Happy New Year 2006

A lil late but nevertheless here:
anway, whats up people???
i am fantastic in this year, had a good time with friends and family over the new year and still enjoying till end of this month, learning how to drive and loving it. seems a libran thing ... driving and librans go well... ref: Ricky.
spoke to him a jus y'day things aren't that good on certain fronts but like all librans u wouldn't notice a thing amiss in his behavior.
i am off on a trip on 25th, it is going to be fantastic!! a short but a good one with friends from the instt and some outsiders too, i thought i would take one of my own friends from outside the instt since others were takin theirs... more on that later...
here's a nice piece i received about Bongs and vacs... and the hint is i am similarly forewarned by parents and off to a chilly place... here's to having a lot of fun, CHEERS!!

For all 'cool' bongs and half bongs and honorary Bongs

One phrase every Bengali worth his sweater has grown up with is thanda legejabey. It is the ultimate warning of impending doom, an unadulterated form ofexistentialist advice. Thanda lege jabey. Thou shalt 'catch the cold'.

'Catching the cold' comes easy to Bengalis.

It's a skill that's acquired almostimmediately after birth.

Watch a Bengali baby and you would know. Wrapped inlayers of warm clothing even if the sun is boiling the mercury, the baby learnsquickly that his chances of survival in a Bengali household depend on howtightly he can wrap himself in cotton, linen and wool.

Bengalis have almost romanticized warm clothing, so much so that Bengali art hasfound eloquent expression in a form of quilt-stitch work called kantha. I'm surewool-shearers even in faraway Australia say a silent prayer to Bengalis beforethe shearing season (if there's any such season). I'm also sure the very thoughtof Bengalis sends a chill down the spine of many a sheep.

In winter, the quintessential Bengali's outfit puts the polar bear to shame.Packaged in at least seven layers of clothing and the head snugly packed insidethe queerest headgear, the monkey cap, he takes the chill head on. Easy lies thehead that wears the monkey cap. With a pom-pom at the top, it's not just afashion statement; it's a complete fashion paragraph.

I remember strolling down the Walk of Fame in Hollywood on a pleasant Mayevening. My eyes scanned the glittering stars on the asphalt - each an ode to aHollywood heavyweight. Suddenly, my ears caught the unmistakable Doomsdaywarning - 'thanda lege jabey'. I stood transfixed. The Hollywood Walk of Fame isprobably the last place one would like to get caught 'catching the cold'. Iturned around. There was this Bengali family braving the American chill. Theyoung brat of the family was adamant that he didn't want any more clothing butmom wouldn't have any of "sweater porey nao, thanda lege jabey." I need nottranslate that. Mom won, and the family, sweaters et al - posed for aphotograph.

For a race that is perpetually running scared of cold weather, Bengalis have asurprising affinity for hill stations. Probably, warmth of heart is bestpreserved in shawls, pullovers and cardigans.

In an age when you are judged byhow cool or uncool you are, the warmth that the kakus, jethus and mashimas exudecan melt icebergs. I wouldn't trade that warmth for any amount of cool. However,the monkey cap may look cool without the pom-pom.