I moved
13 years ago
Some Respect?
Last evening, I spotted this woman bullying her dog. This woman lives in the same community as I do and she usually walks her dog around the time I get back from work so I have had the opportunity to observe her before. I love dogs and they know that. The moment they spot me they will stop and wag their tails and try to jump over me – at least the friendly ones will do that. So the first time I saw Rosy, the beautiful dark chocolate brown/black colored Labrador with eyes that would melt your heart, she was a little puppy. Like any other playful puppy she started wagging her tail and tried to run towards me. Her owner, this young lady who never smiles seems constipated most of the time - let’s call her Miss C, just dragged her using the leash and yelled at her. I just let it pass thinking that Miss C was probably in a bad mood and didn't really feel like socializing. But that was just the first of many such observations - I have routinely watched Miss C yell at Rosy, drag her collar so much that it probably hurts and generally be mean to her. And Rosy would always wag her tail at Miss C looking for some kind of affection or acceptance - I am really not sure what. Rosy was always sweet and her owner just seemed mean. How I wished I had Rosy and not Miss C!! Rosy is more than a year old now but is still as beautiful as ever...
Yesterday, Miss C stopped Rosy right outside my porch during their daily walk, and rolled her palms into little fists and kept punching Rosy on her face while scolding her and Rosy just stood there wagging her tail with a look that said "I love you, why are you always angry?" My brains froze as I didn’t know what to do. They walked away after 5 minutes and I forgot about what I had just witnessed. I feel like a terrible person but I was not sure what I should do? Next time should do I just stop and stare at Miss C and make her feel small so that she may not repeat this kind of behavior? But what would she do to Rosy when they are at home? I don't know and every time I think of this I only wish Rosy had a better human friend...
Why is it that some people are mean to animals? I can never respect those who are mean to animals. There are some those who will purposely stone other animals or throw stuff at them for laughs. I have heard of kids who trick dogs or cats to eat food laced with anti-freeze just because they think its funny that poor animal trusts you and eats that food and chokes on it and dies! What kind of contribution would these people make to this world when they cannot respect another life? We do not have to love everything and everyone but we can at least treat all living creatures with some respect as they have feelings too. I wonder how Miss C would feel if she just woke up one Freaky Friday to find that Rosy was her mistress who would walk Miss C using a leash and punch her on the face. Knowing Rosy, if this ever happened, she would be so sweet to Miss C that the lady would die in shame!
Random Thoughts - 1
I am pretty amazed at bloggers who post so much of personal information about their lives on their blog and I am talking real personal. Yes the blog is a kind of a journal, but how much of everything which goes on in your personal life would you want your friends and relatives to know? Call me old fashioned but I am a very private person - have always been. Not even my parents would always know what I am up to, especially if it has anything to do about conversations with a guy or anything on those lines. That is classified information and I wouldn't want my parents, friends or relatives knowing about everything that goes on between 2 people....I have not even written about my thoughts and feelings about tiffs with relatives, friends or other crazies that I have met throughout my life. Come to think of it I don't have a problem talking about these subjects :)
I would prefer to maintain a personal journal to record my inner-most thoughts and password protect it! It's the age of digital journals and I can write pretty much what I please without worrying about who would stumble upon my private thoughts and feelings compared to the old days when diaries could and would be opened by anyone from parents to ! Well that's me.
But I should admit, these bloggers have lots of courage and I admire them for that. I love their bindaas attitudes which screams "I don't care what the world thinks!" This is probably the reason why there are many more followers on such blogs compared to other not too personal blogs...Way to go people..hats off to you!
I would prefer to maintain a personal journal to record my inner-most thoughts and password protect it! It's the age of digital journals and I can write pretty much what I please without worrying about who would stumble upon my private thoughts and feelings compared to the old days when diaries could and would be opened by anyone from parents to ! Well that's me.
But I should admit, these bloggers have lots of courage and I admire them for that. I love their bindaas attitudes which screams "I don't care what the world thinks!" This is probably the reason why there are many more followers on such blogs compared to other not too personal blogs...Way to go people..hats off to you!
Different Worlds - some heavy ranting
It is such an interesting world...there are some countries (like where yours truly is from) where people start work early in the morning and continue late into the night and hardly complain. They go about it like it is their life's mission - the mission which enables them to take care of bills and pay mortgages. Most don't have the advantage of leaving work on the dot at 5:00PM or say something when their boss SMS'es them to be at work bright and early on a week end when they have worked until 2:00PM the previous night or when they are asked to cut short a holiday to get into work just because it is expected of them....Even Tea and Coffee is rationed at most places of work and folks don't get to enjoy long luxurious lunches. Not to mention that the commute to and from work probably leaves them in bad mood for the entire week! If you happen to be a working woman, you have the additional exciting tasks like cooking dinner after a long day at work, cleaning up, wake up early next morning to cook lunch for you and your better half before you both rush to work , put up with your maid (if you have one)etc., If you have kids its even more fun - you just need to manage a sleepy or screaming toddler, drop em off at school or day care and rush to work before the boss can make a comment about why they should not be hired! More about this later.
