All Thingz Considered

Can you stay home tomorrow ?

2010-04-08T15:15:00.001-04:00

4yr old : Mommy.. when will summer arrive ?
Mommy: Soon..
4yr old : Can we go camping ?
Mommy: sure..
4yr old : Summer is lot of fun.
Mommy: Yes. I like summer too...
4yr old : Mommy.. I have a great idea..
Mom : What is it ?
4 yr old : How about you stay home from tomorrow ? And we can play everyday.. and have lots of fun even before summer arrives..

Mother Tongue - Is it really a big deal.. ?

2010-03-19T14:50:00.005-04:00

I was reading something on a friend's blog which got me thinking about this -

Is it really a big deal if you are not thinking or talking to yourself in your own native language/mother tongue ? Like my friend, I seem to be more comfortable speaking, typing, arguing or discussing in english more than in my mother tongue.. But, is that a bad thing ?

Agreed, we grew up speaking our mother tongue at home.. its what we first learn from childhood, so we are "supposed" to be most comfortable speaking it than other languages.. But, is it something bad if you are more comfortable speaking some other language than your own ?!

Back when i was about 8/9 may be ..when my english teacher used to tell me that to know a language and speak it really well, you must think in the language.. and I remember consciously making myself "think" in english.. I guess most of us convent-school-goers kinda grew up.. thinking in "english" even though its not our mother tongue... So, may be we got used to thinking more in english than our own language.. Ofcourse attending schools in places where the students come from different regions also makes it such that one cannot use their native language everywhere.. Not to mention higher-education books are all in english and sometimes there is total lack jargons in the regional language.. which gets us using english more often.. Its almost like a necessity.. especially in the corporate.. globalized job market.. too..u cant get anywhere in most parts of the world without english..

But, thinking about the question of whether its something one should feel bad about.. I am not so sure.. Granted, we need to speak our own language.. its who we are.. our identity.. to preserve our culture and rich history and heritage... etc .. But, ultimately, isnt language a means to express your feelings and thoughts.. ? a tool that enables us to interact with the other social beings in the world... Does it really matter what exactly it is ?

OK ...after saying all of that, I should probably add, living outside of India, I do try to enforce speaking in our regional language at home.. with my kids..esp.. I teach them every word quite religiously.. and they might wonder the same in future.. But, if they wont learn it, they wont be able to appreciate or enjoy some things I do.. they may not be able to communicate with grandparents and other relatives who cant speak english.. and that would be a shame.. :)

So my take on this.. the most number of languages you are comfortable with, the better it is for you in this world.. :) I would learn spanish and chinese.. if I get a chance...

Thought for the day..

2010-03-16T09:28:00.003-04:00

Read this somewhere today -

"Winners see the dream and develop plans while the rest see the obstacles & develop justifications."

Very very true..

Ugadi Wishes !!

Avatar

2010-03-09T10:24:00.004-05:00

Watched Avatar over the weekend. Pretty entertaining 2 hrs 40mins.. We watched the 3D version and I would recommend the same to anyone who is yet to watch.. Havent been to a theater in ages.. Got so used to the comfort and convenience of watching DVDs on my big screen HDTV..that I never felt the need to go watch something at the theater.. but this was fun.. Now if one could have the same 3D HD experience at home.. whats better than that ? 3D HD DVDs in the market ?

Back from hiatus.. (atleast for now..)

2010-03-08T14:43:00.003-05:00

After a long hiatus.. I am back to blogging again...I figured that if I put off things due to lack of time, I'll probably never get to them.. My life is getting busier day by day.. and if I want to do something, I should probably try to squeeze it in the hectic schedule somehow.. :) We'll see how long i continue on this thought process..

I am not sure if I can keep up with the blogging.. but, at least resolving to start again.. is a big deal.. right ?!

मेघा छाए आधी रात - शर्मीली

2009-05-20T10:58:00.000-04:00

मेघा छाए आधी रात
बैरन बन गई निंदिया
बतादे मैं क्या करुँ
मेघा छाए आधी रात

सब के आँगन दिया जले रे मोरे आँगन जिया ...
हवा लागे शूल जैसी ताना मारे चुनरिया ...
आई है आँसूं की बरात ...
बैरन बन गई निंदिया
बतादे मैं क्या करुँ
मेघा छाए आधी रात
बैरन बन गई निंदिया

आ आ
रूठ गए रे सपने सारे टूट गई रे आशा ....
नैन बहे रे गंगा मोरे फिर भी मन हें प्यासा ....
किसे काहूँ रे मन की बात
बैरन बन गई निंदिया
बतादे मैं क्या करून
मेघा छाए आधी रात
बैरन बन गई निंदिया

कुछ दिल ने कहा..- अनुपमा

2009-05-20T10:36:00.000-04:00

कुछ दिल ने कहा.. आ आ..
कुछ भी नही ... ई ई
कुछ दिल ने सुना ... आ आ
कुछ भी नही ....ई ई

ऐसी भी बातें होती हैं
ऐसी भी बातें होती हैं
कुछ दिल ने कहा.. आ आ..
कुछ भी नही ....ई ई

लेता है दिल अन्ग्दायिन्यान
इस दिल को समझाए कोई
आरमान न आँखें खोल दे
रसुवा न हो जाए कोई
पलकों की ठंडी सेज पर
सपनों की परियां सोती हैं

ऐसी भी बातें होती हैं
ऐसी भी बातें होती हैं
कुछ दिल ने कहा आ आ
कुछ भी नहीं ..

दिल की तसल्ली के लिए
झूटी चमक झूठा निखार
जीवन थो सूना ही रहा
सब समझे आई है बहार
कलियों से.. कोई पूछता ...
हस्तीं हैं वोह या रोती हैं

ऐसी भी बातें होती हैं
ऐसी भी बातें होती हैं
कुछ दिल ने कहा ...
कुछ भी नही ....ई ई ...

कुछ दिल ने सुना आ आ ..
कुछ भी नही ....ई ई ॥

सारे सपने कहीं खो गए..

2009-05-07T07:30:00.000-04:00

मोहब्बत पलकों पे कितने हसीं खवाब सजाती है..
फूलों से महकत खवाब..
सितारों से जगमगात खवाब..
शबनम से बरसत खवाब..
फिर कभी यूँ भी होता है की
पलकों की डालियों से खवाबों
के सारे परिंदे उड़ जात
हैं..और आँखें वीरान सी रह जाती हैं"

सारे सपने कहीं खो गए..
हाय हम क्या से क्या हो गए..
दिल से तन्हाई का दर्द जीता
क्या कहें हम पे क्या क्या न बीता..
तुम न आए, मगर जो गए..
हाय हम क्या से क्या हो गए॥

सारे सपने कहीं खो गए..
हाय हम क्या से क्या हो गए..

तुमने हमसे कहीं थी जो बातें..
उनको दोहराती हैं गम की रातें..
तुमसे मिलने के दिन तो गए..
हाय हम क्या से क्या हो गए..

सारे सपने कहीं खो गए..
हाय हम क्या से क्या हो गए..

कोई शिकवा न कोई गिला है..
तुमसे कब हमको यह गम मिला है...
हाँ नसीब अपने ही सो गए..
हाय हम क्या से क्या हो गए..

सारे सपने कहीं खो गए..
हाय हम क्या से क्या हो गए..

ఏ దివి లో విరిసిన పారిజాతమో ...

2009-03-09T10:08:00.000-04:00

ఏ దివి లో విరిసిన పారిజాతమో
ఏ కవి లో మెరిసిన ప్రేమ గీతమో
నా మది లో నీవై నిండి పోయెనే ....
ఏ దివి లో విరిసిన పారిజాతమో
ఏ కవి లో మెరిసిన ప్రేమ గీతమో..

నీ రూపమే దివ్య దీపమై
నీ నవ్వులే నవ్య తారలై
నా కన్నుల వెన్నెల కాంతి నింపెనే....

పాల బుగ్గలను లేత సిగ్గు తో పల్లవించగా రావే
నీలి ముంగురులు పిల్ల గాలి తో ఆటలాడగా రావే
కాలి అందియలు ఘల్లు ఘల్లు మన రాజ హంస ల రావే.....

నిదుర మబ్బులను మెరుపు తీగ వై కలలు రేపినది నీవే
బ్రతుకు వీణ పై పరనయ రాగములు ఆలపించినది నీవే
పదము పదము లో మధువులూరగా కావ్య సంధ్య వై రావే...

ఏ దివి లో విరిసిన పారిజాతమో
ఏ కవి లో మెరిసిన ప్రేమ గీతమో
నా మది లో నీవై నిండి పోయెనే ....
ఏ దివి లో విరిసిన పారిజాతమో
ఏ కవి లో మెరిసిన ప్రేమ గీతమో..

