Hells Angel..!!

I wish...

2010-11-18T10:39:00.001+05:30

I wish heaven had a phone so I could hear your voice again. I thought of
you today but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and
days before that too..

I think of you in silence.. I often speak your name. All I have are memories
and a picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake, from which I'll never part.
God has you in his arms, I have you in my heart.......
Love you..

Handcrafted artistic diwali diyas..

2010-10-24T13:36:00.003+05:30

Diwali the festival of llights is incomplete without beautiful diyas. Diwali diyas not only adorn your house but also spread the message of joy and happiness.

I've found my passion in painting diyas and adding glitter to people's lives.. Just thought this is a good medium to share the art.. I have handcrafted diyas for Sale within India..

Each diya is hand painted for that personalised touch! It is made using terracotta which is durable and helps retain original shine and color for a long time.
Colorful diyas to brighten up your Diwali – Buy it for yourself or a perfect gift for your near and dear ones.
You could view and purchase these diyas from eBay on the following links..

Diya Set 1 : http://cgi.ebay.in/Handcrafted-Diwali-Diyas-Decorative-Lamps-Pack-6-/180578012910?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item2a0b49ceee#ht_500wt_1156

Diya Set 2 : http://cgi.ebay.in/Handcrafted-decorative-artistic-diwali-diyas-Pack-6-/180578407217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item2a0b4fd331#ht_500wt_1156

You could also drop in a mail to me for any clarifications or queries.. would be more than happy to get in touch.. :-)

P.S.I Love You.. :-)

2010-07-27T18:11:00.000+05:30

…Aha.. look how far we’ve come..

Still feels like its just a few days since i met you.. The prank you played by making me look for you, when you were actually standing right in front of me, the lunch at Casa Picola, the ice cream and the long walk in moonlight.. These are still so fresh in memory..

Has it been a year already?? Wasnt it just yesterday that was our wedding day? when all around us were tensed on how the wedding would happen, we were filled with the joy of getting married and were having fun laughing all thru the wedding events..

a full year... wow!!

Everyone told us the first year of marriage is the toughest. Really? Was it? For me, nothing really changed much.. and the ones that did were all for the good.. we now come home to each other everyday instead of just quickly meeting over the weekends or at some random occasions.. :-)

Actually, i still find the word 'Husband' very alien.. It still startles me when someone refers to you and asks, "what does your husband do?" It takes me a few seconds to realise that they mean YOU! To me, you are just you.. my SMILEY,.. the man i've known for so many years.. the guy whos been a great friend and continues to be so.. the soulmate with whom i have the fondest of memories and the partner for life
with whom i continue building a lot of dreams and fulfilling them..
So, what should we celebrate? a year of being "Married" or 5 years of knowing each other? Either ways, today i just wanted to let you know that You make my life beautiful and you are the reason for my happiness.. :-)

Happy Anniversary.. I Love You.

A gift!

2009-05-20T12:19:00.001+05:30

Hum: Hey
Tum: Hello! Hows u?
Hum: Am ok.. you know what, today is my friend's birthday. Am thinking of getting him some nice gift.. Suggest something na..
Tum: hmm.. How about a watch?
Hum: He already has one
Tum: A tie or cufflings?
Hum: He doesnt wear or use them
Tum: hmm.. then Some books or CD?
Hum: So boring.. cant you think of anything innovative? I want to give him something that lasts for a lifetime..
Tum: Ok, Then get him a life insurance policy!! ;-)
Hum: !!!!!!!

Nostalgia..

2009-04-01T11:55:00.001+05:30

Heavy Rains.. Eat hot bajji and pakkoda.. Schools closed.. Postpone homework.. Play in the rain..
Feel guilty about homework in the evening.. Visit the nearby temple.. Come back home.. Eat bajjis and pakkoda..

Power cut.. Finish homework in the candle light.. Amma would be cursing in the background.. Have dinner with family sitting on the floor..

Sleep listening to the thavalai satham.. It is nostalgic, but I dont miss my school days now..

No homework.. Sigh! Life is good now.. Now it is only work from home! :-)

Perspective!

2009-02-25T11:50:00.002+05:30

We had a session at my workplace today on 'Perspective' and how you can develop yourself with a positive attitude.. The trainer spoke about how there could be a situation and two of them could see the same situation in completely different ways.. Its up to us to make the most out of any situation..
He then told a story which went like this..

There was a man who owned a dog and a cat.. He took care of both of them very well.. Gave them rich food, took them to the veterinarian doctor whenever required and made sure that they are both healthy and happy.

The Dog looked at the person and thought to itself : This man is so good. He takes care of me so well.. gives me the best of foods, keeps me happy always.. HE MUST BE GOD!

The Cat on the other hand thought : This man is so good. He takes care of me so well.. gives me the best of foods, keeps me happy always.. I MUST BE GOD..!! :-)

So, Its all a matter of perspective isnt it? Just be positive.. Look for an opportunity in every little event and Success will be yours! ;-)

The homecoming..

2009-02-12T11:52:00.003+05:30

Read this awesome article and just had to share it.. Its quite long, but written exceptionally well.. am sure a lot of us will relate to it.. :-)

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/papers/Return_to_India.pdf

Cheeni kum?! :-)

2009-01-06T19:37:00.004+05:30

Image taken from : http://www.farrisliterary.com/Cookbook_CoverII.jpg

Recipe books! Whenever I see one, I groan.

Believe me, I hate cooking, be it boiling water or preparing a full course meal.

Many of them say that recipe books are the best thing that couldn't happened to people like me.. but then, i find them so wrong.. The problem is not that I cant cook, but just that I'm too lazy
to be stuck in the kitchen cooking up delicacies to reach people's hearts through their stomachs! ;-)

And talk about recipe books..

Exact measures never ever seem to work! oh come on... moms never go by them and yet how great their preparations turn out to be..
Just incomparable! And what's amazing is how they always know how much of sugar to add to the jamun, "a little more than 2 cups.."

"Don't worry! once the dish gets boiled, the quantity will reduce by itself.."

Or how just another pinch of salt would make the most delicious of pulaos..

or even how half a second extra boiling can make the rice semi solid..

I've never seen mom follow the instructions in any cookbook... the '2 teaspoons of butter' always becomes 'half of this little cup.. 2 spoons will be too less', all this while I just look on in wonder!!!

Hmmm..!! guess the only way I can reach that state of 'Perfection' is by spending hours and hours in the kitchen, burning my fingers and a few err.. dishes too! ;-)

Well.. That's my outlook on cooking and recipe books.. Anyways, On another note.. here's wishing all of you a great year 2009.. May this be a fulfilling year for you and may all your dreams come true.. :-)

Giftooo giftu...!

2008-12-29T11:12:00.004+05:30

Gone are those days when people were anxious to know what gifts they got. Nowadays its all about hoping that the unwanted gifts don't exceed the storage space at your home.
There are 3 broad categories when it comes to gift 'items':
* Innovative types : Only 5% belong to this category. They know your tastes, they know how usable it is to you, they know that the chances of someone else gifting the same item are slim.
* Ganesha types : If I were Lord Shiva or Vishnu, I would have cursed the entire humanity for how I am ignored when it comes to gift items. A typical conversation of a couple goes about like this:
Husband: We have to go to that wedding in the evening.
Wife: What gift shall we buy?
Husband: Some Ganesha gift item of course.
Wife: (smiling) Of course! (What else?)
65% of the people fall under this category. Ganesha has got great range, he comes in all forms - from the most artistic to highly innovative to funny to absolutely ridiculous. My friend has a collection of over 150 Ganeshas - dancing, playing music, sitting, standing, sleeping, programming - you name it, we have it. So every time someone gives a Ganesha, its mostly the one you already have. Or even worse, you get two pieces of the same variety on the same day.
I love you Ganesha, but bring on the Hanumans, Ayyappas, and Gajalakshmis please!
* Clock types : No occasion is complete without a few unusable clocks being gifted. 40% of the people fall under this category as well.
I am seriously planning to have one of living room walls as a "clock wall" and hang all the clocks that we got, each one set to the time zone of a different country.
Those of you who must be wondering why the percentages are not adding up properly, Its just that I'm weak in maths and also 10% of the people actually gift clocks with Ganesha on them! ;-)
And by the way, If you are not the innovative types when it comes to gifts, better stick to giving cash. You will be really appreciated.
There are many varieties in the cash givers as well and each one may belong to one of more of these categories:
* Anonymous : There will always be a few who do not write their names on the gift covers. May be because they are the "i-don't-want-to-be-discovered-of-giving-so-less" type. The rest belong to the very old thinking that even writing their names on the covers amounts to showing off.
* Cover less Anonymous : Among the gift covers, you will at least find a note given by someone who just slipped it into your hands while offering a handshake. May be these are the ones who paid an unexpected visit, had no gift cover, at the same time did not
wish to go gift less.
* The Plus One Rupee types : They will never ever give you money without a one rupee coin along with the gift amount. One logic I have heard from them is that "plus one" means continual growth. The gift value only has to be 51, 101 and so on.
The funny thing about this is, may be 50 years ago one rupee was still a decent gift amount, now to think of it.. whats the value of a rupee anyways..

