Images And Words

Love - Random Sunday Nonsense Series 12

2010-02-13T23:50:00.008+05:30

New York by Foot

Of all the human feelings, love is the most fulfilling, overpowering, and endearing. I wrote about it in 2006 and I dont think I can say it any better today!

Happy Valentine's Day folks, especially my dearest blog pals. Go, get out there and fill your world with love!

Freedom - Random Sunday Nonsense Series 11

2010-02-07T07:26:00.001+05:30

New York, 5th Avenue

Amsterdam, Bombay, New York, Bangalore, Paris.. What is it about these "big" cities that makes them special? You feel the pulse and the energy the moment you are out on the streets. What is the single, most important feeling that you get?

Freedom. Independence.

People, most often, go to the cities with dreams and aspirations. Of livin their life and building one of their own. And cities, with their cosmopolitain culture and collective drive, nurture such dreams and passions. You end up believing you can work and achieve your goals, and you set higher standards for yourself. Walking down the broadway streets inspire you. You look at people walking around, you feel the determination, joy, and sense of achievement.

But what is freedom and independence when you have not earned it? It is like money you get for free. You dont know how to cherish it or enjoy it. You dont use it responsibly.

As an Aquarian, freedom and independence are central in my life. And I wish every human spirit the liberty and luxury of being free, the way God meant it to be. If you dont have it yet, may God bless you with it. If you have it, remember it is everything in life and live it well.

Positivity - Random Sunday Nonsense Series 10

2010-01-03T13:27:00.007+05:30

Wall art..Amsterdam..Where entertainment meets culture and history

What is the most important thing that you could do in your life? I think it is creating positivity, whether it is by helping someone, saying nice things, smiling, being sincere, being silent, praying, playing, loving, hugging, kissing or just doing or saying something nice.

By creating positivity within and around you, you not only create happiness and energy, but also pay tribute and respect and add to the positive energy of the universe - whether you call it God, the creator, yang or chi or whatever else.

It doesnt take much to create positivity. It can just be this moment. So go ahead, make your life rich.

Happy New Year, lovely people :)

The Journey is the Real Destination - Random Sunday Nonsense Series 9

2009-12-27T16:19:00.008+05:30

Shot from my F-16...I wish!

"Keep in mind, the nearest exit may be behind you".

If you have flown on commercial jets, that must sound very familiar to you since it is repeated before every take off during the safety brief. But have you ever realized how immensely true it is in life too?

To go out there, take up challenges and to get what you want is one thing, but it is also important to be sensible and live life meaningfully. Rarely, you could get too mired in the daily living and the intricacies associated with it, that you tend to lose focus of the purpose, the people around you and your environment.

You need to slow down, at least once in a while, and even take a few steps back, to alter your direction and steady your course before you reach your final destination. Most of us forget this and, at times, even wouldnt want to do this self-correction. But the longer you wait, the greater your troubles. And once you are in trouble, you most often will have to travel back alone, and yes, it is going to be one long walk back.

Sooner or later, we realize that the journey is the real destination. Living the day meaningfully and completely, is the purpose of life. Make today beautiful!

The Anatomy of a Blossom - Random Sunday Nonsense Series

2009-10-11T00:09:00.011+05:30

Dedicated to all my lovely blog pals, especially Silverine, a really sweet person, Maya, a special soul, and Shruti, a good friend.

What makes life is the people around you. What makes life special, is the few that you love and the fewer that actually love you. They make your world, your sun, your core, your heart. The rest is peripheral, petals, planets, and pretty immaterial. So choose the special ones carefully, treat them with love, and cherish them. Your world spins because of them.

Postscript
Reading and travelling has been two of the greatest gifts in life. But to write, and share the experiences and thoughts has been even more gratifying (not to mention therapeutic). Not that I am ever vying for the Booker, but it is always a challenge to construct your thoughts and place it all back in a way it makes sense. To that extent, blogging has always been a wonderful channel for creativity, introspection, and inspiration. This aint no nonsense by the way :)

Perspectives

2009-07-11T23:49:00.008+05:30

Street dance performance

Sometimes you need a break, a pause, even just a moment to take a look.. a real close look; past, present and future. It helps to gain that fresh perspective and energy. Because you are the captain of your ship, and no one else can maneuver it for you. Because you dont want to go where they want you to reach. Because you want to go where your heart wants you to be.

Beenie is Back!

2009-07-04T01:53:00.004+05:30

..and so am I, with my pictures!

Stand Out!

2008-10-27T16:20:00.006+05:30

Al Burj, Dubai

Probably the most striking thing about Dubai is that everything is built to challenge limits. Dubai by itself amazes you as a metro bang in the middle of a desert, with plenty of greenery despite the scorching sun. Dubai and UAE do not wield oil-power like most of the other Gulf countries but yet the leaders of Dubai have been able to transform the city to an extent that it inspires awe.

Whether its the worlds tallest buildings (Burj Dubai estimated to reach a height 818 m or the Nakheel Tower estimated to touch 1400 m), the biggest hotels, amazing roads or a fabulous airport, Dubai has made sure it stands out.

But whats most impressive is the fact that it has allowed a multicultural population grow and prosper together in relative harmony and peace, especially in a region torn by turmoil over race and religion. That not only stands out, but it is outstanding.

May our lives be filled with happiness and peace.

Happy Diwali to all of us.

Penta Quotes

2008-09-01T22:31:00.006+05:30

"Blue skies smiling at me..Nothing but blue skies do I see.."
Taken from a plane, just lovedddd the blue..

The sunshine gal, Silverine, has done it again. Tagged me. But this is one tag I loved the moment I read about it. What I need to do is list 5 of my most favorite quotes from books that I have read. Alright, I am not going to quote from my favoritest medical text books and hurl gory details about the intestines and flesh at you.

I knew it will be almost impossible to shortlist 5 quotes if I tried to remember and list all my favorite books. So what I am gonna do is just think of the books that I have read and then list the excerpts as they come into my mind - so this is not really my all time favorites, but the ones that came to my mind now, quite randomly.

1. One of my all time favorites and kind of the stuff that re-initiated me into reading after a long break while I was in med school. When a dear friend read this to me long ago, I was for a moment, dazed. The book and the person remain to be among my favorites.

"You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
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.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow"
The Prophet

2. My second love (among books!) and one of my all time favorites. It had scenes, descriptions, and certain characters that I could relate to and hold close to my heart.

"It hadn't changed, the June Rain. Heaven opened and the water hammered down, reviving the reluctant old well, greenmossing the pigless pigsty, carpet bombing still, tea-colored puddles the way memory bombs still, tea-colored minds. The grass looked wetgreen and pleased. Happy earthworms frolicked purple in the slush. Green nettles nodded. Trees bent.
Further away, in the wind and rain, on the banks of the river, in the sudden thunderdarkness of the day, Estha was walking. He was wearing a crushed-strawberry-pink T-shirt, drenched darker now, and he knew that Rahel had come.
Estha had always been a quiet child, so no one could pinpoint with any degree of accuracy exactly when (the year, if not the month or day) he had stopped talking. Stopped talking altogether, that is. The fact is that there wasn't an "exactly when." It had been a gradual winding down and closing shop. A barely noticeable quietening. As though he had simply run out of conversation and had nothing left to say.
Yet Estha's silence was never awkward. Never intrusive. Never noisy. It wasn't an accusing, protesting silence as much as a sort of estivation, a dormancy, the psychological equivalent of what lungfish do to get themselves through the dry season, except that in Estha's case the dry season looked as though it would last forever. Over time he had acquired the ability to blend into the background of wherever he was--into bookshelves, gardens, curtains, doorways, streets--to appear inanimate, almost invisible to the untrained eye. It usually took strangers awhile to notice him even when they were in the same room with him. It took them even longer to notice that he never spoke. Some never noticed at all. Estha occupied very little space in the world."
The God of Small Things

3, 4 and 5. Stuff that pieces us together and lets us continue with our daily lives with humility, respect, love, and courage.

"The world breaks us all. Afterward, some are stronger at the broken places."
Farewell To Arms

How frequently, in the course of our lives, the evil which in itself we seek most to shun, and which, when we are fallen into, is the most dreadful to us, is oftentimes the very means or door of our deliverance, by which alone we can be raised again from the affliction we are fallen into.
Robinson Crusoe

"Never pass up new experiences, Scarlett. They enrich the mind"
Gone with the Wind

Now here are some random quotes that I remembered, but not sure which books or if at all they are from any books.

'You laugh at me because I'm different, I laugh at you because you're all the same'
One of my all time favorites! I cant stop smiling every time I think of this. What an idea!!

'The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits"
Supposedly told by Einstein. Brilliant, in any case!

Every bad situation will have something positive.Even a stopped clock is correct twice a day.
I am not as positive as that, but something sweet I thought.

Despite the high cost of living, It remains popular.
This is a really funny one. Love it.

I once had a brush with mortality. The brush died.
This is even more hilarious!

Silverine, thank you soooooo much. I enjoyed this thoroughly. I even pulled out some of my favorite books and read through them for a bit.

Now to tag 5 people..I havent been around in blogosphere much these days and so I will leave it open. You are welcome to take it up.

Hair Today, Gone Now

2008-07-20T14:58:00.008+05:30

Wah! How I wish I had hair like that now. Why? Coz right now, I look like my heads been put in the shredder! Thanks to my hair stylist, my 45 hairs are now in a real bad mess! Heres how it all began..

I went to my stylist today to get a trim. Now hes the guy who has been handling my mane since I was 11 years old. My hairs dont trust anyone else any more. And usually, he does a decent job, and I only have to go back and do very little damage control. But today was different.

As I sat on the chair and my usually cheerful stylist picked up the scissors, he handed me an envelope containing his blood reports which he wanted me to see and advise. I looked at it and declared that he has diabetes since his sugar levels were way beyond normal. He was evidently upset, while I advised him to take more care about his diet and how regular exercise was so important in life.

At the end of about 10 minutes, my 45 hairs looked so uneven and messed and used and mistreated.

: (

Moral of the story: Never play with your stylists feelings..atleast until hes done with the cutting.

The TYNKAM Tag

2008-03-29T16:20:00.002+05:30

The Prancing Horse, Paris

Things You Never Knew About Me..Or probably you did..

Well its tag time again. We appear to be in a lull in terms of tags, compared to last year, when we had an extended tag season! So here is a very very old bunch of questions, which were initially a rage on email. So here we go..

1. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER: Black&White (Hindi) (went for the popcorn, mainly! movie was just okay)

2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? Autobiography of a Yogi (been on my reading list for ever, and now on my bedside table!)

3. FAVORITE BOARD GAME? Scrabble..Or "firing" if you meant the other board..

4. FAVORITE MAGAZINE? Hmm..plenty..but Time, Reader's Digest, and Femina (oh yeah..i love reading Femina..lot of sensible stuff in that :))

5. FAVORITE SMELLS? Crisp fresh air, especially after a rain or in the midst of lot of greenery..and also, Jasmine, peppermint, and most other flowers..

6. FAVORITE SOUND? Waves at the beach.. I hope to retire by the beach side some day..

7. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD? When you feel helpless

8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE? Time already!?!?!.. I wish I did not have work..

9. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE? Is there some other kind of food?? Hmm...Barista is my favorite hangout, whether you call it a fastfood joint or not.

10. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME? Still single, so got time to think about this one..

11. FINISH THIS STATEMENT. "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I'D...? slow down and travel more..help more people..and probably start a few schools in India

12. DO YOU DRIVE FAST? At times, but most other times I like to feel and enjoy the pleasure of the drive..

13. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL? None that I know of..Although earlier I have woken up a lot of times to find my doggy next to me..Good thing was, he never used to wake me up..

14. STORMS-COOL OR SCARY? Cool till it gets scary.

15. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? I dont have one yet, but if the one my Dad used to have after I was born qualifies..Fiat - Premier Padmini..I think..

16. FAVORITE DRINK? Used to be Orange juice and Coke. Until recently it was coffee. Now I get the feeling its Water.

17. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, "IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD ..... spend more time with friends, family, travel more, spend more time exploring nature..

18. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI? I hate to admit it..Yes..Not often though..

19. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE? If it didnt damage my hair (and my career!), then perhaps I would love to experiment (blue always had a special appeal)..But oh..I am losing my hair..At last count there were only 43 hairs left..

20. NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS YOU HAVE LIVED IN. Trivandrum, India; Dubai, UAE; Mangalore, India; Bangalore, India; Clermont Ferrand, France;

21. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? F1, Football, and Basketball.

22. ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU. She's an amazingly strong and positive person., who cares a lot and is so warm..

23. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED? Dust I am sure..besides some bills that may have flown under..Hopefully nothing alive..

24. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN? Absolutely..

25. MORNING PERSON, OR NIGHT OWL? Night..Total

26. OVER EASY, OR SUNNY SIDE UP? I hate eggs..unless its with some other dish and I dont get the taste of it..

27. FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX? Hill-top, Beachside, Thick woods, Green grass, Under the stars..Any place natural with lots of solitude and peace..

28. FAVORITE PIE? Sour cream apple.. not a major pie fan

29. FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Chocolate with lotsa almonds and hazelnuts and hot sauce..

30. OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU TAGGED THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST? Silverine..

And this tag goes to..

Easter's Blossom

2008-03-23T19:41:00.001+05:30

Painting at the Louvre

Where man sees withered leaves,
God sees sweet flowers..
May your soul blossom..

Happy Easter!

The above quote was sent to me by a dear friend.

