Sri's Blog

Doing something worthwhile!

2011-10-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

I am a person who always thinks that our lives are wasted if we do not help the disadvantaged in some way or other. But I have just realized that I have not done anything significant for the disadvantaged in the past few years. I have been caught up in the daily grind and have lost my focus. The place where I am does not offer many such opportunities and its hard to just while away time without doing anything worthwhile. I think I should seriously think of doing something that will assuage my guilt and provide something worthwhile for the humanity.. I have some ideas. But lets see how that works out..

My Journeys

2011-08-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been in the works for so long that when we made the trip again, we felt quite happy. We visited so many places and visited our friends, then took a real vacation, just for ourselves. We visited Buchart Gardens, Victoria, B.C. The very first look was captivating. I feel at a loss to describe in words how the gardens look. Its a man made wonder, can definitely be called as Heaven on Earth. Such beautiful array of flowers, and many different plants that assuage our senses with a feeling of peace and well being!! We especially liked the part "Sunken Garden" It was marvelous to learn that this sunken garden was once a limestone quarry and cement factory which was relaid as a garden.. As we walked along the assigned pathways with the beautiful flowers and trees arrayed all along, we felt at peace with the world.My spiritual thirst got rekindled. When we go about in life so fast, we forget to take time for ourselves, this particular gardens was definitely a refreshing experience. It was so wonderful that we forgot all our worries and mundane stuff and just delved right into the enjoying the beauty. We have often heard of the saying,"Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder". But this was a beauty which I think would surpass anything which I have even thought of. I have been to the Himalayas, that was a rugged splendor, but even if this was man made, this offered me the same kind of tranquility that the Himalayas offered. I was even thinking that may be the gods would come down on seeing such a beauty and would traverse its length and breadth so often enough.

After being to such a beautiful place, coming back to the desert was even more painful. We thought of all things which we miss..and vowed to go back.

My memories

2010-06-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

I am part of an online book club and I get mails from Dear Reader. I was reading excerpts from Suzanne Beecher's Muffins and Mayhem- Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) life. I found that I have lots of memories tucked away which I constantly reminisce about to my husband. My childhood memories, my teen years, my college years, my work life and of course our sojourns to many countries together. A person's life is worth nothing if he/she cannot have fond memories.. There must have been a lesson,something which must have influenced us to do what we do now, something which must have made us what we are, something which must have refined our actions, behaviors. I want to seek that something which dwells in my past and bring it in my writings. Lets hope I succeed.

2010-05-31T04:33:00.000-07:00

I am happy now, was a bit disappointed and lost in the morning, but am content now.. Why? Because I heard something very nice..My daughter came back from school today and hugged me, kissed me and then started singing,"Daddy and mommy, I love you, Hug me, Kiss me and I love you" Sweet, huh! Children are gifts from God, that's very true.Whenever I am down or sad, one look at her and the cute smile which she gives me and a hug from her does the trick..So here's my antidote for all sorrows and disappointments.

Take a child, give her an arm full of hug, face full of kisses and ask her for one, when she gives you a sweet little hug and a cute little kiss, all your cares are blown away..

Fresh from Grief!

2010-04-28T01:12:00.000-07:00

My Grandmother passed away on Apr 2nd. I couldnt travel to see her in the end due to visa problems. I was shattered. My grandmother was a force to reckon with even at an age of 88. All her faculties were good, only towards the end did we see a rapid deterioration. There were lapses in her memory, she couldnt walk and was restricted in the bed during the last week. It was hard on my parents, but I think it would have been harder on my grandmother. She lived on her own with my disabled aunt till 5 years back. Even before she passed away, she was constantly saying that she wanted to stay on her own..Although she didnt exhibit any particular like towards my mom, her daughter in law, (she was always quick to criticize my mom), she had always loved me.. So I miss her a lot. I still cant believe that she has passed on. I think she lost her will to live when she became restricted to bed. The last time I had visited her and my parents, I couldnt spend enough time with her due to various reasons, so I had promised myself that I would compensate during my next visit. But when this news came, I was overcome with the guilt that I didnt spend enough time with her. I think we dont realize when we have some things with us, only when that thing is forcibly taken away do we realize the importance.. I can still remember how she cried when I left for the airport the last time I visited with her. I didnt know then that I would not see her after that time.. How limited we are! Oh My grandma, I miss you lots and lots...

My daughter

2010-03-26T06:04:00.000-07:00

My Daughter..my beautiful little daughter. We have learnt to enjoy things from my daughter's eyes. Sometimes I think we dont pause to enjoy the finer points of life.Life is full of surprises, life is beautiful, every day dawns gloriously and only as a child can we enjoy such simple pleasures. Being with my little daughter, i get to explore life. When she comes back from the school, she sprawls in the grass, smells the beautiful flowers, I was a bit hesitant at first, then I paused to enjoy what she is doing and Voila, I really really enjoyed it. Just yesterday, we had gone out for shopping, which was mundane.. She got out of the car and was walking along with us and suddenly she stopped. She looked up at the sky and told us, "Daddy, Mummy, look at the moon, its so beautiful" We looked up to see the moon and felt "Wow, Why did we miss this?" We stood there for some time and looked at the moon and the stars, felt at peace.. Live your life to the fullest. Enjoy every single minute, every single day, every second.Do what your heart tells you to, do not hesitate what others might think.. Life is good..

Part 2-My Friend

2010-03-26T02:07:00.000-07:00

As the days go by, I have realized more and more that people who reside in the hearts are the people who have no expectations. They go out of their way to help their friends and relatives and those in need. Some people just accept help from others and dont bother to care about them later on. Among these two groups of people, my friend belonged to the first kind.Sometimes I think that the grieving process takes a longer time when it is such a close friend.This was all very sad when I think about it. But when I think longer, I feel that my friend wouldnt have wanted me to be sad for a long time, instead would have wanted me to enjoy finer things of life.

There are many things that I have learnt from such a loss. That is,to enjoy what we have when it lasts... to enjoy each and every day, every minute, every second, to live life to the fullest...

Part 1

2010-02-21T22:07:00.000-08:00

I felt the need to write today, start on a new fictional piece "My best friend". iT goes as follows.
Part 1
This is an ode to my friend. My friend was there right from my childhood, we would share so many things with each other, we would laugh together at each other's silly jokes and tantrums, tease each other, ofcourse loved each other. As children, we always had a way of consoling each other when disappointed, we always knew when there was something wrong with the other and we would go out of the way to comfort the other.. We didnt study in the same school, so we would share each other stories about the schools and my friend would always wish to study in mine.. We became closer as years flew by, thought our bond was stronger than any, we promised each other that we would be there for each other throughout our lives, but I learnt that unfortunate circumstances and situations do occur in life. My friend contracted an illness for which cure is so limited, I was with my friend throughout the struggle, I prayed and I lost my friend after a continuous struggle. It was a big blow to me, my heart felt ripped. I felt that I had lost a part of me for ever. It would never be the same without my friend. There would be no one to share my deepest thoughts and secrets with, there would be no one to console me, no one to laugh at my stupid jokes, no one to hold hands while crossing the road, no one to appreciate me on my success, no one to lavish attention on my child.