So, what have your observations been when it comes to giving and receiving gifts? :-)

Law can be so dumb??!

2008-11-14T11:46:00.003+05:30

Came across this list on a forwarded message and was totally amused ! Made some additions to this list ( authentic, of course, I double checked online) and sharing it here. Read on:
England
* A Member of Parliament must not enter the House of Commons wearing a full suit of armour.
* Committing suicide is classified as a capital crime – punishable by death. (Duhh...)
* Sticking a postage stamp, bearing the Queens portrait, upside down on an envelope is an act of treason.
France:
* It is illegal to kiss on railways. (Is it acceptable everywhere else?)
* Pigs must not be called Napoleon.
Italy:
* A man may be imprisoned for wearing a skirt. ( uh ho. No prob.. Just skip on to Scotland!)
Singapore:
* A person convicted of littering three times, will have to clean the streets on Sundays wearing a sign saying "I am a litter lout."
South Korea:
* Traffic police are required to report all bribes that they receive from motorists. ( report the bribe and then slip it into the pocket? ;))
Victoria:
* In Victoria only licensed electricians may change a light bulb.
* In Victoria it is illegal to wear pink pants after midday on a Sunday. (Who would want to wear pink pants anyways?)
Alabama:
* Driving a vehicle while blindfolded is prohibited.
Arkansas:
* It is forbidden for a man to beat his wife more than once a month (Once a month is justified?? Huh)
New York:
* A man greeting another by “placing the end of his thumb against the tip of his nose and wiggling the extended fingers of that hand." Will be arrested for disorderly conduct. :-)

A Five word Post!

2008-11-07T11:49:00.004+05:30

* Working from home seems good.

* I love waking up late.

* Babban treats for Sachin's century! ;)

* Sometimes uncertainities can be killing.

* Switzerland is my dream country.

* Will i visit Switzerland someday? :)

* Bugged with browsing TV channels.

* I miss the girl talk.

* Its such a lazy day.

* I'm dreaming too much nowadays.

* Five word writing is cool.

This seems very interesting.. why not u guys try it out too.. :)

Thought for today!

2008-10-14T10:41:00.002+05:30

There was a time when I thought hardwork and dedication at any cost were my life’s principles.
.
.
.
.
.
This was before I met money! ;-)

Periyavaa sonna Perumal sonna maadhiri..

2008-10-12T18:07:00.002+05:30

Okie for all those non tamizh speaking folks out there, this post would be like watching a French movie with subtitles.. ;-) Anyways, what does the title mean ? It goes like this.. “When elders give you an advice, its as though GOD himself is doing it.” (Alright mom, I know the translation is pathetic! )

Here's a list of things that my mom, Patti and others told us when we were kids and they continue to do it even now..

You are not supposed to cut your nails after 6 in the evening.
When someone sneezes when you are about to leave your house, you have to sit down and drink a glass of water (Now don’t ask me why)
When you see a cat cross the road , you are supposed to stop right there for a second and then start walking again.
You should not whistle during the night. It seems whistling during the night invites thieves.. (Yeah right!)
You are not supposed to lie down or sleep during the 'velakku aethara neram' (roughly translates to 'The time when lamp is lit in front of god')
You shouldn't sit on a pillow. Thalagani maela okkaandha kandan varum. (Now you know the reason behind the recession in America!)

The list is just endless.. Though we all know these things made no sense, we still followed it being scared of the consequences or not wanting to hurt their sentiments. We followed every rule because Periyavaa Sonna Perumal Sonna Maadhiri.. :-)

Of books and their titles..!

2008-09-25T10:33:00.006+05:30

I have a feeling that authors spend more time in coming up with a catchy title for their book than spending time on writing the book itself. One example that comes to my mind is 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari'.. Most of the reviews for the book have been quite critical and I fail to understand how this book has been in the limelight. I even heard that Tamil comedian Vivek presented this book to former President Abdul Kalam.

Anyways, on a lighter note.. Here are some funny/unique book titles that i came across..

*How to kill your husband (and other handy household hints) by Kathy Lette

* When Your Phone Doesn't Ring, It'll Be Me by Cynthia Heimel

* Women Are from Venus, Men Are from Hell by Amanda Newman

* If God was a Banker by Ravi Subramanian

*How to Write a How to Write Book by Brian Paddock

So, How many such names can u remember? :-)

The Web is Us/ing Us..

2008-09-23T11:35:00.002+05:30

Here's something that really fascinated me.. A must watch.. :-)

Chrome!

2008-09-12T11:49:00.009+05:30

I'm not a techie and usually dont go about talking about such stuff.. But there are always exceptions.. :-)

Presenting Google Chrome! Its the awesomest (Is that even a word?!) browser that i've used so far.. Its fast, looks cool and hasnt given me any problems for the past fews days that i've been using it for..

Incognito is really cool too. Quoting Google..

‘'You’ve gone incognito. Pages you view in this window won’t appear in your browser history or search history, and they won’t leave other traces, like cookies, on your computer after you close the incognito window. Any files you download or bookmarks you create will be preserved, however’'

Super cool isnt it?! I dont think i would ever miss firefox.. :-)

Marriage and all that Jazz! :-)

2008-09-10T12:36:00.000+05:30

I had attended a friend's wedding a few days back and it only makes me wonder as to who would the mastermind
be behind creating something like a marriage and all things attached to it... Dont get me wrong but certain customs
and traditions in weddings just get me laughing my guts out..

So, it all began with the early morning wedding rituals.. People generally speak from the bride's point of view.. but coming to think of it, its the groom who is in a pathetic state comparitively.. How else could one explain the logic of the kanyadhaanam or the mangalya dhaaranam ceremonies where the bride would be dressed in beautiful sarees like the 'madisar' and our poor groom gets to wear a ridiculously translucent panchakajam and a pancha paathram in front of him carry on the traditions.. :-)

Utmost attention is given to the bride's make up to make her look divine and beautiful on her special day but
all that the groom gets is a 'pattai' on his forehead or a 'dhrishti pottu' that ensures he looks pathetic..

Every man finds his wife absolutely gorgeous in the wedding saree.. However i'm still waiting for some girl to
tell me that she finds her husband looking stunning in his pancha kajam and vibhoodhi pattai.. ;-)

Next was the reception where the bride and groom were trying hard to smile at every tom, dick and harry wishing them.
They would be wishing the couple saying, "Do bring him/her home sometime" apart from wishing them a happy married life.. Just imagine, even if the bride and groom visit one family a weekend, they would be atleast 80 years old by the time they visit all the well wishers!!

And yes! how can we forget the tradition of women gifting 'blouse pieces' along with the thaamboolam to the women who attend the wedding.. Poor men, They usually get nothing, The lucky ones however might get something like a hand kerchief..
And if u are a girl and belong to the close family of the bride/ groom, you are entitled to a saree and men get a lousy 'shirt piece' (Usually a white with blue stripes or a beige coloured one) in this case too!

Hmm.. It sure is a woman's world out there.. ;-)

Happiness is..

2008-08-08T11:17:00.004+05:30

...when you're reading in bed just before dozing off to sleep and find yourself hungry, but can't think of anything to snack on in the kitchen and you are too lazy to get up and walk up there anyway - then finding that pack of Kurkure within your arm's reach next to your bed, without even having to move a bit.. And you proceed to finish the packet while continuing to read happily.