Refined Aggression

2008-03-20T13:32:00.000+05:30

Sculpture on a bridge over River Seine

Today myself and a very dear friend discussed, probably for the nth time, about how crudely aggressive a lot of people are these days. For some unknown (and quite obviously idiotic) reason they seem to enjoy spreading a sense of harm and fear among people around them. Probably its some animal-like survival technique or a reflection of their own insecurities. Anyway, the point is, aggression carries with it a whole lot of negativity, and in almost all the cases, it is unwanted and unnecessary.

Although I love the concept of "refined aggression", which points to a sense of being spiritedly competitive, in something like sports or at work, I simply fail to understand people who try to conquer and make others submit by sheer force or instilling fear. It shows a total lack of basic human values, and reflects the hollow insides of the person.

On the other extreme, I know people who smile when they scold or argue with others, and even when they get into fights. Now that may be the other extreme and comically insane. But hey, look at the picture above. Its nothing new. And nothing to beat a smile.

Hush Baby

2008-03-20T02:28:00.000+05:30

Painting at the Louvre, Paris

You will always be Baby to me.

The Serenity Prayer - Random Sunday Nonsense Series 7

2008-02-24T00:08:00.000+05:30

Above: The Eiffel Tower

Looking at the Eiffel Tower, something that struck me, beyond the sheer engineering magnificance and show of steel, literally, and all the romance and mysteries attached to it, was the strength it signfied. Something more mental than physical. Like sometimes, I feel I am this big tower which can brave all forces and powers, and I stand tall, unmoved and unfazen by anything.

As a child, I remember sleeping, and then waking up, looking at a small wall frame hung on my wall. On it was a simple prayer called the Serenity Prayer. Its not there any more. But I realize its my favorite prayer, the only prayer that I have enjoyed and probably one that I understood for a change. Initially I thought, oh..what a contradiction.. Serenity versus a Tower. But I feel its the concept of inner serenity that will allow you to believe in yourself and rise above everything else and stand strong as an individual.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right;
If I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him,
Forever in the next.

Reinhold Niebuhr

Winning Life

2008-02-04T16:00:00.000+05:30

Arc De Triomphe, Concorde, Paris

How do you know if you have lived life well?

Would you call your life a success or a failure? Who decides? And how?

Is it going to be based on the number of people who love you? The number of friends you have? Or is it going to be more on the basis of the wealth you accumulate? But then what do you consider as wealth? Friends? Family? Children? Love? Money? Health?

Is it all not so relative? The person I consider as very successful may be a total failure in someone else's view. The person who walks around with a terminal illness may live life so happily and so carefree that others may be so envious of him. The poor man perhaps lives the most peaceful life, while the richest man may still be disappointed about things. God may have given us everything, but we may still complain about how unfair life has been. There are a million others who are disabled and handicapped, while we complain about the shape of our nose and the hair on our arms. Life, can be a never-ending race..

But then..who wins the race? How do you decide the winner? What makes you call life a triumph?

Construction of the Arc De Triomphe (Arch of Triumph) was ordered by Napolean in 1806 (cant imagine such marvellous structures being created so long ago, but its true!) to celebrate his victories. It was completed in 1836, but by that time Napolean was thrown out and powerless.

When I was a child, I used to try and make deals with God. Looking back it sounds funny, kind of like some loyalty-program..

"God, I will do a lot of good things in life and accumulate lot of points. When I have 100 points, you should give me the power to be super-strong... When I do a lot more good and help a lot of people, and I earn 1000 points, I should be able to fly and see all the world.. But if I used all these powers for my own benefit or needs, I would lose points, and then would have to do more good to replenish the points. (I was reasonable even then! :p). And I help all the needy and stop all the crime in this world, and I will finally earn 100,000 points - thats when I should be able to do anything..ANY thing.."

Soon I realized that if I could do any thing, I would be God.. Now thats not possible.. Or is it? Would God like that? Would I last long enough or would I lose all my points immediately doing the stupid things?

Anyway, God didnt subscribe to my loyalty program..not yet - at least not officially, or maybe he has not told me - and probably I havent accumulated enough points yet! But I know that ultimately the only winning I will have in my life are these points. They may not translate into the power to fly or do ANYthing..but these points are the only thing I will carry when I complete this life.

So I guess it makes sense to do good in life.. That will create a winner. Thats the only real victory.. The end of the race.. Triumph!

Deja Vu - Recurring Moments

2008-01-29T01:56:00.000+05:30

Cold winter grey all around..

They say life comes full circle.

Maybe it does.. maybe it does not. Maybe you dont live that long enough. Or maybe you never realize it. Maybe you dont want to know it did.

But I know moments in life repeat itself. And life makes sure you realize it.. in this very life of yours. I am not talking from the "you learn from your mistakes" perspective. But you do something today to someone else, and then some time later, probably years later, the same thing happens to you.. Deja vu..you first think you have seen this in some movie and now its happening to you. Later you remember, you did the same thing or said the same thing in your life, earlier, to someone else..and now its happening all over again..only this time its happening to you.

It could be good things, or even the not-so-nice things.. but it just goes on in a cycle..Its not a simple "as you sow, so you shall reap". Its a bit more complicated than that. Its more a mental connect and something deeper.

Today its someone else, and tomorrow its you.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T15:03:00.000+05:30

Above: Eiffel Tower at night

Above: Eiffel shimmering

Since I couldn't photograph my Christmas tree yet, thought I will gift you the Eiffel :) The above picture is the tower glittering with the 1001 lights, that appear like diamonds, on it which illuminates and flickers for 10 minutes every hour at night.

May all your lives be filled with peace and happiness. If anyone is experiencing rough times, dont worry. Know its just momentary and it will pass.

Merry Christmas to all the bloggers of the world, and special hugs and love to the regulars at Images and Words. Its been a wonderful experience, and I owe it to you!

Realization

2007-12-21T09:52:00.000+05:30

Above picture: Paris by sunset

When I look closely at the mirror, into my eyes, deep within..

I see God.

Its not because I feel mighty or great.. but its because deep within ourselves, is our soul..And God, the supreme power and his energy, is there. I see God when I stare at the blue sky..the endless space..the moon..the shooting stars..the constellations.. even the plants and bees and every thing else.

God seems to be everywhere.. You just have to look.

P.S. Sorry! This couldnt wait until Sunday ;)

A Cell That Wanted To Know More - The Random Sunday Nonsense Series 7

2007-11-12T04:32:00.000+05:30

The Water Bearer at The Louvre

The people closest to me are the people that I gelled with instantly. I knew I liked them the moment I met them, and that they were special at the first meeting (hopefully it was mutual), as though it was all planned and meant-to-be.

So the question now is, is our life programmed and preplanned? Is destiny for real? Are we just living out a course charted out by some power or someone? It could be, if we are part of a larger existence that controls us - like a cell in our body that functions for the sake of our larger self.

One question, then, that really worries me is the purpose of life. Why are we all living? We just wake up every day, do our stuff, go through all those feelings, make people happy or sad, eat, sleep, and continue to do the same thing. And before we begin to wonder why, what, how, cease to exist one day. So what is the meaning of all this? Is not life meant to be more special and precious? Why did they say God created us for a reason?

Seemingly elightened people talk about karma and rebirth. And they say our life is based on karma. And it will take many births before our karmas are fulfilled or cleaned up, and we can go to another level of existence which is pure bliss.

Or maybe we are in this world only briefly, and then we move on to the next. Wonder how that one is gonna be. Will the people that I love be there? Will I be able to blog?

Most of the times, these things go above my head..But at times, somewhere it does make sense. I wonder if our body cells can think. If so, one of them, at least, must be wondering right now what its life is all about.

I really like the picture above..perfect lights.

Cellular Thoughts - The Random Sunday Nonsense Series 6

2007-11-04T13:47:00.000+05:30

Statue at The Louvre, Paris

There is this recurring thought in my head.

We have different types of cells in our body, that function independently, have their own structure, look, work, etc. But these cells collectively form our body and who we are, and we become a person when all these cells function as one.

Similarly, what if we are all cells of a bigger existence? Maybe I am a cell from the little toe, and you are one from the cheek.

Or may be the Earth is just one organ of an even bigger existence, perhaps the right eyeball.

We are the universe, not the world.

Does that make any sense??

No?

I am having a perfect Sunday! Almost..

The Sunshine Tag

2007-09-06T21:28:00.000+05:30

Anything associated with the sun and sunshine is somehow very special to me. And I guess when Silverine titled her tag with plenty of sunshine in it, I knew it had to be special. She has given an awesome description of her summers, and all the good cheers it brought along with it. Took me back to my own childhood...

Here are 8 great memories about my summers:

1. Whenever I think of my childhood, I have these flashes of memory..Kind of real time, where I get transported to the massive garden we had. The house was in a plot that extended almost an acre. And it was filled with greenery; a proper garden in the front half, and more dense thick greenery in the back. Most of my childhood was spent among this greenery, among the dragonflies, squirrels..small life and my own small world.

2. The thought of summer also brings back memories of lying on the green grass and staring at the sky and sun, for hours together.. I remember it so clearly even today. I think thats one of the most beautiful images you can ever have in life. You, green earth, blue sky. Nothing else in between.

3. I used to go fishing right from childhood, whether it was in the city I lived or at my ancestral home, somewhere I would find a fishing pond. And go with my country fishing gear, which just included a hook and a twine - earthworms were picked fresh from the ground : . That used to be one real fun pastime. And I almost became a marine exporter at one point :)

4. If I can remember one fruit to associate with the summer it is an Orange. Orange ice-candies, orange juice, orange when you are happy, orange when you are thirsty, orange when you are having a cold, orange when you get scolded...I love oranges.

5. One of the best summers in my life was the summer that I received one of my best friends, my German Shepherd. He was just over a month when I received him. And we grew up together that summer. I never had another dog after him. He was the best.

6. Summer also meant cousins and friends. All the children got together, usually at a grandparents house - almost as though our parents dumped us and got rid of us for a while. It was a period when you bonded with some of them more closely, finding real friends from among friends..because he or she played with you when others were least interested..or because he or she shared some chocolate with you, or coz he or she swore not to tell who broke the vase. It also meant a lot of "robber and police", "dark room", cricket (indoor version too), football, basketball, pillow fights, and even "cindrella"!

7. For many consecutive years, summer also meant some major holiday plans. At some point summers became a time when folks would also take a break and travel a bit. But at that age, whether it was delhi, kodaikanal, singapore, dubai or thailand, it didnt make a difference to us kids. We had fun.

8. Summers also meant learning something new. I guess its in the summer that I learnt a lot of good and useful things in life. Riding a bicycle, driving a car, earning your own money (even if it was just 50p), washing cars, cleaning the house, camps, realizing the bitter truth that you were not born to become Slash on the guitar or Phil Collins on the drums.. it all happened in summer.

Since its been almost 8 months since this tag was due (apologies to Silverine :), I leave the honor of tagging 8 others to any volunteers.

The French (dis)Connection

2007-07-22T00:54:00.000+05:30

Above: The French flag against a rainy day's sky

Getting back from a foreign land intact and in one piece is not the end of the trip. Or so it seems like. Having just returned from France, I am still hounded by friends and relatives speaking in French (or so they pretend it to be). The only few words I needed in France were simple words like "merci", "chocolat", "au revoir", "poulet", "pasta", "bonjour" etc, and at times "mierde".

However back in homeland, I seemed to be needing more French than I needed in France! Everyone seems to know more French than the French. Take for example my cousin who sent me a whole email in French. Not wanting to be left behind I used a popular web based translation tool (I dont want them suing me for naming them, BUT you know who you are!) to convert my English into French. Heres what I wrote :

"hello lucy..madam..i always have time for you..after coming back from France, my computer hard disk crashed. so got messed up. How are you? set for a big birthday party? Happy Birthday and lots of hugs in advance. Muahh!"

After emailing her and feeling really proud of myself and my literary skills, I decided to retranslate what I sent in "French" to English. Heres what she got!:

"hello the lucy, I of Madam always have time for you. .after to return from France, my hard disk of broken computer. obtain thus dirtied upwards. How are you? to place for a great festival of birthday? Happy birthday and a good number of pressures in advance. Muahh!"

Its good to be home! I am sure Lucy had a great birthday reading this!

That said, France is a beautiful country, so rich with history and passion that you can feel throughout the place.

More pictures and posts on the way..

Vive La France!!

(Tip: The truth is, these are the only 3 words you need to survive in France - Lonely Planet, please note).

My Friend - The Random Sunday Nonsense Series 5

2007-05-06T12:20:00.000+05:30

Today I accidentally bumped into a person I havent seen for a long time. It is easy to get caught in the daily musings of life, work, play, worries, love, hate, family, friends..the list is endless. In the grind, it is easy to forget a lot of things, and even people.

So today from my seat as I turned my eyes away from my laptop, I chanced upon a person staring at me. I was a little startled at the familiar face and the sudden disconnect. First thought "hey..its been so long". I got up from my seat and walked towards him. Eye to eye, we spoke to eachother after a long time, and pondered about a lot of things..

"where have you been?"

"what are you doing these days?"

"why are you here?"

"are you here to do what you do these days?"

"is there something else that you should be doing?"

"can this life be lived another way?"

"can you do things better?"

"will this life just pass on, day by day, and end someday, suddenly like a fallen flower?"

As we exchanged these thoughts, in less than a few minutes, I realized how long its been since I had met my best friend, my own image. Although I see myself in the mirror many times a day, I have not spoken to myself face to face, like I used to do very often, for some time now. Speaking with your conscience and talking to yourself happens all the time, but then looking at yourself straight in the eye, and saying hello to yourself, is a good thing to do.

Life can be a tangle, it can be a maze. But, no matter what, its good to stay in touch with our self.

Errr...

Good morning and good night!

Inner Self - The Random Sunday Nonsense Series 4

2007-03-04T14:19:00.000+05:30

No matter how good you are, there will be people who think you are bad.

