Some dishes are like friendships. You always relish them. I can actually count the number of dishes I have really enjoyed in my life till now. These tastes heavenly and I can still remember the joy of eating them the first time. To name a few:
1. Nirula's Hot Choc Fudge: My mouth is watering as I type this. One of the best deserts existing on the earth. Surprisingly I have not had too much of these but I remember once treating my work colleagues on my birthday.
2. Nirula's veggie burger: It is one of the first fast food I have tasted and boy did I love it. There was one Nirula's pretty close to the University I studied in Delhi. My friends and I would eat burgers on any pretext as lunch, mid day snack, not-hungry-but-can-eat-burger time.
3. Buttered Nan and shahi panner: I don't know how those calories act as appetizer and make stomach want for more.
4. Veggie Quesadilla: I used to love the ones served by TGIF. I don't go to TGIF as they hardly have anything veggie but I heard that now these do not taste the same.
5. Rava Dosa: These have always tasted heavenly.
6. Burrito Bowl: I cannot have enough of this. The best part is it is healthy. I never knew plain rice and raw vegetables can taste so yummy. I think guacamole does the trick.
7. Mango Milk shake: Need I have to say thing here? The king of fruits is definitely the king of drinks.
What makes your mouth water?
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Words are all I have
I can converse in three languages fluently and also have the ability to mix and match the words from these languages into the same sentence. Now I am so comfortable with this mix and match that I often forget the origin of the word. Add to this all the slang of teenage and college days. The result - a new language that can baffle any stranger. In my younger days, we tried to invent a "code" language which parents would not understand. At that time the code would be very simple - reversing the word or switching letters in specific places. Of course we never had an earth shattering secret to hide. So it never mattered if our code language actually got decoded. Later in my teenage days, my normal language became code to my parents.
Language of course evolves with time. Words describe not only the kind of lifestyle but also the change in our mindset. I am sure the current English Dictionary looks completely different from it's first edition. It is also keeping pace and updating new words from different origins, communities and reflecting the time we are living in. I wonder how many of the actual English words are of English origin now.
Did you know that 1 millionth word is going to get added into Oxford Dictionary on June 10 2009? Following are the finalists:
* Chengguan: Urban management officers, a cross between mayors, sheriffs and city managers.
* Jai Ho! From the Hindi, “It is accomplished”: achieved English-language popularity through the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire.
* Mobama: Relating to the fashion sense of the US First Lady, as in “that is quite mobama-ish”.
* Noob From the gamer community: a neophyte in playing a particular game; used as a disparaging term.
* Phelpsian: The accomplishments of Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics.
* Quendy-Trendy: British youth-speak for hip or up-to-date.
* Wonderstar: As in Susan Boyle, an overnight sensation, exceeding all reasonable expectations.
* Zombie Banks: Banks that would be dead if not for government intervention
Who do you think should get the honor of being the one millionth word in English lexicon?
UPDATE: The millionth word is "Web2.0". Wow, I did not know it was a finalist. Thanks to it, we are able to meet in this virtual land.
Language of course evolves with time. Words describe not only the kind of lifestyle but also the change in our mindset. I am sure the current English Dictionary looks completely different from it's first edition. It is also keeping pace and updating new words from different origins, communities and reflecting the time we are living in. I wonder how many of the actual English words are of English origin now.
Did you know that 1 millionth word is going to get added into Oxford Dictionary on June 10 2009? Following are the finalists:
* Chengguan: Urban management officers, a cross between mayors, sheriffs and city managers.
* Jai Ho! From the Hindi, “It is accomplished”: achieved English-language popularity through the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire.
* Mobama: Relating to the fashion sense of the US First Lady, as in “that is quite mobama-ish”.
* Noob From the gamer community: a neophyte in playing a particular game; used as a disparaging term.
* Phelpsian: The accomplishments of Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics.
* Quendy-Trendy: British youth-speak for hip or up-to-date.
* Wonderstar: As in Susan Boyle, an overnight sensation, exceeding all reasonable expectations.
* Zombie Banks: Banks that would be dead if not for government intervention
Who do you think should get the honor of being the one millionth word in English lexicon?
UPDATE: The millionth word is "Web2.0". Wow, I did not know it was a finalist. Thanks to it, we are able to meet in this virtual land.
Friday, June 5, 2009
For Whom the bell tolls
HipHop Grandma's post stirred my mind. Like all of us, I have experienced fear after taking a wrong turn on the road or waiting for someone too long. However, many of these fears got diminished with time, maturity and understanding of the situations.
