Monday, December 10, 2007

A fwded email about Life

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 least three people smile each day.

13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, d on't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Forgive everyone for everything.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34. The best is yet to come.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. Do the right thing!

37. Call your family often.

38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: 'I am thankful for __________.' Today I accomplished _________.

39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

May your troubles be less,
May your blessings be more,
May nothing but happiness come through your door!

Friday, December 07, 2007

Variety is the spice of life

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.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Glued to my seat, literally

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.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Brrrrr

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

Monday, November 19, 2007

Madras in California

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 without a single dime.

The best part was after the pooja. He came over to all of us to give milk(from the abishekam), veebuthi, kungumam & santhanam. In most of the temples here, we will have to go to get it.
It might not be a big deal for many people, but for me, it reminded me of my homeland & the temples near my home. The place smelled camphor, oil & all the pooja items. Call me materialistic, but that's a good reason for me to like a temple.

I was so happy. I intend to visit this temple more often. It is very calm. Not many people(thank the distance).

All this happiness with a typical South Indian lunch & dinner made it an ideal weekend. I love my life :-)

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

So long!

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!

Friday, November 09, 2007

Frozen memories

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 drastically different.
- good food is still available, but I lack the interest to eat oily food
- School is intact, but most of the teachers who taught me have retired; all new faces. What's the point in going back to school again?
- distanced out from college
- friends & extended family still are intact; only in weddings. After all, they have their lives too
- society is probably still traditional, but there seem to be a lot of accepted rebels. Girls are probably not restricted entry after 9 or so at night. Do I need to mention about the new night clubs that have popped up?
- my vahanam, long gone :-( but not dead. Hopefully in better hands!!! In any case, it would take me a long time to drive in those roads again
- the trains & buses are still there. But the people who use it have increased multi-fold. In my last trip, surprisingly, I started loving the buses for the simple reason, autos seemed nothing but a mini version of Lord Yama. But what's with the million Nokia phones, people? You don't know of a vibrating mode?
- aaah! the pollution- multi-folded if not multi-multi-folded.
- now its just not Ranganathan st that is crowded. I'd just stop at that!
- I had taken an oath that I would stick to Madras even after the name change. You cannot change a name just like that, u know! Now, everyone seems comfortable. A small satisfaction: Bangalore is Bengalooru. ugh!
- after 2 earthquakes & the Dec 26th Tsunami, I doubt if the place is as safe as it used to be. After all, what do we expect with an addition of a million more people to the city? Cleanliness & order. PLEASE!!!


Chennai is crossing cultural boundaries like never before. The pros are always welcome. But what is the result of all this westernization? Fear of the next generation.
Sitting on the other side of the world, we, the so called NRI's want to instill (lost) Indian values to our kids. I have friends who hunt down an Indian day care center so their kids could learn Gayathri mantra & yoga at 2!

Anyways, the point is, most of us have ideas of settling back in our home country. What if we do not find happiness there? What if we do not find what we expected to find?

Life is filled with complex choices & decisions. Be it what, but our country is OUR COUNTRY!!!
I really doubt if I will want to be a citizen of any other country.

Just a random blah blah...

Monday, October 29, 2007

What we should really bother about

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!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

While I was walking

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 & a credit card. Well, it turned out that there were 3 kids in the car with a father(I assume). He was already on call, probably 911. So did not want to intervene.
It took a while to bring my heartbeat to normal.

I kept walking.

I see dead Maple leaves on the ground.
Gosh! I did not have my camera?
Dead things still have life & beauty...Am I heartless?

While waiting for one more signal, I thought, you need to be a photographer to enjoy the nuances of nature.
Well! What a life! Just a little more & I will be home.

I see the bushes, the plants.
Nature is natural. Plants leave out just about right amount of CO2. Give it to humans & they can change the weather globally.

I finally come home. I thought so much. I observed a lot this evening, but could not control my thoughts or mind, forget alone mastering it. Today's failure may be tomorrow's success.
So, I think & get back to the day's work.

Self reminder: Take the camera tomorrow. Maybe I'll think less & see more.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

rendez-vous with a Mexican Mami

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, DIL, her sister & mother.
I ended up telling a bit about myself too. She wished me luck & apologized for having taken too much time.
Well! Its not often I meet someone who likes Indians(trust me!). It felt nice to meet her in fact.
Mexican ho ya Indian, Maa to aakhir Maa hi hoti hai.
What surprised me the most was, she never, for a minute, hesitated to disclose that her DIL was from a different culture/country. I doubt if that would be the case if any Indian married someone outside the caste. A million woes, whinings probably for as long as either of them is alive!
That was the thought of my day.

