Change is the only constant...

Hello my dear Blogggies!!!
I'm writing this because I want to talk to you guys... Tell you how good my day was... I'm too excited about the current happenings in my life..Especially at the workplace and not to forgot the upcoming Monday being off : D


Once Akbar said to Birbal, "Give me one such sentence that when a happy person reads it, he feels unhappy! And when an unhappy person reads it, he feels happy"

Birbal replied, "This time will soon fade away....."

Ye waqt guzar jaaega....


To make it simple, that changes in circumstances are constant... Bad times won't last long...We must not lose hopes and have a positive attitude towards life. Good thoughts attract good events to occur, which will lead to fulfillment of your wishes and give you happiness.

Today I had my half-yearly feedback from my Reporting Authority (R.A.) and the Boss. When my R.A. told me to not to go on a tea break and stay back for a while as he and Ma'am (The Boss) would be calling me in the conference room and give me their half-yearly feedback on my performance, I froze to death, literally!




My jaw dropped, my mouth open and I was like "What?, Now? Nooo, Plz noo"

I could say this to him as I have a good rapport with him and I feel free to talk  like a child sometimes in front my my entire team.. (I'm the youngest in my office, as far as I know, I'm the youngest on the floor where 100 something people work)
He assured me it won't be so bad...

My reaction was not a result of low performance at workplace or something like that. But because I'm a newbie, this being my first job its my first half-yearly review and feedback. Also because some team- members had a negative image of my attitude towards work, which was actually a result of a couple of colleagues who played politics.

I was soon called in the conference room. It was freezing in there. The AC runs at as low temperatures as 14 degrees Celsius! I was trying not to shiver, or it may give an impression that I am scared. My Boss and RA sat there next to each other. The two people whom I see everyday, smile and greet, sit next to, telling them whatever they asked about my family and experience being away from home, suddenly seemed to be different... I was not comfortable at this moment....

They offered me a seat...
I settled down on a chair that was set across the table clutching my small turkish kerchief in my fist. I sniffed a couple of times because of my cold.
My Boss began explaining me about the review and asked me how was my experience in the last ten months.
I calmly replied telling them about what all processes I learnt, how my RA contributed to my learning process by focusing on me as a new in industry and pushing me to learn more and more about the entire mechanism.

She seemed happy with the completion of a couple of projects that had been assigned to me. But she had a complaint that I didn't flash the results on daily basis through mails.
Ya, that was my bad. I did it every alternate day when I had substantial things to flash.

And as I mentioned earlier about some team- members having a negative image of my attitude towards work, I got yet another negative feedback.

That was enough to provoke me. I think I'm doing pretty well when you consider the fact, that I always wanted to work in the branch of the Bank, yet I'm forced to work here in International Operations.

This time I just couldn't do away with what I always did, listening quietly, wondering if I'm really so wrong, realizing that I'm not wrong, and regretting I didn't open my mouth to defend myself.

Then what? I explained my Boss the real situation. I took names of those people who try to hinder into my work and performance. I repeated what they said, word to word, which was the reason behind my negative image being formed and hence the this negative feedback. I also told that I had discussed this issue with my RA, who was now sitting silent as he had nothing to say when my Boss questioned him. I actually felt bad for him. I wish he had taken necessary action earlier itself.

But I had to take a stand for myself. How long could I bear with it?
So it was all sorted out and I came out from the conference room with a big grin on my face. I was happy.




I felt lighter. My RA immediately assigned me a new task, the process of which I had noted down in my notepad during my internship seven months back, but never got a chance to actually do that transaction. I was happy, for learning a new thing.

So....I have changed...I've become strong, bold, and I can speak up for myself...
I got a lot to learn yet... The Art of Persuasion...
That's because I would be working in a branch one day....very soon....

And one more good news! As until now we were working full day on alternate Saturdays and half day on the other alternate ones, so now we will be working alternate Saturdays full day and we would now be getting alternate Saturdays OFF!!! YAYYYY!!!
Isn't that great? Isn't that a good change???



P.S.- I miss Shagun!
P.P.S.- I changed the layout of my blog, to suit today's topic! Do tell me how did you feel about the new look of my blog! :D

Life is short....Don't waste it in hating anyone....
Spread the word of love and joy...

