SHAHRUKH KHAN & THE EYELINER - CHAPTER 2

Getting to know Priya better wasn’t as easy a task as Raj thought, on one hand it wasn’t like love at first sigTht nor was it disdain at first sight and slow and gradual love .And that was what made their love story particularly interesting.A fiercely independent Priya had rigid views on what and whom she liked. Pleasant by nature, she took a long times to make friends. And those she had a lot of but no one got close to her heart.The first step for Raj was obviously to find out all about her. He already knew where she lived and finding out where she was studying too was easy. But what really helped was that his friend Mehul’s sister knew her. Well almost . Shreya studied in the same college. But with all the begging pleading and maska maroing the ALMOST vanished. Shreya knew someone who knew Priya really well.All Shreya needed to do was hang out with her more often .

"So you think She'll like me, achcha kab milwa rahi ho"

"don't pester me, koshish kar rahi hoon na baba"

"Achcha listen, I'm planning a picnic, why don't you and Mehul also come"

“yaar mujhe mat ghaseeto is sab mein , be matlab ka ullu khichega mera, with ur frens” Mehul said" you'll be looking at Priyaa, main wahan kya karoonga,”

“Achcha bachchu aur mai agar shreya ke saath jaonga toh use nahin lage ga ki I am trying to patao shreya , tu bhi na yaar you really don’t use that peanut you have which the world calls BRAIN”

Mehul replied, “but yaar , tu samajh raha hai na , what my qualms are , achcha agar she starts liking me instead of you toh jalna mat samjha?

“Jalonga , nahin tujhe jala doonga , saley", retorted an ever filmy Raj," now quit pulling my leg, yeh mooh aur masoor ki daal”

“Toh decide ho gaya hai na .. sab chal rahe hai aur kisi ko le chalna hai ya bas…”

Raj counted the days , impatiently waiting for Sunday. Each moment was an eternity in itself. As Sunday dawned, the butterflies in his stomach would not stop flitting. He felt as if he was on Neptune , walking on air. The moment he saw her, he almost choked. The effort of acting cool drove him mad, when he had to shake hands with her. When his fingers met hers as they shook hands, his legs didn't stop trembling but he kept a look of nonchalance on his face. The smell of her hair drove him absolutely crazy.It took all his strength that day not to hold her face in his hands and kiss those tender lips. Every time his eyes met hers , his heart did a somersault and it took forever for his pulse to stop jumping.

Just before lunch, every one decided that would be a good idea to have a game of volleyball and a then a quick swim in the pool nearby to cool off. Boys and girls as usual split into separate teams. It was Raj’s turn to start and the ball went all the way to the last person on the girl’s team, sneha . Sneha was paying more attention to Harsh than the ball and the ball hit her on the head. Before she could realize what had happened, Priya hit the ball before it could fall on the ground , the ball was just short of the net, but shreya jumped up and hit it over the net and so the game continued. But the boys won the game 1 – 0 , and both parties raced towards the pool , boys stripping while running and women chatting as the sun shone brightly against the hazy blue background.

