40 point plan revisited

Just revisited my 40 point plan that I had done 8 years ago and I am quite surprised to see that I have achieved quite a bit of that and also that many of them are not relevant now to me.


1. Lose excess kilos- I know it is not a SMART goal but then we don't want to announce our weight in public right! DAMN
2. Travel - atleast 1 country in each continent- DAMN only done Europe
3. Try my hand at entrepreneurship- culminating the ideas I have in mind like -DAMN not so very relevant though as I don't really want to do it
4. Write a book/ story/ publish something atleast and make money out of it- Ah, one thing I can cross out from my list but not the money making part! KUDOS
5. Drive something other than a small car, like, err, a bigger car KUDOS
6. Become an ace interior decorator for my home and change it's look from its current state of storm ravaged wasteland homely look and get the garden shipshape KUDOS though not become an ace decorator
7. Teach/atleast do guest lectures DAMN
8. Take a sabbatical DAMN
9. Highlight/ Streak my hair DAMN
10. Take a holiday with my husband (yes, it is a rarity for me- only 1 so far and I am in the 5th year of my marriage) (sob) DAMN
11. Become an expert cook rather than a random, tentative, no frills cook- develop a fairly extensive repertoire of recipes and menu items (again goal not SMART enough because I really don't know how many I can do but I will know when I am fairly equipped to cross out this item from my list) DAMN got myself a cook
12. Experiment with different cuisines and continue to make them on a regular basis rather than one off kinds DAMN got myself a cook
13. Visit my birth place (Scotland) oh what the hell DAMN
14. Start celebrating festivals the way it has to be done setting a good example to the kids  DAMN
15. Buy jewelry for myself (on a regular basis instead of just doing gold coins) KUDOS and outgrown it also
16. Start wearing sari on a regular basis to work -ah KUDOS
17. Go to theatre/ concert (never done it) (shame)- KUDOS KUDOS
18. Learn Western dance- DAMN
19. Re start music lessons (?) KUDOS AND DAMN  stopped, got it out of my system
20. Have our own house rather than a poky flat- DAMN, and KUDOS we have a non poky flat though
21. Change my furniture- KUDOS
22. Institute 5-S in my home - already started the Seiri (Sort & Throw)- KUDOS
23. Go to atleast 1 or 2 non English speaking country after learning the (basic/ functional) language- KUDOS but never learned the language
24. Go in a helicopter DAMN what was I thinking
25. Learn to Control my Temper KUDOS
26. Job related ******censored****** KUDOS
27. See the Himalayas DAMN
28. Go for a couple massage with Hubby off course KUDOS but no bid deal. different rooms!
29. Send my parents abroad- The sibling did so KUDOS
30. See the Taj with Hubby & Kids KUDOS
31. Travel in Palace on Wheels DAMN and not relevant now
32. Learn to bake 5 - 10 varieties of cakes- KUDOS
33. Learn 5 different chicken recipes and make them on a regular basis KUDOS but I got a cook
34. Restart playing kalaeidoscope KUDOS and DAMN stopped again
35. Do combined puzzles with the kids (as soon as they are old enough- incl crossword, jumble, kalaiedoscope, jigsaw) DAMN
36. Start playing Monopoly & Scrabble with the kids also Carrom (though I am lousy at it) DAMN
37. Read more authors than the usual (already started) KUDOS
38. Visit all the Indian States esp North East, and North- done with Bihar, UP, MP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Gujarat, Orissa, West Bengal, Andhra, Goa...a loooong way to go but kya kare bad luck hi kharab hai DAMN but did a lot of travel
digression- I always though I would be taking annual dream holidays post marriage but that has never happened! KUDOS
39. Get a makeover done and do it regularly- basically be an aunty "maal" - learn how to do a proper make up - get funky glasses, multiple ear rings, no made up look, hair style, eye shadows, eye liners, the works added to my just lipstick look. KUDOS somewhat
40. Turn 40 in style - KUDOS

Score- 23 Kudos
21 Damn

On Fights

Tejas- To whom are you sending message?
Me- To Dadda
Tejas- why?
Me- Because he is my friend
Tejas- Then why do you fight
Me- For fun. Just like how you and Ojas fight.
Tejas- very seriously- We fight for real
(meaning...not for fun)

Few Resolutions

• I shall wear a different footwear everyday and not the standard, most comfortable, boring, conveniently lying outside one. Since the more than a dozen pairs of footwear I own need to justifiy their existence, I better wear them than wait for the fungi to set on them. By the way, the dear husband just gave away a few good sandals I had set aside for repair, mistaking them for old footwear to be given away. Making my choices for the morning tighter.



