31 days of Jan

With inspired writing not flowing, I decided to make a log. Here it goes about Jan

Apart from the routine cleaning and cooking and cleaning there was a lot of lazing and procrastination. There was guilt and there was laziness. There was dust everywhere and work left pending and I'd make excuses to myself for doing it later. I guess it was my relocation blues working extra hours that made me while away my time in a mild stupor.

With this knowledge, ever since I have been trying to be more hands on and less postponing. The progress is there. Lots better than before. I still sit lazy but at least work gets done.

There was also my surrendering my long held library membership. After having voracoiusly read book after book for almost a year and a half, I finally realised that a break is needed. With the subscription going up, it was easier to decide. I hope to get back to active reading once again. However have to wait till I start to miss them books badly.

Jan was filled with cakes and pasteries and the realisation that I had gained a lot of weight. The weight and cakes were not related but then the cakes didn't help much either. My love for cakes and chocolates is an age old one. Something that I get easily tempted by.

Many other non-consequential things happened and still happen. But I can say that after almost 2 months I've finally settled down. A routine is in place, something that I can rely on and start planning based on. Uncertainity is something that I can hardly put up with. With home base reasonably set, I do feel a lot relaxed and whole lot in control.

That was basically Jan. A week of Feb has already flown by but the musings on that will be for later.

I also Vow to keep the writing alive.

Everything Happens for a Reason!

When something is HAPPENING you undergo various emotions and notions on what is going on and what is to come. Till such event completely unfolds, you are only left with two choices viz., be anxious or be calm.

ANXIOUS:

It was an usual working day's start. I had just laid out my laptop and was wondering what I had to do today. As my attention turned to my yet to start computer, an error blinked at me. My initial blank reaction soon turned frantic as I kept trying hopelessly for some magic to work by a mere restart.

The laptop was Dead.

to to to Aaauttoooo....

So here I was today morning, walking in the bright hot sun, slowly yet kicking up a dust storm and impatiently chewing at my lips and thereby having lipstick for breakfast.

It is an auto strike and therefore I was forced to walk a few hundred meters and catch a bus. Yes, I am now in advanced stages of Lazy Bum-ness.

My trysts with Auto-wallas has left me with mixed opinions about their clan. There are the good and the bad, the smooth talkers and the ruffians, the honest and the liar and the ones who demand and the ones who beg. Quiet recently I was ditched by two autos in the same evening. The first left me stranded halfway quoting technical difficulties and the second charged me extra extra for no extra effort by him. Since my Jhansi -ki-Rani avatar had gone on a holiday, I turned in to Little-Bo-Peep and paid up.

When in Chennai, I abhor the idea of having to hail an auto to go somewhere. I'd rather travel in an crowded bus than bargain with that slimy auto-driver. When in Bangalore, I would have to repeat my destination to many autos and risk myself a strained voice and neck before finally one agrees. If luck be my side his meter would be correct and i'd be sparred with a confrontation when getting off. Most evenings, Luck would be in the driving seat leaving me to fend for myself.

Chennai :  Auto = Criminal Daring Looters.

Bangalore : Auto = Masters of the Art of saying "NO". (Outcast students of Art of Living?? I wonder!)

There are a few (understatement) BAD memories associated with autos and bet everyone who has ever boarded one would have. And succumbing to the Educated and Decent class expectations, it is I who usually bows down and pays up. One really good memory though. An Angel in disguise helped me and my friends get home when we were stuck some place late evening and the roads leading out were jammed.

But that can't be claimed to be an exception amongst these meanies, because it was a Private Auto.

All said and done, boon or bane I depend heavily on their services. I am actually pretty thankful to the fact that the autos at Bangalore ply with a Meter and I can know what I am being charged.

Finally before saying "The End", I'd like to say "Thank you and Have a Nice Ride back Home"

Rains, Roads and Road-Runners..

It has been raining in Chennai. With that everything else falls in place or rather falls out of place. Copious supply of water is now available in all reservoirs, tanks, lakes and Roads.

An amusement park developer spends Lakhs of rupees to set up an artificial beach, swimming pool et all. But thanks to the great planning and maintenance of this City, you get all these absolutely FREE. The best Roller-Coasters are available on Chennai roads when your brakes fail on a rainy day.

