Tag The Wag

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind Curry


I would like to express my sincere gratitude to a few special people without who this post would not have happened..Thank you, Silverine, for the wonderful blogs and comments, and tagging me along. Mom, Dad..This is for you, I know you have been after my life asking this question to find me a girl ( since you dont blog, I feel safe!). Peter, you are the man..

Here goes..

Rules of the game are...

1. The tagged victim has to come up with 8 different points of their perfect lover or partner. (yes, eight!! and different too!)

2. Need to mention the sex of the target (target!!??)

3. Tag 8 victims to join this game & leave a comment on their comments saying they’ve been tagged. (its helpful to leave a link to your post, just in case the victims misunderstand the word "tagged" and come after you)

4. If tagged the 2nd time, there’s no need to post again. ( not sure if you still can post if you are tired of your first "lover" already or something..)



Sex of the Person :Female - a woman, hopefully

THE PERFECT GIRL

1. She has a great and beautiful smile, that she uses liberally, preferably most of the time

2. She is attractive, keeps her body fit & clean, respects herself, is smart and most importantly an independent person

3. She doesn't complain and nag about everything, not high strung, and should be accommodative to people and circumstances

4. She must have a good career focus

5. She must have a zest and punch for life, a lively and fun loving person, with enough energy to spread onto others

6. She must be a great talker, to make up for my great listening :) as well as be able to enjoy those moments of silence together

7. She must enjoy travelling, music and movies and be well read - at least. F1, NBA, bungee jumping, fishing, trekking etc can be secondary.

8. Ideally she should be an Indian, a non-fanatic believer in God

9. She should be loving, compassionate, kind and understanding

10. She should be honest and be able to trust me and I her, just like my best friend and not always doubt and worry


Dunno if that sounds very demanding..

Now the tougher part - Tagging 8 others:

1. Arun Katiyar - One of my first blogging pals, for great thoughts
2. Michelle - Friend of a friend for the Square Route of all this
3. Shruti - A smart girl, to get the "Cal" perspective
4. Maya - A great person, watch out for deep stuff
5. Quills - A heart of gold, for the Diasporic views
6. Seemanthini - An interesting blogger, for the Warped thougts?
7. Emma..err..Pamela - A brave and exciting person, for the Cross Border Take
8. Rohit - A fun and great guy, for the amusing "on-air" experience

That was fun..and tiring..

Now the best part.. Watching the tagged..

Kings Of Convenience

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind Curry
Above - Window of Notre Dame Baselica

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This is an excerpt from Mind Curry, authored in December 2005
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God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

God created man in his own image.

In God's image he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:26-27

All Christians consider the Bible to be holy and there is a good consensus on the authority of its content. The words above are quotes from the first book of the Bible.

I could not stop myself from pondering over those lines, probably because I have not read much of the rest of the Bible. Anyway, I believe what any man can understand from the above is that God created man and woman in His image, equal and same. And from that creation, man and woman procreated to form more men and women. Over generations you and I were born.

Now consider the present day. We have many religions and communities, which is all justifiable in some way perhaps. But how can Christianity have so many different divisions and everyone still believe in the Bible? If we all are descendants of Adam and Eve, how can we all have different beliefs?

As far as my understanding goes, it is all a game of power and selfishness, vested interests and politics. Divide and rule policy at its best.How can people (children included) be taught to believe in the Bible and yet be asked to follow a particular division of Christianity? How can one division be superior to the other? How can there be a division at all?

So is the Bible, and belief in God and faith, all a matter of convenience for the people who preach? Do we forget parts of the Bible and only remind ourselves of what is good and convenient for our division, our priests, our bishops and our community?

And the way these divisions currently compete and compare each other is shameful, to say the least. Born in Kerala, I have seen politicians stoop down to levels unimaginable by any man of honor. But now I see bishops and priests do even worse, with innumerable divisions (sabhas) and each fighting against eachother. All in the name of God. They divide people in the name of God. They promote themselves by putting down the other. They forbid marrying another Christian if he or she is from another division. They even tell you who to vote for.

With acts like this happening around us, it is not surprising if younger generations stay away from the church and in the worst case, cease to believe. I believe in God, and it is a very personal relationship. I feel closer to God praying alone, rather than at a church sermon. I admit, I may be wrong. But as far as I am concerned I feel better with my solo relationship with God than having a public display of faith and then having to hear about how my division is faring better than another.

