Shifting loyalties

I must say this one thing about myself, I am one of the most loyal persons you could meet on this planet. Loyal to what I like.. no matter how much they deteriorate.. old fading celebrities, over crowded cities..

And it pains me immensely to acknowledge the fact that I am "over" something I have liked for ages OR more likely associated with something wonderful over the years.

As you can guess, one such thing has just made its way to my mind yesterday. I had put a post on this too! :((

I am talking about Outlook Traveler, the magazine. I started subscribing to it in 2006, immediately after I got married...you know, the freedom that comes with marriage got me to subscribe to it. I don't mean to say I was confined when I was staying with my parents - but you know you are answerable for whatever you do in terms of spending money.

And So, I fell in love with my new found freedom aka outlook traveler. It also I guess denoted to me the freedom to plan a trip to some far out place without having to take any permission :) .. of course taking permission from my parents was the easiest thing.. I traveled to Malaysia on my own, Shimla, Nainital, Goa with friends..of course I took all the liberties possible "under their guardianship".. lol. But I digress.

Am sure even though am sounding unintelligible, some of you understand what I am saying!

Its been 6 years since I have been reading Outlook Traveler. I used to absolutely love its editor, Kai Friese. Earlier, he would not ever appear in the magazine. And then one fine day, they published his silhouette and then his face. Damn cute the guy was!! The blow came when he left the magazine. The zing was missing. And then Lonely Planet launched its magazine edition in India.

Ooooooooooooohhhhhhhh. It was NICE.

It became much easier and nicer and friendlier to read. It has nice sections - pictures by readers, 5 easy trips, some main theme, 10 things to do in a new city... I just found it more engaging!!

But I cannot be disloyal to my magazine. So now I order both. Of course, the top lists theme I find to be much better in OT. Even the "ask marco polo" is a better section.

But still I am sad (even though am ordering both). I must not let go of old loyals, favourites.

I think somewhere I have forgotten the entire point of this post . Never mind!!!

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I feel like taking off on a trip. Someone went to Alaska and has posted pictures on FB. Hrrrmmmphhhh.

MC Australia Favourites

Already!!! Well, it is a work in progress list. I am sure as the series progresses, I will weed out more names, add some, rethink on others. But in the meanwhile, this is my first list.

I like : Andy, Ben, Kylie and Tregan and now, the quietly confident Mindy.

I definitely do not like : Kevin -Thank god he is out!! Could not stand his over exhuberant personality!! What an ass - entire credit to himself for getting kicked out of the competition.

Alice - Over confidence will fail her for sure!!!! At least I hope it does. With her giant specs, the over confident fashionista.

Mario - He just talks too much.

Who are your favourites?

Blabber

How can one have a film named Bumboo!!!!

Crass name.... crass comedy too am sure..

Who would go and watch this movie? Possibly teenagers who are newly acquainted with these terms and tend to laugh loudly in theatres every time the F word and or some other such trash is repeated.

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I sit and watch a few serials with my mom. A says I am becoming a stereotypical nagging serial watching "grihani". Why is serial watching associated with grihanis? These serials.. some of them.. are nice enough... And as I tell A, is it so different from watching Predator 2 or Godzilla umpteen times???

In my defence, the serial that I watch is not regressive. Called Saas bina sasural, it focues on typical family issues like if a family member wins a crore, what is the kind of impact on everyone. Another topic was that of working women.. how initially family members oppose it.. the key reason being getting a maid in the house. I think that was quite relevant to today's world. I know of many families who do not allow a maid to enter the house.

The other one I watch is called Parvarish which is also nice.. it focuses on parenting. I know I know.. I am a parent myself.. so hard to believe that still!

And then its MC time.. another one on TLC , Plain Jane.. I love watching transformation, make over kind of reality shows. It is quite fun to watch. And Indian Idol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Which brings me to regressive shows. I do not understand why.. whenever they show a married guy having an affair.. the entire focus is on taking revenge from the "other woman"!  In fact in one of the serials, they show that the wronged wife gets the face of the "other woman" blackened. Why not the guy I ask!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did the guy not know he is married!!!! But it is always the case of "bechara so and so.. usne apne jaal main phaas diya" and this about mature men with kids!!!!!

Take the case of SRK and PC.. apparently, as newspapers reported, they have/ had an affair.. and the newspapers were full of PC being ostracised by people in the film industry! Why not SRK I ask.. He is 40+.. did he not know that he is married!! I find these kind of things so irritating. Talk about regressive!!

Men really have it easy, dont they.

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 MC aus has started .. yahoooooo.. no favourites so far.

Indian Idol has also started.. Next is KBC... A good season to sit back and watch all these reality shows!!