Shagun, My Sweeheart...

I have always had this fascination for babies.. I love them....their innocence...their tiny cute hands..their beautiful eyes...the sweet face like God...
I have always loved babies ....holding them in my arms...pacifying them when they cry, making them laugh, and watching them grow from babies to toddlers and so on...
I don't know why, but kids don't stay in my arms for long..sometimes they start crying, may be because they are too small to understand that they are actually in safe hands no matter how hard I try making them realize that....But no, they only want to be in their Mommy Dearest's arms...
I don't even mind if babies pee or poop or vomit on me...I feel myself sooo lucky :D

The first baby I handled successfully for a long time was my little sister, Tillu. I was seven years old when she had come to our family as a little bundle of joy... I will share more memories of our childhood with you in the upcoming posts...

So, I actually wanted to tell you all about the bond that Shagun shares with our  family. The little angel with an innocent face, bright eyes, curly hair, super-chubby cheeks is the baby who lives next door.
I also call her 'Shaggy', 'Shaggu', 'Golu-Molu'... And have lots of pics of her to share with you..


When the angel had just arrived!


She was 7 months old when Shagun's family, i.e., she, and her Mom & Dad moved into the adjacent flat.


Shaggy with her Grandma..

When I first saw her, she was so tiny and chubby. It was instant love! 




She was a silent baby, who rarely cried, always smiled. Once her mom left her with us for an hour, so she could set her house right. Then gradually an hour turned into hours in the coming weeks. I realized Shaggy liked being with us. She loved to be with me, sleeping in my arms while resting her head on my shoulder. Playing with me. Eating tiny crushed grains of plain rice. She gave me intense pleasure. I loved her so much, and I still do.


Miss Grumpy Swami! ;p

Soon she was the part of our family. She loved sitting and bouncing on my Dad's lap, clinging to my Mom's dress urging her to pick her up in her arms, tearing pages from my books, putting everything she laid her hands on in her mouth and we preventing her to do that... Evening used to be fun. She has turned from a quiet baby into a mischievous toddler.
Her laughter makes flowers bloom in my heart, the touch of her tiny hands on my face soothes me...


Kya attitude hai!

Shaggy started getting teeth when she was nine months old. She might be having a really bad itch, because of which she used to chew on whatever she found, tomato, raw potato, carrot, notebook, and even the mouse pad!


Baby ke paas 6 daant hain...
Tumhare pass kya hai?
HAIIIN?

Two months later she had started walking! But she often felt shaky and felt down like a Thuddd! It was the beginning yet... Soon she perfected walking in one month and could walk by herself.
Oh God! She is such a Toofaan Mail now. Keeps on running helter-skelter and bumping into objects, and making us run after her. Ufff! It felt like I ran a Marathon!


Isn't it Whacky??!!

And I was surprised to see her join hands and bow her head in front of God, and say Jai-Jai! And then she would take some vermilion on her fingers and put it on our forehead! Now how divine is that!

Shaggu is an inquisitive baby. She pick up things, turns them right round, upside down, inside out and if she can't open anything, she would simply come to anyone of us and give that thing in our hand and say 'Kholo' (Open it up)


Shagun doing Jai-Jai!

Shaggy turned one year old on 2nd December last year.It was a moment of joy!


Shagun with her Dad & Mom on her first birthday..

I miss her....staying away for a couple of weeks me gives me such a stabbing pain. :(
Thanks to cell phones! I can atleast hear her talk in the gibberish  way. She has picked on many a words....Paapa, Mamma, Aunty, Uncle, Didi, Tillu, Apple, Aloo, Totti (that's for Roti), Maandu (that's for my name, Manju) Its so good to hear her call my name in her sweet voice... It makes me cry out of joy!


Shaggu: "Ain't I a cool baby? Yo!

