Happily Married For 3 Years - Eternally in Love - Forever !! :)

We are told that people stay in love because of chemistry, or because they remain intrigued with each other, because of many kindnesses, because of luck. But part of it has got to be forgiveness and gratefulness.

When you first trust in love only to be deceived later, you probably loose hope of re-living a normal life. But when two such people with the same kind of past experience meet, they both give love a second chance and this time it works! This time its indeed the Forever kind of Love that they each believed existed - that they both believed they deserved - only this time from each other !

Our relationship began with honest confessions and we are both immensely grateful to have found each other. Our's is definitely "Not the Perfect" kind of a relationship - reason enough why the flame still burns and sparks still fly everytime we see each other at the end of the day ! :)

I admire WE as a couple not for the chemistry we share or the way we look together, but for the way we have evolved and changed in each others company. The way we have accommodated each others like's/dislike's willingly. There is no such norm as a Wife's thing or a Husband's thing. If Abhi has made a concious effort to be a great cook and an entertainer, I have made all the efforts to keep the house in order, the finances straight and gelled well with his (our) social circle.

We truly invest in together-times which are strictly our's - be it going on a holiday or just exercising/cooking together. Getting involved in the same activities at the same time is a lot of fun. We truly share a zest for life which I often observe seems to have faded with time with a lot of other couples our age. Each of us has our own set of hobbies which keeps us both engaged for those Me-Times.

We share a lot in common - the habit to keep things strictly organized, to keep the house tidy and spotlessly clean, to keep making changes and innovating our daily lifestyle, celebrating the smallest of occassions in grandeur, finding the satisfaction in giving to loved ones and to the society at large, our love for great food, maintaining a variety in clothing, cherishing the smallest of moments and capturing them on camera, our love for kids, for fitness and exercising, for wining, dining and partying when time strikes.

In these almost 4 yrs that we have known each other and 3 years that we have been married, we unknowingly seem to have grown up to be influenced by each other. Yet we were quite different when it came to handling anger, the way we express ourselves is poles opposite - while I find myself to be the Tell it like it is kindda girl, Abhi is more the diplomatic love all, please all kindda guy. While he is the true Bread Earner, I could be the true Bread Winner for taking care of our investments and personal finances :)

And yes, the road to making even the smallest of Decisions always starts with opposing views by the way and ends with one of us convincing the other but I must say even if one of us does not agree, the other does not go it alone without approval. I never ever thought I would ever depend on my husband for approval from selecting a shade of lipstick to scouting for a home! I get my hubby involved in all things small and big and willingly so ! :)

Celebrating our 3rd Wedding Anniversary, surely warrants a Post. The days ahead may not be the same as the ones behind us. They may be gloomy or may be a lot more challenging than the ones we have seen so far. The key to Eternal Love does not start with complacency or by taking the relationship for granted. We all work to get appraised in our Jobs, or work on looking healthier, likewise, we all need to attach a greater importance to our relationships and work on making them better by the day no matter what the circumstances.

As I once said to Abhi, "You may not be the 1st one I ever loved, but YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE ONLY ONE I WILL LOVE FOREVER !! " Today I say, "Happy Anniversary"!! :)

CHEERS!!
~ sayli :)

Merry Christmas & A Prosperous New 2009 !!! :)

Dear One, 

For we as a Country it's surely been a very challenging year, with the print and electronic media talking about and splashing news of a whole lot of bloodshed all year round, leaving no corner of Our Country appear peacefully safe. Financially too, it's been a watershed, with the Sensex slipping from 17K levels down to 9K levels. Professionally there have been cases where you may have had to settle with unsatisfactory bonus payouts, low raises or even worst - job cuts. 

May be reason enough why I refrain from saying hope it's been a great 2008 for you & your family. Instead, I sincerely wish that 2009 would have a lot of Cheer to add to our lives both Personally & Professionally. 

Thank You so much for even the smallest of things – an un-returnable favor, a simple phone call to wish me luck, a lightning fast reply to my urgent mail, your acknowledgement of my efforts, or just keeping me in your prayers/thoughts – all this truly meant a lot !!

I personally, have a lot of Failures to remember of this year, which I am sure would get wiped away with Brighter Rewards I would earn in the coming year. 

Abhi and Me wish you Great Health, Success in all your Relationships and Prosperity to You and Your Family. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2009!! :) God Bless.

Luv n Luc as always,
- sayli :)

Another Month Went By...

Another month went by.. and this time it passed by even faster than the one before!
By now, I had taken to reading different books, made connections with old pals and colleagues, got a few recommendations on LikedIn and lots of adulation for my albums on Orkut.

Weekends were busy with visits to the local library, the shopping mall, the multiplex and of course the tennis courts. Tennis was slowly becoming a passion, the more we played the more our game improved. We even had an Arab from Jordan who saw our game and told us we had immense potential to play gr8 tennis. He actually walked up after watching us for a couple of minutes and gave us tips on how to serve and play your returns.. We got talking and learnt that he was a businessman who played tennis for at least 3 hrs every day and was on a vacation to the UK to meet his friends.

Abhi and me had started finding a lot of time for each other; be it dining on the terrace or going for long walks, playing tennis or just whiling our time chatting in the park. We were thinking how come we never had dinner on our own terrace in Pune in the more than 2 yrs that we were married and how exhausted we used to be by the time we both got home that we’d doze off on the sofa at times and there were days we hardly shared our day before bedtime..

