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Up and Running

So I think this is finally up and running. ALL thanks go to Spencerp from WordPress for the free installation of wordpress on the site. There are still so many things that need to be done. So many changes that need to be made but I will do that too..soon! Until then slowly but surely I am getting there…

Twas Mumma’s birthday today. All cousins were home and we had loads of fun! Loved every moment of it. To say a few words about mom is too hard. No emotion or words can do justice for ma so here’s a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Posted by kaush on Oct 5th 2006 | Filed in Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Posted by kaush on Oct 4th 2006 | Filed in Uncategorized | Comments (6)

Divine or Diva ? DDoB Part II

I apologize for the delay. Busy weekend, as usual. Also, a funny thing happened this afternoon. My heart was racing and I was having heart palpitations for some reason - its that racy feeling of the heart where you pulse is strong and high. Mine was a whopping 110! I wasn’t running or anything. It stayed throughout the afternoon and I have no idea why? My heart still feels a little fluttery and light. Maybe it just needs some “shugga lovin’ ;-)

It was RS’s birthday on April 1st. RS - you are the most bootiFOOL, wonderFOOL, April FOOL baby I know :-D Here’s to many many more fun years to come for you!

Divine is synonymous sometimes with “extremely pleasant”, “serene”, and “delightful” in the dictionary. When she came up with the name “Divine Divas of Blogsville” I was delighted! I said, “Yep, I’d like to be divine and a diva” and so the name came about. I cannot reveal the answer yet, but if you have not sent in your entries yet, you still have till midnight EST today!

Women, well…..most women are of a divine, loving, inherent faith disposition. They are serene from within, and even though they might be a little stern on the outside there is an innate goodness and faith that lies within. Maybe thats why they are women are mothers. The patience, sacrifice and the tad bit of insanity that goes with it does need divine intervention :)

When I first got in touch with Colors, I thought - she speaks little but seems to be very sweet. She seemed like a no-nonsense fun girl with a good heart. Getting to know her better - I realized she was so different from me and yet the same. “Simple and cheerful” were the two words that Chandu used to describe Colors. I whole heartedly agree :-) Deepak tells us that “her travellogues and posts are fun.”

Here is what she has to say about herself :-D

I am originally from a small but beautiful state of Sikkim in India. My mom’s from Nepal and dad’s from India. So, I have been raised among two different yet similar in its own way cultures. I did my schooling in my hometown and then moved to Pune for my Engineering. That was the first time I lived away from my parents which was a great experience…as I learned to be independent. It also helped me open up because I used to be a very shy girl before. I made lots of friends there and also met the love of my life there. It also exposed me to lot of different cultures from India which I was not much aware having being lived in a closed community. After a brief stint in Pune I moved to US to pursue my career in software field. Its been almost 3yrs now since I came to US.
I don’t know if I conciously do work to make a difference in society but my new job with UN has given me a oppurtunity to deal with people from all around the world who are trying to make a difference in thier own way. It’s very inspiring. Being from such a small town as Gangtok, it makes my family proud about the fact that I have made it this far on my own. I get overwhelmed to see my cousins looking up to me as their role model.

I love to travel as maybe obvious from all my travelouges. I also love to do adventure sports like sky diving, kayaking, river rafting. I love to spend time with my better half who complements me in everyway. I love to read, watch movies, listen to songs, try different cuisines.

Feel like you know her better yet? Shy and adventerous, fun and frolic,there are more colors to the colorful colors you might know :) Ricky sums it well when he says this about her - “She is the most adventrous girl in the blog-world. Her sense of adventure is reflected in her writings. She also loves to travel and writes one of the best travelouges. She doesn’t seem like one but she is a little shy girl, who takes her time to open up. She has a very different sense of humour but it always end up making me laugh. She is one my of my best friends in blog-world. ”

Heard enough of her travellogues already? Here is a little excerpt of one of the MANY places she has written about :) one of her colorful travellogues-

Our next stop was the North Carolina Arboretum which we decided to go via the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a long scenic road that connects the Great Smoky Mountain National Park with the Shenandoah National Park both of which are a part of the Appalachain Mountain range. It is supposed to be America’s favorite drive and the ride is beautiful. It twists and winds up and down the mountains providing breath taking close-ups of the mountains and the rivers. The roads are in perfect condition and V had a great time driving the van. I too wanted to drive on the road.”