Wow.. Bliss! :-)

Kaikeyi..!

2008-08-06T20:05:00.001+05:30

Why dont people name their daughters Kaikeyi or Draupadi?
Its sad.. but history has ruined some lovely names.. what say? ;-)

Hum Tum again! :)

2008-07-31T11:34:00.005+05:30

Hum : Just sketch the route out for me and I'll reach there..
Tum : Are u sure u don't want me to come?
Hum : Of course I am sure! No problem
Hum - Thinking to herself: {I've been in this place for so long and yet I'm so unsure of the routes.. Should i ask him to come along?....
No way.. What would he think of me?! I'll manage on my own! BIG DEAL!}
Tum: Ok, Take care.. Call me once you reach.. Bye.

The bus came.. she got in and waved to him. She just about settled down in the seat and her cell phone rang .

Tum: Did u get a seat?
Hum: Yes I got it.
Tum: You need to get down at the sixth stop.. don’t forget!
Hum: yeah I won’t forget. Now cut the call.. :-)

At the Fifth stop, Hum's phone rings again. Hum looks at the phone and picks it up with a grin.. it was Tum!!

Hum: I will get down at the next stop, Don't worry! :-)
Tum: Yeah I know.. just wanted to make sure!!

Hum gets down at the sixth stop and starts walking towards the exit and there's another ring on her phone.

Tum: (Sounding Happy) Good you reached safely!
Hum: Ya ya.. Thanks to you.. You are a good guide u know..
Tum: Oh really! By the way, nice weather.. How about some ice-cream?
Hum: What??
Tum: If you don't take it from me now, it will sure melt..

The voice was no longer coming from her cell phone..
she turns back and there he was.. Smiling, with 2 ice creams in his hand! :-)

Reasons to love work! ;-)

2008-07-22T22:13:00.002+05:30

Here are 5 Reasons i Just love my work for.. ;-)

* http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g2/rainmaker.htm
* http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/bells.htm
* http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/dog.htm
* http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/starry.htm
* http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/tea.htm

Beauty??!!

2008-07-22T11:32:00.003+05:30

The Ponds White Beauty commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LULoHxxsCPs&feature=related
Found this ad on You tube.. Another version of the Priyanka-Saif ad thats being shown on tv nowadays.. I strongly feel such ads must be banned.. What does it portray? The guy likes the girl only because shes fair?

Where is the media today going? While there is little doubt that advertisements help sell products, equally, if such a product exists and if it is being endorsed by some of the hottest film stars, then it is merely a reflection of societal biases..

And Pleeeaaaase! Which girl would wait for a guy who actually left her because of her darker complexion? I guess the Ad-makers of today must realise that Sensible women no longer want to just look like Cindrellas for their men but want to be liked/loved for their smartness and independence rather than being liked for their Complexion! :-)

Rajnikanth!

2008-07-17T11:29:00.000+05:30

Babban, This one's specially for you.. ;-)

(Click on the Picture to enlarge)

The trap-tag--25 things about YOU!

2008-07-16T22:12:00.000+05:30

Came accross this tag on PS's blog.. Very interesting.. If any of you are interested, do take it up.. There are twenty five questions below which you have to answer, using only ONE word. You can get as creative as you like — but ONLY ONE WORD. Here goes my list!

1. Your cell phone? - Identity
2. Your significant other? - Smiley
3. Your hair? - Black
4. Your mother? - Adorable
5. Your father? - Friend
6. Your favorite thing? - Nothing
7. Your dream last night? - Beach
8. The room you're in? - Lounge
9. Your fear? - Loneliness
10. What you're not? - Judging
11. The last thing you did before logging on? - Travel
12. Where did you grow up? - Bangalore
13. Favourite drink? - Mirindaaaah
14. What are you wearing? - Attitude
15. Your TV? - Entertaining
16. Your pet? - Tuffy
17. Your computer ? - Addictive
18. Favourite place? - Home
19. Your mood right now? - Happy
20. Missing someone? - Terribly
21. Something you're not wearing? - Mask
22. Love someone? - Unconditionally
23. Your favorite color? - Lavender
24. Kids? - Cute
25. Your life? - Fun

Passing thought..!

2008-07-16T20:56:00.000+05:30

In a country of free speech, why are there phone bills? ;-)

A kodak moment!

2008-05-25T11:08:00.001+05:30

It was going to be my farewell day in school.. I had spent 12 Splendid years in this school which had almost become my second home.. Seemed very difficult to be leaving this wonderful place and moving on to college.. But still, there was this small feeling of happiness in me to be experiencing freedom for the first time.. But at the same time it was painful to be leaving such wonderful memories and the beautiful place and those great teachers who had taught us so much.. I wanted to capture every little moment of that day and take the memories with me..

Most of my school friends had a camera then and i didnt.. I very badly wanted one and told my dad very innocently that he should get me a camera right away, else i wouldnt talk to him at all.. Dad tried explaining to me that it would be pretty expensive for him to get a camera and there would be some cost each time we use it.. but i would listen to none of it.. I just wanted the camera and pleaded to him.. He wouldnt listen to me.. I remember crying that evening and hiding my face in the pillow and going off to sleep like that.. :-)

The next morning i woke up and wore the prettiest dress i had and got ready to attend the farewell party.. Dad came to me and gave me a hug.. said "I'm sorry for talking to you harshly last night dear.. you still angry with me?"

I made a sad face and said 'Yes'.. Its ok.. I dont want to talk to u.."

He smiled and said, "oh! How sad! You and the camera both are angry with me.. who will smile for the picture when i say cheese?" :-)

I just jumped and screamed in Joy.. "Appa, u got a camera? wooow... Thanku.." and hugged him tight.. My mom was seeing all this and said, ah! finally both dad and daughter are happy? Good.. Now Smile Pleaseeee... and me and dad smiled looking at each other.. I then got ready and went to school and 'showed off' my new camera to all my friends.. It was great fun seeing them envy me.. Clicked a lot of pictures and felt so proud..

Such lovely days.. Was reminded of all this when i came accross my Kodak KB 10 camera last evening while cleaning up my cupboard.. Life seems to have moved so fast with all the new technology of digi cams and handy cams, features of digital zoom and special effects.. But some small things like these still bring a BIG smile to your face..

I rushed downstairs happily with the camera in hand and called out to appa.. Showed him my most prized possession and he was thrilled too.. Gave me a big grin and said,"he he.. say Cheese!"

A perfect Kodak moment isnt it? :-)

Pet craze!

2008-03-31T20:19:00.000+05:30

Conversation at office today:

Me : Hello, How are you?
Colleague 1 : I'm fine. Thank you. So, What did you do over the weekend?
Me : Oh, I had gone to Regents park. It was a beautiful place. Had a good time..
Colleague 1 : Oh, Thats nice.. I was at home but the coming weekend is going to be a busy one.. My sister and her husband want to go out over the weekend and i will be going to babysit their dogs!
Me : Sorry??
Colleague 1 : I said i will be going to babysit their dogs.. They have 2 cute Dalmations and they cant be left alone at home u see..!!
Colleague 2 : Oh, Thats lovely! So are the dogs coming over or you will be going there?
Colleague 1 : No.. I'll be going there and staying there for 2 days.. Okie, Catch u later.. Got to get ready and leave early.. They'll be waiting for me..

Me (To myself): Who? Your sis or the Dogs?? :-)

My Experiments with cooking! ;-)

2008-03-25T02:03:00.000+05:30

I must admit, I’m a pampered girl at home.. Mama’s princess.. I’ve never had to enter the kitchen until now.. The only exception to this being making a cup of coffee or to prepare Maggi noodles because mom doesn't like preparing it and when I feel like having something I get a little stubborn at times.. :-)

Having landed in London and having tasted English food for the first 2-3 days, I started realizing how important it is for one to know cooking.. he he.. :-) The problem is that I’m a vegetarian and London is quite expensive.. So I decided, come what may, I’m going to begin cooking at home..