Now days were different.. However, life in Pune had its own charm and life in Luton has its own. The two aren’t comparable but the bottom line is, we truly were and are making the most of whatever is at hand …

Somewhere at the back of my mind I was constantly telling myself that I needed to make the most of this free time I had, but that disappointment was still setting in, the fact that I was unemployed, the fact that I started my job search only after completing a month here in Luton, the fact that I had been job hunting for a month now and nothing substantial had been achieved.

I was actually avoiding a call back to India fearing I had nothing to say to Dad who was so keen on listening about my progress on the Job front. Mom had already started questioning the fact that if we as a couple had made the right decision in terms of me giving up such a gr8 job and moving to a foreign land. But when you are in Love, one makes adjustments for the other, only then do both of you move forward to pursue your ambitions. Nothing is permanent nor success neither failure. Each of it is a passing phase in Life, how you react to one depends on how fast you flip into the other.

The only person who was certainly making me feel high on life was Anant, my younger brother – he says it’s just a matter of time and you will be back to being your energetic self – a highly self driven motivated professional that you have been for the more than 4 1/2 yrs of your Career.

Sometimes the whole world is rooting for your success and you feel the anxiety to keep up to all their expectations.. that is exactly what I am going through at this point in time… I know for sure that I am of course going to land up a job!

Life has always been a sine wave for most of us I am sure. Thankfully, I have come back strong and fought hard to stay in the positive quadrant for majority of the times in my Life. This is one of those very rare phases when u fear the worst, but this is again the very time when you got to hope for the best, cause you aren’t an ordinary individual !

There is a competency that is unique to you, a persona that you are reputed for, a profile that exactly matches your skill set and a Job that you are best suited for!! As I say always - The BEST is YET to COME – only this time I am hoping it comes sooner than later…

Thanks a million times to all you friends who have been trying to help me out, even in the smallest possible ways…!! Keep the flames burning while I keep hope alive!

And oh yes … Herez Wishing you all, A Very Happy Friendship Day (in advance)!! :)
Lots of Luv,
- sayli ! :)

I am On My Own !

A month ! Yes ! That is how long a time we'v spent in Luton. Long enough for me to explore places as varied as the Grocery/Vegetable Shops, The Shopping Mall, The Doctor, Nearby Parks, The Local Health Club, The Multiplex, The Train Station, Abhi's office, The Office of our Property Consultant, The Bank and my way back home any of the streets withing Luton.

A train journey to Bedford also helped me understand the Maps and figure my way home if I were left alone from some place new. Hopefully, our weekend trip to London would help me get a little more gutsy to travel alone to any interviews that I might have to attend in London.

What still remains to be explored is the Library, The Local Indian Communities and the Temples around if any. Another problem I encounter is the absence of IT Consulting Firms in Luton. I might have to travel South East to get in touch with agencies who might want to put me forward for some suitable requirements.

The clock seems to be ticking faster and I am trying hard to keep pace with time...

I Won the Bet ! :)

SPAIN won ! :) But dint quite enjoy the match as much as we thought we would ! :( Initial 10 mins i was lead into thinking Germany would score since the ball was in the opposite half for most of the time. But i was thankfully proven wrong.

The half time i thought would've got both the teams geared up, but the German's seemed to be playing a lost match! It was as if they came on field without any strategy at all ! And well, i would've enjoyed more if there were some more attempts made by SPAIN to score some more.

1-0 in a EURO CUP final was not an enjoyable score really. I was actually hoping for some extra time and then some penalties and even a sudden death ! Too much haan ! :)

But Cheers to SPAIN !! Afterall they entered the History Books after 44 long years ! :)

Long Live Football ! (or as they call it here - Soccer!)

Lawn Tennis - From Spectators to Players

I never thought Monday evening was going to see Abhi actually buying a Brand New Raquet ! And we hit the Court !! Yep ! Our very 1st attempt at being players of one of our favourite sport. It did make us think like yeah - it seemed a lot easier to be spectators ! But it was a lot of fun and tremendous improvement in within a weeks time ! (Tou today saw me sitting at the sidelines - thanks to this painful sprain in the neck and a stiffness in my upperback). But I enjoyed watching Abhi play a good game with our companions.

We'v missed our chance on getting tickets to the Prestigious Wimbledon, but we make it for sure next year - as spectators ;) :) ofcourse ;) what did u think ;) :)

Jokes apart, tomorrow's the day to watch out for Spain for sure. Abhi however's supporting the Germans :) We would've loved to be one among the huge audience that adds to the thrill of this game !! We would've even loved to watch it on our very own TV with some chilled Beer for Abhi and some Vodka with Sprite for me with nuts, chips and the company of our friends. All of us lying down with cushions and pillows in the ambience of yellow light and gr8 music and witness all the excitment right from the word GO !!!

But, there'z a better plan - A Pool Dinner at our common friend's - that makes it 6 people together chipping in to watch - The 2008 EURO CUP Finals : Germany vs Spain. So lets c who wins the bet - Abhi or Me :) :) I have my fingers crossed.

At the end of it all, I am sure its gonna be a gr8 game to watch ! Happy Watching to you too...

I am sure all the Sports Bars back home in India are gonna be jam packed with some electric atmosphere!!!

Cheers !! [n Go for it SPAIN ! ]

- sayli :)

Oops this was suppose to be a post on Tennis ! ;) :)

Making the Most of Now

Well, I know I resolve way too often. But it kinda keeps me going. So here I go again :

I've been toying with the Idea of wanting to be something more than just a loving wife, a good cook and a health concious human being!