दिल चुरालिया साथिया - साया

2009-02-17T12:43:00.000-05:00

Few years ago..on a sunday afternoon... when I was listening to our 3 hour community radio show .. (which plays movie songs from the subcontinent), I heard this song.. that just touched my heart.. too bad I missed the name of the movie.. But the tune of the song lingered in my mind.. especially the chorus/pallavi ;) of the song.. And I just remembered... " Dil churaliya .. saathiya.. " (and no other words)..which I thought was the best of the whole song.. The whole song is decent .. but the chorus and the tune its sung in... is just superb.. !! All these years...I..forgot about it.. many times.. and then remembered many other times.. thought of googling it.. but never made it..until today..

And wonder why ? this morning at 5:20 AM when I got up to start my day and get ready to go to work, I woke up with this song in my head.. !! Sang it all along(..yeah only the Dil churaliya saathiya.. part..).. while getting ready... and decided today I must listen to it somewhere and find out what the rest of the lovely chorus was so that I could learn and sing more than 3 words..... :) and here it is... the chorus/pallavi of the song.. thats so addicting..

रुत मस्त मस्त ये दिन ये वक़्त
मौसम ने क्या जादू किया ...
दिल चुरालिया साथिया ......
दिल चुरालिया साथिया.....

And after listening to the whole song again.. I still love the chorus the best.. The rest of the song has nice lyrics.. but a little bit slow.. But, I cant help myself from not listening to it on repeat..just for those 4 lines of chorus.. above.. when ever I listen to it.. causes goosebumps..all over !! .... music and songs incite feelings like nothing else.. in this world... LOVE IT...

Here is the whole song... if you are interested... tried translating into english .. but it sounds kind of silly in english... I cant come up with the right english words that can convey what I feel when I listen to that particular hindi.. word.. so I wont ruin it by translating.. ! But, if you are still curious.. its worth learning hindi.. if u are a hopeless romantic music fan like me..
many many songs you will love.. :))

Movie: Saaya
Singers : Alka Yagnik & Udit Narayan
Music Directors : M.M.Kreem and Anu Malik
Pictured on : John Abraham & Tara Sharma

ओ साथिया..... ओ बेलिया .....
देखी है पहली बार...... आंखों ने यह बहार
रुत मस्त मस्त ये दिन ये वक़्त
मौसम ने क्या जादू किया ...
दिल चुरालिया साथिया ......
दिल चुरालिया साथिया.....

देखी है पहली बार...... आंखों ने ये बहार
रुत मस्त मस्त ये दिन ये वक़्त
मौसम ने क्या जादू किया ...
दिल चुरालिया साथिया ......
दिल चुरालिया साथिया.....

दिल था प्यासा... बस हमने सारा..... सागर को घूँट में पी लिया ...
पल दो पल में बस आज ही कल में .... हम ने सौ साल के जनम जी लिया॥

देखा है पहली बार जीवन के आर पार
रुत ये मस्त मस्त यह दिन यह वक़्त
मौसम ने क्या जादू किया ...
दिल चुरालिया साथिया...
दिल चुरालिया साथिया...

फूलों को तो खिलते देखा था कांटे भी आज तो खिल गए॥
लोगों को तो..... मिलते देखा था .....
यह धरती आसमान मिल गए
आया है पहली बार
किस्मत पे ऐतबार

रुत ये मस्त मस्त यह दिन यह वक़्त
मौसम ने क्या जादू किया ...
दिल चुरालिया साथिया...
दिल चुरालिया साथिया...

देखी है पहली बार...... आंखों ने यह बहार

रुत मस्त मस्त ये दिन ये वक़्त
मौसम ने क्या जादू किया ...
दिल चुरालिया साथिया ......
दिल चुरालिया साथिया.....

Why buying gift cards is not such a good idea anymore ?

2008-11-06T14:56:00.001-05:00

Do you give and receive a lot of gift cards ?? If yes, then you better get used taking the risk they come with...

When the store gift cards were first introduced, it seemed like such a great idea.. !! It is a great idea for the most part..if you know the receiver will want to buy something from that store.

But, these days with the economic melt downs, you dont know when the stores are going out of business/declaring bankruptcy.. ! If you dont follow up with all the news, and find out a little late, you may be surprised to know that the $50 gift card that you were saving to use at a mega sale.. wouldnt be accepted any more..

A New Beginning...

2008-11-05T09:45:00.000-05:00

With so much media focus on the elections ... there is no way anyone would have missed the election news... I have been following the reports pretty closely.. for the past 2 yrs almost..and yesterday.. finally.. it came to an end. My belief in "nothing is inevitable"..."everything is possible".. in the land of opportunity and hope.. has been renewed.. !! Not only will these elections go into the history books.. about the many firsts involved in it.. but it also showed that the people of the country can ...in one voice.. say what they feel....through their fundamental right to vote...

I tried to stay away from blogging about the "sensitive issues"... on this blog.. for quite sometime now and found myself in short of words to say.. It almost seems like all I have to say these days.. is about topics that are deemed as "sensitive".. But, then I thought, the whole purpose of why I started blogging was to share my thoughts with the world.. and if I am holding back on the real important things.. then there is no point.. ! So, today I decided to move my self-imposed blogging boundaries a little farther.. and let loose..

Change has been pending in America..for a while now.. and no matter which candidate was chosen to be the 44th president, change seems inevitable. Its what kind of change, that we want and how we make it happen..are the things that divide us.. But, everyone agrees.. that change.. is needed.. a change..

Where the goodness of the people and greatness of the country is still alive and thriving..
Where the world looks up for leadership..that can unite..not divide..
Where it is still the land of hope and opportunity for everyone in the world..
Where this great country is viewed as a friend, philosopher and guide.. not a bully..
Where the leaders understand war is the absolute last resort ..if nothing else works..
Where family values and moral ethics are strong and unshakeable..
Where people dont worry about their jobs being secure and providing for the family
Where people dont have to think twice about visiting a doctor when they are sick
Where kids can go to school and expect to get top-class education that would make them very competitive in the current global market
Where hard work is appreciated and rewarded...
Where people can live their lives peacefully without fear of crime or terror
Where everyone realizes the need to conserve the diminishing.. invaluable natural resources
Where people are able to buy and sell homes.. without panic..
Where people of different religions, national origins, colors, culture..coexist as people of one country as fellow human beings
Where personal freedoms of different sorts are valuable.. and cherished by individuals..not abused or misused
and the list goes on and on...

Its a new beginning.... On a brand new morning.. of hope and opportunity that the people of the world are longing for.. !! The one that our new president-elect promises...You can tell from my tone, that I am especially feeling patriotic/sentimental today ... and I am eager to see the change everyone has been talking about these past couple of years.. Lets see what is in store.. and how the change will come about..and lets all be a part of it..

నువ్వే నా శ్వాస

2008-08-05T14:17:00.000-04:00

నువ్వే... నా శ్వాస...
మనసున నీకై.. అభిలాష...
బ్రతుకైన నీతోనే ...
చితికైన నీతోనే...
వెతికేది నే నిన్నేనని..
చెప్పాలని...... చిన్ని ఆశ..

ఓ ప్రియతమా ఊఁ ప్రియతమా....

నువ్వే... నా శ్వాస
మనసున నీకై.. అభిలాష

ఓఓఓఓఒ....
తారననమ్ తనన తననం..
తరననం తనన తననం..
తరననం తనన తననం..
పువ్వుల్లో పరిమలాలన్ని పరిచయమే చేసావు
తరాల్లో మెరుపులన్ని దోసిలి లో నింపావు
మబ్బుల్లో చినుకులన్ని మనసులోన కురిపిమ్చావు
నవ్వుల్లో నవలోకాన్ని నా ముందే నిలిపినావు గా
నీ జ్ఞాపకాలన్నీ ...ఏ జన్మలోనైనా..
నే మరవలేనని.. నీ తో చెప్పాలని..చిన్ని ఆశ..

ఓ ప్రియతమా ఓ ప్రియతమా....
నువ్వే... నా శ్వాస
మనసున నీకై.. అభిలాష

సూర్యునితో పంపుతున్న.. అనురాగపు కిరణాన్ని
గాలులతో పంపుతున్న ..ఆరాధన రాగాన్ని
ఎరులతో పంపుతున్న.. ఆరాటపు ప్రవాహాన్ని
దారుతులతో పంపెస్తున్న..అలుపెరుగని హృదయ లయలన్ని
ఏ చోట నువ్వున్న...... నీ కొరకు చూస్తున్న.....
నా ప్రేమ సందేశం విని వస్తావని....చిన్ని ఆశ..

ఓ ప్రియతమా ఓ ప్రియతమా....

देखा तेरी मस्ती..

