Somethings changed from within

By nature I am a Happy Person. I mean, I tend to take life easily in everything I do. When something goes wrong, I ask myself, "'Is my husbands or my parents life in danger because of this? Is anyone Else's life in danger?" If the answer to any of the questions is No, then the problem is simply not serious enough (personal opinion). My husband says I had been lucky in life to be surrounded with loving people. Perhaps its true. Even if i were not, being hard on myself or being hard on others does not serve the purpose, according to me. What do you think?

This is a fairly quite weekend for me; just as well. I was catching up with my thoughts. I started going back to the days when I was a little girl. Somehow when my parents made a comment about something I need to improve in me (when I was little), it never came across as a reprimand or as sarcasm. But lately, the moment someone says something, it comes across as sarcasm to me. I wonder if its me who has changed or its the world which is not bothered enough to hurt others feelings. Have you ever felt this way?

Obsessed with America!

I called my mom last night and my mom's kaam-wali-bai was also there. So, mom asked me to say hello to her. Here is how the conversation went (of course I am translating to English).

Me: Hello bai, how are you?
Bai: HHHHEEELLLLO! I am good, very nice to hear from you.
Me: Same here. How are your kids?
Bai: You tell me, how is America?
Me: I don't live in America
Bai: huh? so where do you live?
Me: Canada
Bai: Where is it?
Me: West
Bai: West as in?
Me: West as in West.
Bai: So, America then?
Me: NO!
Bai: Everyone gets married to Americans. Why didn't you?
Me: Errrr, I don't know, maybe because my husband lives here.
Bai: Where does he live?
Me: Canada
Bai: Where is Canada
Me: :Sigh:
Bai: Tell me
Me: You ask my mom
Bai: Your mom lied that you live in America
Me: I can see why
Bai: what do you mean
Me: I mean you don't know where Canada is! That's why she just lied
Bai: So...where is Canada
Me: :sigh:...near America
Bai: "near"? not good enough then.
Me: Please pass the phone to mom

Three Roses for the Third Anniversary...

Exactly 3 years ago, I got married to the most wonderful man I ever met (24Oct2007). Probably this is what everyone feels about their own spouses; and why not! They sure deserve it!

From a blushing bride to now, I have come a long way. We had our own share of fights, laughs and everything else in between. Most of all, I have learned that we are there for each other; that trust factor which comes only with time has come to us sometime when we didn't even realize it ourselves. Which is just as well...In the beginning whenever we use to fight, I used to ask him, "do you still love me?", now I don't feel the need to, for, I know he does.

I hope that we celebrate many more anniversaries together, until death do us part. And as a short term goal, maybe I should aim to become a mommy by at least 2 years from today?

Why I support elaborate weddings...

Its become quite fashionable for people to say that expensive/elaborate weddings are such a waste of money and that the money thus wasted is better utilized if given to any charity. In fact I ended up with an argument with a friend of mine with regards to this.

Of course, I am not suggesting that one go into debts when it come to performing a marriage. Getting into a debt so that you can show-off your status is stupidity. I am suggesting that once we live within our means and save and spend money reasonably (within the means is the key here), weddings becomes a pleasure for all!

I do not believe that weddings are a waste of money. Why?

Here is why: Apart from the life long satisfaction which the couple would get, economy actually improves with elaborate weddings. How? Here is how. Think about spending on weddings this way, lets say 5 lacks were spent (not on loan but on savings).

1. Rs 25,000 on Nalungu (haldi ceremony): You will need haldi/chandan, blouse pieces, coconuts, fruits, flowers, lots of glass bangles, puja items etc. All these are available only at local small stores. You will be going to your loca fruit market to get fruits; local flowers lady to get flowers, local bangle shop for bangles, so on and so forth. So your 25,000 rupees have actually helped these local people (who are lower middle class like flower lady). isn't that a good thing?

2. Rs. 25,000 for mehendi ceremony. Mehendi is done by your local/popular parlor ladies. sweets are bought at a large scale. Juices/drinks are bought at a local bakery. All these small businesses have profited from your 25k.

3. Rs. 1,00,000 for Engagement Ceremony: Lets say 50,000 is spent in buying nice Rings is bought bride and groom. Isn't the jewelry shop making a living out of this? Another 25k is spend again on 1. the last 25 k is spent on lunch/dinner. Isn't your caterer and everyone working form it not getting a livelihood out of it?

4. Rs 2 lacks were spent on wedding: 25k for stage decoration and the hall decoration (flower-wala and the labor cost for setting the stage), 50k for the wedding hall (which includes chairs and stage setup), 25k for band baja and baraat, 70k for catering, 20k for small gifts for guests. You can count how many people had earned their living out of this 2 lacks you spent.

5. The last remaining 1 lack is for the brides cloths, grooms cloths, kaamvali expensis, grocery expenses for relatives, so on an so forth. Here, for how many people have you contributed money/wages?

All this, I am not even including the jewelry cost.
Think about these expenses on a bigger scale. It actually helps the economy grow. The flow in the economy brings the inflation down. the supply grows as the demand grows; as the supply grows the prices starts to fall. Most importantly, once the supply increases, anyone will try and look for better ways of getting things done for cheaper. Do you agree?

P.S: I am not talking about Aishwarya Rai-style-weddings which is nothing but a nuisance to people living around that area. I am talking about us middle -class people weddings.