SHAHRUKH KHAN & THE EYELINER

Life doesn’t begin at a beginning and has no ending…Life begins with the first memory and ends with the last memory in the fond memories of a loved one, after the soul itself has departed. So how can the story of life have a definite beginning? But as every story starts .. Once Upon a Time, similarly this story unfolds, into the life of Raj. The new Superstar of the millennium whose latest film has been a box office jingling blockbuster. It didn't do much to showcase his talent but Raj’s presence was overpowering, his persona bursting out of the silver screen encapsulating the reason for his success. And this is the way it had been for the last 15 years since Raj had stepped into the industry.
But it had not been like that always, his first film sank without a trace even though, it was made by a hotshot director and starred three iconic women, inspite of the film’s southward spiral, Raj’s journey to the top had begun. And sharing this journey of ups and downs with him was Priya.
To describe Priya as Raj’s better half would not even begin to justify, the yang of Raj’s ying. She was his lifeline, his support system, his motivator, his buddy, his critic, his soul mate, and his sister, his mother all rolled into one. She was also the reason why he was at this pinnacle. If it hadn’t been for her, Raj wouldn’t have done most of the things he did.
There's was a textbook love story , with a minor twist or two. Raj saw Priya for the first time, getting out of her Toyota Sera, and look up towards the balcony of the huge mansion in Greater Kailash, where he assumed she lived and shout out to someone standing there. The way the sun danced on her tresses that wintry Monday morning mesmerized Raj. It was then he knew, he had to know her better.
Rohan on the other hand, was simple guy who till the age of 17 lived in the world of numbers. Equations and theorems were his life till he discovered girls or rather they discovered them. Raging hormones and gray cells made Rohan a lethal combination. But the woman who belled the cat was Sasha, a Punjabi with a sweet disposition. Rohan and Sasha met in a train, while on their way to Pune. Both were studying but in different colleges. Both were with friends. Rohan could still clearly remember the chill of the night in the 3 tier sleeper compartment, actually he could still remember the boogie and the seat number, both his and Sasha. It was that night his life had been turned upside down and wrung him inside out.
She was lying down on her RAC berth looking at the ceiling of the moving train and trying to formulate her strategy to face the next semester as successfully as she had the previous one, she was a loner trapped in a an extrovert's body, so though everyone thought they knew her they really didn’t. Her thoughts were not forming a coherent pattern, so she closed her emerald green eyes and tried to sleep. The train with its constant rolling motion was lulling her, willing her to sleep. But it wasn’t as easy as she had thought; because of a group of boys who were constantly gibbering. She peeked a look from under her long lashes and saw that on the berth diagonally opposite were two boys, one of them looked like a Young Tarkan, the famous Turkish singer and the other one was built like a Greek god. Fascinated she saw them playing with matches. One of them lit it in a weird fashion. He put the matchstick between his thumb and the box and flicked the middle of the stick with this other hand, the match lit and flew. Her eyes followed its trajectory into another boy’s hair. The match had extinguished by then so no harm done. Soon another followed. And then she heard whisperings “Bas kar Manu, utega na, toh bahut mar padegi”
“Abbey agar utega tab na , saand ki tarah sota hai”
"Agar time mein bujhi nahin na , toh yaad rakh , sand ki tarah body bhi hai”
Sasha fought her giggles down. But the boys too had by then gotten tired of their antics and moved on to rousing the rest of their gang and playing antakshri.
Boys and antakshri don’t generally mix unless of course you are either very musically inclined or have different sexual preferences. Since the boys were neither of the two, their game was a source of amusement and frustration for Sasha.
"Mera joota hai japani yeh patloon englisstani sar par laal topi roosi phir bhi dil hai Hindustani"
"Nainon mein sapna sapnon mein sajna sajna pe dil aa gaya , sajna pe dil aa gaya ta thaiya ta thaiya hooo.. "
"Hoshwalon ko khabar kya bekhudi kya cheez hai , ishq kiji phir samajhiye … "
And so it went on for about an hour or so, for the latter part of the hour, the guy they called Manu kept getting stuck on “N” , and could not think of tracks which started with the letter. Sasha on the other hand, kept biting her tongue, to avoid helping this handsome hunk , the track she knew was from the popular Shahrukh Khan movie Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaienge.. ”Na Jaane Mere Dil Ko Kya Ho Gaya” , as these were the very emotions which were driving the blood from all parts of her body to her head and driving her insane.
After what seemed like an an eon, Sasha mustered all the courage , braved the humiliation and asked 'Manu', if he's heard of that song.
Manu felt every guy’s eye on him, as he replied with nonchalance “Hey thanks , why didn’t I think of that one” and then went on “If you aren’t doing anything else would you like to join us ?” Weird couldn’t even begin to describe how Sasha was feeling as she hesitantly agreed to play with them. But she needn’t have worried as the guy’s tried their best to make her feel at ease and despite their hormonal rush. Each of them formulating a different strategy to 'Patao' her. Manu was the most devilish of them wondering that since she had helped him out meant that she had been paying him considerable amount of attention for about two hours, he wondered how long it would be before he could ask her out for a date and exactly how long after that he could lay her, which explained the constant grin on his face. Rohan on the other hand was wondering whether the scintillating green was actually her eye color or had cosmetic fakeness invaded this pretty girl too. The other boys had thoughts similar to Manu's. As most got off the train at Jhansi to get something to eat, each tried to catch Sasha’s eye. At the station, a bedraggled boy in besan soiled shirt was frying hot bhajias. One guy picked some of them while another picked up the aloo and puri combo. While yet another got flavored milk and while all the things were in various stages of preparation , all the guys lit up their Classic Milds and the raunchy conversation began which involved Sasha. What they didn’t realize was that Sasha herself had gotten out of their boogie and went to see her friends in the next one and heard their conversation, loud and clear . Manish was the worst of the lot who was asking all of them to bet with him as to how soon he would ‘have’ Sasha. Rohan wasn’t party to the conversatiosation, but had been a silent listener. Although the object of their conversation didn’t surprise him, he was getting offended by it as he was quite taken in by the amber haired girl .
And so he stepped in to the middle of the conversation and shushed every one and explained how he felt and rest of the boys just clamped up. Most respected Rohan’s prowess in Maths, a subject which went over most of their heads, and needed help with. Besides they he was really a nice dude that people liked having around. The boys apologised to Rohan and begun teasing him about it.
Sasha on the other hand was red with fury at guys and their audacity. Not being acclimatized to the way boys were and how they spoke, foul language heavily interspersing their everyday conversation. Fuming she headed back to her seat and sat down opened her handbag looking for something but her mind was replaying the guys and their conversation again and again. The thing that struck her was Rohan and his high handedness , though what she did not understand was why the other guys listened to him . The guys chose this moment to return with their “offerings of love” , their aloo puris and other condiments. A furious Sasha kept her cool and conversed with the boys , as the train reached its final destination , the exchange of numbers and addresses began. Sasha was in two minds , how to extract her pound of flesh, Should she them a wrong number or give them the right number.
Calling the wrong number will obviously frustrate them and calling the right one and waiting for hours on end to get connected toher hostel would also make for good punishment but in the end the scale was tilted in the favor of the wrong number.
Sasha put the painful train saga out of her mind as soon as she reached back to her hostel and began preparing for her next semester at college. Soon the term came to an end and it was time to party before heading back home for hectic preparations for the exams. The party was at the newly opened disco in town, Sasha and her friends decided to go for the new Salman Khan starrer, dinner and then for head for the party.
Till about 1.35 am everything went according to plan and then she bumped in to Rohan.
What track was playing neither of them remembered as they bumped into each other at the bar.Their eyes met , a spark of electricity passed between them, but for different reason. Sasha felt the hatred rising like bile in her throat and a lump of rising emotion was stuck in Rohan’s, his mouth going dry. For 5 minutes they stared at each other. Rohan thinking of the countless number of times he had tried the number that she had given, and the disappointment that came with every time an old Parsi lady picked the phone. At first he had thought she was her possessive land lady but as time wore on he realized she had fooled him. Sasha mind went back to the moment he had professed his feelings for her to his friends.
Suddenly Rohan touched her hand, to check if she was not a mirage of his drunken stupor. Sasha reacted n iron had been dropped on her skin. She jerked her hand awayed to quickly walk away. Rohan grabbed her sleeve again, gently pulling her to a corner of the disco. “Was the giving of the wrong number intentional ?”
“Completely !” replied Sasha “Why would I give a jerk like you my real number” getting hot under her collar, her famous short fuse was burning up fast. And the longer this asshole held her hand the angrier she got. She tried to make eye contact with one of her friends she jerked her hand free and started to move away . Rohan followed her and with pleading puppy dog eyes, “Just listen to me for a second, please”. Sasha didn’t respond, and Rohan kept repeating the line like a stammering parrot, finally just to get rid of him she reluctantly agreed .
They went up to the coffee shop and sat down in the corner. “So what is it that you want now", said Sasha .”I just want to know what was it that we did that was so wrong that first you give us the wrong number and then act like this on a chance meeting.”
Sasha was expecting this but now when it was time she didn’t know what to say. Carefully wording herself she told him the story, seeing the look of disgust on his face instead of shame, puzzled her. Rohan then spoke, explaining the attitude of guys at the ripe old age of 18. Telling her how his words were not meant to be offensive, they were meant to stop the guys from verbally & mentally disrobing her. But it wasn’t that he didn’t like her , he did , and that part was true. After 2 hours of just talking and talking , they didn’t realize where time had flown .. and it was almost 3.30. Sasha suddenly looked at her watch and freaked “oh shit ! my train is at 4 I need to leave”. “What ! you are going back to Delhi by Goa, what co incidence so am I ? Shall we leave then . ” Both of them left on Rohan’s bike , which he parked in the railway station’s unreliable parking and as they entered platform 1, the train was just coming in .Heaving a sigh of relief both started to laugh at the close call as The Nizammudin - Goa Express waited on Pune station only for about 5 - 10 minutes. Just before boarding the train , Rohan disappeared for a while. When he came back, he was out breath and found Sasha cozied up in her blanket.
“Where did you disappear to ” She said
“Ahh , well actually you know the thing is”
“yes go on ”
“ actually who main , main main”
“yeh bakri ki tarah main main kya laga rakhi hai” said Sahsha laughingly.
“Achcha tum vada karo you won’t laugh or get mad at me if I tell you tab hi bataongi”
“hmmmmh”
“well , I had gone to get a ticket , I didn’t have one aur agar T.T aa jaata mere paas uske dene ke liye zyada paise bhi nahin the aur debit card se paise who accept karta nahin”
Sasha was dumb struck. All she could do was stammer “but then , but how but but but”
Rohan just laughed “ if you gimme some place to sit then maybe I will tell you”
Explaining what he did , why he did it , proved to be more difficult than rohan had thought , but he eventually got the courage to tell sasha , how he actually felt about her. He didn’t know if he let her go this time, and didn't want to take the risk of losing her for the second time. Sasha didn’t know what to make of the shy boy sitting opposite her. "Well", she thought, " he is cute you had to give him that atleast". The train journey became a journey of discovery for them.
Soon after they became close friends, completing each other’s sentences and laughing on cue and of course fiercely protective but as a pre condition laid down by sasha they didn’t think of dating each other exclusively. Life seemed like on big party till, one night.