2008-07-16T13:48:00.000-04:00

देखा तेरी मस्ती नीगाहों में
नशा है अदा है मोहब्बत है हो
आजा तुझे बाहों में ले लू मैं
रूप यह गज़ब है क़यामत है
धड़कने तेज़ हो जाने दो॥
प्यार में होश खो जाने दो॥

यह हुस्न और यह मस्तियाँ
छाने लगी है मदहोशियाँ
उफ़ दो दिलों के साज़ पर
गाने लगी हैं खामोशियाँ
अपनी जुल्फों की खुशबू उड़ा
और मुझको दीवाना बना

रुसुवायीयों से डरता है मन
अच्छा नही दीवानापन्
तू ने मुझे यूँ चूलिया
कांप उठा मेरा बदन
यूँ न देखो मुझे ओ सनम
डगमगाने लगे हैं कदम

सुन ये समां कहता है क्या
रुसुवायीयों का डर भूल जा
दिल को सनम समझा ज़रा
यूँ न मेरे नज़दीक आ
आँख झुकने लगी है मेरी॥
सुनके ये बातें जादू भरी॥

देखा है मस्ती निगाहों की
शौक ये गज़ब की शरारत की॥

One more farewell...

2008-07-11T08:05:00.000-04:00

Farewell... as per wikipedia - "is a wish of happiness or welfare at parting, especially a permanent departure"..

Well, thats just only a part meaning.. ! There is the other big part of sadness because the permanent departure means you will not see the person(s) as often as you could now.. (I am optimistic of meeting all my friends at some point in life.. inspite of the farewell. .So, I'd like to think I'll see them less often.. !!) So, you are sad you cannot do all the things you did together while you were in closer proximity.. I thought I was done with farewells when I left college.. ! But how naive I was to think so.. ! I am not done making friends after college...so how can there be no farewells ? There will be the bitter-sweet emotions associated with it always.. as long as I keep making friends.. hmm... ! Even though I kind of know it theoritically, somehow everytime I have to say goodbye to someone... I have to go through the same thought process.. .from square 1.

Today, I'll be bidding a farewell.. to another dear friend..! We laughed, danced..fought..played.. watched movies.. shared feelings..and even baked a cake together :)) I would miss having her around..And hope the best for her always.. ! Like with all my other friends that I had to say farewell to.. I hope to see her sometime again in future... ! And ...in spite of the physical distance that keeps us apart.. she will always be near and dear to my heart.. !

Movagagh Bashi Azizam ! (Goodbye Dear Friend ! In persian.. my friend 's native language)

Old friends.. New Intros..

2008-06-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

Today, I was going through an email account I hardly use and found a message from an old friend. And I happened to notice that he has his own domain now. I went to the site and checked it out. The first thing that striked me is the template theme and I smiled to myself. Then I quickly scrolled through the content and found a few articles about music, reviews, tributes and ramblings... There is a lot that seems interesting.. and lots I have opinions about.. and like to comment on. So, for now I just linked to his site here and posted this article.

Now the interesting part - though I haven't been blogging as much, and haven't been in regular contact with my friends, our blogs seem to have many similarities.. Guess why we became friends in the first place.. :) I'll have to look up on more of my friends' blogs.. :) Its like getting re-introduced to them again.. through the blogosphere.. !

Activities for Summer

2008-05-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

Here is my activities list for this summer :

1. Go camping on a weekend (some place close by)
2. Picnic in a local park (just an afternoon thing)
3. Barbecue & Dinner party (early meeting around 4 pm ..upto midnight on saturday night)
4. Visit the zoo
5. Visit the park
6. Go to the pool
7. Fly kites
8. Fruit picking
9. Vegetable Gardening
10. Take advantage of all the free events/activities on weekends

e.g:Hot air balloon festival, Pumpkin Picking, Fruit Picking etc..,

diivaane ho ke ham

2008-04-30T09:07:00.000-04:00

One of the most wonderfully sung.. and written romantic songs..of Sonu ! I cant explain enough in words.. ! His voice is just made for songs like this.. I think..

Album : Jaan
Singer: Sonu Nigam

diivaane ho ke ham milne lage sanam
jab se jude hain silsile
aankhon se rut kar niindhe chaliigaayii
na jaane kaise gul khile
na jaane kaise pyaar huaa
na jaane kaise ikaraar huaa
ke apnii baat ban gayii

dhadakataa hai dil tumhaare liye
eye husne jaan zaraa sochiye..
ye kyaa dillagii.. ye kyaa hai sitham..
aaye abhii abhii chal diye..
mitenge kaise yah faasale...

diivaane ho ke ham milne lage sanam
jab se jude hain silsile
aankhon se rut kar niindhe chaliigaayii
na jaane kaise gul khile

mukaddar meraa savar jaane do
dil jo kahe vo kar jaane do
merii baahon mein chale aao tum
had se mujhe guzar jaane do
ke aao lagaaloon tum ko gale

diivaane ho ke ham milne lage sanam
jab se jude hain silsile
aankhon se rut kar niindhe chaliigaayii
na jaane kaise gul khile
na jaane kaise pyaar huaa
na jaane kaise ikaraar huaa
ke apnii baat ban gayii...
he laa laa la la..

O My Friend...

2008-04-29T14:18:00.000-04:00

Over the weekend, we had a surprise farewell party for one of our close friends who is moving back to India for good.. ! And some of us sang the song from Happy Days (O My Friend) .. brought tears into all our eyes... became very sentimental and emotional.. Even some of the guys had watery eyes.. though they didn't really cry.. like us mortal gals :) Its kind of a mixed feelings..occasion.. we were happy.. they were able to make the hard decision that many of us wish to make.. but are afraid of doing it ! on the other hand we would miss them here..

Looks like there is no way to NOT MISS anyone.. in life these days.. ! First move to a new place in search of opportunities..and better life.. while we are here, miss our family in India.. then as time goes on, somehow we don't see it as being better anymore..we start to question as to why we are where we are..and think about going back.. and when we do go back to where we came from, we miss the life here. Some people are bold enough to realize and make a decision to transition early, some take more time.. ! And then there are another group of people who never moved anywhere else, and they itch for change.. ! whatever people do, nothing is ever satisfactory..to anyone.. Why do we impose such things upon ourselves.. ?

चलते चलते मेरे ये गीत याद रखना कभी अलविदा न कहना ... कभी अलविदा न कहना॥

Happy Days ..

2008-04-24T13:09:00.000-04:00

Its a telugu movie.. based on some college going students.. how they become friends.. some lovers.. and how they spend their college life together..! There isnt one familiar face in the movie.. ! But.. who cares ! It is well made movie by Sekhar Kammula. I have really liked all of his movies so far.. Will watch out for more..
The songs of the movie are very good.. situational.. and pleasant.."O My Friend" especially... makes me all psenti.. each and everytime I listen to it.. Some images of a few dear friends.. flash in front of my eyes.. !

After a long long time.. I saw something .. I could actually identify with.. ! The college days were indeed the Happiest Days of my life.. The only thing that was somewhat important was to make good grades ! Nothing else... to bother.. No worries.. No responsibilites.. Just friends.. fun and.. happiness.. How much fun it was... !! I wish I knew that then.. ! Not until the final semester.. did I realize what happenned in the past 4 years was something to remember.. and cherish forever.. !

All you college-goers out there.. enjoy life and friends .. while you can.. ! Life will get in the way.. pretty soon..

2 Interesting Websites

2008-04-15T19:32:00.000-04:00

I truly believe the thing people say - "A single picture conveys a thousand words"... I think pictures do speak a lot more that words fall short of.. and many times in much easier and simple way.. ! I doubt many people would counter that.. Anyway.. then isnt there an easy way for people to learn a 1000 new words.. by just looking at a picture ?? Well.. apparently there is..
http://visual.merriam-webster.com/
Here's what they say about it :
The Visual Dictionary Online is an interactive dictionary with an innovative approach.
From the image to the word and its definition, the Visual Dictionary Online is an all-in-one reference. Search the themes to quickly locate words, or find the meaning of a word by viewing the image it represents. What’s more, the Visual Dictionary Online helps you learn English in a visual and accessible way. The Visual Dictionary Online is ideal for teachers, parents, translators and students of all skill levels. Explore the Visual Dictionary Online and enrich your mind. Perfect for home, school or work. Discover a visual world of information! Pretty cool haan ? I think so anyway.. !

Then for the first time I found something interesting from the "Ads" on a website.. Apparently you could invent new things and share them with people ... get patents.. and do it all online.. Ofcourse you have to have a good idea to begin with.. hmm.. the creative side of me got extremely curious and I went on to check it out.. ! The first think I did was to check out the stuff that was posted on there already.. some sample ideas/inventions..people are coming up with.. and first i thought it was all not so great ideas.. like the air filter thing that you insert into your mouth immediately after you inhale ..it supposedly purifies all the air before it goes into your lung.. probably does.. But I do like to talk while i breath and that doesnt seem too convenient.. hmm.. Then I found another one that I thought was great.. coz I thought about that many times.. about saving water while washing dishes or brushing teeth.. feeling lazy to turn it on and off many people do let the water run.. and its such a waste.. So, someone proposed a foot pedal that acts like the faucet.. that controls the water flow.. Neat idea ! Then i found something else and something else.. and they all seem to help to do something better.. or conserve resources ... Its a good read... when you find some time.. either to instigate laughter or to trigger a thought.. Check it out.. http://www.inventnow.org/

Charity Concert - Mano & Usha

2008-04-08T10:27:00.001-04:00

Went to a short "For Charity" Concert over the weekend with a couple of friends... The program was scheduled to start at 7:00 PM. But for "unknown technical reasons", it started around 8:30PM. And while Mano was singing the Song #2 of the day, the microphones went mute ! Terrible.. ! And then they had some issues again and again.. this went on for about a half hour. Finally, around 9:00 PM.. things started to work ! Thank Goodness.. We were expecting to be home by about 9:30 PM.. but that didnt seem a possibility. Anyway.. since the singing finally got started we sat through..

