Hello:Part II: AmitL

This one is one Hello incident I can never forget. And,that's because the shop where it took place, comes on the route of my evening walk,and the honourable gentleman who made it so memorable, can be seen from the outside, if I glance in(And, I can't resist it, you'll see why) while passing by.

It was at the time of shifting the flat(Believe me,it's tiring!),earlier this year. There's a showcase I wanted to get dismantled and reassembled. Someone recommended this carpentry shop to me,and said 'just meet the Sardarji there'.

So, I went there.

Scene 1: 3 Sardars working on a piece of wood look up.

I enter: (All three Sardarjis working):
Me: Hellow.
*I explain the requirement for five minutes to them, they nod their head in agreement. *So, I ask’ When can you come?’. The answer:’ Oh, for that you have to meet the Boss upstairs.’

So, I go up the stairs, to a small cabin. And, there’s this Senior Sardarji who gives me a big smile and switches on the Airconditioner for me:

Him: Hello, Aaiye, Aaiye. Kaise hain aap? (Hello,Come in come in. How are you?)

Me: (Pleasantly surprised): Bilkul Theek. Aap kaise hain?(I’m fine. How’re you?)

Him: Bilkul theek. Bataaiye, kya seva karen? (I’m fine. What can I do for you?)

Me: Aaj ek Showcase dismantle karwa ke reassemble karvaana hai, next building mein. (I need a showcase to be dismantled and reassembled at another place, today.)

Him: Bilkul karvaa denge. (Of course we’ll do it)

Me: Kya charge hoga?( What’ll be the charge?)

Him: Aap kya denge? (What’ll you give?)

Me: 10-20 dirham ke beech mein. (Between ten to twenty dirhams).

Him: (wide eyes): Mein to 5 dirhams se zyaada nahin loon. Koi us se zyaada maange to who chor hoga (I wouldn’t ask for more than 5 dirhams. Anyone who asks for more would be a crook).

Me: Sahi hai. Lekin urgency mujhe hai. Kaam aadhe ghante se zyaada ka nahin hai.
(True. The work is not more than half an hour).

Him: Aapko kaise pata? Aap carpenter to nahin lagte hain, to aap samay kaise bata sakte hain?. (How do you know? You don’t look like a carpenter, and if so, you cannot judge the time)

Me: (Grinning): Nahin- Main apne past experience ki baat kar raha hoon. Aapke hisaab se kitna time lagega? (No, I am not, I’m just telling my experience from the previous shifting I did. How much time do you think it will take?)

Him: Aadha Ghanta (Half an hour).
(Remark: I thought such a dialogue happened only in jokes)

Me(Concluding): To kab tak aadmi aayega? (When will the man come?)

Him: Aapka number deejiye. Mein aapko call karoonga. Aap mujhe call nahin karenge.( Give me your number. I will give you a call. You don’t call me).

Me: Haan, lekin ek time bataaiye. Us time ke baad mujhe koi aur dhoondhna padega, kyonki mujhe aaj flat waapas dena hai real estate waale ko. (Yes, but, tell me what time. After that time, if your man doesn’t come , I’ll have to look for someone else because I have to handover the flat to the Real Estate Agent)

Him: Dekhiye, aaj to nahin, kal bhi nahin, parson bhi nahin – hamaare paas Jebel Ali ka kaam hai . To teen din baad main aapko phone karoonga.(You see, it won’t be today, tomorrow or the day after. We have work from Jebel Ali. So, I will call you after three days).

(Aarghhh, I went, internally- was I speaking Hebrew all this while, when I said I wanted to get the work done today?).

Me: Oh, koi chance nahin?(Oh, no chance ?)

Him: Nahin…teen din tak bilkul nahin (No..not for three days).

Me: Theek hai. (Ok)

Him: Achcha ji…aap phone zaroor karma. (Ok…please do call.)

Me: Kyon?( For what?)

Him: Aap mujhe bataana aapne kitne mein kaam karaaya. (You tell me how much you paid to get the work done).

