Picture Tag and Hi-25

A lot of tags going around here...

First up: THE PICTURE TAG

 MY Blog mother Renu tagged me for a picture tag. 

RULES

Pick the 6th picture of your 6th photo folder.

Tell a story around it.

Pass it on to six other people you like.

Here goes:

Well this is a picture of me taken when I was a two year old. It was taken by photographers of an ad agency. It was basically to select a child for Apollo Hospital's advertisement. I was chosen and I featured in this ad of Apollo Hospital dated 22 December, 1988.

Not much story to revolve around this picture. As a pre-teen, I wanted to be fair skinned and beautiful like the fair and lovely ad girls. I dont remember where the notion was fed into me that fair is beautiful. My dadi used to say I was born fair but the over-exposure to sun completely ruined my appearance. I was hurt by it and for the longest of time I thought I was an ugly duckling. I wanted to be a beautiful swan. One day my aunt told me that I had appeared in an ad for Apollo Hospitals... My joy knew no bounds. Even if I had been 2 years old, the fact that I was in an ad just made me feel beautiful for that moment. I was happy. Years have passed and now beauty has a very different definition in my books -- far more greater than outward appearances. :)

NEXT UP: HI-25

This tag is everywhere. Facebook, blogs...you name it. Read too many this week and it feels like I've been reading the autobiographies of my fellow bloggers. Rakesh calls it the truth serum. Well I've been injected, the executors being Shalom, Nancy and My Space...here goes:

RULES

Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more 

1. I Cry when I'm extremely hungry. I wouldnt need to say a word....for some reason I have never been able to indicate verbally that I'm hungry. And its always via the boo-hoo-hoo network. Best time to see this event : Weddings in the family. Since we are all supposed to be making arrangements and nobody is supposed to feel hungry, the tears are a good indication. I get irritable and hungry and then there's a comment : "Dolly ko bhook lagi hai...koi khaana leke aao re..." :|

2. I counted. I have 39 dozen bangles in 3 different boxes in my room. That is 39*12=468. How many times a year do I wear them?? Rarely...and when I do, its more than a dozen on both hands every time.... I'm a walking bangle shop at times, but I dont care...I like it :P

3.  I dance when I'm cooking. I'm not a great dancer like Diva, or my family members, but I dont like to stand at one place and cook. I roam around the entire ground floor, through the dining area into the sitting room and back to the kitchen, in different yet clumsy movements, with

 amused faces of my sister and mom fixed upon me through all the "latke-jhatkes"

4. Sometimes when I am really in a mood to shower my love on my parents, I start referring to them as "Pitashri" and "Matashri" and try to talk in "Shudh-Hindi"...often citing dialogues from "Chupke Chupke".

5. I love cheese. I eat maggie coz I love grated cheese on it. My sis says I've been bloating coz of all the cheese...but I dont care...I love cheese :P

6. I Should have a restraining order every month after a few visits to a book store. Odyssey at Vikrampuri better start giving me good discount. I have no control over my book buying. I enter

 into a book store and I HAVE TO BUY a book. It feels like a crime to enter and not pick up something to read. I purchased 11 books in the last 25 days...and I have no clue when I am going to read them...refer my book blog for the books on my shelf. 

7. I cannot tolerate spice. I eat the slightest of  spicy food and the bathroom is my vacation home for the night....and there are frequent food disasters and stomach troubles that I have a song for it too : "Mummy Mummy, I Got trouble in my Tummy"!! :P 

8. My all time favourite movie is LAMHE. Not many people know this, coz I always talk about "Chupke Chupke" or "Philadelphia"... But I absolutely love LAMHE.

9. I am obsessed with the color Lavendor. My room, my bedsheets, the curtains in my room....all Lavendor. I added more drapes to my room a few days ago, a lil shade of pinkish purples and lavendor. My sister now looks at the room and goes : It looks like a "Kotha"!! :|

10. I have too many perfumes which I hardly use. I love Deos....No I dont stink..yet :P My favourite is JOVAN WHITE MUSK. A few months ago it was priced at Rs 168. It was hard to find it at super markets and Health n Glow outlets. When I did manage to locate one, I said I'll

 stock it up coz I might not find it again. The Price had gone up to Rs.265. I came back home with just one :(

11.  I constantly want to keep re-arranging the furniture ....and also purge the old ones for new ones. Mom says I can do anything with the house when I start earning...yet she keeps asking me again and again for changes. So decision for the home decor is my area.

