BRITISH AIRWAYS

I am in Seattle for last one week. I was feeling so much of jet lag that didnt feel like doing anything.
When I was coming here I had one hour and twenty minutes time at London to connecting flight and I was flying BA and there they were making so long queues that it was impossible to reach. I asked many attendants that they may allow me to come forward in the queue, as I have a connecting flight, but they were totally indifferent to my plight..so much so that I almost missed my flight, when I reached at the boarding gate..running..huffing puffing, they said its closed, then I requested, shouted ..did everything and got in..but it was a bad experience..it was simply bad management of crowds and BA has economised too much on in flight food also..so I wouldnt recommend them at all...If the same thing had happened in India, everyone would have blasted them and termed incompetent and what not.

More I live outside, more I value my country, my people.

Here one day my daughter made some roasted potatoes and some more dish and we went to give it in a shelter for women affected by domestic violence..its in downtown Seattle..and they try to keep the address a secret for fear of husbands whose wives take shelter there..it was pathetic to see such conditions in a developed country.

 we went to see Peekay in a mainstream cinema hall and got the tickets first day and hall was empty..almost..except for 20.30 people.I was surprised.But the movie is excellent,dialogues, direction and Amir Khan..they have made it so well.

We had a buffet lunch in Taj Palace..and food was excellent in just 10 dollars per person..we dont get the same quality even in India for this amount.

more later:)

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

TAG

somebody gave  this tag long back, I am putting it now:)

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink.....never been to a Bar, once we went to a restaurant in nagpur and there many have Bars..but the receptionist ..as soon as he saw me..said..mam it is not for family:), may be i look like that:)


02. Swam with dolphins ...dont know swimming:(

03. Climbed a mountain ....not as a climber, but going to vaishno devi is also a climbing of a type i think:)

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive------never

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid ...:(

06. Held a tarantula -....ugh

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone -

08. Said “I love you” and meant it whatever i say..I always mean it, whether sorry or love

09. Hugged a tree - absolutely!

10. Bungee jumped - No, I am a Darpok:)

11. Visited Paris - yeah:)

12. Watched a lightning storm at sea---No

13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise Seen the sunrise at many places..like tiger hill darjeeling,kanyakumari etc

14. Seen the Northern Lights - what is that?

15. Gone to a huge sports game - not a sports person at all:(

16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa - yessss:), even when we went to the Eiffel tower..we went to the top which is not open to visitors now ..a days:)

!17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables...Yes, I had a beautiful kitchen garden in Kharagpur, i grew Okra, tomato, brinjal etc.

18. Touched an iceberg No:(

:P19. Slept under the stars - In our childhood in summer, we used to sleep on the terrace under the stars:)

20. Changed a baby’s diaper -- all the time:)

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon ....No

22. Watched a meteor shower..No

23. Gotten drunk on champagne - No

24. Given more than you can afford to charity - I never feel that one can ever give more...we give only what we have

. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope ---yes

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment ..many times,when I was in college ,in class,and many other times also:)

27. Had a food fight - never, my whole family is famous for giving, if any of my loved ones like anything..I would give my share evn and never even say that, would say..I dont like it, thats the way we are ...all my siblings and me.

28. Bet on a winning horse...never been to a race course:(

29. Asked out a stranger - Not that way, though love talking to strangers:)

30. Had a snowball fight when i first saw the snow, i was a grown up:(

31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can - cant scream at all, cant even shout:)

32. Held a lamb ----scared of touching any animal:(

33. Seen a total eclipse...thinks so.

34. Ridden a roller coaster - yes

35. Hit a home run...

36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking... No, always too worried about onlookers:)

37. Adopted an accent for an entire day ..never needed to

38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment - I am always happy

39. Had two hard drives for your computer---never

40. Visited all 50 states .....no

!41. Taken care of someone who was drunk - yes:), but didnt doo anything, just asked him to go to sleep pronto:)

42. Had amazing friends - still have.

43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country - No

44. Watched whales ----yes in Shamu show in Seaworld:)

45. Stolen a sign..... could never steel anything:

P46. Backpacked in Europe - seen the Europe, but not backpacking.

