Fresh out of college, I used to work for a local, city-based portal as a content writer and then later, Web Content Manager. In that guise, I met many interesting characters, attended many functions and generally led an interesting life. But of all the people I met, none affected me more than Vandana and Vaishnavi, founders of women’s charity organisation, Banyan.
I wasn’t a trained journalist so had none of the grit or the backbone needed to tough it out in search of assignments. All I had was a head …

My Baby is 6 today! I know, I cannot believe it! I keep looking at him, looking just the same as he did yesterday and the day before and today, suddenly, he is a year older. How surreal is this? Where was the red-faced, wrinkled, squalling baby I held seconds after he was born? When did he go and become this child-person who talks cohesively? What the hell have I done with the years?Already, he is concerned that he is becoming older (!) and that in a few years his …

Mind numbing though it is, it sure is true. 7 years ago today, S and I got hitched in front of friends and family. As we both are from different communities, we decided to have an Arya Samaj wedding. Well, I decided and he concurred! And it was a beautiful ceremony. Only snag was, as one of my cousins put it, we knew exactly what we were signing up for, with the priest explaining the mantras in Tamil and English.
It was funny sitting there and murmuring the unfamiliar words, …

You know they say “be aware of what you tell your children; it may well come back to bite you in your ass”? Well, it happens to me many a time but the ninny that I am, I keep spinning my web of lies and flounder as my son ties me in knots using the same slimy thread.
For instance, when P was very little, he once asked me why we got married. A thousand replies weaved through my head:
“To shove a thumb up your paternal grandparents noses”
“To have hot, monkey …

Ahhh those good ol’ days at Ethi, when getting on a 11-series bus meant you’d get groped for sure. Full frontal assault or a guy poking his hard on into your ass through layers of clothing – take your pick. On one memorable occasion, a kind soul decided to take a lesson in Biology and flash us his gonads. Shocked my non-stop-jabber mate into Mute mode for a whole day – something of a record.
What is it with guys and these sort of animal behaviour? Is it repressed sex, …

I wasn’t doing a post on this but an email from the hubby of one of my mates changed my mind. He had written to me to say his wife, one of my closest friends since college, has given birth to their daughter on Jan 8. The previous day, I had spoken to the dazed husband of a blogging-and-real life buddy who had given birth to their daughter on Jan 8th as well.
So my heart is full of baby girls being born now and as I saw the …

I would like to wish all of my readers a very Merry Christmas and a marvellously happy new year. Have a fantastic year ahead. I would also like to declare a few days off – I really need to knuckle down and concentrate on my coursework and exam. I shall be back (unf for some!) on Jan 10, 2008, once I bid adieu to my exams. Till then, be good!  

What do you do when you are bored and are randomly surfing the net? Search for your favourite TV shows, play some games, Stumble upon something? Well, why don't you log on to Free Rice, exercise your brain and donate some desperately needed Third World rice in the bargain?
All you need to do is test your vocabulary skills. Simple! For every question you get right, the organisation behind this effort donates 20 grains of rice. It used to be 10 but just a few days back, the count was doubled …

Immigration in Briain: What needs to be done for smoother integration?
 
As you can see, I am not letting go of this topic! Thing is, I need to sound quite knowledgeable about it and I have just about a week’s time. Which is where you, my lovely blog readers come in. Please log onto my show on BlogTalkRadio and click on the appropriate button to speak to the host – me! All you need to do is tell your own immigration story. Location, your stance – nothing matters. You might be …

Immigration in Briain: What needs to be done for smoother integration?

As you can see, I am not letting go of this topic! Thing is, I need to sound quite knowledgeable about it and I have just about a week’s time. Which is where you, my lovely blog readers come in. Please log onto my show on BlogTalkRadio and click on the appropriate button to speak to the host – me! All you need to do is tell your own immigration story. Location, your stance – nothing matters. You might be …

Gordon Brown’s government has been blundering about since his first day at the office. The Northern Rock crisis hit them long and hard and they have barely got past that. But with the latest ‘offering’, they have taken incompetence to levels barely scaled before.
They have only gone and lost our child benefit records. All of it. All 25 million of it. Gone. Child benefit records, that contain everything from the names, national insurance numbers, addresses, date of births, bank accounts. Know what the funniest bit about this whole thing is? …