Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Not Everything Needs to Go Viral!!

 Not Everything Needs to Go Viral!!

Lately, I've been reflecting on the wave of viral videos that flood our timelines.The Coldplay concert couple, someone dancing,singing, eating with their hands on a subway, someone tossing something in a wooded area. Are these really moments for public consumption?

Sure, behaviors can be unusual or inappropriate depending on the setting. But does that give a random bystander the higher moral ground to record and broadcast it to millions?

What happens between two individuals,as long as it’s within the confines of law,should remain just that: between them.

It reminds me of the time I used to travel to the city for work. Every day on the subway, there was a man who talked loudly on his phone, clearly annoying everyone. One day, someone finally called him out. Embarassed,he got off at the next station to finish his call. That moment was enough to teach him a lesson . No cameras, hashtags, or public shaming. Imagine if someone had filmed him instead, posted it, and made him a meme.

We forget that behind every viral video is a human being .Someone with family, kids, parents, coworkers. They have histories, responsibilities, vulnerabilities. The internet doesn’t forget , but we seem to forget that.

It might just be a content, A meme, a reel, a trend. But it could be someone's dignity, reputation, or mental health spiraling because of that one clip.

Let’s not ruin lives for a few likes or laughs. A little empathy goes a long way.

Not Everything Needs to Go Viral!!!

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Run. Debug. Repeat.......

Running a marathon is a lot like a production deployment. The training runs and test environments never fully prepare you for the real thing.

Training runs ≠ race day.

Test env ≠ prod.

The stakes are higher, the pressure’s real, and there’s always that one unexpected surprise.

Everything is going great… until the 10th mile hits you like a critical bug in prod.Sudden back pain. Severe. Game over? No Go Perhaps...

You look at your options with more than 50% of the distance remaining:Throw away the race and exit at the Half Marathon Finish Line or..

Problem-solving mode kicks in ..

Throw the race or Throw the belt.

Guess what went flying?

Just like in production: when it breaks, you get to the basics..

Anything non-critical? See ya.

The goal is the finish line, be it deployment or a marathon

Finish line > mystery error 404

Spoiler: I made it to the finish line. No belt. Lots of sweat and emotions. some tough choices. 100% worth it.



Lesson learned:

Whether it’s a marathon or a deployment, success is often less about what you carry and more about what you’re willing to let go of to keep moving forward.

#TechLife #MarathonMode #ProblemSolving #LetItGo

And if you are curious: which one’s tougher, the long run or the last-minute rollback? Your guess is as good as mine.. 😊

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Chhole Bhature Chase: The Half Marathon Edition


 Piping chhole(chickpeas) with fluffy just out of the wok bhature is our catch-all 🍴. Its for all emotions(Bored,Tired,Happy,Sad,"kuch achha khana hai","aaj khana nahin banana hai"..πŸ˜ƒ) and distances (FM,HM,10K,5k,1 mile and  0 miles 😴) .

So, last year-end I signed up to train for a spring full marathon. Though I didn't believe that I was ready, my husband of 2 decades felt it was high time I spent more time outside pacing the pavement than indulging in my favorite nagging-at-home hobby ..whatever πŸ˜ƒ. And thus began my journey at a pace closer to 15 min/mile. Sometimes walkers on the pavement would ask me"Aren't you cold dear" on my fourth mile and I would simply smile back thinking "Naa. just running in slow motion."   My lovely coach always encouraging me with her words of wisdom that slow and steady is good and on race day I would rewrite a different story. The story of me finishing 26.2 miles in 61/2 hours.. Naa scratch that.. Me dodging the dreaded straggler's bus..🚌

Ah, this weekend was a rollercoaster ride of running woes!  My long run distance was 13 miles and my regular go-to loop had ice ❄❄ built up. A blend of last-minute switch to a new loop in our nearby park, wind πŸƒ, and cold πŸ₯Ά turned my slow-mo long run into "Is my apple watch even working today " kind of ordeal..Looping around a lonely trail in a park🌳 I had surely completed my first solo Half Marathon distance of this year but it still didn't feel good enough. At 3 hours and 42 minutes it went beyond any stretch of my imagination

Slightly dejected, I reach home only to be greeted by the magical aroma of Chhole Bhature running through the air. All feelings of disappointment melt away with each savory bite. Happiness isn't just in the air – it's in every spicy bite.πŸ˜‹

Me: "I think I will be DQed"

Son, in a puzzled surprise: "What's a DQ in running?"

Me:Never mind...

Why worry my dear...

when Chhole Bhature is here πŸ˜‹πŸ˜‹   


Sunday, September 17, 2023

#MyMovieMusings:Rorschach(Malyalam dubbed in Hindi).

