My Secret Admirer!!! ;o)

Yeah I just celebrated my birthday in a never to forget way…. Though a little belated types, but I wouldn’t mind many many such birthdays.

What else will you ask for, if you keep getting flowers (Red roses) and are showered with gifts for 2 days consecutive days by your secret admirer?

My birthday landed in one of those Christmas vacation, which we got for the 1st time in my professional life… yeah no one in our office could believe that we have got a Christmas vacation (but details on that in some other blog) … coming back to my bday.

So it happened that exactly one week after my birthday when I entered office there was a bouquet of red roses waiting for me at the reception. Not wanting to make any scene at the office reception, I just took the bouquet and the card with it to my desk. Once at my desk, opened the card in great anticipation, and read through a very romantic poem with my name on top…. The sender (not mentioning his name) referring me Umraojaan and himself Shahjaan. I was completely amazed and happy and surprised and angry at the same time. Well yes angry because of two reasons one - I am happily married to the person I love and two - I wish I had received this a few years back to have some choices in love ;-). So I buzzed my friends and told them such n such thing has happened… within a minute all 4 of my friends were buzzing near me teasing and guiding me to take things cool and just enjoy the moment. Not convinced by my friends advice I called my dear hubby – he too told me just enjoy don’t be tensed. Now that I got permission from my hubby I started enjoying the moment, neatly kept the flowers @ my desk and kept answering all the queries from inquisitive people in office.

The lunch was full of discussion about this secret admirer (Mr Shahjahan) who could this guy be? I felt like every pair of eyes in office was following me and are either jealous or admiring my beauty (well, after getting red roses from secret admirer you start feeling you are more beautiful) , ok so after about 1 hour of discussion lunch was over and we moved back to our cubicles, and LO!!! There are other two gifts waiting for me at the reception, now this time I was a little worried and enquired who gave these; some guy named sanjay has left that for ME. Not knowing what to do – I took it to my desk (this time the whole gang of friends were buzzing around me and bugging me to open the gift boxes). Now that I was enjoying the moments, I was very happy and with my heart pounding (I was expecting the name of the admirer inside the gifts) I opened the two gifts to find a cute showpiece and a box of sweets…. I was tooo happy to see what was there and even felt completely flattered by this secret admirer. Now thinking too hard who could be this secret admirer…


Thats ME :) with my gifts !!!!

Although I kept waiting for another gift/ hint to find who this Shahajahan could be, no more gifts came and I decided to take everything home to show my hubby that he has a big competitor now :o) But its really really tough to see him getting jealous, there was hardly any reaction, just after the love poem there was a brief smile with a “huh”. I was verrry disappointed and really wished my secret admirer should be a very handsome guy ;-D

Being a Friday the next two days I had to just wait and keep guessing who is this secret admirer. Well yes I tried to keep the roses alive (sadiyal roses diye thay yaar) and kept the gift right in front of table for everyone (specially hubby) to see it and be jealous. The weekend just passed by, since there was no worried/jealous reactions from hubby I would have forgotten about my secret admirer unless my friends kept enquiring about the secret admirer by sms. Nope there was no news of who my secret admirer was.

Then came Monday and I announced (while getting ready for office) “Now that I have a secret admirer in my office I better dress up well and go ;o)” but still no reaction from dear hubby… I believe he has taken me for granted :o( I really really wished this secret admirer of my should atleast have killing looks ;o)

On reaching office it was just another Monday day, until just after lunch I got another gift parcel. I just couldn’t believe. There was this love note attached to it, reading which I got damn angry, worried and somewhere deep in my heart I was happy ;o). the whole gang of friend was with me and guiding me to complain to the HR after office hours and speaking to the office boy and security etc etc. My hubby too advised me to speak to the HR. so most of the day then passed by chatting (with the group) discussing what should be done, and as we all decided that we will go to the parking lot and open the gift there @ 5pm (as if we were on a big mission), we were in the parking area trying to open the gift (it was very nicely packed this time with lots of silo tape) finally on opening what I found was there was a small computer keyboard, I was completely disappointed (I had expected another cute gift ;o) ) anyways not revealing my disappointment I was looking for some code to decipher (love messages ;o) ) from this secret admirer (Yeah I should stop reading detective novels) but I just couldn’t understand why my friends were so excited and just snatched the keyboard from my hands.

