Petrichor

These are really very powerful. Implement whatever you can. 1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant. 2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to. 3. Buy a PVR tape your late night shows and get more sleep. 4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to__________ _ today.' 5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy. 6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2006. 7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives. 8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6. 9. Dream more while you are awake. 10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. 11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts. 12. Try to make at leas...

I am fairly interested in interesting recipes(read 'never cooked before marriage'). Every time I try something new, I cannot wonder at the amazing variety of Indian dishes. We are filthy spoiled. Its absolutely no wonder that wherever we go, Indian food makes me hog for. Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Italian cuisines are definitely tasty in their own way, but are there any variety? I doubt with my little knowledge. Man, I so love Indian food. Food is one of the main reasons I travel :-) Nothing can give me good digestion or sleep but rice/roti. If it is curd rice, its a dream-come-true! Indian food is no more an addiction. It is survival!!!! for me, at least.

Just managed to finish Dan Brown's Deception Point . A political thriller! I am not a big fan of US politics or NASA or the US Intelligence, but this is simply awesome. In fact, I liked it better than Da Vinci Code. I have started liking his writing & next on my rack is Digital Fortress .(I have a history of starting with New books & going backwards!!!) From the first couple of pages, I do seem intrigued! For all of you 'duh' ing me, its my second Dan Brown book. Amateur, you see. Its not always, I feel comfortable with someone's writing style.

What's up with the weather all of a sudden? Crazy chilly. Thawing in the shower every morning!!!!

I've heard so much about this temple. Somehow, I haven't been here even once in 4 yrs. Maybe, its the distance. Or maybe, it was not until late that Livermore temple became commercialized. Our 4th anniversary marked my first visit to Concord temple. It is actually a church converted into a temple. It can be a challenge to find this place, though. In no way it resembles a temple from the outside. In fact, it does not resemble a church either. G had a borrowed Magellan GPS from a friend & he proudly says that he found the temple with the GPS. ahem... It really was not that big a deal of a temple. That was my first impression. A small Vinayagar idol, A decent size praharam that was screened(6pm is marked for Shiva Murugan Abishekam) & a small Amman idol. That's about it. But when they opened the screen & I saw the way the Kurukal(pandit) performed the pooja, I was simply jumping with joy. It was all in Tamil, my mother tongue & he even performed archanai ...

Marriage is a space where two totally different people come together. They end up being together, thinking together and working together for the benefit of their family. Its been 4 yrs together with G and this thought came to me only now :-) It has been a pleasant 4 years & I sure do feel a lot more than 4. Its like I've known G for ever!!! I wouldn't want to change anything in my life, including my husband G. ;-) Love you G. Happy Anniversary!

I am one among the millions of people who have migrated from India for one of the many reasons. Until I left the country, I don't remember being away from family even for a short period. My memory of Chennai, precisely: - The best veggie foods available. -lovely school with lovely teachers & of course, memory of a great childhood -the same with college -friends & extended family whom I last met at my wedding -traditional & conservative society where I like some & hate many -my scooty that took me places I knew not -the bus & train -the pollution -Ranganathan st crowd -the name change from Madras to Chennai -geographically safe city We had a get-together 2 days ago where we were talking about how we live in the past. Chennai(or any other city/town in India) is not the same as we think it to be. We all have left Madras couple years ago & still think it to be as intact as it was when we left. Subsequent visits over the last couple years have proved to be drasti...

According to an ABCNews correspondent, Technically, child labour is illegal in India. But the government lacks will to enforce its own laws. What a shame!

I began my usual walk late in the evening. Fall is more like summer & I prefer the cool nights. I came out & what caught my attention almost instantly? The sunset colors in the horizon. I generally look the other direction. What I see? The FULL MOON. I feel blessed. An evening is made! I am all dreamy when around the turn, I see someone smoke. I kept waving my hands against my nose until I was sure the smoker saw me do it. I cross an intersection. I smell smoke. US is a huge land. If I can feel the smoke now, what will happen to the next generation? They will live in smoke. With such thoughts, I kept walking. A couple of steps ahead, I was still thinking. The moon, the sun, nature when suddenly, *BANG*. I freeze my thoughts for a minute & look up. I see sparks on the road. An accident. No one was hurt, but it was quite a scene. Bumper jumped in the air, the car was pushed to the curb. I went in a little further to check if anyone needed help. The least I had was water ...

I had a rather interesting talk with a Mexican mami(She's a mommy too!!) in Walmart. We were in the same section looking for sweat pants. I was the only other person there, so she started her talk about why she was looking for sweats in the first place. She is visiting her son in Denver in early November & is going to be there for over a month. I was a patient listener(she was not boring at all). She asked me if I was Indian. After I confirmed, she started the real story. Her DIL-to-be is also Indian. I went uh-oh! If her DIL-t-b was not liked(which is not very rare) is she going to blame the whole Indian community??? Well! She started by saying that she was such a doll. Hmm...not so bad after all. In fact, she does not find any difference between Mexicans & Indians(I hear that all the time) & she agreed almost immediately to her son's wedding. We had a chat(her talking, me nodding is more appropriate) for almost 10 min. I now know quite a bit about her husband, son...

