Why make bucket lists...

How do you make a grocery shopping list? ...simple, open your refrigerator and rake your brain !!

Wish preparing a life bucket list would be as simple... the problem with us mortals is that we dream a lot and if you are an South Asian male sadly you only dream...

The first idea of a bucket list crept up way back when I was doing my Graduation a Globe trotting Uncle at that time had suggested to visit the Alps and camp there ...now that was like wow! I will never return (another typical South Asian aspiration...never return from anywhere you go)

But as one had to finish graduation Alps were a distant dream so they went into the bucket list, the first of the many items. Graduating was boring ..oh let me emphasis utterly boring and no I will not revel my subject don't want my peer Botanist to sue me...

Then for the first time in 15 year of useless education pursue I started studying something I like Business Management and that was where the next item arrived, it was on a brief visit to Goa when a friend remarked - If you have not seen Ibiza you have not seen anything, and that got me hooked to it...but ibiza for an unemployed Management wannabe is only a bucket list item...

Life moved on and the bucket list grew at an alarming rate, YellowStone National park, Bungee jumping, Skydiving etc. etc.

20 years down the line and with 3 kids and not to forget loads of work, have a feeling bucket lists are meant to be made so that you can look at them and say ..One Day I will!

By the way saw this cool site check it out it has some awesome bucket list ideas https://www.bucketlist.org

Which car to buy?

Confusion is a small word; I have literally checked up 18 different car models in the past 2 months and still do not know what to go for??



It is so frustrating, you see one car has the right price but not the options that I want while the other is too cheap that for sure the quality will be compromised. By the way I am looking for a saloon which should be priced around 10000 KD, now I believed before going into the jungle (car market) that much money is a decent amount for a good car.



But sadly it is not , the recession in the car market has hit my pocket! Every car that I like seems to be highly priced, e.g. I fell in love with the new BMW 5 series but over the budget then I checked out Mercedes C Class but then do I really want a under-powered car for the sake of driving a top end brand Naah!



Well that leaves me with going for a Japanese (Honda) with all the frills fitted into it, and just when I thought I had finally cracked it, my wife asks me why do we need a second Japanese car (already own a Prado)… and this puts me back to square one.


So the thinking continues …

Civil Liberties

The whole world from Middle East to Africa to South America to South East Asia seems to be realing under the upsurge of protests and uprisigns. Although intensities of these protests varies from place to place, but the underlying idea is the same- Change.

Being from India and having observed the protests by the anti corruption, made me stop and think that do we need to protest everything just for the sake of protesting. Many analysts of these indian protests belive that the real anger driving the indian public is there own weakness, their attitude of 'Chalta Hain' (it is fine) to everything.

I for one do not think that by mere having a law to fight corruption, Indians will be able to remove corruption this requires a mindset change, which looks as difficult as asking an tobbaco chewing India to stop chewing and spitting on the roads.

Anyways let the 70 year old Gandhian have his way and strave himself...but one slogan that comes to mind is - 100 mein 99 beiman phir bhi mera desh mahan (99 out of 100 people are corrupt still my country is great)

Istanbul

My wife had been nagging me for a vacation for a long time, and I would make one excuse or the other to delay the eventual. There were many reasons for me doing this, one I did not find a place interesting enough to visit and other did not want to spend my free time travelling instead of being close to my TV.



As always I finally yielded to pressure, and agreed to make plans for a small trip during Eid holidays, this led to another problem , choosing the place to visit, after a few days of pondering over the net reading about different tourist destinations, both of us zeroed on 'Istanbul'.



This seemed a perfect destination as it had a blend of both the traditional Islamic heritage mordern turkish society in it. Finally we got all the arrangements done and all was set for the trip that my wife had been looking forward to for a long time.



We reached Istanbul in the early hours and I immeditely fell in love with the place, the climate was extremely pleasent, with nice warm faces at the airport. We made our way through the immigration and baggage section to a taxi outside the airport. The ride to the hotel from the airport was extremely wonderful as I kept looking at each mosque we passed trying to figure out if this is the famous blue mosque, but the driver corrected me and pointed out that to view the Blue mosque I had to take a detor and that would delay my reaching the hotel by over an hour. So we stuck to our plan and finally reached the hotel, a small cozy hotel Pera Tulip. The taxi guy had to ask for directions before we reached the place, it was only later that I found that he had charged me twice what he should have charged me in the first place.



Istanbul is an amazing place as I have mentioned its a perfect mix of mordernity and classical culture. Its a definte visiting place for someone who has interest in Ancient Islamic artifacts and palaces. The city is full of palaces and is a feast for eyes.

