Mummy Woes

I have recently shifted to a new place leaving behind the comfort of my home state, Mom, Dad, in-laws, aunts, uncles, etc, etc. You get the drift. With all the attendant heartache (or relief!), I have also left behind the comfort of a domestic help.

It’s a novel experience for me caring for my children all alone and all day. Before this, I always had people to cook and care for the child. So much for the advantages of working out! Working seems so very simple compared to this! You just need to take care of the target and the rest falls into place. Like a fat cheque at the end of the month! You come home at 8 in the evening, cuddle the child, before handing him over to be fed. In the meantime you catch the news and then some cartoon with the toddler.

Now look where I am. It seems my entire life is just planning the next meal and then ensuring that that meal goes where it's intended and not into the dustbin! Just when breakfast is over, lunch needs to be cooked. After running around feeding a cantankerous kid his lunch (it takes roughly around 2 hours, maybe…if one is lucky), its time to plan for the tea time snack and dinner. But I have been cheating on dinner, so far. I’ve been getting it mostly from the local deli. It’s another matter that the man behind the counter asked me yesterday, “no house cooking, ma’am? you work outside?” leaving my husband grinning and me …furious!

Moreover, it is not all cooking too. Clothes, dishes, they all need to be cleaned (only part that’s automated), hung, dried, folded et al. Wipe the table, put aside books, shoes, cds, plates… believe me keeping house is a never ending process. Just when I think I can put my feet up with a mug of tea, I find the apple juice has been spilled. While I wipe that clean, the kid has found a means to climb the TV unit, of course not before tearing the day’s papers to shreds and strewing the neatly folded clothes all over the carpet. And as I run mad clearing up, he manages to break a egg. Well, I hope, the baby will have to have a nap. I can catch a bit of breath, then. Maybe start a novel or, just maybe, if I am lucky, get in a blog. That is the hope I have been nourishing the past fortnight. And it still remains a wistful forlorn hope…for I go to sleep before the kid does!

It reminds me of the story of “Uncle ___ Hangs A Portrait” from Three Men in a Boat! I have never believed that being a home-maker is easy. I am being proved right many times over. Sshh…Don’t wake him. Its 12 AM and he is finally asleep!

All said and done, I don’t think I will trade all these for Office work ever again. Especially when my child whispers to me at night, Mama, please do not go to Office – ever! Its not really tough being a Mom...

How To Clean Your PC

PC users these days start off with the internet unlike in ancient times when PCs were mostly standalone. However with constant use of the Web a lot of junk files tend to get accumulated in the PC and unless cleaned regularly, they really slow down the system.

Here are some basic maintainence steps that have worked very well for me in the last decade for my PC/laptop. You can try them before calling in the experts. The steps are for Windows users

Clean Temporary Internet Files

Go to Internet Explorer/Tools/Internet Options

At Temporary Internet Files
Delete Cookies and delete temp. internet files

Reduce the No. of Days to keep in History to 3. The default option is 20

Clean Temporary Files

Go to Run at the Start Menu
Type %temp% and click ok
Select all the temporary files that appear and send to Recycle Bin

Empty the Recycle Bin

Empty the recycle bin at periodic intervals as it tends to slow up the PC.

Here's another way to clean those temporary internet files and the recycle bin. Use this regularly.

Go to Start / Program / Accessories /System Tools / Disk Cleanup
Run the Disk cleanup

Defragment Disk

Go to Start / Program / Accessories /System Tools / Disk Defragmenter

Analyze and defragment the disk if recommended. This can be carried out once in two months or so.

Last but not the least scan the PC with an antivirus (that has not expired!) regularly.

Indian Ads and Symbols Review | 5 Classic Indian Ads

Here's a review of five classic Indian Ads and their enduring symbols that we have grown up with.

Of course others may qualify too, but these 5 are still going strong and continue with their original theme since colour television made an appearance in India in the early eighties. I have chosen these symbols also for the impact they have made on their product as also the attention they have generated.

Surf and Lalita Ji

One of the earliest classic advertisements, it showcased the middle income Indian housewife’s frugality and as well as her no nonsense attitude, principles and her continuous striving to get the best VFM. All these in a remarkably well made 60 sec spot! It even spawned a TV serial Rajni as well as made Kavita Chowdhury playing Lalita ji famous. She later starred in a successful TV serial Udaan.

Tagline - Surf Ki Kharidari Main Hi Samajhdari Hai!



Onida Devil

Who doesn’t remember “Neighbour’s envy, Owners pride”? The Onida devil became a symbol of ownership and onus and' everything from the latest car, house or boyfriend qualified for the phrase, "neighours envy, owners pride


Colgate Surakhsha Chakra

The Colgate "surakhsha chakra" (ring of confidence) with the ting tong click has been a most enduring symbol. From Sangeeta Bijlani in early 80s to Divakar Pundir today, they have all helped in keeping colgate synonymous with toothpaste. And the ad has evolved with the times without sacrificing any of its essence.

Hutch/Vodafone Pug

Oh the cute pug! Though not as old as the other Ads, the Vodafone pug has spawned more than its share of accolades and controversy! And last heard of, the owners of these pugs are appointing dog-guards to thwart pug-nappers. Seriously. This pug is the latest target of the kidnapping industry.

Nirma Dancing Girl

Nirma nirma nirma, washing powder nirma…so simple, easy and so melodious that it was easily caught by every child! And when a jingle is repeated everywhere, you know it's successful. Nirma still continues with the same strain of the jingle albeit the ad has undergone major overhauls. The commercial contributed in no small way to Nirma’s success in the eighties and kind of pulled the carpet from under Surf’s smug feet!



Some other ads and their jingles from the 80s and early 90s that have stayed in memory are

"Jab mein chotta bachha tha" - Bajaj Bulb
Vicco Turmeric Ayurvedic Cream (again with Sangeeta Bijlani)
"I am a Complan Boy" - Complan
"Hamara Bajaj" - Bajaj

One ad that has changed beauties / personalities over the years but where the essence has remained the same is Liril. The 80s ad had Karen Lunel bathing in green bikinis under a water fall and was definitely ahead of its time for India.