Thinkingcap

WOW!

2010-11-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Three alphabets to describe the visual delight called Guzarish. Just returned after watching the experience & was floored. In every department Sanjay Leela Bhansali has scored this time. Each frame, each actor (few but each one just Perfect) , every song, every dance by Hrithik, the one dance by Aishwarya (God! She is truly a director's actor).....the list can be endless.

What touched me personally was the brilliance of the actor in Hrithik. He does such little work & makes sure that he gives it his all. With his very first film, he has made sure that he left an impact. He is an actor who has honesty written all over his face. Every nuance of facial expression is best used that you can empathize fully with Ethen Mascaranes. Hrithik shows us that just with an expressive set of eyes, smile & a face that can speak a thousand words you can still make yourself understood. Here is an actor who is above box office & goes by his heart.

Credit should also be given to Aishwarya Rai. May be its the sheer brilliance of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He is always able to bring out a great actress . She becomes so much the character that she too speaks more with her controlled dialogue delivery and her awesome eyes. Passion all controlled & the only time she let go of herself, she did it with gay abandon..... It was a different Aishwarya I saw here & I liked her.

The final credit to the writer, producer, director & music director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He extracted brilliant performances, gave Goa a different look, a period feel, a surreal experience for the audiences & made sure left a lot to the imagination of the viewer never stating the obvious. He knew his audience would be able to understand what he wanted to say. Thank you for not underestimating us Mr. Bhansali. Love you for this!

Hats off to a very honest presentation of a story touchingly told. We sure understood that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away. Guzarish sure is one such.

Watch it ....am sure you too will come out saying "WOW"!

AWESOME!

2009-03-23T04:17:00.000-07:00

See the picture carefully, then go ahead & read the details. This was a forward, It was incredible & so i thought i'd post this.

This picture began circulating in November. It should be "The Picture of the Year," or perhaps, "Picture of the Decade." It won't be. In fact, unless you obtained a copy of the US paper which published it, you probablywould never have seen it.The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel AlexanderArmas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive ifremoved from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is anobstetrics nurse in Atlanta . She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center inNashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in thewomb.During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr. Bruner completed thesurgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developedhand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr. Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was themost emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during theprocedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope." The text explaining thepicture begins, "The tin y hand of 21-week- old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life." Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture. She said, "The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person." Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percentsuccessful.

This picture is awesome...incredible..... The world needs to see this one!

Surely great miracles of life come in small packages!

THE POWER OF......

2009-03-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

POWER is a word which is complete in itself. It has always been there around us & we just do not acknowledge it. We see it in everything we do & choose not to see it. Let's start with the obvious ones. I know it can be an exhaustive list but then decided to stick to those that flow with my thoughts here mentioning what triggered me to list it.

The power of the internet: Just imagine you sit in one corner of the globe & type out something on your PC & there it is for the world to see. In an instant. Old friends have met & lives have changed with the internet revolution.

The power of cellphones: You sit in one place & can monitor or speak to many people from many parts of the world just after keying in mere numbers! Bala your call surprised me. I was surprised we spoke for an hour mainly because of the next power.

The power of blogging: You write what you feel like on something ... people you have never met read it & drop a comment or simply read & move on. Of them few of them are regular & then it is a mutual visit to each other blogs & then there is a friendship virtually. Bala & I spoke for an hour & it was all about the blog world. Amazing! Not surprising Kavi, you top the honor list of the most admired bloggers.

The power of voice: This is so perfect for the RJs. Voice is our personality. People like the shows not only for what we say but 'how' we say it. They start imagining how the owner of the voice would be & most of the time it is a disappointment!(I mean it!)

The power of words: Ordinary words get an extraordinary power when put together. The sequence makes all the difference. Some of the most inspiring quotes are very simple thoughts powerfully put across. Even lifelong relationships are formed or broken the way words are used.

The power of silence: Many times understood after it has been broken.

The power of unconditional love: This is accompanied by the other great virtue called Patience. I saw the full power of this in San Diego's Seaworld. Thank you Bindia and Amit for taking me there. This is a must visit for any body who is visiting the US. Killer whales, sea elephants, otters, seals, dolphins in every show there stun you with the way they are all trained. It is a treat to watch.

The power of music & dance: A big thanks to my Didi & Jeeju I saw the famous Broadway musical "Chicago" in New york. I 've always been fascinated to watch theatre but with night not very woman friendly in Bangalore never ventured for any show at Ranga Shankara. I knew I missed something but after having watched Chicago i am truly happy.

The power of friends: Got to see it fully when i visited them in Detroit & Chicago. You feel so blessed when you have genuineness around you. Thank you very much Sujatha, Shreya, Maheshwari, Shiva,Nikhil , Adhil, Sowmya, Shiv & Shreya. You made me feel very special.

The power of family: My mentor & guide my Anna who made sure I had a feel of the US in the short span that i have been here & planning my different trips. My sister in law Ashika & sweety Arjun because of whom I came here. Thank you for making this trip so special.

Finally of power of being you: The most important one being that of being yourself. This is a basic power we all need to enjoy any thing else around us. It is important to be in our own element to make the best of life. That's what makes it worth living, doesn't it?

A SIMPLE FORMULA

2009-02-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

"karmanye vadhika raste
ma phaleshu kadachana
ma karma phala hetu bhurba
te sangostav karmani" (Chap 2: 47)

This very popular & famous verse from the Bhagavad Gita sums up the formula for success. It has been quoted over & over again & I found the relevance of it today too when the nation is celebrating the Oscar success.

News channels haven't stopped raving about AR Rahman & his feat. The common refrain in all his interviews & people who talk about him are his simplicity & spirituality. When you look at the kids from the cast of Slumdog millionaire all that strikes you is they got what they had not even imagined in their wildest dreams. Danny Boyle in one of his interviews said that that the project just started & he completed with total passion enjoying every bit of it & then it took its own journey. Each one is euphoric. They truly should be. Every one who enters the film industry dreams of holding the Oscars at some point in their career. Getting recognition is easiest at the Oscars. The world watches it & it is acknowledged everywhere. Instant fame is the outcome.

Looking at those kids on the red carpet what struck me was, they were destined to be there so early. One of the kids' mother even said that it felt so good to see her son go & win an award which even Amitabh & Shah Rukh have not won! It's so surreal. You don't know what you are doing many a time & just get into a project. YOU are the chosen one . You go on do your best & then its appreciated beyond your expectations. Isn't it strange? Sometimes there is someone around you who is as good as you but that person gets more recognition than you do.Many a time that someone may not even be as good as you & then it hurts even more. Who decides this?

Well many times we have no answers. What is ironical is the sometimes the award doesn't necessarily go to the best. It is the situations that fall so beautifully in place that there is no earthly force who can take what you have in store! No lobbying or no bribing. It's the sheer beauty of how "that force" conspires to make sure that you get what you are due to. No power can stop that.

Each time an honor comes a person's way, the higher they go, the humbler they become. Gulzaar saab's reaction was a perfect example. A great lyricist & director he needed a JAI HO to give him an Oscar. He gave "Rahman saab" full credit. AR Rahman even at that point of "being terrified & excited" acknowledged his mother & said the most humbling statement "Ella pughalum Iraivannuke." Success is so transitory so is the glory that comes along. Having tasted it many times over it must have not been different for the Musical genius.

Honestly I am not an idealist. Being rational has helped me face life a lot better. But then everything that happens in our life need not have a logical explanation. Many a time it is this surprise element that makes life so worth living.To be able to totally surrender makes life's attitude so important.These are what i picked up listening to Rahman in different interviews

Do whatever you do with total passion & commitment.
Acknowledge an unseen power which each of us gives a different name to
Remember you are accountable to the talents you have, so stay grounded.

This is exactly what the 47th verse in the second chapter of the Gita says too. Every truly successful person seems to have followed it always. So has the genius AR Rahman.The results are there for us to see!

Isn't this a simple formula?

YOUR CURVE!

2009-02-11T16:38:00.000-08:00

The title of this post could be misleading but surely is bringing in what we need the most today, your curve!

Life around us gives us reasons to be happy. We just don't see them. Sometimes a great work of art can make you happy. It could be a painting, a poem, a story... just about anything that gives you a sense of complete satisfaction. A beautiful film is also one where the director as a story teller is successful at keeping our interest alive all through. A creation that makes you smile because it is mind blowing! Sometimes just because it is simple.There are a few films which fall in this genre. Two films I saw recently made me think they rightfully belong here. They made me cry & wonder how ironical life can be and happy at how simple they were!

Brilliant ! is how I would love to describe the first film. This was a movie I had not heard of & when my brother brought the DVD from the video store, I was curious. "It had great reviews & so I picked it up" said my brother. To me, except for Naseeruddin Shah and Koel Purie who were actors I knew, I didn't expect much. I sat to watch & when the final credits rolled tears welled up in my eyes & I wondered where do films like this vanish? Why don't they advertise such films?

"Amal" is a must watch film. Rupinder Nagra plays the role of Amal to the T! Adapted from a short story Amal - The Autorickshaw Wallah, written by Shaun Mehta , the movie is directed by his brother Richie Mehta with screenplay by both brothers. A low budget film, it won the San Francisco International Asian American Film festival Jury Award for best narrative in 2008 & the Whistler Film Festival's Philip Borsos Award for best actor to Rupinder Nagra. It also won the audience award & many others which it deserved. A typical O'Henry feel to the story, your heart goes out to the protagonist who is such a beautiful soul!

Another film, which I thought was a well told story was "Parzania- Heaven & Hell on Earth". An award winning film it kept me glued & at the same time set me thinking. It had an impressive cast of Naseeruddin Shah & Sarika -both perfect foils to each other. It could be described as depressing but then ended with hope. A beautiful sentence in the film was , the narrator saying "It is for the first time I realized that when religion can be the problem, it can also be the solution" When I read that it was based on a true story, it made me wonder what went through the people who were part of it in real life. What an experience it must have been. A bitter truth we cannot escape from. Fundamentalists , who decide who lives & who dies! How dare they!

Many a time, important questions get bogged down when wrong deeds get more highlighted. When we focus on the wrong we are giving the right less attention. Shouldn't it be the other way round? The law of attraction talks about vibrations that we attract. When we are constantly surrounded & fed with the wrong, we are attracting negativity into our lives & thus we are making the wrong choice. Maybe our focus should now be on that which is right. People around us are worried that life is not positive. There is a fear everywhere coupled with uncertainty. Very few talk about Hope because all they see around them is despair. Very few talk about Happiness because all they see around them sorrow.

It is in times like these that a victory is more relished or a story with hope better appreciated.

Gandhi said" Be the change you want to see". So let's spread this positivity.

Maybe we can start on an individual level with our curve. A curve which relaxes the one using it & the one it is used for.

We use it on many occasions, when we are happy, sarcastic, delighted ,to hide we are upset or when ironic.

Something which makes every individual using it beautiful.

Flash it first thing in the morning at yourself & then at the world.

Never leave home without it. Make sure you have one to pass it on.

Ironically it is free but rarely used.

It is that small little curve that straightens many things in your life
" YOUR SMILE!"

DO YOU?

2009-02-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

The other day I was watching SRK in an interview & when asked of the characters he's played including the recent Suri ji, which is closest to the real him...he said "None. In fact I'm so uncomfortable with myself that i love playing other characters." He continued saying that maybe that's why he loves acting because he has different people to enact & is less of himself then. Well that set the question in me...."Are we comfortable the way we are? Is it a common problem?"

Many actors, if you notice carefully, are so conscious in their interviews that you wonder if they are comfortable in their own element. They are constantly playing so many different characters that though they seem so confident playing those roles , when it comes to basic self acceptance , they have a problem. Do we also have it? I wanted to find out.

How many of us are happy the way we are? The answers were... Maybe a slightly sharper nose would have made a difference or slightly taller built. No.. no.. may be slightly bigger eyes or a smaller mouth. Just maybe a nicer set of teeth , a few packs in the abs, a small dimple, smoother skin, longer or better hair, a few more years of 'natural' black hair, a better figure, a nice voice, better skin or a rounder face. The list seemed endless. It is that most of us are not happy with the way we are. Given a choice we would love to have a 'slight' change. The degree of this "slightness" is all that makes the difference. Is it all that important?

Shouldn't we be comfortable or satisfied the way we are? Isn't that a prerequisite to keep us happy? Are physical external looks so important? If the inner you is satisfied it reflects on the outside world too. Maybe that's why the best smiles come from babies. After a good feed & having burped, a sleeping baby is the perfect picture of complete satisfaction. We are born with an ability to be satisfied with the basics . It is when our needs increase that the smiles vanish too. It's not very difficult to get those smiles back. It's just that we need to prioritize our lives well. Once we do that & start counting our blessings maybe we will be a happier lot. I strongly think so.
Do you?

PROUD TO BE INDIAN

2009-01-28T16:55:00.000-08:00

On Monday, 26th January we were celebrating our 60th Republic day. Our president taking the salute this year was, a woman. Moments for us to be proud. Ironically, what happened in some part of our country made us look at the the very same picture differently.

As long as you confirm to laws drawn out by the constitution & live in a civil society there is no fear. Well this is the general belief.What has happened recently is horrific. News has been pretty disturbing to watch and read for the past few days. Some random people we never even knew existed, decide for us! Isn't it strange that we get newer definitions for democracy each day?Where are we heading?

One of the definitions of a Terrorist is - a person, usually a member of a group, who uses or advocates terrorism or a person who terrorizes or frightens others. Do not these people come under the category of terrorists then? Aren't the terrorists deciding for us? These are more dangerous because they are misinterpreting our culture. Respect for every individual is a prime aspect in our culture and so is Ahimsa! These people are for sure not protecting Indian culture.

A group of wrongly brainwashed young men have no right to disrupt freedom of ordinary citizens. Mangalore has always been a city of peace.How can they take law into their own hands?
I know doctors who had come to Mangalore as students, fallen in love with the city that they have made it their homes. The molestation of girls in such a city is so difficult to digest. Always a quiet city it has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late.

