To start with, for the first time in my life I got to play professional cricket as part of my corporate women’s team, and what an amazing experience it was! I was a last-minute entry into the team and agreed on the persuasion of one of my colleagues. I was quite hesitant to enter into what is perhaps a man’s domain. But it was a memorable experience, and I enjoyed it to the hilt. And quite surprisingly, I turned out to be a pretty good player, especially a good bowler. People who know me would take this as a big farce but believe me folks, it’s true! I was the star of one of the two matches we played, but unfortuantely we lost that one :-/ Hmm my bad luck!  Qualifying for the tournament would definitely be a bonus, nevertheless I will cherish those moments forever in my life, and given a chance would not hesitate to play again!

Anyways, moving on to something which is more likely go with my persona, I was quite fortunate to have secured a perfect score in the communication exam that is mandatory for all the employees at my office. At the cost of sounding boastful, I would say that it made me a celebrity overnight! My inbox was full with congratulation mails from peers and friends who were amazed at my feat. My pic has also been put up in the office library supposedly to inspire others! I basked in the glory for many days and even now cherish those moments

Moving on to my beloved topic – SHOPPING – well, I very shamelessly admit that my urges have become more frantic and I have absolutely no idea how to put a stop to or atleast control them. I better sit at home engrossed in a spine-chilling novel, which has of late been my favorite pursuit. Infact this has become quite addictive, so much so that I readily sacrifice many hours of my sleep just flipping over the pages of a murder mystery or a whodunit. And I feel as if I have been unburdened only after knowing that the protagonist would now be safe and sound.

To summarise it all, I am living life on the fast lane and that’s how I like it – at least for now. Have learned to enjoy the present, cherish the wins, and move on from the losses. Like one of the quotes goes, “Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change”. Lovely!

That’s it from me now…will try to blog more regularly.

Though many modern malls have cropped up in the city in the recent past, the ‘numaish’ has its old-world charm, and I was not surprised to see people thronging the place in huge numbers (despite the discount offers in almost all the ‘happening’ malls across the city). The very unique thing about numaish is that people from all classes can afford to visit it and also buy stuff there which is quite economically priced. And if you are good at bargaining, then there’s no place better than the exhibition! You can hear Bollywood songs from the 60s and 70s being played, and I can almost list the songs which will be played next year too! But the amazing thing is that people actually enjoy them.

The open-air mall consists of  stalls of clothes, accessories, electronic items, toys, food stalls…oh you name them and you have got them! The good thing is that the stalls are from across the country, representing different states – ranging from Kashmir to UP to Mumbai.

The All India Industrial Exhibition was apparently started by alumni of Osmania University in 1937 when the city was ruled by Nizam (so its been seven decades now…whoaaa!!!!). The idea was to sell “indigenously produced goods”, and also provide information on health and envirnoment. The earnings were used for the upliftment of poor women, and were also instrumental in the setting up of Vanita Mahavidyalaya, the degree college for women located in the same vicinity. The exhibition society, which was formed by the OU alumni, presently supports around 18 educational institutions.

This year I visited the exhibition thrice, bought n number of dresses n accessories (nothing surprising), and what will be a visit to the numaish without a stop at the Agrawala’s? So ate samosa, mirchi and the very yummy rabdi malai at the stall. I love the chutney they prepare…mmmmm OK I will stop at this! And yes, had popcorn, chocobar and matka kulfi too  Am proud of myself…hehehe.

And of course I have stopped sitting in the jhulas, as I feel it is only for kids or immature individuals who are looking for a high……..huh OK I gotta admit am scared of these joy rides and hence I dont even venture close to that area

I also missed my brother this time as he is in the US now, but every year we would always go together with our parents…as kids he would pester Mom n Dad to buy him a gun or a car/bike, and I would want dolls or soft toys or a kitchen set. I still remember the big pink teddy bear Mom and Dad bought for me when I was around 7-8 yrs old. It was a lot of bargaining, and finally I had got my prized posession after much persuasion…I later named it Lallu I was one happy girl..my God!! It was my first ever teddy bear, and I cherished it for many years….Whoa…makes me feel nostalgic……

All in all the Nampally exhibition is one such thing which has not been touched by the modernisation fever. It has still got the same old charm and is a typical Hyderabadi affair…and I hope it remains the same in the coming years as well…and I am looking forward to my visit to the numaish next year…hope its more exciting than my previous visits…

With all the sales going on everywhere in the city, and the Big Bazaar (BB) offering “sabse saste 4 din” (most cheapest four days) and 26 being the last day of the offer, my Mom was desperate to visit the store and buy stuff there. And it being a holiday on 26th for me, I too accompanied my parents.

