Cant believe its 2011!!

and 2012 dec 23rd the world comes to an end.. just got exactly 2 yrs to live..
If it were so - what would you wanna do first?
- I would wanna go around the world, siteseeing the 7 wonders of the world with my closest of friends and family :D
- go meet in person all my old friends and their family too
- read all best seller novels
- listen to all kinda music around the world
- compose a piece with my name etched on it
- perform a jaw-dropping solo dance - amaze the audience
- maybe go meet some old flames heheheh!!!

Now some good work that I plan on doing:

- Go meet my God-daughters - Gouagne in Mali and Manisha in Bombay and spend some tym with them. You are in my thoughts gals!
- help some non-profit organization who are trying to help hungry children
- adopt a child
- do fund raisers thru music to raise money for Red Cross, Unicef and such

PSS

PSS - perpetual Stress Syndrome:

hmm!!! I knew something was wrong with me, when I came down with aches and pains over the past year or 2.. but cudnt put my finger on it.. I always carried the guilt of not setting a time aside for exercising.. I wanted to help myself .. and hence began the search for answers.. After going thru some info on yoga and healing this is what I found- people!! most of us suffer from PSS - perpetual stress syndrome.. we forget to relax or breath consistently.. it is unconsciously done.. when someone asked me to breath in and out it took me a while to figure out the most important and simple exercise we all are born with - BREATHINg normally.. inhalation and exhalation.. thats the focus in Yoga and healing.. with the onslaught of widespread exercise regimen - pilates, zumba, power workouts of everyname, to choose from these days, we oftentimes are attracted by heavy workouts basically to sweat your body like crazy.. ones which will tone down our muscles or body, oftentimes ignoring the fact that healing every inch of our body is equally or more important.. I am in noway insisting anyone to start yoga-ing right away.. but please make an effort to start breathing normally focusing on nothing but your regular breathing.. every cell of your body will thank you for the oxygen you fill them with, so they get their fuel to do their normal function.. more on YOga and healing as I assimilate info.. cant tell you, I already feel so energized sharing this info with all.. I began! I am sure pretty soon you all will be convinced enough to slide your body into feeling good soon too.. its all about your well-being..
My mind gets distracted while I am doing my regular breathing exercises..it gets drawn to the sink load of dishes to be washed but I am getting good @ refocussing on my breathing technique
FOr beginners - Kundalini Yoga, Pranayama(simple anolom, vilom), Breath of fire(short sniffs), the Cat stretch and some basic yoga stretches should work wonders. There are several freely available youtube videos on these. Balance it with food too.

12 food must eats:

1) Black beans
2) lean chicken
3) Salmon
4) Eggs
5) Oranges
6) Mixed berries
7) Almonds
8) Leafy salads
9) cook in Extra Virgin Olive oil
10) Low fat yogurt - Activia for women
11) Whole grain bread and whole grain cereal
12) Dark Chocolate(for dessert)
13) Women only - red Wine - 1 serving for dinner(optional) - if u have chronic illnesses please refer to doc..

This is a new beginning :)

Chance Encounter

social network tying the world in one big knot.. wow!!! u gotto love it!!
u get in touch with old friends and then make new ones over the internet.. chatting.. emailing.. sharing pics in ways which were unthot of even a decade back.. how we grow alongside tym.. only tym never gets older it flows like a river water.. some places narrow.. some places wide.. while people grow older and eventually die, tym never does.. wonder ven people will finally realize and let tym take its toll instead of trying to control it.. u cant stop the on-slaught of tech culture.. it will happen whether you like it or not.. only last tym ven Baba was here he hated the laptop and cudnt work it well.. but this tym around neither the remote bothered him nor my laptop.. and most of his tym was spent glued to the TV or the laptop.. which says that we eventually grow.. its like the masses catch up.. if anyone heard me say I dont like iPhone(I absolutely meant it).. only now there r few technologically advanced creatures who dont have one.. can u name one? its going on and its going to be all good.. the repurcussions we feel in a raising occurance of obesity, cancer,posture related issues, nervous disorders, and many such diseases and other problems.. but that doesnt necessitate a curb on advancement...
thats in continnum!!