A profound message

2010-02-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

I just got this forwarded message and I found it profound.. The message in it is so relevant that I thought to share it.

There was a blind woman who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her.She told her boyfriend, "If I could only see the world, I will marry you." One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. He asked her,'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me? The woman looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left her in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life is a GIFT.

Today
Before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak. Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.

Before you complain about life -Think of someone who died too early.
Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.
Before you get upset about how dirty your house is - Think of the people who are living in the streets.
Before whining about the distance you drive Think of someone on the bus or who walks because they can't afford a car (or gas!)

And when you complain about your job - Think of the unemployed and those who wish they had your job.
The next time you grumble or mumble about aches and pains -Remember the disabled, paralyzed or hospitalized.
But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another
-Remember that not one of us is without sin and we all answer to one MAKER.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and thank GOD you're alive and still around.

My daughter

2010-02-09T22:41:00.000-08:00

I have a three year old who is sweet,cute, and naughty all at the same time.. The time I spend with her is so refreshing that I have learnt to enjoy even mundane things and happenings. Only last week, she did something which made me gasp and laugh at the same time.. I had left her playing in her room peacefully to go for a bath, and lo and behold, what do I see when I come back, the tissue box overturned, all the tissues having been dragged out on the floor, and when she saw me, before I start giving her the speech about behaving etc etc, she starts singing,"Bits of paper, bits of paper, lying on the ground; makes the place untidy, makes the place untidy, pick it up". I didnt know whether to laugh or give her a time out.. Children sure are intelligent these days!!

Friends

2010-02-03T22:14:00.000-08:00

Its been a long time since I wrote anything here. Have been doing lot of things, all at the same time.. Now that, there is some some free time, I am back to my writing. Oh, well, there is this writer's block.. Cant seem to write immediately.. Well, here I go.

I just got back with some of my friends from school.. Its been nearly 13 years since I last met them, but nothing seems to have changed.. They behave the same..It as if the 13 years have not existed.. We got back on our ribbing each other and it was wonderful. Its when I realized that good friends dont just go away, they are just a call away..Good friends dont judge, they just wait for us to come back to them.. As we have moved to different places, we have made many friends and all of them are just a call away. Its true whatever anyone says, "Relatives are not chosen, they just happen to you, so you dont have any control over what you get for a relative; but friends, you can choose.. So friends understand better than relatives" I thank God for bestowing me with such wonderful friends..

Culture shock!!

2009-10-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

I never really understood the word"Culture shock" before. But now that I have moved to Middle East, have got to know the exact meaning of the word. Now to give a glimpse into why I am saying its a culture shock.. Freedom of expression, I tend to think thats one word which people here dont know the meaning of. I have totally forgotten to smile at other human beings.This is because when a female smiles at anybody she is thought to be morally backward here.. So I follow,"Be a Roman in Rome".. Hence the above sentence..

Writing

2009-07-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have always had a penchant towards writing, writing just for the sake of writing, not just for anybody to approve or appreciate. Writing is a catharsis at many a time when just expressing makes me feel a whole lot better and presents me with a better perspective of things. Writing is a passion although I have not been doing it a lot lately. When I read about things that are interesting and that spike my interest, I like to do bring it in my writing. Sometimes, things are better put in writing that merely voicing it out, that way, there is a sort of permanency to whatever we need to express.

As William Wordsworth says,"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart", feelings locked in our hearts get an expression when there is something written on them.

Addiction 2-Alcohol

2009-07-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

I thought I would discuss about Alcohol addiction next because I have seen how Alcohol addiction ruins the lives of people. Let me first start with the definition. Alcohol addiction is a compulsive need for ingesting Beer, Wine and other hard liquors. This is present when a person craves alcohol and cannot limit his/her drinking. When I was little, I saw a neighbour who lost his life because of this addiction. He had a little daughter who at that early age of 6 understood the devastating effect the addiction had on her dad. Socially he became unacceptable in the community and it was very painful for his immediate family as well as his friends. When he died of Liver Cirrhosis, I had heard of that term only then. As years progressed, I have seen various effects of addiction on families. Then I decided I 'd do some research on the topic just to familiarise myself with the concept and why those addicted are addicted.. So here I am. The following is something I read,
"

Scientists say that someone who has alcoholic addiction in his/her family is more likely to develop alcoholism if they choose to drink. Alcoholism can also develop or worsen based on a person’s environment and traumatic experiences in life. These factors may include culture, family, friends, peer pressures, and the way the person lives.

Alcoholism can lead people into serious trouble, and can be physically and mentally destructive. Currently alcohol use is involved in half of all crimes, murders, accidental deaths, and suicides. There are also many health problems associated with alcohol use such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, and diseases of the liver. Alcoholics who do not stop drinking reduce life expectancy by 10 to 15 years.

Too much alcohol can destroy brain cells, possibly leading to brain damage.
Alcohol greatly disturbs the structure and function of the central nervous system, hindering the ability to retrieve, consolidate, and process information.
Moderate consumption of alcohol can affect cognitive abilities while large amounts interfere with the oxygen supply of the brain causing a blackout when totally drunk.
Alcohol addiction may also inflame the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, and could cause cancer in these areas, especially in drinkers who also smoke.
Splurge drinking may produce irregular heartbeats, and abusers experience a higher risk of high-blood pressure, heart attacks, and other heart damage.
Alcohol also can harm vision, damage sexual function, slow circulation, be the grounds for malnutrition, and water retention.
It can also lead to skin and pancreatic disorders, weaken the bones and muscles, thus, decreasing immunity

A large portion of alcohol taken in is broken down in the liver. It is important to note that the liver has a fixed rate of breaking down the alcohol, so as the liver is overused, disorders and malfunctions can result, making the liver the primary location of alcohol’s damage. Liver damage can occur in three stages. The first stage is liver enlargement whereby liver cells are penetrated with abnormal fatty tissue. The second stage is the alcoholic hepatitis whereby liver cells swell, inflame, and eventually die. The third stage is cirrhosis in which fibrous scar tissues are formed, hindering the flow of blood through the liver."

They also say that there are two kinds of people who have this addiction.

