that bar stool and be hit by a hot looking stranger. Now whether I accept that strangers offer or not would depend on multiple things but that’s not the point. This isn’t one of those unattainable fantasies, it is quite doable. I just need to find the right night for it, hopefully soon. Now to some this may seem like it’s only loosers who do this or want to be alone but to me it’s fascinating because sometimes all you need is to look good, get drunk and talk silly and that’s best when it’s a stranger not judging you.<br />It’s interesting how some of the images that we watch multiple times become our real life fantasies. </div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-51681610015586894502011-10-07T09:32:00.002-07:002012-04-04T23:38:21.527-07:00The Morning bus ride<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8-8T0RzEjkYtH0fM8i49O-X4itWCR70tXWLLvgnjNWtsoENV8n-uXrh9qB0NLydzkBa_MP8Co43_ujvMgFybvRnR8F9P3L9TtAzBQh5A0GbVX1qWeoS81suAXm_VOkfIf7stTto6Bv0/s1600/51+bus.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660789923413980610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8-8T0RzEjkYtH0fM8i49O-X4itWCR70tXWLLvgnjNWtsoENV8n-uXrh9qB0NLydzkBa_MP8Co43_ujvMgFybvRnR8F9P3L9TtAzBQh5A0GbVX1qWeoS81suAXm_VOkfIf7stTto6Bv0/s320/51+bus.jpg" style="display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 251px;" /></a><br />
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<div align="justify">For last ten months in Singapore, I have been taking Bus no. 51 to office. But it’s only recently I realized that I really enjoy this 20 mins of my morning bus ride. It is actually one of the best times of my day. I like sitting on the upper deck of the bus. It’s has more sunlight so it feels closer to the nature and is lesser busy than the lower deck where you are always distracted by the people getting in and out of the door. The ones that are there in the bus are busy with a gadget either playing a game or chatting on the phone or an ipad, so in the lower deck you only end up looking at these people. But I love the window seat on the upper deck. It makes me feel as if I have risen above the materialistic world. I feel as if I can now see the larger picture of life. From the window I see all people rushing to office and somehow I feel I am not among them though actually even I am one of them. I feel like I can now see the larger meaning of life which they cannot. It’s the time when I feel most relaxed and some best thoughts and ideas come to me during this time. I am able to see beyond the visible from here. Also it has a weird balanced comfort level, where you are amongst the strangers but still since you travel every day it’s a familiar place. So I like the fact that no one knows me and I don’t need to know anyone. It’s amazing what simple things can make you feel or the positive impact that it can have on you and you don’t even realize it. So tell me who says bus travel is slow and boring, to me it’s MY time.</div><br />
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<div align="justify"></div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-85223265053028425382011-10-01T03:31:00.000-07:002011-10-01T03:33:58.355-07:00You are beautiful!<div align="justify">I was at my son Neev’s school. A little American girl came to me and said ‘Neev’s mama you are beautiful’. I couldn’t stop my smile. I hugged her and said ‘Not as much as you’. All I know is suddenly I felt beautiful. A lot of people compliment us –friends, family, husbands, boy friends and colleagues, all the people who we know and matter. We get compliments at different places -parties, office, date, places and events which matter, where we have high stakes. But still some of the best compliments are the ones that you least expected or they are from someone your least expected. It is a special feeling when someone, mostly a stranger who has no selfish interest in making you happy, gives you a compliment. It simply feels genuine and honest. Many years back I got a similar compliment when I was doing a consumer group. As part of my job then, I had to meet consumers, young women and discuss with them about their idea of beauty. A woman then told me that ‘I want to be beautiful like you’. This again was this unexpected compliment that made me happy. It’s really not about whether you are beautiful or not it’s about what makes you feel beautiful and these are the moments that made me feel beautiful.</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-62392322394349627992010-06-17T06:47:00.001-07:002012-04-04T23:38:44.904-07:00My second first beer!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavgTkXjqBnucJOBxcdczcPk-sqMIetK-lTGkNgRaJ5QBML1-GTjJcc_ZFbWNQR3XdaLGm2jFtOIpsqe4aVl9E4mie8FNGS52FGRUECdU1APaWTxM_AErprGqoGuZ3nsRUTxH2LcvytoI/s1600/ist2_5843243-beer-glass.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483739887978824290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavgTkXjqBnucJOBxcdczcPk-sqMIetK-lTGkNgRaJ5QBML1-GTjJcc_ZFbWNQR3XdaLGm2jFtOIpsqe4aVl9E4mie8FNGS52FGRUECdU1APaWTxM_AErprGqoGuZ3nsRUTxH2LcvytoI/s320/ist2_5843243-beer-glass.jpg" style="display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 263px;" /></a><br />