When there is an external threat we can seal our borders & make sure everyone coming in & going out is thoroughly checked. The question now is, what do we do when the threat is internal? When we are so volatile internally, we are inviting problems.This is a more frightening situation to be in. What is it that we can do now? The country should come together as a whole. The basic fact we need to understand is, we are Indians. Whichever part of the country we come from should not make a difference. We should make sure this thought, is felt by each one of us. A handful of young minds are being misled & threatening to hold our freedom at stake?

Honestly till I saw a news feature a couple of days back , I did not know that with pubs having to shut down by 11.15 in Bangalore- the city is bleeding, and its soul hurt! I was shocked to see so much focus on, the bans in Night life & pub timings in the city. For God's sake, the country is reeling under a recession. People are losing jobs everyday. How do they make ends meet? There are many frustrated, who are committing suicides. This is a crucial issue .They need hope.

It is because media is giving so much time to these trivial issues that the so called leaders get an inspiration to mislead the youth. The pictures & news features on Sri Rama Sena & MNS hogging the limelight makes me wonder what is happening to India? Where is our focus? We get what we deserve. Do we deserve this? Is this newsworthy?

Media focus should now be on those people who have made a difference in their individual way. Whether it is an initiative to create an awareness on everyday problems like commuting with carpool or starting a social service group. Any activity which does not take a lot of money but needs a lot of individual & group initiative, drive, discipline & dedication should be given attention. This should be our focus. The environment is under threat. Look for people who are doing their bit to change their lives by becoming more environment friendly. All these need initiatives at an individual level & the ripples of this will be felt soon enough for society to react. Any positive change should be stressed & highlighted.Educate the people on these long term benefits. Let's not be hypocritical & claim ownership over something which is not ours & live in that reflected glory. ( Slumdog Millionaire being the latest example.)

It is time we look within & seriously ask ourselves a very simple question.
Am I proud to be Indian? If the answer is a "Yes" or a "No" it does not matter. In either case, we need to know why & help others find their answers! This is the least we can give our children , a reason to say, "I am proud to be Indian."

YES HE DID!

2009-01-21T19:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was an important day for a man I admired. I rooted for him always. He was someone who struck the right chord from the very first time I saw him.His face said he was honest & the way he spoke I was charmed. Every word was always carefully chosen. His smile made me feel, finally there was someone I could believe in . It was more of how he said what he said, that I loved about him. He touched me.

Like the rest of USA I wanted to see Barack Obama become President officially. The run up to the inauguration was on TV. His address in Lincoln memorial was a predecessor to his inaugural address. He had modeled himself after two great leaders & made sure people did not forget it.His train journey was covered extensively a la Lincoln. Then came 19th Jan, 2009. The 80th anniv of Dr. Martin Luther King jr .Coincidentally (the third Monday every January is celebrated as MLK day) fell the day before the swearing in. What a way to write history?This year it became even more special because of the person who was writing a new chapter in American history the next day. Martin Luther's dream was being partly realized & his museum was visited by a great deal of people. His prediction of an African American becoming a President in 40 years coming so close to perfection.

It felt so surreal.Teary eyed were those people who marched with MLK in 1963 to see his prediction true in their life time. Barack Obama is surely God's favorite child. Looking at him yesterday i was just wondering if he had inherited his mother's looks would he have been the chosen one? He was born to a strong woman, fathered by a man whose looks he inherited & that proved to be his blessing, brought up by a grandmother whose influence was greatly acknowledged by him, married to a special woman who had a mind of her own , equally qualified as him & blessed with two daughters who are his world. So the women in his life shaped him to who he has become! From a nonentity to someone who meant hope. He 'has come a long way in two years.

The power of the tongue has always won many a battle & even made experience look trivial. So everything was so perfectly timed. For this recession one needed hope . He gave it & How!
Seemed that destiny had her plans well laid out. He was the right person at the right time. Yesterday everyone watching him was happy that it was CHANGE in the true sense of the term.

His inaugural balls were a pleasure to watch. His PDAs with Michelle were sweet. They seemed to be a couple very much in love still! It didn't seem put on. Together they seemed so grounded and so believable.

His inaugural speech had a stern expression but all the right words. It had the right ingredients to make it an effective one.It was what was expected & he delivered. In the midst of euphoria here was a man who kept his cool. Rightly described as the Tiger Woods of politics Barack Obama has a zen like calm which is reassuring.

First full day at office today, symbolically he started right by capping the salaries of the WH staff & discouraged lobbying totally. When Joe Biden had a snide remark on Justice Roberts for messing up the Presidential oath, he chided him. He opened the White House to the public. He has started right & has given a hope to everyone. He has stressed on being an inclusive leader from the beginning & is trying to stand by his campaign slogan."Yes we can. "

Am sure God is watching His plan unfold. Maybe like Obama concluded yesterday on his hope of how he would like history to remember us , "with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations."

I'm sure very soon to this hope will be end as , "YES HE DID " Amen to that.

I BELIEVE THEY EXIST!

2009-01-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

Today's kids are a little too practical. We as kids believed in a make believe world of tooth fairy, Santa, Angels and the like & never questioned their existence. Our childhood was more fun I presume. But then times have changed. It's Vice city and different kinds of action missions &that entertain today's kids. They are little too proof oriented. My six year old nephew's tooth had fallen off & he carefully placed it under his pillow saying," Tooth fairy is going to give me money by the morning." My 12 yer old laughed & said, "Of course not! there is no tooth fairy! Your Amma is going to keep that money." My nephew was heartbroken & looked at his mother asking,"Yeah Amma, Is there no tooth fairy? You keep the money?" My sister smiled & said," It's very simple Yash ,if you believe in tooth fairy , she exists."Those words remained with me.

I was leaving for California on the 24th night. As i waved to my family & went into the terminal I never realized I will be having the biggest revelation in my life. With my passport & ticket , I checked in my bags & when they tried to issue my boarding pass, the system asked for the credit card number. My brother had not given me this. I did not even remotely think this would be asked. An official came with me to make a call to my brother asking him to fax a copy of his credit card. I tried calling & it went to his voice mail. I called home & told my sister to call him & let him know. The official walked me into the terminal asked me to wait. I waited.

It was my first visit to the US & my brother had spent an hour the previous day helping me understand filling the various forms & the credit card details had slipped both our minds. I put my hand into my handbag into which I had put some books & the book I pulled out first was"Who will Cry when you die". I smiled & started reading it. I entered the airport at 8 p.m & now it was 8.45p.m. At 9p.m he came back & said he still hasn't got the fax. He came back with me to make another call home.

(Can you believe this? In the new Bangalore International airport there are no PCOs in the departure terminal only in the arrival terminals. So every time I had to make a call an official had to accompany me. What a pain!)

He brought his senior official along who asked me, "How could you not do this? It is mandatory to have credit card details. I can always send you back ." I looked at her & genuinely told her," I'm sorry for all the trouble." She immediately calmed down. The official gave me his mobile number & asked me to give this to my brother. I called my sister & she gave it to him. When my brother called on his mobile , the lady gave him her email id as the fax was not working & asked him to scan it. He did it. After 20 minutes i was called to be issued the boarding pass. The ordeal over, I thought & went to collect my boarding pass only to face a new challenge. The number was a different one. We made another call home as my brother's mobile went back to voice mail. This was getting too much. It was 9.45 p.m. 10p.m was when they would close the counter. I called my brother's cell & left a message that if he did not call in the next ten minutes I may not be able to leave that day. When I asked what my other option is the official said that i could travel the next day. As his shift was coming to an end at 10p.m , he wanted to settle this before he left. I told him then I'd take the next day's flight & he said he would confirm it. Surprisingly I was pretty cool & as we got back into the departure terminal. His mobile rang. It was my brother reconfirming he had scanned the correct one & confirmed the number on phone. The time was 9.55 p.m & I got my boarding pass. I had a few chocolates which I thrust into the official's hand & wished him," Thank you so much. Happy Christmas !" I could not believe that 5 minutes back I called home & told them I would be returning. Now I was going to the security check.

To me this was the best Christmas gift . Mr. Jumsy -the official - was my SANTA CLAUS. Not the roly poly one with rein deers , a white beard and a gift sack. But in some other form which probably I would not have recognized otherwise. I learnt that when you go beyond the call of duty& you are making a difference to somebody, then you become a fairy , angel or even Santa Claus to them. Who said it's all fiction. IF YOU BELIEVE THEY EXIST THEY DO!

What a hope to begin the new year!

HAPPY PONGAL & HAPPY SANKRANTI!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2008-12-29T17:29:00.000-08:00

2008 has been an eventful year for me & quite a lot happening in my life and in the world. With training programmes coming in ,Bangalore suddenly was making me feel comfortable. Certifications meant online exams , a new challenge met successfully. Then the most unexpected thing happened I went back to 101.3F.M in March. The warmth of AIR(All India Radio) made me feel good about joining back Rainbow. March was when I went live on air & to see that listeners remembered me after 3 years was touching. Meeti yaadein brought back all great memories & it felt good to be doing what I was passionate about. Corporate training coupled with RJing was a great combination. Something beyond my dreams & I was enjoying myself. Maybe that's why I never updated my blog as I had an outlet to my views.

India too saw so many dreams fulfilled. Our first ever Olympic gold medal, bronze medals both in sports that were never highlighted upon. Cricket found a new lucky mascot in our captain M.S.Dhoni. Vishwanathan Anand kept the Indian flag high in the chess world. Saina, Jeev Milkha Singh & Gagang Narang made sure we were noticed in the world scenario. Suddenly India was rocking in the world of sports as in science.Chandrayaan did us proud. ISRO scientists made sure our country joined an exclusive list of countries. IISc celebrated its centenary year.

The sad part of course the bomb blasts shook us. Careless comments & uncaring leaders made us look at politics differently. We suddenly felt unsafe in our own city. Crowded places seemed vulnerable. As we were coming out of that fear came 26/11 which shook the country but brought us together too. There was a sudden rush of patriotism which seemed lacking for so long. Finally we asked questions that had to be answered. A phase which changed the outlook of the whole nation! Maybe the 2009 elections can see the outcome.

USA saw a new President. A great orator who had the whole world chanting with him" YES WE CAN" Very rarely do we witness such historic moments. An erudite, sophisticated and eloquent Barrack Obama became the 44th President of USA promising change. A CHANGE that the world is waiting for, in this period of worst ever economic crisis. The silver lining of HOPE the world needs in this phase. He seems to be DESTINY'S CHILD. Hoping he is able to keep up his promise and wishing him all success.

The biggest surprise of 2008 is my trip to California. I'll be here till March with my brother & his family. So celebrating the onset of 2009 in a country so far away from home, here's wishing all of you A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2009. May all your dreams come true.

CHEERS!

2007-08-20T00:35:00.000-07:00

Things have started looking up now!Bangalore seems to be an exciting place to be in. So many things have been happening & so i decided to blog when everything falls in place. Now it has.

My training programmes would start from the 6th of September . It's been wonderful since it has been finalised. Two batches of inductee training programme for 9 days each! Saturdays & Sundays would be off . One batch would be here in Bangalore & the second one would be in Chennai.I'm excited with the whole thing!

Have you heard of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) & the Law of Attaction(LOA). I attended a weekend workshop of the same & it has been such a wonderful change since then. It is proved that we have meridians running through our bodies & when any of them are blocked there is a kind of disruption in our working or in that of our body. Tapping some important points makes all the difference . Couple this with positive reaffirmations & life is a whole new experience. LOA believes that all we ned to do is ASK THE UNIVERSE & YOUR WISH WILL BE GRANTED! SO SIMPLE! If you get a chance watch the movie "The Secret" and you will know what I'm talking about. I tried it with my kids recently when they had to give a talk on independence day. I had not prepared as i was totally blank! A few days before the function I used the EFT technique & surprise,I prepared a conversation between my sons which became a superhit with the audience. They spoke so naturally that it didn't seem like a speech at all. Everyone loved it. SO TRY EFT it is MAGIC!

After all this waiting there is a lot of work to keep me busy.Thank God for helping me smile & say "CHEERS"

DESTINY'S CHILD

2007-07-25T02:45:00.000-07:00

Just watched the swearing in ceremony of our 12th President. Watching her go through all the honour I was just wondering if she too was pinching herself to see if all this was true as I sure was. No Presidential election had stooped so low .People were wondering how "one woman" can decide for a country of more than a billion who our President & Prime Minister would be! Scandals on one side , justifications on the other. Finally the results announced! India in her 60th year has a WOMAN PRESIDENT! "Woman "made all the difference for those who elected her or so they said.

Today when I saw her take her oath ,I wondered how someone who was not much of a national politician today is the FIRST CITIZEN OF INDIA. I would only call it "Divine Intervention". A post which actually everyone knew was ceremonial but whose very face was changed by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. A tough act to follow. Wonder if she'll vist Siachen, ride a Sukhoi or even reach out to children & the youth like Kalam did.

Hearing her speak ,she did sound confident & said all the right things.Good job by whoever wrote it! But then ......she is a seasoned politician too!

With the past one'Tense" month behind her Prathibha Tai has a glorious 5 years in the 340 roomed mansion & with the probablity that the Rs. 50,000 which Presidents so far got as salary likely to be "doubled"... a double whammy sure for this 'DESTINY'S CHILD'. Well as to how she would perform only time will tell.

My best wishes to our NEW PRESIDENT who has a difficult path to tread! With fingers crossed I'd be watching what destiny has in store for her 'FAVOURITE CHILD'.

COOL!!

2007-07-04T01:19:00.000-07:00

April is when we moved to Bangalore & now its July! God! time really flies! I have to tell you what i've been up to. Bangalore is sure a city that is COOL! How?? Read on.........

My holiday in May comprised of visits to Mangalore & Udupi .The wedding of a dear cousin where we had a great time & a trip to Davangere complete with a vist to Kollur made my vacation memorable! June brought us back to Bangalore. My kids & I still in the holiday mood forgetting we are going to stay put here. Fromthe 10th onwards reality dawned that we are going to be here henceforth.

13th was the first day in school after vacation. They came home & seriously asked me" Amma! is there no way we can go back to Chennai?" I felt bad for them and for myself. Two years in one place , in one school is reason enough to get bonded & miss it too. As for me, I grew up in the city & it has always made me smile when I look back. Trying to tell them all nice things about their present school & making them look at all the nice things around...... they soon stopped complaining.