You can try to be nice always and a good friend to everyone, but you will surely have enemies or people who dont like you.

You can always search for happiness, yet remain sad always.

You can have everything in life, yet feel like you dont belong anywhere.

You can always try to please others, thinking that it will make us also happy. It will, but not always.

You can try your best, but still experience failure.

You can look for God in the sky, in the sea, all over the earth; but still not see,hear or feel Him.

Ultimately you will realize that truth exists only within yourself. Your soul is the entire truth.

We can move away from our soul in our daily quest called life. But ultimately for the beauty, purity and peace, you have to look towards your inner self.

I suppose this is the essence of meditation. The energy that you call God, or someone else calls by another name, or the atheist calls luck; all lies within us. If we can look within ourselves each day, talk to our soul and stay connected, then life becomes a lot more peaceful and beautiful. Then you get a lot of energy, positive energy, to do a lot more in life..a lot more good.

This does not mean you need to be selfish and self-centered. Or like some philosophers and preachers say "relinquish all material things", "disconnect from the world", "leave all this reality in this world", "have no emotional attachments". Thats all rubbish. Thats escapism.

Your soul and inner self needs to be in harmony with the reality and with the present. Only then you will experience the truth.

These thoughts are borne out of a lot of interaction with supposedly wise people, who are in the quest of eternal truth. These thoughts also stem from my own conviction since a long time ago that in life, ultimately its only you that you will have. Or to put it differently, no matter who you have in life, there will be plenty of moments when there will not be anyone else for you, but just yourself. Its not because nobody else loves you or wants to help you, but thats the way life is meant to be.

So stay in touch with yourself. You are all you've got!

Ok!! Enough nonsense for a Sunday! ;)

Good night!

I Am Late..Just A Bit!

2007-02-24T17:02:00.000+05:30

I realized I have not posted for a while..and worse, that there were a few tags that I never completed. And the above picture describes the feeling that I had most closely.

In blogosphere, theres a lady that I cannot displease and first in line is her tag of three.

Three things that scare me
1. My mirror.. who wouldn't be..right?
2. The morning alarm.. alarms actually..it takes more than one
3. Spiders.. Arachnophobia? Except Spiderman..he's friendly

Three people who make me laugh
1. Everybody, most of the time
2. Jay Leno, even if he doesn't speak
3. Myself, especially when nobodys around

Three things I love
1. A lot of people, although they are not things
2. Peace and calm, although I know this is not a pageant
3. Nature, and everything simple, original and real; includes the sun, moon, stars, trees, seas etc

Three things I hate
1. Fake, insincere, pretentious things, includes people, especially the gossip mongerers
2. Raw egg, especially the yolk..arrgghh
3. Doing anything that I don't believe in

Three things I don't understand
1. Unnecessary aggression
2. Life's true meaning and purpose, or if there is any at all
3. A lot of people

Three things on my desk
This is the toughest one..since I dont really have a desk...The closest to a desk that I have is my bed. So here are three things on my bed, besides myself ofcourse:
1. My PDA and laptop
2. A wide range of chocolates. For the benefit of the chocoholic, a bar of snickers (for nocturnal hunger pangs), a few Quality Street chocolates (as an instant anti-depressant), home made dark-chocolate covered almonds (this is my diet version of chocolate), a pack of Toblerone (backup)
3. Some clothes (sorry!, I am quite disorganized!)

Three things I am doing right now
1. Thinking and planning well in advance my schedule for the next few hours
2. Hoping my phone does not ring
3. Wondering why I am so disorganized!

Three things I want to do before I die
1. Fly
2. Change the world
3. Do a lot of good

Three things I can do
1. Listen (although not always obey)
2. Multitask
3. Move my ears

Three things you should listen to
1. Your soul
2. Nature, including the sky, plants and animals
3. Your body, which I am learning to try to do since they say its important

Three things you should never listen to
1. Pretenders
2. Rumours, gossips and insincere people
3. Emotional blackmail

Three things I'd like to learn
1. To fly
2. To use the power of my mind more to do things outside it
3. To make chocolates

Three favourite books
1. The Last Don
2. Bill Cosby's Love and marriage
3. Arundhati Roy's writings, although not her ideologies

Three favourite food
1. From Kerala: Parotta, Puttu, Appam, Biriyani, Prawn fry, Beef Ulath
2. From Italy: Pasta and Pizza
3. From anywhere: Chocolate, and yes, I can have a full meal of chocolate

Three beverages I drink regularly
1. Frappe, latte, espresso, capuccino
2. Cold chocolate and hot chocolate
3. Water, which I need to drink a lottttttttt more

Three TV shows/books I watched/read when I was kid
1. Enid Blyton books
2. Lucy Show
3. Different Strokes

Thank you Silverine, this was a nice Saturday evening break! Enjoyed doing it as much as I did reading yours!

Winning - The Random Sunday Nonsense Series 3

2007-01-14T14:01:00.000+05:30

How important is winning to you?

It used to be everything for me until a couple of years ago. I had to win..and as far as I remember I mostly did too. But somewhere down the line I realized something strange..

Knowing that you can win is as good as winning itself. Sometimes you dont really need to beat someone, or come on top of everyone else. But you can quietly let someone else win, see their smile, and yet, enjoy the victory yourself.

Of course, there are still moments when your soul doesn't give you any points for second place. But beyond those moments, you realize the shortness of life. The all important message is to live the life, and not worry too much about the end. Because we do not know when or where the end will be.

I remember a painting in my old house.. Of a boat in the sea..with just the sun in the background.. Below it was a note "Go as far as you can see..when you get there, you will be able to see further.."

Good night folks..

Livin Each Day

2007-01-01T02:08:00.000+05:30

This year let us remember to take life slower.

Let us try and live each day longer, relish each hour,

Enjoy the moment.

Life is precious.

Life is beautiful.

Live Life Full!

Happy New Year!

This also happens to be my 101st post here :) Special thanks to all my blogpals!

Secret Garden - The Random Sunday Nonsense Series 2

2006-12-03T16:51:00.000+05:30

Today I got this big urge to have a garden of my own again.. To be able to grow a lot of flowers..Soak myself in the colors..Listen to the bees singing, or humming, if you prefer..Watch the butterflies.. Sort of like an escape from the everyday realities, a getaway for instant peace and solace.

When you are a kid, its so much easier. I remember myself spending hours in our garden, exploring every small thing in great detail..seemingly inane things, but yet enough to send our "little" minds into a world of unlimited imagination, oblivious to the rest of the earth.

As we grow up, a lot of us still maintain our Secret Gardens within ourselves.. Our own beautiful patch for us to lose ourselves, so that we remain peaceful and sane. Stay in touch with the child within us. The purity and the love. Very important to feel a part of the Nature.

P.S. I love the song Secret Garden by Bruce Springsteen (OST Jerry Maguire - another fav of mine)

Okkkk.. Back to zzzzz...

Random Sunday Nonsense

2006-11-26T14:13:00.000+05:30

"If you play with me, I will be your friend..otherwise I wont be your friend" said my 4 year old nephew.

"We gave you all the love and everything you wanted, but now you are disobeying us!!"

"If you give me a kiss, I will let you watch TV" said a mother to her 8 year old

"If you become a doctor, we will buy you a car"

"We spoke and shared so much together, and I thought you loved me"

"I did all that for you, and now you say you cant do this for me"

"I thought you loved me!! you cheater!! you user!!"

"I loved you too much..my mistake!!"

These are just a few random examples from our daily lives.. Forget the bribes, the "oiling of the system" or "tit for tats", and the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" of regular life, what I am talking about is our personal, immediate life that we carry in our supposedly pure heart, getting conditionalized and corrupted, so subtly, yet surely.

So where did that expression of "unconditional love" pop up from? Is there something like that at all? Or is it just the creation of some fancy author? I mean they even say " God will do that, IF you dont do this". Everything from love to faith is being brokered by man in this world (I am sure its nothing new, except that we are just taking notice of things now, more than before).

Why are we then complaining about globalization and commercialism? Isn't everything we do motive - ulterior or superior - based? Is there anything that can stay pure?

(Nonsense, MC!!!! Go back to sleep!! Its only 3 P.M!!!)

This Used To Be My Playground..

2006-11-05T14:18:00.000+05:30

"This used to be my playground (used to be)
This used to be my childhood dream
This used to be the place I ran to
Whenever I was in need
Of a friend
Why did it have to end.."

When Silverine tagged me with this one, the above song by Madonna is all I could hear.

Special song..Special memories..Special years..

So this tag is going to be one helluva special post for me..

A. Write 8-10 things about childhood ( 1-12 years) that you miss.
B. Write 8-10 things that you disliked about childhood.
C. Tag a few people

A. 8-10 things about my childhood that I really miss..

1. My first pet
My first love, a double-coated, pedigreed German Shepherd. I got him as a baby, barely 36 days, an age when you are not really supposed to separate puppies from their mothers, as my 7th bday present. I kind of grew up with him, and he with me. We used to eat together, we used to sleep together (sometimes on my bed, sometimes on his, sometimes just in some corner of the bigggg garden or backyard we had), we used to shower together (ended up having a shower myself when I gave him one!)..we did everything together.. I loved him as much as he loved me. He was very sensitive about me too! He wouldnt allow anyone get near me if I didnt let him. He would chase anyone even raising voice against me, including my family members! We learnt together to discover nature.. We learnt to differentiate between baby frogs and big frogs..small rats and big rats..
He died young..when he was 3 years old..in my hands..choked..not sure what it was..perhaps a bone..but he died..in my helpless hands.. Yes, I miss him. Not as a pet..as a friend.

2. Holidays
Holidays as a child meant lazing around in the house, hanging out in the garden exploring bees, bugs, insects, butterflies, dragonflies..truly being one with the nature..I was a born farmer I think! I even had my own farm of veggies..carrots, chillies, ginger and all.. I even managed to sell some of my reap to my mom..
Those were days you just randomly hung around in the neighbourhood with other kids..playing whatever games..creating small innocent trouble with neighbourhood "ammachies" (grannies).
One thing I really miss about being a child is lying on the plain ground and watching the sky..day or night..I just could lie like that and look for hours together..the blue blue sky with the random clouds in the daytime..and the dark blue sky with millions of stars and the random shooting stars (oh yeah i have seen plenty!)
Holidays also meant spending a month or two every year at my grandparents houses..the interiors of Kerala..truly the God's own country..I could just run through the paddy fields endlessly..go fishing with "choonda" (a fishing hook) and worms (I was a successful fisherman too!), climbing trees, visiting haunted houses at night with cousins..

3. Beach visits - Kovalam used to be a weekly affair as a child..Lying on the beachside..the waves caressing you..watching the sunset..and going back and having dinner..that kind of became a routine..a routine we lost as we grew busier and bigger..

4. Scooter and cycle - My dad's scooter and my own cycle that is.. Sitting with dad in front (and back after sometime) and zipping across the city and country side was a really memorable experience.. But he never let me ride it..even after growing up..but ofcourse learning to ride a bike was mandatory for me, and I did manage it later..
I must have got my first cycle when I was 4 or 5 years..a small BSA kiddie one with two side wheels..then over the years I graduated into bigger ones and then even to an "MTB" at some time! I was a versatile biker..visiting paddy fields nearby home..going fishing..and at times doubled up as a milkman and paperboy too..

5. Vacations - We had an annual vacation to Discover India..Delhi, Bombay, Madurai, Madras, Thekkady, Kodai, Bangalore, Munnar, Ooty, Mysore, Yercaud, Agra, Nainital all were much more exotic those days than it is now.. And most of these trips were on car..driving..somehow that seemed more pleasurable.. The random stops and detours. The people. The animals you spot..The food you ate...all seem imprinted in my mind..

6.Parties - Yes I attended plenty of parties as a child..I was a major party guy! hihi..But the best thing about parties those days were that you can be yourself..If you enjoyed it, you relish it and play and chill with other things your size..It used to be about "dark rooms", "hide and seek", "cindrella" (yeah cindrella was one of the fav games!), "pillow fighting", monopoly, scrabble and what not.. And if I didnt like the crowd I remember more than 5 instances where I decided to just go sleep under the stairs or under a bed where nobody could find me..nobody could find me and my parents had a lot of trouble..
I havent attended a party like that since childhood..

7. My room
As a child, I fought for my rights..and then finally at around 8 years I got my own room.. a freshly erected room in the terrace! My parents must have thought "this will serve him right and he will go back to sharing his room with his bro soon!" But I survived the thunder, lightning, whistling winds, strange noises, rains and all..and fell in love with my exclusive sky facing room! I could spend my nights watching the sky..counting stars..some nights I slept on the terrace itself..

8. My childhood
I think the thing that I miss the most about childhood is childhood itself..Somehow everything was so much simpler and nicer..things were all filled with love and happiness.Reminds me of the funny quote: "you were born naked, wet and hungry..and then things got worse". Relationships were so much easier..even parents..there were no complications..friendship..it only took a toffee to settle a war..or just a hug.. Small world..but a happy one..perhaps one thing that childhood really taught me is to always remember the small things as you reach out for the skies..

B. 8-10 things I dislike about my childhood

1. School, the initial years
The first thing that comes to my mind when I try and think of things that I cried for or hated is strangely.. school..Something that I learnt to love later on.. But the initial days..like playschool years..before lower kindergarten..was a torture..I just hated being dropped off at some crappy playschool..to just wait for my parents to return..and then it was like the most waited moment..run back to my mom or dad and jump into their hands.. I guess there are positive things about going to a playschool..but its also a difficult thing for a child. I guess its all a part of growing up..you are taught about separation and other ugly things in life very early in life.. I even hated the initial years in school..I managed to miss the school bus by staying longer in the toilet or allowing myself to get lost somewhere in the house..but then I always used to get dropped back right at school.
Later I loved my school. I still love it.