Then there is the other side of the world - people get into work as they please. The moment they get into the office you will find that they have not even settled into their chairs or checked their emails but there they are already gossiping with others who don't mind listening to their useless banter and the incessant ranting and complains! Some people are always too good for what they do, they are better than everyone else even when they are not, they need to keep telling themselves and you how you can never be the same as them even though you can and you already are (you are probably better). They have the knack of looking busy and stressed thereby exuding an important exterior. Men and women alike think its no big deal to miss deadlines, not turn up to meetings, not answer emails (heck they are busy browsing the internet) and basically do whatever it is that they please. They have great paid vacation time, protected by extremely strong employment laws where you cannot discriminate based on gender, color, race, medical conditions.. you are not even allowed to verify their performances at their previous jobs or for references!! Oh let me add that these kind of employees are rarely ever taken to task!
I am in awe of this world - how does this even exist? How can an organization with such employees show growth? How can such a world bloom and grow? This is a world protected by an excess of everything: land, food, water, strong laws and more. It is a world which going to be filled up with lazy folks who can't do anything few years from now..a world where there would be very few achievers and one that would contain an overflow of those depending on the government to hand out benefits for any kind of disaster or personal problems that rise out of their own making. These folks are too lazy to work so they get fired and the govt has to hand out unemployment! I know of those who make sure that get fired so that they can collect unemployment without doing anything..And because they are unemployed they cant afford medical care so that government has to hand out free medical care! And what is the source of cash to make sure that all these people have a cushy life - tax payers money. A few people work hard and pay their taxes so that the rest of the country and sponge off someone's sweat and blood.
When I think of such deep issues I only wonder if God is being unfair. Did he really create some countries and its citizens to be above others? Did he just create someone countries and its citizens to be slaves to these so called superior countries? Is he just so mad at some countries that he filled them with rotten politicians? What other rational explanation exists? And why is it that hard working citizens anywhere have it tougher than the lazy ones?? So many questions and no real answers....
Then there is the other side of the world - people get into work as they please. The moment they get into the office you will find that they have not even settled into their chairs or checked their emails but there they are already gossiping with others who don't mind listening to their useless banter and the incessant ranting and complains! Some people are always too good for what they do, they are better than everyone else even when they are not, they need to keep telling themselves and you how you can never be the same as them even though you can and you already are (you are probably better). They have the knack of looking busy and stressed thereby exuding an important exterior. Men and women alike think its no big deal to miss deadlines, not turn up to meetings, not answer emails (heck they are busy browsing the internet) and basically do whatever it is that they please. They have great paid vacation time, protected by extremely strong employment laws where you cannot discriminate based on gender, color, race, medical conditions.. you are not even allowed to verify their performances at their previous jobs or for references!! Oh let me add that these kind of employees are rarely ever taken to task!
I am in awe of this world - how does this even exist? How can an organization with such employees show growth? How can such a world bloom and grow? This is a world protected by an excess of everything: land, food, water, strong laws and more. It is a world which going to be filled up with lazy folks who can't do anything few years from now..a world where there would be very few achievers and one that would contain an overflow of those depending on the government to hand out benefits for any kind of disaster or personal problems that rise out of their own making. These folks are too lazy to work so they get fired and the govt has to hand out unemployment! I know of those who make sure that get fired so that they can collect unemployment without doing anything..And because they are unemployed they cant afford medical care so that government has to hand out free medical care! And what is the source of cash to make sure that all these people have a cushy life - tax payers money. A few people work hard and pay their taxes so that the rest of the country and sponge off someone's sweat and blood.
When I think of such deep issues I only wonder if God is being unfair. Did he really create some countries and its citizens to be above others? Did he just create someone countries and its citizens to be slaves to these so called superior countries? Is he just so mad at some countries that he filled them with rotten politicians? What other rational explanation exists? And why is it that hard working citizens anywhere have it tougher than the lazy ones?? So many questions and no real answers....
TGIF!! 15-Oct-10 - Suicide of the Office Supplies
It's Friday y'all! My favorite day of the week - a day whose evening I can look forward to and a day which makes the days that follow seem exciting. Hopefully I don't have to hear the alarm go off on the week-ends, can laze around and spend time with myself, my family and loved ones. Nothing but pure bliss!
