Friday, February 25, 2011

photo mosaic

I read about this from Asha. Then a couple of days back, i downloaded the AndreaMosaic software and tried it. I am liking the result. Sharing one of them here.


Photo Mosaic: Pics from my holiday album


Wallpaper from Imagine India: Base Pic





Monday, February 21, 2011

Before I was a mom

Itching to write, but i have no time today. So, thought of sharing a Forward by a colleague and a wonderful friend of mine, about being a mother. This is for all my friends J, Lin, R, and those of you who've entered momhood and for people like me, who are under peer pressure. :-)

Before I was a Mom I made and ate hot meals.
I had unstained clothing, I even took pleasure in shopping.
I had quiet, uninterrupted conversations on the phone.
I had privacy in the bathroom.
Before I was a Mom, I slept as late as I wanted and never cared about the time I went to bed.
I was able to sleep the entire night uninterrupted and woke up with a feeling of being well-rested and ready for a new day.
Before I was a Mom, I never got up every few minutes, stopping whatever I was doing - voluntarily, just to be sure all in the house was okay or to lay my hand on the back of a sleeping child to be sure they were breathing and not feverish.
I brushed my hair and my teeth every day. I enjoyed leisurely bubble baths whenever I wanted.
I had time to clean house and read a magazine.
Before I was a Mom, I renewed my spirit by having lit candles burning all through the house; never nervous about that practice injuring fingers or being a fire hazard.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies and nursery rhymes. I was confident.
I was not concerned about the paint on the wall, leaving a window open or the front gate unlocked.
I never worried whether or not my houseplants were poisonous or what I kept under the kitchen sink or where I kept the sharp knives.
I never gave a second thought to the safety of electrical outlets or the accessibility of the medicine chest.
Before I was a Mom, the word "immunizations" meant almost nothing to me.
I had never held down a screaming, fearful child so that a doctor could do tests or give shots.
I had never been puked on, spit on, chewed on, pooped and peed on or pinched by tiny fingers.
I had forgotten how real monsters hide in closets without a night-light on and that bed-bugs bite too.
Before I was a Mom, I had complete control of my thoughts, my emotions, my body and my money.
I never looked into little teary eyes and cried myself.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late watching a child sleep, while praying over their future and being thankful to God for today.
Before I was a Mom, I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the physical pain or ease the emotional hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom, I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body, or the necessity of having eyes in the back of my head, or the importance of having three hands.
I didn't know how special it would feel to hold and feed a hungry baby, kiss a boo-boo or to offer comfort in the middle of a thunder storm. I never held a sleeping infant because I did not want to let go.
I never knew the delight of small arms hugging my neck.
I didn't know the bond between a Mother and her child could be so strong.
Before I was a Mom, I did not know anyone so small could make me feel so important and needed.
I had taken for granted the special moments and milestones I had been blessed to witnessed in the lives of others - like first steps and first words - the sound of a tiny voice whispering "Mommy?" for the first time - the discovery of rain and snow - the first taste of a cookie - and so much more.
No, I had never experienced the warmth, joy, heartache, wonderment, commitment, responsibility or the satisfaction that comes from the knowledge and understanding of what it means to be willing to self-sacrifice.
Now, I can appreciate the over-protectiveness of my own Mom, because I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much - before I was a Mom.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Romance

S: Hey, did you get the e-card that i sent you?
Me: No, which email id?
S: Office. Check your Spam folder.
Me: We have no Spam folder.
S: Shit!
Me: Did you get the card that i sent you?
S: No, which e-mail id?
Me: Actually, i didn't. Since, i did not get what you sent, it's the same. How does it matter? :-)
S: :-) Saali!
Me and S: challo, goodnight/have a great day!

We are trying to romance each other online. And i wonder what was it that we talked about from Friday evening to Saturday morning before we got married.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

let us all shop, shop and shop some more

The whole city is on sale. At least, i think so. i shopped a lot online when i was recovering from my accident. My excuse was that i had to make myself feel like i am going on with my normal life. Now, i realise i am shopping even more. online, offline, anyline... i am registered at many online shopping sites. Surprisingly, i take that much time as i would when i really go shopping:

Does anybody else at work have it?
Will it make me look fat/too skinny?
can i afford t?
Can i wear it to work? (i have no other social life these days)
Will the husband mind (he doesn't care, but it is part of protocol and i act concerned)
is the colour right?
can i hide it in the closet?
offline, i walk closer and then walk away and look at it from a distance, then take it to the trial room. Online, i zoom in and zoom out the image, then read the specifications, again and again.

