Petrichor

I'd read this book a while ago but not sure if I wrote about it. As always, we were travelling(I don't remember where-maybe Alaska) & I picked up this book attracted by the name. I had no idea it was non fiction. So, I just started reading the book hoping to just browse & just drop it back(I had so much planning to do for my actual trip). Turned out that for 2-3 days all I ever did was read the book. Thankfully, I had leftovers & did not bother eating much anyway. When I was not reading, I loyally left the book beside me. Next to me while I ate, slept. You won't believe...I even took it to the restroom with me(I have this tradition only with J K Rowling's Harry Potter series!!!). This book narrates a young man's adventure & quest for the wild that Canada was. When he was at college, all he wanted to do was travel across the mighty country that we call Canada all by foot, canoe & dogsled. So, when he dropped out of school, he started his mission w...

Has there been any moment when it has snowed every moment? It could be somewhere, anywhere in this world. If yes, would that mean that it snows every moment on some part of earth? Wonder why I thought of this while folding my laundry, huh??

Though I knew it, one of our family brought it to light that it has been a long time I posted here. I'd love to say that the last few weeks were pretty hectic & I just couldn't find time to write something here. Not so! The last few weeks have been totally different. I've had the time to do so many things that were in my "to do" list for a long time. Thanks to better management of time & sleep. The secret: a seven day yoga program. A very close friend forced me to join this course. I was hesitant & skeptical. I was not sure I was up for the 30 min twice a day commitment(40 days). I have a toddler & I really toggle between her & other work at home already. Plus what big change would come? But somehow, I registered for this class. Since I read somewhere that they give discount for married couples, I brought G in too(though the main reason would be to make sure I get through the 40 days). From the day I registered till the 1st day at class, this...

Seriously, why don't some people allow some other people to live peacefully?????? grrrr...

Yesterday, I was on my usual walk with the little one. Everything was as usual. Little one was being curious george, I was trying to manage her, said hi to a couple people on the road, smiled at some, crossed El Camino. Everything was as usual until now. So, I met an old man, er, an old Indian man. Like at others, I smiled at him as he was passing by me. He returned my smile. I was to continue my way when: Old Indian Man(OIM): Where are you from? Me to him(MTH): Chennai. Me to myself(MTM): uh-oh! OIM: Oh. Chennai a? Tamizha? Where in Chennai? MTH: I gave him the location. OIM: Anga enga? MTH: Gave him the exact location. OIM: Naanga Chennai thaan. Ana settled in Bombay for 22 years. MTH: o ho. MTM: na ketena? OIM: Kalyanam acha? MTH: yes MTM: pakathu veetu kozhanthaya stroller le thallindu varen OIM: Evlo varsham? 2-3 years? MTH: 5 years. OIM: Oh. 5 yrs acha? Chinna kozhanthaya iruke, 2-3 yrs irukumonu keten. MTH: :-) OIM: Ponna payyana? MTH: Ponnu OIM: enna vayasu? MTH: one OIM: Adika...

I am currently in the home country for a supposed vacation. But here, home country no more feels like home & no need to mention there is no vacation. On the bright side, my daughter turned ONE here, with all friends & relatives closeby. Things have changed here in Chennai. Less than a million people mentioned that to me which I refused to believe. Even worse, I was imagining the Chennai when I was a kid. I remember those days when I used to visit the temple next door with my neighbor everyday, especially on Exam days! When I went to work, I worked on the afternoon shift. So, I don't much remember the crowd or heat as I was in Tidel Park most of the times. On other times, I would go to my destination & be back home on my loyal Scooty. Now, it is a different story. I don't have my loyal friend around. So, I rely on the currently famous "call-taxi". It does the job. It has not created a hole in my wallet, but I can feel the heat. But it is inevitable. I have ...

" However being here, it is ever-so-clear that India is desperate for more people with a mission in mind. The country sorely needs to restructure its education system. The environmental situation here is dire- in our opinion, un-recoverable. The health care system is awful, child labor is still permitted, millions of people are homeless or live in tent cities. Clean water only comes in bottles which are far too costly for the locals to purchase. AIDS, leprosy, and Tuberculosis are as common as a cold. Yes, India certainly needs more people with a mission ." taken from here . If these people want a better India, shouldn't we?

