Such a beautiful time for so many of my friends! Ive had this nice chain of mails with healthy babies, beautiful names and happy moms and all my very good friends.
So far Ive had 2 nephews and 5 nieces!
I guess its like 3 or 4 years ago, when the same bunch of girls announced their engagement and I got to attend some of their weddings too!
I wish the very best for them, wish them many happy, gurgle filled, stinky diaper days ahead!
Names so far Ive remembered and loved;
Neil, Nishka, Vibhavari
More being added...Pranet, Ojas, Manasvi.
A whole new generation...
Sunday, 12 April 2009
Friday, 20 February 2009
" Solitude "
There's something about Salt Lake downtown that makes me smile even on a cold day!
Today evening, I got off one stop behind and decided to walk the last 2 blocks to our apartment.
There is this beautiful cathedral on the way which has always beckoned me but Id never had this urge to get in though! Today, I decided would be the day to explore this. I walked in with a little ambiguity as I didn't know if they allowed everybody!
Two doors later, just as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, I found myself in absolute solitude.
Ive always had this complaint that my mind has a hard time to get clear and no matter how peaceful the surrounding, it has some damn thought lurking in the background.
Well, this evening I had no difficulty in achieving that. This cathedral was so captivating with its ambiance and this strange quality that is totally unexplainable that I found myself lost in some spell!
Now on, every time I hear the church bells ring, I'll get to picture that moment of solitude.
This case, its going to be every 15 mins, when in my apartment!
( Will post a picture sometime soon )
Today evening, I got off one stop behind and decided to walk the last 2 blocks to our apartment.
There is this beautiful cathedral on the way which has always beckoned me but Id never had this urge to get in though! Today, I decided would be the day to explore this. I walked in with a little ambiguity as I didn't know if they allowed everybody!
Two doors later, just as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, I found myself in absolute solitude.
Ive always had this complaint that my mind has a hard time to get clear and no matter how peaceful the surrounding, it has some damn thought lurking in the background.
Well, this evening I had no difficulty in achieving that. This cathedral was so captivating with its ambiance and this strange quality that is totally unexplainable that I found myself lost in some spell!
Now on, every time I hear the church bells ring, I'll get to picture that moment of solitude.
This case, its going to be every 15 mins, when in my apartment!
( Will post a picture sometime soon )
Monday, 9 February 2009
Its snowing here...and about time too,
Last few days were nothing but a bad dry spell with yellow haze and dark mist masking the mountains and the valley. This got young moms worried that they would have to bring up their precious lil ones in this grey city!
I was once in B'lore, worried about the same thing; was worried how worse my beautiful city could get before being labeled unfit for living? I now am convinced its the same thing everywhere, as long as there are Hummers and no one pooling their SUVs.
Having taken 2 courses on sustainibility, I have become a little more than conscious about our environment.
I hope everyone makes one effort every single day say, use Public transport or bike to work....public transport is fun, trust me I do it most of my days and it gives me time to think, read my books and observe people!
Id love it if anyone who reads this ( please read me ) drops in a comment on how they, in their own special way help our Earth!
Last few days were nothing but a bad dry spell with yellow haze and dark mist masking the mountains and the valley. This got young moms worried that they would have to bring up their precious lil ones in this grey city!
I was once in B'lore, worried about the same thing; was worried how worse my beautiful city could get before being labeled unfit for living? I now am convinced its the same thing everywhere, as long as there are Hummers and no one pooling their SUVs.
Having taken 2 courses on sustainibility, I have become a little more than conscious about our environment.
I hope everyone makes one effort every single day say, use Public transport or bike to work....public transport is fun, trust me I do it most of my days and it gives me time to think, read my books and observe people!
Id love it if anyone who reads this ( please read me ) drops in a comment on how they, in their own special way help our Earth!
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
I just have to talk about Vals....
It was one of the best experience I had, ever!
This is a place I definitely want to take Balu to amidst all the other places I visited w/o him this October.
Picture this scene from your patio - morning mist clearing just enough to give a peek of the absolute GREEN mountains!
Well, things were not this simple...it so happened that my room mate Jenna,( I got along so well with her) and me decided to get up at about 7 ish to hit the "Therme"
http://www.therme-vals.ch/bad/index_en.html
we didnt have an alarm so we decided to rely on my instinct/built in alarm that had been working like...what do I say? CLOCK WORK!
So, the morning came and my alarm went off! I checked my watch and I saw 8:30! wow, so my alarm didnt go off right after all! anyway, I woke up Jenna and we were a little sad about the time as at 10:30, the therme opened to public and the ambience wasnt just the same!
It was only after long long soaks in the waters and then some more after that and then some more, did we realize that it was 8:30?? so what time did we get in? and what time did we get up? how we laughed after that, anyway we having had an advantage of an early start and extra time at the spa, felt so rejuvenated ( I finally know what it feels like)
The spa itself can bring you back to life; grey walls of stone, naturally varied temperatures of spring water; all the way from HOT to pretty HOT to WARM to COLD!
