Vegetables for a meat eater

I must confess that eating a full meal with no meat is quite a task. What’s worse is having to cook those meals… oh is just too much to ask for! the new weight loss regime demands that I do just about this. So I finally get used to this regime and honestly am kinda beginning to enjoy the whole process when just yesterday something happened.

So there was sprawled out in my drawing room doing some streaches if you please when a man shows up. Peeps into the house. The roommate who’s startled by this jumps up and asks the strange man what is it that he wants. Me! It seems. The man wished to speak with ‘her- friend’. So I go and wonder who this man could be when he looks at me and says:

Man: You should not have commented on my vegetables
Me: Wondering what the hell he was talking about “What?”
Man: You should not have commented on my vegetables
Me: What? Who are you

I rewind to a few mins back and remember that I had indeed bought vegetables from the vendor outside my house and I look at the man carefully and I realize that he was also buying vegetables from the same vendor but was wearing something different.

I finally realize what actually happened.

The roommate and I had bought whatever we thought could be cooked and eaten by us and then she went into the house to get our wallets. When she came out she thought I was going to buy some green vegetable which I have no clue what it is called and I said “you really expect me to buy something like this” meaning as healthy and green as this. (I swear!)

Back to the little tête-à-tête.

Man: You told your friend that you would never eat something like this
Me: I’m sorry if you felt offended by what I said but I didn’t mean to offend you
Man: My father has been growing this vegetable for the last 25 years
Me: I think you’re over reacting. I did not direct the comment at you
Man: You should not have said it like that
Me: Please stop, I said I’m sorry if you were offended but….
Man: for your kind information it is my favorite vegetable
Me: Losing it totally by now: “Very good please go buy some more and eat it then”
Man: You should not have….
Me: Please leave my house.
Man: You should…
Me: Get OUT! Next time ring the bell
Man: How can you ….

By now I had managed to chase him out of my gate!

So this is it. A meat eater buying some vegetables … it’s can’t be easy.

I am surprised at what happened and how easily I was misunderstood and attacked in my own house by a man who had gone changed his attire to fight with me cause I didn’t share the same love for a VEGETABLE!

So was he really offended or was it a ploy to strike a conversation … I guess I’ll never know. But what I do know is that LIFE’S LIKE THAT…

Your reality could be my fantasy...

We were all very silly and young and had a million dreams and even more wishes wants and fantasies. In class 11 is when u start looking at the world around you. By now you start forming your dreams , wish , fantasies, etc. In school we had this trainee teacher who was really sweet and came to our class when another teacher was off or busy with something else.

In one of her "classes" with us she told us all to do a "fun" thing. She asked us all to right down our biggest and wildest fantasies on a sheet of paper and told us not to write our names. In the end she would read out the funniest or the wildest ones so we could all have a good laugh.

So everyone sat down and pened their fantasies down. I remember that day so well , I remember the look on all the faces, the glitter in their eyes the sheer happiness of just penning this down. Everybody was so excited , it felt like a passport to Fantasy Land !

We finished and went for a break. In the break as expected the excitement sored to wonderous heights and everyone was discussing their fantasies with each other. Some were acting all secretive about it and felt that what they had written was really silly and wished they had thought a little more.

Anyway , we carried the noise back to class and were so anxious to hear what the others had written and to see if our fantasies were read out and appreciated.

The reading began and we all laughed. The room was full of smiles , chuckels , glittering eyes , embarassment for some, loads of roaring laughter. The fantasies were the usual ones that kids that age had... runaway holidays, handsome men, lots of money , yes chocolate houses had to feature! the works .....!!!

As she pulled out the last one she had this look on her face which none of us understood then but were soon going to find out why she had that expression. She read story of a girl whose fantasy was to have a "Happy Family", to have a meal with both her parents on the dining table , to be dropped to school by her mom to live in a world where there was no fighting no drinking no crying. To sleep without the fear that maybe just maybe tomorrow will be a better day when she didn't have to protect her little sister from the ugly scenes. To wake up in the morning and realise that she belonged to a home , a family. She wrote, "part of my fantasy is to lead the life of a child. To want chocolates and ice- creams and good clothes and to walk to park with both mamma and papa......"

