Mystery of the Hawaian Roosters - Solved!!

Phew after a long time am back on my blog, continuing from where I left last, the mystery behind the roosetrs, hens and chicken in Kuai in Hawai..
The Philipinos on the island had got the fighter cocks for their entertainment ( that explains the aggression in the roosters and hens there!!!) In1995 or so there was a big tornedo in the island and as a result the roosters with their hens and chicken got into the whirlwind and were scattered all over the island ( literally , any part of the island, no matter how remote, you will hear Cock A Doodle Doo!!!)
And ofcourse we did ask the local Hawaianswhy dont they eat them - the answer - they dont taste good!!!
And they also have a menace of goats!!!
Hearing all this my first instinct was that it is a dream place for a Sardarjie ka Dhaba!!! Fresh Tandoorie Chicken and Mutton!!!

Hawaian Chicks!!

You see them everywhere in Hawai!!! Wonder Why!!! And they are not alone..these chicks....they have the roosters and the hens with them!!!
Seriously...like stray dogs in India in Hawai they have stray hens..wonder why no one catches them for dinner!!! You see them everywhere~~~

The Best Excuse Ever Heard

People sleeping in a concert and then saying " the music was so soothing, meditative....i was so relaxed that I SLEPT ( and snored) !!!""
He he he he he he Tell me all about it!!!!

Messsenger/Chat Etiquettes

Hate it when people send a "..?" while chatting esp when the other person get's a little delayed in replying. I dont think that is polite..I find it down right rude..although I have not told people about it..But I guess should now!!!

US and the world market

This slowdown, in a very negative way, has again shown that US is still the biggest growth engine for the world. All the theories that the developing economies would take up the growth and that all economies are insulated from each other, all those has been put to rest to a very large extent!!!
Dollar rules again !!!

Raj Thackrey -

Got this mail...worth thinking about!

This is a wonderful mail circulating in favour of RAJ Thackerey have a look. We all should support Raj Thackeray and take his initiative ahead by doing more...

1.We should teach our kids that if he is second in Class, don't study harder.. just beat up the student coming first and throw him out of the school

2. Parliament should have only Delhiites as it is located in Delhi

3. Prime-minister, president and all other leaders should only be from Delhi

4. No Hindi movie should be made in Bombay . Only Marathi.

5. At every state border, buses, trains, flights should be stopped and staff changed to local men

6. All Maharashtrians working abroad or in other states should be sent back as they are SNATCHING employment from Locals

7. Lord Shiv, Ganesha and Parvati should not be worshiped in our state as they belong to north ( Himalayas )

8. Visits to Taj Mahal should be restricted to people from UP only

9. Relief for farmers in Maharashtra should not come from centre because that is the money collected as Tax from whole of India , so why should it be given to someone in Maharashtra ?

10. Let's support Kashmiri militants because they are right to killing and injuring innocent people for benefit of their state and community... ...

11. Let's throw all MNCs out of Maharashtra , why should they earn from us? We will open our own Maharashtra Microsoft, MH Pepsi and MH Marutis of the world.

12. Let's stop using cell phones, emails, TV, foreign Movies and dramas. James bond should speak Marathi

13. We should be ready to die hungry or buy food at 10 times higher price but should not accept imports from other states

14. We should not allow any industry to be setup in Maharashtra because all machinery comes from outside

15. We should STOP using local trains...Trains are not manufactured by Marathi manoos and Railway Minister is a Bihari

16.. Ensure that all our children are born, grow, live and die without ever stepping out of Maharashtra , then they will become true Marathi's

This mail should somehow reach Raj Thackrey so forward it to as many ppl as possible. This mail needs to be read by all Indians. So please help in this cause. Keep Forwarding.
JAI MAHARASHTRA !Jai Hind

Learnt New Words!!

mouse potato
Function: noun
Etymology: after couch potato
Date: 1993
slang : a person who spends a great deal of time using a computer

sandwich generation
Function: noun
Date: 1987
: a generation of people who are caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children

BAGGRAVATION, noun. A feeling of annoyance and anger one endures at the airport when his bags have not arrived at the baggage carousel but everyone else's bags have!