Me: (Smiling externally, wanting to commit murder otherwise): Bilkul, bilkul. (Sure, sure).
*I run down the narrow creaky stairs, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry in annoyance*

Scene 2: Then, I climb down the stairs, and one of the Sardarjis there goes’ Hellooo- Pssst- take this’. And, he hands me a folded cut piece of paper, to be read outside the shop. I walk a few steps and open the meticulous folds. It has a number and says (Reproduced ad verbatim):

“ Thes Nobar coll ne. AFTAR Dis Kis.”

I went off to the barber shop(Needed a haircut, pondering over the note and whether it was some special Sardarji code. Inspiration dawned suddenly- I’m sure you all must have guessed what the note meant???

Cheers!

Dreams or Decisions (Puja)

Sometimes they come in two. Three. Four. Five. Unlimited numbers. At times one is much better than the others. Often, they all seem the same. As bad, as good, as the others.

I'm not a person who is too fond of deciding things and taking control of it, rather leave for others. I'm always afraid--what if I make a mistake? What if I choose a lousy option? I suppose, I'm afraid of decisions because I don't really want to be in control. Yet when you grow up, you have decide how you want to live your life. Alone? With a partner? Do you want to get married? Have kids? What kind of job do you want to do? How do you want to fill your days, your spare time?

We all deal with decisions and choices daily. Do you know how to decide what is right n wrong?

I was thinking...people are always searching for a meaning to there life, always unfulfilled. I figured out the answer to the meaning of life.

Its called desire to go after you dreams

Live to eat or eat to live! (Ishita)

It’s getting colder day by day. Winter is when I love to indulge in soups and bakes. Below are some recipes that have been sourced from the internet by my sis-in-law who’s a very good cook and passed on to me via my mom who of course tried these out successfully and made one such family reunion many years ago so memorable! Nothing beats having a scrumptious home cooked meal with friends and family!!

I’ve picked out my favourites below and looked up links for the same. There are two soup recipes (one a veggie delight and the other a very delicious non-veg soup!) and finally a bake which tastes as good as it sounds :P … ENJOY!

Spicy Tomato & Cilantro (coriander/dhania leaves) Soup (Serves: 4)

http://www.calorie-count.com/recipe/36332.html

Ingredients

- 1 ½ pounds tomatoes
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 scallions (spring onions) chopped
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp crushed garlic
- 1 tsp crushed black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (dhania/coriander leaves)
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp light cream to serve

Method

To peel the tomatoes, plunge them into very hot water, using a spoon lift them almost at once. The skin should now peel off quickly and easily. Once this is done, chop the tomatoes roughly.

In a medium size saucepan, heat the oil. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf and chopped scallions (spring onions) and for a few minutes till soft and translucent, but not brown.

Add the salt, crushed garlic, pepper and fresh chopped cilantro (coriander/dhania leaves) to the tomato mixture. Stir in the water.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in a little cold water, set aside.

Remove the soup from the heat and pour through a strainer placed over a bowl. Discard the strained vegetables.

Return the soup to the pan, add the cornstarch mixture and stir over low heat for about 3 minutes till thick. Pour into soup bowls and serve with a swirl of cream!

Shrimp & Corn Soup (Serves: 4)

There are a lot of links on google for this recipe. Each one slightly different from the other of course…you can look up some others or simply try this one below which we tried out at home :)

Ingredients

- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely minced
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3 cups fish stock
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cups shelled cooked small shrimp
- 1 ½ cups whole corn kernels
- 1 ½ tsp chopped fresh dill/thyme (herbs…I’ve used dried ones too)
- Hot pepper sauce
- ½ cup light cream
- Salt to taste

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pan. Add the onion and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes until soft.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium size saucepan. Add the flour & cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring. Stir in the stock and milk, bring to a boil and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently.

Cut each shrimp into 2-3 pieces. Add to the onion with the corn kernels & dill/thyme and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir the sauce mixture into the shrimp and corn mixture. Remove 2 cups of the soup and puree in a blender. Return it to the rest of the soup in the pan and stir well. Season with the salt and pepper and hot pepper sauce to taste.

Add the cream and stir to blend. Heat the soup almost to boiling point, stirring frequently

Ladle into soup bowls, serve hot garnished with sprigs of dill.

This last recipe is also a tried and tested one. Comes out yummy and is ideal for a winter meal. It’s also listed in this site - http://www.bawarchi.com/cookbook/paneer5.html which is where I think my sis-in-law got it from :)

Paneer (Cottage cheese) Casserole Bake

Making time: 45 minutesServes:
Shelf life: Few hours ahead of requirement.

