Thursday, November 11, 2010

Leave of absence

Ok ok ok I know I know. Trust me -- I KNOW. I have been missing from the bar for too long and the barrels are all empty and the bewdas are all sober and all that. Truth is -- I have no real excuse. I have always hated the 'I have no time' excuse because I have always believed that if you really want to do something, you'll always have time for it. So there. Guilty as charged. No excuses. Head hung in shame and all that.

So, in general, here's a catch-up on what's been happening. Absence makes the heart fonder and the mind wander, so pardon the randomness.

  • S2 moved back to India. For good. I am still in denial.
  • I cannot, I repeat, CANNOT wait for the new Harry Potter movie. True, I am a bigger fan of the books than the movies, but there is no thrill like watching the movie version of books you truly love, unless of course you have violent objections to the casting. I have no violent objections to the casting (yes, not even to the 'movie-Hermione is too hot compared to book-Hermione').
  • It's appraisals' season at work, and it's not particularly my favourite one. Judgement day is never easy, and I hope I can be fair to my staff and that my boss can be fair to me.
  • Diwali was a quiet affair. Viv and I didn't do much. A simple rangoli, a simple pooja, four diyas at the doorstep, a few episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S and a simple dinner with a good friend.
  • Yesterday, I watched an episode of Bigg Boss on Youtube and almost fell off my chair. O.M.G. That Dolly Bindra makes Rakhi Sawant look like a classy Victorian lady, doesn't she?
  • Viv and I have started taking long walks (2-3 km after dinner IS long, okay?) after dinner. It's not only good exercise, it's such a great way to catch up with each other after a long hard day at work.
  • Viv's third (or is it the fourth?) marathon is coming up soon. Excited!
  • I watched Jhootha Hi Sahi and found it really funny. John should truly write a book called 'How to be really really hot and still be likeable'.

  • I also had the chance to finally watch Zanjeer - the movie that made Amitabh Bachchan a superstar after a string of 13 flops. Total disappointment. Erm, what was the big deal really?
  • I just realised this evening that making sambar is the most bartan-consuming culinary activity ever. One to soak the tamarind, one to soak the dal, one to soak the small onions, a pressure cooker, a wok and what not -- all just to make one dish! It's really as much effort as cooking the dish, which is why I really don't mind the current cooking-washing division of labour between Viv and me. Husbands who don't cook OR do the dishes, shame on you!

  • I haven't spoken to my 4.5-year-old niece baby Aish in a month. Seriously. When I call, she's at school and when she calls, I'm at work. I feel like she's already a hard-to-get-hold-of American teenager and soon she won't know me at all. Time to plan the next big family reunion!
And that's all for now, folks. I'll be back. Soon, I hope. Can't let Dad win the blogging battle, can I? ;)



19 comments:

Archana said...

Did I tell you exactly how *thrilled* I am that a maid does the washing up now that we have moved back to India? I can use all the dishes in the world while cooking and not have to listen to my dear husband complain about how I use extra dishes just so that he has more washing to do (I swear, I did not use to do that) - hurrah!!

The Soul of Alec Smart said...

LOL @ the term 'bartan-consuming' :D

Arrey, you didn't like Zanjeer? Aise bollywood ka kya hoga?

I didn't like Jhoota Hi Sahi that much.. but liked John. Totally agree on the hot and agreeable part :)

Chalo, random comment over!

Angelsera said...

I soooo agree with you on the sambhar! I finally made it for the first time last week cos I also could not stand that it uses too much utensils and ingredients which need separate attention

Technofun said...

No one has shouted so let me take it..

GOLD :D :D :D

Life has been keeping us busy..there are new things to learn and at same time we need to preserve our values.

Keep going ...and do what you like to do :)

Hema said...

Hi Sayesha! Missed you on the blogfront...:)

Second you on the bartan consuming thing. And the quantity doubles if my hubby is cooking!

Don't tell me about Dolly Bindra....She's an item! In fact, the whole show is going crazy. They are having a wedding in the house, can you believe that?

humblog said...