Nobody, bishops or ordinary men, should force a belief onto another man by any means - the common psychological manipulations being the Fear of God and Guilt. Teaching is one thing, manipulating is another. Nobody has the right to malign it with such petty politics in the name of God. I think the biggest mistake Christians do is to divide themselves and instil a feeling of superiority over eachother. Faith and belief is something that has to be very close to the heart, and inborn. Nobody can thrust it upon another person.

The Whisper Within

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Is Heaven Just A Place On Earth?

Copyright © Mind Curry

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The following is an excerpt from Mind Curry, authored in December 2004
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Although I am planning and doing things in the world,
It is only to please the Lord.
I test myself: even when I am working I whisper within,
" Where are You, Lord?"
And the whole world changes.
There is nothing but a great Light, and I am a little bubble in that Ocean of Light.
Such is the joy of existence in God.

- Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, "Practising the Presence of God"


Although I am not an extrovert even when it comes to religion and spiritualism, despite being brought up in a very religious society and educated in a Jesuit instituition, I have strong faith and belief in God. And I know deep within that God has been there for me whenever I have needed Him. Maybe the difference between very religious people and me, lies in me not wanting Him more often, and perhaps waiting for situations to make me want Him. Though I pray every night, the so called connection to God, as prescribed by "authorities" on the matter, perhaps needs a lot more to be done. But I am thankful to God for always being there within me and for me, despite myself being less than ordinary and at times a terribly wrong person.

On a lighter note, today I got a chain email in the form of a prayer (or the other way if you like it). I never forward such mails to other people, but since it came from someone I loved a lot, I had to send it to seven other people. I felt good after hitting the "send" button. Perhaps only because I did what someone I loved wanted me to do, or maybe it was the power of the prayer itself. Will see if my "wish" comes true.

Curry Unvelied

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

THE TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF SURVEY
Name:	Mind Curry
Birthday:	Aquarian
Current Location:	Bangalore
Eye Color:	Dark Brown
Hair Color:	Black
Height:	5'11"
Right Handed or Left Handed:	Right mostly
Your Heritage:	My nose
The Shoes You Wore Today:	Kholapuris
Your Weakness:	Kindness
Your Fears:	Loss of loved ones
Your Perfect Pizza:	Cheese+Roasted Chicken+Veggies minus Onions+Jalopenos+more Cheese on Regular Bread
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:	Stay Happy
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:	"ha ha ha"..and "anyways.."
Thoughts First Waking Up:	9am?!!! Already!?! Late Again!!
Your Best Physical Feature:	Not for me to say..
Your Bedtime:	2am
Your Most Missed Memory:	Is always on my mind..
Pepsi or Coke:	Coke Forever, preferably Diet
MacDonalds or Burger King:	Mac
Single or Group Dates:	Doesn't matter, but preferably Single
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	Nestea
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Chocolate!
Cappuccino or Coffee:	Cappuccino
Do you Smoke:	No
Do you Swear:	Yes
Do you Sing:	Yes, only once on stage though
Do you Shower Daily:	Twice
Have you Been in Love:	Yes
Do you want to go to College:	Been to a few
Do you want to get Married:	Not unless its someone I (can) love and I am sure
Do you belive in yourself:	Yes
Do you get Motion Sickness:	Not if I am driving
Do you think you are Attractive:	Yes
Are you a Health Freak:	No, but I try to be
Do you get along with your Parents:	Pretty much
Do you like Thunderstorms:	No
Do you play an Instrument:	No
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	No
In the past month have you Smoked:	No
In the past month have you been on Drugs:	Yes, for allergic cold
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	No
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	Yes
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	Yes
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	No
In the past month have you been on Stage:	Yes
In the past month have you been Dumped:	No
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	No
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	No
Ever been Drunk:	Yes
Ever been called a Tease:	Yes
Ever been Beaten up:	Yes
Ever Shoplifted:	No
How do you want to Die:	Not thought about it..Hopefully not in pain..
What do you want to be when you Grow Up:	I am not 5 years old now
What country would you most like to Visit:	India

Now, unveil yourself :)

Spaces In Togetherness

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Secret Garden
Copyright © Mind Curry

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The following is an excerpt from Mind Curry, authored in December 2005 _______________________________________________________

Man has always wanted to have supremacy and control. Over organisms. Over plants. Over animals. Over machines. Over other men.

For this basic need, over centuries, he has created various divisive platforms which vary from caste, religion, society, country and language among others. While power and money remains critical and central factors for this bossing, at a more level playing field such as a family or the relationship between two people, man has found other powerful tools to blackmail and coerce.The worst and most brutal form of this power play happens when one man tells another when to love, who to love, how much to love, how to love and why to love.