Uncertainities galore

one day u feel u made it!!! the very next instance a force turns things around.. uncertainities are a way of life.. we live with it .. dipping our askance soul every single minute.. some go thru moments of tension all along .. shun the sions

Disjointed

So many ideas brewing in my head. What do I write about? nothing definitive.. so here you are:
Sherlock Holmes - What a genius! not him but the writer - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle... Cause its his character taking shape as Holmes and worded by Doc Watson. Reading the abriged collection. o!! its an awesome collection alrite and thanx to my BIL for his unique gift. Will cherish it for a long time to come.
Ayodhya - Ram Janma Bhumi ruling - I knew the property would be divided equally cause thats what India is about - a Secular country promoting the practice of any Religion. Now instead of fighting for which part of the property goes to whom, people should make a choice, live and let live.
Bill for Anti-outsourcing didnt get passed - set back for Obama? all for a cause - Its called politics. His inability to create jobs in the US marks one reason to vote against him. Media triggers headlines like 'more jobs in Bangalore than Baltimore'.
Politics is not my cup of tea, so I refrain from commenting any further. :)
Shakira starring as Ma Kali - hmmmm!! very interesting prospect!
Aur kya - life - philosophy - sometimes a distance from truth - yet we indulge in it - hoping and dreaming - keeping future prospect alive!
have a great life
live every single day!

Hil Par

Abbreviation for Hilarious Paresh Rawal!!
There are some people in this world you cant help but admire. This outstanding Bollywood actor is one such person I admire. His character acting and comedy has its uniqueness cause theres no seconds to it. Saw his drama/natak last nite and enjoyed it to the core. There wasnt a dearth of laughter in the audience.

Ya ya!! I know what your argument might be - 'the concept and idea belonged to someone else(writer/director)'.. but what about him doing justice to the screeplay?? as if the inceptors thought about him in the lead role while chalking it out on pen-paper. And mind you friends it wasnt your mindless comedy we see on TV day in and day out. It was a satire with a subject matter that I am sure cajoled people to ruminate.

There is fun and then there is good, clean fun. Some incidents,happenings and events just tend to leave a lasting impression, this being one such.

jiyo PareshJi! keep us entertained always!

End of an Era!!

said my relative.. I call him Dada.. he is my cousin sis's hubby.. last weekend he cremated his Dad who succumbed to strokes during a dialysis session.. and this is what he said.. End of an era!!
I was touched when he said that .. yet it is the truth.. you live your whole life thinking and knowing what you believe is true or right .. your lifestyle, your family, your friends, your profession, your colleagues, your neighbors.. your grocer, everything around you pretty much, know you for what you are and then one fine day, u r 'no more'.. maybe u wont have anyone to carry forward your legacy.. oftentimes its a weird feeling that 'one instance when u go from living to dead'.. that instantaneous turn of events.. even saying it makes it something heavy-weight that every single one of us need to bear.. which brings me to the saying - 'life is all about living'.. its impossible to turn back time hence all we can do is move forward.. am sure each one of us do that finally, with everything said and done..

Love and Marriage! Love and Marriage!

'Go - together like a horse and carriage' - Lord knows why I am reminded of this title song from one of the sitcoms - 'Married With Children' on ABC channel. Almost right after I landed in this country and after a couple of years of staying glued to the computer and learning the tricks of the trade.. I was bored.. so started watching these series telecasted in the afternoon - The Nanny, Married with children and such.

Trying to take a direct hit from an onlookers angle here.

Possible permutations: -

1) YOu fall in love and marry and then you think - what a bummer? infatuation? maybe! not always though.. likelihood of this one being a keeper ;) are more..
2) YOu marry then you fall in love - maybe!
3) YOu marry, lifelong unable to love the person you are married to
4) YOu love someone, but marry someone else cause of societal or family pressures
- heartache!!

What does staying married mean to people?

1) Security?
2) Someone by your side to care for you 24/7 no matter what... you would think?
3) How much of love plays a role in marriage?
4) You stick together for the sake of children coming out of that marriage
5) If not for anything else - its just because ------------

famous saying in hindi - 'shaadi hai delhi ke laddo' - 'jo khaye wo pachtaye .. jo na khaye wo bhi pachtaye'..

It completely contradicts the saying - marriage and love goes together like a horse and carriage - Ironically tied/bonded to the carriage.

Two peas in a pod!

A chance encounter brought me face-to-face with 2 sweet twin baby sisters. Not identical twins in any sense but something definitely bonded them together. One followed the other around although personality-wise both stood out as 2 different individuals with well defined characteristics. They played together and were content with each others company. So complete in themselves. Bundle of energy and no different from 2 baby kittens from the same litter - Much like 2 peas in a pod.

