Seasons and seasons..

At least with Nnature you know for sure that there are only 4 seasons - Summer, Winter, Rainy and Autumn. But this is not about that. Bangalore has been under the spell of rains for the last couple of weeks and has forgotten what is a Sunny Smile and clothes have been shifted from oragadey to allagadey umpteen number of times. Enough about that though as the matter of concern here is something that is controllable.

Singing and Dancing - Season 1

It is something new and genuine. There is REAL talent and therefore it draws your attention. You love the show, you love the format, you also love the Guests and the Hosts. Finally the big award goes to the most deserving contestant and everyone is Happy.

Singing and Dancing - Season 2

There are still many more talented people out there and it still remains genuine and REAL. People prove themselves to be good and again your are in love with every aspect of it. TRPs are now reigning high and another deserving candidate wins the title.

Singing and Dancing - Season 3

People are talented. But the show is getting old. New formats and techniques are being tried to make the magic work a third time. The TRPs are good and now it has become a SHOW. The competition exists only for the sake of the viewers. The results are previously decided and Politics decides the winner. Wild Card rounds are abound and at each excuse they ensure that the length of the show is not shortened. If TRPs dip then some DRAMA is done to increase interest. Finally when the Final Finals happen, the winner is chosen. But you are left wondering whether the wait was worth it.

Singing and Dancing - Season 4

It becomes another Show where it becomes like something of a Mega Serial.The ratings are good and the money is also good. The Producer is not willing to give up and the Director has no other better job. So they up the Oomph and glamour by calling in some Judges/Hosts who can do that. But if they have some ETHICS at least, they just use More DRAMA to promote their show.

Singing and Daning - Season 5, Season 6 etc

Same as above.

Singing and Dancing - Final Season

The show has lived past its glorious years. Contestants no longer chose to compete on it. With nothing to work with, celebration of the glorious days goes one. They air all their earlier good episodes and proclaim that they have done a great service to the Nation by providing a great platform to such untapped talent. Finally it is Curtains Down.

The End.

Not for this blog but just for the Singing and Dancing show.

What I learnt from TV...

Once upon a time I was scared of the television. I wouldn't even dare to dig my nose when the news was on. Reason-I believed that like how I could see the news reader, they could also see me.

That was eons ago. But will all these spy cams around nowadays, the fear in my innocent heart that time could not be termed as unfounded. After getting over that phase, I did get to learn a lot from TV.

Let me see:

Learnt all latest songs, which kept my love for music alive and well fed. All those music shows from those days to these have always inspired me to sing. Though I do not croon in front of a mic, I am a pretty confident Bathroom Singer.

Also learnt that is an Indian equivalent for all things western, like Byomkesh Bakshi- the Indian Sherlock Holmes. It was through thy series that I got to know what plaster of Paris was. Though I did not put that knowledge to use, it always felt good to know something new. And who can forget our Indian Superman Shakthiman?

The two greatest Epics of our Civilisation- Ramayan and Mahabharath were introduced to me through TV only. Today TV has also taken initiative to explain the Bagwat Gita too. All my knowledge, at least most of it is all thanks to the mythologies on TV especially DD.

I can speak Hindi very well. Despite not stepping out of Chennai during my learning years and having never stayed long up north, my fluency in Hindi is all thanks to TV. Watching all those numerous humorous series helped a lot. To rejig your memory Zabaan Sambhalke, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Shrimaan Shrimathi and Tu Tu Mein Mein to name a few.

All these lessons were learnt while watching it all on our faithful Dyanora TV. This post comes at the tome when my dear TV has finally decided to take a retirement. Will miss you.

To each one their views...

It was fun today watching people trying to guess the right figures and fail miserably in that. But it was fun as each figure only flattered me. Well they were trying to figure out the figure of the weight I had lost. Fun times.

So why to each one their views?? Yes the guesses ranged between 10 and 20, but the views I am mentioning here is about the views on my blogging habits.

There are people who read what I write here and like it too. And there are few who question me why I write and do not like it. Intact my blogs are directed to their TRASH asap.

This directionless blog is just to share that there are many BLACK SHEEP in my own close group.

But I write cause I Love To WRITE

Lazy Bee...

For all those who have known and seen the busy bees, a lazy bee would be something new and surprising. But if you read below you would find that it is no rarity.

MALE BEE

He is always BUSY but that applies to the time spent outside the hive. Once he steps in even moving for a snack becomes a huge task. The transition from busy bee to lazy bee happens right at the doorstep of the Hive.

The male bee choses to idle by the TV rather than do something useful around the hive. In their thought process, that is why Female bees are there for.

FEMALE BEE

She is the busiest of all and the Doorstep concept does not apply here. While the male bee is away, the female bee has to do maintenance and upkeep of the hive, take care of little baby bees and also provide for the grumbling stomachs of all and sundry. While the male bee is at the hive, the femLe bee has to spend the time picking up after the lazy one and staying on tip toes to attend on it whenever called.

QUEEN BEE

She was a working busy female bee once. But finally managed to become the Queen of the hive. this happens after years of being a female busy bee and such status does not come easily to many.

KING BEE

What? How can one even suggest such a preposterous thing. There can never be a King bee. Queen rules or no one else rules.

With so many bees around definitely there must be a lot of Honey in the hive. Probably the reason why the saying "Home Sweet Home" came to be.

Lastly would like to share this joke. How did the male bee tell the female bee that there is a fly in the cup????

A B C D E (hey bee see de Eee).

Plans thwarted.....

There are some things in life that cannot be planned and executed, you just have to go with the flow. Realised that with a few simple steps the last few days.

A. Guests are always unplanned.

It is Thursday and you have decided to visit a temple of importance. It is well past 8 in the evening and you have planned a simple dinner followed by an early bed time. But then you end finishing your dinner and staying up till 12. Reason? Well you have SURPRISE guests coming over for the weekend. By this time the planned light dinner would be well digested and as you greet the friendly faces, your stomach will gurgle, lest they misunderstand that you are unhappy with their sudden visit.

B. Rain can never be planned.

You have stepped out of the house after completing all the chores. The most important of them being LAUNDRY. After your work outside is done you are now homeward bound. Suddenly you realised that the sky is dark and little drops of rain are tickling your nose tip. Panic sets in as you remember that the now dry laundry hangs fluttering on your terrace and seemingly is an easy prey to RAIN. You are a couple of blocks away from home and speed up, the sweat and tension take over you and the keys betray you in the crucial moment. Yet you manage the odds and run upstairs in half breath and reach the doors of your terrace. And Lo Behold! A spotless and dry  concrete ground welcomes you. You never know when it will rain. If you have ever melted sweating under the Sun and the next minute have found yourself drenched in Rain, Welcome to the Club!!!

C. Dinner has a dynamic menu

Have you ever woken up thinking you would have/make dosas for dinner and ended up eating rotis? Well not exactly what happened to my plan. But for once I had taken initiative to prepare for dinner before stepping out late in the evening. However the unplanned event of stepping back in with a full stomach ruled out all chances of putting the new recipe on Fire. In simple words, a sudden eat-out plan. Life is so dynamic that you cannot even be sure of what is going to happen next. What a thathuvam!!!

D. Blogs don't happen as planned

I had planned to blog everyday, but didn't happen. I had planned to complete this blog yesterday and even that didn't happen. Writing a few hundred words had to be spread over 2 afternoons. Luckily my brain and thought process have not changed in 24 hours, hence this blog has escaped DELETE.