Incidentally, I started reading Arundhati Roy's works after someone gifted me one of her books, in which she clearly mentions this aspect of human relationship.

Sadly we love another only to end up trying to control the other person. Two people give themselves eachother selflessly and then slowly begin to commit the sin. And i do not think its because they "expect" anything from the other person. They begin to see eachother as one. They begin to feel one owns the other person. That they have a right. A right to own, to decide for, to think for.. to make rules for the other..rules which decide who the other should love, how much and when and why. We all make that mistake, and realise it only too late. Parents, couples, husbands and wives, teachers, students, friends, lovers.. You love only to get consumed in it and then make the "mistake".

So where do we draw the line? Or worse, will someone who loves ever be able to draw a line? Someone showed me the following a long time ago:You were born together, and together you shall be for ever...But let there be spaces in your togetherness...Love one another, but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

I could not make any sense of any of the above at that time. But upon deeper reflection, it made a lot of sense.

Made sense, in a practical way, but seemed impossible anyone truly consumed by love can think of any space in their togetherness.

I still wonder..

Can there be any objectivity in real love?
Can we love only to get consumed in it?
Can there be spaces in togetherness?

My Window

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind Curry

Before I bought myself a Nikon, I had a Motorola V3 Razor that I used to rely on for pictures and used to maintain a photoblog called Moto Blog

Moto Blog had to be discontinued abruptly after I was mugged in Bangalore last year. After a work out at the gym, I was cooling down with a walk in the park at one of the prime areas in the city. Just as I crossed an IAS officers house, two guys came on a bike and hit me on my face. Before I could figure out what was happening one of them pulled out the Razor from the trackpant pocket. The other was struggling to relieve me of my wallet from the other pocket as I recovered from the hit and the stars I saw vanished. Soon I hit back at the two of them and pushed them down from their bike. Within no time, two more guys joined on another bike and kicked me down. They got away with my Razor, leaving me with my wallet, bruises, some bit of pride and plenty of onlookers - most of them clad in security guard uniforms. Strangely and sadly, none of them helped me, as is the case with Indians across the nation.

I remember a scene from my childhood very vividly. It was a rainy evening and I was sitting in the parked car, while my dad went over to a shop to get some stuff. I could see a bullock-cart (yes, there were bullock carts on the city roads 10-15 years ago, and probably still are) with the bull stuck and struggling with a heavy cart at the beginning of the steep uphill road. It was not that the bull could not handle the weight of the cart, but the wooden piece which rested on its shoulder had broken and the weight was not equally placed on its shoulders. The owner kept on whipping the bull and people collected to watch the scene despite the rain. Suddenly a foreigner passing by in a taxi, stopped his car and ran out towards the bull. He went there and took half the load of the cart and eased the load on the bull. He then adjusted the wooden piece such that the weight was equally placed on the bull again. Soon the bull went uphill quite effortlessly, while the crowd dispersed laughing at the "crazy" foreigner. I guess years later the bull stories still continue in India.

Anyway, as these guys escaped on the bike, I ran behind them and at the turn of the road I saw they had already gotten away. I also saw a police patrol right there, oblivious to the happenings of the world, happily collecting their daily bread. Despite alerting them and some more senior officers, I never got back my phone. In fact, some of the senior cops begged me not to report the incident as the commissioner will take action against them! I obliged for some reason.

Back to the point, I am leaving you with a link to some of the images from my Razor here.

The Decorator Crabs

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Crabs at the Underwater Aquarium, Victoria, B.C, Canada

Copyright © Mind Curry

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The following is an excerpt from Mind Curry, authored in April 2004
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The ocean can be a very difficult place to live. The animals living in the seas have to deal every moment with the complex and diverse environment, interact with other fishes, find food and protect themselves from predators. Among the adaptations for survival in the sea, Marine camouflage is the most effective and impressive. While the marine life has adapted many thrilling ways of camouflage, one of the most amazing and unique art is that of the Decorator Crab.

“Majidae”, the magic Decorator Crabs, like other crabs, are zoologically classified as ten-legged decapods and there are over 30,000 known species of this phylum Crustacea, apparently with an impressive history of over 500 million years! However, only Decorator Crab has the magic to create illusions, like human beings do.


Copyright © British Columbia Marine Life

Faced with adversity or any situation that can threaten their existence, The Decorator crab with it claws catches hold of sponges, algae, small plants or whatever else it can find and holds it on its back for camouflage. With the plant or algae held over it as a mask, it walks away right in front of the threat, merging with the background.

