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I'll tell here about ponderables or imponderables that come to the mind. :)

You then tell me or us about the (im)ponderable that came to my mind. :) The more the telling, the more the merrier. :)

All the king's horses and all the king's men could not stop wikileaks from publishing the diplomatic cables, but Mark Twain successfully got his autobiography to not be published till a century after his death. :)

Wonder what it must have been like to be the stenographer to whom he dictated the autobiography. To be the first to know his thoughts on many topics, including himself!

[QUOTE]Preliminary Manuscripts and Dictations, 1870-1905

(Pages 59-200)

Meh. This section collects Twain's false starts until he was seventy years old and finally, miraculously, stuck with the book. Actually, it wasn't such a miracle. He just found the right stenographer for his dictation: Josephine Hobby, whom he took to because she was more than just a good typist. She was also a good audience. For these early sessions Twain usually dictated from his bed, wearing a silk dressing-gown (see above, and photo section below).

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/the-side/book-review/mark-twain-autobiography-summary#ixzz16nCC2quZ

Ever experienced quietly enjoying a dinner in a restaurant, when suddenly a table nearby gets noisy with waiters gathered around it singing Happy Birthday?

Always wondered about this practice. If it is a prank played by friends and person being wished by waiters doesn't know, I get it. Why, there is even a FB page for that.

But, why would anyone knowingly want strangers coming to their table and singing/wishing them a happy birthday? In my observation, this is one thing desis haven't adopted widely. Or have they? Would they?

zimple imponderable

P jani thanking a post J/k great thread.

RK

modus_vivendi;351003I'll tell here about ponderables or imponderables that come to the mind. :)

You then tell me or us about the (im)ponderable. :) The more the telling, the more the merrier. :)

Can we only share something that's imponderable or the ponderable ones too?

The idea is that I offload imponderable or ponderable from my fertile mind, and then you tell me/us about that (im)ponderable. :)

modus_vivendi;351012
But, why would anyone knowingly want strangers coming to their table and singing/wishing them a happy birthday? In my observation, this is one thing desis haven't adopted widely. Or have they? Would they?

Been there, done that! Once for wifey's birthday soon after we got married and once for each daughter's birthday. Each time, it brought immense surprise and joy to the person being honored and the look on their faces is priceless for all those around! :)

Haven't done it more than once though, because then, it becomes lame. And made sure that wifey and kids don't pull that one on me ever! We eat out together as family on each of our birthdays and throw parties for the kids on a day close to or soon after their actual birthday!

modus_vivendi;351012But, why would anyone knowingly want strangers coming to their table and singing/wishing them a happy birthday? In my observation, this is one thing desis haven't adopted widely. Or have they? Would they?

Happens in couple of Pizza Huts in India. It is lot more fun. There is a huge bell in front of the restaurant. Whenever someone puts a tip in the plate on the table and rings a bell, all the waiters (they are actually students interning from the nearby management institute) stop whatever they were doing, and start dancing to the tunes of lively bollywood songs. They don't do it on individual tables though, they dance close to the podium in the front. Adds to the enthusiasm of the crowd.

OotyGuy;351040 ...Haven't done it more than once though, because then, it becomes lame. And made sure that wifey and kids don't pull that one on me ever! We eat out together as family on each of our birthdays and throw parties for the kids on a day close to or soon after their actual birthday!

We also go out for dinner on b'days. For one kid b'day, they bought a small cake with candle on it, and sang Happy B'day quietly (two young but mother-ly waitress in an Italian restaurant). Kid was a tad conscious, and looked like tears were about to spill, but cake was yummy and had a cherry on top. :)

I've seen it done where the b'day person is an adult, party is huge with table reserved in advance kind, and seems funny when waiters sing the song loudly to an adult who is not surprised by it... but to each their own, I guess.

modus_vivendi;351012But, why would anyone knowingly want strangers coming to their table and singing/wishing them a happy birthday? In my observation, this is one thing desis haven't adopted widely. Or have they? Would they?

We eat out on our b'days and kids mostly prefer Rainforest Cafe. We ended up at that restaurant (on b'days) 2-3 times, when we lived close by. Although the menu is not note worthy, kids love that cafe because of the Rainforest and animal theme. When you order the Volcano (ice Cream with sparklers on it).. It generally comes with the waiters ready to sing. What the heck, we have let them sing for kids b'days. Haven't done it elsewhere. You would notice that (waiters singing) on on every given day or night @ Rainforest Cafe.