Birthdays

I wud make no mistake on this. It feels really bad to get old.I never felt this way when I was in my teens. Even my 18-20 age birthdays seemed to be fine.But now, after a couple of years of my 20th brithday mark( U thought I wud reveal my age here?)I feel a little bad to face the peak of adulthood.I can no longer do things much to my will, anything I do is flung back to me with a comment" poruppa nadanthukko, innum 6 maasathula kalyanam".

Some signs to tell you that you are getting old

When anyone and everyone talks to you only about getting married, but not stop there and talk further about family, kids, responsibility et all

When all your friends start telling you " enjoy to the fullest now,you wud never get these days back" - as though there is no tomorrow

When you get mails from classmates / batchmates sharing the news of their marriage & kids

When the kids are told to address you as aunty instead of akka

When young cousins talk about some new mobile technology, new hang out places, new restaurants and you just blink


Every year, I excitingly wait for my birthday, but the day comes, I start feeling that this day should never end.But it always happens that I get a year older at the end of the very same day.Sometimes, I even dream of people giving me sympathetic looks as though I have lost all my charm.Its impossible to stop thinking like this and sometimes, such kind of dreams become an integral part of your sleep. Hhhhhmmmmmmmm....





And now, just 3 days after my birthday, I again eagerly wait for the next one.

My daddy strongest!!!

"It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." - Anne Sexton "

There could be no other time if not now, for me to write this. ( I know this post is a day late, but better late than never!)

For all the pamperings that you have showered on me

For all the hardships that you went through inorder to get me to whatever I am today

For all the games we played, outings that we have had

For being so unselfish, generous and always giving

For all the things that you have got me even before I asked for it

For calling me subbudu( I loved the name just cos u called me so appa)

For trusting me completely and giving me all the freedom to do/ talk what I want

For letting me make my own choices



Appa, I love u for all this and much more. I still remember, how everytime you happen to go for an eat out, but dont eat there, instead pack it up and bring it home for me all the way. I have not seen you buying a new dress for yourself, they were so rare.You dont take leave, no new shoes and you dont waste anything. Save and squirrel every little thing and spend it on your kids.I am so proud of being your daughter. I wish to be as nice, gentle, unselfish, generous,sacrificing as you are appa.

Happy Fathers Day appa

Subbudu

As I grew up ...along with her

@ the age of 3, I wondered who the other human being who is growing up with me in the same house

@ the age of 6, I hated her, thought she was my competitor

@ the age of 10, I missed her occasionally for she was away from home for her schooling

@ the age of 11, I fought with her for every little thing - including as to who gets the most roasted part of the potato fry my amma makes

@ the age of 12, I realised that she is indeed my blood and loved her too.I started going by whatever she told me -right from going out, to the dress selection , to the hairstyle I shud have

@ the age of 13, missed her terribly when her work kept her away from home

@ the age of 14,I gave her a huge list of things I wanted when she returned from Singapore & Malaysia and she dint make even the slightest fuss to get all that I wanted

@ the age of 16, I used to be glued to the comp just to recieve her mails updating us all about her day to day life in the USA and I used to take immense pride in showing her US snaps to my friends

@ the age of 17, I hated to be alone, when she got married. I still curse that video photographer who took some videos of me crying at the wedding hall when she got married.

@ the age of 18, I felt so nice when she was the first to send me a beautiful mail about my milestone of attaining 18 years.

A few years have rolled by after all these that are mentioned above, and how do I feel now?
Though we still argue over somethings, I feel so blessed that I have such a wonderful SISTER. She has only given me more and more.


My dear "B", I truly look up to you.

Some fond memories...

Amma packing atleast 4 - 5 snack boxes, juices for me when I was in KG class

Carrying ice cold water in my water bag, ( I was the only one in my class who used to bring ice water) & class fellows and teachers alike asking me for some ice water

The sports day at school, filling my MILTON water bag with ice water and orange juice and the sulking expression when someone asked for water

Going way early to school on the reopening day just to reserve a better bench seat near to my favourite friend

Praying that the school bus breaks down on the way especially when I have some exams/ midterms

Cycling all the way to school in my lady bird. We were 3 girls cycling together to school

Computer classes,. me and my frnd used to goto a juice shop everyday after the class.Invariably, the times spent outside the class was more than the time spent inside the class.

Flaunting a new dress on my b'day. I used to get all the attention from my batchmates that day

Rendering a speech, or singing a prayer song in the school assembly.( Used to think of myself as a heroine!!!)

Matrimonial Woes

Bharat Matrimony , one of the biggest matrimonial services provider on the web.Claims itself to be a matrimonial platform, and boasts of some 7 lakh success stories- I mean married and happily ever after couples!There are umpteen number of testimonials from happy users.For sure, one tends to get carried away on seeing the testimonails there...but wats to be remembered is that its only a tool which facilitates the entire process of finding a suitable match. And this tool wud work wonders only if its used the right way.

But the whole process looses its significance, the trust and becomes shaky when people lie in their profiles.I even had one of my college friend who used to put up fake profiles, however she stopped it after we gave her some severe warning.And its all the more frustrating when ppl dont even take the pains to read thru ones profile and then send requests.

One of my friend "S" got a proposal from a guy. And the guy mentioned, "if you like me, you keep me, else forward me to your other friends'.Obviously he talks about his profile, but what does he think? It sounds as if he gets my friend do a broker job by passing it along to others

One of my other friend "S", gets interest mailers from guys much younger to her,. Comeon, cant they even take some time to check up the profile and other details and then send the mail?

This was just one case. There is one more to add to the woes. There came a mail from the prospective boy's father stating some general details about the boy, his family and that elderly person had even mentioned like " we wish to see you as the bahu ( meaning daughter in law) of our house."Any girl would get carried away on seeing this. The guy was working for one of the top notch companies and was a green card holder. They planned to come down to see her in January. My friend was all excited, but, they never came. And the same elderly person who sent a mail earlier, again sent a mail saying, my son has resigned his job from the US,and he is not in a mood to discuss marriage now. Wont this shatter her? Oh pls for god's sake, Why should one commit or sound so nice and sugary even before things take a shape?

Another friend "K", got one such matrimonial proposal from a guy who is a doctor in UK.They exchanged snaps, liked each other and decided to meet sometime when the guy would come to India.His profile stated he was 5'9" in height. "K" is 5'7".They met soon, and "K" was in for a shock, this guy could not even have been 5'5".Now, why did he conceal such an important information? Isnt one''s height one of the most important criteria in a matrimonial search? It pissed her off enough.

I do understand that some parents are so anxious/ eager as to not let go off the suitable match . But whats the point of lying in one's profile? Such a person would never be able to win any trust . cos lying in your profile is like taking the other person for granted even before you have met him or her.

Why cant people be simple and straight forward and easen out the already tiresome process of signing up to the service, paying some bucks for the service, putting up your photos, tracking suitable profiles, sending interest mailers etc etc?The already existing process of finding a match itself is tedious, and to add to the fuel, why lie or conceal important information and make things worse?All this is done due to fear of rejection.. then why lie at all?I am sure everyone would want the search to end sooner. So why not be simple, forthright and straight forward? It would help one in finding "The Partner" pretty soon, much before they get worn out.