Love at first sight

I vividly remember the first time I saw this guy on field; the first words that slipped out of my mouth were “Wow! He sure is cute.” Barely a teenager at the time, I was still unknown to quite an extent about the male species, but this guy made me fall for him instantly. There have been occurrences where in an India vs Australia match I’ve been told by people to shut up just coz I was supporting Lee more than any Indian player. I distinctly recall a match where the Aussies needed 6 runs off the last ball and Lee was on the crease. Balaji had the ball in his hand and I found myself praying “God, please don’t make it worse for him”. And guess what (of all times,God chose only that day to answer my prayers),Balaji bowled a full toss; Lee wasn’t one to miss such a golden opportunity, he hit it over the boundary for a six and the Aussies won. Despite my efforts to keep quiet during this scene, everyone in the house turned to give me the cold look and I grinned guiltily in return. :P
Over the years, I’ve been religiously and rigorously following him, in and outside the field. Dad used to wake me up early morning (and I mean really early, 5 AM, just for the record) for the CB series matches (even before they became a tri-series thingy). This was not for the match, No! It was only for watching him. Yes! My family knows how crazy I am about him. I even followed the Ashes series just for him. No other reason. Actually when he’s around I wouldn’t require any other motivating factor for watching a match, be it domestic or international, a charity match or an IPL/Champions trophy match (even any event for that matter). I’ve a deep regret though, that even after being such a faithful fan (from 13 years to be precise), I’ve never got a chance to meet him in person. :(
Believe me when I say I’ve tried. Really hard! One instance of this is really funny and ironic at the same time. The World Cup 2011 was on in full swing. Dad had managed to get hold of two tickets for the Australia vs. Zimbabwe match at the Motera stadium in Ahmedabad. (after a lot of persuasion and constant reminders on my part). As luck would have it (this happens a lot with me btw), anyway, so my final presentations for internal assignments turned out to be on the same day. (yes, laugh!) I was seriously thinking about bunking it, but no one would’ve allowed that, least of all my parents and people in my group. So, yes, I missed it. This wasn’t the worst part though. It was my mom calling me up every two seconds and saying things like “Oh! He’s standing just by the boundary line. I can see him clearly”, “He turned around and waved at me”, “He did Namaste and smiled at us” (I just feel like hugging him every time he does that btw,totally adorable) and blah blah.It was killing me.Argh!
And it’s not just his bowling and cricketing skills that caught my attention. Yes, for those of you don’t know yet, this man is one versatile person. Has a band of his own called “Six and out” and he’s tried his hand (voice rather) at Indian pop (kill yourself if you don’t know this already) with one of my favorite singers Asha ji .Oh, how I love the delectable image he makes, be it with the ball or with the guitar. That song still remains, the mp3 players, iPods, iPhones and everything have changed over the years, but this song has maintained its spot unwaveringly on my playlist. And yes, yellow is still the dominant color in my wardrobe (after blue though,for obvious reasons). Now,the colors also include navy blue (the new Aussie color), red (KXIP), black (KKR). I have to mention here that I supported the Kings XI only and only because of Lee, yes you can judge me or hate me or make faces but whatever. And also, I never even took notice of KKR before last IPL and now I support them the most (MI is first on list though).I thought I’d covered all reasons for being a fan of him but just then he came out with his autobiography (Yes, he can write too!!) and showed me how erroneous I was. Just like people say another feather in the cap, I landed on one more reason and fell even more deeply and madly for him.
Many people have asked me, “If you like (I hear that as love jfyi) him so much, why haven’t you written anything about him so far”. Well, so, here it goes. Cricket has lost all its charm for me without him. So, I choose this day, his 34th birthday and this year, the year he’s retired from international cricket (how it breaks my heart saying that), to write about him, and wish him a Happy 34th , in the hope that today, someday, any day, in this lifetime, this message reaches him and he’d know that somewhere in India there’s a girl who is totally head over heels for him, has already imagined the first meeting (the lines from a Bollywood song that goes “Aayi aisi raat hai jo bahut khushnaseeb hai,chahe jise door se duniya, woh mere kareeb hai, kitna kuch kehna hai phir bhi hai dil mein sawal kahi,sapno mein jo roz kaha hai woh phir se kahoon ya nahi”) and even today when someone asks “Your dream date”, smiles mischievously and without blinking or thinking says “Brett Lee” already imagining the Sydney harbor in the back drop having dinner with him on a candlelit terrace.
Love always,
A true fan (Manali Desai)
P.S: Translation for the Hindi song “A night full of fortunes has arrived; I am near to the one person who the entire world loves from afar. There are so many things I wish to say but a million questions are there in my mind, should I repeat the words I say in my dreams every day?”