One of my worst nightmares was what I experienced on Nov 1 1984 in New Delhi. The day before, Oct 31 1984 had started out just as any other normal day. At that time and even now my parents live in West Delhi, which has huge Punjabi and Sikh population. I was studying in Grade 4 in school run by a retired Sikh military officer. A year before, my brother had left the school to join a middle school. All of us - my parents, my brother and I used to leave and come home in four different times. We all had spare home keys with us but usually it was me or my mom who would come home first. Few months back our house had got burgled and I developed a fear of entering the house alone. I was able to overcome that fear with time. Hence, many times I would sit in my neighbor’s house waiting for my mom to return and then enter my home.
In the afternoon of On Oct 31, which was a Wednesday, I was sitting in a bamboo chair outside my neighbor’s verandah and doing my homework. I remembered I forgot to get my Moral Science work book from the school after the teacher had corrected it. Just then my mom arrived in an autorickshaw and her face was tensed. She greeted my neighbor and asked her if she knew the news. My neighbor nodded and my mom hurried me home. I understood that the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi was assassinated. My mom had heard of some disturbing violence in few places in Delhi. My brother and dad arrived at their usual time home that evening. But the atmosphere in the neighborhood was apprehensive. Nobody could comprehend what an assassination of a Prime Minister would mean. I told my mom about my work book but she mentioned that I would not be going to school for couple of days as they had declared national mourning.
On Nov 1 1984, the newspapers were filled with news about Indira Gandhi and the future of India. After brunch, I was sitting with my parents in their bedroom. My brother was in the next room. My dad was reading the newspaper. I don't remember what my mom was doing exactly but I was reading a book and actually enjoying a sudden vacation in the middle of the week. I had not fully understood how grim the situation was. Suddenly we heard a faint shouting. The cry seemed to become stronger every second. Then my brother came into the room we were all in and all of us went to the front door, opening the door slightly. Our neighbors were also outside. We did not understand what was happening till we saw a huge mob emerging from the nearby streets. This huge crowd surrendered the last house in our street. That house belonged to a Sikh family. Thankfully, the family had escaped the previous evening. The mob broke into the house and took away every thing they found and finally burnt the house.
I was terrified and nobody had any answer. My parents were speechless by such human atrocity. The policemen were standing and staring and did not do anything to curtail the mob's actions. In the evening, we heard that my school was also burnt down. I believe my workbook must have also been reduced to ashes. The next few days were horrific. We heard and saw so much human hatred that I thought the world would come to an end. The sky was dark and gloomy with smoke. I never went back to that school. I joined my brother in his school in the middle of the year.
With years, things slowly returned back to normalcy. In our colony, they built a temple, Gurudwara and Church next to each other to promote communal brotherhood. I have never got answers to such horrific act but they get repeated often in some form in every part of the world. I don’t know how all these would end. But it made me realize to respect the only religion that should prevail the world - humanity.
One of my worst nightmares was what I experienced on Nov 1 1984 in New Delhi. The day before, Oct 31 1984 had started out just as any other normal day. At that time and even now my parents live in West Delhi, which has huge Punjabi and Sikh population. I was studying in Grade 4 in school run by a retired Sikh military officer. A year before, my brother had left the school to join a middle school. All of us - my parents, my brother and I used to leave and come home in four different times. We all had spare home keys with us but usually it was me or my mom who would come home first. Few months back our house had got burgled and I developed a fear of entering the house alone. I was able to overcome that fear with time. Hence, many times I would sit in my neighbor’s house waiting for my mom to return and then enter my home.
In the afternoon of On Oct 31, which was a Wednesday, I was sitting in a bamboo chair outside my neighbor’s verandah and doing my homework. I remembered I forgot to get my Moral Science work book from the school after the teacher had corrected it. Just then my mom arrived in an autorickshaw and her face was tensed. She greeted my neighbor and asked her if she knew the news. My neighbor nodded and my mom hurried me home. I understood that the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi was assassinated. My mom had heard of some disturbing violence in few places in Delhi. My brother and dad arrived at their usual time home that evening. But the atmosphere in the neighborhood was apprehensive. Nobody could comprehend what an assassination of a Prime Minister would mean. I told my mom about my work book but she mentioned that I would not be going to school for couple of days as they had declared national mourning.
On Nov 1 1984, the newspapers were filled with news about Indira Gandhi and the future of India. After brunch, I was sitting with my parents in their bedroom. My brother was in the next room. My dad was reading the newspaper. I don't remember what my mom was doing exactly but I was reading a book and actually enjoying a sudden vacation in the middle of the week. I had not fully understood how grim the situation was. Suddenly we heard a faint shouting. The cry seemed to become stronger every second. Then my brother came into the room we were all in and all of us went to the front door, opening the door slightly. Our neighbors were also outside. We did not understand what was happening till we saw a huge mob emerging from the nearby streets. This huge crowd surrendered the last house in our street. That house belonged to a Sikh family. Thankfully, the family had escaped the previous evening. The mob broke into the house and took away every thing they found and finally burnt the house.