I saw the dvd in the library & picked it up after reading the gist. It said "A Madhur Bhandarkar film". I remember a recent movie from the same director featuring Konkana Sen. G generally does not prefer Hindi movies(to be read as cannot understand comfortably...sorry G) but this movie made him stop his work to watch. The movie is in close perfection to reality, probably. It was gripping & makes you sit on the edge of your seat. It is all about dirty Indian politics. In fact the movie depicts how dirty politics can go. How an ignorant lady is brought into politics & how she manages to entangle all the political traps & set things right. An empowering movie! When Anna Sahib says, "Satta is an oppurtunity... it is an oppurtunity to bring about a change in the existing politics, an oppurtunity to do something good for the people", it kind of brings in a promising clarity. The role fits Raveena as a pro. She excels. It is totally her all through the movi...

The older generation did not ask a lot of questions. But followed whatever was told to them. The younger generation ask a million questions. Rarely follow what is told to them(by the older generation). Older generation : Our parents/grandparents, generalized New/this generation : Us/younger to us Who is more right? Let's analyze. When it comes to being versatile in their likes(I know people who listen from Yanni to Sudha Ragunathan) I doubt if anyone can beat this generation. They rarely do anything without questioning it. Which is good, rt? They pretty much know everything from Soccer to Carnatic. They read from Malgudi days to Da Vinci Code. They have views on everything, right from Sonia Gandhi not being related to the Mahatma to the current Fed rate cuts in the US. Their knowledge knows no boundary, simply because there is so much exposure in today's world. I see less of male chauvinism, ego & more of understanding & the need to be happy & satisfied. Some of the...

I've never believed in the concept of best friends. I've seen people: Best friends today, go separate ways tomorrow(family moves or whatever); people miss each other so much that it affects your studies, food habits, your daily life! If I look at it all now, I smile. I am not a heartless person to say, "you are crazy to have a true friend you can trust". I do have a lot of friends. In fact, I cannot live if there are no people around. Just that, I never really felt the necessity to trust anyone so much as I had my mom always by my side. I wanted to share a joke, she was there; I wanted to go for the movies, she was there; I wanted to go shopping, she was there; I wanted to cry, she was there; I wanted to tell: someone hurt me, she was there; I wanted someone to share the day's events(be it school, college or work), there she was!!! She was a working mom, but she was there for me every step of my life! When you grow older, you need your mom more. I am feeling thin...

Basically from Madras, I somehow cannot imagine being in a place where there isn't a beach nearby. And hey, unlike in America, a lake shore is not considered a beach!!! It is strange that I did not have to be in such a place for a very long time. I might not go to the beach that often, or wet my legs in the waters, but when I need to, it has to be nearby. As psychologists say, we all have affinity towards water. I am generally not that kind of a person who wants to BE in the water. I just need to be near it; be it a beach, or a lake, a river, a waterfall anything to do with water. I can still smell silence in the air even in a crowded beach. Pleasure, tranquility, happiness, smile, joy, loneliness when you just need it!!!

I came across this site from "Photography" mag & I am sure this will be useful for a lot others too.

What comes free and in tonnes? Advice.

Swamiji(Swami Sukhabodhananda) was here in the bay area, last weekend & what a presence he made! Honestly, I've never heard of Shiva sutras before. Swamiji beautifully unfolded the truth, of course in his own, humurous style. His famous Mulla Nazrudin jokes & the importance he lays on understanding things, rather than blindly follow them may seem unorthodox to many people. But once you get out of your barrier & start trying to see what we are all seeing, the truth is mystical. I am at loss of words to explain what he covered in his 2 day discourse. I should buy the VCD to have it all sink in what-Swamiji-calls "Uttar Pradesh". :-) If the discourses on Aug 24 & 25 amazed people, another bunch of us considered nothing short of blessed to attend his Relationship Matrix workshop on Sunday, Aug 26th. I am sure of others too, but I roared with laughter. Swamiji is so funny. For all those who missed the workshop, there's always another one. You can always a...

Madras le, Summer le RAIN!!! I am yet to recover from that shock. And now this . God! What else is going to change before I go back to India?

Being Orthodox is very personal, meaning it works to personal convenience. Some people claim to be very orthodox, but having come to US are unable to maintain all that. So, if you are a NRI, you escape, but if you are in India, consider yourself tortured, eh ! A couple days ago, I happened to meet an aged friend, who belongs to a very orthodox tamil brahmin community. OR so she said. She constantly found something from my family's practices & contradicted it as to why they don't follow that & how different (& extremely madi they were). Well, I assume that I am unorthodoxy(traditional to an extent, but unorthodox). I did not want to start an argument for the simple reason, I had no intentions of changing her or her ways. She had every reason to feel her way & I had every reason to feel mine. But sometimes, I wonder. In this "community" or "caste" race, do we drop our humane somewhere? Often in concentrating on the bug picture, do we lose the...