We were moved by this story a great deal. Ma'am was in tears and so were all of us. We didnt have a way of knowing who among us it was, but my calssmates said we all siltently prayed for her , prayed that her fantasy would turn to reality..... So did I. I prayed , very very hard.

Good - Bye !

MBA is rushing towards the end and the thought of saying good-bye to another bunch of people who've been with me through thick and thin. "good -bye " is something I have said so many times and been so disraught after that. Moving from Kolkata to Pune , Pune to Bangalore and now for all those who shall leave Bangalore......

Its been an awesome journey thes last two years and I'd just like to say ........

Its time to say goodbye,

From my destiny I just want to shy.

I sit and wonder why

My attachment is so high.

After all the years

The thought of leaving my peers.

I have big fears

That there will be a million tears.

But this time the difference shall be there

On my face a smile I will wear

For all the brilliant times that with them I share

A happy parting is only fair.

Ill give a hug and a kiss

To all those I shall truly miss.

A huge thank – you is all I can say

For being with me night and day

For making my problems feel like a play

All that you’ve done shall stay.

I shall part with a hope

That somewhere in life’s rope

We shall meet one more time

And chat on like a chime.

A promise that Ill always be beside

Whenever there is a tide

By which you may have to abide

Yes, then ill be there by your side.

P.S. : This little post is dedicated to all my friends and classmates who've been just wonderful to me in the last two years. I wish you guys all the success in the world....!!!

It's party time...

"I’m happy to be on this point of the circle … just waiting for my friends to get there so we can celebrate!"

And they've alll reached here... the wait was worth every minute of it. All my friends are placed and the best part of it all is that they've all got just what they wanted ... a good brand , a good CTC and ....

Deep : ICICI , legal department .

Shweta : Zee TV , ad sales and branding.

Rajiv : HCL , Technologies , Business Development .

Chinks : VFS , Recruitment and training.


P.S. : Nikki , sorry ur name doesnt appear in the list , you got there way way way ahead of us .... but on second thoughts u deserve the entry .... esp cause u're gonna be here with me in Bangalore ;-)

Nikki : Aditi Technologies , Program Manager!

My heart is filled with pride and am truely happy for each of them. With them placed I finally feel that I am too , the joy was just not 100% when they weren't. Sometimes getting things first isn't the best situation to be in.

Full Circle

I've come a full circle on the vicious cycle yet again. This time round the sequence of events was just the same and yet again a victorious outcome.

Placements was the one and only thing on my mind for a long long time now. I was really really scared. Somehow didn’t feel competent enough, feelings of not being upto the mark were killing me. Anxiety was at it's peak. Yet again the expectations people had from me was something I was worried about. Wanted to make all the sacrifices and hard work worth it. Have struggled for 2 yrs, mom worked doubly hard to make ends meet to fund this expensive course and never ever made me feel like I was a burden. I knew how tough it was for her.

My only ambition being to make my parents really proud of me. I have so many things I want to do for them for my little sister and yes for myself also!

All my anxiety, feelings of incompetence, fear that I wouldn’t meet expectations, etc were put to rest on 28th Nov 2006 at exactly 5.15 p.m.!

I have been hired by Infosys Technologies as their Internal Communications Officer!!!

The highlight of the event: The look on 4 faces: Shweta, Rajiv, Chinki and Subru when I came out the room after they had told me that I had made it.

I would not have achieved this without the help of lots of people. I being the pessimist that I am needed lots and lots of emotional support and as always was very lucky to get that support from all my friends and family.

I want to say big big thank you to all those who helped me go through this tough phase.

Mamma: For showing me the way ALWAYS. For being my guiding light. You may not have even realized this but what I am today and whatever I have achieved is only only because of you.

Papa: For always believing in me and telling me that I will get only the best.

