Aasim's exams are almost over and he was quiet bored today after he finished with his syllabus for the computer paper. He picked up Jonathan Livingston Seagull, read it in one sitting, and while I and Tarique were discussing the book after he finished reading it, he summed it up in one line " There are no limits".

It has been almost 8 years since we lost touch -she moved to australia got busy setting up her home and we got busy in business and Aasim's growing up.

Have been searching for her since some time now and spoke to her today. It felt warm and nice. 

She is Aasim's ammu. A dear friend to me. She was someone I have always looked up to. At an age we were learning and honing our social and organizational skills she was always a step ahead and guided us.  She shared my values in life, interests in literature and poetry and we sat and talked for hours at end.

It is not that we always kept in touch with each other, I went to Delhi to study, and  then to work but whenever we met, even if it was after years, we picked up the threads where we had left them.

I wish we can sit and talk again like we did in those carefree days of yonder and wonder. I wish we meet soon.

Current Mood: happy

Earlier this week, I stepped into my 40s and it does not feel any different from 30s - I guess its all a hype, which my older friends create to make me feel old :)

Aasim was thrilled that day because I baked pizzas for him and we had nice cherry tomoato, Parmesan and herbs pasta to go with it. DVDs dominated the 40th birthday - Tarique gave me The Lord Of The Rings - The Trilogy (12 DVD Collector's Extended Edition Pack). It’s got Behind-the-scenes footage during filming, storyboards, test footages, CG demos and much more which i absolutely love to see, (film making was once my passion).

Mom bought for me the Gone with the Wind DVD set -Clarke Gable as Rhett Butler is as irresistible to me as he was to Scarlett O Hara.

Evening was a nice drive around the lake, followed by a simple Chinese chicken fried rice and the Filmfare awards. Couldn't have asked for more... I am a woman of simple needs ;)

I do not know if Google Agents are authorised to spam people. I do not even know if Google knows about this.
Yesterday I got this mail to all our valid addresses. It says:

Dear Sir/ Madam,


Do you have your own website?
How do you make peopleknow about your website?
How about listing your site on the first page of Google?
Do you want 200 fresh hits every month in your website?

For this you just have to send us your website address and your keywords with an simple confirmation that your payment will be made 
immediately after your ad appears on the first page of Google through your keywords.

The packages are:

1) With 5 keywords first page of Google for three months Rs.3000/- onwards.
2) With 5 keywords first page of Google for six months Rs.6000/- onwards.
3) With 5 keywords first page of Google for twelve months Rs.12000/- onwards.
4) With 10 keywords first page of Google for three months Rs.5700/- onwards.
5) With 10 keywords first page of Google for six months Rs.11400/- onwards.
6) With 10 keywords first page of Google for twelve months Rs.22800/- onwards.
7) With 25 keywords first page of Google for twelve months Rs.36000/- onwards.

Feel free to call us at (0)9830047136 or mail us at rima@mailmantra.net

Thanks & Regards
Sales Dept.
Mail Mantra

Dear Madam,
 
This is a simple sponsored ads of Google. When you search anything in Google you will find some sponsored ads on the right hand side of the 
page. Your companies advertisement will be displayed on that section with your keywords related to your product & services.
 
We are authorised agents of Google for sponsored link ads. Our Clint ID number is 999-708-3443. We have hundreds of satisfied clients from 
all over India who are getting good response by listing their site on the first page of the worlds most popular search engine Google.
 
We wish to drive your attention to this service so that you can also get a healthy response by listing your site on the first page of Google.
 For this you just have to send us your website address & keywords (related to your product & services) along with an 
simple confirmation that your payment will be made immediately after your ad appears on the first page of Google through your keywords.
 
The packages are:
 
1) With 5 keywords first page of Google for three months Rs.3000/- onwards.
2) With 5 keywords first page of Google for six months Rs.6000/- onwards.
3) With 5 keywords first page of Google for twelve months Rs.12000/- onwards.
4) With 10 keywords first page of Google for three months Rs.5700/- onwards.
5) With 10 keywords first page of Google for six months Rs.11400/- onwards.
6) With 10 keywords first page of Google for twelve months Rs.22800/- onwards.
7) With 25 keywords first page of Google for twelve months Rs.36000/- onwards.
 
Please select the package & confirm us. We have some special offers for bthe long term packages.
 
You have to send us the payment only after your ad starts appearing on Google. 
 
We look forward to providing you with the most effective advertising available.
 
Feel free to call arnab at (0)9432210581 or mail us at rima@mailmantra.co.in.
 
Thanks & Regards
Rima
Sales Dept.
Mail Mantra.
 

