Why isn't it real ??!!

Being a kid of imaginations has it's highs and lows (just like everything else,I guess) but my involvement with Harry Potter series is at a different level unlike anything you can compare with. Though the first book was released in 1997, I got my hands on it only in 2002 after I graduated. Although I liked the book I never saw myself as someone who could get involved with it and live in an imaginary world with all the characters and feel emotional. But Rowling made it happen,as I read the following series I fell in love with it so much that I became opinionated about each of the characters in a way you would if you interacted with them in person.


Reading was more fun compared to watching the movie but the cast and crew of the movie did make an honest attempt to bring the characters close and alive to the described ones. Prof.Dumbledore, a great visionary stood out effortlessly for what he was. I missed him after Half Blood Prince ( I must have mourned atleast for a week after his death). I liked all those people who stood by Harry for what they believed in and ofcourse it was very warm and touching. I was almost inside the story with an invisibility cloak on than being just the reader. That's what imagination does to you I guess and it proved to be much more powerful than watching someone else's movie.It was almost a first hand experience to me. I saw myself standing right there watching Harry and Voldemort dueling. I jumped so many times while reading as if I heard a snake hiss right next to me. Each time I read their adventure, I held my breath until they were done escaping. My imaginations were better than the 3D movie because there was another dimension added to it by my grey cells and hence I felt I had a special bonding with each of the characters!



Finally, watching the part-2 was like a closure. When I read the last part I was not sure it was all over just like how you feel if it actually happened to you.It's hard to believe the hard part is over in life,isn't it? But watching the movie felt like a confirmation that it was all over. I felt like all the mixed feelings were coming back to me at the same time. I was happy that the war was over but sad that I had to put an end to living an imaginary life.I was happy that good triumphed over evil but sad that I wouldn't experience an adventure like that again.

Am I crazy???? I'm sure Harry Potter fans will be able to relate to me or anybody who's crazy about something will be able to I guess. I would like to believe I was involved in it though I knew it was happening inside my head. After all my beloved Professor did say " Why isn't it real if it's all happening in your head Harry?" :-)

An old trick and a New Lesson !!!

" Ahoy........let's do the magic again !!!! " were his words and before he paused kids were heard screaming with joy and running towards him on a sunny afternoon across the land of soil far far away. He,the magician,was an old man who moved from place to place in a circular pattern. Kids were driven crazy by his tricks because he always made it fun.

" OK,so what do we want to do today?" asked the magician and kids shouted out their ideas in a chorus which was badly synchronized. Old man smiled looking at them and finally when they all settled he said " Alright,I can't think of any new trick today to entertain you all and therefore I will let you all play by yourself...." even before he finished all of them let out sighs of disappointment and began to disperse,just then the old man added " Wait,let me finish....I will let you all play by yourself except you won't be exactly yourself",he smiled prankfully and spoke again ." You will all get to become your favorite animals for couple of hours" and paused. It took a minute to sink in but once the kids became aware of what he was saying, there was a loud uproar from them.

The old man transformed all the kids into their favorite animals. You could see the diversity,some became a horse,some cats,some dogs and so on.The old magician announced at the end " OK,now I am going to take a nap and will be back in a couple of hours,I will expect you all to be gathered here to return to who you are. Now,go have fun!" After he left,all the animals played to their changed strengths and weaknesses till the dusk.It was a great fun being what they liked and it felt like seconds when it was time for them to become kids again. By then the magician was back and called for everybody.They lined up before him and he reversed the magic.Kids were happy and tired and they thanked him for the trick he played on them. The magician told them when would he be back again and left the place to move to another.

All kids went back home except one.There was a family of a farmer who had a little boy of around 6 years and he was seen playing with other kids during the day but when all kids went back home he went missing. His parents returned home after a laborious day to find their son was not home.They waited for a long time before they started searching for him in the neighborhood. They started asking other kids in the neighborhood whether they had seen the boy.One of the kid replied saying he was last seen as a pup.The parents were shocked to hear that and went around looking for the magician but he was gone and no one had a clue about his whereabouts. 

After rigorous searching for the son and the magician the couple got back home and sat helplessly looking at the parrot in the cage which was a present they had brought for their son for his last b'day. There was a knock at the door when they were about to turn off the lamp and a girl appeared when the mother of the boy opened the door.She was holding a pup and she stretched her hand to hand it over to them. They looked puzzled  and asked the girl for an explanation to which she said " here,this is Ramu,your son. I was playing with him till now and realized it was late.I'm sorry,please forgive me". The couple didn't know how to react and whether to believe what she said.They took the puppy from her and let her go.Tears rolled down Ramu's mother's cheeks and his father felt helpless.