Monu: For being the best little sister in the world and for telling me that I am “GOOD”

Deep: For being so so supportive and helping me keep my feet on the ground. For holding my hand through it all … Love u!

Nikki: for listening to me blabber soooooooo much and telling me what the approach should be like. For making me believe that “Good things happen to good people”

Shanu: For being my support system and an elder brother to me. For taking me all around town when I was in Mumbai. U’ve been just wonderful! Would have never ever managed this without u shanuDA !!!!!!!

Shweta: For being there through all my tough processes and for believing that I WILL make it! For being my single support system here in Bangalore… For slapping reality on my face and telling me that I could do better than a BPO!

Rajiv: For being my lucky mascot.

Chinki : For being the “strict” roommate and selflessly forwarding material to me to read fro my interviews.

Raj: For the ULTIMATE confidence in me and the brilliant predictions about my career.

Prema: For always telling me “tension leneka nahi sirf deneka”

Umesh: For “waiting for the good news”

Seema and Vidya: For forcing me to study !

ALL my classmates and juniors: You guys always encouraged me to do my best. The faith that you had in me was just overwhelming.

The list just goes on ….

I’m happy to be on this point of the circle … just waiting for my friends to get there so we can celebrate!

The vicious cycle

When I was giving my 10th boards there was nothing tougher than that exam. My life deepened on the results of that exam. I remember the sleepless nights I had just feeling scared. The million tears I shed just thinking what if … The day the results were declared was just the best. I was happy with my marks and I thought I had won one of my toughest battles.

The time came for my 12^th boards…. the same story… thought it was the toughest set of exams … my life , my career depended on it … another round of sleepless nights and another moment of joy and sense of achievement once the results were declared.

Then came the time when I headed out of home to conquer the world. I was sure I’d make it to the colleges there. This time my dreams were at stake. But, as luck would have it the quota system was introduced that yr and the cut off for out-station students was rather high. I thought that was the toughest time in life. As usual this phase also came and went and I emerged a winner. Made it to Symbiosis and that was one of my greatest achievements.

Yet again the story was repeated when I gave my University exams in the 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd yr of college.

Once that was over the entrance exams took their toll over me.

That finished and the tension of making it to a B-School. Yet again the same rigmarole! … and I finally made it to Welingkar ! Another achievement I thought.

The juncture of life that I stand on now is yet another restless period. It’s placement time and I’m scared, nervous, tensed and wonder where life will take me….

The common feeling I had at each of these times was that if I tide over this time the next would be a cake walk … surprisingly it never was, and it still isn’t.

I guess you can’t run away from the anxiety and the joy and the sense of achievement you experience at the end is a result of all the anxiety and tension. The thing that keeps me going is the fact that I always emerged a winner. I’m hoping that trend continues …

Looking London Going Tokyo !!!

I promised Umesh I'd beat him to the blog this weekend ... then I thought I'd be stealing his thunder but then I realised .... "Life's like that" so here goes...

The little that I know about the man I can say that he is a real Indian rather South Indian by 'stomach'. I make it a point to suggest only Indian restaurants when we eat out together. This weekend I met him for lunch on Saturday. I really wanted to try a new place as I was sick of the usual joints. There is this restaurant Casa Picola which I've never been to so we went there only to realise that they only served burgers and pizzas. Knowing his taste and my hunger we walked out and went to the next door very Indian Tandoor Hut. I expected him to order a biryani or some chicken dish but our man said he wanted to have 'American Chopsuey!' ... Chinese in an Indian joint ! Wow I thought ... I tried my best to dissuade him but to no avail. I took the safer bet and called for a Chicken Biryani. When the food came he tasted the chopsuey and sure enough he made a face ! He tasted my biryani and just as i had expected him to he loved it!!

I being the "sweet" person as I am shared my Awesome biryani with him and voulanteered to eat a part of the chopsuey! I like Chinese a lot but in Chinese restaurants !

Moral of the story : When in Rome EAT like the Romans !