Current Mood: aggravated

It is one of the most misused and misinterpreted term today.

Feminism is not about superiority over Men. Feminism means Equality of gender. Men and women are different -but we are equals. Feminism does not mean that women should have a separate queue, it means standing in the same queue and fighting it out shoulder to shoulder along with men with same rights and privileges. Feminism does not mean that women have to learn authority or beg for it to be given to her.

In a country like India where women in metros are employed in large numbers in technical fields unlike so many other countries in the world, being preached that Indian women should learn to handle authority sounds very flimsy and outlandish.

Today, Indian women also get the same respect from men in technical fields and Indian women also enjoy positions of authority and high stature. Of course, the basis of all this is competence – if you are incompetent weather you are a woman or a man, you can never demand (or beg) to be given authority and responsibility. In Indian scenario (I am talking of metros here) women choose their own field of work according to their own purposes and premises in the same manner as men do.

So, in my belief, feminism means to fight ,live, survive alongside men. Men who are our partners, our equals, not enemy. Feminism means fighting for your man, just as a man would fight for his woman. Feminism means being who you are and be the best in what you do. Feminism means not being a “second hander”.

A woman who does not demand to be treated differently on the basis of gender is a feminist. A woman who stands her ground in any gathering be it that of men or of women is a feminist. Even a saree clad woman who brings up her son to be a *Man* is a feminist.

It is the women who are insecure and have little self worth, who need a crutch to fight their own battles, are the ones that pull down true feminists. It is the women with low self esteem and hidden agenda that are enemy of their own gender. It is the women who take young women and make prostitutes (of mind or otherwise) out of them are enemy of feminism. It is such women of no moral values who would go any extent to malign people who are enemy of feminism. It is these repressed women who may have loud voices and big political speeches but no substance of their own who are enemy of feminism. It is the women who can not contribute positively and pull the contributing women down are the enemy of feminism. It is such people regardless of gender, who portray themselves to be saviors of women kind that one needs to be vary of. Enemy of feminism and women all over is that woman (or man) who picks up some fragments of truth and inserts several prejudices along with it to make it appear as truth.


Yes. I am a feminist – I am an individualist. I don't need crutches. I stand my ground. I fight my own battle and I am certain my men will fight alongside me.

P.S. The Indian head of the state *is* a woman.

Current Mood: aggravated

Aasim returned form Hyderabad today where he had gone as a part of a study/fun tour from School.

We were very apprehensive about his going by train that too sleeper class and as it turned out i discovered that he was not the only one who has not travelled in sleeper class. There were several parents who had the same apprehension and kids were asking questions like why do we have to take sleeping bags? They give sheets and blankets in train don't they?

They reached hyderabad on 16th early morning without too much problems, only one boy lost his bag in train and children complained that they could not sleep in the night because sleeper coaches make too much noise.

The stay was arranged at Hotel Tara in Ramoji film city. Hyderabad/Secunderabad was fun for all of them. Aasim got extremely enamored by "Rebbecca" and called me to ask if its a veil on the lady or is it really carved!! He hated the animals trapped in cages in the Zoo though he enjoyed watching migratory birds and loved the snow world. He packed his suitcase properly and got back everything that he had taken for which he gets a +1

As parents we were apprehensive all the days while he was gone and missed him but we pulled through. He has come back a little more grown up and ls looking forward to another such trip.

Fasting - 119
Post Meal - 230

However, the good news, Glycosylated HB A1c - 6.5%.

End result - I am not on medicine yet though the diet and exercise regime is strict. I am told to reduce weight by 10 KGs if possible. Today's reading was 63.300. I will be happy if i can bring it down to 57 / 58.

So the new year starts on a note that will make me work towards a healthier living.

A Happy and Prosperous new year to all!

Current Mood: anxious

Thanks to ramkrsna, I have a new userpic :)

I : "Aasim, go to sleep, you got school tomorrow"
Aasim:  "How can I sleep? The light is staring me straight in the eye"

Aasim, this morning, on time (when told that he is getting late for school)

"This clock is randomly browsing through time"

India won! I watched the match and India won!!!!!

September 19, 1992
Hotel Searock Shereton
Mumbai

Dinner at Dum Pukht Restaurant, one of the finest dinner I have ever had. I do not know if it was the magic of the evening, the company I had or the fact that just a little while back we had decided to get married to each other. I was wearing white silk saree with blue border, adorned with a sparkling necklace and a ring in my finger which he gave me and the song playing (tonight I celebrate my love for you) was perfect for the evening. We sat and talked for a long time and the next few days of togetherness just flew by. Its been 15 years and yet it still feels like yesterday.

