pssttt : my SISTER - urmila is in INDIA!!!

I know I haven't been writing as regularly as you would like me to (?).. but my office life is totally crazy!! my current shift start at 3.00 am in the night to 12.00 in the next afternoon.. so thats nine hours of "official" time, Or rather the time the office admits it wants one to be there, but of course there is the pre shift n post shift "meetings"... all impromptu ones at that!
so u have to normally get to office by 2:45 at night... which mean I leave home by 1:30 for a 3:00 shift... and after office, ah this is the best part.. after office since we have "nothing to do" we have meetings, some of which at times go on till 1 ..1:30 or even two in the afternoon... so one gets home by 3 or so... (IF we are lucky!)
so for 5 days a week office eats up from 1:30 in the night to 3:00 in the afternoon the next day my day... 13:30 nearly fourteen hour days!!!
and on some "special" circumstances we are asked to work till 3:00! for no extra pay! ..get home (by 4:30 or so!!)
And today, TODAY - a _SUNDAY_...when I had great big plans of reducing the size of my mail box, visiting my fav blogs, leaving a few comments, finally updating my blog, chattin up friend from afar....ok, ok, I am sure you get the picture! ..8:10 in the morning - on a SUNDAY - i get a call from my team leader asking me to show up in office by 10:00!! - remember i live 1 hour away - at the very least!! - on a SUNDAY!
The unfairness of life!! And though one is getting paid for the "overtime", one doesn't have the option of choosing NOT to come in!! (the dialog from godfather "i'm not a supersitious man... but i have notice something bad always happens to people who cross me!" zipped through to me mind) ...got outta bed, told akka (urmila) bout the change in plans - why change? cause believe it or not, even lowly agents have a life - n other then the delightful activities outlined above a movie was also on the cards - this being my sister's first weekend in the country! (she is here for only TWO!! oh, woe is me!) anyway, swallowing the bitter pill that is life, rushed through my morning abolutions and dragged my sorry ass to office, with water streaming down my back - thanks to my hair still being wet! - got to office lookin like a drowned rat... only to find three, THREE, teams logged in - and NO, as in NONE, not a single solitary call coming in!! with my team leader and coach no where in sight!!! to say that i was bugged would be putting it mildly! ah well, i'm from the lowest rung of this corporate ladder...
man, i tell you... working life sucks. I miss the good ol days when I was paid pocket money simply to go to college!! ;)
which brings us to the topic of today’s title :
A smile across many miles!!
Remember a time when you were in school/college... and got all caught up in the adraline rush of the excitment an upcoming event brings? How you got totally caught up in the crazy rush the event brought out in EVERYONE around you? In India, especially in Bombay - the intercollegiate festival arises a lot of enthu in everyone! Late evening practice sessions, auditions, meetings, what-have-yous... ah, and of-course yours truly was allwwaaayyyysssss in the thick of things!! (oh, for those Mood-Indigo of IIT-B days!! what i wouldn't give to rewind time!!) Can't have lit events (or can i??? hmmm.... well, ammunation for more hair brained notions!!! watch this space for more!) but we can recreate the magic of an 'event'!
So here is the plan, GIFTS!!! :D
Okk, that might require some elucidation...
Does everyone reading this like getting gifts? (thou oughtn't to be nodding thy head, this medium renders me blind to ur reactions, though a resounding YES would be nice though!) And if this gift was sent to you, maybe from a different country, maybe even from a different continent?!?! Sounds exciting?
Whats the catch? ...well, there isn't one... there isn't really a catch.. only you'd have to send one too! (n i for one love sending gifts!!)
How is this different from the age ol barter system you asketh?
...read on!!
1. All interested / sorta interested people mail me at : pramila@gmail.com the following
* Your suggestions (and any questions you may have!) :)
* Your email address you will use to "login" to the site
* Your postal address (don't worry, stalking ain't parta my plan!) ;)

2. Our resident Hi-Tech chappie Nishant will create the site where (we would all need to login ) all the names of the participant would be displayed.

3. Now the crux - We each get to choose _ONE_ person we want to send a gift to, that person wouldn't know who has "choosen" him/her. You can send anythin you like! And get a chance to play "secret santa"! (though i'd like to urge everyone taking part to select people from a different country, if not continent!!)

4. Once everyone has choosen whom them want to send a gift to we will each send out our gift, but wouldn't know from whom, or which country our gift was coming from!!!

Its as simple as that! 1..2...3!! ..oh ok, there is a four, big deal!!

Whetted this idea out with many of you and everyone i spoke with responded positively, with a great deal of enthusiasm i might add! Which leads me to believe this is going to be a success!!
As a foot note, i'd like to mention to "visitors" and first timers here, who might like the idea and want to participate... this kinda event requires a lot of trust and you will appreciate that i couldn't possibly include you in this round of the event, simply cause we (i speak for the blog-ring of my friends n me|) haven't known you long enough. we might have round two a few months, maybe a year later.. incase you decide to stick around till such time, you could then participate!! :)
So heres hoping all my regulars send me a mail stating their acceptance along with the other things requested. It would help if you have a blog, though its not mandatory (and i am willing to extend the invitation to maybe a few of your friends, the ones they are ready to vouch for!)
Advance credits to Hima and Happy who i have ropped into help with the page layout! And to Ellen who loved the idea so much she is gettin her best friend to start a blog, just so that she can participate too!! :)

Warm best wishes to GreyRose who recently said "Heyyy! Pramila! How be u girl? U know I really admire you...ur attitude towards life is awesome...ur my role model girl :-)" ..this from the girl who has moved to a brand new country! Alone!!
Mily mine I do hope you take part n this helps in cheering you up, atleast in some small measure. Hugs to you and lil Matt.

OK,PEOPLE _PLEASE_ SEND ACCEPTANCE EMAILS TO = pramila@gmail.com _WITH_ your postal address
those of you who have stopped by for the first time/aren't regular - never fret - if we are connected by common friends, all you have to do is ask that friend to vouch for ya, n you are in!!! ain't i darlin!! ;)
so act _PHHAASSSTTTT_ (by the same token, regulars can INVITE their trusted friends to join up!) and send me the mail, the site will be going live soon!!
pssttt, applies to even the software head honchos! :)

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SUGGEST A NAME FOR THE SITE (NOW LOOKIN AT THE RESPONSE WE ARE PLANNING TO _BUY_ WEBSPACE!) PLEASE SEND ME YOUR SUGGESTIONS BY MAIL/IN THE COMMENTS BOX - AND YOU DON'T NEED TO BE PARTICIPATING TO SUGGEST A NAME FOR THE SITE!! SO GET THAT THINKIN CAP ON AND SUGGEST AWAY!