Ingredients

- 200 Gms Paneer (cottage cheese) sliced into thin horizontal slabs or grated.
- 1 tbsp. grated paneer
- 2 potatoes, boiled, peeled and thinly sliced rounds
- 1 large capsicum (Green bell pepper), sliced into thin strips
- 1 ½ cups thick white sauce
- 2 sliced bread ground to crumbs
- 2 crushed green chillies
- 1 finely chopped spring onion
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
- ½ tsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp. butter

For the white sauce –

- 2 tbsp plain flour
- ½ tbsp butter
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 tbsp grated cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste

Method for the white sauce –

Dry roast flour in a heavy pan, remove, and keep aside to cool. Mix cooled flour in a little milk till smooth and no lumps remain. Heat milk in a pan and add butter. Add milk and flour paste, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir continuously till it boils. Let it boil till the mixture has a thick sauce like consistency, then remove from heat and set aside.

Method for the Casserole Bake -

Grease and oven proof casserole generously with butter. Place a layer of potato slices to cover the bottom. Sprinkle salt, pepper, sugar and ½ tbsp of white sauce.

Place over it a layer of paneer slabs and season it as done for the potato layer. Repeat layering till potato and paneer is used up.

Now sprinkle the capsicum and repeat seasoning.

Mix the spring onions and green chillies in the remaining sauce and pour over the capsicum to cover fully.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 250 degrees for 20 minutes or till top layer is golden brown.

Happy Feasting!!!

Aloha! (Michelle)

Hey everyone!

I got my exams starting from tomorrow and they go on till the 8th of December.I also got my Japanese exam on the 2nd, so basically its two important exams in one week :-(.I highly doubt I'll have the time to blog this week cause juggling between revising and coming online and watching tv is a tedious task! I could say that I had been so caught up in studying for the Japanese exam that I didn't really pay any attention to my term exam and I really don't want me doing really well in my Japanese exam to be an excuse for doing badly in my terminals! Plus the whole competitive spree that I'm always on, will never let me not try coming in the first three.I'll try my best to be around cause as I said, BUF is a part of my daily routine.

Wish me luck and take care!

See you all next week!

Hello Darlings! (Keshi)

HELLO is a word that's very dear to my heart. I don't say HELLO if I don't feel like saying it. Why is that? Cos HELLO means my heart is longing to greet the other person...it's the heart saying 'I'm so glad to see you and I wanna know how you are keeping'. So if my heart isn't communicating that message to my brain, asking it to deliver it, I can't just say it. Some people use this word for the sake of it. Some say it with a meaning. I think everyone has a special meaning attached to their HELLOs. So what does HELLO mean to you? What is your heart expressing when you say HELLO to someone?

Fantastic Five (Michelle)

Since the topic was to write 10 things about a BUFer, I thought I'd write 2 things about 5 BUFers.Writing just two things will be quite difficult so don't shout at me if I exceed more than two lines :P

Alphabetically,

Ishita

Shes the ultimate super mom.Vedant is really really lucky to have her as a mom because I think shes a wonderful role model.I really hope to be such an amazing mom someday!I love reading all her posts because they always from the heart! The way she weaves her thoughts into words really makes me wish I could do that!

Keshi

Man, the minute I say her name, this siren goes off in my head.Lol.Shes pure heat.I'm like head over heels in love with her.Her attitude, her style, her thoughts...she just blends them perfectly.Her blog is not only my favourtie spot, but also my friends' (non-bloggers) favourite page and they make it a point to visit it.

Loon Gal

This girl is the whole package.Shes mature, shes got beautiful skin and hair, shes adorable and hot at the same time, superb dressing sense (veryyy jealous of the stuff she has :P) and watch out for her wit people! Will leave you dumbfounded ;-).Shes what a true friend is all about!

Vipul

Firstly welcome back laddoo! Its been so long I've known him, I can literally say hes seen me grow as a person.I've fought with him, shared secrets with him, had hilarious conversations with him and he never ceases to crack me up! He can be your worst nightmare if you ever take 'panga' with him, but if you really get to know him, hes one sensitive sweetheart!

