Thats a wrap up!!

Another year gone....

Love lost,
Love found.
Memories made,
Dreams broken.
Aspirations achieved,
Hindrances crossed.
Lives lost,
Friends gained.
Desires heightened,
Hopes continued.
Madness prevailed,
Abilities acquired.
Passions soared,
Affection gained.

........and....and after all this where is the breather? No breaks... no time outs... it just goes on and on. The mad circle..!!

The new year is but a few hours away.
Pessimists will say one year less of their lives, optimists will say another year to look forward to. And I am not sure which category I fall under.
Lost a year of my life but there was so much to gain as well...and then as I raise my head with doubt and uncertainty at what lays ahead -

Return to university for the last six months.
Graduation....
My first niece/nephew,
A (long overdue) trip to India.
(Possible) wedding..... :)
Entry into the Corporate world again.
Back in the rat race.
.....and so much more that will be unexpected!!

Someone once said, "Calenders are for careful people, not passionate ones!"

And so I shall wake up tomorrow.....a new day just like any other. And go about my business, for what is life if we knew what the next minute was going to bring to our doorstep!

Prayers from the heart.........

for those that have died
for those that are injured/sick
for those who are left in ruins

God Bless.

Just made it!!!

Today I bumped into a blog by Anita Bora and found this interesting post about the end of year and hence the time for introspection!

The questions were thought provoking so I could not help myself -
Here are the questions: My answers

1. Your ‘high’ moment of the year. - It will have to be the news that I was going to be 'Maasi'. My sis is having her 1st baby and it is due any day now.
2. Your ‘low’ moment of the year. - Thats the day I cancelled my tickets for my trip to USA and India.
3. Faux pas/greatest regret. - Don't think so!
4. Something that got you 'almost famous' and nearly catapulted you into the Hall of Fame. - My 'jewellery designing' hobby! I have made many earrings, bracelets and chockers for my gf's at work this month. And many wore them for the 'End of Year' party.
5. The 3 things you wanted to do the most this year, and did! - Showing my creative side to the world (most of my world!) with jewellery designing, Growing my hair till my waist...(almost!), Moved into a bigger apartment so I can get my own room and my own cupboard!!! (silly?! oh no!!)
6. The 3 things you wanted to do the most this year, and couldn’t/didn’t! - Didn't visit India, Didn't visit USA, Didn't get married! :D
7. Number of resolutions you made for 2004. And how many you actually stuck to. - I don't think I made any coz I never keep to them!
8. The list of cities/ places/ countries you visited in 2004. - Great Ocean Road - VIC, Sydney - NSW
9. Your movie of the year award goes to... - Lord of the Rings Trilogy ??!
10. A friend lost? A friend found? A friend made? - Found = few old school friends on orkut, a friend here in Aus. I had a catfight with! Made = many since I started orkutting and blogging.
11. You will remember 2004 as the year of … - "FrenCo" = Friendship n Communications
12. The 3 things you really want to do in 2005. - Make my 1st trip to the Dentist (of my life! yes!!), Learn swimming and scooba dive in the Great Barrier Reef - QLD, Learn skiing and ski in the slopes of Mt.Ruapehu - New Zealand.
13. A set of 13 words that will be your keywords for 2005! - I can, I will, I must, He can, He will, They will, Om!

Too Easy!!

OK... now those to pass by ... do take a few moments (if you can!) and answer these too. Leave a link to your blog (if you do fill the questionaire!) in the comments...I would love to know you have to say.

The movies, the copy-cat and then the sequel.

Movies are strange... you watch one and love it. Then watch it again a few days later and think..What??! But then there are others that you like no matter how many times you have seen them.

I got 'Meet the Parents' and 'Anger Management' for Suraj. Both I still think are great movies.. make you laugh no matter how many times you watch 'em!

But then we saw 'Mujhse shaadi karogi'!! And I was yelling 'copycats'!!! It is so frustrating. That you spend 3 hours and they give you a movie with Indian actors... gaana bajaana and all the same scenes and even same dialogues!! Disgusting!!!
What do they think... these movie writers and producers. That Indian people dont watch any Hollywood movies.. that they are stupid and that these fools can get away with stupid copied plots and scenes. I reckon that some one should do something about them. Like don't watch copycats movies.. let them flop! Then they will get the message.

But anyways.. We went to see Swades on the 25th. But due to Christmas the cinemas where they have it were closed. So we went to Crown which was open and saw Meet the Fockers. Its the sequel to 'Meet the Parents'. And unlike so many sequels... this one is good. Actually funny.. quite seperate from the 1st movie.. and good.

Looks like Hollywood people know what they are doing!

I just found out that....

