21st April 2014 - 27th April 2014 [Shopping Week]

 

Don't go for looks, they can deceive. Don't go for wealth,
even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you
smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day
seem bright

 

This I am going to call as shopping week.

Muskan is busy since Monday in full fledges shopping. I think she will be confused to tell from which shop she has purchased an item and for whom. I have never seen her so lost and confused. Either she is in Mumbai, doing shopping for Nandini mainly, but along with it for herself, for her Mumbai Mumma, for Arnav , or if she is in Pune, doing shopping for Mummy, Akshay and herself. Her head is filled with words like ‘Bargain is a must, buy one get three free, discount offer, latest style, this Is latest fashion.’ Mumbai shopkeepers are very smart. They offered 50% off to anyone who showed finger to them! Yes, on parliament voting day i.e. on 17^th if you showed ‘Election Tikka’ on your finger, you get 50% or Buy one, get one free offers! 

Dhwani is also busy doing window shopping with Megha for Chinky – Rinky wardrobe as they will be attaining wedding in Hydrabad. She is also planning dresses for Meeth's wedding. She is creative but has no sense of time, so I will be not surprised if she comes out with excellent dress at the end moment, telling, this dress is made from three old dresses and one accessory purchased now!  

Muskan made Mummy to call me and scold me on account of cloths. 'Immediately go and buy some decent cloths for yourself!' This was Muskan speaking through Mummy! Well I have become expert in dodging Mummy's 'guglees', so I was saved.

It was nice to see Mummy going for shopping with Muskan! Mummy is in good form now, after last week health scare. Her weakness was due to prolonged digestion problem, so doctor gave her some kind of power boaster and 10 days medicine course. All she needs to do is take care of her food selection. I am sure that Chinky will take good care, she is bit bossy, but she means well and really cares for Grand Mother. Rinky is very much emotionally attached and takes decisions based on her ‘dil’ wishes. But she is more understanding and smart.

Dhwani visited Mumbai and discussed Narang wedding shooting style, presentations, cost budget with them. There is basic conflict in perception between 21^st century working and 20^th century working, and what is amusing to see is that the age gap between two personalities is hardly few years. Let’s see what prevails.

Aayush visited us at dinner time, and during exchange of ideas, I suggested we should go and click Banaras for seven days! He lapped up the idea and was ready any time I was ready. Hope he sticks to his word.  So I have few vacations already planned in my mind, just waiting for opportunity to drop by.

Week at Banaras – Gaya for Photograhpy with Aayush, or Sanket, or Kash.

10 days Trip to Himalyas on Bullet, With Akshay – Kashyap – Sharat - Vicky

Monsoon trip to Goa – With Chillam Chilli Party

And here are some which are at brink of my mind, trying to take some shape.

A three night stay in a tent in a very ‘Viran’ place.

A rough and tough visit to Saputara in Madhya Pradesh

A visit to Kerala Back Waters with local guy as guide, floating around in leisurely pace for 7 days, eating local food, taking bath in river, snapping pictures, reading books and watching stars in night!

A action sports visit to Hrishikesh  or such other place in India! Before body starts rebelling, one must try for such activity. What ever be the consequences of such act.

As I am finishing this addition of blog, Mummy - Chinky - Rinky reached Hydrabad safe and sound to attend Sapna’s son’s wedding! 

Before I say sayonara, her is a blast from the past.

Try to identify people in this picture. Passing marks are minimum of 7 correct identifications.

 

by P G Dodeja

14th April 2014 - 20th April 2014 [Voting Week]

"WHAT EACH KISS MEANS"

• - Kiss on the Forehead: We're cute together.
• - Kiss on the Cheek: We're friends.
• - Kiss on the Hand: I adore you.
• - Kiss on the Neck: I want you, now.
• - Kiss on the Shoulder: You are perfect.
• - Kiss on the Lips: I LOVE YOU...

13^th Sun: New CRM of XRBIA started today. We have placed out bets on it. ‘Insha Alha’, next 15 days will present the picture of future.  

17^th Thu: The election day holiday. I accepted this holiday with guilt, as I was not able to vote. I had submitted form 6 and also uploaded all family member’s form for voter list application. I visited at least 7 polling centers and was not able to locate our name. It is very disappointing. Next day I read that more then 10000 voter’s name were deleted from voter list, hence investigation is on in this matter and BJP candidate is threatening to go on hunger strike.