Vyom

Our conversations on facebook are never ending and I can't help but smile everytime I get a message from him.I've seen my share of smooth talkers but he tops the list and can definitely win you over with words ;-).His smile is one that you can't help but go 'aww' to and his voice definitely perks you up!

Word: Home : AmitL

Home. Home reminds me of:

Home as in :Our ancestral home in the heart of Baroda, the place where I grew up. Back in 1940, when Granddad bought it, it was known as a ‘Bhoot Bangla’.(Abode of the Ghosts), since lights used to flicker on their own and people were more superstitious then. He simply purchased it, checked out the wiring, got it all replaced, and everything was fine. It was a three storeyed building,nee, home, with thirty three steps to floor 1, eleven+six(U turn of steps) steps to floor two and another 22 steps to top floor. (You need something to do while climbing steps, na, so, I used to count them.LOL. Try it someday, if elevators don’t exist where you stay) True to those days, the walls were 18 inches thick, while the girders, steps,etc were all wood. Lots of other memories attached to the place- but, they need a separate post, perhaps on my blog.

Home as in: Home Alone: A movie of which I only enjoyed the first part. (It’s reached part V now, I believe) due to it’s novelty, and Macaulay Culkin’s innocent face which hid behind it a world of mischief.

Home as in: Homesick: Is what I feel sometimes, out here. I mean, working like mad in a literal rat race, makes me wonder sometimes, what is the purpose of it all? Isn’t a peaceful life in Baroda a better option? I guess it all boils down to Manilal.

Home as in Homeward bound: The first time I was going back to India after a year here, in 2003, I literally had a tear in my eye, wondering how I stayed away for so long, just being in telephonic/email touch with everyone. Now, of course, it’s not so bad.*smiles*

Home as in the phrase: driving a point home: Explaining something to someone, a la, convincing Keshi about something, which I consider a toughie job.*ducks for cover from Keshi*.

Home as in: Returning home :The weekend’s here. What a thrill, to return home and enjoy two good holidays.

Lastly, Home as in this limerick:

There was an old man with a beard.
What happened was what he had feared.
2 chickens and a crow,3 pigeons, don't you know,
Had all made their homes in his beard.

Have a nice day!

Wishes (Ishita)

"One Woman, one Man
with hearts so true
come before you
to say I do...

A love so fair
A dream come true
A couple shares
what they are destined to do

He takes her hand
to have and to hold
Their hearts embrace
and never let go...

A touch so pure
A smile so real
She closes her eyes
so she may feel

The love of one man
The love of her life
They join as one
as Man and Wife... "

- Gretchen Gould –

Congratulations Silvara and Evs :) ...Wishing you happiness and a lifetime of togetherness! :)

And Pavan (an ex-BUFer and dear friend) who’s getting engaged today! Congrats!!!! :)))

Andd… Diya on her Anniversary on 26th! Happy Anniversary!!

That’s a whole lot of loving and happiness for us to celebrate right :)

Stay Beautiful…Stay loved…

The song is a dedication for all of them… *smile*

Hello :-) (Ishita)

The word "Hello" reminds me of a song I love :) by my all time favorite band - The Beatles!!!

Enjoy :)

Knock Knock!! :-) (Ishita)

Yes I had a wonderful holiday … thank you :)

Being with my family, both brothers and their families after a span of “God knows how many” years … was something that had me break down in tears when the time to say goodbye came. And now I’m left wondering when next?

Accessing the net was a MAJOR problem at my parents place – they have dial-up you see! And the one day we all decided to check our mails…the home pc crashed!! Yeah, lucky us :P … heh…

Anyway, the laptops came in handy but we had so many things to do and catch up on that being online or checking emails was simply set aside….BUT of course I sneaked in to check on BUF….

What amazes me is that despite the whole lot of topics given and the freedom to write on that many….the response has been…quite disappointing. Then again I know how it is during the festival season etc. So let’s just say the disappointment was ‘expected’ yet prior knowledge did nothing to ease that… *sigh*

I don’t want to start yet another debate on why, what, if, how…blah blah. Seriously, I think those of us who care to hang around and be a part of this space for the purpose of keeping in touch and simply being ourselves should simply let it be…

Let it be… and by that I mean, let each of us prioritise BUF the way we want to. First or last in our scheme of things, a visit a day or a week or a fortnight or a month or never at all…at the risk of sounding “oh so philosophical’ – lets just not “EXPECT” things from each other except the one basic thing that can make relationships (be it virtual or online) work – an effort to see it (the way people choose to prioritise BUF) from their point of view.

