I went north and my diet went south
My resolution to eat healthy took a dive over the weekend. We went to the beach this past weekend. I had Ihop for breakfast, skipped lunch and then had Pizza Hut for dinner. But I am not too concerned about the fact that I consumed almost half a pizza in half an hour cause I am determined to get back on track. The mirrors in the store fitting rooms that allow 360 degree views of you were not flattering at all!!!! I am on South Beach from today, with my partner in crime, Andreia. Someone just brought some cupcakes to work. Damn these people! I did have a great salad lunch though.
Monday, October 31
Thursday, October 27
Abbu
I cry for my father every day. In the shower, in the middle of the night, on my way to work, at work, while doing the dishes. I think of the last couple of minutes of his life, I play it out in my head over and over and over again. I was in the room when the doctors were trying to resuscitate him. All of it seemed to be happening in slow motion. Seemed like all the doctors, nurses were there. They were talking to each other in a low voice. Everyone seemed calm even though the room was full of flurries. Then they seemed to stop doing whatever they were doing in unison. What! Don't stop! I wanted to scream. The doctor in charge stopped next to me, on his way out, and then walked out without saying a word. That's it? I remember thinking. That's how life ends? I remember getting mad, sad, horrified, worried, crushed, lost - all at the same time. I spent the last 18 days of his life with him, but I didn't tell him all the things I wanted to tell him. I was in denial. I was thinking if I say goodbye, it will somehow quicken the process. I regret that decision every day. I wish I had told him more how much I love him. I wish I had told him how much he meant to me, how much he influenced my life. He was truly a great person. The world is worse off without him.
Tuesday, October 25
BDay Stats & Facts
1) I've had 34 bdays in my life so far! Wish to have atleast 50 more.
2) Number of people who have wished me a happy bday: 24 (I'm not counting the work people!)
3) Goodies collected so far: a Coach hat, iPod Nano (yayyyyy!!!), a book, a plant, a beautiful clutch
4) My resolution for the coming year (yes, I make my resolutions on my bday): Eat healthy, be more organized and exercise!!
5) I miss Abbu
6) Work treated everyone in the office to lunch for my bday! I picked a thai place. Food was really good
1) I've had 34 bdays in my life so far! Wish to have atleast 50 more.
2) Number of people who have wished me a happy bday: 24 (I'm not counting the work people!)
3) Goodies collected so far: a Coach hat, iPod Nano (yayyyyy!!!), a book, a plant, a beautiful clutch
4) My resolution for the coming year (yes, I make my resolutions on my bday): Eat healthy, be more organized and exercise!!
5) I miss Abbu
6) Work treated everyone in the office to lunch for my bday! I picked a thai place. Food was really good
Angela
Let me introduce you to my friend Angela. We went to University of Maryland together. Even though she is about half my age, we became good friends. She is so funny, so much fun to be with! She made all those boring classes bearable! She has been pestering me ever since I started this blog that why haven't I written about her. Do I not like her anymore? She is watching my blog closely to see how long it takes me to write something about her! Well, she provided me the greatest opportunity today to introduce her to the blog world. Here's the link to a card she sent to me for my birthday! It is soooooo Angela! :-D I loved it Little Girl! Thanks for remembering my bday. When was your bday again!? Did I miss it again this year??!! :-O
Let me introduce you to my friend Angela. We went to University of Maryland together. Even though she is about half my age, we became good friends. She is so funny, so much fun to be with! She made all those boring classes bearable! She has been pestering me ever since I started this blog that why haven't I written about her. Do I not like her anymore? She is watching my blog closely to see how long it takes me to write something about her! Well, she provided me the greatest opportunity today to introduce her to the blog world. Here's the link to a card she sent to me for my birthday! It is soooooo Angela! :-D I loved it Little Girl! Thanks for remembering my bday. When was your bday again!? Did I miss it again this year??!! :-O
Thursday, October 13
Lost another friend to Amway!!
We met a couple some times ago and both Tanveer and I really liked them. We thought this was a couple we could hang out with. They seemed to have the same interests as us. They were both witty, smart. Then they started pitching Amway to us. It got so bad one day, that knowing they were calling, we intentionally did not answer the phone. We were closing on our first house ever that Friday, and they wanted us to cancel it to go away to some retreat in PA or NJ or somewhere. Can you believe the gall of these people!! If we were crazy enough to cancel the closing and go there, I am sure we would have more Amway shoved down our throat over the weekend!
