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1 Jul

Happy birthday, blog.

Time sure flies when we’re having fun.

~~~

And on this august July  (okay, baaaaaad pun, but shush, it’s a birthday) occasion, WWNP brings you The OJ Awards For (Mostly) Superlative Blogger Behavior!

the oj awards

*drumroll*

To Dipali: The Maximum Traffic Driver Award!

To Aunty G: The Most Frequent Commenter Award!

To Anon: The Best Search Term Award! (pick this up, whoever ye be)

To The Mad Momma: First Blogroller Award!

To Calcutta Chromosome: The Silent Referrer Award!

To Thinking Cramps: First Offline Encounter Award!

To Audacious: Most Lovable Semi-Lurker Award!

*end of din*

~~~

Winners get an exclusive, free-size, OJ-autographed pair of neon pyjamas!!!

The Boy gets pyjama-related accessories for designing the award badge.

Take ’em away, people! Everyone, dig into some orange cheesecake while you’re here. Oooh, how I love July. :mrgreen:

In Honor of the Coming

23 Jun

Storm over the Mandovi

Credits: OJ and her Canon Powershot. And the Boy, for being my watermarking teacher.

This is not a black and white picture. The ambient lighting makes it appear so. It was taken in regular scenery mode, less than 5 seconds before the storm broke over our heads. I have put it up in celebration of our first day of rain today, the latest arrival in a decade.

Guess Who’s Back, Back Again

21 Jun

It’s a good thing today is the longest day of the year. Because I needed pretty much all 13 hours of daylight to hike beyond Bombay and into an adjoining district to reclaim Lapwanti from Mr. Fixit Superhero Whose Hands I Forever Worship.

So yes, she’s back, is good old Lappie. And consequently, I am too. (Okay that sentence was completely unnecessary. As is this one. And the one I’m going to type after this before I finally close the parenthesis. Allow me the thrill of caressing old familiar keys, even if they produce meaningless garbage such as this.)

Getting down to business, here’s two of the three tags/awards a response is overdue on:

June passed on a “Your Blog is Awesome” award and needs me to list 7 reasons why I am awesome. Sigh, the things I do for the blog world:

1. I am awesome because I possess perfect, kidney-shaped nostrils. I saw that, you know, that rolling of the eyes. Allow a girl her vanity, will ya?

2.I am awesome because I am one of 66,000 Parsis left in the world. That’s how small my ethnic group is, so I’m not even one in a million. (Don’t try calling me a dodo, though. It isn’t polite.)

3. I am awesome because I remember dates. All dates, any dates. But of course, this cruel world won’t appreciate my stellar talent when I remind them about the 34th birthday of their ex,ex. Sigh.

4. I am awesome because I’m cringing through this tag and will have to fabricate the remaining three points just to amuse you.

5. I am awesome because I’m a miserable failure at taking myself seriously.

6. I am awesome because I plant crumpled paper balls in hard-to-reach places just to check if my cleaning maids are doing their job.

7. I am awesome because even if you think I’m the crazy lady from hell for doing it, I’ll just go back and plant more balls.

Thanks, June!

*******

Anu and The Girl on the Bridge and D passed on this

kreative_blogger

and need me to list seven things I love. (How easy would that be, were I Snow White.)

1. Girlfriends. A woman can never have enough close, supportive pals who tell it like it is and ply her with mint chocolate chip ice cream and tissues.

2. History. Specifically, the Partition, the Raj and my own. Generally, that of a mansion, a city and a filigreed silver teapot.

3. Water. Of the rain, pool, ocean, guzzle variety.

4. Flying. Nothing quite like the thrill of a plane sluicing the air.

5. My work with children. It’s probably one of the few things I take very seriously.

6. Bombay. The one I grew up in, the one I live in now, the one I’ve heard tales about from three generations of family.

7. Indulgence. Read spas, chocolate, diamonds, shoes, candles, hair masques, king-size beds.

Thanks, ladies. I accept the bling in chandelier earrings and Manish Malhotra threads.*

*(Barrrrrrrf.)

Still in the Boonies

2 Jun

…so don’t get your hopes up now. (Actually, you may.  My new battery is officially within city limits.)

