Happiness and Luchi

 Childhood.

That most treasured phase of life! That perfect time, when happiness was unadulterated, love was unassuming, and everything could just be made alright by the magical sight of Luchi!

No wonder, we always (if not often) go to draw comfort and the warm fuzzy feeling from the deep and how-so-ever entwined memoirs of that blissful period of our lives -- aka our "childhood"!

And it never fails!

Cut to the present day scene, of late, I have been having some bat-shit crazy days (which unfortunately trickles down to nights). And hence, I go back, and draw my elixir from none other than the fabled land of childhood. And not very surprisingly, it all comes down to that one simple thing. Luchi. Something, that made me feel -- that everything is alright, the world is not bad, and of course, the cats can be avoided.

And so today, I went back to my childhood. To feel, once again that unassuming love. That unadulterated happiness. And that magic!

Yes, this time, I had to make it my myself. This time, there was no waiting with bated-breath for the "phulo luchi" hot on the plate. But, this time too, it was the same excitement, nevertheless, to see the luchi swell up and still be the pristine white!

And then the same mad rush to wolf it all down while hot. Doesn't matter, what I am having the luchi with. That is secondary. Heck, even tertiary, if I may.

And yes, it all felt like that same warm fuzzy feel. Like Bruno hugs. Like Mamma feeding me.

And yes, I live to take the world as it comes, another day!

Two!

Two years ago this day we knew we both can continue talking rubbish on ends
Two years ago this day you knew I was a terrible companion for food
Two years ago this day we knew we had our liquid preferences right
Two years ago this day you promised to make me a better food companion.

I am still a terrible companion for food, and you are still trying to make inroads; and, we have both built up considerably over our shared liquid preferences.

So, here's to candle light dinners, and laughing at lame jokes and midnight conversations and being there for each other.

Here's to a life lived with you, to the moments we have had, and the ones to come.

So please, be the Phil to my Claire and I promise I will be the Monica to your Chandler, just like you have been the Greg to my Dharma~

Here's to turning 2!

And I still love you! :*

p.s. please don't fight for the blanket in the middle of the night!

Love 2019

how difficult is it to find a loved up posed photo for the valentine's day post?


considering the fact that we can still be officially considered as the newly married couple (we are yet to bring on the first official wedding anniversary) and in the past nine months of officially living together we can boast of a decent number of travels together, which definitely means a lot of photos together - selfies and otherwise.


turns out, extremely difficult.


we are both terribly hopeless at it. and we fail miserably at taking "fake candid" too.


hence, not a single 'loved up posed photo' for me to exhibit for today's special.


also, doesn't help with you away. looks like somethings doesn't change much.


lets see, if I can somehow magically conjure up such photo, if not, then a mental note to me and what-is-going-to-be-a-very-vocal-note to you -- we need to have at least one such photo!


and yes, of course, I haven't forgotten you. considering my rant was supposed to be directed at you. doesn't matter that I didn't begin with "my dearest". you have fun in that fancy suite of yours. in those football matches. and eat those fancy foods.


I will wait for my turn here. and yes, you are supposed to make up for it.


happy valentine's, sweets!

2019!

Resolutions.
I have had my bitter sweet relationship with them.
Therefore, I have reached an understanding.
I have decided not to be definitive in terms of the period for them. As a result, it just keeps on adding on to the list of "Wishlist"/"Things to do", etc.
And well, you should always have a list in life, eh!


That said, its also fun to check off things from the list.


And the year that went by, had a decent share of checking off being done! *hee-haw!* Oh also, and some pile on's as well. *not so hee-haw!*


So 2018 had its share of "firsts". I got my permanent roommate and my Bunny replacement (although the replacement doesn't approve of that). First squabbles. And also good share of all those text book firsts. It was also a year of making new friends and starting new traditions of their own sorts. A year of disagreements, some major.


It was also the year of travels. The first half consisting of many across the country trips and the next half of otherwise.


It was a year of celebrations.


And we dropped the curtains, in our respective pjs, doing what we do best!


And the new year began with us being lazy. Supremely. So much so that it was almost spent away in the pjs. That apart, it began with us.


To a cheerful 2019!


p.s. this year's resolution - no more trip-ing out in flights. we run the risk of being broke! only road trips! maybe we'll make Zoom-Car richer this year.

Diwali..Happy wali!

It is a definite sense of achievement when you manage to get a mid week off!
And of course, it is added joy when even the Bae happens to hang around.


Thus began our celebratory mid week off!


With a lot of options for sleeping around the house, we two sloth bears were doing precisely that - sleeping around! The bed, the mattress, the sofa, the two chairs arranged that way. You can imagine and it was done. Gluttony demanded attention somewhere around noon. So, Bae decided to be fancy, going all rustic and traditional, in sync with the festive feeling (all in the mind, we were a couple of very hungry sloth bears, craving for some royal pampering with great tasting comfort food). Turned out, the food wasn't really meant for us, courtesy an unprecedented and uncalled for mishap with the delivery chain.


And so, we decided to make it a day. Finally. For we had enough of being the sloth bears.


Made our way downtown to our all time favourite place. Ordered the all time favourite comfort food, followed by the all time favourite classic food. Then, we two highly satisfied gluttons, made our way out towards the sea, stopping en-route to some festive indulges, for Bae wanted his sloth bear to look unlike a sloth bear.


That being done, the walk to the seaside with the evening breeze in our hair later, we were homeward bound with plans for making the evening and the night grander. And of course, all armoured with the fire crackers (noiseless ones, of course).


Back home, and a quick ramu-kaka-esque session later, with the all the festive adornments, we sat down to make the house home. And of course the mandatory selfie!


It was our Diwali. Happy wali!