I stand still and stare at the visually captivating scene on screen.

While a brilliant background score plays,the camera/drone takes a long shot of the actor(Mamooty)lying in despair on the rocks surrounded by water,the mood of the movie is set..A mysterious NRI sets foot in a village looking for his missing pregnant wife..Visually stunning and eerily thrilling,its what movies,masti,magic is all about..The spectacle of cinema which gets you zipping thousand miles away onto A long lonely road unwinding through the murky green forests whilst intertwining with Seemingly simple villagers with dark secrets and grey hues..

Brace yourself for twists & turns galore..

A story that effortlessly sways between past and present,between an eerie grey abandoned house and poverty stricken crimson rooftop houses,between a loving husband and a revengeful stranger,between life and the dead,between soul and the spirit,between lost love and all lost..

A story not be missed for its sheer brilliant storytelling,special effects, histrionics and unabashed abandonment of moral compass..

Hell Hath No Fury
Like a Man who lost it all
Hero or Villain who's to say
His redemption is HIS Fall..

#MyMovieMusings:Rocky and Rani ki Prem(whatever!!!) Kahani

 So,2022 ki Super smart,Super Sassy,Super Slim,Saree in stilletoes ,South Delhi ki Rani meets our utterly outlandish,90's ka Govinda-ish yet suave,Super rich Dilli ka Rocking Munda Rocky.

Humara IQ kam hai toh kyaa huaa, dil waale hain is the anthem our Dilli dude swears by...😁😁He swerves around in his flashy car and flashier clothes mouthing funny one liners..
West Bengal is in West naa...Obvio....🀣
The 2 meet trying to set Rocky Dude's senior citizen Dada Kamal with his long lost love Jamini,Rani's Senior Citizen Dadi. 😍All while Dude's Dadi Dhanlakshmi is still alive and well..
Their love triangle is an epic laugh riot..🀣🀣Dada Kamal and Girl Friend Jamini croon the ever golden abhi naa jaao chhod ke while Dadi Dhanlkashmi faints in utter disbelief..
haal kaisa hai janaab ka.. kyaa khayal hai aapka??
But make no mistake , Dadi Dhanlakshmi is no feeble grandmom..She plots and plans her pawns and Checkmate!!!!
Cliches and overexaggerated stereotypes you will find galore but doesn't take away from the freshness and funny moments(Intense moments are unitentionally comical too) of the film..
Nayi soch,swad puraana
Dhanlakshmi ladoo zaroor khaana
whatever!!!
Dhanlakshmi Schemes(Oops!! Rocky and Rani ki Prem Kahani) is like an elaborate buffet of many delicacies in your plate that you savor till the last bite...
Sweet & Savory.. Cliche yet Current...
And finally 2022 ki Super smart,Super Suave,Super Slim,Saree in stilletoes,South Dilli ki Rani marries our utterly outlandish,90's ka Govinda-ish yet suave,Super rich Delhi ka Rocking Munda Rocky.
While the end credits play on screen, I search for "Manmarziyan" from the movie Lootera starring a subdued Ranbir and charming Sonakshi as my simple dessert after the elaborate KJO buffet..
"Yun to solah saavan aaye gaye
Gaur nahin kiya hamne..
Bheega man ka aangan is martaba..
Kya jaane kya kiya tumne.."
plays in the background as I revel in some Bollywood time well spent..

VeganTales: #PuccaPunjabitoVeganPunjabi

 "And why exactly are you doing this?" quizzed my senior citizen ,originally hailing from Amritsar, Passionate Punjabi,"Food is magic" believer cook aunty in utter disbelief..πŸ˜’πŸ˜’

Before I could reply,aunty retorts her point again"Makki di roti and sarson daa saag without white butter,no gajar ka halwa in winters,no lassi ,no paneer and dal tadka without gheau(ghee in punjabi).Bacche agar khaana enjoy nahin kitaa te kee haasil kitta.(If you didnt enjoy food then what did you gain)...😧 As long as health allows eat and make merry.πŸ’ƒ" She closes her arguments and gets back to making butter chicken πŸ” for the rest of my non vegan family..

Yayy Its my first veganniversary todayπŸŽ‚ and my Mom's Birthday too!! And to answer my Maa's rhetorical question "ek spoon gajar halwa se kyaa farak padegaa(what difference will a  spoon make)" It wouldn't Maa but it just helps maintain the vegan status quo that began by denying the Pucca Punjabi me,the sinful pleasures of lassi,makhan,ghee and dahi ... #veganhappy  😊😊

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Another Birthday πŸŽ‚πŸŽ‚

An Ode to all the wonderful people in my life today!! People who have inspired me and made me a better person..