Do You?

Do you think about me often
Like I still do
Do you remember our times together
And miss them as I do
Do you consider it a mistake
Or smile about it like I do
Do you hate me now
Or have affection like for you I do
Are you hurt that it ended
And hope it worked out like I do
Have you moved on with life
Or just pretend to be fine like I do
Do you ignore it when you hear my name
Or smile and say "Yes,I knew that person" like I do
Do you still believe in love
Or run away from it like I do
Do you worry about me the way you used to
Like most times I still do
Do you wonder how i'd react to something
Like in many situations I do
Do you see my face in other people
The way in so many I do
Do you say "Forever" anymore
Or cut it out of your dictionary like I do
Do you laugh or cry about it
Or a bit of both like I do
Do you care at all in anyway
Coz in one way or the other I'll always do.

One failure,doesn't make you one

Just coz you don't agree to something doesn't make it any less valid.

M-U-M-B-A-I !! \m/ And its raining :D The sight of this city never fails to bring a smile to my face.Its beauty during rains is unmatchable.The sweet smell of wet mud.Ah!! It is indeed my favorite city and will remain so,forever :)

I've learnt that when I rely on other people for some work,something or the other always goes wrong.. That's why one must learn to do things on their own and have faith in one's abilities. :)

Anything new learnt is never a waste. 

Mumbai-Pune expressway (especially during rains) : Mother nature at its best :)

If you've got a point to prove,do so by your deeds and not mere words.

Perfect song dedication for the rains "Luka chhupi bahut hui" ;)

Forever doesnt always mean for the rest of your life.Atleast,not these days.

Your happiness matters more than anyone's opinion.So, just do what makes you truly happy.....

‎*Best Feeling*: Getting paid for what you know you are best at, and becoming a professional at the thing you've always dreamt of. :)

Just a though/opinion/observation: However good a movie maybe, if it's based on a novel, the novel will always be better. No movie has ever been able to do justice to a book so far, in my opinion (except maybe Godfather)

When you've already made up your mind,please stop asking for suggestions and advice..

Happy Ramnavmi...!!

Ignorance,truly is bliss.Especially if it's on the part of the other person. :-D
*wicked smile*

Awesome Sunday:
Ducktales. :-D \m/
Childhood days rekindled. :-))
Sunday just made better. ;-)

It's not outcome or result,but the intention behind doing something that counts.

The most tempting things in the world are the ones you have to ignore at times..;)

Remember the times when we used to go to school,and out of the blue they announced "School will be closed today" and the feeling of elation afterwards.Well,things don't change much even as we grow up,coz 2 days back when I went to office and they said "Office will be closed today",I got the same feeling. :-D

So,as the cliche goes "Never lose the child within you". That's the way to enjoy every moment of life. :)

Food for thought:
If we just keep judging each other,the govt. should might as well start handing out the law degree for free to all citizens.

Not using your brains & being born stupid are two completely different things...

Tendulkar overshadowed mamta's rail budget in 2010. He didn't let Pranab down this year. :D

If something about me,my behaviour,my nature or my personality bothers you,it's your problem,not mine....

Wicked thought:You can't change the way someone's mind works or what they think.You can manipulate it,though. :-9

Asking somebody to help,doesn't mean that you've failed.It just means that you can't do something,alone.

