The year that was ... :-)

I wondered and wondered this morning what my last blog for the year would be about. And now as I walked back home from a last minute errand for mom (did I not mention? I'm home! In Mumbai :) I shall hit my darling Chennai for about 3 hours over dinner on Wed and head back to Singapore to my normal yet wonderful life) it hit me...

After a stable low amplitude life for the last 25 years, this has been one year that came with what I swear was the highest amplitude sinusoidal waves I've ever encountered.... So much has happened and so much of that has been written about and it felt just right to end the year with a recap of my favorite events, stories and thoughts on this blog ... so here goes ...

==========================================

My favorite posts at the outset:
- The importance of conversation
- Things this world should never be without
- People I admire
- wondering if it's too late to live life
- How bosses are so similar to moms
- Things I wonder about
- The very relevant and omnipresent topic of the pressure on marriage

And amongst others....
Started 2007 with telling myself this is what my vision of happiness should be ... good to start with a vision no? :D

Passing on newfound wisdom on making priority calls to be able to enjoy life and do justice to relationships and oneself... inspired by a senior person in my company ...

Enrolling for my first new activity in the year ... the long delayed singing lessons ...

Understanding why they come and then leave ... borrowed wisdom this ...

Discovering the magic that is kids ... (not my own!), reaching 100 and 200 posts respectively, painting

Discovering blessings such as good bosses and wonderful cities to live in, a wonderful mom

Rants on what I judge, why I blog, questions that plague me, quirks im not too proud of and more questions that plague me!

Food posts - Rasam, Pasta and bruschetta, Dum aloo and payasam

A brilliant year end vacation to New York ... right from the airport welcome to the famed treasure hunt

==============================================

They say whatever you're doing at the stroke of midnight lasts through the year, so I hope all of you wonderful people can keep a smile on your faces, hope in your hearts and a prayer on your lips for an incredible 2008 :-)

I love you all and wish you the very best in the year to come ... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :DDDD

Happy post!!

See this .. hilarious!!! :D

Twiddly Thumbs and Idle Intellect :D

It's been like forever since I've wished I could take a day off work for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON. My day is finally here!!! :D

Remember P and I did a whole weekend of work 2 weeks ago? As her manager I asked her to make up for it with a nice whole day off anytime she wanted and my own manager (bless her soul) asked me to do the same :D So today's my day! :-)

Thing is I'm not entirely sure how to do this. :S I mean I've planned and agenda-ed through several days when there was TOO much to do, but this? This I've never done before! There's still lurking guilt somewhere about not working (Emm, Unpred, you've wrapped up most work for the year! Give it a rest bleddy!) on a working day and since my over-efficient system is not used to empty time, it's taking some time to come to terms with no rules for the day :)

Nothing planned for now .. and going with the flow is the overall theme .. and I'm seeing how I can make that happen ... there's a few things I do need to do before leave for India tomorrow .. pack, shop some, put the house in order and ensure the maid knows when to come back ... also edit Mogambo's reception invite (who will otherwise skin me alive and feed me to the dogs when she sees me next, incidentally AT her wedding!) ..

But broadly, there's plenty of time and as the title suggests, Twiddly Thumbs and an Idle Intellect that will stay put and rest through the day :)

Have a Merry Christmas everyone! And a great new year in case I don't access the blog from India ... I hope to see you all once again next year :D

The Happiness Project

Oh this is absolutely brilliant! :D

I loved this site sent to me by Mr RK himself - in line with his incredible equity as the "active happiness pursuer" :-) I particularly love the latest post so am pasting here for the lazy bums who won't click on the link.