‘Aab Ki Bar Modi Sarkar’ slogan has caught on, it is foregone conclusion now that BJP is winning. Only curiosity factor is by “What Margin”! TV news is getting day by day hotter, elections are presented in interesting formats. Arnab shouts and makes his panelist get hyper in studio. Barkha Dutt conducts interviews at locations like Banaras Ghats etc. involving ‘janta’. Rajdeep Sardesai is daring and intelligent newsreporter, Deepak Chourasia is loud, but interesting, Karan Thapper acts like a sober, intelligent journalist and so on. This will be watershed year for many journalist career.

  

  Mummy and Bindiya’s health is giving some signals for concern. Mummy’s knee pain seems to be constant factor; her digestion system has gone weak. Bindiya’s energy level has come down. Keeping her MS spike cycle [3 / 3.5 years], we hope after few months she will recover some energy and stabilize. Meanwhile how to make her visit doctor to some boost in her health?  

Avi & Pinky are of view that Mummy’s planned wedding trip to Hydrabad should be cancelled. They are of view that in her current health condition, this trip will affect her in negative way. I on other hand feel that by going she will feel happy thus it is worth taking that chance, she may have to face some heath problem, but at this age, that is not the issue, but the opportunity for happiness should be prime concern. Dhwani visited her in afternoon, and now she also feel that this trip will make her very happy. So her trip is on.

At office front, major war has broken down between Big Boss and Sales Team Boss of Xrbia! A huge target has being set for sale by 30^th of this month. One can take this as an excellent opportunity for big profits and strive hard.   Hope this works in our favor. Keeping fingers crossed.

18^th Fri: Muskan is again off to Mumbai for Nandani’s shopping. One must admire the interest women have in shopping. The kind of involvement, effort, hardship, concern they are willing to take is really eye opening. Then maybe, this is how they want to enjoy the wedding. Keep it up, girls. It will be Dhwani’s turn on Sunday to visit Mumbai for shopping, as her brother is also getting married in June.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO IMAC Air in OUR FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This year, seems to be Year of Wedding, in which Dodeja family is more involved as ‘Baratis’. April end is booked for Lulla’s at Hydrabad [Mummy Maika], May is booked for Nanda’s at Mumbai [Muskan Maika], June is booked for Shah’s at Silvasa [Dhwani Maika]and August is booked for Narang’s at Goa [Bindiya Maika]. Sirji, when will my ‘Maika’s’ turn come? No wedding in Pune?

 

by P G Dodeja

7th April 2014 - 13th April 2014 [Pressed to Decide]

When you are waiting for the bus and someone asks 

"Has the bus come yet?" If the bus came, would I be standing here???

 

Suggested Symbol for Dodeja, who wish to stand for election.

 As elections are approaching, excitement level is growing exponentially.

Our life is now getting into very fast track mode, hope we will not miss out on living. 

On 10^th Akshay repeated this dialogue many time, ‘Where 10 days have gone?’

7^th Mon: Safari Bags launching party was held for Bag Dealers. Out of 20 dealers 16 turned up for Safari Product Launch, this speaks great deal of Akshay's goodwill in market. We have officially said goodbye to AT and now turning our attention to Safari. Hope we will learn the lesion that our profitability is more important than Sales target of company at, specially at our financial cost. Sagar Plaza lunch was very good. This launching was followed by even bigger meeting with XRBIA. We all Xrbia crowd of Noble Group, went to attend Kamal Khetan’s meeting at FC road. It was prep up talk and presentation of next month planning, and also gauging of our levelof interest. In Xrbia  five dealers, we have achieved number One possition in term of sales, so Lali and Akshay took the staff to RK for dinner to celebrate this achievement, I returned home as I had filled myself with Sagar Plaza Lunch.

8^th & 9^th: Muskan visited Mumbai, all alone. Muskan is getting in ‘Shadi’ of her sister, Nandini, mode. Nandani has started her wedding shopping and so Muskan visited Mumbai for two days. She loves to travel by Deccan, thus at least one family member is continuing this tradition of visiting Mumbai via Deccan. Dada [1950 - 1980] – Daddy [1950 - 2000] – Myself [1960 -  ] and now Muskan [2010 - ], this trend is on in family since 1950's! Akshay & Kashyap prefer Xylo or ‘Shivneri’.

