Life in a Day

I wake him up, "It's 10 am". He shifts in the bed, "oh, now it is too late to get the bike fixed"! I encourage him to get up and even if he takes thirty minutes to get ready, we will still have another thirty to walk down to the cyclery before his on-call starts. We end up getting ready in fifty minutes, neither of us surprised :)

He picks up his work laptop and work phone- and his brains- the three arrows in his on-call quiver. While he checks the tire pressure in his bike, I am leaning against the wall which the bike leans against. On that wall are three framed photos. One of them is of our engagement party. I had a mauve silk gown on, he a suit paired with a mauve tie. I suggest to him, "I will re-wear this gown on my cousin's wedding. You could wear that suit or maybe a kurta-pyjama, whichever you like'. He responds, "I will wear whatever the dress code asks of me". I say, "Yes of course. Let's wait for my cousin to share the details". He shakes his head, wise from experience, saying, "Your cousin got no role in this. Dress code will be set by his bride". I chuckle as I get reminded of our wedding prep days.

We cross the street while the traffic signal-speaker and my brain chant "yellow lights are flashing!" We are walking through the neighborhood with many standalone homes and a apartment building that looks like a motel converted into rental units. Some homes have lemon trees, which we both like to look at as we walk by. From an alley, another pedestrian joins right behind us. She is on the phone, loudly recapping her conversation with a friend who probably needs to relocate and move on. Both of us lead quietly while the "get-your-life-back-on-track-talk" follows us for three more intersections. 

As we head towards the cyclery,  a couple cycles by in the opposite direction. After we are done with getting his bike inspected, we walk towards a cafe for brunch. We enjoy acai bowls, panini, a game of "Connect-4" and a round of Jenga. We head out and I try to cycle for a bit but find the bike seat a bit higher for my height. He cycles for a few minutes and is smiling throughout. His work phone rings. Nothing from the on-call front, just a reminder for him to fill a colleague's performance review. We walk back towards home. This time, some lemon trees and a lot of cacti and succulents. The phone rings again. Still no urgent work thing, only some colleague thanking him for something. I smile and we continue walking. 

We reach our apartment building and he asks me to try and cycle again. I get on it. The seat and pedals are at ok heights. He holds the bike and I pedal. Feels like I will topple over any second. I tell him, "the bike is too heavy for me. I will try again later". He chuckles knowing what later means. He rides the bike for a quick round around our neighborhood while I stand under a tree to catch a breath from all the walking and a few seconds of biking. We get back in, he turns on the TV and falls asleep on the couch.

My favorite kind of Saturday, really :)

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 11

Title: The Opening Night Excitation

The Gist: The wait is over. Star Wars fans rejoice. Star Wars The Force Awakens is here. ShAmy fans squeak. Sheldon 'gives it' to the birthday girl Amy.

The Best Moments:
(or a list of every moment of this episode :D)

1. We have seen the boys anxiously spending hours online to get Comic Con tickets. We have seen them wait outside theatres for hours and hours to see extra 21 seconds of Indiana Jones. But this is Star Wars. Tickets go for sale early. Website gets frozen. Sheldon kneels to the Lord. Howard gets the tickets. Victory.
2. Sheldon and Amy are back together. After their shocking break-up to Sheldon's intended proposal to moving on to failed attempts at dating others to Amy trying to get back together and Sheldon rejecting to them kissing passionately and making up, does it get better? It does. It's Amy's birthday. 
   
3. Sheldon's beloved Professor Proton in his Obi-Wan avatar comes time and again in Sheldon's dreams with his delightful humour and helpful advice. Poor Professor Proton.
4. Sheldon decides to not watch Star Wars on its opening day and celebrate Amy's birthday. He asks Penny and Bernadette to help him choose from three birthday gifts: 1) A Harp-thing 2) A Sheep-thing and 3) The Wow-Thing. Penny broke her wine glass and I dropped my jaw.
5. The girls take Amy out for a pre-celebration for the big day- 'the big night'. 
6. Wil Wheaton does the unthinkable. In a theatre full of Star Wars fans, he comes dressed in a Star Trek uniform. 
   
7. As the end of wait approaches, Amy and Sheldon are nervous. So are Leonard, Raj and Howard. How will it feel like? How will the movie be like? 
8. At the finale, Sheldon had fun. Amy too. Leonard, Raj and Howard too. All sigh with satisfaction. Never thought I could write this line for a TBBT episode :P
   
9. The naughty Professor returns in Sheldon's sleep, this time willingly, to find out 'how was it?' Sheldon found it great... Amy found it fine too. Of-course she's not familiar with the Star Wars franchise. Of-course Sheldon will be Sheldon! 

My Say:

This was the first time I have giggled and giggled and giggled while watching a TBBT episode. The first time I found myself yelling at the screen-" oh my God, oh my God,oh my God!" Just like the nerd me couldn't believe that Star Wars is here, the romantic in me never thought ShAmy would sleep together. The excitement for Star Wars was familiar. I wanted to see it. The amazement at ShAmy's intimacy was new. I didn't know if I could watch it. Normally I feel I can't wait to watch the next episode. Right now, it is taking a lot of effort to stop myself from re-watching this episode again and again.