I am not trying to satire the system. Peepli Live had done it and bored me to death.

My personal experience is what I'd like to share here.


Caught unawares by the rains last week, got drenched one day. WOW it was so much fun!! Definitely fun, but the thought of my back pack and handbag getting drenched caused all the shivers I experienced that night. It doesn't take much to guess that I was carrying Cell phones, wads of Cash and Clothes. 'C' all the trouble I was in.

That was the story of the Rains and the Roads. But the Road-runners is another story.

The lesson I learnt was that "Do Not Travel to North Chennai' when it rains.

I boarded a bus at Perambur and happily counted on reaching home in an hour. If you have ever traveled to there, you could not have missed the Marvelous looking, Oh so uselessly LONG bridge. Been there and done that.

There is no suspense or surprise in saying that the bus took an hour to just get across the bridge. Actually after an hour I was still somewhere on Perambur Bricklin Road. One hour. If you are wisecracking as to why I wasn't on an Auto, I didn't want to buy one as the autowallahs were quoting the price of the vehicle for a ride. Trains were also nowhere in sight and that left me on this bus, standing for an whole hour.

Then at some turn there was relief and the Bus flew into Free Air.

The experience was not really a great one and surely not something anyone would have enjoyed reading the recount of. But had to spill it out. I shuddered with the thought of those who have to endure this everyday and those who have to walk on those flooded roads.

It is one thing to sit in a swanky office and speak at a press conference about Monsoon Preparedness and completely another to be sitting on a wet floor after wading through waist deep rain water.

Tired out...

Wanted to blog a great lot of things, but feeling extremely tired and thereby unable to do so. The reason for my fatigue and the subject of the great things are the same. Without further delay, I shall divulge the secrets

8th July 2011 : The blogger had paid a visit to dear old T.nagar.

There was something important to be done. But once it was dealt with, T.nagar woke the Shopaholic in me. It didn't take much effort to get in to every shop that seemed new and unexplored. Though I am not a fan of window shopping, I walked out empty handed from each little store. To my dismay, I hadn't wasted any money that day. But had spent a lot of energy in all my shop-hopping.

9th July 2011 : The blogger found it difficult to stay at home so left early to work.

Ok, I reached office by 10:30am. From there headed to Perambur (hour long journey) for a holiday with the cousin. It was there that I happened to join in a shopping expedition. A trip to Parrys Corner wholesale market. For the uninitiated, It is an area filled with Things to Buy and consists of many intricately woven tiny streets, each with its own speciality. It is easy to get lost and end up in another part of Chennai altogether. After some good 5hours of Kasi Chetty Street experience, battery got drained.

10th July 2011 : The blogger chose to exit Perambur and enter Mogapair

That meant another hour long journey but in a direction that took me farther away from home. I shall directly move to the best part of the day. A little Miss was dressed up in her new RED frock. That sparked an idea of Little Red Riding Hood. A mini, to-be-shared-with-family video was made featuring the acting talents of Miss Seven, Mister Eleven and Miss Fifteen, directed by Mrs Twenty Seven. This ten minute video was shot just under Two Hours. Shabaaaaa.

11th July 2011 : The blogger had chores to finish

Mogapair to Home. Break. Home to Parrys Corner to T.nagar to Home. T.nagar involved a lot of walking and Trial Room touring. Again I returned empty handed. A disappointed shopper is a drained shopper.


If this post is dull and boring, it is merely because of the fact that I am tired to my bones. With that would also like to grant few days leave to the wonderful people who have patiently read on. If you did find any spark of good writing here, it is purely my genius to write well even when am sleepy. Have spent an entire hour on this and plan to blog soon. Till then I shall recharge.

Good Night and Good Day (Making up for all timing differences)!!!!

The Day of the Power Cut!!!

Peak summer and EB has announced a power cut between 9am to 5pm. What would do you? Go to office? Okay, but what about job-less people like me?

Power Cut management is the new order of the day. Faced with this power crisis, we have to plan our work around it to ensure optimal productivity and less resource wastage. Illustrated as below:

An Wholesome day...

Feeling slightly blank. Maybe my limit is one blog per day and since the quota is over, the desire to blog and the ability to write are inversely proportional.

