Whats your name ??

Ahaa, another activity that I enjoy!!. I have always been fascinated by the great names especially the nicknames that we get to hear everyday of all the people around us. Sometimes they are weird and funny but at times sweet. It all starts with our parents and we don't have any choice with that, they will call us with any just like that name which might not have any meaning at all and then are our peers who will tease on those funny names. If you are fortunate enough to have a nice name then you will be definitely renamed with a screwed up version during your schooling/college/office. But each one of us will definitely have one; I myself have about a dozen in my kitty.

When I was a kid I believed if you are born as a twin then you need to have almost the same name with just a single letter different or the second child should have a rhyming name with the elder sibling. I can cite a whole lot of examples on this - Dimple:Simple, Himani: Himanshu, Ankit:Ankita, Neha:Nehal, Akhil:Nikhil, Ajay:Vijay, Deepak:Deepika, Manish:Manisha etc etc.. Sometimes during intro sessions in family get-togethers I used to promptly interfere in between and guess the second child's name. At times I was correct and at other times would get a you crook look !! Even when my brother was born he was first called with my rhyming nickname and I was furious, had to shout on top of my voice to that aunt of my Dad to dare not say that again, thankfully she didn't. But spoilt his name many times from Ladoo to Kicky and I am still doing it ;)

But my favorite till date remains "Kut Kut", yes each time I used to tell about it to someone they would say why kut kut and not biscuit :). I still don't know how he got his name and neither has this sweetheart kut kut been able to solve the mystery, though he told me not to call him by this name anymore on public forum ;) (He is a 6ft+ guy now). Another one is my sister's nickname - tutul. I know the story behind this name. When she was born my Dad was reading a novel which had this character called 'tutul'. Now each time someone asked we used to repeat the name twice or thrice and then spell it even after that people couldn't say it. I learned a trick some years later to teach her name’s pronunciation to people --> 2 + (toolbox -box) = 2tool :) I love this name too and that is why never added didi to it...

Another advantage of nicknaming is when you have to do back biting :). I and my friends keep some secret names then gossip, making them completely unaware that these people themselves are being talked about and it has been a lot of fun. By the way we use to change these secret names frequently with new ones to remove any traces of doubt. Shanks hope you got it !!

The motivation to write this post came from a colleague of mine whom I casually asked the other day - "I was thinking of giving you a nick name and she promptly said you can call me aaloo !!" I bursted laughing. She is so used to getting that name from people that now she has started suggesting it herself!! I was giggling for a long time after this.

The Invisible Girl !!

Yesterday was just another bad day for me, actually nothing bad happened but its one of those days when I miss home a lot, think about all the crap going around and crib :). During this cribbing session a friend of mine was trying to lift my spirits and suggested lets make the people who bother you invisible. And since I have to always think the opposite so pop came the reply "why them and not me, I should be invisible and have all fun". My friend imagined me banging every one's head starting alphabetically (I literally imagined this wow what a power :)). All types of crazy ideas started coming to my mind and the evil wheels in me started churning quickly. I entered my favorite zone - dreaming. Wow what a bliss, I can make all these people go mad jumping down here and there and enjoy the free show ;) It reminds me of a poem we read in nursery -"The Topsy Turvy Land", i enjoyed that a lot but had to cram it for an elocution contest.

OK so here I go on with my crazy imagination. Pour a big jar of hot coffee on the most blank person I have ever met till date, I don't know how can somebody be so dumb all the time and I cant tolerate him a second. Next would be the handsome hunk(though only he thinks so :) ) - give him an electric shock so that he can atleast stand straight (seriously each time I see him I remember a movie dialogue - were you born in a train !!). Next would be the non stoppable chatter box, this guy goes on and on and speaks just for the sake of speaking, for god sake we all know you can speak but its enuf. I will put quick fix on his mouth and enjoy the muteness :). We have this person in office who should be given the shabbiest hair award, every morning the hairdo is a scene to watch. After a recent haircut it has become more awful. I too wish to give this person another weird hair cut though I have never done this before :). Now comes the turn of our updates expert, who just enjoys giving updates(by emails) on each and every thing, I guess his outlook's out going service should be blocked. I can imagine his hell broke down frustrated face. Next would be the beer bottle / sleepy guy, i would take his sleeping snap and send that to his manager who will come and jump on his head. There is another person who always tries to be in every one's good books. Man the way he behaves in front of client is too funny, at times it has been very difficult for me to control my giggles. I would play his regional language songs on top volume in his room, and let the whole floor have fun. I am sure the decepticons (another bunch of ....) will start dancing.