It is nice to see someone from your own country once in a while. When you are in California, it happens more than once. Well, here's the deal! If they don't smile at you, be happy. If they do, it means they are in for a catch. No prize for the right guess-Amway!!! I cannot believe that after so many years, we can still not evade such people. A guy(R), just walked by at Albertsons late saturday night while we were walking out. He smiled at my husband. My husband did look baffled, confused & everything in that order. R was trying all possible ways to recollect from where hubby looked familiar. Poor hubby was tired after a long day & least interested in talking. A minute later, R thrusts his v card into hubby's palm & forcefully gets our phone#. Poor hubby gave the correct #. R works for Google, so he would not use a cheap Amway trick-says hubby. Right the next day, R calls in to talk to hubby. We had visitors & dropped the call very courteously. If he calls i...

Arasan andru kolvan. Deivam ninru kollum. Proof I am not sure that I agree or disagree with the sentence, but I have sympathy towards this star. He has gone through hell in his personal life. Apparently, Hell is not enough! The delay in Munnabhai 3 is a shame though. Not too far, but a selected few stars are in line too! "Producers, be ware!"

Our sudden plans to go out camping did not work out due to sheer laziness. Weekend Vetti- Officers ! To make up, we played some long lost shuttle at a nearby park...loved it! I happened to go to an Indian grocery shop(that I generally don't prefer going to). "Okra $0.99/lb" did make me go in happily, though. Pona, it was a mini thiruvizha there. I could not help think that Parents who come here from India have a ball in the Indian stores. They discuss so much. I felt like rushing over to tell, "mami, its just a bigger version of our local market". All the Okra was pretty much gone. While I was thadavifying whatever was left, I could not help overhear people say, " Ayyo amma, vendakai kadaikave kadaikathu; ippo theriyartha, ivlo kootathle nan epdi thaniya vanthu vanguven? That's why I bring him along ". And their sweet ammas reply, " theriyarthu ma. romba kashtam thaan ". Indian Grocery shopping is a major event here!! Watched Babel too!...

My happiness exceeded all boundaries when I found a copy of 'Harry Potter 7' at a friend's place & was glad to share her extra copy with me. Needless to say, that I talked, walked, ate Harry Potter over the weekend! Anyways, the book is amazing;I simply loved it. Duh! This was the first time ever I managed to grab a book on the release date. I did read reviews(gladly stuck to those that did not reveal the story & spoil the fun). This book is definitely my favorite among the entire series, followed closely by 'Half-Blood Prince'. But half-way into the book, I could not help but realize that there is going to be no more of Harry Potter. As someone said, I wish Potter could go to school a couple more years. :-( Quite a fistful of the good guys die :-(. But I can live with it. The fact that a lot of Dumbledore in this book makes up for the fact that he is not alive anymore. He is truly the hero. Me felt that there is no Harry Potter without Dumbledore. Well! he...

I am an ardent Harry Potter reader/fan. There is no way I can miss a movie/not read a book however bad it can get. As I mentioned before, " Order of the Phoenix " is definitely not my fav(too long & too many things happen), I was witnessing this amazing reviews on IMDB & friends about the special effects. Unfortunately, Gandalf continues to be Dumbledore(Gandalf can be Gandalf! He cannot be Dumbledore!!! *personal lamenting*). Also, this was the first part I was watching after reading the book. Initially, I used to wait until I watched the movie before reading the book, so I remain unknown of what was going to happen. Guess what: I should've continued doing that. But that means I would have to wait over a year to read the book. No way! This movie is a total let down according to me. Well! I did not see the movie to know what happens. I knew it. Just wanted to see it visually. But, all those small things that made the book complete, were missed out on the movie. Th...

Sivaji- the Boss I was rather forced to watch "Sivaji" last weekend. By this time, the blogosphere is already filled with the movie's reviews & clips. But, hear me, as a non-Rajini fan! Firstly, my better half is an ardent fan of the Superstar (he clapped in the theatre when the name came up on the screen "&*#@!") I am not a big fan of anyone in the Tamil film industry. My humble view that Tamil movies lack a lot of logic(realization dawned with the familiarity of English movies) remain strong. So, there I go. Camera3 in San Jose downtown had probably fewer than 25 people.(almost a month after the release, so justified!!!) Then the movie started to a few claps(US version of "biggles", I guess) & there it started. It is a known fact that the make-up artist did a fantastic job! Rajini looked 20 yrs younger. Shriya looked beautiful too. I did read a couple of reviews that the movie is a spoon of "Gentleman", a bunch of "Anniyan...

You Have Not Been Ruined by American Culture You're nothing like the typical American. In fact, you may not be American at all. You have a broad view of the world, and you're very well informed. And while you certainly have been influenced by American culture (who hasn't?), it's not your primary influence. You take a more global philosophy with your politics, taste, and life. And you're always expanding and revising what you believe. Has American Culture Ruined You?