But I had a horrible taste of Bangalore traffic when I was to meet a friend on Bannerghatta road. A 20km journey from home I gave myself 11/2 -2 hrs to reach her place. Not wanting to add on to the congested traffic I decided to take a bus !!!Litttle did i know what was in store?? I was stuck in jam after jam & finally reached her place after 4 hours ! Tired and dehydrated. I entered her house looking like I drove the bus! God I haven't seen traffic like this ever! By the time i reached, it was time for me to return as my kids would be back from school. Sad but this reality was too shocking! I've heard of how bad the traffic in Bangalore is but this easily takes the cake.

The optimist that I am I'll tell you the brighter side of my Bangalore life. I watched some really good movies-

a)Mungaru Male- a kannada Superhit. The songs are superb & so is the cinematography

b) 73 Shanti Nivasa.another Kannada film. Loved a dialogue in it which is" It is simple to be happy but difficult to be simple"A remake of Bawarchi it sure had its moments.

c) Shrek 3- A wonderful movie!Total Paisa vasool!

d) Sivaji the BOSS- This Bachelor of Social service sure did things we dream of... but it was Vivek I enjoyed in the first half & Rajini only in the second half. Another typical Rajini flick & for those who understand Tamil the wonderful oneliners!

A get-together in mid June with about 20 of our family members was another great one. The advantage of Bangalore is that we have many relatives here. With the kids now slowly getting used to their school , I too am trying to see the plus points of Bangalore. Am still confused what to do with myself though! Either way, one thing nice about Bangalore is the weather.......So i decided to look at small things first & derive happiness . I'm starting now........ looking out of my window & sure it's COOL!!

Madras Nalla Madras!

2007-04-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

Catching up with college friends is what I've doing of late & met up with so many of them. One of them was Sheela. We did our PG together & what fun we had as a team.....! We joined coaching classes for UPSC exams & were the last students to join. Hence though we didn't notice all the students in the class ,they did. Amongst them, was a whole group of 10 of our classmates who would constantly be talking whenever we entered looking in our direction & in this group was a guy who was typically Tall, Dark & Handsome(TDH) whom Sheela had a crush on. Whenever we were on our way to the classes or returning from there, Sheela would talk about him & only him! I was so irritated that one day I told her that I am going to tell him how much she liked him. She was shocked but didn't believe I could. The next day was the deadline & I had to tell him. She came really well dressed to class & constantly was nudging me to remind me of the deadline. If I lost the bet I wud have to give her a treat. I told her to wait & see. Once the classes for the day were over, while we were on our way out with Sheela all set for my treat, I saw Mr. TDH walking towards us. When we were close I smiled, stopped & started conversation with him, while Sheela continued walking unware of my absence. When she realized & looked back I was pointing out to her . Both he & I were smiling. SHE BLUSHED & was horrified at the same time. After a few more minutes with him I went to her.... VICTORY written all over my face.She gave me the treat wanting to know what exactly I told him. I told her , I told him EVERYTHING! Shocked she asked me how he reacted. I smiled. I told her ,he said he would talk to her tomorrow. Poor thing I'm sure she hadn't slept that night. The next day she was so silent for the entire journey & as we entered so did TDH on his bike . He turned & smiled. She was sure now that I had told him everything!

She was embarrassed while I continued behaving my normal self but really felt sorry for lying to her. Finally I decided to tell her the truth. That evening as we were leaving I told Sheela , that I had lied to her & what TDH& I spoke about were notes about the subject he had chosen. Then she asked me why both looked in her direction, I told her that I was telling him how even she was interested in that subject. If looks could kill,I would not have been here today to tell you all this.

But what surprised me was both TDH & I were never formally introduced but still knew each other's names & didn't have a problem when we spoke first. It was only later that Sheela & I came to know that the entire gang found out all about us & were teasing TDH & ME as we both had similar noses. So that's why everytime we entered the whole group would turn in our direction & then smile amongst themselves. Soon we became a good group of friends but then today,each one has gone on his way. Few in the group managed to get into the services while the rest of us moved in different directions. But even the other day when Sheela &I met we spoke about this & laughed till we cried. WHAT WONDERFUL MEMORIES!!!

March was also memorable for I took up a short term assignment of teaching HR students . It was really hectic but excellent nevertheless!It was a total sense of deja vu as even the last time I left Chennai 14 years back ,the last assignment was a teaching one to PG students. The annual exams of my kids kept me busy since April & now it is time to leave MADRAS NALLA MADRAS with excellent memories!

The icing on the cake was watching a lovely movie called "MOZHI" today. Awesome is how I would sum up the experience.That silence conveys much more than words is what touches you. Jyothika has sure given a power packed & award winning performance . So has Prithviraj! Prakash Raj ( O how much I admire this actor! ) is too good for words. Chennai always has had a special place in my heart! And this time too I leave Chennai with some GREAT MEMORIES.

My next post will be from Bangalore.

TAKE CARE!

Down Memory lane!

2007-03-10T01:36:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends! Decided to have a different look in 2007, as it brought in so much of hope for all of us. Wondering where i disappeared?

Read on.

Two very challenging training programmes kept me busy & also meeting my friend who I was going to see after 14 years!

The first weekend went off in the first training programme which had a great feedback. Then the client meeting for the next one to take place around the third week of Jan. The meeting went off well & so started preparations for the training.

Then the day came when my friend who was my best friend in school was to land from the U.S & I was longing to speak to her. I called her up & her mother told me she was out & would call back. I was eager to hear her voice. An hour later the phone rang. I ran to the phone ........ "Hi Rashi" a familiar voice said. "IT" was wonderful listening to her. Then our conversation started exactly from the day we last met. Husbands, kids & us, in that order. But then...... she had mellowed down so much...... I thought. We were eager to see each other. Wanting to look our best on the appointed day we met.

We had become broader than what we were!( Satisfied smiles on both our faces) "Good! I was not the only one who has put on weight in these 14 years "( Simultaneously running through our minds). We went out for lunch together & spent more than 2 hours at the restaurant catching up on each other's life so far. After lunch we walked to a third friend's house to meet her parents. Walking on the Poonmallee high road brought back all the memories for us. Our fights, our problems & how we shared so much with each other.A good three hours and it was time to get back home . It was great walking on that Dharmaprakash road & towards Ewarts. Our lives had taken different routes but this school was our link what pleasant memories. But then we had moved on & that is the reality of life , right?

By end Jan, heard that one of my college friends who is now in Dubai was due with her first child after so many years. Got her number & called her. We spoke after ages & it was great talking to her. She had her bundle of Joy on the 1st of Jan '07 & I was thrilled when I heard she had a girl. She was coming in Feb & another of my college friend was coming too. It was meeting time again. Her baby was soooooooo beautiful.It was a wonderful reunion & we had a great time at her place.

So Jan & Feb was down memory lane.March however took us to the future.My husband got a wonderful opportunity in Bangalore & decided to take it up. The kids had their entrance in Bangalore & cleared it . So come April 15th & we will be back in Good old Bangalore. With so much happening I could not get to blogging 'coz each day was bringing with it something new. Now that it is all settled, I'm at peace.

But then somewhere I'm wondering what Bangalore has for me!!

One thing I know for sure .... meeting some of my blogger friends who are in Bangalore... Right Kavi, Neha?

HAPPY 2007!

2006-12-20T02:36:00.000-08:00

2006 sure was a year with a lot of highs & lows.

Looking back I was thrilled when we found a house so close to the kids' school. We moved & I quit my job to do freelancing. It seemed a much better choice! Going back to academics I thought was a great option but I did not know GOD had so much in store!!!

With the summer workshops a hit... I left my workplace on a positive note. I made some great friends in the last one year in Chennai. Srivi with whom I enjoyed every workshop I did, left for her dream destination... HARVARD! Yes! I was so thrilled for her. God bless her!

After she left, I knew I had to move on too. I got a break into CORPORATE TRAINING!My passion...my dream was coming true! I'm enjoying myself thoroughly in these workshops!

My break into professional emceeing too happened. Did some wonderful work & got paid well too!

Voice overs too came by.Challenging work ,met interesting people & it was fulfilling too.

But my little Dhruv's accident was a shocker! He escaped a maxicab's front tyre by a whisker! A miracle ,a second life to him & we are only thankful to God everytime we look at the scar on his right hand! A constant reminder of what happened!

All in all... 2006 I started with hope & am sure ending it with THANKS TO GOD!

Yes!HE has given me reason to smile looking back on the year.I'll be in Bangalore for christmas & NEW YEAR & will be back next year.

So here's ...

WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS & A MEMORABLE 2007.

HOPE 2007 FULFILLS ALL YOUR DREAMS & WISHES!

ALL THE BEST & TAKE CARE!

WAT SAY?

2006-12-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

God! it's a month since I updated & time really flies. I'm really sorrry for the delay. Chennai had a "viral in the air" & the kids and I got affected by it.My corporate training sessions were another reason too. Yes! we did manage to watch two movies which gave important messages. "Open Season" and "Don"

OPEN SEASON

An awesome film with a very strong message to mankind that we can be the most vulnerable creations of God. We only think we are strong but if animals decide to revolt surely "Size does NOT matter".A movie where you leave the theatre sure to think twice before calling Animals "weak" or Man "A thinking being". Hunting will never be the same.If all animals bring out their 'animal instinct' it sure will be a force to reckon with. A strong reminder for us adults that "we have not inherited this earth from our anscestors ...we've only borrowed it from our children!" But then what kind of an earth are we giving them?THINK AGAIN!

DON

"Dil Chahata Hai" will remain my all time favourite! "Lakshya" was a sincere attempt!
But with Don the least said the better. Just for a few classic dialogues one remakes a FILM? I for one was sincerely disappointed with DON! Not wanting to bias my kids, I waited for their reaction! I was surprised when my 10 year old looked disappointed.When I asked him why, he asked," Amma, wasn't Vijay supposed to help & they killed the character? SO only a liar & a person who does wrong like DON will live to win? Questions I found difficult to answer.This had struck me too! For i've seen the original & I know characters were a lot less complicated & straight but Don winning in the end, "this way" is hard to stomach. Is this a reflection of the society we are in today?Apart from DON we even have a DCP who is a mafia dealer in Disguise!!

I personally am against remakes. LEAVE THE ORIGINALS ALONE PLEASE! esp when it was a SUPERHIT in its times! Movies are a strong medium to communicate. Immaterial of what we try to say, it is what reaches the audience which makes an IMPACT! So shouldn't this be done a little more seriously? Esp when giving twists and turns 'coz it difficult to justify Farhan in DON just because he wanted to be DIFFERENT fron the original?!

Wat say?

Coffee?

2006-11-12T19:31:00.000-08:00

I've always enjoyed reading,listening to & telling stories as I know it is the most effective means of conveying not only simple thoughts but those that are profound too! Here is a story I came across which I enjoyed.Simple story, simple thoughts... but an inspiring message! Trust me after reading this coffee will never be the same to you!

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling.

It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see." "Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma.

The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?" Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavour. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

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

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

May we all Drink(ooops!) BE coffee!!!

Two interesting Tags

2006-10-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to each one of you for your wishes & I'm sure you had a wonderful Diwali too!

As promised this post is where i'll take up the tags.I enjoyed them. Thank you Neha & passerby55 for tagging me.

By Neha:
I am thinking
How life has changed in the last few years. It has taken places where I least expected to go! Touch wood!

I said
Smile... it is the easiest thing you can do!

I want
Both Chiraag and Dhruv to be "perfect" kids... obedient, silent ,never fighting,or asking me those difficult to answer "why" questions!

I wish
I could laze around like a cat in style, fly away where I want to like a bird and be totally stress free like my dog!

I miss
Amma's cooking, school days ,college days... Madras.. nalla Madras! Not the different Chennai I'm in now!

I hear
The usual victim Dhruv complaining about the "illtreatment" meeted out to him by his Big B Chiraag.

I wonder
If my dream of the perfect bonding between my two sons would ever happen?!

I regret
having never learnt to swim.

I am
Rashi to my near & dear,Pinky to my spl aunt & her family , a proud mother of two darlings and Rashmi to my friends.

I dance
Very rarely! I don't know how to dance!

I sing
Always! Either I'm humming or singing.

I cry
Very rarely! Only when I see no way out!

I write
Whatever occurs to me.

I confuse
Many of the Hollywood actors by name.

I need
To keep myself busy or else I end up wasting time.

I should
Lose some weight now!

I finish
This post only after I complete my next tag.

By passerby55

6 weird things about me!

I can talk nonstop for hours with people i strike a rapport with instantly,even the very first time I meet them... But can also sit absolutely silent with someone I just don't feel comfortable with! (though the latter is pretty rare, it is something I found out recently!)

I leave my plate or banana leaf CLEAN as I do not like to waste food.(much to the embarasement of my mother who always asks me to spare a thought for the dogs which come to eat the left overs!)I was embarassed 'coz of this a few years back , when the cook at a function saw my leaf & said that he had not seen such a leaf in 35 years of his service & forced me to have something more even though I told him I was full to the BRIM! I continue to be the same till date ...its difficult to expect a Taurean to change,right?

Money has never been a criterion for me when i decide to take up an assignment. I have to enjoy it & THAT is what matters!

I do not throw away even small newspaper covers before I read it for missing out on anything interesting.

I am extremely positive & look at every incident that happens in life with the most positive outlook. It irritates many around me but I continue to see only the positive aspects!

I am hardworking & a little too sincere in my approach to everything I do! Though always I do not get the desired results , I beleive in putting my best effort always!

God! Am I weird?????????

HAPPY DEEPAVALI

2006-10-19T00:50:00.003-07:00

This Diwali is special! Will be going to Bangalore & celebrating with my parents! For Dhruv too it would be a change! So will catch all of you next week! Till then take care.

WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A HAPPY & SAFE DEEPAVALI!

I AM SMILING!

2006-10-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

A lot of things have been happening eversince my last post. Today i am smilimg at the end of it all!If some of them took me to cloud nine,the most important incident brought me down to mother earth! But...First things first! October 15th is always a special day for me. A day when one of God's created his most wonderful creation. A creation who made my life so full of love, compassion & blessed it with all the good fortune I could dream of! I stand today thankful for this creation. The light of my life.Without whom I wouldn't be what I am. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMMA!!! THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU!