The power of One

There are times when being a part of something really satisfies you.
Adds to your sense of self.
Makes that tiny lump in your throat feel large enough to choke the tears out of you.
For me one of those moments was last night when I realized that I was apart of one of the few mediums that wasn’t trying to propogate someone’s agenda, set moral high ground.. merely demanding answers..

Answers to questions, every one asked of themselves, especially nonmaharastrain mumbaikars…

Why do I need anyone’s permission to stay in any part of India?
Am I a North Indian before I am an Indian?
Is Mumbai not as mine as yours?
Why does culture of Mumbai feel diluted to some, if we add some of our colour in it?
Why does anyone have to answer for their philanthropy?

‘I am Indian first’ – that was the statement we made, and proudly too.
But listening closely to Arnab’s debate on Newshour made my skin crawl as I heard the ‘gentleman’ from Maharastra Navnirman Sena say, “If I am in Maharastra, I’ll first be a Maharastrian. Outside Maharastra, I’m an Indian first.”

Maybe it was impolite or just plain rude, but the first thought that came to mind was – Sir no matter what you say you are, to me, with these words, you just sound like an opportunist.

It’s what we ‘North- Indians’ call ‘Mauka’-tarians. You change the tag you identify yourself with to fit the situation, which seems most opportune.

Don’t get me wrong, I too am very much the Mauka-tarian. When in Maharastra, I try and speak in the broken Marathi I learnt in my college days. While in heartland of UP, the bhojpuri twang peppers my accent in Hindi. That’s just a way of making people feel comfortable, by mirroring them – pschycology.

Whereas what these so called ‘North Indian haters’ (and I use the term lightly) are trying to do is divide and rule. And I say lightly because it is the politics of convenience, without the courage of conviction, used to incite and create publicity meant to sustain till the next elections

The point is the Marathi Manush see through it?

Or have they too like Raj forgotten, one of the basic rules of the Indian etiquette –Atithi Devo Bhav. Especially since they do consider Amitabh Bachchan, who has lived in Mumbai for 50 odd years, an athithi , that is.

That reminds me of the discussion I had with a colleague who knows the ‘fire starter’ in question told me a couple of days ago. He said,“ At some function late last year, this man told me , watch me in action in 2008, I’ll be on every TV channel and every newspaper.”

Well, if that is indeed thru, then the year has just begun, and the elections are another year away, till then I guess Big B may need to employ an extra person to collect the debris from furtive, media savvy, political mileage gaining, half-heartedly thrown glass bottles. (As another guest on the Newshour mentioned - a news channel was tipped off about the incident that took place early Monday morning at the Bachchan residence.)

What gets my goat – is that I work in the business, have seen murky politics from the ringside and yet , this infuriates me. Perhaps my desensitisation is not complete but I am appalled how someone with no real credentials, can stand up, make jingoistic speech and get acknowledged for them. Raj Thackrey complains that Amitabh Bachchan has not set up a school in Mumbai instead has opted to do so in UP. Hmmm, so having uneducated girls in UP are alright – the state with least amount of literacy. Another insane Q then pops into my mind, if it incenses Raj so much why not set up another school and name it after Ash himself, now wouldn’t that be some tit-for–tat!

But of course, that entail hard work, money and getting out of his comfy armchair for Mr. Raj Thackrey. So, presumably he’ll continuing sitting in his kurshi, after another one of his mindless speeches and then let the politics and the goons for hire, play the drama out for him.

I know my tirade made me digress but coming back to the point, 04.02.08, will be a date that has left an imprint in my mind. It was the day we stood up, took a stand and tried, repeatedly so, to bridge the divide and bring two warring factions together, face- to face, get them to at least say (although a politician’s word is like the rabbit in the magician’s hat… no one can ever trace where it came from and where it went), that they will stop the politics of divide. And we came close, then a hair’s breadth away from , what would have been an ackward kiss and make up, the politicking got better of us as the politicians chose to continue nit-picking.

I’m writing this and posting it on a public forum. I may not have a high wall like big B’s to stop the brickbats or bottles from coming or as defenceless as the taxiwala, the glass of whose windscreen went not only through his taxi but also his livelihood. But there are moments when you say enough and after his actions and statements post Mumbai molestations... I chose to stand up and say ENOUGH!

I am mad. Am I mad? I want to be mad!

'Madness is the inability to communicate your ideas. It's as if you were in a foreign country , able to see and understand everything around you but incapable of explaining what you need to knpw or of being held, because you dont understand the language that they speak there. we've all felt thatway at one time or another and therefore in one way or another we are all mad.' Paulo Coelho - Veronika wants to die.If you look at it sanely from the intelligence you have gathered over the numerous years of your existance any one you has said soem thing slightly non conformist in this conformist society is considered mad. Plato, Aristotle, Galileo.. to some degree, Einstein, even Jesus Christ , in their day and age were all heretics or mad. Only because they looked at things differently, thought differently, however, today we encourage herd mentality.Today life is filled with so many amenities, comforts and the race to attain these that we dont have time to free think. Either we are stuck in attaining the luxurious nirvana, paid for salvation or making ends meet. We dont have time to paint, create or even think. The renaissance period had it's share of Picasso, Leonardo and Rembrandt and we have our share of trojan and the love worm . the hackers and virus creators are perhaps the painters of today. They are in their own way artists - are they not?

