A Hero at Heart

This is my building dog Yeda AKA Inspector Chulbul Pande… He is a sweet kid just like any other roadie and a big Hero at heart. He is a chilled lazy dude who likes finer things of life like food, sleep, play and heavy petting.  Chubby looking kid with big brown eyes is a sight for sore eyes when I return from work every evening. I always loved him but from today he is my all-time favorite action hero… Let me tell you WHY…

Just like any other morning, I take Ole Kumar out for his walkie session and as usual Inspector Pande also walks alongside. In our area we have a very aggressive dog that lives in the apartment opposite to ours. Everything happened so fast that it took me few seconds to realize and get a grip…. One moment Ole Kumar was pooping happily and Yeda baba was chilling and peeing in the nearby bush when this other dog came charging at me and Ole to bite us…. Out of nowhere, Yeda ran interference and tackled this huge canine... twice…  (He had broken his leash and had run away from his walker)…

Chester (aggressive dog’s name) still wanted to bite Ole but he could not as I was standing between them and brave Yeda was behind him, warning him not to charge…  After a struggle of few minutes, Chester’s walker managed to leash him again, and he was taken off the grounds.

It was a turbulent morning, as my Ole is a quiet and a submissive dog who does not like confrontation; but he was brave too. Between Yeda and Ole, poor Chester must have been three times…

 

Chester happens to be a very aggressive dog because of his not-so-nice owners and lack of exercise and human touch… Hopefully knocking some sense into the owner’s head (which we did today) would bring about a change in Chester’s lookout.

However, at the end of the day, I am very proud of Ole and of course Yeda (the coolest dude I know in the canine world…)

Sushi Lou - From Malwani to Colaba

Poor pup had a bad start of Children’s Day considering she was bumped on her snout by an auto rickshaw. Less than a month old, the little thing was crying her lungs out when Ole` and I found her during our morning walkie session.  On asking around, we found that this pup belonged to some other area and street kids played with her and dropped her off in our area as it was their time to go home. The baby was stranded in an unknown area and hurt. 

She was rushed to the rehab center of AMTM where the good doctor Ankita and other members gave her the emergency aid took very good care of her. 

After staying at the center for an entire week, puppy was ready to move into a foster home as she needed further care to be healthy.  

Friendly and adventurous by nature, she settled right in with Deborah Cornelius (the foster mom).  2 weeks into her foster care, Sushi Lou (named by Deborah) returned to her bouncy and healthy shape, making everyone around her falling in love with the ball of fur.

Then came the final step and probably the most difficult one… finding a forever home for the baby. It was killing me to even consider dropping her off back in the street as she would be without her mother or siblings. Plus she was too tiny to make it on her own.

All Hail Social Media!!!!!! After loads of sharing photos online and pleading for a home for her, Sushi’s future father Gireesh Singh contacted us as he was looking for a puppy for the family. He mentioned that he has had pets in the past and would be delighted to include her in the family.  What could be better than the fact that Sushi Lou would get a family who would love her like their own?

It was a bright Sunday when Deborah and I took Sushi to meet her new father.  They were rather pleased to meet each other. She bounced along in her new home exploring all corners and looking for all possible hide outs.

Although when we left her at her new place, we were almost in tears but we knew that she is in good hands now and I hope that she has a long, healthy and happy life…

From the diary of a bookworm...

Like any other 80's child , I have grown up reading characters like Feluda, Byomkesh, Kakababu, Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Tintin, Asterix and others. My adolescence has been extensively cultivated by Bengali and English authors alike. 

Thanks to my Grandfather who introduced me to the world of books, I’ve had a pretty colourful childhood. Imaginations ran wild and life was never monotonous. Every new book brought a new adventure along with it. Power of suggestion played a rather pivotal role during these days. No cell phones, no ipads, no gaming consoles, no malls to hang out, yet I was hardly ever bored.

Now life has much advancement to offer me, but the smell of both old and new books act as an instant portal to a new dimension or may be an old dimension where I have visited before but would not mind doing it again...

photo courtsy - www.annabellahagen.com

Before getting a puppy....

We love puppies... their tiny paws, the tiny faces and shiny eyes… small prickly mushy... everyone who has had a puppy knows how awesome those initial days are.. .everything your puppy does makes you say ‘Awwwwwwww….”

That being one side of the story, before you get your bundle of joy home, you must ask these questions. Only and if only you have positive answers to these questions should you get the most lovable creature into your life.

 Are You Ready for a Puppy???