God save her from Denver's winter.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Satta - the game of power

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 movie!!! Loved the last part where she plays the game :-)

This is my first of Madhur Bhandarkar's films; Certainly, not the last!

Monday, October 08, 2007

The child is the father of the man

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 them do not believe in God, some say they are spiritual but not religious(thanks to Orkut), some say they are Atheists & do not believe in the existence of a God, some follow natural Guru's, some believe in God, others hate people not believing in God. Phew. What a variety!!!

Our parents/ grandparents did everything as they were told. No questions asked.
They probably listened only to Carnatic music & believed that was the world. Well, they were happy with it. I wouldn't accept that they were male chauvinists, but they did have some ego associated with their caste, family traditions, ancestor's property, religion etc. Almost all of them were religious & "believers".
Wives were mostly at home: Took utmost care of all the children & the elders of the family.
A lot happened everywhere in the world, but I am not sure if they were even interested in it. The male of the family, yes, but the ladies, I doubt.
How they managed to get all their kids good education & a good life after that bites me. They were so contented whatever little they earned.
They believed in honesty, labour & sharing.

The verdict: after hearing both the sides, I have reached the following conclusion(Solomon Papaiya ishtyle)
I think each is justified wherever they are/were. I will not totally agree that the world is a better place to live now, but as individuals/kids/ families, I think we are all better off today. I just hope this keeps going in the right direction.

P.S: Had I not generalized, I would not have been able to write anything. I have seen exceptions in my own family.
I am from a Tamil Brahmin community & hence my knowledge is limited to this community.

Monday, October 01, 2007

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 things that I thought I never would feel. Well! Call me crazy. But I've seen kids(with siblings) fight over their mother-every one wants a share of their mom. Those times, I am so lucky that I can have my mom all to myself.

P.S: People with siblings, no harm meant to you. Just felt lucky today. Spilled it here.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Beach combing


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!!!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Travelling across countries?

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

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

punch

What comes free and in tonnes?
Advice.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

A Blessed weekend

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 attend one when you visit India.

There was a whole bunch of crowd & the event was a huge success that we, the organizers, are totally motivated to have him come back soon. I hope Swamiji knows that he has a relatively small family back here in bay area & are trying hard to bind him to samsara(jus' kiddin', Swamiji!!)

Thanks to Shakila & all others who made this experience possible.
He should probably know this by now, but Swamiji is a blessed soul!

Hari Om!
Memories from the events

Friday, August 24, 2007

News

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?

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Orthodox paradox

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 small things that matter most? OR is it the other way round? We concentrate on small things so much that we forget the big picture?

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Take flight

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 in again, I doubt if the courtesy will remain.

Fellow Indians! Pls spare us. We don't want to look at every desi with doubtful eyes.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Bollywood stars

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!"

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Weekend madness

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! Uvaaaak. Serves me right to drool for Brad Pitt.
A short visit to the library & the weekend is gone! Of course a guilt course followed. Next weekend will be spent more wisely. Or so we think.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The Deathly Hallows


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 is not completely gone, is he?
Incredible how all things fall into place!
The book broke records & created history. Nothing unexpected.

I did miss out on the midnight release countdown fun & all, but heard it from a friend!
I am not going to be a spoiler & let out all the thrillers!
It is a must-read & I plan to buy the entire series when it is out. I strongly believe that Harry Potter is a must-have in every house.
I might even venture out to more J K Rowling in future.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Harry Potter-5

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. Things that took probably 100 pages to read would be done in a couple of minutes; Stuff that happens 10 pages or less were out of the movie!(It is a long book, no doubt!)
Dementors no more created fear/coldness like they did in Part 3.
Dumbledore fails to make an impact.
Would care to see more of Snape/Dark Lord.
Radcliff seems to grow way faster than the movie needs him to!!!

Umbridge is a good selection(she does make you smile) & so is Luna Lovegood.
Part 5 has a lot more action than its predecessors, but till date, Sorcerer's stone is a personal fav. I just can't wait until next yr to watch for Half-blood Prince. I want to catch a copy of the final book in a couple of days, hoping only that I forget it before the movie releases in 3 yrs.
I did not watch it on iMAX, if that would have made a difference.
psss...For no other movie will I run to the theatre at 10am!!!