The first group is completely in denial of the fact that they are addicted to alcohol and are firmly convinced that they are totally in control of their drinking. Sadly, it is unlikely that those who are in this group are ever likely to recover on their own.
The second group is able to either see for themselves that they are becoming or are already addicted to alcohol, or they open to finally being convinced by their friends and family that they need help. They can then go to an support group which is dedicated to helping such people to conquer their addiction. Those in this segment have every chance of recovery.

I am sharing this in my blog just to tell everyone how alcoholism affects you and eventually leads to loss of life and hence abstain from alcohol as far as possible.

Addictions: 1 -To Internet

2009-06-15T17:04:00.000-07:00

I just thought I could discuss about something which has an impact on other lives, the first one is addiction and I just found it amusing when I read this recently..So I am sharing this with you.

Are you addicted to your online connection? Are you one of those crazy folks that can’t wait to read the email with your morning coffee? Doctors are calling it serious addiction combined with: Cybersexual Addiction, Computer Addiction and Cyber-Relational Addiction. They even managed to stamp the cool names for it, like Internet Addictive Disorder (IAD) or the Internet Overuse Syndrome (IOS). Based on the latest research and simple human reasoning. Internet addiction should not be labeled as addiction like gambling or drug addiction. There should be a strict line that distances other addictions from the “internet addiction”. Staying in touch with your friends or watching funny YouTube videos is not a destructive behavior which usually characterizes major addictions. If you gamble on the internet then you are not addicted to the internet, but online gambling. Internet is a wonderful tool, but like everything else in this Universe there is the sunny side and the dark side of the pyramid of life. Stay Positive!

Lets do some learning!!

2009-06-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

Stewardesses is the longest word
typed with only the left hand ..

And ' lollipop ' is the longest word typed
with your right hand .

(Bet you tried this out mentally, didn't you?)

No word in the English language rhymes with
month , orange , silver , or purple .

' Dreamt ' is the only English word that ends in the letters ' mt '.
( Are you doubting this ?)

our eyes are always the same size from birth,
but our nose and ears
never stop growing.

The sentence: 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog'
uses every letter of the alphabet.
( Now, you KNOW you're going to try this out for accuracy, right ?)

The words 'racecar,' 'kayak' and 'level' are the same whether they are read left to right
or right to left (palindromes).
(Yep, I knew you were going to 'do' this one.)

There are only four words in the English language which end in 'dous': tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.

( You're not possibly doubting this, are you ?)

There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: 'abstemious' and 'facetious.'
( Yes, admit it, you are going to say, a e i o u )

TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard..
( All you typists are going to test this out )

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear .

A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds .

( Some days that's about what my memory span is.)

A ' jiffy ' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second .

A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

A snail can sleep for three years.
( I know some people that could do this too .!)

Almonds are a member of the peach family.

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

( I know some people like that also . Actually I know A LOT of people like this !)

Babies are born without kneecaps.

They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.

February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.

In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.

If the population of China walked past you, 8 abreast,
the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.

Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors

Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite!

Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.

The cruise liner, QE 2,
moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
( Good thing he did that .)

The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls
froze completely solid .

There are more chickens than people in the world.

Winston Churchill
was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men..

Something interesting!

2009-05-14T21:59:00.001-07:00

Masculine and Feminine Sides of the Body

If we look in the mirror and view our profile from each side, we may notice that the two sides of our face are slightly different from one another. Additionally, our left hand is similar to but different from our right hand. In fact, these subtle differences pervade both sides of our entire body. Considering these differences in the context of the idea that the right side of our body is masculine and the left side feminine may shed some light on how balanced we are in relation to our masculine and feminine qualities.

Intuition, feelings, openness, and unselfishness govern the feminine side of our natures. The masculine side is characterized by logic, facts, systems, and self-interest. If you are giving too much to others to the detriment of yourself, your feminine side may be overactive and your right side may need strengthening, to speak up on your behalf, protecting and conserving your energy. If your life is too rigidly structured, your masculine aspect may be overactive; developing your feminine aspect will bring a more open-ended and creative approach.

Maintaining harmony between the left side and the right side, the feminine and masculine, is a key to wholeness.This is the concept of Ardhanareeshwara explained scientifically

Cute message

2009-04-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Just saw this message from my ex-colleague in my inbox..

what a Cute Message

--------------------------

A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school.

As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child. Following the roar of thunder, lightning, like a flaming word, would cut through the sky.

Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school. As she did so, she saw her little
girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly and with each, the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile.

When the mother's car drove up beside the child, she lowered the window and called to her, "What are you doing? Why do you keep stopping?" The child answered , " I am trying to look pretty, God keeps taking my picture "

"Face the storms that come your way and don't forget to SMILE!"

some thoughts

2009-04-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

Its been almost a month since I wrote anything at all here..I was simply too busy for words.. We did our darling daughter's mottai at Pittsburgh. It was lots of fun staying with our dear friends Suneetha and Srini. We had absolute fun with them and their sweet little son, Siddharth.. Manasa and Sidhu became so close that even after we have come back, she keeps talking about Sidhu in her sleep..the other day I caught her saying,'Bye Sidhu Bye" in her sleep.. wow, we dont realise how changes affect our little ones, but they do get affected.. And then we met my brother and his wife after nearly a year and it was good seeing them.. I had missed my brothers so much and I was so glad to see atleast one of them.

We have had so much fun when we were younger.. One of them is actually my cousin, but I have always considered him my own elder brother and one of them my own younger brother..Both of them are very sweet in their own way and I love them both. I remember the times when we all got together as children and my cousin brother had a dog called Lizzie..She was a Golden Labrador. very nice dog. We were very young then and were really frightened of dogs, so when we visited my elder brother, he used to chase us around the house with Lizzie and she would oblige whatever he wants done..So mostly I and my younger bro were standing on top of the dining table..But then we slowly got used to lizzie and then we had fun and loads of it..

This is just one memory, we have had lots of fun together, have cried together when our grandfather and more recently mama passed away, have shared our misgivings and adventures of childhood as well as adolescence as well as later years.. We used to simply talk and be at ease with each other. Now we are all in different places and we dont have the chance to meet or stay with each other for longer duration. Even if we meet we dont get to talk that much and I miss all that..

I wish to say this to my brothers, Dear brothers, Whatever happens and wherever you both are, you are my brothers and you will always remain close to my heart, distances and times cant change any true feelings among Brothers and Sister, Can they?? It definitely cant..

From a loving sister..