I am back after a short visit to my dentist. I was so glad to find a Tamilian-Indian dentist & was trying to explain my pain to her in Tamil. Wow! Though she understood whatever I said, she never said a word in Tamil. Is she breaking any code if she converses in any language but English? It surprises me! I see Mexicans converse in Spanish whenever they meet. Even people from other parts of India converse in their mother-tongue when they meet someone from their land. I am not promoting my language here, nor do I believe in the correlation between patriotism & languages. But come on, a little drop of English sure does not hurt, does it? Or is it just me?

I am sitting in the airport now, ready(or probably not) to go home. What a trip! What an experience! I met a whole bunch of people whom I've never met in my entire life. I ended up doing all that I planned, a little that I did not plan. All turned out for the good. I really don't know if my mind is heavy with 2 weeks of vacation or light with the relief that I've landed in Alaska. It surely is a great land! The people are amazing too! Well, I am dozing off right now. Sleepy flight home :-(

Today is a continuation of my life-changing experience in Alaska. I met so many animals & so many different people. Interestingly, most of the people I met have been to India. And all of them love the place. I even wrote "Vanakkam" in tamil in one of the homes. Travellers are so open & practical. No airs. Its probably the travel that made them so. I, so long, a learner. And yeah! I was an instrument in murdering close to a million bugs :( Part of life!

I am on the road now & have opened my thinking cap, probably. "Innikenna kelame naalaikenna kelame Ada naalpaathu naalpathu thunggathedaa Ponaa thirumbathudaa vaalke perumbaaduda" Sivakasi sonna correct a thaane irukum :-) This road trip has been intimidating my ego so far. I have experienced so much that made me realize that we are not on the top of the food chain. Some things exist, they cannot be possessed. ALASKA is a living example. Keeping my arms open to embrace what the day offers!

Just a random thought crossed my mind while I was entering Walmart this morning(don't bother about that; my mind thinks of a million things at the least expected times). Why do I blog? Why do people blog? Interestingly, I came up with these options. 1. I have a lot to say & nobody to hear. 2. I observe a lot that is cool to pen down. 3. I want to hear other's views on what I feel & write. 4. Just a hobby. 5. Lots of time to kill. 6. Everyone has a blog these days. 7. When I read other's blog or write my own, I think a lot. In the process of writing, I end up observing even more of what is happening around me. Just WOL! (Wondering Out Loud)

I am from a Catholic school & I more or less know the life of Jesus. I've never watched "The ten commandments" during Good Friday or Easter back in India. I can be unpredictable when it comes to such movies. I happened to pick this dvd from the library last week. Wondering how easily I got hold of such a hard-to-get movie, I later realized that it was the Hebrew version. I would not have understood head or tail of it but for the subtitles. It started slow, but I got into it soon enough, probably because, I knew bits & pieces of the story already. On the other hand, the movie put my hubby to sleep after mentioning that I like & watch all "saamy padams" :-) No doubt, the movie was gross & grueling when it came to showing the torture on Jesus. I would gladly throw up on some of those scenes ie., when the Jew soldiers fit a thorned fence on his head, the prior torture scene beating him until the very last crucification. No one deserves such torture f...

We planned to stay back home for Memorial day weekend. A local hike found its way one day! Dipsea trail from Muir Woods to Stinson Beach. RT 10 miles. Photos from the hike:

The time to be happy is now The place to be happy is here And the way to be happy is to make someone happy.... This old song from school just flashed my mind :)

A poem I came across for Mother's day written by a mother. "I love you" - Carl Sandburg I sit here quietly Watching them while they sleep I wonder And my heart is torn How my love for them Grew so strong That I feel breathless It sometimes even hurts Yet I am never tired Of watching their little faces As they sleep. I can see That they are running In their dreams Their legs move Back and forth... Are they on a beach? Or in green grass fields? So what if when I am tired They ruin the room again Are they not the reasons Which makes me forget every pain Oh Lord! Tell me How possibly could I live? Before I was a mother I never knew this bliss. Be thoughtful for your mom always and treat your mother like a princess everyday. That can be the most wonderful gift to your mom.

I have my own reservations about Walmart & their products. I shop selectively though. For a minute, I thought differently. Last saturday, I had to be somewhere & I was late. Only when I entered the car, did I realize I did not have my purse, which had my license(& credit cards & SSN card & Costco card & ATM card & a couple of blank checks)! I had to be somewhere. So, sweet hubby brought along some books(to read while I was gone) to give me a ride, wait there a couple hours before he could pick me up. :-) Half way, I realized I could not concentrate there when I had lost my purse. So, made a U turn home & check & re-check where all I had been. Ran a flash back & soon realized Walmart was my last stop. So, called them. The lady at 'lost & found' was on a break. I was asked to call back in an hour. Knowing my nature, hubby offered to drive there & check out personally, thinking we may give better information about where I ' might...