Another hot point in my office is the coffee area, the K4 gang is always seen there. The coffee machine should not work only for them and then their great fundas will start.

Hmmm, I wish all this would have been a reality but its not :( and my dream is over, the reminder on laptop is blinking got to go for a client meeting.

Shopping spree...

Yet another shopping trip. Being a girl, I believe its my birthright to shop at any chance that I get :) and I never miss that. The outcome would be buying loads of unnecessary things which are actually not required at all but who cares! Like all good things this also comes with its disadvantages and specially for a lazy bones person like me - man why the hell do we have so huge malls !! Till date I have never visited all the stores in a mall, just don't have that much energy and another bad thing of US malls is you don't get our regular indian snacks while shopping - the chaat and the masala corn... i miss these a lot.

But I had two different experiences this time which I would like to share. There was a crowded store with me standing in a long billing queue behind a beautiful lady. Now here comes another old lady running with a hell broke down look on her face. She frowns and is all tensed up with an SMS that she has received just now. With all the drama going on right in front me, now my ears were all curious to know the matter. As per my understanding their concern was - the youngest daughter of the family just now got married and has sent a message - Just Married !!. After 5 mins or less of discussion they became normal. Oops this can definitely happen in US only, had it been in India there would have been a hell lot of melodrama with everyone around sympathizing and the family will remain in shock for their entire lifetime. The gossip talks will go on and on, with each person adding their own seasoning to it.

Another sweet incident that happened was while I was searching for my size (its always difficult task to do this) in a store. I saw a very old couple standing besides me. The lady was blind, holding a stick in one hand and the man's hand in other. She asked if she could touch what he is taking for her. He gave her the shirt, she starting feeling the fabric and asked "what color is it? ". The man replied - "there's blue , black and red, but dear we'll buy whatever you like." Prompt came a soft reply "I prefer blue" and a there came a beautiful content smile on her face which was contagious to me too...

Another Long weekend....

Here comes another longggg weekend- this time its the "Columbus Day". Its been almost two years since I am living in states and for me long weekends have always been very exhaustive , either I am running around catching flights and then sight seeing else be at home planing parties and cooking the whole day for everyone. But this time I just want to sit at home and relax.. enjoy the beautiful fall weather, read a novel (will be starting the kite runner tonite) with a warm ginger tea cup and maybe a movie after that. Yes this remains my ideal holiday plan as usual. And moreover imagine getting up daily in the morning at my leisure and no office..yippee. But this time I did made a long to do list...which is so big that I dont want to look at it now :)

Its real easy to make this comfortable plan but the people around you won't let you reach there like a cake walk. Everyone has to ask about each others plans and showoff . As if, its a competition my destination is better than yours !! During lunch today, it seemed everyone had a single question on their faces - what plans for the weekend?? not going anywhere? so sad..poor u, join us, we are going to the mountains, booked a cabin and then you have to listen to their excellent planning and all the fun which they think they might have. Its not that I dont like visting new places or if i am a loner but I admit I am lazy bones and just cant go anywhere just for the sake of going. I enjoy with my kind of people and once in a while do like to break the routine. People will sympathize as if hell broke down on me and with a fake smile I need to respond and give some excuses while the other notorious half of me has switched to thinking which movie shall I watch or i'll order pizza for dinner ;)

Sometimes i do give in to these people, but this time I am going to stick to my current plan, come what may !! , though I have to bear the consequences as the same story will be repeated once they all are back on Monday :(

Begining...

So finally I start blogging today. This is the start of a new journey, through which I intend to put down my great experiences, excitements & confusions :) that I come across in this eventful journey called life.