I wanted to share this extremely hilarious photo with everybody. I feel nothing explains the "TGIF" concept better. Last Friday someone at work just attached a pen holder, a docking station and what looks like a punching machine to a string and hung (yes hung) them to the ceiling!We all love our jobs which is probably the reason why we look forward to week ends and enjoy them in the first place. But every now I can't help but not take myself too seriously and cut through the stress to enjoy such silly gestures! Enjoy an have a great week end!
P.S - I have named this photograph "Suicide of the Office Supplies"
I wanted to share this extremely hilarious photo with everybody. I feel nothing explains the "TGIF" concept better. Last Friday someone at work just attached a pen holder, a docking station and what looks like a punching machine to a string and hung (yes hung) them to the ceiling!We all love our jobs which is probably the reason why we look forward to week ends and enjoy them in the first place. But every now I can't help but not take myself too seriously and cut through the stress to enjoy such silly gestures! Enjoy an have a great week end!
P.S - I have named this photograph "Suicide of the Office Supplies"
I won!
Today has been a very exciting day for me - I won the chili cook-off contest at work! After years I participated in something and won. My recipe which was a desi version of the westernized Chili was selected as the winner and also found mention for originality and spice /kick! This was my first attempt and the reward is extremely motivating - at least it motivated me to update my food blog after 6 months! Honestly only I know that I was really mad at someone when I was cooking...but seems my anger was channeled well :)
Since I have been working on my recipe, this is my post for today. Interested parties may please click here to read about chili and check if the recipe interests you.
Note to self: I really need to work on getting all my blogs in one spot!!! I am just not sure how to do it. if anybody has some suggestions please let me know.
Wordless Wednesday 1 - What's smoking??
I noticed that Wordless Wednesday is very common across the blogosphere. I think that the concept is great. I wanted to do one too. This is my first one. Here goes....
Girl vs Diet
It was a boring "Tuesday" afternoon and she was contemplating about her assignment when her colleague made eye contact with her. Get into the kitchen said those eyes and then pointed to the big brown box that she was holding. Oh no! thought the girl - not this not now. Why does this always happen to me? But she couldn't resist walking into the kitchen wondering about what the consequences of her careless action would be. Soon there were others bustling around them as the box opened to reveal its contents. As the girl fought the lat few ounces of temptation her mouth spoke the words - "There goes my diet!!!I will take a slice of the veggie pizza!!!!"
P.S - This is my second post for the day. The first was supposed to have been posted yesterday which is why I have 2 posts today. This is my first attempt a short story like thingie...am going to call these "shorty" :)
P.S - This is my second post for the day. The first was supposed to have been posted yesterday which is why I have 2 posts today. This is my first attempt a short story like thingie...am going to call these "shorty" :)
The MInd, Body and Yoga
Ok..so here I am on the path to finding myself and an important part of this project is to have some kind of discipline in life, the ability to shut off negative influences and concentrate on what is important to you as a person, a pure mind and body etc., I am not going to go on cos I might sound like a philosopher which I am not even close to... Speaking of a pure body and mind (ahem!! My body probably cries every time I feed it junk and my brains are overworked as they never rest) I have just started taking yoga classes as an important step of this journey :) I was skeptical at first about yoga - you would be too if parts of your childhood were spent sitting with an aunt who chanted "Om" when you looked on like a deer struck by headlights wondering how this supposed to be fun! Anyways I digress.
Have you ever had the experience of trying to stretch like a cat years after school and college ? More simply put you are no longer between the age range of 16-27?? The only way I can describe how I felt when I tried the most simple and basic yoga stretches is confusion and pain!Here I was trying to concentrate on holding a cat-dog or cow or some kind of animal pose (maybe it was pigeon which actually makes it a bird pose) without tripping on myself or someone next to me! It seemed to be that my body was taking revenge on me for the years of abuse it had been subjected to over the last 3 decades!! And you what they say about pay backs - you get much more than you gave! And it didn't help that some others were doing all of this without breaking into a sweat when I couldn't even touch my toes..Those who know me well know that I am obsessed with touching my toes. It has been a life long endeavour of mine to touch my toes...I couldn't do it when I was a kid, when I was dancing full time and I still can't do it! I keep blaming it on my genes whilst some say its my hamstrings. This "unable to touch my own toes complex" has become a regular joke in my life because of which I have decided to overlook this inability of mine while navigating the journey of life. Getting back to my class, towards the end of it I was desperately looking forward to the death pose where you just lie down and relax!