I am a control freak! Yeah. I like certain things to be done certain way & I push people(a little) to do it that way(a.k.a my way) & I give advice to others not to push their friends/kids. What a hypocrisy! Well! I am not a bad person. I don't want people to do things my way just because I want them to follow my orders, but more because, I think I tend to trust others less than myself. I like my vessels to be in their places, checks deposited on time, Mail-In-Rebates posted on time, clothes in place & worst of it all, I expect all of them to be done just as I am thinking of them, as in, NOW!!! I think that is where the problem is.*sigh* If I place myself in other's shoes, I doubt if I can take my own wishes. I strongly do not believe in New Year resolutions. If I decide not to do something, I will make an honest attempt not to do it. So, here I am, making a conscious attempt to put this habit behind me. I am going to still be clean; just planning to give the other p...

Why do we all get married? I do not want to generalize things here, though. 1. Definitely not to pick on my husband at every oppurtunity. 2. Not to complain that he is not the right person for me. 3. Not to nag about his entire family. 4. Not because my mother wanted me to. 5. Definitely not because I wanted to cook. 6. Not because I wanted to quit my job, leave my parents & come to the US. Coming to think of it, I doubt if I thought of so many things before I got married. But now that I am, I think I can give a couple of reasons why I enjoy 'being married'. 1. To begin a loving family. 2. To grow in love together. 3. To understand. 4. To laugh. 5. To play. 6. To hike together. 7. To learn from each other. 8. To hold hands in silence when things go wrong. 9. In many instances, to just be 'for' each other. When you are on your own & fumble on certain things, a loving voice to say, "its okay, hon" goes a long way. I am so glad 'that' life did ...

I walk to the ocean. I smell the salt humid air. I breathe! The air brushes across my face attempting an air-painting! The Sun is setting into the Pacific. I see: a couple enjoying the setting Sun from their chair looking out for the ocean; a couple trying to get their feet wet in the cold waters; kids showing-off their sand castles to their parents; a family playing 'fetch' with their dog.. The air is cold! In a few moments, the Sun will be gone for the day & fill the sky with twinkling stars for the romance to stay! I, like a million others, am witnessing all of this with a cup of hot chocolate & my hubby. That makes my day. I close my eyes & all this is just a flash. It has been a while since I've done all that. Miss it so much! Maybe, its "Nature's call"! Sometimes, I forget to remind myself to live every moment. When everything seems to go wrong, there is this hope, this tiny happiness that sparks your day! All this, just around the corner. J...

I saw some recent Tamil movies over the weekend & I just could not sit there & watch it in full. Right from Rajini's sunglass, cigarettes style to Vijay's total makeover of the superstar, only the years have passed. The same flour being grinded again & again(& again & again...) I've often heard people say, "When you watch Rajini's movies, you will have to keep your logic outside the theatre". My question is, "apdiyavathu atha pakanuma?"[*kothikirathu ratham, athai adaku, adaku engirathu meesai*] All Indians who watch these movies think themselves to be a superstar when they walk around Spencers until a local Karupayee says, " ayye, moonjiya munna pinna kannadila pathirukiya? Vanthutan kadala poda". Kashta kalam! I was so glad that Bharathiraaja is not active into movies anymore, but last time I went to India, he was on almost all "Vizha's". Don't tell me he is going to get into politics!!![*wits end*] W...

I am done with 2 loads of laundry now(huge load due to laziness). I could not help myself from lying down on those dried warm clothes. I used to do that every saturday(Amma's saree preferable) when I was a kid(other days got school). However hot Chennai got, freshly warm dry clothes really make a good bed. When you are from a tropical place, it stays with you for ever. I don't know if I am sounding really out-of-the-ordinary here. Is it only me having fairy tale days or do others do it too?

My friend told me about this. He knew it from a friend who picked it from a blog :) But check this out; Its real fun. Just go to Google maps & try to find directions from New York, NY to London, England. Go down to step 23. What does it say to you? Think you can do it? Google is ever so thoughtful!

I got free tickets to this movie & we were not sure if we would make it within this weekend. But we found time & we got to watch it at a nearby theatre. I loved the movie. Very inspirational! It reminded some ordinary & important things in life. "People who are the hardest to love, need it the most" - this is from the movie & it brought a smile on my face whenever it was used on the screen. "Happiness is in the journey & not the destination." "Nothing remains the same forever; So enjoy the now." Dan: Where are you? Soc: Here. Dan: What time is it? Soc: Now. Dan: What are you doing? Soc: This. So many of us think about yesterday or tomorrow that we forget the 'now'. By focusing on what we do now & not thinking about what others may think or feel about you, its surprising 'how much' we can do. I later got to know that the movie was inspired from a book by Dan Millman. That would be my next read. Wikipedia brought this ...