Completely excited about my idea I rushed to the nearby mall to pick up vegetables for my first attempt to cook.. Purchased lots of fresh vegetables and came home completely enthusiastic.. Wanted to prepare a hot cup of coffee first.. Hence, went to the kitchen and started looking for the knobs to switch on the gas.. Searched for almost half an hour and then realised that the gas stove here works on electricity.. and I didnt know how to operate it.. :-)

Wonderful! Sat down for a moment and started wondering what to do next.. Like I told you, when I feel like eating something, I just have to have it.. Then struck a wonderful idea.. took a cup with milk and added the sachet of Nescafe that was available and added sugar to it.. Took the glass and put it in the microwave.. he he.. 2 minutes and the coffee was ready.. Heard of someone prepare coffee in a microwave? Silly me! Felt quite proud of myself though! Survival of the fittest they say.. ;-)

Had the cup of coffee and then came the dilemma of what to cook.. Now that I didn’t know how to operate the gas, i had to find a way out.. Stood in front of the microwave and began wondering what to do.. Slowly I was losing my patience as my mind was going blank.. Out of frustration I banged the black shining slab in front of me and Lo! I heard a series of beeps and some numbers with lights flashing on the slab which scared me for a moment.. Moved a step backward due to the fright and then realized.. It was the gas stove.. :-) Yahoooo.. Finally found out how to operate it.. he he..

Now, time to tell you what and how i cooked.. hmm.. Lets keep that story for another day.. But for now, Recipes most welcome.. :-)

My First flight!

2008-03-25T01:04:00.000+05:30

Something that I never gave so much importance to all my life – Travelling abroad.. Right from my childhood, I have seen my friends going crazy about travelling abroad… feeling great about seeing new places, meeting new people.. But I was this total introvert who used to hide behind my grand mom when there used to be guests at home.. :-)

Hence, this travel to me, was more of a nightmare than something that I should look forward to.. The moment I got to know that I would be travelling abroad, the questions that popped to my mind were “How would I manage staying alone without ma and pa?”
How do people manage to leave their family and friends and spend so much time all alone… Would I be able to manage such a big responsibility that’s been given to me?

My mind filled with so many questions, I somehow managed to convince myself that this change was really needed and it would help me in a lot of ways to develop myself and i was so correct..

Reached office and got to know that my flight tickets are booked and that I would be travelling by British Airways – Business class! Told my parents and friends about it and they were really happy for me.. Not many from my family has travelled abroad for business and this was a very BIG thing for all of them.. I should say, some of my friends were even jealous that I am getting to travel business class and not economy class..!!
Yes! First flight and I was going international.. Not many get such an opportunity and I’m grateful that I’ve got such a good chance.. So, then I began planning for my journey and stay at London.. Friends, family all of them began helping me shop and pack things for the trip..

The day finally arrived when I had to leave for London.. My uncle came and picked me up from home to drop me at the airport.. Reached the Bangalore airport by 4 in the morning.. As we were nearing the airport, I screamed with excitement, “Hey, we r reaching the airport” and my sis almost fell down laughing at me..

Anyways, after all the baggage check, I waved goodbye to dad, uncle, sis and R and got ready to get into my first aircraft.. Was totally amused and impressed at the way I was treated by the lovely air hostesses.. My friends had scared me regarding how I may throw up or feel giddy during the take off.. But guess my excitement was greater than all that.. The Plane took off and it was such an amazing experience to fly..

Very thrilling to see the land beneath you and just endless blue of the sky all around.. It was beautiful.. Never experienced something like this before.. As the flight progressed and I looked out of the window, I could see the clouds so clearly.. Felt like they were cotton balls hanging in the sky.. So cozy.. Wish I could just hug them.. :-) Saw the varied amount of beauty in nature, like the mountains, sea and water all of them from a different view.. and travelling above the clouds was something that I just cant express.. Had an amazing time.. 10 hours seemed to have just vanished in no time.. Here are a few pics of what I saw.. Hope you enjoy it too.. :-)

Here I am..

2008-03-01T16:50:00.001+05:30

Here I am.. With stories of my adventures and of course Misadventures in London.. :-)

This trip definitely comes with a lot of firsts.. First time being away from home for something like 3 months, First flight, First travel alone, First abroad visit… Will take you through all of these in my coming posts..

How it all started was like this:

Was out with my best friend for dinner one night and both of us were just discussing about our life and work and suddenly I get a call from office saying that I’ve been chosen to go to London for a process transition. It would be for 3 months, I would have to learn a process completely and come back to Blore and implement it here and I would be accompanied by a colleague during the trip.. For a few minutes I didn’t realize what was being said and I casually said “No Problem, I’ll be there..” Before I could even complete the call, my friend was super excited about the whole thing and she was screaming in joy.. You are going to London? Wow… That’s great news.. call up mom n dad n tell them.. You must be feeling on top of the world..

I was still lost.. wondering what had happened and how I would manage staying away from home for so long.. Then called up home and told mom and dad about the trip and they were very excited too..

Slowly It started sinking into my mind.. Felt a little happy but at the same time was nervous and excited and sad.. Too many feelings at a time.. :-)

Felt really grateful for such a good opportunity to see a new country.. Experience a new culture, see different people and their lifestyle.. Then Came back home.. Still a little lost and a little unsure about the whole thing..

Then just decided, I’m going to enjoy myself in the coming few months completely.. Was always waiting for a chance when I would get to be on my own.. Completely independent and taking decisions on my own and living my life.. This is the chance! The phase when i would be able to live my life to the fullest and experience something that i had only seen people dreaming about.. Getting ready to face one of the most interesting phases of my life.. :-)

Sango Londonwali! ;-)

2008-03-01T16:34:00.000+05:30

It sure has been a great month.. Right now, am sitting beside the window looking out at the cold and foggy streets of London.. Yes! London it is..!

I'm in London on a project from my company for 3 months..
Its been a lot of firsts and am slowly learning a whole lot of things and seeing and experiencing different things.. Will update details of my travel and experiences in the coming posts..However, for now.. Here are a few pictures that may be of some interest to you all.. :-)

Friends..

2008-01-25T11:16:00.000+05:30

Dedicated to all my friends..

1. Friends always make sure they don't notice the haircut you've spent a bomb on (Oh... You really had a haircut?? Looks all the same...)
2. And always make fun of your fashion sense (That's a t shirt? He he.. tumhe kaafi suit karta hei!)
3. Friends die of shock when you tell them a hot boy said you're cute (You??? Did he say this before or after you had that pimple?)
4. Friends spend a major part of their lives introducing you to the world of abuses and then pretend to be shocked when you use it (You're not such a young conservative Brahmin girl after all....)
5. Friends never let you forget the mistakes you've made (remember how u reacted after spilling juice on Ur dress that day?)
6. Friends come up with bright ideas to have ice cream in peak winters and convince you to do the same
7. Friends indulge you with the yummiest desserts and chocolates because they know that's the way to cheer you up
8. Friends cover you with a blanket when you're curled up on the train berth
9. Friends always have a story worse than yours, a love life worse than yours, a problem worse than yours or so they make you believe when you start feeling low
10. Friends download the coolest music and pass it on to you without you even asking

Friends really have this strange way of knowing exactly what you want them to say when you're down, exactly when you need a hug, when you need a pat, when you need a laugh, when you want to be alone.... And you love each and every one of them despite all their strange mad ways! :-)

I've Learnt..

2008-01-14T11:34:00.001+05:30

Love Triangle??!!

2008-01-09T22:06:00.000+05:30

What happens when 2 women are in love with the same man?
There is bound to be jealousy... And what if the two women share the same name, the same spaces and sometimes even the same kitchen? Arguments? Competition?

So, how exactly can the man play the balancing act?
He would like to believe that he is treating both of them fairly. He loves both the women in different ways. However, sometimes one relationship may take a back seat over the other due to the time-span of the relationship and vice versa. But definitely he would have his preferences...

And how about the women?
From their point of view, the object of either’s love is same but the degree, totally different... And these two women love the man too much to blame him, so the blame goes entirely on the other woman in his life. And that is when the conflict begins and the man gets pulled into it whether he likes it or not.

Problem problem...