<div align="justify">My husband was traveling and I was feeling extremely low and lonely. No this is not about why I was low, that’s for another time. This is about something else, a first time experience of something by chance on a lonely weekend.<br />
I was sunk into my laptop all day and the only time I emerged out, was for kiddy talks with my son, kiddy stories and even more kiddier games. Basically I was tired and bored. I hadn’t stepped out of home.<br />
So when my son slept for his Sunday afternoon nap and I was about to have lunch, I opened the refrigerator for a Diet Pepsi. It was a hot Mumbai summer afternoon, something chilly would definitely do good to me. There was no Pepsi in the refrigerator and while I was shutting the door, in between the gap of the refrigerator and its door, I saw an inviting can of beer. Something inside me said why not!<br />
I know you must be wondering what’s the big deal in having a beer. Well you are right; there is no big deal in having a beer. I had my first beer when I just passed class 10, many, many years back. That was my first sip of alcohol back then, so it was a big deal then, not now. Interestingly, it was kind of a big deal even now because this time was the first time I was having it alone.<br />
I always associated beer with fun and friends, something chilled to chill around. So while I was opening the can of the beer, it reminded me even more of the fact that there is no one to have this beer with. I had the first sip of beer and here is when the story began twisting. The first sip of a chilled beer is so gratifying that nothing else matters. One can really feel it pass down from your lips, to the throat, to your entire body system. And as it passed down, it magically took away every bit of grumpiness from every bit of me. I enjoyed it all by myself and I felt happy. I loved the fact that I am loving it alone. I loved the fact that I didn’t need anybody or anything else to feel happy. I loved the fact that sometimes happiness is just a refrigerator away. Try it! </div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-84168124146075571622009-07-27T11:35:00.001-07:002012-04-04T23:39:24.131-07:00Neev’s first day at school or was it mine???<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="justify">The day before School:<br />
Neev started his playgroup this June. I haven’t felt so nervous since a very long time as I felt the Sunday before his school. I went through the Parent instruction sheet multiple time to ensure I haven’t missed anything, checked his school bag three times. I counseled Neev since about a week before, about how exciting school would be- the toys, kids, games etc, just so that he has no first day fevers. I planned the day such that we are off to bed by nine (2 hours earlier than our otherwise bed time) and if you are a mother you would know this also needs pre-planning- early dinner, earlier afternoon nap, earlier morning etc. I had to keep reminding myself it’s not a school, it’s a playgroup and by mere definition it means, it’s a place where you come to play as a group but this didn’t reduce any anxiety. I was nervous as this was a new place for Neev, not just that this would be the first time, first place, where Neev would be alone without any one of us. Also what if he doesn’t like the school, he cries, other kids hit him etc etc.<br />
On the school day:<br />
We were the first ones to reach school, about ten mins earlier than we should have. Slowly kids started coming in and to my surprise the environment started getting more and more festive. I realized they were many more slightly nervous, slightly excited parents like me with their first child going for first day at school. There were dads and moms with cameras, pictures, new school bags, water bottles, etc.<br />
First three days of school, mothers were allowed to sit in so I went and sat in the class room which was one empty room with colorful floor mat and lots of toys. With a microscopic eye, I scanned every corner where my son would now spend 2 hours of 5 days in a week. All kids sat together, sang a prayer, played with toys, sang rhymes, it was so much fun. It almost felt like I was back to school, only this time I remember my first day. As time progressed Neev got comfortable and I was getting a bit relaxed too. Just then appears this boy who tries to snatch a toy from Neev’s hand and Neev in no time hits him back. Now this is something I surely wasn’t prepared for. Happy, playful environment turns into howls of this other boy. I took few minutes to register what just happened and to figure out how I should react. I scolded Neev and asked him to apologize to the other boy. And thankfully that day Neev listens to me and actually says ‘sorry’. And I promptly smile as if I just got a ‘good parent’ award. But with this came home a worry that was this a sign that will Neev grow up to be will be a violent kid, who will hit other children in school. But here I would like to go with my husband’s theory that there are two kinds of kids, one who hit others and others who get hit, at least our son is not the one who gets hit. But reassuringly no hitting happened next day or even the days after and Neev is having a blast in his ‘play group’.