Check the news link. This was today's highlight! "People in the US use the road more than anywhere else in the world." That's no news. As a frequent roadtripper, I cannot help feeling guilty about the increase. Why? We hit the road often & contribute to the increasing demand. Every time I see the smog layer when I drive, it kills me. All of this is not going to last very long. Yeah, that's what I feel. California, in all of US ranks high in gasoline prices(that's not news). "California is also isolated from other refining centers in the United States. Because most of California is designated by the federal government as an air quality "non-attainment" area, our gasoline must meet stringent air quality requirements to burn cleanly to protect public health and the environment." Though, I really doubt if we would stop(or reduce) our trips due to the increase in gas prices, I do plead guilty. The least I can do! (God! Bring the gas prices d...

I just noticed that I've been mentioning hubby a lot lately. At one time, it gave me a feeling that I was picturing him like a lazy, crazy guy. Not to be mistaken, please. Hubby dubby is a very sweet guy who cares a heaven lot about me. These are just everyday's blabbering :-)

10 years ago...why 10, until the day I got married, Amma was constantly behind my back telling me to do my things on time, never postpone, keep things in their places, brush your teeth twice a day, don't rush to work, call before you leave work, close after you open anything in the kitchen....trust me, the list is endless. "Amma, give me a break"! I never really thought too much about it, though I should agree that I was getting better with age :-) I wouldn't call it nagging. If I didn't do anything properly, she would tell it again & again & finally end up doing it herself. Ana, ippo, I am at the giving side. I am telling my hubby to do things on time, to keep stuff in the right places etc. How different am I from Amma? Well, I nag!!! Now, I understand how much it means to keep things in place & watch less TV. I wonder now, how Amma managed to tell me & not nag even once! Guess, its a fine line(or not!). I better watch what I am doing from now on....

Television has changed a child from an irresistible force to an immovable object. ~Author Unknown Everytime me & hubby watch a movie, we end up feeling guilty for having wasted time & assume & assure one another that this will not happen again. But when there is a dvd on the shelf, we just watch it, again. Hubby calls it relaxation. Relaxation from me!!! We generally start watching a movie together, but he gets so into the TV/movie that he needs a relaxation from that. I've rarely seen him work with that much focus. One thing I understand is, it is addictive & you end up spending way more time than you have. But we do it, all the same. Guess, its one of the necessary evils! And yeah! Men watch more TV than women. I have a living proof at home :-| A general blah blah post!

...I seldom seem to do :-( I worked so hard for my piano test today. As always, I got nervous & missed a note here & there while playing. Well! My prof sure seems to have experience with such people. He could understand :-) Was a little overjoyed when I knew my marks. For how long? Until he told us the date of the next performance test, a little over a month away! Darn. I will have to start working on 6 new songs. Now, I think. I could not enjoy or relish one moment of my victory, huh? What a pity! Moral: Its good to plan, but not to the extent where I live in the future & not the present!

If you are a Harry Potter fan, I warn you: Do not read any further! I've been a little behind & was eager to catch up with Harry Potter's series. Order of the Phoenix was not heavy only by size, also by contents. Ok, now I am revealing the suspense!!! I can't take it anymore. My head it breaking into pieces already. Sirius gets killed :-( This came as much a shock to me as Harry himself. Probably because of this, I did not like the book very much. So, I borrowed "half-blood prince" from the library thinking this cannot give me a worser news than the previous one. Alas! it did! Dumbledore gets killed in this one :-((( I've been way to upset to do anything today. What next? Maybe as my husband says, probably Rowling will kill Potter in her final book. ugh! The issue here is, I hate what is happening in book now. But cannot stop reading. I've got to know how it ends. Would definitely read "Deathly hallows". Until then, will manage with as muc...

Being a hiker for a while, I've had the opportunity to come across some mighty animals like grasshoppers, spiders, bees & slugs. Of all of these, slugs, specially, banana slug makes me feel "yucky". Well! That's my problem, isn't it. I have looked down on these creatures on the trail & have wondered "why". Well, turns out, as all other creatures, they hold an important job! Never in my wildest dreams would I google for a "banana slug"! Apparently, in reality, I did :-( But seriously, considering their size & speed, they have a very important job & they do it every minute of every day. Next time I see one on a trail, I might not lift my hat, but at least hang around to see what it actually does.

My first try at Panning during our last road trip. On I5 S. Observation: Panning is not as easy as it sounds. Exposure is a major issue. It is not easy to move your camera as much as you think :-( Who the hell found this technique??? grrrr

Karadaya Nombu falls on March 14th this year. It is celebrated by married women in various names in different part of India; Karva Chauth by people in North India & Teejri by Sindhis. Though called by various names, the essence of the pooja is common: husbands welfare & long life. People may consider this as a chauvinistic attitude(there are very few poojas done by husbands for the wife's welfare). But I well agree with the above-obvious explanation: "While the husband's well being is considered central to the happiness of the family, it is the wife who plays the critical role behind the scenes, caring, nurturing and praying for them. These rituals recognize the strength of the woman and her inner commitment to family and happiness for ever after."