2009-03-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

I read these in pawprints archives and was so impressed and wanted to share with everybody. So here they are:

45 Rules for Life

Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
Memorize your favorite poem.
Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
When you say, "I love you", mean it.
When you say, "I'm sorry", look the person in the eye.
Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
Believe in love at first sight.
Never laugh at anyone's dreams.
Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

Don't judge people by their relatives.
Talk slow but think quick.
When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask,"Why do you want to know?"
Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
Call your mom.
Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; Responsibility for all your actions.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
Marry a man you love to talk to. As you get older, his conversational skills will be as important as any other.
Spend some time alone.
Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Read more books and watch less TV.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.
Trust in God but lock your car.
A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.
In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

Read between the lines.
Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.
Never interrupt when you are being flattered.
Mind your own business.
Don't trust a man who doesn't close his eyes when you kiss him.
Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.

Learn the rules, then break some.
Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Remember that your character is your destiny.
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon

Cool rules for life, huh?

Interesting!

2009-03-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

Shortly before he left the White House, Theodore Roosevelt, planning a big-game hunting trip to Africa, heard that a famous white hunter was visiting Washington. He invited the man to come along and give him some advice. After a two-hour tête-à-tête the hunter came out of the president's office looking dazed. "What did you tell the president?" someone asked idly. "My name," said the bemused visitor. "After that he did all the talking."

Ha ha ha

Factoids!!

2009-03-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

Here is something interesting that I read and thought would share with everybody..

Factoids about Salt:

The word "salary" comes from solarium, the pay Roman soldiers received for the purchase of salt.
Salt is the only edible rock.
In Iran, to break an oath is to be "untrue to salt."
Many American roadways began as paths blazed by buffalo traveling to natural salt licks.
During the Middle Ages the size of the salt cellar indicated the wealth of a household.
A salt tax called the gabelle led to the French Revolution.
In small amounts, salt makes sweet foods taste sweeter.

Info Source: the above factoids were found on the packaging for Alton Brown's salt cellar.

Have a good laugh!

2009-03-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

Here's something which I read the other day.Quite funny.

Mark Twain loved to brag about his hunting and fishing exploits. He once spent three weeks fishing in the Maine woods, regardless of the fact that it was the state's closed season for fishing. Relaxing in the lounge car of the train on his return journey to New York, his catch iced down in the baggage car, he looked for someone to whom he could relate the story of his successful holiday.

The stranger to whom he began to boast of his sizable catch appeared at first unresponsive, then positively grim. "By the way, who are you, sir?" inquired Twain airily. "I'm the state game warden," was the unwelcome response. "Who are you?" Twain nearly swallowed his cigar. "Well, to be perfectly truthful, warden," he said hastily, "I'm the biggest damn liar in the whole United States."

Ha ha ha

An anecdote

2009-03-24T16:49:00.000-07:00

I read this some time back. A good example of "What goes around comes around".

One good turn deserves another...

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to eke out a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog.

There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."

"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel. "Is that your son?" the nobleman asked.

"Yes," the farmer replied proudly.

"I'll make you a deal. Let me take him and give him a good education. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll grow to a man you can be proud of."

And that he did. In time, Farmer Fleming's son graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the nobleman's son was stricken with pneumonia. What saved him? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

Thats amazing, isnt it?

The Secret

2009-03-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

We recently saw the movie "The Secret" Its so good. Its a totally positive movie about how there is a secret in the world that not many people realise. The movie talks about ,"the law of attraction". When a person expresses positive thoughts, it gives a positive vibration which pulls all the good things that are about to happen in the world towards the person. The thoughts sort of act like a magnet and all the things, good and nice fall into place like pieces of a puzzle..This can be applied even to smaller tasks in every day life. Nothing is impossible when we apply this law. They explain beautifully that as a child, we always are positive and as life progresses, we start to go into lot of negativity. That negativity harms a lot than we realize. A small example is we start going out thinking we should not miss the flight. Our thoughts send out vibrations and what we think really happens, that is to start with, the door lock doesnt lock properly, or we have forgotten something that we have to go back for it or the traffic is so bad that we get inevitably delayed for the flight. On the other hand, when our thoughts synchronize with the mind and we think thus," I should reach early for the flight", then all the things around us work towards that goal.And we reach early.

I actually tested this yesterday when I went to the gym. I never get parking which is closer to the gym. So I always resign myself to the fact and park almost near the exit of the parking area. But this time I told myself that I am going to find a parking spot in the first two rows.. Well, when I went, I was totally taken aback to find a parking spot there..One person just took his car out and a car which was before me missed this and so went past and I got the spot instead..Immediately i called my husband and shared with him the news..He was equally taken aback..

But when we sat and thought about it a little later, we realized that all the things that we want so much and positively think about are the stuff that we attain, be it a small pen or a big dream vacation or a house.

So Thoughts surely maketh a man!!

This is something which i read sometime back.

"There is so much in life I can’t control. But this is my life and I’ve decided to be happy. I can choose to be happy regardless of my other circumstances. It’s not "when I get a promotion, I’ll be happy....." or "when I can speak in front of a small group of people, I’ll be happy....." The focus should be on learning to be happy now. Tap into your inner peace and contentment in the way that works best for you."

When you notice self-limiting and self-defeating thoughts playing over and over in your mind, say "STOP! I will not give you any more power over me! I have better things to do!!"

Profound, Isnt it?

Here;s the link for the movie site.

http://www.thesecret.tv/

2009-03-11T06:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had a going away party for our friends..We had to organize the party for about 53 families..It was an eye opener for me because I have never done something like this on a large scale..Ofcourse, have helped organize the sales conference when our Madurai branch of THE HINDU hosted it in kodai. But our whole branch helped then. And yeah, have acted as MC for couple of programs while in University, but this was after so many years and that too with so many people involved who I dont know that well. So it was a challenge and yes, I bugged each and everyone, bombarded them with emails and updates..surely all of them were/are a patient lot. I was flabbergasted when they all came up with thanks and congrats after the party..Surely, they didnt realize what an important part they all played!!

The surprise worked out like this..Had told Gayatri-Sastry family that there's going to be a religious ceremony at the temple basement and had asked one of our elderly mamis to request them for a ride, so that we will know where they are at every point in time.. We had switched off the lights and were very quiet and when they came in shouted "Surprise" We had to do it twice as Gayatri came separately first and Sastry came later..But the look in their faces was priceless!! The look was a total disbelief and slowly a dawning of the truth and happiness on seeing the number of people gathered there for them. Have some of the pictures above which demonstrate that.