But, 2 things:

  • While I’m at this archaic piece of equipment, bathed in fresher-by-the-minute perspiration, I am thrilled to announce a new home for Ultra Violet: http://ultraviolet.in Hop over. Feedback is very welcome. As are guest contributors.
  • Is it a coincidence or a convoluted, insidious plan that I come back to awards each time I’m away? ( Yes, yes, we are mucho full of ourselves and need to (a) poke a pin into us,  (b) go watch Angels and Demons for conspiracy theory inspiration. )

Thank you, Anu, for calling me creative with a K, and June, for saying this blog is awesome. Of course, since the blogging world simply must be at its productive best precisely while I’m away, I realize both awards are several posts old. But I’m still in the boonies, remember? Back soon, with appropriate bows and flourishes. But wait, it’s too hot.

Done?

30 Apr

p1000272

Done.

Not quite. We’ve only just begun.

It was particularly exciting for me because this was my first time voting for a Lok Sabha election. I’d always been either out of the country or underage so far. (The polling booth ladies got their laughs when I unthinkingly said, “Mera bhai chaar sau bees hai”, but really, I was just referring to his voter registration number.)

Now to await the results and a government that we may need to flog into appropriate action.

And wait, I’m still not done. Today, I doff my hat to a gentleman who stood under the noonday sun, quietly, patiently, his body drained after 4 hours of being dialysed, just so he could do the very least as a citizen of this country. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: my Daddy strongest.

Don’t Hate the Ingrate

13 Apr

Perhaps if you called me one sunny Saturday morning, right after I had trotted home from a workout, and said, “Hey OJ old girl, how about brunch?”, I’d quickly reschedule my always-packed weekend and smile “Sure!” into the phone.

Two hours later, over crostini and iced tea, I’d be telling you about how much of a rollercoaster-missing-a-stop-button life has been since the beginning of the year and you’d smile and think I’m cuckoo and wonder why I’m making stuff up.

So I’m not going to tell you. I haven’t, have I, in the past 4 months? But I’m kinda hoping that the above explanation will suffice as an excuse for my shamefully tardy acknowledgement of these kind gestures. Aneela, Nino’s Mum and Nitya, I want you to know they– and you–are much appreciated. Thank you.

From Aneela:

bloggers-for-world-peace-award

The blurb that goes with the badge says:
Some bloggers we agree with a little, some not at all and some wholeheartedly. Some bloggers give us hope. They are bloggers who care, for all citizens of this world. These bloggers can see above the generalizations of caste, community, religion, language, region, race and national boundaries. They are the hope of our unity in diversity.

From Nino’s Mum:

proximidade_blog_awardAbout the award:

This award is given to a blog that invests and believes in PROXIMITY – nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!

From Nitya:

A medal of bravery, no less, for something I hold very dear to my heart. Humility is a value I strongly believe in (err…don’t go by the number of posts in the “me-me” category) and am very bemused by folks who’re full of themselves, but even I have two things I take great pride in:

1. My perfect, kidney-shaped nostrils. What, they’re my nicest feature, alright?!

2. The fact that children like and trust me easily. And I mean all children. And yes, it’s mutual, thank goodness, because kiddies are my life’s work.

So there we have it: 3 more awards and many thank-yous. And now its back to my not-so-mundane life. Regular programming on its way. Stay tuned, people.

And We’re Up!

6 Apr

I haven’t mentioned 26/11 on this page for several months now. Not because the event and its aftermath have faded from memory. Far from it. But because I have intentionally wanted this blog to remain silent so this one could speak on my behalf.

In the months since those unforgettable nights, the India Helps team has been working silently, doggedly and unwaveringly on causes and projects it has adopted. But unless you’re a regular follower of the blog or a marathon reader who prefers to read 4 months’ posts at a go, chances are you’ll prefer our other page.

As an IH team member who does little other than be voluble and stuff her face at every meeting, I am so proud to present our website:

http://www.indiahelps.org

Do pop over and see what we’re about. Acquaint yourself with our causes. Offer support if you will. Or just tell us how drop dead gorgeous we all are. But hop over, dammit. I do the loudspeakering for the team and I’ll be fired if you don’t head there right NOW.

Are you there yet?
Good girl/boy.

What?! One can’t have too many day jobs in these recessionary times.

A Clutch of Awards…

19 Dec

…is particularly welcome when one’s spirit has been lolling in the gutter for a while.