I would want to look at myself as someone who knows how to Swim (I kept telling Abhi that I was a gr8 swimmer till we both jumped in the pool on our Goa Vacation and I started to drown - Mannn... I loved it for one reason - the post drowning experience which was oh so romantic - now cummon.. I ain't need to describe every single thing - each soul has a sense of imagination - put yours to USE! ;) :)

We discovered I had actually forgotten how to Swim :) :) !!! Well they say Swimming n Driving are two things you'll never forget but I just proved the former wrong and am hoping not to prove the other fact wrong as well ! :) ;) )

So .. starting where I left off.. Swimming ! yeah ! I am going to pursuade Hubby Deary to accompany me to Swimming Classes in a nearby club that's exactly between his office and our Home - making it even more convenient for him to Join! ;)

To top it all.. it has a Gym (this is one thing we both religious love and are at it !) a sauna, steam n jacuzzi - so much to keep onself occupied and feeling good.

Therez also a tennis court around here... and nope we aren't gonna start off by making new purchases of rackets rather we borrow them from our gr8 friends here and see how interested this sport manages us to keep ! And if it does catch our fancy - there would be nothing like it !!

Alright not too many things at a time - just one as of now - or should I say [the way Vodafoners do :)] to MAKE THE MOST OF NOW !! :)

Life's Little off Moments :( !!!

Well, its been over 2 months since I took a sabbatical before Abhi n Me landed in UK on the 31st of May'08. Its been quite an experience. I've learned to value free time and not just while it away. There were a couple of things that kept me busy, with Yoga and the Gym taking priority over others! That was a time I had an opportunity to meet up with other full time Home Makers - newly married and even Mothers to new borns.

Each woman in her own way was struggling to come to terms with change. Be it trying to fit into those old trousers or the estacy of weighing even 700 grams lesser - accepting herself the way she was at that point in time always seemed a struggle for her. And I wondered ... are we born to act like this!

Yes - Me Included !! I mean the only reason I took a break from work before shifting base was to do all the things I had ever wanted to and complained of not having enough time to do them while I worked full time. But the truth was - I always had enough time !

I dint have to rush to work or battle traffic jams to get home late at night, was ofcourse, the best part about this little holiday I was having! I always envied full time homemakers. Thinking how much time they have for themselves to rearrange their wardrobe or even exercise or go out for a movie.

But I as a career woman too did enjoy those pleasures - the only difference being - enjoyment became a need rather than a luxury. And rightly so, I do not value the experience of going for a movie now, as much as I did when I'd go for a movie on a Friday night after a week of hard work at office. It was like this rewarding and a truly enjoyable experience. Now it is more of - ya I am going for a movie kind of a thing...

I craved for a holiday outing once every quarter and no it din't have to be an expensive place far away from home. But even a weekend away to some place nice would have me ticking till our next vacation ! Now, every day seems like a holiday - I hate That !! I don't have the urge to plan on our next vacation together - cause I am not occupied with work or neither do I feel stressed out to desparately want a holiday!

However, I still have people telling me - "Its Summers !! the best time to be here ! Njoy yourself to the fullest - you'll never get this time back !" But the truth is, I feel I don't deserve to njoy in the presence of an absolute absence of occupation !!!

I do not know what sets me apart from the rest of my girl friends who are having a jolly good time being full time homemakers for years on end - be it India or Abroad! But well, I think God Made me a lil different ! And now, I hope even he realises this and helps me find some work to do !!

Well one thing is for sure - no sabbaticals for me anymore !! "Work + Sayli A. Yadav" would be together till Death Does us Part !!

Doing up our Apartment - So what if it's Rented !

Abhi booked this apartment a month in advance before we shifted base to UK. 5th of June was when we had a look at it together for the 1st time. He was pretty apprehensive but I trusted him completely and knew that whatever he chose was a place we would love to call home for a long time to come! And I was right! [In spite of the state in which it was handed over to us.]

A place not vacuumed, with adult magazines lying below the bed, the oven all greasy, the sofas breathing dust, the store full of used clothes that weren't disposed off correctly - we had a lot to be furious about!! And rightly so - WE WERE! A curt mail was written to the property consultant and our disappointment conveyed loudly – thankfully post which, our concerns looked after!

None of that stopped us from making this apartment wear a character of our own! A reflection of a clutter free, elegance loving couple [Living in a bright 5th Floor 2BHK apartment just 5 mins from the Luton Town Centre]. Yes that's what we made it out to be :)

When we moved in on the 6th of June we decided on a budget to revamp this furnished apartment that came with a bed, mattress, 5 drawer chest, and a closet in each of the 2 Bedrooms. A 3 seater sofa with 2 sofa chairs and a centre table in the Living Room. A Cooking Range, a washing machine, a King Size Refrigerator and well fitted cabinets enough to stack up everything needed in a Maharashtrian Kitchen.

We chose the Bedroom on the left of the entrance door - we moved both the closets in here - 1 belonged to Abhi and the other to Me [Well, like every other couple, we too cannot dream of sharing wardrobes :) we both need lots of place and while he loves to keep his Formals tidy I love to keep my Accessories in place and putting all that into 1 closet would make us go to War! :) So these are strictly separate territories] along with 1 piece of the 5 drawer chest of which 3 belong to the Lady for all the right reasons :) and 2 to the Gentleman.
Separating our closets in the middle are our laundry bags 1 each - [nope not for him n me but] 1 for the ‘Washed n Ready to Wear’ and 1 for the 'To Be Washed' clothes.