All said and done a few classes later I find that I can do the cats, cows,dogs and even cobras but not the bird!! I try to take inspiration from my cat who can stretch himself like nobodies business and who thinks I am just being silly when I try to do the cat-cow and dog... he runs beneath me trying to play the "let me see if you will fall" game! But I do look forward to every class so maybe, just maybe I am finding some kind of discipline in my life after all.
So here is to me trying and filing my experiences here so that I can look back one day when I can do all the fancy back bends and remember my humble beginnings and laugh at the girl who was trying to something - I am hoping the future me would have it figured out the "something" by then :-)
P.S - I had a very silly look on my face as I typed out this post - I have missed not posting on the weekend and I had nominated myself for the nablopo of all things....
Have you ever had the experience of trying to stretch like a cat years after school and college ? More simply put you are no longer between the age range of 16-27?? The only way I can describe how I felt when I tried the most simple and basic yoga stretches is confusion and pain!Here I was trying to concentrate on holding a cat-dog or cow or some kind of animal pose (maybe it was pigeon which actually makes it a bird pose) without tripping on myself or someone next to me! It seemed to be that my body was taking revenge on me for the years of abuse it had been subjected to over the last 3 decades!! And you what they say about pay backs - you get much more than you gave! And it didn't help that some others were doing all of this without breaking into a sweat when I couldn't even touch my toes..Those who know me well know that I am obsessed with touching my toes. It has been a life long endeavour of mine to touch my toes...I couldn't do it when I was a kid, when I was dancing full time and I still can't do it! I keep blaming it on my genes whilst some say its my hamstrings. This "unable to touch my own toes complex" has become a regular joke in my life because of which I have decided to overlook this inability of mine while navigating the journey of life. Getting back to my class, towards the end of it I was desperately looking forward to the death pose where you just lie down and relax!
All said and done a few classes later I find that I can do the cats, cows,dogs and even cobras but not the bird!! I try to take inspiration from my cat who can stretch himself like nobodies business and who thinks I am just being silly when I try to do the cat-cow and dog... he runs beneath me trying to play the "let me see if you will fall" game! But I do look forward to every class so maybe, just maybe I am finding some kind of discipline in my life after all.
So here is to me trying and filing my experiences here so that I can look back one day when I can do all the fancy back bends and remember my humble beginnings and laugh at the girl who was trying to something - I am hoping the future me would have it figured out the "something" by then :-)
P.S - I had a very silly look on my face as I typed out this post - I have missed not posting on the weekend and I had nominated myself for the nablopo of all things....
TGIF!!!!! 08-Oct-10
It's Friday! Yay! It has been a long week and I am looking forward to this week end more than I normally do! The only thing I have planned is to attend my yoga class. on Saturday. A separate post on that will come soon. What I'd like to do other than that has been summed up well by furry little pal:-)
On a different note I am going to give nablopo a try and am starting off small but cute (with this post) Also going forward I am going to do TGIF posts every Friday. These posts will be the best way for me to unwind after my week...everybody does wordless Wednesdays so why shouldn't I do TGIF Fridays?? :) For those who may not know (though I am sure that is a rarity) TGIF is an acronym for Thank God It's Friday! What do you have planned for the week end??
Of Concentration, Me and MM
Have you ever wondered what happens to your sense of concentration once you are done with college? I have been trying hard (not real hard though) to start studying for a very important exam which I have been planning to write for quite some time now. Every time I open my books I go through the same experience which can very comically be described like this:
Me: Ok! Time to get serious..I need to pull up my socks and get this done! After all its for my own good...I can snag that corner office with a view some day (soon)!
MM: That's right babe! You can do it...together we can conquer the world!
5 minutes later:
Me: Chapter 1: "XYZ is the term that is used to define process which describes........"
MM: Are you comfortable in this seating position???
Me: Sure...I have never used a table and chair all my life! Why start now? XYZ is the terms that is used to define process which describes........
MM: Sorry to interrupt, but your back is going to get all bendy this way and you will start hunching more than usual....
Me: grrrr...ok fine! I am moving to the table
After moving to the table:
Me:"XYZ is the term that is used to define process which describes blah blah and Blee. Those who are very adept at following these processes are referred to as........"
MM: Gosh! What's the sound I hear?? Is someone walking past your window??
Me: Grrr....shut up and concentrate! "XYZ is the terms...."
MM: Whatever! I think I need some coffee so that you can be fresh and really concentrate..
Me: Good Lord!! U are a pain...fine will get the coffee..
30 minutes later after coffee:
Me: "XYZ is the term....................blah blah.........bleh!" Yes finally I can remember this...I am done with one page! Yippeee
MM: Good Job! U need a break Let's check whats on TV.....
Me: That is so true....we have been working hard on this for the past 30 minutes! Let's check out the telly...
