Carpe Diem

Under the Krabi Sky

2011-12-27T19:14:00.016+05:30

Its unfair. How can one country have it all? Picture postcard beaches, amazing food and arguably the world’s best malls? And if that country is Thailand, when it beckons you just catch the next AirAsia flight and go. My last trip to this beautiful place was a whirlwind of palaces and malls. So when my friends suggested a week long relaxed beach holiday, I jumped at the chance.

When my travel research experts (D and N) zeroed in on three places for our holiday, I was expecting all three to be alike. I mean how different can three beach destinations in the same vicinity be? Oh boy was I wrong or what.

Koh Lanta – The Serene One
Have you met one of those people (most probably a woman in her thirties) who perpetually has a serene and calm aura? Lives life at her own pace and has a “the world can wait” attitude. If I had to describe this beautiful island, that would be it.
Koh Lanta is relatively unknown to mainstream tourists and I hope it remains that way. The sleepy island which is home to white sandy beaches and light blue waters is the perfect getaway from the hustle bustle of city life. We spent two and half relaxed days in this little haven when time does stand still.

On day one, we decided to do the touristy island hopping tour. The day long boat tour took us to four islands. It was during this trip that I discovered the awesomeness that was snorkeling. After some initial hiccups I got a hang of it and loved every bit of it. You float around soaking in the visual delight of watching fish of every possible color glide past you and the only thing you can hear is your own breathing. I wish I was good enough a writer to describe what a fantastic experience that was.Its amazing to think that under that serene blue surface, lies a whole different world.

After two stops for snorkeling, our third stop during the island tour was the emerald cave. I recommend this natural wonder to anyone who visits Thailand. The emerald cave is a hidden beach inside one of the rock formations in the middle of the ocean. It was apparently a favorite hideout for pirates back in the day. Our tour operator had all of us line up and hold on the life-jacket in front of while we swam through the narrow passage to get to the hidden beach. Which worked really well for non swimming claustrophobic beings (aka me). And our final stop was on this quaintlittle island for lunch. Unfortunately blogger does not seem to support my panorama pictures. So I have to make do with the regular ones.

Koi Phi Phi – The Chirpy One
If Ko Lanta had a calming effect on us, Koi Phi Phi woke us up with a jolt. This little bustling island reminds me of a bubbly girl next door. After a couple of relaxing days we hopped over to Koi Phi Phi which was actually just our stop over for our overnight camping trip at Maya Bay. We had half a day to kill and decided to make the most of it. Half the island is filled with beach-side pubs while the other half is filled with cobbled streets lined with little cafes and shops selling absolutely anything. Unlike the previous island, even the waters were more vibrant turquoise here. Something that struck me was how all islands are a riot of blues and greens but yet so uniquely picturesque in its own way.
We decided to check out the Phi Phi view point accessible only via a six hundred steep stairway trek. Which actually felt like 62,879 steps if you ask me. The long strenuous trek was a reality check on how terribly unfit we were, but the view from the top made everything totally worth it.

By afternoon we took the boat to Maya Bay for our overnight camping on the beach. I think that one crazy night spent there deserves a post of its own, so I will save my rambling for the next post.

Phuket – The Glitzy One
With its endless night clubs, high end malls and restaurants, Phuket was a far cry from our other destinations. Phuket was all about glitz, glamour and sadly sleaze. The rampant child prostitution in every nook of this city was a reminder that everything beautiful can also have an ugly side.
To be honest, we didn’t get to do too many beach-side activities here. In other words...we saw a mall, fell in love and lived happily ever after. Ahhhh those shoes and bags *dreamy eyes *. Unfortunately we had to learn the hard way that shopping at the malls was surprisingly more reasonable that road side shopping.

This post would be incomplete without mentioning the awesomely fantastic yummylicious food we had. It would be no exaggeration to say we finished all the Phad Thai and Green Curry in that country.

After two days in Phuket, our week long holiday drew to a close. We got back to India a little heavier both in terms of baggage and other wise, but happy none the less.

Travel means different things to different people. For some its an adrenaline rush while for some its just a break from routine. It makes people happy, ecstatic or just keeps some entertained. But I have come to realize that for me its much more than that. Travel for me is contentment.

And in Paradise I am

2010-11-17T19:08:00.004+05:30

For the first time I have a guest post on my blog. Inaugurating affairs is my good old friend the "Bourbon Legend". He is many things - engineer , entertainer and Thalapakattu Briyani lover. But most of all a constant reminder that life is not meant to be taken seriously!
- Wanderlust

I sit with my head between my legs on the steps. The sun bores down and every time I blink, it seems my lids are too hot for my eyes. There is a pigeon on the ledge in front of me, eating vomit that is thankfully not mine, while another pigeon tries in vain to get up behind it and do the deed. It seems an apt metaphor for my life. Sweat continues to pour out of my body in a steady stream, while the fluids involved around the whole breathing part of me congealed further.

Class was going to be a bitch today

The attendant announces that it is time, longer and louder than he has any right to. And the great seething mass of dull young minds make their way to wherever they should be. I myself can’t face such a challenge right now, and head downstairs for a sly smoke.

I go to the basement and sit in my car, taking a moment to collect myself and light one up. Maybe it is the darkness or the steady flow of airconditioner exhaust, but right then, surrounded as I am by stale air and an intermittently blinking tubelight, I feel a moment of almost Zen like tranquality. It is no hard task for me just to lay my head on the wheel, and close my eyes forever.

My cell phone rings, an angry attendant signalling the end of registration rants on. I make my way back to the sunshine. Thankfully it has quieted down. I peer out, and make my way down the hall to sweet sweet freedom.

“L !” comes a harsh grating voice.

I turn slowly, doomed.

“Yes Mr V?”

“Shouldn’t you be in class young man?”

Young man. I want to scoff, he was only 5 years older than me.

“I am…just on my way.” I said turning around.

“I'll meet you in my office after the class”

“I look forward to it already.” I fake a laugh and side step to safety before he can say another word.

I find the hateful door and open it. The room of course is filled with un-drawable blinds which let too much light in through windows that face the sun full on. All beams seem to converge on my desk. Taking a deep breath, I stride in and face the music, noting with bad humour today’s lesson plan.

“Ok class” I say, returning the sun's glare with one of my own “Today's topic - Coordinate Geometry.”

Between August and November

2010-11-07T23:37:00.001+05:30

Between August and November I have

Shifted cities and realized a city is its people.
Gotten back to working after a year's break and realized its not too bad.
Finished my first level of French and suprised myself by truly enjoying studying.
Missed Madras. Missed Colombo. Missed Home.
Been glad that I will still continue to talk to some people no matter what.
Repeated mistakes.
Had more midnight coffees than I have ever had.
Finally moved to an apartment of my own.
Pondered deeply if the bus 331A really does exist.
Been super grateful that no matter where you are, some friends are just a gchat buzz away.

When you are supposed to be working but instead choose to..

2010-08-30T17:04:00.001+05:30

This fun post was inspired by dee

- If I were a season, I would be Monsoons
- If I were a month, I would be December
- If I were a day of the week, I would be Saturday
- If I were a time of day, I would be night
- If I were a planet, I would be er Earth
- If I were a direction, I would be going East
- If I were a tree, I would be a temple tree
- If I were a flower, I would be an orchid
- If I were a fruit, I would be a dragon fruit
- If I were a land animal, I would be a Horse
- If I were a sea animal, I would be a jelly fish
- If I were a bird, I would be a sea gull
- If I were a piece of furniture, I would be an antique rocking chair
- If I were a liquid, I would be portello!
- If I were a stone, I would be a diamond
- If I were a kind of weather, I would be rainy
- If I were a musical instrument, I would be a piano
- If I were a color, I would be burgundy
- If I were a facial expression, I would be a grin
- If I were an emotion, I would be contentment
- If I were a sound, I would be the tinkling of windchimes
- If I were an element, I would oxygen
- If I were a car, I would be a er.. ok no idea actually
- If I were a food, I would gyros
- If I were a place, I would be NYC
- If I were a flavor, I would be butterscotch
- If I were a scent, I would be the smell of hot coffee on a cold day
- If I were an object, I would be a lava lamp
- If I were a body part, I would be a nape of the neck
- If I were a song, I would be "all the world " by Correatown

What about you?