DISORIENT EXPRESS, noun. A state of confusion.

EATERS COMA, noun. A condition characterized by sluggishness, sleepiness, and often a lack of motivation to do anything but rest/relax or sleep; a condition whose onset occurs shortly after a meal, usually dinner.

F.I.N.E, adjective. acronym (F*cked up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional). Usually derogatory.

VERTICALLY-CHALLENGED, adjective. Short, not tall .


Conscience is the still, small voice which tells a candidate that what he is doing is likely to lose him votes.

So true

If you think education is expensive, try ignorance....

What is Life!!!

Read some real good definitions of life-
Life is like a bagel. It's delicious when it's fresh and warm, but often it's just hard. The hole is the middle is its great mystery, and yet it wouldn't be a bagel without it.
Life is like eating grapefruit. First you have to break through the skin; then it takes a couple of bites to get used to the taste, and just as you begin to enjoy it, it squirts you in the eye.
Life is like a banana. You start out green and get soft and mushy with age. Some people want to be one of the bunch while others want to be top banana. You have to take care not to slip on externals. And, finally, you you have to strip off the outer coating to get at the meat.
Life is like cooking. It all depends on what you add and how you mix it. Sometimes you follow the recipe and at other times, you're creative.
Life is like a jigsaw puzzle, but you don't have the picture on the front of the box to know what it's supposed to look like. Sometimes, you're not even sure if you've got all the pieces.
Life is like a maze in which you try to avoid the exit.
Life is like riding an elevator. It has a lot of ups and downs and someone is always pushing your buttons. Sometimes you get the shaft, but what really bothers you are the jerks.
Life is like a room full of open doors that close as you get older.
Life is like a puppy dog always searching for a street full of fire hydrants.
Life is like a poker game. You deal or are dealt to. It includes skill and luck. You bet, check, bluff, and raise. You learn from those you play with. Sometimes you win with a pair or lose with a full house. But whatever happens, it's best to keep on shuffling along.

television - then and now

Thinking about India and the old days my thought went to the time when there was only one channel there, Doordharshan (India’s official terrestrial channel) Days. There were times fixed for people to watch the shows and on sunday evenings people would not even visit each other's homes as everyone would be watching the movie being shown!!! Some poular ones were Chitrahaar, Phool Khile hain Gulshan Gulshan...I still remember Chitrahaar was sponsored by Topaz blades!!
And then later on when the epic Ramayan was shown on sunday mornings, the streets actually wore a deserted look!!
And now with 24x7 TV , there is nothing worth watching.. so many times I sit with the remote and all I do is channel switching..even the news is so boring!!! Watching news in TV is no longer the same as it was before. Due to competition among the news channels all that is done is sensationalisation ( if there is any word like that) in the channels rather than the news.
And here in the US, TV channels are so polarised politically..you can know by the news presentation whethere they are Replublicans or Democrats!! Even the so called comedy channels do the same..patronise the party they belong to..Gimme a break!!!

Some Definitions...

Abdicate, v.: To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. Abstainer: Weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure.

Adorable: What you ring when you go

Baby : A loud voice at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.

Bartender: A pharmacist with a limited inventory

Car sickness: The feeling you get when the car payment is due

Courtesy: The art of yawning with your mouth closed. Dentist: a magician who puts metal into your mouth, and pulls coins out of your pocket.

Grandparents: People who think your children are wonderful, even though they are sure you're not raising them right.

Hangover: The Wrath of Grapes.

Raisin: Grape with a bad sunburn.