The responsibility of having a puppy is quite similar to having a human child. You have to put in extra effort in making the puppy comfortable in your home. Your place may be extremely cozy & convenient for you, but understand that the puppy is in a new place, away from his/her mother and other siblings plus a strange human is cuddling him/her.  It can be quite stressful.  You cannot leave the puppy alone in the initial days. The puppy will get depressed and lonely, which will lead to aggression. Though that aggression might look cute when she/he is tiny, it will not be so pleasant once the kid grows up.

Whatever turns your life takes, your puppy will be a part of it…

Imagine your parents abandoning you because they had a 2^nd child or they planned to move to a different city /country and you did not fit in their plan. Sounds absurd isn't it!!!!! You may get married, move to a different city, get a job, have a boyfriend/girlfriend, and have a baby…. Remember your puppy came into your life before any of these new advancements. You absolutely are ready and will not abandon your pet just because you have new events in your life and your pet is a burden. He/she is never a burden; they are your family. Only if you are ready to get into that kind of commitment for your dog’s lifetime, you are ready…

Can you afford a puppy?

Your heart may be filled with love and respect for your pup, but can you afford her/him. Get a clear idea how much it would cost you monthly basis for the upkeep of your puppy when he/she is full grown.  Puppy must be vaccinated, well fed, well exercised and well loved….

Lastly, is everyone in the family alright with having a puppy?

Everyone in the family should be on the same page about getting the puppy home; it should not be the case that someone in the family does not like dogs so the puppy gets ill-treated there.

Once your introspection is done and you have positive answers to these questions, (plus more if you have any) by all means bring home a puppy… he/she will be a source of ultimate joy, peace and happiness in your life… 

NOTE: Adoption before Purchase.... 

Halloweeeeeeeeeeen.....

Tomorrow is Halloween and I don’t have any party to go to. But please don’t be sad at the lack of my social life on a Saturday night. I am reaching the middle aged mark and love it when I spend a quiet evening at home with my doggie poohs. Tomorrow night will be the same with one minor addition…

Tomorrow night I shall enjoy a selection of horror movies…. Heee Heee Haaa haa (this is my scary evil laugh).  My list includes a Korean movie as well because they make it fucking scary…. After watching these, their English counterparts seem a tad fizzed out. For example: While watching the movie Janghwa, Hongryeon(A Tale of Two Sisters -2003), I pooped in my pants. However its English remake The Uninvited (2009) failed to raise a squeak from me.

So my list for the Halloween weekend is as follows…

The Babadook (2014)

Juon (2002)

Poltergeist (1982)

Insidious (2010)

Bhoot (2003)

What is Halloween without a good scare!!! What Say…. 

Durga Pujo!!!!

It is that time of the year again when my head and heart grooves its way to Durga Pujo.  I am against all forms of loud noises and wasting of money in the name of God when the same can be used for betterment of the needy. 

 However, Durga Pujo is when the little Bengali Girl inside my head pops up big time and wants new clothes. She also wants to do mandap surfing and eat unhealthy fried food items that are available in the mandaps.

This is the time when I selfishly rejoice the dhuno smell, dhunuchi naach,  dhaakis dance while playing the dhaak,  overly attired  & bejeweled aunties, random political and sports talks from uncles, pimply teenagers stealing glances of the opposite sex OH and yes the BHOG… all the great food of the world one side and bhog still wins.

These are the things my heart wants during the pujas, but what I actually do is go to office and work like it’s just another day or if it’s the weekend I stay at home and enjoy the company of my furry babies…

Image courtesy - biswajitgogoi.blogspot.com & www.travelindia-guide.com

Lunacy at its Peak...

The other day I was doing a marathon of this new TV show Zoo. It is based on the sci-fi book by the same name written by James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge; wherein animals try to rid the earth off the most dangerous threat -- Humans... Obviously dog lovers die fairly quickly because you know they have dogs and animals are killing humans now... Duh!!!

Though I cannot imagine even in my worst nightmare that my babies would ever turn on me, I'd think we as a human race in general have lost the humane touch and have become the big bad predator that we were afraid of an eternity ago. 

I'd say the way in which we are hurting nature and its children, either the planet will self-destruct soon or may be... just may be... a total annihilation of human race might just rebuild the planet. And I wouldn't even feel bad dying for the cause. 

Please Note: This is not a promoted post.  I am writing about this just because I want to and I can...

Color me Black and call me Practical..