Love and friendship

2010-08-23T22:07:00.000+05:30

If you had to choose one over the other, which one would you pick?

The bag story

2010-08-11T10:36:00.002+05:30

Tring ! Tring!

Friend: Ah hello. So I’m buying a bag for N. I need a second opinion. Let me describe it to you
Me: A guy describing a bag? O no!
Friend: its one foot by one foot.
Me: Can actually hear Louis Vuitton turn in his grave. Are you describing the bag???
Friend: Yes shut up and listen.
Me: Sigh ok
Friend: It’s burgundy
Me: Now I have new hope in my friend. Not many men even know burgundy is a colour.
Friend: It’s got a coaster like thing on it.
Me: Previously mentioned hopes come crashing down. Er
Friend: Which I think is made of bamboo AND wood.
Me: Wondering if this is the right time to point out bamboo is wood. Decides against it.
Friend: But the bag is kind of small.
Me: What kind of bag is it?
Friend: mumble mumble
Me: Ok is it like a formal bag that you would carry for a dinner or a play?
Friend: Deafening silence
Me: Er hello?
Friend: Who has separate bags for dinners and plays?
Me: The bag lover in me cringes Most women do.
Friend: What! (in a tone like i just told him Scarlet Johanssen used to be a he). I have a bag for a phase in my life. I cant believe you have bags for occasions.
Me: Bag lover in me is dying a slow and painful death.
Friend: Ah ok enough of this, let me send u a MMS and then let you let me know.

Phew, the world is beautiful again. Thank god for technology. Bag lover is me is resurrected from the dead.

p.s. The actual bag turned out to be nothing like the description. K if your reading this, its ok we still love you :D

Its that time of the year again

2010-08-06T21:13:00.004+05:30

I woke up this morning and was disoriented for a bit with the extreme silence around me. I then realize the ten day feast at my church down the road has drawn to an end yesterday.

Every August, my church celebrates this grand and colourful feast. Since I live four doors from this church, I can hear the festive singing like the choir was in my living room. For ten days prayers and hymns are offered throughout the day. On the other 355 days of the year, my road is one of the sleepiest in the city. But during the feast, the whole road is lit up with fairy lights and hundred of stalls selling everything from egg bhajis to glass bangles pop up.

Ever since I moved out of my hometown for studies and work, I have not had a chance to experience the whole ten days. This time around, I was surprised when i realized I missed these festivities. Every day on my way back from the evening prayers, I browse through the stalls. Though I have no intention of buying pink plastic guns or glittery purple bangles, the riot of colors is fun to watch. I was amused to note that this year's hot selling item were neon lit horns that every other person from grown men to little girls had perched on their heads.

Apart from the fun and festivities it amazes me how some of the traditions associated with this feast have been carried for more than a hundred years. Simple things like this about my town never cease to amaze me.

I was super excited to be experiencing all this after a long long time and decided to enthrall my sister on the phone. As I rattled on, she dryly replied that I sounded like a wannabe booker prize writer. Ah well I am going to pretend she meant it as a compliment.

Girl with a dragon tattoo

2010-08-02T21:06:00.001+05:30

I have been hearing rave reviews about this book for some time now. Normally when the world is talking about a book or movie it usually disappoints me thanks to the high standards it has to meet.
This one however was quite the opposite. I had ordered it online and it arrived on a perfect day. The TNEB was once again was playing with my life and had decided to gift us with a day-long power cut. Just as I was wondering what I should do, this book arrived. I do not remember the last time I read a book for nine hours at a stretch. It truly was an engrossing piece of work and it had spooked me out enough to make me forego my nocturnal walks for a while.

The story is of my favourite genre – mystery/thriller. Set in Sweden , it not only is a classic murder mystery but also gives you a peak into modern Swedish economy and the country ‘s role during Hitler’s regime. None of the characters in the book are a clear black or white , they are all shades of grey including the protagonists.

Unfortunately like Heath Ledger, the author of this book Stieg Larsson did not live to see what a global phenomenon his work has turned out to be. The book is the first of a triology and I can’t wait to lay hands on the other two.

I was mortified to see that the books had already been made into movies (Swedish dubbed in English). I use the word mortified because i have seen many a beautiful book butchered by heartless film makers. Curiosity got the better of me and I watched it. As expected the movie was not as half as good as the book. My heart bleeds as I read yesterday that Hollywood will be re-making the movie next year. I already know that this movie will not have the essence of the original story. Yes i am little prejudiced. Something about a murder mystery in a East European country with a dark history lends it an eerie touch. I strongly doubt Americanizing it will have the same impact.
Really the movie has been dubbed in English, why cant you be happy with that? Why make an American version? Sigh I shall soothe my bleeding

A Wedding to remember

2010-07-18T22:02:00.003+05:30

S had been planning her five day wedding for months now and when the day was finally near I was more that geared up for several reasons. I had always wanted to visit her home town, this was my first Muslim wedding and well of late I have been bored out of my brains.

So off I went to Kayalpatnam. I was quite looking forward to going to a place that literally meant city of fish. And I wasn't disappointed. It is the cutest little small town ever. Despite being just forty minutes away from my hometown, it couldn't be more different.

With a predominant Muslim population, the town comprises traditional style houses built around the mosque. All houses have separate entrances for men and women. The streets are a maze of quaint alleys and courtyards linking the houses together.

The wedding went on for five days , of which I stayed on for three days of undiluted fun. The wedding ceremonies were an eclectic mix of colorful clothes, yummy food and traditional rituals. My favorite part was when tambourine bearing girls danced around the bride and the women folk sang Arabic songs. I felt like I had been transported into a middle eastern movie!

Some of us guests took some time off to visit the famous Murugan temple in the neighboring town of Tiruchendur. A fifteen minute drive away from Kayalpatnam , Tiruchendur is a world apart. The temple situated on the beach may not have the grandiose of several other famous ones, but it does have a rustic charm of its own. We did an unsuccessful attempt to visit Valli's cave. A long queue in a claustrophobia enticing area discouraged us. Not before I was fascinated to notice that the cave had ceiling fans! This is something that I totally love about India, in matter of fifteens minutes you can be transported to a whole new world all together.

This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning two lovely people I met at this Wedding. Cat, English by race but Sri Lankan by heart. Choosing to work in Colombo she has embraced all things Sri lankan - Buddhism, black tea and iddiappam. The second blog worthy person was little Zain. Before I met this five year old gentleman, I had no clue who Ben-10 was or how cool he is.

So S thank for you the funtastic weekend and here's wishing you a fabulous life ahead!

500 days of summer

2010-05-31T11:42:00.002+05:30

Colombo is underwater. We are sitting on the verandah of my grandparents house and watching the pool of water which until a few days ago was our lawn. My sister is cursing the rains which has deprived her of a visit to the mall. My aunt is cursing some cousin who has apparently betrayed her trust.

I hear the baker on his tricycle with his trade mark tring tring come down the street. Rain or shine, the "bread man" is at our doorstep every afternoon. And every afternoon my aunt buys me a sticky chocolate doughnut. She feels its her duty to carry one what my grandmother used to do. I have no heart to tell her that i actually hate the doughnut. As a child the only reason i insisted on those chocolaty buns was to squash it between my fingers till chocolate oozed all over. A messy ritual that annoyed my mother to no end.