So many thanks to generous souls D and M4 for their kindness.

butterflyaward

This self-explanatory honor needs to me to pay it forward to 10 other bloggers, which I will soon, after some consideration. (Yeah, okay, it’s 2 a.m. and I’m bloody lazy, alright?) I’m especially thrilled that I received this for “calling a spade a spade”, as D insightfully put it, because that is OJ’s offline persona as well.

premio-dardos-award

I love how this sounds like one of those foreign knighthoods or honorary degrees that Bollywood stars receive for their “contribution to world cinema excusemewhileIbarf”. What makes it way better than the fraudulent Ph.D.s is that this little cookie acknowledges “the values that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values every day.”  And rah, rah, I’m all for values. Erm, as long as they aren’t numerical.

So thank you muchly, ladies.

D, I’ll pass on the bling soon and will update this post as well.

Warmly and wisely,

Your lady in neon nightwear.

……..

Updated to add: And we’re ready with the links! The Butterfly Award for the coolest blog I ever know (or 10 of them) goes to……….. (drumroll):

  1. Circles in the Sand: Poignant text, aesthetically delightful visuals and the brevity to hold my bouncing-off-the-walls attention span.
  2. Fight Back: We all claim to say no to gender violence. But to band together and keep this daily injustice in the public eye takes a special kind of effort. Bravo, FB!
  3. Gaysi: A space for gay desi women that is supportive, inclusive and, from what I know, the first of its kind. Even among all matters gay, there’s a distinct bias toward males and their stories and I’m hoping this blog becomes a platform for hitherto unheard female voices.
  4. High Heel Confidential: My go-to place after a long, hard day. It’s fun, sassy and so easy on the eyes. (Well, mostly!)
  5. Two point three children, six point six ideas on raising them: I imagine maidinmalaysia as a frizzy-haired mommy running through libraries in a purple smock, tripping over the rugs, arms windmilling wildly. In case you didn’t guess, that’s a compliment. And anyone who makes me giggle is worthy of an award.
  6. The Key Bunch: Oh-so-stylish, with little tutorials that look so easy, they almost make me believe I could be artsy and craftsy.
  7. The Nino Effect: is a good effect. It is a blog I look forward to visiting, just like one would a new, interesting friend. As someone who takes a stand, speaks her mind and does such fun stuff with her sonny boy, Nino’s Mum is a woman I’d love to hang out with and if it’s only virtually possible, then so be it.
  8. wordjunkie: Her love for books and words drew me to her page. Her gorgeous daughter keeps me going back.
  9. Where the Mind Wanders: When Nitya casually strolled into wordjunkie’s living room and sat next to me on the couch, I hadn’t a clue who she was. Now I do. And I’m the gladder for it.
  10. Thinking Cramps: An old favorite who claims she lives in the past, Anamika’s snippets of life never fail to amuse and prod the mind simultaneously. Her online and offline personas have such a basic sense of decency and honesty about them that you can’t help warming up to her. Oh, and she’s a foodie!

Congratulations, people. Enjoy the glitter and have a wonderful holiday season.

Somebody Up There Finally Listened

5 Nov

and-the-winner-is1

(Photo credit: Callie Shell for Time, via Indiequill).

Links:

CNN on the historic win.

Details at the BBC.

Thank yous on Obama’s blog.

Result reactions in pictures.

Welcome, # 44, it’s about time.

# 659 for OJ

29 Oct

A long, long while ago, in what almost seems like another lifetime, I scribbled a desultory little something for the Caferati Quick Tales contest. The days passed, and then weeks and months, and The Story of Little Post slipped out of immediate memory.

Apparently, not everyone is as absent-minded as I. The good judges at Quick Tales found my story worthy of shortlisting and here it is, among other keen contenders for the People’s Choice Prize Poll.

Now here’s where you come in. If you like it enough, act on it. Rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the highest score). Obviously, the story with the highest (and most) ratings wins the People’s Choice Poll. But first, please take a  brief moment to join Live Journal. Only LJ members can poll. The poll will remain open for at least 2 weeks from October 28, 2008. For more information on how to go about it, click here.

I understand it may be painful to sign up and rate when it’s so much easier to peacefully lurk and then click the browser shut, but flex that wrist a little. Please? It may not be the best 500 word fiction of all time, but I’d really appreciate feedback all the same.

So:

Head over.

Read.

Join.

Rate.

Questions, if any, will be answered in the comments section of this post.

#659 thanks you for your time and attention.  Regular programming to resume shortly.

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