Go strike it!

Pins tagged me with this one. Though it took more time to complete than I’d expected, I enjoyed doing it!

      1.       Graduated high school – Ofcourse!

2.      Kissed someone – I’d be a waste if I didn’t! :D

3.      Smoked a cigarette – Never! And don’t even intend to..

4.      Got so drunk you passed out – Nopes.

5.      Rode every ride at an amusement park – Always. It’s a must-do!

6.      Collected something stupid – No. Nothing I buy is stupid for me.

7.      Gone to a rock concert – No.

8.      Helped someone – Yes. As much as I can, always.

9.      Gone fishing – No. I’m a vegetarian. What’s the point? :P

10.   Watched four movies in one night – College life. Hah!

11.    Lied to someone – Yes. Haven’t we all?

12.   Snorted cocaine – No. Never!

13.   Smoked weed – Why, no again!

14.   Failed a subject – No. Was close to it, but got saved! (grace marks zindabad!)

15.   Been in a car accident – Yes. I wasn’t behind the wheel though, and it was the day I met A for the first time. (No, we didn’t hit him)

16.   Been in a tornado – Thankfully, no.

17.   Watched someone die – No. Hope I won’t too, I’m hyper-sensitive.

18.   Been to a funeral – Yes, unavoidable.

19.   Burned yourself -  I’ve lost the count of it! Everything from hot pans, tawas and even hot oil have done their job well!

20.  Run a marathon – In school, yes. Would love to be a part of one now.

21.   Cried yourself to sleep – Yes, many times.

22.  Spent over 10,000 bucks in one day – I’m capable of spending more!! :D ;)

23.  Flown on an aeroplane – Yes.

24.  Cheated on someone – I hope not.

25.  Been cheated on – Yes.

26.  Written a 10 page letter – Don’t have that much patience! A long mail qualifies?

27.  Gone skiing – No L

28.  Been sailing – Yes yes, and I loved it!

29.  Cut yourself – Many times.

30.  Had a best friend – Wrong question! Best friends are applicable only in present and future tense.

31.   Lost someone you loved - We all have, some or the other way.

32.  Got into trouble for something you didn't do – Oh yes! Ask Nu, she knows.

33.  Stolen (yes :P) borrowed (yes) a book from a library - I forgot to return it, so that means I stole it right?

34.  Gone to a different country – Yes.

35.  Watched the Harry Potter movies – Yes, but not all of them. I’m not too much into special effects aided movies.

36.  Had an online diary – Yes, safe and secure, far from all prying eyes.

37.   Fired a gun - Yes. At fairs, for bursting balloons :D

38.  Gambled in a casino – No. But I did play a lot of those coin games at clubs.

39.  Been in a school play – Yes. College plays were more enjoyable though.

40. Been fired from a job – No. Kiski majaal hai ki ye gustakhi kare??:P

41.   Taken a lie detector test – No.

42.  Swam with dolphins – I can’t swim, can I try that with safety jackets?? :P

43.  Voted for someone on a reality TV show – Yes, did that only once for Rahul Vaidya, cute guy, but wasn't foolish enough to repeat it.

44. Written poetry- Yes yes yes.

45.  Read more than 20 books a year – No! I lose interest if it’s overdone.

46. Gone to Europe – No.

47.  Loved someone you shouldn’t have – Confusing question!!

48. Used a colouring book over age 12 – Yes.

49. Had a surgery – No,Thank God!! I’m too scared of it.

50.  Had stitches – No again!!

51.   Taken a taxi – Ofcourse, what’s there to ask in this??

52.  Had more than 5 IM conversations going on at once – Yes.

53.  Been is a fist fight – Ya ya, my brother was my favourite assailant and prey!:D

54.  Suffered any form of abuse - No.

55.  Had a pet – No. Dad didn’t like pets. Want to get a goldfish when A Jr grows up a bit.

56.  Petted a wild animal – No!

57.   Had your own credit card & bought something with it – No, I prefer swiping debit cards. Have used A’s credit cards sometimes.

58.  Dyed your hair – Yes.

59.  Got a tattoo – Yes. All sorts, ranging from flowers to Power Puff girls to cars!

60. Had something pierced – Oh yes. I wear three pairs of earrings (Absolutely love it!) and a nose ring too!

61.   Got straight A’s – We didn’t have grades, but I always managed to get good marks.

62.  Known someone personally with HIV or AIDS – No.

63.  Taken pictures with webcam – Yes, my Gtalk pic for one :D

64. Lost something expensive – Yes.

65.  Gone to sleep with music on – Music I don’t think, but lights yes.

I’m not tagging anyone with this one since Pins tagged a lot of people already. Whoever wants can pick this up! All yours! 