The fuss about Common Wealth Games

I had been a silent spectator of the spectacle (nonetheless), Common Wealth Games (CWG), held in Delhi, 2010. There were so many blogs, written all over the world, about the CWG. Interestingly, I saw two sides of the games. One, before the opening ceremony and one after the opening ceremony. Most of us rushed into criticizing the government (ruling and opposing equally), needless to say Kalmadi included, before the opening ceremony. Only after the opening ceremony did we start seeing the other side of it.

Did anyone else happen to notice that no nation (including Britain) happened to even bother mentioning CWG until a small news which came out saying, "sports village might not be ready on time"? Over night India became an international joke.
Suddenly India became a home for snakes, fever and what not! The athletes, apparently are feared that they could catch colds and fevers. The same athletes who happen to be in the peak of their age and health.

I cannot believe the extent many so called 'developed' nations go only to contradict themselves in the end. On one hand Indians are ridiculed that so many poor are left hungry while billions of dollars are spent on CWG. On the other, ALL the athletes expect 5 star facilities! No, 3 star will not do.

Lets take a step back to 1891, the peak of Victorian power. The games started as a statement of good will and understanding for the nations 'of' British Empire. The first full fledged games were actually held only in 1930; the time when British Empire is already under very serious pressure from rivals,  US, South Africa, Japan and needless to say the peak of liberation moments in India.
Churchill's government, as a very last resort, who named the games as British Empire- Common Wealth games (1954), could hold on to the 'name' only. By 1970, many nations are already 'free' from the British rule. The games were re-named British Common Wealth games.The British Empire by then has already lost its stance.
Finally, the delusions are abandoned and the name 'British' is shed. Now its just the Common Wealth games. But the pride is not lost; the fairer skin that is. Speculations about who should declare the games open begin. What a shame! Her Highness cannot make it to the country of snakes (according to you know who) but the Prince assumes the responsibility of declaring the games open; when the Indian President is very well available!

I can still hear the echoes of China-bashing which has happened during 2008 Beijing Olympics. Controversies about poverty, pollution, population and what not were alleged against China! But the strong country that it is, it over came all the hurdles and proved that it is now (YES!) the super power. 

The same thing is now happening with New Delhi. Show me one country where there are no poor; one country where there is no corruption; one country where there is no pollution?!
The moment West gets a chance, they start bashing the so-called developing countries.

Lets talk about the 2012 London Olympics; apparently England will show us how the games are meant to be held the 'proper way'. Alas! Even before the construction began, $15 billion have already been spent! Lets see how much they end up spending by the time the games finally begin. Its not too far; I am going to keep a close eye on these 2012 games budget.
Oh ya! Don't forget all the terrorist threats which London is already receiving. What an irony that the same people complain about India. What is a bigger threat? A cockroach in the washroom or a terrorist who has threatened that they would have Bombay-style-terror-attacks? You figure, do anyone has any right to talk about how "un-safe" India is?

And coming to Australia; how many racist attacks have been made on Indian's? whats a bigger problem? The so-called global warming effect which India has or everyday racist attacks?

Everyone (someone sane) must understand that problems in developing nations (I would/should have used 'developed'), problems are always exaggerated to put them down.

To the West its obscene that India spends million of dollars on games; yet they scream on top of their voices when they see anything less than 5-star-facility. I would like to ask one question to everyone who say that these games are a waste of money...Do you know how and where the money went? How did all the critics conveniently ignore the new airport, subway lines, roads and railway bridges that the bloated budget for the games has brought to the city? Apart from everyday benefits these infrastructure offers, building all these did not appear out of Harry Potters broom! Actual human beings built these! For a wage! Now, who has any right to say that government is not giving employment/bread/shelter? We cannot expect that government give cash on a silver platter without working for it now, can we?

What bothers me the most is the fact that quite a lot of (educated) people in India seriously take every word the media says as 'truth'. Most Indian news channels has international stakes. Most protect the international interest than Indian. How, may I ask, that we trust the media which portrays the poor picture of India?
I agree fully that the corruption has hit new heights in India with CWG games. Yet, I urge that everyone look at the bigger picture rather than concentrating on what went wrong. Of course steps need to be taken.
Kalmadai would pay big time, that much I am sure. Like I said before, the corruption in India is grossly exaggerated.

A small stroll

That's what I took just now; a small stroll. Its a beautiful day here; well its getting cold but we can still get away without thermals. During lunch time, I hardly get time to get out. I usually eat while I work (office job). I know...I know, its a bad habit which I had been trying to break for a while now. The lunch room is almost always packed and I work downtown; where am I supposed to eat my lunch then? The best option is at my desk...

This afternoon was different. Something pulled me outside (could be the pain in my knee); if only for 30 minutes. I took my lunch bag and went out. Since its a cold day, not many people were in the nearby park eating lunch. I found an empty bench, which is a miracle. Usually the park is filled. I sat and ate my lunch watching the birds fly, the leaves falling, the dogs happily wagging their tails and an old man taking a walk.

I am more content right now than when I had left my desk to grab lunch. It lightened my heart (and my knee). Often we are too busy to listen to what our mind/body really needs. It could be as simple as fresh air. It only takes a moment to listen to ourselves.
I am going to make a conscious effort to listen to myself more.