The frustration of making a mistake on the computer and erasing all that was written for the extended family has overflowed onto .. well .. I better not say it else it shall increase my condition .. but it has been such a loss .. and it never is the same again .. even though I write this, I know that try as hard as I may, that feel shall never reappear … so away with it ..

Yesterday, Ramu came over .. RGV .. and we had such a laugh over various attitudes and behaviors of people caught in various ominous circumstances. Most of the time, the laughter being directed at ourselves. He is a great mimic and in the evening hours, is an absolute delight to converse with - his sense of humor and his reenactment of situations is perfect. He is missing his vocation in life I feel. His sense of observation and the sharpness with which he notices the little effects is quite remarkable. He should make more comedies.

Paul, the octopus has now reached celebrity status ! He is all over - front page, breaking news, specials, sports round ups … every where !! He has predicted Spain as the winner in the World Cup final tomorrow and so far all his predictions have come right ! He now has some competition. There is a parrot named Mani in India, now fast gaining popularity thanks to the electronic media that steps out of its cage and steps on to the newspapers kept in front of him, bearing the teams names and the one he steps on gets the entire betting fraternity into a frenzy. Such excitement ! Where would we have been without the media !

For tonights game, Paulie dear has placed his ever moving ever slimy tentacles on the German box, and the entire football world waits with baited breath to see the result of his choice.

For the rest of the day I have no plans and no plans to have plans. I mean I do, but I would rather that I do not. For when I shall do, thats when I shall be doing it. Its not the doing that does it, its what doesn’t do it that would do it. The plans I mean. That does it for now !!

Its Jaya’s Father’s birthday today - the late Taroon Kumar Bhaduri, and  she has gone to Bhopal to spend time with her Mother who had a cataract surgery yesterday. She is well and fine. My father-in-law was an eminent writer, columnist, journalist and headed a government organization in his later years.

And before I leave a thought -

The great secret of life is …. not to open your letters for a fortnight. At the expiry of that period you will find that nearly all of them have answered themselves !!

Amitabh Bachchan