2. Egg and milk
This is also a strange dislike I had..When I was very small, like upto 5-6 years, I was a egg-o-philiac and lovvvveedddd milk..I just ate so many eggs..I would even eat up anyone elses eggs left on the table! Crazy! At around 7 years, for some reason I began hating eggs! And started sneaking near the wash to dump my glass of milk.. For about one year, I managed trashing my egg and milk down the drain..Then my maid reported a miracle to my parents..Every morning when she comes back after prayers she sees the water turn to milk near the drain..And that she felt shes a blessed one..It didnt take my parents to realize that shes only a mortal and there ended my liberation from egg and milk..
I still hate eggs, except in some specific forms and along with some dishes, but I am back into managing milk consumption to keep me healthy..

3. Falling ill
I just hated falling ill..Not because it kept me from going out or games or play time.. But they meant terrible times for me..I felt alone and like I was dying..with parents at work..maids busy..I even ended up getting nightmares...And a particular nightmare kept recurring every time I felt ill..Its a strange one..one that doesnt make any sense..one without any characters in it..no ghosts or devils..but still very scary and frightening..something I tried to wake myself from, but couldnt..
I dont get them anymore when I fall ill..

4. Fights and anger
I hated fights..Whether it was between my folks or between folks and bro..or between folks and their friends..the slightest indication of aggression or raised voices scared me for some reason..I would go far far away from angry people..
Now I am more tolerable..and at times even manage to greet anger with anger (rarely :) ) and have had my share of fights..

5. Stage fright
This is one annoying thing I feel terrible about when I look back at my childhood..Until about 8 years I was a stage-maniac..I used to be on the stage, invited or uninvited, singing, dancing, reciting, acting and what not..I have tonnes of certificates and trophies from those years..
Then something happened that made a totally sportsman, and I began developing stage fear..I hated going myself in front of crowds watching you - only on stage..not on the field or courts while playing.. Strange..
I did manage to come out of this one just as I entered senior school..At assembly, we had random selections to make public speeches..and during my turn, I shocked the gathering and came out of my fear, screaming this at the top of my lungs:
"how much wood would a wood-chuck chuck, if a wood-chuck would chuck wood?"
It took about 30 seconds for the silence to break, and the surprised bewildered look on my principal's face to vanish, before I continued about the wood-chuck!

6. Getting beaten up and bullied
I remember myself as a very silent and quiet kid doing my own stuff as far as possible..not bothering anyone..just writing my own stuff..or painting the trees, beaches and stuff.. But I also remember others not doing the same..I had kids bigger than me coming and troubling me all along..tearing up my precious art-work, whacking me on my back and disappearing, bumping me out of the queues at the canteen..
What they did not know is that I was keeping a tab..my own mental account of who did what..And I was eating and growing up to be their size..
Before the end of senior school, I pretty much paid back everyone their dues..I particularly kept in mind, a certain bully who tore my precious "peacock" sketch..I am sure he regrets doing that even now..

I really cant think of more things that I hate about my childhood..Those were special days..happy days..and I have to thank my parents for those days..I believe every child has to have a happy childhood..Because thats what decides what you grow up to be..not professionally, but as a person.. If I could, I would ensure happiness, peace, health and good education for every child..

Now about tagging more people..I think Silverine took the extra privilege of tagging everyone known in blogosphere.. So I will just end this one by thanking her once again for this really really wonderful tag. I had a beautiful nice sunday thinking about my childhood...And incase you havent read her post, do it now..Tells you why shes such a sweetheart now..
:)

Survival

2006-10-30T22:17:00.000+05:30

.. of the stickest! Above: The Stick Insect

There are days when you feel on top of the world.. breathing in the fresh air, looking at the sun and smiling..saying to yourself.."wow..what a day"

Then there are other days when you feel down in the dumps..and you just thank God you survived another day..

I wonder what an insect like the above feels like (if it can feel, ofcourse!). To have evolved into a stick just to keep itself alive..To look at itself on the mirror and sigh..but then heave another sigh of relief for having lived one more day.

Wonder what we will evolve into some day..if we survive long enough, that is..

Ok bad week for me, so pardon the random nonsense :)

And dont worry, I will be back with more!

My Mind

2006-10-01T14:06:00.000+05:30

What better picture for a post that reveals the blogger thats Mind Curry. A full view of my profile picture :) This is one of the pictures that I like the best from my collection. Puts together in one shot what life is and should be all about.

This post is also dedicated to a very special and talented person who has single-handedly kept a lot of blogging going on, and a big blogging community together; whether she knows it or not, whether she likes it or not. Silverine has tagged me with this blogger's post tag.

Here goes:

1. Are you happy/satisfied with your blog, with its content and look? Does your family know about your blog?

Yes to the former question. I am happy with my blog, its content and the look. I never began it with a goal to reach anywhere, but rather it was a platform for expressing some aspects of the real me. I am not two-faced, but then in real-life I am kind of a private person. It takes time for me to break ice with people, but once I do I usually ensure that the warmth lasts a lifetime.

No to the latter part of the question, except for perhaps one person in my entire family. It is not really because I have a lot to hide. People normally tend to make that wrong assumption; but its just a trait that I have and I just chose to live my life quietly, and I respect terms like personal, individuality, privacy etc..perhaps most others see it as weird or mysterious..cant do much about that can we?

2. Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog or you just consider it as a private thing?

I think my previous answer pretty much clarifies this one too. But no, I dont feel embarassed about my blog. Should I be? :)

Like they say, "when in blog, be a blogan".

I dont think its got anything to do with embarassment or you trying to cover up anything in life. Its just that life is so much easier when you dont have to answer a 101 pesky questions.. With a screen-name, or blogname, you can avoid 100 of those from the people who know you. The other 1 you can choose to ignore.

3. Did blogs cause positive changes in your thoughts?

Ofcourse. 100%. It helps you to reminisce..reflect..think..coalesce.. Those are very important elements for a healthy life. And also it throws open many windows to your mind..take a look and see life from different perspectives.

4. Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or you love to go and discover more by yourself?

I wish I had the time to peep at all the great blogs that exist, and read a bit, and keep going back for more to the ones that inspire. But yeah, not all wishes come true in life. I do visit some blogs regularly, not necessarily of people who comment on my blogs; and I have to admit very sheepishly that I dont visit or return comments to all the bloggers who visit my blog. I am working on it continuously though :)

5.What does visitors counter mean to you? Do you care about putting it in your blog?

It means a small box that counts the number of people who chanced by your blog. And yes I did care about putting it on my blogs, though only recently. And it is only very recently that I made more functional use of the stats, by adding a more detailed stats analyzer. And yeah, its just nice to know that so many people visited and atleast glanced at what you had to say. Ofcourse, nothing like a comment!

6. Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?

Yes ofcourse, I do. And I have fairly good ideas about what each one of you look like in real life. Especially my special bloggers. Did that sound surprising??

7. Admit. Do you think there is a real benefit for blogging?

Admitted. There is. Not probably monetary, though I keep reading articles about that.

8. Do you think that bloggers society is isolated from real world or interacts with events?

What are you sayingggg?? Its a whole world out here..And what we do here does have a bearing in real life.

9. Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it's a normal thing?

It depends on the post..sometimes you post your thoughts (with a disclaimer in CAPS saying its my view and blah blah to avoid pesquitoes!) and you have people telling you that you are not allowed to think like that..That at times gets a bit bugging..but on the whole, I am tolerant and I try to explain my perspective for about 5-7 times. Then I give up. I even have another blog which attracts a lot of the critics and challengers of life. Whatever you say, they oppose and say the opposite..Which kind of becomes fun as you learn to sit back and smile.

10. Do you fear some political blogs and avoid them?

Most people who would have read my other blog knows the answer to this question. But then one might ask why I blog under a blogname and not my real name. That has more to do with my personal preferences, than any fear. Ofcourse, I dont think I have ever felt the need to convince any one about my personal preferences - either you respect them, or I dont care.

11. Did you get shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?

No, I will be shocked when it happens to me. Not too long I guess :P

12. Did you think about what will happen to your blog after you die?

I am still thinking about a couple of other things that will get affected after I die..But now that you brought it up..*sobs* what will my baby do..sighh...google,take care of my pictures okay?

13. What do you like to hear? What's the song you might like to put a link to in your blog?

Well, every moment has a tune for my life..Right now I can listen to this in my head:

Blue skies Smiling on me, Nothing but blue skies Do I see..Blue birds, singing a song, Nothing but blue skies from now on... I never saw the sun shining so bright, never saw things going so right. Watching all the days hurrying by when you're in love, my how they fly.. Those blue days, all of them gone, nothing but blue skies from now on.

Ahh..This must be the fastest tag I did..Thank you Silverine, that was good.

To return the favor, I dont think there are many people left.. But I dont think we want to miss what Maya, Kusum, Shruti and Geetha have to say about blogosphere..

Re-visits

2006-09-05T12:43:00.000+05:30

Above: The must-have Onam "poo-kalem"

We associate a lot of our happy things with the past: When we are happy we keep referring to phrases like " when I was younger", "it used to be", "Long time back", "I remember", "those days". I think its important for us to keep reliving the good times and rejuvenate ourselves.

Here is one such thing:

Onam

A festival celebrated by Keralites which signifies prosperity and peace; without religious or caste barriers. The legend(long one cut short) is that King Mahabali, who was an exceptional ruler who brought peace and prosperity to the state, had an encounter with Vamana (who was infact Lord Vishnu in disguise) and was sent underground (literally). But getting to know the real side of Mahabali and what a sweet chap he was, the Lord granted him a wish. And being the people's man and with his love for Kerala, he asked that he be allowed to visit Kerala once a year to see his beloved land and people. So the reutrn of the great King each year is celebrated as Onam, lasting some ten days, by the King's people.

I remember, when I was younger, Onam was such a delight. It used to be the time of union of all family members from all over the world and all cousins. Those days were always something to look forward to. "Onam holidays". And a finale with the "onam sadhya". It has been many years since I have had such an Onam.

Anyway, this year, I decided to have a special Onam and refresh all the memories, than keep referring to the past. So we are having an Onam sadhya, with all family and friends, in the "typical" Kerala style banana-leaf plate and veggie cuisine.

But I could not forget my beloved bloggers from all over the world :) So heres to all the wonderful blogpals I have:

Happy Onam!

The "Inside" Stuff

2006-08-24T12:24:00.000+05:30

Above: Doctors operating

A very thoughtful and pensive Quills tagged me with this one:

I am thinking all the time, so much that I can feel heat above my head :) Right now I am thinking of a holiday

I said be careful with your words, for you may have to eat them. I think someone said something very similar before me! :) Yes, you guessed it, I am a man of few words

I want..I cant think of one thing I want..is it because I have too many wants? Or is it because I am content? Right now, I just want to be on a mountain-top, breathing in the fresh air, and feel close to God

I wish people learn to make life simple, live life full and not make it complicated (especially for others!)

I miss.. I try not to think about what I miss.. I always try and strengthen myself.. I used to be a very sensitive person as a child, upset about small things and cry for everything; then life hardened me, gave me a shell, beneath which I am perhaps still the same. I do miss some of the special people who I have met in this life, so many special moments, so many joyous moments.. thats what life is all about right? Enjoy every moment..and cherish the best

I hear myself all the time. I make sure I listen to that inner voice. I read somewhere if you stop listening to your soul, thats when you begin to deviate from what God meant you to be. Infact, I remember not listening to my inner voice a couple of times, and those instances were not good. I can relate this to Snowy in Tintin: the angel and the devil trying to influence the character

I wonder what life is all about. They say we are all here for a purpose. But how many people find the purpose? Do we seek it? Or do we just leave this world without knowing anything about it?

I regret nothing in particular, and I am thankful to God for this life. I have experienced so much and lived life so full in so little time. I just pray God keeps things pretty much the same for me while I am here

I am who I am, take it or leave it. That said, I go out of the way to be accommodative to nice and genuine people I like. I am also very uncomfortable with anything that has "I" in it, I hate talking about myself, and no wonder this is a difficult tag, but yeah perhaps therapuetic like its supposed to be!

I dance when I am really happy or when I am really drunk or when I am with great company

I sing to myself

I cry a lot.. man! sometimes I wonder if somethings wrong with me. I dont cry when I am upset, but I cry when I am happy, or when someone else is upset (even in movies). I feel ashamed I have cried watching Top Gun. But hey, Goose dying, and Meg and Maverick upset was so touching right?

I am not what others want me to be

I write much better than I speak

I confuse others ..This is useful at times ;)

I need very little. I am an island.

I should remember always that life is short. Apart from living it full, I need to take care of others as much as I can. God does lie in small things. One small act of kindness, care and love, can go a long way. I should also remember to take more care of my loved ones.

I finish.. I cant remember much that I finish. I am a last minute person, always just about making it, meeting deadlines.. The only thing that I do finish is perhaps chocolates. But hey, chocolate is good for the heart the latest research said. Oh no, now they say its not. Yay, now they say it is! Doctors! Such pains they are!

This tag is open.. Take it..

I'm back, and I'm Talking

2006-08-12T17:22:00.000+05:30

When she tagged me with a tag called "the talking images", it sounded perfect. But then, as I attempted it, I was lost for words (as usual).. and lost for images as it did not match my own images. So this took a while to piece together with what I had..The only picture thats not my own is the picture of the person who tagged me, which I had to borrow..(pssst..shes gorgeous..)