E. Technology has its own plans

Sounds more like God and his plan. But for the few who have experienced torment under the hands of technology that they do not understand, this will ring close to home. After watching 2 good movies on my iPod had planned to upgrade the iOS and access AppStore via wifi (could have used iTunes also and it would have saved me this trouble). End result is that I have an iPod that is on Restore mode and has to undergo A MINOR OPERATION in the hands of some experienced Knowledgeable people. Unlike myself, who spent hours researching and re-searching all the World Wide Web for clues and solutions, and ended up with a bunch of hair follicles in the hands, they would the job in a jiffy, I HOPE.

With all this planning and foiling of the planning had rendered me tired and confused. Tired cause I had kept running around for and with my laundry. And confused as all my plans lay in shambles. Okay the situation wasn't that desperate but some planning does help.

An awfull movie..

I shall not take the name of this one and shall leave it to your guessing prowess.

Once the naming TREND in Tamil movies was Tanglish names. With the TAX angle it soon shifted to tamil-only. At some point Filmdom referred to Map of Tamilnadu for names and now it is the turn of Animals and their Hunters.

Opening scenes by themselves evoked scorns from my face. No new faces, just like in Sandakozhi, Rajkiran is the World's best katta panchayatu man and our HERO is his Brave and Courageous son. There is also the heroine who is portrayed as a strong character but does a lot of crying and backstabbing. And one villain and one comedian but both are JOKERS.

Introduction of hero too had nothing innovative, same old focus on feet and go all the way up to his face, shot. Stunt director seemed to be an ANIMAX fan as all stunts seemed to be inspired from fights in animation series. Especially the ones which involve sword fights aka Aruva Veechu Stunts.

If the Heroine is trying to look No-nonsense, Woman of substance, Serious about life types, she failed grossly as she felt that a SAD looking face is the right expression.

In the name of comedy you get to see someone scratch his @@&££ against cycle handbars and also the ensuing accidents involving his @@&££. Wonder how many would have had a hearty laugh seeing it.

I never listened to the songs, so no comments. As far as my opinion on the story goes, i would call it unimaginative. There were many shots showing the hero in fast forward motion. It looked fine once but was over used and only irritated. The concentration should have been on making the Screenplay fast and not using CG to make up for the lull created.

The movie was so boring that I skipped the middle 2hours. With just the opening scenes and pre climax scenes could fathom the waste of time and money.


Movies are not for mere entertainment but is an ART. Unfortunately the art work seemed like the output from amateur rather than from someone as experienced as the director.


Zero marks for content.

Lessons from my closet....

Bangalore is on full Airconditioning mode. It has been plesant the past two days, gentle breeze and mild showers. But this is not a blog about the climate in Bangalore, so I shall move on.

I just realised that the toughest thing to do in life is to LET GO.

What brought on this wisdom? Well cleaning the closet can be tiring and at the same time enlightening. There were no skeletons in them but had many relics from the past. Yes, antique pieces worth nothing. I shall stop exaggerating and simply state that they were CLOTHES. Collections from an style-age gone by and OUT-grown by. Deciding to give away them taught a few lessons.

I never knew that I had so much of unwanted and unusable stuff.

I never realised how much space that they occupied while my new clothes were crammed in some corner.

I never realised how many good dresses I had which are yet to be worn.

I never realised that the beautiful dress I coveted is now just an OLD one.


Where the wisdom???

By holding on to old feelings, I lose out on new ones. By holding on, I never realised the worth of what I have in hand. And what seems the greatest joy/sorrow today will change.

In short, I learnt to keep an open mind and never to lose hope.

If by reading this, you get a feeling that I am sulking, please be reassured that I am fine. Just idling the afternoon and trying to blog via a small iPod. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

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 treasure that was unearthed...

The camera zooms in. A dozen crunched up balls of white paper strewn on the floor. The camera zooms out. A figure in a chair, fingers running through his hair. He bend over his desk. Camera comes around to show what he is doing.

Upbringing now and then.

Once upon a time a little girl was traveling by train with her parents to a far away land. She walked with her father towards the pantry car. There, behind the glass display lay a  golden yellow pack of mango juice. She grew excited and yanked at her father's shirt and screamed

Break ke baad!!!

I would recommend this to everyone. A little break. It always teaches you many things.

The words to pen my experience seem to evade my thoughts. Three days that went by beautifully cannot be summarised in 300 words. But here are the few excerpts of my experience:

There can never be enough Rain With that in mind we had planned for the inevitable. July in Kerala means rainfall. But our luck

Warning!!!

This blogger is heading on a pilgrimage to God's Own Country.

Warning to all those who cannot sleep without reading my blog. Kindly look for alternatives in my older posts till my return on Monday.

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:

The Dosa is always round!!!

Your guess would be right if you thought that I had Dosa for dinner tonight. I bow down to your genius.

With a title like that you may wonder what is there in this post. Blank blank blank. Drawing a blank is so easy. Especially after a Sunday of idling at home. Did nothing except watch TV, eat, sleep and surf. Not so wholesome like yesterday.

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.

Where are the sweets??

Attended a Sangeet yesterday. So much of fun and so many dressed up boys and girls. Took down a few fashion tips here n there. Both Bride and Groom were my friends and that meant more fun as my other friends were there too. There was a lot of Amali-Thumali.

Sangeet meant lots of music and dancing. True to that family members performed choreographed dance numbers and that was a treat to watch. Some really good dancers and some who gave us a good laugh with their robotics.

How do I Manage??

Someone asked this question "How does she manage to blog everyday??"

Within 2 days of that, my blogging had to pause. Super powerful question.

How do I manage??

Simple. I have/had NIL responsibilities during the past 2 odd months. No dishes to do, no dinner to make aka vacationing at Mother's house. So what happens when the vacation ends? Well, Time Management.

Food Food Food!!!

FOOD!!!!

Yes, the words make some people's pupils dilate and salivating jaws drop open. FOOD!!! Just the word is enough to excite some.

What does this mean here??? Well this is just from my experience at a 2day seminar I attended recently.

Someone asked me an important question during the break "Will there be Lunch today??"

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.

Munni.. Sheila.. Jalebi Bai!!!

Munni badnam hui!!! Yes she earned a huge name after becoming BADNAM. How fortunate! Her mass and class appeal doubled and tripled and box office collections were also ringing high. Though not entirely cause of her but cause of her darling who set the screen on fire.

My name is Sheila!!! Her introduction was pure seduction. Sexy and classy, she wooed everyone with her graceful dance moves and innocent looks. Sheila did not gyrate indecently yet she became the numero uno name on everybody's lips. Sheila and her jawani.

Naam? Jalebi Bai!!! Wonder how many have heard of her. Probably many. She gyrates and makes imaginary Jalebies, for which an entire crowd is shown to be waiting and wanting. She mixed the gaon ki chori look of Munni and the my name is Sheila  style music and lyrics from Sheila. To this she added a lot of her OOOOOMPH and vulgarity (my opinion). End result is that there is an almost copied song with a wannabe that gets shoved-at in the face of the audience.

There are people who like Munni, Sheila and Jalebi Bai equally, whereas I would give a thumbs-down to Miss Jalebi.

Recently got to see a comedy scene from a movie. It was not funny and seemed like some scene. The strong and confident woman in me wants to chide these women, Jalebi Bai and Miss Gold H, for commoditising themselves. No further comments on their choice but just that it irks me to think about it.