TV Review: TBBT Season 9 Episode 10

Title: The Earworm Reverberation

The Gist: A tune is bugging Sheldon, like an ear-worm. He concludes he's descending into madness, but continues to search the song which he can't stop humming, playing on various instruments and with spoons and even gargling with drinking water. The search ends and a new, much awaited chapter begins.

Fun points:

A genius, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, who controls every aspect of his life, meets a girl, spends years with her and eventually falls in love. She leaves him. He tries to get back together but she has moved on. Time passes and they can finally be friends again. Now, she wants to get back together, but he thinks it best to stay friends. Maybe he will regain control of his life. Alas! love has changed the very core, and now the genius descends into madness... 

If the viewers ever wondered how a man so capable of containing his emotions would act like if love and heart-break happen to him, this episode masters the craft of portraying that.

1. A classic Sheldon act: he recognizes the opportunity in a weak moment too, and the scientist in him records logs as his days of doom approach. 
2. Love makes us all a better person. Yes! Sheldon not just understands but openly acknowledges importance of his best friend Leonard in his life. He even goes as far as informing his future self that Penny is to be adored: "If she gives any food, it's safe... and probably you (future Sheldon) have already paid for it". Just go watch any episode of any previous season and you see a changed man today.

In a parallel track, the viewers once again get to know a little more of Raj and Howard's band "Footprints on the Moon". These men journey from opening a Facebook fan page, stalking their fan, fantasizing like starlets and getting disgusted by reality. Assured comedy.

Little Drops from Heaven

Behta hai mann kahin, kahan jaante nahin
Koi rok le yahin...
Bhaage re mann kahin
Aage ye mann chala
Jaane kidhar jaanu na aaaa

- Chameli (2003)

I mentioned about an year ago, rains bring out the romantic in me. This time the romantic me brought the rains <blush, blush>.
I don't know why but since Friday, I have been in a mushy mood. Which means Friday night I saw "While You Were Sleeping", a 1995 Rom-Com, and then it rained all Saturday; and so I watched "The Wedding Date", a 2005 Rom-Com on Saturday night.

Well I have also been playing the "Love" playlist on my laptop, on the auto-mode, but let's not go there.

So, "While You Were Sleeping" is a Sandra Bullock movie, and like Rajesh Koothrapalli says, "she is great in everything". It's a simple story of a plain Jane who has no one and has a huge crush on this guy she sees everyday for about 15 minutes to and fro on the train station. One (un)fortunate day, he meets with an accident, she saves him, gets him admitted to a hospital and through a misunderstanding, people take her to be the guy's fiancee.
It's a classic comedy of errors, and what with the movie's setting as Christmas and New Year's week, a lot of funny family stuff happens, while the guy is in a coma. The movie has a sweet and lovable feel to it and my favorite setting of the holiday season.

"The Wedding Date" is a movie full of beautiful people. I mean beautiful-looking. Gorgeous! There's Dermont Mulroney (yes, F.R.I.E.N.D.S.' guest star, Gavin Mitchell, Rachel's co-worker and balcony kisser from season 9). There's Debra Messing, who looks just so exquisite. There's Amy Adams, whose only other movie I have seen is American Hustle, another movie full of great-looking people.

It's a story of Kat, whose sister is getting married in London. Kat hires a "date" so that her family doesn't think she's miserable after her much talked about breakup with her ex. This movie is shot in England- a beautiful country (-from what I've seen in the various movies. I really want to visit Yorkshire someday).

In the first movie, the girl and the guy (not the coma guy, spoiler) become really good friends while taking a walk in the snow. In the latter, they start liking each other in various moments here and there. Enough appetite for the mushy me. While there's snow in case of Sandra Bullock, it's rain for Debra Messing. The way I see it, both fall in love when there are little drops of heaven, pouring down on them. :-)

deeply in love

Now I know how it feels to be in love. Its quite simple. Really.
The one you love is above every thing else. Follies are so microscopical , it doesn't really matter.
Its like no more bumpy roads ( those that resurface during monsoons and then stay as such forever!)
Its a smooth drive.... like they say smooth sailing.
And yeah.... you get that feeling of cool breeze touching your face gently .
Its as grand as the magnificent malls with their shining glasses and the shimmering lights all about them.
As pleasing as licking that brownie sundae or when your tongue exercises during that first kiss.
Like enjoying a surround sound music system that helps you hear a pin drop.
Or simply like that chaat you can't resist even on a strict diet. In fact defying rules becomes an enjoyment.
As colorful as the delightful range of chaniya cholis you bargain for during the Navratri .
A sense of high when you first travel in the air conditioned local bus or the affable Metro is felt.
All the mushy novels you could grab at the patri bazaars on the roadsides describe it so commendably in words!
That moment of joy when you stand on the bridge with ripples of sunshine reflecting your reflections like they certify you as immortal lovers.
Brings that peace...(its not chaotic to me as is for some others..).... like you are in some Ashram where your soul has found its mate and all the meaning for your presence.
Of course it feels like being home too . In that cocoon of affection and care.
That flush of pride at the mere sight! Like owning a palatial bungalow or nothing less that the Mayor's house!! :D


Yes..... its everything above for me! Feel like embracing tightly .... my darling Ahmedabad ... with its lovely malls , cool cafes , better roads , the fun filled Garba nites , the irresesitable buys at the patri bazaars and its number of bridges across the Sabarmati... not to forget the Gandhi Ashram.

Was It A Dream?

do tell me your opinions of the story!!