Most desired celebrity

Gaius Julius Caesar
I dont know if any one has ever celebrated Caesar in recent times, but he is one character I have been amazed and intrigued by. The class, the honor, the love and the power "..hear me for my cause, and be silent that you may hear." I think anything from that period still inspires me, like Maximus from Gladiator or Asterix and Obelix.

Want to do this some day

I already did this, thrice. So something I really want to do next is to fly a plane. Feel the G force, and be in control (hopefully!)

Want to visit this place

Where the earth meets the sky..
I am still searching for this place.. I am still on the road..It seems never ending, but I am loving the journey..

Random favorite

The Sunflower..somehow brings me random thoughts: happiness, brightness, color, love, smile, laugh, joy, beauty, God, simplicity..

I was tagged by this smart and spritely person

Kusum

If you are lost for words, please feel free to attempt this tag..
Express yourself!

Glimpses

2006-06-24T15:10:00.000+05:30

The long winding roads through the Canadian Rockies. Winter was beginning to set in. I particularly love this shot as it gives a mixed feeling of infinite beauty and endless journey.

Here is another tag. Quite a personal one, and one of the things I hate doing is to talk about myself. But since the tagger was a sweet, dear, friend, I simply could not refuse.

Some supposedly (and hopefuly!!) unknown facts about myself :)

My Accent: Neutral, but sometimes, if you listen carefuly, you might catch a Swahili tone. Very rare during a regular conversation though, unless I am singing, ofcourse.

Booze: Very rarely. I simply need to have company I am really comfortable and enjoy with, and usually saved for occasions of great impact to life which includes events like my close friends birthdays, extreme happiness striking between 7pm and 8pm on a friday or saturday, chill-out music that instantly gets you into the mood.. Prefer white wine or beer. Dont like hard-liquor given a choice. Nothing like sipping on some chardonnay, with the shrimp platter to go along, at the Library Bar with your best friends.

Chore I Hate: Dusting, am allergic to dust among 27 other things. And 192 people :)

Dog or Cat: Dog. Only. I hate cats, unless its from the human species.

Essential Electronics: I belong to an order that believes all electronics are essential :) Kidding..mmm..My PDA phone and Laptop primarily.

Perfume: Issey.. I simply love Issey.. I have fallen in love with women, simply because they wore Issey..Ok..Kidding again..you get the drift though.

Gold or Silver: Neither. But if you have to know, Silver should do. Its got nothing to do with Silverine :)

Home: I consider two cities in India as home, and live my life between those two places. Due to security reasons, I am refrained from disclosing the locations. Anyway, I live alone at one place, while at the other I live with my parents. Call it positive influence, my mother now is a die-hard F1 fan, hums "hips don't lie" music though she likes rap too and she even wanted to watch Rang De Basanti twice.

Insomnia: I used to be such a sleep-a-holic. Then one night I had a dream with an angel playing a familiar tune that I dont remember now. But the lyrics went "you will have time enough to sleep, when you are six feet down-under". Since then I have been a nocturnal.

Job Title: There are many in fact: Surgeon, Pain, Joker, CEO, Doctor..come to think of it, they are all the same.

Living Arrangements: hmm..interesting question..I manage with the arrangements God has made..oxygen, water, Pizza, sunlight, chocolate, burger, cheese, coke etc.. And I occupy very little space. One corner of the bed is all I need. The rest is occupied by my books, laptop, CDs etc. I believe in equality.

Most Admirable Traits: sighh... I told you this was a difficult tag.. well, I am quite accommodative and flexible :)

Number of Sexual Partners: I was advised to "try" Nada and Null by the person who tagged me. Anyway, thankfully I still remember the numbers though I forget their names: 92921110291 and 92920112020 :) Oh..you might want to add the country code if you are dialling outside India.

Number of times in hospital: Almost every day of my life for the last 11 years. As a patient, about 3 times.

Phobias: plenty..Amychophobia- Fear of scratches or being scratched, Bolshephobia- Fear of Bolsheviks, Nosocomephobia- Fear of hospitals (overcome this almost), Odontophobia- Fear of dental surgery, Onomatophobia- Fear of hearing certain names (my own the most!), Gamophobia- Fear of marriage and Fear of the Dark..oops..thats a song..

Quote: "I always wanted to be somebody.I see now that I should have been more specific.."

Religion: Christian

Siblings: One

Time I Wake Up: Ok, lets rephrase this a bit.. By the time I wake up, most people are at their work places.

Unusual Talent or Skill: I eat my pills throwing it in the air and catching it in my mouth. I consider this as a skill, but most people disagree..

Vegetable I Love: I discovered only a few years ago that I am not allergic to veggies.

Worst Habit: I withdraw from what I do not like. I can wall-off myself.

X-Rays: Couple of dental ones, when I broke my toe, when I got stabbed by a certain Miss.Scissors.

Yummy Food I Make: Why isnt the question "yummy food I dont make"! Mmm..I baked a chocolate cake once and people who ate it said "yummyyyyy!". They also said that next time I should take more care about the shape.

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

People tagged to do it : You know, I thoroughly enjoyed doing this one :) But now am a bit worried about how much more people know about me..especially my worst fears..ouch! I welcome and request all those who comment here to do the same tag. tsk tsk..smart huh..

Four-Ever

2006-06-20T10:17:00.000+05:30

The 4-mula tag, courtesy Silverine

4 jobs I’ve had:

As far as I can remember, there is nothing that I havent tried my hand in, except probably fly - which remains one of the things to do before I die.
1. Making others happy - This was one of the first recognisable jobs I had, and my customers were very satisfied. Now I do this only part-time.
2. Seafood export - I didnt last very long here as most of the consignments were either delivered to my friends houses or cooked at home.
3. Healthcare - IT consulting: This is a passion, currently.
4. Surgeon - This is a very demanding and high output job, and I am loving it.

4 films I could watch again and again:

This is going to be a strange list for most people. The fact is there are over a 100 movies I have watched, and can watch, again and again. Currently, I am watching these again, again and again-
1. Rang De Basanti - There is something so natural about the characters in this movie, perhaps because I can relate to each of them in some way.
2. About A Boy - I always thought and still think I am an island.
3. Braveheart - History always teaches you what you need for the future.
4. Notting Hill - I don't know why, but I love this one.

4 places I’ve lived in:

1. Kerala - God's country in the hands of Dogs'. Born and lived most of my childhood here.
2. Mangalore - Where I learnt about life, people and the world along with medicine
3. Singapore - Very briefly
3. Bangalore - Where I became the person that I am today.

4 TV series I like(d) to watch:

1. Seinfeld - Funniest characters
2. Fresh Prince of Belair
3. Mind Your Language
4. Friends

4 places that I’ve been on vacation to (and enjoyed):

1. Vythiri/ Wayanad/ Kerala
2. Goa
3. Canada
4. Dubai

4 websites I visit everyday:

1. My Blog Stops
2. News sites
3. www.f1.com
4. www.iamsoboredanddontknowwhattodo.com

4 books I’d love to read again and again:

1. The Last Don/ The God Father
2. God Of Small Things
3. The "For Dummies" Series
4. Seven Easy Steps To The Forbes List (still at first!)

4 favorite dishes:

1. Pastas with cheese :)
2. Thai Green Curry
3. Seafood anything
4. Chocolate anything

4 places where I’d like to be right now:

1. A misty mountain top overlooking rest of the earth..alone. taking deep breaths..
2. A long white sandy beach..lying down..staring at the sun
3. A green rice-field..in the middle of it..nothing else for miles together
4. On top of the tallest building on earth..

4 people I’m gonna tag:

1. you..
2. you too..
3. you also..
4. and you..

:)

Love Is All Around Me

2006-06-15T00:34:00.000+05:30

Name: Not Yet Named
Age: Less than 1 hour
Born: 12:34 pm, 14 June 2006
Delivered by: Cesarean Section
Sex: Male
Weight: 3800 grams
Blood Group: O Positive
Father: Thrilled
Mother: Joyous
Doctor: Elated

The best place to be in a hospital, surprisingly, is the labor room, despite all the pain and blood associated with delivery. It is the place that brings to earth new lives. New Mothers. New Fathers. Lots of happiness (usually). Tears of joy.

Love is all around.

Disclaimer: For once, the copyright of the picture belongs to the parents of the baby, and not me who just happened to click this lovely face :)

Pink And Me

2006-06-08T08:00:00.000+05:30

The above picture shows a flower that is quite commonly found in gardens in a part of the country I call home. They grow in abundance, do not require much care and bloom throughout the year. They come in many shades: red, white, pink, violet. They add a lot of color and brightness to the garden. Yet they are taken for granted and not really noticed or taken care of by the gardener. Instead, Orchids and Dahlias are given priority and great care, although they rarely bloom despite all thats done. Still, the gardener continues to care for the orchids and dahlias and not the pink ever-blooming flower which is bright despite being ignored.

It is human nature perhaps to take everything for granted, whether it be people, animals, things, emotions, trees, plants, insects, buildings.. And also it is one of the biggest mistakes we commit in life, something most of us hate probably ( I surely do), but yet, guilty of ourselves. It is something that can spoil relationships, tear apart families, ruin careers, split friendships, escalate wars and many such grave things.

We all know how humans take Mother Earth and the environment we live in for granted, plundering all that we have for "free"- air, water, land, seas, forests. We have seen many lovers reach a dead end because they took each-other for granted and felt suffocated in the end knowing there is no spark in their lives anymore. We lose all the freshness of our lives by taking all that’s around us for so granted.

Will it always take a loss for us to know what is dear?
Will we always need a lie to inspire us to find the truth?
Will only injustice ensure that in the end justice prevails?
Will it always be death that makes us realize what meant life to us?
Will it always be a disease that forces us to take care of our health?
Will it always be war that lets us know how precious peace was?
Will we always need a failure to make us fight for victory?
Will we always need a heart-break to know how much we were loved?

Dark Side Of The Moon

2006-05-22T21:41:00.000+05:30

Above: Halo created by the sun around the shadow of an Airbus-340

'The greatest gift you can give someone is your time.
Because when you give someone your time,
You give them a portion of your life,
A portion that you will never get back.'

They say you should never live in the past. Because if you do, the past will always follow you like a shadow.

But what happens when the shadow has a halo around it, shades of glory, beauty and love. Those special memories you would die to preserve, hold on like it might just slip away, remember and re-remember, worried that you might forget it somehow. Ones you still remember those very fine details, those moments. Those moments, pieced together, sum up our entire life.

Those are the moments that make life worth living..and dying for. And if you cannot remember your past, then you have not really lived your life.

Pink

2006-05-08T11:59:00.000+05:30

Is there a color of love? When you are in love, do you associate it with a color?

They say Red is for passionate and deep love, Blue for committment and sincere love, Violet for mysterious love, Green for balanced love (if there can be one!), Yellow for bright and happy love and Orange for fiery and creative love.

But Pink, they say, is for joyous and calming love. It reminds me of a Mother's love. What better word to describe her love than "joyous". I think it truly describes the genuinity of the feeling than passion, mystery, balance and creativity. It is a love that is undying, guaranteed, forever, above-all and above-self. From the moment you are a zygote to forever.

My mother is an extra-ordinary person. From the depths of poverty, her family educated her and provided her small opportunities. She worked tirelessly and relentlessly with dedication and faith in God. I remember her telling me, when the first Jet plane went through South India she was a kid and was playing alone in a green paddy field.. The roaring sound, which she had no clue about, scared her so much that she thought the world was ending and she knelt down in the field and prayed. Today, she is one of the best in the country in her chosen field. And I think it has been a tremendous journey.

Motherhood is also a responsibility, and it should be a choice borne out of only one factor - Love. It should not be a social custom, a milestone or an accident. Choose it wisely.

As Mother's Day approaches (May 14, 2006), I dedicate this post to the color Pink and all the love in the world that it carries. I dedicate this post to My Mother. And to all the other mothers' for their love and care, that keeps the world together.

So go ahead, give her a hug, send her roses, send her a letter or card, buy her something, think of her, take her for dinner, go for a drive with her, tell her you love her..

Happy Mother's Day!

Simple Pleasures

2006-05-05T00:15:00.000+05:30

I got tagged again, this time by dear friend Has To Be Me. but I am not sure why it Had to be Me. Ok before I get on with more of my PJs and the tag, here is a decent one:

A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning.
The wife said, "You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee."
The husband said, " You are in charge of cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee."
Wife replies, "No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee."
Husband replies, "I can't believe that, show me."
So she got the Bible, and opened the New Testament and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says "Hebrews"

The tag is as follows:

Name 10 of life's simple pleasures that you like the most and then pick 10 people (no no, dont run!) to do the same (optional). (thank God, and hence I shall leave the option open for all you guys, feel free to indulge, and you can even use my comment space ).
Try to be original and creative and not to use the things someone else has already used. (original, isn't that the tough bit!)

1. Genuinity - I prefer everything to be genuine, especially people. But strangely, it is a rareity. 2. Choices - The luxury of having choices, and the sense to choose the right one. 3. Independence - Something sacred for an Aquarian 4. Nature - I feel one with the nature, I could spend my life looking at the sky, sea or greens - day and night. 5. Kindness - One act I really admire. 6. Spirit - I need to be alive, and in company of people who are spirited, even about small and simple things. 7. Dreams - My whole life revolves around them. 8. Peace - of mind, body, work and world. 9. Happiness - Life is too short. 10. Love - Everybody needs it in some form.

United We Stand

2006-04-29T12:23:00.000+05:30

Divided we fall..

..We fall..

Sky Above, Earth Below

2006-04-24T19:56:00.000+05:30

Above: Sky, Sun, Clouds, Mountains, Water, Trees, Road..
A view of the Rockies from the car.

According to a funny person, the Moon is more important than the Sun. Because it gives us light at night when light is needed, but the Sun only gives us light during day when light is not really needed.