A little bit of intelligence could sort this out easily...
1. They should have the basic understanding that neither of them hates the other
2. Space- to each other – Hey! Be practical. The guy cannot always take only you out for shopping or some function- both of you can join him during some of the occasions...
3. Sportsmanship – Come on! Be a sport- one of you HAS to be second. Both of you can’t be equally good at everything – be it cooking his favorite dish or being his listening ear or being his best friend…
4. Times do change – you could be or would have been in the other’s shoes some time or the other…

Oh yeah! I completely forgot to mention one more thing... The 2 women I’m talking about here are the Mother-in-Law and the Daughter-in-Law! ;-)

New year Tag..

2008-01-07T11:16:00.000+05:30

A very happy and prosperous new year to all of you.. Just thought this was a good way to begin the year.. A very simple one.. You'll have to answer this for me..

What would you say to the person you were one year ago?

Here's what i'd have told..

"You have NO idea of the adventures 2007 is going to bring! You will be amazed at how much change will happen in the next 12 months. You wouldnt have seen this much growth, happiness and love from people so far. Embrace every moment and never, ever, doubt yourself. Be the powerful and balanced person you are and you will always achieve your goals.. All the best!"

May be i would also add a small note saying "Thank you for making the choices you did, because I wouldn't be where I am now without you.." :-)

Let me tag kamini, Yezdi.. ;-) Hiphop grandmom, Y, Prabhu and Chandni to see what they would've told their alter ego a year ago.. Others are most welcome if they feel inclined..

Innocence!

2007-12-28T11:36:00.000+05:30

I had almost come to the conclusion that there arent any more kids who enjoy playing with balloons.. building castles on the sand.. playing gilli danda.. or finding enjoyment in tasting cotton candy...

There was a fear growing in me that the kids nowadays have become addicted to computer games and the million video games featuring guns and fighters and have forgotten playing with real people.. But the 10 year old Prithvi (We call him Pipi) proved me completely wrong..

"Bubbles aata naanu aadthini" (I'll also play with bubbles!).. he said..

He's such a darling isnt it? :-)

Dilemma!

2007-12-26T10:38:00.000+05:30

Hum: “Look at that Beautiful purple sari! It will look so good on me. Isn’t it?”

Tum: “Do you really need another sari? You hardly use the ones you already have.”

Hum: “Come on, my friends have seen all the saris I have. I really need a wardrobe update, honey.”

Tum: “If you buy the sari, you’ll be tempted to buy that “Beautiful” Jewellery set that matches it. And the next occasion to wear a sari is Sankranthi, that’s a long way away.”

Hum: “Cha, occasion is what we create! I can throw a party and invite all our girl friends and tell them to dress up. Everybody will be so happy!”

Tum: “Aren’t u getting late? We were supposed to go to your parent’s house as well...”

Hum: “Ya ya..! But just look at the sari... I can get a matching blouse done for it... Something which has bead work and a deep neck at the back...”

Tum: “He he..! Deep neck?? I can see your parent’s reaction right in front of my eyes now.. They have a problem with even slightly short shirts.. Talk about a deep neck!!”

Hum: “Why do you bother about what my parents will think?!! I won’t wear it when I meet them... ;-)”

Tum: “Be practical. Do you really want to spend your hard-earned money for a sari and jewellery that will sleep in your cupboard until the next wedding in the family?”

Hum: “Oh, how can we walk out empty-handed now that we’re here? That would be quite embarrassing.”

Tum: “You should never have come. Think about it, there are so many people who can’t afford even a meal...”

Hum: “Now, there’s no need to get so philosophical about clothes and jewellery. What’s wrong with wanting pretty things?”

Tum: “OK, I’ve told what I have to... You decide, but before you make a final decision, tell me … do you think you’ll make a greater impression on me when you’re dressed in an awesome sari and heavy jewellery or when you’re wearing absolutely nothing but a simple and cute smile?” :-)

**Hum just melts...!**

Hum: Aren’t we getting late? We have to go meet mom n dad as well...

Tum: What about your Sari and Jewellery?

Hum: What sari?? :-))

Lets make a difference!

2007-12-23T18:58:00.000+05:30

Came accross this wonderful page and thought i must share it..

http://www.morganstanley.com/about/community/littlegreenebook/

Lets do our bit to make this world a better place to live in.. :-)

Age Does matter! ;-)

2007-12-17T11:11:00.000+05:30

Hum: Hey, Its my birthday tomorrow.. what gift have you planned to give me?

Tum: Aha.. Thats nice.. but i give gifts only to young girls.. not to the ones who are as old as twenty five!

Hum: Huh! Twenty five??? Thats not true.. Its Twenty four..!

Tum: No.. I can Prove it..

Hum: how? go ahead..

Tum: ok.. Take the case of a baby, Twelve months after it is born, it is one year old on its first birthday, right?

Hum: **Thinks Cautiously** Yeah, correct!

Tum: So, On your ninth birthday you are nine years old, and so on and so forth..

Hum: **Counts on fingers of both hands** ok.. thats right!

Tum: So on your Twenty-Fifth birthday, you will be Twenty-Five!

Hum: Wait..! Surely the baby is born on its first birthday? so, twelve months after birth it would be her second birthday and she would be one year old.. **Feeling quite pleased with the answer**

Tum: Doesnt make sense.. It cant be your Twenty-fifth birthday and you still remaining twenty-four! That Proves, your actual age is Twenty-five and you are OLD!!! So, you are not eligible for a gift from me!! ;-)

Hum: ???!!!

Opposites Attract!

2007-12-01T17:31:00.000+05:30

Hum : I Just loved the film.. It was so cute.. what say?

Tum : You know what? There are certain things i don't think I'll ever understand..There was absolutely no logic in the film.. a guy, a girl falling in love with each other, running around trees wearing the wierdest clothes possible,everything going topsy turvy and finally they lived happily ever after.. How can u tolerate such films?

Hum : Dairy milk?

Tum : I'll take 'Fruit and Nut'

Hum : OK, Shall i prepare coffee for us?

Tum : No. Tea

Hum : Can we go for a long walk?

Tum : Can we watch Cricket on TV?

Hum : We are so different.. Such opposites.. Completely.. How do u think things would work out for us?

Tum : Have you heard of the phrase 'Opposites attract'? We are like that.. Whoever said that people who think differently don't gel well should see us.. Its the feeling that we have for each other that counts..
Whats the fun if i agree to everything you say.. Life would become so boring.. Where would the variety and spice come into our life then?
If we agreed on everything then how will we argue or fight? How will you feel jealous?
How will i patafy you and how will i get to see that shining smile?

Hum : True.. Its the differences that we have that makes our life so exciting.. That's what we are made of and that's what i totally cherish and love you for.. If it weren't for that then may be i would've never fallen so crazily in love with you.. :-)

**They smile at each other**

Hum : Hey, i completely forgot.. You know, Shahrukh's movie would've just begun!

Tum : Oh no.....!!

Kurangilirundhu...

2007-12-01T15:50:00.000+05:30

How i wish someone gave me a treat like this one.. he he.. It sure is some BIG monkey business!! :-)

A Doubt!

2007-12-01T15:21:00.000+05:30

Starting off a new series..

As i couldn't think of suitable names.. I'm naming the characters 'Hum' and 'Tum'.. Just that 'Hum' would be the girl and 'Tum' the guy! :-)

So here goes..

Hum and Tum meet on world environment day..

Tum : Hey hi!
Hum : Hi.. How are you?
Tum : Fine. Thanks.. By the way, whats with all the Khadi and wooden stuff all over you?
Hum : I'm wearing a Jute salwar and Eco friendly slippers made of wood.. Isn't that great! All my friends admired it and said its lovely!
Tum : hmm.. but i just have a small doubt.. You are wearing wooden slippers na..
Hum : yeah
Tum : So if theres a damage, where would you go? To the cobbler or the carpenter?!! ;-)
Hum : Grrrr!!!

The Bengalooru Slanguage!

2007-12-01T14:56:00.000+05:30

If you are dying to learn the latesht Bangalore street slang but do not know how, look no further I say! For here is a compilation of latest slang words in Kanglish for you! :-)

Adjushtu: adjust. Most important word that originates from the nature of all Bangaloreans.
"Solpa adjusht maadi saar."
"Sir one more banana buying means it will adjusht within 10 rupees."

Bombaat : Fantastic, excellent. "Aye hows your car doing?" "Oh bombattagide."