No one can feel more elated than I do when BUFers write and comment at a regular pace and no one can feel more disappointed when they don’t…! And if I can reach a stage where after all the “appreciation” and the “criticism” I can still hope to make it work…. I don’t see why the rest of you can’t? I guess you do. It gets very upsetting at times I know….but when’s life perfect?

I’ve tried different ways and means to sustain this plc… BUT it’s never been about the kind of effort I may make….in the end it’s always been about everyone in it and the level of interest shown. I dread to think what would become of this place if everyone decided to put BUF at the bottom of their list of priorities OR lose the ability to step into each others shoes…

The true test of friendships…I guess…is in difficult times. And Keshi’s sense of frustration is one I completely empathise with. I struggle with my sense of disappointment with the diminishing enthusiasm among BUFers and at the same time understanding that everyone has a life…it’s not easy…

I could go on and on and on and on….

But seriously, what I’d like to see in this space which lets remember is a BLOG first….is some posts and good writing. Comments or no comments – BUF is essentially a space to write!

If the will to write is gone…then this space has no meaning – right? :)

So if there’s just me and a handful who want to keep “writing” on topics … that’s what matters in the end – that’s enough reason to keep BUF going :)

I’ll be back when I’m ready with a post on the topics mentioned in this post (put up before I went off) –

http://betweenusfriends.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-on-buf-ishita.html

Till then,

Happy Blogging!

Ps: The pic was taken at my parent's place...I love the diya (lamp) amidst the flowers.*sigh* I miss home...

hello!wait a sec :) (vishesh)

a wish to many-
but all need to filled.
a duty to many-
but all need to filled.
What comes first,
what comes next?
in life,
order of precedence
is not preset.
The day can be damp and wet
or sunny and shiny :)
but what about the many
layers which i need to fill?
if i were to will all,
i need to grow a arm or two
more,i am tore
between to
many,that it is a too many to roar!

all right,i am not giving a excuse this time :) but seriously speaking,i am caught up between too many things...it is easier for me to post on my personal blog,because i can just like that write whatever comes to me(usually i do that).I like this place and all of you,i do try and make it over here on holidays,and yes i do read a lot of your posts on the feeds whenever i have time,but well i am usually to tired to think of a comment :)

well here is something from my blog :) its my latest post so :) ha! no i will leave you people with a story,which i wrote for a competition but never submitted this version,but still this version is what i like :
long hours crept by.there was a single flickering light,throwing shadows of monstrous proportions.I felt lost,among the virtual,immortal cloaks which have clung onto me.Their darkness,their depth,their shallowness in physic,their constant backpacking with me reminds me of my past.As a child i remember chasing them,they always won.They were my my fuel,my companion and my tutor.When i chased butterflies,they moved with me.When i raced the skies they joined me.

and here is a pic to all of you :)



see you around people !! :)

Word: Hello:AmitL

Hello,all!

GK: Hello appears to have arisen in its first instance as an imitation by hunters of a hunting dog’s yowl.Halloo, hullo, hello are a few of many variants that include the reduplicated hullabaloo.
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You know which word drives me crazy sometimes? It's 'Hello'...the word,a dread of which sometimes makes me put my cellphone on silent,or,switch it off. And,if the landline takes over where the cellphone left off,I go and sit at another table,just so that I can rest,err,work in peace!
----------------
Here are some of the Hellos and what follows after them,which drive me crazy.
(Point to note: Since I look after Purchase Dept, the average no. of daily calls is around 40..some days,it shoots up to 65+).
Regular readers on my blog must have seen my frustration vented out on this word,and,telephone calls,some times)
----------------
- Hellow,Mr. Amit. How are you,Mr. Amit?How's the family,Mr. Amit?
- Haaaaallllloooo!(That guy sounds like he's going to cut my head off if I don't answer)
- Yellow?(Ok,you love to yell,but,don't make it so colourful)
- Aaloo( Now,aaloo means 'potato'in Hindi)