• I shall wear something else apart from the standard churidar kurta.... I know it is the most comfortable of all attires, but is it not getting a bit too boring?



• I shall sincerely endeavour to wake up the moment the alarm sounds and not doze off for the next 20 minutes- albeit this is the sweetest and most comfortable sleep of all.



• Some one sent me a forward- Make the most of a given time- I am still trying to get my head around it. How much more can I maximise? Cutting off unproductive work/ people/ events.



• I shall introduce more new foods in the kids' lunch box.



• I must restart the quality time spent with the kids- with their books/ games etc. All stopped because they are becoming too rowdy for my taste.



• And finally- I need to give a little more time for my reading. I have considerably slowed down after the kids started school this year.

On Being Versatile

Sue awarded the versatile blogger award to me. and here I accept the same very graciously.

To accept the award, one must write a few facts about oneself.

So here they are....

1. I once travelled ticketless in the train- unintentionally of course

2. I know it happened but still never fails to surprise me that my mom and aunt would leave 4 cousins together at home and take off for shopping- this when my cousin & I were around 6 years old and our respective siblings were 3 and 4 years old. Now cut to present- will I be able to do that now?

3. I have smacked someone on the back mistaking him to be my husband- his fault- just a second ago he was standing there wearing a black T shirt and he moved and this man again in a black T short moved to the same spot.

4. I have held someone's sari and followed her out of the theatre thinking I am holding my Mom's sari, when I was about 5 years old.

On Self Discovery

I have realized that getting older has made me bolder.
I am not worried about being wrong. Or admitting that I cannot pick the right answer.
Because, after all, right and wrong is just a perception and there are no right and wrong answers.
So even if I perceive a jasmine as a rose, I am not ashamed!

What I Would Do

A few more thoughts post the post on parents doing kids' projects.

At school, we had SUPW & Craft as a subject- one that was graded A, B etc and not added to the total marks in ranking- thank God for that.

Because I was really bad. Every year we would get ambitious craft projects which I would find impossible to finish. I would take them religiously to school and work laboriously on them but finally, it would be completed by my Mom.

The teacher would grade me abysmally because of course she would judge that I haven't done it- considering the horrible, knotty, thready job at one end and a neat finish on the rest of the work. But then what could I have done?

Here I recall the horror tales of Craft class in school.

In Class 2 I was supposed to make a cross stitch table mat which I did maybe a bit- that got completed by my Mom and survived till recently. In class 4 it was knitting a scarf - I barely managed to complete one band that ties the scarf. Class 7 I did what is displayed below- all by myself- a cross stitch project which was the largest in my class and perhaps the largest project which I did anyday.

Class 8 we were supposed to crochet a shawl- I barely did a couple of lines and submitted my mom's knitted shawl- got graded badly for that- I was even asked to bring a knitting needle and do a sample pattern- I never did it of course and the teacher forgot to follow up with me. During the 2nd term, I did a lovely embroidery on a mosquito net cloth and made a table cloth and 2 side mats- it still is there with me. I got an A for that because the teacher had really seen me work on it.

I remember making 2 sets of table cloths- again partly. And I do remember embroidering a set of cushion covers, a skirt in bright yellow in class 9, which is still there somewhere- I had ironed the design on the cloth and worked really hard at it.

I guess it got easier in the higher classes as long as it was embroidery and cross stitch. But anything else, it would turn out a disaster.

Maybe today as parents we are more open about giving feedback. In today's context we do go up to the teacher and say I think this is too much for my child.

Where as during our student days, the teacher couldn't be crossed. PTA meetings were usually bad news except if you were a good student. And also education or rather schooling has become much more commercialised. A marketing game. The school / teachers have to look good in front of the customers/ parents and the parents have to feel good about the progress the child is making without of course compromising on the actual progress of the child.

In my kids' school, I find a lot of instances of teachers doing projects individually with the kids. There is a lot of hand holding and individual attention as againts our time.

At times I find it impossible to believe that my kids could have done that painting or some origami.