</div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-55138968540827975312009-07-25T00:12:00.000-07:002009-07-25T00:21:40.904-07:00A syambar…isn’t that an interesting concept<div align="justify"></div><p align="justify">These days I have been watching this reality show – Rakhi ka syambar. A syambar was a ritual mentioned in our epics where many princes went to the court of princess, where she used to choose the prince she would like to marry. Leave alone the content and review of the show but what got me fascinated is the modern interpretation of syambar in this show. Isn’t it interesting that many guys come try and impress you just so that you choose one of them to get married. I think even I would like a syambar but without the marriage in the end. I would just like to date all of them, give them tasks and then keep eliminating till I am down to just 3 or 4 left and that’s about it.<br />Actually who wouldn’t want this. We all know by now that Mr. right is just an idea in our mind and not a reality. No guy is actually perfect or the Prince charming as we have imagined. Each guy that we got attracted to in our lives has a glimpse or two of our Mr. Right but also lacked an aspect or two. So this syambar gives a chance of enjoying all aspects of our ‘prince charming’ but not through one but multiple guys. Now of course that happens in real life too but not at the same time. If one guy has some great qualities, a couple dates later, the not so great ones start surfacing. Yes, the winner in this idea is to get to experience all the things that we desire in our man through many men but at the same time as if it's one. I know this sounds a little whacko but think about it: a laughter riot lunch with this guy with most amazing sense of humor, a run in the eve with this sporty hunk and a candle light dinner, violins in the background, my little back dress and the most romantic guy. Now if one guy can’t have all of this- humor, sporty and romantic but I still desire all of this in the same day then why not all three. Now lets accept it, this does sound fun but of course minus the marriage.<br />Before I seem more and more weird, I think I should stop my imaginations here and stop watching too many reality shows.</p><p align="justify">Whether you find this silly or fun, do leave a comment, i will be happy to read.</p><p align="justify"><br /> </p>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-27290466452298014152009-04-05T12:52:00.001-07:002012-04-25T03:49:59.778-07:00Unfulfilled Love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sometimes I think that the most fulfilling love is the one that is unfulfilled. I know it sounds weird in beginning but it’s true. I also took long to realize this little truth about love, as in really long, almost one entire age for love. The feeling of longing for your love is a lot more intense than the phase after you think you have got your love. When I look back, the most precious moments of my love with my husband are actually the ones before we got married when he chased me or the phase when he fought the hardships of convincing my parents for our marriage. May be this is the reason why most famous love stories don’t have happy endings, may be this unfulfilled love of theirs is what makes their story so immortal.<br />
I also sometimes think that every person has at least one unfulfilled love hidden somewhere in their heart. This is what keeps their belief in love going. It is this longing which makes life painful and yet satisfying. The thought of it, may not come everyday but surely in those moments of solitude when only you can hear yourself or in those when you are so happy that even in spite of sharing it with all your near and dear ones, you still feel the joy a little incomplete or when you are so sad that you wish you had only that one person around, even if its only just for a brief moment.<br />
This unfulfilled love doesn’t mean that all the other fulfilled love that you have lived or are your life today are not true. They are all true, in fact more real than the unfulfilled one which probably is just an imagination, fantasy or a search of not a person but of a feeling, a passionate love that you thought how it should be. You sometimes see it come to you or at least experience a glimpse of it but because it’s so beautiful that you are scared that if you get too close to it or if you let it touch you for long, the reality of your life might get disturbed. The reality which you believe will write your future therefore which cannot be negotiated at any cost.<br />