We bought a brand new quilt and pillows along with covers for the duvet, pillows and the bed. The colour scheme chosen was beige n chocolate brown. We had the ‘Old White Plastic Office like’ blinders removed and replaced with the ones we bought from Wilkinson. A brown Bamboo Blinder with satin brown runners vertically lined on the sides.

The two Yellow Lights in the room in a light lime yellow and the lightest olive make this room wear a warm and cosy look for the evening. The morning feels all bright and lit up with the natural sunlight that comes in with the blinder rolled up.

You walk along the hallway and to your right is the door which opens to our shoe rack picked up from Argos and assembled by Abhi. This is a small store which houses the electric equipment for the room heaters (you do not understandably have fans here :)). Next to this is another small store which houses the Water Heater and has shelves which thankfully were preassembled which house our luggage bags, our grocery shopping trolley, the broom and other cleaning equipment. Right next to this and to the front of the bedroom door is the bathroom. This is done up in muted shades of the lightest brown and whites with 1 inch dark brown square tiles fitted as separators above the Bath Tub.

Just above the sink is a Large Mirror fitted probably with a myth that there aren't any short human beings alive!! YES!! I can't reach up to this Mirror!! Making this completely useless cause I am the one who needed it the most and therez no single Full Length Mirror in this Apartment! Well ya - this isn't our very own Pune Bedroom/House customized to fit ALL our needs, so be it!

Well that apart, we made this as self sufficient as possible with 2 small buckets (oh Yes a Mug as well) a small bin, 2 cane storage baskets wherein we'v neatly stacked up all our toiletries, a toilet and a bath mat picked up from Lifestyle in Bury Park and a hand towel hanger to the left of the sink.

To the left of the bathroom is the Living and to its Left is the 2nd Bedroom converted to our Pooja Room - this indeed is the most pious of all places in the house. Just before you enter the Bedroom or the Living Room the doors of which are in an L shape, you have the 2nd 5 drawer chest that hosts my Yoga Mat, Stationery, Mails, CD's etc...

As you enter the Living Room, you are greeted by a small bookshelf to the right and a C Shaped Arrangement of the Sofa and the Sofa Chairs to form the perfect conversational space. To the left corner of the room is where the TV would be and to the right would be the 4 seater Dining Table to be ordered again from Wilkinsons. The kitchen is open to the hall and is again C shaped with the refrigerator to the left [and next to the still to come Dining Table] and the Cooking Range in the centre. To the right is the Sink and there are the overhead cabinets along each side of the chimney which is installed exactly in the centre of the kitchen.

The cabinets are done up in Pine Coloured Wooden finish to match the flooring of the entire house. Diagonally opposite to the kitchen and to the left side of the Living Room is a white washed Door that opens to the tiny Gallery which gives you the view of the Neon’s of Luton by the night and the landscapes peeping between the well laid out housing colonies and taller commercial complexes around Luton.

The chair exactly opposite to this door is my favourite place in the house. This is where I enjoy my morning and evening cuppa tea - the beautiful view is truly a treat to the Eyes and definitely the most stress reliving experience - tou I am currently living a stress free life ;) :)

On getting out of the hall to your right is the Guest Bedroom. As you enter it you are greeted to the brightest room in the house with two huge white washed transparent glassed windows dressed up with pine coloured bamboo roll ups.

Along the right hand side corner is what we call in Marathi - the Devara (mandir). A tiny Chauranga done up with Meena Work and covered with the traditional Red Cloth - on it sit our Idols - Swami Samartha on the Left, The Annapurna Devi on the Right, to the Centre is Lord Ganesha, to its right is Lord BalKrishna, to its left is Godess Lakshmi. Below the chauranga to the centre is a small beautiful photograph of Lord Tirupati Balaji. In the front is the "Aum". On its either sides are the Utbatti [essence stick] stand and the Niranjan or the oil Diya. Then there is the Ghanti and the Haldi Kunkum on the either side and the two small Niranjans (Tupache Dive). To add to the beauty of this corner is the most stunning Oval Shaped Photograph of Lord BalKrishna with his 108 names each printed on a Peacock Feather. This truly is one of the most beautiful pictures of any Lord I've seen till date!

This apartment isn't carpeted and that is indeed the best part of this house giving it a clean, spacious and an inviting look. The yellow lights in each of the rooms and the hallway lent it a perfect ambience of a home you would love to come back to!

So if you're a part of our friend circle and visit the UK, do drop in J we'd love to treat you to authentic Maharashtrian Food [and some great view of this city that is visible from each of the rooms in this house.] Both Abhi and Me have been finding plenty of time to cook together - one of the reasons I've been relishing food even more :).

Let the Good Times Roll… :):)
Cheers !!!
Lotsa Luv
- sayli :)

'There are times when...' and they are coming my way....

There are times when you think too much into the future.. that's exactly what i've been doing today.. It's just that I am thinking of how life would be barely 12 days from now...

Hopefully all the great times will continue to roll and my belief of "the best is yet to come" will remain as strong as ever!

And the only thing that would remain constant would be the fact that I would come back and write a post about how I feel stepping into the future - that is surely greeting me with the newest of challenges :)

I am sure its all worth the change and even if it ain't I am sure Abhi and Me together would make it seem all worthwhile!

