Radiant Dreamscapes

Just stopped by...

2008-01-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

...to witness an abandoned blog :(

Pray for Peace

2006-07-20T11:33:00.000-04:00

Can somebody please remind the world that Isaac and Ishmael are both sons of Abraham? Muslims are the sons of Ishmael, the elder. Jews are the sons of Isaac, the younger. Jews and Muslims are one family, brothers. In both religions, the story of Abraham is very clear. He is the Lord and father to both, Muslims and the Jews. And in both religion, shedding of a brother's blood is a sin. In Hebrew it is the story of Qayin and Havel, in Arabic Qabil and Habil, in plain old English Cain and Abel.

The consequences of killing a brother are dissatisfaction, anger, and expulsion. Please reread the text, listen again to the verses. The Lord wants his family to share in his Garden. There is room enough to share.

I agree that Israel has a right to defend itself, but killing innocent civilians and destroying a country's entire infrastructure won't help the situation. It will only make it worse.

If we can do anything to increase the peace in the world, then it's our moral obligation to at least try to do so.

Please, somebody, stop this madness.

Month ending on a happy note

2006-06-29T12:43:00.000-04:00

June 29th - June 30th

I wish you...

Peace in every activity
Passion in a teardrop of sadness
A piano score and lyrics to your thoughts
Liquid hope for when you are emotionally dried up
Blankets of faith over fearfields of confusion
A six-pack of diet love with a twist of serenity
Baubles of tenderness on a Christmas tree of affection
Dreams in the shape of star-crushed diamonds
Sparkling eternity into a moment forever.

What number are you?

2006-06-20T16:13:00.000-04:00

We are nothing but a number. Our future is predicted by a number. Every stage of our life is based on having a sequence of right numbers. At birth, we're classified by weight and height. While in school, marks and grades permeate our educational phase and what follows is the mother of all numbers - our graduating percentages and scores. Whether or not that number is accurate, it helps in making or breaking our future, and ultimately determines our succeeding numbers like salary, bank balance and 401K.

We're identified by our age, social security numbers, bank account numbers, pin numbers, passwords, drivers licence number, zip codes, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and shoe size. We are a piece of statistics and ratings which will follow us through retirement.

Numbers are what we’ve become and how we delimitate our self-worth. Whatever happened to being pegged as humane?

Contemplative

2006-06-10T17:33:00.000-04:00

Time wasted, emotions shattered, mistakes repeated, lessons learnt, dreams accomplished, skills acquired, life enjoyed, stupidity surrendered, sanity recovered, faith strengthened.

...my existance in a nutshell :)

Double Standards

2006-06-09T09:56:00.000-04:00

Why is that ...

if men talk, they're networking,
if women talk, they're gossiping ?

if men make mistakes, they're risk takers,
if women makes mistakes, they're incompetent?

if men argue, they're debating,
if women argue, they're cattish?

Life's a Beach

2006-06-02T15:21:00.000-04:00

Now is the time to use my plastic pail and shovel, which I haven't used in months. The weather is becoming mercurial and pretty soon one can count on sun, fun, and men in really ugly cargo shorts :P

I am heading for the expansive beach where the waves are big and the sun sets on the ocean.

I plan to take the proverbial 'long walks', build masterpiece sand castles, and check out neat restaurants.

What are your weekend plans?

Quick Update

2006-05-23T14:00:00.000-04:00

Hello World :)

I'll be back soon. Right now I am soaking in pure joy which was distant to me for years. The joy of being in the company of my parents, of seeing love in their eyes, of savoring mum's cooking, of watching dad relax carefree, of being relieved of homely chores and finally feel contented to see them happy.

Work has been busy, super busy. Surprisingly I havent felt the monotony yet. Guess its a sign, I may adhere to this company longer than my expectations.

Travelling has been on the cards. 3 weekends 4 cities - Ontario, London, Boston, Burlington and there's more to follow. Unpacking my backpack sounds like a bad idea. Memorial day weekend around the corner has already snapped up sweet deals. I plan to save bucks by travelling regular weekends/weekdays when its less crowded and more affordable.

Mother Nature is dishing out the winds and downpours making the summer feel like fall. I yearn for warm sunny days without having to be loaded with jackets or sweaters. Oh, but the blasting AC in my office hardly differentiates seasons. I have no riddance from my beloved sweaters. We always stick together.

That's pretty much for now. Asta la vista!

Rising Gas Prices

2006-04-28T11:14:00.000-04:00

Gasoline is a commodity, a great smelling liquid, turning expensive. I have ranted and whined in the past. Now I am so tired of people complaining about the soaring gas prices. I know it’s a pinch to our wallets, but I've come to realize its really is a good thing. High prices open up the market for alternative and cleaner sources of energy. If we start using the alternate sources of energy we lessen our dependency on Middle East, and less dependency means less meddling, less terrorism and less threat.

Also high gas will hopefully encourage people to walk more. I recently read an article which said an average American walks only 1.5 miles a week. That’s awfully pathetic. No wonder we have serious issues with obesity. I implore every American reader to put down their car keys and walk.

I admire Brazil for gaining independance by completely converting to ethanol. We must commit to do the same and realize that oil is a non renewable resource, meaning our long term supply will never go up, the demand will always be there, crippling us as a country. We will never win the war on oil.

So people save gas and your money, stop idling your engine, use AC only when necessary, carpool, use public transportation, cut down several road trips and moreover walk.

Take Our Daughters & Sons To Work Day

2006-04-27T12:10:00.000-04:00

Kids seen on the commute, kids seen running amuk on elevators, kids seen playing nick at workstations, kid voices being heard in hallways, kids seen around on streets at lunch. Such preety faces, such dashing smiles. Corporate environ turning casual. What fun!

Today is "Take Our Daughters & Sons To Work Day", a nationwide event helping girls and boys, age 8 to 13 stay focused on their futures during adolescence. An awesome opportunity for kids to experience a day at the office with their Mom or Dad. Most kids go to their parents workplace on summer Fridays and such, but this is a different kind of event. It exposes kids to what adults do during the work day, shows them the value of their education, and gives them an opportunity to meet new peers, talk to a diverse group of people and share how they envision their future.

We had an agenda for kids to follow today. And I enjoyed this half day event.

A good time spent with kids feels exceptionally rewarding!

Name the New York Way

2006-04-25T13:36:00.000-04:00

Here in New York, cool and hip neighborhoods are al about trendy names. Why, you ask? Because a cool and trendy name helps in boosting real estate values. Ask New Yorkers where they come from and you hear fancy stuff like RAMBO (Right After the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). Huh? You know, right before DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass)!

Since, space is NYC is always an issue, we simply like renaming locales to make them sound hip.

Manhattan has long had regions like SoHo and NoHo (South and North of Houston Street), NoLiTa and SoLiTa (North and South of Little Italy). But what if you go west? Will you discover an over developed LoLiTa? Or will you just run into under developed TriBeCa? Manhattanites have learned to take such cool neighborhood acronyms in their stride.

While the B train rides you through the exotic lands of BoCoCa (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens), may I humbly suggest names for humdrum places like Flushing as FLOMO? and Borough Park as BOPA? And how about a special neighborhood called ARTSY (area restricted to the single and young)?

Per recent real estate news, South Bronx in Manhattan is one of the best places to buy investment properties in the US. Oops, did I say the South Bronx? You know I really meant SoBro :P

Yin and Yang

2006-04-18T10:21:00.000-04:00

There’s somebody else around me who has a magnificent idea. First, I was jealous, now I’m being supportive. Optimist that I am, I think together we’ll be even more powerful

I was involved in a project, which seemed beyond my expertise. Gradually I started feeling somewhat confident and raised to the challenge. Meanwhile, my boredom vanished.

I looked here and I looked there. The answer I was seeking wasn’t in either place. It was all over the place.

I was being tested to see if I could do what I had promised. I’ve been thrifty with promises, I could!

I tried answering all the questions coming to me like machine gunfire. Guess this is what all those years of training and learning have been for.

Discussions about shared money are confusing, but a hope for happy ending prevails

Upsetting information at first causes a problem. I felt unprepared but was not dismayed. The truth had set me free.

To let the nay sayers slow me down is so unreassuring. Endeavors that I’ve begun now are favored to succeed, but there are rocky moments

I must decide now to better the best I’ve done before. I must go farther, faster, higher or whatever it takes to renew my faith.

Ramblings of an effusive mind

2006-03-31T10:23:00.000-05:00

Memories are relative. People change, situations change, and sometimes, you can't change them back. Sometimes, you have to let go and consider yourself lucky that you even have memories that you consider to be perfect, that there have been moments in your life that have been so beautiful. Slowly, I am learning, accepting and moving on, but this does not mean that I am forgetting. I will never forget, because you never completely get over some things.

I have no reason to be sad, but I am. I know that tomorrow is going to be different and the new opportunities will be amazing, but I feel like I don't have the energy to feel or care about anything anymore.

Is this really what I want to do? I find myself wondering. Most of the time I don’t know what I want to do, or where I am going. I think I see a deeper meaning behind the phrase Taking the plunge. I have thrown myself into the sea called life and am waiting to see where it will take me.

With this, I leap forward to the new beginings ahead of me. Until we meet again, be well and God bless :)

The end is nearing - II

2006-03-29T11:25:00.000-05:00

We’ve been hearing it throughout history, that the world will soon end. The world never ended. But in this age, almost everyone seems to have figured out that the end is actually nearing.

Why do you think the world will soon end? I made my point in this re:, couple months ago. If you are too lazy to check Part I, I’d point some popular guesses. Nuclear war, environmental disease or catastrophes, but I think these are all quite unlikely. Nuclear war, for instance, relies on the actions of a notoriously unreliable group. Chances are that when its time for turning the nuclear launch keys on, at least one soldier will realize that he's forgotten his keys home. By the time he gets home, digging for them, the world's composures will be cooled, and the war will be called off. I suppose this must have already happened a few times.

Likewise, global warming seems unrealistic. With the increase of oil and gas usage, pollution will increase too, thus destroying the atmosphere, causing global warming, which will melt the polar ice caps, and raise the sea levels, which then.... Heck, this scenario is ridiculously complicated :P End of the world due to plague? That’s quite simple as to be incomprehensively obvious it hasn't accomplished much besides making people hate rats, once the most beloved of domestic pets. The bird flu will probably just repeat the same pattern, turning people against chickens, replacing their place on plate with porcupines.

So these aren't viable means for ending the world, but we know the world will end soon. How, you ask? Simple. Boredom and lack of interest. Most people, including you and I, have become bored with life and its mundanity (adventure, love, mcDonalds). Eventually, we'll get so bored that we'll simply decide to do something besides living. Only the most enthusiastic people will stick around, like the cult members and folks who paint their faces at football games. But such people are not enough to keep the world going. The world will become so dull and dispirited that it will finally just stop rotating and fall out of space.

This is a highly distressing vision of the future, but don't forsake your hopes yet. Excitement may still be revived in humanity, only if some genius somewhere would invent something so amazing, that it would re-energize the entire universe. Something which would bring pleasure in all mankind denied us by the smothers of the modern world, and remind us what makes the strife for our existence truly worthy. Any guesses? How about a 'glowing coke' ? Wouldnt that be a coolest invention? :D

Hello, a beautiful day

2006-03-27T09:39:00.000-05:00

For most times I could rename Monday as Mon dooms day cos that’s the negative feeling that overwhelms me as the day begins. But not today. Today I want to start my week feeling perky and positive and let go ALL the negative feelings about people whom I resent, yes even that one creep down the hall who rightfully deserves my wrath, don’t ask me why :P

Forgiveness is indeed a logical act of self interest. Hatred is the poison we swallow hoping the other person will die. When we hate someone, we give the person control of our emotions. When we react with resentment to resentment, blame to blame and rage to rage, we improbably become a part of the problem. When someone has behaved badly with us, instead of counteracting, we should forgive the person and send a prayer their way so they can see the clarity in their errors. Nothings is more powerful than being at peace with ourselves.

On that boosting and positive note, I start off my week with a smile.

Happy Monday, people!

Whats in a name?