I wish life wasn’t as complicated as this little piece of my writing sounds but unfortunately life is complicated. But I am glad that I realize this complication. I realize that some things are most fulfilling when they are unfulfilled and I don’t want to loose this one fulfillment.<br />
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If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do write a comment, I will be happy to read.</div>
</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-11479782120583566872009-04-05T12:51:00.002-07:002012-04-04T23:41:13.620-07:00Now I know what “Naughty” means<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="justify">My 21 month old Neev is getting naughtier by the day. I always saw other naughty kids and thought their moms never disciplined them which is why they behave like this, my son will never behave like this, and he will be a productive child and not a destructive one. This was only till few days back. Neev is growing up to break my every plan of rules and regulation in my bringing up. Let me just cut the chase and come directly to the first two big mischiefs of Neev. Big only because they caused a damage to my already shrinking pocket.<br />
About 15 days back, Neev threw his water bottle down the window from the 5th floor to hit to a windshield glass of my neighbors Innova car. This boy who otherwise refuses to bowl and always wants to bat suddenly felt like a bowler that moment. Damage= Rs.11000<br />
Just last week Neev decided to swing on my washing machine door and broke it. I thought he spends enough time in the garden swinging on the rides but it probably wasn’t enough. Damage = Rs. 300 + a week of unwashed clothes<br />
I fear to think what could be coming up next. I now take all possible precautions to ensure there is no more damage but my son doesn’t have to take much effort to surprise me these days. He is not even two but talks like a four year old. Every evening I come back from work to see some new words and concepts he has already learnt in a day. But this is fine and I actually feel happy to see him as an early learner but what I surely am not comfortable with is this restless, hyper active kid breaking things.<br />
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If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do write a comment, I will be happy to read.</div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-51762222168246384782009-01-30T11:23:00.001-08:002012-04-04T23:39:39.519-07:00Moments of guilt<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="justify">Two 'out of routine' things happened with me in last few days. First was about ten days back when I was getting ready in the morning for work, is when my nineteen month old son, for the first time in last one year, that’s since when I have started working post my maternity break, says “Mama office mat <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">jao</span>, mama <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">dadi</span>-house <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">nahin</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">jana</span>” which means “Mama don’t go to office, I don’t want to go to grand-ma’s house”. This paused everything living or non-living in this world for me, for a split second. This is something I was dreading ever since I started working but it had to happen one day. Till now my son never realized or understood this daily parting. My in-laws did a fairly good job in keeping him entertained through the day, such that he never really missed me. But this day, made me realize in no time that my son now understands and hence desires and demands for me to be with him, more than I do.<br />
As if this <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wasn</span>’t enough to disturb something inside me, day before yesterday I get a call from home saying that my son has hurt him self. I had to rush home, take him to a surgeon for stitches. Till date i thought vaccination was dreadful, anxiety always took over whenever I had to take my son for that horrible but important task. The thought of that evil needle poking the tender skin of my son always made me nervous. But the courage required to hear your child cry in pain for ten long minutes, while the doctor does whatever he has to, to stitch that bruised skin, was all together another level of bravery. I felt so helpless.<br />