Halloween

Halloween, or Hallowe’en is celebrated on October 31. Halloween activities include trick or treat, ghost tours ( I have seen one) bonfires, costume parties ,visiting haunted attractions, carving jack o lanterns, reading scary stories and watching horror movies. Irish immigrants carried versions of tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century. Halloween is celebrated in several countries, most commonly in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and occasionally in parts of Australia.
The carved pumpkin, lit by a candle inside, is one of Halloween's most prominent symbols in America, and is commonly called a jac-o-lantern. Originating in Europe, these lanterns were first carved from a turnip or rutabaga . Believing that the head was the most powerful part of the body containing the spirit and the knowledge, the Celts used the "head" of the vegetable to frighten off any .The name jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a greedy, gambling, hard-drinking farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had: a candle inside of a hollowed turnip. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America, where pumpkins were readily available and much larger, making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their home's doorstep after dark. In America the tradition of carving pumpkins is known to have preceded the Greay Famine period of Irish immigration. The carved pumpkin was originally associated with harvest time in general in America and did not become specifically associated with Halloween until the mid-to-late 19th century.

Diwali

One more Diwali went by and now like last year, I am saying again, next year I will go to India for Diwali!! How I miss India at this time. The lights, the crackers, the crowded markets, food, pooja..all that atmosphere cant be replicated no matter how hard one tries! A festive mood comes up right from the Dushhera time.
Out here people in the neighbourhood dont even know what Diwali is all about. I had put the lights in the trees and shrubs in front yard and the kids in the neighbourhood got very excited saying Aunty has put her christmas tree already!!!
Well...

I am confused - About God.

I am confused about GOD!! I have been taught God is Pure Love but then why do the so called holy books or books used for the ceremonies or Pooja's talk of God as being jealous, condemning judgemental, harsh and in some places egoistic. ( Cause you did not do the pooja properly so I am angry with you!!! and hence you are suffering!!!) Does this all not make God with emotions and put Him in the same realm as humans (which He/She is not)?
I do not think that God is petty... God is not jealous. Jealous is a negative emotion. God would not be negative. God is not condemning and judgemental.
God whether a He or a She is not sitting there to judge or condemn but rather as a force to help one out!!

Index of the bloggers

Is there any index of the bloggers that are there? I wonder how would it look like...a yellow book!!

SEO or SEM

Lot of people have asked me what is more effectice SEO or SEM. Well I have always maintained that both are equally important.
With the growing importance of bloggers and podcasts and third party endoresements, sites coming up on the organic side have or demand more attention. Sites just showing on the sponsored side and not on the organic side could face a challenge and sites showing on both the sides simultaneously would have a better chance to get the eyeball attention.

Internet Ads

The One difference internet marketing has to do is to make the customers feel like they are wanted and not that they are just a demograph of the targetted group. In the Virtual world like the real world the customer should feel wanted, they need attention, just like the marketeers need the customer attention. It's a give and take of attention.It needs to
be done in a way that feels natural and unsurprising and with feelings. The ads on the internet are somehow very impersonal. The best way out to reach the customer would be somehow to make those ads more personal. Any ad apprearing on my search should make me feel that it's just for me as it comes up on my search. In my opinion this would be one way of getting the desired customer involved.

I am sure there is a lot to add to it and would definitely put more thought on this post.

How Video Ads on Internet can be so much more useful

With the power of remote and people definitely coming to feel that "they need to decide what they want to see" Ads on TV are taking a beating. This is the time for the Video Ads on the internet. The main reasons for them to do well:
1)They have the pull and not the push factor - people would watch them cause they come up at the right time and they click on them!!
2)It can be easily shared - any good ad on the web can be shared with hundreds of people..So it get's a viral effect.
3)It can be measured. Well they say in some time ads on TV will also be measured but they will still have a push effect!!
And if well done then those ads can also be put up on the ipods/iphones...

Learnt a new word

I always love smell of the earth after the first rain..but never knew what to call this smell...finally now i Know ......petrichor (PET-ri-kuhr) noun
The pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.
[From petro- (rock), from Greek petros (stone) + ichor (the fluid that is supposed to flow in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology). Coined by researchers I.J. Bear and R.G. Thomas.]
"Petrichor, the name for the smell of rain on dry ground, is from oils given off by vegetation, absorbed onto neighboring surfaces, and released into the air after a first rain."