Now that I'm away from home, it makes her really happy seeing me on weekends. Once she happened to be sitting on the couch in my home when I had arrived. She let out a happy shriek when she saw me. She crawled down the couch and came running at the door. I threw away my back-pack and picked her up in my arm...Oh...It felt like I was holding all the happiness of the world in my arms. I hugged her tightly and kissed her plump cheeks. She too put her tiny arms around my neck and hugged me tight. She was then patting the back of my shoulder...and bouncing with joy! She licked my cheek when I indicated her to kiss me....Oh! That was the best kiss ever....!!!

She then pointed towards my portrait that hung on the wall of the drawing room and pointed back to me and said 'Maandu Didi'! Awwwwwwww...that was the first time she called my name! Thanks to my Mom, for training her.


Shagun's Maandu Didi.

All my tiredness because of the journey back home faded away... I played and danced on the latest Bollywood numbers with my little angel till the night...


Shaggu's patent dance, Balle Balle!!!

Feeding her khichdi & mashed potato with my hands was feeling so good... She sat on my lap, having tiny morsels of her favorite food and sips of water with my hand and making happy faces telling me how much she is enjoying the meal.... It was sheer pleasure...
After  dinner, my darling wanted to sleep... So I gave her back to her Mom and kissed my baby goodbye and promised her to meet in the morning...




Its a beautiful feeling seeing a child grow...knowing that s/he loves you so much... and you just long to be with each other all the time... Our bond we share with Shagun is deeper than the blood ties...its beyond comprehension how I feel having her in my life...

As I had mentioned in my previous post that I would be going home on the coming Saturday, I would be meeting Shaggy and have same old fun with her! Yay Yay!
I feel so empty when I'm not with her.. My home feels so hollow when she doesn't visit..
She fills my home with happiness, with her love, and her playful shrieks, & chummoo (kisses)....
We are so happy to have her with us....
May God bless Shagun with all the happiness and virtues...

P.S.- Shagun once called me 'Daadi' (Grandma). That was when her Dad & Mom told her to do so!
I call them 'Uncle' & 'Aunty' inspite of they being elder to me by just 8 & 5 years respectively.
So they justified it that Shaggy is straight 20 years younger to me! So, I must be called Daadi, and not Didi!
What a revenge! :p

Monday Special!

Hi there my dear Bloggies!
I went through a lot of blogs and I found that many of the bloggies had something special to talk about on a particular day of the week. I liked the concept very much. So, I thought why not I also try out something like that.
I love listening to music, and decided that let Mondays be the 'Music Special'!...


Monday Special!


And I would really love it if  these posts would be interactive. So do share what you like, or what you don't, who's your favourite, we will definitely feature it here on the subsequent Monday..

So shall we start with my first Monday...?


Music in my soul...

I love Linkin Park, Backstreet Boys, Westlife, Akcent, FloRida, Kesha, Pink Floyed...the list is endless... But the most favourite band of mine is and always will be 'BLUE'.
Yes, you read it right...The boy band from U.K...Duncan James, Simon Webbe, Lee Ryan and Antony Costa. I still listen to their numbers which are 6-7 years old...

Ever since this band split in 2004, because all of them went on to pursue solo careers, it lost its identity...the solos were not so popular in India though..this is what I came to know when I play their songs and my cousins and frraands asking me, 'Which song?', 'Which album?', 'Who's this guy?'


BLUE- The Band!
You rock guys!
Mwaaaaah!


I feel too bad...I have song tracks of all the solo albums of these guys...and I loved 'Future Past' the most, Duncan's solo album.. So today I wish to share 'Save this Moment for Me'.
Its a super-romantic and  a really beautiful song, with heart-touching lyrics, reflecting a guy's deep love for his girl....and how he hopes to be with her....atleast in the memories...and the promise to be there for her forever...


Duncan...My heart-throb ever since I saw him..
He still is and will continue to be my heart-throb forever...


The initial part of this song is too lovely...just a piano and Duncan's serene voice...
I get tears in my eyes *sniff*  and goosebumps too baba *sniff*...Sorry, excuse me plz...*sniff sniff sniff*
Ka Karen Bhaiyya...Hum na...tanik emo-son-al kism ka praani hoon.... :p
Here it goes...Hope you guys will like it too...


Save this moment for me.....