2006-03-23T11:05:00.000-05:00

Killing an eminent personality makes you an assassinator. Killing an ordinary person makes you a murderer.

Shooting someone wearing a uniform makes you a hero. Shooting in a gang makes you a criminal.

Hiring a lawyer to find tax loopholes makes you a good businessman. Making few bucks off the books makes you a tax cheat.

Prnting the country's state press releases verbatim makes you a respected investigative journalist. Digging up the truth makes you a zine editor.

Selling alcohol, cigarettes, and lotto tickets makes you an entrepreneur. Smoking and betting with bookies, makes you a menace to the society.

Revealing skin for a magazine makes you a pornographer. Unveiling flesh in the middle of a busy street makes you a Ralph Lauren ad.

Since the rich dont ride on public transport, instituting regressive tax on city’s poor residents, makes it a transit fare hike

Invading Kuwait makes Saddam the next Hitler. Invading Iraq makes Bush the leader of free world.

A trite note

2006-03-22T10:13:00.000-05:00

Back from my mini 12 days hibernation :) I missed this place, just like I miss being in my teens sometimes. No matter how broke or lonely I was, I had a potential and having a potential is so much easier than being actual.

Oh, I didnt elope with any house-husband, they are a rarity I believe :P

The computers here are down again. Wonder what good are they anyway? They never do what they say they're gonna do. They're completely unreliable and constantly letting you down.

Its really happened - They've made humans obsolete!!

Thanks all, for your insightful comments on my previous post, and give me some time, I am slowly crawling to your beautiful blogs :)

A lingering thought

2006-03-10T23:39:00.000-05:00

A woman who stays home while her man works is considered "traditional,” while a man who stays home, whose woman works, is considered a “loser.”

Is this a sign that years of progress toward gender equality has gone down the drains?

A rude encounter

2006-03-07T11:52:00.000-05:00

One cold and dark evening, as I was walking down the street, a hawker with his pushcart came darting across my way. For an instant, we were at an impasse, and the mutual abhorrence was perceptible. The sidewalk belonged to us, both. There was no reason why any of us should have yielded it to the other. We could’ve remained there indefinitely, forever neither moving an inch east nor west. Well, I had to hurry, so I submitted. But it disturbed me how easily I’d become embroiled in such needlessly uncongenial encounter. Both of us behaved utterly ungraciously, even though it would’ve cost us nothing. It highlighted something - rude human attitude.

Perhaps it was the rush of a chaotic city where the streets are crowded and people are busy. Or maybe it was something to do with the weather. Yes, I bet it was the weather. People are cold and bitter because the weather is such. We seem to waste heat on hate, because we pretty much always know the reaction we’re going to get when we give it. But when we’re nice, half the time we still get hate back. So, why risk it? There’s also the ‘misery loves company’ theory to consider. Nasty weather, a nasty mood, and nasty language all seem to go together. Everybody’s rude for some reason or none at all.

The funny thing about rudeness is that, most people assert total innocence. It’s always someone else’s fault. How many times have you made or seen someone make an obscene gesture at another person while driving a car? And how many times have you or someone you’ve seen use their cell phone in a loud annoying manner in public? And how many times have you or someone you’ve known acted racist? or prejudiced against homosexuals?

Some grins? Never? Yeah, right. The first step in altering the culture of rudeness is to accept it. The rudeness tag passes from one person to the other, and like the flu, it appears to be more common in colder climes.

As for me, next winter Im migrating away to warmer places like Miami or Mumbai.

Just me

2006-03-01T10:05:00.000-05:00

I sometimes wonder whether my life adds up to anything at all. And just then an inner voice tells me - It sure does.

Your entire life leads up to this moment

Right now is your chance to transform every failure, every painful, wretching, humiliating experience into lessons that can help you meet your challenges, overcome your flaws and live the life you’ve always dreamed about.

Just don’t blow it.

Friday Five

2006-02-24T10:46:00.000-05:00

The term high definition (HD) which I thought was meant to depict greater density in TV displays is now being used to swash all sorts of products. HD laminated counter tops, HD sunglasses, HD cameras, HD skin creams. Whats next.. HD books? HD clothing? I wont be surprised :P

Can romance and emotions be outsourced ?

There’s nothing like a glimpse at a day in a life of a manual laborer to make you appreciate your desk job a lot more, or else make you feel utterly sedate :P

Figure skating is all about elegance, grace and beauty. But what’s with the ugly horrific costumes performers wear? Fashion that can be most acceptable in a circus. Fringes, sequins, tatters wisps, feathers and sparkles galore, and colors so wild and neon, you wont find them in a Crayola 64 pack :P. The spills and thrills from last nights women’s free skating event at Olympics was quite mesmerizing though. Loved the speed, spins and jumps performed specially by the winners

As spring is slowly and painstakingly making its way, my thoughts are turning to pleasing meadows, and the bright yellow sun shining down on my spinning head, and life seemingly feels like a beautiful love story. But in this city of concrete jungle where meadows are few and far away and not to mention the buildings are too tall for the sun to actually touch one’s face. And oh, there is no one to twirl and swirl with. sigh** Nevertheless, my weekend plan involves in bringing the greens of spring into my cramped home. That’s right, I am gonna indulge in some indoor planting. I may even plant some herbs or veggies in my backyard. Just hope there’s no more snow showers :)

Ok with that random note, I sign off for the weekend. Have a safe one, friends!

Much and Enough

2006-02-21T13:05:00.000-05:00

Too much cofeee
Not enough sleep

Too many hours
Not enough time

Too much drama
Not enough fun

Too many bills
Not enough money

Too much admiration
Not enough respect

Too much agony
Not enough peace

Too many dreams
Not enough chances

Too much lust
Not enough love

Too many thoughts
Not enough words

News Views

2006-02-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

Vice President, Dick Cheney accidently shot his friend while hunting for quail. I guess his reluctance to speak with the press on time made him more worthy of the headline news earlier this week, though media maybe overreacting to his hunting mishap. I bet when Cheney's maid served him breakfast on monday morning and when his driver drove him to 'work', he must've meant business as usual. However, if I shoot my friend in the head with a shotgun, I'd be arested. Im wondering if he was drunk or is he incompetent with the firearm due to his age? I think he should be charged with a trial for shooting his fellow hunter. It should be no different with him just cos he is the veep. If it was an accident, it can be proved. He'll have the best lawyers anyway.

Im enjoying the barrage of late night jokes re: the news. This hilarious video made me chuckle. Thought I'd share the laughs. Enjoy and have a great week(end) ahead.

PS: Thanks to everyone for rocking at the Valoween party!

Its the time to disco

2006-02-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

Welcome and please join me to celebrate the fun holiday. Its all about intrigue dedications, so the deal is to serenede your favorite blogger/online/virtual crush with your choice of song. Do not mention who the one is, instead leave a hint for your special someone to guess, (just like how you put on a mask on haloween). When s/he makes the right guess, its their turn to respond with a song of their choice to lure you. You can continue the chain, if you wish.

Im sure you all have a soft on someone or the other in this magical and inscrutable virtual world. If not, I bet you'll find someone to flirt with, if you try your charming essences.

PS: If you think your sweetheart does not know of this place, use your tactics to bring them here, cos now is your chance to sing your heart out.

Enjoy!

Happy Valoween’s Day!

Overheard

2006-02-10T10:42:00.000-05:00

Commute via public transport is fun I tell you. Here's what I caught on the bus and train today

A: Hey, wanna catch a movie this weekend?
B: I'd love to, but....
A: Oh, I get it...Cash flow problem, eh?
B: No, not really
A: Then?
B: Im broke
A: Same thing man
B: Actually not
B (continues): I don't make enough money to have a 'cash flow problem'
Me: All smiles :D

One More

Man: It feels like we are about to get into a fight
Woman: Yeah I dont want to do that
Man: All our fights follow the same script anyway
Man: We argue...One of us breaks the silence
Woman: Then we pout....Then one of us apologizes
Man: Then I go out and bring back ice cream as a peace offering
Man: So this time, what flavor do you want?
Me: All smiles :D:D

PS: Im sorry, I havent been responding to individual comments. Its just one of those moods, you know :) Take care and have a fun weekend

Love is in the air.....

2006-02-07T13:29:00.000-05:00

:D:D
Talking about love, heart and requests, Radiant Dreamscapes will be hosting a Valoween Party on Feb 13th-14th. Yes, Valoween, the idea of combining 2 great holidays, Halloween and Valentine's day so you can party in your most romantic costumes, enjoy the heart shaped candies and sangria and blast your favorite remixed love songs and it'll be the most happening holiday of the newest generation.

Details to follow....

A Vibrating post

2006-02-02T10:16:00.000-05:00

So my physics lesson from early this week made me read more about the subject (which had been half forgotten lessons from good ol school days) and I found the Law of attraction and vibration pretty interesting. As per the law, everything is in a constant state of motion and there is no such thing as a state of rest. Everything around us vibrates.

How true!

Our heart vibrates. So does our pulse, and the blood that throbs through our arteries every day of our life.

When we shake hands we vibrate. When we shiver with cold, we vibrate.

When we drive, we and our cars both vibrate

When we look at our favorite food, or the breathtaking scenic of nature, or even Jennifer Lopez or John Abrahams :P, our brain starts to vibrate

When a hottie passes by in a car, the entire vicinity palpitates with the bass of his/her stereos

Our language vibrates too. Some people give off good vibes, some bad

Holly/Bollywood vibrates. Their movies have either good buzz or a bad buzz

Radio waves and TV signals are clear vibrations. TV, in fact, has enabled politicians from thousand of miles afar to make our hair stand up and quiver :P

Melodious music, like that of Mozart and such causes lovely electric patterns to vibrate in our minds.

Our subways vibrate. The stations and tracks start vibrating long before the train actually pulls in, sending out bad vibes and giving us pulsating headaches :P

Nature vibrates with great bangs. Earthquakes, volcanos, actually cause the whole planet to vibrate.

Birds flutter their wings and animals fluff their fur stirring tiny vibrations in the resonance of thin air

Our world vibrates. We all vibrate

And now you guys have a vibrant and a pulsating weekend. :)

My Physics lesson

2006-01-30T10:10:00.000-05:00

Colleague: Do you know Physics?
Me: Naah
Colleague: Physics is a study of matter in motion
Me: Hmm
Colleague: Matter is never stable but constantly changing - decomposing, transforming, aging, shifting states, never wholly one thing or the other. Always in flux
Me: Okay
Colleague: So how are you feeling today, Dew?
Me: Im matter in motion.
Colleague: (eyes wide open)
Me: :D:D

Eight Point Someone

2006-01-26T11:22:00.000-05:00

So I've been tagged by my two wonderful friends Puneet and Michelle. A tag to list 8 qualities of your perfect lover. And to mention the target. This by all means is an important one not to overlook for it reveals the gender and sexual orientation of folks who blog anonymously.

Reading through a bunch of bloggers who took up this tag, made it sound like a cool profile for some matrimonial site. I want someone who is tall, dark, handsome, honest, loyal, caring, loving, kind, understanding, blah, blah…(wooh, did that add up to 8? :P Oh hell, but here, we are talking about a perfect lover. Does that by any chance have be symbiotic to a perfect spouse? If yes, guess it’s a bonus. A great package deal of two in one :P Rarity, but guess some are born lucky.

Ok guys jokes apart, since Im tagged, I might as well play sport no matter how silly or personal it might seem.

Target: Male, I swear I am straight

He is the one who sees the funny side of an everyday situation very pleasantly. My no. 1 stress buster who adds extra laughter to my life and gives me the resilience I need to cope even when the going gets tough.
His passion and optimism are my inspiration. The love he has for doing things he wants to, appeals me. His sensitivity, spirituality, sense of direction and strength - both mental and physical fascinate me.
He makes me feel comfortable and at ease. We both can be whacky and eccentric and yet admire these traits about each other.
He is compassionate and kind towards others. His is a forgiving heart. He knows exactly when to give me my space and support me.
As much as I like to believe I am independent, I also like the fact that he is there besides me to protect me anytime I need him.
He is the one with whom I need no words to communicate. A look into one another’s eye, a simple smile or a soft hand squeeze and tons of messages get delivered instantaneously.
He is intelligent. A great thinker. His decisions are based on logic and analysis. I, on the other hand am a feeler, sometimes indecisive and spontaneous which balances quite well.
He is my friend, my companion whom I can talk to and feel happy and secured in old age as much as in youth.