They sang some of my favorite Telugu songs of all time and that was fun. Since it was a very small intimate setting, we got to speak to the singers and take pictures with them. Mano was energetic.. and Usha was very simple and down to earth. She kept running into backstage immediately after every song and we wondered what was going on. Later we realized there was a 10 month old waiting for mommy to stop singing and come back to hold him....

Despite these initial hiccups, it was a great concert.I'd like to do more of this in future..

तेरा मेरा रिश्ता

2008-03-13T08:52:00.000-04:00

तेरा यकीन क्यों
मैंने किया नही
तुझसे रहा क्यों जुदा
मुझ पे ये ज़िंदगी
करती रही सितम
तूने ही दी है पनाह
तेरा मेरा रिश्ता पुराना
तेरा मेरा रिश्ता पुराना
तेरा मेरा रिश्ता पुराना

यह क्या तड़प है
है यह कैसी सज़ा
तू क्यों मुझे याद आगया
बेचैन दिन मेरे
बेचैन रातें हैं
क्या मैं करूं कुछ बता

यह मेरे पाऊँ ही
ख़ुद मेरी बेडियाँ हैं
मुझ से तू मुझे छुडा
तेरा मेरा रिश्ता पुराना

क्या मुझमें है
शख्स वह कह रहा
आ अब मैं दू क़र्ज़ तेरा चुका
आंखें है नम मेरी
साँसें चुभन मेरी
दिल के वीराने में
मेरे फ़साने में
तू ही तूही तो हर दम रहा
तेरा मेरा रिश्ता पुराना
तेरा मेरा रिश्ता पुराना
तेरा मेरा रिश्ता पुराना

All time favorite (Hindi) love songs ..

2008-03-11T13:03:00.000-04:00

Yeah.. there are many such lists on many websites. But, this is mine :)
Here are my all time favorite love songs in Hindi (in no particular order. its so hard to pick 1 most favorite song you know.. considering the list i have here.. ;))

Golden Oldies
---------------
Hamen Tumse Pyaar Kitna (Kudrat)
O Mere Dil Ke Chain (Mera Jeevan Saathi)
Dil Aaj Shaair Hai (Gambler)
Tere Bina Zindagi Se (Aandhi)
Aap jaisa koi (Qurbani)
Oh Saathi Re (Muqaddar Ka Sikander)
Jaane Kaise Kab Kahan (Shakti)
Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein (Kabhi Kabhi)
Likhe Jo Khath Tujhe (Kanyadaan)
Jaayiye Aap Kahan Jaayenge (Mere Sanam)
Tum Bin Jaaon Kahan(Pyar Ka Mausam)
Gum hai Kisi ke Pyar Mein(Rampur Ka Lakshman)
Baahon mein chale aa aao (Anamika)
Meri Bheegi Bheegi Si (Anamika)
Churaliya hai tumne jo (Yaadon Ki Baarat)
Dil Aaj Shaayar Hai (Gambler)
Dil Ke Jharoke Mein (Brahmachari)
Dil Kya Kare (Julie)
Aap Ki Nazaron Ne Samjha (Anpad)
Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (Mughal-E-Azam)
Sau baar janam lenge (Ustaadon ke Ustaad)
Yeh Zindagi Useeki Hai (Anarkali)
Jo Wada Kiya Woh (Taj Mahal)

From the more recent times:
-----------------------------
In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein(Jodhaa Akbar)
Tere Bin (Bas Ek Pal)
Tere Liye (Veer Zaara)
Do Pal (Veer Zaara)
Silsila yeh chaahat ka (Devdas)
Sau Dard (Jaanemann)
Chupke Se (Saathiya)
Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai (Jism)
Suraj Hua Maddham (Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham)
Zara Zara (Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein)
Kabhi Shaam Dhale To (Sur)
Koi Fariyaad (Tum Bin)
Pyar Tune Kya Kiya (Pyar Tune Kya Kiya)
Aap Ke Pyar Mein (Raaz)
Kismat se tum (Pukar)
Tum Mile (Criminal)
Yeh Haseen Vaadiyan(Roja)
Is Pyar Se Meri Taraf (Chamatkar)
Kissa Hum Likhenge (Doli Sajaake Rakhna)
Are re Are yeh kya hua (Dil To Pagal Hai)
Tujhe Dekha To Yeh Jaana (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge)
Ho gaya hai tujhko (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge)
Pehla Pehla Pyar Hai (Hum Aapke Hain Kaun)
Akele Hain To Kya (Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak)
Aate Jaate Haste Gaate(Maine Pyar Kiya)
Pehla Nasha (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander)
Dheere Dheere Se(Aashiqui)
Bheegi Bheegi si ye (Gangster)

Lesser Known Favorites (Old, new.. everything)
-------------------------
Taarein hain Baraathi (Viraasat)
Tere dar par sanam (Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi)
Kaash Tum Mujhse (Aatish)
Sambhaala Hai Maine Bahut (Naaraaz)
Kehta Hai Pal Pal (Major Saab)
Jab Koi Baat Bigad(Jurm)
Honton Se Choolo Tum(Prem Geet)
Tumse Milke (Parinda)
Chupke Chupke Raat Din (Nikaah)
Akhiyon Ke Jharokon Se (Akhiyon Ke Jharokon Se)
Kitne Bhi Tu Karle Sitam (Sanam Teri Kasam)
Chehra Hai Ya chaand(Saagar)
Wada Karo Nahin Chodoge (Aa Gale Lag Ja)
Tu Tu Hai Wahi (Yeh Wada Raha)
Dekha Teri Mast Nigaahon mein (Khiladi)

.... and the list continues..

ARE ...

2008-03-11T11:29:00.000-04:00

I'd rather be a could-be
if I cannot be an are;
because a could-be is a maybe
who is reaching for a star.

I'd rather be a has-been
than a might-have-been, by far;
for a might have-been has never been,
but a has was once an are

Value vs Effort / Cost

2008-03-08T12:06:00.000-05:00

This seems to be a question I have to answer in most things I do these days.. Whether its at work, or buying something or even blogging.. ! How much value does this generate ? Is it worth it ? This question is popping up more in my head these days.. Have I become .....hmmm too calculative ? Or is it just that life is full of such decisions for everyone ?!

Music - Passion.. Love..Obsession.. ?

2008-03-04T14:55:00.000-05:00

If u love something u eat, u eat more of it until ur stomach is full ... u wear a dress u love many many times.. what do u do when u love a song.. listen to it over and over right ?! I have been listening to the same piece of music over and over from the past 3 days.. No i am not bored.. infact I have a really strong desire to do something with it. I have no idea what ! Music instigates emotions in your heart and soul that give u such pleasure... that cannot be explained in words... one has to feel to understand what I am trying to say here...

So, have you ever fallen in love with a piece of music so much so that how much ever you listen to it ... you are not satisfied ? Has it ever happenned to you ? It has happenned to me many times. I donno if I am just passionate..hopelessly emotional.. or just plain crazy.. ?? I wonder ! Whatever I am, I do know this : Music has the power to influence people's minds in ways unimaginable.

Jodhaa Akbar

2008-03-03T10:58:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am back from my vacation. And while I was in India, I got to watch the Ashutosh Gowariker's movie "Jodhaa Akbar" with my family.

I wasnt sure about how Hrithik would fit in the period movie after his sauve and stylish .. totally contemporary Dhoom2. I think he is a good actor, so I was positive it will be decent. But after I watched the movie, I am in dearth of words to talk about how wonderful his portrayal of Jalaaluddin Mohammad Akbar was. Too good. Cant imagine anyone else in the role of Akbar who would have done it better than him in this movie. I have never seen a picture of Akbar.. I am not sure if there is one. When i thought of Akbar, the face of Prithviraj Kapoor in Anarkali came into my mind before. But after Jodhaa Akbar, I'd like to think Akbar was more like Hrithik ;) And, for the first time ever I actually liked Aishwarya Rai in a movie. So, thats a first ! She looked very pretty and played the role of Jodhaa really well. Ashutosh deserves a lot of praise in conceiving the characters of Akbar and Jodha ... the way we see in the movie...the choice of actors and how he brought out the best in them for the context. The chemistry between them is great.