Now for what happened for the past few days. Exams for the kids & then my sister came here with her kids. It was decided we leave for a temple the next day. The same day however we got a call that my grandaunt expired & so couldn't visit the temple. The trip was postponed by 16 days. My sister decided to stay on. An unexpected blessing. It was a wonderful two week holiday in store.

A 3 day prog for fresh recruits of a MNC followed. A great programme & I enjoyed my self thoroughly. Corporate training is what I always wanted to do on a full time basis. I was trying it on a free lance basis & it worked. What a wonderful 3 day session it was!A campus to corporate training. Fresh out of college with dreams in their eyes & enthusiasm they made great participants. I loved it thoroughly & made sure they enjoyed too.

Holidays still on, got to do interesting voiceovers too.

Then school started. Just like any other day, Dhruv my younger one started to school on 5th October & as it was late I asked my sister to drop him off at school. He said bye to me a 100 times over, blew kisses from the gate & with his sweet smile kept waving out. A few minutes later , my sister called to say she was taking him to a hospital close by as he was wounded while crossing the road. Another 3 minutes later, his teacher called me to find out what happened to Dhruv, someone told her he met with an accident. I had no idea & I told her i'll call back. I called the number from where my sister had called. The guy who answered the call told me that my son was badly wounded & gave the phone to my sister.It was then that she told me to come to a particular hospital with cash as she wasn't carrying any. I went with my heart in my mouth & was not still sure of what I was going to see.

When I saw Dhruv I was shocked!! His uniform was torn & had a lot of blood stains. His face was injured, so was his right hand. They were all superficial but needed the expert hands of a Plastic surgeon for dressing & three wounds needed suturing. God, I was wondering from where i had the strength not to faint. All he cried & told me was "Amma, I'm sorry!" I could not show him my tears. I WAS THANKFUL HE WAS ALIVE.

Then my sister told me what happened. In the usual junction that I cross the road with him, he crossed & she didn't know he would. Suddenly when he darted across, she shouted asking him what he was doing & he tried coming back when a van knocked him down & the impact of the fall was that he hit the sharp edges of the footpath & had a deep wound in the chin, near his eyebrow & in the shoulder. The driver applied the brakes & they worked when Dhruv was just a fraction of a second from the wheel. God when i heard this i was so busy thanking God & also realised ,why Dhruv kept saying sorry to me.My sister took time time to overcome the shock as she saw it all happening befor her.Our temple visit was due on Saturday & this happened on Thursday & i wasn't sure if we would go. I hesitatingly asked the doctor & He told me that we could go.

Now this visit was to Kalahasthi, a temple town about 3hrs from Chennai.We had been there before.This time, however, we wanted to go the night before so that we could visit the Sahasralinga temple a little away from there. It was a wonderful climb & I wasn't sure if Dhruv could do it. He did it. what is special is that there are 1000 small lingas inscribed in the big Linga .The locals believe it is Agasthya Muni who brought it there. On the way up there is a watersource whose origin the locals do not know of . they however believe that the water would cleanse all the illnesses in us.It is midway in our climb & so quenches our thrist for sure. All done it was a wonderful climb & it took us about 11/2 hours to get back. They call this area Dakshina Kailasha!

It is a week now & Dhruv will be going to school from tomorrow.
THANK YOU GOD FOR GIVING ME BACK MY DHRUV!

Overall an eventful 2 weeks where i had my ups & downs & at the end of it all....
I AM SMILIMG!!

Passerby55 will take your tag as my next post... I promise!!

What's in A Name?

2006-09-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

I'll tell you why it is important! Read on to find out!

Lage Raho Munnabhai is creating waves everywhere. I saw it too. Loved it. Enjoyed every moment of it. Do not worry !This is not another reveiw but what came out of the predeccessor... Munnabhai M.B.B.S

Yash,my nephew who was 3 years then, was a kid who loved seeing ads & trailers on T.V. So the name of this movie stuck as he loved the title track of this film. A few months after the movie had released, we had a family get together & one of my cousins was talking to Yash.

Now Yash's dad(my B-i-l) is an interior designer who has also undertakes orders of making furniture & so goes to his Workshop on most days. Everytime Yash asked his dad where he was going, he wud say,"Workshop" So the little one assumed everyone who goes to work, goes to "the Workshop!"

While talking to my cousin, Yash suddenly asked, " you also go to workshop?" My cousin replied, "no ,I go to a clinic." Yash was surprised! "why not Workshop?"
My sister who was there, tried explaining, "Yashi! Mama is a doctor, M.B.B.S and that's why he goes to a clinic." Yash's reaction, was most startled. He looked at my cousin (poor guy a M.D in paed) & asked" O! So u are Munnabhai?" My cousin was shocked but the rest of us burst out.

And till date he remains "Munnabhai " to Yash!

So now we know, " What's in a Name? ..... EVERYTHING!

JUST CHILL!

2006-09-08T02:39:00.000-07:00

I always wonder how kids are so happy! They forget so easily & enjoy every moment of what life gives them. We have all been kids once. But then... Don't know when all the stress starts creeping into us & we stop laughing & start worrying! Maybe the boards! no much before that it is the pressure to do well in the tests, To be captain of your house,To be part of the team games, to be part of the play in the Annual day..... When did it first start.

When my son's best friend won the individual championship he congratulated him & was so proud that his friend won it, though he missed it. I was happy that my son was a good friend and a nice human being. I was proud of him.

But thinking back i don't think I was very proud when my best friend won an award I was so sure to win, when we were leaving school.I thought maybe her mother a teacher in our school influenced the decision of the teachers. I know I was mean. She deserved it & so she won. My mother however baked a cake for her , called her home & had a surprise party for her.My friend was thrilled! It was my unforgettable lesson on learning to accept defeat gracefully.Amma taught me that it is important that I fought well.The winner is not important.
An important lesson that has helped me in life all along.
I realised that it is not the award that is important but that she is a friend with whom I had my best moments in school.

Life has given me many ups & downs & I have learnt to be unaffected by them. I know that in the journey we take ,this is very important in shaping our personalties. Maybe somewhere it is the award that is important but when you get it you realise that is not exactly what you thought you would feel like. The journey to getting it is more memorable than the award itself. You miss out on wonderful time when you fret & fume.

Why can't we be like kids always? Why is victory so important? Is is worth all the trauma we go through? We had much lesser complications in our growing up years. Our parents were not as competitive as we are to see our children win. Then the competition were ones we developed much later in school life which were healthy but today even in the first grade kids are sent for tution. Come on, isn't it torture? 10th ,11th 12th I understand,but first grade...too much!

What do we want our next gen to be? We had a carefree childhood! The other day when I had gone to pick up my kids I cudn't but help listen to a conversation between two mothers on how their kids had fared in a test.One telling the other that her son had 191/2 in a test out of 20 because of a "EE ki mathra" & the other one proudly saying, "my son got 20 in all papers. I send him to hindi tution classes you see.I make him study for 1 hour everyday." Curious I asked them in which class their kids were studying. Their reply was 1st grade. I didn't know whether I am a bad mother 'coz most of the time I don't make my kids study for that long... I prefer they play outside instead. Everyday 1/2 hour of concentrated study is what I ask of them & they are ok in studies.

Honestly I wonder what childhood today's kids would have to think back on, Juggling between so many classes & still expected to be toppers in class..., Summer holidays filled with so many different camps instead of a carefree 60 days we had as kids... Tutions from class one itself! School is a place kids hate to go to. Parents have so much of expectations from the kids. They expect them to be allrounders.

The suicide rates of students waiting for the bord results are a pointer to the high stress levels of today's kids.After all, all successful people in life have not been toppers in school but they overcame defeat boldly!

What are we aiming at? Stressed out adults who are so tired fighting that they are jaded by the time they step into the 'real' world OR confident adults who can face defeat & know that it is an integral part of the game!
If it is the latter we chose then i think we,should "JUST CHILL!"

THANK YOU!

2006-09-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

Two simple words , that convey so much! In life today we take so much for granted that it seems surprising that we have forgotten the magic, these two words can evoke.

In relationships such as friendships we say, "No sorry & no thank you" , but sometimes it makes it worth it! I think it has been long since I've said "Thank you" to my sister who is always there when I call her. It's been long since i said "Thank you" to my parents for moulding me to who I am! "Thank you" to my husband who's really been very sweet & to my kids who make my life so complete!

I make something for my kids to eat and drink every evening when they are back from school. My mother did it too. I enjoyed it but didn't say "Thank you" to her, as much as my kids do not forget to say it everyday. I know as a mother that is one of the many things they expect from me. I do not expect their Thank you. But honestly, It feels good when they enjoy it & say it everyday!
When it is sincere these two words work wonders!

A big "Thank You" to each one of you who dropped by & took time to write a comment.
You have been the inspiration behind my being a blogger now for a year!

So long guys! Remember however, to smile & say a sincere "Thank You" to any one who made even the slightest difference to you.

TRY IT TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE YOU CAN BRING ABOUT!

THOSE DAYS!

2006-08-30T04:55:00.000-07:00

Today it was the "Annual Sports Day". I loved it. I got up early, finished all my work & got set to be in Nehru Stadium on time. Pearl, Emerald, Ruby & Sapphire were in full force. March past,the first event.....,remembered the practise & the hours of hard work. Those times when we stayed back just to make sure our house wins. Putting our best food forward to make sure each one is there to represent the house!
What pride! Every heat for the track & field events in full attendance to see that the house each one represents wins. What patriotism!Loved the jealousy when it came to victory of my house.

Today the score board showed Emerald in the lead!I was thrilled! Every event had a representative from Emerald. I didn't know them personally but the "green T-shirt" was all I cheered for. The cheering , the clapping and the laughter that came with victory.... the shocks and the disappointment that came with defeat....God I knew it all once & today I felt it all over again!Each time there was a race...the adrelanin would go pumping.

Emerald won & took the trophy... What a proud moment!!

Only this time I was cheering for the house my kids belonged to. Thank you Chiraag & Dhruv you took me back to my sports day. One of the blessings of having kids...
YOU RELIVE YOUR CHILDHOOD THROUGH THEM.

Two Movies that made my weekend

2006-08-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

Priety & Abhishek were the best part of KANK with ofcourse Amitabh playing a Cassanova to the hilt. A mundane role Preity gave it her "realistic classy" touch & Abhishek was a charmer. The lead pair however disappointed. Shah rukh's reactions & expressions were so predictable. Rani after "Black" was boring. She wasn't maybe convinced herself 'coz her role semed so much of a torture even for her to act it out ,let alone us seeing her! Over all a let down by Karan Johar who had a good first half but didn't know how to carry on in the second. Maybe his affection for Shahrukh didn't permit him to show the "great SRK" as a villian!

CARS

A fantastistic movie especially for adults who are so caught up in the daily grind of the rat race that we are missing out on some beautiful moments of life. Sad but true. The message is so strong & timely. "Life is after all not about winning always." True,right?
An understanding of this simple philosophy will sure make us a happier and satisfied lot. We sure need to chill once in a while & look around ,maybe just maybe we'll become a more satisfied & happier lot. We live only once so why not have moments for ourselves too in that? A great movie & do watch it for it will subtly tell you what YOU are missing out!!!

MUMBAI U ROCK!!

2006-07-12T05:35:00.000-07:00

The series of blasts in Mumbai yesterday was SHOCKING to say the least! The images were horrifying esp when every news channel was showing the gory images! With the question of TRPs on hand it is sad that the media has gone INHUMAN!

But in the midst of all this: it was relief to see the hostelites sharing their rooms & food so willingly. "In Mumbai you are never an outsider" my cousin had told me. I understood what it meant. As a kid i used to visit Mumbai for summer vacation & I loved it. But living in Mumbai NO WAY! For a holiday it was great!

My cousins however loved mumbai & cudn't think of any other place to move to! They used to tell me that what was best about Mumbai was that it had a roof for everyone,a man who earned Rs.2/day or the one who earned a lac/day. Till date it is true.Mumbai treats everyone alike.The crowds in the trains definitely put me off but what struck me was their sense of timing. An appointment cud be fixed & kept up if you were to use the local train or the bus. God! what perfect coordination! Life has a whole new meaning if you live in Mumbai. You are PUNCTUAL!

When i saw the news this morning about how life is back to normal,it surprised me. The students who accomadated the stranded passengers with food & whatever comfort they could, touched me! This was only casually mentioned in the news. Isn't this News they should focus on? The scenes of the blast are Disturbing but somebody helping is Reassuring!

The attitude of many people today is cynicism, hardly are we spreading cheer. Pictures like this & news features with positive input need our attention. Why isn't the media more humane? Spread the news that the world IS a nice place to live in & MUMBAI I SALUTE YOU for leading the way!

O God!!

2006-05-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys I actually have been absent for soooooooooo long! The reasons are genuine & so I thought I'd let you know. Annual exams for one( my kids'). Then it was house hunting. We wanted to move closer to the kids' school & we finally found a lovely place in MRC nagar,unexpectedly. A nice area & there are so many kids for mine to play with! Setting up the house was something which took a lot of time as well. At work it was summer workshops.So i couldn't take an off. O God!it was a gruelling time & it irritated me a lot!

When I was wondering about things happening suddenly & things changing- so many new people enter into your life.So many things happen suddenly & just then you need an anchor.I found this passage while unpacking! Something i had written down from somewhere & forgotten about! Here's the beautiful piece that explains life.

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of CANCER. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which said," Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease?" To this Arthur Ashe replied: The world over-- 5 crore children start playing tennis,50 lakh learn to play tennis, 5lakh learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the Grand slam, 50 reach Wimbeldon, 4 to semifinal, 2 to the finals. When I was holding the cup I never asked GOD "WHY ME?". And.... today in pain I SHOULD NOT be asking GOD " WHY ME?"

Happiness keeps u Sweet,
Trials keep u Strong,
Sorrow Keeps u Human,
Failure Keeps u Humble,
Success keeps u Glowing,

But only GOD keeps u Going.....