Its around the corner

2006-01-24T09:56:00.000-05:00

The dirty secret about Valentine’s Day is that everybody hates it. You’d say - Um no, they don’t. Infact everyone loves this day. Its only when their V-day sucks they don’t like it.

The opportunity to theoretically receive diamonds, roses, chocolates, love letters, cards, lingerie and sex?? Oh, the cliché of it all – consumerism! Those gifts are popular because pretty much everyone loves them. It’s a rare rare woman who will be upset to receive any of the aforementioned gifts. And it’s a rare man who will be unhappy with the thought of an evening spent with a woman and her new lingerie. Are those stereotypes? Hell yes, they are :P

I’ve learned one thing from my impressive steak of not quite romantic valentine days. It’s the holiday that rarely goes well for procrastinators. That’s why you folks have ample of time 21 days to be precise - to madly fall in love with a tall, dark, handsome or a short, fair, hot stranger and hell lose 20 lbs while you are at it. Or barring that, find the next best thing - the guy at the gym, or the girl next door, the boss of your ex-bf/gf and flirt like you are on some reality show with a 2 week deadline and a significant cash prize.

If you’ve already snagged a living, breathing boyfriend of your own, don’t encourage him to be ‘creative’. Men don’t understand what that means. Instead encourage him to think of all the romantic clichés and buy into each of them. In other words, get off your snarky about Im too hip to-visit-Hallmark and plan something ridiculously romantic and cheesy beacuse one day of the year there is nothing wrong in enjoying the banal fantasy of it all just like you enjoy surreal Disney movies :)

As for me, Im going to go rent my favorite Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve got mail. So guys tell me about your plans and I will live vicariously through you :)

Friday fury

2006-01-20T13:56:00.000-05:00

Bin Laden's vague offer of a truce paired with a threat of another attack on the US has been on news all day

If his goal is to destroy America and their way of life, then he is accomplishing this through his words by enabling the radical American right wing and its political tool, the Bush administration, to wreak havoc on the foundations of freedom and democracy. What Bin Laden has in Bush and the radical right is far more effective than any bomb. He has cultured an insidious virus in the heart of America that is eating them from the inside out.

My fellow Americans, do not fear the enemy at the gates, fear the enemy in the castle.

PS: Everybody have a smashing weekend.

What you upto today?

2006-01-18T10:46:00.000-05:00

Ok guys, tell me...

How do/did you get to work in the morning?
What were you listeining to on your commute?
What is/was on your to-do list?
Where was your most recent vacation?
What places in your city, make you feel like you are on a vacation?
What was your worst travel predicament?

Privacy means public

2006-01-10T12:03:00.000-05:00

In this age of 'Too much information' and ‘Who cares’ attitude, our privacy is going public.

The lines of privacy are persistently being crossed with cell phones ring toning off the hook on subways and buses, in stores, restaurants, theaters and even on streets while just walking around. Innumerable loquacious people chat incessantly and shamelessly forgetting the reason why phone booths with doors once existed.

We seem to be on a spree. We text, instant and voice message the most mundane yet personal information. 'Dr. sez I’m fine, xrays normal.' Or 'Waiting for bus, just bought stay free pads'. Since when did sharing such information become normal? We’re so willing to talk about our privacy in public that most of us do it without even realizing it.

Its funny considering how much money and time we spend trying to keep our abodes safe. We have secured doors, windows and alarm systems for our homes and firewalls for our computers. We keep passwords for our bank accounts, emails, and online purchases. Some of us even have very watchful landlords. Like the one I once heard yelling at the superintendent across the street, 'We’ve had complaints of your tenents walking around nude in their apartments.'

Maybe its all okay. After all, seeing the same people over and over again, gives us a familial feeling. May be its this reason why we tend to dress in un matching, wrinkled clothes with our hair askew when we go to the nearest convenience store or the laundry room. Sure, we hope not to bump into anyone we know, but at the same time do we really care? Same applies when we run to the mailbox or walk the dog. Who cares that the guy in opposite apartment saw me in my ripped pajamas? I saw him in his bathrobe the other day.

How bad is it being subjected to people spitting, arguing, urinating, flossing, nose picking (even with tissues, it’s still picking, folks), and even kissing and cuddling in public?

Perhaps some people feel they are invisible in big cities

A Quickie

2006-01-03T14:41:00.000-05:00

Time has this ethereal quality about it of just fleeting by. You dont realize how the days and weeks pass by, until you come to the begining of a new year. To some, the new year is nothing but change of a calendar, to some others, its all about new resolutions or discarded ones from the past year, and for a few, its simply about promising to be a little nicer. Whatever be your endeavors, good luck. Thanks everyone, for your kindest wishes. I had a wonderful, fun filled holiday. Hope you all did too. Will be back soon. Take care

An ode to 2005

2005-12-22T23:48:00.000-05:00

The year flew by, it went so fast
But we've had fun; it was a blast

New friends, new blogs, great posts all around
Our blogdom is growing by leaps and bounds

Birthdays and anniversaries we did celebrate
With balloons, candles and delicious cakes

Greif and pain also did cross
For the dear ones that some of us lost

Some tears and smiles, mistakes we survived
So was the year two thousand and five

A few days away is two thousand and six
Lets raise a toast for love, kindness and peace

May new year bring you health and happiness
My hearty wish dear friends, God bless!

Monday blues

2005-12-19T09:37:00.000-05:00

Exactly how I'd like to be on a cold December monday morning....

Another shot of Randomness

2005-12-15T12:14:00.000-05:00

Everybody in New York is talking about the likely MTA strike tomorrow as the transport workers and unions have issues about pay rises and medical benefits. (MTA is Metropolitan Transportation Assoc which incl public transit trains and busses basically). If the strike does happen, the Big Apple will turn into a Big Nightmare. A nightmare of people packing the city bridges on foot, or leaping at the first taxi that comes their way. Per the forcast, there is a high chance of sleet and freezing rain with gusty winds tonight and into the AM. Millions of New Yorkers who depend on MTA for subway and bus services to move around places in the greatest city of the world will have a cold and soggy commute tomorrow morning. My colleagues at work and other fellow commuters will find a way, adapt to the change, New Yorkers are resilient, you know. What am I doing? Well I am calling it a 3 day weekend :P

Do you know what is on New Yorkers' minds in the mornings? Its orange juice :D. Tropicana Pure Premium, to be precise. In fact New Yorkers purchase Tropicana more than any other branded grocery item, thus making The Big Apple the Big Orange!

I read Tom Cruise has brought a sonogram machine to see what his and Katie Holmes scientology love child will look like. The machine costs $100,000 and allows him to look in the precious womb of his girlfriend whenever he so desires. Wouldn't be surprised if he puts his girlfriend's uterus under surveillence, too.

I guess men are sick of feigning excitement over a tie, a sweater, a pair of boxers or an enormous framed photo as a gift. Someone told me, if you thinking of great gift ideas for guys, think of Xbox 360 and nothing else. O my, my!

Ever wonder what to do for a living or for a career? Your question can be your answer. How about making a career out of helping others choose their career. I think Career Counselling is one of those jobs which feels extremely rewarding much like that of a nurse or a therapist.

If you want to help someone in need, I think the most effective way is to give cash directly to the person or family, not to charitable associations. There is substantial proof from the latest disaster tallies that giving money to charity only helps the charity institutes, not the poor. For example, Red Cross has received $4 to 6 million to aid the people left homeless by Pakistan earthquake, but hundreds of Pakistanis are still freezing to death waiting for winterized tents that don't arrive. Another example, a friend of my colleague lost her house and belongings in Katrina, went to Red Cross station for help and was only given $200 and wished good luck. Makes one wonder what exactly are they spending their billions of Katrina relief fund on? You have a better chance of helping the poor by sliding a few dollars annonymously under the front door of a struggling family, what do you think?

Thats all my randomness for the week, everybody have a swell weekend and please be safe.

A secret confession

2005-12-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

My sense of self was originally very shaky.

Then I jump started it by making a lot of showy achievements.

People would give me compliments for the more attention I got..the more attention I needed.

Now my self worth is artificially inflated. Its growing at a rate I can't sustain.

My self esteem bubble is about to burst!

Her shopping impedance

2005-12-07T09:40:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, two people of immensely different shopping disposition were standing in an aisle of a busy department store to shop for a man whose closet is devoid of suitable dress shirts. They had agreed to have a harmonious shirt shopping outing and had pledged to be patient with one another. Good luck.

He hates shopping. Of any kind. Its a repugnance that seems hard wired into males. To make matters worse, he also needed a belt – a simple leather one. Finally she decided to prevail.

They go into a store which he can tolerate better than most others because the men’s department is large and relatively less crowded in mid afternoon. She, of course would’ve preferred a vast discount store where everything is jumbled, but the lure of bargain awaits.

He has a familiar pained look on his face. He winces at the holiday music and glances at his watch even before they reach the shelves where his size is housed. She stands back, knowing that this is the moment of truth. If she intervenes he’ll scrowl. She looks steadily at this reluctant customer looking through the variety of wares, seeking that basic shirt, which he hopes will last long, thus eliminating the necessity for more of this torture.

After 30 seconds he finds that shirt. He examines it for another 10 seconds and is about to walk to the nearest cash register. She is challenged to keep her shut, which is no small feat. ‘Don’t you want to try it and look for some more?” she asks in disbelief. The answer is a resounding ‘No”. One shirt, no try on, no stripes or plaids, just a button down basic solid blue.

By now, they are off to the belts. Once again he takes less time than it takes her to clean her specs. He pulls one brown belt down from all others. He checks the size and the price.

The deed is done. Their shopping outing has taken less than 20 mins, including escalaters, selection and payment. All this in the height of holiday season.

On the way out of the store she can’t resist and stops at the aisle of clearance sweaters. He stares and coughs loudly. She is in the presence of a shopper who has neither the time nor the patience for browsing. Next time she decides to just wait in the car.

She is none other than yours truly and that shopper is none other than a typical ‘man’

New York Minute

2005-12-01T02:21:00.000-05:00

New York happens to be the sixth safest state in the country as per the latest stats. Interesting to know the crimes are dropping. I guess the criminals are getting too fat to run after people. Or maybe its cos of the the high gas prices. It costs a bit too much to rob with a car, and they are too fat to run, remember. Or perhaps its the TV which lowers the crime rate. Everyone wants to stay home to watch the reality shows about who’s stabbing whose back, while eating doritos and saving on gas money :P

Driving strangers around town can be stressful and all that sitting can cause necks to stiffen and lower backs to ache and tempers to rise. Cabbies should be offered yoga and massages to relieve their holiday driving stress.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony is held in the evening of every Nov 30th. The magnificent tree stands in front of the General Electric building in Rockefeller Plaza and is illuminated with thousands of lights. Every year I go over to see the tree and the light decorations, walk around the city streets and feel the holiday excitement. This year's tree is a stunning 74 feet tall Norway Spruce from Wayne, NJ weighs nine tons and is topped with a Swarovski star. The entire neighborhood - the 5th Avenue, the NBC Studios, the shops and the skating rink around the Rockefeller Center is beautifully decorated. It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. Oh, so magical.

Everybody have a wonderful holiday season.

Share your compliments

2005-11-23T10:30:00.000-05:00

Who wouldn't be touched or flattered by words that show someone cares, that what you do has been noticed and has made a difference?

Sincere compliments make us feel warm, special and our days seem brighter. Words of appreciation make us proud of our gifts and strengths. Giving and receiving compliments touch a place inside of us. Its a kind of positive reinforcement which brings happiness and motivates others. Compliments don't change our lives, they just add an extra glow to our smiles.

On that note, 2 sweetest things I was told today 'You are my darling princess' by dad and 'You are one of the coolest person around, happy to know you' by a colleague at work. These are enough to keep me fueled for the rest of my day :)

So, what are the best things you have ever told someone and ever been told?