This Fish needs a Bicycle!

I think the theory that, all you need to get a date is another date, as theorized by the eminent Carrie Bradshaw in sex in the city is right. No sooner have I had a healthy flirty session with one man do four others pop up. Flirting in itself, as an art, is getting more and more obscure by the day. And others are taking its place.It is common place today, even in the work place, to see some women tearing their hair out when one of their ‘friends with benefits’ find the one. In fact, just last week, I watched in amazement when a colleague (lets just call her A ) announced her presence in our room by exclaiming, “he’s taken now, and he was my plan B, where am I going to get another Fuck Buddy now.” Before my eyes could pop out of their sockets, do the customary Indian eye rolling, she had vamoosed.One of the less tartier elements of my work place commented that she not only knew the guy in question but also knew his better half. What the poor unsatisfied soul did not know was that he had a floozy on the side as well. “I think it’s hypocritical!” exclaimed the one with a bad case of sour grapes. Dearest SJ she’d had the hots for A’s so called fuck buddy for the longest time and now couldn’t digest the fact.But before I digress any further coming back to the point – every fish needs a bicycle, sometimes not only to ride on but also be ridden with complete a-reverence.What our problem these days is the fact that we can’t seem to find the right bicycle. Some have physical problems – too tall, too short and mind you I am not just talking about their height. Some have the Oedipus complex while others are content to hide behind the workaholic charade. On the other hand, the more increasingly common phenomenon is that the fish in question cant seem to settle for one bicycle. When you have one there are prospects of others in the pipeline. This is when things become messy, when you decide you want to take one to work, one to the parties and yet another one home as a Scooby snacks.

I think the theory that, all you need to get a date is another date, as theorized by the eminent Carrie Bradshaw in sex in the city is right. No sooner have I had a healthy flirty session with one man do four others pop up. Flirting in itself, as an art, is getting more and more obscure by the day. And others are taking its place.It is common place today, even in the work place, to see some women tearing their hair out when one of their ‘friends with benefits’ find the one. In fact, just last week, I watched in amazement when a colleague (lets just call her A ) announced her presence in our room by exclaiming, “he’s taken now, and he was my plan B, where am I going to get another Fuck Buddy now.” Before my eyes could pop out of their sockets, do the customary Indian eye rolling, she had vamoosed.One of the less tartier elements of my work place commented that she not only knew the guy in question but also knew his better half. What the poor unsatisfied soul did not know was that he had a floozy on the side as well. “I think it’s hypocritical!” exclaimed the one with a bad case of sour grapes. Dearest SJ she’d had the hots for A’s so called fuck buddy for the longest time and now couldn’t digest the fact.But before I digress any further coming back to the point – every fish needs a bicycle, sometimes not only to ride on but also be ridden with complete a-reverence.What our problem these days is the fact that we can’t seem to find the right bicycle. Some have physical problems – too tall, too short and mind you I am not just talking about their height. Some have the Oedipus complex while others are content to hide behind the workaholic charade. On the other hand, the more increasingly common phenomenon is that the fish in question cant seem to settle for one bicycle. When you have one there are prospects of others in the pipeline. This is when things become messy, when you decide you want to take one to work, one to the parties and yet another one home as a Scooby snacks.

Write or Right?

BUKOWSKI ON WRITING
if it doesn't come bursting out of you in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of yourheart and your mind and your mouth and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours staring at your computer screenor hunched over your typewriter searching for words,
don't do it.if you're doing it for money or fame,don't do it.
if you're doing it because you want women in your bed,don't do it.
if you have to sit there and rewrite it again and again,don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody else,forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of you,
then wait patiently.if it never does roar out of you,do something else.
if you first have to read it to your wife or your girlfriend or your boyfriend or your parents or to anybody at all,you're not ready.
don't be like so many writers,don't be like so many thousands of people who call themselves writers,don't be dull and boring and pretentious,don't be consumed with self-love.
the libraries of the world have yawned themselves to sleep over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of your soul like a rocket,unless being still would drive you to madness or suicide or murder, don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is burning your gut,don't do it.
when it is truly time,and if you have been chosen,it will do it by itself and it will keep on doing it until you die or it dies in you.
there is no other way.
and there never was.

The above words were penned by Charles Bukowski

Desperate Housewife - Is Gauri Khan turning into Eva Longoria?

i guess the title saysit all - but if you need more convincing .. check out the link below
http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2007/oct/17gauri.htm

Dummies guide to women

The fairer sex has always been a mystery to men. And although it is interesting to see men flounder while trying to establish a relationship of any sort, I thought it would be nice this week to give all you guys out there a little heads up on what the world of women is like.

Women always have the last word in an argument, even when you think you had the last word listen to the deafening silence to understand that she did indeed have the last word.

To women, talking is like breathing. They are extremely bad secret keepers and need to share a secret you told them to just one more person who has been sworn to secrecy as well. So if Saddam wanted the world to know he had no WMD all he had to do was tell Mrs. Hussein and the chain would have reached Laura and then finally good ol’ Dubya would have known what the world already did.

Women are walking talking lie detectors; we can detect insincerity in thoughts, actions or gestures as well. We just pretend not to notice to avoid conflict.

Women need at least two hours to dress up for a two hour movie, even though they know its going to be dark in the theatre. Five minutes in a woman’s world is equivalent to half an hour - real time.

Women need other women’s disapproval more than they need men’s approval. If Miss A dislikes Miss B is wearing then Miss B knows she is looking good. This is one of the first things women do when they enter a party or a nightclub – size up the competition. Reason – we rate ourselves the way men do – on a scale of 1 to 10.

There is no right answer to the question – Do I look fat in this dress? Remember what I said earlier about lie detectors - leave the answering to her gay best friend like in Will and Grace. Somehow fairies have all the luck.

There are more colours in world other than – blue, grey and white and whatever the colour is – women will know its name. We know the difference between eggshell white, ecru white and off white and believe me they are all different colours.

Women don’t go to the powder room just to powder their noses but to also get the lowdown on the latest gossip in party i.e, whose husband is flirting with whose wife and to bitch about the food/décor/hostess take your pick.

Women need validation. Be it clothes, health, food, self-esteem, cosmetics or sex. And they need that validation from everyone. Women can’t stand it if one person in a crowd of 100 doesn’t like them. It annoys them like an ant annoys the elephant and till the ant is either befriended or crushed, the elephant cant be at peace.

Shoes are a woman’s reason to live. Buy her that beautiful pair of Manolo Blahniks and watch her pirouette with pride. I guess it makes us feel like Cinderella. And when Cinderella has the shoe and is happy – she makes sure the prince is happy as well, if you know what I mean *wink *wink *nudge *nudge.