BARTAN - for a minute I thought you were referring to yourself

("BARTAN: female who belongs to the BAR like gultan - for a female andhraite")

Arun said...

Good to know that all is well with you!

---
Regarding bartan-consuming recipes, I think that is a modern mistake. If you remember that these dishes come from eras when bartans were at a premium, then you'll realize we're doing something wrong.

Obscure Optimist said...

Good to see you back in action :)
Loved your idea of a simple diwali!! awesome!

Geomon said...

Good to have u bak bhai. was running short on supply. :P
SILVER!
Happy Diwali!
Aish is growing up huh! I was talking to my cousin's daughter last week, and suddenly I realised that in the two years I had not seen her, she had grown from the bubbly 6-7 year old, to the mature 9 year old. No kid talk n all. felt kinda wistful.

Varenya said...

Good to see your post after such a long time
Btw You should see ALL the episodes of BB after DBs entry she is such an item….. anyone wud look saint compared to her..
But yeah she has added some spice to this show..anyways..enjoy!!
Though belated nevertheless Happy Diwali !!

Sudipta Chatterjee said...

Thankoooo bhai, for reopening the bar! :) Was wondering if I should email you and find out more. Me too waiting for the Harry Potter movie. :)

BTW, the top image has shrunk a bit on the page. Please restore!

Meenakshy said...

Good to see you back :)
@Archana: You got to be lucky to get a good maid in India. Best wishes :)

Sayesha said...

#Archana,
//and not have to listen to my dear husband complain about how I use extra dishes just so that he has more washing to do

LOL!! :D

#The Soul of Alec Smart,
Zanjeer was so boring yaar, I fell asleep in the last half an hour. :S

#Angelsera,
Hahaha! Yeah man, when I make matar paneer, I use at most two bartans! And it's a standalone dish, just need rice or chapati with it. With sambar, you need rice plus at least one more sabzi. Aaaarrrgh!

#Technofun,
Thanks. :)

#Hema,
Thanks, I missed you guys too!!! :'(

//And the quantity doubles if my hubby is cooking!

LOL LOL LOL!! :D

//They are having a wedding in the house, can you believe that?

What?! Who? Ashmit marrying Dolly? Or that chick who keeps giving him massages like ALL THE TIME?? :/

#humblog,
Bartan like gultan? Sheesh! I thought the suffix in gultan was 'an' not 'tan' (i.e. gult+an) so if you want to add it to bar, it would be baran? :P

#Arun,
Hahaha... the bartans may have come at a premium, but labour by the poor housewives was pretty free and easy eh? :)

#Yamini,
Thanks. :)

#Geomon,
Thanks for the warm welcome. :)

How these nieces grow up huh? :(

#Varenya,
Happy Diwali!! :)

I couldn't even finish that one episode I was watching cos she was abusing so much!!! :/

#Sudipta,
Thanks, man! How have you been? :) I have escalated the image problem to technical support (Viv) and hope to have it resolved soon. :P

#Meenakshy,
Thanks! Hope all's well! :)

R said...

yes pls get back to more regular blogging!!

mythalez said...

hmm .. wondering what would happen if you get a dish-washer? how would Viv contribute then?!!

Sudeep said...

What is the similarity between Emma Watson and Sambar?
Both are excellent when hot! :P
Going thro' a refresher course of the movie series coz haven't read the book, fourth khatam kiya last friday.

Convey my best wishes to Viv for the marathon.

skpan said...

bartan consuming? :) wash the dal in pressure cooker itself! did I save one vessel?

Sayesha said...

#Raam Pyari,
Trying trying. :P

#mythalez,
He will press the 'On' button? :P

#Sudeep,
Hey bhagwan, Emma sunegi toh khudkhushi kar legi!!! :O

Thanks for the wishes, it's in 2 days!! :D

#skpan,
Hahaha good idea, lekin I put the dal in a bartan inside the cooker anyway. :)

Neha said...

Ok, now we want a review on HP!! After all the wait, this is what we got! So disappointed :(