Home-maker???

The six-year old is becoming difficult to manage these days. Not physically, but emotionally. (The four-year old is more than enough to drain you physically.)

Just like all parents, the dad one day popped the question to her "What do you want to become when you grow up?"

And out came the answer: "I will become a home-maker"

When the mommy was still in shock, the dad recovered quickly and to make matters worse, asked "What for? What will you do being a home-maker?"

"I will pick up my kids from school, teach their home-work, play with them, and be there with them all the time"

The only words which did not come out of her mouth were "Unlike my mother!"

Whoever taught her the term "home-maker"!

How I wish I could make my kids dreams come true!

Naan romba busy....

Life in the past few months....has been very busy. So busy, that I didn't even find time to blog about some incidents, which I wanted to. Well, I know some eyebrows will be raised, when I said I was busy. Well, my friend, 'busy' doesn't ONLY mean, that I am busy in office. I have a husband, in-laws and two kids, who are more than enough to keep me busy even when I am in home. And obviously enough, whatever I wanted to blog about was about them, and it was them who was keeping me busy enough not to let me write a blog when I wanted to....

So, here, I am penning down those thoughts, which I wanted to blog about, once upon a time...

In a nutshell.....

- Smruthi gave the opening speech for her sports day in Nehru Stadium, for which, I had to prepare for her speech, more than her. On the D day, she absolutely refused to give the speech, and that is when me and Sri had to bribe her with white boards and markers, to make her speak successfully. And yes, she did talk very nicely. After all, kaakaikum....

- Immediately, the week after that, Swathi's school was celebrating Independence Day, and her madam kept changing her proposed costumes every day. After changing from Radha, to Barbie girl and finally deciding on a Rajasthani costume...she was supposed to appear like a rajasthani girl... The way her maa'm explained to me was "You need to dress her up like how Tabu looks in the "Sandhana thendralai..." song... and somehow, I managed to make her look like that, not exactly, but the best I can.

These school programs are more work for the parents, and if there was one thing, which I was not able to afford to my school-going kids, it is TIME. Very difficult. Inspite of that, I managed to give them my best and I was there with them when they performed. I am proud of myself for that. Hats off to me.

- Coming next, the frequent fights, between me and Sri, and the expected-but-never-came-romances. DOT.

- I finally, FINALLY managed to watch a Harry Potter movie in the theatres. History should not say that a die-hard HP fan, has not seen even a single HP movie in the theater. So, in order to make history, after desperate attempts, watched HP and the Deathly Hallows in PVR cinemas. And the most important point is, I was able to watch without hubby and kids' interruption. But, somehow, the movie did not impress me as much as the book did. I loved the books more!!! Anyways, history has been made.

- I was invited for a birthday party of a kid, by a mom, who was totally unknown to me. On attending her call, I was greeted as "Am I talking to Smruthi's mother?" That was the first time, I was addressed like that, and I liked it. She was the mother of Smruthi's classmate, another S. Seems like she always used to talk about Smruthi and few other girls, whenever she returned from school, and so this mother thought that her daughter would like it, if she invited my daughter for the party. And so, we attended her party, I had no clue of the people there, simply went for the cake-cutting , gifted the child and returned back home. When I asked Smruthi, if she enjoyed the party, weirdly enough, she replied that 'S' was not her friend, just a classmate. So, not a big deal!. This girl knows to differentiate between friends and classmates??? I was dumb-struck, as always!!!!

- Smruthi, of late has been asking me questions like, "When will I get married?", "When will you get me married?", "Who will act as the boy, when I get married?" "Only you have to dress me and comb my hair for my marriage as well" and stuff like that, to which I am totally clueless, as to what to answer and how to handle them. May be its the effect of seeing our marriage CD, during our anniversary week. What is the urgency dear! You don't know what you are asking for!

- Smruthi-Swathi fights are reaching an all time high...and there's no stopping either of them, once they get into the conflict mode. Such incidents always drain me of all the energy, and all I can think of at such times is, "when will these girls, grow up, get married and leave the house, so that I can be in peace?"

- Back to the romantic times between me and him, post the accident incident. DOT.

Signing off for now.....

My first car..

As I have complained many times here, it takes almost four hours a day for me to travel from and to office. One fine day, since I had no other reason to argue with hubby, I raised this topic. “Dude…don’t you feel bad, since your wife is spending so much time for travel everyday? Why don’t you get me a car?” – “And who will drive it?” – pat came the reply! Now, this was a challenge to my potentially unknown driving skills. I had to prove myself, atleast for the sake of winning the argument. So, I started the operation – “How to learn to drive a car in 1 week?”

