The best farewell gift I got, when I left India..
It is our dreams that shape our destiny,
To achieve them, many times we have to mutiny..
We have to go to unknown lands,
And may be sing along with unknown bands..
Its all a part of the game, they say;
After all to win, you have to play.
As you try to reach out for the sky,
You have to leave something behind and fly..
There are too many things, you want to say..
Too little time..
It's perfectly fine my friend,
Its not a crime!!!
Standing at the terminal, ready to fly..
Don't look back now, don't even cry..
Waiting for you is the sky,
So go ahead and JUST FLY !!!
Thank you, Addu!!
It gives me inspiration whenever I am bogged down or feeling low.
Words sure are the healers. :)
The jerk had written this at the end - 'I send you my words instead of me. Hope you carry them with you.' Of course, I have them by my side always. Literally carrying them everywhere I go :)
Read his other poems as well. If it was not for hefty paychecks from the great Indian software firm and the only sign of a progressive man "the bear belly of course", he would have been a great writer and poet today!! :D
Friday, October 10, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Globally yours!
Wonder what are the benefits of living in a global environment (I mean actually surrounded by all kinds of foreigners..duh!!)?? For me it is the exposure to various cuisines. Specially if you know what you are eating, in short if you are a foodie!
One look at me and the thought of 'me being a foodie' won't even cross your mind. But then there are those fringe benefits of growing up in a household where, typical Indian cuisine is a way of life and you have a foodie, innovative, adventurous (with food of course!) brother as the partner in crime!
Anyways, my stay away from home (past 6 years, plus this new global phase) has given me an opportunity to get to know and learn many interesting Indian recipes, many household tricks to make yummier food out of simple stuff, and different tastes. I have shared food interests with the weirdest of people. Well, those people are bound to have a totally different opinion about my food habits like, ye bahot nakhre karti hai, bahot kam khati hai, etc. etc. But the fact remains I love trying out new stuff and spreading my meagre knowledge as well.
So, finally coming to the point (yeah, some bragging about my food culture was necessary as a starter!), as part of the global culture here, I am trying out Indian recipes on my Bangladeshi roomie. The recent one was Susheela.
A brief how to..
Ingredients:
puffed rice (murmura) - half out of a standard pack, soaked in water (make sure you soak it only for a minute)
onion - 1/2 finely cut
green chillies - finely cut, 1-2
jeera (cumin) seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
cilantro (coriander) - finely cut
haldi (turmeric) powder - a pinch
lal mirchi (red chilly) powder - 1/2 teaspoon
salt - to taste
sugar - a pinch
lemon (nimbu) juice - 1 teaspoon
How to:
Saute the onions,green chillies and jeera in a pan. After done, add haldi, chilli powder. Then add puffed rice. Mix all this well. Then add the sugar,salt,nimbu juice and garnish with cilantro. Voila...There you go. Its an amazing snack. Filling and yummy. The lemon and green chillies combo makes it just too irresistible!!
My friends from Latur (a district in Marathwada, Maharashtra) introduced me to this snack. And they would be happy to know, that today I made it global. At least prepared it in foreign land!! Well, as for the new things I tried out, then I have gone a bit ahead in the non-veg section. I tried crab and turkey the other day. Chicken still remains my favorite though!!
And if you are thinking whether my roomie who tried out the snack is still alive or not, then she is working on that damned assignment (whose deadline is tonight..OMG!!) Her remark - 'You guys are so creative with simple food stuffs!!' You bet she wants to try out more typical Indian dishes now.
One look at me and the thought of 'me being a foodie' won't even cross your mind. But then there are those fringe benefits of growing up in a household where, typical Indian cuisine is a way of life and you have a foodie, innovative, adventurous (with food of course!) brother as the partner in crime!
Anyways, my stay away from home (past 6 years, plus this new global phase) has given me an opportunity to get to know and learn many interesting Indian recipes, many household tricks to make yummier food out of simple stuff, and different tastes. I have shared food interests with the weirdest of people. Well, those people are bound to have a totally different opinion about my food habits like, ye bahot nakhre karti hai, bahot kam khati hai, etc. etc. But the fact remains I love trying out new stuff and spreading my meagre knowledge as well.
So, finally coming to the point (yeah, some bragging about my food culture was necessary as a starter!), as part of the global culture here, I am trying out Indian recipes on my Bangladeshi roomie. The recent one was Susheela.
A brief how to..