As soon as we entered the overcrowded MPM mall, your Ms.Shopaholic set eyes on a handbag (my latest craze) that was on display in a store just beside BB. We bought the bag as well as some scarves from the store and progressed towards BB. I deposited the shopping bag at the third floor (since the first and second were already full) and carried the new handbag myself. By then my parents had already entered BB, and when I was entering the store the security personnel at the entrance stopped me to check my handbag. I casually told her that there was nothing in the bag since it was a new one. But the bag being completely new, it was stuffed with paper. As soon as she saw the stuff, she raised an alarm to the senoir security guy as if she had caught a thief!! Man!! What the heck!!

Even then I was just smiling at her and told I had just bought it and hence the paper stuff. But she was unwilling to listen, and was speaking very rudely. She enquired where the bill was, and I remembered that the bill was in the packet which I deposited at the third floor of the store. Huh! I remmebered that the token of that packet was in the new bag itself, but she was not even allowing me to touch my own bag!! Damn! This was the limit! She herself wanted to see if there was indeed a token inside the bag! I now told her firmly to lay her hands off and better not touch my bag. 

I got the token and went back to get the bill, and by the time I returned I was very angry on the lady. I gave her a piece of my mind and asked her if this was the way a customer is treated. Then she started blabbering that they too had a similar bag in their shop. What the heck! Did I look like a thief?? I have started to doubt my pretty looks now! OK looks are deceptive but still yaar..ye to hadh ho gayi…Jokes apart, by then my father too came but did not interfere since he saw that I was handling everything quite well by myself…The senior security guy started apoligizing for the fiasco. I decided to stop at this.

But this incident has just made me stronger, and taught me to handle things by my own. I guess earlier I would just not react or would get emotional at such inappropriate behaviour, which was not exactly the ideal solution always. This incident just gave me a whole lot of new confidence of what I was capable of. It might not be a big deal for many people but it certainly was for me.

After this episode, I have almost promised myself that I will not be taking things lying low from now on. I hope I stay by this decision.

I started the year by reestablishing my career with a new job, learnt to drive the four-wheeler, had a brief stint with swimming, unexpectedly met and got in touch with some old friends and colleagues, and made some new friends too. And yes, I started blogging too for the first time!

Enjoyed my days at the workplace to the hilt with some great friends and good company. Made my mark there with my seniors and peers by doing some good work.

Got a new job towards the end of the year with a good hike and profile. Liking the new place and my colleagues here.

On the personal front, my brother was here from the US for a vacation alongwith my sis-in-law, brought many goodies for me and gifted me a Blackberry too!  My cousin got married, which was quite unplanned, anyways, I wish him a happy married life.

I thank God for all His blessings upon me, and I pray that 2010 and the coming years bring happiness and peace in my life as well as others’.

Wishing you all a very happy new year 2010!

What do I know about it? I just know that a certain Mr. KCR is hell-bent on dividing Andhra Pradesh into Andhra and Telangana…and has also been successful in pataoing/forcing the government to actually give a go-ahead. Its a totally different matter if it will actually be implemented.

Now, when the whole issue was in full-swing, with KCR on an idefinite hunger strike and almost dying, and the college students setting themselves ablaze, and the bandhs across Hyderabad, I asked my father if we belonged to Telangana or the Andhra region. My father simply said, dear if you are stopped by the Telangana people just say “Jai Telangana”, and if stopped by the Andhra people, say “Jai Andhra”! Huh. But I was adamant on knowing, so my father finally said that we belonged to the Telangana region, and to my surprise he also said that he was once arrested in his youth – in 1969 to be precise -  when the movement was in action of which he too was a part. Oops..OK!!

One of my friends was of the opinion that the whole issue is a farce put up by the Centre so that they may have total control of Andhra Pradesh – Divide and Rule policy you see, and also felt as if he no longer had an identity…hmm. I don’t exactly know which area he belongs to, but when I asked he was so irritated that he said he was a Punjabi! Oops..wrong question lady…

Well, I was just thinking that I am a Hyderabadi which falls under Andhra Pradesh state. But this whole thing has left me confused. I have many friends who belong to the Andhra region but I never felt any difference. I think there are better issues to fight for rather than for the division of a state! Why don’t people starve for social causes such as education of the girl child, or against foeticide which is such an ugly thing…or use your energy and resources to help the country fight terrorism, poverty, illiteracy…hmm if only politicians thought on these lines…yeah most of you would say that perhaps they would not be in the field of politics if they thought like that..they would rather be social workers…I agree…

The latest news is that an indefinite bandh is in the offing from 29th Dec, which will continue till the state is divided. So some more days of work from home I guess..hmm. I dont really have anything else to say about it coz as I said am very confused. With so many people dying for or against the separate Telangana agitation, I think a firm decision – whether it is to divide or not to divide – needs to be taken at the earliest, before more lives are sacrificed.