Don't trust strangers

2005-11-21T15:39:00.000-05:00

A strange man flagged me down on the corner of a street the other night on my way to home. I stopped to see what he needed

He gave me a nine yard story about locking his keys in his office, the police not cutting the padlock since there was not a fire related incident, and being stuck without money to get home. I don’t think he paused for a break. He was shivering a tad, wearing only a T shirt and cargo pants. He was good looking, had a sweet voice and dark eyes

“How much do you need?” I asked

“A twenty dollars” he said. I knew I didn’t have cash on me and I told him so. He quickly pointed me to the ATM across the street. Wow was he too smooth a criminal or had he just been repeating his speil and no one bit? “Please” he said, “Im cold”

Watching this in slow motion, every warning in my head screamed, ”Dewy, don’t do it” but something made me trust him. A softie with a caring heart that I am, thought to myself this guy is different, as we crossed the street towards the ATM.

I got the cash from the machine, and handed him a twenty dollar bill. “Could I have five more?”, he asked. Was I that gullible? At that point it was less about the cash and more abt the trust in our society.

“What’s your name” I asked

“Carlos Martin” he said

“What’s your number?” I asked. He told me. “and your address” he gave me the street name. I scribbled the info on the back of my ATM receipt and slipped it my purse. He asked me for a pen to write down my number and said he’d call me as soon as he got his spare keys from office and got home.

“God bless you”, Carlos said as we parted.

With all the bad going around the world, drunk drivers, suicide bombers, gun shots, soaring homeless counts, shoplifting, robbery – I’ll admit I was looking for some glimmer of hope for a better society, maybe it was I who was being tested. Would I help someone in need?

I walked home realizing I just handed over money to a complete stranger on a dark street in Manhattan. Yes, I thought this is what they warn you about when you come to the Big Apple, but to me it was a test, and I was hoping it’d pass.

I got home, sorted mail, made dinner all the while thinking about Carlos. Did he get the car sevice yet? did he find his spare keys? or was he at some bar telling his friends a story of how he conned a woman out of $25

Suddenly my cell phone rang. My heart thumped, Was it Carlos? Did he call to return my money?

No, it wasn’t him. He never called. He never came back, and what about my faith in a better society? Well, that’s not coming back either. But the real loser in this experience is the next person who asks me, because they’re probably going to really need the money.

Crush the Puff

2005-11-18T10:54:00.000-05:00

Smoking is injurious to health and almost every smoker is aware of it. I know its addictive and a difficult task quitting yet having smoker friends is miserable. Even miserable would be for non smokers whose significant other is a smoker. Imagine kissing a smoker when you don’t smoke would be like kissing an ashtray and who would like doing that? Like foul smell in some dirty kitchen you become immune to that smoky odor if you are around it al all time. Non smokers cant help but crinkle their noses when they sniff the stinky air of a smoker

I have a friend who is a smoker since it was actually cool to smoke and not just symptomatic of self hatred or willful ignorance. No matter how great a person he is, as soon as he lights up his cig, a self respecting non smoker like me starts looking at him the other way.

Smokers are rebels. Smokers fly in the face of medical fact and social mores. They litter. They have a favorite brand. They smoke out of windows and on rooftops, in hammocks while watching sunsets and in cars on road trips. And yes they even smoke in bed. Smokers are movers and shakers and while everyone else is inside mingling in a party, smokers are out side in the fresh air saying ‘Got Light?’ Im wondering what kind of example a smoker sets on his family specially children.

Smokers are generally unhealthy. They don’t exercise. They tend to drink a lot of coffee and alcohol because, well – these were made for smokers, and whats better than a Coke and a smoke? And yeah smokers usually also have yellowed teeth and it’s a known fact that their addictive habits are an open invitation to lung and heart diseases. Besides the money they spend is unbelievable. The time and the trouble they have to go looking for smoking areas is a severe ordeal.

Hey smokers, food does smell and taste good and its your right to feel better and stay healthy, So no matter how tired you are hearing abt it, its never too late to Quit.

Just Jested

2005-11-15T10:55:00.000-05:00

No rants or ravings today, instead I present some quips and chucklers from my latest read. Enjoy!

I've never really had an actual job. I've worked. But I don't know much about the job thing. To me, the most annoying thing about the couple of times that I worked in an office is that when you show up in the morning you say "hi" to everyone and then for some reason, you have to continue to greet these people day every time you see them. You walk in at the start the day, "Morning, Bill, morning, Bob. How are you doing?" "Fine." Ten minutes later you see them in the hall, again you say, "How you doing?" Now, I already know how he's doing, I just saw him, he told me how he's doing. But you've got to keep saying something each time you pass. So you keep coming up with different little greetings. You start coming up with nicknames for them.. "Jimbo." You do the little smile with the head raise. The almost imperceptible beneath-the-breath "Hey" with a half-smile. If it's a narrow passageway, thank God now you can say, Excuse me." But it has to have a very friendly singsong quality. You kind of go up a note on the "me." If you feel more familiar, "Tight squeeze" is popular. When walking by a group of 3 or more men, "Gentlemen" is often used to confer an air of sophistication that is always misplaced. Day-of-the-week references are always good, especially Monday or Friday because of the obligatory emotions that are assumed to go with them. Any mention of weekend seems to comfort people. "Good weekend?" "Have a good weekend?" People like anything with weekend in it. Thursday's good for "One more day ," which usually prompts the easy "You said it" rejoinder. Wednesday, "Hump day." "That it is." We should all agree that we're just going to say, "Acknowledge" as we pass people in the halls. You know, just walk by, "Acknowledge, acknowledge." We'll become Vulcan's for four seconds and not have to wrack our brains every time we just want to go to the bathroom.

I was watching this movie the other night. It was a World War Two movie and there were Nazis in the movie. And I notice that the Nazis in those movies always had two separate "Heil's." They had the regular "Heil" that they would do, and then, when they were around the offices, they had this casual "Heil," where they would just kind of show their palm. Remember that? They come in the office, "Yeah, Heil, how are you? Is the kid back with the coffee yet? Are you finished with the copier? Yeah, world domination, Aryan race, whose donuts are those? Yeah, Heil, nice to see you. Mind if I take the last jelly?"

Why do people who work in offices have pictures of their family on their desk facing them? Do they forget that they're married? Do they say to themselves, "All right. Five o'clock. Time to hit the bars and pick up some hookers. Hold it a second, look at this picture. I got a wife and three kids. I completely forgot! I better get home."

And some more...:)

I once had a leather jacket that got ruined in the rain. Now why does moisture ruin leather? Aren't cows outside a lot of the time? When it's raining, do cows go up to the farmhouse, "Let us in! We're all wearing leather! Open the door! We're going to ruin the whole outfit here!" "Is it suede?" "I am suede! The whole thing is suede! I can't have this cleaned. ...It's all I got!"

The suit is definitely the universal business outfit for men. There is nothing else that men like to wear when they're doing business. I don't know why it projects this image of power. Why is it intimidating? "We'd better do what this guy says, his pants match his jacket."

Women approach clothes from a different angle altogether. The other day I was watching women in a department store looking at clothes, and I noticed women don't try on the clothes, they get behind the clothes. They take a dress off the rack and they hold it up against themselves. They can tell something from this. They stick one leg way out and kind of lean back. I guess they need to know, "If someday I'm one-legged at a forty-five-degree angle, what am I going to wear?" You never see a man do that. You never see a guy take a suit off the rack, put his head behind the collar , and go, "What do you think about this suit? I think I'll get it. Put some shoes by the bottom of the pants, I want to make sure. Now what if I'm walking? Move the shoes, move the shoes, move the shoes."

I love watching women put on their perfume. They're very careful. They have their little stratego areas. Places they think we're going. They always hit the inside of the wrist. Women are convinced that this is the most action packed area that could ever happen. Why, ladies? What is happening there? Is that in case you slap the guy? He still finds you intriguing. ... -CRACK!- He turns back, "Oh. .Chanel."

Ok last one… :)

If we really stuck with the classic Greek priorities, a sound mind in a sound body, the only two places we'd ever go is to a library or a gym. What's amazing to me about the library is that here's a place where you can go in, you take out any book you want, they just give it to you and say, "Please just bring it back when you're done." It reminds me of this pathetic friend everybody had when they were a little kid that would let you borrow any of his stuff if you would just be his friend. That's what the library is, it's a government-funded pathetic friend. That's why everybody kind of bullies the library, "Maybe I'll bring it back on time, maybe I'll bring it back late. What are you gonna do, charge me a nickel? Oooh, I'm so scared."

But the health clubs are a little too strict. What's with the high level of security? The picture I.D.s, the security guards, people signing in and out. . .What is this, NORAD? I mean the people that have a membership go twice a year, who's breaking in? Is this a big problem, people stealing exercise? And what if they catch the person, what then? They run. That's aerobic, makes it even worse.

On my block, a lot of people walk their dogs and I always see them walking along with their little poop bags. This, to me, is the lowest activity in human life. Following a dog with a little scooper. Waiting for him to go so you can walk down the street with it in your bag. If aliens are watching this through telescopes, they're going to think the dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge? I say, if this is where we're at after 50,000 years of civilization, let's just give up. I'm serious, let's pack it in. It's not worth it. Let's just say the human race as an idea didn't quite work. It seemed good at first, we worked on it for a long time, but it just didn't pan out. We went to the moon but still somehow wound up carrying little bags of dog doody around with us. We just got mixed up somewhere. Let's just give it over to the insects or whoever else is next in line.

All excerpts from..."SeinLanguage" by Jerry Seinfeld-ISBN 0-553-56915-5

Some random thoughts

2005-11-10T11:29:00.000-05:00

Coffee - one of the best things to jump start your day

SeinLanguage is one hilarious read. Laughing uncontrollably while reading it at public places probably makes people think I've lost it :)

First dates are like first job interviews. Time to show your best side, not time to be 'yourself'

Chocolates and ice creams - just a thought of these makes me weak in my knees

No Entry was funny and totally stupid, I enjoyed it.

Indians without spices in their kitchen are rare to find

People dying is bad. Conscience dying is worse.

Maturity is not about age. Its about learining from your mistakes, knowing yourself and being comfortable about it.

I was told - 'Disassociate yourself from persons whose objectives oppose yours'.. hmm

There is a difference between building castles in the air and dreaming about what you want. Im good at both.

To think alike is great but to feel alike is divine. A recent radiant quote

Why do the simplest of things seem complicated at times? Why can’t we do things just because we want to? Does everything have to have a reason?

I want to live better, touch lives, not expect, not anticipate, not wish, just live on and let go. Quite hard :(

Fragrance varieties

2005-11-07T22:39:00.000-05:00

Perfumes no longer just for your wrists. There is an array of trendy perfumes for your hair, cars, homes, stationaries and even for your pets. With so much of money we spend on the oddest of products and places, I guess it makes sense to toss some dollars over variety of perfumes.

Jean Laporte has started a wonderful French fragrance line of perfumes for luxurous cars perfect for those long rides to the country sides when just the green pine trees won't do. If you own a convertible, a BMW, a Jaguar, a Rolls Royce or a Jeep you should try some variety of aromas. Well if you can afford a Beemer, and not to mention the gas prices, you sure can afford that silly $50 spray to keep their interiors fresh right?

If you want to seal your letter with a perfume instead of a kiss, get some Laura Tonatto's fragrant paper. For $30 your stationary can be pre scented. All it will take you to do is write a letter, oh I bet you forgot about it ever since you memorized your loved one's email :P

If your hair smells and you don't have the time to wash it (and with this busy schedule who does it that often? :P) spritz a little Clean Shampoo Fresh Hair Fragrance onto your trsses and voilaa! Just one pump makes your hair smell shampoo fresh and all clean. At $39 who can afford to pass this?

And even the pets have their own line of fragrances. Spot and Kitty with high end clothing, toys, food and home now have a perfume for pets. Interesting isn't it?

Not that, we shouldnt keep our bodies smelling lovely. Im all for upkeep but just re examing our needs for new products, and thinking how companies play with human minds, fool them to sell their products and capitalize amazes me.