Another 30 minutes later:
Me: Ok lets get back to work...
MM: Yes! Yes!
Me: "Page 2: The entire XYZ process is depicted in the diagram below...."
MM: Speaking of diagrams did you notice that you still haven't finished that painting??
Me: Yes..will get to it soon...."Page 2: The entire XYZ process...."
MM: You have been saying that for some time now...
Me: Can I please finish this page?? "Page 2: ....."
MM: Look you need to tidy up this place first...It is messing up with the Feng Shui of this room..this is why you can't concentrate...
Me: Good Lord!! Please help :(
Finally, I just closed my books and decided that I was just not up to it at that moment. There was a time in life when I could sit at a place with my books and go on for hours! I woke up at 4:00AM and kept going till 9:00AM sometimes even longer with no real breaks! Only my books got my attention and nothing else...I could concentrate...Now I have become lost in this world of multi-tasking where I have to 100 things at a time to feel satisfied: read my book, check my email, clean my room, think of a solution for a work problem and more!Does life makes us this way? Or do the words of a good friend (who rarely reads this blog ) are true when he says: "It's the age! You are just too old for this stuff!!"
Me:Gulp! I hope not.....dear God please help!
MM: Babes don't you worry.....you can do it!
Sigh....
Me: Ok! Time to get serious..I need to pull up my socks and get this done! After all its for my own good...I can snag that corner office with a view some day (soon)!
MM: That's right babe! You can do it...together we can conquer the world!
5 minutes later:
Me: Chapter 1: "XYZ is the term that is used to define process which describes........"
MM: Are you comfortable in this seating position???
Me: Sure...I have never used a table and chair all my life! Why start now? XYZ is the terms that is used to define process which describes........
MM: Sorry to interrupt, but your back is going to get all bendy this way and you will start hunching more than usual....
Me: grrrr...ok fine! I am moving to the table
After moving to the table:
Me:"XYZ is the term that is used to define process which describes blah blah and Blee. Those who are very adept at following these processes are referred to as........"
MM: Gosh! What's the sound I hear?? Is someone walking past your window??
Me: Grrr....shut up and concentrate! "XYZ is the terms...."
MM: Whatever! I think I need some coffee so that you can be fresh and really concentrate..
Me: Good Lord!! U are a pain...fine will get the coffee..
30 minutes later after coffee:
Me: "XYZ is the term....................blah blah.........bleh!" Yes finally I can remember this...I am done with one page! Yippeee
MM: Good Job! U need a break Let's check whats on TV.....
Me: That is so true....we have been working hard on this for the past 30 minutes! Let's check out the telly...
Another 30 minutes later:
Me: Ok lets get back to work...
MM: Yes! Yes!
Me: "Page 2: The entire XYZ process is depicted in the diagram below...."
MM: Speaking of diagrams did you notice that you still haven't finished that painting??
Me: Yes..will get to it soon...."Page 2: The entire XYZ process...."
MM: You have been saying that for some time now...
Me: Can I please finish this page?? "Page 2: ....."
MM: Look you need to tidy up this place first...It is messing up with the Feng Shui of this room..this is why you can't concentrate...
Me: Good Lord!! Please help :(
Finally, I just closed my books and decided that I was just not up to it at that moment. There was a time in life when I could sit at a place with my books and go on for hours! I woke up at 4:00AM and kept going till 9:00AM sometimes even longer with no real breaks! Only my books got my attention and nothing else...I could concentrate...Now I have become lost in this world of multi-tasking where I have to 100 things at a time to feel satisfied: read my book, check my email, clean my room, think of a solution for a work problem and more!Does life makes us this way? Or do the words of a good friend (who rarely reads this blog ) are true when he says: "It's the age! You are just too old for this stuff!!"
Me:Gulp! I hope not.....dear God please help!
MM: Babes don't you worry.....you can do it!
Sigh....
Conversations with MM
Tuesday afternoon after a long week end my mind (MM)which pretty much likes to do its own thing tells me:
MM: I wanna do something adventurous,
Go back packing some where or just pack and go somewhere (based on convenience),
Stay in a small town, in the mountains....
SR (that's me):Maybe, but please ensure that there is running water and electricity...am all for the simple life but I need to shower everyday and not let the heat and mosquitoes kill me..
MM:(after a whatever expression)....Live the simple life
Write, paint, eat, sleep, grow my own vegetables, cook......
SR: Yeah sure - If we don't get too lazy that is!BTW from where will the funding come for this dream trip??
MM: Why do you have to rain on my parade? Do u have to be practical all the time?? I can't believe I live within you!! I am so adventurous, creative, and happy go lucky and u....
SR: Well.....