Perspective

How some people feel they are old by the time they reach mid thirties or early forties..
They say our time has gone..I dont agree with it..I think the past was fun and the present is fun too. Just that some things have changed, which is rather natural.. we have gone matured, more experienced and some life style changes that one has to make in every stage of life.
Ageing is nothing bad..it's a natural process and one has to make the most of it.
I dont think i would ever want to exchange my present life to my twenties. That time was fun, a lot of fun, thoroughly enjoyable but that's gone and now i am in a new phase and enjoying it..
Sincerely I do not understand people who look back and cry about having lost "that" time. What I tell those people is that in crying over the past you are making sure that you continue this vicious cycle..just to complicate..when today's present becomes past tomorrow...you would still be crying ..as you are wasting your present crying about the past....ha ha ha h..this looks complicated enough!!!

MERA NUMBER aa GAYA!!!!

MIL GAYA!!!!!

people who think from heart and head

Different people think differently..logical..and emotional decisions...

Who said CV's are boring

I read the best CV of my life!!! Man it was so well written and so informative and such fun to read...
Sunisha good job!!! I want your CV for my blog!!!!

Managing Social Profile

With so many social media sites there is now need for a Social Media Exchange.
One of the things in people's mind must be - I have so many different accounts on social networks now how do I manage my social profile.
Definitely a great need for a good social meta network!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN3iNxr2bhk

Positive thinking

Does positive thinking actually alter or transform life!!!!

Trip to Goaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

So much happened....

people getting scandalized... Tariq...laughing riot - Deepali - my partner in laugh!!..the train journey - Sandesh and his one liners..Ratan and his jokes. Marion and her German sense of humour !!!

Roaming around in Goa in middle of the night, Hitching rides from trucks and lorries, encountering police, Sitting on eggs!! Beer crates!!! and delivering milk - all in one night!!

The super intensive sessions, the trancy dancing, the crazy laughing session ( Deeps I will never ever get over the bus ride!!), knowing people better...

Realizing not all people are bad in this world..there are some super nice people tooo who make this world go..

People still believe if they help someone in need, someone will surely help them when they need help..people who believe in this cycle still exist!!

Simple people who say what they think without any pretence, which is such a lost virtue in today's world - Vikas, Pratik!! ( well both commented on my age....but it was so genuine...he he he he he he )

Meeting my family, realizing what a lovely place Goa is..esp after Delhi and Mumbai!!!

Mera Number Kub Aayegaa

Man still struggling to get a license...now i drive without a license..scary but am pushed!!! Mera license kub aayega...

Deepali...my only Colleague who keeps me company during my office hours!!!

Deeps, Have u realized we talk much more online than we meet in person.. am sooo going to miss you man....
The craziness during the Offsite..I am never going to get over it!!
And U are my only colleague..well most of the time, who's awake during my office hours..which is 12 and hours behind!!!
When do you sleep babes!!!

My sister's birthday today...

Happy Birthday Seema di...

Now in my new house...

Now am in my new house...sometimes miss the coziness of the old small flat..but then i am getting fond of this house also..how easily do we adapt..
So much to do and so much more to clean...and grass to mow..ooh i miss India !!! mali, driver, bai, cook..aah am getting nostalgic!!!

Last night in the house i first called home in USA

I cant believe it's my last night in this house..when i return from India anshuman would have shifted to the new house..
It's a bitter sweet feeling..I had kinda got attached to this house.small but cosy..although my first reaction when i saw this place was of being horrified..Anshuman how will we live in this tiny place..But as time went by I kinda started liking it..Change is the name of the game!!

Shifting home!!!

In the last 4 years of my life have shifted 3 homes and a country and now it's time to shift again..hopefully will be there settled now for the coming few years!!
I cannot fathom how much stuff I have collected in just one year..it's actually overwhelming. Everytime i visit my new home , which is totally empty now, it's such a nice feeling and when i return back to my current apartment..i am not sure what do i want to do with all the stuff!! BUt the point is that it still does not deter me from shopping!! Gawd am I becoming a shopoholic!!

Rudeness!!

People are rude because they are jealous or low in confidence!!!

Perfect targeting!!