Driving a car is not easy. Especially, if you have a male tutor who is an expert in driving sitting next to you, and issuing instructions, all the time. And it becomes even more difficult, if the said tutor is the darling husband! You can’t even shout back at him and quit the course in the middle, because, your prestige is at stake. It’s a pain in the neck, I tell you! “Don’t do this! Fuel consumption will be more!” “Don’t do that! Fuel consumption will be more!” The even best way to save fuel would be to switch off the engine and walk back home. I many times doubted my own ability and even thought of quitting, even though I would have obviously blamed him for his inefficiency in teaching me! But, lucky for me, the said tutor and husband motivated me enough to drive successfully, without the engine getting turned off. Self-confidence pays!

And successfully enough, I learnt to drive, and even better, I also succeeded in making him get me a new car. Yep! I am now, the proud owner of a brand new Wagon R, although by now, it is a week old. Two days into getting the car, I started to drive to office, mainly to show off to everybody, that I can drive, more than to show off that my husband bought me a new car!

First day, driving in the bypass – God knows, how nervous I was, clutching the steering so tight, that I did not release it, even to reduce the AC which was in a freezing third level. Second day, my confidence increased to the level that I was able to drive back in the highway at 9 in the night. Just for your information, in case you don’t know, lorry traffic in the highway is high at that time. Third day, since I was an expert in driving by then, I decided to take over the responsibility from husband and leave the car in the shed – all by myself, after getting proper instructions – “Do not leave the accelerator, once you have reached the elevation. ” As instructed, I raised the accelerator, to leave the car inside the shed. After a second or so, the car did not move, no matter how much I raised it, only to realize that my husband was screaming like hell, outside the car. No, I didn’t drive over him. He was safe – but the car was not. I had crashed the side door of the car in our shed gate. It got stuck with the gate. Neither could I take it front, nor could I reverse it. After hearing some extraordinarily nice words from him, I got down of the car, and retreated to my room silently, like a kid, who breaks a toy, and silently vacates the place. As I was wondering in my room, as how to make a drama and back-blame him, he luckily came and pacified me, saying that insurance claim is still possible! Good for him, he escaped from my drama. Finally, his friends came to the rescue, and with the help of all mechanical instruments possible, they released the car from the gate. Not much damage – just a big dent and all scratches in the back door. Over-confidence also pays!

I know, I am eligible for all the appreciations, from near and dear for this, but where’s the thrill, if my car doesn’t have even a single scratch?? As our tamil poet has rightly said,

“Dent-odu ottuvaaare, nalla driver aavar,
matravar ellam otta theriyaadhavar!”

Work-life balance

No work-life balance...Its becoming more work and no personal life. Its high time I took a step towards this...

Sigh!!!!!!!!

Jan 1st week

The first day of the new year went well, with us going to the Muruga temple and my daughters fighting the hell on our way back home, followed by a family dinner in the evening. Me and my hubby have never really objected to having veg food in a non-veg restaurant, and so we selected this one restaurant in Anna Nagar, which we visit frequently. But, on that day, there were chicken pieces in the tomato soup which we ordered for my daughter. And I found those only after half bowl was over. I still wouldn't have known them to be chicken pieces, if there were no bones along with them. And Swathi strictly refused to return the bowl to the waiter, because she wanted to complete the soup. This soup and today of all the days! May be she liked the taste, who knows!

The past one week has flown very fast, with me travelling to MEPZ for my work. I really don't understand why, everytime I change my office due to the distance criteria, my project, only my project gets changed to the division which is farthest from my house. Sick! But, I have grown used to all this. The train journeys everyday till Tambaram, only reminds me of my college days. Except that, travelling by train during college days used to be fun and we used to return in the non-peak hours, so we would have place to sit. Officially, work is getting very challenging, apart from the 4 hour journey to and from office.

Personally, well, my hubby has taken the resolution which I have wanted him to take since our marriage. Even now, it was not his own will, but I forced him to take that resolution. Hope this doesn't break. Smruthi has received her mark sheet and madam has received excellent grades in almost all her areas. And she is becoming very good in drawing and coloring. Swathi has also improved in many areas, like screaming on top of her voice when Smruthi is about to take something which is not even hers, getting angry and throwing the plate for not getting sugar for her dosa, and stuff like that. Apart from these two, now life is getting difficult, because I have to manage my other child also. My hubby is getting worried that I don't return early from office. and I am bringing my office work to home as well. But he doesn't know (as of now) that I am typing this blog, when he is happily sleeping thinking that I am doing my office work. How can I concentrate on my flowchart when I am sitting in the middle of two people who are sleeping like logs on either side of me?