While they can have that innate sense of calm and divinity, women can be wild and vivacious, fun, adventerous, bold, and full of straight up spunk and guts. We all like to bring out that side of us sometimes. We all wish we could be a little more outspoken sometimes. Thats when the calm meets the storm, the divine meets the diva within - one of many facets of a women and her image.

“hot, wild and sensational! C’mon she is the only who takes my non-veg jokes the way they are meant to be - just jokes! Like her spunkiness and full of life attitude. Stay that way Bhu! Always a live-wire !” - I quote thee Deepak!

So while I went searching for the spunky, zesty divas out there, the Gal next door is also the bold diva at the next blog :-) Bhumi! Vicky describes her as “a good friend. a sport. doesnt hesitate in voicing her opinions and thats whys they count a lot” .A taste of what she is from her blog -

Okay so here is an observation and conclusion from my observations over the past year or so..
women get old… what happens? menopause… mood swings, bitchyness out of no where… ahh we know the list! If you see someone in your family go though it… I am sure men will say that they dont want to live long enough to live thru it with their wives!
but now…
what we dont know..
is that men go though these things too..no no not menopause!
i know men have no cycle as such… but im tlaking about the random ‘doggieness’ and crap
what kinda crap? complaining ALL the time… literally complaining non-stop.
It’s like when was the last time somehting good came out of your mouth ?!?!?!?!?!?!

Here are a few lines from her for DDoB -

almost 22, and I go to a all womens college!! which i think is an appropriate thing to mention for thispost! I will be graduating may 14th *YAAAY* with a bachelors in accounting..but as most of u all know, the true passion lies in the art field..i might probably be one of the most difficult poeple to understand out there hehe i am typically shy with new company…but then the wild side takes over!
so we all know that once u turn 21… what do u do… u get drunk! and wasted and all that… but till date… even thjough i have 2 more months to go… but i havnt done any drinking as being a 21yo…i think its abt being responsible… and kinda feels good to be one of few non drinkers at a college campus.

Mind you though, she does have immense artistic talent! Bhu, I need to come to your house and see these for myself! They are gorgeous! Ricky ji’s analysis is this (Gnextdoor - you decide if its right ;) ) “She is a very fun-loving girl who speaks her mind. She enjoys her life and has a naughty side to her. She changes her templates faster than I change my posts. She redefines the word “typical”. She has a sensitive side to her which may not be visible to many people.”

There we are - two more faces of the versatile woman - the divine and the diva. We all have a bit of both in us - a little more of one than the other but we do have both ;)

Quote of the day: “Women are not inherently passive or peaceful. We’re not inherently anything but human.” Robin Morgan

Both divine and diva are words of the day. Your thoughts?

Quiz Question # 2: She is a powerful businesswoman and started her company in a small garage in 1978 when women entrepreneurs were still rare. Today, she is one of the most prominent business names to reckon with in India. A zoologist by degree, she is also a brew master - the first one for a woman in India! Someone I admire a lot. Who is she?

Hint: None this time. Its easy :-D
Email answers to utterances (at) gmail (dot) com by April 9th, 12 am EST with Subject line ” Q2″

Posted by Utterly Me on Apr 3rd 2006 | Filed in Uncategorized | Comments (65)

Divine Divas of Blogsville - Curtain Raiser

Eight hours of excruciating pain are finally over. Yes, yes the exam was indeed eight hours long and covered almost every “logy” you could think of - histology, periodontology, embryology, pathology, pharmacology blah blah blah blah…at this point I just want to forget it all - atleast till the time I hear if I passed or failed! The first part was considerably easier than the second one, but then everyone felt the same so maybe we will all pass! Lets see kya hota hai.

Lets get to bigger and better things at hand! Let me rewind a few weeks, when I announced the Divine Divas of Blogsville. So what is it?

The idea for Divine Divas of Blogsville sprung up on International Women’s Day when I read numerous posts about women, the essence of being a woman, and just how different this world would be if there were no women. I emailed most of the ladies I know in blogsville and asked them a series of questions and I have received several replies. Several remain. I also emailed the gentlemen in blogsville asking them to write a few words about the lovely ladies they know. Mind you, these are the people I know. So I might have missed many wonderful women out there and by no means are they any less special. The idea is to highlight the different aspects of a woman, the different roles she can assume, and how each and every one has something different to offer. After reading the replies that I received, I must say I was pretty surprised at how applaudable each and every one is!