Personal favorite being the hot water which opened to nature, a large pool of hot water that had openings framing the mystical green mountains of Switzerland.
The skies, the air, the views almost everything about the place screamed of purity.
This pool was shallow enough for non-swimmers like me to wade in and rest my back on the walls and stare eternally at the beauty around.
Everybody in the Therme respected silence voluntarily, somehow as if noise would disrupt the beauty we were a part of. I now knew what "Tranquility" meant.
A hearty breakfast at the spa, then I set off on my own, I walked along the river, stopped so very often to sigh at whatever I saw.
I walked through the village, catching my breath now and then, reminding myself to write about everything I saw. The fact is no matter what I say, what adjectives I use, I just cant even get close to describe what I felt or what I saw.
I knew that Switzerland is beautiful, thanks to the umpteen Bollywood songs and movies showing it, but nothing, absolutely nothing can do justice to the beauty you can feel there. It hits you like a sledge hammer, makes you want to just keep going on. The beauty pulls the ground beneath your feet, and yes you do fall, fall into some abyss that is still breathtakingly beautiful.
I kind of feel like Ive eaten too many sweets after reading the above said...so now I stop and let the photographs do some talking, lest I make the whole experience overwhelming for everyone!
It was one of the best experience I had, ever!
This is a place I definitely want to take Balu to amidst all the other places I visited w/o him this October.
Picture this scene from your patio - morning mist clearing just enough to give a peek of the absolute GREEN mountains!
Well, things were not this simple...it so happened that my room mate Jenna,( I got along so well with her) and me decided to get up at about 7 ish to hit the "Therme"
http://www.therme-vals.ch/bad/index_en.html
we didnt have an alarm so we decided to rely on my instinct/built in alarm that had been working like...what do I say? CLOCK WORK!
So, the morning came and my alarm went off! I checked my watch and I saw 8:30! wow, so my alarm didnt go off right after all! anyway, I woke up Jenna and we were a little sad about the time as at 10:30, the therme opened to public and the ambience wasnt just the same!
It was only after long long soaks in the waters and then some more after that and then some more, did we realize that it was 8:30?? so what time did we get in? and what time did we get up? how we laughed after that, anyway we having had an advantage of an early start and extra time at the spa, felt so rejuvenated ( I finally know what it feels like)
The spa itself can bring you back to life; grey walls of stone, naturally varied temperatures of spring water; all the way from HOT to pretty HOT to WARM to COLD!
Personal favorite being the hot water which opened to nature, a large pool of hot water that had openings framing the mystical green mountains of Switzerland.
The skies, the air, the views almost everything about the place screamed of purity.
This pool was shallow enough for non-swimmers like me to wade in and rest my back on the walls and stare eternally at the beauty around.
Everybody in the Therme respected silence voluntarily, somehow as if noise would disrupt the beauty we were a part of. I now knew what "Tranquility" meant.
A hearty breakfast at the spa, then I set off on my own, I walked along the river, stopped so very often to sigh at whatever I saw.
I walked through the village, catching my breath now and then, reminding myself to write about everything I saw. The fact is no matter what I say, what adjectives I use, I just cant even get close to describe what I felt or what I saw.
I knew that Switzerland is beautiful, thanks to the umpteen Bollywood songs and movies showing it, but nothing, absolutely nothing can do justice to the beauty you can feel there. It hits you like a sledge hammer, makes you want to just keep going on. The beauty pulls the ground beneath your feet, and yes you do fall, fall into some abyss that is still breathtakingly beautiful.
I kind of feel like Ive eaten too many sweets after reading the above said...so now I stop and let the photographs do some talking, lest I make the whole experience overwhelming for everyone!
Monday, 22 December 2008
Break time!
Technically, this was my first semester as a full time student!
and boy, was I a full timer or what! the schedule I had was tight and the subjects in hand were phew, tiring...but worth every sweat and tear ( many of the latter)
I kept complaining to Balu how I wanted to quit, how I missed the Law & order marathons, the re-runs of all my favorite sitcoms I had watched a zillion times already! and the non-stop snacking at whatever I laid eyes on!
Well his reaction, as you can imagine was "whats wrong with her?"
But now, having done with them all, and when I get my marathons and reruns for as long as I want....all I can say is "I am loving it"
I love getting up as late as I want, eat anything for breakfast, for as long as I want, not having to cook lunch, eat leftovers ( Oh that's another long topic to discuss) junk, junk and more junk...and hot tea on a snowy afternoon with Parle-G. I hope I dont get used to this for long for my next semester starts in 2 weeks!
and boy, was I a full timer or what! the schedule I had was tight and the subjects in hand were phew, tiring...but worth every sweat and tear ( many of the latter)
I kept complaining to Balu how I wanted to quit, how I missed the Law & order marathons, the re-runs of all my favorite sitcoms I had watched a zillion times already! and the non-stop snacking at whatever I laid eyes on!