My aunt is ranting about the evil cousin, but i am more focussed on trying to figure out what those little silver balls on doughnuts are called. I know i am going to be asked for an opinion so I start paying attention to the rants. My aunt exclaims in her exasperated fashion that just when you think you know someone they spring a surprise on you. I pause midway through my chocolate bun examination as I realize this is exactly what I had been thinking about a few days ago. Except mine was on a slightly more positive note. Have you ever had a friend who you sort of knew on a "hello how is the weather" basis. And never really ventured beyond that. But one fine day you really get to talk to this person and voila you actually have a wonderful conversation. You realize this friend is like that box on your loft - full of surprises and you wonder why you never saw that before. This enlightenment may be because your finally taking time out or may be its just Facebook. What ever it is, I'm raising my doughnut to the little surprises in life.
--

Reason number 324 why I am grateful for my small town existence

2010-04-28T12:36:00.008+05:30

I have lived in a small town for two thirds of my life. I confess, my town has just one traffic signal which was inaugurated with much pomp. And yes when I first came to Madras as a child I thought the Anna fly over was like the coolest thing ever. This has often been a source of amusement for my city bred friends. (yes yes you know who you are)

But I wont complain much staying in the middle of the spectrum between the urban life and rustic village life isn't too bad. Last week actually gave me a chance to thank my stars for my small town roots. We had to attend my driver's daughter's engagement at a nearby village. So off we went on a hot Sunday afternoon.

Once the groom side arrived, all the men of both families sat around in a circle with a basket of salt in the center. While the entire village stood in the sidelines. I was truly fascinated by now. The "nattamai" (village head) then announced that they could start. I thought this was where the engagement ceremony begins. But no I was wrong, here was apparently the most important part of the day. The proceedings started with a random lady from the crowd shouting "so how much dowry are you giving your daughter?".Apparently directed at the bride's father. Random aunt's friend added" speak loudly we all want to hear". My fascination gave way to horror when I realized, the brides side was expected to answer in detail to all the questions thrown at them. My poor driver answered patiently on how much gold and cash he was going to give.

Finally a lady from the groom's side stood up (Who in my humble opinion should audition for Ekta kapoor's monster mom in law teledramas) She thundered "what only so much? this is disrespectful" . The bride's side squirmed and continued their negotiation. Eventually they came to a consensus that they would give the groom a gazillion grams gold chain. Ladies, how many of you out there would marry a man who not only demands but also wears something like that?OK we digress. As ridiculous as it looked, I really felt bad for bride's family.

Thankfully the negotiation drew to a close and the rest of the ceremony went on less melodramatically. As we drove back, I realized how clean the entire village was and how much relatively cooler it was. Mainly thanks to the rows of Neem trees. But still I am grateful for my small town existence. Thank you.

The man in the arena

2010-04-03T22:21:00.003+05:30

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt

Real life drama.

2010-03-03T20:31:00.006+05:30

I have often amused/annoyed/entertained friends and family with my borderline obsession with television drama series. More often than not, the ones that top the list do not top the TRP ratings.

Recently I sent my friend into a fit of cackles after I told her that sometimes I get the most pragmatic advice from my drama series. So to prove to her that I don't need help, here I am picking three "pearls of wisdom" imparted to me this week.

““Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free til they find someone just as wild to run with them.”
From Sex and the City

I've had to say good-bye more times than I may have liked, but everyone can say that. And no matter how many times we have to do it - even if it's for the greater good, it still stings. And although we will never forget what we've given up, we owe it to ourselves to keep moving forward. What we can't do is live our lives afraid of the next good-bye because chances are they are not going to stop. The trick is to recognize when a good-bye can be a good thing - when it's a chance to start again.
From Ugly Betty

"The problem with fairy tales is that they set a girl up for disappointment. In real life, the prince goes off with the wrong princess."
From Gossip Girl (hey the show isnt as shallow as it sounds!)

Only in Bangalore

2010-02-25T13:59:00.003+05:30

Would you see men, women and farm animals stand at a signal and wonder when the traffic in this city will improve.

They dont call me blunderqueen for nothing..

2010-01-29T21:29:00.002+05:30

Me: Hey I was just watching this song on tv.. im in love with it but have no clue what movie its from. I have been googling with no luck
Friend : Hmm..which one
Me: This guy is following a girl in the rain and
Friend: ok stop kidding now
Me: huh?
Friend: Thats my song.. I sang that for the movie Renigunta.
Me: sure ok.. im gona continue to search
Friend : er.. i did sing that song
Me: (after a google enlightenment) oh..

So that was my faux pa for the day, what was yours. While I let you ponder on that, here is my latest favorite

In my head right now

2010-01-27T20:52:00.003+05:30

The week has been rather weird and random, hence it would unfair if my post doesn't follow suit.

Five random thoughts in my head right now:

1)People are like kaleidoscopes. Your always bound to see new colours. You might think knowing a person for a year should give you a fair idea. Boy can you be wrong or what.But not all of it is bad!

2) Did a movie marathon, to make up for the abstinence. Ayirathil oruvan, avatar and NY I love you. I started off by disliking AO, but towards the end actually quite enjoyed it. Avatar was ok, probably because I was the last person on the planet to watch it. And finally NY I love you - reminded me why I want to go back there.

3)An island awaits with bated breath for election results. Though I am far away now, my thoughts are still with the twenty million hopeful hearts. Absence of war after all does not mean peace.

4)I abhor making decisions, especially when it feels like the world is breathing your neck and pushing you to do so. My heart truly bleeds for the proverbial cat on the fence. I know how that chap felt.

5) And finally, a sadly funny (if there is such a phrase) quote i saw on somebody's blog " Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love"- Charles M. Schulz

Better super late than never

2010-01-05T18:18:00.004+05:30

I know I am slightly late with this post, but then somebody said its always better late than never. So keeping to tradition, here is what 2009 was to me

People: Made new friends, lost a couple of old ones to time and distance. Most importantly I learned that you can never know anyone too well.

Places: Though the travel gods amused themselves by messing up a few of my plans, I did good. Visited three beautiful countries and realized travel can teach you so much. Like Twain said " Travel is hazardous for narrow mindedness". Or something like that.

Beginnings and ends: I spent a good deal of time in hospitals and came to respect doctors and nurses a whole lot more. And also fear a few. The time spent here made me realize that titling your blog Carpe Diem didn't cut it. You really have to seize the moment or your going to really sorry. It was a much needed wake up call. As a result I shocked a lot of people including myself by giving up my job and deciding to experiment on my own.

28: I am for the first time in my life actually feeling my age. Still deciding if that is a good thing or not. I had my moments when life felt like the rubic cube. But of late I have come to realize that you dont have get over some heart breaks and losses. Learning to live with it is good enough.

So that was my rather mixed year. 2010 here I come!

Randomness

2009-12-19T19:34:00.003+05:30

- What does one do to appease travel gods? My travel plans have gone berserk again!
- Finally finally managed to get season four of Ugly Betty. I actually felt like i was meeting an old friend. That cant be normal can it?
- Jumped on the twitter bandwagon after a friend convinced me we could save world together by tweeting. Paris Hilton and Paulo Coelho are my current favs. The former amuses me and the latter can be quite enlightening.
- My apparently tone deaf and somewhat psycho neighbour has been playing Vettaikaran on the loop. Where are the power cuts when you need them?

The boy who could braid

2009-12-13T20:52:00.000+05:30

Waiting for my luggage at the Colombo airport, I happened to glance at the billboard for a brand of men's suits. The brand ambassador a stocky young men dressed entirely in black shot you a lopsided smile. Apparently he was the island's leading talk show host- claimed the ad. I wouldn't have given the picture a second glance, if the name at the bottom hadn't caught my eye. I did a double take to ensure I read the name right. " This couldn't possibly be D" was my first reaction. But when I looked at the picture closely I could see faint traces of a boy I once knew.

I met D years ago during one of my many summer trips to Colombo. My aunt was in charge of her school's participation in a dramatics contest. Managing a bunch of 15 year boys was not easy and I used to tag along to play helper. D stood out among the noisy and boisterous lot. Overweight and incredibly shy , he was an easy target for the class bullies. The fact that he had to walk around in a skirt for his role never helped his case. While the rest of the boys played cricket during the breaks, D always sat in a corner braiding. Yes braiding. He would braid pieces of thread, wigs from the costume cupboard and even tussles on the table cloth. They were the most beautiful braids I have seen till date.

When curiosity got the better of me I asked where he learned to braid so well. After what seemed like an eternity of silence. He told his story.D's dad was a doctor in the war struck north. When he was seven their town became an unwilling battlefield. With the army on side and terrorists on the other, the town was completely cut off from the rest of the island.D's dad a doctor used to walk around the town in the nights administering his patients. Unfortunately for him, he caught an infection and died.