Unaku yen ivalavu akarai?? Actually yes, I can just change the channel and ignore.

With all this happening on one side, saw two trailers for upcoming TV shows.

Toddlers and Tiaras - Pathetic. A Beauty pageant for little girls who still talk childish gibberish. They are already competing to look beautiful and throwing diva-like tantrums and commanding star-dom. What will happen to the life of these children????

Cheater - Guess the Original American show behind it's Indian version, Emotional Athyachar. I am ashamed to admit that used to watch it regularly including another good for nothing show, Big Boss. You will realise the uselessness and artifice of these Reality shows the minute you tune in. I would equate it to a Mega Serial, Dumb and Artificial. Can be watched only to laugh at the dumbness at display.

Please don't stop following my blog!!!!! I will write something better soon. Please!! Till then just hum the song "My name is Sheila, Sheila ki jawani, I'm too sexy for you, mein tere haath naa aani, no no no no..."

When people react!!!

This is a post about various people's reactions under a particular situation. Actual incidents and real people.

A - He was strong and brave, responsible and focused. His thoughts did not waver and he was the backbone that withstood all.

B - He was his support, the one who was also strong and brave, responsible and focused and always with the one above.

They were the duo that held the day together.

C - He was useless and careless, senseless and brainless. His insensitivity irked one and all. He who was always selfish and did not redeem himself when his calling came. Hate Him.

D - He was hard working and helpful. He never complained or questioned and ran around untiringly, knowing well what was needed of him. Without a flinch on his face, he too helped hold the day together.

E - He was ridiculous, insensitive and overacting. He irritated with his act of deep grief. Everyone saw through him, yet he shamelessly progressed to show his artifice. Hate Him.

F - He was broken yet strong. He had to sort things out and think for all. He had to be the Leader and had to be the pillar. A pillar that can never rest. He was the Lion who shed tears.

G - They were there for their friends. A dozen shoulders offering rest, a dozen eyes that shed tears and a hearts that felt for them. They were the dozen lips that poured words of comfort. They were a dozen and that made the difference.

For those who know, make your guesses as to who is who. For those who do not know, each is a person (except G) whose true personalities and qualities came out in a moment of crisis.

The movie I saw today on Sony Pix...

Its an awful title for a blog post. I could have simply mentioned the movie's name but then it is a pretty old one and a review of it today would raise questions. The movie being reviewed is The Karate Kid staring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.

I start with the doubt whether Karate and Kung Fu are the same. The movie is called Karate Kid and he learns Kung Fu instead. Anybody can clarify this one??

Since it is a remake, I have seen every part of the original, there were no surprises. But it was nevertheless enjoyable because of the efforts put in by Jaden Smith and I loved seeing Jackie Chan despite his missing twinkling eyes and naughty smile.

I had enjoyed the original a lot and was watching this one closely looking hard for similarities and differences. There was just one major difference. This is a story about Mr.Han and Xiao Dre replacing the one about Mr.Miyagi and Danielsa. In simple words, it was Jacket on - Jacket off instead of Wax on - Wax off.

But one thing felt very odd, 12 year old with six packs. This was too much for me to digest. Wondered the hard training and physical pain he must have endured for that. I would never endorse this.

All said and done, when Dre mimics the Cobra trick, that he had only observed once, for his match winning point, goosebumps take over.

Overall, a feel good movie, if you ignore the ADULT packaging of a kid.

Soon after this, another movie followed. But with so many blanks in the dialogues and **** in the subtitles, it was a SUPERBAD. Yup, that is the name too. Since I had already seen it on fastforward long back, I decided that my day was done. Plus it was midnight.

Note: Tragically when I was about to shut eyes, there was a power cut. However the Wind God was gracious enough to alleviate us from our misery, so slept well.

D for Daddy...

As I scratched my head to bring out some words to write today, my head turned left. Aaah!! The sight that I got so behold, an eyesore. A gross monstrosity, like a scar on a pretty face.

Yes, I am talking about my desk.


There is someone at home who has forever tried to inculcate discipline and order into my system. But however my strong will always wins over these attempts. The end result is such an eyesore.

On close examination, products purchased recently, products past their usable life, products that are of no use ever and other uncategorised products line up in a disorderly manner. The confusion and fusion all together.

Why??? I wonder, that I cannot bring myself to make things more in order. They always seem to magically get back time to time. Actually because of the intervention of that someone.

Why??? I wonder, that the someone constantly tries to teach me order.

Actually his efforts are not all in vain. In bangalore, I do all things properly. I am disciplined and orderly, well mostly. And I also do my work without needing someone to order me around. (Sometimes I need to be driven around like the cow that strays off towards grass instead of ploughing the fields). If my name is not called out at least three times, I do not respond, but there I seem to be there even before I am needed.

Why??? you may wonder. It is not cause that I turned responsible after marriage and have realised that discipline and order are important to life. Simple fact is that, I have no one to pick up after me and I have to do things myself.

Also, when someone is trying hard to teach you something, it is always fun giving them a tough time at it.

Wondering whether it is Father's Day already. Probably this post should have been made at that time.

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!!!!

Ulimate Therapy!!!

Boys!!! I wonder whether you will understand this. If you wish to know your female counterparts better, read on. Else read my other posts which may not seem like 100% Authentic Venus.

Therapy!!! It works wonders. Weight loss guaranteed. Yup!!!! Is this not simple? But the weight loss happens to the worries on your mind and also unavoidably to you purse.

Spa Therapy and Retail Therapy!!!

Spa day!!!

Once in a while, it is always a pleasure to let yourself relax and have someone care for you. Simple things like a pedicure can make you relax and see the lighter side of life. For all those pretty feet which have been carrying you around while you shop, work, travel, study, write exam etc etc., it is the perfect way to relax. Yes, you can do it at home. You can walk in to any store like Health & Glow and stock yourself up with the creams and brushes, but the purpose is different. A spa pedicure, opens the pathway to heaven, which you didn't know existed in the palms of your feet.

Seri, all this is over hype. Basic fact is that people tend to ignore their feet. You may trim and polish your toe nails, but that is just cosmetic. The foot has many nerve endings in it and a pedicure at the hands of a professional ensures that the right nerve ends get attention. The foot that has been carrying around your weight all along, finally gets some time off. Like its very own Sunday.

Maybe this is what is called as Hanging up your boots and Putting your feet up.

Spa therapy definitely works, especially at times when your Nerves of steel have withstood great tests of strength.

Shopping!!!

This is a little tricky. Often leaves you heavy on guilt. So caution has to be exercised when indulging in Shopping. Probably the reason why many indulge in Window shopping. But I wouldn't endorse it as it does not provide the desired results for me. Shopping happens by the coming together of few factors - Money, the Shop and Need.

Money is of course vital when you do not want to stop at window shopping. But the key to a good shopping experience is the SHOP. I have been on many expeditions and sometimes going to the wrong place has dampened my spirits further. There is also the fact that you may be in a great shop but it may not specialise in what you seek. This may lead you to black-list the outlet altogether. Now, that won't be fair to them.

Need. Defining need is not easy. Need can be anything from emotional cravings to the fact that your wardrobe is in despair. That brings me to the point as to "Shopping for what class of items brings maximum relief".

For some the latest gadget provides release, whereas for some a much sought after Book. Basically depends on the persons taste. Personally for me, Clothes and Accessories. There are also people who believe that Gold and Diamonds are the elixir of life, but for me that's where Money plays its vital role.