Ganpati is coming!!! While it is a cause of joy for many, some of us find it disturbing. Not for the fact that it is Ganesh Chaturthi, but for the immense traffic issues, loud noises, increased pollution level and wastage of money. Puja, meditation, self-cleansing is excellent, however, is it necessary to invest so much money in building larger than life effigies that would ultimately go in our already dirty water bodies at the end of 11 days.

We are faced with so much of natural and man-made disasters that these funds can be directed towards helping those are affected and in needs to basically SURVIVE… That being the first point, which God would like to come and stay with you if you cause so much noise pollution with a huge band party, god forsaken fire crackers and loudspeakers screaming the latest item numbers in vogue. I honestly doubt that Lord Ganesha would like to know if Mary is sau takka teri or not… Gods must be crazy to arrive and stay at such a place and that too for 11 days.

I am a proud Hindu and as a part of my tradition worshiping the Gods come naturally. 

However, I believe that just because we built huge idols to celebrate Ganpati, Durga Puja, Kali Puja and others in the yesteryears, we should continue doing it now.  It seems to me that nowadays more than the actual devotion, the pompous show has gotten the upper hand.

Times are changing and we need to be more careful towards our planet now. I may sound like a lunatic here but we are torturing Earth so much that there will come a time when we will not have a planet to live in.

In simple words, I am not bitter towards any religion’s beliefs; it is the redundant grandiose I am against… 

Being Fat...

It is a universal truth that I am over weight (read fat)… Believe me, it is not my ideal state of affairs to be fat or whatever… However, I also know for a fact that it is nobody’s business to determine how I should look… like fat or thin, long haired or short haired, whether I should wear salwar kameez or jeans, or whether or not I should wear shorts… I totally believe it is my decision & I will most definitely make a choice keeping in mind my comfort level and common sense as well… I am fat not an idiot.

Oh how I deviate from the original topic… (Probably need to get my head examined for constant deviation)… The reason I started writing regarding my fatitude is because recently I went tee shirt buying… OMFG!!! It was a regular trauma session. Things turned out the following way…

a)    Tee shirts of my correct bust/waist size were so long that I could button them up from below and I’d wear a baby suit, wouldn't need a jeans.

b)    Tee shirts which were correct in length, made me look like a giant sausage

After much ado and trials, I finally found a tee shirt which was perfect. I was still basking in the glory of finding the perfect tee, when the sales woman opened her smelly mouth and said ‘madam aapko thoda weight loss karna chahiye’ (madam, you should lose some weight)!!!!

I wonder if people give unsolicited advice to others about their looks and life because it is free or unloading crap on to others makes a person feel superior. 

I had such vicious ideas to torment her on so many levels just for my sadistic pleasure… but I just popped the tee back in its place and walked away before I slapped her silly.  

Empty Mind Devil's Workshop

I believe everyone should work. If not for a living then maybe to nurture your hobby, to help people/animals or just so that you are not bored. It need not be a physical labor that you are unable to do, just do something... anything for that matter. 

Clichéd but absolutely true is empty mind devil's workshop.  If you have nothing to do then your mind wonders and shitty ideas come out. Insignificant things make you feel that the world is out to get you and you spiral into finding ridiculous methods to avenge yourself. 

However, from the other side you seem to be a good-for-nothing, evil, irritating piece of crap who has no work but to be a road block for everyone else. 

So if you know anyone who is like this... please urge that the jerk should find some work and get to it... 

Aging My Way

My friend's twitter post "35 and rocking" reminded me of the fact that next month I will be 36. It just seems like yesterday that I was in college and my biggest worry in life was the assignment at hand. 

Some people I know, tell me that "umar ka lihaaz karo" (consider your age before you do things) and stop wearing superhero/cartoon print tee shirts, stop watching cartoons and most definitely stop wasting money on graphic novels and other memorabilia...

I don't know how to act my age, honestly I have never been 35 until this year, and while I get used to the fact that I am 35, I will become 36 and the cycle will start again. 

People have midlife crisis, I have identity crisis. How can I change who I am just because I am older and the most important question is Why Should I? 

While I am trying to say I want to remain unchanged, I am definitely NOT comparing myself to a 20 year old because their exuberance kills me at times. 

I am a 35 year old, grumpy, graphic-novel-reading, weird-tee-wearing, cartoon-watching, potty-mouthed person and will NOT change... 

So what...

India lost to Australia today... it was a tough match and Australia made it to the finals.. SO WHAT!!!!! How on god's green earth is it the fault of Anushka Sharma??? Certain assholes are tweeting that Anushka Sharma should be incriminated for this loss, people burning effigies of her and some other players.. By this rule, anyone who is dating or are friend's with the indian Cricket team should be shamed in public. 