Talk about Target Marketing!!! Instant Divorce ads on "What Happy Couples know" article...lol

Lunar Eclipse..Vew from the balcony!!

Honking for the Birthday Person's car!!!

I did not know so far but if it's birthday then your friends could paint on your car ( ofcourse it comes out easily!!!) wishing u a happy birthday and also ask other drivers on the road to honk to celebrate your birthday!! And people do...

Experienced it first hand this week..Dasha's car..and we got honked...our first reaction was what have we done wrong...who's honking...and then realized the writing on the back windshield say's it's the birthdays girls car..Honk!! So Happy Honking!!!
That has answered a very big issue in India!!
By the latest estimates Indian population is 1.13 billion so no wonder everyone is honking there on the road..we are just wishing people their birthdays... with so many of us..it is for sure someone has a birthday somewhere..and we are collectively celebrating it!!! and all this time we thought they were being rude!!! How dumb!!

What Marketing Does!!! Singh is King..REALLY????

Carried away by the hype for the movie, I too watched Singh is King...and I have been the latest victim of the marketing blitz!! And I am rather sad that I feel prey to it..
Such a sad movie!!! Wasted my time!!! :(

Just yesterday felt that Indian movies are becoming better!! :-(

Witty Quotes

Some witty quotes I read!!

Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky and I thought to myself, where the heck is the ceiling.

When people talk to God, it's called prayer. When God talks back, it's called schizophrenia.

"As she lay there dozing next to me, one voice inside my head kept saying, 'Relax, you're not the first doctor to sleep with one of his patients', but the another kept reminding me, 'Howard, you are a veterinarian!'"
I never pirated it...it was donated. by the file fairy. I put a blank CD under my pillow at night..

What the hell do you mean, my birth certificate expired?

Paco's Bean Barn & Service Station - "Eat here and get gas."

A guy broke up with me and sent me pictures of his and his new girlfriend in bed together. Solution?? I sent them to his mom!!

If you don't like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk

Why do our noses run and our feet smell?

Friends and Happiness!!

It's a well known fact that social engagement ( for most of the people) is one of the source to happiness. And it can be different for different people. For some just chatting with acquaintances is a source of joy whereas for some more joy comes from spending longer periods of time with a close friend.
And this time spent aint necessarily be made of any heavy discussions.
Simple pleasures of friendship is simple companionship, just hanging out, shopping, having meals, going to the movies or even just a walk in the park..!!!

Ugly Aur Pagli

Watched the movie Ugly Aur Pagli ....Cute movie and i genuinely laughed..Good Fun!!!
Indian movies are becoming better and better!!!

Dasha's Birthday!! 08/08/08

Happy Birthday Dasha.. What a date!!! 08/08/08 !!! Brilliant start with the Chinese celebrating if first..they started celebrating at 5.08 am pacific time..good goining Dasha..u had the whole world celebrating!!
And for us the GG (Girvan Gang) it was fun lunch again!!
How many honks did u get???

Irony of Fate

When in India, I did not have a car and neither could i drive but by the grace of the of the Transport Deptt had a license and now here in US, I have a car now know finally how to drive BUT dont have a license!!!
:( ॥still have to drive with a valid driving license holder sitting in the car!!!
वोह दिन कभी तो आयेगा !!!!!!

If Someone does not like you then it's ...it's just okay!!!

Not everyone can like everything..so everyone liking everyone,that's a tall order!!!..so if someone does not like you then it's not you but them..Not everyone likes every fruit/veggie, then how can everyone like everyone!!! If i dont like chocolates then it's not the fault of the chocolate ..right!!! I just dont like it...but there are so many more who love chocolate!!

Chromium

Suddenly this metal has a whole new meaning!!! The symbol is Cr...

सब ग़लत बताया तूने निक्स!!! But ab chalegaa..we will still use it!!!

What are you thinking???