Well, I only wish there was such a balanced approach in my school days so that I wouldn't have to resort to underhand methods to submit my project!

What say my school mate NS? Remember those days? We, born to talented mothers couldn't really complete an arty crafty project!

A 5 Minute Date

Is sometimes enough to rejuvenate. Even if it happens for the wrong reasons.
The husband calls me up as I am sitting in office- is my wallet in your bag?
Without even checking I know it is there. And of course he behaves that it is all my fault that his wallet is in my handbag.
He drives to my office to pick his wallet up and I try hard to coax him - since he is here already and it is nearly lunch time, he might as well take me for a date.
But no. Mr Conscientious Worker has to get back to work.
However we sit for 5 minutes in his car, 5 whole minutes of solitude, no disturbances, bitching about common foes like autowallahs, motorcyclists who scratched my car (yes, yet again, just a week after body work and servicing) and of course the kids...how can we not!
It was perfect. Just perfect.
And a colleague spotted us and asked- was it like old days, sitting in the car together.
I said - no, the car was smaller.
But the affection was bigger and today, as the car gets bigger....
I laugh it away, filling in- the affection is still as big, but probably towards the car!!

Staying Alone Can Be So Liberating

-You can wake up at anytime you wish
-You don't have to prove anything to anybody / set an example to the kids- so leave a book or many lying around wherever you wish, forget to keep your sandals in teh shoe rack, leave medication lying around with no danger of it being moved
-You have the whole house to yourself
-You need not really cook
-You can browse, sleep, read, go out as you wish

The kids have gone to Pondicherry and I am doing all of the above. The moment I came home to an empty house last evening, I was in a nasty temper. Just because the kids were not home. Then a neighbour suggested- enjoy, another friend wished she could send her kids off for a week somewhere ..and slowly the realization dawned that I could make it either bad or ok for me.
So it's sort of ok...I miss the tiny bodies that snuggle upto me every night. I miss their smooth skin and soft hair or their non stop chatter.
I am insanely jealous when they call up to say- we are playing.
And extremely heartened when the called up today to ask why am I not coming.
I thought they wouldn't miss me at all, as before leaving Ojas said - tum khana banao, hum aate hain- on second thoughts, clearly he would have assumed that it was just a matter of a few hours before which he would be back to me and my khana...
I spent the entire evening reading till late into the night and chatting on skype. Not even lit the gas. All leftovers microwaved.
The maid was called early today to finish the work for the day so that there are no fetters for the evening unlike yesterday when I had to rush back for her highness' arrival- which never happened by the way.
Last week I had taken a 3 day break to spend time with the kids. I am realizing as they are growing up, they are getting easier to handle. we get into an easy sort of routine with the kids keeping themselves busy during these lazy summer vacation- playing in the mud, doing activity books, getting dirty and giving themselves a bath. Probably this is what is called independence. Now if only they would learn the 2 most important things in life- to wash their backside and eat their food fully!
So the summer vacation is not turning out to be as bad as I thought it would!

Me? Creative?

I must be if Sue awarded it to me

Thanks Sue- I am thrilled!
Since this is an award for being creative, I am creating my own rules for doing the tag
So as per my low standards- what are the most creative stuff I have done?
1. A poem I wrote for a cousin of mine way back in class 5
2. My essays and short stories in class IX & X were applauded consistently by my English teacher and it was a huge deal for me because she had very very high standards- someone remarked when they saw a "good" in my notebook- getting a good from Mrs T is very very rare.
3. Among my official presentations- my recent one done totally in verse, my trend presentation blended into the history of the product, my presentations using story aproach like navrasa, 5 senses etc- I think I do a decent job of giving a story to creations
4. Using props to tell my kids stories- like the globe for telling a story which talked of various countries, or drawing the story as I narrate it, using their toys/ books/ sauce pouches which they are obsessed with- to teach them addition, division subtraction- really- to me it is a big deal because I have been book-ish most of the time and trying to change that for the kids is a huge step for me
5. Conceptualising my in house magazine
6. Revamping my garden and making my terrariums

I tag
The Mad Momma- need I say why?
ArtNavy- too many to list out here- it will be like I am doing the tag meant for her in my blog
Phoenixritu for her unbeatable wisecracks
Rohini for the awesome baby shower ideas of her - if she becomes I party planner- I am so asking for discounts for predicting that
DotMom for her awesome cakes- I would have listed my baking recipes also as creative in the list above but I am not that shameless

Mud Play

I must have mentioned upteen number of times that I had a huge open space in the house where I lived in my younger days. It offered immense potential for mud play, running around, playing- so much so that at one time, 7 sets of us were casual playing badminton - and that was just one side of the house.