Happy birthday love :)

"I would be kind enough to you, if you please send me the details to get posted in your prestigious  company."

This came in my mail today, what makes it more entertaining is that it is not from a fresher, but from an experienced programmer. We are recruiting and the ad that went out asked for programmers with one year plus PHP experience.

It was end January 2007. We had almost finalised on Godrej computer chairs for the new office when the representatives from Wipro Furniture visited us. He made a presentation, very impressive. We went to the showroom - he had what we were looking for and they cost just as much as Godrej. He promised delivery of the chairs in 5 weeks which was good enough for us. Our architect liked the shape of Wipro chairs better than Godrej chairs and that was another reason we decided about going with Wipro. The Wipro Manager told us to place the order in March so that the chairs directly reach our newly constructed office which was expected to be ready by April 25th.

13 March 2007, we placed the order to Wipro and gave an advance amount. Then waited.

Around 15th April I called up Wipro to ask for the position of delivery. "It will be delivered on time, Madam" I was told. I felt reassured and waited.

20th April -"the chairs will take a few more days mam" -these things happen, so I said ok.

28th April -the chairs still not there. They will be surely delivered by 12th I am told. I get a mail from the company person

Dear Madam,

This has reference to your order for Wipro Comfort chairs.

We are very sorry for the delay from our end.

Your chairs will reach your office on 12th May. The delay is because of the heavy congestion in the Malaysian Port.

Please bear with us till that time.


Ok, I said, atleast they are committing in writing. Now it must come in by 12th May.

12th May arrived and still no chairs -phones not being answered. Finally I am told that they will take some more time - no time committment given. 25th May - my office is ready to be occupied, I called up and threatned the dealer and he agreed to send replacement chairs till the ones we ordered arrive. The replacement chairs come and they are basic chairs.

We waited for our chairs while these replacement chairs took a toll on our backs. Finally on 26th May I got an SMS from Wipro Branch Manager Mr. Meher Dongre saying " Dear Madam, FYI - Your chairs had been despatched yesterday. Will reach Nagpur in 3-4 days. Rgds Meher Dongre, Wipro Ltd"

02 June 2007 anothe SMS

" Material has reached transporters godown at WADO willl bill it from our godown and send it to you Rgds Meher Wipro Ltd"

03 June 2007 I followed up for chairs I get another SMS -this time from the Dealers (V R Sales)
" Sorry madam, I couldnt pik up your cal shal give you cal within an hour. Chairs can nt be delivered today. Thank You.

More wait!!!

Finally the chairs arrive as we eagerly waited for them to be unpacked and assembled. Two chairs rolled out - then two more and we notice they are all badly damaged. The handles were scratched, some of the seats torn, and the shaft of the chairs looked used.

Wipro sent us used and damaged chairs!! Not just that, the Wipro Branch Manager refused to admit (indirectly through dealer - he never got on phone with me) that the chairs were used and insisted that they got damaged in transport.

I refused to take delivery of these damaged and second hand chairs, and asked my advance back. The dealer VR sales on his good will gave the refund of advance amount finally.

I ended up ordering Godrej E-sense Chairs, the chairs were promply delivered within 3 weeks, are in good condition and of an excellent quality.

This morning, I asked aasim as to why was he acting nervous. His reply was "any kid would be". Reason - he started with his new school The Jain International School.

Till last year, the school he studied in was his home turf - he knew everyone - classmates, seniors, teachers, school principal everyone.. and people knew him. He could get away with a lot there. Getting nervous about change of school is ok and he dealt well with it.

This new school was something which he was looking forward to go to so, was excited about its lovely campus and location.

He just returned back beaming with excitement, he has already made a few friends, and has choosen swimming as his primary sports activity.

This isn’t the first time its happening, unfortunately and wont be the last either. As long as the moral brigade keeps getting their fodder from politicians, they will continue to rape in daylight and get away with it. The only ones to stop it is us -most of us who prefer to look away because “it has not happened to us” or because “O! its there far away in Gujarat, not in central, or east or north or south India” WAKE UP!!

We all read newspapers, form opinions, sometime discuss it with friends and family, and forget about it -however, slowly things seem to be changing. With Internet, people and artists blogging about such things, writing their personal opinions and some day, I am hopeful, it will wake up enough people to make a difference.



http://shubha.underscorerecords.info/2007/05/12/leave-art-and-artistes-alone/

This made my day today - I am currently learning Raag Ahir Bhairav on Sitar and was itching to play since morning today, could not get a chance.

Moral values and loyalty are a matter of convenience for today’s young.