I was terrified and nobody had any answer. My parents were speechless by such human atrocity. The policemen were standing and staring and did not do anything to curtail the mob's actions. In the evening, we heard that my school was also burnt down. I believe my workbook must have also been reduced to ashes. The next few days were horrific. We heard and saw so much human hatred that I thought the world would come to an end. The sky was dark and gloomy with smoke. I never went back to that school. I joined my brother in his school in the middle of the year.
With years, things slowly returned back to normalcy. In our colony, they built a temple, Gurudwara and Church next to each other to promote communal brotherhood. I have never got answers to such horrific act but they get repeated often in some form in every part of the world. I don’t know how all these would end. But it made me realize to respect the only religion that should prevail the world - humanity.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Brain Drain
"Every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain".
--Homer in Simpson
I can't agree with it more especially when I am experiencing it first hand. Nowadays, whatever I read/learn/talk, stays in my head for two days before bouncing off. You can call it effect of getting older, poor concentration, trying to handle too many tasks before dropping them all, you can pick whatever. I won't remember your choice after two days. I used to be pretty good in remembering stuff. I would retain class teachings in my head for a long time. Not only would I remember what the teacher taught but also her/his gestures and mannerisms. The main reason of why I loved imitating them at home and be an entertainment to my entire family. I never needed assistance in remembering my friend's birthdays or nick names.
But things have obviously changed.
Last week, I bumped into a nice girl with a very familiar face. She beamed at me and greeted me with my name. During the initial conversation, I figured out that I worked with her in one of my previous companies three years back but still could not recall her name. She, on the other hand had an elephantine memory. She remembered my colleagues and the group I worked for. Why she even remembered my personal email id!! I had to stop her there and ask her name. I was getting dizzy talking to a person who remembered so much about me while my brain was coming up with a blank screen when I inquired it who she was.
I heard learning art or language can help keeping brain young. I started taking Violin class again. Only drawback, I didn’t remember everything I needed to practice. Once I told my teacher what I practiced at home only to realize that I practiced what was going to be taught that day!
The other day I got involved in daily chores that I completely ignored my stomach. I wound up the day's work and got ready to hit the bed when I heard rumbling. I had forgotten to eat and of course sleep never embraces an empty stomach.
I figured I need to do something about it. So I started jotting down “to-do" list daily. Now only if I can remember where the list is...
--Homer in Simpson
I can't agree with it more especially when I am experiencing it first hand. Nowadays, whatever I read/learn/talk, stays in my head for two days before bouncing off. You can call it effect of getting older, poor concentration, trying to handle too many tasks before dropping them all, you can pick whatever. I won't remember your choice after two days. I used to be pretty good in remembering stuff. I would retain class teachings in my head for a long time. Not only would I remember what the teacher taught but also her/his gestures and mannerisms. The main reason of why I loved imitating them at home and be an entertainment to my entire family. I never needed assistance in remembering my friend's birthdays or nick names.
But things have obviously changed.
Last week, I bumped into a nice girl with a very familiar face. She beamed at me and greeted me with my name. During the initial conversation, I figured out that I worked with her in one of my previous companies three years back but still could not recall her name. She, on the other hand had an elephantine memory. She remembered my colleagues and the group I worked for. Why she even remembered my personal email id!! I had to stop her there and ask her name. I was getting dizzy talking to a person who remembered so much about me while my brain was coming up with a blank screen when I inquired it who she was.
I heard learning art or language can help keeping brain young. I started taking Violin class again. Only drawback, I didn’t remember everything I needed to practice. Once I told my teacher what I practiced at home only to realize that I practiced what was going to be taught that day!
The other day I got involved in daily chores that I completely ignored my stomach. I wound up the day's work and got ready to hit the bed when I heard rumbling. I had forgotten to eat and of course sleep never embraces an empty stomach.
I figured I need to do something about it. So I started jotting down “to-do" list daily. Now only if I can remember where the list is...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Life on a Refrigerator
Suma tagged couple of weeks ago on the stories told by my fridge. Take a look.
It shows many places that we have visited. There are photos of how my kids looked when they were 2 years old (which is not too long ago). There is a picture of me and my daughter(next to the doll in top left corner) in a county fair. Me and little A were pretty excited as this was the first fair we were attending. I had no expectations but by the end of 3 hours, we had won 20 soft toy as prizes. It was so much for us to carry that we had to get hold of an unused garbage bag to put in all the toys. Incidentally all these soft toys were nice and different. My son at that time was 3 months old and we surprised him by showing a whole soft toy jungle. Since then we have attended 2 more county fairs but no such luck.
