(Dec 31, 10:59pm)

Everything about tomorrow is now final.. 7:30 I get up, and then have a simple breakfast of cheese tomato sandwich and orange juice at 8..

With lots of newspapers and magazines to read.. and of-course to check the year forecasts.. You know what? I usually read all the forecasts and then choose the one which looks most promising...

And convince my mind, look this is the right one.. other ones were bogus.. human mind.. It is conditioned to respond to only palatable truths.. ha ha..

XXX

By 9 am I would have taken my bath and then do an elaborate pooja.. have got the flowers and everything already... and cleaned up the pooja space too.. No.. not got that done by maids.. Did it myself..

XXX

Then I might just go out for some miscellaneous, and absolutely unnecessary "to-buy" little things at Archies.. and then come back and deck myself up as the b'de boy..

At 1:30, I would be having lunch at Kapil's 11, with five or six friends that I have invited.. The Palson's will deliver the cake directly to the venue..

XXX

I hope to come back by 5pm... After a small nap, I will get ready again, as I have two more friends and one family coming for dinner.. hopefully at 7..

Once they are gone by 8 hopefully again, I would have time to myself.. relax,.. reflect on the day.. and unwrap the presents probably..

XXX

Oh yes, I have to change the curtains.. Too tired to do that now.. will do tomorrow morning.. after breakfast..

XXX

And too tired to wish you either.. I mean yeah I can write a Happy New Year.. but then, that's so not me.. specially when there have been an uninterrupted flow of visitors, and still on..

Will wish you when I am more free and energetic.. Till then, Goodnight !!

XXX

(Dec 31, 10:48pm)

Okay, this was the bed cover I was talking about in the day..
Have taken the maroon one.. since that's in contrast to the curtains..

Though the lemon one looks better..

(Dec 31, 1:57pm)

Whats up everybody?
Excited for New Year?

I am..

XXX

Will keep you posted.. Hadn't been blogging off late... focus now shifted on my novel, much of which is being conceptualised...

But then, your sudden popping up in great numbers on this last day of the year.. as revealed by every minute increase in pageviews, persuaded me to say "hello"...

XXX

It would have been mean to not respond... but seriously, very busy... tomorrow is my b'de too..

Attention fixed on supervising the maids, who are into cooking and arranging the house.. and oh yes, i got this lovely bedcover... it's just too glamorous...

I also bought a milky white denim, and a sky blue short shirt for tomorrow's get together.. I would team that with a grey coat which I already had..

XXX

Will wish you more elaborately for the new year later.. Don't know why.. But I always have this impulse to do things grandiosely.. and a little too near to perfectly...

But yes, without losing the element of serenity and simplicity..

XXX

(Dec 16, 6:16pm)

On this day last year, I bought my first camera.. A Sony cyber shot, with 14 mega pixels.. Strange but we never had a camera..

Muma in her last years was recluse.. Often forgetting to buy even basic home appliances, unless pressed upon.. Her focus remained on spirituality and in serving the needful..

And since I too never was drawn to gadgets, I never felt the need for a camera.. Clicking pictures was not in agenda.. I was introvert and hanged around rather infrequently..

XXX

But last year this day, I finally bought one.. I don't know if most of you have liking for doing special things on special dates.. But I have..

16th Dec is special to me.. and I thought why not spend some time at the mall, after work.. and it was then that I bought this cyber shot and got myself a sumptuous dinner later..

I am going for dinner this 16th December too.. In fact about to get ready for Kapil's 11..

XXX

Last year, around this time, I would be off to malls everyday after work.. and shop uncontrollably.. I had my tickets to Srinagar booked for 23rd..

And since it was my life's only genuine vacation, if I discount an excursion to Agra or my study trips with Mom, I was sure this had to be a memorable one..

So one day I would buy this jacket or that, the other day stoles to match.. I was very excited then, joyfully counting down my trip to the Kashmir valley..

XXX

By the way, if I had the camera while mumma were alive, I would have stolen upon so many moments forever..

XXX 

(Dec 3, 12:43pm)

Is pain more compelling than love?

Is ridicule, even a not-so-injurious one, a bigger stimuli than kindliness?

XXX

Will talk about all that and more, when I start writing the novel..

XXX

(Nov 13, 10:44pm)

It was a good Diwali with Samar and Aiman, Shanaz Aunty's 20 something kids... Among the bombs, we did classic, hydro, bullet... and some very splendorous air crackers!

Earlier in the day, the maids had cooked pulao, mutton.. malai kofta.. chana daal ka tadka.. pua and gulab jamun.. had got many other sweets from outside too!

XXX

Decorations were not grand, but not too plain either... I decked up the sitting room and the pooja with stuffs bought yesterday, from make-believe Diwali shops!

XXX

The facade is sometimes so overwhelming, nobody would know how it feels inside... except, perhaps, the Goddess!

XXX

Happy Deepawali

XXX

(Nov 4, 9:59pm)

It's been so many days now... since I disabled the gmail chat.. and the one on Facebook.. I don't make or receive any calls either...

For all your trust in people, this world remains a world full of malice, full of envy... full of unfounded desire to belittle others..

XXX

When I recreate this world in my novel, with all its conflict and animosity, will Salim's mother be able to retain her kindness?

XXX

And how did the Goddess retain her kindness when she was living in that Demon's garden?

XXX