Isn't it okay for your SUV to smell like leather? And if the drive in smell of McDonald's still lingers in your automobiles, can't your perfume just double as car deodrants? How many of us have at one point or the other squirted our perfumes in our rooms to cover up that damp lunch smell? They make lipsticks that double up as eyeshadow and blush, phones that double up as portable music players, why cant we double our perfumes as room sprays? If you think your perfume smells that good on you, why would'nt you want to share this wealth with your furry friend? After all they are a reflection of their owners.

2005-10-31T11:01:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone love, joy, contentment, and peace!

Jobs in Bush Administration

2005-10-26T12:35:00.000-04:00

The new set of criteria that our President has developed for hiring key people, has changed the executive search business forever. Wonder if the President ran today's business organizations, what kind of qualifications would he insist for executive positions. Here are some openings with the qualifications I think Mr President might seek.

Senior Stock Analyst
Seeking candidates with a college degree or equivalent. Should be friendly with golf handicap. Tricky numbers an advantage but not required to do a ‘heck of a job’ in this demanding position.

Chairman for a multinational corporation
Applicant who holds a valid passport has a great chance. Previous foreign travel a plus. A League grad preferred. Grades are unimportant. A detailed record of all college roommates a must. Residence in gated community works as an added advantage. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Economist
This is your chance to play with big important guys. You are comfortable with very very large numbers. You are not afraid to swallow your professional integrity and join the new breed of 'political economists'. Accuracy not important. Careful follow up not an issue for this high level position.

Vice President for an Oil Refinery
Small but upcoming refinery with a annual profit of $6 billion seeks an aggressive, self starting motivated individual. Prefer someone over 6 foot tall, and over 250 lbs in weight, to make a strong impression amongst fellow oil execs. Gender no problems, track record not necessary.

Orchestra Player
Must work well with peers and not be shy of facing large crowd. Knowledge of classical music useful. Must be able to raise funds to make up for government budget cuts.

US Delegate for a major international organization
Potential delegate must be aggressive and highly irritable with a short temper, since this job involves other countries to have their opinions. Successful candidate must be suspicious of entire organization and its reason for existence.

Disease Control Manager
Selected candidate must be informal at emergency room setting. Individual should be comfortable enough to be called by nicknames example Dr. Brown be called Brownie or Dr.Chumwell be called Chummy or Chumster. A MD or other advanced degree useful.

Justice for Supreme Court
Government seeks a person whose judicial philosophy is unknown, whose paper trail is nil and who has no previous experience as a judge – oops, you’ve probably read about this opening before.

Are you qualified for any of the above high paying jobs? :P

Super Seven

2005-10-19T23:00:00.000-04:00

Tagged by Southpaw, here's my super seven

Seven things I plan to do: Whatever I plan never works, so I changed this title to:
Seven things I want to do:

Travel around the world
Own a business of my own
Win a lotto
Win some award
Make anonymous charities
Go on a pilgrim
Spread happiness

Seven things I can do:

Stain glass painting
Be stubborn
Keep a secret
Forgive
Change moods in a blinker
Read all day long
Hurt myself

Seven things I can't do:

Spew sarcasm
Curse or use foul language
Quit being languorous
Wear high heels
Sing in public
Live without my family
Shape my own eyebrows

Seven things I say most often:

Awesome
Seriously
Leave me alone
Are you okay?
I guess
Take care
Kya re

A few additions of my own.....

Seven things I should be doing:

Filling up my time log
Writing a project report
Catching up with old friends
Buying a new cell phone
Taking a long vacation
Decluttering my mind
Going for a walk

Seven things I must try:

Para gliding
A Dave Barry book
Starbucks new flavor- Columbia Narino Supremo
Making bakhlawa
Staying up late hours :P
A digital dictionary
Yahoo messenger

Seven things on my mind:

Concerns about a sick relative
Plans for rest of the week
Delightful smell of wet earth
Swaying palm trees
Email from a blogmate
Complexities of life
Daddy

Seven people I want to pass this tag to:

I guess most of my blog contacts have been tagged so whoever wants to do this timepass meme, please feel free to tag yourself :)

Is the end nearing?

2005-10-18T09:15:00.000-04:00

The constant threat of terrorism; the Asian tsunami that killed more than 120,000; Katrina floods of Noah proportions; mud slides in Central America which has created mass gravesites; quake in Pakistan crushing 40,000 lives; the melting of Polar ice caps that creates a global warming trend which could in due time cause devastating floods and fuel more intense hurricanes; and now a feared avian flu pandemic that experts warn could inflict a 50% fatality rate throughout the world.

Are these all signs of the apocalypse detailed in the holy Qu'ran, the Bible and the Torah or are we simply having a global strech of super bad luck?

There was a bumper sticker on the rear of an old Buick I saw the other day which read "Jesus is coming, look busy!" Funny or not, that bumper sticker had me wondering for a while given the wild happenings of today's world. How we mortals remain unprepared for mother nature's strike which creates the most horrific disaster in modern history.

I think whats happening today is more like a wake up call. Scriptures say that no one will know when the end would be nearing, but I guess all the nature game we are experiencing today is God's permissive will. Not that He allows bad things to happen, just that He allows them to stir in. The common grace that has protected our planet is slowly being withdrawn. Seems like the Almighty has taken His hands off the world cos of the kind of lives we are leading. Perhaps its time for us to all evaluate where we stand, specially those of us, who are not firm on spiritual grounds.

Dont get too sensational reading this, whatever is happening around the world is pretty sensational enough. Just remember to say your prayers before you go to bed :)

A new dream

2005-10-17T10:52:00.000-04:00

A new look with a new name, a new title and a new template. My much needed blog change.

How do you like it?

Respite

2005-10-10T09:42:00.000-04:00

Exhaustion may seem like a myth, yet Id like you to take a breather :)

Lets play rhymes

2005-10-07T09:35:00.000-04:00

Hey Zombie this is for you
And for rest of my friends too

Done with haikus, now lets rhyme
Playing fun is no crime

Folks its friday
Lets enjoy it today

Anything you say
Just rhyme it away

A rhyme, a line, a free verse too
If not English, Hindi would do

Its easy, give it a try
Rhyming is fun, so say I

Now, stop being lazy
Cook up anything crazy

Good, better, or worse
Welcome are all kinds of verse

So are you guys ready?
Lets go - start already!

Haikus

2005-10-06T14:22:00.000-04:00

Weird Bollywood songs

2005-10-03T15:07:00.000-04:00

Today’s Bollywood songs come pretty innovative, they make me chuckle. One such song I recently heard went like so..

Do me a favour, let's play Holi

Oh Bollywood, you never fail to entertain :P

So which is the silliest/funniest/worst Hindi film song you’ve ever heard?

One Year and One Hundreed

2005-09-29T13:20:00.000-04:00

Me and my blog have been together for a year, through the good times and the bad. Our relation has not been the best of all. I’ve been mean, stubborn, temperamental, and have even refused to see my space for days. But my blog never complained, nor did it ask me any questions for my tantrums. It did not even flinch when I was so darn rude. For this and for all the wonderful special people I met, thanks.

With pleasure I announce this as my 100th post, I'd like to compile a categorial list of my favorite posts, and this could be for records. Browse through, if you care :)

If wishes were horses

I want..

Some poetry writing

For the fun of memes and lists

My greatest loss

Death by cancer

Home is where the heart is

My dream home

As musical as we could get

If music be the food of love, play on

Some controversial memories

Something humorous?

My talking appliances

For the love of narcissism

Nostalgia and reminiscence

Its around the corner

2005-09-28T10:22:00.000-04:00

It started monday when it rained in the noon and into the evening. After dark, the rain grew fierce knocking clothes from my laundry poles and wheezing past the leaves no small feat for such a narrow, deep slope like this. The temperature has not recovered from the storm. I've closed my balcony door every night since then.

The flowers on the trees are gradually fading to pink and falling, leaving their stalks to disappear again into the forest like background. My car sparkles in the morning, balancing sheets of cold dew. The sun was low and silvery brilliant today. It shooted blinding beams levelled straight at my eyes when I faced the day. It's crouched guerilla style at the edges of tall trees. It flooded through the green grove by my house, lighting a deceivingly summery green scene. I'm not fooled. The game is up for us. Autumn is here, somewhere, like a hiding theif.

I'm back..

2005-09-25T10:07:00.000-04:00

with a dejected feeling and a heavy heart. :(

Bombay Dreams

2005-09-13T11:01:00.000-04:00

The sky above me is clear blue, the air is cool and fresh and the humidity is low. And trust the city of all cities, the mother of all cities rekindles the dying flame, and leaves upon me indelible impressions.

NYC brings me nostalgic memories of Mumbai, a city I love like none other. The unmistakable energy that charge the atmosphere here is intoxicating. It is a dream to be able to run the race against time in NY, like all those important looking people do, in black and grey suits, marching to the ticking of their watches and heartbeats. Being here is like I am in a trance.

While I was watching the glittering skyline from the window of 33rd floor, I felt an overpowering surge of adrenalin through my veins. Long lost memories, obscure and forgotten dreams and hopes suddenly felt alive and possible. I had a strong desire for something unknown. A feeling that somehow I had lost sight of in the recent mist of activities. I have heard it been said a lot of times, but yeah, I feel alive. Be it the teeming streets and noisy air spiced with car honks and sirens, or the busy subway lines, or the grandeur and opulence of the hotels and clubs, or Broadway's Beauty and the Beast, or that diminutive single Indo-Chinese restaurant whose existence I am utterly grateful for. As I weaved in and out of these, I felt quite secured yet visible in the crowd and noise.

Amidst the towering maze of splendid concrete and glass, with the tranquil river keeping an eye over America's favorite child from the distance, I feel at home.

Silver Tongued

2005-09-08T11:28:00.000-04:00

Before the time runs out, let me wish you a very very happy birthday filled with everything your heart desires and more. And upon your request, here's my hand written birthday card for you

If..

2005-09-02T23:43:00.000-04:00

If I were a month I would be: June

If I were a day of the week I would be: Saturday morning

If I were a time of day I would be: A lazy balmy sleepy afternoon

If I were a planet I would be: Earth

If I were a sea animal I would be: A great white shark on a fish-eaters' recovery program

If I were a direction I would be: North by northwest

If I were a piece of furniture I would be: A lawn trellis decorated with jasmine creepers

If I were a sin I would be: Cynicism

If I were a liquid I would be: Chrysanthemum tea

If I were a stone, I would be: A hitherto undiscovered blood-red coral in the Great Barrier Reef

If I were a tree, I would be: A rain tree

If I were a tool, I would be a: Minolta Dimage

If I were a flower/plant, I would be: A champagne rose

If I were a kind of weather, I would be: Lightning pursuing a dark grey cloud

If I were a musical instrument, I would be: The voice box

If I were an animal, I would be: A phoenix

If I were an emotion, I would be: Passion

If I were a vegetable, I would be: Lime pickle

If I were a sound, I would be a: Raindrops plop!ing on a puddle

If I were an element, I would be: Healing iodine

If I were a car, I would be: A black BMW 330Xi convertible

If I were a song, I would be: An underground classic distributed freely on the Internet
If I were a book, I would be written by: Gabriel Garcia Marquez

If I were a food, I would be: A Spaghetti

If I were a place, I would be: A deserted South PacIfic Island

If I were a material, I would be: Duchess organza

If I were a taste, I would be: Spicy Sweet

If I were a scent, I would be: L’eau D’Issey

If I were a religion, I would be: Love

If I were a word, I would be: Surreptitious. Regardless of the meaning, it reminds me of mysterious lips and smiles.

If I were a body part I would be: The heart of the brain

If I were a facial expression I would be: A grin

If I were a subject in school I would be: Understanding Mars 101 – the History and Geography of its inhabitants and the Physics of their behavioral patterns.