Last month, we were all in IKEA when an Indian girl started talking to me. She said she had seen me couple of times at Target that’s close to my work. She noticed me because I look like one of her cousins etc etc. She was couple of months pregnant and was asking me how I handle kids and work. She profusely praised the kids. (I should have known something was up right then and there! Raffae was having a complete meltdown by then and she was saying how quiet and cute they were!!!) I liked her enough to give her my cell phone number and promised that we will meet up for lunch one of these days. She tried to call me twice, and left messages. I was as usual busy with the kids and work and just wasn’t able to call her back. I was feeling really guilty about it too. And then she called me the other night. Luckily the kids were in bed on time that day and I was happy that I’d be able to talk to her. And then she starts talking about this great business opportunity she just found out about and how she immediately thought about me!! Gawd!! Just send a big bolt of lightening and kill me right now!! Note to my friends: I will be green with envy when you do drive around in Jaguars, wearing Rolex watches that you bought from all the money you made from Amway or any other pyramid scheme for that matter, (Have any of you seen those cheesy videos that they make you watch??!! Yes, we even did that for the first couple mentioned!! ), but if you want to stay friends with me, please don't say the "A" word! (Sudden Paranoia) Question to friends: You do want to be friends with me, right?? You haven't been investing all these years to talk to me about Amway one of these days, have you?!?!?!?
We met a couple some times ago and both Tanveer and I really liked them. We thought this was a couple we could hang out with. They seemed to have the same interests as us. They were both witty, smart. Then they started pitching Amway to us. It got so bad one day, that knowing they were calling, we intentionally did not answer the phone. We were closing on our first house ever that Friday, and they wanted us to cancel it to go away to some retreat in PA or NJ or somewhere. Can you believe the gall of these people!! If we were crazy enough to cancel the closing and go there, I am sure we would have more Amway shoved down our throat over the weekend!
Last month, we were all in IKEA when an Indian girl started talking to me. She said she had seen me couple of times at Target that’s close to my work. She noticed me because I look like one of her cousins etc etc. She was couple of months pregnant and was asking me how I handle kids and work. She profusely praised the kids. (I should have known something was up right then and there! Raffae was having a complete meltdown by then and she was saying how quiet and cute they were!!!) I liked her enough to give her my cell phone number and promised that we will meet up for lunch one of these days. She tried to call me twice, and left messages. I was as usual busy with the kids and work and just wasn’t able to call her back. I was feeling really guilty about it too. And then she called me the other night. Luckily the kids were in bed on time that day and I was happy that I’d be able to talk to her. And then she starts talking about this great business opportunity she just found out about and how she immediately thought about me!! Gawd!! Just send a big bolt of lightening and kill me right now!! Note to my friends: I will be green with envy when you do drive around in Jaguars, wearing Rolex watches that you bought from all the money you made from Amway or any other pyramid scheme for that matter, (Have any of you seen those cheesy videos that they make you watch??!! Yes, we even did that for the first couple mentioned!! ), but if you want to stay friends with me, please don't say the "A" word! (Sudden Paranoia) Question to friends: You do want to be friends with me, right?? You haven't been investing all these years to talk to me about Amway one of these days, have you?!?!?!?
Tuesday, October 11
Childhood Memories
Raffae is into choo-choos nowadays. He only wanted to watch Thomas & Friends the other day before going to bed. As I sat there watching Thomas & Friends with him, I started thinking about the trips we used to take by train back in Bangladesh. We used to travel by train a lot, because my Dada (paternal grandfather) used to work for the Railway board. He used to get free passes for the cabin cars!! These were little compartments with bunk bed style seating.
There were rituals to our trips. Bubu (paternal grandma) ofcourse would make sure we had a tiffin carrier full of food with us. Still, we would stop at the Savoy Bakery and pick up pastries, cookies and sandwiches for snacks. Once we got to the station, my sis and I would run up to our cabin to get the window seats. My mom would buy 5/6 magazines to keep her occupied during the journey. My uncle would buy newspaper. He was a student at that time and somehow always ended up accompanying us on our trips to Nanu’s (maternal grandma) house.