47. Taken a road-trip - Of course Many!!

48. Gone rock climbing...No

49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach - No

50. Gone sky diving ..no

51. Visited Ireland---No

52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love - Yeh love kya hota ha:)

53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them - .No

54. Visited Japan...No

55. Milked a cow..No

56. Alphabetized your CDs - I always like evrything organised properly.

57. Pretended to be a superhero - No, but for all children their mom is super:)

58. Sung karaoke - No,would like to

59. Lounged around in bed all day - sometimes:)

60. Played touch football..no

61. Gone scuba diving - NO

62. Kissed in the rain -

63. Played in the mud - in my childhood and now with my grandson:)

 64. Played in the rain - loved it!

65. Gone to a drive-in theatre -no, seeing the movie like that doesnt apeal me..

 66. Visited the Great Wall of China..no

67. Started a business..yes and was very succesful too

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken- what is that:)

69. Toured ancient sites - Yes in Rome..

70. Taken a martial arts class..no

71. Played D&amp

72. Gotten married -haha..yes yes..

73. Been in a movie - no

 74. Crashed a party -too prim and propah for that

75. Gotten divorced..divorce is not in my dictionery

76. Gone without food for 5 days - Not exactly..though we keep fast during Navratri for 8 days..

77. Made cookies from scratch - yes many times

78. Won first prize in a costume contest - not costume, but I won a prize for best dressed woman once..

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice...yes

80. Gotten a tattoo - No..scared but like them..

81. Rafted the Snake River..no

82. Been on a television news program as an “expert” - NO

 83. Gotten flowers for no reason - sometimes..MY dear hubby used to bring it..

84. Performed on stage - yes in school days then,in social clubs

85. Been to Las Vegas..yes and enjoyed it very much.

86. Recorded music - No

87. Eaten Shark..ugh!

88. Kissed on the first date - what is date:)

89. Gone to Thailand..No

90. Bought a house..yes

91. Been in a combat zone..No

92. Buried one/both of your parents..Yes

93. Been on a cruise ship - been on a ship..

!94. Spoken more than one language fluently - English,Hindi

95. Performed in Rocky Horror ...What is that?

96. Raised children..yes two beautiful ones:)

97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour..Never

98. Passed out cold...no

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country - idont know cycling.

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over - shifted countries to start afresh...I have changed many cities..

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge..No

102. Sang loudly in the car - Never

 103. Had plastic surgery..would never do

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived -no

105. Wrote articles for a large publication - No..just got prizes for some letters.

106. Lost over 100 pounds - cant loose a single pound:(

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback..no

108. Piloted an airplane..no

109. Touched a stingray -..no

110. Broken someone’s heart -unknowingly i dont know, but knowing i would nevr do..

111. Helped an animal give birth..no

112. Won money on a TV game show..no

113. Broken a bone - ..Never

114. Gone on an African photo safari..Nobut on my bucket list.

115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears - nose! but not anymore..

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol..no

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild..I dont like mushrooms.

118. Ridden a horse - yes in Nainital:)

119. Had major surgery - yes

120. Had a snake as a pet....I am very scared of them.

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon....NO..just saw it from the top..

122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period - never

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States - yes..

124. Visited all 7 continents..no

125. Taken a canoe trip..cant ,scared of water.

126. Eaten kangaroo meat..I am a pure vegetarian.

127. Eaten sushi - hate it

128. Had your picture in the newspaper -.no

129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about -always try to..about environment

130. Gone back to school..no

131. Parasailed..no

132. Touched a cockroach - yes in bio labs I dissected them.

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes -no

134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey..no

135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school and read -Enid Blyton

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating..no

137. Skipped all your school reunions - ...I could nevr go back to any of my earlier school once I left..

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language..yes in France.