 I don't know what it is about you 
But you're always on my mind 
I don't know if you feel the same way I do 
'Coz we're running out of time 
I just need you to know 
There's a memory I hold 
And I wanted to share it with you... 



So won't you.... Save this moment for me 
Close your eyes and you'll feel 
That I'm right here beside you 
And I'm holding your hand 
So... let this moment be ours 
Even though we're apart 
Understand that I still love you 
We're living separate lives
But right now its our time.... Save this moment for me 



I just want you to trust me 
And I want you to care ..ohhh 
If its too late for us now 
Keep this moment be shared 
I just want you to know 
If you're ever alone 
Call my name and I'll always be there 

So won't you.... Save this moment for me 
Close your eyes and you'll feel
That I am right here beside you 
And I'm holding your hand 
So... let this moment be ours 

Even though we're apart 

Understand that I still love you 

We're living separate life

But right now its our time.... Save this moment for me 


If I could go back in time 

There will be no doubt in your mind 
Of how much I love you........



Save this moment for me 
Close your eyes and you'll feel
That I am right here beside you 
And I'm holding your hand 
So... let this moment be ours 
Even though we're apart 
Understand that I still love you 
We're living separate life
But right now its our time.... Save this moment for me...

Happy Diwali !!! Waiting for a lot more fun though...

Hello my dear Bloggies! I'm back with loads of stuff to tell you about!
I've had a week-long break from work, and this city...Had a great time at home!
Its strange how my fever vanishes when I go back home, and it surfaces again when I'm back in Mumbai..May be that's because the climate here doesn't suit me and also the intense pangs of homesickness..

So..it was time for celebration...Festivity in the air! It was a time for some hustle and bustle in the kitchen with mom making all those yummy sweets and savories for Diwali, the festival of lights, joy, hope, and a new beginning...
I had great time helping her in the kitchen...and tasting all the stuff...tasting to make out if everything is good was just an excuse...I love sweets and my Mom doesn't allow me eating much of it...She thinks I've become plump already.. :(


Courtesy: Google.com(Images)


It was a great feeling to be there after such a long time...Decorating the home with lights, oil lamps and marigold flowers.. The scented atmosphere was so rejuvenating..


Courtesy: Google.com(Images)


The prayers in evening and morning made me feel so calm and at peace..I enjoyed lighting up oil lamps and drawing rangoli with my sister...


Courtesy: Google.com(Images)


We had a pooja on  Dhanteras...praying for perpetual prosperity..Laxmi poojan was great, lively and I was so much into it...


Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth & Prosperity.

Exchanging sweets and chocolates with relatives, neighbors, and friends was as usual, an act to show love and happiness for each other...Wishing each other a prosperous and happy future...

I love this festival because it brings all of us together, have a great time, forget all our worries, and just chill!

But time has wings, it flew away so fast, I didn't realize the week was approaching its end, I had already postponed coming back once...but this time  had to leave...

How I never wanted to return...


It was the night of 27th October...I was done with packing all my stuff in my back-pack..
I went to bed but couldn't sleep as I was anxious and tensed...and ended up with tossing and twisting in bed until midnight..Finally I went to sleep at around 3am I guess... I had this terrible nightmare that I've been fired from my job! Because I fall sick too often and take atleast two sick leaves a month...

I was trying to explain my problem to my Boss in my dream...It was then my alarm in my cell went off waking me up and that put a full stop to my roller-coaster ride... I barely slept for 75 minutes..

I talk a lot with myself in my mind, especially when I'm in depression or panic mode!
And I was like.. 'Oh God! Why why why? Why me? I don't want to go' and I was kicking and punching my into the mattress..I felt depressed...Tears rolled down my cheeks...I was praying to God for some disaster...if not a miracle..that would not let me return to Mumbai...
May there be a heavy downpour and all the routes towards Mumbai be flooded...
Let there be an political unrest in Singapore and the government collapses and there be Presidential elections again...We will get an off!
I knew the possibilities of these events occurring were as good as nil...