With a twinkle in my eye... I look back at the year go So many people inspiring me Something, they wouldn't know

Just a drop in the ocean, Am I A drop that turns into dew.. The world, my ceaseless Canvas My People, it's radiant hue..

Wait "Its my birthday again" Another year to be crazy.... With A Dash of Laughter & Some Dreams, a tad bit lazy...

Monday, May 15, 2023

Mother's Day 2023

Hmm, staying true to my talent of hamesha being late, here I am again a day late with my mother's day post..Talking about always being late toh, main michael schumacher toh hoon nahin that I can zip zap my way through the single lanes of edison and crowded 287 in peak hourπŸ˜„..To which maa would always say in her cool nonchalant style "10 minute jaldee nikla karo naa.." ☺️
You to me epitomize cool n composure!! You haven't changed a bit though I have grown from a tantrum throwing 4-5 year old to a tantrum dodging 45 year old.. From my schooling years,to college,to starting work,to my pregnancies,to moving from one place to another,to getting back to work you have seen the worst and best of me(which everyone says is my kids..whatever!!! 🀷‍♀️)
So,here's to another roller coaster ride with your kids,your grandkids,your granddogs and their forever maa/Nani can you do this even when you are saat samundar paar...
The greys in our hair
Have a story to say....
I see a Me in You Maa..
Rejoicing along the way.....

Friday, March 31, 2023

Fear of The Fury

 " And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”

-Abraham Lincoln

Shivers ran down my spine as I glanced at my TV.

As the news of the devastating earthquake in Turkey started flashing on screen I stood there motionless, my heart skipping a thousand beats..As I immersed myself in the household chores my mind kept racing back to 2001 when I was in Ahmedabad and we were at the receiving end of nature’s fury then…

The sudden rumblings awoke us from sleep on a Friday morning. It was 26th Jan, My sister's birthday. My mom grabbed my sister and I and rushed out of our eighth floor high rise apartment. We were left with no option but to stand outside the house with our neighbors and cry and pray to the God aloud. We cried and hugged as the building shook and shook and shook!!!!!There was fear written on our faces. Fear of the untamed fury !!!!!!!!!!

We rushed down the building as it ceased to shake. For the next 3 months we stayed at a rented house as there were cracks in the building that required repairs. Our neighbors had become an extended family sharing the same fear, the same feeling of homelessness and the same gratitude to have survived this disaster.

It has been more than 2 decades since this brush with catastrophe but the memories of the day are still vivid. I still reckon the jitters, the fear and the uncertainty of life….


How often do we forget
In our materialistic quest

Some sorrows to share
Laughs galore to pair

A Handful of love to give
In every moment to live

Life is not in years
But in smiles and tears

Life is short, Life is uncertain
LIVE before it draws it’s curtain!!!!!!!!!!


Tuesday, March 28, 2023

The Ever Elusive Words..

A world of words

This exquisite world I see..... 

Words I dream, Words I live

Yet they so elude me...  

Words elude me.....Writing is not just an isolated example..Be it  professional meetings or casual conversations..They so often leave me lurching in the dark amidst a tete-a-tete...Post 100 count into striking a talk  words cease to flow  and I stand speechless ,a silent exterior masking a tumultuous interior.. Words jostle inside my brain but fail to see the light of the day as my brain ceases to process them any further and cuts them short in their endeavour.. 

Concision is all I can churn in the name of creative writing...

I have come to believe that my poor under developed brain is equipped with a 100 count word-o-meter..A single expression more and it shrieks aloud!!!!!!!!!!!   

No Rhyme,No Reason

Work On my brain 

Of Very few words am I 

A person sound yet inane....

Thursday, March 23, 2023

What am I?

At times we become an extension of the emotions of the people around us. Their love for us, their belief in us, their dreams as us, reflects on us and we grow..

What am I?
I am Today
An Extension of You.. 
The love for me 
When much I cant do... 

What am I?
I am Today
A Reflection of You.. 
The belief in me 
When hopes go skew.. 

What am I?
I am Today 
Simply Just YOU.. 
Daring to Dream 
Albeit, In a varied hue.......


Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Terrible Two,Trying Teen & Forgetful Forties:

 Ri: Maa, Eddie 🐢chewed my heels πŸ‘ 

Me: Arre let go ..Its Eddie’s Birthday today.πŸŽ‚πŸ¦΄. 2/21/2021..He turned 2..

