I like cheese. Well not the smelly blue cheese kind of thing but I like kraft cheddar. Friend from UK was down and she was going on and on about her wine and cheese sonot to be outdone I said I also like wine and cheese. Think I was trying to show off that I lived there and ate wine and cheese for a bit of my life some time back. To be frank all that I ate was the big ball cheese which you get here anyways (while I was secretly longing for kraft cheese).
So friend comes back last month with a whole load of cheese. I mean all kinds u name it, it was there. I felt like crying since anyday I would have preferred a handbag or some make up instead (Yes I am vain). Tried the cheese and it was sick I could not find one kind that I liked. So gifted it off to another friend who loves cheese and was laughing her head off (since she gets the chocolates n I get the cheese) . I know the best would be to come out clean and tell her that I detest the cheese but don’t want to cheese her off…
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Religion and Life
Had to go for a wedding of my mom’s cook’s daughter last week. My cook had got a good proposal for her daughter and the girl is going abroad. The only thing was the girl had to convert to get married. She is a born Hindu. My mom was a bit upset that this girl was converting religion. I was quite and listened to her and told her that I don’t find anything wrong with her converting. Quite frankly if it was a choice of life and religion she would obviously chose life.
If converting from being a Hindu to another religion is the only ticket for that. She might as well do that and have a strong belief on the religion that gave her. For once, my mom was forced to agree with me that it did make sense.
I have this unhealthy relationship with religion. Unhealthy meaning I pray far too much and then get annoyed when my prayers are not answered and not pray for long periods. It’s very childish but that’s the way it has been.
If converting from being a Hindu to another religion is the only ticket for that. She might as well do that and have a strong belief on the religion that gave her. For once, my mom was forced to agree with me that it did make sense.
I have this unhealthy relationship with religion. Unhealthy meaning I pray far too much and then get annoyed when my prayers are not answered and not pray for long periods. It’s very childish but that’s the way it has been.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
FB N Me
I think I am one of the last in the civilization of internet users to join Facebook. I don’t know why I never bothered to for the long time that FB has been existent. One fine day just joined to see what my class mates look like. I know the usual reason should be to keep in touch with friends but I am bit weird like that curiosity of seeing people from school and college made me join FB.
Really no point in me praising the wonders of it. Since all who use it know, I have got in touch with some friends who I have not heard in years from. I could go and on but better stop about that now. Now that I have become a regular user I get all kinds of invitations from unknown guys. This must be the usual scene if you are single (which I am not). Sometimes for a mad moment I wonder if I know these people and can’t remember of what so I proceed to check their profile out. Surprisingly the profile of these men is full of women. This has happened like three times now. These guys must be really filling their facebook with girls who they don’t know or randomly clicking girl sounding names or something. Giving the benefit of the doubt maybe these guys are really nice people and want to strike up a friendship ( don’t think so!)
Really no point in me praising the wonders of it. Since all who use it know, I have got in touch with some friends who I have not heard in years from. I could go and on but better stop about that now. Now that I have become a regular user I get all kinds of invitations from unknown guys. This must be the usual scene if you are single (which I am not). Sometimes for a mad moment I wonder if I know these people and can’t remember of what so I proceed to check their profile out. Surprisingly the profile of these men is full of women. This has happened like three times now. These guys must be really filling their facebook with girls who they don’t know or randomly clicking girl sounding names or something. Giving the benefit of the doubt maybe these guys are really nice people and want to strike up a friendship ( don’t think so!)
Eat, Pray, Love
This is the book by Elizabeth Gilbert that I picked up in Chennai and have been reading the past few days. I have finished the Eat part only. So far its been funny, sorrowful and makes you think about life in general. I read a lot of Chick lit stuff and no this books not like that. Its different and made me think about different bits in my life.
It’s about a woman’s search for different things in life. So she travels to Italy to learn the beautiful language and enjoy the pleasure of eating. She goes to India to learn about the spiritual side of life and then on to Indonesia to find out about love (I think love since I have not got to Pray and love yet)
All my life the one place that I have wanted to visit is Italy (ok well make it two places add Spain as well). So reading this book made me really want to visit Italy. When I took up my job last year the one condition that I had requested is that I wont travel on work very far since I never wanted to leave the kids and travel for more than a weekend. I do travel extensively within Sri Lanka. Now, I have decided that I shall change my stand and on the traveling work related bit and take up whatever comes across. Since I doubt I am going to be able to afford to visit all over the world on my savings on vacation. I have to thank the book which made me make this decision that I am missing out on life by not traveling.
It’s about a woman’s search for different things in life. So she travels to Italy to learn the beautiful language and enjoy the pleasure of eating. She goes to India to learn about the spiritual side of life and then on to Indonesia to find out about love (I think love since I have not got to Pray and love yet)
All my life the one place that I have wanted to visit is Italy (ok well make it two places add Spain as well). So reading this book made me really want to visit Italy. When I took up my job last year the one condition that I had requested is that I wont travel on work very far since I never wanted to leave the kids and travel for more than a weekend. I do travel extensively within Sri Lanka. Now, I have decided that I shall change my stand and on the traveling work related bit and take up whatever comes across. Since I doubt I am going to be able to afford to visit all over the world on my savings on vacation. I have to thank the book which made me make this decision that I am missing out on life by not traveling.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Customer Care
I always have this feeling that some of the Banks in Colombo have crappy customer care. I had to eat my words when I was in Chennai since our Banks give much better response than those guys do. Call the bank up and check what time they start working and they say come at eight thirty. Just to be on the safe side I get there at nine thirty and the counter that I needed to get some work done was not operational until ten. There were a bunch of other staff around in other counters but they will not even answer or help any customers. (oh they have a fancy May I help you? Board but the guy does nothing just says ask the next counter).