But since I have started, I do not wish to leave it incomplete. It was the very purpose that I turned on my computer so late at night.

Night at the Airport!!!

My little nephew, the latest one just 7months old, is visiting all of us for the first time. Us being his dear aunts and grand mas, pas and an eagerly waiting cousin. We were waiting to see his grape sized eyes and hold this little baby doll. We were waiting at the airport.

His mom and his sister, our darlings, completed the lovely trio whose arrival was being eagerly sought by all of us.

the unsaid...

Saar auto saar, Rs.70 'ku Roller Coaster maari auto otinadhuku, nandri.

Saar auto saar, Rs.20 'ku Mother Tongue'la ketta vaartha solli kuduthadhuku, nandri.

Saar auto saar, andha savari kitta avaru thoppai'ku sethu Rs.20 extra ketadhuku, nandri.

Saar auto saar, thapaana right'la thirumbi aparam sandhu vazhiya correctaa eraki vitadhu, nandri

Saar auto saar, auto'ku vela sollama, route'ku mattum vela sonadhuku, nandri

What a rain!!!

What a rain!!! They usually say 'it rained cats and dogs' but this seemed like Elephants and Lions.

And I cowered in a corner waiting for the power to return. Spent the scariest ever evening of my life WAITING.

Was originally waiting for my parents to come back, aka I was home alone. Even Macaulay Culkin had been braver whereas I chose to fear the rains. It was not about the sound of thunder or lightning-may-spoil-my-eye kind of fear. I was afraid for my parents. They were on their way home and I was worried about them getting stuck in the rain. Luckily, by the time they reached home, rain had subsided.

I also waited for the power to come back. Just minutes before it started raining in my area, EB diligently cut the power supply. That was a good move. The wind and rain that followed would sure have struck havoc if it had come in contact with live wires. So I spent my time alone staring in to nothingness. Well not so gloomy. I was playing with my neighbour's kid. Good time pass. The power was back in half hour. So scared her saying that a 'pallee' (lizard) was near and escaped in to Fan, Light and Television.

The obvious wait was for the rain to subside. I was concerned about my parents for one part. But I was also concerned about the tomorrow. Well what would happen to that new dress I plan to wear or to my darling shoes. Sounds very vain, but these were a part of my concerns, minuscule though. I was actually worried about the state of the city if the rains had continued lashing like that.

Thank GOD that my wait for Parents, Power and No Rain, all happened at around the same time.

There was also a brief point of time, where I tried calling people. It would have helped me beat the loneliness and lightning scares. Tragically no one answered. So in turn I sadistically scared neighbour kid. Okay I wasn't that cruel. Its a joke we play on her. Even with cupped, empty hands, you can make her believe that there is a lizard in it. She gets so grossed out. Fun to watch her changing expressions. Great Timepass. And the best part is, this 2.5year old calls me AKKA.

Life is Beautiful!!!!

Notices...

Since I have dished out something today morning, my brain is running dry. But there were few observations made post that post. Nothing pertaining to that post, but just that it was post that post. Clear?

This is not a report. Just things that I noticed today.

For one, the Gemini bridge is all lit up, the parapet walls running along have been illuminated with tiny blue bulbs encased in a translucent tube. In simple words, very pretty. Originally such lighting used to happen for special occasions like Tamil New Year's or Diwali etc. Now it is like daily wear makeup. And it looks good, I like it.


The other thing I noticed was the beautiful and huge park right at the Gemini circle. Erstwhile premises of the Woodlands Drive-in has now been converted into a park. The huge campus is the greenest spread of earth in Chennai today. The centuries old huge trees have long held my admiration.  With all the billboards gone, the full beauty can now be enjoyed during a ride down the winding flyover. Well lit with tiny lamps all over, it seems like a wonderful place for some quiet time. Possibly an alternate to the beach.


While in bus today, I found myself starring at a bald patch on someone's head. And that head belonged to a girl. Yes, now even girls have to deal with receding hairlines. No one has black hair, natural hair colour has evolved to reddish brown and other like shades. With that said, the pony tails and pig tails now look like 'palli vaalu' i.e a lizards tail (the one found in our homes). There is no use reveling in past glory and saying that your hair was long and thick, that the comb used to break while untangling it or was as black as night. Now it is thin, receding and lacking in luster and colour. By 'You' I mean ME and not comb breaking but definitely healthier and stronger that what it is today. A mere ghost of its illustrious past.