It was 4.20 am...But hey...wait a minute! Its the alarm in my cell, right? Not the one in dad's cell... It was a moment of joy!
Dad's phone didn't blare...I thought he forgot to set the alarm! And again, I was like 'Yes yes yes yes! Yahoooooo! Yaaba Daaba Doooo!' I won't have to go today either!
I began to think, how I'll wake up at 10am and get ready, go to my cousin's place... We had plans since a month but haven't been able to execute it... She will teach me  her recipe of egg-less chocolate cake, and I will make hot chocolate for all of us, we six cousins... And then we will all go lakeside in evening, have corn roasted on coals and rubbed with lemon, red chili and salt...
I sighed, thanked God....

But right after 10 minutes I heard something...and all my Yessing, Yahooing and Yaaba Daada Dooooing went down the drain... I heard dad's cell ringing like a monster roaring and trying to scare me... and I was again in depression mode... Dad called my name from his room, told me too wake up else I will miss the train.. I heard mom say, in her deep slumber, 'Did you iron your dress?' Oh gaaawd, she is so meticulous about everything even when in deep sleep!

Gaaawd! What a fool I'm? Thinking my Dad would have forgotten that it was my time to go resume my job...
Why did I just talk to myself for these ten minutes... Instead I should have sneaked into Dad's room and diffused the alram-bomb...

So I got ready, and said bye to mom and dear sisi and they kissed me on my forehead and cheeks respectively...and told me to take care of myself...and also telling me to come back after 2 weeks...I left for the station with the box full of sweets for my colleagues at office and my dear roomies...I boarded the train and waved Bye-Bye to Dad...I enjoyed a sweet slumber during my 4 hour journey..reached office at 10 with a sick look on my face, disgusted in my mind about my life like this...

I entered, and sat at my workstation, cribbing and complaining in my mind... After all the whining I felt much better.. I looked around, my office looked pretty, it was dolled up with decorations, fresh marigold flowers, oil lamps, and light...It reminded me of the time back home...

There were decorated pots on everyone's workstation.. There had been several competitions last week, pot painting, rangoli and mehendi competitions, when I was on leave...










I managed to click some decent pictures of my office from a cell phone camera...










Lively...isn't it?
Hope that you too had a blast this diwali with your loved ones!
So I'm just waiting for 5th November...I will be going back home again and also at my cousins' place to have loads of fun with them all! We got an off on 7th November!
Yay!!!

Tired soul!


Hello My Dear Bloggies!!!
I haven't been able to write for a while now....
Partly because I'm lazy and its keeping my mind away from thinking....
And I'm working on weekends too, full day, ten hours...  L
Plus I'm not keeping well. I got a soar throat, fever and cold..... L
What can be worse?
I feel drained out & stressed...and in this situation I can't come up with anything useful and nice for you guys to read...


So, I will take a break for a couple of days or may be a little more than that....
Diwali is about to come! Time for celebration!
Yay!!!:D
Got a lot to do...No shopping done yet! :O
Will go home for 5 days! Maring Dandi to office for 2 days!!!
And will be back with loads of happy things to tell you about, most probably Diwali celebrations!
I'll be online and read your posts though...
Have a happy time everyone!


P.S. - Maring Daandi, means bunking!
That's Marathi + English!

Dummy's guide to making Poha.


Lousy Sunday...Happening Breakfast!
Ask me what I want to have for breakfast and I'll say Poha!
I love having poha a lot. Its healthy, filling, delicious and easy to make!
So I decided to post a simple recipe of Poha for those who wish to relish it but aren't much into cooking.
Hope you try it out and would like it....
So without much ado, lets start making it... J

Poha.

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 15 mins.

Ingedients:

Poha (Rice Flakes)- 150 grams/ 2 cups.
Onion- 1 large, finely chopped.
Potato- 1 medium sized, diced into small cubes.
Tomato- 1 medium sized, finely chopped.
Green chilies- 5 nos., slit.
Curry leaves- 8-10 leaves.
Cilantro- For garnish, finely chopped.
Turmeric- 1/3 tsp.
Red chili powder- 1/3 tsp
Salt- To taste
Lemon juice- 2 tsp
Sugar- 1/3 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/3 tsp
Cumin seeds (Jeera)- 1/3 tsp
Oil- 4 tbsp

Method:

  1. Take poha in a colander and wash it well a couple of time. Let the water drain.


2. Heat oil in a skillet. Add mustard seeds and cumin and let it splutter.

3. Now add potatoes and fry it till they start turning golden.



4. Add curry leaves and green chilies, fry it well so that it releases its strong flavor.

5. Then add onions and fry it till they turn golden.




6. Now add turmeric, red chili powder, stir till the raw smell disappears, taking care not to burn the spices.




7. Add tomatoes and salt, and cook till tomatoes are done.




8. Now add poha and mix well so that the spices cover it evenly.




9. Add lemon juice and sugar and mix well.
Put a lid and let it cook on a low flame for 5 minutes.

10. Then add cilantro and mix again.


11. Serve hot. You can enjoy it with Sindhi Papad too! TADAAAA!


Height of idleness!


Today day was as usual, nothing special...

Just that we had nil volumes and so no work in office...only a few teeny-weeny routine tasks...
Blame the Eurozone crisis. International markets are constantly going down, and people aren't investing much.

I felt so bored and sleepy... But I couldn't even put my head down on my workstation between my arms and take a nap :(  as my boss and her boss were taking rounds again and again.... Managers you know.... : x




So I went to the washroom again and again each hour to splash my face with cold water, so the sleepy birds flying above my head would disappear...

I thought I can atleast chat on SMS with my cousin Menka, whom I lovingly call Mendo.




We talked about so many things.

Right from 'What time you woke up?' to 'How is everyone at home?'
'Did you read my blog' to 'What is in breakfast?'
'What is in lunch?' to 'What dress for Diwali?'
'When will you come home, we will have a party?' and finally 'What is it in office, no work huh?'
We talked about other funny stuff and were smiling and sometimes even laughing to ourselves, my colleagues looking at me and wondering what is wrong with me.




Then it was her time for saying prayers. I teased her saying, 'Good good, go pray with all your heart... Tell God to give me an American gora!':D
She was soon back and we were again discussing recipes of Khichdi!

We SMSed each other from morning till evening! We exchanged 230 SMSes each! And we are still talking! Don't believe me? Check out the pics.



I finished my routine tasks that are supposed to be completed by 6.30  PM at the latest, at 12 noon itself!
Went through the mailer of daily news, and read Daily Dose on Marketing, Finance and Strategic Planning.
Read the news about the interview of Ms. Chanda Kochhar by the Fortune Magazine, she being on no. 5 among the most powerful women in the world.


Indeed inspiring. She is indeed the Iron Women of Banking. She has a charm. Hard working, smart, a women of vision and a few words, who believes in execution of  plans. I just love her, and the way she transformed ICICI Bank into India's no. 1 private sector bank, in the span of just 3 years since she bacame as the CEO. She is fantastic.

So, next I went out for lunch. Just slowed down. Took time, an hour actually. Ate peacefully. Took a round in the corridor of my office building, talking on phone with Mom, Dad and Tillu. Then called up my cousin. Chit-chatted for half an hour, telling her how lousy my day was. Came back in.

So, all in all I was actually doing nothing productive...
But I felt close to my people back home. Cell phones are indeed a boon!
Thanks to service provider for all those affordable SMS packs!

So just came home in the evening at usual time. We can't leave early saying we have no work to do!
My roomies were there. Thank God! I had someone to talk to, face to face. I asked my roomies if they would like to have tea and both shouted from the room in unison, 'Adrak waali'!



Hahahaha...Adrak waali chai...everyone's favorite! So I quickly made ginger tea for the 3 of us.




We were talking and laughing about the incidents of this morning. How one roomie accidentally bumped into another and a jar full of milk got spilled! We run like cats and dogs in morning and keep on bumping into each other! :D
And how I was trying to hang my roomie's jeans on a door when I was also on a call, trying so desperately that I didn't realize when I caught the door and swinging with it as it moved front and backwards. I was totally engrossed talking to my friend and phone tugged between my shoulder and ear, with both the hands clutching the door and jeans My roomies were laughing incessantly and then I realised what I was doing. :D
Multi-tasking you know!

So it was all good. I wanted to slow down a bit for a while..do nothing... so it was today....
Thank you God for a wonderful day, in a different way!

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