Rehaana - part 7 - Popcorn Confessions

Rehaana - the beginning

Rehaana - part 2 - the twilight

Rehaana - part 3 - the phone call

Rehaana - part 4 - the first period

Rehaana - part 5 - the dreamer waits

Rehaana - part 6 - the homecoming

"Pass the popcorns, stop hogging the bag, will ya" He tried to reach across to the bag of popcorns she was holding as tightly as she would hold her clutch bag

"Jaa naee deti, tang mat kar, movie dekh" [No won't give, stop troubling, watch the movie, will ya]

"Grrr...pass the bag"

"No"

"Ok then, I guess you don't want these samosas either"

She looked at the popcorn bag in her hand, she looked at the samosas in his hand

"Ok here you can have the popcorns"

"Stupid dry kernels, who wants those"

She cursed herself...he had been setting her up, damn

"Aww comeon,be nice to a lady"

"Yeah yeah"

"Come on, be nice, please...pretty please"

He smiled, couldn't say no to the missy when she was doing this now could he, he held out a little longer, let her do a little bit more of the pleading...then saw her as she gulped them down...she had won...cause he would never let her loose

"How was the movie" she asked afterwards

"Better than i expected" She saw the glint in his eyes, and knew what he was talking about. It sent a shiver down her spine, a chill of fear and excitement. It was a dangerous path she was treading, one that she was not sure about, where winning was a dim chance and so many ways she could lose.

"I would love to have a scarf like that"

"Its out of stock"

"How would you know?"

"Coz i checked, and half a dozen other boutiques in the local market, but give me time, I'll figure something out and get it for you"

"I didn't ask you to"

"Thats the sad part" he chuckled, a half chuckle "when its so easy, that is all you had to do"

"Its not easy"

"I know, sometimes even the most simplest things can be tough" He looked at her face and cursed himself...the smile had gone. He knew that if only she would fold into his arms, he could make sure that the smile would not leave those lips even for a moment, but then that if only was the biggest if only he had ever seen in any story

Rehaana - part 6 - the homecoming

Rehaana - the beginning

Rehaana - part 2 - the twilight

Rehaana - part 3 - the phone call

Rehaana - part 4 - the first period

Rehaana - part 5 - the dreamer waits


"Wow, you live in a big house" he said as he entered the bungalow...

"Yes, It is one of the few things that gives me space"

"Where are your in-laws"

"They've gone visiting him in the US"

"Oh hmm"

"Tea or Coffee"

"Tea, i like coffee more but burnt my lining with it few years back, ever since my system won't let me get near it"

"You like it milky?"

"No, not really, just a little bit of the milk; i like milk as it is, so when i feel like milk, i have milk" he grinned

She looked at him like that, the raised eyebrow, just the way he had imagined it

"You make nice tea, even though I can cook, I can't make decent tea"

"Thanks, used to make tea as a kid, I make superb tea" she said with a proud smile

"Wow I wish I was living in a pretty house like this instead of the stupid hotel"

"Why don't you?" She wasn't sure why she said that, but she didn't regret saying it either. "Though, only if you promise to be a gentleman"

"What!!! here?"

"Not if you don't want to, geez"

"No it's not that, it seems you caught the author off guard with this"

"He didn't imagine me doing this, did he"

"Does it look like, he could've"

She smiled. He moved in saturday morning into the guest room. He wasn't sure how this was gonna work out, but sometimes you don't think, you don't ponder you just do.

"Let's go watch a movie" she was looking chirpy, tired from the whole week of work,but still chirpy, there was a hidden energy in her that came out in bursts, when she let it

"Cool, which one?"

"Confessions of a Shopaholic good for you?"

"You really trying to stump the author today no" he chuckled "but I don't mind chickflicks, infact i dont mind anything except sad films if they are made well...sad films are a no no...so yes sounds good"

Rehaana - part 5 - the dreamer waits

Rehaana - the beginning

Rehaana - part 2 - the twilight

Rehaana - part 3 - the phone call

Rehaana - part 4 - the first period

"I used to be horrible at cricket as a kid, the only activity which I could do well, was running, and I've thats what I've been doing all my life"

"Like Forest Gump"

"he he, yeah like him"

Another day another call

"I used to be good at chemistry too"

"Who else is good at Chemistry?" He could feel her raised eyebrow across the phone "Oh my Rehaana...he he, not a bad writer am I then...moulding the real with the fictional"