So, the first thing I plan to do after posting this blog is back to sleep. Office work?? As my friend says...'naan office velaya office-lie seiya maaten...idhula veetla veraya?'

30 days passed

It’s been 30 days since I last saw my family, my loving kids and my beloved husband. Somehow, the 30 days have passed.

On the official front, I am now confident enough, than I was during the beginning of this trip. We have attained clarity on what needs to be done, and what’s not to be done. Having gained that, time seems to run very fast. On that note, it’s only 7 more working days before I leave offshore and there’s a truck load of work to be done. And I am working really hard (though some of you may say that I hardly work – stop that PG!) to complete my assignment, mainly because I want to do justice to this trip and most importantly, I don’t want my trip to get extended because of the delay.

Time has a very bad habit of speeding up when you want it to slow down and slows down when you want it to speed up. I wish it would slow down when I am in office and speed up when I return to my room. The eight hours in office vanishes before I know and another day has gone pushing me closer to my deadline. But the moment I enter my room, loneliness hits me. I think of the days when my daughters come running to me when I return from office, leaving behind whatever they were doing, the fight between them as to who gets to me first and so many other things. I while away my time thinking of those moments, and obviously end up crying to sleep. And the worst part, there are still TEN MORE DAYS to go. Given a choice to stay and complete my work or return immediately, which one would I choose? Family or career? It would definitely be my family (as my hubby already knows), because, I can manage these tasks anytime from offshore. How I wish that a fairy would come in front of me like in the Cinderella tale and take me back to my family – THIS INSTANT... Time, time, fly away fast…

The countdown still continues…
10 more days to go…

Realization hits…

Before coming here, I knew that I would definitely miss certain things in my life like:

-My family
-That cozy hug (including my kids)
-Home-made food and so on.

What I never knew was that I would miss even the not-so-important things in my life, like

-THAMIZH. Meeting a person outside our group who spoke in thamizh would bring so much joy to our hearts.

-South-indian food. God knows what the attendant thought of us when we shamelessly hogged on the pongal, sambar vadai, and masala dosa in the restaurant in London yesterday. (After such a long time). He couldn’t control his laughter when we asked him “Ingayaavadhu coffee-la paal viduveengala” and he answered, “pakka namma ooru coffee tharen”. And yes, he did give that pakka namma ooru coffee.

-Climate. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would miss Chennai climate. CHENNAI CLIMATE. My God! But, to leave the house, as and when you wish, without having to wear a hundred extra fittings, without covering all your beautiful dresses with a stupid winter jacket, and most importantly, without the stupid monkey cap, is really a blessing.

-Couples. To see couples walking hand-in-hand would bring a pain pang in my heart. I knew that I would face this, but it is still a pain nevertheless. And last, but not the least…

-BATHROOM MUG – Yuck!!!!!! (This one word summarizes it all.)

The Countdown has started….

You never know what you missed until you experience it. (Old)

And you never know how you would be suffering, until you experience it. (New)

For so many days, I have wanted to go onsite and was waiting for one such opportunity. Now that I have got one and I am here in UK, I don’t want it. Hope my manager does not hear this statement. No, its not because of the work, just that I have started to get home-sick. Yes, within two days of staying away from my family. And to think that I have to manage for another 5.5 weeks, God save me.

Since it has already been established many times that I am a sentimental idiot, why, why, why did I think that I can manage without my family for 6 weeks? And why Sri, Why did u let me come here?? Why didn’t you stop me from going? It should have been like he got back his bachelorhood without his wife around for so many days. It must have been too good to resist, and that’s why he said OK. I know it was all my choice and I am using the ‘Blame him for everything’ strategy again, but that’s OK. After all, being his wife, I do have that liberty, don’t I? And I don’t even want to come near the kids section. They are being wonderfully nice and managing beautifully without me. How I wish that I had such maturity. My MIL was right in saying “Ur daughters will behave well. See to that, you don’t come back crying, half-way through your trip.” It seems like her words might come true any day.

All I have been thinking ever since landing here is “What made me think that I have the will power to stay away from my family for so long?” I agree that six weeks seemed like a short duration when I was in India. But now, oh God, time is just not at all passing. Every night, when going to sleep, I just count the days passed, and not even a single week has passed since I came here. Its again like my courtship days, when we were doing the countdown for the marriage day. Dear, the countdown has started again.