Couple of months passed and the puppy was still kept at home by Ramu's parents though they were not sure of the story.They were still making attempts to get hold of the old magician.One afternoon when it was drizzling, Ramu's parents were about to leave the farm and come home when they were told about the magician's return to the village. They came home running, Ramu's father took the pup in his hands and hurried back to the place where magician was spotted. The old man listened to their story and said " I cannot say how sorry I am for having allowed a boy remain under the effects of magic. I must have been more responsible. If this is a pup under the effects of magic I will turn it back into the boy within no time but if this is a normal animal then please forgive me for your son could be some place else". Ramu's parents nodded in agreement and waited impatiently clutching their chest and praying.

Alas! just as the old man stated he turned the pup into the boy they were looking for and even before the couple could realize and thank the old man the boy started running. He ran as if he were a rocket launched and didn't even acknowledge his parents. Ramu's parents followed him,they called out,shouted and asked him to stop but the boy wouldn't stop.Finally he came to a halt once he reached home and swung opened the door which was not locked and looked around. He found the parrot in the cage hung by the windows,he remembered how much he wanted to have it at home and how he forced his parents to buy it for him.He hurried towards it,opened the cage and set the parrot free.

There's no 'secret ingredient' ...!!!

There's no secret ingredient as such !!!

My choice of animated movies are a very few as I look forward for a good message to children from the movie besides entertainment.I also have a theory as mentioned in My Analysis and Derivation - my previous post and hence I'm not a great fan of animated movies just for the sake of it. 


But when I was watching - Kung-fu-Panda,it was a totally different experience. I loved the movie as if I were a kid.I enjoyed watching it till the end and once I was done I loved it as a parent !! Yeah it had my formula in it. I will explain how with the following ;

1.  It did have a common animal as the lead which is very popular among the kids - a panda.
2.  It's shown very clearly that the panda was not born with any kind of extraordinary features and never shown to be a miraculous one except that it did become one on its own terms. There were no supernatural item involved except for the effort and confidence.
3.  At the end, justice won over injustice, 'satya meva jayate'.
4. As always said,last but not the least,it united with its family after the accomplishment.

       There was a simple and clear message for the kids in the movie.There's a scene,if you all remember, that Panda gets to know from his dad that there's no 'secret ingredient' as such to make something special except for believing that you are one. I loved the movie so much so that I made my hubby watch it with me again and also have a DVD of the same in my library so that we can watch it with our son when he's able to comprehend.

It's my idea of kids' stories,please share yours' so that I can fill up the blanks :-)

Foul Play!!!

" Here,here.Wait,you forgot ......(one or the other thing)" is mostly my phrase when my hubby leaves for work. It could be anything...phone/wallet/badge/Lunch Box/garbage bag.Wondering about the last item? He generally disposes the bag on his way to office wherever he finds a disposing can/van.

It was one such day and he hurried off to work as it was getting late.I called him sometime during the evening for a casual check on his lunch as he's pathetic when it comes to taking a break to have food.He,as usual,told me he was very  busy and then there was a kind of misunderstanding at work therefore it delayed his work by 'so much' of time and hence he would have it a little later.Though I was not convinced I could not have debated on it over the phone when he was at work,so I grinned and ended the call after I reminded him to have food without fail a thousand and oneth(1001th,if I could use it so) time.

He got back home in the night and said he was very hungry.I didn't get time to question on his food schedule so I hurried off to kitchen to prepare rotis for him.Once we both had food and settled with watching TV as per our regular schedule,I asked him about the lunch box which reminded me of the misunderstanding at work,so I asked him more about that.


He started with 'it was so silly' phrase ( and no,I didn't get the hint).He said work began as usual.After a certain amount of time,he got a head ache as there was some kind of foul smell covering his desk.He generally is allergic to any kind of smell(including perfume but except his deo which he uses in the unit of gallons everyday and I get a head ache) which made him sneeze more often giving him a head ache.And the he told me that he looked for house keeping to tell them about it and they co-operated well trying to find the source of it.He stopped right there and looked at me for a fraction of a second before he said he was embarrassed at the end of it.

Right then he got a call and the flow was disturbed.Meanwhile I went to the study looking for the lunch bag. My hubby joined me later once he was done with the call and I asked him about the lunch bag.He didn't answer my question instead he continued from where he stopped. The foul smell was coming right from his desk as he carried garbage bag to office.The he looked at me and said " but I did stop at the dustbin and threw the bag before I reached office". 