Disclaimer: This site is likely to evoke polarizing responses. For good reason too. I know of people who hate thinking too much about how they want to live life and believe in living it by the moment. I also know people who love actively going out and finding their happiness (the part that's within control anyway). I belong to the latter and am warning those who don't to pass up the chance to visit the site OR read ahead. :)

"“To attain something desired is to discover how vain it is; and…though we live all our lives in expectation of better things, we often at the same time long regretfully for what is past. The present, on the other hand, is regarded as something quite temporary and serving only as the road to our goal. That is why most men discover when they look back on their life that they have the whole time been living ad interim, and are surprised to see that which they let go by so unregarded and unenjoyed was precisely their life, was precisely in expectation of which they lived.”

--Schopenhauer

Beautiful isn't it? :-) It's mostly stuff that's not necessarily NEW but hits you in your face for the first ever time with its impact, cause u've been forced to sit up and take notice. The rest is great too ... I'm browsing through sporadically and relishing the motley collection of tips it hosts on finding and cherishing happiness.

*Dear P ... this is for you .. for calling me a bleddy phool for not blogging for FOUR days ..ok va? *

My favorite brand of people..

People who speak their mind:
No sugar coating. No "this is excellent .. BUT .." No "I agree with you.. BUT....".

No beating around the bush. Just telling it as it is. Spade = Spade. And the abiliity to say "I don't agree with this even if you're senior and more experienced" or simply say what they feel in forums with "biggies" who scare the heck out of everyone else.

The ability to be different from others who walk the line always and tangible fearlessness is the most respectable quality in a person. Even with my 5'8" frame, I SO look up to such people.

Dear G: Help me be one of them when im older. Heck, help me start now!!!


People with unlimited zest for life:
This junior who replaced me in my previous role is one of my favorite people. His zest for life is so inspiring! His philosophy is to make the absolute best of every waking moment. In his words, "Sleep is so useless, i wish it wasn't physically necessary, imagine how much we could do with all that saved time!" :D

Another junior from bschool and now work is very similar. Every once a week, we spend atleast 15 mins talking about our "cool plans" for the next few months. Travel, adventure, dramatics, learning musical instruments, new languages, swimming, interesting people we met, interesting posts on the internet and so on ..

Penguin is another classic example. As much as she may sometimes think her life isn't moving, she's ALWAYS on the lookout for interesting things to do with time. From art fairs to random auctions, the most interesting times in the last 6 months have been had with her :)

Dear G: So long as I appreciate this about others, it'll continue to be personally aspirational. Pls to help...


People who can ENJOY music
Not just listen. But enjoy. Like let the melody seep in and permeate every single pore. Like let your soul dance and laugh from deep inside. Find it in you to sing along. To take the high notes at the right points, and then switch to low just as spontaneously ( A la "pyaar humein kis mod pe le aaya" :D).

Music with Penguin and IceCreamboy is an experience like with nobody else. We sing ourselves hoarse, Penguin and I alternate between foreground singing and background music and have perfect, picture perfect, sync. IceCreamboy, despite zero training in the arena, is mindblowing simply by virtue of his enthusiasm.

Sha and N (esp Sha) are brilliant at how well they know the most random songs SO well. Antra AND Mukhda. Right from Tezaab to Tridev, singing with them is like being in a designated "random song" music show. When you add alcohol to the above, the fun doubles coz inhibitions are let down even more (That's how we got Mundra's pseud BCG friends to join in our rowdy act the night before his wedding :D) and an incredibly good time is had by all.

The thing about people with music is when you see them respond to the nuances of notes, you know they have the ability to appreciate the little nuances of all else. (The converse may not be true but ...) And that makes them interesting to be around for reasons beyond the music. :) I like :-)

Dear G: I may never complete that singing course I started. (My teacher returned to India midway through teaching me, and i'm left wondering if it's a sign!), but this ability to mind-dance to music, I'd like to keep this for life. (Even through the grins from colleagues who sit in the vicinity and are shocked by the constant foot tapping and smiling to tunes.) Thanksverymuch :D


There's so many more,

- Determined never say die people with astounding will power like my mom ...
- People with an enviable ability to balance their professional lives and personal loves like SuperMan,
- Those with the ability to constantly laugh make others laugh like Mogambo and PuppyManohar
- Dependable and rock solid like Penguin .. always on time, always keeping promises ..
- Always dissatisfied with status quo and wanting more out of life .. like my junior RK
- Intelligent as hell, yet surprisingly down to earth like my ex manager A
- At peace with how different they are from what SO many others want them to be, like T

Dear G: I don't ask for everything all at once .. but little by little, slowly slowly, through life can?