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BTW... Wishing every one a very Merry Christmas. Hope those in the colder places get a white Christmas. I just hope that it dosen't heat up too much or my city tour for Suraj will get postponed! But.. hey... holidays are till Wednesday and then 2 days work and then hols again! Yiiippppeeeeeee!!! :D

Can't wait to run out of my office!!!

This is a quick one...

I have been reading quite a few blogs lately about guys complaining how they can't find their lady! And as I was surfing some blogs I found this very good blog from a guy who just recently got married (So, it probably proves his tips will work!).

It is a very very interesting blog and might come handy to some of you. And very aptly it is called "Dating for Dummies: How to get that first date" (No I am not openning a marriage consultancy services..or any thing. and Yes, I am committed to someone!)

I'm just playing the concerned friend to a very sweet buddy of mine. ENJOY!

Brothers.... cant live with 'em cant live without 'em.

After six months of "He's coming.", "He'll be here next week" etc. etc Finally Suraj is here!!!!!!!!

Yes..!! Suraj came on Saturday. And I was totally surprised!! Shocked really ... but happy shock! (if there is such a thing ;) )

The whole plan had been kept in wraps by Jeffrey and Suraj to give me a big surprise..! Even Mum and Papa would laugh on the phone..."Nupur, its a surprise."

I'm like, "What do you mean 'Its a surprise!' Will he stand at the airport and call me and say 'Hey! I'm here come and pick me up!!!'

Papa said, "No I was thinking more like... he would ring your door bell and say 'Hey I'm here!!'"
And everyone was just laughing as I was getting irritated!! Ridiculous isn't it ?!

Anyways, Jeff made quite an elaborate scheme to divert all of my suspicions. He even went all the way to his office on Saturday (an hour transit!) to mail from his work email that he was at work so I wouldn't think much of a tip about Suraj's arrival that I was got from Dad earlier in the week.

So when I was returning home... out of nowhere.. Suraj popped out of a car and yelled "Behen!!" :O I was shocked!!
We hugged...then we cried... we wiped each others tears.. and then I scolded him for the stupid surprise.... he just said "Good surprise...naa??"
A very dramatic scene in deed. (I have snaps to prove it!!)

Since then... all the rellies have been calling from India, "Suraj is in Australia", "How is Australia!" Its like... I was never here... or rather if I am, 'bid deal!' Now Suraj is there and he's getting all the calls, and everyone wants to know how he is doing..! And me??!

But then... my 'lil kid bro, first time so far away from family. Its his moment of glory. How he has come here against all odds. And I'm just so happy to see him. Pinched 'him' so many times on the weekend and said "Hey! You are really here! " *hehe

So as long as he helps me in the kitchen (washing dishes ofcourse!) and does his bed and keeps his stuff organised and my house tidy! We will get along pretty well....

A letter to a boy written by a girl, the only one of it's kind!

Dear highly intellectual opinionated boy with killer hair and awesome eyes,

I need to lay my feelings out on a table for you and let you choose what you want to do with them. My heart is yours for the taking. Just beware it has been bruised and broken over the years and I just finally put all the pieces back together again. My lips are yours to kiss and my soul is yours to explore.

The girl you have seen on a daily basis for over a year is not the true girl that I am. Over the past 3 years I have tried keeping guys at bay so as to not be hurt again. To me men were the enemy but within you I see the sweet intellectual man I have been looking for. I feel as though you are someone who does not judge harshly and would have an incredible listening heart. I feel as though your shoulder would be a resting place for my tears and they'd quickly disappear with you. I feel as though your ears will listen to what I have to say and your eyes would tell me all will be alright. Your words would be sweet and gentle and truthful.

Even if I can not have you as my own I am still glad I have met a man like you so I know they exist. You are the first man in 3 years that I have truly fallen for on all these different levels. Your soul shines something special about you and I would love to explore your soul more and have longer talks with you.

If you really took the time to look you would see a different girl inside of me.

You would find a girl who had her innocence stolen and has dealt with it for 3 years with help from only few people. You would find a girl fighting hard to become the girl she once was and is slowly becomming that girl again. You would find a trooper who does not let anyone keep her down. You would find the dreamer in me that sees a world of harmony possible. You would see I am a girl who doesn't give up on something only because it may be hard to pertain. When I want something and I think it is worth fighting for I will go after it.

You should feel special that after 3 years of fighting myself and the inner deamons my heart is truly set on you. I believe you are a person who could set me free again.

I have had a lot of milestone accomplishments lately. The girl you knew last year was not me at all.

I think you need to take a jump with me and see where we land.

Sincerely Me

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Found it on the net and thought its worth publishing.
What do you reckon?!

Just incase --- If you loved Ocean's Eleven....

and are looking forward to seeing Ocean's twelve.......

Don't - you will be dissapointed!!!!
(I was!)

Kris Kringle...!!