Music is pretty good. The background score is superb. Kind of reminded me of the background score of the chinese movie "Hero" but does have a uniquely indian flavor most times that makes it well suited to this movie. All songs are really good. The urdu dialogues were so well written and the delivery and timing by Hrithik was superb. There are many good ones.. my most favorite one being the one where he accepts her 2 conditions for marriage. "....उनकी शर्ते इन्शिया अल्लाह लफ्ज़ बा लफ्ज़ पूरी होंगी॥ " Again the dialogue by itself would have been incomplete without the accompanying background music..creating a sense of relief and appreciation through music and without words.. !

All the love scenes and the music accompanying them are very sweet and well executed. My favorite song is the "In lamhon ke daman mein" in sonu's lovely voice. And my most favorite sequence happens during the Mann Mohana song.. when Hrithik is at the Diwan-E-Aam and Aish starts to sing, he is just magically drawn to her, mesmerized... and lost in the melody of her voice/song.. Hrithik/Jalaal walks through the various doors in a daze.. curious and eager to see Aish/Jodhaa..And then he sees her unveiled for the very first time.. and is awestruck.. ! "Love at first sight " should I say.. Wow.. I just loved that scene.. :) The background score by AR Rehman is brilliant in this whole sequence...its like a sweet longing... with a classical touch.. Just thinking about it gives me goose bumps.. ! Cant explain in words anymore.. ! You must see it and feel it. The same score is used initially in the song when the bride's party travels to the venue of the marriage and she is travelling in the palanquin.

Anyway.. I am eagerly waiting for the DVD. It will be something I will watch many times in future I am sure. Overall its a nice movie. I donno how accurate it is as per the historical records.. But I really dont care at this point. Its a well-made sweet romantic movie.. and is definitely worth watching...

मन मोहना - जोधा अक्बर

2008-02-26T11:26:00.000-05:00

जोधा अक्बर
बेला शिंदे
जावेद अख्तर
ऐश्वर्या राई , हृथिक रोशन

मन मोहना.... मन मोहना....
कान्हा सुनो ना...आ आ ....
तूम बिन पाऊँ कैसे चैन
तर्सून तुम्हे दिन रैन

छोडके अपनी काशी मथुरा
छोडके अपनी काशी मथुरा
आके बसाओ मोरे नैन
तुम बिन पाऊँ कैसे चैन... कान्हा....
तर्सून तुम्ही को दिन रैन....

इक पल उजयारा आए
इक पल अंधियारा छाए
मन क्यों ना घबराए
कैसे ना घबराए
मन जो कोई द्वारा अपने राह में पाये...
कौन दिशा जाए....
तुम बिन कौन समझाये..
तुम बिन कौन समझाये...

रास राचयारा ब्रिन्दावन के गोकुल के बासी
राधा तुम बिन है दासी दर्शन को है पयासी
शाम सलोने नंद लाला कृष्ण बनवारी...
तुमरी चब है न्यारी....
मैं तो तन मन हारी...
मैं तो तन मन हारी

मन मोहना...
मन मोहना...
मन मोहना...
मन मोहना...
कान्हा सुनो ना
तूम बिन पाऊँ कैसे चैन
तर्सून तुम्ही को दिन रैन

जीवन एक नदिया है
लहरों लहरों बहती जाए
इस में मन की नयया
डूबे कभी थार जाए
तुम ना की बय्याँ हो तो
कोई that कैसे पाये
मझदार बहलाए
तो तुमरी शरण आए
हम तुमरी शरण आए

मैं हूँ तुम्हारी
है मेरा ये जीवन
तुम को ही देखूं मैं
देखुन to yeh दर्पण

बंसी बन जाऊंगी
इन होतों की होजाऊँ गी
इन सपनों से जल कर
है मेरा मन आँगन
है मेरा .....

Vacation

2008-02-03T13:48:00.001-05:00

I am off on a 3 week vacation.. will post again after I am back.. Meanwhile, have a happy February !

जनता कार

2008-01-29T16:02:00.000-05:00

Nostalgia

2008-01-26T20:55:00.000-05:00

I was browsing for something.. and stumbled upon the picture of a face that seemed vaguely familiar.. Wondered who that was and when I started reading, it was the picture of a once famous singer. But as soon as i read the name, it brought back memories from a long time ago. From the time I can ever remember, her very famous album was at my home. And I always listened to it as a kid. It was one of my most favorites... still is ! I wondered why i hadnt heard more about the artist. I started reading more in hopes of getting more music from the artist.. but... it was all in vain... Too bad she is no more alive to make music.. !

But in her short life she made some really good music that fans like me adore. In my mind, her voice and her songs ... will always be remembered.. and her name... Nazia Hassan.. will be something that will bring happy sad feelings into my heart..

P.S: "Aap Jaisa Koi " - from the movie Qurbani .. yes the old one.. thats her voice..

Commitment

2008-01-25T13:02:00.000-05:00

Today I tried to join one of the blog clubs that seemed of interest to me and within a few minutes, I received an email from the moderator. Asking me if I am truly committed to posting relevant stuff. That I could read without joining the club but I have to be committed to post about relevant topics in order to be a member.

The first thought that came to my mind. Good. This thing is well moderated, so I dont have to read stuff thats not supposed to be there.. then I thought, ok.. am I really committed to this ? Then I thought.. wow.. they do really care about maintaining the substance of the group...after this final thought, my mind was clear of all doubts.. now I am quite interested to be a part of something that is truly important for everyone in it. And that sounds like fun.. right ? So, I replied in an affirmative.

But considering my busy schedule and my excuses to sometimes put off blogging, I added in a disclaimer.. :) ... if at any point i am not able to keep up, you can remove my membership and I wont mind .. ..Well I do like to do justice to something that I have committed for..

Now.. what about that tech-blog thats becoming an untouched.. old.. antique piece. .. hmm...

New way to exercise ?

2008-01-23T13:17:00.000-05:00

Played the Nintendo Wii sports for the first time over the weekend.. and I have to accept .. man that was cool ! I tried out the Tennis, Boxing, Bowling and Golf. Tennis was fun. Bowling got boring quickly, Golf seems a little tough..for a complete beginner and Boxing.. Woah.. !! My upper body muscles are still sore from it.. ! No.. I did not lose.. :) Got quite a good workout apparently.. ! I am wondering if this should be a new exciting daily exercise for many people like myself.. who never seem to be able to gather enough enthusiasm to drag oneself to the gym !

Also, now that the Wii involves a good bit of physical activity, letting it come into my house seems somewhat ok. But the addictive factor still holds ... ! I am sure thats never going to change..

Happy Sankranthi/Pongal

2008-01-14T08:34:00.000-05:00

This is the first festival after the international new year that kicks off the festival season in India. Sankranthi is the harvest festival that is celebrated in many regions of India, though called by a different name in each place. You can read more about it here. Growing up back in India, festivals always meant new clothes, lots of food and a fun day for everyone.. ! Sometimes holidays from school too :) Festivals still mean the same now, food is the main part of it. Though, most times its not a holiday now, and I have to do all the cooking instead of mom :)

Focussed on Food !

2008-01-11T15:39:00.000-05:00

Exciting things going on at my food blog :) I am in the cooking spree .. and hence that blog is where I hang out more. I have added many special searches and a new exciting recipe I experimented successfully last night ! My intention is to put something interesting for everyone.. Have lot more plans for it.. but I am happy with what it came to be now..
Hopefully, i will work on it more. "Tech Talk" is way dusted.. Gotto clean it up.. !! Wonder if I should really keep it around.

Anyway, check out the Yummy Things section !

Whats up with this whole size 0 business?

2008-01-09T08:05:00.001-05:00

That its for invisible people ? Or that their waist is so small its almost non-existent ?! The concept is just way too unrealistic. Though, I have to accept there are many people who do wear size 0. The whole idea of being as thin as u can be to almost the level that u are a size nothing.. is just crazy. ..

what are your thoughts about this ?

Tare zameen par

2008-01-02T08:26:00.001-05:00

Let me first say this. I am not a big movie watcher. I usually get interested in a specific movie only if I have heard great reviews from lots of people. So, its very rare that I watch any random movie. After having said this, the past weekend was one of those rare occassions, when i wanted to watch some movie.

My husband picked up a couple and mentioned Aamir Khan was one of them. From my past experience with Aamir movies, I figured it may be something interesting. So, I decided to watch the movie "Tare Zameen Par " (means Stars on Earth) ... I had no idea about the movie at all. Like I said.. I rarely keep track of such things. But, to my pleasant surprise, I really loved it. Very touching and very different from the usual masala movies. If you have not watched it yet, I recommend that you watch it before you read any further. I am going to talk about the story..

The movie is centered around a 9 year old boy who is very different from his peers and gets into trouble wherever he goes. Not able to do well at school, his father is always angry at him for not being like his older brother who is a topper in all the academic subjects, and also in sports and everything else. The movie is a look into the little boy's mind, how he sees things differently.. He is always subject to ridicule and punishments for being "careless" and "lazy"... until one day an art teacher understands what is going on with him. He works with the boy and turns him around in a way that everyone is proud of him.