I want ...

To be in Chennai now ..

Do the Fisherman's Cove catamaran thing again ..
Visit Dakshin Chitra and make misshaped clay pots again ..
To sit by Besant Nagar beach and quietly watch the waves crash onto shore again ..
Eat oily parathas by the sea side with yoghurt and pickle again ..
Speed on a bike down ECR again (get my leg burnt by the engine again?)..
Eat veggie club sandwiches at Galloping Gooseberries again
Drink the Lime Mint cooler from FruitShop on Greem's road again ..
Walk through Spencer Plaza and shop at Fab India ...
Brunch at Eco Cafe and dine at Cedars ...

All of it ... all over again ...


To see Bombay as I rarely did,
Walk down Marine Drive watching the sunset,
Eat Bhelpuri in all its unhygienic glory at Chowpatty,
Shop for Indian clothes at the quaint Shivaji Park shop Sha tells me about,
Eat at Oven Fresh once again (Burittos, Nachos and Enchlaidas, no less),
Stand at the gateway and feel like an insider among the tourists clicking away ..
Run along Juhu beach at sunrise,
Drink cutting chai at the shop across the Bombay office,
Drink elaichi chai IN the Bombay office,
Sit by my window ledge and drink chai as Lagaan plays in the background,
Watch clouds gather over the hills seen through our window ..
Pick up saris at Nalli, awesome rich colored saris that will make my collection reach the aspirational 25 in the next few years ...
Walk around on the phone, irritating mom as I bump into random furniture along the way, but not sitting down coz I just 'Can't do conversation sitting down!"
Sit in the 2*2 area near the microwave and talk as mum hurries through her chores coz I want to make as much conversation as possible in the 6 days that I'm visiting ...
Talk to my bro about life and such profound matters that don't matter, my bro who adores his big sister and shows her off to his friends (he does! :) i love it that someone does :D)


To be in New York all over again ...

To be picked up from the airport like royalty, garlands and shawls included!
To feel SO at home vs. feeling like a 'visiting guest' ...
To eat mexican food near Times Square with A,
To have A and PM call me "Failure" for saying Queens is "pretty as hell!"
To run around the east village trying to beat the only other team playing the NY treasure hunt with us :)
To party at Cafe Wha again .. to get drunk and sing Christmas Carols on the NY subway and have PM join in as A and G give up and look on and other passengers herald the early arrival of Xmas :)
To walk down the Newport riverside, coffee in hand, earphones plugged in :)
To stand atop the Empire State building and feel like the wind would carry me away with its sheer force
To click 30 pictures and more of the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island coz it was just so beautiful
To pick up cheap trinkets at Soho again :)
To curl up in Mogambo's couch after a long day and talk to her, have her be persistent and painful and argumentative about how I need to "get out of it" despite my unwillingness to so much as listen ...
To make Dal and have PM agree that THIS is how it's supposed to be made!!! WITH ginger and garlic and a lump of jaggery! :D
To have G's mom ask him "who that nice sounding young girl is" and if she's married and burst into laughter at the many possibilities here! :D
To gape open mouthed at the color burst of autumn as the bus drove across Baltimore to DC ...
To relish the fall colors, the lake and cheese pretzels at Central Park and then yelp in delight on discovering the fountain where George Clooney spontaneously picks up Michelle Pfieffer in "One Fine Day' :D
To eat Ethiopian food and delight with every single bite how "absolutely delicious" it was ..
To have A drop me at the airport and stay until I was PAST the security check and I could no longer see her, cause she could still see me ..
To stay curled up in bed for a whole week after, and suffer from withdrawal symptoms of my most brilliant vacation ever!