As funny as that sounds, in our daily lives, we are met with similar circumstances and people. We miss the big picture when it is needed and instead get caught in the petty issues. On the flip-side, we live our lives searching for the big things and forget to enjoy the small gifts of life. We are always caught in-between. Stuck, with a mental glue that we create ourselves.

The world divided itself into continents and countries, and then talk about unity and peace. Its states talk about international events, yet forget their own homeland. People talk about Societies, yet have no clue about their family.

Priests talk about the God Almighty, His love, His kingdom and then broker Him and divide the people for their interests as though they hold the tickets to the pearly gates - "you will go to heaven, but you shall not because you did not do this". People go to pray to show they believe and then they hope God will not see everything that they do.

Parents want their children to be born free and think big, but only according to what they say. Children grow up but in the end wish they never did. Life becomes a struggle, always trying to fit into a shell of expectations created by others, that keeps you away from reaching for the stars that you can only dream of. Is it because you are safer in the shell or is it a worry that you might break the fragile shell?.

We believe in a lot of things, yet our actions and thoughts, unbound to our beliefs, are chained to bubbles and shades instead. We know what is right, yet we are not able to fight for it; we know what is wrong, yet we are unable to stop ourselves.

We still live in a deep dark forest. Sky above, Earth below.

Wag The Tag

2006-04-20T16:08:00.000+05:30

Above; The Old Port road, Montreal

These days Tags are being tagged as the in-thing, with all taggers tagging tagees like its going out of fashion. But in the end, its all a pleasurable experience for the tagger, tagee and the casual blogger doing the fly-by on your blog. Anyway, this one is courtesy our own beloved blogger, talented techie, energetic footballer, every-girl's- heart-throb and global player Geo.

On your mark, Set, Go..

1.Grab the book nearest to you, turn on page 18 and find line 4.
In the absence of pharmacological or surgical intervention, therefore, modern women experience nearly 500 ovulatory cycles, because of their intellectual capacity to choose infertility.

2.Stretch your left arm out as far as you can.
Hit another computer monitor before I could do so fully.

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
Star Movies, HBO, NDTV, NDTV Profit, BBC World, Asianet, V, MTV..Each for 5 seconds

4.Without looking, guess what time it is?
4.oopm

5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?
3:28pm

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
The whizzing sound of a fan, honking cars, key board clicks, my mind..

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
Last night, went to play snooker. Took off today because of a terrible allergic cold!

8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
My mail box, my mobile, if Geo changed his mind about tagging me..

9. What are you wearing?
White T and Blue jeans

10. Did you dream last night?
Yes, every night and day

11. When did you last laugh?
5 minutes ago when I spoke to my best friend, 3 minutes ago when I read Geo's tag and comments

12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
A clock, a shelf with loads of books, two small teddies! (yeah you heard right) a set of knives, a medal, some trophies and other collections, an airconditioner, a fan,yellow curtains..well the lizards, spiders and cockroaches are missing at the moment :)

13. Seen anything weird lately?
Yes, some people..

14. What do you think of this quiz?
It was fun to read what other people had written.. :)

15. What is the last film you saw?
Dreamer (Dakota Fanning, Kurt Russell)

16. If you became a multimillionaire overnight, what would you buy?
I wouldn't.. I will spend a month atleast, just dreaming..

17. Tell me something about you that I dunno.
I am not sure what you know :)

18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
I wont do any one thing.. I wil keep that power with me and use it to change a lot of things.."please do this..or else..!!) hehe.. kidding..If I had so much power, I am sure I would know what to do as well.

19. Do you like to dance?
Yes, a lot..especially when time, place and company favor.

20. George Bush.
Monkey

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
My love

22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
My love

23. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Abroad what? ok ok..never did or wanted to. But if the need arises, I might.

24.What do you want GOD to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
ideally something like..mmm.. "welcome back"?. but most likely He might say "oh no..not you!"

25. 5 people who must also do this meme in their journal.
Joshua, dear buddy and friend, for his sheer talent
Jiby, great person and Loyolite for his great insights
Geetz, sweet blogger pal, for her everlasting sweetness
Ram, a great thinker and writer, to know his lighter side
and
Has To Be Me, a person so full of love, for it had to be her.

Stoned!!!

2006-04-16T18:32:00.000+05:30

Above: Stone figurine, Montreal

The CEO of Cyberdene Corporation, an avid storyteller and chief movie critic at HBO (or is it Star movies, I ain't sure yet), in his capacity as former Earth's representative at Starfleet HQ and The Emperor's Court in Coruscant has officially stoned my peaceful island. He has given me an ultimatum to complete a tag in return for my island. I guess peace is made in such ways..

Here goes..

5 people who top your shit list..... and why:

Since I really cannot think of any individuals, here are a few categories of real shitty people in my opinion:

1. People who throw around their weight without reason
2. People who get angry easily, the impatient and haughty ones
3. People who thrive on gossips and manipulating others feelings
4. People who don't show respect for others and think they are superior
5. People who are narrow minded and hypocritic

Close brushes with death/danger:

I once had a brush with mortality.The brush died.

That's the joke that came into my mind first. But close brushes are plenty. Like when I tried jumping of a running bus for the first time and nearly got ran over by a bus behind. Or when I fell of my bicycle when I was small on the middle of the road and escaped because the car had good brakes despite being an old ambassador. There was also another time when a jeep darted across the runway when the flight I was travelling on was landing and barely seconds away from touch-down; the hard brake resulted in minor injuries to most of the passengers and made headlines the next day.

There have been other instances where friends, family and even strangers have wanted to kill me and I barely got away with my dear life.

5 Preferable modes of suicide, in descending order:

Well some of these are from personal experience, while others are not. Basically you get to choose what works for you.

1. Potassium cyanide - I am yet to lay my hands on this miracle item
2. Sleeping pills - please take atleast 40-50 pills in under 2 minutes. Anything less is pointless and you are going to spend a lot of time in hospital in pain and then life long in misery.
3. Spontaneous human combustion: burning of a person's body without an identifiable external source of ignition. I am researching this art currently.
4. Medical school - slowly but surely
5. Marriage - surely and slowly
(Statutory warning: 4 and 5 work only if you have the stuff to hang in there long enough)

5 Guilty pleasures:

if its pleasurable, it cannot be guilty, said some famous dude.

1. Coffee.. with adequate doses of friends, books or sights
2. Lounging..
3. Speed..
4. Travel
5. Chocolate..

5 things you never want to forget:

1. Medical school years
2. People I love..too many to list
3. My first bungee jump
4. My first on-stage song - I sang Puff Daddy with 4 other friends
5. My first Jackpot in a Casino

5 things you wish to forget:

What was that? Mmm...??

1. My scissors!
2. Waking up
3. Bills
4. Getting robbed
5. Friends who became traitors

5 really exotic dishes you have tried:

1. Bulgogi- marinated, charcoal-broiled beef (South Korean)
2. Sambal Udang- Spicy Prawns (Malaysian - one of my favs)
3. Teriyaki and Kakiagi - I have tried Japanese food only once! If you are the adventurous types, you can try the seafood buffet at Citrus, Leela Palace, Bangalore, India!
4. Lebanese stuff - Tried it at a place on Richmond Street, Bangalore. Once, again
5. Love most dishes Thai and Italian, but too common now to call it exotic!

5 crushes/loves in your life... in chronological order (even initials or nicknames wud do. Oh, no ID attempts or requests pleez):

1. Forgot her name (1982)
2. She didn't tell me her name (1990)
3. I forgot to ask her name (1994)
4. She told a false name! (2000)
5. I can't tell you her name (2002)

Strangest dream you ever had:

This one happens every time I recover from a fever that has lasted more than 3 days. There is this undescribable thing..as though it is a ball of black cotton, onto which drips more and more cotton, like the drops of water that fall from a leaking tap. These drops create a resonating sound and grows into a bigger black ball each time, eating into me. I try to wake up, but I cannot. I try to scream, but I cannot. I try to raise my hand, but they are tied. When I was small and I slept with my folks, I could see them, but could not wake them up. This dream has not happened in the last 5-7 years I guess, touchwood.

5 most valued personal possessions:

1. Trophy for leading a team to victory
2. People who love me as much as I do them
3. My Casio watch that I bought in 1990 with my own savings - my first such purchase
4. A few of my photographs
5. My firm

5 favorite superheroes..... and why:

1. The Bride - Beatrix Kiddo aka Black Mamba - She's the best!
2. Indiana Jones - Adventurous, real-life and exciting!
3. Superman - because he removes his clothes to become powerful, unlike others who have to wear clothes to become powerful - the usual I guess!
4. DJ - coz of his promises!
5. God - what would I have done without Him..

Now the best part of any tag..
Maya, Kesi, Arjun and Michelle, I invite you to rewind and refresh..

Happy Easter

2006-04-15T16:23:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Above: The Notre Dame Baselica, Montreal, Canada.

This one is specialy for you, fellow blogger and dear friend :)
Hope you have loads of fun and a great day.

Happy Easter!

Love Hurts - Update 1

2006-04-07T20:34:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

1723 hours; April 07, 2006

Taking into consideration the bloglic outcry and demand, the President of Blogosphere has granted pardon to Miss. Scissors unconditionally. The President in his statement said that this incident has become a situation of national security and interest, and could potentially affect India's nuclear deal with America. Nonetheless, as it happens in this world, even if a gazillion innocent victims walk to the deathrow or thousands of children are convicted, one known criminal should not be punished if there is the slightest opposition and should go scott-free. Miss. Scissors, thus escapes a possible execution by being melt into a metal ball, and will now be able to go back to her bathroom.

On April 02, 2006 Miss. Scissors allegedly stabbed Mr.MC causing serious hurt and was charged with attempted homicide, and sent to prison. Mr. Tap, the only witness to this incident turned hostile and pleaded ignorance saying his vision has deteriorated over the last few years and all he could see was lots of blood and hear a "yyyyeeaaahh!!" from Miss. Scissors followed by an "ouchchchch" by Mr.MC. Friends of MC say Miss.Scissors was on anti-psychotics for depression, secretly, without MC's knowledge, which the family of Miss.Scissors vehemently rubbished.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the Divine Ya Ya Scissorhood were quick to welcome this decision and termed this as a victory for the Scissorhood and its campaign for a free Scissor nation. "Let no human think that a Scissor can be treated as a tool anymore", Miss. Helen Fiskars, spokescissor for the Scissorhood shouted as Miss. Scissors was brought out of the prison. The Scissorhood congratulated the President of Blogosphere and offered a free haircut, which Mr.President declinded in a gentlemanly fashion.

Mr.MC, who is nursing his wound at an undisclosed location somewhere off the Malpe coast, was unavailable for comments and not reachable on Skype. His secretary termed the whole incident as staged, and an attempt by vested interests to damage MC's repute and life, which hitherto was an open book and now shall be not so open. She said, contrary to public disbelief, MC and Scissors shared a very happy and peaceful relationship till the incident occured.

The mysterious incident that rocked blogosphere still remains unsolved.

Love Hurts

2006-04-04T18:21:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

I first saw her more than three years ago. I am not sure where and how. She was ordinary, yet beautiful, slender but strong. She wore an orange outfit, with lots of silver. I liked her instantly.

Ever since, we have been together. She has been with me every day. We travelled together, we shared the same room even. She has always been nice to me, and in the same way I have always treated her with care. She has never done anything to hurt me.

Until 2 days ago.

She stabbed me, out of the blue.

I was shocked, surprised and hurt. I felt dizzy as my artery spewed out warm blood and painted designs on the wall. Writings in red. In the pain and shock, I threw her. She hit the wall and fell down in one corner of the room.

I ran out of the room, still surprised, slowly the pain taking over the numbness, and rushed to the hospital. I lay down on the hospital bed, still bleeding, the red crosses staring at me from the emergency room doors. It took a moment for me to realise what had happened.

I was trying to fix a tap with my scissors, pushing on a washer with its pointed end with all my strength. It slipped. And landed straight inside my left hand, almost going through. I cut my digital artery and the digital nerve. I am due to get operated this week some time.

As for my now ex, darling scissors, she has been sent to a dark corner where she will spend her possible last days in repentance. She will be pressed with criminal charges and attempted grievous assault and face a minimum of life imprisonment to a maximum possible death penalty.

I will let you, the jury, decide.

99.9%

2006-04-02T21:04:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Kids visiting the Botanical Garden at Montreal. It was the cutest little sight to see these 3 year olds hanging out and having a ball at the garden.

Ninety Nine point nine percent.

That is how accurate we can get in most things in life.

They say even God couldn't get it 100% as evidenced by each of us looking at the mirrors every day and wondering "why isn't my nose a little longer" or "why is my skin color like this!" or "why aren't my eyes bigger" or "i should have been a bit more thinner".

To get a better perspective of things, we are 99% similar genetic composition to the apes (apes deserve human rights, a scientist said) and 99.9% between any of you and me (racists and color conscious people please note).

They say 99.9% is the industry standard for highest accuracy and quality, leaving an error rate of just 0.1%. That is the target most quality control teams keep as ideal or goals.

This 0.1% error translates into the following:

- around 12 plane crashes per day around the world
- around 32000 wrong check deductions per hour in the US alone
- around 16000 lost mails per hour in the US alone
- around 12 newborn babies would be given to wrong parents every day
- around 3200 babies dropped during delviery per day
- around 20,000 wrong surgeries per day
- around 1,000,000 wrong prescriptions resulting in serious reactions per year
- around 48,000 books would be shipped with the wrong cover per week

I am reminded of the song "what if God was one of us?"

Dreams

2006-03-29T13:57:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

I spend most of my time, day and night, imagining,
Doesn't matter if I am awake or sleeping.
Thinking, of the possibilities that can be,
For my loved ones, the world and for me.