OK, the main story line, ...of an underdog becoming the superstar..is not new.. and is your typical feel-good movie ... that never goes out of style in any country of the world.. ! So, whats special about this one.. ? I think, this movie is thought provoking while it tries to tackle issues surrounding parent-child relationships in today's competitive world. About how ambitious parents burden the little shoulders with high expectations.. and when the children dont meet expectations ..how their parents react and how rejected the kids feel., and how the parents fail to understand what it is like to be a young kid with no acceptance.. How people in general fail to see the positive side of special needs children.. OK.. lots of "hows".. This subject is not completely new either but rarely do we bollywood movie watchers get such a chance :) All the actors did a great job.. and the movie has been well-made. Music is relevant to the subject and not "intruding"... For a directorial debut, I think Aamir Khan was superb. Lets see what else is in store from this talented bollywood artist. Overall its a must-see movie for anyone who is interested in seeing something different ... especially all parents.. !

Another New Year,, Another New Beginning

2008-01-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

Wish you a very happy, successful and wonderful 2008.. and also all the years ahead.. !

Many new things start with the new year.. Its an opportunity to open new doors.. and take new routes.. not that other days are not .. :) There is never a bad day to do a good thing.. But, somehow the whole concept seems to make people think of doing things differently.

To begin with, I received the first email about new year resolutions from our manager .. about the goals he has in mind for the team, then a friend of mine who has a hard time keeping in touch with people, decided he was gonna call everyone this year and wish and communicate more frequently...

I usually dont make any "resolutions" as such. But, I can think of something that can be one.. I will try to be less creative with excuses for not doing some things, and try to do them :) This will be resolution every year until I get all those things accomplished..

Do you make resolutions ? What are they ?

तेरे बिन

2007-12-30T21:37:00.000-05:00

movie : bas ek pal

Singer: Atif Aslam

Music :

Lyrics:

तेरे बिन मैं यूं कैसे जिया

कैसे जिया तेरे बिन

ले कर यादें तेरी रातें मेरी कटी
मुझसे बातें तेरी
करती है चांदनी
तनहा है तुझ बिन रातें मेरी
दिन मेरे दिन के जैसे नहीं
तनहा है बदन तनहा है रूह
ना मेरी आंखें रहे
आजा मेरे अब रूबरू जीना नहीं बिन तेरे

तेरे बिन मैं यूं कैसे जिया

कब से आँकें मेरी
राह में तेरी बिछी
कब से आँकें मिली
राह में तेरी bichee
भूल से भी कभी तू मिल जाये कहीं
भूले न मुझसे बातें तेरी भीगी हैं हर पल आँकें मेरी

क्यों साँसे लू क्यों मैं jiyun
जीना बुरा सा लगे
क्यों हो गया तू बेवफा मुझको ज़रा बता वजह

तेरे बिन मैं यूं कैसे जिया
कैसे जिया तेरे बिन
तेरे बिन मैं यूं कैसे जिया
कैसे जिया तेरे बिन
तेरे बिन तेरे बिन कैसे जिया

सौ दर्द हैं

2007-12-30T20:34:00.000-05:00

Movie : Jaanemann
Singer : Sonu Nigam
Music:

सौ दर्द हैं सौ राहतें
सब मिला दिल नशीं
एक तू ही नहीं..

सौ दर्द है सौ राहतें
सब मिल दिल नशीं
एक तू ही नहीं ...

रुकी रुकी सी ये हवा
और सूखे पत्ते कि तरह
शहर कि सडकों पे मैं
लावारिस उड़ता हुआ
सौ रास्तें ... पर तेरी राह नहीं ...

सौ दर्द है सौ रास्ते
सब मिल दिल नशीं
एक तू ही नहीं ...

बहता है पानी
वक़्त को यूँही रहने दे
दरिया ने करवट ली है तो
साहिलों को सहने दे

सौ हसरतें पर तेरा घाम नहीं

वादा करो नही छोडोगी तुम मेरा साथ..

2007-12-30T15:22:00.000-05:00

Movie - Aa gale lag ja - 1973
Singer - Lata Mangeshkar & kishore Kumar
Music - R.D.burman

Mood - Romantic / Happy

वादा करो नही छोडोगी तुम मेरा साथ..
जहा तुम हो.. वहा मैं भी हूँ....
छुओ नही देखो जरा पीछे रखो हाथ..
जवां तुम हो, जवां मैं भी हूँ..

सुनो मेरी जां हसके मुझे ये कह दो
भीगें लबों की नर्मी मेरे लिए हैं
जवां नजर की मस्ती मेरे लिए हैं
हसीं अदा की शौखी मेरे लिए हैं
मेरे लिए ले के आई हो ये सौगात
जहा तुम हो, वहा मैं भी हूँ

मेरे ही पीछे आखिर पडे हो तुम क्यो
एक मैं जवां नही हूँ और भी तो हैं
मुझे ही घेरे आखिर खडे हो तुम क्यो
मैं ही यहा नही हूँ और भी तो हैं
जाओ जाके ले लो जो भी दे दे तुम्हे हाथ
जहा सब हैं, वहा मैं भी हूँ
जवां कई हैं, लेकीन जहां में कोई तुम सी हसीं नही हैं
हम क्या करें
तुम्हे मिलू मैं, इसका तुम्हे यकीं हैं, हमको यकीं नही हैं
हम क्या करें
ऐसे नही भूलो जरा देखो औकात
किसीका तो देना होगा दे दो मेरा साथ
जहा तुम हो, वहा मैं भी हूँ

हिन्दी में भी कभी कभी ...

2007-12-29T16:18:00.000-05:00

आज से मैं हिन्दी में भी कभी कभी लिखूंगी ... बहुत साल होगये मुझे हिन्दी में लिख कर ॥
Blogger की ये feature अच्छी है। अभी किसी और website में से transliteration करने की कोई ज़रूरत नही है॥

जब मैं चोटी थी ..स्चूल में हिन्दी के essay writing competitions में भी भाग लेती थी॥ लेकिन अभी इतने सालों बाद कुछ मुसीबत सी लग रागी है ..अपने खयालोंको हिन्दी में लिखना॥ शायद सीखूँगी लिखते हुए ॥
हिन्दी मैं जो मैं share करूंगी आपसे॥ वे ज्यादा तर मेरे मंपसंध गानों के lyrics होंगे। कुछ नए और कुछ पुराने गीत ...

దేశ భాషలందు తెలుగు లెస్స

2007-12-28T08:07:00.000-05:00

ఈ రొజు నుండి తెలుగు లో కూడ రాయాలని అనుకుంటున్నాను ఈ పాట తో మొదలు పెడుతున్నాను... ఎవరు రచించినదొ తెలియదు కాని ఈ సందర్భానికి.. బావుందని మీ తో పంచుకుంటున్నను..

చెరకుర సంపన్న ప్రవచింపగ తేనియ జాలు కన్నా...
బాసుర సుధ కన్నా..
తియ్యనగు చూత ఫలంబుల కన్నా...
ఖండ చక్కర రుచి కన్నా...
చాల మధురంబై తోచెడి తెన్గు భాష...అవును రా..
నిజమిట్టి ధాత్రిని కనుంగొనుమయ్య అనుఁగు సొదరా....

మీకు కూడ నచ్చుతుందని, మీ అభిప్రాయము నాతో పంచుకుంటారని ఆశిస్తున్నను...

There's a hero..

2007-12-27T07:35:00.000-05:00

"There's a hero..
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid.... Of what you are....

There's an answer....
If you reach into your soul...
And the sorrow that you know.... Will melt away

And then a hero comes along...
With the strength to carry on....
And you cast your fears aside...
And you know you can survive...

So when you feel like hope is gone...
Look inside you and be strong...
And you'll finally see the truth....
That a hero lies in you....

It's a long road....
When you face the world alone...
No one reaches out a hand... For you to hold...
You can find love ....If you search within yourself...
And the emptiness you felt... Will disappear....

And then a hero comes along...
With the strength to carry on....
And you cast your fears aside...
And you know you can survive...

So when you feel like hope is gone...
Look inside you and be strong...
And you'll finally see the truth....
That a hero lies in you...."

These are some words of the song Hero by Mariah Carey.. Definitely inspiring for someone in that situation..

Why exactly do people blog ?

2007-12-21T09:14:00.000-05:00

"What is it about blogging ?? Why do people blog ? Is it an online personal journal ?" - questions posed to me from a dear friend ..

To answer her question, I had this to say : Every person has a different definition of what a/"their own" blog should be like and the contents of it.