For more in depth analysis of the female psyche join me - same place same space.

Have Toy – Will Play

Boys have their toys – electronic gadgets and PS2 and girls have their own – Toy boys. I must admit though I don’t have one of my own yet at the rate things are progressing I guess I will by the next decade or so. But the concept of toy boys fascinates me.

Maybe it has to do with seeing the hot older women like Demi Moore, 40, and Madonna, 45, happy with 25 year old Ashton Kutcher and 35 year old Guy Ritchie, respectively. But the phenomenon isn’t restricted to Hollywood or Wisteria Lane. It’s everywhere around us, even on this tiny island.

What is it that attracts older women to younger men and vice versa? Is it the promise of eternal youth when you drink from the fountain of life (pun unintended)?

Once single women hit the big 4-0, they are pretty happy with their lifestyles and seldom want a man their age or even older upsetting their well balanced apple cart. A younger man on the other hand will not only help managing the apple cart but might even make apple strudel out of it (if that’s what you want).

To a younger man, a relationship with an older woman is like his favourite fantasy come true. Most men have had a secret crush on their grade V teacher and this relationship, in some form, is a realisation of that fantasy. For them it’s a win - win situation. They get to hangout with their buddies, date other people, don’t have to splurge on dates to make a gesture, don’t have to wait for hours while their dates dress up and they also get experience in areas that might be important later on.

It’s a win - win situation for older women as well. They are well set in their ways by this age and the younger man doesn’t want to change that, they aren’t usually looking for something permanent and this suits both the parties just fine. They think your wrinkles are actually cute and are not afraid to venture into places men twice their age might think thrice about. And you gotta admit that well kept, tight, derriere has its advantages. Plus toy boys love washing your hair, massaging your feet, getting the dry cleaning sorted, taking out the garbage and love making dinner for you as well. And of course they can open tight jars and kill cockroaches to boot.

So if you are a successful, smart, single, slightly mature woman a good looking, eager to please, young man might be right up your alley- all you need to do is open your minds to the endless possibilities.

Why Men are Happier?

Men Are Just Happier People

What do you expect from such simple creatures?

Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car Mechanics tell you the truth.

The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.

People never stare at your chest when you are talking to them. The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time. Phone conservations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks.

A 5 day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all of your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend. Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public.

You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original colour. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe even decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life. Your belly usually hides your big hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes one colour for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a moustache. You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes. No wonder men are happier.

Men can strip and roam in the middle of the road any day any time and no one will look and well so can women except no one will get any work done.

"God, grant me the Senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference"

If men can run the world, why can't they stop wearing neckties? How intelligent is it to start the day by tying a little noose around your neck? ~Linda Ellerbee

There is no female Mozart because there is no female Jack the Ripper. ~Camille Paglia

Men were made for war. Without it they wandered greyly about, getting under the feet of the women, who were trying to organize the really important things of life. ~Alice Thomas Ellis

Women may be able to fake orgasms, but men can fake whole relationships

Men can read maps better than women. 'Cause only the male mind could conceive of one inch equaling a hundred miles. ~Roseanne Barr

What's with you men? Would hair stop growing on your chest if you asked directions somewhere? ~Erma Bombeck

A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction. ~Oscar Wilde

If women didn't exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning. ~Aristotle Onassis

Tips to Ace Your Second Date

So you have wangled that crucial second date which could break your single streak. This could be your ticket to coupledom so a little bit of preparation could come in handy. The first date has given you the bare essentials. You already have some idea about what kind of person he/she is, what he/she likes, now all you have to do is put that knowledge to good use. Here are ten tips to get you on your way:

Change the scenery.

If the venue of the date hasn’t been decided then try and pick a place both of you will enjoy. Your last date should have given you an idea of what he/she might like. Pick a place that has soft music where you get a chance to talk. If both of you like the outdoors pack a picnic lunch or if hiking is your thing, then go hiking. Try and avoid going for a movie. Movie doesn’t allow you to talk and you need to talk to see if this will work out for both of you.

Presentation.

No matter how delicious the dish, unless it is presented well it won’t have many takers. However crass that may sound, it is a truth to be faced. So make sure you are dressed appropriately. Take the venue in consideration: a tux may not be a good idea for a hike. Try and avoid flashy clothes and new shoes. Save that new halter-top and Manolo Blahniks for a special occasion. Dress like a smart sophisticated woman and you will be treated like one. Try and be comfortable and stylish at the same time.

Appropriate greeting.

So the last good night kiss was amazing, you did the whole 90 – 10 Hitch thing and it worked. But it’s a new day and what was okay then might be totally inappropriate now. Try a peck on the cheek rather than a full-blown smooch. Try not to linger in the other person’s personal space. It shows a lack of respect that is bound to cheese him/her off.

Concentrate on the conversation.

Most people look for meaningful conversations in a relationship. So it would be a good idea to concentrate on the conversation and discover a bit more about each other to see if a relationship would work. Compatibility is paramount when you are looking for more than just a quick roll in the hay. Talk about each other. Let him/her know a little more about you and learn a little more about them. The whole purpose of the second date is to move away from superficiality and dig deeper to find substance. While talking about yourself don’t over obsess your faults and don’t tom-tom your achievements – subtlety is the key.

Arrive relaxed and confident.

Your first date may have been a disaster but the fact that you got a second chance proves it might not have been all that bad. No point in over analysing what went wrong last time. Even if it was a perfect first date prepare for the second date before hand - take a long luxurious bath or a short nap. Arrive feeling relaxed and looking like a million bucks. A positive vibe will create positive energy and set the mood for the date.

Don’t open the eXbox.

Many a fledgling relationship has been ruined with the mention of the ex on the second date. You might have pent up anger and unresolved issues with the ex that you obsess over with your friends but it would be a good idea to wait a while before opening up the eXbox on your second date. It might portray you in an unflattering light - petty, mean, helpless, insecure, boring, nagging, and undesirable - take your pick. Save the eXfile for your shrink.

Compliment.

Most women can spot an insincere compliment from miles away so make sure if you are paying her a compliment it is genuine. Also try and avoid the clichéd ones. Pick a not so obvious trait that you like about her and use it for a compliment. Men prefer compliments about their actions rather than their looks. If he let an old lady cut in to the queue let him know you thought that was sweet. A compliment allows people to let down their guard. Appreciate the small quirks that make people unique. Wouldn’t you like the person who likes the way your smile lights up your eyes?

God lies in details.