With the battle still raging, his mother had to wait for things to calm down to give his father a proper burial. while they sat in the ghost house waiting, his mother started to braid and un-braid her hair in a monotonous trance. Little D who sat by her watching, followed suit on a tussled cloth. Deeply scarred by those events, his braiding habit grew to be his security blanket.

His response was not what I expected. I felt terribly guilty for having dug up his past. Those days being pre-facebook times, I lost touch with him over time.

Staring at that billboard at the airport, the image of D in mind was so different.
I could still picture him as the shy boy who glared at his classmate nemesis above his glasses rather than through and stuttered- " I'm going to be big some day and you are going to be sorry". And he kept his word.

Walking out of the airport that day, it gave me a happy high to know that the stars were shining down on my old fried.

Pirates Ahoy

2009-12-08T12:45:00.004+05:30

I have been quite bemused with all media attention on Chetan Bhagats Twitter comments. He ticked off a journalist for making a sort of pro piracy comment and now he has the media jungle breathing down his back. My sympathies are with CB. It was his twitter page and honestly I think he had a point. But this post isn't about piracy of books.
It is about a rather unique form of piracy I came across.

Coming back from a weekend trip to Coorg, we stopped over at a Coffee day. Half way through our coffees we realized it wasn't a coffee day in the first place. Everything from the logo colors, waiter's outfits, deco to even the patterns on the biscuit tins had been copied from CCD. But apparently they had nothing to do with them.

I know imitation is the best form of flattery but this was piracy at its heights!

The fake Coffe Day Cafe

Fake logo

City of Angels

2009-11-16T19:24:00.003+05:30

I learnt recently that both Los Angeles and Bangkok mean “City of Angels”. And I also discovered recently that two cities couldn’t be more different. Despite several visits to LA i somehow cannot bring myself to like the city. Bangkok on the other hand is definitely going onto my list of favourite holiday spots.
D and me decided to spend the weekend in Bangkok on our way back from Cambodia. With a couple of her friends joining us , it turned out to be a girls weekend out. Pure undiluted fun.
With just a couple of days in hand we could focus only on two things – the palaces and the malls. Despite having seen the grand palace in various postcard and shows nothing prepared me for the sheer grandeur of the place.
Truly a “grand” palace, this royal residence takes architecture and craftsmanship to a new level. As with their clothes and cuisine, the Thai don’t believe in simplicity or starkness. Filigree, stone work, glass work you name it, they have it. Its truly amazing to see the amount of thought gone into the details

No post on Bangkok is complete without a mention of their malls. Even a true blue shopaholic like me was blown away and now that is something! Each mall has an average of 1500 stores -no wonder thousands of people visit the city every year just to shop.
I loved the fact that the Thai loved their country, king and unique culture and wear it on their sleeve. For the Kings birthday the entire nation male and female, young and old dressed up in yellow. Now how many countries would do that? They are immensely proud that they are the only South East Asian country never to be colonized and take great pleasure in emphasizing that.
Bangkok is one of those cities that you either love or hate, there are no greys. And I’m definitely going for a “love’!

Cambodia

2009-11-11T22:06:00.004+05:30

When I told people I was going to Cambodia to see the Angor wat, the most common reaction was "the angor what? " or " but why". Apparently the world didn't share my fascination for the country. Dwarfed by its more glamorous neighbors, Cambodia is sort of like the wallflower at a high school party. Not many people pay attention , but if you did you will find a quaint little charm.

Our first stop was the capital city Phnom Pehn. We did a quick tour of the killing fields of the Khmer rouge. The entire place was was a morbid reminder of the horror this country had lived through. Our next stop the grand palace couldn't have been more different. The palace was quite exquisite and would provide tough competition to its Thai and Indonesian peers.

We moved on to our next destination Siam Reap by rather fancy bus which would put our Indian ones to shame. Siam Reap houses hundreds of beautiful ruins including the world famous Angor Wat -which with its super steep steps ensure all your mountaineering skills are put to test. Surprisingly most temples have the Ramayana or Mahabarata as their key theme.

But my favorite was the Ta Prohm temple. Made famous by the tomb raider movies , pictures don't do justice to beauty of this place. The temple which has been swallowed by the monster sized silk cotton trees was an eerie testament that nobody messes with nature.

A second favorite was the Bayon temple filled with massive faces of King Jayavarman. He must have really loved himself. You see his face all over the place. Sort of like a super sized stalker.

For a country that is poverty ridden and seen the worst horrors of our time, the people are a cheery lot who seem to be doing their best to get back on track. Cambodia is truly proof that the human spirit is always a winner.

Hmmm

2009-10-23T18:12:00.003+05:30

So I was at this wedding and watched in amusement as the couple on stage - squirmed in their flower decked seats when the person raising the toast brought up embarrassing events , winced with the interesting choice of music and looked positively harassed with hordes of aunts exclaiming how time has flown.

Which made me think, how much say does one have with his/her wedding?
And nobody agrees with me when I say marriages are scary.

Vicky Cristy Barcelona

2009-10-14T21:57:00.002+05:30

A Wood Allen movie after eons. VCB is the perfect weekend movie. A movie about how to love, how not to love and how any kind of love can blow up in your face. There were two reasons why I loved the movie. The movie shot across amazing locales in Barcelona makes you want to catch the next flight to Spain. It totally justified having Spain on my top ten destinations.

The other reason why I liked the movie was I could in some way see myself in each of the leading ladies.

-The "I want to do things right but should I really" Vicky
-The wild spirited but blundering Cristina.
-And of course Marie Elena who doesnt really know what she wants.

Now being able to relate to Allen's characters is actually a scary thing. But for all his whackiness, Woody allen is a bloody genius.

Twisted love stories and eccentric women aside, VCB is a must watch for its quirky narrative and interesting shots.

The curse of the travel gods

2009-10-06T11:59:00.003+05:30

No this is not the review of a B grade horror flick. Its the story of my life. ok atleast of the last few days. Two trips that didnt quite happen. But there were consolation prizes

The first was Hampi. After two months of planning and multiple group emails, the rains played spoilt sport. We did however make it to the beautiful chitradurga fort. The ruins reminded me of a greener Golconda. It was the perfect weather for a trek across the fort - cloudy with a slight drizzle. Of course this also ensured i tumbled down the rocks and dragged a friend with me.

The other "so close yet so far" trip was a drive to Nandi hills. Though we didnt make it to the view point on time, the drive was blog worthy. With the wind in your hair and Lennon in the air, one cant really ask for a better afternoon drive.

Till the god decide to lift the ban on me.

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Happy birthday to my best friend

2009-09-30T09:55:00.002+05:30

OK I the song has the gender wrong. But happy birthday anyway!

Its finally here

2009-09-28T11:43:00.003+05:30

Its finally here. My last day at work. I still cant believe I have finally done it. I do feel weird now. A moment of uncertainty with a little sadness. I always thought when I leave this place, I would be really sad. Surprisingly over the last few days I have been counting down to this day. The stress, the work place politics and petty attitudes really started to get to me. But then , it hasn’t been all bad. The three years have definitely changed my life. I never thought that someday I would actually feel passionate about supply chain management. And of course im grateful for the travel this job has brought me.

But the most important thing that I can look back with a sense of accomplishment From a start up to a leader in the procurement intelligence space- I do feel proud to have been part of my company’s growth.

But I think this phase has served its purpose and now its time to move on. Heres to new beginnings!
p.s How could I have missed out the most important change. I m going to have to part with my 24/7 companion. Goodbye my dear blackberry 

Boxes, cartons & bags

2009-09-03T16:23:00.000+05:30

Packing up ten years of your life is not an easy task. Have been spending a good part of last week categorizing what I should pack and what I should trash. Its unbelievable the amount of things I have accumulated over the years. Seriously what was I thinking buying that giant lava lamp or that pencil sketch of the Beatles that I lugged half way across the world. The Beatles, the lava lamps.. I know I was born in the wrong decade.