Well his reaction, as you can imagine was "whats wrong with her?"
But now, having done with them all, and when I get my marathons and reruns for as long as I want....all I can say is "I am loving it"
I love getting up as late as I want, eat anything for breakfast, for as long as I want, not having to cook lunch, eat leftovers ( Oh that's another long topic to discuss) junk, junk and more junk...and hot tea on a snowy afternoon with Parle-G. I hope I dont get used to this for long for my next semester starts in 2 weeks!
Friday, 9 May 2008
Diamonds are not always girls best friends!
Just so that my clothes fit me when Im back from a 2 month vacation to India, I decided firmly to forgo the most important element of my meal......BREAD.
A huge (understatement) fan/devout/consumer of this simple thing, a fetish of mine for ages, and I stopped having bread for about a month just to help my so called diet go full swing.
The results, yes it did help but that is not the point!
Today, on his way back from work, Balu stopped by the bank for some official work and my fav Great harvest bakery is right beside. He got a whiff of freshly baked bread and without thinking twice, paid a prompt visit that was due for so long!
He surprised me with 2 loaves of bread!!!!
To me its like getting home a hand crafted Birkin bag or a pair of red hot Jimmy Choos.....well, Id like the latter too, but this gesture gave me such joy that I had to be extra sweet to him.
ps;People who find this silly have NO idea how much I like bread........and I'll finally get to see my niece come Wednesday!
Just so that my clothes fit me when Im back from a 2 month vacation to India, I decided firmly to forgo the most important element of my meal......BREAD.
A huge (understatement) fan/devout/consumer of this simple thing, a fetish of mine for ages, and I stopped having bread for about a month just to help my so called diet go full swing.
The results, yes it did help but that is not the point!
Today, on his way back from work, Balu stopped by the bank for some official work and my fav Great harvest bakery is right beside. He got a whiff of freshly baked bread and without thinking twice, paid a prompt visit that was due for so long!
He surprised me with 2 loaves of bread!!!!
To me its like getting home a hand crafted Birkin bag or a pair of red hot Jimmy Choos.....well, Id like the latter too, but this gesture gave me such joy that I had to be extra sweet to him.
ps;People who find this silly have NO idea how much I like bread........and I'll finally get to see my niece come Wednesday!
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Of snakecharmers & magicians!
Today morning, I was watching the local news and there was a bizarre report of babies being dropped down from a rooftop and caught on a bedspread! For me it didnt take much time to realise it can only be from our extremely colourful country that we can get such reports, but why on earth, rather HOW ON EARTH could these guys get this report? why cant they get this thing........6 Indians in Forbes list of 500 highest-paid CEOs, which is headlines in an Indian news site.
As for good times, the last interesting bit of India I got to see on our local news was when TATA took over Jaguar!that was something to celebrate, especially when shown on local news...I managed to get Balu out of the shower in 10 mins (a record) when I told him TATA was next on line in news!
I sometimes wonder what image do people have of India? people find it surprising when I say my medium of education was English, and that is the case for majority of my peers.
Is it odd that 2+ centuries of British rule brought such a drastic change in our culture and moreover, has it benefited us?
What are the odds that India would have reached the same level of sucess w/o the Queen's influence? It has been recorded historically that we invented the '0', and we've had many scholars in diverse fields ; technology to medicine.
So maybe we would have been sucessful afterall, minus this language.
May be we would have fought over the choice of language that would have to be the common medium then!
Maybe I stop thinking aloud now and end this crap.
Maybe no one reads my blog so it really doesnt matter!
Maybe I can manipulate Balu to get me an icecream again tonight!
As for good times, the last interesting bit of India I got to see on our local news was when TATA took over Jaguar!that was something to celebrate, especially when shown on local news...I managed to get Balu out of the shower in 10 mins (a record) when I told him TATA was next on line in news!
I sometimes wonder what image do people have of India? people find it surprising when I say my medium of education was English, and that is the case for majority of my peers.
Is it odd that 2+ centuries of British rule brought such a drastic change in our culture and moreover, has it benefited us?
What are the odds that India would have reached the same level of sucess w/o the Queen's influence? It has been recorded historically that we invented the '0', and we've had many scholars in diverse fields ; technology to medicine.
So maybe we would have been sucessful afterall, minus this language.
May be we would have fought over the choice of language that would have to be the common medium then!
Maybe I stop thinking aloud now and end this crap.
Maybe no one reads my blog so it really doesnt matter!
Maybe I can manipulate Balu to get me an icecream again tonight!
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