Ingredients:
puffed rice (murmura) - half out of a standard pack, soaked in water (make sure you soak it only for a minute)
onion - 1/2 finely cut
green chillies - finely cut, 1-2
jeera (cumin) seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
cilantro (coriander) - finely cut
haldi (turmeric) powder - a pinch
lal mirchi (red chilly) powder - 1/2 teaspoon
salt - to taste
sugar - a pinch
lemon (nimbu) juice - 1 teaspoon
How to:
Saute the onions,green chillies and jeera in a pan. After done, add haldi, chilli powder. Then add puffed rice. Mix all this well. Then add the sugar,salt,nimbu juice and garnish with cilantro. Voila...There you go. Its an amazing snack. Filling and yummy. The lemon and green chillies combo makes it just too irresistible!!
My friends from Latur (a district in Marathwada, Maharashtra) introduced me to this snack. And they would be happy to know, that today I made it global. At least prepared it in foreign land!! Well, as for the new things I tried out, then I have gone a bit ahead in the non-veg section. I tried crab and turkey the other day. Chicken still remains my favorite though!!
And if you are thinking whether my roomie who tried out the snack is still alive or not, then she is working on that damned assignment (whose deadline is tonight..OMG!!) Her remark - 'You guys are so creative with simple food stuffs!!' You bet she wants to try out more typical Indian dishes now.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
For you a thousand times over..
This line is from the movie 'The Kiterunner'.
A good watch. Not as good as the book though.
I don't have time for any review, plus the fact that, the movie was released in March here!!
Watch it because 'there's a way to be good again'..
Few good things about it, it takes you to the picturesque, rustic Afghanistan (They have shot those parts in China btw) and its vagaries. The kid who has done the part of Hassan, lives a mark on your conscious, with those big, innocent eyes. The graphically enhanced kite running sequences are a good watch. Homayoun Ershadi, who plays Amir's baba, has done a great job. He lives the righteous, a bit disappointed in his son, father.There is a restraining undertone to the movie, which sets the mood.
In all a good watch. Highly recommended, even if you have not read the book.
A good watch. Not as good as the book though.
I don't have time for any review, plus the fact that, the movie was released in March here!!
Watch it because 'there's a way to be good again'..
Few good things about it, it takes you to the picturesque, rustic Afghanistan (They have shot those parts in China btw) and its vagaries. The kid who has done the part of Hassan, lives a mark on your conscious, with those big, innocent eyes. The graphically enhanced kite running sequences are a good watch. Homayoun Ershadi, who plays Amir's baba, has done a great job. He lives the righteous, a bit disappointed in his son, father.There is a restraining undertone to the movie, which sets the mood.
In all a good watch. Highly recommended, even if you have not read the book.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
OCD
It is true. I have been diagnosed with OCD(obsessive compulsive disorder)! Yeah, the self proclaimed psychologist in me isn't wrong this time.
It's been happening for quite some time. I was under the scanner for days now, only to reveal the most bizarre set of results.
Every time I was let free into a mall without any agenda, I would direct myself towards the stationary section. No kidding! I would walk as if under a spell (well its not as bad as an Imperius curse but more like being possessed, I hope I am making it clear here!!). I would literally march away from everyone to every kid's dream land.
Loads of pencils, pens,colored pens, sketch pens, colored sheets, clip boards, markers, stick notes, diaries, files, folders, dividers, erasers, sharpeners, greeting cards just excited me. Its like every time I entered the store and someone would whisper in my ears, 'Comm'ere my baby..precioussssss'
Or was the AC in the malls set to too low a temperature? Then what could be the reason behind my brain listening to voices ??
WHOA...
AC or no AC, the woe still remains. Its becoming more of a habit now, that too a compulsive.
There were days when I would enter Venus traders on FC road, like a kidnapper and fill my shopping bag with handmade papers,crayons,colored pencils,etc. Here also I randomly handpicked some insertable dividers, the other day. Some other time, a few folders. Today a clipboard, some sheets, and colored pens. This in spite of the fact that, I have got stacks of stationary from home. I have things in abundance. I must have also told you about the fascination for free stationary ? And it doen't end here. I don't let others touch 'my stuff'. I still remember the kid's condition (my looks were enough to petrify him) when he had toyed with my drawing book and colored pens. I was in standard 8. Well he must have even given up any thought of studying further, after meeting a maniac like me, me thinks.
Don't freak out please. Because they tell me for deprived people this is more than common. But hello, I don't come from depressistaan (my name for such a place). I come from somewhere, where every dream of getting educated in a fancy fashion was nurtured. That dream was fueled in all possible ways. Yes, that includes decorating my books with fancy stickers, covering them up with nice colored sheets, colorful charts (alphabets to the periodic table..u bet!!). So is my behavioral pattern plausible ?
