MIRROR OF MIND

If you are a woman and happen to see a series of hoardings screaming 'SALE' or '% Discount', on every cross-road of the city, I bet you can't ignore it. And believe me, I am no different. I don't know about rains, but sale is definitely raining cats and dogs in Ahmedabad. Crossing umpteen similar hoardings on my way to office, the conscience of a shopaholic, only grew stronger. Even during hectic work, images of 'upto 70%' and 'Flat 50%' flashed in my mind. In this situation of crisis, colleagues always come to rescue. Thanks to like-minded colleagues, they accompanied me to a shopping spree, as they too were going through anxiety about the entire 'sale' hoopla. We explored many retail chains and malls. At one place, only a small section in a huge store offered discount, while in the other store, though they promised discount upto 50%, what they offered on various clothing lines and accessories was not even half of it. Slowly we realised...

It was yet another boring day at office. After completing my quota of work, I decided to entertain myself with some 'breaking news' or 'gossip columns'. No sooner I clicked on one of the news sites, second to the most important breaking news read: Top model Viveka Babajee commits suicide at her Bandra flat. I was stunned. And shocked. The name rang a bell not just once but many times. Looking at her picture cleared all the doubts – I had seen her, met her and conversed with her over a glass of fruit punch. I go in the rewind mode It is 30th October, 2007. I have completed one month as a trainee journalist with DNA Newspaper; but the newspaper is yet to launch in Ahmedabad and it is going to launch tomorrow – 1st November, 2007. I am all excited for two reasons: For successfully completing one month at work in a city which is totally new to me, and secondly for the launch of DNA. The icing on the cake is when I am given this assignment to cover the inauguration of a high...