It took me long - It took my sleep - and its time it takes your breath - the new design for my blog is up!
Donned with lime as the primary color and the fiery Beyonce Knowles gracing it - I couldn't have done better for my blog. This has been just what I've always had in mind and I am sure as hell glad its here to stay. The blog is back on track (I can see all those smiles) and there are loads of interesting things to share.
But lets hold on - shall we - there's much more on the agenda. The new blog uses Movable Type which is a definite improvement over the previous Blogger. Thanks Amrita for helping me setting up this blog - your help is greatly appreciated.
I am now also listed here. Its been great seeing new blogs come up from people so closely associated with mine - although I don't see updations happening ;)
So c'mon people - drop those cubes in - and fill me to the brim!

The shock hit me one fine day when the trailors of Khwahish aired boldly on National television. What followed next was the single-most important question - are we ready for this?
Fine, one fine day baring and daring was bound to hit our own Bollywood, but how safe is just rating these movies 'A' and letting them screen all around the country?
I went for Bhoot, which is an 'A'-rated movie due to the scary factor and the bold sound effects. Few seats away sat a woman with her baby - and I mean a small infant. Do people even consider the kind of effect the loud sounds can have on the poor child's eardrums. Its 'A' for a reason - and responsible citizens should respect that.
To add to it all come a hoard of 'A' movies - Oops and Boom for instance. I have noticed that movie-goers are far under 18 and the theatre security is absolutely crap in this respect. If it is not meant for anyone under 18, why the hell are you letting all those people in just because they're paying you money. Aren't there any laws against this?
And then again, if such issues are not dealt with - why do we need a censor board and why do we need ratings on movies?

Why do animals have tails? I mean why does God even bother bestowing them with that hairy long mass of skin? And if it actually serves a purpose, how come we don't have one? Sure, the possible explanation of evolving without a tail comes up - but hey, how come we lost it at the first place. If it really were a matter of evolution, how come the animals never evolved into tail-less creatures?
Rabbits have big fuzzy ones, dogs have long wagging ones and pigs have short curly ones - the variety's there, but the utility? I guess its best put across as - 'vanity'!

This is my thought for the day.

"Lucky are those who have conquered the art of driving,
yet luckier are those who have a chauffer..."
My instructor was supposed to arrive at 7 in the morning. I was still sleeping when the darn doorbell rang. Donned in my nightdress and with my hair in a total mess, I bluntly looked outside to find him waiting. I told him to give me two minutes - he returned after four hours.
So at eleven in the morning, a novice like me set out to drive through the trucks and the rickshaws, the dogs and the cows. It was a bittersweet experience. While he constantly muttered in my ears about brakes and clutches, accelerators and mirrors, air-conditioners and honking - I followed it all with the innocence of a child.
I think whats really horrible about driving in Delhi is the fact that animals just pop out of nowhere, and so do rickshaw-wallas. Somehow you always end up behind a slow rickshaw and in front of an impatient car. You keep honking in vain and the guy honking behind makes you nervous.
One hour out in the heat and traffic, one hour of a man giving non-stop commentry about driving, one hour of accelerating, braking and clutching - thats all you need to realize the importance of peace and quiet.
Sitting at home in front of this computer with a Bryan Adams song turned full volume - I feel solitary bliss...