Have you ever asked a man sitting by himself( not reading, not watching TV or not eating ie not doing any activity whatsoever)...."what are you thinking"!!!
Most of the time his reply would be ..Nothing!!
Men dont think anything from time to time!! they just vegetate!!
And women, we are always thinking something!! Perhaps that's why we are smarter and can multi task!! :-)

Birthday Madness Part 2

And if you think i did not keep the promise of twists and turns in the end...here it goes..for all of you who missed not being in the car!!!
N twisting and turning car on the road and D and S twisting and turning and doubling in laughter on the back seat and P turning back and asking.."What is so funny"!! and N not only twisting and turning the car and driving here there everywhere was also turning to look back and trying to do Hi5 with S and D!!!

What makes me happy!!!

My next project is making a list of all those things that make me happy!!!Now that I am thinking about it..
Laughing with freinds surely makes one happy!! They get deposited in the account of happy memories and no matter whenever you open it..it sure puts a amile on the face!! :-)
Do things make one happy!! not really ..very fast they get under the skin!! So happy memories is the most precious gift!!

One more Birthday,...more madness!!!

Birthday again this week and this time it was Deepti and the madness continued!! And I cannot call this post "the three musketeers" for the simple reason that we had a fourth one this time..and believe me this post will be ode to that person!! I will, like any good ex-journalist hide her identity till she says I can use it!!! So till i hear from her, for our benefit we will call her P!:) And believe me this will be a long post!! And like the Hindi movies and Hindi Tele serials will have lots of twists and turns in the end!!!
The day started like any other normal day with N and D asking where are you Sumita!! and with my saying "in office" and they both saying Arre Waah..but that does not mean that N was in office too..She walked in at 11.45 and ofcourse did not have her card to come in so called me and since I was not in office she called D to open the door for her!! And entering she said..what are you guys doing? Let's go for lunch..I am hungry...D and I in unison screamed out...NO..not now..we will work for one more hour..N who was with P (N and P came together to work)went back to her office..ofcourse saying..YOU GUYS!!!

So after checking with D, lunch at Pasta? in Castro was decided and booked!
The booking was made for 12.30 but till 12.35 we were still in office!! Now we could not even travel real time(Star Trek) as even then we would be late.
So after some deliberations and mud slinging as to who all delayed we hopped onto ..Ofcourse N's Car..now with her driving we have got addicted to it!! Anyone driving properly feels something is wrong!! esp for the lunch escapades from office!!
So off we started for D's Birthday lunch. Somehow the road to the resturant is always about 15-20 mts but coming back (mostly in N's car) is always about 35-45 minutes..the roads seem to stretch as N is always super confident about the way!!
Achaa so we reached Castro and N makes a dash in to the side the road..well the way was right but the way she did it..hmmmm lesser spoken is better!!
And as usual the parking in Castro..but then we saw the multi storey parking and both N and S in unison said this is the one let's park here..but P said NO..yahaan se bahut chalnaa padegaa..Let's go to the next one!!And N started screaming please one of you say where to go!!! P again said Bahut Chalna Padega..we will have to walk a lot from here!! But by then N was inside the parking and said let it be!!!Finally found parking and then the elevator! And as soon as we came out of the parking what do we see..RIGHT in FRONT OF US!!! PASTA?...ofcourse a burst of laughter and everyone looking at P and saying..Chalna Padegaa ( we will have to walk>>))
And then we settle down ( ofcourse after deliberating again..Inside or Outside and then after saying Outside outside..finally sitting Inside!!)

And now the story starts of the lunch menu..BUT now I also need to take a break and you also must be tired of reading..so let's all take a break and get back later to read what happened next!!!

Who matters!!

Read a Great quote :

It's the ones you can call at 4am that matter!!!

So true..

The F word

Failure - Is it really that bad!!!

Was having a discussion last night about Failure. Opposite of success is failure and so is opposite of Failure success!! Interrelated or can one say Success is actually risking failure!! Complicated haan!!

But Failure has a different meaning for different people..some it means the end of the world whereas for some it's a new begining!! Begining of not repeating the mistakes!!

So how bad can be failure - as bad as we percieve? Would my family/friends leave me if I fail..well if they leave when i am down then maybe they were never my family/friends to start with!!