12. I have always had things easy. I always get what I want. I feel guilty that I shouldn't be this way but I always end up doing the thing I dont want to do. I always think of cutting up my credit cards and throwing them away but then Papa says not to do so...and I always go on a spending spree....I need some control.

13. I like White wine. If mom reads this , which she does at office sometimes, she'll know that I've tasted liquor most of the days of my stay at Singapore. And I made a crazy call to a certain someone. Vowed not to take drinks for the rest of my stay there... Took it once in front of my mom ...with her permission. Next time I wanted to take drinks at a party, she gave me a look and said: "Koi Nahi". :P

14. I rode a bi-cycle for the first time when I was in class 10. Before that I always used to ride a tricycle I had... :P I know...sounds funny. Then I graduated to the scooty directly after trying the cycle for like 3 times.

15. I have never travelled in an RTC bus in any place in India. I've only gone for school trips in school buses and a trip to Goa from school in a tour-guide-operated bus. Planning to get onto a Hyderabad local bus before my 23rd Birthday.

16. I absolutely hate recieving show-peices as gifts. I love cards....and books....and Ferrero Rocher. I'd rather have it "NO GIFTS" rather than such things. 

17. I am terrified of Deep Waters....Rivers, Seas, Oceans or even wells. I used to think that I might have drowned to my death in a previous life and that's why I have this phobia. That is one reason why I havent learnt swimming. But since the summer is already here and I might be leaving Hyderabad in  a few months, I think I must finally learn.

 

18. I love Ginger Garlic paste. I Like to use it in most dishes I cook....salty ones of course. 

19. I used to be in love with Ajay Devgan when I saw Phool aur Kaante. I used to go around singing "Maine Pyaar tumhi se kiya hai" and used to think Madhu is gorgeous and wanted to be like her. I saw the song today while flipping channels and wanted to kill the  makers and music composers of the movie.

20. I used to crack stupid jokes in order to get people to like me... and it usually worked. Sigh, I think I've lost all that now :P

21. I miss my Dadi more than anyone else in the world. Mom was cleaning out her closet a few days ago and found the wedding "Chunari" that Dadi put on her while she was getting married. I knicked it from her and let it be known that I want it over my head when I get married. And I had a lump in my throat. I know I am a bit too sentimental.

22. I get seriously annoyed by people who think that only their opinion matters and that they know everything in the world. I used to flow into such rage as a kid, I used to tell mom that I will seriously insult someone some day. And I did...and it didnt feel great. I've learnt to control my temper ever since. These days I get annoyed by communal talk. And I hate it when people say "so and so celebrity belongs to our caste/community/region". 

23. I think I am super-addicted to blogging and I am fiercely protective of my blogger buddies. I eat my mom's head talking about posts written by Kochu, Jiggy, Rakesh, Nancy, my space, Hemz, Vinay (who is bookmarked for mom's reading). One day on our way back home papa said something about blog-world being "stupid bakwaas" and I almost had an arguement with him.  I controlled it at that moment but I came back home and cried coz I couldnt defend my blog-buds.

24. I spend a lot of time talking to mom and sis. I do not talk so much with Papa. I'm not scared of him, though I used to be as a kid. But I love my dad toooooooo much. I sometimes dont like things he says and frequently get annoyed with him for smallest of reasons. But I love him the most. I Love you Papa....I've never told you this. Today I am saying it for the first time. I hope we learn to be a little more informal.