We used to spend the entire winter morning & afternoon in the garden - studying, reading, eating oranges or playing in the mud, making mud houses, shapes, collecting pebbles, leaves, flowers.

Off course summer holidays meant collecting fallen mangoes!

We would plant methi, pudina etc if the gardening bug bit us and spend ages sitting at the ground floor verandah if it was too hot to be outdoor.

I carried this childhood imagery of a home as I grow older and one conference, I spelled out my passion - I want a house with a garden.

In a matter of days, we booked this home with a tiny garden space on both sides of the living room. It is tiny still it is something with mud. And offcourse the complex had huge open space. Close but but quite I wanted - next time I need to be a bit more specific in terms of size and quantum of direct sunlight - good-enough-to-grow-rose- marigold-jasmine, I want daily to reach my garden.

Anyway, I am glad that I bought this apartment because if nothing else, it replicates closely what I had when I was growing up.

The kids spend the entire weekend outdoor- playing with mud, leaves, flowers (wish they don't pluck the flowers though), looking at butterflies, watching lizards & chameleons, cycling & tricycling, trying to play badminton

And the best part is- so much of mud play has solved their pincer grip issues- without my really doing anything.

Now, cannot resist adding this- if someone from Illionis is searching for pincer grip activities and lands up at this page- I give them one more reason to crib about

Bashtid!!!

Seems to be my favourite swear word nowadays- even on my kids.
Ah well- I was provoked- the case was opened, a finger was casually dipped and that finger carried with itself my brand new lens- as I turned for half a minute to pick up the mirror with the other lens in my hand. The lens was recovered by my hubby from the floor next to the dining table, but not before I had uttered several times the word b@st@d for the kid.
Wonder why the husband is so amused... And I am not giving away prizes for guessing.

History Repeats

A little girl was embarassed about eating a full guava in school that her mom had so thoughtfully packed.
So she took one bite and hid the guava behind her back and while walking in the playground, just so nobody coming from the front sees her and laughs at her for eating guava.
30 years laters, a little boy walked up to the stage to get a prize. He was having a chocolate in his hand which he did not want anyone to snatch off.
He hid the chocolate behind his back and climbed up to the stage, his backside on full display to the audience.

Height of Thetharpan (Shamelessness)

Email 1- from Safety Officer to Me

[As you are aware that the Driving safety Policy ISH 043 is in effect since 12/06 , which requires mandatory anchoring of Seatbelts while driving/ travelling in 4 Wheelers.
At few occasions during the last fortnight, it was observed that you were not complying to this requirement while at office premises.]

Email 2- from me to Safety Officer answering the quiz

The Evil Mamma

-Forces the kids to choose between "having juice in Chennai with Mausi" and going to Pondicherry with Dadda & Mamma
No prizes for guessing what they chose! And who were laughing all the way to Pondy & back.

- Makes the kids get used to music on laptop and then tells them everyday that the battery doesn't work so the laptop cannot play music

- Allows them to believe that the drumstick seeds are chicken pieces

- Uses cartoons to distract them from herself

-Feeds them custard but calls it caramel pudding

-Blends milk & boost and calls it cold coffee

- Threatens that if they do not eat the cake she baked (which they had said is not good) she would switch off the cartoon

Height of Amnesia

You send a cryptic SMS to yourself from your own phone to remind you of something the next morning.
You read the SMS next morning and rack your brains for a good minutes wondering what this SMS means and more important- who it is from?

It's Really Time to Lose Weight When

A pair of jeans has been lying in your spare cupboard for nearly a year and you have been asking all around who these jeans belong to....
...And with a shock you realize that this belonged to you in your pre-baby days which is less than 5 years ago!

BindiyArt

When Dipali talked about her Bindiya, I thought with a shrug- anyway I stopped sticking on the bindi on my forehead a long time ago so it does not matter what my views are.