Realty Check- Blasts in New Delhi

Yesterday just when I was getting ready to break my fast, I saw one of the most heart wrenching sight on television, bomb blasts in New Delhi. My head hangs in shame, these people who call themselves Muslims, are doing the most heinous of crimes in a month all Muslims consider so pious.

The sight of people lying in pool of blood and motionless, shocked me beyond contemplation, I went numb for sometime, and reflected on the physic of a person who was capable of doing such a awful action. Why must we take lives of hundreds of innocent people to prove a point, we are not at war, or are we.

All they have achieved is bringing more rigidity to the thinking of the people who have advocated harsher actions against the Muslim community in India. There is no gain for the community they represent, as now more innocent Muslims would be viewed with suspicion and many might even find themselves in police lockups because a crime has been committed by few handful fanatics.

They use Allah’s name in this ghastly act, they should be ashamed of themselves.
On behalf of majority of the Indian Muslims who were stunned at this loss of life, I can say that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers who have suffered this unmindful aggression, and pray for the bereaved families during our fasts and prays.

Ikea 'BED'ing troubles

Last week me and my better half trekked through the IKEA store, checking for a new bed. My wife has been a strong IKEA hatter and to see her push me into an IKEA store was something of a surprise.

Anyways here we were, with our 1 yr old going through the mesh! that's what i call IKEA's twisting alleys.. finally we arrived at the Bedroom section, there were many options (5 actually) and quite confusing to tell you the truth. Finally after a lot of consultations we agreed on one that suited our budget and more importantly went with the other furniture in the bedroom. Why don't all wood furniture have the same color, it would be so easy to buy!

I have been buying articles from IKEA for sometime, and knew something about the assembling bit, but assembling a bed seemed a bit over exerting. Anyways in Dubai ( where I used to stay before) IKEA used to arrange free delivery and assembly if the purchase was above a certain limit, and definitely our bed was above the limit.

Smiling and feeling proud on our instant decision making ability we walked past the checking counter and then to my horror i read a board indicating the rates of delivery and assembly !! it was almost 20% of the cost of the bed.

Luckily I was driving a SUV and instantly told the guy I will carry my stuff, and saved KD 10 (US $36), the polite guy smiled and offered me help in loading the thing, but then told me that the assembly will not take place before the weekend, which was a bit late as guests were arriving before that, further that would be costing me another KD15 (US $55).

Leaving the counter I thought I would give assembling a chance and incase I fail the guy is already coming, and incase I make it, all I need to do is call up and cancel the appointment, that would reimburse my money. How difficult will it be? I thought.

I was right, the initial part in assembly was not that difficult, the pictorial guide coupled with a few basic carpentry skills did make it look easy, though as a piece of advise DON'T USE THE SCREWDRIVER IKEA provides as it is difficult and leaves your hand bruised and hurting.

I used the conventional tools and had no problems up till the stage when all the side boards were up, its only then that the tough part started- the central beam! the pictorial manual was not much help in understanding how this is put together, i noticed that the manual was for two kinds of beds and had two different styles of putting the bed together..in short, i struggled.. but finally was able to put in order to be able to sleep on it.

There is nothing more fitting then being able to reap the fruits of your own labor! but on the flip side I noticed that one of the side planks needs to be re-fitted !! guess I found some work for the next weekend aswell..

Whose 'wife' is it anyway

What would you say if for some reason people start questioning if you are sure your wife's name is the one you say it is?

Poor Akbar has been experiancing this problem from the time, a wretched bollywood character decided to make a movie on Akbar and his wife, who for polictical reasons we will not name! I'm sure Akbar must have called his wife by a love name, maybe 'sweety' or no sweety is too English, hmm maybe rosy , nah thats too chiristen (Thomes Roe had not yet arrived in the Mughal Court) could it be jaanu (sweet heart in Urdu). Well in case that is true maybe the latest bollywood flick can be renamed and be called Akbar and Jaanu.

Maybe lot of waring factions would give up their agitations as there is no link to a historical character who could be called jaanu. Incidently this theory was propogated by none other then the female lead of the movie, whose cell phone phone directory had a entry by that very name. Some people argue thats it was not any historical research.

Some erastwhile princes say that this flick is historically inaccurate, and actually the female was not Akbar's wife but actually his Son's wife!! incest! amazing what the way their minds work!

All I can say, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, so call her whatever she remains his wife. Afterall he once ruled most of India , give that guy some credit!