As though my life is devoid of any lucidity,
At times, I even have to snap myself into reality.
But yet I am comfortable in my unreal world,
I dont think I ever want to stop dreaming.

Reach for the stars, the limit is the sky,
Dare to dream, Live life full we are told.
Yet into a world of envelopes and perimeters,
We are caught, weighed, chained and tied.

I wonder if all our dreams are like a childs,
Only to smile through lifes many journeys.
One destination to another, eternal quests,
Some day the journey ends, but the dreams remain.

Will they ever be realised or be gone with us,
I wonder if we are willing to try and do what it takes.
Maybe even then we may be known forever as dreamers,
But in the end, atleast we know we tried, we dared.

I remember one of the loveliest cards I ever got in my life.. It was for my 15th birthday. "Wish upon a star, and your dreams will come true." it said. And the person who gave it to me wrote, "may there always be enough stars in your sky, that all your dreams may come true. never stop dreaming."
I dont think I ever stopped, and hope I wont.

Now wont you tell me about your favorite dream :)

Some of my favorite Dream Quotes:

All people dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind, wake in the morning to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they dream their dreams with open eyes, and make them come true
- Lawrence of Arabia

To imagine the unimaginable is the highest use of the imagination.

In dreams begins responsibility.
- William Butler Yeats

When I dream, I am ageless.

Yes, everybody's dying to be someone else, but I'll live my life if it kills me.
- E.E. Cummings

Go Confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined.
- Henry David Thoreau

Keep some souvenirs of your past, or how will you ever prove it wasn't all a dream?
- Ashleigh Brilliant

Dreams do not vanish, so long as people do not abandon them.
- Phantom F. Harlock

Only as high as I reach can I grow Only as far as I seek can I go,
Only as deep as I look can I see, Only as much as I dream can I be.

If your dreams turn to dust....vacuum.
- Unknown

When our memories outweigh our dreams, we have grown old.
- William J. Clinton

Hopeless

2006-03-22T13:38:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

I travelled across the vast seas and mighty mountains,
In silent quest for that one thing we cannot do without,
That one thing we need always to survive.

Finally I found it, almost, it was there in an instance,
As if it came out of nowhere, as it usually does,
Suddenly, within reach alas, I was thrilled.

Then it struck me; so close, yet so far,
We cannot own it here, not on this earth,
It is only in the heavens that we will find Hope.

The Road Less Travelled

2006-03-20T12:59:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Beauty dazzled from everything that I saw there that morning,
The enchanting pink leaves, the lively green grass, nature fully alive,
The welcome winding path, unfolding the mystery with each bend,
The more you walked, the more it engulfed you, the journey never-ending,
Slow down, submit yourself to the me, it seemed to say.

The dead leaves on the ground didnt want to be left out either
Wind breathed second life into them and they danced gently with eachother,
As though it was their last meeting, a second chance,
With their hollow noises penetrating the deadly calm,
Wishing they could have done more yesterday.

Can there be a reason for the paths that we tread,
Do we only strive for charm, glory and all things material?
Are we willing to follow, be told and led for life,
Or is it just fate and destiny and all those things already written,
Do we all live with a purpose or is there a purpose we live for?

Hum and Hummer

2006-03-18T09:58:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

What is your dream vehicle?

My best friend's and mine is a magic carpet. Together we are gonna fly around one of these days.

Watch out for us.

Celebrating XX

2006-03-08T18:54:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

A woman is like a teabag. It's only when she's in hot water that you realize how strong she is. -Nancy Reagan

Each woman is far from average in the daily heroics of her life, even though she may never receive a moment's recognition in history.

The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world.

Don't give a woman advice: one should never give a woman anything she can't wear in the evening.

To a woman in love, loving too much is not loving enough.

God made woman beautiful and foolish; beautiful, that man might love her; and foolish, that she might love him.

To be happy with a man you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.

Sure God created man before woman, but then again you always make a rough draft before creating the final masterpiece.

Every woman is wrong until she cries, and then she is right, instantly.

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.

We cannot do great things on this earth. We can only do small things with great love. -Mother Teresa

I have been allowed inside the house of womanhood, but I feel that they wouldn't let me in any of the interesting rooms. - Rob Schneider

A man who has never made a woman angry is a failure in life.

Anyone who says he can see through women is missing a lot.

Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife.

To all the women in the world, if it not were for you, the world would never have been the same for us. I am sure every man's life has been influenced by a woman in some way or the other; some way that it helped our lives become richer, more valuable, more cherished, memorable, worth living and perhaps worth dying for too.

Daughter, Girlfriend, Mother, Grandmother, Wife.. here's celebrating that woman in your life.

Happy International Women's Day

IT For Everyone

2006-03-04T09:20:00.000+05:30

Technologic

2006-02-27T02:21:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Above, Wild Berries at the Butchart Garden.

The brilliant colors above could not have been so well captured if not for the 6.2 megapixel, ultrazoom, chip technology Nikon camera that I was lucky enough to carry with me.

Charge it, point it, zoom it, press it, Snap it, work it, quick- erase it, Write it, cut it, paste it, save it, Load it, check it, quick- rewrite it, Plug it, play it, burn it, rip it, Drag and drop it, zip- unzip it Touch it, bring it, pay it, watch it, Turn it, leave it, start- format it. (Thats the Technologic song by Daft Punk) - But it says it all. Most things are just plug and play now.

Imagine sitting in my bedroom and posting this to have brilliant insights from all over the world over the next few days. Imagine saying what you want to say, and having people listening to you for a change, arguing with you, agreeing with you..

I even landed a job recently - a much coveted one that too - during a discussion on another kind of job!

I browsed through my inbox today, and noticed that its been over 10 years since I began emailing, the first email still in with me, written in January 1995. Those were the days internet just arrived in India, with rates as crazy as it is for space tourism today. I spent day and night begging my dad to spend a whopping Rs.10,000 plus for a new 56 kbps (equivalient to 6 kbps, if you are lucky, in reality) dial up connection. Strange enough he agreed, and regretted almost the next day, but that day changed my life.

I became a total technoholic. It literally brought the whole world at my fingertips. I was dazzled by words like "global village" and "convergence" and entered a whole new dream. I even learned html from a book, designed my own websites, began chatting with people as far as Boston and as close as the girl sitting next to me in the same room. I began doing better in my assignments, I began reading news in real time and what not.

I knew then itself that technology will change the world, and I began dreaming how. Not that I went on to win a Nobel Prize, but still, it was a whole new world out there waiting to be explored.
Today its so wonderful to see how technology has changed all our lives. And when I talk about us, I mean every one of us.

I am proud to see fishermen off my coast use Global Positioning System (GPS - satellite based navigation system) enabled handsets everyday and not losing their way anymore and finding better catches, local taxiwalas using wireless to have more efficient pick ups and time management, courier companies tracking our love letters in real time, school kids in villages having a better and enriched learning experience, quality healthcare being brought to every nook and corner of my vast country, so on and so forth.

I know a lot of you are thinking of the downside of technology with all the issues of privacy and right to information acts :) Well, true, but I will save that for another post.

All said and done, technology has really transformed our lives and world for the better.

By the way, here is an extract from one of my first emails, and you will know how and why I fell in love with my technologic life.

24 tips for life

1. don't go for looks' it can deceive; don't go for wealth - even that fades away. go for someone who makes you smile coz' only a smile can make a dark day seem bright. hope you find that person.

2. there are moments in life when you really miss someone that you want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real! hope you dream of that someone.

3. dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be cuz you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want in life.

4. may you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trails to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy and enough money to buy me gifts!!

5. when one door of happiness closes, another opens but often welook so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which hasbeen opened for us.

6. the best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch,swing with, never saying a word, and then walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you've had.

7. its' true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it,but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

8. always put yourself in other's shoes. if you feel that it hurts you, it probably does hurt the person, too.

9. a careless word may kindle strife; a cruel word may wreck a life; a timely word may level stress; a loving word may heal and bless.

10. the beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them with our own image - otherwise,we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.

11. the happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

12. maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we should know how to be grateful for that gift.

13. it takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but it takes a lifetime to forget someone, so true !!!!

14. happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched and those who have tried. for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

15. love is when you take away the feeling, the passion, the romance and you find out you still care for that person.

16. a sad thing about life is that when you meet someone who means a lot to you only to find out in the end that it was never bound to be and you just have to let go.

17. love starts with a smile, develops with a kiss and ends with a tear.

18. love comes to those who still hope even though they've been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed, those who still love even though they've been hurt before.

19. it hurts to love someone and not be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never finding the courage to let the person know how you feel.

20. the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

21. never say goodbye when you still want to try - never give upwhen you still feel you can take it - never say you don't love that person anymore when you can't let go.

22. giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! don't expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their hearts but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

23. there are things you love to hear but you would never hear it from the person whom you would like to hear it from, but don't be deaf to hear it from the person who says it with his heart.

24. when you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling - live your life so that when you die, you're smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Bulls and Bears

2006-02-24T00:06:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Marble sculpture at the Roman Era, ROM, Canada

After reading the comments from the last post, I was taken back to wanderland and began wondering about how generally people play the game of life, especially when it comes to the matters of heart and personal choices.

(I remember a friend of mine who got tired of me talking about life all the time! )

Do we always play safe? Are we always guarded? Or are we waiting to indulge? How much risk are we willing to take? Are we always harnessed by experiences? Do scars heal fully?

So here is what I wrote in 2004 on a similar plane of thoughts.

Principles for Investing in Life

Any good fund manager or investment consultant will tell you one cardinal rule - To never invest all your money into one single entity which could be an equity, an industry or a fund plan. When you do that the risks involved are enormous. If anything goes wrong you will be left with nothing.

Similarly, over the years, life enforces certain rules in our mind, things which we always thought we knew. Something that we knew, but could never justify ourselves into believing. Rules we decided to forget when lovely dreams of the future and lights of everlasting happiness flashed before us. The risks which then fade away into oblivion, just like it does to an investor faced with the possibility of raking huge profits, only in the case of life, the profits are in terms of love, satisfaction, fulfilling dreams and a richer experience.

The point is, if you want to be a safe investor in the market of life, secure your future and minimise the risk, the rule is the same as in the stock market as well in life.

Never invest your entire worth in one single entity.

Diversify as far as possible.

You should invest your energy in various entities in your life. If you love someone deeply, be sure there are other people you love too. If you love your job, make sure you have a hobby or another parallel business running. If you love your pet, make sure you have more than one pet.

That makes your life safe. In the event of unforseen circumstances, where one investment lets you down there are other safety nets to fall back on. You will never be left with a feeling of helplesness and total ruin. You will never be left with the coma and darkness that occurs when you invest all your energy and dreams in a single person and that person throws away all that was precious to you.

Thus, like the many personalities and types of investors in the stock market, so there is in life too. There are the kinds who play safe, investing in not entirely one person or option, but in many and thereby minimising risks; being able to move on with ease when something goes wrong. Then there are the other extremes, who invest with passion and faith in one option, forgetting the risks and believing in their dreams. Chances are the latter type of investors, crash and burn badly, when things go wrong.

Ironically, despite lifes lessons, there is a huge part of me that still believes in investing in atleast a few certain matters of life without the principles of the stock market. It does not matter if the risks are devastatingly ominous or the aftermath could leave you paralysed. It is still worth investing all your energy into someone or something which you believe is your future. Because in the end you are either left with your dreams coming true, or the satisfaction that you lived your life fully and true to your conscience. That, in the end, is what really matters to me and perhaps will allow me to wake up from (any situation), keep dreaming and going.

Above, excerpt from Mind Curry, November 2004

Silent Sigh..

2006-02-19T00:00:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

The roof, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, ON, Canada

There are so many things that you knew you knew, but never realise the reality until certain experiences slap them onto your face. Today, among other things, I realised, there are countless things I am happy about and then as many that I may be unhappy about.There are things that I try to put away in some dark corner of my mind and move on. There are things I feel there is something I can do to change them but am unable to do it. Some are thoughts which push me on to ride against the wave and the others are just so depressing that my mind becomes clouded.Thoughts, from which, arise a few dreams, some bit of helplessness and a lot of silent sighs..

Above, Excerpt from Mind Curry, Oct 2004

I was reading what I had written a long time ago.. I guess there is some positivity even in negativity. I always think I kind of respect the feelings of sadness and loneliness. Those are so important in our lives, so that they help you appreciate love, companionship, affection, kindness and all those amazing things that make life so beautiful.

In some ways, I have become so comfortable with my loneliness. I feel I need my time alone and that is when I retrospect, introspect and invigorate my own existence. I worry too, if I will go on to the point of becoming an introvert! Jeez! Hopefully its just a thing of being an independent Aquarian.

My mother, seeing me always goof around, asked me today "do you think the world around you will always remain the same?" I just laughed and made a face at her and said "yes, it will".

But somewhere deep within that question hit me, troubled me and I felt dizzy in a momentary interval of reality. God! I almost said out loud. Suddenly, as though from a wooden chest pushed open from the inside, a million questions and scenarios rushed into my mind. What..if..When..How..Why..No way..Never..I cant.. But..

I kept my smile on for the rest of the day somehow anyway..

I wonder now though, is it just me? Do you wonder about the future? Do you worry about it? Do you ponder about life after 5 years? Do you also worry that your life could change overnight?

Scares me..Thats why I dont really think beyond the day after if I can.. Atleast not about the things I dont like to think of..Its got nothing to do with the philosophy of living for the moment and stuff. Its just that I cannot imagine and think of certain things. I am not talking about myself, I am not really scared of my life.

I just trust in God to keep everything as it is.