I hate farewells, especially when the person saying goodbye is me.

What time taught me

2009-08-21T14:47:00.000+05:30

Once upon a time i wanted to know what love was. Love is there if you want it to be. You just have to see that its wrapped in beauty and hidden away in the seconds of your life.
And if you don't stop for a minute, you might lose it.

Cinnamon Island

2009-08-19T13:48:00.004+05:30

When my friends proposed a reunion at Galle, I was all excited. The ancient seaport has always been a place I wanted to visit. And I was hoping to atleast catch a glimpse of the famed Taprobane island hotel. An hundred year old dutch house on a private island. How exotic is that! Someday Im dragging an unsuspecting husband/boy friend there.

Unfortunately a tsunami warning ensured all plans were shelved. My friend suggested a boat safari to Cinnamon island. No tourist guide on Sri Lanka talks about it and I soon realized it didnt even have Google hits. I was apprehensive, but decided to go along. Boy was I in for a suprise!

Cinnamon island is one the sixty four islands that dot the Madhu ganga river. Sixty four little islands within one of the world's smallest island countries - that was not something I expected. The boat safari took us through this beautiful river and breathtaking mangroves. we got to hop off at two islands. The first stop was cinnamon island- a tiny island that is home to a cinnamon plantation. You get to try your hand at extracting cinnamon and much to my surprise fresh cinnamon tastes nothing like what you get in stores.

Our next stop was Koth Doowa island. This island houses a quaint Buddhist temple and a monastery. Apart from the two monks who eyed as warily, the island is home to a bunch of giant jam squirrels. An animal I hadn't even heard of till that day.

Despite the eerie looking river monitors (again an animal I hadn't heard of) we decided to end the boat safari with a swim in the river. It was day full of surprises and realizations that I am quite zoologically challenged. This is definitely a boat ride Im doing again :)

Colombo Calling

2009-08-06T13:14:00.003+05:30

Welcome to the island of Sri Lanka " drones the air hostess in her most bored tone. But I am feeling far from bored. I am feeling too many things actually. Excited about returning to my city of birth after years. Guilty that I am taking time off. Anxious - Thirteen visits to Sri Lanka and first time with no war looming overhead. Relieved that I am far away from the daily shuttle between office and hospital. But most of all happy that I will be seeing friends and family that I have missed dearly

Thirteen days is too short a time frame to visit the city you love but its also a rather long time for a corporate slave. More posts from the Emerald Isle to follow

Far from the maddening crowd

2009-07-24T12:57:00.003+05:30

Taprobane. Serendib. Ceylon. Sri Lanka. Call it what you may. Its far from the choas of the last few weeks. And thats all I need at the moment :)

Namma Madras

2009-07-14T10:27:00.001+05:30

Walks on bessy beach, pongal from murugan idli kadai, plays at the museum theatre, the music festival, a drive on the ECR, Sunday mornings at woodlands, swindling auto drivers, playing wii at blur, Sathyam cinemas, coffee at amethyst, brunch at the Eco cafe, The chocolate laboratary,the bangle shops outside the mylapore temple.

There are many reasons why i love this city..and I just completed ten years in the city!

Keeping fingers crossed

2009-07-07T13:50:00.003+05:30

For the first time in my adult life, I am putting my personal life before my professional one. Not sure if this is the right thing to do in times when people are glad just to have a job.
Ah, but as my favorite sitcom star says - I hope I make the right decision or learn to live by the wrong ones.

Now Listening

2009-07-06T11:35:00.002+05:30

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,
and think of you
caught up in circles confusion--
is nothing new
Flashback--warm nights--
almost left behind
suitcases of memories,
time after--

sometimes you picture me--
I'm walking too far ahead
you're calling to me, I can't hear
what you've said--
Then you say--go slow--
I fall behind--
the second hand unwinds

if you're lost you can look--and you will find me
time after time
if you fall I will catch you--I'll be waiting
time after time

after my picture fades and darkness has
turned to gray
watching through windows--you're wondering
if I'm OK
secrets stolen from deep inside
the drum beats out of time--

if you're lost...

you said go slow--
I fall behind
the second hand unwinds--

Pondicherry

2009-06-30T14:53:00.008+05:30

Pondicherry has always been one of my favourite places. The laid back little town with its French villas, little cafes and colourful people has always fascinated me. The people of Pondi seem to be on a weekend mode irrespective of what day it is. And a city that shuts down for a siesta everyday? why wouldnt one love it!

With my best friend visiting from the US, the unanimous choice for a quick weekend reunion was -pondicherry. I have always ended up staying in interesting places in Pondy. Last year we camped on an island as part of a water sports expedition. The water sports bit was a royal disaster but the island was beautiful.
I also ended up spending news year's eve in the little French town. We stayed at a hotel exotically named cirlce de poets. Boy can names be misldeading or what. Though the evening was grand fun, the bathroom tiled hotel desereves a post of its own.

So when my friend said she had found an interesting place for this time's visit, I went prepared. I was pleasantly suprised when we landed at this white washed villa by the beach. I strongly recommend the villa bayoud to anyone visiting Pondi. I finally got to dine at the much talked about Promenade. Dinner was a let down. But the in house magician who held my finger to read my mind and had me shuffle an invisible pack of cards was mildy amusing if not entertaining.

I might be going back in a few days for a coporate workshop. Lets see what that trip holds for me!

Hallelujah!

2009-06-30T14:23:00.002+05:30

I have never been too much of a sitcom fan. But one of the shows I truly am hooked onto is ugly Betty.

The story of a small-town girl who is not quite sure of what she wants in life with a tendency to embarrass herself in public- sounds all too familiar to me :)

The show has some of best songs ever. This one is my current favorite. Betrayal has never been portrayed so subtlety and beautifully. Its a sad theme but a beautiful song.

p.s. No its not a hymn and I am not on an evangalization mission.

The king is dead

2009-06-26T13:29:00.003+05:30

Whacko Jacko, The king of pop or just plain Mikey. Call him what you want, but he truly was a legend.

Nine hours and forty mins at a hospital

2009-06-18T18:28:00.003+05:30

When you spend alot of time in the doctor's waiting room, you tend to notice things. Like nurses have truckloads of patience. Amidst those wailing children, cranky and annoying patients, they still maintain their cool. Well most of them. Except for that Valkyrie pretending to be a nurse. But I have greater respect for them now. One tough day at office and everyone is swearing or snapping at each other. On the other hand these men and women can teach us something.

And seriously had I known what lucrative biz laboratory testing was, I would have given project management a pass. Seriously how can a few scans and a blood test cost fifteen grand? Dayum I am in the wrong field.

Who seriously who runs a documentary on rattle snakes in a doctor's waiting room. Its scary enough to wait for those scans. The rattle snake swallowing a giant rodent didn't do much to soothe the frazzled nerves.

Ok the valkyrie is shooting me daggers. I better hit post before she confisticates my beloved blackberry.

So here we go.

Er what again!

2009-06-11T14:24:00.001+05:30

Apparently my tryst with er what moments aren't' done yet. This morning as I walked into a "Sangeetha Apoorva" for breakfast, the waiter asks me "madam neenga single?". I wasn't too sure how to react.First all those married friends, nosy aunties and the like keep offering their sympathies that I'm single now it was random waiters at Udipi joints!

Then I notice he is holding two glasses of water and was waiting for my response. I had my Archimedes moment and replied "Yes I am dining alone". He placed one glass on the table and shuffled off.
Phew.

Er What

2009-06-05T20:44:00.003+05:30

It was one of those days when I had more than my fair share of "er what" moments. Let me explain.

Moment #1
Visited our new office site (which I strongly suspect is closer to Pondicherry than Madras). When we stopped at the OMR toll gate, I see a notice that states there are only two kinds of people who do not have to pay the toll fees - presidents and fishermen.

Moment # 2
My boss asked me to choose a tag line for our corporate notebooks(the paper kind). The one that caught my eye was-
"May you - Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no-one is watching, screw like it's being filmed, and drink like a true Irishman”

And yes I did choose another tag line.