25.  Finally, I want to become a good writer some day. I cannot use big words, I do not understand big words. But I think I am a fairly emotional person (understatement...VERY EMOTIONAL) and I think I write from my heart. I just want to write something beautiful for which I am remembered by millions and millions of people. :)

FINALLY DONE WITH THIS TAG...4 DAYS.....IN MY DEFENCE, I WAS A BIT BUSY AND WASNT BLOGGING :P :P

For both the tags, I tag anyone who hasnt taken up these yet and who'd want to try. Happy Blogging :)

Movie Shoovie Award Shaward

22nd February 2009

11.50 PM PCT (Personal Computer Time)

I have plans to wake up at 6, take bath and finish the morning chores to sit down and watch the Oscars without any disturbance. The day nominations were announced Papa went, "Arrey yeh kya harr jagah Dog-Dog hai...channel change karo!!". To my surprise, when me and papa were watching some random Hindi Movie on Star Gold, he said: "Oscars at 6.30 Monday morning right??". That means he might wake up and give me company, in all these years of my early morning fixation of watching the ceremony LIVE as it happens. This year I am going to watch it for two reasons:

1. To witness, hopefully, A.R. Rehman winning the Best Song and Best Musical Score...that would be just awesome. :)

2. Hopefully Kate Winslet will take away the Best actress award, coz I just saw THE READER and I was totally floored by her. Kate is easily the most talented and beautiful actress of our time.

The Rest, I dont really care. I probably would have skipped watching them this year if not for the Slumdog thingy. And Anil Kapoor is expected to make a clown out of himself I guess. He should exercise some restraint...I dunno....it is a big put off for me, all the hooting and shouting and clapping.

AND WHOA!! Just googled...Hugh Jackman gonna host the awards.....I didnt know that! Normally I do. This tells you that I have better things to think about than the Oscars...but...I dont know what they are... :P

Funny thing. I was surfing the channels yesterday and I dont know why I stopped at ZEE CINEMA. They were showing "Phool Aur Kante", Ajay Devgan's debut film with Roja Girl Madhu. The song "Maine Pyaar tumhi se Kiya hai.....(toorooorooroooroooo)" was mid-way through and I remembered how crazy me and my cousin Maneesha used to be about that song. I think it was DD-1 that used to play the song an awefully lot and the cable fellow put up the pirated print a few times. Me and Maneesha used to sit up late nights to watch Ajay Devgan woo Madhu and catch the bad guys. It must have been the third or fourth time that we were seeing it together when Maneesha exclaimed: "AJAY I LOVE YOU!!" I dont remember how old I was but it was a big thing for me those days. Something that girls our age shouldnt talk about...love shove!! :P 

I went ahead and told Mom about Maneesha talking "like that" and I remember being disappointed that she didnt say anything more than a "hmmmm". :p A few years later maybe, it was my turn to go crazy, when that song "Chura ke Dil mera" from that I-DONT-REMEMBER-WHICH Akshay Kumar-Shilpa Shetty movie hit the screens. Me and Maneesha were at it again, this time closing the doors of this room on the third floor, where we had put up a poster of Akkie Baby, and we used to Play that very song and dance like Heroines. Oh those were fun days :)

I met Maneesha a few days ago, we meet a lot lesser these days, more so after she got married. When she said it to my younger sister, "Dolly(Me) and Me used to be best friends once". I always thought as kids that we would always remain best friends. But things change, people change. At the end of it, we still give each other genuine hugs whenever we meet. There is an under-lying hostility for some reason, some difference that crept in but whenever I reminisce old times, It brings tears of laughter to my face. No matter how much I hate certain things about Maneesha, I do love her immensely...I only try not to remind myself about it for some reason. 

Ok this wasnt supposed to go the nostalgic way. The 25 random things tag is still a Work-in-Progess. I'm stuck at Sweet number 16. So watch out for this space. 

Also check out the latest TOP READ FOR THE WEEK. Its a wonderful blog, I'm sure you all would love it.

23rd February 2009

12.19 AM PCT (Need to remind again???)

I'm off to sleep.... Good night :) 

P.S: After I finished watching the Song, the Ajay Devgan one...I wanted to kill the whole team behind that movie....see how people change?? :P

The Woes and Joy of getting a Driving Licence

18th November 2008

I gripped the steering wheel of a rickety-over-500-people-driven Indica that the driving school had provided me with   (Kimi had been begging me not to take up the classes ...he's scared you see.... He thinks  I might beat Danica Patrick to an F1 seat in a few years ..He He He...and he's worried Ferrari might sign me up...Hehehe!!)