Back then, going to my nanu’s house used to take almost a day. We had to change the train twice and get on a ferry too. That was quite a long journey, but we were never bored! We used to stick our heads out the window and look at the scenery passing us by which used to vary depending on the season. In summer, you would see field after field of dry soil. Dry from the heat of summer. During monsoon, the same fields would be under water and little kids would be rowing boats. Sometimes, they would try to keep up with the train. We used to laugh and cheer them on, but usually left them behind in no time. We would see hundreds and hundreds of water lily floating on the water. In autumn, you would be greeted by sky bluer than blue with white, fluffy clouds and “Kash Phool” by the train track. Winter would bring men climbing Date trees for the juice that they store in a clay pot.
We used to play “I spy”. My uncle taught us once that whatever poem you recite on a train, sounds like the train is rhyming away with you. We knew all the station names, big and small, by heart. We knew where to get the best Amra (a type of fruit). The train would get to a big junction right around 6:00 in the morning. We would wake up with all the hustle and bustle. “Deem, deem”. (Boiled eggs. People used to ferry them around in a basket that they carried on their heads) “Cha niben, cha?” (Want tea?) My uncle would jump out and get tea from the station stall and jump back on the train, as it was about to pull out of the station. How scary, yet thrilling that used to be. We were always worried that he would not be able to make it back to the train on time. My sister and I always used to sleep on the top bunk beds at night. I loved lying there, reading a book at night. My body bouncing around with the movement of the train.
We would get glimpses of peoples lives as the train rushed through the villages. Children standing on verandas with sleepy eyes. Men walking towards the pond/river with neem stick in their mouth. Women walking with a clay pot on their head full of water. Farmer pushing his ox and plough in the field under the burning mid-day sun. Bride being carried in a palki, while the groom walked next to it with his umbrella in hand. We would pass by the railway crossings where we would see someone looking up at the train from a rickshaw.
We used to reach Kumarkhali station right around dusk. While my mom and uncle would slowly walk the way, looking at their school, playground where they used to play, my sister and I would run to Nanu’s house. We knew she would be standing there by the front gate waiting for us. Also waiting would be all the fabulous pickles, misti, doi, naru, motka, moa, khoi, ripe guavas, lal shak, dal vorta, bori and lots and lots more.
Childhood. Such a precious time of our lives.
Raffae is into choo-choos nowadays. He only wanted to watch Thomas & Friends the other day before going to bed. As I sat there watching Thomas & Friends with him, I started thinking about the trips we used to take by train back in Bangladesh. We used to travel by train a lot, because my Dada (paternal grandfather) used to work for the Railway board. He used to get free passes for the cabin cars!! These were little compartments with bunk bed style seating.
There were rituals to our trips. Bubu (paternal grandma) ofcourse would make sure we had a tiffin carrier full of food with us. Still, we would stop at the Savoy Bakery and pick up pastries, cookies and sandwiches for snacks. Once we got to the station, my sis and I would run up to our cabin to get the window seats. My mom would buy 5/6 magazines to keep her occupied during the journey. My uncle would buy newspaper. He was a student at that time and somehow always ended up accompanying us on our trips to Nanu’s (maternal grandma) house.
Back then, going to my nanu’s house used to take almost a day. We had to change the train twice and get on a ferry too. That was quite a long journey, but we were never bored! We used to stick our heads out the window and look at the scenery passing us by which used to vary depending on the season. In summer, you would see field after field of dry soil. Dry from the heat of summer. During monsoon, the same fields would be under water and little kids would be rowing boats. Sometimes, they would try to keep up with the train. We used to laugh and cheer them on, but usually left them behind in no time. We would see hundreds and hundreds of water lily floating on the water. In autumn, you would be greeted by sky bluer than blue with white, fluffy clouds and “Kash Phool” by the train track. Winter would bring men climbing Date trees for the juice that they store in a clay pot.
We used to play “I spy”. My uncle taught us once that whatever poem you recite on a train, sounds like the train is rhyming away with you. We knew all the station names, big and small, by heart. We knew where to get the best Amra (a type of fruit). The train would get to a big junction right around 6:00 in the morning. We would wake up with all the hustle and bustle. “Deem, deem”. (Boiled eggs. People used to ferry them around in a basket that they carried on their heads) “Cha niben, cha?” (Want tea?) My uncle would jump out and get tea from the station stall and jump back on the train, as it was about to pull out of the station. How scary, yet thrilling that used to be. We were always worried that he would not be able to make it back to the train on time. My sister and I always used to sleep on the top bunk beds at night. I loved lying there, reading a book at night. My body bouncing around with the movement of the train.