Yes, some people make it a place for revelations that the people they are surrounded with, dont know. Some people use it to market themselves to new prospective employers, some people like to share opinions and ideas about things ...and stuff happening in the world..oh and some people try to make some money that way..by just having ads or by marketing their products/ideas.. and then there are also the technical blogs, photography blogs, food blogs and lots n lots of other categories... Its also a way of creating a network of like-minded people you wouldnt otherwise know..

What ever the author's intentions, one thing, I am sure everyone agrees on: - is that its a place to share some kind of information with the world. And that information is sometimes interesting/useful/thought-provoking/entertaining to the reader and sometimes not. For me, its a place to share my thoughts, recipes and some concepts related to my work...And after I have written something, I dont know who reads it or what they think of it. Sure it would be nice for someone else to be interested.. but more than anything else, its fun for me when i come back and read it.. and thats why i do it..

Why did u start blogging ? And what do you get out of it ?

Keeping in touch...

2007-12-17T20:40:00.001-05:00

How hard is it to keep in touch with friends ? Sometimes it may really be the case that there is no way of communicating with them.

Down the road somehow, you hope to get in touch with such long lost friends from school and college. But most times, its just either a phone call or an email away. Life is so busy in this materialistic, mechanical world, that keeping in touch and sharing conversations, doesnt seem to be a huge priority anymore. 24 hours of a day just dont seem to be enough to get all the things done.

True, its hard enough having to juggle with kids,work, home, bills etc...who has time for phone calls and pointless chats ? But is it really a matter of time ? If really "not enough time" is the reason, how are we able to stay up-to-date with whos who in hollywood ? And the best new gadget out there is.. ?

Well, sadly they seem to take up a higher spot on the list than talking to friends.. I guess. Anyway.. friendships are mutual, the relationship will be alive only if both people engage in keeping it so.. and I guess after a while, we become so busy and occupied with the regular things going on in life.. that we dont remember how happy we were before all these responsibilities became a part of us..and forget what it is to have good friends.. and dont care about that anymore.. .or that there are other things in life that give us such pleasure.. that we dont remember about past relationships anymore.. Or am I just thinking too much over this friends thing ?!

double entendre

2007-12-06T14:44:00.000-05:00

This is an interesting word/phrase I stumbled upon recently.

And it means : ambiguity of meaning arising from language that lends itself to more than one interpretation

E.g: "This straw really sucks" ( meaning a "bad" straw .. or a "good" straw because it sucks well)
one more : "This menu has bugs" (meaning that it offers "bugs" as an option, or that it has "defects")

Do you have more examples ?

Lesser of the two evils

2007-12-06T11:38:00.000-05:00

Question : Whats the media buzz about these days ?
Apart from the wars and the subprime mortgage business, presidential candidates and their campaigns seem to be getting a lot of attention.

Actually this post is not about the presidential campaigns or candidates..but about all democratic elections in general.. whether its in the united states or somewhere else in the world.. presidential, state governor or even student council elections.

Excluding a very very very few exceptions(I cannot think of an example now, but like all things, I assume this must have some exceptions too), all of the other election campaingns seem to follow one pattern. Instead of focussing on what they can do "better", they seem to concentrate more on whats "worse" about their opponents. Is it because they lack the good ideas/plans they can talk about ?

Monday Morning Blues

2007-12-03T10:18:00.000-05:00

Its raining cats and dogs and a chilly 29 degrees.. at 6:30 AM ..this morning, I got on my daily bus and noticed a similar expression on almost everyone's face - "I am not happy being here."
Even if the weather wasn't so bad, monday mornings in general seem to be a bit of the "Dont disturb me" days.. Most people seem to be not too excited about it. Is it because they dont like what they would do the rest of the day/week until the next weekend ? Or is it just the start of the routine factor that annoys them ? or may be lack of sleep over the weekend they were planning to catch up on...that they never did due to many social activities. I came into work thinking about it and I have to say everyone here too seems a bit rigid.. and not so approchable.. unlike most of the other days. I guess in my case, its just the start of another busy week.. after a fun/tiring weekend.. and even though I love what I do at work... monday mornings are somehow the most boring time of the week... :(

Do you also suffer from the "Monday Morning Blues" ?

Creative Expressions..

2007-11-30T13:04:00.000-05:00

Most recent attempt .. what do you think ?

Thanksgiving..

2007-11-27T16:15:00.001-05:00

This holiday weekend was like no others in the past couple of years.. ! Well.. nothing much but... my little one decided to wake up a little late and that gave me an opportunity to catch up on some sleep :) But thats pretty good .. considering thats hardly an option for me most days. And thats what I am thankful for this time around :)

What does it mean to be rich?

2007-11-27T16:12:00.000-05:00

I was listening to a radio programme that spoke about this topic. This is one question everyone seems to have an answer for. Its interesting what people come up with. What is your take on it ?

What is the cost of freedom ?

2007-11-12T11:14:00.000-05:00

Everytime I listen to news that an innocent person has been serving time in jail "by mistake" .. for a crime he/she did not commit, and now being released after many years..due to the results of a DNA test or something like that, I wonder... How much does a person's freedom really cost ? Looks like everyone has a different price tag attached to this question. Does all that compensation make the pain go away.. or get back the lost time. All that money will definitely buy a very good vacation .. But how does anyone come up with a price tag for the lost time or freedom..or the pain and suffering that the person in question went through all the years in the jail and being treated as a criminal for a crime they did not commit ?! And what about the trauma that the family members may have gone through of trust/distrust, humiliation/embarrassment etc. etc. and how frustrating it is to the families of the victims of the actual crime.. to know that the real culprit was never brought to justice in all that time .. ! Sad..but some errors people make are really hard to fix.. !

Distance and relationships

2007-11-07T11:19:00.000-05:00

No, I am not talking about romantic/marriage type relationships. But about friends.. the really good ones.. from childhood/school/college ..you grew up together with. I was talking to a friend the other day .. and reading a blog of another.. and its like I hardly know them now. We were best buddies back then. But life has become so different for each of us.. being where we are .. and how far we are.. our interests and priorities have changed , we also have other "significant" people in our lives now that seem to matter more... it almost seems like there arent very many things we share in common anymore. The things that brought us together and made us friends in the first place..seem to be lost somewhere.. Though its kind of hard to accept, distance does change the relationships in ways that are rarely desirable.The very first time I realized this with a very dear friend of mine, I was very disappointed like I had lost something that I could never get back and I did not want to accept it. .. gradually i guess it has sinked in now....

But inspite of all that, I still do feel a strong sense of connection/attachment (not with everyone but very few) and I do remember that feeling of not having to hesitate and the unconditional acceptance.. I got from my dear friends.. from many years ago.. I know they have a different lifestyle, different things they are interested in, we rarely talk.. since all of us are too "busy"for that..I still feel deep in my heart that I know them. I think they feel that with me too.. or atleast I hope they do...

I never really thought much before when someone said they were friends from "X" number of years.. as to what the big deal about it is. Now I know... what the big deal is.. the relationship has survived the test of time.. and they can still connect and relate and laugh about things..share joy and sadness..be there for each other in happy and tough times.. after all these years.. its a true friendship and a real connection.. that doesnt fade with time and survives all obstacles created by life.. and its definitely something precious to have...and celebrate..and feel good about... !

Goodbye Grandma ...

2007-11-06T12:54:00.000-05:00

Last week, there was an unexpected turn in my grandma's life..and in ours...She fell and had a brain injury.. I heard about that and felt extremely sad then I remembered all the wonderful things she did for me, all the love she showered on me always unconditionally...I think of all the happy times.. I have had in her presence.... I wish I had spent more time with her..

Right from the moment the first neurologist said "be prepared", we knew it was coming. There was no hope of her being what she was the day before she fell. Now her life is numbered.. either in hours or days or weeks.. This morning, I found out she is no longer alive.The first thing I felt was not sadness.. not disappointment..but a kind of relief. Dont get me wrong. I really love her a lot.. I will miss her very much..But the past one week was very intense suffering for her.. and for everyone watching her suffer ! IT comes as kind of a relief...

From now on..I will not be able to get a hug from her or a tear when I leave her house.. But she will be in my thoughts and in my heart...I'd remember her always as being my favorite grandma.. who was a great cook.. and a wonderful homemaker, the most innocent and the sweetest person I have ever known in my life.. Goodbye Grandma.. I will miss you.

What is happenning to this world ?!

2007-11-05T10:38:00.001-05:00

There isnt one good thing on the news right now, that I can read and feel good about ... OK the redsox win is an exception for their fans I am sure. But, everything else is going so wrong... Terrorist Groups targetting children to be their next "terror delivery method", emergencies in already politically unstable countries, record-high foreclosure rates in the US real estate market, Labor union strikes at companies that are already not doing great , dollar value dwindling and banks in shortage of funds.. I can go on an on..with this list.. But yet inspite of all this, some how, media and news are still surrounded around things that are not important to most people on this earth. Why should I care "How much Britney Spears spends on her clothes every month" ? Who cares what she does with her money and her life.. ok.. may be some people do. But thats not even close to the number of people who care about their home values going down ? or even the number of people whose lives have been devastated due to wild fires in california.. But still, there it is, the news about her each and every day as one of the headlines along with the "other stuff".. How can a news about a celebrity be on the same scale ? Are people more interested in reading about such things than the real issues in the world right now ? Or is it becoz they have so much frustration about the every day life that this is a form of entertainment to them ? I dont know..