We welcomed them, had a dance program by our very own Michael Jacksons' , Sooraj and Anand.. Boy, they were fantastic..Then we had a sumptuous feast prepared by every family. How can I ever thank them for taking this so serious and preparing excellent and variety food..It was surely a feast fit for a prince complete with 2 mouthwatering sweets.. The menu was as follows.. Pulao, Puris, Channa, Coconut sevai, Morkulambu as the main course and Bhel puri, Paruppu vadai, bonda, sandwiches, wraps (all made with perfection) and ofcourse date sweet and a burfi , all complete with a curd rice..Isnt this great!!

This was followed by a sumptuous feast to the ears by Shruthilayam..the girls and boys of Shruthilayam were wonderful in their rendering of songs and they even invited Sastry to join them..It was wholesome entertainment..

This was followed by the vote of thanks by me. Although words cannot express how wonderful people were when they rendered their help, I managed to put some into words and by then, somebody came from outside and said that there was a blizzard outside..So we cancelled the rest of the program, games and cleaned up the place getting set to go.. All in all, it was a fabulous program made memorable by the numerous acts of help which everyone gave..Group Effort was fabulous..

A great surprise indeed!!Here are the links for the song and video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfq3zOG1D8I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QwjsZYbTug

Joys and Sorrows..

2009-02-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

This is a story which I read the other day..

I have in my hands two boxes
Which God gave me to hold
He said, "Put all your sorrows in the black,
And all your joys in the gold."

I heeded his words, and in the two boxes
Both my joys and sorrows I store
But though the gold became heavier each day
The black was as light as before.

With curiosity, I opened the black
I wanted to find out why
And I saw, in the base of the box, a hole
Which my sorrows had fallen out by.

I showed the hole to God, and mused aloud,
"I wonder where my sorrows could be."
He smiled a gentle smile at me.
"My child, they're all here with me."

I asked, "God, why give me the boxes,
"Why the gold, and the black with the hole?"
"My child, the gold is for you to count your blessings,
the black is for you to let go."

What a nice way to say,"Count your blessings..let go your sorrows" Inspiring!!

Family day

2009-02-16T20:11:00.000-08:00

Today is family day.Every Third Monday of February is celebrated as Family day in Alberta. This started from the year 1990 in order to celebrate the values of family..I once read something, a funny yet true quote about family.It goes like this,"Families are like fudge-sweet with a few nuts".

Today I wish to dedicate the following poem to my parents.

For the very special parents
As the years go by, I realize more and more
How lucky I am to be part of a wonderful family like ours
And I know that, from the very beginning
You both have worked to make it that way.
Both of you have always shown such caring and affection
You made home such a warm and happy place to be
I'm grateful for that..
And grateful for the countless
other little things and Big things too
you've done to make our family special..

I love you both.

Today I had our favorite mamas, mamis, their daughter and grandsons over at our house for lunch.. Had a wonderful time with them..Family day was sure wonderful. Above are a few pictures of the same..

Arent they wonderful!!

Positive thoughts and power of words!

2009-02-05T06:59:00.000-08:00

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

This is one of my favorite quotes. Positive thinking always helps in life for it anticipates joy and happiness in every walk of our life. I have always been fascinated by puranas where the rishis lead a life of purity and exhibit such great concentrations and have the power to attain something just by saying that. I have wondered about the power of words that we utter in everyday life. I read the book,"Autobiography of a Yogi" longtime back. But I keep reading it again and again. In this, Paramahansa Yogananda has stressed on the power of words.

When Yogananda was small, he and his sister Uma were seated and she complained of a boil in her arm and fetched an ointment.Yogananda also applied the ointment on his forearm.When his sister asked him why he did so, he replied saying that he was going to get a boil in the same spot and was testing the ointment there. His sister accused him of lying. So he got indignant and said,"By the power of will in me, I say that tomorrow I shall have a fairly large boil in this exact same place on my arm and your boil will swell to twice its size" And the next morning found him with a boil in his arm and his sister's boil had doubled. His sister was rather frightened and ran to his mother who gravely instructed him never to use the power of words for doing harm.

The power of words is explained further in the book as follows,"The infinite potencies of sound derive from the Creative word, AUM,the cosmic vibratory power behind all atomic energies.Any word spoken with clear realization and deep concentration has a materializing value.Loud or silent repetition of inspiring words have been found effective in various systems of psychotherapy;the secret lies in the stepping up of the mind's vibrations"

I have also found that when you pray deeply or meditate and then utter something important, it always works. I think that is the reason we have all these mantras and prayers in Hinduism as also in various other religions. Mantras create a divine vibration and a positive force and when uttered with concentration make things work in our favor. A mantra is said to be even more effective when chanted in your mind.

Hence, seeing the power of words, well, I feel we would be doing ourselves and others a favor if we speak only good things.Dont you?

Nice message!!

2009-02-03T06:36:00.001-08:00

One of my former colleagues sent this mail to me and I thought its worth sharing with everyone.

Health:

Drink plenty of water.

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.

Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer.

Play more games.

Collective nouns- an interesting concept!!

2009-01-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

I was just browsing through my home page on facebook and one of my friends had posted the question,"a flock of geese, a herd of cows, a of journalists" ? I started googling and came across the site http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/gswithenbank/collnoun.htm#People

Its interesting to read so many collective nouns..By the way, the answer is "A passel of journalists" !! There are other interesting coll. nouns like "A rope of onions, A phantasmagoria of phantoms, A troop of mushrooms, A goring of butchers, A curse of painters, A gaggle of women, A quiver of cobras, a nest of vipers, A rhumba of rattlesnakes, An intrusion of cockroaches(well, can there be any place devoid of roaches, so thought of giving them access to my blog too!!), A sloth of Bears, A mob of kangaroos, a leap of leopards, A convocation of eagles and a cast of falcons.." Wow, thats quite a list and there are lots more in this website..Quite a collective of coll.nouns!!

A sufi poem

2009-01-20T16:26:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful poem by a Sufi saint..

Prayer for Peace - Pir Inayat Khan

Send Thy peace, O Lord, which is perfect and everlasting,
That our souls may radiate peace.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may think, act and speak,
Harmoniously.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may be contented and
Thankful for Thy bountiful gifts.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that amidst our worldly strife we
may enjoy Thy bliss.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may endure all, tolerate all
In the thought of Thy grace and mercy.
Send Thy peace, O lord, that our lives may become a divine
vision, and in Thy light all darkness may vanish.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, our Father and Mother, that we
Thy children on earth may all unite in one family.

We need this in this age of chaos..

A letter to All people who involve in strikes and protests at the slightest opportunity!!

2009-01-19T09:43:00.000-08:00

In India, I have seen public sector employees involving in strike at the slightest opportunity. This affects lot of people because as such bureaucracy is difficult to handle..So in addition, when they involve in strikes, files move rather slowly and this puts the common man in lots of distress..There was one interesting poem I read long back which goes as follows..