We would get glimpses of peoples lives as the train rushed through the villages. Children standing on verandas with sleepy eyes. Men walking towards the pond/river with neem stick in their mouth. Women walking with a clay pot on their head full of water. Farmer pushing his ox and plough in the field under the burning mid-day sun. Bride being carried in a palki, while the groom walked next to it with his umbrella in hand. We would pass by the railway crossings where we would see someone looking up at the train from a rickshaw.
We used to reach Kumarkhali station right around dusk. While my mom and uncle would slowly walk the way, looking at their school, playground where they used to play, my sister and I would run to Nanu’s house. We knew she would be standing there by the front gate waiting for us. Also waiting would be all the fabulous pickles, misti, doi, naru, motka, moa, khoi, ripe guavas, lal shak, dal vorta, bori and lots and lots more.
Childhood. Such a precious time of our lives.
Monday, October 10
Ode to my lone subscriber
I haven't updated my blog in a while. I feel pressured. I don't want to let down my lone subscriber. Here's to you my loyal reader!!! :-) I hope you will keep coming back to my blog for years to come!!!
P.S. I've just been busy with Zoya's first bday party preparation! I don't even want to think about my state of mind when it will be her wedding preparation!!!! :-D I will either go crazy or I will need to hire an assistant...
I haven't updated my blog in a while. I feel pressured. I don't want to let down my lone subscriber. Here's to you my loyal reader!!! :-) I hope you will keep coming back to my blog for years to come!!!
P.S. I've just been busy with Zoya's first bday party preparation! I don't even want to think about my state of mind when it will be her wedding preparation!!!! :-D I will either go crazy or I will need to hire an assistant...
Monday, October 3
I want to kill her!!!
As you are reading this post, those of you that know what Zoya has been through this year, will appreciate that I wasn't actually at the doctor's office when this conversation took place.
Little background info. Looks like she has another teeth coming out. I can see the tip of the tooth when she opens her mouth. But it's been there for almost a month now and she has been a little cranky about the same. She keeps waking up in the middle of the night and starts crying. She won't lay down in her crib at all. We had to bring her to sleep with us couple of days.
Yesterday, I got a little paranoid and tried to feel the tooth. She won't let me! She screams as soon as I touch that area. And it doesn't feel like a tooth! It's soft. So it could be that she has some sort of infection and the puss is what I am looking at and thinking it's a new tooth coming out. I called the doctor's office this morning to make an appointment for her. Here's the conversation I had with the Nurse.
Me: (After explaining the whole situation) So I'd like to bring her in to just get it checked out.
Nurse: What was her name again? (She pulls up Zoya's record) Wait, she was just here for her one year check up!
Me: Yes.
Nurse: She had this then?
Me: Yes.
Nurse: The doctor saw it and didn't say anything?
Me: I'm sure she also probably thought it was a tooth. That's what it looks like unless you touch it.
Nurse: Is it red and swollen?
Me: No, it's white! I told you it looks like a tooth.
Nurse: I think it's a tooth. Give her some Tylenol.
Do you think I was wrong in thinking that I would really enjoy bashing her head in with the phone?
As you are reading this post, those of you that know what Zoya has been through this year, will appreciate that I wasn't actually at the doctor's office when this conversation took place.
Little background info. Looks like she has another teeth coming out. I can see the tip of the tooth when she opens her mouth. But it's been there for almost a month now and she has been a little cranky about the same. She keeps waking up in the middle of the night and starts crying. She won't lay down in her crib at all. We had to bring her to sleep with us couple of days.
Yesterday, I got a little paranoid and tried to feel the tooth. She won't let me! She screams as soon as I touch that area. And it doesn't feel like a tooth! It's soft. So it could be that she has some sort of infection and the puss is what I am looking at and thinking it's a new tooth coming out. I called the doctor's office this morning to make an appointment for her. Here's the conversation I had with the Nurse.
Me: (After explaining the whole situation) So I'd like to bring her in to just get it checked out.
Nurse: What was her name again? (She pulls up Zoya's record) Wait, she was just here for her one year check up!