How much of a role does failure play in shaping our character our personality! Major!! It sometimes the failure which brings out the best in us and takes us to the high spot where we are!! Failure along with Success is what actually defines us!!A broken marriage, a lost opportunity all these failures shape us!!

Failure teaches us what not to do!!

The Three Musketeers!!

After a long time i laughed so hard that my stomach hurt and my eyes watered!!
Birthday madness started from friday with lunch with Deepti and Neetika. Had thai food...neetika nearly dropped the soup on the lady serving us!! The waitress seemed to be pissed about something and we were actually hesitant in asking her to serve us!!! LOL!!
And I finally got to go to TJ Maxx!!! The best part was the two hooded cool summer dress!!! Am sure D and N are going to hold that on me forever!!
Then N's urgency to go to office and offering to pick us back in an hour!!! That was the most hilarious part..
We laughed so much that even N's Formula 1 Driving Style did not bother us and for the first time N was worried about getting a ticket for driving and laughing!!!
N if u never got a ticket for the way you drive I wonder what do they actually give tickets for!!
D was sitting with hands clenched to the seat and was busy telling N..red light hai..yahaan stop ker!!

But we had a great time..was like college days again!! Laughing and talking and screaming all at the same time!!
Good to have good friends!!:)

Birthday!!!

Had a great weekend...Birthday was great fun!! Bar-be-cue for lunch at Alka di's place, and the ice cream cake - that needed to be thawed before cutting!! Man you need electrical saws for these cakes!!
Japanese food in the evening withAnshuman, Vik and Maneesh and then the Jazz Concert!!

Sunday was even more fun with the Concert in the park. I think this was the first time that i was lying in the park, watching the clouds go by and listening to live music that too being played by the San Francisco Symphony!!

I guess now I can say I am enjoying the US !! and definitely my fisrt birthdy here was great fun!!

Why do we like Reality Shows

Wrtiting the earlier blog got me thinking how happiness is self propogating..you see someone happy you do feel happy and perhaps that's the reason why reality shows or shows like the Wheel of Fortune are popular..people win money/prizes everyone applauds..even people in front of their televisions..everyone has a smile!!:)

And especialy if an Underdog wins..it's always a good feeling..although if Tiger Woods looses to anyone ( underdog or anyone) it's not a good feeling for me!!

Okay barring Tiger I enjoy it thoroughly when an underdog wins..

Happy Moments starting again

Now that Deepti is my regular reader and i have promised her to atleast "try" to write my blog daily, thought of starting with the Happy Moment of the Day Ritual.
Well for today the happy moment is not too tough..the news of my brother getting posted to Goa was a very happy moment..not only cause it's a beautiful place but also cause he and his wife wanted to be there!
It feels rather nice to hear good news no matter for whomever it is!!!

railway crossing in India and USA

Driving back home today had to stop at the Railway crossing..that brought back memories of childhood of railway crossings... The long wait for the train to pass by. And then the numerous hawkers selling everything from cut cucumber to cold drinks and even some trinkets and books..
Nostalgia.....and age!!!

Optimism

What is optimism?
A state characterized by a positive outlook; the expectation of a good outcome.

A tendency to expect the best, or at least, a favourable outcome; the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds; the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil or the bad times will be overcome by good times!! :)

A refined mental style of how one chooses to respond to life.

Webster's Dictionary defines optimism as "an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events, or to anticipate the best possible outcome."

Journalist, essayist and critic, Lise Funderburg argues that optimism isn't the refuge of bubbleheads; it's a scientifically proven way to get happier, healthier and even catnippier to the opposite sex.

Recent research suggests an optimistic state comes from a series of active inner processes, psychological somersaults. That's good news because it means that optimism—like other skills such as putting on eyeliner or hitting a tennis ball or driving a car!!—is something we can improve with practice.

So carry on...

How Often Do We Say YES when we want to say NO!!!

So often it happens you want to say no but for some reason end up saying yes..or start with a no and end up with a yes!!

Is NO a complete sentence in itself or is the begining of a negotiation?

How often do we buckle under the weight of NO..it's so heavy but many a times it needs to be thrown out..