Life's NOt a Bed of Roses

You dont get everything laid out for you. You tread the tough terrain and then you get there. Once you do.. sometimes a recap of the past and the route you ended up amazes you. 'Did I do that?' You ask yourself and find the same answer over and over again. Who's there by your side to ascertain its your success or its your failure? You are responsible for it all. Finally its your life - live it or leave it alone!

Let there be love

dont you oftentimes remisce your 1st love? the feelings that came along with the 1st crush or even just a hint of infatuation..
ah!! did u feel the tingle running thru your being @ the thot of the 1st ever!!
:D
I can see that all-knowing smile across ur face
felt like posting something on my blog tonite and here I am..
with time the simplicity of the mere fact of falling in love in your early years changed.. the charm did slowly vanish.. with maturity those pleasant feelings did diminish.. why?
what if you get a whiff of those forgotten feelings now?

Generation Gap

You think you know your elders. Wrong!! theres always a gap in understanding - we call it 'misunderstanding'. They speak from their experiences - circumstances being different, culturally, traditionally and emotionally too. The difference from our gen is we also try and take current circumstances into account.. hardly any reason for them to acknowledge our choices or appreciate them. They have lived a life of contentment, fulfilled their duties well with their angle of seeing things in life. They have a hard time accepting current changes or accepting anything 'now' on its face-value.. be it any new electronic item or a new thought about living life in a certain way in general...I am sure they take everything with a pinch of salt.. We think we understand them.. but maybe we dont see their point.. although it is old and sometimes forgotten maybe it carries more value than we , the new gen, realize.. With changing times perspective take new approaches which probably are hard for them to acknowledge. For instance - 'me time' might sound Greek to them..

I am reminded of my GrandMa - Tv used to be her life. she would have watched all movies beforehand and would give away the whole story including the climax while we watched.. we considered that sweet and never argued with her.. with our parents we end up having a little more audacity to argue though and that arouses all types of sensitivity in them and make them centimental... by the time we realize its too late .. the damage has been done..

My concern in writing this is 'our Gen' - how are we gonna be ven we become old?
lifes like a wheel.. we all have to go thru the same phase.. following our elders footsteps..

Memorial Service

I dread attending one. I do. It has been over 6 yrs now. Still the memories are fresh. What followed has gotten hazy over time cause of stress I believe.. or cause its too painful to remember!!!
The newz of death shakes the Hell out of me. I instantly try to distract myself.
Attended a memorial service yday. Young, dynamic, talented, humble, friendly kid. What was his fault? Why this unfairness to him. We Hindus believe in Karma. Although the body burns up or degenerates the soul travels thru time carrying our legacy and the load of Karma from the past life, with it changing bodies like snake sheds skin and grows a new one. We try to rationalize - 'itni hi kam ayu thi uski'
It was heart rending. I couldnt check myself and the dam was broken. I hardly know the family that well but I could relate to their loss. What goes thru the parents being, is unfathomable. The portrayal of strength against this misfortune, is just the outer 'skin of things'. The world within their heart and mind will never be the same again. So many memories to carry forward.. so many happy, joyous and sad instances along with their son.
One wheel of the family car - gone. Thats how it has been for me all this while. I even tried replacing(a spare tire) - it dint fit. It made me feel every bump on the roads. It wasnt aligned however hard I tried. Some are lucky - they find that perfect fit. Who knows maybe someday.................

Little things in life

My morning started as usual.. rushing thru the house preparing for the rest of the day.. It was an effort to get out of bed.. started screaming from my room to wake my daughter up .. its never like this though.. anyways.. rushed out the house in gun-time hoping my daughter doesnt get a tardy slip @ school today
just had enough time to give her breakfast and the lunch money and pack myself a breakfast.. glad am having lunch with my lady friends today afternoon.. saved me the time for packing myself a lunch ..
during my drive what cheers me and my dottie up is - music and thats exactly how we bond..

ven I was almost close to work I saw a small bird flying behind a bigger one and seemed like it was chasing the bigger one.. a formidable force indeed!!! I smiled to myself.. maybe one day.. maybe!!!
speaking of birds - have u noticed - sparrows are disappearing? thats cause of extensive use of cell phones.. y dont we take a pledge of using our cell phones only ven its absolutely necessary(required).. we cant stop advancement in technology but we can definitely use common sense ..

among other things - happy about my dotties summer sandal purchases.. gladiators and converse are hot this summer and she has 3 pairs and looks really nice on her feet.. we have always debated about heels for her and I have never been comfortable to see my already tall daughter on heels.. what if she twists her ankle? but yoohoo!! to gladiator and the latest converse.. she is safe :).. now if I could only get one for MEself.. hehe!!

so far my day has been nice.. hope it stays this way till bedtime.. I am a perfectionist and a lil obssessive about it too.. LORD knows what will freak or piss me out.. until then .. stay cheerful!!