Time for MC repeat and giving N a quick bath! Gotta go.  :)

Woo hooo..

Isnt that how an owl hoots?

The other day, an owl got stuck in our staircase. The terrace door from which it entered got shut and it could not find a way out.

Beautiful is not the word to describe it.. I dont know what word would do it justice.

It was magnificient.. a huge white /silver'ish' owl. It would sit on the window sill for a long time and fly up the minute we would open the door.

Finally someone opened the terrace door and the poor owl flew away but not before we had taken pictures. Unfortunately, its on A's camera - will post it soon.

These are a few of my favourite things

Hello Hello!!

Time is flying past .. N turned 4 months yesterday. And I am about to finish my 6 month extended maternity leave. I can hear you thinking - there's still 2 months to go!! But if you think of 2 months in view of 6 months leave.. there's hardly any time left!!    :((

Anyway, in these 4 short months, N loves some things more than the others.. she laughs whenever shes sees them.. whether she is playing, laughing, crying,  screaming, drinking milk.. whatever.

A bright flower with a sunflower in between.. it rotates in the wind.. though she doesnt need the rotation to smile, laugh, talk to the flower. Her absolute favourite. I got this from Sapphire, a shop here in Bangalore that specialises in children's toys.. for a mere 85Rs. I am sure this will only last a few years till she starts picking up bigger, more expensive stuff. Right now she loves everything!! :)

The singing giraffe. Now this was a gift from some of my earlier colleagues. She just needs the giraffe by her side, and she keeps making some noises at the giraffe. It really is cute.. I too like it!

Dont ask me why she likes this.

Now this I can tell you why.. its self explanatory actually. Originally bought as diwali lights to be used inside the house.. we now use this as our night light.. and she smiles at it everyday starting with early morning.. and then in the night when we switch it on.

More soon!! :D

It is hot, it is hot, it is hot.. it is super duper hot. Phew!!!!!

When did Bangalore become like this... like delhi. I dont feel like lifting a finger; even doing that makes you feel as if your entire energy has drained out from that exercise. It is stuffy, stuffy with a capital S. I am so waiting for rains to happen.

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Dear someone, sitting at home is absolutely addictive. I felt the pinch initially.. but now, I am quite enjoying being at home..

Its such a relief -  not having monday morning blues, not having to think about client demands, not having to think about presentations or issues in studies, not having to think about anything in particular about work!

I think I have gotten used to it. Ho hum... and here I was, thinking I will get bored sitting at home.

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I am back in old pair of jeans!!! Happiness is being able to fit into old jeans and absolute joy is to be able to button it. :D

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You will have to excuse my short random unconnected posts... this is how it will be for the next few months, I guess! 

Day 18 and counting

Hello all. Am back. Last 2 weeks.. cant begin to describe it all. Not to worry.. I wont attempt it too.

The monday, 2 mondays ago was the D day. I had a C-section on Monday afternoon - and before you say or think, "how nice I didnt have to go through labour pain".. I went through induced labour for 24 hours before my doc decided on C section. So there! And what can I say about labour pain - everyone goes through their own experience. For me, it was not the pain but the incidentals, the peripherals that troubled me the most.And thats all I am willing to say about it. :)

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Has my life changed - you bet. Am I feeling mom like - errrrr.. to be answered maybe in a month or two. You kind of feel protective and affectionate... she is a little chit of a girl.. a cute bundle that fits into your forearm..she is a really tiny baby... how can one not feel protective or affectionate!!

I live to feed her and change her and wake up with her in the night. And there is no reciprocal feeling whatsoever.

A helps a lot - actually he is the night sentry. Many a nights I sleep during the diaper change. My excuse.. genuine excuse.. I did undergo an operation.. and I cannot jump up to respond to her wails. I am not allowed to either - with both the grandmoms, A, grandad not allowing me to lift a finger - they tell me, feed her, sleep, eat, read. Thats all I am to do. Hrmmmmph.

I am not used to this inactivity. And now you find me back on the blog!! :D

Worklife seems a far off world.

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Havent decided upon a name yet. I have only one week to decide. Its so confusing and such an important decision. Poor thing has to live with whatever I decide for the rest of her life!!

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Today is the first day she is wearing a strappy frock. Joy!!! :)
 
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She looks like me.. I am happy to report. Her face / features have already started changing and now people say she looks like him too. :(( 
 
Her face undergoes some zillion expressions and all within a span of 2 mins. She keeps staring with her big eyes.. I have no idea if she looking at me or at the light. At the light I think. Its good fun to watch her smile, cry and makes faces as she eats multivitamin drops!!! :))
 
And now she is up... Gotta go.