A lot has been happening in the past week. Surprisingly, no time to even think what is going on! I've been meeting up with a lot of people over the past week & still finding less time to meet the others. All of a sudden 24 hours seem not so sufficient. No time to even feel tired. It is definitely nice to catch up with old friends, but, I've not been having time for myself lately. And my classes don't help, though I personally relish them! It is like I've been caught up in a whirlpool pulling me down & down. Sometimes you meet people & just want to listen to them. Don't talk, just listen. I met a friend last night after a long time who made me laugh my heart out. It was just a tiring "last 7 days" & yesterday was fun! Thanks Anu. You haven't changed a bit. Loved meeting up with you. Keep brightening everyone's day!

I've heard people say, "Heaven & Hell are what we make". There are heaven days, there are hell days. But we often hear people complain about their hell days. Not very often do we thank or be grateful for our heaven days. There are days we hate to meet certain people. But for all other days, are we happy to meet everyone? I've started to realize that just because I hate to meet someone, it does not mean they would vanish from my life. So, to successfully survive, why don't we look on how to live harmoniously? Like it or not, it does not feel good to change for others. Then how can we expect others to change for us? I do not believe in ideal situation or ideal world. So, we do not always get back what we do. Why expect & be disappointed then? "Letting go" is easier said than done, but looks like the only way out. How difficult can it get? As a kid, I had a lot of questions to ask. I felt uninterested if someone did not have an answer. Now, I think,...

I am back after my trip. Seems like I've not written forever! We saw a lot, ate a lot & drove a hell lot :-) Each place I saw, I'd never seen before. I did not know such places exist. Life was everywhere, even in the desert-only we have to take the trouble to look in deep. When I saw all those Pueblo ruins in Northern Arizona, I could not help wonder how those people lived in such arid conditions. Mind you, they built houses almost 1000 years ago. They lived as a community. At least 10 people slept in a room. Maybe that's what kept them alive- being together. They cultivated in those barren lands. Some years, they received rain, some none. Their life expectancy was short, say 30 years, but they did fight to survive that long. I could not have managed for a couple of days, I think. There is beauty in that. Beauty in the way they lived, beauty in the way the mountains are formed, beauty in the way the wind howls across the desert, beauty in the red painted deserts, beaut...

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain Yay! I will be on vacation for four days starting tomorrow! Strongly recommend you take yours too! Bon Voyage, travel souls.

This guy has practically driven down an unpaved road with his 2wd rental car into GC (as we all call it passionately). Amazing! Took me by surprise. Right when I thought I had covered a considerable part of Western US, here comes a guy with a website to show me all those places I seldom knew existed! At least, some more reasons that I should keep travelling :-)

I recently received an email. Excerpts : "hi... new yr. wuz gr8.... 10 days sem hols in house.... really gr8.... i went 2 XXX 4 a wknd....only 2 buy XXXXX... (XXX added for identity issues) stayed @ frnds house.... thats it 4 now.." This email had me staring at it for a while. Points to be noted: was is no more style- use wuz ! you no longer have friends - you have either frnds or frenz ! And huh, talk to da frenz, ok? If your email/letter has only alphas , you are from the 90's. In case you didn't notice alpha-numeric is in town! Some additional vocabulary: enuf! cm! - short for come (**&%&^$) jz - just (*^%*$) tym - so difficult to type 'time', is it? And yeah! the very famous 10x . 10 x? what is 10 x? Its not 10 x hon. Put it together: 10x is thanks, see! Oh God! And yeah, add a similar explanation for 10q too! ( sigh ) Looks like English has taken a wild turn these days. I don't know who the culprit is. Is it messenger...

If I could I'd protect you from the sadness in your eyes Give you courage in a world of compromise Yes, I would If I could I would teach you all the things I've never learned And I'd help you cross the bridges that I've burned Yes, I would If I could I would try to shield your innocence from time But the part of life I gave you isn't mine I've watched you grow So I could let you go If I could I would help you make it through the hungry years But I know that I can never cry your tears But I would; If I could If I live In a time and place where you don't want to be You don't have to walk along this road with me My yesterday Won't have to be your way If I knew I'd have tried to change the world I brought to you to And there isn't very much that I can do But I would If I could... Oh baby... mummy wants to protect you And help my baby through the hungry years It's part of me And if you ever... ever need Sad shoulder to cry on I'm just some...

If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream. Martin Luther King, jr. These few words were quoted in her blog. I do not want to link it to her blog, I don't know why. Some people rock! And you move! Next time I want to wail about my toothache, I will think twice.

This is something I've never tried with my camera. But seems interesting. Will have to try it soon. I don't think this is going to be as easy as it looks, though.