Shop till you drop, that is when shopping attains its full glory. No shopping experience is complete without the Recharging that is done in between. From a simple juice to some spicy chats to some Full meals (when clubbed with lunch/dinner), food and beverages are an intrinsic part of the experience. If not in between they would surely feature at the end of it.

Some caution has to be exercised. I guess am repeating this statement. To me shopping works well and to avoid guilt I only follow one quintessential tip. PLAN. You need to have a shopping plan. If you have a bad memory, a list on a piece of paper would do good. Some basic plan should be there. It saves you time and gives you focus. Else you would be standing with your hands full, pockets empty and face frowning.

If you are at an all time low and wish to bounce back, take a shopping companion with you. Someone you trust and who knows you well. That way, any misjudgements due to your delicate state of emotions will not end up with you having some not so desirable / exorbitantly priced items in your bag.

I shall stop here as I feel I have made my point. 'Which is what?', you may wonder.

I LOVE SPA-ing

I LOVE SHOPPING

dogs dogs dogs...once again..

Am I a dog lover?? NO

I am a dog admirer. They are intelligent. They are also cute, fluffy, weird, majestic, awesome, annoying, scary and all other adjectives rolled together. "No! Don't roll over and beg". You have to watch what you say in front of a dog, cause they can understand.

Of the many DOG SIGHTINGS that I have done, one incident caught my fancy and became DOG-father part I..


This morning (@6:30am), I spotted two dogs with their two owners. 'What is so special?', you may wonder, well the fact was that the dogs were over 5' tall and the owners were scrawny looking girls who never managed to grow beyond 4'. Ena kodumai sir idhu.

They were making the dogs do their do on the road. This was also another kodumai.

There is also a Mudhal Mariyadhai inspired dog near my house. He (please note the respect bestowed) responds to every call and cry of street hawkers with a howl song. Though it is unappealing to the ears, I am one of his admirers who marvel at his sheer intelligence and consistent response.

I wonder whether my tribute to this intelligent species will end at this. But I would like to add that I am also part of the group who dread them. The stray ones, especially the rabid looking rowdy stray ones. I was almost cornered once, their teeth barring and with a wild snarling, the dogs on my street in Bangalore, almost attacked me. Luckily someone intervened.

Ok!! All that aside. I would like to share a poem I read about dogs. It is really cute. So sharing here.

My Dog Ate My Homework

My dog ate my homework.
That mischievous pup
got hold of my homework
and gobbled it up.

My dog ate my homework.
It's gonna be late.
I guess that the teacher
will just have to wait.

My dog ate my homework.
He swallowed it whole.
I shouldn't have mixed it
with food in his bowl.

--Kenn Nesbitt

Dog-father Part I.. Every dog has its day!!!

He was deep in slumber. Phat!! a stone nicked his butt. With a painful Yelp! he got up, hit his head, dazed and confused, he bent over and ran for cover. His feet took him right but a pair of legs stood there, so he made a quick dash to the opposite side.

 "Naai tholla thaangala" (troublesome dogs) muttered the human.

After reaching a safe distance, he turned to look. The face was odd, not like that of the human who had given him curd rice the other day. He did not like him. Casting one last glance at the white car that had been his shelter for the night, he walked away slowly, searching for another comfortable spot.

The memory of the white car lingered. It was his, he had marked it so. As night arrived, the temptation to go back HOME won over.

His feet, light as ever, carried him gently to the very spot where the car stood now. Sniffing around for another animal/human, he cautiously maneuvered his small body beneath the car. Once under, sleep caught him quickly as if he had been sleepless for many nights. The early morning sun, smoothly snuck in and woke him up gently. He wanted to sleep more and lazily stretched his paws and yawned as wide as he could.

"EY CHI THU NAAYE...ODU IGENDHU" (Get out of here you DOG). Phat!!! a stone was hurled at him. Hit him right on his neck, sharp and painful. Yelping, he ran for cover. His whimpers did not stop for a while, the stone had hit him hard.

As the day stretched out, he wandered around his area keeping out of trouble. A good lunch from a dustbin satiated him and his siesta spot was waiting at the park. The later part of the evening was spent being chased by the watchman, running after two-wheeler/autos, wandering around his area, scavenging other dustbins, pissing on HIS pavements and the occasional bark to show-off.

As he pawed his neck, lazily, he nicked the wound from the morning. The bitter memory convinced him to make good use of his pavement tonight. It was colder and damper than what he was getting used to. But it would suffice.

"Appada, ozhindhuju naai" (What a relief, dog is gone), muttered the human as he washed his car.

It was always spotless white and that is why he loved it. He stood afar and watched the cleaning progress. Suddenly, he was alert. Head up, ears sharp, legs ready to run at the speed of lightning.

He dipped his head low, looked around the perimeter and then tip-toed and sneaked behind the car. The human was still busy cleaning and was now at the hood. He could see the feet moving, white as always, but they were still at the front. NOW!! Inside his head he felt it. Gingerly he moved to his left. The left rear wheel was at his mercy.

He lifted his leg slowly, taking in the moment, it was his now. The freshly washed, shining and clean, Tyre and therefor the car, were now MARKED as his, FOREVER.

His head held high in pride, he walked away, rejoicing in his conquest of what was HIS.

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.

A detailed analysis of the many workings of Life!!

1. People in glass cabins should not smile away on their own

2. When life throws lemons at you, make lemonade. If it throws bricks, catch and build ur house, sell them for profit, throw them at your enemies, explore other options.

3. All the world's a stage and all men and women mere Actors, but where is the director, script, dialogues, STORY? Hence the chaos.

4. Rome was not built in a day, so no use working your ass off. Learn to relax and enjoy your day too.

5. Nothing is permanent but change, that means that change is permanent. but nothing is permanent but change. Vicious circles go on forever.

6. A stitch in time saves nine. No puns on this one as this is very true.

7. An idle mind is the devil's workshop. But once the workshop starts working, the mind is no longer idle. This is a paradox/vicious circle.

8. Kallaanalum kanavan,pullanalum purushan... kallu adhichaalun kanavan??? pull adichallum kanavan??? redundant saying...

Where are 9 and 10??? Sorry, brain not working...

yes this is very mokkai... excuse me please sorry!!

Turning Point....

Ever faced a disspointment?

Felt depressed?


Failed in an exam?

Things didn't turn out as you planned?

This is for you

"Sometimes, not getting what you want may become your greatest turning point. Sometimes, God upsets your plans to execute His plans for you."
It is also for all those with a strong heart to stay strong.

Read this and felt like sharing this. It always feels good to know such things. It is such uplifting words that keep the flame of hope burning always.

It is Summer...

It is summer...

Golden rays light up my days,
It is summer.
They wake me up with loads of cheer,
"Get up my darling, honey, dear"

Golden rays lift me up,
fill my soul till the top.
It is summer, can you see
The warm light brims inside me.

Golden rays do your work,


You make tiny birds chirp.
Until the time we meet again,
I shall enjoy my summer day.

the 10:40 magic...

it is at this magical hour in the pm that i seem to find the inspiration to write something on my(this) blog.. it is like how all the watches in advertisements always show it to be 10:10..

10:40 pm : Have been online for the past one hour and still unsure of what to write... clock is ticking away.. eyelids are heavy and drooping.. yet i sit with a resolve to write something...

10:48 pm : i have started writing something... makes sense?? NO..  who reads this anyway?? blogger status says that some people do.. God only knows...

10:50 pm : chatting on gmail and FB... how will blogging ever happen??