Smart people have realized that it's better to say hello,and then ask 'Is this a good time to talk to you?' LOL.
----------------

How do I reply?
Good mood: Hello-w!
Better mood: Hell-io!
not-so good mood:Hell-o.
Worse mood: Hello,hello,hello,hello.(This happens when people ring up,wait to hear my hello to see how my mood is,and,I can hear only deep breathing on the other side.LOL)
----------------
Now,it's over to the others,for their versions of Hello. Loon Gal,Keshi-this time there's sooo much you can write on this word. I'm keeping the rest for part 2 of the post.Now,if you don't write,well,it's not my 'fault'!Touche!?

Excuses I Can't Stand... (Keshi)

Here's a sudden revelation. I know some are still celebrating Diwali, some of us are overloaded with work, exams, and some others are busy with family affairs and some like me have alot on their plate right now though I don't say it. So is anyone here totally free and jobless? Guess not. And no one is totally away from their PCs either. I might seem jobless to you cos I'm here everyday just like Cheesy, Amit, Michi, Sushmita, Ammu, Sam and Aakash are, but the truth is we are not jobless...atleast we say Hi whenever we can. But the rest of the BUFers have vanished just like that. ahaa hold on before you defend yourselves! Just like you, we have work and life's other events to attend to. No we don't have too much free time on our hands either. And no one's stresses can be compared to another's but we are still here. Just that we have a bit more of dedication, perhaps we care a bit more than you do about BUF? Go ahead be upset with me for saying that, but I'm being honest here...and you know I can't say sweet nothings just to please people. WHERE IS EVERYONE ELSE? Just because Ish is away (we know she told us that she's going to be away for a while), looks like everyone else has taken that post as their notice of a 'Break from BUF' too!

I see no point being around here when everyone else is on a break...when everyone else don't feel the same way about this place like very few here do. So I wish to be away from BUF as well, perhaps till next year? This is not so that I can feel better about myself by joining you all in being absent, but it's cos I'm bored coming here everyday to find no one around - to realise that only very few here take online FRIENDSHIP seriously...cos it's only words I see and no action. I know a truckload of comments and instant action might follow this post but that doesn't prove anything...cos for weeks this space has been abandoned and hence this post was written. Maybe it's time for me to take a break as well? See yous don't-know-when, have fun!

Word:Fault- a few hometruths: AmitL

Now,that's a word even I can't find fault with,to make it,err,more funny. But, I really feel 'fault' is a funny word. I mean,it instantly brings to mind all the experiences I've had since the last few years, where 'fault' was everyone's favourite word, leaving me wondering whether anyone was at fault or all were at fault? With a smile, I realize 'none were at fault'.

At work:
In my previous company,me and a Brit colleague used to call every problem,the beginning of another 'blame game'. The ringmaster(Boss) would call the team related to the problem and the discussion would start,with all the self-righteous ones(supposedly) going red in the face, with their' I told him,he didn't get back to me', I asked him to do this', 'It's not my fault that he doesn't do his job', and, all due admiration to the boss,he'd be able to find out who the culprit was, and would end up giving him a good full volume shouting lesson.(Yup, the world out here is like that,unlike India,where,even though it's begun to be a dog-eat-dog industry, people still respect the next person).

Like,here,after such a discussion, people would be gleefully discussing between themselves how the boss 'ne uski chaddi utaar di'(The Boss took off the guy's underpants), in teaching him a lesson. (See pic on left for illustration)

Thankfully,I was one of the trusted few who was known to abide by the truth and never got a shouting,even though many tried playing the blame game with me.

The simple lesson(My first boss taught me this one) to remember is, work is like the game of 'passing the parcel'.When the music stops, you'd better make sure the ball is not in your table..if it is, you're responsible.(It's your fault,rather).

A suggestion(laughingly made): If you can't convince them,confuse them.
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In personal life:

LOL..I can think of dozens of 'faults'.

- You gain weight,you say' oh,it's not my fault'...I was ill/ I had no choice of food/it was too hot/cold to go walking/exercise/eating outside food is something which makes you gain weight...arre,man,why not admit-you can't resist that yummy gulabjamun or that tasty wada-pav? At least it'll make you feel happy. And, as a solution,begin keeping a diary-of what you eat during the day,and what physical exercise you do to work it off.
(LOL-a secret-now,the above dialogue was also to encourage myself, instead of saying to myself that 'it's my fault that my weight's gone up a bit, lately'..haha.)