After The Rains - Floods - 1st of its kind in Nashville

The dictionary meaning of the word catastrophe - a violent and sudden change in the feature of the earth - any impact on you? None.. cause theres a difference between hearing and actually seeing and experiencing..
'Ok - while we are stuck @ home billing/working for the past month this weekend.. its gonna rain.. So dont feel bad.. noone else can have fun while we work..' said my colleague and Teammate @ work
so we all happily went home friday evening..
only to be awakened with the noise of thunderstorms and lightening and torrential rain which dint seem out of the ordinary, the following morning..
as I started the day it just poured incessantly.. you would think thats normal.. but little did we know about the lurking danger engulfing us.. the first taste of it I got from a frantic phone call from a friend saying 'dont venture out into the roadways.. concord road is shut down due to flash floods'..
I looked around my neighborhood from my windows and nothing seemed wrong to me so I dint pay much attention .. since that part of the road was getting built and a little rain can cause breakages or even potholes.. 'might as well be a precautionary measure to prevent any further damages that they closed the road' I thot..
one road closure cant possibly shutdown the city ..

come time for the dance lessons that afternoon and since i also had to drop off my friends daughter, I decided to head out. It was raining the whole time since the past night non-stop. My home and neighborhood seemed to be draining well. NO accumulations that were noticeable as I drove along my subdivision. A little water here and a little pool there and my mind started wandering - 'how do the Londoners deal with so much rains all year round'.

Hit the highway and was cool until I came up close to Moores lane, I hit a standstill traffic.. so took the exit and tried a detour.. amazingly got caught in several inner road closures.. I cudnt believe my eyes when I saw the flash flood all along Mallory lane.. submerged cars.. businesses under water almost upto 5 feet.. and several road closures.. the water just gushed along with full force in the streets.. broken water lines, manholes and the likes.. there were several stopped vehicles stuck in the flash floods.. the kids were initially scared but when i started following some cars thru the flash floods on the side of the road which seemed safer, they enjoyed the splashing gurgling water.. all roads leading to my home in and around Mallory lane was closed.. so was forced to get into the cool springs mall.. cause that was probably the safest Haven @ that time.. almost as soon as we entered the Mall , Mall authorities made the announcement that due to lot of backed up traffic and road closures around cool springs area noone was to leave the Mall.. so we were stuck there for 2-3 hours.. but at least dry and out of danger for now.. from the Mall I could see that traffic on the interstate had started moving again.. so when we saw people starting to leave I planned to dare the roads and raging water once again..

Once again took the highway and got stuck for another 45 minutes .. found out eventually that there were coupla accidents further down .. so as soon as that cleared we were good to go.. I-65 the stretch from McEwen to Armory drive wasnt bad @ all.. so reached my destination safely to tell the tale of the 'raging waters' and its aftermath..

it only worsened from then on.. heard many friends were stranded in their homes from power outages and widespread flooding.. the Cumberland, Stoney River and Harpeth rivers had risen way beyond their banks and had flooded both Nashville downtown,International Market, Franklin downtown, Antioch area, Bellevue area and also the Opryland area the historic Grand Ole Opry.. Emergency personnels were evacuating everyone in boats.. its one scene you dont see everyday.. people fleeing their safe Haven called homes with watever little they cud carry in a purse or small bag,their pets,etc.. after the rains stopped.. several dams had to be slowly released since they cudnt withstand the force of the waters.. and that caused some floods in residential areas downstream.. my friends dance studio and Docs ofc flooded completely and her home was one block away from were the Cumberland river had risen...

the videos and pictures posted on facebook, you-tube are really disturbing.. 'fishes swimming on galatin roads', 'piranhas loose in Opryland shopping center' where headlines on newspapers.. the beautiful aquarium in Opryland shopping center busted.. Opryland hotel itself was 12 feet in water.. what a vacation for people boarding in Wyndham and Opryland hotel.. friends said inspite of the mayhem, Nashville International airport made a whole lot of money .. cause people were ready to pay any price to get outta Nashville.. we got at least 18-23 inches of rain in the mid-western states particularly Tennessee.. people had opened up their houses to take in strangers who were displaced from their homes cause of the flood. A devastation of this proportion is truly unbelievable unless you see it with your own eyes.. I Pray for everyones health and safety during these tough times.. The cleanup and rebuilding process has kicked back full force.. cause thats the spirit of Music City Nashville.. Neighbors helped neighbors.. Red cross and other non-profit organizations and about everyone jumped in full steam into the disaster recovery process.. Before long and I know its gonna be a while, we will regain the full glory.. we will get there gradually..