Everyone likes talking about him or herself, that’s a subject that everyone has mastered. So remember something that your date told you about him/her self last time and start the conversation with that as your opener i.e. his high school basketball injury or her favourite movie.

Stay in the moment.

Even if you really like your date don’t start imagining the colour of the station wagon you are going to buy when you have kids, don’t even start naming the kids or hearing the wedding bells. It’s just the second date. For all you know he/she may be a psycho stalker. When you build castles in the air they are bound to come crashing down for the lack of a proper foundation. Don’t expect or introspect - stay in the moment and enjoy yourself.

Read the signs.

Body language is a language you need to master. If you are rambling on about a subject that doesn’t interest your date, their eyes may wander. Switch to a different topic to maintain the interest. If he/she leans in close or toys with his/her hair, fiddle with the keys, he/she is sending you a signal, it’s up to you to pick it up. Correct interpretation is almost like mind reading and can get you extra brownie points.

Two way street.

The date is not only about impressing someone else it is also about being impressed. If it becomes a one-way street, someone is bound to get hurt. Make sure that you aren’t doing all the work; allow your date to pitch in and then see if the sparks fly.

Be yourself.

Don’t pretend to be someone you are not. Don’t lie, if you don’t want to tell the truth don’t saying anything at all. “I’d rather not talk about it”, is a better option than lying. Don’t do or say anything you are not comfortable with and don’t play games. The best relationships are those in which you are yourself.



Good luck!

Dating and Divorce - the truth

“With this ring I thee wed…

To have and to hold from this day forward,

for better,

for worse,

for richer,

for poorer,

in sickness,

and in health,

to love and to cherish,

till death do us part.”

With this exchange of vows, a newly married couple enters a fresh phase in their lives. The twosome, who dated for a few years, has been looking forward to this day. They both have successful careers, magical personalities and a lot in common. They lived-in during weekends, had romantic dinners and enchanting holidays. They had a lot of fun while dating and decided to tie the knot since things couldn’t get any better.

But the beginning of the end starts almost as soon as the honeymoon is over. While one cribs about the lack of attention, the other feels stifled in the relationship. Soon trivial matters became major issues and the couple decides to split up, barely a year into the marriage. No, this is not some celebrity couple from the pages of the glossies. It’s one of the 50% marriages in America that end in divorce

In a world of instant gratifications, we have become extremely short fused. It doesn’t take much to destroy our perfectly orchestrated lifestyle. We have begun to rely on fast food, fast money and fast cars so much so that divorce seems to be a fast solution to any problem arising in a marriage. Marriages end for trivial reasons like not putting the toilet seat down or leaving the lid off the toothpaste.

In an effort to diagnose why so many people are getting divorced, we found the major culprit – Dating. With every generation, as the age of dating goes down, the number of divorces goes up. They share an inversely proportional relationship. Let’s see where things go wrong while a couple is dating:

The Wooing Phase:

The beginning of any romance is, for the lack of a better word, romantic. The late nights and constant phone calls. The chocolates, the roses. The champagne and expensive dinners. These things constantly validate the fact that the couple is in love. It’s an image created in our minds by the movie moguls. Hardly any one shows us what happens after the ever so perfect romance is traded in for holy matrimony. The younger the couple, the rosier their outlook towards the future. Once this image is complete in our mind we head towards phase two.

The get-to-know-each-other phase:

A couple of months into the relationship, the initial buzz has died down. The couple gets to know each other – their likes, dislikes, pet peeves etc. They still, however, put their best foot forward and continue to make the effort to be charming, funny and spend each waking moment with each other. While the snoring in the sleep, leaving dirty laundry around and possessiveness is termed as “cute” before, after marriage these very things are annoying and are very often, deal breakers as well.

The Let’s-get-married phase:

This is the rosiest period in the courtship. You think you know everything about each other and can’t wait to rush into matrimony. A woman has been planning her wedding since the day she was 12 and the man is the final piece of the puzzle. Most people do not take the time to stop and think about all the implications of being married. Footloose and fancy-free life ends here and a more responsibility-filled mature part of life begins.
And then people get married. Can’t get along. Fight. Nag. Get divorced.
They say love is blind but marriage is an eye opener. If you are careful and follow these tips during the dating phase, divorce can be avoided and dating can be the revelation, instead.

Don’t be afraid of confrontation:

Most couples avoid getting into fights over issues that are dear to them, during the time they are dating. They only get a couple of hours to spend with each other so most people relent rather than upset the apple cart and get into a heated argument. Even if they are living together, after work most people just don’t have enough energy left to fight it out. Once the marriage vows are taken, the kid gloves come off and the small issues wind up being blown out of proportion.

Compatibility check:

A six-pack or a big rack isn’t a parameter for a compatibility check. Make sure you know each other’s future plans and that your goals are in line with each others. The number of kids you both want or if you wants kids at all, who is going to take care of them and where you want to live? Who trades in their coupe for a station wagon? If one of you gets a better job in another city, is the other one is willing to move? There is a whole lot you need to know, other than just his/her favorite color.

Nip it in the bud:

If there are issues like excessive drinking, random verbal/physical abuse, philandering, and disrespect for individuality which includes you not being able to see your friends without world war III erupting at home, these should be nipped in the bud. Have it out in one discussion, see if you can work around it or shelve the relationship altogether, depending on the issue. It is hard to change someone’s trend of thought or personality in a matter of months- but it’s not impossible.

Communicate:

One can’t stress this point enough. Whatever is on your mind make sure you talk it out with your partner. It is not just essential but crucial. Sometimes misunderstandings are created out of nothing, i.e. you get a new haircut and your partner doesn’t notice. You assume it’s because he doesn’t care enough but actually he has just found out that his boss plans to give him the boot. Communication clears the air and keeps a romance fresh.

In the end however, you need to realize that the best person to spend your life with is obviously the one with who you can be yourself. Your life-partner should be your best friend. The basic rule of friendship is exactly what applies to a strong and ever-lasting marriage. Base your marriage on a strong foundation and you can make sure that you will be together “till death does do you part”.

Look ma no strings!

A small step for Hawkings - a leap for the intellectual mind! it might have been stephen hawkings dream since his firs wheel chair to be no longer earth bound. to be as free to travel the atmosphere as his mind was free to travel the conplex cosmos. ceourage of conviction of this man is a testamant to the ability to achieve only if the dreams are big enough. Crippled at birth and condemned to die at 22- at 65 he floats on air! kudos!