If I were a shape I would be: A star

If I were a number I would be: 7

My gifts for the government

2005-09-01T11:49:00.000-04:00

The most contentious issues of the sky rocketing prices of fuel has been the topic of discussion all throughout the US

Last eve while driving toward my aunt’s home, I saw a price of $2.67 per gallon at HESS, while $2.85 at the Mobile gas station. I wanted to fill up my tank, but since I was running late, I thought I’d do it on my way back. On my way back not more than 3 hours on the same route, I noticed HESS increased its price to $3.15 and Mobile to $3.19. Anyone driving a vehicle would notice such fluctuating price of gas as its hitting record highs, and now Hurricane Katrina is being used as an excuse by the energy companies for yet another price hike. Unlike previous energy crisis, there is neither a shortage of supply nor an attempt by any oil producing nations to withhold oil from American markets. Nor are the energy companies doing bad financially, then why is it that the voices of concern being raised in the country not being mirrored by the government?

Unless I am watching the wrong TV news channels or reading the wrong newspapers, I don’t seem to recall anyone from the Democrats or the Republicans speak out against this absurdly high fuel prices. There seems to be no interest from either party to investigate this matter and the notion of price gouging isn’t being raised inside the Beltway.

I am so tempted to send our elected Congressmen bulks of throat lozenges, eye drops and ear wax removal solutions as gifts because it appears like they have lost their voices and have trouble seeing and hearing what is happening beyond their hubs. Oh by the way, my gifts are not intended for President Bush. He has his voice and he can see and hear the growing dissatisfaction. But a person, who takes a 5 week vacation and lectures the country about making sacrifices, it’s clear that he does not need throat lozenges, eye drops and ear wax removal solutions. He needs enema!

TGIF

2005-08-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

My horoscope for today reads:
If you lose your patience today over a pesky problem, it could cause you to try an approach that might evoke even more trouble

A trite Prayer:
Oh Lord, please grant me truckload of patience and kiss the troubles away.

Have a great weekend all you lovely people out there.

We are too shallow

2005-08-25T12:17:00.000-04:00

It seems like these days looks come first, everything else second, if at all. The problem with our society is not that we are too pretty or too sexy, but rather too snobby and lazy.

What happened to being compatible? What happened to the intellectual stimulation? What happened to the emotional attachment and spiritual connection between people? When and why did these fundamental elements of meaningful relationship stop being important all of a sudden? Why do we not take time anymore to actually listen, understand and learn about the person, without discrediting them right away based on their inferior (to ours) looks?

Who are we to judge other people’s appearances anyway? In this constantly accelerating pace of life, I fear too many of us have become too busy, too important and too full of ourselves to slow down, appreciate and respect another person’s individuality.

As an old saying goes, one should not judge a book by its cover, and nowhere is this more pertinent than in today’s hypocritical society.

Note: This post is just my rant as to what I am seeing/hearing/reading around me off-late. It has absolutely no resemblance wiith any blogger, thanks.

Fib revealed

2005-08-22T11:45:00.000-04:00

Sorry to keep you enthusiastic souls waiting so long. As promised I am here to announce the winners. First, lets decrypt each of the statements

1. I am possessive and stubborn
Fact. I am possessive and stubborn to the point of no return. What’s mine is mine...rest can go for public utility. :)

2. I have visited Iraq twice
Fact. No I am not obsessed by war rages, my trip was strictly of a religious nature and I do carry some gruesome memories of grave injustice people perpetuate against one another

3. I suffer from chronic anemia
Many thought this was a fib. Misleading, but a Fact. Discovered this about me only a year ago. Iron supplements? where art thou?

4. I prefer blues to greens
Fact. Though I am a nature lover, I hold clear blues dearer than the lush greens. Blue to me is unadulterated, pure, soothing, refreshing, cool, sparkling and energetic. Wonder why it’s associated with melancholy.

5. I hate changes
Fact. They say Change is a process of growth. I think resisting growth is a very natural thing for stubborn people like moi. I hate changes, it makes me uneasy, uncomfortable and uncertain of new innovative ways

6. I am perennially insomniac
Ahh, now this is tricky. The only moment sleep evades me is when I am uneasy or when something has really gone wrong. Otherwise I enjoy sleep to the envy of my folks. I could fall asleep on any given time so much that I can sleep up to 14 hours a dayJ
-So yes this is a fib!

7. Little objects symbolize a lifetime of memories for me
Fact. And Im sure for you too. I for one, treasure the smallest of things that might seem junk or insignificant to many only to ruminate over it later on.

8. Of the 7 deadly sins (pride, lust, covetousness, envy, anger, sloth, gluttony) sloth is my favorite
Another fact that decieved a few. And in the words of Rousseau - I love idleness. I love to busy myself about trifles, to begin a hundred things & not finish one of them, to come & go as my fancy bids me, to change my plan every moment, to follow a fly in all its circling, to try & uproot a rock to see what is underneath, eagerly begin a ten year’s task & to give it up after ten minutes; in short, to fritter away the whole day inconsequentially & incoherently, & to follow nothing but the whim of the moment.

9. I can cry non stop for hours
Fact, but please nobody try and test me :)

10. I can cook pretty well but I am not too fond of cooking
Fact. This doesn’t mean that I’d never invite you over for a dinner ;)

And now time to crown the winners:

Congratulations Zombie, Z000n and Nupur. You made it right with your guesses.
And your prize is you can ask me one question of your choice and I will try my best to answer it.

IV, and Keshi.
I loved the way you applied your logic, You were silly to deter just cos you thought Zombie picked the right one. And Keshi, your answers created some doubts for Zombie and Z00nie’s pick, lol

Strawy, Rohit, Fira, Southpaw, Charmer, Musing, Puneet, Akshay, Pari, Manish, Avik, Gaurav, Ice Princess, Pithaly, Icey, C, Pearl - Thanks for trying and your prize is dinner with a celebrity of your choice. Count the dates unconfirmed though ;)

K-band, I was forced by Zombie to lie, varna you know main jhooth nahin boltee :D

Oh, this meme was so much fun, thanks again my winner friend!

True Lies

2005-08-17T11:18:00.000-04:00

So I have been tagged by Zombie

One lie - Nine truths. Pick the lie and the first one to guess it correct will be rewarded. Of course conditions apply.:)

My confession to the lie will be posted monday aug 22nd

1. I am possessive and stubborn
2. I have visited Iraq twice
3. I suffer from chronic anemia
4. I prefer blues to greens
5. I hate changes
6. I am perennially insomniac
7. Little objects symbolize a lifetime of memories for me
8. Of the 7 deadly sins (pride, lust, covetousness, envy, anger, sloth, gluttony) sloth is my favorite
9. I can cry non stop for hours
10. I can cook pretty well but I am not too fond of cooking

Death by cancer teaches about life

2005-08-16T12:11:00.000-04:00

I started to write this as a comment on Keshi's recent post but realized the need of posting it up on my blog as a tribute to my uncle and all those who are/die fighting cancer.

My admiration for cancer soldiers has grown immensely in the last few years. Those fighting cancer become a stand in for hope. And hope in the face of an aggressive, debilitating and ultimately fatal disease is a real dilemma for the terminally ill and their loved ones.

The death of Peter Jennings last week and the news of Donna Reeves having lung cancer and now Keshi’s post brought me back to my own uncle's death from the disease a little over a year ago. By the time he was diagnosed it was too late for a cure. From the diagnosis to death was a mere six months. A blink of an eye in retrospect, but agonizing and seemingly endless at the time.

My uncle fought his battle very bravely, instead of just waiting for death, even though his doctor had stressed the treatment was purely palliative. He spent his last few weeks at home surrounded by the people he loved. Caring for him was the hardest for all of us to deal with, but his death taught us about love and loss, about courage and pain. In other words, about life.

This came in handly, when only a few short weeks after my uncle’s death, my aunt was diagnosed for breast cancer. If my uncle’s quiet courage in the face of his disease had inspired us, it was nothing compared to my aunt’s mettle dealing with hers. It’s a little over a year late and she’s a survivor, a hero to her kids, with her whole life ahead of her.

It’s not the bouts of bitterness and despair which sticks with me but the sense that dying is a part of life and that its important to cherish every last minute of our lives together. Instead of alienating and isolating us from one another, my uncle's death (as good and gentle as death was possible) was as much a gift as his life had been.

Oh that gawker!

2005-08-12T11:16:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in my previous post that I delve in last minutes, that I perform best under pressure. But how about the feeling of being stared at when you at some task? There is something greatly enervating about being stared at. I can’t deal with situations where somebody ogles at me amorously or peeks into my computer screen, or listens to my phone chats.

During my school/college exams, I couldn’t concentrate when examiners would walk in the classroom and suddenly stop behind me, quitely peering into my paper. I would look down and pretend to be reading the question paper or I’d stare into the air as if I were scribbling in thinking deeply for my answer.

I tend to get uncomfortable if someone observes me on the train, at work, or even in the kitchen when someone stares at me juggling with the spices or tossing my pancake.

My new rule to deal with ‘being stared at’:
Don’t fret, don’t be vexed. Either allow your senses to be accoustomed to such oddities and behavioural patterns or simply stare back. That helps to get people off my back and also gives me my dose of amusement -:)

My fellow Indians, Happy Independence Day. Celebrate your Freedom and enjoy your long weekend.

D(r)ead Lines

2005-08-09T13:40:00.000-04:00

I tend to while away time and work up the last minutes to meet my deadlines much like the scenario below:

Day 1:
Project A needs to be delivered in 14 days
Oh there is still a lot of time left
Fair enough, I try something out.
Nope, that sucks.
Oh well, I'll try another day..."

Days pass by....

Day 13:
Project A needs to be delivered TOMORROW!!!
Okay, I must focus
Let me try something out
Hmm, that sucks,
Well how about tweaking stuff here and there, yeah, better -
Okay, Im getting there.
BUT dang, only 4 hours left until the meeting....

What I have realized is that the best way to deal with such issues is to set your personal deadlines, way before the delivery date. Needless to say I perform well under pressure, I just have problems convincing myself into taking my own deadlines seriously :-)

However there is a catch on this subject.
(to be continued...)

Indulge me

2005-08-04T16:26:00.000-04:00

If anything at all, what do you like about me ?

Being ripped

2005-08-02T00:06:00.000-04:00

Have you had folks around you who take your wallet for granted? I think this is a terrible quality to have in a friend. One of my colleague had this habit of borrowing my money but never paid back. I didn’t want to be stingy but after a point I couldn’t afford supporting her. I finally said something to her at lunch when she had forgotten her wallet and figured she didn’t need it as long as I had cash. After paying for her lunch that day, I told her she now owed me 20 bucks plus 6.50 for today’s lunch. She gave me an appalled look and said, ‘Oh I didn’t know we were counting.” The people who owe the money never do the counting. The people getting ripped off have numbers running thru their head like an autistic person.

If I wanted to give for charity I would find a better cause than a woman who makes 10,000 extra dollars than I do a year, owns one summer villa in FL, and has an active 401K. There is a happy medium between stalking your colleague for 2 bucks and shelling out money like an ATM. I think the best way to deal with such people is to feign constant poverty, because with a friend like that, it soon won’t be far from truth.

Thursday Tidbits

2005-07-28T13:03:00.000-04:00

While rains have caused serious havoc in my Indian home town, the heat index in the US has topped the records. Seems like the mercury is mocking the nation as it soars higher by day. The city feels like an open sauna room. The moment you step out into the open during daytime, the scorching heat sizzles your skin and the humidity wrings out your energy. We all like the sun, but this heat is just too much!

Gyms are monotonous after a while. Joining some boot camp would be a good option. Never tried these, but clearing hurdles, climbing a series of walls, pulling along a rope ladder sounds like fun. Anybody experienced such activities?

Urban rooftops and windowsills are good spots for planting. You don’t have to leave home to go grocery shopping, just reach out the window. An interesting sight I saw walking past a residential area of this crowded city was that people instead of using pots to grow their greens, have instead grown their garden in coffee cans, buckets, even old drawers. Think its a good way of utilizing junk.

My Immortal by Evanescene is the most beautiful songs I have heard. It says a lot in its own ways. Is there any such song which gives you similar feeling?

That's pretty much how random I could think today. Will end this post with a lovely quote.
Happy are those who see beauty in modest spots, where others see nothing. ~ Camille Pissarro (1830-1903)

Everybody there, have a great weekend and please be safe.