If God Went On Strike

Its just a Good Thing that "God" above
has never gone on a strike.
Because he wasn't treated fair or He didnt like.
If He had ever once sat down and said
"Thats it- I'm through!
I've had enough of those on earth
So this is what I do"

"I'll give my orders to the Sun
'Cut off your heat supply to man'
and to the moon 'Give no more light'
and run the Ocean dry
Then just to make it really tough
and to put the pressure on
I even turn off the air and oxygen
Till every breath is gone".

Men say they want a better deal
and so, on strike, they go
But what a deed we've given to God
when HE gives us everything
We dont care whom we've hurt or harmed
to gain the ship we like
But what mess we'd all be in
If God went on strike

Cool poem, right?

People and tendencies

2009-01-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

Every person tends to act in a different way towards another person. Some people are good listeners whereas others are good talkers.. Listeners gain a lot , while people who talk a lot generally dont hold much.. The proverb,"Empty vessels make much noise" is true in many cases. Sometimes we find people going on and on about something without having the slightest clue of what the topic is about.. Thats really pathetic. I feel that when people dont actually listen to another person, they generally do not understand the motives of the other person thereby misleading themselves and sometimes accusing the other person.. I generally dont like people who do a lot of backbiting. I consider it the most intense sort of garbage that they involve themselves in.. You tend to be wary with that particular person because you never know when they are going to do the same thing to you.

I am a moderate person who doesnt involve in a lot of talking and I do think a lot before i speak. I analyse whether my actions really affect another person or hurt them and if I find it to be so, I definitely take remedial steps, I generally think before I speak.. So many may think that I am an introvert, but what I am is a measured talker.. Some people shoot out of the mouth and dont give a damn about what other person's feelings are, they give scant regard to that. I am sometimes hurt by that..Call me sensitive, but I feel people ought to be a bit sensitive about feelings. Or what do u say??

Poetry that I love most!!

2009-01-13T22:51:00.000-08:00

The Road Not Taken


TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

This is the best poem I have ever come across.. Although it was written a century ago, it remains everfresh, evergreen even now.. Robert Frost is surely a genius, such wisdom which surpasses ages and the flowing lines..Happy Sankranthi and Pongal!!

Ice Roads

2009-01-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

It was a really cold spell in Calgary this December.. We had almost 2 weeks of continuous cold spell with temperatures ranging in the minus thirties.. I was thinking thats cold when I happened to come across a website in which they describe about Ice roads..Ice Roads are constructed to connect the Far Northern regions of Canada with the civilization..Temperatures here range in minus 40 to 60 Farenheit..My goodness, Can anybody survive here.. was my first thought..It literally freezes your arse off.. The speed limit on these Roads are below 20 kms.. It is fascinating to read about these Man made marvels.. But these Ice Roads exist only during 4 months of peak winter..So the supplies for the whole year for the remote mines are transported by trucks through these Ice Roads..Have a look at these pictures in this particular webpage..http://www.thedieselgypsy.com/Ice%20Roads-3B-Denison.htm

One should definitely see this webpage..It amazes me how the truckers put their life in line while transporting the goods..

See ya later,

Vaikunta Ekadasi

2009-01-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

Vaikunta Ekadasi.. What does this mean? It is an important festival dedicated to Lord Vishnu and celebrated predominantly in South India. It is celebrated with pomp and grandeur at Tirupathi, Srirangam and the various Vishnu Temples. The story behind this is that Lord Vishnu took the form of a female energy "Ekadasi" to kill demon Muran. Impressed by her, He said that whoever worships Him this day will reach Heaven. So in every temple, the door called "Vaikunta Dwara" opens and people pass through it the early hours of the morning with prayers to the Lord. Some people fast the whole day and then eat early the next day morning.. Nellikai(Gooseberry) Kichadi is an important part of the menu on Dvadasi(next day). Generally people make food without tamarind.

I did fast the whole day on Ekadasi this time, I started with eating just once the previous day and fasting the whole day on ekadasi and then completed the fasting on Dvadasi day by taking Tulasi Theertham.(water) Surprisingly, I didnt feel hungry the whole day..I assume the body gets used to it as the time passes. It was nice to read lots of slokas and Vishnu Sahasranamam. I decorated the Lord too and it was a memorable experience.

I also saw a youtube video and in that a person from Singapore had decorated the home deity with so much grandeur and love that it rivalled the temples.. Here's the link for that website..http://thiruman.com/. Its so nice to see such devoted souls.

It reminds me of the time I used to decorate and deck up Lord Krishna's idol at the hostel prayer hall. I miss doing that now.. I have been searching for an idol of Krishna which looks so lovely like that, but am unable to get that..I sure do hope that I am able to get that some day..

Signing off for now

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T18:04:00.001-08:00

Wishing Everyone a very Happy, healthy, prosperous and peaceful New Year.

New Year means new beginnings, new joys and new hopes..New year always begins with a tremendous promise and definitely usher in new moments.. This year, we had a relatively quite New Year sans all partying.. We ushered in by chanting some prayers and like every other year we started the day by wishing our folks back in India. Then wishes for all others followed..and it still goes on and on, Oh my, we sure do have lots of people whom we know..Come to think of it, we have been in so many places and sure do have lots of friends..We might have missed some, but surely not on purpose and so wishing everyone a very Happy New Year..

2008-12-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

Its been sometime since i wrote here. Got caught up with a few things and so couldnt really bring myself to write. Just thought i'd post something which I have in my quote book and which I believe in..

"To all those who feel lost and lonely

Sometimes life does not go the way you would like it to. You may seem to get entangled in your failures or setbacks and it is at these times, when you must prove to yourself that you are strong. Never look back or wallow in self pity.Show others, more importantly show yourself what stuff you are made of. Difficulties, problems, badluck befall everybody,but that doesnt mean you should give up or that the world will end.If everybody gave up because of one setback,then the world would be a place of zero achievement.Your greatness will be in getting up when you have fallen down and tackle the problem at hand and overcome it. You are to prove to yourself that you are no pushover, your gait and courage depend on your ability to put in perspective and solve the problems at hand. Always take one step at a time and do your best. No one can ask for more.One day, very soon, you will be back again laughing your head off! To have no regrets and be happy for the Here and Now is not something everyone can achieve.

People will love you not for what you have but for what you are.."