With that my 'noticing' is done. But I shall leave you with food for thought.

Highlights of diet today:

Mid morning snack : 1 whole ripe mango

Lunch: Special Raw Mango gravy (maanga pachadi)

Post Dinner Snack: Mango fruit salad (also includes bananas and jackfruits, maa pala vaazhai)

I strictly recommend it to those who love the fruit and don't mind the calories.

I have restrained form the use of tanglish in this post. Feels a little odd.

Tagged....

Was late from work today and rushed to catch the train.. it was crowded and the ladies' compartment was almost full.. as i found a space for me and my legs.. i saw Ms.Fernandez...

Wondering who she is?? Well she is.......... I don't know...

So madam is wearing her office id while in train.. and i a perfect stranger, now her know every detail.. her name and where she works.. Cognizant which is different from Cogzidel where Sangeetha works...

So there is every detail u need about this stranger... and not just her but many of her colleagues were on the train wearing the tags..

Dear Stalkers maybe this information will be useful to u...

i hate wearing such tags... especially when it says "Visitor" cause it feels more of a burden than anything else...

why i would not want to wear it on my neck???

1. it will hide my Gold Chain under it...
2. it won't match the color of my dress....
3. if i want dip tea i would also get dip id...


these id cards are funny.. esp when u have to just display them to the sensor to open the doors for you or to mark your attendance... i have seen enough people Do the DANCE...

not the ones that need delicate movement of the feet and intricate expressions on the face.. but rather the ability to move your shoulders... not up and down... but forward and backward...

to accomplish this dance routine, you will have to practice activating the sensor with your id card in your shirt pocket.. always fun to watch.. sometimes bit irritating to see how lazy the other person is..

all this tags business lead my thoughts away to Rocket Raja style imaginations... well not exactly.. but got me wondering what other tags we use....

like maang mein sindoor... a tag for being married...

shades on shirt collar on your back... a tag for "I am VIJAY fan"

by the time i finished analysing the tags and the science of tagging my station arrived and i had to hop off..

as i walked back home.. i put my TAG on...

My EARPHONES.. tries to be COOL and LOVES MUSIC... :)

Ju ju ju.. Doggie...

I was wondering what to write about when images kept flashing from a video i had seen earlier... a Dog gone video... A TV host is doing a small segment on pet dogs.. a dog trainer had brought along two of her dogs for the interview..

what happened during the interview was telecast live to millions via the Canadian news programme...

the dogs had become too friendly and uncontrollable.. the bull dog wouldn't stay still and preferred to licked off all the make up from the anchor's face.. it then jumped on to her lap and continued the friendly gestures... absolutely funny...

talking about dogs.. i am not a pet person.. i like dogs but can never have them around as a pet.. but i do enjoy petting other peoples' pet dogs.. it is fun when they like u, cause getting accepted by people with high standards is always fun.. be it by kids... bosses... elders.. even for the matter intelligent animals like dogs...

there is a really funny dog in my neighborhood in chennai... he loves to howl.. assuming he is a he... but he doesn't howl always...

the first few days i wondered why.. then when i paid attention i found the connection...

here comes the ice cream vandi.."ting ting ting".. and there he starts "ooow ooow ooow"

here comes the waste paper guy.. "paper paper paper" and u have "oow oow oow"

he always seems to respond to the calls and sounds of hawkers frequenting my area...

esa paatu of Mudhal Mariyadhai style...

there is Sangeetha who constantly keeps writing about her apartment doggie which has been missing from action/mention the past few days... the idea started from that..

one thing... dogs look cute both as a puppy and adult.. and they are terrorizing... even today as a grown up.. i am scared of the little puppy dogs.. when they run towards you, u want to put ur feet high up where they can't reach.. and they look really cute trying to catch up...

the adult dogs are no bother.. except when they approach u looking agitated.. there are a lot of stray dogs in Bangalore.. and they enforce the curfew everyday..

back to the little rascals.. brown or black.. skinny or chubby.. fluffy or bald.. spotted or plain.. u just can't stop adoring these intelligent creatures.. even if u stand far cos u are afraid.. the feeling inside stays...