25 reasons to watch DDLJ again

1. Aditya Chopra initially wanted to cast Tom Cruise for the role of Raj Malhotra

2. Kirron Kher came up with the title Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. This is the first film in the history of Bollywood with a credit of ‘title suggested by’

3. The working title of the film was The Braveheart will take the Bride

4. Sooraj Barjatya watches DDLJ almost every week, and especially before starting a new film

5. Aditya Chopra always thought that he would make his debut with Mohabbatein, a story about three sets of lovers and a music teacher. He eventually made that one in 2000

6. SRK’s famous leather jacket was bought by Uday Chopra from a Harley- Davidson store in Bakersfield, California, for $4007 SRK initially refused the film because he regarded romances as ‘‘pansy stuff.’’ It took Adi four meetings to convince him8 In case SRK didn’t agree, Adi thought of approaching Saif Ali Khan

9. Initially, Armaan Kohli was supposed to play the role of Simran’s fiance, Kuljeet. Eventually, Parmeet Sethi got the role because he came for the screen test wearing boots, jeans and a waistcoat

10. Mere Khwaboon Mein Jo Aaye was the first song to be recorded. Aditya Chopra rejected 24 verses by Anand Bakshi before giving his nod to this one

11. It was Manish Malhotra’s idea to dress Kajol in a green outfit for Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna. Adi was against it since Punjabi brides traditionally wear red, maroon or pink

12. The famous Tujhe Dekha To Yeh Jaana Sanam sequence amidst the yellow sarson flowers was shot in Gurgaon

13. Saroj Khan left the shooting in a huff after a disagreement with Aditya. SRK recommended Farah Khan, who choreographed Ruk Ja

14. In 2001, DDLJ broke the continuous exhibition record of the movie Sholay at Minerva theatre (5 years, 1975-1980)

15. Karan Johar assisted Aditya on the sets, while Uday (his younger brother) was also one of the assistants

16. Besides assisting Adi, Karan Johar also acted in the movie. He played ‘Pochy’, one of SRK’s friends

17. Adi named SRK ‘Raj’ after Raj Kapoor18 SRK’s full name in the movie is Rajnath, after Rishi Kapoor’s name in Bobby

19. In the scene in which Anupam Kher tells SRK about the (non) accomplishments of his forefathers in academics, he actually recited names of his real, not- so-academically successful uncles

20. The film was mired in two major controversies after its release. Honey Irani and Javed Siddiqui said that they hadn’t been given credit for screenplay and dialogues respectively

21. Adi’s screenplay specifies that Simran is a vegetarian while Raj is willing to eat even a beefburger

22. DDLJ was the first film to have a 30-minute television show on its making. The Making of DDLJ was telecast on Doordarshan

23. HMV’s executive director Harish Dayani estimates that one in three households in India owns the DDLJ soundtrack

24. Adi used to practice his camera angles with Karan Johar posing as Kajol and Uday Chopra as Farida Jalal

25. Mandira Bedi made her film debut with the film
Dus saal baadYash Raj Films recently reunited Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol for a photo shoot to bring in the 500 weeks celebration. While the lensman was setting the lights, Kajol was fretting. When SRK asked her the reason, she said, ‘‘Gosh, can you believe it, our movie is 10 years old. My God, we are getting old. Our kids are growing up. It’s so weird.’’ While trying to soothe her, SRK just couldn’t stop laughing. Raj Malhotra lives on.

Women Of the world

Knocking on the glass ceiling has become passé for these achievers, storming into the male bastions, is a thing of the past as well. Comfortable in the driving seat of the their chosen fields, these women have reached the pinnacle of success. Topping the Forbes and the Times lists, they make all talk about their gender inconsequential. If Oprah were a man who would she be? There are no male equivalents or superiors to some of these women. This article is a tribute to the women rock and rule the world.


For a woman who believed that she may not be able to buy a hamburger at Woolworths’ coffee shop but was capable of being the president of the Unites States of America, Condeleezza Rice has come very far. The first woman to occupy the position of the National Security advisor for the first term of the bush administration and moving up the ranks to make the transition to secretary of state, a post held by amoral intellectuals like Henry Kissinger in the Nixon administration. To make the move is my no means an easy task but relationship between the president and his secretary in state leaves no one is doubt about the fact that when she speaks it is on behalf of the white house. At 50, this political Science student is on the board of Chevron Corporation, the Charles Schwab Corporation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the University of Notre Dame, the International Advisory Council of J.P. Morgan. In addition, her past board service has encompassed such organizations as Transamerica Corporation, Hewlett Packard, the Carnegie Corporation, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, The Rand Corporation etc. This should leave no one in doubt about who actually makes all the tough decisions at the white house, thus making Ms. Rice one of the most powerful women in the world.


Although Mrs. Clinton comes lower down in the rung of the power politics, she is a nonetheless a force to reckon with. Instead of being arm candy for the president, as most of her predecessors, this feisty lady had an active career that prepared her for the senatorial race. In 1993 she was asked by President Clinton to chair the task force on National Health Care Reform for which she received a lot of flak. Even though as the first lady, some of her actions came under severe criticism but she has been always known for her staunch support to the cause of women empowerment and children’s issue. A pioneer, who became the first woman to become a senator after being a first lady, was also the first woman senator from New York. Touted as a probable candidate for presidency in 2008, this fiercely ambitious lawyer is also famous for her faux pas that demonstrates the pinnacle of her ambition, ‘'I'm having a great time being the Pres, I mean Senator from New York.' To give her credit, if anyone has the potential to be the first woman president of the United States, it is Hillary Rodham Clinton.

It was in the middle of an interview with a woman named Trudy Chase, who has multiple personalities and was severely abused as a child, Oprah realised that she wasn’t to blame for the abuse she received as a child. This revelation, she says, finally set her free. She finally acknowledged the fact that her teenage promiscuousness, was her inability to recognise the fact that the child is never to blame. All this at the age of 36, on the show made famous by her inimitable style and panache – the Oprah Winfrey show. Self-realisation, battling inner demons and still having the courage to face life with the same flair is what makes Oprah so popular with her 34 million audience in US and countless millions the world over. The self made Billionaire, entrepreneur, actress and entertainment executive who dedication to child reform is incomparable says that her compassion for the downtrodden comes from her own childhood experiences. A staunch child activist, she helped president Clinton sign the National Child protection Law, which helped create a database of child abusers and made it mandatory for all agencies hiring child care providers to be able to do background checks on the applicants, the law was informally known as the ‘Oprah bill’. She got America reading again with her book club transforming books into overnight best sellers. She's the first black American woman billionaire, and reportedly makes about half a million dollars a day from her TV show alone. She owns or co-owns the Oxygen Network, O Magazine, her own Harpo Studio, Harpo Productions, Harpo Films, Harpo Print, and Harpo Video. Harpo, of course, is Oprah spelled backwards. A role model for millions and a philanthropist, when this little girl from Mississippi talks the world sits up and takes notice.