After such ages today I tuned into Sab TV. An otherwise Comedy channel airing all varieties of family full-of-artificial-laughs comedies was airing a show with the familiar Smriti Irani (of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi fame). The show, Kuch Diiil Se (no apparent reason for the three i's in an otherwise one-i'ed Dil) seemed at first like just another lets-talk-general-issues shows, but one glance at the renowned Aruna Broota, I changed my mind.
The topic was 'Male Ego'. A couple was invited to talk about their marriage and the domination the husband had over his wife - considering he found it inappropriate for her to drive or go beyond her marital responsibilities. That struck a chord somewhere - but I was not particularly moved.
The talked moved on to how much a man should take toll over a woman's life. The hubby confessed his fear of her overpowering him and not making 'tea' for him anymore since she would consider herself independent of these duties. He indicated that he did not find any talents in her worth harnessing beyond the house. He said he was educating his daughter only so that she could find a suitable match later on in life. He believed that a woman is a home-maker and the man is the bread-earner and the reversal of roles is unacceptable. His ideas about his woman and her role in his life were quite orthodox, however his wife supported them fully as she admitted she had been prepared for it from childhood and had learnt to live with it over the years. That struck a chord somewhere - but I was not particularly moved.
The discussion moved on to a man from the audience confessing the problems he faced with his wife since both were working and he did most of the housework. Some even went ahead to support what he had to say while Aruna and a woman activist maintained the importance of women coming forth in such relationships and making their stand clear. Smriti commented intellectually that there is a line between self-respect and ego, and one needs to maintain the former while shedding the latter. That struck a chord somewhere - but I was not particularly moved.
When the show reached the end and Smriti began to take in questions - a man asked - 'Why brand ego with men alone? My wife is very egoistic and it gets very hard for me to adjust'.
That - hit bullseye.

[1] Keep a copy of Yellow Pages in the car - you never know when you'd need a doctor.
[2] Keep a copy of your will in the car - incase of last minute alterations while your car is wobbling on the precipice of a tall mountain.
[3] Keep a smile plastered on your face - the police might excuse you when you messup - unless you're real ugly.
[4] Sing to yourself - "C for Clutch, really no fun, B for Brake to stop after damage done, A for accelator, other drivers deserve to die hon'!"
[5] Just pray - 'Oh holy Lord - make this END!'

I was flipping through a copy of Archie's Comics today and came across an advertisement for some candy. The whole page had nothing but a small round blue candy with the caption - 'Lick This'. It evoked a memory I'd like to post.
When I was younger, and had newly purchased the comic, I saw the ad and started thinking. If perfumes could come in magazines as trials in the form of rub-on papers, perhaps candies could come in comics in the form of flavored paper.
Despite knowing within, the concept was the silliest I could come up with - I licked the blue area. I feel stupid even 7 years later...

It was quite an eventful day. Being a thursday, I had to go to school - not to study, but to fight for my rights. For those of you who personally know me, fighting for my rights is almost my middle name (only Gursimran Fighting-for-my-rights Arora is way too long!). The school has put an end to the ever-long tradition of Teacher's Day, which is alright except for the fact that we wouldn't be wearing 'Saris' - something we have been forever looking forward to.
So great, the Principal gives a worthless pointless and useless lecture about traditions and some South Indian rituals relating to that - implying we should not celebrate Teacher's Day the way we want - but go with the way she does.
In the middle of 400 children, only one hand rose to object - yours truly had finally lost her mind. So off went my lecture on the importance of continuing traditions and implying that no reasons could justify the end of such celebrations. When she asked 'Why Saris' - I said 'Why not?' - I suppressed the urge to say - 'Why do you wear them if they portray indecency'. So off went another lecture and my final request telling her to make us talk with the teachers one-on-one and justify our stand.
I know she wasn't happy and I could see the dirty look in her eyes. All eyes dug into me as I spoke - eventually, I realized I need to reflect on my sanity. Why am I always so desperate to seek my rights and to protect those of the others when no one else really bothers about being dominated by a dictator. In my theory of life - no one can win unless they chalk out their own rules. I think its sad when people have to follow what others say blindfolded just because of 'fear' of rebel.
When school ended, I entered my bus and all the way back home (an hour long drive) we planned a protest against the authorities. Deep within I knew no one would stand up and I'd be the only one trying to convince people that we have the power to make a difference regardless of our authority.
My friend challenged to dig her nails into my flesh without me screaming. I let her. When she finished - I was laughing with tears in my eyes. My arm was practically bleeding. Her nails had pierced into my flesh. I was still laughing and she meekly apologized. I guess friendship's like that - it pains, but never really hurts...