Love actually

2009-05-04T19:12:00.003+05:30

A friend of mine once told me that love is actually all around you. You just have to open your eyes. The last weekend showed me that sometimes you dont have even have to open your eyes. Its hit you in your face.

On Friday a friend of mine finally found true love and celebrated it with an engagement. Saturday and sunday was spent on a cheer up mission with a friend who is caught on the wrong side of love. A finally the grand finale to the long weekend was a play at Ranga Shankara (which by the way is an awesome place). And the play was (suprise suprise !) - a tragic love story! Love IS all around you!

Bewildered

2009-04-27T14:34:00.002+05:30

When you have started spending your weeks in one city and your weekends in another. When you know the " week" city has been your home for the last ten years and has shaped you in numerous ways.Yet when its the "weekend" city that starts to feel like home. Bewilderment sets in.

Yercaud

2009-04-20T22:09:00.002+05:30

Another long weekend meant another getaway from the city. This time round the destination was Yercaud.Th quaint little town does not have too many touristy spots but is a good place for a weekend break. The best part about Yercaud was its recession friendly eating joints. Two places that we literally lived in were Akka's bajji joint by the lake and Selvams "chetty-nadu" center. Typo ridden hoardings apart, both places served the most awesome food. Till i set foot in Selvams, i never thought pongal and chicken would make a fab combo!

Another must see spot in Yercaud is GRT's Sky Rocca. The food there is no great shakes but their sky walk is. Located at the edge of the valley, the sky walk is literally a glass ramp into the valley. So when you walk onto it. You see the valley looming below you. After the initial "o my god is this glass gona shatter and am I gona plunge to my death" moments - the walk is fun. As usual the weekend seemed too short. We had to console ourselves that the next long weekend is not too far away.God bless long weekends !

Radio Ga-ga

2009-04-14T19:09:00.000+05:30

With C and me looking to shift, I decided to take stock of things I should get rid of. My ancient radio was first on the list. Since I barely use it, I was contemplating sending it back home. There have been only two periods in my life when the radio was part of my daily life.

In the days when Doordarshan and AIR were our only sources of entertainment, if the weather permitted, we could get the Sri Lankan channels as well. One of the most popular programs on Radio Ceylon was the birthday special. If you wrote to them and were lucky the RJ woul read out birthday wishes from extended family - thatha, paati, mama, periamma and blah. Every year my grandparents would relgiously write into the program from Colombo and a very eager me would tune in from India. In the late eighties, that was considered the wonder of globalization. Over the years Radio Ceylon was replaced with Star TV and radio greetings were replaced with e-cards.

The only other period when radio ruled, was during my college hostel days. Stella Maris would not have been the same for me , if not for crazy friends and Rainbow FM. Dedicating terribly corny songs with ridiculous messages was a favourite activity in hostel. Rain or shine, exams or assignments - the half hour before dinner was always spent in the common room with the old rickety radio.

Now that I think about it, I probably wont get rid of my old radio :)

Ah Wayanad!

2009-03-30T09:39:00.001+05:30

A nugget of wisdom

2009-02-20T15:09:00.002+05:30

"But sales isn't part of my profile" squealed an exasperated colleague. "We are all salesman at work and outside" replied my boss with a wry smile. The rest of the meeting had me thinking. It was quite true. Whether your trying to convince your parents marriage can wait, or whether you are trying to make an impression on a guy or even if you are just trying to haggle with the auto driver - we are all constantly making sales pitches.

Why

2009-02-11T14:24:00.000+05:30

do i have to spill gravy on myself everytime I wear white?
do I have to work for a living?
do I cry when see a blog about me?
isnt the beautiful pink saree on sale?

Snowflakes on my window pane

2009-02-02T22:16:00.000+05:30

Snow has always fascinated me. As a child I used to dream of making snow men, ice skating and wearing fancy furry boots like the Russians. Even in the recent past, on bad hair days I dreamt of Madras being hit by a snowstorm and me being unable to see my boss’s face for days. I had even scripted my first snow moment. Purest white snowflakes would gently land on my face and I would turn my face towards the heavens with eyes closed. (Ok I got inspired by the Emirates ad. Sue me)

Alas none of them came true. A few weeks back as I was getting out of a mall in Washington cursing the cold weather – something wet landed on my face. Before I could even scream, I realized I was skidding on a wet surface. I let out my Tarzan like wail. Hapless Christmas shoppers froze in their tracks to glare at me. As I made my most ungraceful landing, my colleague maintains a straight face and asks me “First time snow experience huh?”
Humbug. So much for my snow fantasies

Taking Stock

2009-01-12T15:16:00.002+05:30

Another year whizzes past and whether you like or not, you find yourself in that introspective mood. The scary part is not being able to remember what you did during a specific period. I sit here and wonder – “what was my life in March last year like? “. All I get is a blur. Either my blackberry is spelling doom for my memory skills or my mind is playing tricks on me. I am not sure which I prefer.

But a lot of events stand out. The first few months of 2008 were filled with incredible happiness until Murphy’s Law caught up with me. The year saw some of my worst and lowest days. In a weird way I am grateful for those days. Sometimes you need a jolt to open your eyes to the obvious.

In the next few months I thought I had men, relationships and my life figured out. Then again may be not.

The last few months was a whirlwind of travel. New countries, new people. Definitely an an exciting period. But living out of suitcases for a few months gave me a gypsy in a caravan feeling. It made me wonder if wanderlust might just be bad for me.

Sayonara 2008, your one year I am definitely not going to forget.

Now Listening

2009-01-03T21:46:00.001+05:30

Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.
So I took what's mine by eternal right.
Took your soul out into the night.
It may be over but it won't stop there,
I am here for you if you'd only care.
You touched my heart you touched my soul.
You changed my life and all my goals.
And love is blind and that I knew when,
My heart was blinded by you.
I've kissed your lips and held your hand.
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.
I know you well, I know your smell.
I've been addicted to you.

A note to no-one in particular

2008-12-17T16:32:00.000+05:30

Do all women have complicated emotions? I sure hope so. Somehow I can never settle for simple plain emotions. I have just spent a day feeling guilty about not feeling guilty. And I don't even know if that is normal. But for now all that is being pushed into archives of the mind. In a few hours I fly to sunny Singapore. After cold cold Washington, I'm definitely looking forward to that.

Notes from Charles De Gaulle

2008-12-02T02:12:00.002+05:30

The good thing about being on a really long flight on your birthday is you get to miss calls. Calls from peopel who think your a disgrace coz your 27 and single. Yeah!

P.S : Paris has to be the worst airport ever to transit.

Mumbai November 26, 2008

2008-11-29T02:31:00.002+05:30

Talking to a friend who happened to be stuck in Mumbai during the terror attack. And he tells me "It happened in Coimbatore - you were in Chennai.....it happened in Colaba...you were in Dadar....pretty soon, the probability will kick in right?". Suddenly the Bosnias and Balis dont feel like the other end of the world.

The movie week

2008-11-24T16:27:00.002+05:30

For a person who watches a couple of movies a month in theaters, I created a new record. Five movies in one week. Phew.

White

A Polish movie screened at alliance francais. Though I missed the first twenty minutes of the movie, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was one of those movies that you know you liked, but it is difficult to say why you liked. Unfortunately I missed the other two in the trilogy. Someday when I run a company, I will ensure my employees can go for as many movie screenings they want to.

Golmaal 2

Big mistake. The only reason I went for the movie was we were playing a prank on a friend. We managed to convince her we had tickets for the premier of Dostana and John Abraham was coming. Two little magic words and we had a bakra. The room mate however enjoyed the mindless slapstick comedy, which was far more entertaining than the movie.

Vaaranam Ayiram

Thanks to a friend, I managed a first day second show after ages. Surya was incredible. Though a good 30 minutes of the movie could have been chopped with no impact on the story line, I quite liked it. Simran was a surprise package. Apart from a bit of over the top sappiness and some very non tamil movie moments, there was something fresh and feel good about the movie. Oh did I mention surya “six pack” sivakumar was awesome?