Both these instances made me feel guilty, may be more momentarily but also as a constant thought within me always -the guilt for being a working mom. I know even if I were home, I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">couldn</span>’t have saved him from falling or getting hurt, it had nothing to do with my working. But still every time any such thing happens, it just shakes me up, making me doubt about the decisions and ambitions of my life. Life is about give and take. I just hope that me being a working mom, gives both of us- my son and me, much more than it will take from us. Actually some where I know it will make both of us better people and will help us to grow to be what we want to be but even then, this seed of doubt always crawls in.<br />
However when I came to office the next day after my son got hurt, one of my friend checked about how my son is doing and casually said that “hey so he has now become a boy, every boy gets stitches and there is more to come”. What got left behind with me was ‘There is more to come’, more of both of the above two incidents of last few days will now come my way more often and I have to be prepared. With this preparation, I elevated to this second stage of my motherhood.<br />
<br />
If my thoughts trigger a thought of you own, do post a comment. I would love to read.</div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-82899593772967129872008-12-11T03:30:00.001-08:002012-04-04T23:41:00.887-07:00As a Mumbai-kar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="justify">I have lived in Mumbai since I was six, so this means I have the roots and foundation inculcated by the city Bombay (when I was six) and now Mumbai. But what are these roots, what is it that a kid grown and living in this city has seen and feels today.<br />
Being in Mumbai, I have seen and experienced a lot of things that could have potentially made the city instable but didn’t. I was in 10th class when the Bombay blasts happen, my board exams were going on, which then got postponed because of this terror. All students that year took the first crucial exams that will decide their future career option, in the backdrop of multiple blasts, riots, killings in the city. But life went on…stronger than ever.<br />
Then there was multiple rain floods…the worst of it being the 26/7, where I spent the night in office, my mom spent the night walking home, many lost their lives, many homes drowned, many lost their cars, wealth…the damage is indefinable….but life went on…with the spirit of the city winning over any calamity. Then the multiple train blasts, where again, life kicked-off again the very next morning, to make a living. That was Mumbai, which was made of a soul, which knew to combat all hardships, be it political, infrastructure that sucks, terror attacks or natural calamity.<br />
But then happened the recent Mumbai terror attacks that were beyond any spirit, which shook the very soul of every human in this city. This was the first incident that touched me in a way nothing ever did before this. It in fact took me 2 weeks to gather my lost thoughts, to get me writing on this. It’s not about the number of causalities in a single incident, that the city has seen before, it’s the fear that we lived for about 60 hours. It’s the announcement that no one is safe, not even the classes who wine and dine in places like ‘Taj’. I may sound discriminating but the hard truth is all the events prior to this essentially, mostly impacted the innocent masses and probably not the privileged ones like us. This is the first time that something impacted the riches of the city and making us realize how the previous events must have impacted the average, innocent people of the city. Yet the city progressed because it’s the average Mumbai-Kars need to keep going on, not for any spirit of the city, but more for survival.<br />
Almost everyday we heard the painful stories of life and death, the number of stories kept diminishing by the day, but the pain and fear is taking its toll. There are some people who I personally know who lost their lives, leaving me believe in uncertainty of life. A innocent question by my friend’s five year old daughter, in a school gathering to mourn death of fathers of their 7 students: “Mama is it Christmas preparation”, left my friend speechless, that was one question she was and will never be prepared to answer.<br />
There are some more who I know, who skipped death by couple minutes and even seconds, a friend who got saved by nature’s call, who went to the loo in Leopold café while the firing destroyed the same very table, where he was enjoying his beer. This was nothing but sheer luck.<br />
Then there are many more including me, who could have been where ‘the end’ was but weren’t there and are living today. Yes, living but with something dead within us, something that feels so uncomfortable, a thought that makes even our smile seem so gloomy, something within that feels so hollow. The candle light march looked as beautiful as a tragedy can get. The candle flames were the perfect union of grief and anger but the hope is that it will not end all here. We thank god today to have survived but the only meaningful way to thank god is to do something in our own way to stop this horror, to make a silent, little difference to the sufferers. We need to be the change, we want to see’.<br />