Happy Camper!!!

yah!!!!! getting stuff done one @ a time.. Had been overwhelmed for some time now.. but thats steadily getting behind me.. there are some pressures still but I believe I can handle it now.. yeaea.. happy !!! me!! just had to share it with someone so decided to blog about it :). as London wud say - 'yay!! me!!!'

there are times when clouds of darkness seem to encircle you and grasp you by your tail and swish you thru the emptiness.. you start feeling sick to the pit of your tummy.. a feeling of - 'how can I overcome this?' but you get there slowly.. stay focused and positive ..

Going overboard

I wish they knew.. I so wish!!
Never a dearth of smile rather broad grin in my sack..
never a wiff of complaint about my life..
never too judgemental..
never take anything on its face-value..
y do I care so..
y do I give the benefit of doubt..
y

jo beet gaya!

रात बीतते बीतते बीती
नींद आते आते रूठ गयी
ख्वाब बिखरे बिखरे धुंद में मिल गए
राह चलते चलते थक गयी

धुआं धुआं सा समा, नज़'रिया बदल गया

जाने अनजाने पहचान बन गए
जवानी उम्र के साथ यूँ निकली
के उसके पीछे हम ज़िन्दगी ढूँदते रह गए

The transformation

I thank my stars for allowing me to think from time to time about significant observations life has to offer. One such observation being a Woman's path from being adorned as a jewel in a crown of her man(the early fresh years) to licking the dust off his feet(the later yrs). Where doth Thou love go eventually for Thee - who knows? again coming back to the same issue of love. Is it for real? its real as long as she doesnt belong to him.. once she does, it conviniently acquires a backbench..

things surely have changed and women have made their way to the top in every sense of achievement.. but come what may, every sacrifice in a family situation is mostly expected of her. Why I am adamant about this fact? I see it everywhere.. so widespread.. many among my friends would have wanted to be a person in their own rights, with their individuality, but it got mushed in a family circle... starting from acquiring his family's name to living well within the perimeters of his family rules..

I envision a free thinking, free-spirited woman in her childhood to teenage yrs to her first few instances into adulthood.. very sweet and desirous and then slowly the tables are turned against her.. gradually the free part of her free willing life disappears into the oblivion.. gradually.. see.. I can even see its retreating footsteps, being buried beneath the sands of time..

spread your wings while u got them woman
fly to places they cant catch you
stay free stay happy and cheerful
stay charming and charismatic
make a world of your own where you rule..
and claim from this world what you deserve
spread the joy

Lost

where do I go from here? some territories I keep away from, comes right back @ my doorstep. Tried time and again to focus on day to day scheduled life. But am reminded more often than not - missing out on somethings?? am I really missing out on something?? smooth and a cool unrippled lifestyle never did go hand in hand for me with 'this'.. I fear the minute I succumb and loose my resolve I will be thrown bac to a deluge of misery that comes with ...... .. wat do I lack? why do I traverse these untreaden path? why this test of time on me? y? so many questions unanswered.. this kaleidscope of life is actually beautiful.. just want to enjoy this moment ..

Swarmalika

What a day!!! listening to Guruji's recent rendition of Raag Madhukauns :
http://www.youtube.com/user/mistyganguly2008#p/a/f/0/SAd6dFq5xNQ
Mata Saraswati vandana in ektal. Awesome!
wish I could solely immerse myself in music
Why cant life be just as simple as this - singing, listening soleful, tuneful gayan :)
kya rageshri,kya kamod, kya yaman kalyan..wah!!!