Isnt that nice? I thought people can use it in this economic depression..Signing off for now

2008-12-09T14:56:00.000-08:00

The topic which attracted my attention was "Are Canadians getting ripped off" In this article in Yahoo Canada news, they have discussed about how oil prices are still high when compared to US. I'm surprised to see that they have realised this only now. We have been here only 4 years but we know that its surely cheaper to buy any stuff in US than in Canada. Even in Greeting cards and books, there are different rates for US and Canada. This was prevalent even when Canadian Dollar was stronger than the US Dollar.. So I am kinda surprised that only now people notice the discrepancy!!

Something about reading!!

2008-11-25T15:39:00.000-08:00

I have been a member of the online book club with author Suzanne Beecher..I love reading her "Dear Reader" Column. Here is one book which impressed me a lot.."We bought a Zoo"The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals That Change Their Lives Foreverby Benjamin Mee(Nonfiction).

It impressed me so much that I have immediately kept a hold in the local library for the book. I have read a lot of books from the library,sometimes i go for the Romantic stuff, sometimes for Mystery and sometimes for Thrillers and sometimes Nonfiction..There is a whole new world out there in these books..I have learnt a lot about people from these books..They have given me a great inside perspective into the minds of some truly great people. I have enjoyed reading classics and I have read controversial books too..The Da Vinci Code for example.. When I read the Biography of Cleopatra, I was transported into the Ancient City of Alexandria..It was fascinating to read the whole thing..

I recently volunteered to become a Book Ambassador and when the box of books arrives for me, I would surely enjoy reading them and then passing it along to friends and let them know about the Book club..

I do see people who are not interested in reading and that makes me really pity them because I feel they are missing such a great opportunity to enrich their lives..It is really thanks to my parents that I started reading a lot..So well, Read something every day and you will not miss out on the wonders of life..

Read, Read Read every day and enjoy your day every way!!

How to Manage Irate people..

2008-11-18T22:33:00.000-08:00

Here's something I read recently about how to manage irate customers..The author gives top 10 ways to deal with irate customers and he also says, if you become one of these irate people, u will know how to deal with yourself..They are
1.Remain calm
2. Allow the person to vent and listen carefully
3. Reflect on some of the comments and important feelings that the person is voicing out
4. Use questions to find out as much as possible
5. Deal with criticism by not letting their angry statements upset you..Avoid defending
6. Keep the tone of your voice helpful and state your desire to help
7.Only if necessary, delay or transfer the customer to another person
8.Always admit mistakes,but dont be overly apologetic
9.find areas of agreement
10. Dont answer cheap shots, ignore the comment and redirect the conversation..

Well, I was thinking about these and I really am sure that it will work in personal life too..

After all, listening is the most important step in solving any conflicts of interest..Thanks to you, Hal Becker..

Things important according to me

2008-11-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

There are certain things we should remember in life.One, to never forget anybody who helped us; two, never forget a friend, three, never postpone things, four, express your love to your loved ones every chance you get..make these your priority.. I learnt it the hard way..I lost in touch with one of my favourite bosses and when i made a visit to India recently, I wanted to talk to him but kept postponing it till I completely forgot to talk to him and realised only after coming back. Suddenly one fine day, we were reading the samachar, there was in the news about him passing away suddenly out of a massive heart attack. Apparently he was under medication for diabetes and his was stress related..I longed for the missed opportunity, what i would not give to talk to him again...

It was the same with my great grand mother too.. I loved her a lot and still do.. But I didnt spend enough time with her and only when she passed away, I realised that..Same with my Mama too..My uncle was so young when he passed away that it was a great blow to all of us near and dear..I never realised that there would never be a next time when I would get to meet him..Missed opportunities are forever missed in these cases.., So, here's my love to all those dear to me..lest I not forget to tell them I love you before its too late.... I may not say it often or must not have said it ever, But I do love you, my dear ones..

Signing off with lots of love..

Relationships

2008-11-07T13:18:00.000-08:00

I was just contemplating about the terms Family and Relationships.. I really do feel its all illusary..But I cant help from showing my deepest love and affection for my family members, be it immediate or extended..Its really astonishing to see how each person behaves in a different way when confronted with different situations..Sometimes i feel that situations brings out the worst in a person, sometimes the best..Whoever said that Relationships are transient must have really experienced it to say thus..It pains me deeply to think how people act, but I do understand that the situation is not under their control.There are several extraneous factors involved. People get so involved in their own lives and do not have time to say even a hello or a "how are you". Sometimes, I stay up all night thinking about how complicated it has become even for simple relationships..I feel expectations are the culprits..At this time, I get reminded of" Do not expect anything; do your duty" I dont expect anything costly or big, only an occasional "from the heart" Hi and a Hello..Is that too much to ask?? ...

Obama and his campaign

2008-11-06T17:09:00.000-08:00

Its been quite a while since I wrote here.. The whole family was down on health.. Well, its awful when everybody comes down with a bug. But I watched the US Elections.. Boy, was that a phenomenal victory for Obama.. Obama is a fantastic orator and somehow he makes everyone believe in what he says..Popular opinion is that its a long time since somebody who actually deserved got elected..Hope he does it better than the others..I believe he will too..All eyes of the World are on him,literally.. But I cant help feeling sorry for Mc Cain too. I saw his show with David Letterman the other day and was totally impressed by the way he said, "I screwed up" when Letterman asked him why he didnt turn up for the previous appearance..He was way cool in admitting that..

But yeah, Hats off to the President Elect, Barack Obama..

Sesame seed allergy

2008-10-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

" One Man's food is another's poison"

Today I researched about Sesame seed allergy on net. I have been allergic to sesame seeds right from my childhood and initially my parents didnt realise that it was an allergy.. Immediately after ingesting a food with sesame seeds in it, vomiting would be the result. So I avoid sesame altogether..I never realised until coming to Canada that its one of the most common food allergens.. In canada, its one of the 9 most common food allergens, possibly because of its increasing use in the diet..
A person experiencing an allergic reaction may experience symptoms like vomiting, rashes, shortness of breath, swelling of tongue, cheek, lips, experience dizziness, become pale or faint and in severe cases, even death may result due to choking.

As for me, I have symptoms like vomiting, slight swelling of my tongue and i become pale and have shortness of breath.. oh wow! thats quite a list. Now coming to the treatment, there is no existing treatment for allergies except complete avoidance and ofcourse carrying a Epinephrine which is available as an auto injector like EpiPen.