Fashion

I went expecting a morbidly depressing movie but I was in for a surprise. Though the movie was not really a happily ever after fairy tale, it didn’t leave you depressed like Bhandakar’s previous flick. Priyanka Chopra who I never really liked did quite a good job. And I was surprised to see Chitrashi Rawat of Chak de do a cameo. It was an all girls outing and the movie had its far share of super sexy shoes to drool over. Perfect Sunday afternoon.

Quantum of Solace

I have inherited the Bond mania from my dad and was looking forward to the release of QOS. It took me a good three weeks of trying for tickets before I finally managed to watch it. I am still wondering why it got such bad reviews. Personally I felt the morbid deaths apart- the fight sequence on the ropes and the Tosca scenes were beautifully shot.

At the end of it...caramel popcorn at Sathyam rocks!

Autumn in New York

2008-11-19T15:27:00.001+05:30

When I was ten i created this list of top ten places that I had to visit. The US never figured in it. But as luck has it, it will probably be my most visited country. My last trip to the country was a whirlwind tour of cities. Vegas and LA dazzled me, but the feeling didn't linger. So when I decided to extend a business trip and visit a friend in NYC, I went with no exceptions. They say you have the best experiences when you have the least expectations. So true. Five days in NY and I wonder why I never put that on my list.

Wandering around a city on your own is the best way to experience it. The museums, quaint coffee shops serving the best cheesecake and the sunny parks made me fall in love with the city. I spent the days walking around the city and the evenings with my friend. Having lived in NY for years, she knew of beautiful scenic spots and fantastic food joints that didn't figure on touristy books. Thanks to her I experienced Greek and Ethiopian food.

I had to do the usual tourist stuff - Empire state building, statue of liberty etc. The empire state building was bit of a disappointment.Surprisingly I loved the statue of liberty. I had no clue about the depth of history connected to it. Of all the statues in NYC, the one of the immigrants at Ferris Island was my favorite. There was something haunting and touching about the statue of immigrants looking into the future. The visit to the statue of liberty was also special as I met my best friend after ages there.

The icing on the cake of course was Broadway. Since it was the weekend, I could not get tickets for any of the new shows. So Mary Poppins it was. I was totally blown away with theater experience. When Mary Poppins swoops into the audience in the final act, I nearly jumped out of my seat in awe.

At the end of five days, I had bid adieu to the macadamia nut cheesecakes and Jamaican street vendors. I was sad but looking forward to filter coffee back home. Its definitely one of the cities I want to go back and visit. I love New York!

Weekend Notes

2008-11-10T00:06:00.000+05:30

I was never one for traditions when I lived at home. But living on my own changed that.

My mom has traditions and superstitions for every occasion. From eating sugar first thing on your birthday to always ensuring daughters ate the wings of a chicken- she truly has a "must do" for every occasion. The second of November marks all souls day. As tradition my family visits the cemetery and place flowers and incense sticks at the graves of our ancestors. Since my parents always chose the unglamorous mid afternoon to visit, my sister and me tried our best to wiggle out of it. Always resulting in little success.

This year, I went along quite willing much to my mother's surprise. Despite the heat and the fact we have to visit a trillion graves I was quite moved by the visit. Moved might be the wrong word.But some emotions cant be put into words. Reading tombstones was like getting a tiny peek into the past. My mom of course had a story after every tomb we visited. "That was Aunt Rose's tomb. She designed her own tomb stone. It was the in thing to do those days." She mentioned matter of factly. I am not too sure of how many of these stories were my mom's imagination. But going back home I thought it was nice we still had such traditions. In this day and age when not many can remember who won the last Nobel, it felt good to remember our roots. It is quite scary that Im starting to see sense in my moms little traditions. I am not sure if I am growing up or growing old

Travails of a tired traveller

2008-10-15T12:39:00.001+05:30

Travel agent books tickets for wrong date. Check
You realize it AFTER the flight has taken off. Check
Manage to board the next flight out. Check
Have the worst flight ever thanks to screeching co passengers. Check
Make a client presentation after going without sleep for three days. Check
Have a super fantastic time in New York that makes up for the horrible week. Double check!

Illusion is good place to live

2008-09-12T11:04:00.001+05:30

*Click* *Click* *Click*
Three years go into the recycle bin.
If only it was that simple.

Phooonk

2008-08-29T14:18:00.002+05:30

My hard disk crashed and I just lost two and half years worth of work, music, photos and other stuff. I feel like I lost a part of my life. Is that normal?

Lessons Learned

2008-08-25T13:47:00.000+05:30

The fruit vendor beckons me with a ripe plum in her hands. "Taste one " she says. Temptation gets the better of me and I accept her offer. I bite into the wine colored fruit and my expectations come to rude halt. Instead of the sweet citrus taste I was expecting, all I got was a bitter acidic assault on my tongue. I move on without a second glance.

Life is an awful lot like grocery shopping. Sometimes all it takes is one person to lose your faith in people.

Karen and me

2008-08-21T13:37:00.003+05:30

As I sit on the bench waiting for my train, a little girl plonks herself next to me. She starts fiddling around with her little bag. Its a pink shiny purse with a Winnie the Pooh on it. And then I remembered her.

When I was eight my father's friend and family came to visit us from London. Karen was the same age as me. But to me my eight year old eyes she was this sophisticated big city girl. As her official guide around my farm, her every move fascinated me. Her shiny pink purse, the way she shook her satin ribboned plaits in disgust, her look of horror when she realized my farm did not have blackberries and more - kept me glued to her side. She was a far cry from the giggly girls and hooligan boys in my class.

At the end of the week Karen and her parents left. On the drive back from the railway station I experienced a new emotion - the feeling of missing someone.However like all children I soon forgot all about her and got busy with school. Sitting on the bench that day was the first time in years I remembered her. At that moment I also realized that it had been quite some time since I experienced missing someone. Living on my own in more ways than one I have gotten used to farewells that are are most often sudden. As my train arrives screeching to a halt, it hits me that I am far less emotionally sensitive than I was. As I board my train I am still wondering if that is a good thing or bad.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-25T17:12:00.001+05:30

WOW.
Over and out.

A stack of jars

2008-07-23T13:23:00.003+05:30

In my mind's eye my world is a stack of labeled jars. The labels are many and
varied -childhood friends, classmates from undergrad , vague people from office and so on. Some jars have been pushed to the back. Not deliberately though. Meeting people after ages at a wedding recently opened up a lot of memories. It was like finding that jar of elusive mango pickle at the back of fridge after ages. You open the lid and take a whiff. It smells different but still smells good. Meeting
childhood friends is pretty much the same.

As the evening wears on I realize I miss those simpler days and I know
those times are out of reach now. I can only look back as a mute
spectator but never be part of it again. But the thought that the good
memories are mine forever makes me smile.

Lost and never found

2008-06-22T22:23:00.001+05:30

These battle scars are here to stay
No sunshine after the rain
No happiness after the pain
I have lost the war and the battle in a day

I see your face

2008-06-18T12:53:00.000+05:30

I see your face before me
Crowding my every dream
There is your face before me
You are my only theme

June Tales

2008-06-12T16:12:00.000+05:30

Two of my projects are pending approval from the top management and they are due to go out tomorrow.
My new laptop is stuck in the middle of nowhere and god knows when I can get it.
Alot people around me seem to be getting very moody these days.

But the summer is ending and the rains are here, nothing is going to keep my spirits down now! :)

Random Thoughts

2008-06-11T13:23:00.000+05:30

The city looks so much better without those hideous hoardings. Whoever thought Chennai had so many trees!
Why do I get emails on enlargement of body parts I do not have?
Despite the flat tyres, swindling cab drivers and non existent para saling- the Pondicherry trip was good. I should blog about it.
I must learn to handle disappointment better
I must learn to handle people better.

My place

2008-05-27T16:21:00.000+05:30

Have you every associated a place with a feeling? The coffee shop around the corner always makes me yearn for brownies and the beach makes me nostalgic. But if there would be one place that tops my list it would be "my place". Archiving my old photographs I found these pictures - Views of the sea from my favorite spot. As far I can remember whenever I was angry sad or just plain bored I sought solace in this little spot atop the water tank of my house. I have spent lazy afternoons just sitting there and staring at the endless expanse of the blue ocean and the abandoned light house. Nobody else came there and I could be assured of uninterrupted me time. Sometimes when I am battling office politics and stuck in a apartment with too many flat-mates I wish I had my place even here. Till I find one I shall settle for putting this picture on my soft-board.