Graceful, Feminism!!!

Trying is better than giving up completely...

Happy Holi !!!!

Just in....

A bird sat on tree doing nothing.
.
.
A rabbit thought to do the same & sat on ground.
.
... .
Tiger came & ate it..!!
.
.
Moral:to sit & do nothing,
You need to be on the top.


Courtesy: An FB fan page.

Fairytale ending:And they lived happily ever after.
True story:And they ended up hating each other.

You always have an option.It's your choice that matters.

Love is in the air....

Regular quote: You're never fully dressed till you wear a smile. :)
My Belief: You're never fully dressed till someone compliments you. ;) :D

Not the end after all...

Mr.kohli does it for India,showing everyone why we are the "World Champions". A good smack on the face for the Sri Lankan team,yet again.

321 off 40 overs is one thing.Finishing it off in 36.4 is quite another. That too after losing Tendulkar and Sehwag very early on and at the fag end of a summer full of disappointment and discontent. An asking rate so ridiculous that it bordered on the impossible brought something out of India that hasn't been seen overseas from quite a long time. This team is capable of pulling off outrageous feats when they are clicking, and boy - have they clicked. This is an epic moment in India's ODI cricket history.

We must be sure to keep an eye out for that man Virat Kohli. He's going to topple some batting records along the way.

Sri Lanka won't know what's hit them. This is an absolute train-wreck of a defence. To come out and take this pounding after scoring 320 against a ragged bowling attack.


In the words of Virat Kohli, who has been the given the "Man of the Match" and deservedly so,

"To be able to chase 320 in 40 overs in a must win game, and put that sort of a batting effort together was a great team effort. I committed a few mistakes in the last games after getting to 20 and 30, trying to middle every ball, which doesn't happen always in international cricket. This shows our character as a team, and how well we can execute our plans. It is about working hard and sticking in there. We will be rooting for Australia in Friday. This is a special feeling, probably my best one-day innings so far."

Very nicely put,indeed,by Mr.Kohli,who at the moment seems in the making of a perfect future captain for the Indian team.

Just a reminder, here, that India are not yet in the final. A Sri Lankan win, or a tie, or a wash-out in the final league game will take Sri Lanka ahead of India on points.If Australia win that match, India will go through though they are tied with SL on points. India are 2-1 up on SL on head-to-head now, with one tie.

Wonder how Australia will approach the last game now. They have found Sri Lanka unbeatable recently, but India's just shown them how it is done.

Why is Monday most hated?

Ah! obviously coz it's the first day after your very relaxing and no work pressure day "SUNDAY".You're back to your dreaded office and the same people.Sitting on that most uncomfortable chair, doing the work for which you're hardly appreciated!
And you wonder "why are there only 2 weekend days and 5 weekdays??" Argh! So unfair. Whoever made the calendar, was one sadist or big workaholic.

Anyway,however much we complain, grumble, write dirty about it on our blogs, it's not gonna end, unless you're a multi millionaire and you don't need to work, but that's the plight of us "Not poor but not rich enough either" middle-class people.

No wonder,it's called "MOANDAY", and rightly so. *loud sigh*

My World

There's a big difference between "NEED TO","WANT TO" & "HAVE TO".

So,choose your words,wisely. :)

Nothing beats the adrenaline rush you get from a bike ride.

(P.S: Added bonus is the fact that you're getting it in your favorite city [read Mumbai] and that too with a hot guy who happens to be your brother,so don't give a

Sure-shot sign that you're gaining weight:
You can't dig your hand into your jeans pocket.Damn it! Why me?? *Sigh*

My PIC

Sitting idle in this schedule so tight
Finding time for you this I write
Our relation hasn’t reached that plight
On your special day this much I can’t do slight

Thinking of the years gone by
Tears of joy it bring to the eye
Everything we’ve shared whether your or my
I wish we never have to say “Goodbye”

In good & bad times we’ve stood by each other’s side
Together from so many years we’ve laughed as well as cried
The special bond connecting us gives me immense pride
This journey hasn’t been any less than a roller coaster ride.