Blue skies & Green grass

2005-07-26T16:36:00.000-04:00

Share with me the blue skies and green grass from your side of the planet.

Coffee Talk

2005-07-20T22:40:00.000-04:00

In the 80s cappuccinos and espressos dominated the world of coffee. By the 90s, flavored mochas became the du jour in joes- hazelnut, French vanilla, Irish crème, etc. Now coffee shops have unleashed the latest java makeover herbs. Starbucks’ latest drink is the Green Tea Frappacino, which technically has no coffee at all but takes its cue from the stores’ famous java drinks. I love this blend of green tea leaves, crème, crushed ice and melon syrup. One exotic drink that explains my summertime oomph :)

The herbal addictives claim that the herb infused coffees relieve mental and physical fatigue, promotes circulation and stimulates energy. Ok, you may call it a subsequent dose of my yogic lessons :)

After experimenting numorous herbal teas, I’ve been sipping copious counts of herbal coffee for last couple days. Flavors of Catapult Coffee are incredibly refreshing without having a taste I can get sick of. My favorite is a rich blend of coffee and herbs with a dash of cinnamon or hazelnut. All a bunch of java jive.

So, tell me folks, What’s your take, tea or coffee? Are you addicted to these beverages in any form? What’s your kind of tea/coffee flavor?

Sweet pleasures

2005-07-19T11:14:00.000-04:00

(in no particular order)

Waking up and realizing I still have a few hours left to sleep. No alarms, no naggings.

Lazing on the couch with soft cushions, pillows, bolsters and my favorite books.

A cozy home, a satisfactory job, a decent bank account, and perhaps a retirement plan.

Surfing TV channels to find my most entertaining shows.

Gorging chocolates, guzzling cold drinks, gobbling snacks, biting freshly baked bread.

Hand written letters on beautiful colored stationary.

Old yellowed photographs, because we are nothing but made of memories.

Books, book shelves, old books with familiar words.

Music and movie collections, the ones you can hear/watch over and over.

Keeping the computer on, writing mails, blogging, chatting and surfing.

Long, leisurely baths, soft towels, scented candles, no door banging.

Reading newspapers and actually reading not browsing.

Soaking up the invigorating smell of wet mud after it has stopped raining.

Long drives, endless roads, gusty winds, blasting music.

A gift from a child; either a sloppery kiss, a bunch of wilting flowers, a hand made card or a toothless grin.

Running through sprinklers on a hot sticky day.

Sitting by the bonfire with your friends and hearing spooky stories.

Neat embroideries, hand pottery, vivid paintings that entice you deeply.

Day dreaming and whiling away time in a coffee shop.

Rainy days, chilly nights, setting sun, starry sky, sunshine peeking through the clouds.

Cool caressing breeze, pristine waters, palm trees, wind that rustle the leaves.

A few good friends, who you can speak to without being judged.

Serendipitously finding a twenty dollar bill in the pocket of your winter jacket.

Feeling needed, longing for someone special, being missed.

Appreciation, affection, a gaze, a smile, a warmth to toast across a tableful of tumult.

Relationships that you can take for granted. People who don't leave you and whom you don't leave, no matter what.

The happiness, peace and security of a love that does not change with change and time, that shines as much in age as in youth.

Words to the wise

2005-07-15T13:40:00.000-04:00

Life is not simple as you would like it to be. Its basically a jigsaw puzzle with good pieces and bad. Looking within, you realize you have been the cause of many unresolved issues. Ignore those irregular pieces and pick out the golden pieces to run your life by. Stick to your guns and face the storm and the matters will get resolved. Consolidate your position before you fall into deeper trouble.

Change is a process of growth. Resisting growth is a very natural thing for stubborn people. The lingering thought usually is that the grass could be greener on the other side, and you need to get there. Change may make you a new person with new dreams and a more innovative way of looking at life. And then nothing can stop you from reaching the top. Be in tune with yourself.

Expectations others have in you, causes constant pressure in your personal or professional life. You tend to become awe and sometimes the envy of many. Manage a balance and stay on top of things.

Opportunities come in variety of ways. Choosing the best can tap your potentials. Excited by challenges you want to move ahead with confidence. Ignore the tough competition and the rivals who may be up to unfair scheming. Smile and sail to the shore of success.

Decision making for fickle minded people is quite tricky. Manipulating the situation may seem to be a good option but one has to tread carefully and rethink their options. Making incorrect choices can take you upto the wrong path. Experience brings learning. Give yourself the necessary adjustment/learning time and let things fall into place on its own.

Wishes are what we humans are made of. There are so many wishes and so little time. You wish you had a magic wand to fulfill each of your desires. But hey, you don’t need a wand. The future is yours to take. Remember nobody and nothing can bring you authentic happiness other than yourself.

Faith is not just a feeling. Its being certain that the big picture is beautiful. Life starts and ends with faith. Once you put faith in yourself, you can conquer the world.

Start your days with a smile, wish others well and watch the future world unfold itself for your best.

Thumbs up for Yoga

2005-07-14T15:52:00.000-04:00

Yoga, a traditional practice has become a hottest trend these days. People assert it has drastically helped them develop a healthy balance of mind and body. I never knew its importance until I experienced it. I attended a 5 session Hatha Yoga workshop woo hoo! Thanks to my uni's worklife department. What a wonderful experience it was. I learnt some of the best techniques of streching, relaxing, meditating de-stressing, breathing, concentrating and even some intriguing sanskrit names. :) The instructor was a member of Manhattan based yoga institute. She taught us some great yoga postures (asanas) and breathing practices that can make one alert and relaxed.

I'll share with you some scoop from my class

A Yogic Pose
A reversed corpse pose called advasana particularly helps tame the minds of restless seekers.

Lie on your stomach. Rest your forehead on floor. Place a cushion at your chest to ease breathing. Strech both your hands in front, touching in a namaste gesture. Rest it in a relaxed fashion, as long as its comfortable.

Trust me, this is extremely relaxing and de-stressing. It corrects postural defects, relieves spinal problems such as stiff neck and lower backache.

A Yogic Recipe
A spicy concoction to soothe the chest and alert the mind.

Ginger Chutney

Ingredients
2 red chillies
2 tbsp chopped ginger
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 marble sized ball of tamrind
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black gram dal
a pinch of jaggery
oil
salt

Prepareation
Fry the chillies, dal, ginger in a little oil. Grind with cocunut, jaggery, tamrind and salt. Before serving, temper with musturd seeds.

How it works
Ginger relieves chest congestion. Like chllie and musturd it warms the body. It also helps in weight loss. Black gram dal is known to imapct moods and is also an aphrodisiac. Jaggery does not leach minerals from the body like refined sugar. Cocunut, in limited quantities fights bad cholestrol.

Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life
~BKS Iyengar, world's foremost yoga teacher

Truly quoted. Yoga is a powerful practice, and you can integrate it into your daily life to optimize your physical and mental well-being. Try a pose or two, if you get a chance, I bet it will rejuvenate your senses.

Musical musing

2005-07-12T23:45:00.000-04:00

There is something about songs from the past that capture your imagination for no particular reason, and continue to stick with you, years later. At frequent intervals, some song in particular catches my fancy & doesn't let go. Yours, too, I guess but do you actually memorize the entire song, word by word? If you do, that's a bit rare and join the bandwagon :-)

Here are 2 songs that has grabbed me even though I haven't heard them in a while.

Bin Tere Sanam from the not so popular movie Yaara Dildaara For some reason, the opening lines of this song are stuck in my head.

Bin tere sanam mar mitenge hum, aa meri zindagi
Aana hi padaa sajna, zaalim hai dil ki lagi
Tere hi dam se hogi dil ki muraad puri
Tere bagair jaanam hai zindagi adhuri
Ae mere haseen, ab na jaa kahin, aa meri zindagi
Aana hi padaa sajna, zaalim hai dil ki lagi

Another song thats been with me for quite some days now is You Only Live Twice by Coldplay. One of my favorite bands and I simply love the lyrics and sentiments this song exudes.

You only live twice or so it seems,
One life for yourself and one for your dreams.
You drift through the years and life seems tame,
Till one dream appears and love is its name.

And love is a stranger who'll beckon you on,
Don't think of the danger or the stranger is gone.

This dream is for you, so pay the price.
Make one dream come true, you only live twice.

And love is a stranger who'll beckon you on,
Don't think of the danger or the stranger is gone.
This dream is for you, so pay the price.
Make one dream come true, you only live twice.

So, tell me what song(s) have you been grabbed by off late, and what do you like about it/them?

Yesterday was painful

2005-07-08T14:39:00.000-04:00

London terror news are everywhere. BBC reports the current death toll is 37, with 700 injured. NYC was on full alert yesterday when the news of deadly attacks in London rattled the world. Thousands of military personnel flooded the city subways, busses, trains, tunnels, bridges and waterways by the time people started their morning commute.

What is the world coming to? All you see in news is civil wars, holy wars, terror attacks, climatic problems, poverty, economic slumps, and so much trouble in the Middle East. I think we really don't deserve to rule the planet at all. I don't know who to hate more, the terrorists or the administrations who've failed to keep their people safe.

After 911, last year’s Madrid train blasts, and now the London bombings, I just cant imagine the trauma of getting up on a normal day and trudging off to work, only to experience something so deadly. Come on, these were innocent people going about their daily life. It could be any of us. I just don't get it! I feel so horrible, am going to stop thinking too far ahead. The new Yorkers are concerned that this type of attack might be replicated in their city but the Governor reassures the people that there is the best security in the world to protect them. Oh well! I believe whats going to happen is going to happen, we cant stop or alter our daily schedules.

My friend, Kaps made a related thought provoking post/rant, if you care to read.

God bless and may all you out there be safe.

Five of hearts

2005-07-05T12:21:00.000-04:00

5 Things You May Not Know About My Time In School/College Are....

I was the naughtiest kid all through my school life.
I wore two pigtails and commuted in a school bus until std 8th
In std 9, I won several academic awards including top girl. (keep reading, hehe)
I failed math abysmally in first and second year of college yet...
What I graduated in college and what I do for a living are two different areas altogether

5 Things You May Not Know About The Job (Jobs) I Have (Or Have Had) Are...

I had my first job when I was 18. I was a tutor to a 8 year old boy. (not fun!!)
I worked few weekends while in college hosting trade fairs and exhibitions
My first job after graduation was at a company in Mumbai which made stainless steel house wares. I maintained their books of accounts manually (sigh)
My first job in the US was at a financial institute in NY where I mostly fixed Y2k bugs
My current job is the sixth one in my career.

5 Things You May Not Know About My Online Life Are...

I usually take online and web based courses instead of classroom lectures
I am addicted to playing crosswords online
I spend far too much time messing around online when I have other things I should be doing
I learned faceless people at the other end of your computer have a heart and feelings too
My first ever nickname was reshmi kebab

5 Things You May Not Know About Where I Live Are...

The climate is moderate, the bus system is great and the people are fabulous.
The cost of living and real estate here is the highest in the northeast USA I think
People here worship sun, especially in the winter.
The garden state is blessed with 127 miles of white sand beaches
The turnpike and GSP traffic during rush hours are awful

5 Things You May Not Know About My Core Personality Are...

I can be stubborn as hell
I am a mystery in myself
I am very sensitive about people I love and care
I like to be alone, but I don't like loneliness
I am forever trying to find the balance and forever failing

5 Things You May Not Know About My Life At Home Are...

I stay physically more active at home than at work
I cook on the weekends
I enjoy planting flowers and vegetables in my backyard
I say my prayers everyday
In my spare, Im usually found in my study where I spend quiet moments of contemplation devouring my favorite books.