Durga Pujo 2018

I have never been the true blue Bong. And for all that is worth, I probably may not even know where from this phrase itself originated.


I have always prided myself to be the pseudo bong. And all my Bong-ness comes to the fore in all its glory in those 4-5 days of Durga Pujo. And in the past one year, one person has significantly added on to my Bong-ness, by entertaining my otherwise pseudo Bong-ness in equal measures. He has always maintained one thing though, A Bong's place is always Kolkata during Durga Pujo. Somehow this year, although we don't sit at the same place any more, I still expected to hear from him and I did! And so, when his earnest enquiry about my whereabouts came to the fore, I could sense, even in the words that he was typing, his sense of achievement and exhilaration, to know that this one fiercely pseudo Bong is also echoing his true blue Bong sentiments.


That's the effect this event has on me. Every year, there is always this inexplicable feel in the air. There is the innate feeling of good things, luck, and happiness in general.


And, therefore, goes without saying, that when you are forced to come to work on such days, your mind is everywhere but at work. And also doesn't help, when you are twinning with the goddess herself. Ah well, at least, one day has to be sartorially identical. Otherwise, what fun is there for the non resident pseudo Bong.


And so, sitting in the room, away from home, reminiscing about the fun and love filled days with the Man, I count the hours left in the day, and the hours until I can run away from this place.


Not to say, my mind is already somewhere on its own.


Ah. I miss my Man today.


This day last year, and even the years before that.


p.s. this year, it will be with the new people. the new people I will learn to call home. and with the person, I call home.

Day 0 : BongAlert

It is the day zero today.


Supposedly the day from when it is officially autumn in India. Alright, let me go around the bush a little. It is the day, when it is officially autumn in the eastern parts of the country, especially the erstwhile princely state of West Bengal.


Also, the day when it all begins for the Bongs, for the most awaited part of the whole year.


Every year, my man diligently adheres to the routine of getting up at what I call as the unearthly hour of the day, searching the radio waves for that one particular channel, and listening to that voice. This year, also it is the same. Undeterred. Unchanged.


I used to be an equal party to this diligent effort when I was still a kid, or a little child. Or at least when I was in school and still living with them. From the time I moved out from the house, this diligence also somehow slipped. I figured I had better things to attend to, sleep being the foremost in that list of things. And so, my man, still undeterred, would continue and then tell me all about his routine. And never did he make me gauge the disappointment in his voice that I have not continued. It was as if, he is doing my share of it as well.


This year too, wasn't looking to be very different. Till the better part of yesterday, I was not planning to start or revisit this routine. But somehow, something changed and I did plan to change the pattern for this year. So, before going to bed, I even cut short on my Netflix binging time, put down my phone and scheduled three back to back alarms for that unearthly hour.


Fast forward to this day, today, the alarm of course rang, unfailingly. And it is anyone's guess, as to how the events could have transpired. I snoozed the alarm, and also deleted the subsequent alarms. Sleep, wins again this time.


But, then this time IS different. Because, this time, I may not have gotten up at that appropriate time to listen to the voice, but I did listen to the voice. Over the course of the day, in instalments, courtesy YouTube and the headphones!


And yes! This year, the routine has been revisited.


And yes, the man has company!


#Mahalaya2018

Retrospect the Preemptive

you come alone and you leave alone.

i have often heard this precise words, quoted by many a persons, in many a situations, warranting serious and otherwise discussions, sometimes heartfelt sometimes not, sometimes casual sometimes forgotten, and the list goes on.

sometimes as a proud orator and believer of the freedom of speech.

and sometimes, just because they feel like saying, thoughtlessly, or maybe, more like not much thought being put into.

But, the point remains, this line or these arrangement of words have been used by one so many, in one so many occasions.

some may argue it is a cry out for help. and some may think that it is deep rooted in philosophy and with the right audience, they can go on discussing without end or maybe even stumble upon a new discovery.

but, keeping all this literary hoolaboo aside, when we just speak "English", this statement in its pure form of practicality and reality, holds true.

and therefore, in between the coming and the going, somewhere, when people lose the sight of this belief, maybe because of their visibility shrouded in the "hope" of someone being with them, albeit for a shorter period of time, but still, being with them, or maybe they think they can outsmart the omnipresent truth.

and the problems arise, when they decide to go with this lie or the more convenient and easy feel thing rather than the truth.

of course, patience is of the dire importance. and sometimes it needs more than simple patience. maybe that's what is called "growing up", or as some people quote "maturity".

and like all things important and necessary, patience and growing up is extremely hard earned. the process most arduous. but the hope is, the end result would be the most rewarding.

so where does this leave me?

maybe a bit more patience. after all, a reward is always the most desirable. i am definitely entitled for some mortal sins, now that i am going to be part of this mortal world for a few years, anyway, i might as well get down to all aspects of it. including that of self gratifying.

the only thing i need now is a me-time by the sea among the breeze.

p.s. dont try to read much through this.
p.p.s. dont try to read between the line or words.

Ramblings

there is always a trigger point. yes. always something to make you start with something. some instigating factor. a stimulus, at least. sometimes it takes  a turn for the good. sometimes it's just a cause for trouble. and other times, the good somehow stays grudgingly behind the scenes until the frustrated being (here, in this instance, the person on whom the stimuli has acted very strongly, thereby evoking a very VERY strong and powerful reaction) is almost the teeth end of the frustratingly huge stash of patience, which she had at her disposal.