This is my 5th year at the Hyatt. And like a lot of amazing/wierd/sometimes spooky stuff that goes around in the work place, one custom that I always looked forward to in the festive season is "Kris Kringle".

Also known as Secret Santa by many... its a nutty process of giving gifts to work mates without them knowing who the "Secret Santa" is!! Names are randomly drawn out of a box and you bring a gift for the name in the slip you draw...as simple as that. And to be fair... (on the pocket).. there's usually a price limit, like $10 or $15.
I always thought it was pretty amazing...rather sweet actually that people would take pains to find what (affordable) thing their work mates like and then surprise them with it..on the staff party..etc.

Unfortunately...I never got involved in Kris Kringle for the last 4 years.. as I was in Banquets.. and because the department is huge with almost 70 staff at any given time, it was very hard to get so many people to pick names and absolutely impossible chase each of them down to bring the gifts.

So this year is my first official 'Kris Kringle'. Which I am very much looking forward to.

And while I get excited as each day brings the party day closer, I cant help but think about other unfortunate/homeless people who will never know what its like to enjoy the festive season.. the excitement of parties and gifts..etc. For them there's no Christmas, no New Year, no Diwali, no Id. :(
So this year.. apart from the secret Kris Kringle gift, I thought I should also donate something to the needy. And I have thus decided to donate a gift in a parcel which we are collecting at work (as well) to be given out to homeless children living in shelters on Christmas eve. Just a little something for someone. It is hopefully going to be a big parcel and we will have enough gifts for all the children.
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God Bless!!

They want it... I have it!

I have always envied girls who can wear just about any thing and everything in their ears because I could not. I am one of those unfortunate ones who have to stick to gold or else... bandage cuts and bruises and sore ear lobes for days!!

Not fair!!!!

That is why when I was coming to Oz I had a huge discussion with my mum about safe keeping of valuables before she let me come with my favourite 'stud'! And again unfortunate for me... because its fairly expensive I could not be careless with it.
So, I found myself 4 years later, still wearing that exact same stud!! Every where.... movies, dinners, parties, bbqs.... every where!

Once I wailed to one of my friends here is Oz ...about my sheer bad luck. She said, "Hey you can wear the dangly hanging stuff cant you?!"
I said, "I dont know."
She said, "Yeah, because it hardly touches the lobes so no infection".
I was grinning from ear to ear.
The next day I spent 3hrs. at 'Accesorize' touching and feeling all the gorgeous ear rings etc.

Since then I have taken classes to learn how to make my own jewellery, and have designed many chandelier earings! With crystals, beads, pearls etc. Late into the nights -- To my hearts content!!
Got many compliments, and the friend who had told me that I could wear earrings even suggested that I should probably start a little side business for myself.
(She didn't know what a chicken I can be when it comes to things like that!)

Seven months later..and I still keep all my tools and my little cystal kits under my bed, only to pride at it on lazy evenings.

Then! Day before yesterday! Out of the blue! A (Nepalese) friend at work caught me in the corridors and told me that she was exhibiting things that her fiance sold in his shop. All beaded jewellery etc. from India and Nepal. She had seen me wear my stuff and she forced me to bring some things to display in her booth.

Believe me...I complained much about how my work wasn't that great and how it was only a personal hobby and was not a business thing. But then I brought my things and they were displayed. Only one earring was sold!!
You cannot imagine my dissapointment. I knew I had not expected them all to clear out.. but ONE!

An hour before I was to go home, I went to the canteen for a drink and these 2 girls from Sales and Marketing caught me. They had loved one of my designs but wished it were available in a different color to match their dress for the Christmas Staff Party next week.
I said, "Oh why not! I can make then for you, any color you like!!"

Oh! Unbeleivable... before I went home I had 15 orders!! From girls from all departments, Front Office, HR, Sales etc.
Amazing isn't it?!

My luck!
This weekend I am headed to the Beads and Buttons Galore to buy all the raw materials to fulfil the orders....I am surely going to be busy making those now.. till late.. way way late into the night.
:D

Land Down Under!!

My fifth year in Australia.. it was about time I went to see Sydney (atleast!).
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Yes, Thats what I said.. fifth year..can you imagine! Anyways, last week was my birthday and I thought the weekend following it was just a good time as any. So I packed my bags and flew to the Harbour city for two days.

{my cake.jpg}:)

~~My weekend escape!~~
It was beautiful, the weather was not too warm and not too chilly. No rain.. (thank God) just mellow and nice for the two days... Well.. all in all your typical big city where I did all the "touristy stuff" like I took snaps of the Opera house from probably every angle possible!!!!

{sydney_opera.jpg}{harbour_bridge.jpg}

@#@#$!@$%# I have tried for half an hour and I can't figure out this Bloggerbot thing to get my pictures up!!!! $%$#$@

:((