May be or may be not. I guess I will have to learn to live with this. Wish me luck folks.
Meanwhile, next time you go to a mall, don't forget to sneak into the stationary section ;) It's a wonderful world!!
P.S. this blog comes after watching FRIENDS episode(season 2, episode 23. bingo!!) about Monica's small,cute obsessions. :)
It's been happening for quite some time. I was under the scanner for days now, only to reveal the most bizarre set of results.
Every time I was let free into a mall without any agenda, I would direct myself towards the stationary section. No kidding! I would walk as if under a spell (well its not as bad as an Imperius curse but more like being possessed, I hope I am making it clear here!!). I would literally march away from everyone to every kid's dream land.
Loads of pencils, pens,colored pens, sketch pens, colored sheets, clip boards, markers, stick notes, diaries, files, folders, dividers, erasers, sharpeners, greeting cards just excited me. Its like every time I entered the store and someone would whisper in my ears, 'Comm'ere my baby..precioussssss'
Or was the AC in the malls set to too low a temperature? Then what could be the reason behind my brain listening to voices ??
WHOA...
AC or no AC, the woe still remains. Its becoming more of a habit now, that too a compulsive.
There were days when I would enter Venus traders on FC road, like a kidnapper and fill my shopping bag with handmade papers,crayons,colored pencils,etc. Here also I randomly handpicked some insertable dividers, the other day. Some other time, a few folders. Today a clipboard, some sheets, and colored pens. This in spite of the fact that, I have got stacks of stationary from home. I have things in abundance. I must have also told you about the fascination for free stationary ? And it doen't end here. I don't let others touch 'my stuff'. I still remember the kid's condition (my looks were enough to petrify him) when he had toyed with my drawing book and colored pens. I was in standard 8. Well he must have even given up any thought of studying further, after meeting a maniac like me, me thinks.
Don't freak out please. Because they tell me for deprived people this is more than common. But hello, I don't come from depressistaan (my name for such a place). I come from somewhere, where every dream of getting educated in a fancy fashion was nurtured. That dream was fueled in all possible ways. Yes, that includes decorating my books with fancy stickers, covering them up with nice colored sheets, colorful charts (alphabets to the periodic table..u bet!!). So is my behavioral pattern plausible ?
May be or may be not. I guess I will have to learn to live with this. Wish me luck folks.
Meanwhile, next time you go to a mall, don't forget to sneak into the stationary section ;) It's a wonderful world!!
P.S. this blog comes after watching FRIENDS episode(season 2, episode 23. bingo!!) about Monica's small,cute obsessions. :)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
welcome to sajjanpur
The name does not really make it sound like a regular bollywood movie. Believe me it is very much and at the same time a wonderful movie.
The director this time is 'Shyam Benegal'. This name again does not connect with bollywood. But believe me this man is truly amazing. Read on to know more.
The story revolves around an educated, unemployed, endearing letter writer named 'mahadev' (Shreyas Talpade) who writes letters for the poor village people for money or no money. You get to see the quirks of village life through his eyes and writing. Its a very simple satirical tale of 'the urban Indian village'. There is a tender love story woven along, which makes the movie even more engaging. The tale cant be revealed here, for the simple reason that it is too simple. You have to watch it to enjoy it !
On the cinematic (storytelling) front, the movie drags initially. But after holding onto it for some time, you want to know what happens next. Like who wins the election, what happens to kamala, what about the mother who wants to marry her mangalik (someone with peculiar celestial patterns in her/his birth chart!!) girl to a dog, to get rid of the foreboding, etcetera to name a few. Its like you become a part of sajjanpur and the villager's daily life becomes yours!
The actors are the credit takers, of course after the director. Shreyas Talpade is just himself. The unconventional village lad, sensitive, over the top at times, sentimental, innocent, thoughtful. He's just perfect! Amrita Rao suits herself totally. She is innocence and simplicity personified. A village belle totally devoted to her husband, his dog and mother. There's of course more to her than the stupid Vivaah (where they totally ruined her innocent quality me thinks)!! Ila Arun as the distraught mother of a 20 yr old, bold, educated, mangalik village girl (Divya Dutta), is again amazing. The character of Munnibai (Ravi Jhankal) has been shaped so well, to focus on diverse cultural and sociological issues. But this does not make the movie serious, mind you. The acting department is 5 star, just kadak, in short!!