Capturing the imaginations of millions, introducing the world to a host of new odd sounding words, Muggle Joanne K Rowling would have done well at Hogwarts, such is the magic her pen wields. Enthralling an entire nation and the world with the adventures of an orphan who finds out the truth about himself and his origins, made Ms. Rowling the richest woman in the United Kingdom and the only person who became a millionaire through her writings. A teacher of the English language at Porto, Portugal, Rowling began Harry’s journey while on a train journey herself. This divorced and single mom on welfare actually skipped meals to save enough money for her four-month-old daughter. She then wrote the first Harry potter novel and met literary agent Christopher Little and the rest as we know is ‘HIS-story’. Such as been the impact of Rowling’s words that ‘Muggle’, a term she coined for non magical people is going to appear in the revised version of the Oxford English Dictionary, because of the popularity of its usage. A classical story of triumph of the human spirit in times of adversity.

If someone knows how to turn everyday things one learns at home into a successful multi million dollar empire is Martha Stewart, a name synonymous with good living. In spite of being convicted of insider trading Martha’s appeal has never gone down with the public, which explains why she is richer today than the day she got convicted. Learning the basics of cooking, decorating and entertaining from her mother and gardening from her father at the age of three, this entrepreneur realised her potential when she was decorating her own house. It was then she started her small catering business and there has been no looking back for Martha Stewart. Voted as one of the 25 most influential and richest women in the world. Martha makes even the most mundane and boring of things look good. With her award-winning magazine Martha Stewart Living, an Emmy Award-winning television show, a Web site, syndicated newspaper columns, national radio show, mail-order catalogue and product lines, Martha shares the creative principles and practical ideas that have made her America's most trusted guide to stylish living.

A rather unusual entry in this article would be that of Sharon Osbourne. Even someone who is not a heavy metal aficionado would recognise the name. But she enters this list not for being the better half of the ex black Sabbath member Ozzy Osbourne but because of her strong business acumen. Her father Don Arden was the manger Black Sabbath, after Ozzy was fired from the band; Sharon took over as his manager and life partner. Over the years the decline in Ozzy fortunes and personal life was evident. The drugs and alcohol problems plagued Ozzy as he also tried to strangle Sharon. The incident probably lead to Sharon taking over the reins of their lives and careers. She resurrected Ozzy’s fading career and went on to be the manager for some of the best rock acts in the business today like Marilyn Manson, Limp Bizkit and Slipknot. This colon cancer survivor along with her husband also snagged a rank in the Forbes list with a 40 million pounds fortune. In, what is typically a very male dominated industry, Sharon Osbourne has made her name and reputation as a ace businesswoman and a tough nut to crack.

Another person who will raise eyebrows is also one of the youngest woman to receive a Damehood. This 28-year-old yachtswoman was the fastest person to circumnavigate the world as of 17th February 2005. Inspired by a sailing trip she took with her aunt when she was just 8 years old, she saved up her school dinner money for three years to buy her first boat. The sailing world began to sit up and take notice of this whirlwind of a woman when she won the mono hull division of the solo transatlantic race and later a second place in Vendee Globe solo around the world race. Experience and brawn are two things that are of paramount importance in the sport of solo sailing, both of which Ellen does not possess and still at 28, she is at the pinnacle of the sport. Her success reinforces our belief in the power of dreams.

until the decade or so, the words nuclear power and woman were used only in sexist jokes that is till Anne Lauvergeon took over the reins of Avera, the worldwide leader in energy(nuclear power and electricity transmission & distribution. This super achiever who is a scientist virtually created the nuclear power company ‘Avera’ in 2001. In an industry that is extremely controversial, Anne manages to break the barrier and gain more and more acceptance for the usage of this alternative form of energy production. Starting her professional career in the mining industry in France she moved on the become the secretary general and the “Sherpa” to the G7 summits in Francois Mitterand’s administration. She followed that up with being the Chairman and Managing Director of Cogema, the French nuclear power and followed that with snagging the CEO seat at Avera. She is the only woman to be a director of one of the CAC 40 companies. Anne achievements send us a strong message: doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, as long as you have the skills and the perseverance, the goal is never very far.

“I try to steer people away from the approach of saying I care more about the environment and less about animal rights or something of that nature, but to look at the whole picture and take the whole picture into account”, with these words the founder and CEO of Domini Social Equity mutual fund, Amy Domini tries to explain why she found her company. The author of ‘Ethical Investing’ points out that investing after investigating will raise the standards of accountability for most companies and will in turn help make the world a better place. No ideal dreamer this woman, Amy has managed to double the assets of her social investing funds (to $36 million) in just three years. Most high profile successful companies like Ford, Intel, and Gap etc have been spurred to see the impact that they are having on the environment and human rights. If children working in small claustrophobic sweatshops, pregnant women working long hours and hundreds crammed into a small room making expensive shoes that cost hundreds dollars for a few cents an hour are the few things that upset you maybe you should look at the Domini 400 social index before you invest in the company. The index not only stays clear of companies involved in betting, boozing, tobacco, and nuclear power but also sees the company’s gauges its employees. Trying to make a small change, Amy stands all and proud as one of the only women who quite literally put her money where her mouth is.

CEO of Olayan Financing company a consortium of some 40 odd companies and a member of the Saudi Hollandi bank’s board, Lubna Olayan was the first woman in Saudi Arabia to be appointed to such a position in a Saudi public company. She made history addressing the Jeddah economic forum as the keynote speaker in 2004 and co chairing the world economic forum 2005 in Switzerland. Lubna’s achievements remind us that it only takes one person to turn the tide. Even today she continues to break barriers and perceptions. She has shown that Saudi women (or for that matter most Arab women) can manage more than just households. Since the day, Lubna’s veil slipped off during her address at the Jeddah economic forum last year, it seemed to have also removed the veil from the general public eyes, showing the power of a liberated woman’s mind.

Some other noteworthy women are Meg Whitman, CEO, Ebay who has taken her company from success to success with her vision. Sonia Gandhi, the Italian born Indian, who controls the Prime Minister’s office in India as the president of the working committee of the ruling Party, Congress (I). The highest paid actress Julia Roberts, the trailblazing superstar also one of the first woman to break the Hollywood norm and get paid as much as her male counterparts.

The list of trend setting women in various fields is endless. It just goes to show even though women have a long way to go as far as erasing the gender gap, it just seems that the horizon keeps coming closer.