The Changing Uni-form

The other day I was amusingly dressing up A Junior in his first ever school uniform(which is very vibrant with a bright yellow shirt and navy blue shorts and red collars and pockets), and I couldn’t help feeling nostalgic and going down the memory lane, remembering the very essential part of our school: our school uniform.

The first sign of identification that one looks out for to comprehend which school you belong to is your uniform. During our time there wasn’t much experimentation with colours and our uniforms looked very bland and boring. The colour was a strange shade of brown; girls wore a frock which had a belt around the waist, while guys had a shirt and shorts of the same colour. Secondary students wore a maroon coloured tie.

The school norms for beautiful mehndi designs on hands, girls showing off their stylishly cut tresses in pony tails or better still leaving them open, and the length of the frocks getting dangerously above the knees were not very strict, hence it was fun to watch the college years already descending upon some of us. Also, it added some spice to the tasteless rag that we had to wear every day.

Passing out of school I felt that uniforms had finally left my life for good. In Junior college I breathed a sigh of relief when I wasn’t forced to don the same washed and rewashed clothes again and again the whole week. I had the freedom to choose from the countless dresses that I had lying around in my closet and which were crying out to be worn! But my joy was short-lived, to say the least.

When I was an engg student we again (!) had a uniform (can you believe it!): white shirt and blue jeans. The specifications were very clear; both guys and girls had to wear a buttoned shirt (for girls the expected length of the shirt was well below the waist) and a decent pair of jeans (meaning no holes in them and no threads hanging out of anywhere).

The crowd of any college being an ensemble of students from varied backgrounds, geographical locations and level of financial conditions, these criteria were obviously very rarely met. The fact that these ‘uniformed’ people were now adults and had a rebellious quality that was ready to show itself at all times became a hindrance in regulating them. So yet again, the uniform became a fashion statement.

Looking back, I feel they weren’t that bad either. It’d have been a punishment to decide every night what to pick out for the next day and get the selected dress in order, not to mention the accessories and embellishments to go with it. Now, when A complains that I take a hell lot of time to decide on what to wear and almost empty my whole closet to find what best suits my mood, I feel I could actually make do with a uniform for going out with my husband!

The week that was

The first week, which is supposed to be the toughest, is over. Tough it was, alright! Most for me, since every day I had to leave him at the door while he clung to me tightly, refusing to let go of my hand and howling as loud as he possibly could. I chose to take him there myself (buses are a big no-no right now!) and wait till his one hour is over.

Moms are blessed with a sixth sense to identify when their kids need them. I seem to have a sharp one, since every time A Junior cries I can make that out (I’m just downstairs, remember?). The first day, I held my ground for some time, even trying to ignore it a bit, but obviously I couldn’t sit reading there while my son was in tears and in company of strangers. I literally ran back there and brought him with me. The whole duration: 30 minutes.

A got upset and said he’d expect the same thing to repeat every day, and that I HAVE to be strong and stretch it to one hour. Well, easy to him for say. He’s not come to drop him there, what does he know? But nevertheless I took his advice, and after that we did seem to manage it successfully.

There was a new revelation everyday though. He won’t eat from it, but he doesn’t like anyone to close his lunch-box (anyone can do the honours of opening it). He’s least interested in sitting in the class with other kids; instead he sits with the incharge there, in her office. Even a casual mention of the word ‘Ma’ is enough to put him off. When given a book he happily looks at the pictures in it, flips pages through it and can be totally left on his own. Etc etc etc….

His obsession for waving out to people, anywhere and everywhere is very endearing! Coming out of the lift, getting off the train, even while walking on the pavement, he makes sure to wave to everyone. Even the most khadoos looking people can’t help smiling back at him. And oh yes, the moment he sees another kid, he calls out for him, runs to him if he can, and hugs and caresses him (wonder what the kids in his class did!).

Many more instances are going to follow which I’ll keep you updated with!

Although this arrangement seemed torturous at first, it’s been a welcome break to catch up on my reading. The fact that there’s a library right in front of his school is an added bonus!