Lets talk about the man himself. Mr. Benegal so well knows what he is making. The movie has no bolly ishtyle glitter attached, but it is so mainstream at the same time. The movie remains a romantic comedy in its entirety, a few emotional shades here and there to increase the 'touching movie' quotient. Actually its not deliberate. Everything just fits into place. The nuances of the village life are shown so matter of factly, without lingering on any and thus not losing the crux. Most entertaining product from him!! (i have watched only zubeidaa, but films with names like nishant and manthan, for which he s acclaimed, don't sound like entertaining for masses).
Watch the movie as it will take you to your grandma's town (it took me for a moment), if not you would want to go to a village. Its light hearted as well as meaningful story telling makes it all the more than just a watch. The storyteller deserves to be listened!! (This line will make sense when you watch the movie :))
happy viewing!!
P.S. you can also find something here (Ketaki's blog).
The director this time is 'Shyam Benegal'. This name again does not connect with bollywood. But believe me this man is truly amazing. Read on to know more.
The story revolves around an educated, unemployed, endearing letter writer named 'mahadev' (Shreyas Talpade) who writes letters for the poor village people for money or no money. You get to see the quirks of village life through his eyes and writing. Its a very simple satirical tale of 'the urban Indian village'. There is a tender love story woven along, which makes the movie even more engaging. The tale cant be revealed here, for the simple reason that it is too simple. You have to watch it to enjoy it !
On the cinematic (storytelling) front, the movie drags initially. But after holding onto it for some time, you want to know what happens next. Like who wins the election, what happens to kamala, what about the mother who wants to marry her mangalik (someone with peculiar celestial patterns in her/his birth chart!!) girl to a dog, to get rid of the foreboding, etcetera to name a few. Its like you become a part of sajjanpur and the villager's daily life becomes yours!
The actors are the credit takers, of course after the director. Shreyas Talpade is just himself. The unconventional village lad, sensitive, over the top at times, sentimental, innocent, thoughtful. He's just perfect! Amrita Rao suits herself totally. She is innocence and simplicity personified. A village belle totally devoted to her husband, his dog and mother. There's of course more to her than the stupid Vivaah (where they totally ruined her innocent quality me thinks)!! Ila Arun as the distraught mother of a 20 yr old, bold, educated, mangalik village girl (Divya Dutta), is again amazing. The character of Munnibai (Ravi Jhankal) has been shaped so well, to focus on diverse cultural and sociological issues. But this does not make the movie serious, mind you. The acting department is 5 star, just kadak, in short!!
Lets talk about the man himself. Mr. Benegal so well knows what he is making. The movie has no bolly ishtyle glitter attached, but it is so mainstream at the same time. The movie remains a romantic comedy in its entirety, a few emotional shades here and there to increase the 'touching movie' quotient. Actually its not deliberate. Everything just fits into place. The nuances of the village life are shown so matter of factly, without lingering on any and thus not losing the crux. Most entertaining product from him!! (i have watched only zubeidaa, but films with names like nishant and manthan, for which he s acclaimed, don't sound like entertaining for masses).
Watch the movie as it will take you to your grandma's town (it took me for a moment), if not you would want to go to a village. Its light hearted as well as meaningful story telling makes it all the more than just a watch. The storyteller deserves to be listened!! (This line will make sense when you watch the movie :))
happy viewing!!
P.S. you can also find something here (Ketaki's blog).
Friday, September 26, 2008
for you my amigos...
Today we had a carnival at school as part of the homecoming week..
and i could not enjoy, not because i was worried about the approaching mid-terms or the impending assignments or the looming project submissions..
but because i was missing my friends..
so much that every event i took part in seemed meaningless (yeah sounds filmy :( but true)
the mela trips, the dinner outings, the rock concerts, the shopping sprees, the cook-outs, the gossip sessions, the endless chit-chatting about nothing in general, the movies, the dances, the college fests, the office coffee rooms, the collage competitions, the cubicle decoration, the shootouts (photos) for fun, the birthday surprises, the cake cuttings, the impromptu trips, the treks, badminton days, sudoku solving, the endless debates on moral issues, the parties...
sigh...
i shed a few tears,
thinking about you my dear..
the great times we had,
are a testimony that i was glad..
life turns a mystic hue,
as i wipe off the dew..