They said now that we are here lets take a walk (as if we were in a museum or garden huh) anyways I was too worried to think and just followed the gang. Just then I saw a chocolate cake a BIG gift and a card kept on one of my friend’s bike…. NOOOOO ways….. Now I knew who this secret admirer(s) are… I was completely disappointed but soooooo happy and relieved that I have such wonderful friends. I shouted loudly out of relief and just couldn’t control my happiness.

I took my sweet time to cut the cake and there was pin drop silence for the next 10 minutes and the cake to dissapear (accept the little which was smeared on my face) :o). I was the proud bakra of the day(s) and crowned Bakra No.1. The card read “It’s your Bday…. We understand your pain” :o) sucha sweet pain… the only pain was my hopes of finding a smart secret admirer being shattered in front of my eyes and I had no options but to ENJOY……


Thats us having a party after all this fun!!! CHEERS!!!

Keep smiling – you never know who is falling in love with you ;o)

Joke - There are some things money can't buy!

Yeah I get mood swings and today was bad mood mornings…

This was the innovation dear hubby came up with…

Bhavanazz Anger – 100 Rs
Bhavanazz Cleanliness – 200 Rs
Bhavanazz food – 1 Rs
Bhavanazz smile – Priceless!!!

While my mind was reading “There are some things money can't buy. For everything else there's MasterCard”

(He took a brief pause)

Nothing like that ok!! If I tell you I found a 100 Rs note you will smile right now….

I was like – Lolzz… and banging him...

Navaratri Nights – Only Gujarati istyle!!!

Ask any non gujju Mumbaite and they all will give the same response when asked how much they like gujjus??…”I hate gujjus” – I just want to shout “ME TOO” … but none(including me) of these “I hate gujju” types will deny the fact that they love gujju food and want to enjoy the 9 days Navaratri festival in gujju istyle ONLY. So let me put it this way - “We dont love them, but it does not imply we hate them.“

Now that I have shifted to Bangalore (from Mumbai) I really really miss these gujjus errrrr… the Navaratri dandiya nights… So when one of my Gujarati friends invited us to play dandiya @ one of their community programs… I was skeptical and kept asking myself “Are you really missing dandiya so much?” and to my surprise, my soul shouted ‘NO!! Don’t miss it for anything!!’

OK so 4 of us decided to go and we all met at a friends home… cooked and relished the dinner. After which I wanted to wait no longer but to reach this dandiya place… hmm the 150 Rs entry fees did make us feel the pinch, but that was before we entered the place and saw so many guys and gals dancing away to glory. We were in the middle for almost 2 hours enjoying, dancing and having fun – not aware of the outside world.

P.S: Wondering what took this blog to come after 3 weeks of Navaratri festival? The Photos!!! Hey NO – we used digital camera but ((Yeah we can afford that ;))- you see - I was too busy to download the same ;o)

......... Thats we all after enjoying for 2 hours ........

Sharing my first (Actual) experience……. biking ;)

Until yesterday I could drive for about 10 meters – “only on empty roads”… and listening to all the incidents which happened in those various 10 meter rides, my friends (huh!! should I say enemies) set an unsaid rule – do NOT ever give your bike keys to her….

Everything changed yesterday when I actually got hands on one of my friend's bike (I had to bribe her with her favorite chocolate :D for this golden opportunity) - And belime, I was on the main road with the moving traffic on both sides of my bike … Hey hey before you conclude, my bike too was moving, ok!!

So before we started I had to wear this big gadget on my head – the helmet. Damn it!! I have never worn this thing in my earlier 10 meter rides. But after wearing it my head became heavier by half a kg which gave me a feeling “I have more data inside my head” - which also made me believe "I am smarter now and gave me confidence."

Ok – what next??? How do I unlock this bike handle??? Finally after playing Twist and turn with the keys for a while, I could get the handle unlocked. Next I galloped and pushed the start button and Lo!! The bike actually started. I was so much excited and exhilarated at the moment...

I was dying to just roar away with the bike… But this friend of mine won’t sit behind until she sees the demo!! I felt like shouting at her SIT DOWN – but I curbed my feelings and gave her a small 10 meter demo (which I have always been expert in :D).