Nothing on this subject can end without a tribute to the warriors who fought this reality show which we wish never happened. If this was the worst of human mind, then we also the best of human nature in form the commandos, army and the police who saved hundreds of life at the cost of their own. They are the ones who kept our faith in man kind going. </div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-12166318121685587932008-09-29T12:17:00.001-07:002012-04-04T23:42:27.672-07:00Changing point of views<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="justify">In last few months, some very interesting things happened with some of the people around me.</div><div align="justify">1. A good friend of mine about a year back strongly thought that she would never have baby. I remember one afternoon, her words were –“having a baby is just not my scene. I am too selfish to look beyond me and care for someone else in a way that a mother has to. If I ever felt the need in life, I will adopt a baby at 40 etc etc etc”. This same very woman is today not just happily pregnant; but she is actually enjoying every bit of it.</div><div align="justify"><br />
2. Another friend of mine who always looked down upon other women who had extra-marital affairs or flings, she could give lectures on how unethical this is and how important loyalty is for her, is now falling for another guy. (I know this scoop sounds interesting but this post is not about that. More on this may be in some other post in future). The big thing is that she is no longer judgmental about other women.</div><div align="justify"><br />
3. My sister who just 6 months back before her marriage, used to never spend time with my mom, never really value her much, now post she has got married and moved away, gives me lectures about how important it is to give time to parents. She talks for hours with mom from London, another city, another country, more than she ever did when she was in the same city, same house as my mom.</div><div align="justify"><br />
4. This guy friend of mine who thought women get boring and uninteresting when they become a mom, now teases me as “yummy mummy”<br />
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All the above four are unrelated but there is still one common thing between all of them which is the changing point of views. It’s interesting how people with time, stages and circumstances change their point of views, sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. Actually there isn’t anything good-bad, or right-wrong about it, as it’s just one persons point of view. This got me thinking that however strong or rigid a person’s view may seem at a particular point in time, the reality is that, it is the view or the truth of just that point in time and not forever. How true is the famous quote that –change is the only constant in this world.</div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-91936350198315595392008-09-28T03:24:00.001-07:002012-04-04T23:42:47.305-07:00First Picture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8ylxAnPKSloGa03ROVF0Ier78DLb-YWMii6zePK9hnujoCvomiGWzcYIF-PQ0bnYkLTuHMceQ0J7gjp8SoqiiLh9OU77LF3333-8awz5RQPjUbOuyaO4fPMcp8IJccnFK-Wf-NrmOmI/s1600-h/Face.bmp"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251020361503627730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8ylxAnPKSloGa03ROVF0Ier78DLb-YWMii6zePK9hnujoCvomiGWzcYIF-PQ0bnYkLTuHMceQ0J7gjp8SoqiiLh9OU77LF3333-8awz5RQPjUbOuyaO4fPMcp8IJccnFK-Wf-NrmOmI/s200/Face.bmp" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />
<div>Feb 2007<br />
This is when I had gone for my first 4-D sonography. These are the thoughts that had come to my mind then, when I saw my baby’s first pic, this is what I had captured in Feb 2007.<br />
<br />
First picture…<br />
<br />
Saw your first picture yesterday<br />
No…saw a life within me yesterday<br />
<br />
A life which will step into this world soon<br />
Soon into this world full of sorrows and joys<br />
World full of reality and dreams<br />
<br />
But will I be able to help create your dreams?<br />
What about my own dreams?<br />
Will I have to forget my dreams to fulfill yours?<br />
Don’t know…all I know is I saw a picture of you yesterday<br />
The first picture of reality<br />
<br />
Saw your first picture yesterday<br />
No…saw a life within me yesterday<br />
<br />
Your tiny feet, little hands, shut eyes<br />
Are so pure and innocent that I fear<br />
I fear that my love and care may not be enough<br />
May not be enough to nurture you, to grow you<br />
To a person you would want to be<br />
Will I be to able create a picture of tomorrow as beautiful<br />
As the first picture of yours I saw yesterday<br />
<br />
Saw your first picture yesterday<br />
No…saw a life within me yesterday.</div><br />