Sushmita Sen was asked one final question before she was crowned Miss Universe about 12 years ago: “What is the essence of a woman?” I set out to seek the answer myself. It is easy to answer but so hard to fathom. The essence of a woman lies in her versatility. Her power to lead, her strength to love unconditionally, her compassion, her stylish makeovers, her traditional dresses, her Wall Street jobs, her household chores, her irrational emotions, her extremely logical outlook on life, and so much more - all of these are the essence of a woman. Take a look around at the women you know, each one has her own little place representing one or more of these things.

I quote Shirley Chislom here - “The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, ‘It’s a girl’.” I am sure we all know very well what she means. I have no intention of preaching equality or being overtly feminist. I merely want to present to you a few very special women about who they are in their own words. These women have atleast one distinct quality that sets them apart from the rest. The goal is to discuss women, what womanhood means to them, and what it means to you gentlemen out there. Just a fun little event! We have a little quiz too. I will be asking one question at the end of each post and the person to get most questions correct will get a special prize. Some questions might pertain to one of you - so you will definitely know the answer. Don’t worry, you get free points :-D

Lets start off with our little curtain raiser about what you will hear from these women, and let me start it off.

Most of you know me as the girl from Utterances, and I go by Kaush. Whats in a name, they say? A lot, I know! I have been often mistaken to be a guy, especially in emails, online conversations; many a times I have gone to meetings, and have had honest queries as to why I am not a guy? I laugh it off, and generally don’t mind it. Supposedly, its more of a masculine name, but the female doctor at the hospital I was born at had the same name. So here I am.

A 20-something, I have been more of a rebel in most decisions I have made. I used to not understand why the guys in our society in Ahmedabad would play outside in the mud, while us girls stayed at home in the evenings playing “ghar ghar” with our barbie dolls. I love my dolls, but I also wanted to roll in the mud. There is one distinct event that I remember from that part of my childhood. I have no idea how old I was, but it was one of those evenings and I really wanted to play hop-skotch with the guys in the mud - most of whom are married now and probably dont even remember getting mad at me. So I went, and this guy said “chokrio thi naa rami shakaay” (girls cannot play). I screamed why not! One of the notorious guys said, “we eat mud, only if you eat mud.” Not to be left out, I stomped across to the play are where there was a bit of sand, took a little and put it in my mouth and chomped it off - smirking, showing them I wanted to play too. As luck would have it, my mom was just coming home from work and saw what her precious little angel (yea right) had done. She stormed towards me, shook all the bones within me, and slapped me hard! I was not supposed to eat mud. Gladly, she never said I was not supposed to play with guys. I did from then on. I had done it - my first rebellion. Just a random memory from childhood.

Spoiled rotten by my dad, for most of my childhood I got everything I ever wanted without even asking. I was probably the one where my parents got most training in child care. But things became hard for the family during my mid teen years. I grew up pretty fast in those years, and learnt a lot. Most people I know tell me I act too old for my age, but maybe its going through those hard times that taught me a lot. Moving to America taught me even more, so much that this blog would run out of space. I have been doing taxes for my family since then. Never was I reminded that I was girl, or I wasnt told to do something just because I was a girl. In fact, I was asked to do everything that traditionally a guy would do. I would whine but one day dad said, “thats coz you are not our daughter, you are our son.” I was elated. I did not know if I wanted to be happy because I was placed on the same high pedestal that sons are placed on in our society, where we are not just a transitory member of the family. Or, should I be ashamed that I hadn’t been that docile daughter that I should have been? I even asked, “why, a girl cant do the same things?”

Here is my query for the day, why do we usually stereo type certain roles to certain genders? Sure, thats normal. But when a guy cries we say ” you are such a girl” or when a girl is rebellious, she is a tomboy. So, aren’t guys allowed to have their emotions break free? or are girls not supposed to be outspoken, and confident? Its hard to run away from it, and its the way society is in general.

Here are two comments from three very different people, who know me in three very different ways (gemini hoon - gotta have twin personalities naa). I did not ask for it, but they were kind enough to boost my ego a little with their wonderful words.