5 Things You May Not Know That I Desperately Want Are...

My family to be happy.
To buy a new house of my dream
To win the lotto so I can become a philanthropist.:)
All new 2006 Eclipse
To gain some pounds :)

5 Things That You May Not Know About What I Do In A Typical Day Are...

Wake up between 6:00 and 6.30 a.m.
Step outside to get fresh air three or four times a day
While away the hours daydreaming and lazing.
Watch TV at breakfast and after dinner.
Call home twice or thrice a day

5 Things You May Not Know That Are Really Important To Me Are...

My family friends and loved ones (but you knew that already)
Staying fit and healthy
Trying hard to keep my cynicism at bay.
Finding beauty and humor in simpler things of life
Being thankful for each day I have been given and looking forward to the next

Celebrating freedom

2005-07-01T10:37:00.000-04:00

As the Fourth of July weekend is nearing, folks in the US are probably thinking of what beaches to visit; where to getaway; who to invite for the barbecue party; where to get the best of holiday discount shopping; or where to watch the extravagant parades and fireworks show.

Independence day to some means a celebration of freedom which was won after a great struggle, irrespective of your country of origin. To some it means a a mere holiday. To movie theatres and restaurants it means more business.

What does Independace day mean to me? Since I was brought up in India, perhaps I feel more virtuous about 15 Aug than the 4th of July. But in any case, my instant reaction is really nothing. It doesn’t mean much to me, except for a long awaited holiday. On a deeper thought, tough my impulses might not react dramatically to Independance day, it does hold an unspoken significance in my mind. It's easy for us to say that we don't feel anything, we got freedom by default, that our generation was 'born free'. I am grateful to all those who made sacrifices to gain independence for the nation. While there are many people around the world still struggling for freedom and peace, I am one of the lucky free and peaceful soul and shall always be thankful for that.

So while you're enjoying your holiday, take a moment to think about exactly what you are celebrating this Independence day.

Have a swell weekend and a great Fourth!

I transitioned from pink to tan :)

It so happened

2005-06-30T10:54:00.000-04:00

I saw such a dazzling smile, much later I realized I was on the wrong train!

Announcement:
Inspired by Bear Quotes, here is a version by yours truly, Dew Quotes

Tuesday tidbit and some cool sites

2005-06-28T11:40:00.000-04:00

I overheard this on the train today:

A: How are you feeling these days?
B: I don’t know
A: You don’t know?
B: Well…A lot of good things are happening.. But I don’t believe that I deserve good things
B (continues): which means that happiness causes me a high level of anxiety bordering on misery – just not all the time.
A: I am confused
B: That’s how I feel

Check out these hilarious sites. Here you will find amusing, rather stupid accounts of what people speak in public. I think you can submit your entries too.
www.overheardinnewyork.com
www.overheardintheoffice.com
PS: Few may find some content on the above sites profane, but I guess its the NY attitude

Do you have any confessions to make? Any secrets that you’d like to vent out? Here is your chance to contribute. http://postsecret.blogspot.com
The owner of this site will transform your contributed secret into a fascinating postcard and post it on. Happy volunteers?
PS: Some of the confessions I read on this site are pretty sick

Last but not the least, those interested in beautiful creative photography, David J. Nightingale’s this site is a must see. www.chromasia.com
The archives section of this site lists details of every image shot by the photographer. Very interesting indeed.

That's all for today, have a wonderful day :)

Wordy nerdy

2005-06-27T22:59:00.000-04:00

I always wondered if there was a word to describe that wonderful first rain earthy smell. Well, I guess there is! Courtesy - archives from Wordsmith

Petrichor (PET-ri-kuhr) noun
The pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.
[From petro- (rock), from Greek petros (stone) + ichor (the fluid that is supposed to flow in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology). Coined by researchers I.J. Bear and R.G. Thomas.]

On second thoughts, I find the word a bit ugly for such a lovely smell

This morning, while reading the am news I came across the word "Gadzooks". How wonderful it is to use archaic words which not only shows emotion of some sort but also causes grins. Some of the elderly expletives just can't be topped. Egad! Zounds! Eureka! I'm more than a little bit sorry that these words have fallen into disuse.

The current #$%#$%@! fad of punctuating every !@#!@#&&#@# few words with an oath does not amuse me anymore. I tune out or turn the page, and I'm guilty of mentally dismissing the speaker or writer as someone who desperately needs to expand his vocabulary. And if you feel that this is judgmental of me, then a pox on you ;-)

Today I feel

2005-06-22T10:30:00.000-04:00

Dull, dazed, depressed, delirious, disheartened, disappointed, disoriented, dispirited and a lot more....

PS: This space will soon be desisted

Gibbers

2005-06-21T11:36:00.000-04:00

The nose can run and the feet can smell
There can be frogs inside a drinking well
The sky can be red and blood can be blue
You could be me and I could be you

Roses can be black and hair can be red
There can be monsters under your bed
A dusty road and pebbles in your food
A polite person suddenly gets rude

Humans in the jungle, and animals in the city
A toothless, wrinkled woman looks so pretty
Nothing I say makes any sense
Anybody out there for a quick dance?

Monday Madnness

2005-06-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

I enjoy playing word games like wordplay and scrabble. Found this anagram list at at a very interesting site, Monday Madness.
I dont wanna run over your attempts, so I tagged my answers on text mouseover :D Go figure.

List at least one anagram for the following words
1. rentals
2. wreathe
3. intidy
4. ruling
5. peaks
6. imprints
7. meals
8. reserve
9. cosmic
10. heirs

Remembering Daddy

2005-06-19T10:56:00.000-04:00

Fathers Are
Trustees Of
Humble
Enduring
Reassuring
Strength

Dad, I
Admire
You

Fill in your captions

2005-06-16T16:50:00.000-04:00

Speak now or hold your peace forever...

Prayer power

2005-06-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

What really causes cancer and what makes it so deadly? Beyond tobacco, that is still a difficult question because cancer is many different diseases and scientists still don’t have all the answers. Hmm..

A woman, a breast cancer patient on an operating table is undergoing reconstructive surgery. Four thousand miles away a shamanic leader has been sent the woman’s name, her photo and details about the surgery. Prayer has the power to heal patients from afar. Has science explored the power of distant healing? Or is it inconclusive? Is channeling a Buddhist intention, or reki energy or consulting shamanic leaders same as praying to God with your own beliefs? And how do you determine if it was the power of distant healing, your own true prayers that made the patient well or something else? Personally I have learned that prayers, whatever kind work only when backed with action.

Something related to distant healing, although I think what you read beyond this is more of a hoax.

If you are in the US watching Zee TV, you’d probably find names like Peer Syed Sahib, Pundit Maharaj and Ajmeri Baba familiar. Their frenzy commercials are aired between every breaks almost all day and they claim '100% guaranted results’ for all your problems. Any kind of problems, you name it- martial, business, health, kids troubling their parents (no kidding here!), can’t marry the person you love (o my gosh), whatever. How insane is that? Some of these crooks (shall I call ‘em so?) are even becoming sole sponsors of certain shows and every other day they have a new ad. All 3 of these are seemingly sitting in London. Do people actually call them to resolve their problems over the phone (jet age eh?). Wonder how they charge their clients, sure they take their credit card numbers (scary business, I'd say). I seriously think such hoax ads should be banned.

Read this if you care

Been loved

2005-06-13T09:47:00.000-04:00

Thank you my dear friends for your wonderful and much cherished and appreciated birthday wishes. My spirits are soaring and I feel extraordinary. Thanks for bestowing such remarkable affection on me.

And now, before its too late across the oceans, here's wishing Word_Smith and Cheesy.Termite a very Very Happy Birthday and a year filled with love, happiness, contentment, and peace.

Groovy

2005-06-11T20:53:00.000-04:00

Its the right time,
For a bit of reconnaissance,
To get off the pickets,
To feel some resistance.

Its the right time,
To look for some shore,
Not to long for some land,
But to savor the distance.

So..

2005-06-10T08:53:00.000-04:00

The answer to my riddle in the previous post is Radio. Cheers BM, for guessing it correct. Thanks everyone for trying your brain cells. All answers were absolutely creative :)

My music while at work

2005-06-08T12:48:00.000-04:00

What does it imply, when you post twice in a day at an interval of less than 3 hours? Blog addiction? Too much time to while away? Lots to blabber? Nothing better to do? Oh, whatever...

My all day long music comes from 106.7 Lite FM

Today seems like my lucky day. All my fav songs are playing. Sure you are curious, so check out today's playlist and you can tell me which ones of the list you like.

And oh, I have a riddle for you.

What is unpredictable but always music to the ears?

Come on, give it a shot.

Of Quran and Islam

2005-06-08T10:12:00.000-04:00

I usually do not post religious topics or discuss such subject cos of its sensitivity, but since recently the Quran has been in the news for unfortunate reasons, here are my rantings.

The reports of the desecration of the Quran by the US interrogators and Zarqawi claiming the Quran sanctifies the killing of innocent people for the cause of ’jihad’ has been a reason for distress for most Muslims. The word jihad is often erroneously translated as holy war while its actual meaning is ‘struggle’ in the purest forms for the defense of Islamic principles. While Muslims do believe that martyrs go to heaven, they also believe that killing of innocent people is like killing of all humanity. Ali, the Prophet’s nephew said ‘the ink of a scholar’s pen is more scared than the blood of a martyr'.

It’s a shame that in today’s Muslim world the Quran is being abused by autocratic government and extremists who are power thirsty. These so-called Muslim governments have abused the Quran, the media and extremists have misrepresented Islam causing mis-information about the religion that considers it a divine source.

I was reading an article yesterday that Thomas Jefferson studied the Quran in detail and would extract the moral codes and law from the holy book during his quest for an ideal form of government. The holy book contains core democratic principles such as representative government and freedom from oppression. The teachings of Islam are a part of the foundation of the American spirit of universal equality and rights. John Espisito, professor of Islamic studies at Georgetown stated very simply ‘The Quran is to Muslim what Jesus is to Christianity’. He also compared the feelings of Muslims when the Quran is desecrated to what Americans feel when the flag is burned.

I think, Americans must attempt to understand this fast growing religion and the words that inspire its believers. We must realize that the hatred toward innocent people is irrational and the Constitution and the Quran both share common goals of life, liberty and humble act of happiness

Today's debate

2005-06-06T11:04:00.000-04:00

How should the 9-year old girl who allegedly stabbed and killed her 11-year old friend be punished?

The story

A little ill, a little off

2005-06-01T15:48:00.000-04:00

Runny nose, sore throat, cough, congestion, headache, fever

This pretty much sums up my state for the third day in row. :(

Birthday wishes

2005-06-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

To the One who introduced me to BlogSpot

Hope your birthday's happy from dawn's early light...
to twilight's last gleaming
Enjoy!!

Nothing really

2005-05-27T21:40:00.000-04:00

I came across this on my blogpatrol log. Its Spanish, I guess. Has anyone ever seen anything like this ??
Not that I am idle these days, its one of those work moment respites that leads me into such unexplored territories and activities of the web. There's enough happening at the moment for me to actually stop, stand and let the events sink in. While I continue to love and live my share of life, folks around are leaving for vacations, calendars choc-a-bloc with deadlines and friends bidding farewells. I am waiting for that last elusive drop of water clinging stubbornly to the leaf, to fall into my parched throat. Then, I too shall leave, one day.

Three Cheers

2005-05-26T12:55:00.000-04:00

Three wants of the day:

-Ipod (oh my my!)
-New shirt (blue or black?)
-A bracelet (with charms aplenty)

Three thoughts floating in my head today:

-What should I get for lunch today (maybe a grilled chicken roll)
-I want to live alone (yes, I seriously do)
-I want no place for ego in friendship Forgive and forget is my motto. (do you qualify?)

Three things three different people said to me today:

-You are a strong person (yeah, right!)
-You look lovely (whatever)
-You are so funny (aisa kya? :P)

Three people who created a mark on me today:

-A lady on the bus who was knitting an intricate pattern (been a while I held the knitting needles)
-The fruit vendor (she always does. Today she was wearing such gawdy bangles)
-Richard, who downloaded a cool new software for me (you are the best Rich)

Three discoveries of the day:

-I discovered my college alumni group. Also contacted some of my ol' friends. (Im touched so gloriously)
-I like the sight of birds flying in the endless blue. But even more, I like to see a bird eating to its hearts content (feeding a bird is so rewarding)
-Women are incorrigible matchmakers (no remarks)