I want .....

Woohoo .. Dum aloo ..

(Yes, yes, I'm a poet and I don't even know it! :D)


I sms my mum telling her I made this awesome tasting Dum Aloo (with pureed tomatoes, ground peppercorn, cardamom, almost-deep-fried-in-ghee potatoes, you know.. the works!) and she replies saying "Sanjeev Kapoor haar gaya. You know why? When he cooks, the smell is just domestic, yours is international! :D I can smell it all the way here?"

And when I msged her saying I'm about to put up pics on my blog, she calls me to tell me she was JUST THINKING THE SAME!

Yeah, yeah, madness pretty much runs in the family!

Hamlet EATS!!!!

Hamlet, my pet hamster (scroll down in case you haven't already seen the pink piggy character) EATS!!! OMG!

ER just walked over to my desk when I tried to show off my new pet (Stop sniggering it's rude! You'll know when you have your OWN pet) and as I dangled that strawberry around teasing Hamlet, ER dragged the mouse to Hamlet's mouth and Hamlet ATE!!!

The SPCE will soon be at my door trying to get me for starving the poor thing through the weekend, so I have to go hide. But Hamlet EATS!!! :D

Dear Monday....

Dear Monday,

I have a few wishes for today, please to adjust and fulfill.

1. I want chai. With Amul milk and Brooke Bond chai patti. And i want SOMEONE ELSE to make it for me instead of walking to the kitchen in my sleep deprived state. Can?

2. I want this to end today. TODAY. Inputs blah is fine, but if I have to spend another weekend working on anything, no matter how enjoyable it is, I shall .. I shall ... I shall go back and think of something appropriately scary to threaten you with. Note however, that it will be MEAN and NASTY!

3. At 12 pm this afternoon, I will have reached POG - point of give up - when I throw my hands up and say "I did all I could, the rest is in the maker's hands" and will just go do that presentation. At that point, please to make any sense of attachment and involvement flee my system. I DON'T want.

4. At 2 pm this afternoon, I will reach POF - Point of Freedom. At this point I'd like you to make the unbreakable glass of the 22nd floor windows breakable for exactly 15 mins (before the next meeting starts) so that I can jump out and be a FREE BIRD.
(While you're at it, do NOT seal back the hole in the window until i re-enter from my flight of fantasy. I need to be at the next meeting. P needs me)

Please let me know if you need any clarifications on the above requests. In case of further questions/inputs, I'll be happy to talk over the phone. Note however, that I haven't left a number. If you want it badly enough, you will find it.

Regards,
Unpredictable

Poetry across the seas ...

After PuppyManohar booed my blog's birthday yesterday in a rather insensitive (or so I thought) comment, I msged him asking why, alas, he does not think this worthy of celebration. This led to a rather poetic sms chain which turned out so good, we thought the world MUST see it (and applaud?).

Context: Daytime for Unpred, Night time for PM, Unpred and her teammate P working through the weekend for a Monday deadline, a rare first time occurence, both in Unpred's house working away ...

*images of 2 bleary eyed girls and burning midnight oil float by*


Pasting here for your eyes only
===============================

Me: "Nonsense" is it my blog budday? Alas. :-(

PM:
It's not a birthday. It's a double century!
Rejoice and be merry!

Me:
Poetic boy.
So much joy?
But now i'll go.
Work to do.
Sad sad plight.
But good night!

{Me: (Revelation hitting hard) One full day poetic sms should be done. Talent is going to waste here.}

PM:
Alas dear Unpred please don't cry.
I am making dal fry.
Then i will come online like that.
And then we can put the google chat!

Me:
:) work has to be done alas,
saturday slog is in a different class.
P is here to work with me,
so how still can our chatting be?