 Expect lot of changes in business front. I will be announcing the changes as and when they happen. Will not say or disclose anything now, only thing I can say is there are huge changes awaiting the nudge from the time ‘devta.’ and this will be withing next 6 weeks. Business Related, Family Related and Wealth Related.

 One more maid left our home. After ‘Hira’ no maid had stayed for long. Most of them are in late teens or early twenties. Once they get hold of boyfriend, mothers are not able to handle them, so they push them off to unsuspecting employers, thus avoiding the responsibility of looking after their child. [This analysis is effect of Dhwani's influence] So they have boy friends, who get opportunity to speak to them via mobile and hijack them after few month's courtship on cell Phone. Latest maid, ‘Gauri’ is also the similar case. Additionally she was bit arrogant and Muskan was in no mood accept her ‘nakhras’. Off she goes. Again hunt is on for maid for B7 as well as for KK.

10^th Thu. One major decision was taken, will we implement it? What was that decision? Lali - Akshay & Myself visited Pimpri, why?

 
13th Sun. We have entered 21st Century. Our office is filled with Cell Phones, Lap Tops, Telly Callers. Our conversation has more words like SMS, Leads, CRM, Net Problem, dropped call, Hot lead, Warm Lead, Site Visit.

by P G Dodeja

31st March 2014 – 6th April 2014 [Elections 2014]

2^nd Wed: Now a days due to Xrbia, nearly everyone is working round the clock. The results are slow in coming, but they are there. Insha Allah, soon some changes can be seen, maybe six months.  Last month we strived for No1 in sales among Xrbia dealers, and achieved our target successfully.  For this additional incentive was also given to staff.

 'What about us?' Muskan asked and replied in same breath, ‘A simple picnic to Banti Hai. Lets make a evening out picnic.’ Luckily, Shyam & family were in Pune. So we planned a evening picnic at Impress Garden, target time 5 O’clock.  At 4.45 Akshay – Moni were off to meeting with Bindra regarding Plot 609, skipping the picnic, Kashyap said, I am busy. Dhwani – Avi said we will come late. It looked like our picnic idea was fizzling out. It was 6.15 when I picked KK family members. Half way to Impress Garden, I felt why not go to Plot 609, Akshay – Moni were there, it is nice open space. Muskan and others also jumped to this suggestion as Impress Garden closed at 7. So I turned Xylo and reached 609 in few minutes, watched sun set from a vintage point and had gala time playing ‘Dum Sharaj’, and gossiping. 

Mummy and Ratna aunty made very yummy Batata Wada and excellent Mirchi Pakoras after long gap of time. Wow. Along with it, the watchman made hot tea, which was supplemented by ‘Green Tea’ brought by Manju. Shivam’s Dhokla, wafers, Jilebees made the complete picnic menu.

5^th Sat: Soham and Harsh came from Mumbai to prepare a script for wedding of Meet and Aska, where Kashyap is Best Man. Shah’s want this wedding events to be held in English style! Cake cutting, Gowns, Ball dance, Wine party, Bachelors Party  etc.  Girl side on the engagement day, which I had attained,  recited in chorus, sudh sankrit shalokas as blessing for couple. What a contrasting cultural attitude between two families.

   

 Normally, the skit is conducted on very first day of celebration; Meet wants this to be held as last program of 3 days and 2 nights function at Silvasa! For skit/entertainment program, all kind of ideas we exchanged and discussed. This process started at 8.0 p.m. on Saturday and continued without break till 5.0 am Sunday!

I finally had a hair cut after long time. But I am still in love with my ‘choti’, which I hardly am able to see. So I am still carrying this long ‘choti’, properly wrapped in rubber band. I am inmood of making two predictions for coming months. One: highest recorded temp in Pune is 43.3 degree, which we may touch this year. Two: During next 40 days, before the election results are out, one major political earthquake is expected. May be attack on prominent leader.  

Politics 2014 [Without Comments]

Reminds of a popular dialogue from movie ‘Dabang’ –
 ‘Thappar se darr nahi lagta Saab ji, Pyar se lagta hai’
Sonia ji to Imam Bukhari –
 “Communal parties se darr nahi lagta Imam Saab,other ‘Secular’ parties se darr lagta hai”

 
by P G Dodeja