18th February 2009

I gave my driving test and passed... I can now officially drive on the Indian roads at least...No Super licence yet...But Kimi...you better watch out!! :P :P

Ok the classes shouldn't take so long to complete but this was yet another typically laid-back Hyderabadi attitude, both on the behalf of the instructor and myself. I missed too many classes in between and he didnt turn up for a few coz "its too cold in December to wake up at 6"... Heck, was he teaching me drive on a hill station?? 

I'd been pretty confident of driving by mid-January and I kept asking him to book my slot with another student who was supposed to go around the same time. The instructor kept postponing my slot and two weeks ago he informed me that I'll have to give the test on a Maruti 800. My turn to freak out.

Its a drastic shift from Diesel to Petrol vehicle and I wasnt too confident of driving the Maruti 800, especially after bumping Mom's car into that of our neighbours. I refrained from trying out the Maruti and kept practicing on the Indica. So when he said I'd have to drive a Maruti, I asked him to give me a little more time. He was more than happy to do so. I tried mom's car, once ALMOST crashing into the main gate. Sunday we had a long session and I drove the car for a good distance to gain some confidence. Yesterday I drove the Indica on my way back home, and my driver said in his heavy North-eastern accent : 

"Ma'am, aap chalaa lega gaadi.... tenshun mat lo" (Ma'am you will drive well, dont stress).

 I asked : "Main fail to nahi ho jaungi na, aise gaadi chala kar?" (Would I fail if I drive this way?) 

And he said: "Nai Madam...Phel to nahi hote...aaraam se chalao" (No, You wont fail...just drive with ease)

I called up my instructor and told him I was ready to give my test today. He asked me to be at the Driving track at Nagole by 8 in the Morning. I reached by 7.30 and called up this person I was asked to contact. He came fashionably late at 8.40 and gave me my papers. I sat for a while, saw the track layout and tried to understand it. I was worried about the reverse track, which seemed very tricky. 

Kept getting more and more nervous. Tried to calm myself by deep breathing techniques learnt at the ART OF LIVING class. I said, the worst that'll happen is I'll fail. No problem. Come back in 7 days and give test again. Practice more. Meanwhile Alankar called me up and wished me luck. He helped me lighten up my mood and I felt at ease. 

At 10, I was asked to go and give my test. I had managed everything well. The S-Track, 8-roundabout track. Then came the H-Reverse track.  Managed the first 3 parts of the reverse and forward quite well, but messed up on the last part. Not completely messed up, but I didnt take the turn as it was supposed to be taken. Got out of that section, went on the Ghat-type-road segment to the last stretch of the track and out of it. Once I parked and went to the cabin, the officer smiled and said, "You goofed up a little on the reverse, but good presence of mind". He smiled back and stamped a "PASSED" on my forms and receipt. Then he said, "Why taking so much tension, relax now. I'm not scaring you by any chance, am I?". 

I had to let out something that I was refraining from telling him. I told him that 3 years ago, me and 2 other friends had come for the 2-wheeler licence and he was one of the officers taking the test that day. He had failed one of my friends for not taking one particular turn, and after I messed up the reverse, I thought he would fail me this time. He just laughed it off and said "Congratulations. Have a good day". It was a good experience this time around. People seemed much more co-operative all of a sudden. My last few experiences at RTAs have been real bad with in-charges shouting for no reason.

I called up Papa and told him that I had passed and the licence would come via courier in 2-3 days. Papa said now I have to drive more often and take the car into traffic as many times as possible. Hyderabad traffic....I have the licence....to add to your woes....grrr!! But..Yipeeee!! :)

Cheers! :)

The Art of Living....and Loving

CAUTION: Big Big post.... exercise discretion, I would not take any blame for anyone falling asleep while reading this post. :P

A lot has been going around and within me lately that just disturbed my soul and inner peace to no end. So when papa decided the entire family would go for THE ART OF LIVING basic course, I said why not give it a try. On 9th February, I woke up at 5 am to attend this course and not without my doubts. Confused about my status between being an athiest or agnostic, I went into the couse thinking this would be one of those rare days the entire family would be together....for 6 days.