Moving counter to counter asking the same repetitive question I go through about seven staffs of three who are women. The women just stared at me and were really nasty, I think they can tell when u look and dress Indian even, they know it when u are NRI ( non resident Indian). So sat down to wait patiently for half an hour while these women were looking me up and down non stop. Was staring right back at them thinking in my mind should have worn a pair of shorts what would they do then. There was all Indian glory with my new shalwar new bindi and all madrasi look. I was slowly and steadily losing my patience so ask for the manager. Guess what the answer was ask the sodding next counter. After good one hour the man who is suppose to attend to this crap comes and I tell him that I am really disappointed with the service. He just stares at me as if I have come for a loan and says nothing. They make me wait for a good another hour and when I am out of it, thoroughly drained (or so I thought but the heat further drained me) to do much else……..
Lesson I have learnt from this experience even if our local banks have crappy customer service I will bear and be nice to them cause really they are not that bad come to think of it….
Moving counter to counter asking the same repetitive question I go through about seven staffs of three who are women. The women just stared at me and were really nasty, I think they can tell when u look and dress Indian even, they know it when u are NRI ( non resident Indian). So sat down to wait patiently for half an hour while these women were looking me up and down non stop. Was staring right back at them thinking in my mind should have worn a pair of shorts what would they do then. There was all Indian glory with my new shalwar new bindi and all madrasi look. I was slowly and steadily losing my patience so ask for the manager. Guess what the answer was ask the sodding next counter. After good one hour the man who is suppose to attend to this crap comes and I tell him that I am really disappointed with the service. He just stares at me as if I have come for a loan and says nothing. They make me wait for a good another hour and when I am out of it, thoroughly drained (or so I thought but the heat further drained me) to do much else……..
Lesson I have learnt from this experience even if our local banks have crappy customer service I will bear and be nice to them cause really they are not that bad come to think of it….
Two nights in Chennai……
So all this ranting and raving about my miserable life, took matters into my hand and went to Chennai for the weekend. Of course the whole trip was on a programme and somewhat work related. But you can’t have the cake and eat it. Getting of at Chennai airport gives me a feeling of happiness and sadness all put into one. This is where I spent some of my happiest years of College life. Sadness was something petty the heat was unbearable. We keep complaining about our unpredictable Colombo weather with hot sun and splashing rains but Chennai was Hot with a capital H.
The whole weekend was filled with activities and only relaxing time was spent shopping for a couple of hours and meeting with best friend (another post for that) from college. We were trying to catch up with too much in a short while and I left with a feeling of not enough.
Shopping in Chennai is a big improvement from what it used to be. U name it you get it (I mean there is Benetton & mothercare). I was only able to make it to Spencers run around buying clothes (then regret not bought enough). Then do more shopping to buy Gifts (bribes) for the kids who were left behind at home.
Watched a last show Tamil movie, with some college students making their own comments and reviews about the movie while watching. Hemm if it was done here I would get pissed off. In Chennai I was laughing along with them.
The whole weekend was filled with activities and only relaxing time was spent shopping for a couple of hours and meeting with best friend (another post for that) from college. We were trying to catch up with too much in a short while and I left with a feeling of not enough.
Shopping in Chennai is a big improvement from what it used to be. U name it you get it (I mean there is Benetton & mothercare). I was only able to make it to Spencers run around buying clothes (then regret not bought enough). Then do more shopping to buy Gifts (bribes) for the kids who were left behind at home.
Watched a last show Tamil movie, with some college students making their own comments and reviews about the movie while watching. Hemm if it was done here I would get pissed off. In Chennai I was laughing along with them.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Alone with the kids
So I took the kids and went down south by myself over one weekend last month. When the kids are on vacation its like they can’t have enough of me and drive me nuts. The fact that I don’t get time off during the week is of no point to them at all. The minute I step into the house they want me to entertain them non stop. Maybe I am a selfish kind of mom who should get her act right and feel peaceful and serene when I see them.
Lying in the sun bed alone with a book it suddenly struck me that I am really craving for an adult conversation. I felt so lonely and miserable I had to wait for a few minutes for that feeling to pass. Hats off to moms who do it alone all the time. Another thing I notice is people have random conversations with you about the weather and the pool when u are alone and when they see the kids popping out from the pool and shouting mom they just look confused and say bye quickly and run off. Then the staring, having dinner alone with two kids could not help but notice happy families staring at me ( well the women at least). For a mad moment wanted to get up and shout I am not divorced or separated but I am alone most of the time with my kids, since the man is traveling ninety five percent of the time. I must be really losing my head if I wanted to do just that.
After numerous games of monopoly, snake and ladders and I spy, I could not wait to get back to Colombo. Slight guilt when I kissed them bye to go to work like I was escaping my own kids.
Lying in the sun bed alone with a book it suddenly struck me that I am really craving for an adult conversation. I felt so lonely and miserable I had to wait for a few minutes for that feeling to pass. Hats off to moms who do it alone all the time. Another thing I notice is people have random conversations with you about the weather and the pool when u are alone and when they see the kids popping out from the pool and shouting mom they just look confused and say bye quickly and run off. Then the staring, having dinner alone with two kids could not help but notice happy families staring at me ( well the women at least). For a mad moment wanted to get up and shout I am not divorced or separated but I am alone most of the time with my kids, since the man is traveling ninety five percent of the time. I must be really losing my head if I wanted to do just that.
After numerous games of monopoly, snake and ladders and I spy, I could not wait to get back to Colombo. Slight guilt when I kissed them bye to go to work like I was escaping my own kids.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)