As a kid, I was known for my speed. I never knew to do anything slow. When amma asked to me join yoga class during my college days, I told her, "Yoga is too slow for me, ma! I'd rather run for a mile". Well! She never forced me into it after that (just let me get into it when I had the right attitude I guess). That's one of the million good things she did for me :-) Yoga did not come into my life until maybe a couple of months ago. I have done asanas before, not as Yoga; But just to check if my flexibility is still ok. Age has caught up with me now. I do not know if that is the reason, but I love Yoga now. I am trying to get it as a part of my daily life. Other benefits apart, how much more relaxed & confident I feel? The feeling is intense. I have joined for a Hatha Yoga class now. Why would I even do that? I hated Yoga; mind you, not just "disliked" it. I really don't know. I do not regret why I did not learn it earlier. Some things are meant to be...

This sure sounded funny familiar!!! oh, God!

I've been trying forever to watch this movie & I finally got to watch it last weekend! I heard mixed reviews from friends about this movie. I do not like Aamir as much as I like Kajol. But the movie was so good. I mean, the songs are still on my mind. Love all the songs: lyrics & video choreography. "Mere haath me" is a personal fav. Rehan the boy, was just so cute. Tabu did not get a more prominent role as she deserved! The end was a little abrupt, but takeable. Sonu Nigam has magic in his voice. Loved a Hindi movie so much in a long time, maybe after 'Lage Raho'.

M - O - T - H - E - R "M" is for the million things she gave me, "O" means only that she's growing old, "T" is for the tears she shed to save me, "H" is for her heart of purest gold; "E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining, "R" means right, and right she'll always be, Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER," A word that means the world to me. Howard Johnson (c . 1915) No! Its not Mother's day yet! Tomorrow is a milestone in my life & all I can think of is my mom living thousands of miles away yet, so close to my heart. Remembering you specially, just like any other day, ma.

...I would freeze life when I was 3 years old; I was young, my parents young & healthy, friends to play around without any seriousness, no botheration who ruled which country, never worry about giving Exams, everyone would pet me, life would have been so perfect! On a heavier note, when I was a child, I was yearning to become an adult(anything I could not do then, I would be able to do, when I become an adult); Now that I am one, why is it that I want to go back to my childhood?(maybe the same reasons!) Life was so complete, peaceful & secure as a child; Wouldn't have to go to school, grow up, give Exams, learn my lessons, face life, fight, figure, acquire.... Life now is not bad; Happy the way things are. Yes. I am sure! But then, I cannot stop wondering if only I could rewind & freeze life.... hmm Strange! Miss not having to grow up!

Tell a man th e re are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it a nd he'll have to touch it to be sure. ~Murphy's Law It's always been and always will be the same in the world: The horse does the work and the coachman is tipped. ~Author Unknown When the plane you are on is late, the plane you want to transfer to is on time. ~Author Unknown It's frustrating when you know all the answers, but nobody bothers to ask you the questions. ~Author Unknown If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire. ~Author Unknown People who snore always fall asleep first. ~Author Unknown The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement. ~Author Unknown People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them. ~Dave Barry How is it that our memory is good enough to retain...

Some very basic tips I came across. I am one of those people who believes in the photographer, rather than the camera itself. The camera does matter, but not as much as the photographer's perspective. Photography in my eyes, is an ocean, not just a hobby or passion. There is so much I learn everyday. I've always seen my dad with his AGFA SLR that he never allowed me to touch for as long as he saw me as a kid, which was like for a long time :-) Before even meeting my husband, I knew he had a passion for photography. Passionless people surprise me. There is so much in this world to feel happy about. Photography lets me capture those memories so that they live with me forever. There has never been a day, where I have not thanked the person who found the lens. Happy clicking!

Shocking! but true.

Pongal is India's version of Thanksgiving. It is celebrated in a grand manner for 3 days. Pongal falls on 15th Jan this year. A day to thank all our farmers who have worked so hard over the whole year and will reap a rich harvest(hopefully) on this day. I met two of my long lost friends from school :-) Me is very happy happy. Thanks to Orkut, I met Jayashree after almost 10 years & Sowmya after 15 years. I tried to bake a cake for the first time; knowing that there were lots of people to eat it. Our better halves gladly took in everything. How sweet! Way back then, all we talked about was school, studies, exam, teachers, juniors, seniors, who was talking to whom, who was not, etc. Now we talk about life, family life, husbands, world, global warming, travel etc. What a change? Our childhood talks seem so stupid & silly now. But then, if we were not what we were then, we would not talk & laugh about all of them now. Life makes us play the game. Meeting Jayashree & Sow...

Trust me! I have nothing against guys, other than the fact that I am married to one :-) Got this as a fwd from one of my friends; Hilarious!!! The Guys' Rules At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down Finally , the guys' side of the story. (I must admit, it's pretty good.) We always hear " the rules " From the female side. Now here are the rules from the male side. These are our rules! Please note.. these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE! 1. Men are NOT mind readers. 1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way. 1. Crying is blackmail. 1. Ask for what you want.Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it! 1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question. 1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for. 1. A headache that lasts for 17...