No Comments...

I spend an hour a day to write a blog..why?? Cause i am slow... and also cause i like to write factually what i feel...

So here i slog and then i see so many visits to my blog... its increased by 200 in last few weeks.. thats really nice... but i wonder if they really do read my blogs.. cause there are No Comments...

If u like what u read say so.. if u don't like also do say something.. but say something as ur comments are valuable to me... help me become a better blogger... do leave ur comments...

I was talking to a friend of mine today and on a health concern of hers, offered free advise.. suggested that she visit the Siddha Hospital at Tambaram Sanitorium, Chennai..

I first visited the hospital in 2008.. since i had no major complaints i did not re-visit.. and now.. in 2010.. i am a regular..

the hospital is funded by the Central Govt and therefore is able to provide FREE medical care to ALL patients.. FREE tests ranging from blood sugar to ECG and X-ray.. and also in-patient facilities for those requiring prolonged stay and treatment..

Siddha medicine is around 10,000 years old which was preached and practised by 18 Siddhars..more on the history is available on wiki..

The medicines given do not have any side-effects except for curing the condition.. i have only experienced the fringe benefits.. like glowing skin and reduced hair fall... they basically constitute Syrups, Tablets, Capsules and Oils... the variety of medicated oils available is huge.. they are specific to pain, itching and other conditions not limited to dermatology.. the concept is that the oil seeps through the pores on our skin and thereby enters the system and does its work...

the doctors there are well trained in English medicine also and the medication they give is sometimes supplemental to it.. there are 7 consulting rooms with one dozen final year students and 2 supervising senior doctors... every symptom is noted down and diagnosis done.. the senior doctor then approves the same and the dispensary gives out the medicines..

Lots of people visit the compound which works on all days from 8:00am to 12noon and on Tuesdays caters to the Senior Citizens exclusively with an additional evening batch.. adequate time, patience and attention is given to each patient..

My recommendation for Siddha comes from the fact that it is an ancient form of medicine and uses natural cures in most scenarios.. artificial chemicals are completely avoided..

The element of doubt on quacks will always exist.. that is why it is better to get treated at the Siddha hospital which is by the Government and therefore far more reliable..

for all who can.. all those who are interested.. a mere visit can give u the impressions... after that it is the belief and trust u put into the system that will yield the results...

my choice would be to go natural.. go Siddha...

Green is the colour of Prosperity...

Getting straight to the point.. i was traveling past a newly made park this morning.. it was busy.. so many people on the sidewalk enjoying the new green space in their locality... but the eyesore was the litter strewn all over..

i am not an Environmentalist.. but i respect nature and i do not litter.. it was absolutely shameful to see what had become of it.. and this shoddy treatment is not isolated to only this park..

As a child i have traveled across the Chetpet bridge many times.. it overlooks a marsh.. in between the water, stands a lone tree.. i used to claim it as my island.. even today it brings the memories of my taking ownership of it.. it always lasts the half minute ride across..

i wonder what memories the sight of the Cooum may bring to the older citizens of our city.. it is a well known fact that it had crystal clear water.. and today it is pure drainage..

a particular type of flower.. blooms outside my house every April.. it is known as Konna Poo (Golden Shower).. beautiful delicate yellow flowers hanging down like a bunch of grapes.. its scientific name is a little funny though.."Cassia fistula".. the point is.. the flower is an essential part of the Vishu celebrations every April.. and it is during that period, it is in full bloom..

as it is highly sought after at that time.. hawkers mint profits selling them with Zero cost.. source.. the tree outside my house.. in a rather barbaric fashion they break and bruise the tree in their attempt to get as many flowers possible.. even if they are high up in the branches.. does it not remind u of the story of the boy and the tree??

very recently, a fire raged in a ecologically sensitive marshland.. no one seemed to realise the importance of the damage caused...

the solution?? so many model states and nations have set precedents to the preservation and cleanliness of their environment.. every Indian easily quotes the example of Singapore.. but is it not easier to follow the routine we follow in our homes??? i don't think people throw the garbage inside their bedrooms, nor do they piss on their walls.. a little sense of responsibility and a good administration is the only way out..

till the day any reforms happen.. we can each continue doing whatever little we can.. after all Mother Nature is not called so, just like that...