Planning a kid's birthday party

2007-10-24T14:21:00.000-04:00

Planning a kid's birthday party

1. Is the child old enough to tell you what and how it should be ? If yes, include the birthday child in the party planning process. If not quite so old yet, think about his/her interests? And start from there.
2. What kind of a party do you want to have ?

3. Where do you want to have it ? At home/ indoor/outdoor play areas / parks / banquet halls

4. How many guests do you intend to have ? Outside venues have restrictions on guest count, so make sure you are aware of that before inviting people

5. Are the kids' parents going to be there too ?

6.What kind of food items are you going to serve ? Are you going to cater outside or prepare your self ?

7. Invitations and Thank you cards. Are you planning to have them ? If yes, send the invitations well in advance so there is enough time to send an rsvp back.

8. Photos and Videos. Make sure someone is incharge of capturing the moments of the day in photos and videos.

Why is my blog frozen in time ?

2007-09-27T08:47:00.000-04:00

Well now, its not frozen anymore since I decided to post this :) anyway.. usual stuff going on keeping me busy. Thats my reason/excuse.. Has not been a priority I guess.. is the right answer. I hope to be better about this....some day..

Life without internet !

2007-07-30T08:40:00.000-04:00

I cant imagine my life without internet , email or even without google for that matter.

Anything I want to know about .. .hmm.. closest chinese restaurant to my home, hmm.. whats the cost of a refrigerator.. where can I buy the cheapest TV.. What is the true meaning of Psyche ? Whats the scoop on Tom Cruise these days ? How good is the new Harry Potter movie.. ? Well .. Think of all the businesses that wouldnt be running. Can you imagine a world without online shopping, without online news, gosh.. I cant think there is way too much to put.

If writing letters was the only way to keep in touch with people who live geographically far from me, I dont think I would have kept in touch with more than 2 or may be 3 of my good friends. Not that I dont want to.. but its just too much to think, write, post, wait for a reply etc. etc. Thanks to the inventors of web email. Keeping in touch has become so much easier !! Inspite of this, I still do have many pending replies to send, ..and many excuses I make.. Wonder how our parents managed to keep in touch with their friends from high-school !!

How did people live before the internet ?! How our lives would have been without it now !! I think its the greatest invention ever made in the recent years ! I really cannot imagine having to live without it !! Can you ?

Triumph and Defeat

2007-07-20T15:15:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been in hard situations..(really hard ones) in life ? Are you one of those happy-go-lucky types .. that always have been fortunate somehow.. or been at the right place at the right time and never had to go through any of life's obstacles ? If you are the second kind.. you am not sure if you would find any "real" sense in the words below.. but all of the others, do read on..

Below is a poem by Rudyard Kipling, that a good friend of mine shared.. that I want to share here..

IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;

If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,‘
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,i
f neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And - which is more - you’ll be a Man, my son!

Psyched ?

2007-07-20T14:58:00.000-04:00

Are you psyched about the upcoming test ? Are you psyched about wearing that new dress you just bought ? Are you psyched about the movie you are going to watch with your friends tomorrow ? What do you understand when I ask you these questions ?

Question : What does the word "Psyched" mean to you ?

Answer: If you thought "Psyched" meant excited, you would be surprised to read the meaning from the webster dictionary. If you thought it meant scared, then.. watch out there may be other people around you using it to mean "excited" !! I just discovered that a couple of days ago that this word is used by different people in different ways... Wonder how many such other words there are !!

Ah !! the English Language..

Why Fairy Tales ?

2007-07-14T11:38:00.000-04:00

Why are young girls taught to dream about a knight in the shining armour..riding a beautiful white horse.. who will come your way and pick you up to take you to the world of joy and wonder.. one who loves you unconditionally.. for who you are? There are innumerable movies based on that idea.. and many many cultural references to it.. Why do love stories always end up as "happily ever after.." ? Does it really happen in life ?

I guess by now you must be thinking that I am in a considerably bad mood today.. Ok.. before you go on assuming what must have happenned etc., ..Let me warn you nothing exciting really.. Sorry to be a spoil-sport but all I did was watch a movie.. where the heroine's friend offers some practical advice(to the heroine) about choosing the life partner ..and how it works for the Indian girls. And I had to shed some more light on the topic.. may be..intended for all those dreamers..to wake up and be practical.. On the same topic, I picked up this quote somewhere.. Ideal soul-mates do exist in an ideal world... but to search for the ideal in the real world.. means you are not dealing with your life in an ideal manner.. So, nothing or no one is ever perfect. Try to accept that, and work with the differences and who knows.. your life might infact turn into a wonderful dream like saga..of love...

A Million Dollar Question

2007-07-02T13:42:00.000-04:00

Think about it.. !! What would you do if you had a million dollars ?

Buy a large house, a cool convertible, have parties and buy nice clothes ? Or will you put it all in the bank ? What would you do ? Or do you need a few minutes to answer the question so that you can think up something ? Do you see what I am getting at ? What is your "Financial" lifestyle ? Are you living today ?? or living for tomorrow ? or are you planning now to be able to live tomorrow ? Because you are saving, do you stop living now, save each and every penny, compromise on all wishes ?? Or do you satisfy all your wishes now and spend everything you have now, and suffer the consequences in future. .. If u dont plan ur future, you may not have one.. and if you dont live your present, then you may not really understand how to live even in your future. I am not quite sure what my plan is but one thing i do know is that I am not giving up on one for the other.. I believe there should be a balance...

Language and Accent

2007-06-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Is there a right or wrong accent ? What you are used to is what sounds good ? or is it something else ? Do you decide not to talk to someone because you dont understand their accent and so, cant really communicate well with them ? or do you figure where they come from and are not interested anymore ? Lets consider the English language. American or British ?

A Celebration Of Being Alive

2007-06-20T12:25:00.000-04:00

Back when I was in school, my birthday was the most special day of the year for me.I looked forward to the day each and every year. There were so many perks being "the birthday girl" not only at home but at school too.Instead of the usual navy/white uniform, you were allowed to wear whatever you liked.It was the only day you could wear nail polish, let your hair down, wear high heels or whatever..Not only that but we could also pass up the homework from the previous day :) You had total immunity that day.. My parents always had a wonderful party for me and all my friends came over. It was the only school-day that I was allowed to stay up a little late too :) Oh so much fun !

I never really met anyone that didn't enjoy their birthday..up until a couple of years ago. Why would anyone not like to celebrate their birthday? .. More recently I was talking to someone about this very same topic and this time I just couldnt be without thinking into it.. I guess for some its candles and cake..fun and friends, for some its the thought of growing old (I am pretty sure no one is happy about aging), for some it is way too embarrassing to be in the spotlight, and for some its just another day of the year it has always been. So, What is so special about it anyway ? Why do people celebrate birthdays ? I was thinking about this, when suddenly I remembered something..a little bit out-of-context.

Long long ago when I was in middle school, we had an essay in the English textbook titled : "In Celebration of Being Alive". I am not able to recollect the whole story now, but all I remember is that the story was very touching.. very sad.. but happy too..and it left a lasting influence on my mind. I had to read it again.. I tried looking up on the Internet and after some frantic searching, found just one entry from another person's blog that spoke about the exact same essay. The setting was that of a hospital dorm full of children. Most of the kids are suffering from life-threatening health problems. Waiting to be treated.. waiting for a donor.. or some waiting for death to come..with no more treatment options left.. The doctor walks in and is surprised to see all of them happy. A blind boy and his disabled friend(who doesn't have a leg) are playing the push-cart game. The blind boy is pushing the cart on which the disabled boy is seated and is steering it as well as guiding the blind boy. ..The boys are having a lot of fun moving across the room..while the rest of the crowd cheers them.

This scene..as i visualized in my mind while thinking about it, gave me my answers..Its is not about what happened in one's life before or whats to come in future.. but, about the life we have now..at this very moment.. all the great pleasures that we are able to enjoy..today..the sound of the rain, the scent of the flowers...the warmth of the sun and the beauty of the mountains.. all those magnificient things.. just because we are still alive. Now, THAT is definitely an occasion to celebrate.Isn't it.? And so, ..the day, when your life came into existence....years ago ..becomes significant every year for...... "A Celebration Of Being alive.." !

Why Blogging ?

2007-06-19T15:41:00.000-04:00

Do you have a blog ? If yes .. then why do u blog ?

For me its a way of putting out my thoughts out in words.. without having to worry about whether the listener would be interested or having to think twice about whether its the right thing to say..or not. Its also a way of sharing my interests with someone else out there somewhere..

Whatz in it for you ?