Petrichor

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 :-)