<div></div><br />
<div>Now my son is 15 months old. And trust me the reality is a lot more happier, naughtier than the pic :)) But what is still the same is that it still is a life within me...and will always be.</div><br />
<div></div><br />
<div>If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do post a comment. I love reading your comments.</div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-84341284869852208032008-09-28T03:15:00.001-07:002012-04-04T23:43:09.612-07:00An ordinary woman when in love!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Was just going through some of my old files and came across something that I had written many years back in year 2000. This is when things weren’t looking so rosy about my relationship with my boy friend then and now my husband.<br />
Now that I read these thoughts, these words seem so honest and beautiful. It’s truly so beautiful to be in love, makes me want to fall in love again and yet again!<br />
<br />
<strong>20 August, 2000<br />
</strong>It’s so beautiful to fall in love with you,<br />
But so painful to be away form u<br />
<br />
I feel like hitting you and then cuddling innocently<br />
I feel like annoying you and then pleasing lovingly<br />
I feel like talking endlessly and admiring speechlessly<br />
I feel like feeling you and then loving fearlessly<br />
But for this I need you and not your thoughts within me<br />
<br />
There is a desire to love the man who enhances the woman in me<br />
There is a desire to be in the arms which handles the insecurity in me<br />
These unfulfilled desires arouse a pain within me,<br />
This pain makes the time to be moving slow<br />
And the day I’ll be yours seems very far,<br />
There is happiness and joy when I meet you,<br />
But followed by fear and pain to part with you.<br />
<br />
Our love makes others angry and then they fear<br />
This makes me cry and you wipe my tear,<br />
But I want them to know that we are not wrong,<br />
Our love is not selfish but an unheard song,<br />
When this song will be heard, its melody will spread,<br />
Everybody will be happy and I’ll be in my wedding red,<br />
The red will bring the pink and blue<br />
Our love will be lovable by me and you.<br />
<br />
If these thoughts on love trigger a thought of your own, do post a comment. I would love to read.</div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-1624047943901100502008-08-25T15:06:00.001-07:002012-04-04T23:44:19.146-07:00George Carlin's Views on Aging<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hey a friend of mine forwarded this interesting note on aging to me. Thought must share as it's funny & yet quite insightful. Am sure you will connect with it too.<br />
<br />
George Carlin's Views on Aging:<br />
Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions. 'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.<br />
You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. 'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!<br />
But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!<br />
<div align="justify">After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday! You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30 ; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.'Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!' May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong>As it's evident I have already "turned 30" :)))</strong></div><div align="justify"></div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-43264270718054424832008-08-25T13:35:00.001-07:002012-04-04T23:43:42.760-07:00Was it my last or first holiday?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPjmUpgVnAoDcUt9C798tuFHJwcxDeedo0ZAJRTvmRXGHTRmauAo2XYQyTYazzOxymNunfamRQimOp_GrvHGWzJ2mGa_XHMQJT2PeCbdks7AjyohywuT_QWvFxatNAJyYb6qlWj2kRYc/s1600-h/IMG_0181.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="128" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238573621935777058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPjmUpgVnAoDcUt9C798tuFHJwcxDeedo0ZAJRTvmRXGHTRmauAo2XYQyTYazzOxymNunfamRQimOp_GrvHGWzJ2mGa_XHMQJT2PeCbdks7AjyohywuT_QWvFxatNAJyYb6qlWj2kRYc/s320/IMG_0181.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" width="206" /></a><br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8BfNy7NI07NRAVrC50VimBWLabFPhyphenhyphenSrZez5_hGvn0DbcEAUg30iEcNyEXNAkd5LxVqhHKaZ9sNU60u_2OUbnA3TZuBcv0O3BQ8_M7iCZcClOvJo4yjiaxTIE83RaDIh_ubQ0DZQED4/s1600-h/IMG_0049.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="154" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238569556397792818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8BfNy7NI07NRAVrC50VimBWLabFPhyphenhyphenSrZez5_hGvn0DbcEAUg30iEcNyEXNAkd5LxVqhHKaZ9sNU60u_2OUbnA3TZuBcv0O3BQ8_M7iCZcClOvJo4yjiaxTIE83RaDIh_ubQ0DZQED4/s320/IMG_0049.jpg" style="float: left; height: 129px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 187px;" width="237" /></a><br />