Until recently when I wore this outfit- a typical high neck, embroidered 3/4th sleeve one which gave a tough corporate-ish lool. ;)...As I gave myself a once over in the mirror, checked my lipstick and hair tied tightly behind in reverence to the summer - I said to myself, a page-3 style black whacky bindi is lacking!

And then I remembered this diary back from my college days

The over enthu me who would take pains to get a friend painstakingly "draw" a different bindi everyday using an eyeliner! And then I would go on to record the design for posterity!

And then I discovered the computer bindis- the black pre-cut bindis in such designs and used them with great abandon as my drawing skills are too limited.

When "health awareness" happened I came to the conclusion that only Shilpa bindis are good as the sticker used in them is clinically tested. So henceforth it was just round bindis which became very boring and started causing a white mark on the forehead... so the bindi was chucked out cold turkey.

Until today when I decided- why not try my hand at drawing the bindi-

So here is the first one...self designed and drawn!

Just a Phone Call Away

I have never been a big one in making phone calls to home to check on the kids from workplace. Except while travelling.
While the kids have always been communicating on the phone.
From the time they were born.
The first communication was with Nana- sis held the phone while they were being taken in the lift to the neonatal ward - screaming for whatever it was worth
There on Sis woud call from office just to speak to them...right from the time they were a few days old.
I was always discouraged from calling home to "talk" to them as it would set off a scream fest for Mamma/ to Hold the phone and all.
Though I have always encouraged them to talk on phone to their grandparents and uncles!
Cut to present they hold proper conversations on their own and even demand at random to talk to mamu or mausa or nani...
Methinks it could be a good idea to now talk to them from work every afternoon...especially since now they don't really make great noise after I keep the phone down.

Stars Stars

Is it only me or there are others who get all starry eyed on hearing anything remotely romantic...
like...
....silent love...
....waiting almost indefinitely for someone....
...a song that represents something long forgotten that makes you sigh with pleasure or buried in memories...
...or a song that a special someone loves...does leave you breathless naa!
...an out of the way lift to your destination...
...couple dancing...
...flowers...
...an arm round your shoulders...
...holding hands...
...eyes searching across a crowded room...
...eyes meeting across a crowded room...
...romantic double entendres...

Ok, your turn... what makes you go weak kneed? What makes you reach out and hokd his/her hands? What makes you go all mushy and starry eyed?

Introspection

So one night we were introspecting...
First Mamma...
What are the ways Mamma has beena bad girl today?
1. Tum car throw kiya (you threw the toy car)
2. Tum car tooti kiya (The car broke) I thought that was just 1 bad activity- they cleverly split it into 2
3. Tum shoutie kiya (You shouted at us)
4. Tum aise maara (You slapped like this - demo on cheeks)
5. Tum pair mein maara (you struck on the legs
6. Tum Ojas ko maara (You hit Ojas)
7. Tum Tejas ko Maara (You hit Tejas)
Dudes...You are splitting one act into too many..Let's combine 4,5 & 6 atleast
8. Tum Godi nahin liya (you did not lift us)- Well all the above were because of something you had done.
9. Tum car keys nahin diya (you did not give me the car keys) - well, why should I?

Ok Now Ojas
1. Hit Tejas with a car
2. Threw a tantrum
3. Disturbed Mamma while she was making Rotis

Now Tejas
1. Closed the door on Ojas' face
2. Did not allow Ojas to come inside the room
Ha, take that, You are not the only one who can split one act into two.
3. Threw a tantrum
4. Did not brush his teeth today

And now the various ways we were good boys & gal.
Mamma....
1. Made roti & yummy bhujiya for you (if you say so)
2. Read story for you (actually read out a story and all the while compared the protagonist with us)
3. Allowed you to make tiny rotis (as if you had a choice, remember how many times you shouted at us)

Tejas...
1. Ate roti & bhujiya like a good boy
2. Did colouring nicely
3. Made cute rotis
4. Ate food nicely in the morning
5. Kept the crayons back in the box
6. did not play with the oil today

Ojas...
1. Ate roti & bhujiya like a good boy
2. Did colouring nicely
3. Made cute rotis
4. Ate food nicely in the morning
5. Brushed his teeth well
6. Kept the crayons back in the box
7. Did not mess up the oil container today

Now whose list looks better? Who looks more bad boy/gal for the day?
Go judge for yourself