I found my anchor!

Life's contrasts

2006-04-06T06:22:00.000-07:00

What contrasts life throws at us!!!

On one hand it was Kaun Banega crorepati with ISB & IIMs competing with whose student takes home a heftier package! The expensive ISBs whose students have an offer of over a crore from an Indian company to boot. Money is flowing & people wondering whether it is worth all the hype.

On the other hand it is Medha Patkar who is on a hunger strike in protest for the basic rights of a group of people who have been promised a lot & nothing delivered till date. Her life is in danger & she firmly believes that if it could make a difference by physically suffering to bring their problems to the forefront....... So be it!

Do both these issues require the same amount of footage time?

While one person take's home a hefty package for herself/himself, the other is trying to make a difference in the lives of thousands! Who do think needs our time & support?

What's your take?

Care for your coffee?

2006-03-21T06:39:00.000-08:00

This is a story I loved the very first time i read it,so relevant to our lives today!!

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to
visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into
complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned
with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic,
glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite-telling
them to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:

"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up,
leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for each of you
to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems
and stress.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously
went for the best cups and were eyeing each other's cups.

Now if life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are
the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of
Life doesn't change. Some times, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail
to enjoy the coffee in it."

So, don't let the cups drive you... enjoy the coffee instead.

Wat say?

TO THE WONDER CALLED "WOMAN"

2006-03-07T04:46:00.000-08:00

I wrote this 2 years back on March 8th & today as an anniversary celebration I publish it as a post.

A man came up to a lady in a shopping mall with a real worried expression.

“Can we speak for a few moments please?” he asked. “Why?” She asked surprised. “My wife is missing and I know she ‘ll appear from nowhere the moment she sees me talking to a beautiful woman!”

Shakespeare has spoken about the 7 stages of man. Little did he know that centuries down the line there would be a day called Women’s day! So why not explore our seven stages? Put on your thinking caps, caps of imagination, creativity and humor, sit back and relax. I know, we women have a very good sense of humor and can laugh at ourselves. So no offence meant, keep your mind open & I assure you you’re going to have a whale of a time!

The seven stages are: Infant, Child, Adolescence, Young lady, Young lady, Young lady And Young Lady.

Now let us explore each stage!!!

The first stage is that of an Infant. The baby girl, the apple of everyone at home esp. the father. With dresses galore in the marketplace she gets to enjoy everyone of them. Backless, sleeveless, off shoulder, smocking, frilly ones, long or short, SIZE DOES NOT MATTER. The best phase for both the child & parents.

Next is that of a Child. Carefree, Confident and shy, sweet, lovely to talk to, she slowly starts to try & understand the world around her. Parents try speaking in code in front of her & she is smart to understand. Like this kid. Her parents were busy discussing the previous night’s dinner. Mama said, “I’m actually impressed with the Mehtas what an educated couple? The wife has a MA from BU while the husband a PhD from MIT.” Angrily their 5 yr old drops her fork. “What’s wrong dear?” asks Mama. With a frown the child replies, “You’re always spelling and I never know what you’re talking!!!!!!!!!!” A cute innocent phase when every area is questioned & answers have to be given.

Third the phase of adolescence. Growing up blooming beautifully becoming aware of herself. Friends play a very important role. This continues till she is through school & college. Life gives her opportunities to understand why she is different & what makes her beautiful. As they say, small children spoil a day’s sleep; big children spoil life’s sleep. This is that phase for parents. Here, SIZE DOES MATTER. Size of the dress is what I mean.

Next is the young lady, someone for whom everything in life is seen thru a shade of romance, Life is lovely & so are her dreams. Nothing can stop her from achieving them; here comes the awareness of the TALL, DARK & HANDSOME Prince waiting to carry her off in his horse to distant lands where she will have only happiness. She dreams of sinking into his arms & living happily ever after.

The next phase is when this young lady decides SHE WILL GROW ONLY YOUNGER HENCEFORTH.

She decides that her prince should not only be Tall, Dark & Handsome but also have MONEY. She finds one such but …BUT instead of sinking into his arms after marriage she ends up with HER ARMS IN THE SINK.

REALITY DAWNS.
Then comes the phase with children. Her first shock in life comes when she hears ‘AUNTY’ a word used for HER by kids or just about anybody maybe even 5-6years younger AND SOMETIMES OLDER. A shock she cannot accept but is forced to soon. I remember this lady who got into a crowded bus sometime in the evening hours. Dressed in a sleeveless blouse she looked easily in her late forties with lots of grey hair. It was evening time & there were a lot of school children in too. An 8 year old wanting to excuse herself said, “SOLPA JAGA BIDU AJJI” & suddenly this lady was furious. She got her energy from nowhere & said; “YAARE AJJI?” The whole bus fell silent.

I KNEW EXACTLY HOW SHE FELT.

I TOLD YOU WE DON’T LIKE BEING CALLED OLD.

The next phase of this young lady is when children get married.

There was this lady who had got both her son & daughter married around the same time. Once her friend visited her & asked her how her daughter was .Her face lit up & she very proudly said. “A successful man is he who can earn more than his wife can spend & a successful woman who can find such a man. My daughter has found such a man. I just can’t speak to her, She’s out in the club on Mondays, Busy in the parlour on Tuesdays, They go out for drives on Wednesdays, Movies on Thursdays and long drives on Fridays; Saturday & Sunday out again. They invariably are never home ALWAYS ENJOYING LIFE.”

“Lovely! How is your daughter in law?” “Oh! Don’t ask she is never at home. I never meet her! Very irresponsible!! Really! She goes to the club on Monday, every Tuesday I don’t know what she does in the parlour Wednesday is their day for drives, I don’t understand where they go every week! Thursday is when they go for movies she can’t waste money like this you see & longer drives on Friday. Saturdays & Sundays they are never at home. I’m actually upset with her. I think people are right when they say:

A daughter is a daughter for life, a son, a son till he gets his wife!

The last and final Phase is the most interesting and challenging. The phase of rediscovery!

Rediscovering the youth in her obviously. Children have gone their way & grandchildren are finding theirs. Suddenly, grey hair disappears. No, No not from the scalp they only change colour! They turn black! A phase when time is available aplenty but physically she can’t cope up with all she wants to do. STILL she tries & determined that she is, manages to do most of what she wants. After all nature has ordained her with a great amount of emotional strength. She achieves all her dreams or at least tries to. Here all she does is only to please HERSELF & for HER satisfaction. For as they rightly say, AGE IS ALL IN THE MIND.

The different stages of a lady’s requirement of her man is beautifully summed in this quote:

At 17- all she wants from a man is that he should be- Tall, Dark & Handsome.

At 25- Tall, Dark, Handsome with Money

At 35- Tall, Dark, Handsome with money & brains. (VERY DIFFICULT!)
At 50- A man with hair

At 70- JUST A MAN.

ABRACADABRA!

2006-02-26T19:19:00.000-08:00

I always was sceptical when it came to watching a magic show! But am just back after seeing magic happen before my very eyes! My job involves story telling to children,and I was invited to a residential school outside Chennai close to Hosur(about 6 hours by road from Chennai towards Bangalore) to do a 4 day worshop for their kids who are in the age group 5- 13.A school which is a 40 minute drive from the Hosur bus stand in a place called Baliganapalli. It is a co-ed and the children who study there are kids from the economically backward class.The screening is very strict & those kids with a basic IQ level are chosen. These kids are those who come from homes that cannot afford even one square meal a day.

An illustrator friend of mine & I reached there on the 19th night least expecting what we were to see the next 4 days. What we did see was sheer MAGIC!!!On 20th we were taken around the school and then started our sessions after we were formally introduced in the assembly to all the kids. They are all children who are well groomed. Literally & figuratively.Smartly dressed they read the news & stunned us with their perfect pronunciation & enunciation of the words. Once we entered the prekg i.e., 5 year olds , we were surprised with their immediate reaction to their teacher which was, "Aunties are tall,Raji mummy you are short!" They listened with rapt attention to the story with puppets & asked grammatically right questions,all from children who could not speak a word of English a few months back. Our next session was with the 7th & 8th graders. We were trying out a story with pictures on such senior students for the first time but the way they reacted was great!

Each session was an eyeopener for us.Each class a challenge to us. The kids are so fortunte to have a well equipped library & they make full use of it. By the time they are in the 5th grade many of them have read "The Lord of the Rings"!! As they go higher they are so aware of so many things happening around them.Generally when we work with children we try to make them think out of the box ,but with these children they naturally think out of the box!!Talking to them is sheer pleasure and the way they think is mind boggling!!

OVERALL AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE WE WILL NEVER FORGET. THE TEACHERS LOVE WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND IT SHOWS IN THE PRODUCTS THEY ARE TURNING OUT.

Started by Dr.Abraham George Shanti Bhavan is an institution which is his dream. His "India Untouched" part of which is how & why he built this is a great book.

Shanti Bhavan is a place true to its name A HAVEN OF PEACE.Led by a dynamic principal, Mrs.Lalitha Law, the whole team is a dedicated lot.
They always welcome volunteers who are there from all over the world and share some of their knowledge with these children. An exposed lot the children are very creative.

If you have time on hand and you want to use it well try volunteering at Shanti Bhavan.Donations are welcome too.
The details are there in their website www.tgfworld.org.
If you have friends who are looking for a teaching job & want to do it for the love of the profession suggest Shanti Bhavan.
They pay their teachers well for,after all they are the ones who are the magicians.

And if you like me believed magic does not actually happen, take a trip to Shanti Bhavan & you can see magic before your very eyes.

I HAVE, DON'T YOU WANT TO?

Similarly Different

2006-02-08T22:05:00.000-08:00

Two movies I saw recently and really enjoyed were:"Thavamai Thavamirundu" (Tamil) and "Rang De Basanti".

Though in two different languages and two varied themes they were both similar but still different.

Both were stories which we have already seen over and over again but... the treatments are what makes them click with the audience.

Both have moments in them which bring a lump to your throat, tears to your eyes which come out so naturally .......maybe it was the acting (natural & a great job by all in the cast ), the screenplay and the direction that worked the magic.

Both the movies make you THINK and THINK HARD at that!Like one reviewer called RDB as a dream & a nightmare.I think it applies to TT too.....!

A dream he justified is what makes you want to go back to sleep & a nightmare helps your sleep vanish!

In a way both the films do exactly that, while TT has a first half so predictable & a "I know what's coming next" feel... RDB has a first half which breezes past so fast that you hardly realise that the film is half way through....

IT's in the second half that things change and the message that the director wants to convey is conveyed so smoothly and subtly that at the end of the film you take home the message and remember it too!

Loving your parents and serving them and loving your country and serving her in the best way you can are the messages the two films convey.

Both themes we have been overloaded with, but.... what what makes these two films stand out is .......... that they both have been shot believably. If at all there is anyone to blame for the current situation it is YOU.
SO LOOK IN is what the films say & they succeed.

Both have touched the right chords and force us to try and look inwards. A journey so essential in today's rat race. We do not take time for this journey inwards.
It definitely is difficult but not impossible if each of us decides to do our bit.

Wat say?

Just their innocent answers!

2006-02-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

Kids have a way of stunning you, not knowing the magic they can work on you!

My nine year old son was arguing with his four year old cousin and suddenly he said,"Don't act smart , i have 2000 braincells in one head & i have 10 heads like that , so don't act smart with me. Do u know how many that is?" The four year old instantly replied," I know 20,000." Overhearing all this I was stunned at this quick caculation.
I prodded my nephew Yash, "Please tell me how did you know that 2,000 in one means 20,000 in ten?" He looked at me and didn't answer initially. Then he gave me this all knowing look & said," That's because Doddamma, i have 65,000 cells in my one brain itself."

Different types of Friendship

2006-01-24T06:13:00.000-08:00

Back after a holiday, it feels real good.

Here is something I found and I wanted to share it with you!

Are you a Reason, a season or a lifetime?

Pay attention to what you read.

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a life time.When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a Reason. . .
It is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Some times they die,
Sometimes they walk away,
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. Then prayer you sent up has been answered. And now it is time to move on.

When people come into your life for a Season. . .
Because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it! It is real ! but, only for season.

Lifetime relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things must build upon order to have solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use on all other relationships and areas of your life.

Is this making your friendships easier to understand or making it more complicated? Do let me know!

Two great movies that made my weekend

2006-01-10T02:37:00.000-08:00

Deewar

Saw Deewar after a long time. Along with the famous dialogues which have made it a classic, Amitabh is superb.Even when you know what dialogues are next, this is one movie which is not boring. Three decades from its release it is still an enjoyable film. What made Amitabh tick I felt was the look in his eyes! Sad ,Brooding & very rarely (in fact did he?) Smiling. He had an ability to cover his lack of conventional good looks by the expressions. God! what screen presence.
No Overacting he sure has a lot the current crop can pick up from.It is a movie relevant even today as the power of money finally is overshadowed by right values.
The classic " Mere paas maa hai!" is wonderfully picturised & the prelude to this dialogue is superb!

If you haven't watched this film, you have missed a classic. Watch it!

Kanda Naal mudal

A clean family entertainer which was beautifully shot. The story is not anything new but the treatment is what is worth appreciating.Prasanna is an actor with a long innings and is here to stay. What I liked about the film are:

The climax where Prasanna declares his love for Laila & the way the whole scene is conceived.

Laila's clothes which are so wearable & so everyday which give it a great appeal.

Karthik was good for his short role.

The acceptance of the mother that her daughter eloped and got married because she was pregnant.

The younger sister given a nice baby shower inspite of the elder one not married.

Normal everyday language.

Factors which are not normally shown in movies but were well brought out in this film.

Overall true to its tagline , it sure is like a good cup of coffee in the morning!
You can relish every frame!!!

Grooming problems!?

2006-01-05T05:13:00.000-08:00

Life has always its measure of surprises. The 'grooming' in the title is about how we groom our kids.

An usual night to me means ,a story for my 6 & 9 year old sons & then with lights off we discuss what was interesting that day. These are moments I enjoy the most.Innocent questions & imaginative answers, it's the best part of a parent child relationship. But the other night, my 9 year old stumped me & made me think twice on how I'm grooming him!