"I like to read what you write, you write so well"

He smiled, a lot of people had told him that before, but it meant so much more coming from her

Another day, no call; another week no call;

SMS "been busy, haven't had time to breathe, will call you"

Its funny how the radio seems to be able to read your mind

She can kill with a smile
She can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child,
But she's always a woman to me

She can lead you to love
She can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe
And she'll take what you give her, as long as it's free
Yeah, she steals like a thief
But she's always a woman to me

CHORUS:
Oh--she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh--and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind

And she'll promise you more
Than the Garden of Eden
Then she'll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you're bleedin'
But she'll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me

Three weeks after their last call, she called again..."come over"

He wasn't sure if he was happy or angry. Probably a mix of both...She had been through so much, she was going through so much, but the way she'd make him feel a part of her life and then isolate herself again...didn't she know how the wait was killing him...

Rehaana - part 4 - the first period

Rehaana - the beginning

Rehaana - part 2 - the twilight

Rehaana - part 3 - the phone call


He texted her "Rehaana had her first period"

"What!!!" she called back, half a shout, half a wonder as to what he meant...

"Rehaana, my 11 year old Rehaana, she had her first period"

"Awww"

"Her granparents were out and the the cramps started and blood, she got scared and went and hid in her garden house. Around lunch time when her grandparents came back and couldn't find her granma went about the back and found her there all curled up and crying."

"Then?"

"Well firstly she hugged her so that the little one would calm down and then told her it was ok, that now she was turning into a woman, and all about the menstrual cycle. Rehaana for everything else is a very inquisitive kid, loves her books, loves her questions, even in that pain i think she asked granma so many questions that granma felt like maybe she should call a gynaec and get her to explain everything to this little kid"

"He he he, so sweet" ...He liked her giggly laugh...it was a mesmerizing sound, funnily he wondered, how it mesmerized only him.

"But I am not sure if I wrote this episode well enough, not like I've been having periods all my life."

"He he he, I can help you with this one, will help you redraft it"

"Will you?"

"Sure" she smiled

he smiled back...and over the phone they saw each other smile

"hmm so when are we meeting next"

"Don't know been busy, got a few presentations to make to prospective clients, will let you know"

"Sure, but eh, do say, how'd Gauri Pradhaan become Rehaana"

"Ooh thats gonna take some time to tell, let me work now, will call you later, ok?"

"sure, have a nice day at work"

she smiled

Three nights later she called

"After the scandal, life became very difficult in Bombay, I was fired, and snickered at everywhere I would go, suddenly I had become an untouchable. But there were still a few people who believed in me. A senior colleague who had left our firm much earlier to start his own consulting business in the US told me to pack my bags and come and stay at his place for a month.

I needed the change and I went there for a long two month vacation. I wasn't happy, I used to spend most of my time brooding about what had happened, in one go my whole life had been ruined by that man, I was angry as hell, but a new place, so many things to do did help take my mind of the whole incident, even if for a few hours.

I needed a new identity, and I quite liked the songs that "Rihaana" was belting out, but I wanted something more Indian. Also I thought that maybe it was time for me to settle down and do some family stuff. I knew this colleague had a crush on me, he always had, had proposed to me earlier also. This time I said yes and became Rehaana Pradhaan. I wanted to keep my surname and he was cool with it but I didn't want to be Gauri anymore.

We came back to India got married, things were ok but there wasn't really anything common between us, we were friends who got married, not lovers. The marriage only strained our friendship. Anyways his parents had a leather export business from Chennai, their native town and it wasn't doing well. They were high on debt and low on profitability. I knew what I had to do, it was the least I could do for all that he had done for me. So I got involved in the business and started turning it around. He had to go back to the US, his work was there, it also gave us the space we needed, I was tired of the random fights that were happening between us.

So this is why a girl like me is found in Chennai and not Bombay"

He chuckled at her half humor, what could he say, he suddenly realize that the reason he found her voice so mesmerizing was, because he had started liking her, liking her in that romantic way, guess it was the mention of her marriage that forced him to that reality, she had already gone through so much, he wondered where the author was taking this story cause he had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to do.