PM:
That sounds like a lame excuse.
Office networks are to be abused.
As soon as P looks away,
then It's time to chat i say!
*Unpred inserts disclaimer: Dear boss/ colleague reading this - these are PM's views - not mine!*

Me:
:) poor little child of mine,
with my insincerity she's prob fine,
its my own guilt you see,
won't let me live with me.

PM:
Dear Unpred this i can't help.
If your conscience decides to yelp
everytime you do something bad,
how can fun times be had?

(Unpred by now too engrossed in work, rudely doesn't reciproacte the poetry)

PM: (post an hour or so)
Dear Unpred i've turned out the light.
It's time for you to wish me good night.
Please don't be all work and no play.
After all It's saturday.

Me:
Dear pm i've had my lunch,
work's not still packing a punch,
i do hope to party tonight,
wake up tomo fresh and bright,
i hope you too sleep well,
by then i'll be back from hell :)

==============================================
And that's it for today folks! I'm going back to work!

Say hi to Hamlet the Hamster ..

Scroll down ... yeah right there below the Neoearth counter is my new pet Mr (or Miss? I don't genderdiscriminate when I adopt as you can see) Hamlet.

Pls to say hi :-)

This is my gift to myself for wrapping up 200 posts (come to think of it, all these cheap friends of mine asking me for treats should be treating ME!) and for working through the bleddy weekend (and enjoying it no less - i'm an official freak!)

Blogpost number 200 ...

No hurrahs, no whoops. Just my quiet enigmatic smile (stop laughing I say!!) to accompany the 200th post on this blog.

It's been 12 months of fairly sustained blogging with no motivation to hit any target numbers (I get enough grief from doing that at work . Sigh!), just the pleasure of writing and feeling like there's a good friend to go to every evening (You think that's sad? I think it's self reliant :-)). It's been so much fun rediscovering the "writing" side of me that not blogging for a while actually makes me feel less happy and blogging regularly keeps something inside that thoughtful mind ticking away constantly, preventing any grey cell decay. I like :D

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P passed on this lovely piece of writing she found on the net and put up on her own blog. It talks to me and might be relevant to your paradigm of the present (if not, you'll skip ahead anyway right? :)) ... and would be a nice way to celebrate 200 posts on Mystic Pizza. (PuppyManohar offered to interview me on this special day and we actually did half an interview but my hands gave up on me midway through the chat and I had to retire to bed, next post maybe?)


"
ME : Why are we constantly unhappy?
GOD : Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday.
You are worrying because you are analyzing.
Worrying has become your habit. That's why you are not happy.


ME : But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainty?
GOD : Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional.


ME : But then, there is so much pain due to uncertainty...
GOD : Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.


ME : If suffering is optional, why do good people always suffer?
GOD : Diamond cannot be polished without friction.
Gold cannot be purified without fire.
Good people go through trials, but don't suffer.
With that experience their life becomes better, not bitter.


ME : You mean to say such experience is useful?
GOD : Yes. In every term, Experience is a hard teacher.
She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.


ME : But still, why should we go through such tests? Why can't we be free from problems?
GOD : Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons to Enhance Mental Strength .
Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance, not when you are free from problems.


ME : Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don't know where we are heading...
GOD : If you look outside you will not know where you are heading.
Look inside.
Looking outside, you dream.
Looking inside, you awaken.
Eyes provide sight. Heart provides insight.


ME : Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than moving in the right direction. What should I do?
GOD : Success is a measure as decided by others.
Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you.
Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead
You work with the compass. Let others work with the clock.


ME : In tough times, how do you stay motivated?
GOD : Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go.
Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.


ME : What surprises you about people?
GOD : When they suffer they ask, "why me?"
When they prosper, they never ask "Why me?"
Everyone wishes to have truth on their side, but few want to be on the side
of the truth.


ME : Sometimes I ask, "Who am I, why am I here?" I can't get the answer.
GOD : Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you want to be.
Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are here.
Create it. Life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation.


ME : How can I get the best out of life?
GOD: Face your past without regret.
Handle your present with confidence.
Prepare for the future without fear
"
======================================================
Easier said than done, but brilliantly said nevertheless eh? :-) Happy birthday dear blog :)

So much masala!