Once he was done saying he slipped out citing some call back and never looked at the Fuming Me till next day!!

And over a period of time, I grew up(!!???) ......

I guess it happened in 2003,a year after I started working.A manager was moved to our business for various reasons of which,him being extremely difficult to handle was the primary.He would never refuse to help anybody with technical issues on the floor and wouldn't hesitate to take escalated calls.He was a good friend but was known for a hot temper and shouting at people when they failed to meet expectations irrespective of their grades.Needless to say his peers and managers feared confronting him but he was always nice to techs.

Though I was not in his team we got along very well,he was also childlike (nah,I was childlike and he was childish at times.Shhh,don't tell him that ;-)). It was easy for me as I was clueless about his reputation of a tough nut ( I guess it does not matter anymore as we are still friends and he's still the same person) and the fact that he was closer to my hubby (Eddie and I were not married then but knew each other quite well) might have helped me befriend him.

Eddie had just returned from one of his off-sites from somewhere and had gifted me with several cute articles and also a small bottle of nail paint.It was early in the morning around 4 or 5 I believe and we had just logged out for the day.It had become a routine for couple of us to hang out together for a short while before boarding our respective cabs.As I was waiting for a friend from another team to log out I just went up to this manager-guy for a short conversation but he was busy on a call. I had nothing to do and was anyway waiting for my other friends to log out so I sat down by him,took out my nail paint to paint my nails but changed my mind and instead started painting his nails. As I have mentioned already he was busy yelling at somebody over the phone and didn't take notice of what I was doing (senseless creature,I wonder!). I was done painting at the same time as he was done with his call and he realized I was sitting next to him.


He turned to wish me but stopped himself as I was smiling.He asked me what was wrong and I held his hands before him showing his grey nails also told him " show it to your mom" and giggled. He shook his hands and pretended to be ok ( I must remind you all that he was boiling on the call a few minutes ago and I never realized he could get upset but poor him didn't want to shout at me for some reason,I guess).He pulled my cheeks and said " go home chubby". By then my friend joined me and we left.


On the way back home I was telling her about the incident and we were laughing.Imagine, a guy with that kind of image showing off his nails painted,I'm sure it's embarrassing,isn't it?I never realized,I was surely a kid.Then there was another thought struck to both of us and we called him.By then he also had reached home,so my friend started asking him 
" so ,(his name) did you show your nails to your mom?". She kept on repeating that and we both were laughing as if it was a big practical joke ( Now if I think of it,I find it so weird that we laughed so much and found it that funny...yeah,you sure are doing the same).Our cab stopped somewhere as a guy was getting off and then we moved on.We were still on the phone with him and he said he was getting another call,so he had to hang up with us.After a couple of minutes he called us back and told us " You know what? an old tech of mine called me to ask if I have shown my nails to my mom.Do you realize there are people in the cab beside you guys,rite?". We paused for a minute and asked him the same question again " have you shown your nails to your mom???".He laughed with us.


I know it's not a big story but when I think of those times of fun and carelessness,this is one such moment I can never forget.Not because it was a big practical joke(as I have already mentioned) but because you can never judge a book by its cover. A man with such an image was not intolerant,rude or image conscious.I feel his presentation at work was not appropriate to reflect his intentions.He still is a good friend and hasn't changed a bit and we love him.And over a period of time, I grew up(!!???) with people like him and my hubby and learnt how to behave ;-)

My hubby is smart and I am a Broadway actor :-)

Arms wide in the air - I am a Broadway actor!

" We shall surely make it if it doesn't rain" was my word(s?!) to a friend who called to invite us to his sister's wedding. As well remember,a fortnight it rained for a week or so everyday,thanks to JAL and therefore I was not very sure of driving from one part of Bengalooru to another on a Saturday evening.

Like a caring brother,he must have doubled his visits to the temple to ensure his sister's wedding was carried through without much of trouble or so I believe,otherwise why would the lord of rains Mr.Varundev took a break on that weekend.As a result,we drove down to that part of Bengalooru to attend the wedding reception and we were happy we could meet our dear friends after a long time.

Mostly,the wedding halls in Bengalooru don't have parking area in-built and I wonder why.Luckily this particular one did facilitate basement parking partially as some parts of it was being used as kitchen.So there was not much space to turn,reverse and all but we were happy we didn't have to worry about finding a place but one thing. Though there were a couple of them helping people park and retrieve,the entrance was very steep and it didn't occur to us as to how steep it was until much later.