Anyhoo, I am still trying my hardest to hold on to the last slivers of the patience, and also simultaneously trying a little bit more harder to somehow increase and/or built upon those slivers. * breathe in breathe out * * this is going to a night of long rambles * * also, it feels such a bliss to be just sitting, oblivious to the surrounding. just me. it feels so peaceful. * * and rewarding* * DAMN right, I have earned it. *

I am somehow taken back 7 years down the memory lane. one particular instance, in fact, marks a very prominent presence. it was one random night. I remember, I was not in my cheerful self. I don't remember, but something was bothering me pretty  much. it was somewhat late at night too. I remember, telling pops, I wanted to take the car out. it was Swift at that time. and pops, just said, OK. lets go. that's it. no questions asked. no explanations demanded. and it was the two of us. just like that. going out. taking the car out at night. to those trip on the empty roads. I still remember it very vividly. pops was as calm as if it was a vey normal thing to do. take the car out for a drive late at night. no one spoke a word. we didn't cross the speed limit either. and we came back after half hour. and pops just went about as if it was the most normal thing to do. and he went to bed, saying gnite to me.

I  miss that now.

I miss not being answerable to anyone. I miss the person, who made it seem all so normal that night. when truth be told, it was nothing normal about that night, nor was anything normal about the reasons that eventually led upto that night.

and today also, I was out on the streets. I had the car. though, not for the drive on empty roads at night. it was in the middle of the peak evening traffic scenes. through one of the most congested streets. surprisingly, even that had a calming effect. mush needed, now I realise in hindsight.

speaking about hindsight, I guess it was all getting built up. last couple weeks, I went on a reading overdrive. almost finished 4 books over a span of 8 days, which includes, two back to back reads. and I realised, I should put a stop. I did. somehow it felt like I was spiralling outwards.

funny, how I myself have to be my own anchor.

funny, not because, there ain't any one. but because somehow it goes unsaid. like some unsaid rule. and it all stays at that. in the air. in the minds. in thoughts. in ideas. in speculations.

and you realise, you are pretty much a pro in hiding behind the cover of non sense conversations. maybe even accompanied by some crazy laughs. or, like in this case, hiding behind the pretext of this ramblings.

and after so much of rambling, I realise what a mess I have done.

for, I had initially thought to brag about something. even had the post name, photo, etc, all ready. but here I am. almost half a page's worth of rambling nonsense. hiding behind this accumulation of sentences.

I guess, that one is for another time then. I should really stop here. else, I have a feeling that this ramblings might just go on. and everything should stop.

until some better time. for the original intended post.

My Monday love

Ah the Mondays.
When you have to be the first one to get up.. Noiselessly. So that the other one doesn't wake up.
When you have to wake up at the midnight hour because you have to go to the other end of the city.
When your heart melts to see how peacefully he sleeps.
When your heart breaks to wake him up.

So all you do, is gather your wits around. Along with all the stray hairs, behind the ears, tie them up in a knot as neat as the fingers allow..

Get the coffee in you. Get the warm shower run over you. Get the sweet fragrance hover over you.

And you put on your bestest face, to wake that happy face.

And follow it up with a hurried goodbye.

End of the day, when you make your way home, You know you'll get back to the ocd anxieties.

And you get home. 
You get home to neatly made bed.
You get home to folded sheets.
You get home to towel not on the bed!

Ahh the glee! The pure joy!

And you miss him too.. But, you have his tee to get into.

Monday love, be this. 

love 2018

we happened to meet each other
by chance. per chance.

and we chose each other then.
and we have been choosing each other every single day since then.

for a almost a year long, you have somehow managed to not let go, inspite of me giving you reasons  enough. you made it clear to me, each time I had the slightest of doubt, that 'giving up' is never an option. not because, you can't, but because you wont. because, that never came up as an alternative ever. you were there, even in our fights. strongly standing the ground, letting me rant, letting me obstinate. and sometimes, it was the other way round. but it has always been you, who took the first step - be it you telling to forget, telling me to let go, making up to me, when you were not really around.

and what did I do? well, I, for my part, marvelled at your patience of putting up with me for all these times. and I also got really mad at you one day, and ended up crying the next day while fighting.

and in between and along all of these, I somehow fell in love with you.


and then, I will love you some more.

a very happy valentine's, Love.

p.s. and yes, I look 'happier' with you <3

"Firsts"

hey there
i am pretty much psyched about this entire thing of "firsts". maybe because it ain't the conventional "first" for any one in particular. and yet, it can't be denied the fact that the 'firsts' do exist. and of course, boy, ain't they special.

and i began the year with a First definitely!
the first 'quiet' new year. and the 'first' ever beginning without any wish. even though i was definitely the person who was egging everyone else to make a wish!

so, no resolution for me this year. not because i don't believe in them (nooo.. i believe in them to the extent that breaking them becomes all the more fun! been there done that!) but a new 'venture' of sorts. the write-down of all the firsts, so that, by the time it ends, i can boast of a note pad full of firsts including the last page that will still shot out loud "when was the last time you did something for the first time?"
nevertheless, this calls for a certain huge plethora of patience. and i might go beg borrow steal (certain V, the Man, M are definitely gonna be the sure shot victims). but something, however mundane this might be, but it all might just be worth it at the end.

January '17

1. first day of quietness, first meet of the year with Vikas, first conversation with M for the year.
2. first day of showing the 'elusive shoulder' and being super proud about it.
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6. first annual office party, first dance with the Bosses, first dance with Heels on, and a drink and not a drop spilled for the entire night
7. first heels hangover 
8. first book read #Neverwhere
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10. M calls!
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19. first visit of the crazy bunch for the Year with goodies. the "New" year begins! with the first 'Gur wali chai'. 
20. first beer of the year with the Man at the place! 
21. beer + bread + beer + fish + beer + pizza + beer + mishti doi + coffee + grapes + single malt + chicken + mishti doi + grapes.
22. first motorshuti'r kochuri+kosha mangsho of the year.
23. #NeverSettle
24. first good-bye :/
25. Shippie tells me he's getting married!
26. first penguin read #G
27. catching up on Narcos, S02E09
28. first record of a song and first chicken cooked of the year! *celebrate* 
29. "Roger" that! oh! and acing the "Formality::101" class! *hee-haw*
30. first all-nighter at work. *deja vu* 
31. Ceejay! after ages. and first for the year.

that was the month that flew by!