Like the marine animals, we also apparently live in an ocean. And like the Decorator Crab, we also wear masks every day of our life. There are very few people you allow to see the naked, vulnerable self behind the mask. Usually it is only to people whom you intuitively know you can trust. But sometimes, well, most of the times, intuition can also fail. Perhaps it is that fear or past experiences which makes us put up a different face in life.

We live in a world where we are scared to be ourselves and to let our true self out to the open. Where we would rather be another person, suppressing our true feelings and emotions. We are scared to tell what we think is right or wrong, to do what we feel is just, to say what is correct and to be what our heart tells us to be. Instead we would rather wear a mask and pretend what we are not. And however frank and outright a person claims to be, there are moments in life we all wear masks. It could be due to reasons that are personal or social, while for some it could just be a habit. But the difference lies in the intent and the motive.

One quick way to summarize all this is to view our selves as three concentric layers of being, as described by spiritualists and some psychologists. In the center is our soul, our inner being, the true self. Which is who and what we really are, and in an ideal world, this is what we would experience and express from the moment we are born till death.

However, due to our massively conditioned childhood realities and adult experiences during the process of life, we are rarely allowed access to this aspect of our being. Therefore, our soul reacts to externally conditioned realities, creating a wall around our soul being composed of various survival strategies and control dramas. Most of our conflicts such as repressions, fixations, denials, traumas, and projections are held within this layer. Some people call this the disowned self.

A third layer is our social persona. It is the mask behind which lies the aspects of our disowned self. We often become so adept at living out our social persona that few are able to penetrate and see behind the masks of success, poise, and self-control; to see the pain beneath. It is only when we risk taking off the mask and exploring the roots of our pain that we can move towards experiencing our true self.

As we experience our true self, our disowned self gets healed and rejuvenated, dissolving the need for a dramatically different social personality. We become transparent beings able to access and reflect the bright and shining light of our souls, as it is meant to be by our creator.

While this may make the mask sound very deceptive, which is usually the case, there are different kinds of masks. There are people who mask their feelings and true emotions considering the happiness and welfare of the people they love. There are people who wear the mask so that their negative energy does not affect people with them. And then there are people who wear the mask to see how smart they think they are in a particular situation.

In the end, the challenge is to be true to your own self, beliefs, values and most importantly to your conscience. Like marine camouflage, our masking capabilities are quite impressive. But ultimately we should know who we are fooling, lest in the process, we end up fooling ourselves by being untrue to our own conscience. Thus one of the most important, yet rarest, quality in life is to be genuine. Despite all the circumstances we end up in, and the masks that we may wear, we should be genuine and true to our conscience. To be a genuine person or have a friend or loved one who is genuine will be the ultimate jewel on the crown of life. And that genuinity is what will make us unique and different from the many Decorator Crabs in our ocean of life.

Copyright © Mind Curry

For A Few Dollars More..

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

For $100, you can own 100 pixels on the Million Dollar Home page, developed by Rent Pixel Ads. And you better hurry, coz only 1000 pixels is left!

Very innovative and creative! I feel the media industry has some of the most talented people on earth!

What to Do..

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

..When Your Mom Discovers Your Blog:


This is an absolutely hilarious post put up as advice for fellow bloggers. The comfort of being able to live a second life in cyberspace under a different name is intriguing. And slowly but surely that second life assumes a character just like the first. It becomes not just a space for venting out your true and probably hidden feelings and desires, but another life that you have to delicately live with. Will the second life turn into the more dominant one sooner or later? Are we all becoming schizophrenics?

On a lighter vein, the above article gives you some hints to keep you sane and together. Yes I am talking about you and you.

Social Insects

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind Curry

Think man lost lot of the good stuff as he evolved.

Fire Starters

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind Curry

Pyromaniacs at the New Year bash. They didnt just spit fire, they ate it too.

The Pool

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind curry

The sea-side swimming pool at The Leela, Kovalam, Trivandrum. Truly inviting!

Greenscapes

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind curry

Landscape at The Leela, Kovalam, Trivandrum, one of the plushest beachside resorts in India. Currently the property is being renovated to be positioned as a 7 star Ayurveda and Wellness resort.

The Lit Sky

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind curry

More Fireworks at the beachside party, The Leela, Kovalam

White Rain

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind curry

Sparks rained the first 15 minutes of 2006.

A Grand New Year

© Mind Curry 2004 - 2007

Copyright © Mind curry

2006 began with a bang! Decided to bring in the New Year at The Leela, Kovalam, Trivandrum along with family. Did you read the New Year began a second late this year? :) As part of the Earth slowing down a bit, clocks across the world were delayed by a second. "A Leap Second!"