Hit the 25 mark – and don’t need a stick to walk, yet! August 13, 2007

25 is quite old to be! Isn’t it? I mean, 24 is such a nice cocoon, after 23 where you are still young, and you are allowed your mistakes and you career starts and all that. 24 is the amazing comfortable cocoon, where you can nestle in till the big 2 and 5 hits you. I just winced the day off, quite low-key and all that.

I had set aside stuff to do during each year, you know.. roughly. Like get a job by 23, start saving by 26, get married before 30.. loose things. Have nothing for this year. I think I gave myself a break when I was devising these plans. So this is my break year. And right about now, 2 days after the birthday, I think its officially time to start freaking out about 26! Oh boy! I don’t care what you are going to say this time, but 26 is OLD! That’s like over the hill and started the crazy drive down!

And I don’t even remember being on top of the hill or enjoying the view. Sigh.

Had a great day though. Toddle over to my cooking blog in case you want to know more about my special day and what exactly I did. I even have pics up there. And a huge thanks to all those awesome people who wished me and got stuff for me. My roomie baked a cake for me in the OTG that was her gift . Yeah, she’s o.k.a.y!

Here it is:

Before baking

After baking

I Love You Bangalore May 22, 2007

As I sat in the special train running between Hyderabad and Mysore, I sat thinking about my previous stays in Bangalore. The first city that I was exposed to. The people and the malls and the overpriced movie tickets left me feeling awestruck. My first stay in Bangalore was for my internship for a month at Pathi Prints Silk Saree Export company in Mysore Road. An uncle knew the director of the company and got me the opportunity. With the 3ooo rupees that mom gave I boarded the bus and started my first journey towards independence, towards a career, towards life.

Used to take three buses a day. One to the factory and two back home. I had a knapsack with all the data that I collected for the day. I stayed with two friends who were doing MCA. They were on a strict budget from home too. We would work out how much we can spend on vegetables, milk and groceries and do the purchase together. Once a week we would ‘treat’ ourselves to kababs at the corner dhaba. 10 bucks for 8 pieces. That was our feast and that was our Sunday dinner.

The feeling when I see the wide sidewalks, the trees, the buses, Forum mall, buy any chappal for 100 rupees stalls, juice corner, Kairali restaurant.. Its really unexplainable. I feel at home in Bangalore. The city has seen me at my worst moments. The tears, the pain, being broke, going hungry because I was too tired to cook, waiting for an auto in the rain, the shoe bites because of walking close to 2km a day.. I could go on and on.

Now when I go back, things are different. I can buy whatever I want to from Forum, I can afford the movie tickets, I can treat my friends at KFC, I can buy the top book from the current bestsellers in Landmark without a second thought. I wouldn’t even think of waiting for a bus anymore when I can just take an auto and not look at the meter with a racing heart, hoping I have enough to pay.

But that also means a 10 rupee kabab will not be a treat anymore. I can’t feel as happy and carefree as I did when I washed my clothes and hung them on the windy terrace, I can’t jump from one terrace to another to meet the girls staying next door. Even the tension of having to finish off all the food is something I miss these days. Why should that worry me? I have a fridge now. And even worse is the fact that I can afford to throw it off..

I don’t know if I like it this way or the other. Guess I should just be practical and ‘move on’. Sigh.

Wheee Weekend! May 7, 2007

I am in Gurgaon for the week. But before that, I have to tell you about the smashing weekend I had.

Now let me think back, what did I do on Saturday. Hmmm… Oh yeah. I came to work. Err.. I had some stuff to finish off and get the documents ready for my Irish visa.

In the evening we went for Spiderman 3. Did I mention Google booked out iMax? (again!) There were four shows in all and we chose the 5pm show on saturday. I could bring an extra guest (and sign up for more tickets if I wanted) so I started thinking who I could take. All my friends are Googlers. Then I thought of Indu. She is my very good friend Vidya’s sis. So I called her and there we were, watching Spidey. Movie was a disappointment. I don’t like men who cry. So you can guess how I feel when Super Heros cry. Ugghhh. And he was acting like a dunce. Was the original Peter Parker in the comics supposed to be dumb and act like Hrithik Roshan in Koi Mil Gaya? (before jadoo does something to him). Anyway, I liked James Franco better. He is really cute and an awesome villain. And in the end he saves Spidey’s life (one would think this is ironic, considering Spidey is the super hero and Harry is his mortal friend). Anyway.. Moving on..

Prat’s bro was here for her birthday. Which, incidentally, was on May 6th. We went to city centre on Saturday and then to Minerva Coffee Shop for dinner. We got a deliciiious chocolate cake from Baker’s Inn for her.

At 2:30am on Sunday (yes, its kinda in the middle of the night) I decorate the hall with some streamers and balloons for Prat. It was unbelievable hot so I finished it off quickly, that too in the dark (cuz I didnt want to wake her or her bro). Sunday, she was shocked (hehahahahaha). And surprised of course.