Me: Yes.
Nurse: She had this then?
Me: Yes.
Nurse: The doctor saw it and didn't say anything?
Me: I'm sure she also probably thought it was a tooth. That's what it looks like unless you touch it.
Nurse: Is it red and swollen?
Me: No, it's white! I told you it looks like a tooth.
Nurse: I think it's a tooth. Give her some Tylenol.
Do you think I was wrong in thinking that I would really enjoy bashing her head in with the phone?
Thursday, September 29
Rudimentary Realizations
The color of emotional pain: grayish blue, sort of like a cloudy day sky
How I feel emotional pain: Towards the beginning, quite numb. Then gradually that grayish blue takes over my insides and stays there for a long time.
How I wish I felt emotional pain: I wish the pain would sear me to pieces in a second, and then I would stay numb for an extended period of time.
The color of emotional pain: grayish blue, sort of like a cloudy day sky
How I feel emotional pain: Towards the beginning, quite numb. Then gradually that grayish blue takes over my insides and stays there for a long time.
How I wish I felt emotional pain: I wish the pain would sear me to pieces in a second, and then I would stay numb for an extended period of time.
Tuesday, September 27
What Remains
I was done with the kitchen clean-up, the kids were asleep and Tanveer was working on his school paper. So I decided to plop down on the couch and watch Oprah that I tape religiously on Tivo.
It was a very moving show, atleast for me. Her guest was Carole Radziwill, wife of Anthony Radziwill who also happened to be JFK Jr.’s first cousin. She was born in a middle class family and worked her way up the New York social ladder. She ended up as a news editor with ABC, met Anthony, fell in love and got married into America’s royal family. She later on met Carolyn Bessette, and the two immediately bonded and later became best friends as she said they both sort of felt like outsiders in the Kennedy family. Anyways, long story short, she lost the Kennedys and then three weeks later, lost her husband to cancer. She has written a memoir called `What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love’ which has been published recently. I know this question is going to be asked quite a lot, whether people would have been interested in her book if it weren’t for the Kennedys. Even Oprah asked her the same question. Her answer was she started writing the book about four years later after that dreadful summer to help herself move on. She started writing it for an audience of one – herself. I know a lot of people are going to be sarcastic about her comments. That’s where my two cents come in.
I just lost my father to cancer not so long ago. I could totally relate to what she was saying. It was actually quite shocking to me to see how raw her pain was even after all this time. I grieve my father every day in so many ways. This blog was one of the ways I thought I’d be able to release some of the pent up stress and depression in me. She said she thought people would be interested in this book even if it was someone ordinary, ‘cause it is a story of fate, friendship and love: that happens to every Joe, Mary and Bill (and Zeenat). I am sure there are people out there that try to milk every single second of their fifteen minutes of fame, but in this case I trust her and I am going to order her book from Amazon as soon as I post this blog.
I was done with the kitchen clean-up, the kids were asleep and Tanveer was working on his school paper. So I decided to plop down on the couch and watch Oprah that I tape religiously on Tivo.
It was a very moving show, atleast for me. Her guest was Carole Radziwill, wife of Anthony Radziwill who also happened to be JFK Jr.’s first cousin. She was born in a middle class family and worked her way up the New York social ladder. She ended up as a news editor with ABC, met Anthony, fell in love and got married into America’s royal family. She later on met Carolyn Bessette, and the two immediately bonded and later became best friends as she said they both sort of felt like outsiders in the Kennedy family. Anyways, long story short, she lost the Kennedys and then three weeks later, lost her husband to cancer. She has written a memoir called `What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love’ which has been published recently. I know this question is going to be asked quite a lot, whether people would have been interested in her book if it weren’t for the Kennedys. Even Oprah asked her the same question. Her answer was she started writing the book about four years later after that dreadful summer to help herself move on. She started writing it for an audience of one – herself. I know a lot of people are going to be sarcastic about her comments. That’s where my two cents come in.
I just lost my father to cancer not so long ago. I could totally relate to what she was saying. It was actually quite shocking to me to see how raw her pain was even after all this time. I grieve my father every day in so many ways. This blog was one of the ways I thought I’d be able to release some of the pent up stress and depression in me. She said she thought people would be interested in this book even if it was someone ordinary, ‘cause it is a story of fate, friendship and love: that happens to every Joe, Mary and Bill (and Zeenat). I am sure there are people out there that try to milk every single second of their fifteen minutes of fame, but in this case I trust her and I am going to order her book from Amazon as soon as I post this blog.