139. Been elected to public office - no

140. Written your own computer language- no

141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream -

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care - no

 143. Built your own PC from parts..no

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you -

145. Had a booth at a street fair - yes many times

146. Dyed your hair - have to :(

Caused a car accident - once..

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Just now read the a post by fellow blogger and it made me think on the same point in my way.Most of the time it is said that shun the negative people, dont be near them or dont be near people who make you feel abused, or unhappy or hurt you.. whatever.. but is it always possible.Suppose you have such people in your immediate family..then what to do.so my coping strategies are.....of course with difficult people:)....

First we must introspect.where we can change ourselves. Most of the time we like people who are like us. For example, I am a very meticulous,cleanliness freak and very economical in everything. Now I want  everyone to be like that and those who are not they irritate me or frustrate me.And I want to change them to my thinking..but is it possible to change anyone? so what can be done is..I will have to change myself if I want to be stress free in life.The very first thing I must understand is that I cant run everyone's life. I am free to do what I want in my life, but I shouldnt impose my thinking on others. They may be extravagant, they may waste the resources..but its their life, they are charting their future, why am I trying to be god?.

Now there are some people who cant discuss anything peacefully, they get aggressive and they are the ones who know everything and they are always right:)..let them be, why try to correct them..what will we get?..I have stopped going in details...

I have seen some people living in stress and giving lot of stress to other, only because of one thing..they want everybody either to be perfect or like them..they cant accept that even they are not perfect..and god has never made two people similar, but everyone is unique in her/his own way.Desire to control others always brings disaster..
Be happy and make others happy..thats the way to live..

SAHIB BIBI AUR GANGSTER

I saw this one now, though this is not a new one and its sequel has also come, but I was interested , so.
This is a story of betrayal,intrigue manipulation..everything like this.Sahib(Jimmy Shergill) is a raja of some small town in UP.His father had a mistress and later married her and left everything in her name. So he is king with no money. Bibi (Mahi Gill) is neglected by sahib, as she did the crime of falling in love with someone else, so the sahib also has a mistress. Bibi is getting hysterical and when she gets a new young handsome driver.gangster, she uses him cunningly to kill the mistress.  Now that handsome driver Babbloo(Randeep Hooda) had come with his own motive to spy on Sahib ..

First half is very interesting..Randeep hooda is the best, its really sad that such a talented actor hasnt got his due in bollywood and then Deepal Shaw as the daughter of sahib's right hand man is very refreshing and enjoyable in her role..Rest of the cast is also good as..Jimmy shergill looks handsome too and Mahi Gill, Deepraj Rana..they all impress...movie is worth a watch,only thing I wish there were less killings in the end..

Some cafes

Best thing I love about Europe is its little quaint cafes...and sitting arrangements made out side..people sitting..enjoying coffee , croissant, tarts leisurely and watching the people go by..

One day we went to this little cafe nearby in Kilchberg, where they serve breakfast and after that they close and open again in evening...it was so calm and quiet, beautiful..from our seat we could enjoy the view of Zurich lake and city.Tarts ..I really like, though here they put lot of cream, infact too much for my taste, I prefer more of fruit..

Then One day we were roaming around old town..here also they have little markets in open space..stalls type, called Christmas market..I dont find much interest in their merchandise because after conversion, for me everything is way too much, I can get everything in India at lesser price, so why not buy in your own country.

Then we sat in a cafe on the roadside looking over the lake..it was so windy and chilly, that this cafe had provided one blanket on every chair..

Last Saturday it was very cold 2 deg outside..we went all covered up to the Belleveue and there Opernhouse is the central place..there in that biting cold, some people dressed like gypsies were offering  the set for water bubbles..biggest one I have have seen..after that you could put money whatever you want in the bowl kept there..

in front of Opernhouse

cafe