I miss you guys itna saara..
hope you all are doing good, wherever you are..
guess an episode or two of 'friends' will cheer me up :)
and i could not enjoy, not because i was worried about the approaching mid-terms or the impending assignments or the looming project submissions..
but because i was missing my friends..
so much that every event i took part in seemed meaningless (yeah sounds filmy :( but true)
the mela trips, the dinner outings, the rock concerts, the shopping sprees, the cook-outs, the gossip sessions, the endless chit-chatting about nothing in general, the movies, the dances, the college fests, the office coffee rooms, the collage competitions, the cubicle decoration, the shootouts (photos) for fun, the birthday surprises, the cake cuttings, the impromptu trips, the treks, badminton days, sudoku solving, the endless debates on moral issues, the parties...
sigh...
i shed a few tears,
thinking about you my dear..
the great times we had,
are a testimony that i was glad..
life turns a mystic hue,
as i wipe off the dew..
I miss you guys itna saara..
hope you all are doing good, wherever you are..
guess an episode or two of 'friends' will cheer me up :)
Milestone
They say one should celebrate life for no reason, because it is the most amazing festival of our lives. (OK no 'they' say this, my crappy brain conjured this up :D)
So as i hit '15 posts' in the month of September, i take this opportunity to raise a toast to amreeka, dell inspiron 1525 and a vella brain, to eat up so much of blogger's unlimited memory space !!!
(all of you gracefully stand up and applause!!!!)
thank you..thank you..
So many posts prove a lot of things in addendum to the above mentioned true-to-my-knowledge facts.
1. I am serious about writing..meaningful or not meaningful..crappy or some gems..
2. the reader count has increased
3. comments have increased..its good to know, people read me..how cool is that?
4. i am at least passionate about something..i mean at my age, its a serious cause of worry, if you don't feel the same drive towards things !?!?
anywho, nowadays, i feel more like this 'When everything comes your way you're in the wrong lane!!'
yeah, in spite of the fact that i don't drive a car, i don't have a job, i don't get to shop till i drop, i don't get to see my friends often (with the distance, 'online' is the place where we meet normally) and most importantly, the biggest woe, i don't have a nice life partner and a small little house looking over the sea!! I still feel like this.
So, is this some atypical syndrome? Or is this the typical 'whiny female' stuff?
Am i the only one? If you feel the same way, then please share, because i will feel better, in a sadistic 'thank god, i have company!' kind of way.
And if you still don't relate with any of this crap, then at least sympathize with me, by suggesting a good neuro-surgeon! I seriously suspect some nerve damage.
Remember its kind to help someone in distress!!
Specially someone who has 3 mid-terms in 2 days. Someone who does not even know a shard of the past few lectures she s been attending. And someone who s not been doing 'oh-so-great!!' in her assignments.
My first mid-terms sure look like a mile-stone (i will have to walk a mile to reach there..hehehe) in the supposedly life defining Master's program.
cheer up,
nightflier
So as i hit '15 posts' in the month of September, i take this opportunity to raise a toast to amreeka, dell inspiron 1525 and a vella brain, to eat up so much of blogger's unlimited memory space !!!
(all of you gracefully stand up and applause!!!!)
thank you..thank you..
So many posts prove a lot of things in addendum to the above mentioned true-to-my-knowledge facts.
1. I am serious about writing..meaningful or not meaningful..crappy or some gems..
2. the reader count has increased
3. comments have increased..its good to know, people read me..how cool is that?
4. i am at least passionate about something..i mean at my age, its a serious cause of worry, if you don't feel the same drive towards things !?!?
anywho, nowadays, i feel more like this 'When everything comes your way you're in the wrong lane!!'
yeah, in spite of the fact that i don't drive a car, i don't have a job, i don't get to shop till i drop, i don't get to see my friends often (with the distance, 'online' is the place where we meet normally) and most importantly, the biggest woe, i don't have a nice life partner and a small little house looking over the sea!! I still feel like this.
So, is this some atypical syndrome? Or is this the typical 'whiny female' stuff?
Am i the only one? If you feel the same way, then please share, because i will feel better, in a sadistic 'thank god, i have company!' kind of way.
And if you still don't relate with any of this crap, then at least sympathize with me, by suggesting a good neuro-surgeon! I seriously suspect some nerve damage.
Remember its kind to help someone in distress!!
Specially someone who has 3 mid-terms in 2 days. Someone who does not even know a shard of the past few lectures she s been attending. And someone who s not been doing 'oh-so-great!!' in her assignments.
My first mid-terms sure look like a mile-stone (i will have to walk a mile to reach there..hehehe) in the supposedly life defining Master's program.
cheer up,
nightflier
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)