Monday, September 26
Saying bye to Froggie
He lived for seven years. He has been dead for more than seven years. So much was her love for him, that she carried him with her from house to house, in a ziplock bag. He stayed in her freezer for more than seven years, and tomorrow he will be buried in a final resting place. No, this is not a thriller/mystery. It's a real life love story. He is a frog who was my friend's pet. She has finally found a place where she thinks he will be happy, because she is moving away from this area. I know it will be hard for her. I can't be there for his burial, but my dear friend, know I am there mourning Froggie along with you one last time. Froggie was fortunate to have you as a friend, so am I. I'll miss you dearly.
He lived for seven years. He has been dead for more than seven years. So much was her love for him, that she carried him with her from house to house, in a ziplock bag. He stayed in her freezer for more than seven years, and tomorrow he will be buried in a final resting place. No, this is not a thriller/mystery. It's a real life love story. He is a frog who was my friend's pet. She has finally found a place where she thinks he will be happy, because she is moving away from this area. I know it will be hard for her. I can't be there for his burial, but my dear friend, know I am there mourning Froggie along with you one last time. Froggie was fortunate to have you as a friend, so am I. I'll miss you dearly.
Sunday, September 25
Oh nooooooooooo!!!!!!
I've invited everyone to lunch next month for Zoya's bday celebration, and I completely forgot that Ramadan starts soon!! I've been caught with my hand in the cookie jar! I can never pretend that I am a devout Muslim! Also, I have invited some people that I know fast religiously! I'd like to see right now where I am on their good books!! ;-) Gotta think of a solution soon and get back to everyone....
Bishsho Behaya
I am sooooooooo naive. (I can see my sister thinking "finally!!") I get hurt by the same people over and over again and I seem to forget/forgive it in no time! From today, I am not going to play "nice gal" anymore. ( I edited this post, cause as you can probably tell, I was hurt/mad at the time I posted it. That's just not me!!!!))
P.S. See what I mean now by naive!! Setting myself up already for the next incident that's going to hurt me!! Some people just never learn!! Tsk. Tsk.
P.P.S. I was thinking about editing this post one more time, but Tanveer beat me to it! :-) Check out his comment.
P.S. See what I mean now by naive!! Setting myself up already for the next incident that's going to hurt me!! Some people just never learn!! Tsk. Tsk.
P.P.S. I was thinking about editing this post one more time, but Tanveer beat me to it! :-) Check out his comment.
Friday, September 23
Zoya turns one today
I am very emotional today. My little girl is turning one. I can't stop thinking what could have happened if her Pediatrician had not sent us to ER on March 16th, 2005. Dr. Hoover and Dr. Uscinski, I can not thank you two enough. Ever.
I plan to dress her up and take pictures with her once daddy gets home. Today is a day of celebration!!
I plan to dress her up and take pictures with her once daddy gets home. Today is a day of celebration!!
Moral Dilemma
I received this from a friend. It was just too funny to not post here!!!
This test only has one question, but it's a very
important one. By giving an honest answer, you will
discover where you stand morally. No one else
will know, so you won't be fooling anyone but yourself
if you give anything but a truthful answer.
The test features an unlikely, completely fictional
situation in which you will have to make a decision.
Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet
spontaneous.
Please read slowly and thoughtfully, giving due
consideration to each line.
Here's the situation:
You are in Florida; Miami to be specific. There is
chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe
flooding. This is a flood of biblical proportions. You
are a photo journalist working for a major newspaper,
and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster.
The situation is nearly hopeless. You're trying to
shoot career-making photos. There are houses and
people swirling around you, some disappearing under
the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive
fury. Suddenly you see a man floundering in the water.
He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken
down with the debris. You move closer...somehow the
man looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is.
It's George W. Bush, President of the United States!!
At the same time you notice that the raging waters are
about to take him under... forever. You have two
options-you can save the life of G.W. Bush, or you can
shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo,
documenting the death of one of the world's most
powerful men.
So here's the question, and please give an honest
answer:
Would you select high contrast color film, or would
you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?