10:52 pm : i am a good time keeper... :)

ok.. here it goes... after a rather dull and grumpy, irritating day.. got some respite...

cloudy skies made the evening look beautiful... and while i waited for my bus.. beautiful songs played on in my ears...

an AC bus came to rescue me from my wait at the bus stop.. the ride was good but i seemed to be lacking a lot in balance and unable to stand in this bus... if i had not found the corner to snug in to, i would have crushed someone under me...

saw a shop on the way... 'enga appa kadai".. to eliminate doubts "Yes, My father's shop" was also written below it..

did i mention the 5pm hunger pangs and the sudden serving of Cashew Pakodas and Wheat Halwa??? mmmm...yummy!!!

subham!!!

i wish i could put this title card now.. but truth is that my lousy mood hasn't left me completely... like an one day phenomenon, it has stuck on and refuses to let go.. a good night's sleep would do the deed...

10:57 pm : almost finished writing what i set out to...

Once upon a time,

9:00 pm : bed-time with the Parliamentary news and World This Week (on Sunday's)

Later
10:00 pm : Sharp, like some pre-programmed machine, i would crash in to bed... (bed is sturdy and reliable)

11:00 pm : today..rather NOW.. and i am not even near the bedroom.. what a pity, what a pity!!! change in life style has been so silent and subtle, that this shift was never visible...

before midnight strikes, let me quote someone

"nadoo centre'la poraan paaru para_esi"

Bad Hair Day!!!

Not really a bad hair day... i have had enough of them soon after my haircut and colouring expedition a month ago.... But this time around, it is a BAD MOOD DAY!!!

ask me "why, what is the reason?", but i will not have an answer. Very irritable today and it is getting further infuriating with my efforts to maintain CALM..

ERIMALAI EPADI PORUKKUM.... like a 'soon to erupt' volcano, i am trying to control my rising temperature..

as i try to analyse the cause for the souring of my mood.. i draw up a blank...

Let us see what would have irritated me amongst the following.

1. compliments by the dozens : "Ae nee ipo nalla iruka.. elachu iruka" (Hey u are looking good now, u have lost weight)

2. tasty lip smacking food : Pani puri, dahi puri, bhel puri, kalyana samayal saadham, special ice cream treat too

3. good night's sleep : slept in a cosy bed all noon on Saturday, not to mention a peaceful Saturday night which was topped by a post ice cream Sunday's sweet dreams and a late wake up on Monday morning (today)

4. weekend getaway : had been to a wedding 250kms off Chennai and had a good time.. dressed up, met people and posed for pictures and videos...

despite all of the above... i am irritable today...

my analysis of the same, is not revealing much, but my worry was that i would direct my negativity on to someone who is innocent...

it is very difficult to control the tongue when u are angry... and even more difficult to maintain a calm look when u r irritated...

p.s. during the penning of my thoughts, my actual rising temperatures have slowly started to return to normal.. hoping that 'status quo ante' will be attained shortly...

in simple words it can also be called MONDAY BLUES
Show all

What is third degree torture?

analyse this:

1. you are made to leave the confines of your safe and cool home, travel in the blazing sun, reach an office within the appointed time. And then made to sit idle the entire day.

2. you are given no network access, put off in a separate cabin (solitary confinement), gawked at by others like you are a museum exhibit and asked to ask even small doubts only via e-mails. And made to wait whole day for a reply to your e-mail.

3. you are given internet access (a little liberating), given some jujubi papers (not worth even 10mins of reading), given some excuses for the delay, given really boring company during lunch, given lecture on how to do the work. And ignored for the rest of the day

As said earlier, it is cursed. LORD SAVE ME!!!

give me some work people. i love being lazy. but not like this. i like intermittent spells of work. it has been 3 days of nothing.

i can only compare and contrast to the previous assignment i did. good ambiance and good work.

as i wait patiently for some real work to start, i fervently pray that i do not become too rusted by the time it actually begins..

'tis cursed...

i refused to believe, but had to succumb to the feeling that 'indeed this audit is cursed'.

such a statement, just when it is starting, is definitely not good for the morale. but the pinching feeling inside, cannot be ignored.

why?? you may ask. well the reasons are many. but lets skip that part and move to things that do not consist my laments.

Just for fun had posted on FB saying "marriage... even if it doesn't make u husband and wife for life.... makes you a diplomat and a philosopher..."

a very true statement.. as i speak nothing but the truth... it has evoked a lot of responses from people who seem to take sadistic pleasure in the lament of a tortured soul.. aka me...

there is a lot of humour potential in marriage.. not just laughs between husband and wife... but so many many jokes on the institution itself...

why??? ask the poor tortured souls... meaning not just me.. but the opposite party also... no one is spared... even the seemingly happily married, will have at least one sarcastic joke up their sleeve..

Marriage is not a word. It is a sentence--a life sentence.

makes u wonder if it is cursed to be so... may be.. may be not.. who knows... but again... looking at how things are going... un-believers may start to believe...

this one may be old..but still evokes a laugh...

In marriage..first comes the engagement ring.. next wedding ring and next suffer-ring..

there is one joke though... i laughed so hard after cracking it.. made my BUTTER HALF laugh too... not just laugh, but rib clacking/cracking laugh... ena andha joku??? not to be shared with family audience.. so sorry..

ever since i played the role of a judge in a school play... i enjoy giving a verdict... so the verdict being.. single life is far more fun and less complicated.... summa free'ya, jolly'a irukallam...

but here's the twist... what is life without these mirch masalas?? without a BUTTER HALF to share with... i found that life took on a whole new dimension after marriage...

if u are wondering, what started me off on this.. then here is the answer... an FB status:

Mrs X:Successfully completed 100 days of married life..... !!!!

me: wondering whom to congratulate.. u or ur husband..

me: it is the wisdom of 800days...

a sumaar day...

early in the morning, had a very auspicious start... as per my new routine was walking at 6:30 am... on one side of the road, stood a few people... i saw them from the corner of my eye..

wearing white shirts, dark pants and a tie... salesmen.. and what were they selling so early in the morning???? suspense.....

I was supposed to start work on a new assignment today.. everything was perfect... perfectly not right...

i was made to sit in a store-room cum cabin... and had to wait for almost half a day until someone noticed i was in there and provided some information... information provided was somewhat connected to my actual work and more directly related to the level of sleepiness i was feeling...
in the end.. i was happy to be out of there... but the sad part is, I have to return tomorrow...

Just 2 days back.. on Sunday.. i was having the time of my life.. a trip to the amusement park... walked in the hot sun... played like a teen (can't say kid cos i was not allowed on kid's rides)... drank litres and litres of pepsi/miranda/sugracane juice/lemon juice/water ( tank was full but still felt very thirsty).... rode the cable car... fell almost asleep in that 30minute ride... and returned home tired and tanned... i can be called Karupaayee till my tan wears off...

back to the start.. what were they selling??? actually i didn't even want to know... they were canvassing for a FREE FAT check up...

Insult.. oru orama pora ennai.. satham potu kooputu fat check panna sonanga...

I was walking peacefully, on the other side of the road, intentionally to avoid them.. and they target me and approach with "Madam"... yappa saami... vidungada...

TALK TO THE HAND... and i escaaaaaaapeeee...........

Misplaced emotions...

yes.. it happened today morning... she was very angry.. this girl... responsible for making a handful of women flex their muscles and breathe in rhythm and work their bodies towards Fitness....

the reason.. someone pointed out that she was behind schedule.. aka Me saying she was LATE...

the result was a grumpy faced trainer who lead the entire class with an iron fist...