Chindi Chitranna : Lit: Fantastic flavoured rice. Fantastic job.
"En haadidaane.. Chindi chitranna bidu".

Da : Term of address for friends or younger people (borrowed from Tamil). Rude when used in a non affectionate sense or with strangers. Fem: di.
"What da, where all u went yesterday?"

Escapu : General departure. "Naan oota maadbittu escape aagtheeni, don't mind."

Free kotre phenoylu kudithaane : Lit: If its free, he'll even drink phenoyl.
A very economical person.

Goobe : Lit: Owl. Stupid person. "ei goobe, yaar ninge license kottiddu?"

Hengythe myge? : Lit: How does your body feel now? i.e, I'm going to beat you black and blue. "Yenu? Dhuddilvaa? Hengythe myge?"

Will sure add a few more slangs in my coming posts..
Till then, Camaan I say.. Jai kannada! ;-)

Transferal law!

2007-11-28T11:16:00.000+05:30

Some of my friends were teasing me today on how HE is a Prince and i'm a Pauper - hindi film ishtyle..

Friends: R ke paas gaadi hai, kaam hai, paise hai.. Tumhaare paas kya hai...

**Deep Thought for a moment**

Me: Mere paas..... Mere paas R hai!!! :-)

Aakhir jo bhi uska hei woh mera hi to hei.. kyun? ;-)

Natural beauty..

2007-11-19T22:35:00.000+05:30

Found this lovely worm today in my backyard.. Never seen such a beautiful creation before.. Am impressed by my own photography skills.. he he.. :-)

My Blog.. My Space..

2007-11-16T17:21:00.000+05:30

Just came across this interesting page and this one recently.. People out on a mission for sure.. one of them struck by Cupid and the other asking their readers to vote and decide where they should be staying.. Believe it or not, 4963893 people actually voted!! he he...

Way to go i say! ;-)

Sweet Nothings..

2007-11-13T18:24:00.001+05:30

So true isnt it??
Sweet nothings that girls long to hear but can never hope to hear in this lifetime.. ;-)

I’m so lucky I married you!

Of course, I would love to spend my entire vacation with your family.

Don’t ever lose weight, You look beautiful just the way you are.

Come here, sit next to me. Let’s just talk.

You look tired. Let me rub your shoulders, your back and massage your feet.

Yes, dear, you’re right.

Chuck work, I just want to spend time with you.

No special reason; I called just to hear your sweet voice.

Spend all you want. You don't even have to ask. After all, I’m earning only for you.

Life is cruel i tell you.. ;-)

Cartoon of the day!

2007-11-12T14:06:00.000+05:30

The Brick!

2007-11-09T14:19:00.000+05:30

A young and very successful executive Jack, was traveling down a street. He was going a bit too fast in his sleek,black, Mercedes, which was only two months old.

He was watching for kids coming from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed by, he could see a brick coming towards him and suddenly - WHUMP! - it smashed into the Merc's shiny black side door! SCREECH..!!!! He quickly applied the brakes and madly went back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. Jack jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against his car. He shouted at the kid, "who are you? and what the heck are you doing?!"
Getting really furious he went on. "That's my new Merc, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"

"Please, sir, please. . . I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!" Pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!" Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car.
"It's my brother," he said. "He rolled and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the lump in his throat. With much difficulty he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the road towards their home.

It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, Mercedes - a long and slow walk. Jack never did fix the side door of his Merc. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. . .

Alter ego..

2007-11-06T11:09:00.000+05:30

Check this quiz out! I loved the results.. Sleeping beauty and Goofy.. so typical of me.. ;-)

Which Disney Character is your Alter Ego?
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Sleeping Beauty

Your alter ego is Princess Aurora, a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty! You are beautiful and enchanting, and as sweet as ever.

Sleeping Beauty

81%

Goofy

75%

Pinocchio

56%

The Beast

56%

Cinderella

56%

Donald Duck

56%

Cruella De Ville

50%

Snow White

44%

Peter Pan

38%

Ariel

31%

Take the quiz.. Good fun! :-)

Diwali!

2007-11-03T11:58:00.000+05:30

Diwali is just around the corner. In a few more days we will be pulling down our boxes of diyas, sorting out our decorations and planning the sweets that needs to be prepared. There are firecrackers to be bought, plus the new clothes.. You can feel the festive atmosphere all around already..

For Tamilians, Diwali is a morning affair. On the main day called 'Narakachaturdasi' - everyone in the family take an oil bath before sunrise. Hence they usually wake up really early (Something like 4.30 AM) in the morning for an oil bath (or a shampoo in the recent times).. The elders usually place few drops of oil on the family member's head before a shower.

A platter is then decorated with the family's new clothes, some boxes of fireworks, sweets, warm oil (usually gingilly oil or til oil), coconuts, bananas, betel leaves, betel nuts, flowers and milk.

For those hailing from Tanjore, the custom is to first take a small quantity of 'deepavali lehiyam' (medicinal, ayurvedic paste) after the oil bath and then have breakfast. Drawing a huge rangoli and lighting diyas is an important part of the tradition as well, just like it is elsewhere in India.

After the family is ready and dressed up in their new clothes, the puja begins. After the naivedhyam (offering to the Gods), youngsters touch the elders' feet for blessings. Family members head out to burst firecrackers, enjoy the sweets and start their day on a happy note. As the day progresses, temple visits are made, gifts are exchanged and sweets are distributed to family and friends.

That's Diwali - The tamilian way! :-)

Global Indian?

2007-10-30T12:05:00.000+05:30

"Bobby Jindal wins the Governor's election in Louisiana becoming the first Indian American to lead an American state.."The moment the news broke on television channels, Jindal’s ancestral village in Kanpur erupted in celebrations, with relatives and friends distributing sweets and dancing bhangra..

India, on the road to being a global super power, seems to be suffering from this disease.. Any achiever whom we come across with the least connection to the motherland makes us feel better, bigger and truly global.. India may not have done anything much in harnessing their talents and helping them grow but we feel so good to associate ourselves with Indians who have achieved elsewhere..In the last couple of years, at regular intervals, the papers have been filled with reports about "Indians” such as Bobby Jindal, Norah Jones, Sunita Williams, etc who have all done the country proud in the USA or in space.

Indian school children light diyas, villages and towns in remote corners of India distribute sweets, dance in joy, and the cameras chase the drivers, aunties, uncles and village postmen for their views — all because the son or a daughter of a former resident who quit the country fifty years ago has achieved an iota of success thousands of kilometers away.

But at some point reality bites.. I get to read about people like Bobby Jindal who has never visited his ancestral home and doesn't have plans too.. Norah Jones Shankar, dropped her last name long back.. Yet we have this new found confidence in us.. For us, the grass is always greener outside India.. We have never acknowledged the achievements of people with greater abilities within our country.. We are a land of hypocrites.. Media has a big part to play in this.. giving hyper and excessive coverage for the smaller achievements and giving more importance to the lifestyle in the west..

Just hoping for a day when this state of our nation would change..

The Compact Disc!

2007-10-23T10:31:00.000+05:30

Me: Pa, I bought a music CD today.. Lets listen to it..

Pa: Music CD??

Me: ok ok, before you could ask.. A music CD or a 'compact disc' is something like yourcassette tape which plays music.. Its a storage device and you can listen to a lot of songs - close to a 100 songs with just one CD!

Pa: Wow! What nice things they invent nowadays.. ok ok, play some old songs, we'll listen to it

Me: ok.. Here goes.. "Paatu paadava.. paarthu pesava....."

Old Songs were being played for a while and Pa was completely impressed. After a while he called out to me..

Pa: Hey, come fast, come fast...

Me: What happened?

Pa: I think the songs on this side are over.. Turn the CD and play it from the other side..!!

Me: ??!!!!! :-)

Crush!

2007-10-22T10:32:00.000+05:30

Me: Pa, You know what happened today? One of my colleague has a crush on her team mate and..

Pa: What?? Your colleague crushed someone??

Me: No no!! I said she has a 'crush on someone'..

Pa: Crush? What does that mean?

Me: 'Crush' means to begin to like someone, to have an attachment to a person...

Pa: Oh like that.. hmm.. let me frame a sentence with the word 'crush' so that i understand better.. (Filled with inquisitiveness and excitement!)