Bollywood is brilliant!! The last few weeks have seen a multitude of anticipated movies finally reach eager audiences. Some turned out to be dull duds.. others were just the right dose of masala for a rather deprived Indian populace... here's my ode to some ...

Om Shanti Om:
Wat a fultoo paisa vasool movie this was! A seasoned Shahrukh Khan (except for the Dard e Disco Fiasco - what's with the 40 year old fake muscles), a refreshing face + decent actress, Deepika Padukone (she has my vote for best female newcomer this year), a song with 31 stars and some of the best music in this year (Vishal Shekhar are superb with this one), OSO is as Bollywood Masala as it comes.

Note: If you don't think you'll sing and dance with glee to the star studded 'Deewangi' song and/or laugh at Shahrukh's quick gun Murugun "Mind it" spoof, then kindly stay home, else you are encouraged to go on and indulge in what may be a sub standard storyline, but is a brilliant masala entertainer! :D

Jab we Met:
Ok so I fell asleep during this one, but that had NOTHING to do with the movie! It was ME not IT. (Drat! I sound like I'm breaking up with the movie - "it's ME - not YOU" style) but I swear, if there's one movie this year I've heard CONSISTENTly good reviews about, it's this one.

Kareena delights in her role of an annoying yet lovable girl and Shahid is controlled and mellow as he slowly succumbs to her positivity and allows his being to be infected by her hopeless optimism.

The music is incredibly "foot-tap-able" (if you see me at work mind-dancing away with a grin on my face, I'm likely listening to 'yeh ishq hai') and an interesting combination of slow and fast numbers.

Breezy and light hearted, Jab We Met is a classic case of under-promising and over-delivering. A must watch for anyone and everyone!

Aaja Nachle:
Madhuri makes a comeback after what - 6 years? And how! She plays her age as a 10 yr old's mom and yet retains every bit of the dancing talent that propelled her into stardom in her Tezaab days.

Kunal Kapoor is yummy! (Penguin will tell you how I jolled over this extremely talented, very promising, 'its sinful to look this good' actor all through the movie - but ignore her will ya?) You really just have to see him (and belong to womankind) to understand .... Sighhhh ...

Konkona Sen is adorable as the bumbling simpleton trying to audition for Laila's role and Ranvir and Vinay are their usual hilarious + poignant selves.

And the music!!! Oh the music!!! And the dance!!! We simply COULD NOT sit still through either the title song or the very hummable "Show me your Jalwa" and although we irritated the life out of the uncles and aunties ahead of us, there really IS no other way to enjoy the music! :D

An out and out Bollywood masala movie with the usual quirks and lapses of logic, this one comes recommended for any Madhuri fan and definitely for any fan of her dancing! Simple story of good vs. evil and no terribly evil characters, this one's perfect for a Friday evening viewing. Go watch!

Coming up:
Taare Zameen Par (Aamir Khan as a teacher to a dyslexic child) and Khoya Khoya Chand (the glamour and glitx of the 70's movie industry with the talented Shiny Ahuja) ...


Bollywood rocks! :D

She made it!!! YAYYYYY!!!! :DDDDD

For context, read post below.

Mom just made it past the interview process and is officially promoted to AGM (Asst Gen Mgr) from a Pvt Secy :D It's such a weird feeling to go through for one day what she went through as we took exams and interviews all these years, but I'm SO SO SO proud of her and SO SO excited and happy for the opportunities that lie ahead :D

Icing on cake: She gets to stay in Bombay with her family and around her friends! :-)

Ma, if you're reading this, you make your family soo proud - in SO many ways! You SO deserved this and I hope you realize that as you say your thanks :-)

Hugs and lots of love from us (even the silly son who refuses to express) :D

P.s: Broom and Nm - thanks for your wishes! :)

Mum's day to be nervous .. Prayers please?