Lunch was at IndiJoe’s, which by the way, has amazing food. If you are in Hyderabad or you drop by some time, do go to IndiJoe at city centre in Banjara Hills. They have an amazing spread for buffet which you will get for the half the price oif you go there on a weekday. After a heavy lunch later (which is the only meal I had on Sunday!) we went to get the exercycle for Prat, which is what she wanted as a gift from her brother.

Wow, I am tired typing. Anyway, had a really awesome weekend that flew by. Right now, I am writing this from our Gurgaon office. I got here today morning but this is an entirely new story.

Coming soon..

It’s Been Long May 2, 2007

–I am so caught up these days that its not even funny. I woke up today morning suddenly reminded that I needed to call the insurance guy to confirm something for mom. She had called me on Sunday and I had made a mental note to call him on Monday. Today morning I realised that its already Wednesday and I haven’t done it! Its getting quite alarming and I have put four reminders in my phone today to get it done.

–Oh yeah, now I know where Monday went. It was Diuli’s b’day on Tuesday so Prats and I went to get her a gift. We also wanted to get something for Anju cuz like idiots we forgot to do it the previous weekend and her b’day was long over. We went to Odyssey, looked around for half hour and realised we had no idea what Anju would like. I knew she read a lot so we went ahead and got a gift card. Now I don’t know what you think about these cards, whether they are impersonal and don’t take any thought from us. But I see it in a really different way. A gift card means she gets to buy what she wants, and not just books cuz Odyssey has a lot of other stuff too. (Now you know what to get me for my birthday!)

–We looked around quite a bit for Diuli and finally decided on an over-sized pink bag, olive green party top and a belt, all from Jealous Jeans. It took us close to an hour to buy all of this.

–Finally, we came out and stood at Somajiguda for an auto. We stood and stood and then stood some more. Either all the autos were taken or they didn’t want to go to Moti Nagar (makes me wonder why! Its not a bad place and I am ready to fight anyone who says so!)

–That’s when I felt that autowallahs are like God. They get the right to refuse you, be busy with others with no questions asked and then charge you one-and-a-half times what you would have to pay normally, for no reason (not that God does that, but still I did compare them to God that evening)

–Tuesday evening was spent gifting Anju, taking funny pics for a collage to gift Diuli in addition to what we got for her. She was surprised and all that (though she did find the bag a lil girly)

–Dinner at Kafulok. Chinese food. Tasted good but the quantity was way too little. My camera battery conked out just when I was getting into the groove and I sulked for some time till I took Diuli’s camera and started using that. Prat’s b’day is coming up this Sunday and we sat at Kafulok and loudly discussed where we want to go for that. Little Italy (amazing Italian food, veg though) and Indijoe (awesome buffet) topped the list. Yet to decide. The waiters at Kafulok were quite amused listening to us discussing where to go for our next treat.

–Had dessert at Baskin Robbins (sigh.. I am in love with them). They have come up with three new superhero flavours and the ‘Spiderman 3′ flavor is a bright red and blue, just like his costume. I tasted it but settled for the normal flavors – gold medal ribbon and lichee double scoops in freshly baked waffle cone. Heaven.

–Talking about Superheros, we are going for Spiderman 3 this Saturday. Google has booked out iMax for the Friday and Saturday shows and we picked Saturday. Yes, I love Google and yes, it rocks!

Typed in the morning while waiting for cab. Got up early just to post something. Had started a post on Mallus but lost it when my comp got stuck. Maybe another time.

April 9, 2007

Excitement
Happiness
Heat
Family
Friends
Fun
More fun
Dinner
Baskin Robbins
Home food
Nice evening
Great weekend

The Weekend That Was March 26, 2007

Hyderabad is hot now! I wake up feeling half-baked and dehydrated and even more sleepy than I was when I went to sleep the previous night. And I feel really stupid carrying a jacket to office! Cuz as it is throughout the year, office is cold.

This weekend was spent cribbing about the heat, tidying and dusting my clothes shelf, cooking, shopping for a pouch and a memory card for my camera and watching ‘pursuit of happyness’ (I kept the best for last so that just when you start thinkin I am boring, I can prove you wrong. Gotcha!)

How can I go further without telling you about that movie. I am in love with Will Smith. I had a crush-like thingie on him since Men In Black and Independence Day but this movie takes the cream and the cherry and everything above that. He has done a f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c job (when I type with these hyphens in between, its mighty important to me cuz its not easy to type that way you see, try it). People who had seen the movie kept telling me its a very emotional movie and I should carry tissues (yea yea, I am one of those emotional freaks who cries at a movie). Surprisingly, I kept waiting for the most emotional scene to burst out crying until the credits came and I realised the movie was over! Sheesh. Hope I haven’t lost my ’soft’ side. Or maybe not. Ok, whatever.

So the movie is great and all of you should go and watch it. Absolutely should!

Work calls now..

Blowing My Own Trumpet (I just couldn’t resist) February 22, 2007

Things have been a little hectic at work of late and I have been in training for the past two weeks. This week I have a batch of my own and that session is going on. Next week, again, I have Email Response Training (ERT). We have something called a pre-ERT Test which needs to be cleared before one can enter ERT and I gave that test a couple of weeks back. I totally didn’t get time to prepare but managed to take it somehow.