Rehaana - part 3 - the phone call

Rehaana - the beginning

Rehaana - part 2 - the twilight

Three days later the call came, he was working on a presentation, while writing were his bread and butter he was not making either of them from the writing so he donned his corporate hat and worked. There was stuff he had to finish...but then

"you busy"

"not very"

"i can call later"

"or you could just talk now" he smiled, he wondered if she could imagine him smile, cause he could see her smile over the phone

she didnt talk about her pain, she spoke about her childhood, a fiesty childhood, an adventurous childhood, she spoke of things she liked, the gol gappas she could guzzle, the books she read...and he talked about his childhood; father being in the army, playing at the banks of saryu river.

They both talked of the nice things they did, the silly things they did, the bad things they did. The whole thing about talking is quite simple, someone who can understand what you are saying, someone who you can speak freely and not having to worry about being judged, and someone who is interested in what you have to say, not because the topic is interesting, but because you are.

"Tell me something will ya"

"what" her voice took a deep and soft tone when there was hidden excitement in her.

"Whats a girl like you doing in Chennai"

"As in"

"As in, you are bigger than this city, you dont belong here, you belong to Bombay or Delhi, not Chennai"

"Someday" she said

He wanted to push her, ask, get to know, but he left it at that, he had felt her pain, he wanted to soothe it out, but not just yet...patience, when the heart is bursting with passion, patience

Another time they were talking of starting a business and he said "check out the latest business today, they have a feature on these young guns...i quite like this chap Abhyut Saxena, smart, dashing, team player and what a cracker of an idea he came up with, that new product category of meat flavored namkeens to be had with drinks. Think i'll go do a feature of him on my blog"

"Ya isn't it, i gotta go now, got some work to do"

She called later in the day.

"I used to work for a firm in Bombay, new products division. It was pretty interesting work and I was good at it. I had a nice boss who gave me the support I required and trusted in me. There was a radically new idea I had which required a lot of change in the way we made our product and preserved it. The company was not doing so well at that point of time so my boss to keep the project alive made it a classified incubator project. Only me and him worked on it along with the technicians, the management was not to be told until we had perfected the production technique and had done the basic market research. Both his and my neck were on the line. But we did it, we finally got the technique right and in the closed group market trials it was a huge hit.

We were to present it to the management on the 20th. I was there waiting outside the boardroom, the meeting was to begin at 9 a.m. It was 8:45 but there was no him, he should've been there at 8:30 only. I tried calling him but his cell was unreachable...8:57 a.m. The heads of various product categories started rushing about, somthing was amiss, they were all worried. Slowly all of them started surrounding me asking questions; they, the senior management. It was an inquistions...my boss had jumped ships, taking with him our product, my product. He stole my baby and left me in a lurch. I was accussed of being his accomplice, of selling out, of sleeping with him and what not...

You may have heard of the scandal at Amantra Foods..."

"Ya i did, in passing only but i did, so?"

"I am Gauri Pradhaan"

"Errr"

"The Gauri Pradhaan scandal at Amantra Foods..."

"I'm so sorry..."

"My boss was Abhyut Saxena...

[dead silence]

I just wanted you to know"

"Thanks.............for trusting me with this..."

*****to be continued

Rehaana - part 2 - the twilight

Rehaana - the beginning

"Aww, so sweet such an idyllic story" he could hear the mockery in her tone

"Sweet?" he said in a unbelieving voice "she finds puberty this year and takes a loving to chemistry that takes her to the city" Believe me the story turns out to be anything but sweet till the fifth chapter which is where it takes another turn.

"Fifth chapter...didn't you just start writing this?...read my name and thats how it became the story of Rehaana, isn't it..."

"ha ha ha, well i was actually writing a kiddy story about how the girl participates in a science exhibition and the challenges she faces...but then you made me conscious with that mocking tone so i thought and the story changed in my mind...i got a different picture with a little more than just the competition to it

ofcoure nothing as dangerous as vampires and werewolves eh?" he said looking at third part of twilight in her hand"

"Ofcourse not, they have a mystery to them, a thrill of danger, an impossibility about them that draws us to them"

"So tell me, have you ever seen a vampire or werewolf in real"

"Oh come on" she said in a condascending tone signifying that it was just a romantic concept, it was like asking if you had really seen superman!!!