This test only has one question, but it's a very
important one. By giving an honest answer, you will
discover where you stand morally. No one else
will know, so you won't be fooling anyone but yourself
if you give anything but a truthful answer.
The test features an unlikely, completely fictional
situation in which you will have to make a decision.
Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet
spontaneous.
Please read slowly and thoughtfully, giving due
consideration to each line.
Here's the situation:
You are in Florida; Miami to be specific. There is
chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe
flooding. This is a flood of biblical proportions. You
are a photo journalist working for a major newspaper,
and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster.
The situation is nearly hopeless. You're trying to
shoot career-making photos. There are houses and
people swirling around you, some disappearing under
the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive
fury. Suddenly you see a man floundering in the water.
He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken
down with the debris. You move closer...somehow the
man looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is.
It's George W. Bush, President of the United States!!
At the same time you notice that the raging waters are
about to take him under... forever. You have two
options-you can save the life of G.W. Bush, or you can
shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo,
documenting the death of one of the world's most
powerful men.
So here's the question, and please give an honest
answer:
Would you select high contrast color film, or would
you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?
Thursday, September 22
Second Chances
I am glad that there’s one such thing called second chance! I would have missed out on some good shit if I hadn’t given them a second chance!! Here are a few:
- The English Patient - God knows why I couldn’t watch it the first time!! I think I was very sleepy and it was going too slow for me. I turned it off after the first half an hour and returned it to Blockbuster without watching the rest. I discovered Ralph Fiennes when I did get around watching it the second time! What an eye candy! After you ofcourse, Tanveer! ;-)
- Mukul – Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Lets just say first impressions could be quite misleading. The first time I met him, he was quite drunk and told me a really dirty joke!! Now, you have to understand the background a little. Tanveer has been telling me for the longest time about this friend Mukul who is supposedly an awsome guy, very smart. My expectations were quite high. So I just couldn't understand why Tanveer thought the world of him!!! In his defense, this guy can hold down liquor like its no one's business. If he is drunk, that means he has been drinking quite hard and for quite some time!! I caught him on a very very bad day. Things were just not going his way and he was trying to drown his sorrows in booze!!! Mukul, you are an awsome guy! Without a doubt the smartest guy I know. I’m glad you are in our lives!!!!!
- Tanveer - The first time he asked me out, I was completely taken by surprise. We were very good friends and I had no idea he felt that way about me!! I mumbled something like "I don't think of you that way" and ran away!!!! We were out of touch for couple of months after that!! I thought about him though all that time and decided to say yes if he asked me again. Thank God he did!!!!!!!
- Misti Doi - This is a special type of sweet yogart made in Bangladesh. My first couple of encounters with yogart had been tart!! I refused to eat yogart for the next 5/6 years. Then, one of my aunts made me eat a bowl of yogart and I've been a fan ever since!! Anyone coming to visit me from NY, please bring me some misti doi from Alauddin's.
My Friends
I am one of those lucky few!!! I have been blessed with some very, very good friends. I don’t think I tell them enough how much they mean to me, or how much they have influenced my life. So here’s my ode to some of them, in alphabetical order! (So that no one gets mad at me!! Refer to Seinfeld episode where he gets upset when he gets moved down on his girlfriend’s speed dial)
Rajat
My buddy!! Funny, witty, gentle, loving, off the beat sense of humor. He has the longest eyelashes I’ve ever seen on a human being! :-P We had some good times back in the days! No one can ever ask for a better roommate. I love the fact that he defends anyone and everyone just because he can’t speak ill of anyone, spends all day watching crappy movies on UPN 20, reads almost anything he can get his hands on (although I haven’t been successful in getting him hooked to Harry Potter!). He let me drive his brand new Jetta for months and he took the bus to work!!!!!!! He has the quirkiest nicknames for me: Jeanine Garafello (Am I as radical as she is?), Gina Gershawn(I wish I looked half as sexy as she does!!!) I never know what he is going to call me when I answer his call!!! He is like the brother I never had rolled into a best friend. Thank you for caring!!!