I'd say leave the lady alone... While India won 7 consecutive games against some of the best teams of the world, no one seem to praise her contribution towards these win... so how is it her fault now???

My canines & their human!!!

I don't own my dogs, I am not their 'owner', I am a caregiver! If anything, they own me royally... and they know it!!!
They know what makes me happy, what pisses me off and what they will get if they behave like good dogs. Plus those eyes.... they know when to wring my inner guilt out and shred me to pieces.
When they behave like fools to make me laugh, I guess what goes on in their mind is "ridiculous human... why be sad when you can be happy... let us show you how easy it is to smile"...

Yep.. I said it.. they own me and I am their human!!!

Frog & the Frying Pan

We have become like the frog in the experiment who jumps out of the heated frying pan once you place him there; however, the same frog remains seated in the frying pan when it is gradually heated & brought to the boiling point. By then it is too late for the frog to jump out so it boils and dies a painful death.

We create a major outcry when gross injustice happens out of the blue; we protest, we fight, we do almost everything possible to bring justice to our own.

Adolf Hitler had said "The best way to take control over people and control them utterly is to take a little of their freedom at a time, to erode rights by a thousand tiny and almost imperceptible reductions. In this way, the people will not see those rights and freedoms being removed until past the point at which these changes cannot be reversed."

We as Indians seem to be the latest lab rats to test this theory on. 

The Truth...

They were a happily married couple. She was happy, he was married and they were a couple.

Why Women's Day Celebration does nothing for women-hood in particular

Women's Day messages & wishes were all over the place yesterday! I found it so offensive as a woman that I laughed out loud every time I read those messages.
Honestly, What is the use of these glorified messages when at the end of the day women will be treated as a 2nd class citizen. Yesterday this conundrum of messages/wishes/posters etc made me feel like the sacrificial lamb who is well fed before being beheaded.
Let me be very clear, it is not a personal situation that has caused my this outburst, but the general mentality of the people in our country (not just men, but many women consider themselves as the inferior species).

The idea is simple;

• Treat women like a fellow human beings throughout the year & not just one day..
• We are not inanimate objects, but flesh & blood alive beings with feelings & emotions
• We are not your personal maids, sex slave or punching bags.  
• Live & let live is a great policy of life and everyone should follow that

Ramblings of a crazy person

What is up with people? It is alright to hurt and kill others; rape seems to be a regular run on the mill crime... War, corruption and bigotry are at the pink of their health now. Please don't get me wrong, I am not bashing the government, because its the same no matter who is the ruling party. 

If Lord Shiva really existed, this would be the apt time to wake up and be the destroyer he is supposed to be and rebuild the world anew.

Holi Woes

It is that part of the year when playing with colors and water gives uncontrolled joy to people. Don't get me wrong, I like a festival just like the next person, but my heart goes out for the animals who reside on streets. They become unwitting participants of this occasion, whether or not they are interested, colors are smeared on to them. This results in skin infection and pain for these guys.

Normally these guys drink water from gutters or any other water accumulations in the area. However, on the grand day of Holi, they would get water every where and unsuspectingly they will drink it as well ingesting colors and other harmful chemicals.

Wastage of water topic opens up another can of worms all together, which I would not want to tread here.

All I am trying to say here is enjoy the festival but please do not make it difficult or a sad affair for these poor creatures who live on the road; leave them be and if possible please be pro-active to provide them with clean water for the day or so. 

The Fish Story

The little girl cried her heart out when she saw the beheading of a fish in a market for the first time. Tears rolled down her cheek as she sobbed uncontrollably and buried her face on her father's tummy. A part of innocence died that day...

Illusions

Mum showed me a world of opportunities and said I could be anything I wanted when I grow up. I imagined being a superhero, an emperor,  a doctor, an army personnel.. Everything I could imagine...   Now my illusions are no more illusions, they are my reality.... I grew up to be a schizophrenic

Dance!!!

Her feet mentally danced to the tune of beep beep of the ventilator stuck to her body. 

A man hit a dog & the dog bit him back. People punished the dog & tied him up while the man went scot-free. If this is human nature then Fuck you!

I want to write stuff but I don't have patience to write long stories; and neither can i find happy endings to my stories. So a change of plan happened and I decided to write extremely small stories.

This idea came into being after I read stories on www.terriblytinytales.com. 

So I've decided to write a small story as frequently as possible. 

if I can think it I can write it...