February '17

1. first sari wear of the year + first selfie post😂
2. complementary newspaper(s) along with the regular copy!
3. first trip with the work crew ~ missed.
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5. Promised a story by V, got the story as promised by V! 😍
6. first trip to the East✈️
7. New brush, coffee being served, Bhetki and Ilish and birthday gift :) 
8. Egg-jam, followed by Maal🥃🍻👯
9. PeterCat, Chello kabab and Prinsep Ghat::day out with the Man🍜 
10. Breakfast at Flurys 🍳 with zoo to be followed! 
11. Roopchanda -  and that be the fish🐟
12. Captured the garden🍅🍋🥀🌺 and organic farming comes home to the west, all the way from the far flung east! 🍈
13. First day back at work after the chhutti
14. Ek Madhav Baug🎭
15. Began with roses with a note waiting for me in the morning and ended with chocolates🌹🍫
16. Mamma k sath raat ko soya😇
17. japs regulators visit and the family day getting canned
18. FabIndia visit finally and a disappointment 🦍
19. Secrets spilled and how! Evening soiree with the Man and the Brother🥃
20. Ride in Manager's new car  🚗
21. Empty streets and train 🛣️
22. Dinner invitation with the MD :)
23. Video board meeting and a vegetarian dinner with the MD🥗
24. Ceejay House empty and me and Naushad being the ghosts 👻
25. The Girl comes to town. first meet of the year, first photu together, first "date" along the sea🌉
26. first lazy Sunday with her, shoe shopping, beer-ing and night stroll by the sea!👭
27. Monday dinner date :) 👛💄
28. The girl says ciao😕

March '17 

1. first day and first fight with the friend 📵
2. first birthday meet🎂
3. first set of meetings down📋
4. first sports day. and the love for the Brand.🏆
5. signed up for a weekend hike! crazy streak combined with the delirium state! 🤞
6. the Brit took a census of the people coming in on Holi!☝️
7. the India CEO becomes the AEJ CEO! felt proud while shaking hands with the man in Pink tie.🤘
8. lunch with the ex-Country Head and current AEJ Head! #WomensDay special :)👑
9. 
   
10. RBI inspection::successfully seeing it through!  📝🗒️📄📂
11. slept for 24-hours! 😴
12. Alternating between sleeping and not sleeping 😴😶😴
13. Working Holi and heart-to-heart with the MD. First, and how! 🎆
14. Sexy bhoot being the topic of the day💃
15. The Brit has something good to say 😋
16. First steps towards materialisation of the Pondi trip🏝️ 
17. Fitting on the face retort to a religious fanatic and Late evening office gappe with Chaitanya👥 
18. 
    
19. Paratha🌯 and Shoe shopping 👠
20. First part lead in the pre board, and finalizing board agenda by myself! 📜
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23. Transfer to the 'Legal' 😎
24. missed the dinner date with the bunch at Dishkiyaoon 😖
25. Directors checking out whatsapp status :P 🤓
26. favourite shoes at half prices! yayyie!👠👠
27. new greys at work. 👠
28. Gudi Padwa and dinner🎎
29. such a peaceful day (read: no emails) inspite of all business working!🗂️
30. chicken pasta from the cafeteria🍝
31. night trek - Gerbett Plateau to Matheran via Bhivpuri Lake🌌

April'17

1. reached home from the trek at 1100 hrs slept from 1230 hrs till 0615 hrs the next day!😴😴
2. dealing with the aftereffects of the trek😶
3. narrowly missing the Boss's thrashing😌
4. twinning with the shoes 👠and chocolates (the fav sort) from the Man!🍫
5. when the manager and the Bong guy deliberate over "pink" and "baby pink"👔
6. atheist discussions with the big boss.💭
7. Saurabh Shukla's play at Prithvi🎭
8. HIMYM marathon🖥️
9. Neel ka budday🎉🎊
10. perfectly scripted minutes - says the stakeholder📝
11. folks come home :)👨‍👩‍👧
12. family being trip-y. bags are packed! 🎒
13. T2, followed by Chennai Airport.. And then road trip to Pondi🚗, aurobindo ashram, pondy beach, LeCafe🥛🍰, french consulate🇫🇷 and the yellow walls🏠
14. paradise beach🏖️, botanical garden🌳, train ride🚎, new sari, home made cookies 🍪
15. #ShubhoNaboBarsho, Auroville and the lunch buffet that featured every animal! 🍲
16. road trip to Mahabalipuram.🛣️
17. Pondi hungover😕
18. got asked out for the Beiber concert by the MD🤣
19. increment 🤑💸 and surprise anonymous delivery from Shiro at Ceejay for me! only thing, i happened to be in powai.
20. Boss checks out at 6!🕕
21. Mini picnic at work with truck loads of food🍲
22. First meeting with what seemed a not-so-blah'd prospect and a mini bookathon after ages📚
23. Lapi crashed🖥️
24. Lazy
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26. Bong lunch at work! 🍛
27. Red eye✈️
28. Bruno🐹😍, mangoes and date with the Girl over long drive and golas🍧.. And of course, Laali🚗😍
29. Gossips with coffee and drive with the man😍, buttercupp date🍰, amdavad ki gufa, night drive and smokey affair at natrani's🍔👭
30. Fancy lunch🐟🥗🍲, A bagpack🎒, and desserts 🍰🍧🍨