Ten years hence

Cant believe it has been that long. Hooked up to monitors I wondered how would my life be after she was born. All this while she tumbled around in my womb and now its time for her to emerge.. show me her sweet face.. fill me with her naive and innocent touch.. and melt me inher embrace.. Its a pleasant feeling.. hard to express. suddenly a surge of warmth of motherhood rushes thru my being. A new addition to my life who will call me 'Ma'. o ! that sweet moment of truth.. its just so fulfilling.. I reminisce with tears of joys in my eyes, her birth, as she turns ten. She came so small so helpless with big eyes searching my face for love and now she is my tall and lanky sweet sugar ball.. all I see is the warmth of innocence that still blankets her from all troubles in life... my little pie has been thru her share of tragedy @ a tender age.. hope that doesnt ever leave a scar on her.. I wish life is simple and straightforward for her and that she turns out to be a very good human being who people love to acquaint and be friends with.. I hope she achieves her niche.. I hope she circumvents all troubles and problems that ever crossed her path with courage and cheer..
Happy B'Day my sweet thing
Mumma

Valentines day gift for my daughter

My ten year old:

cant believe you are ten
your birth
my best thing ever - to happen

you are the apple of my eye
and you love Hersheys cream pie

you are the light in the end of my dark tunnel
and your favorite TV show - everything on Disney Channel

Your pride - you are tall
and you are my sweetest ever - doll

You win everyone easily with your pleasant smile
I would love to linger on this thought for a while :)

There is a lot more to who you really are,
What can I say - you are my twinkling star.

Your favorite color is blue
I wrote this poem just for you.

No More

How deceptive is life? When he was around how much did I know him? I ask myself that one question innumerous times.. maybe when he said 'this' he actually meant 'something else'.. many things which dint make sense then, does make sense in a different light now.. I have grown over the years - I sure have.. a more matured sense of understanding has creeped its nasty face @ me(why nasty you ask - well!! all this while I dared not think otherwise.. there was a convinience in believing what showed its stark face).. sometimes it make you guilty - I did everything that I possibly could.. I tread countless of those extra miles.. yet.. mostly strayed from normal path.. things just dint fit... I have more time to think from a broader perspective now.. maybe.. or maybe I usually was always right.. who knows.. what another person would have done in my place.. that probably is the beauty of being a human.. every individual deals with their circumstances in their own unique way.. if he was actually around now how would my life be? I always think it wouldnt have been the way it is now.. maybe it would be worse.. maybe not.. how can I know for sure? it will always remain a mystery.. even 2 yrs back I dint have the mental stability to think in a positive light about this one disturbing fact.. its hard to believe you make history as you shift thru your life.. just reminiscing the past here..

Walking on fire or even ice!

One causes burns and other causes freeze burns.. which ones better?
thats what life is mostly about without our innate knowledge.. so many instances all thru your life when you think you made a point.. but it hangs in mid-air.. cause people hardly ever 'listen' - mark my words 'Listen to you'.. the sooner a word comes out of your mouth the so-called listener starts processing it in his/er own perspective.. it could be good, could be bad.. could be a barrage of questions simply to throw you off.. sometimes, by the end of the day when you draw a summary of a simple conversation you are like - what the H***!
For a long time I believed that the things I say is perceived as I perceive it.. but I dont get fooled by that naive fact anymore.. as people grow, with maturity and experience lot of 'other things' adds spice to staright forward answer or a simple conversation.. why I think this way!!! o wow!! where do I even start.. every single person has a selfish motive in reaching out to you.. if they are giving you any importance always know - its for a reason.. sometimes good-will, does get thrown out the window.. its a tough, hard-souled world out there.. face it.. deal with it.. do we have a choice? nah!!!
only your true friends do not fit this criteria
so when you are up and about, do look for signs all around you.. you will be able to judge real soon who your true friends are.. the sooner you let your guards down you get attacked .. and it will hurt you bad..
Thats why for me it doesnt matter if I am walking on fire or ice.. both are equally dangerous - You will never come out unscathed.

Random

My mental schedule says 'go sleep'.. but body doesnt respond to it. Guess sometimes your mind and body dont align the right way. ya!!! its a weekday you would think its normal for you to be in bed by 11:30.. but heck.. am tired.. tired of running around schedule.. wish there was such a time once a week when I could forget about things to do and just relax.. o wo wo!!! what word is that - relax? o come on!!! do we have time for that?? not in my circumstances.. everyday calls for running around the clock.. nah!! am not training for any marathon.. just talking abt my clocked life.. all words in dictionary - like - freedom, independence and the likes.. seem so overrated @ times.. maybe this is the result of stress.. why i have subjected myself to stress.. I am not sure(well!! do I have a choice.. no).. sometimes I am glad I stay busy.. but sometimes I wish I could clock myself relaxing for a wee bit.. nah!! doesnt seem like a possibility anytime in tne near future..