I must admit, the sessions that started at 5.30 everyday and went on till 8 in the morning, were fun. There were plenty of other people in the class and at the end of day one, all of us knew each other by our smiles. Though we had all said our names to each other before the class commenced and I could recollect only a few by the end of day three, I just knew that I'd get a smile on my face in the company of these complete strangers. We did the breathing exercise called "Sudarshan Kriya" and experienced something different....not everyone had a similar experience but everyone had something to share. Positive and Negative.

I went the first 3 days without any fuss but the 4th day I just didnt feel like going. It was 4.30 am on the morning of 12th and I was sitting at this very place writing my previous blog post and whining and grumbling about the thing that has been slowly eating me from within, for the past few months. The rest of the day went fine and I spent it with Diva watching Dev D, eating yummy gobi pakoras her mom had made. I got back home and just kept feeling that the hours arent passing by quickly enough. Something was missing. I enjoyed a lot with Diva but then there was this sudden emptyness that crept in and I just didnt know what was wrong. I went to bed that night thinking I am not going back to the ART OF LIVING class. It felt foolish that I was enjoying myself in moments and it doesnt help me overcome these sudden moments of anxiety, fear and depression. 

The next morning I chose to go just so that I dont anger my dad. After all it was just two more days and I might as well go there. And I am glad I did.

In the class, apart from the breathing exercise, they make us play games too that might seem childish to outsiders. I am not going to delve into details here coz there are two many of them to write. Each game we played told a story and had a moral...something that makes us look deeper into our inner selves and ask ourselves some burning questions, the answers for which we keep expecting from the outside world. On day 5, I went into the class and we had yet another activity to do.

We were divided into groups of 3 -- 2 males and a female. We sat in a huddle and told our life stories to each other with the promise that these stories would remain within the group. One of the member in my group, Niroop, had something to say about his life, wife and family that reminded me a little of what I had been going through for the past few days. I thought he has been through something similar and I should ask him about it. Since each one of us were given our 5 mins quota to tell our stories and Niroop's being the last one, our gurus had started telling us about how no one is free of problems and that everyone has faced hurdles in some form or another. Until that moment, I was going to the ART OF LIVING class just to get the worth of my Rs 1000, but it changed a little bit in the moment. 

I sat next to Niroop and shared my reasons for coming to the class and he sat down patiently and listened to me. It was time to go and we were all asked to get something to eat for the next day coz it would be an extended session. We were all asked to bring a gift, something small would do, for a "divine guru" who was going to come the next day. Else we were free to buy something from the gift shop they'd put up the next day. I made Coleslaw sandwiches and decided we would buy gift from the gift shop.

Today we went on doing our routine of the pranayams and the breathing exercise and there were some stories that our gurus and the guest gurus told us all. A lot of them dealing with H.H.Sri Sri Ravi Shanker and some relating to personal experiences of our gurus. Once that session was done, we were asked to get our gifts from the gift shop. I picked up a book called Tales for the Young and the elderly. We all assumed that these would go to the gurus and the guest gurus who had come.

We were all asked to close our eyes, no peeking. They played a music and asked us to slowly move around the hall with our eyes closed. We had to keep moving till the music stopped. So we all did, bumping into each other occassionally, not knowing who we were passing. And then they stopped the music and asked us to stand still wherever we were, slowly open our eyes and look at the person standing nearest to us. What followed next just brought tears to my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the same two group members that I had huddled with and we were standing almost as close as we sat in the group yesterday. The three of us were just so happy to see each other while the gurus asked us to exchange our gift with the person standing closest to us. Niroop was standing closest to me so I gave him the book I had picked up and playfully asked him for my gift. And Niroop just told me, "I didnt get anything but all I can say is  I wish you all the happiness in the world and with all my heart I hope you overcome everything that has been disturbing you. I'm giving you the love in my heart and I truly want you to find your peace". That was the moment I couldn't control my tears. 

Here was a person, the only thing I knew about him was his name and what he did for a living. Yesterday he gave me a glimpse into his life and that is all there was to it. Today he was honestly and with all his heart, telling me that things would be alright and that it matters to someone....it matters to the universe that I stay happy. These were the tears of joy. This was a moment when I know whatever  I have held inside me for all these months, just got flushed out with all the tears and I feel at such peace right now that I cannot express in words.

I am not getting any more spiritual. Yet.

I am not getting any more philosophical. Yet.

