Independence and I

I keep getting these inputs from various sources.... like different types of media. It's about celebrities ! Yah .. all the celebrities. The news read something like this... so and so changed the hair stylist / make up artist / dress designer / cook... etc etc. Now if one has one person dedicated to one aspect of daily life like dressing and eating, how we call them independent or self sufficient. I did not live a life of celebrity neither I think I ever will. But I try to understand what life would be if I have to consult some one else what am I going to wear for a friend's wedding! Mad.... I will surely go mad.
On the contrary I try to look at the power moms around me. You have 2 toddlers, in laws live with you, you have a success full and demanding job ( a boss comes complimentary with it) , the ever changing maid and to top it up you have your husband. Let's give the rest of the relations a little rest. Now this is what I call real power woman. Trust me this is not at all easy to handle all these five things together at the same time. Honestly, I doubt one even gets the time to consult about anything at such a situation.
Now how do I define independence. As in my case what it is? The capacity to take all my decisions my self which are solely dependent of all other factors ?????? ha ha ha..... Or the ability to spend whatever and whenever I want, for all these people around me???? Or what? Isn't it a little confusing? It surely is for me. I really am trying to understand the independence and the I factor. Sometimes I feel there is nothing called independence..... everything depends on something.....and every one depends on some one....

Metropolitan, Cosmopolitan and Twenty Something

While coming back from office today I was introspecting. Tomorrow is a holiday on the occasion of Eid. And being a cook I was thinking what can I cook, special, for tomorrow. It can be an Eid special. And I laughed at the idea. My granny would have taken a holy bath on this idea of mine. My aunts still raise a brow. My mom has kind of accepted it as part of my life, cooking Christmas dinner and Eid Lunch apart from all other festivals.
I was just wondering from where and when such thinking came into mind. I came to a point. I am one of the 20 something Indian, with a Job, away from family and with a life of my own independent of all. My own society, i.e. Assamese, is far away to look at anything in my life. My live in society is too busy or reluctant to be bothered about us. We are neither here nor there.
That's part of comopolitan India. And life in a metro is as cosmpolitan as metropilitan. We get up and rush to office. Wait desperately for the week end and never realise when it is Monday again. And weekends are packed with a big time cleaning and re stocking job along with other commitments. Than as a new age couple, sharing quality time is also of concern to us. We need to look at our partner for his or her comfort. I wonder if my mother ever had such problem. Did she ever complain to my dad about not giving enough attention? I do not think so. To her, Love and care was enough. No fuss about any of the new age terms like space etc. My granny was happier, she used to get good food, good cloths, took care of her seven children and a small discussion, rather a FYI, from my grand father on major issue. And I do not remember seeing them ever fighting or complaining against eaxh other.
Now we live in a Metro and think of all possible occasions to celebrate. I mean, think of rathere having a good time with good food :D.

MTR, Ashirwad etc and my Kitchen

It was I think some time in 2001 when I was introduced to ready to eat. It was a room mate of mine whose some relative used to work for defence reasearch or something and she got hold of a few packets of ready to eat. So we had a treat! And than it was only Daal Fry, Upma and something more. Was not upto our mark of taste. I do not even remember if it had any brand. And I was informed that this was made for our defence guys who work on impossible territories for years.
Now whenever I go out to a deppartmenal shop, there I find a hwole section full of READY TO EAT. I some times wonder do I have to give up cooking some time soon. Will there be people left who would know home made food or for that matter " once upon a time there used to be kitchen in each Indian house". I wonder! However, this has a positive side, there will be no more Dowry Killings where the woman burns to death due to some kitchen accident. Not bad! But thant that's something out of my crazzy brain. Which keep producing funny thoughts and inspires me for trying different recipies.

Down the Memory Lane

We, me and my husband, some times talk about our child hood beyond sharing.. It's kind of good. He shares his part of child hood. Here are a few small little incidents of his time.
He had a bunch of friends in school. And a chana wala at the school gate, as all schools in Assam has. So one friend of his and he always used to discuss and share the same deep feeling of being able to eat "sab misal" chana from the chana wala. ( BTW the time line is when he was in first or second standard). As he says" One day that friend of mine came rushing to me with a cone of their much wanted chana. And I was really impressed with him and happy to the core. We are going to have chana today.WOW. I went ahead and asked my friend how did he manage to get it? He said," I was standing at the same crowd around the chana wala and the chana wala looked at me,I said, give me my cone. He asked where is the money. I said I just gave you and than he asked how much? I replied ten paisa" That's how we managed to get chana that day."
A ten paisa was so important and could buy his heart full happiness for that day.

Pete's Wallet

I have recently joined a new organization with happy people. And till now I am enjoying it.
I have a very senior colleague, we call him Pete. As he says himself that he ends up leaving things all across. Surely his personal things; as I never saw him to be that disorganized in the office.
Well now the story part. One morning when I reached office I learn about a commotion. Something to do with Pete. And I am sure you know HR people. They feel that they have the right to all people related news in the office. So here it goes, Pete has lost his wallet. He seems to have had a bad day. Got banged by a so typical Hyderabadi auto wala, and left his wallet in the ATM. That's early morning. When contacted with the bank for help; they seem to be more help less than Pete.

So what does he do now. Pete was seriously upset. The good news came in towards the evening. Some one calls him to tell him that Pete's wallet is with that unknown angel. And we get to know that Pete got the wallet back in solid ! Well that's a small drama in real life! And may be a good side of human being! The honesty still lives. And I feel good to get it re confirmed at times.