"no no humor me, play along, believe me i have point to it"

"Ok, i don't know why i'm indulging you but here goes...no never met either a vampire or werewolf in real life"

"But for some reason you believe that a person who feasts on others blood, or turns into a wolf has a romantic conotation to them, the nice hearted person who turns into half evil by no choice of his, the pain they suffer, the charm they have and oh yes the mystique to them

Never for a moment does it occur to you that a vampire in a real life would probably be a ruthless thing that wants blood and is willing to cause pain for it; a rude, crude, blood thirsty vermin

Because if it did, then how will the author further write his book, only romantic notions can lead to chapter 2"

"Now you're just killing a very interesting book"

"ha ha ha...yeah i am, ain't i...bad of me especially since writing is my bread and butter...but think...the way i approached you, if this had been in real life, what are the chances of me being seated on this table now, coming up with a line you'd think wasnt corny, to you reacting to it in a welcoming way...would it really have happened?"

"eh, what do you mean...if this were in real life"

"well don't you thing the way we met, is so bookishly romantic, that we would have to be in a book for it to be true, not that it can't happen in real life, but its only an author who will make it sound so bloody hunky dory

so the thing is whether you'll believe the author notions of romantic or your own"

"so what you're saying is that we are in a book"

"yes"

"that we are characters created by some author"

"yes"

"so what kind of a story is this?"

"a happy one"

"how do you know"

"i don't know, but i believe in happy stories, not the fairy ones, not the easy ones, i don't believe in cinderellas with glass slippers, i believe in cute specy girls, with calf leather peep-toes in a book shop"

she giggled back..."but i'm not a happy story"

"i know, if you were, what role would my character play"

"hmmm"

"so then what is your story"

"doesn't the author already know, after all he wrote me...didn't he"

"ha ha ha...yeah but the story has to still be told"

"but why would i tell it to you"

"that is a question, only you can answer, but probably for the same reason you let me sit down at this table in the first place"

"hmm, maybe...i don't feel like it now"

"sure thing, i'll also get going...but do take down my number"

"don't think so, i'm not gonna call, we'll see each other when we do"

"ha ha ha...the author making us meet, that was serendipity, not exchanging numbers, will be our idiocy"...he jotted down his number on the napkin and took her leave

*****to be continued...

Rehaana: part 1

He had been observing her for a while now, she was sitting alone at the table, a thick book in hand, specs on her eyes, a grey shwal over her, blue jeans and a pair of 3" heeled peep toe pumps in calf leather. A big mug of coffee, black and he hadnt seen her put any sugar in.

the Barista was still busy with another customer's order and so he stood there patiently waiting for his and observing her. There was a serenity to her which drew him towards her, and there was a pain to her that held his thoughts. He had seen many women sit alone at coffee shops, not that he hadn't felt the need to accost them, but then you don't randomly go and say hi to a stranger of the opposite sex do you, heck you don't even do it to one of the same sex. With the number of wierdos around it would take lots of guts for someone to be friendly with a stranger who comes up and says hi, not in the city, it's a jungle.

The first line that came to his mind was "buy me a coffee?" upon which he imagined her looking up towards him taking out a fifty note, putting it on the table and going back to her reading...maybe then something like...no not that either. It was like the movie Next where Nicholas Cage thinks of ways of approaching the girl at the table and sees the possibilities not working out.

So this time he just got up, he had no idea what he was going to say to the girl, but those eyes, that face...they just drew him to her. Luckily for him she looked up from her book just as he reached the table, he wouldn't atleast have to do that part. There was a question in her eyes...wtf!!! they asked, so many empty tables in the shop why are you here.

He kept his coffee mug at the table...i need to do some writing, and i feel uncomfortable sitting alone, makes me self conscious...would it be alright if i sat at this table, i promise i won't tell you the ending of the that book or disturb you.


She hadn't expected this...never in her imagination had she expected this...she didn't even realize that she had nodded him a yes...who the hell uses a line like that...it almost felt real...little did she know it was real...

but she gathered back her senses as he sat down and brought out his pen and a thick wad of loosely held papers...

but why me? she asked

i liked your shoes he said plainly and got down to inking whatever it was that he was inking.

She got back to her reading, sipping her coffee...but the stranger made her uncomfortable, but not in a way that she'd want to shoo him off or get up herself and leave. Somehow she felt the stranger understood her in an uncanny way, that is what made her uncomfortable.

She finally realized that she had to find out, all instincts in her told that this accidental meet was no accident that someone somewhere had planned this. That someone somewhere wouldn't let her be, not even after all the pain she had gone through, they were still after her.

What are you writing about she asked

"Rehaana" he said

Her eyes grew wide, "but I am Rehaana"

"I know", he looked up, he handed her a crumpled piece of paper..."you left your bill at the counter"..."its a beautiful name, my fingers twitched and I had to write about Rehaana".