I am not advocating the ART OF LIVING course. Yet.

I do not revere Sri Sri Ravi Shanker any more than I revere the next person. Yet.

But I know for sure something changed in me today. I know I felt something different. And something is just glowing within me right now. I do not know what that is. As of now, I would call it the Art of Loving myself for who I am and the realisation that things would be alright. I just need to have a little faith. Miracles can happen, small or big. I had one today and I hope to give it back to the nature someday.

The experience of these 6 days I would treasure for a long time till I decide on taking the next level of this course. But what Niroop said would stay with me for a lifetime and I must show my gratitude to him here at this very moment. And to all my blog reader, the sad, sombre Smriti got washed away in a tear spell.... I promise to give you a brand new bubbling, lively Smriti who loves herself now more than ever and someone who will no longer give in to circumstances.

On this day, I promise to be my own Valentine forever. I promise to be happy and spread happiness. I found something beautiful within me today and someday I will witness the miracle of someone else finding something special in them too. I'm smiling with all my heart as I write this post and I vow to maintain this smile. :)

Happy Valentines Day everyone....and my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who commented on my previous post. Really appreciate it. 

OK. No more boring you today. Be back as frequently as possible with renewed vigour and enthusiasm :)

Cheers everyone..... :)

Back to my senses

Ok. So the rambling early saturday morning was real stupid. I wasnt writing a story, no suspense intended. Was just plain frustrated and couldn't sleep. Monday morning I started the art of living course and it as been alright thus far. I meant the course. I would have been back to normal in any which case.

So its the D-Day today. And I'm not as fidgety or uncomfortable as I was on Saturday night. The reason for the all the stupidness?? Well someone I've known forever, is getting married today. I cannot attend the wedding coz it can get a little awkward. No I do not love him. Saying this for the nth time. But there are reasons which to the outsider, may never seem clear.

He decided to cut the cords of 12 yrs of friendship when the marriage was fixed and I was blamed for being insensitive when I asked questions. It is hard to let go of friends. Especially someone you've known since you were a kid. All the memories of revising lessons together, filling slam books, eating ice creams, running around like fools as kids.... to sharing family issues, health issues and every other issue....just come as a flashback. Sari bua says you feel bad coz it is the loss of a relationship and no one wants to feel that loss.

I had something in mind to gift him. Something he gave me as a mark of our ever-lasting friendship. But I cannot go to the wedding. I will dedicate a blog to him tonight. Hope he reads it someday.

Ok I'm not sombre anymore. Me and Divya are meeting up today and we'll have a lot of time to spend with each other. Like old days. Haven't done it in the longest of times and I think I've taken her too much for granted. We are going to watch Dev D... lunch before that...Maybe window shopping after that. OK OK. I'm going....gotta start getting ready, its a one hour drive from home.

Updates on the way. And I'm feeling better :)

Too Much to take

Four more days.

It is just hard to believe. Something I had been dreading for a long time is now just 4 days away and as I sit typing this at 1.50 AM on Sunday, 8th of February, I feel like the loneliest person in the world. I have to face the inevitable and I am shit scared of going through with it alone. The more I try and tell myself that I need to face it, for my own sake, the more I want to run away from it. But how?? I cannot see any way out of it. I am at loss of feelings and emotions and I hate this negativity that creeps in. Never knew what it feels to be numb....I guess this very moment should describe it. I really don't know what I should be doing...I want to cry but the tears seem all dried up. They don't want to come out. I am at such discomfort and completely aimless about what needs to be done in such a case. Should I be feeling this way? Shouldn't I just be happy for someone else and stop brooding over something that was never there? Should this be the way to end all those years of .....?

Right at this very moment I dont know. I cannot figure it out. I cannot think. I cant sleep. I'll sign off.

Main Bhi Jennifer Aniston :P

A few days ago when I was reading the newspaper, and before Obama was sworn in as President, there was this report about the Indonesian Photographer Ilham Anas, who resembled Obama. That got me wondering, was there anyone else who I resembled....or who resembled me. In school, juniors teased me a few times calling me Rani Mukherjee when I had problems with sore throat. Rani wasn't such a big star then so I guess it was easier to compare her and me. There was this junior girl Sushmita, who they used to say looks like me. I used to get so irritated with all the comparisons. I was like "I dont look like anyone and no one looks like me. I'm me!!"