As usual the conversation was about his school & suddenly he asked me, "Amma what if I become will you be proud of me?" Wanting to be an open minded parent I replied,"Anything that you want to do or like to do I would be happy!"
He insisted" No, tell me ,like what?"

A little thought & I said, "Maybe a newsreporter, a newsreader, a cameraman, a journalist, a photographer, an actor,a RJ,DJ,VJ etc..."I thought i had given him enough choices. But then he wanted more. I said ," Ok then a doctor, an engineer, a lawyer,a teacher, a banker & listed out the conventional professions.

At that point, he told me," No amma, I know what I want to become." "Ok what?" i asked. " My GK teacher told me today that our president Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam was not a politician before he became the president of India, but a scientist. I want to be a scientist & become the President of India." His reply shocked me.

Not for anything else but then, as a parent I had not even given him politics as a career option.I do complain like the rest of us that our leaders are not good . But then how many of us actually groom our kids to be leaders of our country. We do not even consider politics as a serious career option.

Does the fault lay with us then?

HOPE 2006

2005-12-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

Life is definitely taking new turns with each year being so interesting . 2005 was special for me because it I'm back to Chennai after 12 years & am currently enjoying myself here. Got into the blogging world ,thanks to Uma! God,Thank you for giving me Uma! Met so many of you, each one so unique & special!

Life never goes the way we plan but takes its own course. Its so full of ironies that it sometimes surprises you! Like the biggest irony so far for me is that,this morning I was glad to see the SUN IN CHENNAI!Two months of continuous rains made sure nature surprised us. The government announced 24 hour water supply & 2 years supply of drinking water was let into the sea to avoid further havoc caused by the floods! You never realise the value of anything till you actually see slipping out of your fingers and you have no control over it!

Got lots of good friends thanks to my new job & am doing what I love to! Got good breaks in Voice overs too, thanks to you Uma & your contacts!

But the biggest disappointment is the loss of my favourite aunt to cancer. An epitome of patience she was there whenever I needed her. My only consolation is that I spoke to her & was next to her when she left me. I had already shifted to Chennai & she was in Bangalore, she held on till I went to Bangalore. She died a few hours after i met her and spoke to her.I had a great year with her from May last year till this May when i moved to Chennai. God bless her soul.

You never know what life has planned, so... my resolutions for 2006:

Get up every morning & thank God I'm alive & those around me are alive too!
Will go for morning walks for all the weight i've put on in the last one month!
Will take each day one day at a time!
Will play more often with my kids?!
Will definitely write one post a week!
Will be more regular in the blogging world!
Will spend only 20 minutes on the net!
AND....

.....

....

WILL MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT RESOLUTIONS ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN!!!!

TAKE CARE FRIENDS ! WISHING EACH ONE OF YOU A GREAT CHRISTMAS & ONLY THE VERY BEST IN 2006!!!!

FREAK OUT!

The "Real" Sarkar

2005-12-19T05:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday i saw the film "Sarkar" with AB in the lead.It was the first time both ABs were together as father & son. Amitabh was good while Abhishek was "Brilliant".

While many felt it had shades of the Thackerey family, Ram Gopal Varma was careful to see the similarities were not too evident.In fact he even writes that "The Godfather" is his inspiration.

Abhishek is sure to go places. Right from "Refugee" there was something in his eyes that made him look different. It took him long to prove himself since he had an Icon of a father to emulate. Expectations were high.Individually he was good but the comparisons were weighing him down! He had BIG (pun intended) shoes to fit into.

Slowly but surely he is making his presence felt proving that he is AB's baby afterall.

What i liked most in 'Sarkar' was the last scene.

A stylish ending which definitely showed us who the "real" Sarkar will be!

Silent World

2005-12-13T01:16:00.000-08:00

I saw the most brilliant sight yesterday while travelling back from work. A group of girls in their early teens animatedly conversing with each other oblivious to the fact that the whole bus was staring at them.

As I moved to the entrance i noticed the girls saying bye to each other & expressing so much more with their eyes than we could with a thousand words.A question cropped up i my mind ,who is challenged?

I am supposedly a "normal" human being who can hear & speak & in comparison they couldn't. They were a group of deaf and dumb students who showed me that their world too is full of laughter and communication, like ours. Only that we don't understand their world. While they communicate with their silence we are creating a silent world with no communication! We are busy with our routine tasks!

The only question that cropped up was who said their world was quiet?Think again before you feel sorry for them! A little more thought and maybe we'll be feeling sorry for our own selves.Isn't our world quieter?

An honest actor!

2005-12-09T22:35:00.000-08:00

Last night i watched a programme on NDTV called "India questions Aamir".
A major fan of his i eagerly awaited this programme. The one hour programme was really good!

I was somebody who admired Aamir from his QSQT days and remained one of his most loyal fans as he seemed to do no mistake. Any role he took up he made sure that he gave it his best!

Post Lagaan though, I was disappointed with the way his personal life changed. For someone who never had press on his side his life took major turns. I'm still a tad disappointed that he has left his wife who was the only one willing to elope & get married to him when he wanted to! But then its his life!

Yesterday however, when he spoke he was so honest about every issue put forth to him.I realised he hasn't changed from the Aamir I adored! Essentially he is still the same. Honest & frank.

When he believes in something he makes sure it is from the bottom of his heart.

"Rang de Basanthi" is definitely a film he spoke about as a movie meant for the youth.He sure plans his interviews and media presence in time for his next release.

"Dil Chahata Hai" & "Sarfarosh" are my all time favourite Aamir films. The other day I saw DCH for the .......( I've actually lost count of the number of times I've seen it!) I realised what a brilliant film it is. Every dialogue is perfect & so are the situations. He sure picks his scripts after reading them fully. His choices haven't let him down in the recent past even though he does only a film per year.

What is written about him sans his interview may be fictitious. What is made out of his interviews are individual opinions. Immaterial of all one thing is sure he is definitely honest & believes journalism needs to maintain a particular standard.

Giving journalists the benefit of doubt, I realise one thing for sure:

AAMIR KHAN IS AN HONEST ACTOR ONSREEN OR OFFSCREEN.

NEW JOY

2005-12-05T04:23:00.000-08:00

Christmas has always meant celebration and the coming of the New Year. Everywhere there is cheer & happiness. A spirit of ecstasy permeates the atmosphere. Every direction has joy unlimited. It is so, world over. Mamtha however never waited for Christmas. It brought back memories of those awful moments. Was Manya a mistake?

Life was not always like this. Tarun was someone little Tanya adored & Mamtha was her world. They made a picture perfect family- Father, daughter and mother. Toys were not very important to Mamtha's little darling, Papa meant everything to her & she thought HE WAS THE BEST. Mama was beautiful and many said that Tanya looked just like Mamtha. Tanya loved to listen to that. Mamtha was a beauty and Tanya was proud of her. Twelve years had passed and Tanya loved all the attention she got. She was growing to be a beautiful girl.

Suddenly everything changed. Mamtha had conceived. "How embarrassing!" said Tanya to her mother. “How can I face my friends? How could you not think of me? My friends are going to laugh at me!" she said and wailed. “Please do not come to school henceforth with your big stomach I would feel embarrassed to walk with you." said Tanya. Mamtha was shocked. This was not what she had expected.

Tanya once declared that she no longer wanted to stay with them & wanted to go to a boarding school. To please her, Tarun and Mamtha agreed to send her. She was soon preparing to leave. She was thrilled that she would be away from all, especially the embarrassment of having to see her pregnant mother. O how she hated her parents! Mamtha's heart broke at the thought of Tanya being away from them.

Tanya wrote the entrance test and did well. She was admitted to the school. She was thrilled especially since she would be away for most of the year. So she wouldn't have to see the little embarrassment. Mamtha overheard Tanya telling this to her friend and was shocked. She was not sure if they were doing the right thing by sending Tanya to a boarding school. But then, that's what Tanya had wanted and they were ready to do anything to please her. She was still someone they were proud of and wanted to please.

December 25th was when Tanya wrote her test and 15 days later she got the result. New Year till then was very special for the family as it coincided with Tarun and Mamtha’s wedding Anniversary too. But this year there was total silence. Was Mamtha wrong? This baby was not planned but then…

It was almost three Christmas's later that Tanya was at home. The reason: An accident in school. Manya was 2 years and Tanya had not even looked at her. She always kept her room door locked.

Manya however adored Didi. She loved Tanya because Tanya was so much like Mama.
As Tanya never fondled her, she never went near her. Her stay at home was brief and so Manya never really got to know her. This year was different.

Christmas passed and it was to be New Year soon. Life was no different. When Tanya needed help Mama was there, but dialogues were monosyllabic. Mamtha did not know how to talk to her. One day when Mamtha was busy cooking Manya had walked into the room, as the door was slightly open. Tanya was fast asleep. Manya climbed onto the bed. As Manya neared Tanya, Mamtha entered. Before she could react Manya kissed the sleeping Tanya and lay down next to her. Mamtha dreaded what is to follow.

However what followed shocked Mamtha. Tanya hugged Manya and started weeping. Seeing Mamtha shocked she cried loudly and said she was sorry. "I'm sorry Mama. I'm really sorry. I was so selfish and you still loved me for it. Thank you." This is all she muttered between her sobs. Hugging Manya she felt good & realized what she had missed. Manya did not realize what magic she had done, but felt good Didi was actually hugging her.

New Year was never like it was. The family photo this year had Tanya holding Manya and it was a celebration they all longed for in ages. A New Joy was what they found this New Year.

UNEXPECTED JOY BUT MOST WELCOME!

THE FAMILY HAD BECOME PICTURE PERFECT AGAIN!

BLAME GAME

2005-11-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

Sandhya was thrilled. Finally she had met the man of her dreams! Ramesh was the knight she was waiting for. His talk was so mature. He seemed very sensitive & understanding. His SMILE- charming. She was on cloud nine. Life was giving her a second chance & how!

Ramesh too was happy. Sandhya was very simple. A gold medallist and she had no airs about herself! His requirement was a companion & she agreed. Life couldn't have been kinder he thought.

Ramesh and Sandhya were to get married soon. Sandhya's parents were thrilled because it was over 4 years that Sandhya was out of a torture called marriage & they had given up hopes of getting her married again. Ramesh was God sent is all they kept saying. Ramesh had even told them the wedding needs to be very simple & in a temple.

The day of the marriage arrived. Sandhya blushed & was glowing like a typical bride, while Ramesh was all smiles & happy. In fact he gifted the bride a diamond set & it made Sandhya dazzle. Everyone was happy.

After marriage Sandhya went to Delhi where Ramesh had set up his home. There was a cook who got everything ready for them & all Sandhya did was RELAX & visit relatives.

A few months later, Sandhya visited the house of a friend of Ramesh. It was a dinner hosted by the friend for the newly weds. Sandhya looked beautiful. She met up the daughter of the host- Valli & the two got along very well. Valli and Sandhya were of the same age. After talking to Sandhya there was only one thing, which puzzled Valli. She was curious to know how and why Sandhya had agreed to marry Ramesh. Ramesh and Sandhya had an age gap of over 19 years. Wasn't that too much? For someone educated and mature like Sandhya wasn't this a folly? That too when it was a second marriage for both! Valli however did not venture to ask the question.

Through the course of the conversation though Valli got the reply to her question when Sandhya remarked, "You know life is a lot different when the age gap between the husband and wife is more than 19years. Valli did not want to be judgmental, as she did not understand the undertone of the statement. The dinner however was the bonding point between Sandhya & Valli. They continued to keep in touch.

Soon Ramesh was also subject of discussion. Sandhya once burst into tears saying that she regretted her decision to marry Ramesh. He is so different from the Ramesh who met her at least four times before marriage. She said her mother thought so too. Ramesh was a disciplined man and had a routine of going for golf. Sandhya was always a late riser.

He wanted her to change. When Sandhya wanted to hold his hand in public he thought that it was being childish.

When Sandhya was visiting her relatives he sent her the car & the driver, promising to pick her up in the evening but always the driver was sent. Ramesh would be at home when Sandhya reached. He could have gone but just didn't want to. He somehow did not want to bond with her people. This seemed odd to Sandhya. She tried to tell him many a time but he never listened.

The cook had been sent off & Sandhya had started cooking. On days like this however Sandhya would be too upset to cook. This irritated Ramesh. They argued many a time about small things. When Sandhya visited her native place, Ramesh felt her visits were getting too frequent. The last straw however was a family get together in Sandhya's ancestral home. Sandhya was excited. It was a special occasion too for an old temple of their family deity was being renovated & the whole family close & distant had all decided to meet. Sandhya was all set when Ramesh said he wouldn't go along. Sandhya spoke to Valli for the last time that day as Valli was going back to Mumbai. Valli had called up to say bye to Sandhya & casually while talking Sandhya said that she would be going to her native place. Valli asked her when she would return, when Sandhya said, "I'm coming back only if Ramesh comes to pick me up." A few months later, Valli heard that Sandhya & Ramesh had filed for a divorce!

It was hardly three months since their marriage. Who is to blame? Mature individuals they knew what they were getting into. Was this wedding necessary at all? Ironically though, Sandhya was a gold medallist in psychology! Life after marriage calls for a lot of understanding. Age is not the only factor that determines the success of a marriage. Adjustments, understanding, mutual trust, respect and little compromises go a long way in helping to keep a marriage intact. The effort however should be on both sides. Otherwise it only ends up as a blame game with no one ready to own responsibility.

IS IT WORTH THE MENTAL TRAUMA? DEFINITELY NO!

Each one of us has a Unique Flaw

2005-11-27T02:44:00.000-08:00

A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the House, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of it's own imperfection. And miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw. So I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table.Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house?

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.

Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life. Each one of them can leave an impact if we are able to see their uniqueness

Each one of us has a unique flaw.

GUESS!!

2005-11-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

A little old couple walked slowly into a McDonalds one cold winter evening. They looked out of place amid the young families and young couples eating there that night. Some of the customers looked admiringly at them.

You could tell what the admirers were thinking."Look, there is a couple who has been through a lot together, probably for 60 years or more!"