May'17

1. Back to base
2. Echor for tiffin🍐😋
3. That immensely satisfying feel of cooking a proper meal from scratch after returning home from work after a long and tiring day. Fed and happy! 🥗🍚🍲
4. Secretarial Audit begins📝
5. Amras lunch at work🍹
6. Harry's with V and ride on his bike🍻🏍️
7. Blind date which wasn't half bad and random meet with 'Langur' after 7 years! 😳🙆‍♀️
8. Bleh Monday 
9. Leaving early Tuesday 
10. Powai after ages, comp day, promotions and celebrations 🎉
11. Date night at Shiro :) 👫
12. Flight to goa delayed🙇‍♀️
13. Bleh Saturday 🤷‍♀️
14. Caught red handed over smokes! 🙈
15. Marathon Monday 🙅‍♀️
16. The eve before the day
17. First set of meetings down.. And coffee date 👫
18. Meeting deadlines kinda Thursday.. Almost pulling a late night! 🙆‍♀️
19. Goa baby! Champagne toast🥂🍾 and house party at Leon's 🎉🎆🎊🎶followed by after party scenes at Mambo's💃💖🍻
20. Goa, day 2.. Champagne before lunch🥂, lunch at Calamari's🥘🍤🍣🍗🍖🍛🍹🍸🍻 and Saturday night live at Thalassa! 🎊💃👫💖🍻
21. Early morning flight back to base and horizontal the whole day🛬😔😴
22. Hello Monday! With a post Goa hangover 😵
23. Peaceful Tuesday🙏
24. Bleh day.. Acting as Naushad's counselor🙍‍♀️🙎‍♀️
25. BM with the firang done. Gearing up for the show tomorrow 📄
26. Second set of meetings down! And Naushad runs away at 5.30!📁🙆‍♀️
27. If my house could speak, today I'd have been listening to a long story of neglect.. Damn the week.. Catching up with the house day..🙆‍♀️ 
28. Movie date! Pirates :) 🎬👫 and then some monkeying around at the Monkey Bar🙊😂 and successfully waving off the service charge 😉😇
29. Bleh monday
30. Beer and karaoke💗🎤🍻
31. Waking up voiceless and then being a crow throughout the day

June'17

1. First rains! #HelloJune🌧️
2. Running out at 5.30pm on the Friday 💃
3. Saturday office, made good by the afterwards lunch date😊👫.. Drive through the better part of the city, coffee and aimlessly roaming about in the mall.. Saturday well spent 😊😇 gave him #S to read🙆‍♀️
4. Lazy Sunday 
5. Monday blehs
6. Bebinca🥞
7. When the 23rd meetings get rescheduled 😋 followed by the evening date over pizza and coffee when he comes to your side of the town😇🍕☕
8. Ice cream treat by the Boss! 🍦
9. Iftaar at Mohammed Ali Road🍖🥘🍗🍲🍢🍧
10. Linking PAN with the Aadhar.. Being an adult😏
11. Hamster Comedy Open Mic 14🎙️
12. Inaugerating the new chhata🌂
13. Munching on Hide and Seek
14. Certain first time plans😙
15. Gheraoing Naushad 🙅‍♀️
16. Finger casualty 😥
17. Trip-y traveler to the East, yet again! ✈️
18. Mango harvest 🌳
19. lapi comes back to life! oh, yeah and the sad exams :/
20. Fly back 🛬
21. The Brit knows and Hersheys and Amazon make the day🍫📦
22. 100 likes on an Insta post! 🎇
23. birthday with Him, with the cake, the single malt and the first kiss! 🥃💏🎂
24. Saturday movie marathon and his birthday gift👗🎬🎥
25. reunion with them guys!👫👬
26. Deadline met somewhat peacefully 🗓️
27. He goes to Nepal✈️
28. Voiceless😷
29. Voice back, unabashedly asking for Eid treat and conversation from Nepal. 📲
30. Welcome back dinner at home. 🍛

July'17

1. Lazy Saturday lavish lunch at Global Fusion 🍣🍥
2. Sunday cookathon and revelations. 👥
3. Meeting Rachana randomly wandering in the hiranandani lanes👭
4. 
   
5. 
   
6. 
   
7. Super irritated with the brit. 🤦‍♀️
8. Go karting🏁 followed by unlimited sangria 🍷🍷dinner date at Grandmama's Cafe💑
9. Recovery after basketball 😔
10. Mundane Monday 😏😪
11. Mid week movie date💑🎦🎬
12. Cranky night 🤦‍♀️
13. Cranky day for him and Maharashtrian food for lunch 🥘🍱😋
14. Fly home🛫🏡
15. Shopping 👖👚
16. Roger that! #Federer🎾🏆
17. Terrible Monday blues made bluer by horrible rains🙇‍♀️🤦‍♀️
18. Sick🤢🤒
19. Peaceful Wednesday 
20. Thursday with Wanda📸
21. Meh Friday 😑
22. Office and cleaning up shit at work 🗑️🗂️📂and taking a rain check on the date🤷‍♀️
23. Early morning movie, 🎬birthday shopping for Bulla,🛍️ lunch,🍛 followed by the movie date💏
24. Mondays 😑
25. Sweet cravings satisfied.. Happy budday joys.. India CAO budday no 50🎂
26. Belated birthday cake at work 🎂
27. Pizza treat as lunch at work 🍕
28. Paul's goodbye! #Farewell 🍷🍲
29. Stressful conversations which involves the dates😰🙇‍♀️
30. #MannKiBaat📣 
31. Much needed clarification.. Dates stress😰