If you feel guilty, what do you do? Spread the virus, or let's say, spread the love. And a blessing in disguise happened in the name of Fashion and you. Now, we have been exposed to all kinds of brands from the comfort of our drawing rooms and the various media available. We don't wear them, but ya ya, we know them. And then there are these fashion weeks that happen, almost every week. After a point, you'll see Wills ShivajiNagar Fashion week, Wills Kengeri Fashion week, Wills Dharvi Fashion week etc. Without diverting anymore, Fashion and You empowers you (bakra banaos) to reach out to some labels. The products are good and the prices are reasonable. It works only through reference, and you get discounts each time your friends buy for a certain amount. So, you buy and she buys, and he buys, and all of you buy and they make merry and also the money. So, if you want to feel less guilty about shopping too much, refer your friends. i can send the invite too. Drop me a mail.

Right now, there is Happiness Sale @Central (what are they happy about, i don't know), Shoppers' Stop and LifeStyle too. I am into Home Decor right now. Lifestyle had better and cheaper stuffs than Shoppers' Stop. Bought candles, vases, decorative stones etc. Took me about 2 hours to select them. i felt, smelt, touched, looked, sighed and then bought.
Today, i am living up to this thought that came through my Word-of-the-day subscription.

It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do. There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do. Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and a most exhausting one. Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen. -Jerome K. Jerome, humorist and playwright (1859-1927)

Monday, February 07, 2011

Back to mundanity

Gave back my walker to the hospital yesterday. Started taking the bike to the colleague's (with whom i carpool) place from today. couldn't stop living.


i try to leave work early these days. To reach home, to my mom, craning her neck from the balcony.
i don't know how many decades ago i turned 18, but i am back to being a child.

*********
Finally, i spoke to lady Bernes of Femina and got my reward. i did not shout or try to solve their problem. just that i had sent my address 5 times. i am glad i followed up. The little rewards inspire me to write. i write for joy, only here. even the social networks do not give me joy, just some momentary gratification. everywhere else, i eye the rewards or i get paid. Money is what separates us from animals, like they say in Sienfeld. :-)

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

And it is that time of the year-my shoddy state of finance

i am not proud to say this, but my finance is in a shoddy state. And it is not too late to make resolutions. started thinking if i were to die, what a financial mess i would leave behind. i had freelanced for a company
long time back. i never submitted my invoice. i hadn't done anything about the PFs in the past two organizations. i have changes (coins) in the name of Mutual Funds in many places. Some are tracked, some untracked. i used to tell myself i need to do something about it, but never got to doing anything and just went about my un-exciting life.

The only saving grace is that unlike some of my female colleagues, i haven't left it to the husband to take care of all financial investments of the household. i know my fund houses and investments and i take responsibility for any mess that comes along with it. (book idea-The pride of a financial moron)
While being bed-ridden, i decided i must pull up my financial socks and be financially fit too. i mailed to the people i freelanced for and got a fair amount. i have applied for withdrawal of one PF and the transfer of another. In one case, i even had to get an affidavit declaring i was working there as it has been more than 3 years that i left the place. i have initiated transfer of PF for the other organization to my current one.
Next, i need to fill up some forms for some superannuation fund in the ex-organization. Don't know how! yes, it is in English but the enormity of the no. of forms gave me a mental block and it has been pending.
And i don't like this new Know Your Customer thingy happening for the fund houses. Mine are not KYC compliant and you cannot do everything online.
HDFC doesn't allow you to update address online. Don't like it. ICICI allows you to do it.
So, here are the things to be done:
  • Withdraw PF from so and so company (submitted forms, waiting for Govt to act)
  • Transfer PF from ex-company (waiting for govt to act, DO NOT change too many companies)
  • Follow up on payment for past freelance work (got it. honey, i got money!!!:-))
  • Follow up with landlord and collect documents ( i ended up paying the electricty bill for his new tenant. forgot to remove online registration. collect mails. we live poles apart now, and i am just back on my feet.)  
  • Combine all MFs to one account (Let CAMS to do their job and manage only one account online. came to know this is not possible. Done for 2 MFs. They are not partners with Reliance.)
  • Pull out the non-sensical ones (wait for market to stabilise. Probaby post March)
  • Visit branch and submit address proof. (done. 14/2/2011)
  • Submit KYC form (keep all docs ready. Done. 9/2/2011)
  • Nominate S for all investments (how much money i am gonna leave you! it was just a fracture. me not dying so soon. haha.)