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<div align="justify">Last month I went for a holiday to Mauritius with my husband and our one year old son. This was my first proper long distance holiday ever since my son was born. But this holiday was quite different from all my last ones. </div><br />
<div align="justify">Earlier holiday meant lots of sex, this time there was hardly any sex since there was no nanny which meant our son was always with us.<br />
Earlier holiday was about long meals & long chats. This time also it was about long meals but not for long chats but for my son’s long fussy slow eating & never without stories.<br />
Earlier holiday, especially beach holidays, meant lots of adventure thrill & water sports. This time also there was lots of adventure but in the baby pool.<br />
Earlier if the mornings began with afternoons & ended with late night clubbing, then this time the hungry howl kicked off the mornings and really hard & desperate attempts to make him sleep were the nights.<br />
Lots of booze got replaced with more milk, sun-bathing got replaced with sand castles, groovy disco & rock music got flipped with ‘twinkle twinkle little star’, bungee jumping with jumping and just jumping all around.<br />
Yes a lot of things changed, but it was still the most fulfilling time I had. All the things that I just cribbed about were actually lot of fun. They were all the things I did the first time or at least first time as an adult and that made it so much more exciting. I got to live my childhood again, actually I get to do that every time, every moment I spend with my son. Yeah it’s really time consuming to tell a story and make him eat his every meal. But I love those stories, I always did. They got new characters, concepts & dreams like Cinderella prince and my friendly neighbor hood Spider Man, in my life. I enjoyed the baby pool; it gave me a pool of joy splashing water in that 2-feet pool. A good, solid sand castle isn’t easy either to build and to then jump on it for kicks isn’t less fun. I enjoyed every bit of my time. All that I did was so much more satisfying compared to all that I couldn’t do this time. Well not sex but am sure we can make up for that. So though this may not be mean last of the earlier kinds of holidays, it surely wasn’t the last of my new kind of first holiday. I am so ready for the next one. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div></div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3117347535705333114.post-25614854245119236572008-08-23T01:22:00.001-07:002012-04-04T23:44:02.700-07:00In my blooming pink hood!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="justify">‘Pink is for girls and blue is for boys’ is something I heard all the time. My one year old son’s clothes, toys, room, everything is blue. But this is not about by son, it’s about me. It’s different when in childhood someone else makes you wear pink or blue; you at that point don’t realize colors. You do grow up subconsciously believing that pink is for girls and blue is for boys. My son will do the same. I did the same, grew up from pink frocks to pink ribbons to pink Barbie to pink tops to many more colors in teens. But this is not just wrapping your self with pink, this is about feeling pink. Though I did all the girly things in childhood & college. I played house-house, parlour-parlour, girly gossips, ribbons, floral skirts, soft toys, high-school dramas, Mills & Boons, love stories, American Pie, boy friends etc. But even then, I think I feel most girly or rather womanly now. I understand womanhood a lot better; I enjoy it to its fullest now. Have grown up from rather superficial but fun girly things to enjoying the real power of my feminity. I have experienced the most beautiful moment of any woman’s life when she becomes a mother. I enjoy every bit of growing up my son. I like the fact that even though my husband contributes as much as I do to manage the house, well almost as much, it’s still me who gets the ‘super woman’ status. I love to do things which bring a smile on the faces of my aging parents. I feel proud to finally see that pride in their eyes of having a daughter. Intelligence, looks, success give a different joy & confidence of being a woman now. I love all the unfair advantages as well. I like spending time with my girl friends. I enjoy sex and the city. I love filling this space with my thirty something thoughts. In this spirit, I truly feel pink now, just the shade of pink has got deeper, and it’s no longer Barbie pink. There is substance.<br />
I don’t believe in chance hence incase if you haven’t already, please note the change of color of my blog.</div><div align="justify">If my thoughts trigger a thought of your own, do write a comment. I love to read your comments.</div></div>Ektahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08563464297510852679noreply@blogger.com1