Finally the excursion started, I could feel my heart pulsating. I accelerated a little and in no time the bike touched the main road and before I could race it further, I had to apply the breaks to avoid it touching the Honda city :o( but its ok!! That didn’t make me give up. I accelerated once again and “yeah hey” I was moving with the traffic. The remaining journey of about 5 km was almost as smooth as butter, only with one or two close shaves with the other vehicles who were not giving me enough space to move ;-)…

At the end of it all - when I had parked the bike carefully from where we started. My friend said it was good ride you can learn it quickly. And I jumped “Hooray!!” It seemed like someone has actually awarded me with a bravery medal!!

Look who's Watching Me!!!

Today Hubby is Watching me all the time by peeping out of my computer monitor!!!

Well begun is half job done - BullShit!!

Yeah!! We went bowling @ Amoeba last Saturday!!! And since then I have stopped believing in above saying….

With 36 points in the first 7 shots – I ended up making 87 by the end of 20 strikes and stood last but one in the game :o(

Even the opposite doesn’t stand true….

My hubby began with 4 gutter shots but ended up winning the game by 123 points :o)

I wonder those who make these sayings do they ever face such correcting ;o)

P.S: Begin well but don’t stop to check where your friends have reached!! Author – Happyz

You can come to me for more great teachings, but until then - bubbye!!

Work from home is a miracle – Utilize it to the fullest ;-)

Work from Home a new funda in IT – now that my hubby has this work from home thingy for 2 days in a week. I want to utilize this to full extent ;) ….. (Wait a minute before you pervert minded people jump to some conclusions….) to help me in with house work.

Mind you – My hubby is too good - otherwise also he helps me by :
- eating what I cook
- listening to what I talk and
- letting me win every (almost every) argument –
As the saying goes “I don’t like to win every argument – I let other loose some ;)”

Before these work from home days, as soon as he used to offer me help in cooking - I used to tell him “NO – Please be out of kitchen…. (I have my own reasons for the same – will write another blog for that) “. But now looking at him sitting and watching TV/Movies I got bugged the other day and gathered courage to invite him to kitchen….

Me – Hey enough of the movies, do you by any chance know how to cut vegetables.

He – Oh ya I used to cut in “Hungary” (yeah he has traveled places) – but I need that cutting board and all that... …….blah blah

Me – (throwing the knife) Here’s the knife - start cutting... I don’t want any reasons...

Why should I suffer being in the kitchen (I hate cooking and being in the kitchen) – while he enjoys the movie/games!!! Seeing my mood he also started doing something with the knife and vegetables…

Half bending over the kitchen platform he was trying to do what was told…. After about half an hour …

He - OK I AM DONE…

Throwing the knife the way I had thrown sometime back - He started to move out of the kitchen!! I had seen the neat work he has done with vegetables and was motivated to give him some more things to try…

Me – Hey wait a min – where are you off too… banayega kaun??

He was fully charged to help me today… or to show off that he too can cook. He took out the biggest vessel to cook the veg (for two people)…

Ok fine I can guide him little… guided him to size of kadai required to cook for 2 people..

He knew the 1st thing to be put in the kadai was “oil” -- This motivated me further… Great!!

The next thing he did was – licked his index finger and smashed the saliva into the oil.

Me - YUCK- what’s this.

He – How else will you check the oil is heated?

Genuine question by the 1st timer in the kitchen

I wanted to kick him out of the kitchen – but no, he won’t buzz… so I guided him further to put things one by one for preparing the veg.

As if I know what’s to be put next … he he… I have a simple funda of cooking

My funda of cooking “Cooking - huh - it’s easy - just open the masala dabba and put what all u feel like -- on that day.”

So finally we were done with cooking and finally it was time to eat the cooked stuff… of course it was my turn to eat what he has cooked…

But you know what – I gave him 3 out of 10 for the dinner - Which is far better than what my in-laws gave me for the chapattis I had prepared 1st time in Sasural… HAHAHa – but isn’t that a old story???????

Point noted: If given further training I can get rid of this cooking business.

Conclusion - Work from home is a miracle – Utilize it to the fullest ;-)

Modelling by my Neice!!

Here are a few videos shot of my neice, Modeling - dancing and having fun @ home.

Am I wrong in saying "A Model in Making"?

Please let know....

The (Non April Fool) Bakra!!

The stage was set and the actors were ready…. heres the script…

One of our group mate is going on maternity leave and there was this new (hi-fi) girl joining in her position … so to welcome her to our group we thought of this small prank…

We told her our company is representing World ‘Outsourcing Summit’ to be held on this Saturday in USA. I and other guy represented senior officers from our US offices who are flying back tonight to attend the summit. Showing up a presentation (which we developed for this bakra occasion) we asked her to give us some 5-6 quick thoughts for better presentation and attracting more client base at the summit.