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Better late than never


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"& a pinch of "Indian". So, maybe I was biased when I went to watch the movie.
But, to be honest, I seemed to like it. Rajini "looks" different(good different), Vivek's comedy is hilarious, Shriya looks cute & I was happy to see a mini "Sun TV pongal pattimandram" caste there.
IMO, it is a Shankar's movie made with Rajini in mind. If it was a total Rajini movie, I would have seen him as a milkman.
Songs are all well made( I hadn't listened to even one song before I watched the movie).
It is totally a Shankar's movie when it came to grandeur, style, theme, concept & the catchy "cool" all through the movie.
Can never forget it is a Rajini's movie when it came to style, comedy, punch dialogues, song lyrics etc.
A nice entertainment in a long time! I was not "waiting" for this movie, so cannot say, "well worth the wait", but a "watchable Tamil entertainer in a long time" is surely apt.


Not yet watched it, please do.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Has American culture ruined you?

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.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Drop your mother's tongue

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?

Monday, June 25, 2007

reflections

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 :-(

Sunday, June 17, 2007

All are one

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!

Friday, June 15, 2007

Thought splash

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!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Why do we blog?

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)

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Passion of the Christ

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 for doing nothing but good.
Again, like the most-talked-about Da Vinci Code being fictitious, I don't know how much of this is truth. I did read a lot of reviews stating that the movie had a catholic influence(the importance/presence of Mary all through the film) from its writer/producer Mel Gibson. Mary Magdalene was also shown all though the film!!!!

I am very much human & the movie made me hate the character of Judas even more for cheating on Jesus.
Here are some of the movie trivia. And yeah! James Caviezel was "the" man to be Jesus.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Most popular hike

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:




Monday, May 21, 2007

Flashback















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 :)

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Mothers

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.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Good Samaritan

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' have left it.
I've had prior bad experiences where what I had lost was never found. Having full faith in my ill- luck, I checked what had to be done to get news cards.
We checked with Customer Service at Walmart(personally). She called in to the correct person & thankfully she had come back. She said that she had a purse, but will come out to check if it was really mine. It must have been a moment, but it seemed like ages to me.
The minute the lady came out, she almost instantly said, "Its hers". Needless to say, how happy & relieved I was.
I thanked her & let God bless her a million times :-) For a while, I went around with my purse & thought of buying something there. I just suddenly had the feeling I owed Walmart something!

Well! pointing to the fact that I've never had someone return my lost items, you can imagine how happy, relieved & how much belief I started to have on people.

That person who had handed over the purse to Customer Service saved me so much trouble.
My husband just said, "When you lose, you never lose the lesson". I said, "Yeah. Not for a long time".

The End.

:-)

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Let them be

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 person some time & space to do things. Else what? I can do it myself, with happiness.*yay*


Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Why did I get married?

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 not stop with just my parents :-)

Reason for this post: I was listening to a KGO radio talk show while driving to SF today & the topic for the day was 'death & how to cope with it'. That's when a caller shared her thoughts. We all do not know how long we are going to stay around. So, why not make sure we remember to tell people we love them & they mean so much to us? In the long run, we tend to remember the good things than the melancholy.
I echo my father's words, "respect/love people when they are around rather than give respects after their death".

So, this post is for dear hubby. If I have not told you how much I appreciate you & how much I love to be with you, I am sorry, I do NOW. I thank God for 'you'. I would not call our marriage a 'fairytale', but you do treat me like a queen...just as you promised.

Looking back at my life, I would not want to change anything. How lucky am I to say that until now :-) God is generous with me.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Gone in a flash

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. Just take a turn around!

Friday, April 13, 2007

Bada bejara keedu pa

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*]

When I was a kid & used to watch all those "good cop vs bad guys" movies by Sarath Kumar or Vijaykanth, I used to wish & hope that there was someone like that in real life.

If a good movie is given to us, won't we appreciate it?

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Warm & Welcoming

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?

Thursday, April 05, 2007

google's googly

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!

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Peaceful warrior

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 up about Dan Millman.


Free tickets to a good movie! Not a bad itinerary for a Spring Sunday, is it?