Ri:Maa do u remember when is my birthday?Like Which year was I bornπŸ€”πŸ€”

Me: after a long pause- so you turned 16 this year so 2007

Ri: Maaaa 2006 😑😑..Bro,Your Memory & Maths both are Mid🀦‍♀️
Eddie do you want to chew Mama’s shoe πŸ‘Ÿ nextπŸ˜€πŸ˜πŸ˜€.
Its your Birthday afterall …

Me: Whatever
Nooooooooo Wait ……😬😬


Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Love Aaj Kal

Love to me today ….πŸ’•
Is Your smile
When back home after travel.
Koi Bhoola Bisra Gaana 🎢
Jo,Bus Yunhi Youtube pe I unravel..
Love to me today..πŸ’•
Is my mom’s voice
& Dad ka ab bhi Daantnaa
Weekend visits from sister
And badhiyaa time & Khaana
Love to me today..πŸ’•
Is my kids rant
Poore din ‘Ma yeh..Maa woh’ KehnaπŸ₯Ί
Eddie , Chess ki hyper tails
Jub bhi walk pe nikalna πŸ•‍🦺🐾
Love to me today Is
My morning run, my words, my work
My Moments of I,Myself , Me
A “Main apni favorite hoon” πŸ˜‡ glimpse
In the mirror when I see..

Monday, February 6, 2023

#MyMovieMusings- Pathaan

 Pathaan- a love story or a spy story or shaayad no story 🀣🀣 

So, Our Dashing, Age Defying, Gravity Defying, Laws of Physics Defying Desi Devdas(yup..ab dhokha element ke bina any bollywood thriller is incomplete naa...) meets Wrong turned Right turned Confused Turned Skater Girl Doctor Diva....

Sparks Fly, Helicopters Fly, Planes Fly, Bullets Fly. Missiles Fly, People Fly and with that all Logic flies..

Hawa main udta jaaye behaal Pathaan & Rubai. ho jee ho jee 🀣🀣

Dynamic Duo jump atop buildings, jump into rivers, jump from cliffs. In other words jump in and out of thin air..

Chale Jaise Hawaein Sanan Sanan
Ude Jaise Pathaan Gagan Gagan
Jaaye Rubai Jaise Chaman Chaman
Yunhi Ghoomoon Main Bhi Magan Magan
Hey-Hey Hey-Hey Hey-Hey, Wow
Hey-Hey Wow-Wow Ha-Haa

Across bade bade desh and choti choti baatein, Senorita and Spy run after gibberish Jim and his Caricaturish Cronies...Enter Tiger, an abducted scientist, a state of the art lab,some assistants in white coats and a beaker with the secret formula. Voila!!!! Dilwale Formula le jaayenge...

As I exit the movie theatre I ask my husband
Me: what was Pathaan's name in the movie
Husband: Pathaan,,duh !!! πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ˜‚
Me: Arre No his aslee name in the movie .. the name on his passport and all those exotic country visas.
Husband: Raj, Rahul, Aryan...Shahenshah πŸ˜„ ??
Me: .Whatever πŸ˜„

Friday, February 3, 2023

And the Journey Begins...

#ChessChronicles: 06/28/2019

It was Friday,the 28th of June 2019.We were enjoying a nice cozy dinner at one of our favourite Indian restaurant,a regular Friday fare for us  ...Just about to finish our dinner we were planning to head to the nearby theatre to watch a movie..But fate had some other wonderful plans in store for us...

My husband received a call from a very kind lady from the rescue shelter,informing us that our adoption application had been accepted and we can come tomorrow and take home the pet we always wanted...In a moment our lives changed...'This can't be for real..Looks like I'm dreaming.' I said in my head...Excited beyond measure we looked at Chess's picture again..Mesmerized by his innocent look we started to prepare the house for our new family member..It was hard to catch sleep that night as the happiness of bringing our new member tomorrow kept us all awake for most part...

Chess at the Adoption Center. His first time in a crate and on a leash.




Our journey together with Chess started on 29th June 2019.Chess is a mix of labrador retriever and border Collie born on 3/9/2019 .The first time we saw Chess in person we were all  instantly drawn towards the innocence in his eyes...We adopted him the moment we held him in our arms..we knew He was the one :-)
Chess first day @Kohli Household

Chess came in our lives,waging his tail and enriching it with his love,hugs and puppy kisses..:-)
And thus began a wonderful never ending journey of love,learning and companionship 


Sunday, December 25, 2022

Letter to Santa πŸ–†

Dear Santa πŸŽ…πŸ€Ά,

Hmmmm , so to the world you live in North pole and come riding down your reindeer sledge with gifts galore on Xmas eve.. But for me, you show up in my life all year through. My loved ones, my family, my dogs.. Some days you come dressed as my boss who tells me 'I got your back' or my colleague who steps up with 'I got this.' On other times you visit as my dear well wisher who brings me a surprise delicious dish πŸ˜‹ when I'm sick or my friends and neighbors who bring smiles with their calls πŸ“±and impromptu visits. And at times as my fellow runners ,friends and coaches who inspire me each day to overcome mental barriers and stay true to my training. Some days you come disguised as my virtual friends across the world 🌍 who I haven't met in ages and yet connect like its just been yesterday...You inspire, awe , encourage and bring joy.