- You get up late and are late for school/college- it's the alarm's fault..it's not loud enough/it didn't ring. Or, parents/partner didn't wake you up. Baba, if you're too lazy to get up on time,admit it...it'll make you feel happy,believe me,to face up to the truth,again!

- Overate? Feeling sleepy? It was all the rice and the oil in the food. LOL..why not admit it's your fault again- why didn't you stop when your stomach said 'I'm 3/4ths full'?

- When you're stressed out or angry at something/someone, the anger comes out on the unsuspecting person(BF/GF/hubby/wifey/kiddo/autorickshawalla/...) and you behave as if it's their fault. I especially see this in Mumbai in the evenings...people,tired out,are haggling away,screaming at the autorick guy that it's his fault that the meter shows a high reading, even though he's brought you by the usual route.

So, BUFers, next time you feel angry and want to burst out at someone, telling them 'it's your fault', why not think for a moment, and ponder over the cause of the fault? More than half the time,believe me,you'll realize it was your own fault.Admit it,and be cheerful.And,even if it's someone else's fault,but,it'll make the atmosphere better if you take part of the blame,partly compromising your ego but definitely not your dignity-try it once and see!(I did,that's why I'm saying this)

Now, if you say you yawned reading this post, well, it's not my 'fault'....with so many people still enjoying their Diwali siesta, I thought I needed to jolt people out of their ennui, and tell them'it's your fault that BUF is silent these days'...but, I just can't do it..grin...so, guys and gals,better post,or else my next 'word' is coming soon!Hello,are you listening????

Word: Light: AmitL

(Quip for above pic: Life explained, using 'Light'(hearted) joke)

Hi,Everyone...how was your Diwali?Here's wishing you a scintillating,delightful,thrilling......New Year, and many more to come. I was putting together the 'light' post since four days,and wasn't able to compile it,for one reason or the other.(Read: Reason=excuse)...but,then,better late than never,so here goes:

Let there be light’!

Isn’t that a wonderful phrase? And, isn’t light a wonderful word? I’ve seen/ I see light in daily life as :

- Light at the end of a tunnel: Results coming up at the end of hard work.
- Light-hearted conversation, or, attempts to make a conversation light-hearted, as I usually try to do..LOL.
- Movement at ‘light’ning speed- like, he moves faster than lightning, when his GF screams/shouts.
- Phrase: It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
- Tripping the light fantastic: Dancing away,painting the town red.
- Greased Lightning (As the song from Grease goes)
- In ‘light’ of this new development, let us plan our next move.
- Light up, as in lighting a ciggie.(No, not me, tku..I’m just a silent observer and a passive smoke-inhaler..Arghh)

- Sun-light streaming through the bedroom windows in the morning.

It also reminds me of something I always wonder: At home,we say 'Switch on the light'(Light on karna,in Hindi)..is this the right way to say it? Or,should we say'switch on the bulb/electricity/tubelight'???

And, now, how about some bad’ lights’? Like:

- Driving through a red light: leads to hefty fines out here.
- A Red Light District,a la: Mumbai's RLD's in movies, or, Holland's RLD,which literally has Red Lights,like on top of a police siren, all around 'those' buildings,to warn the good ones to stay away.

Any more? Additions welcome,BUFers.

Till next time,cheers!Have a nice week.

Light Of Mine (Michelle)

I planned on putting this post up yesterday evening, but I was too busy hiding under my blanket cause I'm terrified of firecrackers! Me and my dog gave eachother company.Lol

I always loved helping my friends put up lights and diyas all around the house and when we were done, we used to just stare in awe at how beautiful the house looked(the best part were the delicious pure ghee sweets that I devoured afterward) but the aura of positivity that surrounded us whilst standing in the midst of beautifully lit houses with lanterns and rangolis.The sound of the bell during puja, the smell of the incense, families having a great time...you can't help but feel festive!

I didn't really light any firecrackers because I'm dead against them but I do love watching the fuljhadis and the rockets in the sky.