Deepak: “one of my bestest friends in blogsville, fun loving and share the most comfy friendship - no hangups, no uptight behavior, casual…and can share any and every silly or profound joke or thought!” (you are da best DJ - and yes, I have put up with many such jokes! Sigh)
Ricky: ” How could I miss you…LOL. You are one of my first friends in the blog-world. You were also my first gujju friend (like ever). You are very passionate about your work which is always a good thing. Your work with NGOs in India is very inspirational. You are very out-going, fun-loving and geniune girl. You have a lot to look forward in life. You are a good friend.” (thanks ricky - atleast now your interest in gujju gals has gone up)
Vicky: ab aapke bare mein kya kahein. hehe.
good friend who is now gods knows where and god knows doing what.
amazing love story. :) (yea right Vicky - you know a lot about me! )

So ladies, brace yourselves - there is a lot of praise coming your way :D

Quote of the day: ” Men are taught to apologize for their weaknesses, women for their strengths.” ~Lois Wyse

Stereotype is word of the day. Your thoughts?

Quiz question: Who came up with the name “Divine Divas of Blogsville”?
Hint: Someone on my “Coffee Buds” list.
Email answers to utterances (at) gmail (dot) com by April 3rd with Subject line ” Q1″

If you have not received an email about this and would lik e one, email me and I will send you one. Slowly but surely :)

Posted by Utterly Me on Mar 28th 2006 | Filed in Uncategorized | Comments (141)

Updates and Apologies

I was going to publish a little curtain raiser post today about DDoB but decided that it would be best to postpone it until the end of this month. First of all, I provided several participants with a very short deadline and even then a few of you responded and I am very grateful for that but to make it fun, I would love to have everyone’s responses before I start, so I shall wait so that we all have more time. Second and more importantly, I have one exam looming in 10 days, even though it is just one it is very important..its my national boards for licensure. I apologize for the delay but it will be a whole lot more fun if I am able to give my full attention to DDoB. I have already prepared the quiz questions :) Once again, if you have not received an email, let me know and I shall send you one :) It will officially and for sure start on March 28, 10:00 pm EST :-D

Until then, I would like to introduce you all to my kitchen!!! Yes yes, I have had that blog for three months now but I never officially introduced it. There has been a link on the side bar for a long time but I just never mentioned it in a post. Some of you have made it there and have realized that its true to its name - my experiments with rasoi ;) ;). Do read the intro post.

So here’s presenting - My Experiments with Rasoi - Improvements, suggestions, and recipes WELCOME!

Another update: Pick of the week is back from Rediffblog days! Sometimes its pick of the “month” but ..y aknow ;)

Also, know how I have time and again written about my phone bill and how my dad always confronts me but never has taken the phone away? Well, I came up with another little song for the rising phone bills…yeh kab khatam hoge…sigh!

Main aur mere dad
aksar yeh baatein karte hai
phone ka bill kam hota toh kaisa hota

main yeh gaadi kharidta, tum woh dress kharidti
mere baal kuch zyaada hote, meri taal kuch kam hoti
main tumhaari phone usage se hairan hota
phone ka bill kam hota toh kaisa hota…..

main aur mere dad
aksar yeh baatien karte hai
yeh “B” hai yaa uska nasha tumhe hai
yeh baatein itni kyu hamesha hoti rehti hai
Reliance ka card itna kyu use hota hai
Ambanis ko tumhaari baaton se itna paise kyu milta rehta hai

Hai bill se mujhe shikayat
yaa B ki baaton se main hairaan hoon
Hai yeh bill kyu itna lamba
Iska tax return kya main bhar sakta hoon?

ye phone company ki fraud billing hai
ya Reliance phone cards ki koi trick
yeh pattiyo ki kyu hui sarsaraahat
mere kaano main phone ki bajti hai aahat

yeh sochte hai mere dad kabse gumsum
ke jabke unko bhi yeh khabar hai
ke B nahi hai…. kahi nahi hai
magar mera phone hai ki proof deta rehta hai
ke woh yahi hai..yahi kahi hai

Bill bharne ki ye aadat, meri bhi hai uski bhi
kadki thodi idhar bhi hai udhar bhi

baat karne ko bahot kuch hai par kaise kare hum
kab tak phone pe baatien karte rahe hum…
dil kehta hai reliance kabhi free bhi karvaade!
yeh phone ke bill jo badh rahe hai unhe katva de
hum saath main rehlete hai, dad ko bata de
batade ke haan humko mohabbat hai..mohabbat hai
aur yeh phone ke bill idhar bhi hai … udhar bhi

yeh kahaaan aa gaye hum, yunhi phone pe baat karte
apni baaton se hai jaanam,saade phone ke bill badhte
yeh kahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aa gaye hum…

Sigh.

Posted by Utterly Me on Mar 17th 2006 | Filed in Uncategorized | Comments (31)

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