We always have a problem with dealing with our emotions.. I know i do... and it got me thinking how we misplace our emotions on some vulnerable object rather than treating the root cause...

1. hamara ghar ka darwaja (the door in our house).... poor thing.. gets slammed most of the times... had borne the brunt of my anger/hurt over the years... bears a souvenir from each encounter..

2. my idupu (waistline)... u would have heard about eating to ease emotional cravings... been there and done that many many times... if i am bored, I EAT.. if i am sad, i eat... if i am hungry, OBVIOUSLY i eat... sometimes it is chocolate, sometimes sweets... ice creams also happen along the way.. condition being that all items consumed should have high calorie content and fattening to the last bite/lick as the case may be..

3. pillow... who has not ever drenched their pillow??? atleast on one night, the poor thing would have soaked in our sorrow.. people crying out of joy are rare and they don't shy away and hide their face when doing it... for every exam result that didn't work out.. or every love letter that returned to sender... the pillow knows it all... (presently a source of pure unadulterated salt in my household)

the point....

why misplace the emotions?? treat the cause... it is the best way...

if my trainer had simply resolved to be on time hereafter..it would automatically shut any such comments in the future...

also slamming the door on the face of that X.. putting salt/chilli powder in their food (laxative is bit extreme and Goundamani style)..... and instead of burying ur face in the pillow______( u can catch the drift here)....

bottom-line... i seem to use this a lot these days.. if we learn to deal with our emotions better.. we could lead a happier and healthier life...

incidentally... grim faced, zero smile trainer was very effective in making the plump, out of shape women obey her every command... it worked...

It is a Crime......

Attended a seminar today.. on cyber crime... and other related Information security topics... au contraire to popular belief, post lunch sessions were good...and the learning i had at the end of day was not confined the subject matter alone...

1. attending seminars without company is bugging...

it is not about feeling alone.. or lost.. there are many others giving u company in that... but the point of company is to be able to pass silly comments and giggle... :( how i wish i had someone tagging along today... would have been a blast...


2. 50% of speakers speak irrelevant stuff...

as i said... noon sessions were good... the two morning sessions were so lost.. completely off track and gave no value addition... i propose to put those speakers in a training class so that they get their presentation right and to the point...
i was unable to escape from there too... :(

3. there is always a limelight hogger in every dias...

here i am referring to one person... he would give the speakers grace time of 5mins only... but he himself would speak elaborately..thinking that what he is speaking is amusing the audience... the whole group present was ready to pounce on him and shut his speakers out and thrash him with his mike... but professional decorum and decency prevailed... all actions mentioned were strictly carried out in imaginations only....

bottom-line... returned home with a decent looking folder.. a notebook.. a new pen and some updation, -Rs.600 in my bank.... and 6CPE hours in my kitty.... YEAH!!!!

Time magic...

Spent a great weekend with my friends... Time... met them after almost 2 whole years.. yet it felt like we hadn't been apart that long... had the best 2 days of my life, rejoicing their company...

Time.. slips past without our knowledge... like it is almost a month since i started work on an assignment..

Time... the healer... he erases the wounds out of our memory and hereby heals us of the pain...

I was thinking about changing realities... there have been moments in life where there seemed to be no greater happiness or no greater grief... and yet... today they seem a dream...

as i wonder what is REAL... i am reminded of a story...

A sage was asleep.. he had a dream.. a bee was flying from flower to flower and collecting nectar... the sage woke up with a question on his mind..

a disciple noticing the change, couldn't resist question his guru on the state of his mind...

the sage said.."i dreamt of a bee collecting nectar... it seemed so real.. yet it was only a figment of my imagination... Now i am forced to wonder..this life that we live.. whose imagination is it??? or is it REAL???"

A Summer Letter...

Dear Mercury...

How are you? I have been thinking a lot about you and when I Heard that you turned 40 decided to write without further delay.

Before you start wondering, I am Fine. Everybody says "I am Fine". Actually a little bugged. My new roomies, Perspiration and Dehydration are giving me great company these days. Wish I could really mean it when I say "Great Company". They are the uninvited guests that I am waiting to get rid off. Gave them enough hidden messages, but that doesn't seem to work. They both listen to you very well,so PLEASE do me this favour and tell them to LEAVE ME ALONE.

RAIN is on a vacation and she was the one who arranged for these two to take her place. Bad girl. It would be good if she comes back soon. Missing her a lot. But at least Wind has been keeping me company, so I am handling things better.

Mercury, I am worried about you. You are back on your old habit. Why do you get so high? What is bothering you? Try and stay clean. You are such a darling when you are sober. No one likes it when you are high.

You know what, I have come to appreciate you more after having moved away. I missed often there. You work so hard and never take a break and it makes me wonder what I would do without you. I would only say, take a chill pill.

Just bought two tickets. Planning to send Perspiration and Dehydration on a holiday. If it is free, they will bite the bait. But I need your help on this, you have to convince them. With those buggers around, I have not had a peaceful nights sleep for weeks together.

Anyway, I will sign off now. It was nice writing this letter. You better take care.

Love to see at your normal self soon.

Karuthu kanaayiram...

Raja: (Loud Gambeeramana voice) YENNA Topic edhuvum thonallaya???

Mantri: Ammam Mannah!!

R: Indru vetti pechu durbar epadi nadathuvadhu???

M: Vidumurai arivithuviduvom..

R: Nadakaadhu... Yosithu paaru Mantri.. Illai-endraal un(en) thalai urullum..

M: IDEA Mannah!!! Andha Karupu Chudidhar anindha pennai pathi pesuvom....


Well it is a imaginary re-creation of a conversation i happened to overhear today... and the girl/lady in black chudidhar was ME....

what next?? i walked away so that I do not get to hear what was exactly being discussed.

a. If it was something good, I would be be Flattered. But the crow and fox have taught us that flattery is not good.

b. If it was something bad, I would feel disheartened. I was having a pretty fine day today and didn't want some time pass comments/opinions of some strangers affect it.

Lesson: Forming an opinion of half heard conversations is futile. Making or breaking my day (life) is my choice.

In the evening, I was home early and decided to head for my Fitness classes (gym).. Met my neighbour on the way and to his question, answered that I am on the way to gym.

His opinion and mine, on the subject, were on either extremes of a scale. Never bound to meet. Bottom-line, he suggested not to go to gym and not to dance to some silly music there but instead do it at home.

a. If i had the same opinion as his..being the lazy bum i am, i would have never ventured out even on a small walk. Definitely I would not have lost 2Kilos in a month.

b. If i had shared his opinion... I would have saved 4K and gained a few more kilos.

(the advice was well meant, but would never suit me)

Lesson: Listen to good advice (Gym + Yoga + Diet= Weight Loss). Do not listen to those who discourage you. It is easy to get discouraged.

Wait!! the penultimate lesson of the day is yet to come.

This morning, a black cat was about to cross my path. Strangely our eyes locked. Do not know what struck it, but the cat made a quick U-Turn and ran away. I was dressed in black today.

No a b c analysis on this, but straight to the lesson.

You are so much of an Angel in your eyes, as much as you are a Devil in the eyes of another. So think first before pointing a finger at another.

Note: All incidents mentioned above are true and real. No cat was harmed, maybe it got a little scared, but that was purely accidental. Both the cat and I were in black and white.