Anyway,we entered the hall after having our car parked in the basement and met up with that friend whose sister was getting married and also with many others. Went through all the rigmaroles that one usually does from settling with friends in one corner to going up on the stage to wish the new couple and pose for the video/photo and then to the dining hall and then back to the exit.These circle of events were followed religiously,after all we have been doing this for many years now and now we are sort of experts when it comes to making a presence at someone else's family function even if the couple are known to us or not! Yeah,true but we make sure to have a present to compensate for the food !!!!

That night, we took leave and went to parking.I threw my handbag at the back and I exchanged my cell phone to my son who was with my hubby and we both sat down. Eddie came from other side,plopped himself in the driving seat,took out his wallet to pay the parking guys but as he had to move the car he threw my phone and his valet in the front to pay them once we were out.Once we all seated comfortably in my hubby accelerated to make the car climb up....vroom vroom vroom (hehehehe just like as induction motors.Isn't it?) but no,it wouldn't climb up. He tried several times and only then we realized how steep was it and there not much space behind to go back and try again.One of the guys over who were helping with vehicles offered to do that for us.Though my hubby was skeptical he agreed to let him do it for us and got out with some money in hand to give it to the guy who was going to help us and I was still sitting inside.That guy was very quick, he got in then vrooooooooooom and we were out.Eddie paid him and got back to the car and we moved.

Eddie was all praises for that guy and he was telling me he would do it if there was enough space at the back but he was impressed that the other guy did it with so much.We had moved a little ahead and he was done with talking about more exciting stuff like parking,just then I realized I had to return a call which was on hold since we were in the hall.When I looked to find my phone I couldn't and my hubby said he kept it with his wallet and neither we could find that one.Who could do that? who ELSE could do that???? We felt disappointed in that guy after having appreciated him to the glory :-(

We drove back and reached the place.Eddie didn't know what to say and he got out looking for the guy.He started walking towards him after spotting him out in some corner talking to another guy.Just then I heard a phone ringing and looked down in the direction under the driver seat.My phone was lying there next to Eddie's wallet and must have fallen down as the car was moving upwards on that steep path while moving out of the parking.I felt sorry for not having looked properly before blaming somebody.I didn't know what to do but I had to stop Eddie before he got into some awkward and embarrassing conversation with that guy,so I called out his name aloud and my god was I too loud because with him a lot of people turned to look at me and that guy was one among them.I smiled(trying to be gentle) and said to Eddie(not that loud again) " You could ask that guy" and pointed my phone held hand in the direction of the same guy.Eddie looked confused for a while but then (thanks to my overacting) he got the point once he looked at the phone in my hand and wallet in the other and both arms stretched out wide in the air like some Broadway actor!

After a couple of minutes,when he returned to the car I asked him what did he manage to tell that guy.He said he told him we got stuck somewhere getting out of that location so returned to ask somebody to help us out.

Hehehe,my hubby is smart and I am a Broadway actor :-)

I'm not a Patriot !

Bush,Laden,Advani,.....no I'm none of them.Indeed, I'm a very ordinary person who's often referred to as 'Comman (Wo/)Man' and hence my view point on any (inter/)national issues will not affect anything.I know that but as the saying goes,as I perceive a few things do change on some tangent along the changes I make.So here's change!

Author of my vision

Till a few months ago, I was holding lot of things against Afghanistan ( and that was not the only place on my list).But reading the two amazing pieces of Khaled has mostly changed my opinion.


When I read  his books I learnt about his country which was no different than mine,people who were as harmless as mine except for those moral polices who sprang up around the late 70s under different outfits and continue to dictate the rest of the population in the name of religion.I feel sad for those who supported these groups initially and voluntarily hoping to have a better future but ended up being mere puppets.I wonder what would happen to all of us if we encourage our moral polices !!!!


I have realized one thing now. Nowhere in the world a common man population worries about the geographical area of its nation as long as there's harmony and peace between them.I don't want to be a patriot if it means being possessive of one set practices which may turn into terrorism for the people living on the other side of the border.If those people are like mine why would I want to hurt them and I believe all around the globe people aren't any different from one another.It's only a minor population who tries to be in power to hurt the other.

Thanks to Khaled for lending me his eyes to look at things differently and for giving me a worthwhile vision.
Now I can say I'm not a patriot but I'm just a human being who has faith in nothing but humanity.