Tanveer
My main man, my very best friend. He is such a cool guy, my geek who doesn’t look anything like a geek!! He is my most severe critic. He knows which buttons to push to get me mad as a bull in three seconds flat! He drives me crazy by leaving the wet towel on my side of the bed. When I ask him to do something, his generic answer “korbo” (will do) drives me up the wall. (It doesn’t get done for at least three weeks) Yet, I love him with all my heart. I can’t think of anyone else loving me as much as he does, even with all my idiosyncrasies. (Yes, I am aware of some debilitating faults I possess!!) He holds me tight when I cry. He makes me laugh. I love when he speaks geek speak. I can tell him anything and everything and know it will be ok. He has a big heart and loves everyone like there is no tomorrow. I’ve seen him not lose hope in his darkest days and work hard to get where he is today. I can’t even begin to think what I would have done if he wasn’t there during my tough times. I admire him a lot and I don’t think I tell him that enough times. He is a great father, an outstanding son, wonderful brother, an awesome friend. I want Raffae to be just like him when he grows up (except maybe a little more tidy!! There’s always room for improvement! )
Tanya
If Tanveer is my main man, she is my girl!! My Jaan. My Tanuputi. She and her lovely family was a big part of my teen life. I am who I am because of a lot of their influences! No one had parents cooler than hers! No one had a more adorable brother to play with and a nerdy enough sister to lecture us about stuff. I practically lived with them at one point, and they gladly welcomed me in their lives. We have this connection that I do not share with anyone else. We can talk to each other without speaking a word. (We do need to be in the same room to do that!) She knows me like no one else does. Even after all these years, I know I will find her listening ears and open arms whenever I need it. She is smart, gorgeous, intelligent, artistic, understanding… I can go on and on and on and on about her! I am beginning to see why all those guys were crazy for her at high school. :-P
Tarana
She is my lil sis. You wouldn’t know it from the way she bosses me around!!!!! From what I hear, she had me wrapped around her pinky the day she was born. (I offered to give up my favorite spoon, all my dolls and their clothes for her). She tagged along with me all the time and I had no problem with that. She is one of a kind! Who else picks out their own name!!! (In Bangladesh, you get a nickname when you are born. Parents usually pick a proper name when you go to school. At 3 ½ years old, she knew she wanted to be named Tarana and I don’t think any other name would have suited her) I sometimes feel like I forced her to grow up faster. After all, when I started noticing boys, she was only about 8/9! But I had to tell her what I was doing and get her approval! J She boosted up my ego after my first heartbreak, listened patiently to my nonstop chatter even if it gave her daily headaches (she claims), gave me half her slice of chocolate cake after I devoured mine in seconds!! She was my first best friend and always will be. I had millions of names for her… Lizu, lichu, piaju, buchi, khedi are to name a few. Lizu, I still think you are the better-looking one in the family. ;-) I wish you all the best and more in life. Thank you for being there for me.
Wednesday, September 21
Petra
She weighs barely 100 pounds and I could probably wrap my hands around her waist. She is our office crusader. She wants all of us to eat better, ban foods containing Trans Fat, recycle everything. She has two dogs one of which is Diabetic. She refuses to put her down. She loves to make jewelry. In three weeks, she is going off to New Orleans. She volunteered at the Red Cross. She will receive a day of training and then off she goes. She has no idea where she is going to stay or what she is going to do once she is there. That doesn’t seem to faze her out. She is hoping to bring back a dog from there. We need more and more people like her in this world.
My hats off to you Petra.
My hats off to you Petra.
Tuesday, September 20
Where's the thief?
My dad used to work for the Telegraph and Telephone Board. We lived in a gated community where couple of buildings was used to house cables and other equipment. One morning, there was a gathering in front of one of those buildings. When my mother enquired about it, the guard at our house told us they have caught a thief that night that was trying to get in the building. Most probably to steal something and then sell it to get some money. It was a thrilling event to a nine/ten year old. I begged my mother to go down and see the thief. I got the permission after annoying her for over an hour. I held the guard’s hand as he led me to see the thief. He was bleeding from various cuts. Apparently, all the guards, drivers, gardeners appointed at various houses and some local people had taken the law upon themselves and had beaten the thief to teach him a lesson. He was probably barely conscious when I saw him. I came back home and went to school and forgot all about the thief.
Years later, I read a similar story, where the girl supposedly saw the thief and said, “Where’s the thief? That’s a human being.” I tried to remember that story when I read this article today.
Years later, I read a similar story, where the girl supposedly saw the thief and said, “Where’s the thief? That’s a human being.” I tried to remember that story when I read this article today.
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