It’s always been the voiceless words
Never having to make an effort to be heard
More than once it has occurred
Our support for each other was the only medicine that Cured

We have similarities in everything it seems
So much so that we even share all our dreams
Thoughts of achieving them brings to us a gleam
I am sure we’ll make it one day by any means

Adios 2011

2011:
Some lines dedicated to this wonderful year:

A year of surprises, a year of predictions coming true in vain.
A year of tears, of joy as well as pain.
A year of achievements, and also of strains.
A year of experiences, bitter, sweet and plain.

A year of many firsts, including pay cheques, failures and people fake.
A year full of learnings, rejections and heart ache.
A year of doing more of work and less of break.
But also a year of cheerful & teary memories betake.

A year of losing some, but more of new and better ones being gained.
A year where I left behind the city of dreams, making a decision sane.
A year of discovering life, in more ways than just the blood flowing in the vein.
And finally a year where I learnt to talk sense and use more of my wit and brain.

Thanks to all who this year for me special made
Also, sorry to the people whom I’ve hurt by deeds or words said
And now, before the memories begin to fade
Let’s all, to this wonderful year, a farewell bade



Okay, so after that, whatever it was, I’ll now get down to thanking all those who made this year such a fantastic journey.

First comes, obviously, my parents, my reason for being in this world. Thanks for all the undying support and bearing with me from some many years. Seriously, how do you do it, anyway?
I love you immensely, just fail to show it.

My extended family, uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers, all of you. I love you.

Here I have to mention two very special people who have been with me through thick and think. Neel Naik & Riddhi Naik. I love you both. By some means, whenever we meet, we end up laughing our wits out. Whatever the situation. We always make it hilarious and a one to remember.
A special mention to the fact that you made my birthday very special this year. It was one of the best I’ve had so far. And finally, sorry, you know for what. Thanks for everything.

Let’s begin the long list of “FRIENDS” now: D

Parini Surti.
Well, my love for you is renowned baby. Words will fall short. This year, and my journey so far in ahmedabad is just amazing only coz of you. And yeah, most importantly, I fell more in love with you after discovering you as a roomie. You’re an amazing live in partner. *hugs*

Dhara Adhvaryu.
This year you’re second on the list. Sorry for that. :P
Wish you could be with us (Me & Pari). But you’re still the strongest pillar in my life. Sorry, couldn’t be more of a help to you this year around. Unconditional love for you, always. Muahzzz

Abhinav Singh Gupta.
Just 3 words for you Gupta. I hate you, always have and always will. :P
Jokes apart. Thanks for being the guy I can always count on, and the one person with whom I can truly be myself without any barriers. This year, will be memorable coz of the wonderful matching events that occurred in our lives. And the conversation thereafter. (don’t smirk now,*****)

Jhalak Khandelwal.
Bitch. I know you’ll say “Proud to be one”. I also know you hate me, very much, and I’ll as always, just say “I still love you, baby” and for eternity, will. The one person who, even if I, by mistake, fail to remain in touch with , keeps reminding me, I am still there. Love you for that, you 7 K’s. And also for another reason. If not for you, some of us would never have had the courage to admit certain things. :D
Muahzz for that. And you, better watch out. Something’s cookin’ up for you. Shh!!!


Roopali Jain.
Ahh. And I smile broadly. It’s true we’re beginning to think differently as we’re growing up, but somehow we still have that connection which I’ve always loved and truly cherished. Been maintaining a beautiful long distance relationship with this girl from 4 years. Beat that, you lovey dovey couples out there. Love you, baby. And I have, am and will always be proud of you, you determination and all your achievements. *bows*

Sohil Gandhi.
For being a gem of a person. The guy, who even after being hurt by me intentionally or otherwise n number of times still stands by my side, stronger than a pillar. Renders undying support. And somehow, always the right word of advice. Thanks, for just being who you are and always sticking by.