A very HAPPY DIWALI to all the BUFers.Hope this festival of lights brought with it a lot of happiness, hope and lots of love.Keep letting your light shine!

Light Up! (Keshi)

(I have this post in my blog as well. So here it is again for all BUFers)

Just like the lamps, just like the prayers, may everyone have light in their lives to conquer differences and see the similarities (in other words, to diminish darkness and bask in the light). May all beings around the world be happy. HAPPY DIWALI(/DEEPAVALI) TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND THEIR FAMILIES!

Let there be Light

"Let there be light" I believe is a phrase from the Bible. But should one delve into the history of every cult and religion mankind has ever known, Light remains an integral part of their practises, their existence. On a scientific note one cannot see Light, one can fell it though. But then, when we do talk of light is it only with a practical sense or has their always been soem significance attached to it? I believe it is.
And a wonderful example of this belief is the Festival of Lights celebrated in India - "Diwali". I know, those who have been part and parcel of this festival since childhood are already wetting their lips in anticipation of the sweets, the crackers, the lights.... the way each and every house gets decked up in lights... candles or diyas (earthen plates filled with oil and a small piece of cotton and then lit!!). There is so much to say when one is talking of Diwali.. I think I'll cover all that someplace else. Still two days to go....

God bless everyone and "Happy Diwali"....

Word: Ring: AmitL

Hi, all. After a brief forced siesta, courtesy ‘stressed-out’ stage, I’m back to blogging.

I thought I’d start a kind of tag here, using this nice word.(The first 'ring' is up in the cartoon) What I’ve done, and, what the next person has to do is, carry the tag further, till we reach Z.. And, all the words have to be ‘nice’ ones, full of, err, youth n energy.

The A to Z of (words beginning with or ending with) rings.

A as in Alluring:

eg: She’s an alluring beauty.

B as in Baring

eg: What guys love most girls to dress as, except their GFs/wives. (And, err, vice versa?)

C as in Caring

eg : What people wish their partners would be. (And, they are, sometimes..hehe).

D as in Daring(In Hindi, that’s Bindaas)

eg : Did you see that plunging, daring neckline of hers when she came to work today?

On to the next BUFer…should I nominate the next BUFer for taking the tag forward?No,I won't..let's see who takes the cue and moves forward...I'm already writing the 'light' post,as Uttsy suggested in her post.(Great topical idea,Uttsy..has some great connotations).

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Now, what else rings a bell in my mind about this interesting word? (Oh, there’s a ring in the sentence, too).

a)It reminds me of the following songs:

Ring my bell- Anita Ward

Brown girl in the ring- Boney M

b) It reminds me of a phrase: Ring in the New Year: As we shall soon be doing.

c) It reminds me of that cute nursery rhyme, singing which we used to dance, holding hands, as kids:

Ring-a-ring-o’- roses, a pocket full of …..

It would end with ‘we all fall down’, and everyone would sit down with a sudden bump. (Of course, now if you do that, i.e. fall like that, you’re likely to b-ring about a fracture. LOL)

Over to the next 'ring'er,nee, BUFer...:)Have a nice day.

Festival season ... :) (Uttara)

festival time....

Guys this is my favvvvv festival... "Diwali" ( festival of light, colour, wealth, happiness, and people) and its makes me feel so positive just like the way u find a ray of light/hope in the darkness...

Its a festival season.. just by putting up these pics it made me smile.. my heart smiles indeed :)... have u ever felt so peaceful ever b4?

Since it's festival time... i want each and everyone to write a post on "light" and how this festival changes your present mood andhow u celebrate.. etc etc :)( anything regarding this festival)....:) isn't it interesting?? :D

I tag RAJ n KESHI to write the next post :p get onto the act n tag ppl here.. they all r so slack!! goshhhh!!

Ps: this is in addition to the topics given in the last update!

Colour: Black

Feel like I have not posted anything here for a very long time! *sigh.. Hopefully I'm not too late in posting on the word of everyone's choice "Colour".

First thing that occurs to me when someone mention "colour" is black - my favourite one. And the next thing that comes to my mind will be this photo:

Sure most of my blog readers have seen this photo, but I can't help it :P Time to show off!!

Between, Deepavali greetings to all BUFers!