The little old man walked up to the cash register,placed his order with no hesitation and then paid for their meal. The couple took a table near the back wall and started taking food off of the tray. There was one hamburger, one order of
French fries and one drink.

The little old man unwrapped the plain hamburger and carefully cut it in half. He placed one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully counted out the French fries, divided them in two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife.
He took a sip of the drink, and then his wife took a sip as the man began to eat his few bites. Again, you could tell what people around the old couple were thinking. "That poor old couple."

As the old man began eating his French fires, a young man stood up and walked to the old couples' table. He politely offeredto buy another meal. The old man replied that they were just fine. They were used to sharing everything.Then the crowd noticed that the little old lady still hadn't eaten a thing She just sat there watching her husband eat and occasionally sipped some of the drink.

Again, the young man came over and begged them to let him buy them another meal. This time, the lady explained that no, they were used to sharing.

As the little old man finished eating and was wiping his face neatly with a napkin, the young man could stand it no longer and asked again.After being politely refused again, he finally asked the little old lady, "Ma'am, why aren't you eating. You said that you share everything.What is it that you are waiting for?"

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT SHE WAS WAITING FOR?

TOO LATE!!??

2005-11-23T23:22:00.000-08:00

A woman awakes during the night to find that her husband was not in bed.

She puts on her robe and goes downstairs to look for him. She finds him sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in front of him. He appears to be in deep thought, just staring at the wall. She watches as he wipes a tear from his eye and takes a sip of his coffee.

"What's the matter, dear?" she whispers as she steps into the room. "Why are you down here at this time of night?"

The husband looks up from his coffee, "Do you remember 20 years ago when we were dating, and you were only 18?" he asks solemnly.

"Yes I do" she replies The husband pauses; the words were not coming easily.

"Do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of my car"

"Yes, I remember" said the wife, lowering herself into a chair beside him.

The husband continued.. "Do you remember ! when he shoved the shotgun in my face and said, 'Either you marry my daughter, or I'll send you to jail for 20 years?"

"I remember that too" she replied softly

He wiped another tear from his cheek and said, "I would have been released today".

TRUE LOVE??

2005-11-22T06:38:00.000-08:00

Jeff Green is a 32 year old American, in Arizona, whose wife passed
away.Due to the grief he suffered at her death, he did something totally out
of character for a normal and sane person.

He said, "I could no longer take the pain that my wife's death caused me
and so I brought her back home." His wife, Lucy, was born with a heart condition that cut her life short at the young age of 29. Lucy's last words to Jeff were, "We will meet again in heaven.", but these words were of no consolation in Jeff's despair.

At the funeral, in an act of desperation, Jeff decided that he would not
let Lucy leave him."I called the cemetery caretaker and explained my feelings." he said later,"I spoke with the authorities and got special permission to take my wife
home with me. They thought it strange, but I was allowed to take her
with me. I'd rather have her at home than six feet under ground. Lucy had a
great sense of humour and I'm sure she would appreciate being my coffee
table."

Jeff ordered a special hermetically sealed glass case that eliminates
the decomposition of a dead body. "It cost me about $6,000.00, but it was
worth it."

Some of his friends and relatives, filled with fear, stopped visiting
him, but his true friends respected his decision and continue coming over.

"Some even comment that it makes a nice piece of furniture."

An after thought, in the process of wanting to show his love for her , has he reduced her to merely a piece of furniture?"

GUESS!

2005-11-22T06:29:00.000-08:00

Any guesses who these kids are today?

LIFE'S BEST MOMENTS

2005-11-18T22:37:00.000-08:00

To fall in love.

To laugh until it hurts your stomach.

To go to bed and to listen while it rains outside.

To clear your last exam.

To receive a call from someone, you don't see a lot, but you want to.

A good conversation with a sweet person.

To laugh at yourself looking at mirror, making faces.:)))

Calls at midnight that last for hours.:))

To laugh without a reason.

To accidentally hear somebody say something good about you.

To wake up and realize it is still possible to sleep for a couple of hours.

To hear a song that makes you remember a special! person.

The first kiss.

To watch the sunset from the hill top.

To pass time with your best friends.

To see people that you like, feeling happy.

To use a sweater of the person that you like and find that it still smells of their perfume.

To have somebody tell you that he/she loves you.

To laugh .......laugh........and laugh ...... remembering stupid things done with stupid friends.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON

2005-11-18T20:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there...to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be but you lock eyes with them, you know that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would never realize your potential, strength, will power or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Illness, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test limits of your soul.

Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet affect your life. The successes and downfalls that you experience can create whom you are, and the bad experiences can be learned from.

In fact they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurts you, betrays you or breaks your heart, forgive them because they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but also because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to little things.

Make every day count. Appreciate everything that you possibly can, for you may never experience it again.

Talk to people whom you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free and set your sights high. Hold you head up because you have every right to.

Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create you own life and then go out and live it.

Smile is the best ornament a face can wear!
Love is the best feeling a person can have!

Paisa Vasool

2005-11-17T19:07:00.000-08:00

Wholesome entertainment is what we can call the latest flick from "Ilaya Dhalapati" Vijay.A neat package of comedy, sentiment & action all that goes to make a superhit.

Well narrated, there are no hiccups.The entry of Vijay is - he welds his way out in style. :)

Asin, as usual, is her charming best. Surely a Simran in the making.

Only thing we have a typical James bond film where the hero hits up a great number of goons but doesn't get a scratch on him. A typical "willing suspension of disbelief" is what is required when you go to watch "Sivakasi". Dappanguttu, typical hero advise to heroine on how girls should dress,item number with Nayantara, all you want when you go for entertainment. Its Vijay, Vijay, Vijay all through the film though. At least once in a while it makes it good to believe that life is a good mixture of Laughter, sorrow, fun & politics( pun intended!). Overall a total Paisa Vasool.

LAST WISH

2005-11-14T23:26:00.000-08:00

Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead tell your storm how big your GOD is!
In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6-year-old son, who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible.. The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dreams to come true. She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?" Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true."

Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six-year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine. Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an
honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat-not a toy one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."

Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his dream come true, with all the
love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.

One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he made his transition.

The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA
system that there is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?

About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window 16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him.

With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?"
"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said.

With those words, Billy smiled and said, "I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been singing.."

He closed his eyes one last time.

2005-10-27T01:09:00.000-07:00

A few movies I liked. Here's that spl. reason I liked it!
Anniyan

Apart from amazing camera work and punchy dialogues, Vikram was SUPERB.Shanker makes great movies but one review was critical of a scene where Anniyan kills the owner of a Qualis just because he stopped instead of running over Ambi.
When i asked my 9 year old about this scene, very matter of factly he replied " he was chosen to be killed, because he promised to take the man to the hospital & didn't keep up that promise!!!" So much for Shanker's logic!!!!!!A thorough entertainer nevertheless!

Ponniyin Selvan

A simple story where the maximum money has been spent by the producer on the make up of his son!
Natural acting with spl ref to Gopika makes this a clean family entertainer.The story is of a young guy who suffers from a complex 'coz a part of his face is burned & everyone makes fun. The crux of the film is in the dialogue "Naama Complex kulla kudi irukkalaam, aana complex namakulla kudi irukka koodathu".( WE CAN LIVE IN A COMPLEX BUT MAKE SURE WE DO NOT ALLOW A COMPLEX INSIDE US.)

Ghajini

A neat film with sleak editing makes this a a watchable fare. Asin is Amazing!!
With 2 diwali release having her, she is the only heroine to have acted with all the current heartthrobs, Vijay, Vikram, Surya & Ajith!She infact lights up the screen with her presence!the love track is interesting & enjoyable! Surya has done full justice to his role.Harris Jayaraj's "Suttum Vizi" & "Oru Maalai" are awsome numbers- Perfect for a romantic mood!

Madagascar

A cute film which tickles the funny bone of the little child in each one of us.A thorough entertainer which made me feel like a kid all over again.What lovely years of life childhood is- Carefree & Innocent. If only there was a way by which we could pause those years. I loved "i like to move it,move it."

Salaam Namaste

An entertaining first half and then it takes the expected turn. Preity dancing with that big stomach actually makes you cringe at times! Both Saif & Preity have done full justice but its Javed Jaffery in his cameo who steals the show.Overall a TimePass but made me think twice if i was wise taking my 6 & 9 year olds.The question they asked me at the end was" How did Preity have a baby ? She wasn't married to Saif no? Innocent questions & I had no answer.Wat say?

Genius-no doubt? or was it LOGIC?

2005-10-27T00:51:00.000-07:00

A professor of a university challenged his students with this question.
"Did God create everything that exists?" A student answered bravely, "Yes,
he did".
The professor then asked, "If God created everything, then he created evil.
Since evil exists (as noticed by our own actions), so God is evil. The
student couldn't respond to that statement causing the professor to conclude
that he had "proved" that "belief in God" was a fairy tale, and therefore
worthless.
Another student raised his hand and asked the professor, "May I pose a
question?” "Of course" answered the professor.
The young student stood up and asked: "Professor, does cold exists?"
The professor answered, "What kind of question is that? Of course the cold
exists... haven't you ever been cold?"
The young student answered, "In fact sir, Cold does not exist. According to
the laws of Physics, what we consider cold, in fact is the absence of heat.
Anything is able to be studied as long as it transmits energy (heat).
Absolute Zero is the total absence of heat, but cold does not exist. What we
have done is create a term to describe how we feel if we don't have body
heat or we are not hot."
"And, does Dark exist?” he continued. The professor answered "Of course".
This time the student responded, "Again you're wrong, Sir. Darkness does not
exist either. Darkness is in fact simply the absence of light. Light can be
studied, darkness cannot. Darkness cannot be broken down. A simple ray of
light tears the darkness and illuminates the surface where the light beam
finishes. Dark is a term that we humans have created to describe what
happens when there's lack of light."
Finally, the student asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?" The
professor replied, "Of course it exists, as I mentioned at the beginning, we
see violations, crimes and violence anywhere in the world, and those things
are evil."
The student responded, "Sir, Evil does not exist. Just as in the previous
cases, Evil is a term which man has created to describe the result of the
absence of God's presence in the hearts of man.
After this, the professor bowed down his head, and didn't answer back.
The young man's name was ALBERT EINSTEIN

LIFE

2005-10-27T00:34:00.000-07:00

LIFE ALWAYS GIVES US CHOICES! WE CHOOSE WHAT WE WANT.HERE ARE TWO OF THE MOST AMAZING STORIES I READ:A)
An old man lived alone in Minnesota. He wanted to spade his potato garden,
but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation:

Dear Son,
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison..............................
Love, Dad

Shortly, the old man received this telegram: "For Heaven's sake, Dad, don't dig up the garden!! That's where I buried the GUNS!!" At 4 a.m. the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and local police officers showed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.
Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what
happened, and asked him what to do next.

His son's reply was:
"Go ahead and plant your potatoes,Dad.......................... It's the best I could do for you from here."

Moral:
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING
DEEP FROM YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DO IT.

B)
Once upon a time there was a race of frogs
The goal was to reach the top of a high tower. Many people gathered to see and support them.
The race began
In reality, the people didn't believe that it was possible that the frogs would reach the top of the tower, and all the phrases that one could hear were of this kind:
"What pain! They'll never make it!"
The frogs began to doubt themselves.
The people continued: "... What pain!!! They'll never make it! ..."
And the frogs, one by one, admitted defeat, except for one frog that continued to climb.
At the end he, alone, and with and enormous effort, reached the top of the tower.
One of the quitters approached him to ask him how he had done it, to finish the race. And discovered that he....was deaf!
...Never listen to people who have the bad habit of being negative... because they steal the best aspirations of your heart!
Always remind yourself of the power of the words that we hear or read - always think POSITIVE!
Conclusion: Always be deaf to someone who tells you that you can't and won't achieve your goals AND MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.

Seven Stages of a Woman

2005-08-12T01:31:00.000-07:00

A man came up to a lady in a shopping mall with a real worried expression.

“Can we speak for a few moments please?” he asked. “Why?” She asked surprised. “My wife is missing and I know she ‘ll appear from nowhere the moment she sees me talking to a beautiful woman!”

Shakespeare has spoken about the 7 stages of man. Little did he know that centuries down the line there would be a day called Women’s day! So why not explore our seven stages? Put on your thinking caps, caps of imagination, creativity and humor, sit back and relax. I know, we women have a very good sense of humor and can laugh at ourselves. So no offence meant, keep your mind open & I assure you you’re going to have a whale of a time!

The seven stages are: Infant, Child, Adolescence, Young lady, Young lady, Young lady And Young Lady.

Now let us explore each stage!!!

The first stage is that of an Infant. The baby girl, the apple of everyone at home esp. the father. With dresses galore in the marketplace she gets to enjoy everyone of them. Backless, sleeveless, off shoulder, smocking, frilly ones, long or short, SIZE DOES NOT MATTER. The best phase for both the child & parents.

Next is that of a Child. Carefree, Confident and shy, sweet, lovely to talk to, she slowly starts to try & understand the world around her. Parents try speaking in code in front of her & she is smart to understand. Like this kid. Her parents were busy discussing the previous night’s dinner. Mama said, “I’m actually impressed with the Mehtas what an educated couple? The wife has a MA from BU while the husband a PhD from MIT.” Angrily their 5 yr old drops her fork. “What’s wrong dear?” asks Mama. With a frown the child replies, “You’re always spelling and I never know what you’re talking!!!!!!!!!!” A cute innocent phase when every area is questioned & answers have to be given.

Third the phase of adolescence. Growing up blooming beautifully becoming aware of herself. Friends play a very important role. This continues till she is through school & college. Life gives her opportunities to understand why she is different & what makes her beautiful. As they say, small children spoil a day’s sleep; big children spoil life’s sleep. This is that phase for parents. Here, SIZE DOES MATTER. Size of the dress is what I mean.

Next is the young lady, someone for whom everything in life is seen thru a shade of romance, Life is lovely & so are her dreams. Nothing can stop her from achieving them; here comes the awareness of the TALL, DARK & HANDSOME Prince waiting to carry her off in his horse to distant lands where she will have only happiness. She dreams of sinking into his arms & living happily ever after.

The next phase is when this young lady decides SHE WILL GROW ONLY YOUNGER HENCEFORTH.