- Interrupted by a superior at work (SP@work)
SP@work: So whats the status on the blah blah item we were working on this morning???
SR: Well its going on a blah bleeh mode and should be done soon....
MM: While this silly girl is trying to work on real life let me go back and doze some more before she will let me fly.
MM: I wanna do something adventurous,
Go back packing some where or just pack and go somewhere (based on convenience),
Stay in a small town, in the mountains....
SR (that's me):Maybe, but please ensure that there is running water and electricity...am all for the simple life but I need to shower everyday and not let the heat and mosquitoes kill me..
MM:(after a whatever expression)....Live the simple life
Write, paint, eat, sleep, grow my own vegetables, cook......
SR: Yeah sure - If we don't get too lazy that is!BTW from where will the funding come for this dream trip??
MM: Why do you have to rain on my parade? Do u have to be practical all the time?? I can't believe I live within you!! I am so adventurous, creative, and happy go lucky and u....
SR: Well.....
- Interrupted by a superior at work (SP@work)
SP@work: So whats the status on the blah blah item we were working on this morning???
SR: Well its going on a blah bleeh mode and should be done soon....
MM: While this silly girl is trying to work on real life let me go back and doze some more before she will let me fly.
Krishna and Me
Today is one of my most favorite Hindu Indian festivals - Krishna Jayanthi as we tam brams call it or Krishna Janmashtami as the rest of India calls it. I am not sure why this is one of my favorite festivals especially when the other festivals are equally amazing. Maybe it is the food quotient attached to this one.......think about it: seedais, murukus, thatais, milk sweets, fruits basically just about everything. But then every tam bram festival is always comes on top where food is concerned. God! all this talk about food makes me want to schedule a day off and go home right now and start eating. Oh! How I digress!
So why is this special to me?? Cos Krishna is my most favorite God! OK..I know there plenty of you ladies out there and a few guys who might claim the same thing, but for me my relationship with Krishna has been a life long thing. If you are interested about the how and why's read on else you can just skip this post right now!
I don't know what happened with me since I started working! Seems that the more and more I flooded myself with ambitions to snag a corner office with a view somewhere (which I am sad to report that I have not yet done) and travel the world, I immersed myself in a web of meetings, deliverables, late nights with no sleep and bad food and what not. I didn't even realise as Krishna slowly slipped away from my heart and moved far, far away. He was around but we were not as close as before... On this day as Indians across the world celebrate his birthday I hope to make an effort once more to woo him back to where he belongs which is close to my heart. The first step was realisation and I think I did that pretty well...
Happy Krishna Jayanthi to all....What your most favorite Krishna experience? I would love to know...
So why is this special to me?? Cos Krishna is my most favorite God! OK..I know there plenty of you ladies out there and a few guys who might claim the same thing, but for me my relationship with Krishna has been a life long thing. If you are interested about the how and why's read on else you can just skip this post right now!
- I befriended Krishna when I was very young! As soon as I started babbling words as a baby. My parents always fondly tell me stories of how I would stay awake (after they though I was asleep)at night speaking to the red night lamp in the room babbling the words "aalithana la lal la lal"!!! Nobody could figure out this meant...almost 2.5 decades later a few years ago my mom who was listening to a discourse somewhere understood what I had meant while saying those words..it was code for aaillai krishna which actually means baby Krishna on a leaf!
- I got my first toy a little plastic doll (which I still have btw) right at the time I started to talk... I named him Krishna! Nobody knew why and neither did I. "Krishna papa" stayed with me all the time for a few years. Teddy bears and other toys came and went but "Krishna papa" stayed and enjoys his place on the shelf till date! Maybe one day (hopefully) my kids can play with him.
- When we lived in B'lore my mom had this awesome statue of Lord Krishna playing the flute in the living room. She had drooled over this magnificent piece of art and purchased it for its beauty and craftsmanship. One day as she was working elsewhere in the house, I am presuming it was the kitchen, she heard a loud crashing noise. Since it happened to come from the living room she rushed there only to find the magnificent statue of Krishna on the ground broken in several pieces and yours truly standing / kneeling right beside the "holy" mess! Obviously she was flooded with anger as an expensive piece of art was gone and asked me why I broke the statue. The reason lil ole me gave was "I was playing with Krishna and he fell down"!! Needless to say I received a lot of wacks and mom never ever purchased delicate objects of beauty again - at least not until I grew up!
- During the summer holidays after completing my 5th grade I was introduced to paints and brushes! It took me a year or two to get really friendly with them paints and brushes and then boom! There I was painting pictures of Krishna one after the other. Some of them hang in my house, some were gifted to others and some are still trying to find a spot on the wall where they can proudly rest....This phase continued despite classes, exams, college projects and more..