Jitisha Bhatt.
She is one of those persons, who just by their silence provide the best support and advice. I’ll always be there for you too, baby. Come what may! Whatever decision you take, m gonna support it. Thanks for amity, thanks for the laughs and above all thanks for just being there.

Shraddha Mehta.
Lol. Surprise surprise!! This girl, come what may, bears with me even after all the broken promises, and me never keeping my word; I wonder where she gets all that patience. And hate myself for never making it upto her. She just proves to me the saying “Old friends are old friends, and will always be there.” A helpful soul, who receives my call or replies to a text even at the weirdest hour, love you for that. And thanks. :)

Kruti,Geeta,Shivani,Saloni,Misha,Jyoti,Shivali,Kritika.
Thanks for making ahmedabad special for me. I feel blessed and truly lucky to have got such wonderful people as roommates. Saturday night movies, horror movie discussions, sitting near the TV together and enjoying the dinner and stupid soaps, all of it, are very special memories for me. Love you all. Muahzzz…

Divya,Lochan,Priyanka,Neha,Purvi,Ankita di,Mala di,Smriti,Megha,Sneha di, Shweta di
Thanks for a wonderful farewell and the marine drives, juhu beaches, multiplexes, everything about Mumbai that we’ve done together in 2011. All the birthdays and cakes and trips for shopping or whatever, even just sitting at home and gossiping or watching TV. Loved it. All of it was unforgettable. :)

Chandni,Barkha,Karuna,Priti Mehta,Priti Bajaj,Nidhi Vora
Thanks for remembering my birthday, and a wonderful cake. The get-together after a long time, was one to be remembered. I am glad, we're all still in touch, and somehow maintain the school bonding. Love you all, a lot. :)

Himanshu Bagga.
School friend. Hardly talked during school. But now, a great friend. Ever since he moved to Mumbai, we’ve constantly been in touch, had fantastic outings, and been to ice cream parlours: D
Made mutual friends, who give regular updates (lol). Thanks for a great farewell and being a good advisor and supporter.

Adhish Panchal (Gugu).
The one person who has literally, helped me survive, who has listened to every kind of crap coming from my side, and has laughed even at the worst kinda jokes I’ve made. The one person about whom I can proudly say “Adhish Panchal, yeah, he’s a great friend.” :)
He must be a mystery to many. But for me, he is just an open book. Love you and thank you. And I cannot even begin to tell you, how proud I am of you and all your work. *bows and claps*

Divesh (Juju) & Smeet .
The one’s I refer to as “True Facebook Friends”. In some weird way, distance has intensified our love I think. I know I can count on you two anytime. Love ya. :)

Dhruv Shah, Sunny Taylor & Rakesh Khemchandani (Ronit)
For being my brothers from different mothers. ;)
Love you three, truly.

Sarjil Shah
The biggest reason for my laughter and smiles this year. Just plain and simple, thanks for coming into my life at the right time. You are the one and only person I trust completely in the office and can rely upon. 10 Jewel is bearable only coz of your presence.

Also, in case I've forgotten to mention someone's name here. Sorry in advance. And thanks for touching my life in one way or the other.The people on my list, thanks to you too. I may not be in regular touch with you all, but all of you mean a lot to me, that's why we are on each other's friend list. And may be, in the past we've spent some great times together. I know for sure, that I've have spent good times with most of you. Love you all. :)

And last but never the least, you, yes YOU, reading this out there. Thanks for taking out the time and reading this. Actually not taking out time, rather I should say thanks for wasting precious time over this piece of shit. And yeah, Happy New Year. :D





So now, as we begin this year filled with hope, faith, curiosity and everything else, it reminds me of the beginning notes of a song which is one my all time favorites “Aankhon mein sapne liye, ghar se hum chal toh diye jaane ye raahe ab le jaayengi kaha”


Bring it on!
Let the New Year, begin!

Yours Always & Truly,
Manali G.Desai