So I miss all foods like Pretzels, Bagels and most breads..And whenever i go to a restaurant, I make sure that I ask them if there is sesame seeds in the food..Sometimes, i forget to and end up regretting that I forgot..So Ellurundais and all those Ellu specialities r not for me...Signing off for today

Deepavali in Canada

2008-10-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Deepavali is the Festival of lights. Here in Calgary, its not much of a buzz. Back in India, the day starts with a sure buzz..I remember the days when we used to get up early in the morning, around 4-5 a.m and have oil bath, wear new clothes, pray and then start bursting crackers.. It used to be a competition to see who bursts their crackers first.. Always my dad used to start with a Pusvaanam- the flower pot sparkler from which a whole lot used to come like a fountain of stars.. All around when so called flower pots are lit, the area gets ethereally lit and it sure gives a magical feeling.. Then we proceeded with the small crackers and then keep the atom bomb cracker, lakshmi vedi etc etc.. The thousand vaalas crackers were definitely a hit..

The other day when we were reminiscing about Deepavali, one of our friends explained clearly how they used to pool the marunthu from the crackers together and then light it up..It was a good team effort with boys waiting for other boys to come and give their share and then light up the whole thing with a big bang..Deepavali was definitely not complete without Rockets .. We used to light up this particular cracker by keeping it in a bottle and then lighting it up..Then for the ladies of the house and the young comes the sparklers..They are fun to hold in the hand..

Then when we got back inside the house, Mum used to feed us all those savouries and sweets starting with Deepavali Marunthu for digestion.. There were lots of dishes made during the time complete with payasam and vada. wow!! Mouthwatering!! This was followed by a short nap after which there is bursting of crackers again in the evening..

So Deepavali was loads of fun.It still is, what with the new dresses and oil bath minus the crackers here, but the usual round of calling friends to ask"Gangasnaanam aacha?" still goes on..
Eatables are also done but to a smaller scale...Its definitely a plus that we have all these Diwali get togethers and programs in the Mandir for Deepavali..

As to what have I made for Deepavali this year, I started off with Carrot Halwa and some namkhin and then the meal was vendakai (okra)sambar, thakkali(tomato) rasam, Aviyal( Veg Curry), Curd Rice and last but not the least, Icecream..

Happy Deepavali to Everyone!!

Sneezing and God Bless you!!

2008-10-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

The article which i read the other day was about sneezing. There are many interesting facts about sneezing.

Do u know why people say "Bless you" when somebody sneezes? It seems in 6th century when Half the population of Europe was killed by Black Plague, sneezing was one of the symptoms of the disease. So if somebody sneezes, people started saying "Bless you" in the hope that the person who sneezes would not succumb to the Plague.

It seems that the myth "Opening your eyes when sneezing will make your eyes pop out " is just a myth. Blood pressure behind the eyes may slightly increase when we sneeze, but that pressure is not capable of dislodging the eyeballs..Many people have the ability to keep their eyes open when sneezing..their eyes certainly dont pop out!!

But one other myth that controlling a sneeze might damage your hearing is not a myth, but the absolute truth.. When sneezing, you are expelling air at the rate of 100 miles/hr. So when we try to control the sneeze by pinching the nose etc, the air gets redirected via the eustachian tube to the ear drum and middle ear which might cause significant hearing loss..

That was interesting, wasnt it!!

Buzz words

2008-10-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

Many may wonder what a buzz word is! Its nothing but a word used in common usage either as a jargon or as fun. I have been a regular subscriber of buzzwhack.com and it gives the most extensive set of buzzwords one can ever imagine. There are even "Most Dreadful Buzzwords" and "Most fun Buzzwords"..If its a dreadful jargon, then it comes under Most Dreadful. One of them given is "mission-critical" I loved the way they described this word..It goes as follows,"Another sign that too many people in Business today read Tom Clancy..What's wrong with the word "essential?"

Among the most fun words comes "Clockroaches" and "Bobble heading" Clockroaches are the employees who spend most of their day watching the clock.. and Bobbleheading is mass nodding of heads to whatever the boss says in a meeting... Many more are there in this website and u can have fun reading them..

Read something new this week!!

2008-10-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

I happened to read a book on geological wonders of Alberta and on it i happened to see something called sinkholes.. Its given as occuring in Wood Buffalo National Park. That got me searching about sinkholes and saw quite a few webpages on the same. Truly frightening point to note is sinkholes can be man made too, i mean made by man due to blunders by man.. For e.g. In pennysylvania, it seems the underground sewage system is so bad that there are lots of formations of sinkholes.. That got me thinking.. If in such a advanced country,the sewage system is outdated,what about sewage systems in India where they dont replace at all.. Whats the possibility of a sinkhole forming right in the middle of very own Mount Rd in Chennai? Thats definitely a possibility..But possibly the terrain is so tenacious that it withstands human blunders too?? still wondering!!

Navarathri

2008-10-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the 4th day of Navarathri. Every year we keep golu and I have been doing it even when i was in Malaysia and now in Canada too.. Navarathri brings so many wonderful memories of childhood days when my patti used to keep golu in a grand scale and my mom and aunt used to help her with it.. It was lots of fun dressing up and going out with my friend to the houses of all the neighbours in the street and see their golu. Once we step in, they will say," Chinna ponnu,kattayam pattu paadithaan ahanum- small girls should surely sing" Then we will sing some song or other and then look at the golu and our little stomachs will get filled by sundal from all the mami's houses.. Then my patti will ask me which golu was the best and go to see their golu.. We used to do Kolattam ( a form of dandiya) too during the time.. Then we used to go the temple and see the various golus kept at the temple.. The place where i lived was Tirunelveli and its in the southern part of Tamilnadu, India. On the 10th day, Vijayadasami was celebrated as a major festival and nearly 10 goddesses come together as oorvalam-procession and gather at a common ground. We used to go and do pooja to all the goddesses one by one and see arathi at all the chariots.. I think this festival still goes on there..

Now coming back my golu, this year my golu seems to be pretty big , thanks to my mom, chithi and mami who shopped for all the dolls.. I just had to ask for 1 or 2 and they bought a good collection.. So this time, I have 7 steps and pretty good with all lights and I have made a temple and theppakulam and also a wildlife park.. I also made a farmhouse and animals and also some fields..and a themepark.. I think its come out pretty good..

And yeah, as usual,like every year,I have invited people over in the weekend. Here are some pics of this year's golu..

First day at blogging!!

2008-10-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

When i was seeing some websites on the net, well, i came across some well written blogs..why dont i do some blogging too thought ME and here i am! To start with, i am having some problems writing,is it because its been a long time since i finished college? When i was in college back in India, I used to write loong letters to everyone of my friends, it was gr8 fun to receive letters and write letters when in hostel.. I remember, we even used to have competitions among our roomies to see who received the maximum letters per week, consistently one of my other roomies surpassed me..!! Wondering if she still continues writing..As for me, its been very long since i wrote one of those loonng letters.. Sometimes i feel email doesnt work that well when compared to letters. Isnt that so?
Oh my gosh! I started writing without knowing what to write and here i am rambling..