I don't know what happened with me since I started working! Seems that the more and more I flooded myself with ambitions to snag a corner office with a view somewhere (which I am sad to report that I have not yet done) and travel the world, I immersed myself in a web of meetings, deliverables, late nights with no sleep and bad food and what not. I didn't even realise as Krishna slowly slipped away from my heart and moved far, far away. He was around but we were not as close as before... On this day as Indians across the world celebrate his birthday I hope to make an effort once more to woo him back to where he belongs which is close to my heart. The first step was realisation and I think I did that pretty well...
Happy Krishna Jayanthi to all....What your most favorite Krishna experience? I would love to know...
An award and other random things...
I recently discovered that a few months ago I was conferred the "Honest Scrap" blog award, by Swarna for my thoughts and work on "Oodles of Doodles". That blog and this one have been so ignored by me for the past year that I feel I need to hide under a table to avoid my embarrassment from letting laziness and the humdrum of life take over me! So in all earnestness I am looking at this award and the tag that was associated with it as a sign for me to wake up from hibernation and let my mind flow...
So here goes....25 random things about me! 25 is a bit much but I will try! I just hope I can stop :)
- I love so many things in life and want to do so many things before I die that its difficult to make a list...........
- I savor silence, solitude and personal space
- I have a desperate need for everything to be organized and clean that I feel that I maybe a borderline OCD case!!
- Even though I don't fall into the short category in terms of height, I am crazy for heels....
- I am a very private person and don't like other folks intruding in my space
- I believe in God and that destiny shapes a person's life and that a woman's intuition about something must always be listened to.
- I love love loooooove my pets! So much that I feel they they are better to hang out with rather than annoying humans!
- I always find it difficult to make decisions! Even after I make the decision I always ponder and dissect it to ensure that it is correct driving myself nuts in the process!
- If you force me do to something that I am not sure of or don't want to do I will turn around and run the in other direction away from you!
- If you were to tell me that I cannot do something, I will always have a need to prove you wrong!
- I can eat anything vegetarian as long as its not bitter gourd!!
- If you steal my thunder I would most probably hate you!
- I dream of the day that I could do what I love for a living
- I hate politics - at work and in life!
- Books, music and television are very important in my life
- I prefer watching comedy genre movies than serious ones!
- I don't like crowded places; too much commotion drains me out
- Sometimes I tend to talk a lot..so much that you can't stop me
- I set the bar really high for myself and am always disappointed if I can't make it
- I do what I think is right no matter what the rest of world thinks about it
- I don't like to dominate or be dominated by anyone
- I have had secret ambitions to be a chef and a writer..
- Sometimes I lack discipline when it comes to sticking to an exercise or study routine
- I respect those who respect animals! If someone were to tell me that they hate dogs or cats for no good reason I won't think much of them...
- Unless they are at an interview I don't think much about folks who keep talking about themselves and try to make themselves seem important and intelligent to get some attention..
OK. time for me to stop!!! If you stop by this blog please do say Hi using the comments section!
And I start this year with......Books!
Art and Books are perfect beginning for my blogs this year! I have been more regular with my brushes than I have been with my writing! It seemed like I couldn't write about anything when the topics of books hit me...I have been reading two of them this month and wanted to post my thoughts.
The first one was "Devil Bones" by Kathy Reichs. The author is an renowned anthropologist and her life and experiences have been made into the hit reality TV show "Bones" of which I am a great fan of. I had been waiting to read her books for a really long time and finally found them at the local library. Well to say I was not disappointed would be far from the truth. The author says that she is not a trained writer and it shows! This was one book where I actually skipped pages just to get through...it is so strange considering the synopsis of the book guarantees a page turner. This is what the synopsis said:
"In a house under renovation, a plumber uncovers a cellar no one knew about, and makes a rather grisly discovery — a decapitated chicken, animal bones, and cauldrons containing beads, feathers, and other relics of religious ceremonies. In the center of the shrine is the skull of a teenage girl. Meanwhile, on a nearby lake shore, the headless body of a teenage boy is found by a man walking his dog.
Led by a preacher turned politician, citizen vigilantes blame devil worshippers and Wiccans and begin a witch hunt, intent on seeking revenge. Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan — "five-five, feisty, and forty-plus" — is called in to investigate, and a complex and gripping tale unfolds in this deadly mix of voodoo, Santería, and devil worship."