My Passion

Any guesses? yup!!its Sangeet..

Sangeet hai swar Ishwar ki
har swar mein base hain Ram
Ragi jo sunaye ragini
Rogi ko Miley araam..

Proud Mom

She earned it on her own - her name in the Dean's list. Has done that 3 times this year. Last year I hardly knew these lists existed. Maybe she dint like something about 3rd grade. I dint mess with her.. just consistently made sure she did all her work.

I was born and brought up in India. Education system is quiet different from here... and my US school curriculum knowledge is that of my daughter's who is a 4th grader. As I say to all my friends here I am learning alongside my daughter the academics as well as school curricula. Theres a different sense of pride in doing that.

Last week when she got her results she was sad cause she missed the Head As list by 2 points. This is exactly how I wanted it. Not the other way round. I dint want to coax her to get good grades. I wanted it to dawn upon her the happiness of self achievement. Yes I verbally reprimanded her when she got poor marks in anything in fact asked her why she dint get it.. we talked... she explained and I took the help of edHelper.com(gradewise practice exercises suggested by a friend). but I realize she has the potential and she will do her best always and go beyond her when the time is right. Frankly I dint help her with her assignments, projects or HW. She did it on her own. I just made sure she finished her HW.
Now you know why I am the proud mom. She has her shortcomings.. which kid doesnt.. but I am happy with her progress.

Bhaiyya - All Iz Well!

Well!! nice movie with melodrama.. I hear the original story written By Chetan Bhagat - Five Point someone gives altogether a succinct picture. That sometimes is the problem with commercial hindi movies.. importance is attributed more to colorful presentation - song , melodrama, overacting,etc.. acting typecaste, with aamir in lead role and his 2 sidekicks though they are equally good actors.. name brand prevails in Bollywood I would say ;)...
the message from the story is not averse to any person who has had their initial struggle in their career.. I should specify the 'Indian mentality'.. ladka hua to engineer aur ladki huyi to doctor'... trying to get that niche.. trying to get into the best of colleges and so called prestigious universities.. My Regards to all those revered institutions of education.. no offence.. but This life of ours being a RACE is what bothers me most.. how often do you feel you are always running opposite course to what life has actually offered you.. how often do you feel - somethings missing? How often do u feel u r stuck in a rut? it may not always be possible to look back and change course.. but if you believe you can .. and you summon up the courage to do so - who knows where that different journey might take you.. for many of us who have come this far in our journey its like a hiccup.. 'Time is of the essence' - foot locks u, handcuffs or causes a mind freeze.. well!! its a question that will remain with me unless I find an answer myself.. I think I realize the problem but dont know how to fix it or maybe I dont.. who knows..
until then - sing in unison - Bahiyya!! Al iz Well!!

Wake Up SID and Parzania

Films from 2 different genre.. yet related to human relations.
Loved both movies for their singular contents..
Wake Up SID:
-Confusions regarding relationships
-You have a preset idea of your better half/companion/whatever you name it and then along comes SID..
-Most of the time what is yours is right in front of your eyes .. you just fail to see it.
-breaking rules about relationships, career goals.. nothing stands in the way of absolute independence
- we are created as individuals so just living that without any societal bindings is wat adds colour and beauty to life
-mind you there are some limits.. we are civilzed.. but one shouldnt limit ones creativity or soul.
-beautiful acting by both Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen(my fav actress).. so dignified.. so untouched.. so realistic yet a mystery.. so simple yet so profound..

Parzania:
Again human relations crossing barriers of cast, creed, religion.. alls well when the World is smiling.. yet a disaster during a crisis.. all relations get fed to the dogs in the name of religion..
Wont say I am a movie Buff.. but enjoy movies which have something that speaks to my soul. These did. Theres an unknown satisfaction in enjoying good movies or books like these.