August'17

1. The Mondays 😲
2. Pranzi sheesha with Ram👫
3. Founder's day at Nomura 🎎
4. Work from Vashi 😕
5. Random Saturday turns out not-so-random - human development training session with Bhabhiji😀😊😇
6. New beginnings on Friendship Day! 💑
7. 🤒
8. Fight😥😩😭🙎‍♀️
9. 🤒🙎‍♀️
10. Proud rainbow owner! 🌈
11. Home made Biriyani night! 🥘
12. Seeing him off, as he flies away 😘
13. Talking with the MIL😱🙈
14. Horrendous Monday 😠
15. Welcome off on Tuesday.. Some good of being independent 🇮🇳
16. Blah'd Wednesday 😏
17. Samosa binge day! 🍔
18. Conversation abt the private pool stay😉🏡🏊‍♂️
19. Annabelle creation! 🎬
20. Rainy day🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️
21. The day i plot revenge against someone i thought was genuinely nice. Because, as they say, whatever goes around always comes around!
22. Gossips with the GF 👥 and making the revenge feel evident in the undertow 😈 
23. Peace 😇
24. Ganpati comes home😇
25. Forced Veggie food for lunch, stranded at the airport, airport shopping, both actual and window, and finally the flight taking off and reaching home 🛫
26. The 'date' conversation 📆
27. Fly back🛬
28. Ganpati at Bulla's🌸🎊
29. Rain deluge🌧️☔🌧️
30. Forced stay at home 😡
31. Dinner date forfeited.. Damn the visarjan. 3 weeks no see😕😭🙇‍♀️

September '17

1. Goat-y conversation Friday 🐐
2. Pulling the curtains on the three weeks' separation.. Saturday night🥂💑 and night out with his friend as well! 
3. Sunday movie date🎬 Bandra seven G's :) 
4. Almost gagged ride back home😷🤢😷
5. The mega visarjan shenanigans🎆🎋
6. #Hedwig pays a visit🦉😇
7. On-her-face snubbing! 😔
8. Charmed stranger, fellow cab rider and a lollipop to celebrate his friend's birthday! 🍭
9. Road trip with Janeman to Sula! 🚗🛣️🍷
10. Wine tasting and the 'date'-d conversation 🍾
11. FB tells me that it has been a while since I have updated my dp😂
12. The meet followed by the celebratory dinner🍣🍝"Congratulations to Us!" 😘💑👫
13. Waking up to thunderstorm 🌩️⛈️😰😨
14. Free share in a fancy lunch.. Entertainment on a much needed Thursday 🌯
15. Twining with four on the floor! 😂🙆‍♀️
16. The boyfriend follows your instructions and cooks up a storm! Absolute drool scene! 🍜😍😋
17. Home-cooked 'maangsho bhaat' for lunch and then the evening play date with the boy! A perfect Bong Sunday 🍜😋😘💑👫🎭
18. The Mondays 
19. Sari in Ceejay! #Mahalaya and the long distance  drunk BF 😉😘
20. The gf gets to know! :😊👭
21. High tea with the US-Jap and a night full of bitching session :👨‍👨‍👧‍👧💁‍♀️🗨️💁‍♂️
22. Green sari at work 😜
23. First pujo plans💑
24. Pandal hopping, dhaaki nach 👫
25. Debanjali, Doolaly and adda👭🍻
26. Pujo date with Him.. Shoshthi at Tejpal💠👫
27. Mamma pops home 😄👨‍👩‍👧
28. The first official meeting! #Ashtami👫🥂
29. Singapore! 🇸🇬 and girls night out 🍸👯‍♀️
30. Jurong Bird Park 🦅🐧followed by authentic Chinese dinner with dimsums. 🍙

October '17

1. Universal Studios! 🎢
2. The zoo day :) 🐨🦁🐯
3. Madam Tussaud's, Trick Eye Museum, S.E.A Aquarium and meet up Tanu didi and Mohit Bhaiya :) 😍
4. Science centre and Mustafa! 🎁
5. Feeding fish 🐟, Ikea, Swedish lunch, the single lens camera 📸 Singaporean local food🍲
6. Cycling along the beach🚲
7. Sting ray for lunch 🍴
8. Called "home" :) "Shubho Bijoya" with the FIL and the MIL! 😊
9. Monday off! 😁
10. Comfortable Tuesday ☺️
11. Gloria goes to work! 😜
12. Talking abt dressers and mirrors 🗨️💭😝
13. Dress up at work for pre Diwali 🎆
14. The first match! #LiverpoolVsManU⚽
15. 150 hits for the video! *just dance!*💃
16. Fishy lunch! 🐟
17. Diwali lunch at ceejay 🎆
18. Pops budday! 
19. Registered for marathon 🏃‍♀️
20. Chhotu ki shaadi ka dare😈👾
21. Bhai phota 😘
22. Dot painting class notice and lazy Sunday conversations 
23. Enrollment to the  dot painting class
24. When you leave at 4.30!
25. Donate the clothes and shoes 👚👟👠🛍️
26. . 
27. When the folks become excessively possessive abt some stupid gamcha 🤦‍♀️
28. He meets Ram and a 'date-night' squeezed in 🍷
29. Dot art🎨, fancy lippy present 💄and happy Halloween date👻
30. The good morning goodbye kiss😙
31. Becomes his emergency contact 👩

November '17

1. People go shopping for the Day! 🛍️
2. PJ! Early in the morning 😡 and maggi🍜
3. Presentation done well! 🗂️
4. He comes home, to home cooked dinner finally! 💏
5. Celebrating 'khichdi'🥘
6. Easy Monday, with marathon phone calls with mamma 📲
7. Rocking the boyfriend's sense of fashion! 👗💫
8. Discovering the sweet surprise in the fridge🍫
9. Staring, gaping, ogling at a pretty face #FlirtyMuch😆
10. Fly home 🛫
11. When the bf makes it public with the photo 👩‍❤️‍👨 followed by Shaadi shopping with folks🛍️
12. Fixing the photographer and evening soiree with Krishna kakima, Tapan kaku and dida😍
13. Flying back 'home' 🛬
14. Children's Day! 🎆🎉🎊🎈
15. Dinner date foresaken😑
16. Organizing member for the dept trip 👩‍🏫
17. Road trip to Lonavala 🚗🏡
18. No hangover after night long drinking 😎🍾
19. Debanjali, Bong lunch, Jameson and Him🍛🥃💑
20. No hangover Monday 😎
21. Drove to Ceejay! And back! 🚗
22. 
    