She took a large sip of coffee, there are days very few of them that a holiday falls on a wednesday and you realize that you don't have to go to office, that you don't have to slog 20 hours today, and that its midweek. when you get up at 9 a.m., don't shower, slip into some clothes, take your book along and head out to your favorite coffee joint, where the people know you and know that you want to be left alone to read.

And then this happens. She wasn't very sure what to make out of it all...

so what about this Rehaana, whats she like in your writing. Rehaana is a small kid he said, she's 11 years old and lives with her grandparents in a hill station. She's a dreamy little kid but she's a prankster, likes chemistry and loves flowers, she grows them by the in her own garden that her grandpa marked out for her, and she spends her time there playing, reading.


*****to be continued

the saga of a scarf

When the girl you like, likes a scarf, what do you do?

Well you try and get it for her (unless you are one of those who don't treat their girls nice in which case try jump off the next cliff please). With these very thoughts and only three days in my hand i tried to wear the red underwear on top of my gay stretchpants and fly like superman across the markets of South Delhi.

Realized on Saturday that she likes the scarf, was caught in bounds on Sunday and Monday was office. Yet still with a brave heart i ventured forth into South Ex at the princely time of 8:30 p.m. despite knowing that South Ex is closed on Mondays hoping that some shop must be open.

Wills Lifestyle lived up to those expectations but alas only those ones cause they didn't have a scarf...not to mention definitely not anything resembling 'the scarf'

But i still had one more day to me...Tuesday left office early...5:30 p.m. (i usually leave by 7:30)...hit South Ex by 6:20...found parking (miracles happen). Started with Mango...as expected no scarves, what i didn't expect was the Sales Manager (not the sales girl mind you) had any idea where i could get one...talk about knowledge. Proceeded down the road to the main market, Levis...Indian, Indian, Shoes, Indian and the whole round was done and none of the shop windows gave a glimmer of hope. So then i took the subway and emerged onto the other side (did I mention the laptop bag on my back). This time i boldly went into almost each shop and asked...cause this side had more western wear stuff than Indian (Globus, Pall Mall) and other boutiques which i can't remember the name of. I was shone silly material scarves, stoles, cotton scarves, woolen scarves...Bizarre actually had stuff in green, with thick wrinkles which almost looked like pleats ( there is a relevance to the pleats...will come to it...patience...i've only been walking 30 minutes now). I was back on this side of the road so I went back to the shops that I had just walked by in the first round, the Indian ones, and asked for guidance and they guided me to BGs...I did buy something from there...cause it had a nice print but thats not what I was looking for and I don't believe in consolation prizes...but still nice it was to finally buy something. Any how then came the Giovanis and their neighbours proudly claiming western wear...aarghh...

By this time I had been given decent route descriptions to reach GK - M block market. and so I did...8:15 p.m. too early for the shops to be closed isn't it...when the sinking truth hit me..though i still confirmed it from a sardarji whose shop was open....Tuesday's closed!!! (ok I must have done sins in past life and this outcome clearly indicates this)...Three stood Miss Jo...the shop I was told was most certain to have party wear including scarves. But I never got to find out.

Today was the day I had hoped to give her the scarf and tell her that i'll get her the real one as soon as it comes in stock (oh ya will come to that too)...but since that would be flying in and I wanted to giver her something she could hold onto this one in the meanwhile...but alas timings and work schedules...and here I am telling you a saga when all of me wants to be at the airport seeing her off...if only she had said come just wave me goodbye...

Ok now to the scarf...Its a pretty little thing...the personality signature of the protagonist of Confessions of a shopaholic. Its 80 inches long, semi-synthetic, pleated, bottle green (i'm color blind so please excuse if i get the shade wrong) with roughed edges. To most men what I said may not sound anything fancy...but its absolutely chic (i hope you get it by seeing the pic)...plus it signifies a lot more than just a fashion statement and if you can understand that then you have just begun to understand women (but don't claim it...otherwise they'll prove you long)

Oh Btw...since its an absolute rage the designer(Patricia Greenfield) who took it from the original Dolce and Gabbana design also put it on her website for sale for $50 (http://www.patriciafield.com/cheapchicgreenscarf.aspx) however its out of stock...wtf!!!

so here I am with a two hour saga to narrate, a scarf in my bag that is missing an owner, a scarf that I still want to buy for a girl...

and destiny that still holds out the distance between her and me...

btw if you're still wondering why...why all this effort...then you probably don't understand what it means to be able to bring a smile on her face

Job Available

in these times of recession aren't those like the two best words only topped by the other two words 'you're hired'...gone are the days when three worded phrases meant all in life...

this is the age of career people and workaholics...

and that is exactly what we are looking for...