38 days to go…..
(Oh God, please help me)

Confessions of a IT professional....

BE – ECE – 2004 Pass out. Fresher.

8 months of severe job-hunting in the IT field. Finally, joined for apprenticeship in Bharat Electronics. Returned from the induction programme. Another interview call from yet another IT company. Last hope. If I get this job, it would be great. Else, 1 yr of apprenticeship with Rs 1800 pm stifend .
Took up the interview. “We’ll get back to you later”. (English-la enakku pudikaadha 6 vaarthai) I told them that I had another offer with me and I had only one day time to join the other company. (Didn’t tell them it was non-IT though) Reached home with the assurance that I would know the result by next day. Sitting near the phone next day – eagerly waiting for the call. Finally the call came. Didn’t want to sound very desperate. So picked up the phone in the second ring only.

“Hello”
“Yaaru ma pesardhu? Kicha ponna? Ennama kondhe sowkiyama?”
“Adacha…..amma unakku yaaro phone” (seekiram pesittu vai)

Finally the HR called. “Can you come for the next round of interview by 4:30 in our Tidel Park office?” I see the time, it was 3:30. I analysed the possibility. Oops, I had to take bath also. I told him I will be there by 5. My father took me to Tidel Park. Tidel Park – the then BIG DREAM of all freshers. Took up my second round also and was told to wait in the reception. I was gathering all the will power left to hear the same “We’ll get back to you later” and join the apprenticeship the next day. The HR again called me inside. (Y can’t he say tht dialogue in the reception itself?)

“Good job! You came up so confidently (Yeah?) Here is ur offer letter. Pls read and sign both the copies”

BOOM! I got a heart attack. I was not at all prepared for this. Though I was most eager to get a job, the prospect of getting an offer letter so unexpectedly was more than I could take. I was literally blabbering and went to the reception to show the offer letter to my waiting father. His reaction was priceless.

First Day in my first job: I wear my new dress (the autograph dress in white salwar and maroon dupatta) and was waiting in the reception. While I was waiting I watch everyone entering the office using swipe cards. Will they give such a card to new joinees also? Or should I expect someone to open the door for me everytime I need to move from one section to another? No, logically speaking, they must be giving one card to the new joinees also. So, I will also get one, I think. Oh My GOD! If they give me one, what would I do? I don’t know how to use it. Wouldn’t I look stupid if I ask them how to use this? What if they de-grade me based on my stupid question? No, I shouldn’t ask this to anyone. So, I watch everyone to understand the working of these cards. Should I show the front side of the card to the detector or the back side? How will I know which one is front and which one is back? Should I show the ID card first or should I show the white color card first? Oh God, what am I going to do? First day itself so many problems. But I understood one point. Whenever the light in the detector turns green, the people were able to open the door.

As I was pondering over these, my TL came and took me inside. (Again, I watched how he was swiping his card) He made me sit in a place and asked me if I’m comfortable with that place. “Very much” I told him. (If I had known any better, I would have told him No at that time itself. It was placed in the highway. Everyone who was moving from anywhere to anywhere had to cross my place only and so, everyone can see what I’m doing or what I’m browsing.)

The admin people came to my desk and fixed my computer. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I was expecting someone else also to share my computer. ( I was never used to one-to-one computers. Courtesy – college labs) And when the support guy told me that he has fixed my system and gave me the user name and password, I was literally blinking at him. And then I had one phone with zero dialing all for myself. I was not even given time to adjust to these when the admin called my desk number. I was not sure if the call was for me. After looking around so many times and since there was no one else to pick up the phone, I picked it up and said “hello”, “Hi, this is ur ext number. The bank people have come to open ur account”. Me? Having an extension number? Tht too with zero dialing? Aiyoo, ennala thaanga mudiyaliye….

After finishing the bank formalities, the bank guy gave me one pouch saying “This is ur new account kit madam. It contains ur cheque book, debit card and…” bla bla bla… After the cheque book and debit card, I didn’t hear anything. It was all too good to be true. Pudhu vela….pudhu account…pudhu debit card-u…kalakara gayathri…..tht too all in one day was more than I could digest.


Now after serving 5 + years in the same field, all these old memories brings back a smile to my lips and I cant’ stop thinking about myself “Naa ivlo appaviya irundhirukenaa??” (Ok, ok, I can hear you guys saying “nee ivlo periya alpama-nu”, but still that’s the way I am and I love myself for what I am)