Dabba-kattu..

No not that Thalapakattu Biriyani.. seems like it is the new rage in chennai... this blog is not about Sapaadu...

But the thought originated during lunch.. based on a simple, eyes away from my plate observation of the people around.

No.. it is not about the people who chew with their mouth open.. or those who don't mind licking their fingers in public or of those who are on a diet... and not of those who make a dive into the huge pile of food on their plate...

it is not about food..

Once upon a time.. no not the story of aaya sutting vadai... it is about aaya taking lunch to the kids in school... she made hot hot sadam and hot hot potato fry and hot hot pappu... she put it in a big carrier and went to school... there.. sitting in the playground.. under a big tree.. she made small small balls of rice and put it in the tiny hands stretched towards her... and with each round of eating competition, she dished out some intriguing story.... and when the bell rang after lunch hour.. a big bunch of kids would run to class, with their stomachs full..

Once upon a time... you'd grow nails.. not for beauty.. but to be able to open your lunch box... there would be a set of pretty towels in your lunch bag and your lovely water bottle.. a little snack box and then YOUR lunch box... it is YOUR lunch box, as ur name is engraved on it.... happy... stomach is already full.. and as you reach the bottom of your box.. you realise it is going to be a long afternoon... long live History.. Good night everybody...

Not so soon...

It is 2011.. you are feeling nostalgic... the days of childhood, oiled hair, midies/shorts, school and teachers, charts and art.. your stomach starts rumbling... time for lunch...

it is crowded.. your floor timing was 1:00 to 1:30 and you are late... you struggle to find a spot to sit.. lucky that your other floor friends have reserved you one.. you settle down quick and open your box...cut...

boxaaa??? who uses that old stainless steel carrier??

TUPPWERWARE dude.. i use TUPPERWARE.. spent 2000bucks on it...

TUPPERWARE.. looks fancy.. but contains that same old Thayir Saadam and Maavadu inside... the brand that made huge profits due to the IT revolution..

Konjam bayam...

Blogger'ku edho aayiduchu...

:( Spent all day yesterday searching for my blogs and realised that all my stuff was at the mercy of blogger server.. :(

the price for using a free blog site...

As i was walking today morning, i saw this person.. normally i set out around the same time everyday and i get the darshan of this person...

in the days Hands Free was new technology.. seeing people on road, talking without a phone to their ear seemed weird... you would even question their sanity.. new technology always raises eyebrows..

so here this mister... seems to own such technology... its wonder word is In-visible Bluetooth...

wrong guess... the wonder is the non-existence of technology... but the age old art of talking to oneself.. thaniye thanan thaniye... talking while walking... just between you and yourself...

avaru ena pesuraru.. i don't know... but makes an interesting observation.. code name Babylon... Why?? you may ask.. it is inspired by the tower leading to language Babel and the movie Babylon A.D... summa time pass...

Babylon: There she is.. that crazy lady.. always same dress.. yuck.. why is she smiling like that?? loosapa nee? daily i run in to her.. tomorrow i should change route..

The other common sight is the Water Tanker doing the routine fills at the Govt Hostel nearby.. you are also treated to the colourful kodams the hostel guys use to assure themselves of a clean start to a sunny day...

Kodam guys
guy 1 : Last 3 days no bath ya... today i going to shower...meeting my girl friend...
guy 2 : machi.. all the best ra.. i am going for an interview.. bathing is compulsory :(

amidst all this... u have the constant chirping of some bird.. or a squirrel... or if u notice a bit keenly... a tiny foraging mouse.. not very pleasing but interesting.. it was funny watching it drag a packet, much bigger than itself, to its hole thinking it has nailed a prize catch... paavam eli...

Rat: aia aia jolly.. yaravadhu paakaraangala??? odu odu.. adhukulla nice'a edhukunu poidanum.. aio andha pombala paakudhu.. ena ma nee paakra?? odu odu... naa escaaaaape...

Did i mention that this walk was at 6:30 am???

It is summer.. so Mr.Sun is also out early and takes the walk along with you.. and he is pleasant that time.. and therefore gives the walk a sunny - smiley feel..

Sun:Summer vandhaale Overtime!!! orey kadupa iruku... grrrr grrrrrrr.... iniki deep fry dhan...

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... :)

Coffee break...

Had a coffee break just 15mins after entering office today.. and the coffee break extended for a fully 20mins.. coffee gup shup...

today is about something during the lunch break rather...so the guy eating from the canteen says that his wife is out of town.. and so claims his status to be Married Bachelor... I almost said "It must be fun"...

Not as a joke but rather as a matter of fact.. as a Married Spinster myself (status since last 2months).. i have enjoyed every bit of the change it brings.. it is like a holiday of sorts... like when u have worked too hard u deserve the vacation... not exactly in my case.. but still vacations are always fun...

that brings me to Mother's day... as i have returned home after almost 2 years...I am enjoying every bit of it.. distance helps u realise the worth of things...

so what about mother's day??? well since i am at home after a long time.. my mother takes extra special care of me.. and makes sure that i have everything that i always liked and which she knows i have missed in the past 2 years...

that makes going back difficult.. cos now i know what i am missing...not the food... but the love and affection... dad included of course..

it should rather be father's and mother's day... cause they are both equally important..why leave the father's behind??? why don't we celebrate both together?? but that would mean business loss to many...

taking about loss.. i have lost 2 kilos as against the one kilo i posted earlier.. and i also lost a lot money as fees for this... :)helps having deep pockets..

i enjoy having a deep pocket... i constantly keep an eye on my bank balance.. i am not a miser.. i am a big spender.. so i earn today and save now, so that i can splurge tomorrow..

Tomorrow being a tuesday, does not bring much hope as there are 4 more working days left..

Of the above, my husband is going to spend 2full days hopping flights to attend an half day meeting at a different country on a different continent...

which brings me to the fact that my passport remains brand new.. even after it being OLD... it was taken 8 years ago.. hope i get a visa chaap before i stop resembling the pic in it or the passport expires, whichever is earlier..

"whichever is earlier", comes out so because i have been reading the Accounting Policy of a company recently and hence the terminology...

with that.. i chose to Terminate this post.. as i can go on like this.. and hope u enjoyed this Anthakshari... which was unintentional for the most part and then very laboured towards the end...

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...

Must haves...

You... being a girl... (boys ignore).. Must have

1. a water proof eyeliner.. colourless lip gloss.. lip liner and atleast 1 shade of party wear lipstick

2. a paddle brush to untangle ur hair and a round brush if u like to have little wavy curls..

3. black and white sets of salwar/chudi pants with duppata for almost all conceivable mix-match solutions...

4. a pair of jeans(if u wear them)... the colour being Light Blue is the must have...

5. some kurtis in ur wardrobe and some party wear salwar sets...

6. atleast one pair of footwear that go with ur party wear..

7. a pair of casual chappals... (even when travelling).. the ones that keep u most comfortable...

8.a set of PEARLS... they are cheaper that other semi/precious stones and suite almost everyone and can complete any type of wardrobe... from casual to elegant...

9. your phone on full charge every morning and a wallet with minimum cash and your plastic money...

10. Good sleep, good food and a Confident smile...

Golden Fruit...