Travel makes one young and liberal. We come to learn new culture, get a taste of new cuisine and experience the life of locals. Of the 28 Indian states and 7 Union territories, I have visited 12 of them and lived in one of them. Of the 50 US states, I have visited 20 and am living in one. Hopefully I will be able to cover many, if not all the 195 countries in this life.
I am very excited about collecting a souvenir where ever I go, fridge magnets if possible. In fact I would like to have a world map and fill in the places we have visited with a souvenir brought from there. I remember once when visiting Sumana in Chicago, I drove everyone crazy shopping for an appropriate souvenir. People like to collect different things, one person I know likes to collect caps from places visited and the other likes to collect Tshirts. What do you like to collect?
I pass on the tag to Monika, Prats, Sumana, Arc, Archana and anyone else who would like to pick it up.
PS: I took the photo from my phone camera. Will post a clearer picture taken from a regular camera soon.
It shows many places that we have visited. There are photos of how my kids looked when they were 2 years old (which is not too long ago). There is a picture of me and my daughter(next to the doll in top left corner) in a county fair. Me and little A were pretty excited as this was the first fair we were attending. I had no expectations but by the end of 3 hours, we had won 20 soft toy as prizes. It was so much for us to carry that we had to get hold of an unused garbage bag to put in all the toys. Incidentally all these soft toys were nice and different. My son at that time was 3 months old and we surprised him by showing a whole soft toy jungle. Since then we have attended 2 more county fairs but no such luck.
Travel makes one young and liberal. We come to learn new culture, get a taste of new cuisine and experience the life of locals. Of the 28 Indian states and 7 Union territories, I have visited 12 of them and lived in one of them. Of the 50 US states, I have visited 20 and am living in one. Hopefully I will be able to cover many, if not all the 195 countries in this life.
I am very excited about collecting a souvenir where ever I go, fridge magnets if possible. In fact I would like to have a world map and fill in the places we have visited with a souvenir brought from there. I remember once when visiting Sumana in Chicago, I drove everyone crazy shopping for an appropriate souvenir. People like to collect different things, one person I know likes to collect caps from places visited and the other likes to collect Tshirts. What do you like to collect?
I pass on the tag to Monika, Prats, Sumana, Arc, Archana and anyone else who would like to pick it up.
PS: I took the photo from my phone camera. Will post a clearer picture taken from a regular camera soon.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Happy Holidays!
With dreams in eyes and hope in heart
Will the next year turn up something apart
Life challenges us to be strong
We need to stand tall, however things go wrong
We need to listen within, to understand what is being told
To find peace inside us before spreading it to the world
With prayers for happiness, peace, health and prosperity
Wishing you all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Write-a-thon
Among other things, this generation will be remembered for its obsession to physical fitness. Almost every person who maintains a reasonable standard of living must be working out or at least experienced it once. They in fact burn their calories even before their food is digested. So much is the fascination that even donations are related to exercise of some sort. There are marathons, walk-a-thon, hop-a-thon, bike rides happening frequently all around the world. Recently I heard of a person raising money by climbing the stairs of Sears Towers in Chicago. So now we have climb-a-thon for the enthusiastic stair climbers. I read in a story about charity fundraising through bungee/plane jumping. Not sure if that got implemented in the real life. I realized the library close to my home had a weekend reading. Basically, you come to the library and read for 48 hours to your heart’s content. I doubt whether it was a fundraiser.
My workout till now has lasted a day. I do have taken part in couple of activities at school. Not sure if these will be counted. As kids, we used to have silly contests amongst ourselves such as who takes the lecture notes fastest or who can write in smallest handwriting or how much of lecture notes one can scramble in one page or how many books/comics can be finished in the 30 minute library time. I can’t say how much went inside our heads but these were fun nonetheless. The contests used to continue as who would reach home first without running and things of that order.
This brings out the basic nature of humans of getting involved. People nowadays are obliged not only to give money but also calories for a good cause. I wonder whether we will ever have cook-a-thon (you get to give money as well as food), meditate-a-thon or skip-a-thon. One thing that will never surface out is sleep-a-thon, which anyone will be too pleased to oblige.
My workout till now has lasted a day. I do have taken part in couple of activities at school. Not sure if these will be counted. As kids, we used to have silly contests amongst ourselves such as who takes the lecture notes fastest or who can write in smallest handwriting or how much of lecture notes one can scramble in one page or how many books/comics can be finished in the 30 minute library time. I can’t say how much went inside our heads but these were fun nonetheless. The contests used to continue as who would reach home first without running and things of that order.
This brings out the basic nature of humans of getting involved. People nowadays are obliged not only to give money but also calories for a good cause. I wonder whether we will ever have cook-a-thon (you get to give money as well as food), meditate-a-thon or skip-a-thon. One thing that will never surface out is sleep-a-thon, which anyone will be too pleased to oblige.
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