The Pizzazzy

Once when I entered the spacious domain of Shopper’s stop where my sister works and I get special treatment from all the Customer Care Executives, I noticed these nice wooden frames hanging down in continuous trail from the ceiling. I was fascinated by the simple and raw looking frames and somewhere deep within me the sleeping creative was stirred wide awake.

I asked my sister - the source of the creativity hanging down the ceiling - what she planned to do with them. “Nothing” she said. So, with a bright face I told her to get some of them for me once done with her display. I had a rush of vague ideas of how I could make use of these frames in my new apartment.

Another bright day when I entered my mom’s house she reminded me to take the frames with me. But as usual I forgot to carry them. After some three four reminders when one day I said “Ok where are they” I didn’t have the faintest idea that the frames were two big bag full of the frames.

Looking at them I told my mom to keep them to store them till I could carry them home.

Just two weeks back while enjoying the barbecue party I saw that everyone was generously using some wooden frames to start the fire. And then I realized that those were the very frames I had told to store. Somehow while shifting the frames found their way to Di’s house. And, I told di to keep a few of them for me. I shared my ideas with her and she was also interested. Although, the idea was not anything concrete but was enough to stir her imagination as well. And it resulted in both of us storing away the frames hidden from the boring, unimaginative minds who only found them fit to start a barbecue.

Now the frames are nicely tucked away in a safe corner till I find some good idea. But it better be soon lest I only forget my big plan for them. For the time being the idea playing in mind is to arrange them randomly and place some nice framed pictures of everyone in between the frames. If time permits I would change the raw look of the wooden frames by using some acrylic paint or some ceramic.

It was one of the most memorable new year party that we had on 31st.
 
30th Dec in the living room of our apt at Aundh
We were sitting in the hall wondering what to do for the new year when we came up with the Barbecue plan. Yes finally.
 
After calling some friends our list of people was ready. The final list contained the four of us: me, Anand, Sameer and Shraddha, then we had Nitin, Anand’s new friend and his wife Shilpa with their four year old daughter Rucha, and of course our all India bachelor boy Pratap. I don’t know why we call him this.
 
31st Dec afternoon
We were busy in buying and setting everything for the barbecue. The barbecue kit was a Gas Tandoor from Shraddha’s house. Me and she nicely marinated the chicken following her recipe for the Tandoori and the kebabs. Anand was made to cut the vegetables for the kebab evenly and he did a good job.
 
The menu was chicken tandoori, chicken kebabs and mutton pulao. Since we wanted to enjoy the barbecue thoroughly the mutton biryani was ordered from outside.
 
31st Dec evening on the terrace
The terrace was set for the barbecue party. We moved the gas stove and the tandoor on the terrace, Anand set the bar corner, we put the kebabs on the stick and now we were waiting for everyone to arrive.
 
Our friends arrived by 8 p.m, Shilpa brought the delicious CCP (Cheese Cherry Pineapple) and a chocolate cake. After greeting everyone we set out preparing the kebabs. The whole experience of making the kebabs and seeing them getting roasted was so mouth watering that everyone was ready to attack the kebabs. The whole terrace was filled up with the aroma of the kebabs, with each installment of the kebabs everyone’s plate would be filled up with one serving of the kebabs. After the kebabs, it was the turn for the Chicken Tandoori. And much before the next one was turned in the plate would be completely licked off.

 
Our Barbecue Preparation

Ready to barbecue kebabs

Kebabs done

Delicious…

Tandoori Chicken in the making..

Cheers..

Welcome 2008

After about three to four helpings we were full with the drinks and the kebabs but the chicken tandoori were again so mouth watering that we were ready for more. To do complete justice to the food, we thought of running around with Rucha. But in the end she made us run and jump so much that we were completely exhausted.
 
31st Dec 2007 at midnight
After some more chicken tandoori, in between drinks, it was time to bid farewell to 2007 and usher in the new year. Just when the clock struck 12 we cut the cake and opened the champagne. Pop went the cork and we all wished each other.
 
There were fireworks all around us and our location on the terrace gave us a perfect view of the fireworks. As usual Anand and Sameer were busy in pouring the Champagne for everyone, and with loud cheers for a happy and prosperous new year we enjoyed the Champagne.
 
1st Jan 2008 early morning still at the terrace
Finally we had small serving of the mutton biryani before we started winding up. It was great party that lasted till 2:30 in the morning and truly one of my most memorable so far.
 
Wish you all a Happy and Prosperous 2008.

This Tuesday I took a leave from office and as planned set out with my mum for shopping. There were quite a few items on my list and the top most was the iTouch followed by some other items. When we reached Funan mall we hit the apple show room and I took a good 30 minutes to go through the features and also gave a good demo to mum.

Now, Mum is that kind who watches lots of news and reads newspapers, familiar with the uses of internet for chat, skype if someone connects her, playing games is as far as she gets when it comes to computers. But after looking at the safari browser connecting to Urjit’s site via the wi fi and his pictures coming up on the wide screen of the iTouch even she was impressed.

Actually I had made up my mind to get this new version after Anand claimed our previous iPod shuffle as his so I was only looking for a good deal. And with Christmas just around the corner I thought I could get a good one. So, when Apple showroom quoted the printed price I simply smiled and left. Finally I made my purchase with some free gifts instead of cash discount.

It was very difficult from the time of purchase till reaching home all the way to Pasir ris with not being able to take a look at this amazing piece. As soon as we reached home, I opened the packing and there came out my new iTouch. I set out to work right away with iTunes and syncing my favourites photos, songs and some videos.

Once it was fully charged I connected to the net using the wi-fi and was watching “Jab We Met” on youTube. The next day I nicely plugged the ear plugs and was smiling at everyone on my way to work. Even during the lunch break in our favourite cafeteria which is wi-fi enabled I was busy with iTouch while my friends who were as usual having our daily gossiping session merged into the background.

I sent an email to my sis saying “Hi I am mailing you from my iTouch” and the good thing she told me today is that more zones in Pune are going to become wi-fi by the time I return to India.

With this new iPod I can connect to the net from any place that is wi-fi, watch videos directly from YouTube, download songs from iTunes, Organize my day and of course listen to my favorite songs with just a Touch. An amazing feature is that the display changes with a flick from vertical to horizontal giving a wider screen. Another very impressive feature is the zoom in zoom out with slide of two fingers. I simply bring together two fingers on the section I want to zoom in and then slide them away. To browse through the whole page I can slide the section left right or flick through. This is amazing while net surfing, reading pdf files and also browsing through picture albums.

The wait for an iPhone was getting too long so here’s iTouch with wider screen and without the phone.

What more can I say apple simply offers the sleekest and most stylish designs when it comes to iPod and iTouch is a touch above the rest.