Just finished a Mango.. ripe and sweet... delicious.. this one is from a tree behind my house.. so no worries about chemically ripened fruits.. 100% natural and 100% yummy..

as the juice ran down my fingers.. (i bit into the whole mango).. my thoughts sped to a show i had seen years ago.. Variety Variety.. a guy was miming about eating a mango... it was hilarious.. the invisible fruit's juice was running all over his hands.. spilling on his shoes.. soiling his suit.. his hands mushy and squishy... and as he licked the last drops of everything... u get the feeling of having eaten a mango yourself..

so once again we are going against Nature.. chemically ripened fruits.. Is it ignorance or arrogance or arrogance mixed with ignorance...

for the arrogance part.. it always accompanies greed.. following unscrupulous means to earn quick profits... and complete disregard for others... not even bothered if the product would cause any health effects.. its alarming to find adulterated consumables and even expired medicines being sold knowingly..

a shop i know has nothing original.. this i discovered the difficult way.. tested a can of deodorant and got a rash on my arm.. today i use that very same brand but i bought from a different and much reputed store...

as for ignorance i would say that the people involved do not realise the impact such interferences and tampering have on the human body.. are they aware that the impurities may be carcinogenic??

man has to fear for bird-flu, mad-cow disease and e-coli.. which occur naturally... but even of the fish from polluted waters.. he has to also fear every vegetable for the fertilisers used or the genetic modifications made to it..

even when u bite into a simple apple, u have to wonder if u are getting some wax for free...

the only solution is to return to NATURE.. that is not easy.. plus strict quality standards should be enforced on all consumables including the perishables..

in the wake of all such things happening and not happening today... those who get to enjoy such sweet treats are truly Lucky....

Note: Stolen mangoes are always sweeter :)

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...

One Kilo in One Month..

Its official.. the scales stopped a kilo early today.. i have successfully lost a kilo.. its a reverse trend for me.. i usually gain a kilo a year..

i have always been heavier than others my age.. never bother much about it.. partly cause i chose to not care and partly i didn't have the confidence that i could.. over the years many people have advised me to Go for a walk, Exercise, drink honey in warm water early morning etc etc... i chose the easiest option.. honey on empty stomach.. it did make me look leaner but i never checked its effects on a weighing machine.. couple of months ago i did try it again.. but since i now live in a city whether it is cold and dry.. i got a nose bleed.. so put a full stop..

I was tested for PCOS and Thyroid in between... and i struck gold in both.. The doctor said that both conditions could be the root cause of my weight gain and put me medicines... in the year that followed... i had lost 5kilos straight...

Losing 5kilos without any exercise or special diet made me very happy.. it was good news but still i was obese..

I suffer from Subclinical hypothyroidism where my TSH was 13.. way above normal whereas my T3 & T4 were normal.. and since that day i have been starting my day with a thyroid tablet..

I visited a thyroid specialist who double underlined the fact that i HAD to lose weight..

My next stop from there was to a gym near my house.. all women.. that was a plus point... i enrolled without wasting a minute on second thoughts..

So here is my gym routine and diet chart to see what makes it work:

1. Brisk walking on a Treadmill (0% incline) with a speed of 5.5 to 6.0 for about 15-20mins everyday...
2. A seated cycle (70 to 75rpms level3)or a cross-trainer (elliptical)(60-65 rpms level3) for around 10-15mins each day..
3. Aerobics classes on alternate days for one hour..

All above are cardio exercises..
4. Other exercises for Arms, Legs, Abs etc..

My Diet.. the word seems big.. but i have not missed any of my favourite foods.. just have reduced the quantity..

6:30 am - a cup of coffee with milk, one spoon sugar only, 2 high fibre biscuits if i am hungry

8:30 am - was recommended to have a wheat bread sandwich.. but i have 2 rotis / dosas/ idlies etc.. they say to avoid coconut.. so my chutneys are pudhina, tomato etc

11:00 am - a veg salad and a glass of thin buttermilk (i end up skipping this)

1:30 pm - Lunch - 2 rotis / 1.5 cups rice.. 2varieties of vegetables and the salad if u had missed it at 11:00...

4:30pm - a cup of coffee with one spoon sugar and 2biscuits optional

6:00pm - a salad / veg soup / fruit

8:30pm - dinner.. similar to breakfast and i avoid rice at night..

10:00pm - a glass of skimmed milk or a fruit...

Recommended to include greens 3 times a week..

This diet works best with 1hour of exercise every day.. which can be just plain brisk walking.. the dietitian said "no sugar" but i stick to one spoon..

also i have not completely avoided the comfort foods.. i don't binge on them either.. i watch the intake..

in simple words eat only for hunger and not for desire..

i joined a gym to get my weight loss started.. i needed the push towards a healthier lifestyle.. else on my own i wonder if i would ever have pushed myself to it.. now HEALTH is deeply embedded in my mind.. i don't feel in-confident.. i give my best to all the workouts.. in my aerobics class there are many who are excellent and many struggling like me...

all that you have to do is "Not Give Up"...

Secret of my blog...

My blog seems to be playing hide n seek.. i just can't seem to locate it on google...

i tried very way of searching it... even included the entire blog address and searched.. guss what?? it shows my friend's blog where she has mentioned my blog...

outrageous.. according to google.. my blog does not exist...

as i again googled the reason for this.. i stumbled upon forums discussing this issue.. they said that google has not indexed my blog yet.. and it takes time..

some tricks to get blog indexed fast is to provide links on ur blog page to various sites that have relevance to the subject...

so writing a blog is just not enough... there has to be the right amount of other spices in it to make it more appealing even for a search engine to acknowledge it...

hope to land in google search soon.. or in a final desperate attempt i may end up using the trick suggested by sangeetha

my goof ups - fashion suicide..

For starters i got my hair coloured... now it is reddish brown and does nothing flattering to my face.. rather makes me look older... i wanted to try hair colouring.. but didnt expect the result to be so RED... can't say if this will be my last experiment with hair colour... but maybe i'd rather prefer streaks the next time around..

goof up 2 is with clothes... these days i have dressed up, stepped out and gone all the way to work.. and then when i see my reflection in the restroom mirror... i am left feeling awkward.. somewhere i have goofed up again...

goof 3 is my hairstyle... its flying into my face a lot these days.. some days i part it on the side, which makes a more squarish face and looks bad on me.. sometimes i pull it back and again goof up... and with my current experimental No-Oil policy.. it has become a hair-in-the-face week...

goof 4 the eyeliner drawings... as i try to dress up my eyes, i get carried away.. and thats how i end up with poor eye makeup... i do not line my eyes properly and leave a gap that looks odd.. sometimes my unsteady hands gives me a different eye shape altogether.. at times two very different eyes...

goof 5.. nothing much to think of here.. guess 4 were the major goofs.. as i end up looking worse in my attempts to look better.. my entire effort maybe the GRAND GOOD UP..

looking good naturally is good.. but some experiments are always fun... hopefully my R&D yields the desired results.. and on the record i'd like to say that i have learned a few lessons:

1. if the dress does not feel comfortable.. it is not.. so change it

2. for glowing skin u can simply apply a pack of besan (kadala maavu).. mis it wit milk and apply.. wash off when dry...

3. a natural scrub for the face is available.. u can coarsely grind green gram and use it for washing ur face.. u can also use it for the body.. makes the skin smooth.. mixing Kasturi manjal is also good... the goodness of manjal(turmeric) also penetrates ur skin and this variety does not cause yellow colouring...

4. get good rest and quality sleep.. it keeps you fresh and that will reflect on your face...

right now i am waiting for my hair colouring to fade out.. hoping it happens fast.. but it being permanent i wonder how much longer... till then i will have to live with my goof ups..

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...