23. Bira comes home 🍻🍻
24. Up all night talking 🗨️❤️💑
25. No movement Saturday 
26. Coco with V! 🎬
27. Strategising with the lizard with the space on the wall 🦎
28. Real life Harry Potter and Janice! 
29. Double birthday celebrations and double birthday cakes
30. Team gets to know! *blush

December '17

1. To the east, first of a kind 🛫
2. Bride shopping followed by the first meet with the 'family' 👫👨‍👩‍👦‍👦
3. Super moon🌝
4. December rains 
5. Cyclone Ockhi 🌪️
6. New member👩‍⚖️
7. Brit's townhall at work👩‍💻
8. Relatively Chilled out Friday 😊
9. Tending to the injured bf🤕
10. Conversation with the kid sister 🤓👭 and Eternity Now 😍 👑💄
11. Bf gets the ankle plastered and calling dibs on the white canvas👩‍🎨
12. 
    
13. Scouting for the birthday present and drive to the mall🧦
14. Birthday presents 😍 for Him! 
15. Plans for the birthday eve! 💬
16. The Birthday! With Him 😘👩‍❤️‍👨❤️🎂
17. A. R. Rahman concert with Janeman! 🔖
18. Calling in sick for not being sick! 🤭
19. Voiceless 😷
20. Research on sciatica 🔍
21. Mashi 😘
22. Secret Santa 🎅 and Homeward ✈️
23. Road trip to kutch! 🚗
24. Camel ride on the beach 🐪 followed by the drive up the mountain 🚗
25. Christmas tan! 😣😭
26. Home and sleep 😴
27. When Ram dashes the dance lesson plans😏
28. Passport office revisited and success! 
29. Last working day of the year and PPM filled for the week on Friday! 📋
30. Renewed passport, police verification and heart to heart with Him. Oh how I miss him! 
31. MIL calls! And Jumanji with Sounak. 🎬

Calling it a year. It was nice and nicer for most parts. There were fights and making ups, for the not so most parts.
There was love and laughter,  promises made and moments shared, anticipation, butterflies, apprehensions and bear hugs.

A year of a lot of firsts.

And the last one for the year!
Ciao!

P. S. when was the last time you did something for the first time? 😉

Day-1, 2018!

Hey there!

So you somehow came on in a hurried sorta manner.
And you weren't half bad to me. Could have been better, which is always the case, but, I guess, I can live with how you have been so far.

But it was fun. Over margaritas and cheesecake, with favourite people and smiles. That's how the ushering in should be. Always.

He was missed. but, I guess, high time I grow up. so, made do with the "text drop".

The morning after wasn't very cheerful. The very fact that I had to go all the way to an equally deserted and isolated place, added up to the woes. But a new dangler somewhat added a cheer. The usual doggos were missed.

First cheer was M. new year heart to heart! *love much!*
And the bestest cheer was His call! :) Now I know, that's something great to start with. :)
A few wishes to and from people who matter. A lot of conversations that happened.

And of course, occupational hazard of growing up - paying bills on the first day of the year!

So, going by the trend, if I may, conversations with him, M, secrets with Janeman, plans with Debanjali, long laughs conversations with Mamma and also, the future MIL.

I hope you be nice to me. and I will try to be nice to you.

Hello 2018!
Lets begin.

Wish you all a very Happy New Year! With lots of laugh, and plenty of love.
From me and mine to you and yours!

p.s. first roobish of the year!

Shoe-woe

She wants flats.. Juttis to be precise.
They vehemently oppose.
They don't want her to want flats/juttis, irrespective of the preciseness!

Shoe shopping for the Day, just turned out to be the monster she didn't want, to have!

P. S on a separate note, felt so good to 'roobish'😋

Thursday blabber of roobishes

That kind of the day when you wake up grumpy and you dont know why..
That kind of the day when you are in no mood to entertain the auto fellow.  Coz you dont give a damn whether the roads are dug up or the traffic is held up..
That kind of the day  when you catch the dog sleeping nijer pa ta k baalish kore, paash fire,  rod theke shore,  and you envy him and yet you can't help that warm fuzzy feel welling up inside..
That kind of day when you don't wanna face the world and yet are greeted with the irony of facing the glorified dumbasses..

And when you make your walk up the hill, you collide with a butterfly.. And it turns out to be quite a persistent one too..

Of them mornings, when "gali ka gadha" somehow manages to feature.. And even the i-Pod engages in conspiracy theory.

"Tree of Ari"

The tree of Ari promises anyone who comes under its shade, wisdom. It gree from a stray seed in a distant village of Karnali near Bikaner. No one knew from where the seed flew in from, for thr region did not have local vegetation. 

The tree is still there.
Had been for a thousand years. 
Welcoming travelers under its shade to rest. 

The one who sits under the tree realizes the true meaning of life. Many residents of Karnali are travelers who never went back. Because to them, all meaning to their old lives was lost. 

And they are now on a path seeking truth. 

-V

p. s.  'first'  :) 

Being Bong :)

First of February.
First time since it all began.

For the first time, the white marble figure won't be adorned with golden yellow flowers.
For the first time, there won't be any books, pens, laptops, tablets offered.
For the first time, this will be just another day.
For the first time, the Man calls it a day.