Hoping for the best for everyone…

Why is it that people fall, get up and fall flat again, repeating the same mistake again and again…don’t tell me they are inspired by the ant story…puhleeeeze!! Why is it that the mysterious or the different is desired the most…

Why is it that people love breaking rules…the ones having some guts I mean to say…or maybe they are plain foolish coz they tread the difficult path without thinking what the results might be…Why is it that there are always boundaries, societal pressure and blah blah blah when you want to do something that gives you happiness….Should one follow what his heart says or think logically??

Why can’t everyone be happy at the same time??? Should one think about self-happiness or other’s happiness?? Why is it that when one thinks about one’s own happiness he is called a selfish person…Why is it that some people are born just to sacrifice for others??

When God made such beautiful surroundings, creatures why is there so much hatred?? Why are there wars??? Why can’t everyone live in peace?? Why are there so many conflicts…Why such greed…hunger for power…

Why is it that I am asking so many questions??? Well, I had started writing the blog with a different focus and ended up saying things which were going on in my mind since long….

I think I am a compulsive buyer because I just tend to buy stuff everytime I go out to a mall or a shop. If I set my eyes on somethin then I just gotta have it..and if I don’t, and that’s very rare, then I keep thinking about it till I fall asleep or till I finally get it the next day

I don’t know about others but shopping gives me immense happiness, and if it is from my own earnings then heck, its all the more better! Gives my ego a real boost and I tend to shop even more. After my shopping’s done, I feel as if I am on cloud nine. Just feels greatttt!!

There are some positive things too about my shopping. I usually use the stuff which I am buying and rarely does anything go waste. And I just don’t buy stuff only for myself, I buy gifts too for the people I love. It feels great, I tell you, just to see a smile on their faces.

I think I shop more than anyone in my group of friends and colleagues! Yeah…And I don’t even feel guilty about it. And even if I try to convince myself that I should not be spending so much and take any resolution that I will control my shopping spree, I just forget everything the minute I enter a mall and all my resolutions vanish into thin air 

Maybe because I don’t have any responsibilities to fulfill I shop without a care in the world. But then I would not recommend it to everyone, of course. I mean, one should always save for any contingency that may arise. I know, I know, people who know me will frown upon this advice of mine, coz it just doesn’t go with me…pheww..

But still, as I am writing this blog, I once again feel I should think twice before I pick up any stuff from next time on..let’s see if this really works.

OK i gotta go now…going out for some……….window shopping…hehe

Well to begin with my brother and sis-in-law from US are here on a vacation…yup my brother brought goodies for me and a whole lot of chocolates

He got me fragrances too..Davidoff Freeze which is indeed cool and a very very beautifully fragrant body spray ButterflyFlower…oh I like it very much….

Job’s going on fine but not without some speed breakers…I mean sometimes there’s some positive development from the UK team and some times its brick-bats..so life’s not so easy..hmmm but still I am enjoying this phase of my life…some good things some not so good but on the whole I am happy and that is what’s more important isn’t it?? Atleast for myself and the people who care about me…

And ya there’s some uncertainity about my job….layoffs are formally being announced and gossip’s that the company is facing difficult times…so let’s see what’s in store…

OK that’s about it for now…more in next..till then…

Hasta la Vista!!!

Well, got a new aquarium with some very beautiful fish of different types, sizes and colours – silver, golden, black ones with orange fins, yellow with black dots, white, plain black, and gray big ones. I was superexcited about them when we got them last weekend. All of them are in pairs and know what?? even while moving within the aquarium they always move with their partner only. I found this quite interesting and started monitoring them closely.

But unfortunately, soon they started dying. By the time I would return from the office atleast one would have died

My parents said that it was because they had a change of place it was difficult for them to adjust. I felt very bad.

And then I noticed that if one of the pair would die today, by next day its partner would be dead! You gotta believe me!

I was myself quite taken aback. I saw that the one whose partner was dead would deliberately stop swimming around and just stick to one place, most of the times at the bottom of the aquarium. It would not mix with any other fish group and was committing suicide! Well that’s what it is…isn’t it???

We humans boast so much about love and brag endlessly about how we can go to any lengths for our love and blah blah blah .. but such tiny creatures who dont even have a definite language speak the language of love so very perfectly!! Amazing!!

As someone rightly said love has no language…maybe its all about genuine feelings, companionship, loyalty and the undying feeling of togetherness even when you are two different beings…

So maybe what the fish were doing was not that strange after all. Till death do us apart??? Naaah. They have managed to challenge even death from taking away their love. Whoa!!

I might be the wrong person to speak about such fairytale stuff…but couldn’t help it.

Oh coming back to my aquarium, well we will get more new fish very soon