I had a 11.45 appointment. After that, I fed little S her veggies. She had her yogurt & we went for a walk. The weather was gloomy. But I seldom expected her to go to sleep. But then, what is in your hand? So, not having the heart to wake her & hoping it would be a short nap, I started to walk. The weather seemed pleasant to me. Why waste it? I should've covered a mile or so when I saw a big board that read "Sidewalk closed". But there was space & I squeezed in. But a couple yards later, I see the same sign. But no space to squeeze through. I was going for a walk. Where I walk hardly mattered. So, I made a U turn & started walking in another direction. I heard someone whistle or someone holler. I looked back & an elderly worker signalled me to come right ahead. So, I turned back. He took out every cone that was blocking the way so that my stroller could pass right through. I did thank every guy out there for letting me through. But they didn't hav...

Hubby lost his thatha recently. Hubby had high regards for him since childhood. He still remembers the walk-to-the-beach they had when he was in kindergarten. I was not fortunate enough to know him well. But when I was putting the little one to sleep last night, I was wondering where has thatha gone? In other words, what happens after our life here? Just thinking, you know.... So happens. Hubby comes home. And he shares similar thoughts. And it also means to me...our life comes to and end "without notice". Thatha slept last night. Did not wake up. I mean, there are so many people close to us. How many people are we ready to give up? Well, me not ready to lose some people at all. But then, who am I to decide? Life is just that.

On news And I worried about not going to India in the last 2 yrs... pfff.

Mumbai Blasts! Greece riots! Astronaut let tools into workspace! Forever china-Tibet war! More blasts! Yet another bomb scare!... Where is Lord Krishna? He promised!!!

I may never see tomorrow, there is no written guarantee. And things that happened yesterday, belong to history I cannot predict the future, I cannot change the past I have just the present moment, I must treat it as my last I must use this moment wisely, for it will soon pass away And be lost to me forever, as part of yesterday I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet. Be a friend unto the friendless, make an empty life complete The unkind things I do today, may never be undone And friendships that I fail to win, may never more be won I may not have another chance on bended knee to pray And thank God with humble heart, for giving me this day ~ Author Unknown Just in case I want to come back & read one more time :-)

The paper cover reads "Watch it; Share it; Donate it". The material inside is priceless. Al Gore has got all statistics for you. He sure has done his research. Well, he knows people who have done. For a person who grew up in a farm raising tobacco, he sure is a lot more than that. I have read the book. But I just could not resist the temptation to pick up a copy when I found one in the library. Whenever it rains when it should not, Whenever we get a heat wave when we usually don't, Whenever I think about Alaska, And the melting glaciers & the thawing permafrost, I regret. I regret that we are in a developing world that believes more in machines & industries than humans & the environment. We are a part of it. Rather, we are the sole reason that it is even happening. My Parents lived in a cleaner environment. Me not so much, but my kid? In this world of constant change in the form of development, I guess, it is time we need to stop & think for a while. Is it...

Some of you may know that mine is a travel family. (Wish I could say " Nomadic ") I blog my travels. I follow other's journals as well. Some, very closely. Here is a man whose feet has touched all the SEVEN continents. The reason I upper case SEVEN is, yes! He has been to the Seventh continent as well-Antartica. And here we worry about who is the next President of America or who is going to buy cable TV in Chennai. ugh...People! *sigh*

What comes free & easy? ADVICE! Just because you, me or anyone is experienced with something, we dive in & assume that we have the right to donate barrels of advice to anyone new at something. Wish we could just let them just be. Wish we could assume that they will eventually figure it out(it is their life, after all) Wish we could realize that we also learnt from our mistakes. Wish we could just shut up our mouths , & like the kids say, chatti pana kavuth.

Hmm. I feel a million things. Mostly in the likes of "happiness". But ever since I became a Mother, I've been finding less time to note them down. May be because I seldom write it down, sometimes, it's like I never felt it at all. Makes sense? Probably not to you when you read. Probably not, when I read it some years from now. But I feel them all now. It is so overwhelming. Life has become so dynamic. Everyday is a new day. I feel things I've never felt before. I never knew I'd feel them so. It just makes me smile. Wow! I remember reading somewhere: Don't worry about losing sleep once you have a baby. Enjoy every waking moment. My baby has sure taught me how to be happy.

Every software Engineer I know(well, most of them) do not like what they are doing(including hubby!!!) Then why are people getting into it? Money???

I went for a walk this evening. I stopped by a pottery class. The end. Moral of the story: If you are patient, you might achieve something. If you are impatient, you are sure not to achieve anything. Until then, telling yourself, "its okay" goes a long way!

Myanmar cyclone China Earthquake Midwest Storms CA Heat Wave Al Gore says, "TOLD YOU SO!!!"