Not because the purpose ain't there.
But because THE reason ain't there.

p.s. a first. and with a mixed feeling.

'Bangali khabar robibar!'

It has been a complete food paradise-esque scene over the weekend, starting last Thursday. and needless to say, an extended weekend on all aspects.

Beer, bread, beer, fish, bear, pizza, beer, mishti doi, coffee, grapes, single malt, chicken, mishti doi, grapes.
And that's a wrap! #Saturday

Sunday began with the customary coffee. Followed by the ghar ka namkeen, bawa khari (no, i am not a racist. Calling those by that name just gives a definite feel to it which otherwise eludes), marie with peanut butter and muesli. Of course followed by the fruits. You gotta eat healthy after all.

Lunch was typical quintessential bong-ness. All inclusive of the quintessential Bong "laal shaak", "palong shaak sheem diye", "pyaaj diye daal", "daata diye macher jhol". and of ocurse, the daily dose of carbohydrates was being taken care of by the 'canned goods'!

the Dessert scenes being again the quintessential Bong-ness with 'sondesh'. and then the pseudo Bong comes to the fore with Magnum! ;)

With the Dinner under 'work-in-progress' it is going to be yet another great food haul day. Motorshuti'r  kochuri and kosha mangsho, may be? Anyone?

p.s. "you look healthy" is his way of saying "you are fat!" Guess, it's time to go running again.
p.p.s the mad bunch needs to come more often.

Begin Again

I am never an event sorta person. What I mean, I am never the conventional follower of the event. i make my own events. I can even make an event out of a very mundane Monday, for crying out loud and to say the least! So now you get a fair idea of what I mean when I start blabbering on events and me and me not being an 'event'ful person! (sic)
Yes. I am a 'PUN'-y being too!

And today is not a Monday.
It's the weekend
Reason enough for the happiness.
It's the Saturday too! Much more happiness.

Also, it ain't the beginning. Again for the conventionalists.(And no, i don't know if that's even a word. but i invented that just about now. Grammar Nazis, don't pick up on this. freedom of speech, people!)

It is already three weeks into the first month of yet another year. But it still is the first for me. It is the first with my crazy bunch of people in town! And reason enough to paint the town Red ;) and turn the house upside-down. (the OCD'd me shudders!)

Already, two days down with this crazy bunch. And such be the craziness, that this finds it's way on the third day.

And it is just the beginning! Yet again.

Time to ring in the year. The way we do it. With craziness. With liquid gold (or amber). With too much of food. With too many much of munches. With being "us".

p.s. #NeverSettle *ecstatic*
p.p.s The other side definitely beckons now. With Emirates upping its enticing factor. And of course, there is never any dearth of instigating people. So much for my restrains. And I am seriously considering. *hahaha*
p.p.p.s Quite a few firsts, already :)

*when was the last time you did something for the first time:)*

'first' for the year!

It's been a while since I have roobished.
Or even blabbered.
Or even scribbled.

Speaking of which, I know it's been quite more than just 'a while' when the fb wall post pops up as a memory showing up scribbles from more than  a year back. So, a quite note to self, gotta get back to it. Now that I have brand new graphites! (My Christmas gift from my darling Santa! No, I ain't growing up anytime soon.)

So, that apart, already a week and a day over to yet another year. And yes, nostalgia hitting hard. And of course it doesn't help my cause, when mi amor pile on to those. So, the seventeenth of the millennium begins on a nostalgia-stricken note almost bordering on 'I-wanna-go-back-to-the-other-side-of-the-planet-soon' hysteria. And of course, when you have the beloved(s) agreeing with you, all you are short of is THE plan for the other side. (soon enough!)

Now, the customary posts deserves the customary reflections.

And if I have to,  can vouch for the fact that I was never 2016's baby. Let alone be the favourite. And that's devoid of any sarcasm. Somehow we never really agreed with each other, I'd say. Always at logger heads. Swords drawn on the battle field. Though, it began on a note which made me think and speculate that we might end up on a loving note. But, bleh! What the hell. And me, being the obstinate brat, the never-the-one-to-give-up sort, well, I made sure I see through the whole of 2016. And I did. And how!

2016 was the most trying 366 days of my life so far. And it had been the most effective teacher till date. Taught me the basic 'ABC' of "how to read". People. Situations. Lines. Faces. You name it. I feel like a pro, to the extent that I can now host a '101::How to read'. And that says a lot.

2016 was also the year, when I kept the promise I made to the City on that rainy day 5 years back. And yes, the City remembered. Because, everything can never be bad. And my belief that there's some 'good' in everything still stands tall and strong.

2016 was the year of many firsts. Some good. Some terrible. Some most cherished. Some hard learning.
The year when I met M and had us in the same frame after ages.
The year where I lost some of my loved ones.
The year that taught me how to be unwavering.
The year that taught me the true example of 'face-off'.
The year that instilled in me in a more deep-rooted fashion, the essence of trust and faith and the never-tolerating persona of being lied to.

The year that showed me who really matters.
The year that taught me, everyone isn't worth the effort.

And the year that re-instated the belief of "there's always a first time" (sic).

There were a lot of firsts for me. And I regret not a single one of them. For, my Man told me once, "Never regret a single thing in your life. Everything happens for a reason. The reason may not be evident that point of time. But it always exists. All you need is to just tilt your head and look at it. And you'll see."

Somehow I know, whatever goes round, comes round.

Cheers to the next 357 worth of teachings.

p.s. dancing to some crazy kick-ass DJ mixes in heels for 4 hours while balancing the glass full of amber wealth in the hand (never letting even a drop of it to spill). another first! *hee-haw*
p.p.s. when was the last time you did something for the first time? *wink!