Friday, March 30, 2007

I plead guilty


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 down. Or even better, bring out an alternate natural fuel. Help me stop feeling guilty :-|| )

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Oh, no no

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 :-)

History repeats

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. I am going to get it back from the next generation! At least Amma will make sure she tells what all I did :-(
In any case, I won't be surprised if my kid or any other kid comes to me & says, "nee chinna vayasula unoda amma pecha ketiya? na en kekanum?"
I don't have an answer now. But will have to work on getting one(something in the "na thaan kekala, ipdi ayiten; neeyavathu kelu" version) before I have a kid.
As they say, "pollatha olagamada".

Entertainment box?

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!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

to live now...

...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!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

how do I write that I feel like crying?

















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 much sleep I get, huh.

If by any chance I broke a suspense you were not aware of, what can I say? I warned you, didn't I? And yeah, I did not give who killed him. As if it mattered!

sluggish

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.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Trial & error?

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

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."

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Happiness

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!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

life being fair?


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, if I have a question, I need to look for an answer. I cannot expect someone to find one for me. I do not think I will be convinced with that either. But life is not always simple. Complexity may be difficult & annoying, but that gives a sense of achievement.

Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.-- Shari R. Barr

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Atheists

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, beauty in snow, beauty in the way people are.
Wherever there is beauty, I often sit to wonder who its creator is. Maybe Nature, maybe He who everyone calls God, or maybe Nature is God. I do not know.

But there is beauty in everything, including our fingerprints. I know only a very few things in life. There are thousands I do not know, millions that I only imagine of, billions & trillions that I cannot even imagine of! But those exist. Sometimes, we see them; other times, we oversee them.

So, to be an Atheist, you should neither see, feel, touch or sense all these beautiful things. If not, you can ponder over the fact: who created it?
I once called myself an Atheist. How dumber could I get?

Thursday, February 15, 2007

A journey of 2000 miles begins with 1

"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.

Monday, February 12, 2007

you can drive into The Grand Canyon!!!

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 :-)

Thursday, February 08, 2007

whats with the reduction???


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? Maybe a little!
I think I would attribute this to the SMS culture in India. (Oh! I didn't mention this is happening in India; apparently, people in US have more time, or so it seems). I heard a lot about the SMS revolution in India. Growing like wildfire!!!
These college-goers have their own slang & it continues till they get to work. Fine, hon. Lower a notch, would ya?
The slang is here to stay, it seems. Its like "the thing" in fashion now!
Give me a break. (heavy sigh)

Monday, February 05, 2007

If I Could











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 someone to talk to
I'll be there... I'll be there
I didn't change your world
But I would
If I Could!

-Celine Dion

I just came across these lovely words; And paused!
Could not agree more. My mommy's the BEST!

Inspiring thoughts from a cancer fighter!

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.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Camera Panning technique

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.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

When nature & age conspires

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 just the way they are. Guess, my learning Yoga is one such thing!

Also, I've often heard elders say, "When you really want to learn something new, nature will work its charm & some opportunities come in search of you". Strange! Strange, but true.

I've joined a Yoga class now. A few years earlier, I would have seen it strange for me to get into Yoga. Now, its becoming a part of my life.
I was known for my short temper. It used to be my identity. I've lost it to a certain extent now. And I still feel myself. Is that Yoga's charm? I don't know.

Now, I firmly believe that there are so many mysterious things in this world that we do not know. I've started believing in miracles. I've begun to believe that good people do exist & everything that happens is for good.

"Just because I close my eyes, it does not mean that there is no Sun."

Ignorance is bliss! yes! But knowledge is better! Life feels a lot better.

I talk like this to amma & she calls me a "paati". Well! What can I say? She is is a woman of the 21st century.

Monday, January 29, 2007

he he he he he he he he

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

Fanaa

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'.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

"Amma"

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.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

If only we could pause life...

...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!

Monday, January 22, 2007

How true!

Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and 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 the least triviality that happens to us, and yet not good enough to recollect how often we have told it to the same person? ~François Duc de La Rochefoucauld

Have a nice week ahead!

Sunday, January 21, 2007

some very basic photography tips

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!

Friday, January 19, 2007

How can someone die from drinking too much water?

Shocking! but true.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

my Pongal gift



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 & Sowmya was my Pongal gift. Hopefully, we will make a trip to Chicago soon to visit Jayashree :-)

A Very happy Pongal to all!

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

OMG! guys!!!!!


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 months is a Problem. See a doctor.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you won't dress like the Victoria 's Secret girls, don't Expect us to act like soap opera guys.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.
1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one
1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done. Not both.
If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.
Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," We will act like nothing's wrong.
We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine. Really .
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, or golf.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this.

Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;
But did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.