Off late there has been a spate of news reports about celebrity look-alikes and I was wondering how many more such people exist who look like someone or the other. Even if not celebrities, two completely unrelated people might just look so similar. What does that have to say about the complexities of human beings.

Anyways, I found this on Ria's blog and lapped up the opportunity to check out who my celebrity look alikes were. I must admit now that I tried out 2 photos and settled for this one. Not that I have problems having male look alikes - I mean Federer, Roddick, Hugh Grant, Tony Blair, Jake Gyllenhal...I have some real pretty male faces you know :P 

You can check out who your look alike is and let us all know, if you wish to. Meanwhile I'll put up the other pic and the look alikes on the side bar...do check them out :P

The Tall and Short of it..

"Lambu ji Lambu ji

Bolo ji Tingu ji"

This isnt about singing the old Big B song in praise of his never-ending controversies. This is about my meeting with probably the most famous male blogger on my blog-roll. Standing  6ft 2 in tall, he is....

*Drum rolls*

-Ta-da- 

Hemz

Its been quite a while now and I thought Hemz would already have finished writing a mini novel and narrated it to Mini-Hemz by now (In any case Mini Hemz seems to be sleepy all the time :P).

So Hemz was here and as promised I took him out shopping in the stores of Hyderabad and Secunderabad (Mostly Secunderabad). I got intimidated the moment I stood next to him. Why? Wouldn't you be, if you are 5ft 2in tall....A WHOLE FEET SHORTER!! Its like standing in front of the Himalayas. :P ... He insisted we hop on his bike and leave my beloved scooty (which does 60kmph...really ...lol). I had informed Hemz about my strong disliking for bikes. He offered to get an aeroplane, but I said why create a ruckus. So we stuck to the plan B...as in Bike. Hemz crashed the bike into a Wagon R just about the same time we started. And he tells me that he just realised that brakes arent working. Grrrr. I broke a toe nail and bruised my hand, about which Hemz will come to know right about now :P I know if I tell him, he'd feel all guilty....and after this too, he might feel guilty, but what the heck. Its just a minor bruise...no issues ;) So Hemz...Chill :)

I took Hemz to various stores and I must tell you, Hemz is very choosy about his clothing and goes inside with a pre-concieved notion about what he wants to buy. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. Good, coz you are a more confident buyer then. Bad, coz if you dont find it, you keep looking through stuff and eventually see the entire store and find just one or two clothes that you like. Hemz had the good and bad of it. I have never ever spent 3 hrs inside one PANTALOONS store ....or for that matter at any store. Thanks to Hemz, this was something new for me in the longest of while. He picked up a few. It was fun. 

We headed off to Dominos around 4.30 evening and we were hungry as hell. Placed the order and sat down to talk with Neha. Such a lively character, I could almost feel the warmth of her persona across the phone. Either that, or Hemz phone's battery was heating up :P ...Just kidding. But it was fun to talk to her finally!! :)  

Hemz also introduced me, on phone of course, to another fellow blogger, Archana, whose blogs I haven't read yet. She had such a sweet voice it was endearing how she got off talking to a complete stranger like me. It was nice talking to her. She dropped me a comment on the previous blog, and as soon as I'm done with Hemz-nama, I'll start reading Archana's :)

Coming to Hemz's driving after the Wagon R took a beating, he didnt try to dare and drive above 30kmph I guess, thanks to my scream that was still reverberating in his ears. Hemz kept asking me if I got bored. Ok now I must admit I was bored like hell at that speed :P :P :P Sorry Hemz :P :P

But it was fun. Found out how none of the clothing impressed me, except for just one "annabelle" top which I loved and which wasnt available in my size (God why does it always happne, you like something so much and it hardly fits you!! :(). I had a good time scolding Hemz on every ridiculous T-shirt he picked up and glad that he went for my suggestions a few times. :P We were so damn tired with the whole shopping business that we almost forgot to click a snap and Hemz remembered before leaving. So please dont get scared if we both look like convicts straight out of Chanchalguda Jail. :P

Cheers everyone..... ;)