Cheers!!
~ sayli

This Day - That Year in 2005! :)

The day was Sunday - The Time 10 AM. An unusual Sunday considering I had got up well before my usual Sunday wake up time of 9:30 – 10 AM. The purpose was clear. We had a family coming down to visit us and assess if we could strike our relations for the long term.

I was my usual self – hair nicely shampooed and neatly left open, my favorite Fast Track watch on the left palm, a single bangle in the right, a simple gold chain bearing the unique ‘S’ pendant, a crisply ironed cotton dress – only I was carrying the dupatta this time in spite of it being a conservatively measured neck with a Stand collar and absolutely no trace of makeup other than a lip balm.

Dad was busy organizing the logistics – the Boy's Dad would sit here. The Boy would sit on this chair and you sit exactly opposite to him. Mom would be in this corner and I would sit beside his Dad with his Mother sitting beside you. :)

And all this seemed so very funny – I even remember asking if he is going to command them to sit where their seats were planned and he said of course not but I would definitely guide them. And I thought in my mind what a waste this exercise was!

My brother Anant, assuming that this is going to be just another family which my Sis isn’t gonna approve of had already left to meet his friends for the supposed project work that they had taken up! [I had disapproved of two other proposals that my parents short listed].

The clock struck 10, when seconds later the door bell rang - the family is here – SHARP at 10!! While we @home were prepared with all that was to be served and in place, our extended family was still to come. The Boy’s Family was welcomed home – I don’t know who came in 1st cause I was in the kitchen and wasn’t supposed to come out till commanded :) They were 5 of them – The Boy, his Parents and his Aunt and Uncle and we shortly after were 3 families from our side – Mom n Dad, Aunt and Uncle [both Maternal and Paternal] and me.

So it was 5 People to see the girl and 7 to see the Boy! Maan the place was crowded and amongst this crowd I was suppose to figure out if this Boy was indeed my dream match! I however had it easier since I was rehearsing this for the 3rd time. For him though it was his 1st time [and he hoped post meeting that it was his last as well! :) ]

Shortly after when the Poha, was finally to be served amongst several other things I picked up the tray and told Mom I am Going to serve this! Mom was shocked – its too early for you to make an appearance – I said I don’t care!! I am going! And in my usually fast pace Out I GO! My Mom by then had probably almost collapsed :).

Well the Boy dint have the guts to look up but his Dad introduced me to him [I was wondering that like my Dad, he too had his actions well pre planned :) ] I said “Hi!” and he was astonished “Is this the Girl, or is there someone still waiting in there” ***

And so now that I was there, seated right in front of him as planned, I was being variedly questioned. The talkative and extrovert soul that I am, I spilled it all in one go :) and
slowly, so did the Boy – not once did he look at me! When the Father figures asked us had I anything more to ask I said: "No he summarized things very well". My Dad however, was uncomfortable with that and so was the Boy. He said he would like to have a moment in person and I was quite speechless – my heart skipped a beat!

So when we were given privacy, he was casually discussing a lot of other things only to find me not responding as vivaciously. So he said “its fine if you are short of things to say or are not in a mood to talk – maybe you could call me up or email me and we could talk at ease when you wished to – and he handed me his Business Card” I thought wow how considerate – I should be humble enough and play a good host!

That kind of eased me out and then I got talking. I do not know how, but he had managed to get the 3 most important things out of my mind and they were - that I dint have the intentions of retiring doing technology, that I wanted to pursue a Masters Degree but what I would specialize in was something I needed help in figuring out and that if I was faced with an impending situation where I would have to choose a career and family I’d always choose the later.

And while he agreed that the moment he saw me in the snap he found himself looking at a girl who had a warm and loving look, that he would love to come back to, after a hard day of work, his decision to marry me was reaffirmed only after he had learnt the above things. The only thing not clear to him was whether I was going to approve of him.

What I had learnt from him was, he always wanted his wife to keep herself occupied - that dint necessarily mean that she is compelled to work. To put her skills and education to good use. And it was perfectly fine if she dint know how to cook.

Before we parted, there was no handshake, no “nice meeting you nothing”! We just exchanged smiles. It was close to Noon when both the families exchanged pleasantries and were guided downstairs accompanied by my Parents and Uncle. The ball was in our court and we were asked to communicate my decision.

Everyone came upstairs to ask me what I thought and I said: “He is the best out of the ones I met till date”. My Dad continued to complete “... and he is the BEST we have for you” [after going through a painful search process of a couple of months scanning 50 odd profiles and filtering just 3 that matched my requirements]

It was this day April 3rd 3 years back - the day I met Abhi for the 1st time.

As someone rightly said : “There is someone made for each one” and that one for me was always Abhi… :)

Luv as always
- sayli :)

3 days later [when Abhi had refused to see any other girl till I responded, and on the 3rd day, while he was in the middle of a clean shave, and was thinking of starting afresh on his Bride Hunt, my Dad called up to convey a YES !! :) ] While the rest is history in itself, I am convinced each day, that Life couldn’t be any Better!!

*** Later on I learnt that when the daughters of the Yadav family had guys coming over to see them, they would always be presentably dressed up in a zari bordered saree, jwellery and make up and would make a late appearance – always, only when they were asked to. The exact opposite of what I did and was hence perceived by Aai - Baba as bubbly, original self, open minded and easy to get along with!

To Do - Marked as "Is Done"! :)

So finally! I am Back! and this time feeling a lot lighter! :) with almost all of my tasks marked finished I am all set to let my hair down and have some fun!