She decides that her prince should not only be Tall, Dark & Handsome but also have MONEY. She finds one such but …BUT instead of sinking into his arms after marriage she ends up with HER ARMS IN THE SINK.

REALITY DAWNS.
Then comes the phase with children. Her first shock in life comes when she hears ‘AUNTY’ a word used for HER by kids or just about anybody maybe even 5-6years younger AND SOMETIMES OLDER. A shock she cannot accept but is forced to soon. I remember this lady who got into a crowded bus sometime in the evening hours. Dressed in a sleeveless blouse she looked easily in her late forties with lots of grey hair. It was evening time & there were a lot of school children in too. An 8 year old wanting to excuse herself said, “SOLPA JAGA BIDU AJJI” & suddenly this lady was furious. She got her energy from nowhere & said; “YAARE AJJI?” The whole bus fell silent.

I KNEW EXACTLY HOW SHE FELT.

I TOLD YOU WE DON’T LIKE BEING CALLED OLD.

The next phase of this young lady is when children get married.

There was this lady who had got both her son & daughter married around the same time. Once her friend visited her & asked her how her daughter was .Her face lit up & she very proudly said. “A successful man is he who can earn more than his wife can spend & a successful woman who can find such a man. My daughter has found such a man. I just can’t speak to her, She’s out in the club on Mondays, Busy in the parlour on Tuesdays, They go out for drives on Wednesdays, Movies on Thursdays and long drives on Fridays; Saturday & Sunday out again. They invariably are never home ALWAYS ENJOYING LIFE.”

“Lovely! How is your daughter in law?” “Oh! Don’t ask she is never at home. I never meet her! Very irresponsible!! Really! She goes to the club on Monday, every Tuesday I don’t know what she does in the parlour Wednesday is their day for drives, I don’t understand where they go every week! Thursday is when they go for movies she can’t waste money like this you see & longer drives on Friday. Saturdays & Sundays they are never at home. I’m actually upset with her. I think people are right when they say:

A daughter is a daughter for life, a son, a son till he gets his wife!

The last and final Phase is the most interesting and challenging. The phase of rediscovery!

Rediscovering the youth in her obviously. Children have gone their way & grandchildren are finding theirs. Suddenly, grey hair disappears. No, No not from the scalp they only change colour! They turn black! Smiles look better than they were all along (let me share the secret, Artificial dentures makes all the difference!) A phase when time is available aplenty but physically she can’t cope up with all she wants to do. STILL she tries & determined that she is, manages to do most of what she wants. After all nature has ordained her with a great amount of emotional strength. She achieves all her dreams or at least tries to. Here all she does is only to please HERSELF & for HER satisfaction. For as they rightly say, AGE IS ALL IN THE MIND.

The different stages of a lady’s requirement of her man is beautifully summed in this quote:

At 17- all she wants from a man is that he should be- Tall, Dark & Handsome.

At 25- Tall, Dark, Handsome with Money

At 35- Tall, Dark, Handsome with money & brains. (VERY DIFFICULT!)
At 50- A man with hair

At 70- JUST A MAN.

Can You Believe It?

2005-08-12T01:08:00.000-07:00

Geetha was crying, totally upset! I stopped to ask her what had happened!"Do fairy godmothers exist?" she asked. "But why?" I asked surprised! "Chetana just told me that I was a fool to believe that Fairy Godmothers exist!" she burst out. I always believed we have our Fairy Godmothers. Today research says don't bring up children in the fairy tale concept because, life is never a fairytale. Reality is too harsh for them later in life! As a little girl, I always loved to believe my fairy Godmother was there for me, the thought itself reassured me many a time! But, eight-year-old Geetha's question put me in a fix! What do I tell her? I diverted her mind talking about her dolls & her friends & took her inside the house. Her question however definitely was nagging me!!!

A call from my friend Uma and I forgot about my fairy Godmother. We were talking after so long and she had so much to tell me. She casually mentioned Asma our friend now settled in the U.S. I remember I had met Asma years ago.

A confident girl, I liked her instantly. Uma later had told me her story. A refugee from Pakistan, she had come with her father, sister and brother years ago to Delhi. She was the eldest and automatically took the place of her mother who they had lost by then. Her responsibility was doubly increased as her father was mentally disturbed and it started affecting his medical practice. Relatives stepped in. The anchor however continued to be Asma! Soon she had to take care of her dad too. Her brother and sister were sent to study. Asma started trying to read whatever she could lay her hands on with the help of her siblings.

Years flew past. Privately she wrote her 10th and 12th exams and scored well too! Soon she had the confidence to enter college. Her life was a little secret she kept within herself! Managing her home, monitoring her sister and brother became her prime concern and added to that was her dad who needed total care. She did it all with a smile. Soon marriage proposals came in. She got her sister married to an eligible bachelor from a good family.

Her responsibility reduced, she wanted to study further. She applied for a course in law. Her marks got her an admission. Her brother by now got a good job with an MNC and monetary problems reduced tremendously. Soon she wanted to see her brother married. He insisted that she be married first.

Most of the proposals fizzled when she insisted that her father should stay with her, as he needed constant care. One of the boys was ready, and things looked bright but his family stood against his decision at the last moment and it did not fall through. Her world came crashing down, as she really had liked the boy. Bitter about marriage, she was sure now she would not want to marry. She insisted her brother marry Sarah, the girl he loved. The marriage took place and Asma was glad that in Sarah she got a good friend. Soon her brother got a good offer in the U.S. and she insisted he take it.

He heeded her advice and left. Attending to her father, her life continued. She decided to take competitive exams. That's where she met Uma and they got along very well. Soon they became fast friends and she shared her life's secrets. They came home together once & her confidence was what struck me. Neither the loner that she was nor her tragedy had any reflection in her attitude. Soon her father expired and her brother insisted she move to the U.S. She went there for a holiday.

Soon the WTC tragedy struck & to stay longer she had to write exams, which she did. She took up a job and her visa status changed. She now worked with a company where she had to sell through the net. One of customers soon wrote her about some problem she had and Asma promptly wrote back about solving it. The lady happened to be an Indian and they corresponded regularly. They decided to meet.

The meeting was a formality for they had already known each other, but what surprised them was that they were Muslims from the same sect. This lady had a brother who was a doctor. Asma fit the bill for the girl they were looking for. Asma's brother and sister were excited for their sister. She however decided to take it with a pinch of salt. Once they met however, she liked him. She could not believe what was happening. Finally she met her prince charming. They were married and she lived happily ever after.

A sentence with which most fairy tales end. Life definitely can be one too. The hardships Asma went through were destiny. Her fairy godmother definitely was overseeing her. When Uma finished her story I smiled.
I knew what to tell little Geetha.
Fairy Godmothers do exist. They however come in human form today!
Can you believe it?

Talk To me

2005-08-12T00:48:00.000-07:00

Every night after the kitchen work is over, standing in the balcony & enjoying the breeze is what I love doing. The kids tucked in bed and fast asleep what I enjoy most is my watchman and his wife conversing. They do this every night and I realize that maybe that is what has helped bond them better even after 32 years of marriage.

Asha had everything a girl could dream of. Just when she finished college she got married to Rajesh a tall, handsome & upcoming businessman. Nothing could go wrong for it was exactly what Asha wanted. To be a homemaker and have a good bank balance. Life was perfect.

Anshul was born a year later & then followed Shruthi. Rajesh's business too was growing. Asha was not complaining. Her hands were full with the kids. Soon it was school time. Getting up, getting the kids ready, then dropping them off at school. The maid would help around till Asha finished her cooking. Then Asha was free to rest for sometime before the kids would come back. Her world revolved around the kids & what they did.

What Asha never realized however was that she was having no time for Rajesh. Their lives were growing mechanical. There was absolutely no communication between the two other than the routine stuff. It was a long time since they had made love to each other. They were so busy that they never realized that this day would even come!

Rajesh had filed for a divorce! Asha was upset! She cried to me over the telephone & wanted to come over to ask me what she should do. I listened to her story. One thing was clear they had completely lost touch with each other! Rajesh was busy in building his business & Asha was lost with her kids. Rajesh would return home late & then would want to tell Asha what happened but she would be dozing off on the table all tired with the day's work and had to get up early in the morning to get the kids ready.

By the time she would drop the kids & get back, Rajesh would have left! Where was communication between the two? I pointed it to her and only then she realized how long it was since the two of them actually had a decent conversation. We had gone for a long walk after dinner discussing this and when we returned, the watchman and his wife were conversing. Asha stood there stunned! The watchman was dumb... but his wife was able to understand every finger movement and giving her opinion on some neighbour they were talking about.

Not an important topic but it made Asha realize how important communication with your partner was. She definitely did her duty as a mother. Full marks to her! But as a wife I asked how would she rate herself and that set her thinking. She remembered how many a time Rajesh would start something & she would immediately cut him short or ignore because she was tired. She understood now where the fault lay.

She went home a changed person - happy! A few days later she called to say that she and Rajesh are going for a business cum pleasure trip. " The kids", I asked surprised. "Mamma's going to take care of them for 15 days. I have a big baby to look after!" she giggled.

Another usual night I am in the balcony, watching the watchman and his wife and they do not know how they changed my friend's life.

You Are A Special Star

2005-08-12T00:23:00.000-07:00

You Are A Special Star

I was excited; I was to meet Preethi after twelve years. I was wondering what to give her as a gift. Having time on hand I decided to clean my cupboard. While cleaning my shelf, I found a poem. It was a poem that made a lot of sense and had hope as its basic sentiment .I liked it when I read it years ago. Titled "GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU", it touched me and I had decided to preserve it! Along with it was a group photograph of my batch mates in a special class I had joined. Preethi was next to me in the snap, smiling.

Preethi was a girl I noticed the very first day I joined the special classes. There was something about her smile or maybe her eyes that made me notice her in the class as soon as I entered. I joined late and so had to find my friends since groups had already been formed. Everyone was cordial and soon I got to know most of the students. Preethi still was someone I did not know.

Soon we were divided according to our choice of subjects chosen. Preethi and I were in the same group. Casually my friend asked Preethi what she was doing and she said she was married with two kids! We were shocked!On enquiring about her husband she told us he was an architect. Casual talk and we knew a little more about Preethi. We started interacting more in the class & soon were comfortable with each other.

One day Preethi told me she would like to come home to do combine studies with me as she was taking the subject after a break & I was studying it then in college. I readily agreed. She was quick to pick up little details & we had very short breaks. We religiously were finishing up portions of our assignments and were happy. On one occasion while having lunch I asked her who is her favourite actor. "Amitabh" she said. " So which one was your last movie?" I asked casually. That's it! I saw tears well up her eyes and was wondering what was wrong with my question. I told her I was sorry. She was crying by now! I told her, " We'll continue the studies tomorrow if you are feeling unwell!" What she told me however shocked me totally!

" Amitabh is Suresh, my husband's favourite actor too. I've seen all his movies with him. Suresh was the best thing that happened to me. Ours was an arranged marriage & he was a very successful architect in Mysore. Soon after my graduation I got married. It was like a dream come true. He was everything I dreamt of in a husband. Meghna came two years after our wedding, Chetna three years later. He was thrilled as he really loved girls & wanted only daughters. His was a family full of boys so everyone was happy. Life was perfect!

"Suresh drove from Mysore to Bangalore to see Chetna and after a few days had to rush back. He carried most of our clothes and said he would be back a month later to take us along. A crying Meghna let go of him only when he promised her dolls & toys when we went back to Mysore. He had come with his brothers and a cousin. They left in the morning. By afternoon the phone rang I picked it up with a smile knowing it would be Suresh. It was his brother instead. The news was bad! Suresh was serious! Only Suresh was injured so seriously."

"We hurried to Mysore and heard what we did not want to hear! Suresh was no more! My world came crashing down. What do I do with my two girls? My in-laws suddenly behaved indifferently & refused anything to me. Suresh had told me he'd transfer everything to my name this time. Life however had different plans! I came to live with my parents."

With a sister to be married, Preethi felt guilty to be a burden on her parents and wanted to become someone She joined the classes & this she did after she gathered herself after three years of the tragedy.

God! No one had moved me this much. Shell shocked at her determination I only tried my best to give her all the books I could get from my library. I visited her house once and she showed her wedding album. She looked radiant! When I commented, she smiled and told me that she was her college beauty queen. I was not surprised. She was really beautiful. She was now a poor reflection of what she was at the time of her marriage physically but mentally I knew she was really tough.

Circumstances changed I moved out of Bangalore & we continued to be in touch occasionally! Soon her brother and sister got married! We lost touch. Preethi however remained in my mind. I was wondering what had happened to her. After about four years I met a common friend & she told me on enquiring that Preethi was with the police service. I was thrilled!

She told me that I would never recognize Preethi if I met her now. She is confident & nowhere close to how she was during the classes. I was eager to meet her. I got her number & spoke to her. It felt really good! Her parents were now staying with her and kids grown up. She definitely sounded confident. I was really thrilled for her. We decided to meet sometime when it was mutually convenient.

I knew what to give Preethi. Preethi read it and her eyes welled up. This is what the poem said.

Awaiting the Rebel- Aamir Khan.

2005-08-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

Aamir Khan has always shown why he is "different". Inspite of sarcastic comments from the industry, he has worked his way & proved more than once why even today he is a star to reckon with!

I've always liked his movies because when you leave the theatre after watching his films it is the character that remains with you and not the star who acted.

Unlike some superstars who stick to a particular name for sentimental purpose ,here is an actor who works with a passion that is so obvious and you know you are watching a sincere work while watching his films!

The list is an impressive: Sarfarosh, Dil chahata hai, Lagaan, Ishq, Rangeela, Raja Hindustani, Rangeela, Dil hai ki manta nahi, Hum hai rahi Pyaar ke, Ghulam, Dil, QSQT. All hits !
Whether it was Holi, Rakh , Andaz Apna Apna or Earth he has does justice to all his roles.

At a time when people in the industry do things- positive or negative -to stay in public view, Here is someone who is returning after 4 years and still managed to take maximum media space! Isn't it proof enough that QUALITY DEFINITELY RULES OVER QUANTITY!!!???