Thursday, October 29, 2009

Friends..

Yeah, I know it's not friendship day or anything. But wanted to write about my friends. Over the years I have met and have become friends with lot of them. Since childhood I was the one who had more friends than any of my siblings. Well, not that I was counting. ;o). I just used to make more friends prbly coz I am very talkative.. Sometimes I think I talk too much, that is another thing.!! Am not talking about myself now though. It's all about my friends.

Just like all kinds and sorts of people in the world, I have all kinds of friends too. (No freaks pls. heheheeeheh). All of them are fun to be with (at least for me). Some might not talk at all, but some can go for hours. My parents and my hubby had wondered many a times how I am friends with certain person, (nothing suspicious of any bad sort, just that they were quiet)... and they would be even more surprised when the quietest person on earth would sit and talk to me forever.

All of them are close to my heart for some reason or the other. I call up some when I just need a chitter chatter.. Some when I need to pour my soul out.., some, just to get a good laugh. Over the time mine and my friends lives have revolved around family & kids.., so obviously talk goes around them too most of the time. Then there are days when some of us hang out & act like teenagers.. Gossip, Drool over something random! I wish I could have more days like that.. But time constraint there isn't many moments like that nowadays..

I miss those care free days of my college.. Esp. my friends I had in those days too. My engineering college friends were the most prankish ones I had! Still remember some of the things that they have done over the yrs. Each one was different, but we all bonded over the lectures, heart aches, head aches, college gatherings and at our "Adda's". We all are still in touch, and whenever we are in town we try to meet up.. Which doesn’t happen often. I get to go to India once in 2 or 3 yrs.. And with bz schedules it gets even harder.

Recently two of my friends moved away, whom I was really close to.. It's their friendliness and no formality part that I miss.. Here in US during my initial days, I had gotten used to the fact that whenever you need to visit someone, you call first! But over the yrs I found some who doesn't need that call... If you drop in, they are glad you are.. With job, kids and family wkds are the only ones that we get to do anything.. And sometimes it gets hard to go out and keep meeting everyone. (I know my kids gets tired of it sometimes).. When they do have the same age kids it becomes even easier. ;o).

It's a way of life I guess,.. you keep meeting people, from acquaintances to they become friends, some for life, some for .. what do they say.. "just a hi - bye friend" :o).. But I love all of them.. Here's to long lasting friendships!!

Monday, October 19, 2009

A Stunt!!

Last Thursday someone in my office sent an email around saying that there was a 6 yr old stuck in a homemade weather balloon. Went to CNN to watch their live video. It said that this family was building a balloon shaped like a flying saucer, for whatever reasons.! And on Thursday morning the balloon it became untethered from their backyard. The older sibling said that he saw his little brother climb in. So thus began the frantic search for the balloon. As soon as the authorities tracked the balloon, which was now flying high at about 7,000 ft., they raced behind it on ground and by air. The media helicopters started helping with tracking it. Flights were diverted coz it was near the Denver airport.

So, I sat there at work & started watching the live video and started to think about that little boy who could still be on board. My heart was breaking just to think about how scared that boy could be, that is if he is still alive. He is as old as my son, so I could imagine how hard it must have been for his parents to sit and watch this. I said a silent prayer for well being of that boy, was hoping that he had never got on board or must have fallen off in few minutes.

After almost 2 hours on flight, that balloon started to descend. When it touched the ground (we all were sitting and watching this at work btw.!!! ) there seems to be no one inside.. Sure enough after they checked inside, no one was there. Again began the frantic search of where is that little boy.

When I got home, went online again to see what happened. Turns out the boy was hiding in the attic all the time and didn’t come out when called coz he was scared. Next day they were there on all the channels and as one media personnel asked the boy, “so why didn’t you answer or come out when everyone called you?”. Boy turned to father and said, “You had said that we did this for a show”.. Wohooo.. what did that boy just say? !!!! I was so mad, and I am sure thousands of others are mad at being taken for granted. When there were thousands of people searching and wasting the tax payer’s money, all they did was for a show.! Shame on them if they really tried this and shame on them for using that little boy to do such a stunt.

Now the parents are denying that this boy could have said anything coz he is so confused with all the cameras around. But I personally think kids say darnest things, but they mostly say truth!. If the parents are at guilt, I do wish they will be brought to justice. Still, at the back of my head, I am glad that, that little boy is eventually O.k..
If you are interested in following the story.. Here is the link, http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/21306839/detail.html

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

This one's for my parents..

Now that I am mom of two, I keep wondering how my parents managed 4 kids. Growing up my dad was the only bread-winner. Not only 4 kids and wife, he had sisters to be married off, brothers to get settled..

He is from a small town from coastal Karnataka. He was oldest son out of 8 kids. Being oldest he was “supposed” to handle all the home responsibilities. Growing up he did lot of side works like helping out his mom with chores, selling milk and flowers etc to get some extra income. My grandpa was way too much interested in film industry & wanted to invest money in that. So, lost lot of money; had to sell whatever land they had. My dad, whom I call Pappa, after his degree in Arts, got a job in bank. Through his dedication, attention to detail & sincerity in his work often he got promoted. When I was 2 yrs old they moved to Bangalore to a new city. We were three girls then & my mom expecting her fourth child.
 My mom grew up in a very small village. But with her perseverance she managed to get a college degree. Well, she gave her final year exam a wk or 2 weeks after her wedding it seems. She had 5 siblings. Grandpa had 6 girls and my mom was the 5th one. She grew up in lot of hardship; they hardly had luxury of owning new pairs of clothes. Most of them came down from her siblings. My mom’s oldest sister, after her marriage helped her sisters with some of her little savings. Aayi (my mom) often told me about how her sister would try to get something or the other when she came down to see them from Mumbai.

Both my parents are very soft spoken and I do not remember my dad ever raising his voice or raising his hands on us.. Even though they were from small town, their thinking was never like a small. My mom has always encouraged us to be independent and make our voices heard. Also, she would tell us how to be kind to others & be patient. While Pappa took care of earning part, Aayi managed the house. There was never ending traffic of Pappa’s sisters, brothers, their kids, uncle’s kids, long time friend’s relative’s son etc. Our home was first stop for everyone from our native, who landed in Bangalore in search of new job or for studies.

Even with all this there weren’t many occasions when they refused anything for us. They always made sure we get into good schools. Exposed to new avenues in life, they would help us in our school works, be it a science project or a painting competition. Always encouraged us to do extra curricular activities & just not constraint ourselves to studies. All of us *touchwood* did well in our school & in life. I am just so proud of my parents, for managing so many things in their life & not let us know that pain ever. I can go on blogging about them for hours together I think. There is still so much more to write and say….. But I think it will never be enough to say how much I love them & how I appreciate all the things they did and still do for us.

When my lil daughter was born this march, my parents were the only ones to step up and help us out for 5 months. Without them I donno how I would have managed. I am glad to have them as my parents & wish and pray that if I have more lives than this one, then I would always want to get them as my parents. Pappa & Aayi I Love you both and Miss you a lot.