On a lighter note, here is another good story written by unknown:

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see & asked the students,' How much do you think this glass weighs?''50gms!' .... '100gms!' ......'125gms' ......the students answered.

'I really don't know unless I weigh it,' said the professor, 'but, my question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?'

''Nothing' the students said.

'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor asked.

‘Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the students.

'You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?

'‘Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress & paralysis & have to go to hospital for sure!' ventured another student & all the students laughed.

'Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?' asked the professor.

'No'

Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?

'The students were puzzled.

'Put the glass down!' said one of the students.

'Exactly!’ said the professor.Life problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head & they seem OK. Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache. Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.

It's important to think of the challenges and problems in your life, but more important to 'put them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh & strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!

My King Kong

2006-02-15T13:11:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes;
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes;
Silver-white winters that melt into springs;
These are a few of my favorite things.

Was singing this when Silverine called to say that I have been tagged and that I need to list a few things from the zillion that really gets my goat. She went on to say that I was the natural first that came to her mind when she began listing her 35 most hated things.

This happens quite commonly when it comes to me.

Oh the horror!

Anyway we can go on to less excruciatingly painful stuff..

Things that get my King Kong

1. Fakes and Counterfeits: Genuineness is the one thing that I value a lot in people and even things. I hate people who are fakers and do or say things without meaning even a bit of it. I also hate fake products. Thats why animals are so much more easier to be with in life.

2. Aggression and Impatience: I hate people who show unnecessary aggression - whether it be on the road (especially those idiots on the road who cut lanes and overtake as though only they are busy), at the work place (plenty of them!), in a queue (reminds me of queues even at the churches where people push and shove as if God will run away if they dont hurry!) or in day to day life. I wonder why people cannot be calm about things in life. I am not talking about aggression in terms of business and marketing, where it has a sensible meaning. I am also reminded of an ad I used to like for Ford Mondeo which has the tag line "Refined Agression".

3. Hypocrisy: I do believe that each of us at some instances in our lives can be a hypocrite, and that is pardonable. But I am talking about the outrightly hypocritic lot, which is a way of life for them. According to psychologists, there are two kinds of hypocrites - honest and dishonest. The second kind is what I am talking about here and honesty here pertains to virtues, morals, religion and beliefs.

4. Contempt and Judgements: People who look down on others irrespective of the other persons circumstances or background and make conclusions based on twisted thoughts and baseless hearsay.

5. Divisive elements: who try to segregate people based on caste, religion and other baseless lines. I especially detest people who attempt to manipulate using God's name.

6. Disrespect: for women, elders, the weak, the less fortunate, teachers, animals, plants etc. If you read the above line, it is saddening to note women come in the same list as weak - I wish that would change.

7. Manipulations: by twisting feelings, emotions, love,trust and other pure things. Emotional black mail is something very cruel, despite the innumerable excuses one might have.

8. Gossip: and its carriers, without any knowledge based on facts and reality, and also people who are always bothered about whats happening in other peoples lives. Kind of like the people who survive on the misfortunes of the others.

9. Breach of trust: is one of the most disappointing things that really gets me irked. And funnily enough, through my life I have witnessed this. In some ways, I sadly realise that I dont trust easily anymore and it takes some time before I get close to anyone. This is something that I dont like, but nonetheless, is true.

10. Perpetual Nags, Pessimists, Whiners, Narrow-mindeds - I wish they would realise that life is short.

Now I better stop at 10, than go overboard like I did in the last tag.

I also have to tell you that King Kong, as I know, is a very nice big gorilla, happy in his world, trying to ignore aggressions and irritations. It takes a lot of effort to really get him out :) but when he is out, people usually run for cover.

So I continue with my song...

When the dog bites,
When the bee stings,
When I'm feeling sad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad.

The last time I tagged people, some of them never blogged after that, a few deleted their blogs, some sent me threats, others ignored me..I wonder if tags are on top of their hate lists, or is it just me! I am frightened!

Happy Valentine's Day

2006-02-14T12:48:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

There are a few stark observations that I have made over the years about Love.
Be warned, some are very heartening, and others quite not. Anyway here goes:

Love is a beautiful thing - I know there are songs written and movies made about this, but this is a very simple fact that is so true.

Love always brings with it hurt - This is always the rule, like theres an equal and opposite reaction for every action. So when you love, be prepared for whats coming. I am not saying the hurt is always terrible, but one should always be prepared for some bit of sadness - cant complain considering how good and satisfying love is.

Love is the most misunderstood term - When I hear people talk about Love, I see a lot of misunderstanding and misconception about it. Love is universal. It does not have boundaries or limitations. Apart from people, I even love my laptop, my desktop, my phone, my car, my trees, some of my clothes, my "soldier in the sky" and so many other things. Love is not just about a guy-girl thing as a lot of short sighted people think it is. I love my parents, my friends, my maid, my snooker trainer, my cousin, my colleagues..there are so many people, things, animals and plants..

Love cannot be diluted or measured - Either you love, or you dont. period.

Love cannot be prescribed - You cannot ask someone to love as per your prescriptions. This happens a lot and most people try to make rules about Love, which I think is impossible and cruel. Love cannot be forced or be taken away.

Love is in everything, everywhere, everyday

Scars Of Life

2006-02-12T19:56:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Bronze sculpture of the mother of Jewish artist Otto Schneid. She was killed in the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz in 1943. The portrait is said to commemorate "the triumph of the human soul and the human spirit rising above suffering and death."

On display at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada.

It is truly an amazing experience to watch babies and kids. Their spirit and enthusiasm cannot be compared to any adults energy. Even the new born baby shows extreme passion to take that first breath of life as soon as it is born out of the mothers womb, that breath which can take it through a life time. And as the baby blossoms into a beautiful little soul, it grows in energy and spirit.

The smile, the innocence, the purity, the quest, the love..

In the process of growing up, where and when do we lose all this?

I feel we lose it every day of growing up. And sadly, even parents and teachers have a significant role to play in the silent killing of the spirit. Add to it, the highly critical societal pressures and insane "values" defined by maniacal vested interests (read religious and family), over time, thrust upon childhood and the vulnerable teen age. What follows infancy is a kind of multiple rape of the fertile, vulnerable and virgin mind resulting in permanent scars and a subdued spirit. We have forces trying to mould the minds, to have thoughts that follow tracks and vision that sees within only limits set by them, instead of letting these spirits soar so that their imaginations have no perimeters.

As Phyllis Diller said, "We spend the first twelve months of our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk and the (rest of their lives) telling them to sit down and shut up".

Excerpts from Mind Curry, June 2005

Things To Be Desired

2006-02-07T16:31:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Winter at the Lake Louise, Canada.

The lake is quite legendary and the backdrop of millions of famous photographs and paintings.
In 1884, it was named Lake Louise in honor of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria.

The feeling I got at Lake Louise was very intense, despite the subzero cold, it felt warm, assuring, calm, confident and peaceful. Probably because it took me away from the usual cravings and wants of daily life to a more deeper and more content, serene plane.

Sometimes I wonder what life is..days just pass..we keep thinking we have to make every day memorable, we keep making these goals and ideals..but how much of it is true and possible? We love, we hate..We win, we lose..We please, we hurt.. We live and we die one day..whats the purpose? I mean, yes there is a purpose of being useful and stuff..and also some might say God has a purpose for you here philosophically..but beyond that..what is the big responsibility we have? Is it just to procreate? Do we just have children to leave them on earth to fend for themselves? Or is life just to enjoy and die? Is there another life? Did we evolve? Or did we spring to life from dust? if we are sons and daughters of the same forebearers who divided us?

I don't know.

I have incomplete answers myself. But beyond all those thoughts, I thank God for this life.
It is beautiful.

The DESIDERATA

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all the persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly.

Listen to the dull and ignorant, they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself to others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

Do not distress yourself with imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline be gentle to yourself.

You are a child of universe, no less than the trees and the stars and you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever be your labor and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, Keep pace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

This poem was written by attorney and businessman Max Ehrmann (1872-1945) in 1927. His widow, Bertha K. Ehrmann, renewed the original copyright in 1954. According to newspaper reports, Rev. Frederick Ward Kates, rector of Old St. Paul's Church in Baltimore in the late 1950s, copied this and numerous other inspirational poems to distribute to worshippers. The copies were printed on the church's letterhead, which read "Old Saint Paul's Church, Baltimore, A.D. 1692,". Some of the copies were carried from the church and became widely circulated, with the significance of the original writer becoming obscured. In the 1960s, America's "flower children" popularized the poem they thought was a centuries-old message of peace and love.

Excerpt from Mind Curry, October 2005

Tag The Wag

2006-01-25T00:53:00.000+05:30

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

2006-01-22T12:34:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry
Above - Window of Notre Dame Baselica

______________________________________________
This is an excerpt from Mind Curry, authored in December 2005
-----------------------------------------------------------------

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

2006-01-22T12:10:00.000+05:30

Is Heaven Just A Place On Earth?

Copyright © Mind Curry

____________________________________________________
The following is an excerpt from Mind Curry, authored in December 2004
____________________________________________________

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

2006-01-20T11:51:00.000+05:30

*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

2006-01-19T10:12:00.000+05:30

Secret Garden
Copyright © Mind Curry

_______________________________________________________
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

2006-01-19T10:10:00.000+05:30

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

2006-01-11T16:05:00.000+05:30

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

Copyright © Mind Curry

________________________________________________
The following is an excerpt from Mind Curry, authored in April 2004
________________________________________________

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..

2006-01-10T12:40:00.000+05:30

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..

2006-01-05T12:33:00.000+05:30

..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

2006-01-03T01:05:00.000+05:30

Fire Starters

2006-01-02T21:34:00.000+05:30

The Pool

2006-01-01T00:27:00.000+05:30

Greenscapes

2006-01-01T00:25:00.000+05:30

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

2006-01-01T00:22:00.000+05:30

White Rain

2006-01-01T00:14:00.000+05:30

A Grand New Year

2006-01-01T00:00:00.000+05:30

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!"

Metro @ Montreal

2005-11-09T15:02:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

The most effective and convenient way of travel in all the big cities of Canada. Food for thought for the Indian Government, particularly in Bangalore, who keep debating on the effectiveness of Metro Rail systems.

Swiss Air @ Zurich

2005-11-08T17:44:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Zurich Airport - One of the best airports I have ever seen. The Swiss Air logos were very pretty to see lined up like this. The entire airport is a wireless hotspot, complete with intra terminal
rail network and one of the best duty free shopping experiences. To top it all, there is an exclusive Lindt and Sprungli chocolate store. One reason to fly Swiss Air - Dessert always includes Swiss Chocolate!

F1 Dreams

2005-11-08T16:21:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind curry

Team McLaren @ Zurich. A display at the promo for Mercedes McLaren F1 team at the Zurich Airport. Dying for the F1 2006 to begin! Schumi Rulz by the way!

The Hub @ Zurich

2005-11-08T15:45:00.000+05:30

King Kong

2005-11-06T12:41:00.000+05:30

Colors of Niagara

2005-11-06T12:40:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Beautiful Niagara is not just about the falls as is the popular
misconception. It is a very colorful and calm place, yet with
plenty of commercial activity. I read on Lonely Planet's Canada
edition that of late, Niagara is also called Viagara, owing to the
huge number of couples, newly weds and others, flocking to
the gorgeous falls for some inspired moments.

Maid of the Mist

2005-11-06T12:39:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

You can feel the power of the falls just by listening to the thundering roar
before you even get to see them. Sadly, I didnt get a chance to get
close to the falls as the Maid of the Mist boat service had already closed for
winter (service only until late October every year).

Niagara and The Falls

2005-11-06T12:38:00.000+05:30

Copyright © Mind Curry

Welcome to the beautiful Niagara. The falls are not the only attractions
here, but the place itself is beautiful, packed with games, shows, casinos,
restaurants. You could spend a couple of days here at least, especially
if you are winning at the casinos.

The Border

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Copyright © Mind Curry

At Niagara, USA is just a stone throw away. Here you can see the
Canadian flag and the US flag across the falls. Apparently, you need
a US visa incase you are a visitor in Canada wanting to take the Maid
of the Mist boat service around the falls towards the US side.
But if you are a visitor in the USA, you dont need a visa to go to
the Canadian side of the falls. This is just verbal information and you
may please confirm with the authorities incase you are travelling.

Mummies

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Snow Man

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Copyright © Mind Curry

Casper Frozen - My first Snow Man. It was one of the
greatest experiences in my life - to see, feel and even taste
snow for the first time. One down from the list of 50 things
to do before I die.

Wuthering Heights

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Copyright © Mind Curry

The Gondola ride at The Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.
The ride takes you atop a mountain almost 4 kilometres away
from the ground! Courtesy - German and Swiss Engineering

Halloween

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Diana Again

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Copyright © Mind Curry

Princess Diana comes alive again at the wax
museum by Madame Tussaud's at Victoria.
There were other human and fictional characters
at the museum, but Diana's was one of the best.

The Parliament

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Copyright © Mind Curry

The Parliament Building in Victoria, Canada, is one of the
most elegant and imposing structures in the city.

Victoria's Secret

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Copyright © Mind Curry

That man, flora and fauna could co-exist so well reflects
Victoria's true beauty. The Butchart garden is maintained
meticulously by hundreds of employees from dawn to dusk.

Maple Country

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Copyright © Mind Curry

The signature of Canada, the beautiful Maple Leaf. It was
nice to see maple trees all over the country. With winter just
setting in, the maple leaves were all bright orange and red.

Natural Tribute

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Green Pines

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Dewy Asters

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Copyright © Mind Curry

One of the best pics from Butchart Gardens, Victoria.
Early morning dew settled on the pretty pink.