the “FINAL” dip …. a “team meeting” !!

Almost every year, on a certain day, I have to put up an act. And, just like is expected of any actor, with practice – my pretence has improved in quality. My voice modulations are very controlled and my comic timing is perfect!!  And I have managed to keep my audience ignorant about my lack of subject matter expertise. That day, is the day of Super Bowl – the biggest day of football as they know it in America!!

I show up at someone’s place to watch the game, and it is really the food and the alcohol that my eyes are absorbed with – from entry till exit. And yet, yours truly does not forget to play his role – with kaizen. Once every few minutes, I erupt into a frenzy of “high fives” with my greasy hands (here is a tutorial for those interested). Some years, I am so involved that I shake hands during the half time show. Like that one year with Janet…totally “out of place”!!

And that is how, an evening of brilliant performance seals my invitation to next year’s party. Of course, it is nobody’s business that the next morning, I have to check the local news before I show up at work. (so who won again ?) And I apologize for that!! I should really try to remember things better.

But this post is not at all about that. It is about the game, I grew up knowing as football. And tomorrow is the end to a different kind of lying. I do not have to schedule fake conference calls anymore from 6:30 in the morning or attend meetings with really no one but the cafeteria television from 1:30 in the afternoons. My eyes shall not seek for sleep and I shall stop predicting incorrectly on Raja’s blog. There is one more match, one that will put my conscience to rest for the next four years. And for that I had to do something special. I called for a “team meeting” !!

I call it the “FINAL” Dip  – a team meeting of boiled edamame, red onions, jalapeno peppers, peppers in all kinds of colors, cutting board, really sharp knife, paper towel, sea salt, not so virgin olive oil, roasted garlic and a green bowl !! I know the picture is not super appealing, but then it is not like you are going to actually get to dig into it. So go ahead and start the ooh’s and aah’s  – as I get ready to watch a football match which I actually understand !! Till next time … Waka Waka !!

if you liked this “FINAL” dip … please  

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walking along lake michigan …..!!

walking : good for bowel movement …..,

walking along Lake Michigan : scenic and very relaxing … or… extreme hypothermia …….depending on what month  it is ….,

walking along Lake Michigan and dropping some poo : priceless content for some useless human  blog ..!!

please share if you like this post …..

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no matter what …… !!

As a kid I used to look forward to falling sick. Why? Simple. It would mean, I could stay at home (not go to school is a derivative…you see) and mis-utilize (read:parent’s definition) the day by reading books outside of the syllabus. The mood usually did not go sour ….unless it was a case of acute Joi Bangla (colloquial term for conjunctivitis in Bengali)…because then the command would be ….”Chok bandho kore ghumiye thako” (shut your eyes and sleep) ….like there really is another way to sleep than not shutting them. ……And then…. I got hit by the chicken pox…I was like ….Aa Gale Lag Jaa !! …..my heart leapt into the air (metaphorically ….. a real leap would not sit well) of the green (painted…no connection with the environment) walls of the doctor’s clinic ….I told myself …..”Phaata Phaati” (This is pretty awesome…..would vaguely relay the ecstasy that I experienced on the finding).

This provoked some radical changes …..relocation (zero privacy section of the house),new work center (portable aluminium frame bed from Army store), designated dress code (all cotton comfort clothing), cubicle (four walls of the blue mosquito net), nutrition control (monitored diet of “get well soon” broth) …….you get the picture. The biggest attraction to this three week imprisonment, that I was looking forward to was….. my “one on one” adventure rides with the works of Ms.Blyton. !!

I was ten years old……(life was simple….no pressure)!!

She is 19. With the warmest smile and rock solid confidence, …..she is commitment personified !! Results matter to her …..(not the publicity) ….and she is going to tempt her health into a fight of will power. If you make it ….despite the darned boils …. we will play the “dhol” for you … if you do not … there is always a next time. No matter what …..Saina Nehwal…..you make us proud !!

Photo Courtesy:here

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netipot ….again

I did not know about these till Sue told me the other day, ..”have you tried using a netipot?”.”Nope”, I returned.But today was one of the really rough days.We are in the second week of cycle one and it is just extreme talking all day. It is multi tasking at full speed and capacity mis-utilization.Needless to say, the blocked nose and the painful breathing was not helping. I needed relief. Soon. I read a quick review on this and then told myself – “how hard can it be?” I have endured some serious pain and if this is close to that, we should be O.K.We dined at the Penang on Route 10 and the spice just did not do it. I probably need loads of cayenne to flush stuff out.When we neared the pharmacy, the pressure built up. I walked towards the cold relief section and picked up the box.For a pot and about 30 packets of saline what not – these do not come cheap.But I was determined to try it. Determined to not wake up in my sleep trying to breath.By the way, did I mention that I hate NJ.Few anxious moments of the drive back to the hotel and I was ready with my luke warm water, my head bent like they show in the instruction sheet.And it hurt !! It was painful.I think the challenge is how not to breathe in the hot saline liquid flowing through your nostrils.Relief ?Immediately!! I am sold. Will need to practice some more and I will be ready to have my own netipot video on You Tube. Though the very thought of sharing the sight of myself with liquid dripping out of my nose – not a good idea !! I don’t think so…..!!

The pirates have hit again!! This is revenge of the death of their comrades who were killed in the Phillips rescue.So they say. And I am sure they will do this again. In this world where technology has creeped into every corner of our lives, is it that difficult to counter these crooks? How are they so confident about the success of their efforts. Why are guns so easily available?They need to be crushed.I am livid and I don’t want to calm down.

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