Even while typing I remember how she seriously explained fumbling whatever 1st came to her mind about that subject. And how we went on listening - keeping our face straight (as if she is talking some junk). When she stopped blabbering after a minute or so (giving just dejected looks) we moved on to the next slide where we had her pictures with the bakra cap and a message “welcome to the vRock group”!!.
She was so angry that we all ran for safety… here’s the photo of the entire group.

P.S: Next day we even cut the bakra (bakre Ko hallal Kara)!! Forced her to take us out for lunch at our favorite restaurant!!


In my April blog I bragged about how I was crowned bakra of the day on fool’s day… yeah!! I too had the great opportunity of becoming the bakra … read here… becoming a bakra is as much fun as making is bakra …

Art of Living!!!

I was born free of thoughts.

Was happy living like everyone else… no one taught me how to live and I never gave a thought to living. I assumed the art of living was that I was living…

My life like anyone else’s life was filled with ups and downs – tensions and no tension times – good times and bad times. I used to be bored easily with nothing to do. Did not know how to spend time with myself. Not sure if I knew how to be happy with whatever I have, had no opinion on anything which would affect my life (or anyone’s life)? Infect I was scared to give any opinion. Hardly knew what I want from life and what my purpose of living is.

And all of the sudden I was made to realize I have grown up. I was responsible for what I say. I was expected to give opinion on things and expected to say right thing at the right time. I was still the same and was living.

Finally I thought of taking control of my life and decided to join the ‘Art of Living - foundation course’ (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s) between 17June2008 to 22June2008. The course spread over the course of 2 hours each for 6 days gives you nothing (according to me) but how to relax your body after making it soo tired that for sure you will need nothing but a few minutes of rest. Getting up early morning at 5am was enough reason to not go to the class, but still I pushed my limits to open my eyes and reach the class. Definitely after the class I used to feel more relaxed for a few hours, but I don’t know if the class really helped me with anything – due to lack of sleep I was always in the zombie state, annoyed at the slightest buzz and would loose my patience at anyone near me. Finally the class was over and I was relived that I could sleep.

For four days after my course was over my alarm buzzed every day at 6am and highly motivated (to learn the art of living) I used to get up and perform the ‘Art of Living’ courses gyan (Asana and exercises). On the fifth day the bug of laziness bit me again – I switched off the alarm and went back to my pleasurable sleep. Since then daily I am marking the recurring alarm not to ring the next day ;) – I guess by now the entire week is marked without alarm.

Don’t know if I learned anything different from the gyan which my parents, teachers, elders and everyone around used to teach me when I was young. Nor do I have answers to any of my queries with which my brains were disturbed from its lazy state before joining the course, but definitely I learned - 'Once we are lazy – we are always lazy. ' Not that I am planning to change this opinion!!

Anyways life goes on and I am still living … so I guess thats what is Art of Living.

I was crowned Bakra on April 1st, Fools day.

This was the most happening fools day for me. :) Sent the below email to 5 of my friends using a Java Email program.

From: Termination
To: Somebody

Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 3:05 PM

Subject: Termination
Dear Somebody, This is to inform you about the termination of your employment with ACB for the reasons set forth based on performance.

We have scheduled a conference with you today at 5pm in Aryabhatta conference room. At that time we will review the reasons for the possible termination of your employment.

Please consider this as a formal letter of your one month service notice period at ACB. Your services will be considered terminated from 30th April 2008 EOD.

Thanks & Regards

ACB

P.S: We advice you do not discuss this with anyone.

After realizing they were fooled, the reply these 5 sent me, made me the real bakra of the day.

From: HR Manager

Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 6:00 PM

To: Bhavana Rao

Subject: Re: Termination

Importance: High

Dear Bhavana,
It has been bought to our notice that you have misused the facility given to you by ABC.
We have received complaints that you are involved in IT Security Breach. Hence the Management has decided to take immediate & stern action on your misconduct.
Please meet me at my office immediately.
Thanks & Regards,
Manager - HR
ABC

After realizing (which took about 5 seconds) that its a reply to my prank, I was crowned bakra of the day.

But this was the best April 1st so far for me.