The trip

Was excited abt the Miami trip. Heard so much about the weather, beaches, fun and frolicky life - 'Miami calls u Baby'. o wow!! with the cold cold heartless weather here, it was a respite to be in miami.. so set out with another family. the drive was long from Nashville. Abt 15 hrs. we took breaks on our way and a truck stop close to Florida border. Horrible motel it was - Rodeway Inn.. dont go in there with a family cause they arent cheap either.. dint have a choice.. we did drive about 8 hrs after work that as far as we could drive.. paid a load yet facility was not that well maintained .. if u r alone.. who cares.. anyways.. woke up early next day so we could reach Miami as early as we possibly could.. wow the route to Miami was welcoming.. palm trees lining the roads and all.. summery weather.. the jackets stacked to the rear end of the car.. woohoo!!! summer blast in winter.. who wudnt like it.. it was a pleasant day too.. we reached the condo that we had booked beforehand.. the road our condo was in - collins avenue..lined with stretches of hotels and condos.. and bayside area lined with yachts and a luxurious lifstyle.. that was obvious everywhere I looked.. ppl seeped that luxury in every moment of their stay there.. everyone in shorts and Ts and need I say more? come on guys that city is famous for its beaches!!! u guessed it right !!

dumped all our belongings in the condo to checkout the view.. wo!!! awesome.. the sound of the ocean.. the serene beach and the strong wind.. it was all that mattered.. being there.. quickly took some shots .. ones in this post.. hung out @ the balcony for sometime listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the beach. Then cooked up a quick dinner while my other friends checked out the neighborhood..

woke up next morning - it was christmas day.. we all quickly got ready cause we had to drive all the way to Key West another 3 and half hrs drive. the drive they said was awesome with US 1 highway being the road thru the bay. it was alrite.. nothing compared to the CA US-1 drive which is flanked by ocean on one side and mountains on the other.. but yes the most amazing thing for me was seeing pelicans from a close range.. they were everywhere all thru our drive keeping us company.. some largish birds these are!!! eating food out of people's hands.. during our trip to Key west we actually crossed several keys.. forget the names now.. but enjoy the picture of this Pelican anyways :
After checking in with information and tourist centers on reaching Key West, we finally figured out that the main beach was @ Fort Zachary Taylor park .. it weaved thru a french oldish Key West town with carriage rides and rickshaw pullers.. it was pretty much like any other US old downtown heritage areas. But the real deal about Key west is its Rocky beach and also watersports... which we cudnt avail cause had children .. sports like parasailing, jet skiing,scuba diving and u name it.. but the beach was beautiful.. One particular thing that marked Miami and its surrounding areas was the color of teh ocean - sea green or blue ...heres a picture :
spent some time @ the rocky beach and kids had loads of fun too getting wet in the water.... time to get back..
we went back to Miami and headed for South Beach.. The Place to Be...woohoo!!! some nite life.. its so vibrant and colorful.. dint find a metered parking so had to use a parking area which costed us 20 bucks.. phew!! outrageous..
anyways we walked along ocean drive and peeked @ the ocean too.. the beach was pretty dark @ that hour.. but Baby o Baby thats wat ppl come here for - beach and nite life ... it was obvious.. colorful ppl everywhere.. street was lined with innumerous restuarants and clubs with dainty ladies walking around.. rest I leave for your imagination..

next day - was a little chilly for Miami.. we set off to see the Everglades wetland famous for its Alligators.. we took the famous Air Boat ride and also saw some Herons.. white big majestic birds... the guide was talkative and the ride was exhilarating too.. the wetland was much like the sunderbans.. with grass growing on water... but the air boat just zipped thru and made stops for alligator and rare animals and bird sitings.. that done we headed to North Beach - spent some time @ the beach.. it was getting chilly but the kids had fun making sandcastles only to be swept away by the ocean.. o we did see a lady on the beach taking some glam shots.. probably creating a portfolio for modeling.. she did hold many men's gaze for a long time with her skimpy dresses and ....... that done we went back.. we needed a change after the beach rezendevous.. the evening called for a boatride @ bayside.. o wow!!! we finally got to see downtown Miami up close.. it was beautiful with tall skyscrappers and hi-fi life style.. the boat ride took us around Fisher Island, Star island and the likes.. beautiful buildings flanked both side of our ride.. the the miami skyline - gorgeous!! guide was a chirpy spaniard part of whose deleberations we struggled to decipher.. heres a peek - my camera dint do justice:

something that stood out stark - Miami dint look much like any other US city.. it is densely populated with Mexicans and Cubans.. bayside area is another center for entertainment with open air concerts and street shows of all kinds.. hung out there for a while and finally headed back.. it was altogther a good relaxing trip and we did cover whatever was there to see of Miami.
Next vac - probably Orlando - who knows!!
Wish I had a dollar tree growing in my backyard.. even the backyard isnt mine.. belongs to the homeowners association ... sigh!!!!!