READ MY LIPS - WHEN I SAY NO I MEAN NO!!!

No Longer "JUST"

How often we describe ourseleves starting with "JUST"...just a housewife, just a teacher, just a mother, just a student...
What does this "just" denote? Low Self Esteem, Low Confidence, not enough love for one's own self.....
So the need is to get out of the "just"
A new mantra - Can do without the "just"

COCA COLA RECIPES!!! That's all that was needed!!!

Guess what, in my quest to learn new dishes what recipes did i find..recipes wich had Coca Cola as an ingredient!! WOW!!!!
Granny are you listening!!
COCA - COLA BAR - B - Q CHICKEN

1 chicken, cut up
1 1/2 lg. onions, sliced
10 to 12 oz. Coca Cola
10 to 12 oz. catsup

Lay chicken in baking dish. Mix Coca Cola and catsup. Pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

COCA COLA CHICKEN

1 chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 (12 oz.) can Coca Cola
3 tbsp. flour

Put chicken into baking dish. Mix Coca Cola, soup mix and flour together. A whisk does a good job. Pour over chicken. Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until done. Serve with rice or potatoes. The sauce makes its own gravy.

Taking a BUS???????? TIMES ARE CHANGING

Why is it that taking a bus in the bay area ( or for that matter most of America) such a big deal. People actually feel sorry for you!!
But now with gas going up I see most of the seats in my bus taken. Infact at times there are people staing!!
There were times ( and not too long ago) when I was alone or with just 3-4 passengers in the bus.All way from Santa Clara to Fremont
But now times are changing!! And thankfully now when i am standing at the bus stop people dont look at me with as much pity as they used to!!! :)

Intelligence and Contentment

Was chatting with Deepali when it came up that Intelligence and contentment go together..
I feel Contentment comes with Intelligence..
You dont have to have certificates to prove your intelligence...it can come in any form..But it normally precedes contentment

Jodhaa Akbar

Finally saw the movie..man was it long!! But cant say I did not like it. It was a grand movie indeed. The number of people in the war scene was huge..could have been roughly the same as what the Mughals had!!
But the best part for me did not come from the movie but from the little girl sitting next to me. She asked her mom.." why do they sleep in their cotume dresses"
I did find it amusing and thought for sure these must be uncomfotable..no matter how soft the silk is but it still must be not the most comfortable night wear!!
When we the common lot wear our night clothes am sure the royalty could have surely been able to afford it..Something worth looking into !!

Jodhaa Akbar

Finally saw the movie..man was it long!!BUt it was indeed a grand film. The scale of things was huge.
But the best part of the movie for me was not from the movie but from the kid sitting on the next seat. She asked her mom..."Why do they sleep in these costume dresses?" I did find it amusing..but then also thought these are the small details we miss out on...even in such grand films.
Even us the common lot normally would not sleep in the same clothes that we had worn though the day..then these royalties..would they have done it?? Even if they discard their clothes after one wear but it must be not very comfortable in sleeping those day clothes..hmmm something worth pondering about..

Driving!!

I have finally started to drive, wont say am still comfortable but am doing it. But my first instinct is to run away. AM not sure why do I feel that way but driving freaks me out. Everytime I am on the road, I see so many people driving around, infact some would be even eating, many would be talking on the phone, some even putting make up ( seriously have seen women do it..esp while getting onto the freeway!!!!) and I get amazed at myself..It must be super simple but then why do i dread it.
Everytime i know i would have to drive, my heart starts palpitating,wierd thoughts start coming to my mind..but once I am on the drivers seat it becomes a little better.
Though I must say Anshuman has been extremely extremely patient.
I hope someday I would be as comfortable driving as the other people on the road..although I would not want to do makeup!!!

After a long Time

Got down to blogging after a long long time..so much has happened.In October last year I finally hiked up the Mission Peak!! Not a huge hike just 6.5 miles but it was a good feeling. It actually felt nice. There was a time I felt so tired and thought would I be able to do but I knew if I did not do it now would have to do it all over again.
It was a different kind of experience. Must say enjoyed it.