Today, I got an email from Darshini (who is my ERT trainer and also my team member, since I am also part of training team) saying:

Hello Nags,

I’m sorry to inform you that you have not passed your Pre ERT Test. The required pass was 45 out of 60 questions. Unfortunately, you did not make the mark. You will need to take the test up again. Please let me know when you will be free to take the test and I will schedule you for it. Please let me or Kalpana know if you have any questions or concerns.

I had given a 10-minute break to my class and thats when I saw this email. Was completely disappointed and responded to her saying:

oh damn! cant believe i was this bad. I will take the test today during lunch. (12:30-1:30) thats the only free time i have. gawd, i am such a disappointment to the ERT team sorry guys, will try to clear it this time. a very embarrassed nags

I was quite disappointed in myself and wondered why this happened. A short while later, Kalpana knocked on the door and asked to talk to me. She told me there was a meeting after work today and I had to attend that. We spoke for another 2 mins and then headed back to the training room. I opened the room, and there was Darshini with her camera. There was a congrats sign stuck to the wall.

I was speechless and at a loss for words. My trainees looked at us in wonder thinking ‘where the heck are we?” Welcome to Google, dears.

This is the follow up email that Darshini sent to the entire team and congrats have been flowing in. Guess I am fishing for more here.

Team,

Superstar Naags has created a new record… She is the first ever to achieve a full score in the Pre ERT test!!! Woooohooooooo But, she was NOT the first to know about it. Keeping with our tradition of doing things the nutty way, we decided to tell her that she had, indeed, failed ! Filled with disappointment, she shot out apologetic emails to Kalpana and I, and gave her class a quick break so that she had some time to recover. Little did she know that Kalpana and I were on our way here to make it all up to her and give her the good news in person! And… Was she shocked to see us!! Further more, she was shocked to find out that she had actually passed, and with such fab results! (For the shocked expression, please see photo) I must also add that after taking the test Naags was not so sure that she was going to pass it… But, she has done a fantastic job and has set a record in the bargain! Everyone please congratulate our very own Naags who has done this while focusing on ABT and other responsibilities!

Yay!!!

~darshini

Actually I just wanted to record this as a memorable day in my life. Darsh and Kalpana are both in a different building and they came all the way here, just to make my day. Thank you guys.

Love my job, love my life

Cooking, Dieting and Misc February 5, 2007

First things first (as always). Made the aloo parathas and they came out really well. I was so proud of myself and all that. Thanks to Moo for the help. Saturday brunch was thus made and it took me quite some time to prepare it. I really need to focus on getting things done quicker. You know, the shortcuts in cooking. Wish it didn’t require so much of practise.

Made puttu and kadala for breakfast (brunch, actually) on Sunday. Loads of help from Moo and Moi. Some things did go bad but we were all full at the end of the meal Had a sudden urge to call my mom while I was making the kadala, and I did. Normally feel that way when I cook. Its strange, ‘cuz my mom spent least time in the kitchen and I have hardly cooked with her. Still, food is associated with mothers, right?

After the sad state of affairs following my gymming plan of two months before, (for the uninitiated, I went to the gym and put on weight. Yeah. thats right) I have decided to go back to the diet plan I followed last year. Mainly involves eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. Borrrring.

Saw a really bad malayalam movie yesterday, starring Mohanlal, called Nattu Rajavu. It was… hmm.. bad.

Gifs, Chocolates and Some More January 4, 2007

This is the one and only decent pic (with me in it-the one in the centre, btw ) taken at the Q4 training team dinner at Waterfront in Necklace Road on the 21st of Dec . The restaurant has a beautiful view of the Hussain Sagar Lake and great ambience. We were just around 20 people since most of us had gone home for Christmas Vacation. And today, we got this really superb trolley bag as a gift! Its pretty awesome. To top it off, Arjun came back from Dublin today and got me the laptop bag he promised to bring me from there. I am soooo excited. No more lugging the shoulder bag through crowded streets, no more begging others to hold the bag for a second. Its all taken care of now. Wheeeee.

I had typed this post and saved it as draft which eventually got forgotten. Here, posting it now. Pic by Aarti.

Training Team Dinner September 1, 2006

I should say this quarter was pretty neat in one way. I had the chance to attend two Team Dinners…

The first one was with Team Fusion at Our Place.

The second one with the Training Team. It was organised in a hurry at Serengeti which is an awesome jungle restaurant in Banjara Hills. Serengeti is part of the famed Ohri’s chain of restaurant and has a beautiful jungle theme. Its perfect for a date Oh, by the way, this was also a farewell to Brian who was an integral part of setting up the training team here in Hyderabad.

Brian had no idea what we had in store for him. That’s Maya leading him to his surprise.

Well.. the surprise was the garland!!!!

That’s Joel and Brian looking really happy in their tube rose garlands. Don’t they look happy together

That’s Mayuri and I with Brian. Its a little sad that we didn’t get to work with him much but just knowing him for a couple of weeks was amazing. We miss you Brian