"I have a crush on my Pet dog".. Correcta??

Me: Duh!!!!!!!

Paati..

2007-10-18T11:55:00.000+05:30

Miss her a lot these days.. :-(

Five things.. :-)

2007-10-17T11:29:00.000+05:30

**Got the idea for this post from another blog.. Anyways.. Here goes..**

Five things i plan to do before i die:
* Take my parents on a tour abroad to a country of their choice
* Start an orphanage and a school for the needy
* Learn to play a Casio keyboard
* Own a house facing a beach
* Go on a vacation every year with HIM

Five things i can do:
* Remain silent for however long..
* Paint on glass, fabric and pots
* Be patient and caring
* Laze around for hours
* Dream and achieve

Five things i cant do:
* Be assertive
* Live without friends
* Tolerate stupidity
* Swim/ Drive
* Be very traditional and orthodox

Five things that attract me to the opposite sex:
* Sense of Humour
* Intelligence
* Sensitivity
* Humility
* Deep eyes

Five Turn offs:
* Smokers
* Alchoholics
* Show offs
* People with 'I know it all' attitude
* People who back stab

Five things i say the most:
* Shit
* I'll kill you!
* Saddddddd..
* Shut up!
* I would love to.. But then...

Unconditional love...

2007-10-17T10:55:00.000+05:30

Read this wonderful article worth sharing.. Trying to learn and implement it.. Written by Swami Vivekananda..

I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me. Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it before me, and said this: "You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love."

This was how I saw it: As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to remain there, it will always be there. However, if you attempt to close your fingers round it and try to possess it, it will spill through the first cracks it finds. This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet LOVE...

They try to possess it, They demand, they expect... And just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will retrieve from you. For love is meant to be free, you cannot change its nature. If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings. Give and don't expect. Advise, but don't order. Ask, but never demand. It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice. It is the secret to true love. To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring."
Passing thought...

My Golu.. My pride.. :-)

2007-10-15T11:17:00.001+05:30

Fair weather friends!

2007-10-08T11:01:00.000+05:30

Yesterday i happened to call up a friend to remind her of another close friend's bday.. I'm this kind of a 'reminder service' for my group of friends cuz they are the typical "oops! i forgot!!" types.. :-)

She was really thrilled n happy listening to my voice when i was actually scolding her for forgetting bdays as always.. i asked her "whats the matter with you? Hows your health now? not been eating a lot of ice creams again isn't it?"and she goes on to say.. I haven't.. But know what? Am really happy to get a call from you.. from the time i've come here, I've only been getting calls from so called friends or relatives who suddenly want to know how i am, whether everything is fine or i need something... These people were never around when i actually needed them.. When i was a nobody there in India.. Just because i've come here to do my higher studies and have found a decent job, all of them want to revive their relationship with me.. I'm so glad u called up amidst such Fake people just to re-assure me that there are true friends as well.. "

I was quite happy speaking to her, but what she said somehow made good sense to me.. Just when a person tastes success, there are a huge bunch of people who crop up from nowhere.. people whom you wouldn't have heard of for years together but suddenly they want to know about you, make some reason to get into your good books..

I feel disgusted about such Fake people who keep in touch just because they would be getting some benefit out of you rather than wishing good for the person..

I would rather remain with a few good for nothing but true friends, than have friends who are with you just because you are successful in life..

Pookalam

2007-10-03T12:16:00.000+05:30

We had a 'Pookalam' competition at office today.. For those who dont know what a 'Pookalam' is, It is an arrangement of flowers and leaves. Poo - means flower. Kalam means 'special shape'.. Generally during onam, people prepare intricate designs with flowers and decorate their homes with it..

I wanted to break out of the monotony of work and decided to just participate in the competition. This is the first time that i had done something like this.. Though i'm good at drawing, i have never tried out flower arrangement.. What better opportunity, so i decided to go for it..

Then came the BIG question of what would the design be.. and one of my friends came up with an idea of depicting the face of a 'kathakali' dancer. (Kathakali is the most famous dance form that originated in Kerala).. All of us were thrilled with the idea.. Just pulled up a bunch of friends and off we went to the market to buy flowers..
We went to the Tippasandra market, which was filled with flowers of different colours.. bought a lot of them.. roses, jasmines, lillies, marigold...... We were suddenly stuck.. we didnt know what to do for the black colour which would be needed for the eyes...There is no flower which is black in colour..

My criminal brain came up with an idea.. I said, "lets buy a brinjal and peel the skin, carve it out for the eyes of the dancer.." ;-) All of us burst out laughing.. but we had no other choice because the competition would end in an hour and we had no time to argue..Just went ahead with the plan of buying the brinjal..

Reached office in 10 mins and started off.. I was the bakra who had to do the drawing.. :-) Did a free hand drawing of a kathakali dancer's face and must tell, it came out quite well.. much better than i had expected.. Then all of us started arranging the flowers and leaves that we had got.. I peeled out the brinjal and carved the eyes.. silently put the remains of the brinjal back into the bag so that we dont get caught.. ;-) Finally we were done.. We were all more than happy at the way it turned out..

Then came the judge.. I explained to him what a pookalam meant and why we chose the face of the kathakali dancer.. How it takes around 6-8 hours to paint a kathakali dancers face.. how much dedication and effort is needed to do it.. in the same way, we have put in a lot of hardwork and sincerity to this..

He said "you definitely deserve an award for your dedication and hardwork.." I just said, "True. But more than the award and the applause, it was the satisfaction and the thrill of participation in the competition that gave us more happiness.."

Now, that was some modesty isnt it? ;-)

Get out of the 'Work' mode!

2007-10-03T11:06:00.000+05:30

Looking out of the window, feeling the cool breeze hitting my face, there i was, sitting in a cab, wondering how the streets of Bangalore are still lit up and live at 12 in the night.. People still fresh with energy, listening to some roaring music on their ipods and working on their laptops, trying to finish some project or paperwork..

I was going back home - Tired after a hard days work.. Suddenly felt a drop of water hit my face and when i turned to look at who it was, i found a colleague of mine, silently brushing off her tears.. I just pulled out a hanky and gave it to her.. "The kajal looks beautiful in your eyes.. Dont let them go away with ur tears" i said.. She just tried to smile and took the kerchief from me and wiped off her tears.. Before i could ask, she replied.. "Thanks! I was just missing someone terribly..". Saying that she started off her story..

Her name was Neha. She was newly married and has come down to Bangalore from a small town in Delhi..Just started chatting with her and she was telling me about how she fell in love and got married to this guy who worked with her in her previous organisation.. Both of them were madly in love with each other and he would take care of her as if she were his precious baby.. Getting her gifts every now and then, taking her out to scenic places every weekend, loving her so much that she would be down to tears.. but tears of Joy..

And today here she is, with tears in her eyes again, but because she is craving for his love and time.. He is busy trying to get his career right and slogging day and night to meet his deadlines.. He works so much that she hardly gets to even see him when shes at home. She has taken up a job now.. so that she could keep herself away from her pain.. All i could tell her was "Dont worry! Things would be fine soon.. Just speak it out to your hubby"

Left me thinking.. Whats it like to be working 24/5? To be answering customer calls and handling irate client e-mails??To get into a world of mails and processes and applications and not have time for family or friends?

A lot of us get into the 'work' mode and refuse to come out of it.. We find so much pleasure in trying hard to meet/achieve a deadline or a target that some one has committed to some one else for his/her benefit.. Little do we realise that theres a bigger and a better world beyond work too.. There are people who need us and our time and presence.. May be an ailing mother, a newly wed wife, a friend, a brother, a neighbour or even a pet... We may be struggling hard at work to keep them happy, but most of the times what they need is our care and support and not money..

A Gentle reminder: Please make time for your loved ones.. No matter how busy you are.. Show them you care.. "Kya pata, Kal ho na ho.."... :-)

Indian 'Idol'??!!...

2007-09-24T10:55:00.000+05:30

"Prashant Tamang crowned Indian idol..." The headlines today in every single newspaper in town.. Prashant is the winner of the popular reality TV show 'Indian Idol'..