Well..

2008-05-22T17:28:00.000+05:30

I realized alot of my posts were sad or angry and hence made up my mind to write a happy and cheery one. Till my gmail and all related accounts got hacked. And then I discovered the hacker was someone very close to me. So much for my happy post :(

I like :)

2008-05-12T11:54:00.000+05:30

It is better to have loafed and lost than never to have loafed at all.-James Thurber, writer and cartoonist (1894-1961)

Mums the word

2008-05-11T17:14:00.000+05:30

My mom and me have never seen eye on eye on several issues well most issues. She hates it when I experiment with my hair. She was totaly against me going to the united states. She was against me under going the surgery. But over the years I have realized that she tends to look at the big picture and can make sense at times. She has undying optimism. Though its a bit extreme at times ( she belives each one of those. You are the lucky winner of a million dollars e-mails). She belived in my sister and me even when it mattered. She can magically remove gravy stains from white shirts and makes the most amazing chocolate cake.
Cheers to moms :)

Running through my mind

2008-05-06T19:48:00.000+05:30

I have spent the last few days waiting for a call that never came. and probably never will. Have checked and rechecked my e-mail for an email for a mail that never came and probably never will. How do I explain to one that people change in the blink of an eye, in the fifteen minutes of a phone conversation. That people change and promises, trust and sacirfices are good as gone. Why do the head and heart have to be two different things?

Two posts in a day. I think I've out done myself.

Broken Dreams

2008-05-06T12:35:00.000+05:30

Republished from my old blog due in a bout of homesickness :(

Summer vacations in my grandparents house in Sri Lanka were always fun. I remember being excited all through the road trip from my hometown to Trivandrum, where we would catch the flight to Colombo. The two months were action packed for my sister and me. Pampered by grandparents with trips to tea estates in hill country and picnics in fishing villages in the south. We were always close to tears when we had to fly back.
Growing up in a small town in Tamil Nadu, Colombo was the big city of wonders for me. I remember going back and proudly telling my second grade classmates that I rode an escalator. I out grew my fascination for the escalator but my fascination for Sri Lanka remains intact.
One thing I always noticed during my trips was the spirit of the people. For a country ridden with internal strife, they were a cheerful lot. Sometimes too cheerful, probably a cover for uncertainty and fear.
Two years back when I graduated, I flew over to see my grandmother. College was over, I was yet to join work. In short life was one big holiday. I spent a glorious two months there gallivanting around Sri Lanka with my gang of friends. The mood was also upbeat in the country. There was talk that the war would end soon. Immigrants and refugees were slowly coming back. There was subtle joy in the air where ever one went.
Last month, my grandmother passed away and I had to go to Colombo for her last rites. I reached the city close to midnight and even at that hour I noticed the stark differences in the city from my last trip. As a result of recent problems, security was beefed up. As my car snaked its way through the familiar tree lined avenues with Buddhist shrines, I noticed checkpoints at every corner. Over the course of the week, where ever I went I saw the same look in everybody's eyes. And I realized there was something worse that not having dreams- its called broken dreams.

Definition

2008-02-07T11:43:00.000+05:30

Bad idea: Shopping in T-nagar on a Sunday

Au revoir

2008-01-31T14:43:00.000+05:30

Bidding farewell is always such a difficult thing. Yet another friend is moving to the other end of the world. Dinner at the best restaurant in town was not as half as good as the two hours spent laughing about the unbelievably crazy things we did as house mates.

We spoke about the three years in college – the weird fashion sense days, the petrified of seniors days and the waiting to get out of college days. We spoke about the last few years as house mates- the first jobs, the heart breaks, the cooking disasters and the wishing we were back in college days. The days and months that made us realize living with friends was not as simple as it looked on popular sitcoms. It was even better and worse.

Two hours is never enough to look back at the best years of your life.
Au revoir.

Broken

2008-01-01T22:42:00.000+05:30

A broken relationship
Like my mom’s crystal bowl I smashed as a child. My mom says her dinner set is not the same anymore.

Broken trust.
Like the hand painted terracotta piggy bank my grandfather brought me from Burma. If it had to be used, it had to be broken.

Broken hope
Like my torn paper boat that never made it to the end of the drain

A broken dream
Like today.

So they say

2007-12-30T19:30:00.000+05:30

There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says you are far more likely to be betrayed by a friend rather an enemey.
I like the Chinese. They make a lot of sense.

This and that

2007-12-29T19:09:00.000+05:30

Things I did i never thought I would do in 2007.
Eat Sushi
Eat Sushi and like it.
Travel to the United States
Head a team
Make good friends at my work place.
Make good friends from my old work place.
Go to a party where I was the only non Russian

Things I hope to do in 2008
Get my drivers license (Yes i know)
Restart my yoga
Get a tatoo ( If i finally gather the courage)
Sleep less
Say no to working on weekends
Work on my French
Shop less (ok who i am kidding)

Christmas Past

2007-12-25T21:04:00.000+05:30

Christmas then was 10 days away from school.
Being impatient at midnight mass wondering what gifts were under the christmas tree.
Heated aruguments with my sister what colour tinsel we should use on the christmas tree. Bonbons. Roasted Turkey . Getting to know who your secret "chrismom" is. Getting to meet cousins from out of town. Wondering how Santa came in through locked doors.

Christmas now is working from home.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Monday Woes

2007-10-15T15:18:00.000+05:30

Jobs that give us dreams
Jobs that make us give up some
Jobs that take us far away from home
Jobs that brought us new friends
Jobs that sap the light out of you
Jobs that pay the bills

Sigh.. its a Monday and I'm wondering why I should go to work. :-/

Thunderstorms and Coffee Conversations

2007-10-05T21:45:00.000+05:30

Republished from old blog coz someone insisted :)

It was a rain holiday. A big surprise as in the city I live, rain itself is a surprise.
I was stuck in my apartment with two of my room mates. There was no electricity and we could not get out of the house. A room mate prophesied that it was going to be a terribly dull day. But it was a day of rediscovering forgotten pleasures.
I realized that lying in bed with a good book , while listening to the rain is one of the best feelings in the world.
I discovered that when you cant get to the supermarket, and you have to dish up lunch with leftovers, cooking becomes a lot more fun.
I discovered that dancing in the rain with your roomie, singing corny Hindi songs terribly off-tune, gives you a high.(Even as the other roomie screamed from the window, that when we die of pneumonia we would we regret not listening to her)
I discovered the simple delight in yakking with roomies over a cup of coffee and laughing over the mad things we did in college.
The next day the sun shone gloriously. It was back to office and hectic schedules. All denuded joys have been put away for another rainy day.

Gone in sixty seconds

2007-10-02T12:55:00.000+05:30

Have you ever wished time would stop and you could hold on to a moment forever? I did.
Time and distance are cruel friends.

The weekend that was

2007-09-12T21:05:00.000+05:30

It was a good weekend.

An engagement.
Three cities.
A train journey spent laughing about tormenting the nuns in school.
Reunion with old friends :)
A party by the backwaters
A big ugly python by the backwaters
Some shopping :))
Very little sleep
Lots of fun.

Oh yes it was a good weekend

Back to You

2007-08-18T14:07:00.000+05:30

Its back to the big bad city after three long weeks. My longest break in five and half years. Mixed feelings about going back. Back to cooking and cleaning. Back to experiments in the kitchen with the room mate. Back to work place politics. Back to crazy coffee breaks with crazier colleagues. Back to auto rides (ack). Back to aimless weekends with friends.

Ah it cant be too bad. Can it?

And again

2007-07-06T11:48:00.000+05:30

Absolute boredom, a melancholic social life, a bad appraisal and total oblivion about my future has led me to blogging again. Yes life is a bitch.
Ah what a glorious start to my new blog.