WANTED

a 'hot momma' for a 26 year old mama's boy...pampered since birth...fed breakfast in the morning...lunch packed for office...comes back from gym get freshly squeezed juice...weekend gets nice oil massage...u get the picture.

The original mama has done enough for the young 'laadla' and now its time for the baton to be passed on to a young, energetic woman...who is foucssed about her career and won't leave a stone unturned to pamper the chap in question...its a 24/7 into a lifetime job and we are looking for dedicated workaholics...

This is hard work and hard work calls for top notch compensation...for all your pampering and care...we promise to....ermm...love you back...in these times of devaluing currency the only currency that still holds good (equivalent to cash in hand)...and to pamper you more than you pamper us (equivalent to CTC...hope u know what this means :P )...and to treat you like a princess...

plus to keep you engaged and provide you variety (and some oopar ki kamaee)...you can also work in the industry of your choice...

When i was born my mama said...I'll love you so much that no woman will ever be good enough for you

(ok my mom didn't say that...i borrowed that line from friends, when monica gets her adopted baby)

So 'Do you Have it in You...

... to be the Hot Momma'

(Inspired by Anu Malik...i've been taking inspiration from other people's quotes...in this case the Indian Army)

p.s. for the feminists who are about to blow their lid off...this post is only in good humor, we appreciate women in the boardroom, other than bringing some smart wit, hardwork and a different perspective, they also bring some life to the dreary place.

It is inspired from a friend who is actually a 'workaholic' and a highly succesfull career woman...i just wanted to see how we could take the word and twist it around in another context...

as a personal opinion...i always believe in a balance between the home and work place...a full dedication to both the work and the family...and like everyone else...i'm striving to reach that golden balance

Dev D

an abso-fucking-lutely brilliant movie...despite the fact that i saw a horrible downloaded print (long live piracy)...

the movie has so many parts to appreciate about...the way the pain is portrayed...the shots of the eyes...the blend of fotografy and music lending credibility to the expression...

the way the stories go about...the way the story has been modified to include contemporary issues...though ofcourse one or two cliches were there

what i like about the story is the underlying discussion about self destructive tendencies of the overly intelligent sort...what absence of trust...and ego can do to a relationship...how one silly mistake can suddenly rip apart your world...how its easy to judge someone...but really if u look at it...all the characters are innocent...they did what they did as they understood the world

and oh man the music...the music brings the whole story to life...the songs for a hindi film are not a movie pauser...but a flow enhancer

thesanelyinsane say....whacaccaacacaaaa....we want more

Women's Day

Ok first...please don't get unnecessarily ruffled by the presence of Invader Zim...he can be overwhelming...but he's the life of the blog...and even if he means harm...am sure u won't mind getting a little bit infected by craziness...

now where was i...well nowhere actually...except that the other day these client people celebrated Women's day...how nice of them...except that they didn't offer the customary samsosas that one gets accustomed to with such events...classy people...buggers...no samosas...

neways they did get good speakers...there was a lady Joy Deshmukh who works in the field of microfinance for women and is an economics researcher...she spoke on the 'care' economy and the 'market economy' and one of the few people who i believe have sane ideas on women's liberalization...her idea of gender sensitivity went beyond empowering the woman but to how both men and women need to break away from ingrained socializations and develop a new world order...

then later in the day and to my dismay no samosas (not even classy pizzas) again...damn them....they had Barkha dutt have come and give a talk...mostly about her own experiences...

btw the buggers were very enthusiastic about asking questions....didnt have many back benchers...good show i must say...btw this client really puts its money where its words lie...they have been on an aggressive diverification drive...and have been hiring women like crazy since the last two years...am sure the men in the organization appreciate it...

so now to why i blogged abt the damn event...one to lament the lack of food items...two because its a reality that our society hasn't woken up to in full extent...that the changing role of women in the society has to be treated on a broader perspective and unless we do that...the rate of divorces or latch key kids won't go down...its not just about women in the work place...its also about men in the home...and a whole lot more rebalancing of how things work

actually things dont work...now i think of it...damn but thats another post....

that reminds me...its almost two...lunch time.... :)