Music is one such blessing that can soothe, energize and make one express things that words can hardly do.. It can heal the most bitter of human rifts and create a strong bond forever..
Prashant is not the sole example of this.. there have been a lot of others like 'Abhijeet Sawant' - the 1st Indian Idol, 'Shreya Goshal' - a SaReGaMa finalist,'Sunidhi Chauhan' - part of the 'Meri Awaaz suno'... and lots more.. These talent shows provide a platform to the young and the talented to do well and excel in their respective fields.

Makes me think.. whats it that has brought such a big change?? From where does a shy, unheard of, simple person from a small town in Darjeeling get the confidence to face billions of people, to cheer them up, to bring them all together in unity irrespective of their caste and creed? The only answer i get is "MUSIC"

A lot of reality shows prove just the same.. The show "Indian Idol" has become such a rage everywhere.. I could never even imagine a Sepoy, from some corner of Nepal would become one of the most sought after singers in the country..
A person who was hardly recognised in his own neighbourhood a few months back, is now a person who's recognised and cheered worldwide..
It is not just the hills and valleys that are live with his music.. Its a craze in most of the other parts of India as well.. The programme has got young and old alike - glued to the TV sets and getting them vote and send SMSes in huge numbers to exercise their freedom of expression..

However, I just wonder, If Television and Music have so much of an influential power, why don't people make use of this for the social good? How would it be if people took a similar interest in our elections... If they 'voted' in lakhs and crores to choose an able leader!! If only our idols were more than singing or dancing sensations..!!! :-)

DD and Nostalgia....

2007-09-15T21:52:00.001+05:30

I was just surfing a few channels today and suddenly got reminded of the good old doordarshan days.. the late 80's and early 90's when we had just two channels DD 1 and DD 2.. we used to be so thrilled to watch our favourite serials/programmes..

I remember waiting for friday nights just to watch 'Chitrahaar' - a programme that showcased hindi film songs.. or wake up early on Sundays just to watch Mahabharat.. There were a lot of children's programmes as well like 'Jungle Book', 'Malgudi Days' and informative programmes like 'Surabhi' or 'Turning Point'...

A lot of TV characters like 'Vaagle' of 'Vaagle ki Duniya or 'Byomkesh' from the serial 'Byomkesh Bakshi' or Karamchand became household names... It would be so difficult to imagine life without these people entertaining us then..

What surprises me is the fact that TV sets werent too popular then and could be found only in a few urban households.. may be because of the cost and the lifestyle that existed.. But there definitely was a strong family bond and a bond of friendship that Doordarshan had created amidst people from the same colony or neighbourhood .. I remember watching serials at my neighbours place with both our families happily laughing together or arguingabout what a particular character in the serial should have done.. Cant even imagine things like that happening today..

There was a time when one could hear kids say, "Ma, even i want to fight Sher Khan like Mowgli...", Such was the impact of DD on peoples minds.. It was an era when people used to watch TV with rapt attention.. A time when the entire nation would come to a standstill for a few moments.. We can hardly find that in the programmes that are telecast today inspite of the innumerable number of channels broadcasting a lot of serials..Whats predominant now is 'saas bahu ka jhagda', jealosy, failing marriages, violence... Thanks to the likes of Ekta kapoor..

Wish time could just stop at that Golden era where spending time with family watchin DD was considered much more enjoyable than any other activity.. The innocence and beauty that DD brought remains something that i would always cherish.. :-)

Creativity as a 'Career'..

2007-09-11T11:56:00.000+05:30

"You want to become a fashion designer???? In this age of computers???"
"Nobody in our family has ever done that!"
"Joining the Navy?? U must be kidding!"

How many times have we heard of statements like these? At least it wouldn't be something new for most of us here.. People here in India, have a preset notion that anything that deviates even a little bit from the normal is a Taboo..

When i was still in College (That's not too long ago.. ;-)) and used to visit my relatives, whose sons and daughters were software engineers or doctors, i was always faced with the most inevitable question.. "Enna Panre?" and when i said B.Com.. the expression on their faces would automatically change to a frown.. It would seem like i was not doing something up to the mark and they are filled with sympathy for my parents for my 'poor intellect'.. The next question or statement would be "Why?? Didn't score well in your 10th i suppose!"...

The Older generation have this stereotypical image of individuals completing their engineering and earning in lakhs and working and slogging hard to lead a happy life.. They fail to see what passion that individual carries with him/her..There are a very few of them who think out of the box and decide on taking up a creative 'career'... May be something in the stream of fine arts or law.. and still do very well in life..

Its not just about engineering or the other sciences scoring over an arts or a commerce stream that bothers them, but more about what would happen to the individuals future.. How would he/she get a job that takes them abroad.. a job that pays well and may be after a few years help you return to India for a few days to show off your new lifestyle and find a suitable partner..

I'm very proud of my cousin who is an artist, My sis who's preparing for her civil services exam, My friend who is an interior designer.. But there is still a great need for people who are creative and people who are ready to think beyond and achieve.. The current stigma or the mindset of people needs to change..

I wish and hope for a revolution that would cause more people to think and act differently and say, "Go ahead Son! Take up your passion.. U'll surely succeed.." rather than saying, "Joining the Army? Which movie inspired you to do that??" :-)

Sneha Nilaya..

2007-09-09T07:46:00.000+05:30

It was HIS birthday and i wanted to make it a memorable one for HIM.. Some friends said organise a birthday party at a restaurant.. Some said get him an expensive gift.. Some others suggested a one day trip - away from the bustling crowd.. 'Go to a place where just the two of you would be there or arrange for a candle light dinner.."..

Confusion confusion!! I thought... Whats that one gift which would make HIM happy?? New clothes? An expensive watch? a trip - so that we get to spend some time together?or something that would make both of us happy??? Something that could bring happiness to a lot more people, people who actually didnt have someone who could celebrate their birthday or someone who would care for them and do something for them??

I found my answer... I knew the HE would definitely enjoy such a birthday.. So, there i began, called up my best friend and asked her details of "Sneha Nilaya" - A home for children who are taken care of by the society and not by their parents.. She was thrilled that i came up with something like this.. she promptly gave me the details.. I called up the Sneha Nilaya office (Phn: 080-22210432) and asked sister what were the things that the kids needed.. stationery for school, food.. Took down all details of when the kids would be available and what their regular activities would be as it was a sunday..
The next day, i went and purchased some notebooks and stationery for the kids, called up HIS friends and asked them to reach the place by 10 in the morning with a cake.. and there we were.. ready to organise a surprise party!

It was the day of his birthday.. Called HIM up and wished HIM.. Told HIM i have a BIG surprise.. asked him to pick me up by 9.30.. Met him.. He was neatly dressed and looked cute and smart as ever..He was very curious to know where we were going.. We finally reached the venue..

Surprise!!

His friends were there with a cake in hand and he was completely surprised and excited.. asked me, 'What have you people been upto? " We smiled and took him into the premises of Snehanilaya.. Spoke to the nun there and told her that we were here to celebrate HIS birthday with the kids.. Sister called all the kids to the hall and once they came, we gave the books and balloons and chocolates that we got.. brought the cake and asked HIM to cut it.. HE lifted one of the kids there and cut the cake.. The kids sang a beautiful Happy Birthday song for HIM.. HE was speechless.. so were we..

The kids there, they are so much like us.. But they dont have a life that they should actually have.. Most of them are orphans and some of them have a distant relative or two who rarely visit them or can afford to take care of them.. We were very moved when we got to know about the kind of life that they lead..

I made friends with a lot of them very quickly.. There was one girl who had the same birthday as mine.. and not to forget, there was this boy who loved photos.. He kept posing in different ways and wanted to see himself in the digicam.. :-) We played with the kids there and some of them even sang a few kannada and tamil film songs so beautifully.. We then served food to them and fed some of the smaller kids ourselves.. It gave us immense happiness..

I felt very blessed and a little more fortunate and grateful.. Said a small prayer and thanked GOD for what he has given me and also prayed fora better life for so many children who are without any support or care.. and took a decision to try and do anything thats possible from my side to help kidsand people who are not as priviledged.. The experience that i've had in Sneha Nilaya was really something beyond words..

We then left the place though none of us felt like leaving.. It was time for the kids to sleep and we had to go..

HE was almost in tears.. Just smiled and said 'Thank you.. Its the best birthday i've had so far..." :-)