It's an important day for Mom today. She's in an interview as I type this message out.

Mum belongs to the generation of people who stayed in their jobs for 30 odd years and to the generation of women who declined offer after offer at a promotion coz it would mean making a tough choice between either staying away from her children or moving their lives to a new city to accomodate her move.

Only now at the age of 53, when her kids are 20 and 26 respectively is she finally ready to take the plunge that might send her someplace else, secure in the knowledge that me and S can both take care of ourselves in the rare event that she has to go away to another city, and a little more secure in the knowledge that this time they'll probably keep her in Mumbai itself :-)

Only I know how much this means to her. I get most of who I am from amma and I know it's never about the cash increments or the designations themselves (I haven't even bothered to get my business card upgraded after my promo to reflect the new status coz I think its such a waste of money and paper - you get what I mean?). It's usually about the chance to do better/ more interesting work that entails more responsibility and all that. My mum's exactly like that.

And although she's usually the epitome of confidence amidst people of ANY generation, she's been palpably nervous the last 1 week and this interview has been top of mind whenever we speak. And me, I'm nervous as hell too :-) I don't get nervous even for my own interviews, and I'm nervous for her. Not cause I doubt her abilities, but coz I know in her mind, the stakes are pretty high if she doesn't make it and she's going to be very upset and still have to put up a brave front coz people hate seeing her down.

I wish there was anything more I could do, but I know there's not much except to pray. And I'm doing that right now ... do send up a prayer for her if you read this anytime soon :-) Shall be much appreciated :-)

I'll put up what happens by this evening ... yeah, we'll know just that soon :-)

HELP?

Hi all,

Let me just get straight to the point. I did something terribly stupid yesterday and I need any help I can get on how to sort it out.

My bunch of friends from bschool is planning a trip to Cambodia-Malaysia early next year and the most resourceful and efficient of us, (emm.. not me as you will discover soon!) SB, has been managing coordination and skeds on this for the last 2 months now. Finally got around to booking tickets on budget last evening. Asked me to collate details on passport numbers, DOBs etc for the 3 of us travelling from Singapore.

Being the ever eager, trying to chip in, enthu cutlet that I am, I jumped on it. "Yes yes! Leave it to me!" I exclaimed and set out on the assigned task. Since Sha and N were on my floor you'd imagine it'd be a pretty simple exercise. Listen, note and email out to SB. Simple, one would assume.

I sent out what I thought was an easy set of details and then set out on the Fri evening dinner et al and came home to discover an email where N replied to my mail saying "Hi, sorry but one '2' is missing in my passport number" and SB had replied saying "Yeh kya kya karte ho tum log? Ab cancel nahi ho sakta, pad gaya Rs 10000 ka fatka".

I just sat there marvelling at my own stupidity for about 10 minutes. Emotions in abnormally large numbers flowed through my little brain - rage at self, more inadequacy at stupidity and carelessness, entry into official idiotdom (this episode having put me on the brink), impending disaster as a result of my overenthusiasm + lack of attention to detail, sadness at letting down friends and helpnessness at not knowing what to do - being some of them.

Now I'll handle the rest on my own, but I need help with the helplessness.

Everyone, anyone out there - If you've indulged in this stupidity earlier - skipped a numeral in the passport number for online bookings on budget airlines, how did you go about setting it right?

- Did you contact the airline?
- Did you just go to the airport and take a chance?
- Did you cancel (GULP!) the tickets and let the money go?
- Did you pray more often, maybe visit a temple / church/ mosque or 2 (As you can see, I'm at the absolute pits of desperation right now) coz I CAN do that (I may be stupid but I have faith in copious amounts!)

Kindly pour in tips on what might help in this situation and I shall be very very obliged. I shall even go to my favorite temple and throw in a prayer or two for you - a full archanai if you so desire. (Just send me your nakashtram details ok?)

And do not judge. You could've been JUST as stupid ok? Ok who AM I kidding! You couldn't. Go on, judge. But HELP!