Very soon I would be back to my old habit of mass mailing :) Nope I don't spam and neither do I ever forward. Its always to stop by and say a hi and get in touch with people who are special for me.

So have fun till you get my personal note of "hi" and an update about stuff really moving me right now..

luv as always
~sayli :)

Do you carry the ROCKING DJ REMIX Effect ! ;) :)

Instead of starting out afresh on a Monday Morning in school/college/at work you'd rather bunk and go on a long drive away from the noisy city...

If you are human you'd have these feelings atleast once in a bluemoon..and just when you feel this way you have Radio Mirchi playing "Khwaja mere Khawja from Jodha Akbar" so it makes the feeling even worse!

So what do you do.. well.. dig into tht CD Case and hunt for this [otherwise seems wierd to listen] ROCKING DJ REMIX featuring "Pardesia"! :)

and play this on full volume [with the car windows drawn up ofcourse] to accompany your hubby deary in doing the famous step! (you feel like: Yea Boy! We Rock! Totally!!)

It leaves you feeling so much younger at heart and excited about having to start a gr8 work week!! ;) Sometimes, doing weird things lights up your day - Instantly!

B'Bye to the 'Monday Morning Syndrome!' :);)
Keep Rocking!! :)
~ sayli :)

Happy Valentines .... !! :)

What do you give a MAN who has everything?? Everything that sweeps me off my feet!! That makes me blush n smile and look crazy in a crowd of strangers! Everything that has found its way in my heart and engraved those memories in words of gold! Abhi is My Man who has everything! :)

Yesterday, I thought, today was going to be an ordinary Valentines Day .. Abhis appointment book for today was full… I was probably thinking we may not be able to make it for a dinner together … I had had a long day after having being treated to an exhaustive Induction program that had made me breathe IBM… literally !! :)

I was drop dead tired … fast asleep by midnight and I was disturbed by a voice that said "saaay"
My eyes opened to the light of candles and a curious face wishing me "Happy Valentines !! :) " :) Abhi sat there holding the cake and I realized oh Yes! Valentines it is indeed !! :) When he handed me the card that read With all my Love – Just for You I felt wow !! (hez always managed to find cards better than I could) :)

He handed me a beautiful bag and out comes the Little Black Dress with beautiful earrings to match !! :) Now this is a feeling LEO’s love to have !!! I was being pampered :) and I could’ve loved for time to just stand still!! But good that it dint, cause Valentines Morning had me even more surprised!

Abhi was off to office early and I was left to pack my lunch at the kitchen platform when the door bell rang.. Baba willingly answered it to bring in a Bouquet of Red Roses !! I turned to face Baba when he said "Sayli"; seeing my Jaw drop at the sight of the red roses baba just said one word "Abhi" and I blushed !! I called him to tell him he is crazy !! :) and I continued repeating that in my mind… wasn’t it a perfect start to the day !!…

Now its my turn to reveal what I had hidden in my office drawer since Tuesday afternoon ! :)
I am heading for a dinner date with hubby deary!! :) and I too have a surprise for him!! :)

As for the rest of you … whether or not cupid’s struck already – May u find Love and Fulfillment in all your Relationships ! :)

Happy Valentines !! :)
~ sayli :)

Another Day - Another Chapter !

Its another weekday… the City’s woken up to those morning rush hours …cutting through painful traffic jams and signals which are thankfully followed!
You reach Metropolitan and if you’re one among those bike riders you probably are queued up in a massive line to get into a lift that carries you to the terrace parking …the car commuters however, have it easier …

For one who is fitness conscious you probably take the stairs, else you just wait to get into the lift to hit the button to floor 3. A swipe of the card and you are greeted to an environment full of activity! A central hallway with cubicles on either side with soft boards in colors as varied as red to green, (except pink which was bid goodbye and saw its sunset with the brand hutch) the usual sound of the keyboard and the mouse clicks, some highly audible conversations over the phone, a wodden floored LOUNGE AREA, overlooking a grandeur view of the hills and towers alike - hosting a couple of guys catching up on the newspapers (thanks to no internet access) another couple lined up outside the net café (a glass partition with two PCs running internet catering to a strength of 130 odd people on a floor), a fair amount of activity near the vending machine, all conference rooms which seem to be overflowing with the likes of Technical Gurus, IT Architects, SMEs and the Variants !! That’s the Vodafone IT office for you!

A stark contrast to the Tech Park One (TPO – C building), floor one which houses a chunk of IBMers in Pune. A massive breathing space, spacious cubicles, carpets done up in stone grey, interiors done up in muted colors like beige, grey and white, people just plugging in their laptops and catching up on news, personal email, social/professional networking sites, logging onto SameTime, w3 (which is like the life line of every IBMer), checking emails on lotus notes..

The pantry wears a deserted look and the only thing that looks colorful, are the two red dustbins with “Wet Garbage” and “Dry Garbage” tagged onto them (it always makes me wonder if it made any sense at all to have two separate bins since each soul in the pantry generally walks in either to drink water or have coffee/tea which makes it both Wet Garbage - God knows what goes into the dry garbage bin, but I do see it full!) lots of conference rooms lined up on one side on the floor with each requiring you to book them in advance - this is IBM for you !