This seemingly thrilling plot was intertwined with useless romances of the main protagonist, voodoo and devil worship (which may get a readers attention ) and descriptions of the human anatomy (which is not my strong subject) and high way descriptions of North Carolina! Half way through the book, I forgot who the characters were and what exactly each one was trying to or had done! If you like human anatomy and scientific research give the book a try and maybe you wont feel like me! I was let down - maybe it's because I am so used to the dynamic, intelligent portrait of Dr. Temperance Brennan and the strong, charming and funny FBI agent Seeley Booth on the TV series. Neither the character of Tempe nor the FBI detectives live up to this mark..
Just to balance reading something like "Devil Bones" I started reading Sophie Kinsella's "Can you keep a secret?" OK! I have to tell you I was tempted to pick up this book as this author is frequently mentioned on one of my favorite blogs "Life, Books and More". Plus I haven't read chick lit in years.....now this book was funny and entertaining! The classic story of the black horse that triumphs, only the black horse in this case being Emma - a twenty something Londoner with a crappy job, struggling with crazy colleagues, few best friends, a cousin who stole most of her childhood and other equally crazy characters. While on a business trip, the plane on which Emma is flying heads into turbulence. Fearing that she may die, she gives in to a sudden bout of hysterics and reveals all her secrets including the most embarrassing ones to her fellow passenger. Now for the twist in the tale - she turns up to work the next day and guess who is visiting the company to supervise its European operations? None other than one of the companies founder Jack Harper - the fellow passenger from Emma's flight! After that its a Laughton all the way to the end and how Emma finally gets what makes her happy and her romance with the mysterious Jack Harper forms the rest of the book!
I loved it... It is a wonderful feeling to escape from real life into books such as these. But me being me, my silly mind wandered to imagine how it would be if something like this were to happen in real life... The heroine would probably work in a software company surrounded by colleagues who are silly in their own ways and the bosses would most probably be egoistic middle aged males, if not middle aged I am pretty sure a good chunk of them would be obnoxious.....the chance of romance - pretty much zero! A male reader may be getting ready to shoot me a hate mail but try polling female readers and many would be support what I just said :D
"In a house under renovation, a plumber uncovers a cellar no one knew about, and makes a rather grisly discovery — a decapitated chicken, animal bones, and cauldrons containing beads, feathers, and other relics of religious ceremonies. In the center of the shrine is the skull of a teenage girl. Meanwhile, on a nearby lake shore, the headless body of a teenage boy is found by a man walking his dog.
Led by a preacher turned politician, citizen vigilantes blame devil worshippers and Wiccans and begin a witch hunt, intent on seeking revenge. Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan — "five-five, feisty, and forty-plus" — is called in to investigate, and a complex and gripping tale unfolds in this deadly mix of voodoo, Santería, and devil worship."
This seemingly thrilling plot was intertwined with useless romances of the main protagonist, voodoo and devil worship (which may get a readers attention ) and descriptions of the human anatomy (which is not my strong subject) and high way descriptions of North Carolina! Half way through the book, I forgot who the characters were and what exactly each one was trying to or had done! If you like human anatomy and scientific research give the book a try and maybe you wont feel like me! I was let down - maybe it's because I am so used to the dynamic, intelligent portrait of Dr. Temperance Brennan and the strong, charming and funny FBI agent Seeley Booth on the TV series. Neither the character of Tempe nor the FBI detectives live up to this mark..
Just to balance reading something like "Devil Bones" I started reading Sophie Kinsella's "Can you keep a secret?" OK! I have to tell you I was tempted to pick up this book as this author is frequently mentioned on one of my favorite blogs "Life, Books and More". Plus I haven't read chick lit in years.....now this book was funny and entertaining! The classic story of the black horse that triumphs, only the black horse in this case being Emma - a twenty something Londoner with a crappy job, struggling with crazy colleagues, few best friends, a cousin who stole most of her childhood and other equally crazy characters. While on a business trip, the plane on which Emma is flying heads into turbulence. Fearing that she may die, she gives in to a sudden bout of hysterics and reveals all her secrets including the most embarrassing ones to her fellow passenger. Now for the twist in the tale - she turns up to work the next day and guess who is visiting the company to supervise its European operations? None other than one of the companies founder Jack Harper - the fellow passenger from Emma's flight! After that its a Laughton all the way to the end and how Emma finally gets what makes her happy and her romance with the mysterious Jack Harper forms the rest of the book!
I loved it... It is a wonderful feeling to escape from real life into books such as these. But me being me, my silly mind wandered to imagine how it would be if something like this were to happen in real life... The heroine would probably work in a software company surrounded by colleagues who are silly in their own ways and the bosses would most probably be egoistic middle aged males, if not middle aged I am pretty sure a good chunk of them would be obnoxious.....the chance of romance - pretty much zero! A male reader may be getting ready to shoot me a hate mail but try polling female readers and many would be support what I just said :D
