Petrichor

This is one of my fav. quotes from Stepmom. You think: "This is me" & a situation happens that makes you realize you are capable of doing something that you never thought you would. Life is a series of events, definitely. I am learning to take it one day at a time. We are capable of doing a lot more than we are actually doing. For those of you who are wondering "what the hell is this?", I am just venting out(good sense).

Hangzhou bay bridge Wish, I could just see this, at least from the air :-) 36 km across the sea? Is that something or what? I hope they open it up soon to the public. The statistics are mind-blowing! Where are the Chinese & China headed? Well, at least they make good use of the population they have.

Iru Kodugal (Two lines)This is a yesteryear tamil movie directed by K.B. Well, I concentrate only on the definition of two lines in the movie. It goes like this: How to make a line smaller without extending it? Draw a longer line next to the existing line. The 1st one seems smaller now :-) The movie starts at that & deals with a real time situation. I've grown up seeing this movie many times. Time & about, I am learning from this movie. When you are faced with a difficulty in life that does not seem to go away, a bigger issue that takes all your time, energy & sleep makes your difficulty a no-brainer. You think you have an issue today. If you don't deal with it NOW & postpone it for tomorrow, most likely you are faced with a bigger issue the next day. Now you have to deal with 2. Life is unfair. We all know that. It is better to accept that & learn from each day every bit it has to offer. Life is too short to let go by. You need to live & enjoy every m...

It is surprising how things happen happily when you keep worrying about how to go about it. I don't know if it is God or Destiny or simply put, Existence. My dad calls it Nature! Whatever be it, good things happen to all people! Sometimes, we just take it for granted. We don't notice the small things. When I finally get around to noticing these small things, I cannot help but realize that I did nothing, but to be concerned as to Why things don't go the way I wanted it? Because, there is something better in store for me! What we plan for ourselves is not necessarily the best for us. Time to notice the small things in life! I can do nothing, but :-) at the intelligence that has dawned upon me.

A good deal found me & better half at San Jose's Under the Grand Chapiteau at Taylor's Bridge. Reason: Valentine's day! Cirque du soleil is a team from Montreal that is one of the most popular shows in Vegas. They are in bay area until March. The tickets are pricey, I would say. Nevertheless, worth every penny! Seriously. A 2 hr 30 min show of complete entertainment. Surprisingly, I did not see any kids(unlike the traditional back-home template). On second thoughts, it was well that way. The live band produces way too much sound for a kid to handle. It was a cold, unusually-windy night, but the hall was full! No animals on the show, but amazing acrobatics! Worth a visit, I would say!

The topic of discussion last saturday was Marriage. The 1st comment was Marriage can be a great teaching or a curse . The 2nd, Marriage is a great accident or a sweet incident . Most of us questioned how marriage can be a great accident? Isn't it a series of accidents? If a man/woman is prepared for Marriage, it would be a sweet incident? But are any of us prepared before a marriage? We are not even ready for a wedding until the day dawns! The joint consensus was If you can let go of your personality(EGO) & be open to take in & embrace the other person as a whole(the pluses & minuses), then, you change the great accident to a sweet incident. How feasible is this? Sounds Crazy! Impossible! Well, can't we give it a try? After all, marriage requires constant nurturing. Nothing is impossible with the mind. Though the relationship involves 2 people, how one person reacts pretty much decides how the other person will take it & react back. So, throwing apart the fact...

My Guru always reminds to count my blessings. In the same context, he says,"The wheel that makes the most noise, gets replaced first. So stop Whining!" How true! Today, the Sun has come out after probably more than a week. Trust me, it is a blessing. How many times I whine for getting caught in traffic? Well, now, I see it as quality time hearing music & checking out other cars. How many times I've complained that it is too hot? Now, I think of days when I don't see the Sun :-) How many times I've complained about too much crowd? Now, I think of times when I've not had many people around, specially my family. How many times I've complained about halting my career to get married & come 20000 miles away to a new land? Now, how many people get married at the right age, to the right person get to live happily ever after, without having to sacrifice your family? When things don't happen as per our plans, it probably means there is a better plan. Ev...

We've been watching so many movies lately & the latest one is Rush Hour 3. I was leaning on comedy more & the movie did not disappoint me. Tucker is funny as hell! Chan is getting old! But he is still a Ninja. I cannot rate it as a must-see or a don't-see, but it is a good time pass. I am running over old collections of Tamil movies from the library. Thillana Mohanambal is next on the list :-) If only I could get a glue that could make hubby sit through this one!!!! ufff

For the past couple of months, different things are happening in my life that makes me live in the "now"! Sometimes, it is so easy to let go of things. Other times, when I see dear ones sick or affected, my heart reaches out to them. Why do they have to suffer? Someone I talked to yesterday told me, "It is their KARMA. What else can you blame it on?" I don't know if I want to believe in it. Why are so many people falling sick? Why do so many people die in a way you would not want your worst of enemies to suffer? I agree. The only certain thing in life is Death. But why can't everyone die peacefully? I understand "why" is out of my ignorance. May be I will get an answer some day. But it is really troubling. So many people suffer with so many things & I sometimes fight for things immaterial. Life is full of lessons & realizations. May enlightment dawn upon me! All this on the day of Pongal. Well, Thai piranthal vazhi pirakum!

This happened a few days ago. I am a travel blogger too & read others' public journals, well at least from a few specific people. So, there is this lady who is traveling around the world. She is a Westerner. India happened to be one of the stops in her life's journey. Now, I cannot imagine to travel without a plan in place, without making proper arrangements for food etc. So, obviously, I adore people who do all that. Anyways, coming back to the point, she travels alone & makes friends everywhere. She has recently traveled to Calcutta(or whatever it has changed to now) & has posted pictures of the streets, roads, people AS IT IS !!! Now, we all know how the streets of Calcutta can look to us. I love Calcutta. I have stunning memories from the city. The city is dirty, polluted & over-populated, but it has flavor. This lady has mentioned this too! Well, it is her blog & she has the right to write what she feels like. Below there, I see a comment from A patriot...

Every year has special memories attached to it. 2007 is no exception. Lots of events, lots of new people, lots of travel, lots of food...2007 has seen it all. Together with 2007, I let go of my anger, sadness & fear. With the dawn of 2008 dawns new hopes, happiness, the need to feel happy every moment. I generally do not believe in New year resolutions. But this time, I realized one thing. If I cannot be happy here and now, I cannot be happy anywhere anytime. So, as my Guru says, let there be more hugging...no bugging :-) 2007 is definitely very special in a lot of ways. We traveled to places we did not expect. -Two weeks in Alaska was definitely an eye-opening experience. It was a penance, I would say. -Got back in touch with a lot of friends from school, thanks to Orkut. -Started some soul-searching. Still going strong! -Stopped believing in justification. -Everything happens for a reason. Just because you don't know it yet, doesn't mean there is no reason. -Theoretical f...

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 ...