Its been exactly a week since I shifted to the TPO office and 2 days since I started shuttling between Vodafone and IBM offices. So I guess its reason enough for me to come to terms with the stark contrast in atmospheres. Just as I have my own time getting used to different working styles, I am also welcomed to a newer culture - whether one is better than the other is truly not a question - but how well you adapt yourself to both simultaneously, is something worth sparing a thought for - cause after all when you switch roles from being The CLIENT to being A VENDOR, it’s a lot more than just office space and privileges than change!! The only thing that remains unchanged however, is the fact that U DELIVER - client or vendor / slowdown or no slowdown!

Good Luc to one and all. My heart goes out to all the fresher [who got laid off by the likes of TCS and IBM] with the hope that they find better things to do in life. As for the more fortunate like us, may the thirst for exploring an alternative lucrative profession take us to the next [not so insecure] level!!

luv n luc as always
- sayli..

That "Early Sunday Morning" is what I am Waiting For !

Have u ever felt tears rolling down your eyes and you heart sinking with every word you typed..
that’s how I feel since Abhi left for his week long business trip after a gap of 2 long months …

it was diappointing… seeing his itenary in my mailbox…
then watching him pack up while I just made sure hez carried his thermal wear … a book to read and whatever else I can think of at that sad point of time…

I just detest the feeling I have when we climb down the stairs and I walk slowly behind him wishing so much that he doesn’t go…
but just as I get to the gate I see the car waiting and walk up reluctantly to leave his bags and hug him in the hope that these 8 days fly by within no time …
finally I see him wave me good bye … and the moment I turn my back my step feels so heavy and my heart bleeds in loneliness...

Teary Eyed i am but i keep myself from crying and tell myself to get on with life…
Afterall its just a matter of a few days instead of thinking it’s a long week …
Sunddenly the entire house seems so empty … nothing makes sense ..

and you wish so much that you could tread along with him .. even inspite of knowing you too have a job to do and cannot be accompanying your husband whose itenary reads like 7 cities 3 countries in 8 days …

I thought I had enough of trying to play a brave heart when I am actually not one …
but I still try to picture the morning when Abhi would be here.. just to lift my spirits…

when his flight lands at the Mumbai airport and he makes his 1st brief call to say “ I am back !!“ :) then I wait for him to get out of the plane, finish collecting his luggage and take to the expressway …he stops by to grab a bite and calls me to inform me of the time he would be home..

I am still half asleep … and then therez that noise of those wheels when he drags his luggage and holds a bag of chocolates … as I instantly jump out of bed to look down from the window … :)
then proceed to switch on the geyser for a hot shower he has …just in time to hear my mobile ring again and then my heart starts racing when he says “I am here” … :)

I rush to the door to hug him tight after a gap of a long 8 days that seemed like weeks on end …
he stands there leaving aside his luggage to hold me in his arms smiling and kissing me on the forehead …as if trying to tell me “I am here … never to go back leaving you alone .. ”
that is the “Early Sunday Morning” I am waiting for …

- sayli..

An Action Packed 2007!!

Composed On December 11th 2007

It's been one helluva year, and I have been on both sides of the fence… 1st to have made a self decided transition from an IT services [Satyam] to a Telecom company [Hutch in April 2007]. Then to have witnessed the Merger & Acquisition Deal of Hutch by the worlds biggest telecom company - Vodafone [September 2007] and now I would be on the payrolls of IBM starting JAN 1st 2008 as a result of the Strategic IT Outsourcing Deal between Vodafone & IBM India !! [the offer letters were issued to us by IBM today morning]

Satyam Hutch Vodafone IBM – All Brands in themselves… and I feel truly proud of having been associated with them however brief my period … only to realize that as companies start out they strive to be self sufficient by owning all the processes that are key to achieving the conviction of their clients. As a result of which they develop practices, applications, and models that grow in-house.

However, once a company is on the fast track there is always this pressure to innovate, the pressure to surpass your competition, to forecast the most crucial problems that may be prove to be roadblocks to growth a few years from now..

That's why there arises a need to identify specialists that have an edge over you in carrying out certain functions of the organization that may in turn help your business to be profitable… It then starts scouting for the probable candidates who have proven expertise in respective operations … and then the IT, call centre, telecom network setups, infrastructure, etc are outsourced to leading players… That's how the company maintains its attention on its core business – of acquiring and retaining subscribers in its network.

Well u are probably thinking that you don't have to go through the psychological ordeal nor financial pleasure of being migrated to organizations to understand this simple logic…dint u ?? :)

But I thought how about applying this practice back home as well ..

Delegate, distribute, outsource work and focus on enriching quality relationships to live a stress free life ! Sounds like magic truly ! But it aint easy, especially when responsibilities are on a rise and the time to fulfill them just doesn't seem to extend.. Every time the quarter ends and companies announce results and talk to the press proudly about YoY growth, Profits, PE ratios, Valuations etc.. I think to myself why we as individuals can't have certain north stars for ourselves… something as simple as maybe a visit to a wildlife sanctuary or learning to jive ! or something as complex as building a physical asset for yourselves !

Why is it that KPA's, KPI's, sales targets, deadlines, corporate presentations, quarterly circle meets, annual organizational events are taken very seriously.. whereas procrastination is always the practice when it comes to tasks back home… you always think maybe next Monday would be a good day to start exercising… maybe next month is ideal for a picnic … I would probably learn to bake great cakes before our next anniversary… !!

"Delay" is the word when it comes to personal interests…

So while I sit pretty thinking and being pleased about having remembered bdays/anniversaries of near n dear ones, completed a certification, improved on my culinary skills in the kitchen, learnt to take time off to read the newspapers, made time to take care of my skin n nails, spent countless pleasurable moments with abhi, met expectations of my in laws parents n relatives, kept in touch with friends …

I realize I have a bigger & a brighter North Star to meet in every quarter of 2008 - Personally & Professionally!!