Always, Just a phone call, message or a doorbell away..

Thank you. Thank You. Thank You my dear Santa Clan for making my days merrier and bright!!!

Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to have
Santa show up today, hey...

and the doorbell rings....πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸ€Ά

 

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Morning Chai vs Morning Run

If my Apple Watch could talk,it would ask me “By any chance are u a different person?”😁

So, this year in Jan 2022,my apple watch got a new lease of life.After being obscure all these years,it suddenly was out in the open,being part of my trans-formative journey as I took to running(all thanks to my most awesome running club).

One of the most amazing things I discovered in this journey, were the benefits of early morning run. 

  • In the time it took me to prepare and lazily finish my subaah ki chai, I could actually complete 2 miles and be back equally refreshed and energized.   
  •  The excuses,the knee,foot,back pains just don't exist subaah subaah.
  • Not much variation in diet in the wee hours so analyzing your runs over a period of time is simpler.
  • There's no call from the Boss and no urgent meetings to attend
  • A Random,still in sleep " Romiiiiiiiii(whatever!!! πŸ˜’)  or Mommmmmm" call doesn't count.... 
  • Kuch toh baat hai subaah ki hawa main ( there's something special in the morning air) . Actually feels like being in love all over again..Albeit, this time with your own self πŸ’–πŸ’–
  • The GLOW πŸ‘Έ On The Face is hard to miss when you log into your office 9 am teams call..
                  The Secret of which is not
                  Subaah ki coffee or masala chai ...
                  But an early morning run 
                  & a Blissful Runners High....









Friday, July 1, 2022

And the Filmy Bias Continues...

 So, Dads, I feel always get a raw deal .😞😞. 

All epic filmy dialogues like “mere paas maa hai”, "Maa Kasam","Meri Pyaari Maa" and Bollywood emotional songs  are mom centric πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚..Remember the Taare Zameen par song "Tujhe sab hai pata Meri Maa".... Kuch bhi kaho, Maa simply rules the roost in Bollywood !!! 

But I guess there’s nothing(even this unfair filmy bias) a Lowes or Home Depot gift card can’t fix for Dads!!! So, enjoy this wonderful and beautiful  day before the kids start asking again “Dad, Have u seen mom?” 😊😊 .. And alas, the favoritism continues.........

#HappyFathersDay



Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Happy Gotcha Day Chess

 So,three years back,this very day Chess 🐾 came along in our lives waging his tail and further adding to our family craziness 😁😁 quotient!!Now,which fur baby loves Aloo Bhujia and Imli Goli but my Chess does and dad obliges (whatever!!! )

I can't even imagine how boring my life would be,had it not been for the thrill of finding missing pairs of matching socks everyday.Miss Marple & her detective skills πŸ”ŽπŸ‘€ are always in demand in Chess & Eddie Land!!!! 

#ChessChronicles: 

“Squirrels, Deer and Strangers beware😳.. 

If only you could get past my growl n stare ” 

 #happygotchaday629 #cutecrazycuddlychess #lifeiscrazilyblissfulwithyouaround






🐾🐾


Friday, December 3, 2021

#10kforyou

 why does a birthday gift need to be something you can see,feel,hear or touch?So this year I decided to surprise my dad with a unique birthday gift..I took a day off and did a 10k for his birthday..Well, as random as the thought seems,it wasn't random though..I started training for it about 4-5 weeks earlier..Pushing your body to achieve something you haven't done in years, leads you to a path of self discovery and self connect.The heart,mind,body and soul all are in a complete state of unison.

As I went about the 6.2 miles or 10 Km, my mind went back to all my childhood memories,all my growing years with him,his smile,his composure and simplicity.By the time I finished the course,I felt so emotional.I felt as though inspite of all this physical distance separating us,I had just hugged him for his birthday!!!

and somewhere I found the mantra for celebrating birthdays of all important people in my life..#10kforyou..A birthday gift for a loved one does not need to be something you can see,feel,hear or touch.It can be your path of self discovery and enlightenment which illuminates the day for them ..

Happy Birthday Papa!!!!  

Featured Post

Fear of The Fury

 " And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” -Abraham Lincoln Shivers ran down ...