– signing off [a Vodafoner now an IBMer next]
~ sayli :)

..and the world set It's Eyes on INDIA !!

"What is important Is, whether you have The Desire, Strong Enough to Prevent the Odds from Overwhelming You " said Mr. Ratan Tata in reply to what enabled him to cut down costs, meet the safety challenge and score over the entire global auto industry - as he unveiled the World's cheapest Car on JAN 10th 2008!

Certainly! I thought, as I went 20 years back in time when my DAD sold off his Yezdi, to buy a Kinetic that was an amiable choice for a family of four. It would accommodate me standing in the front, Dad driving, Anant sitting in the middle and Mom cautiously holding onto him. We had some extremely fun times moving around on this wonder, which still is a priced possession in the Family - attached with an emotional value and hence was passed from Dad to Me then to Anant and now to my cousin Anuja studying her engineering …

Fortunately a lot changed for us as a family since then…

Dads 1st car was a second hand Premier Padmini, the 2nd - a second hand Maruti Omni, the 3rd - could have been a Santro but he cancelled his booking for INDIA's 1st manufactured car of its own – a small hatchback – A Brand New Indica! We all loved it for its Fuel Efficiency and the Space! He kept retiring his old Indica's till he recently bought the 3 rd one in a row - the Turbo Diesel V2. He surely is a devoted customer of The Tata's Car.

But a majority of Indian families were still unable to own even the cheapest car on the roads and enjoy those long drives to go waterfall watching in the heavy moonsoons - or that small drive together on chilled winter nights to have chai by the roadside dhabha - or even a ride to the closest hill station on bright sunny days … and it is for these very families – not exactly at the bottom of the pyramid not really middle class - that Mr. Tata conceived a Dream of a safe, affordable all weather form of transport - The PEOPLEs CAR !!

And it surely did make heads turn when someone like Mr. Tata, who had only a 10 year history of MAKING CARS, decided to serve a billion people who are at the cusp of an explosive consumption growth by making a car they could afford, instead of waiting for this class to become affluent enough to consume western style goods that are at present quite unaffordable!

Abhi was in Delhi for a couple of meetings and got a chance to catch a glimpse of the NANO and he told me over the Phone .. "Just by the looks of it I loved it ! Beautifully styled - a car in just $ 3000! I feel a sense of pride to see the world media turn their attention to India who has never had a history as strong as theirs in automobile manufacturing.."

Tata's decision to go in for a fully locally built product followed by tractor maker M&M's success with Scorpio - a SUV developed domestically has had a profound impact in the way the global auto industry has come to view India. "There's a good chance of India becoming a world wide production centre for mini and small cars for which there is a big domestic market potential in Europe, Japan, South East Asia and Africa, if the Nano catches the fancy of customers from Thailand Turkey to Nigeria just as it has of the global media" KPMG said.

As someone rightly said - The world is changing. The Bucknors, Whites [CEO of Orient Express, Paul White who refused an association with the Taj ], and Suzukis don't know it yet, but they could find out the hard way. Just as our politicians found out the sheer power of numbers of previously downtrodden people. In the coming year 2008 and beyond, you may not be able to run a finance company without Chinese money, you may not be able to run a luxury hotel without the Asian service, you may not be able to win any election without the votes of those you abused.

My Salute to the Ambani's, Tata's, Mittal's and numerous other Indian Industrialists who keep generating employment for the needy, Realizing their Dream for a Developed India, Keeping Hope Alive for the "trying to make ends meet" commoner and doing their bit to bring a smile on each of our Faces…

- an Idea can change lives ! Dream On…
~ sayli :)

P.S: Time dint allow me to Wish you a Happy New Year till the NANO had my heart feeling Proud and my fingers pounding the keyboard for the 1 st time in 2008!

So for those whom I missed wishing – HEREZ wishing you a Successful, Healthy, Happy & A Prosperous New 2008!

Keep in Touch!

An Inaugural Article - From a Naïve Blogger

Ravi (Abhi's long time close friend) was to get married and travel to settle down in the US for a couple of years. It was for him that we ENTHUS (name of Abhi's Gang of Friends) reunited on the evening of Jan 16th. I was going to remember this evening for many reasons more – one of them being, the words of praise that I had received, from everyone gathered for dinner that evening, for the emails I had authored.

The next day in office, I had the time and the chance to check my Gmail, when I found a mail from Mukta (our association goes back to the Engineering days in PICT and school days in St. Joseph's Pashan), thanking me for an article I had written – “Time Savers for the Responsible Homemaker”. She had contributed it on my behalf in her Project’s Monthly Magazine in Sungard Named: Fun @ Desk [FAD]. Mukta was also the very first person to suggest that I start Blogging.

After persistence from DAD, Abhi, BABA & close friends of mine, who are ardent readers of my emails, I have finally signed on.

On days you have the urge, you have the time, what you do not have however, is access to resources at that point in time. This is exactly what has kept me away from starting a Blog.

While i intend to write on newer topics, a lot of the Posts here, to begin with, would be Emails I have authored as and when I was Influenced by People, Inspired by Events or Delved upon Thoughts.

So here is a peek into my Perspective of the Not So Ordinary Things in Life.

In the hope of making both - Reading & Writing a Pleasure…

Signing off for now,
~ sayli