We have become so dependent on electronic devices that we are clueless what to do when they breakdown, even if the solution is pretty simple. We grew up listening to sermons of not to talk to strangers and have enough money at all times because one never knows what could happen. Then the world went electronic and we forgot those sermons.
Most of my childhood was spent in correcting my spelling mistakes and healing the wounds/scars I got from playing. Now with the auto spell checker, one does not need to learn spelling at all. Why, it even helps in figuring if a sentence is framed correctly. Playing with Wii, kids would never dirty their clothes or get a scratch in arms and legs. With no scar anywhere, I wonder what heroic stories they would reel when they grow up.
I have a decent sense of direction but I need to go a couple of times to a destination before the route registers in my mind. So I had every reason to thank God for GPS though I did miss the adventure of wrong routes and getting lost. In case you are one of those who first check GPS before checking if there is enough fuel in the car, all you need to do is go to a complicated circle and see how GPS seems to lose direction.
The other day I went to a hair dresser to get my hair trimmed. Their credit card slider and computer were down. Since I did not carry any cash, I had to go home with disheveled hair. I remembered in my younger days I would carry enough cash to help me out in sudden expenditure.
Though being a boon, cell phones have their own story. Recently I realized that I spend half the time asking my friend to repeat her(him)self. At least now I have an answer to those huge telephone bills.
Now when daily morning coffees have been replaced by the sweet sound of windows coming up, you can imagine the nightmare when the keys of the keyboard start to fall off. Two of the vowels have fallen off and some of the keys do not get typed when I press them. The funny part is "unable to type" key syndrome seems to be going around. So one day I could not press the "space bar", next day it was "shift", then "control". Right now it is "Alt". Now I have to change my passwords not to have the two missing vowels and space.
I can only thank God that the automatic garage opener busted after opening the garage half way. At least I was able to squeeze myself inside the home to get the keys. But now I am better prepared. I remember to take money, house keys and a map to my destination just in case any of these devices cease to function.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Green Thumb
The greatest gift of the garden is the restoration of the five senses. I can't agree more. A beautiful garden is a treat to eyes and medicine to mind. What is more difficult is cultivating and maintaining a good garden. I have always admired people, which include my mom, who are able to maintain greenery in their house. Like any other art, it requires time, money and patience. As always some art suite better than others. I would like to have a nice garden in my home but I know that I do not have enough enthusiasm to take me through. I can work on a garden for a day, two, three days. A week has passed and I am still holding on. Fortnight and you are on your own now. After a month, my guilt starts overcoming me and I would feel terrible for neglecting my plants. Again the cycle would start, my enthusiasm driving me for a week or so and then fading after that. However the plants get watered somehow, either by the Almighty or someone at home.
I subscribe to Home Depot’s gardening magazine on line. I keep getting emails on how I can deck up my patio for a particular season. To be honest, they stay in my inbox till the size of my mail box becomes huge and then move to the trash folder. I haven’t watched much of gardening shows in US. In India, I remember the popular “Krishi Darshan” which used to be telecasted when I was kid. There was another serial that used to show how people decorated their garden. People had styled their homes with rose garden, rock garden and even hanging gardens on their terrace. All of them looked astounding.
Some people do have a green thumb. Whatever they sow grows. Few of my family members have it. Somehow, I don’t seem to have inherited it fine. Whatever I sow grows but not very well. Till now, I have generally grown flowers, foliage and croutons to give a fresh look to the patio. I have never been able to survive any of my plants during winter. That is a huge task of its own. It needs more drive and time precision to keep changing the location of plants so that they get their amount of sunlight. This summer, I was more enthusiastic and sowed few vegetable seeds in a hope to fuel my enthusiasm to last longer. When I see the results that can be eaten, I thought I would be more driven to enhance my gardening skills. I planted 5 varieties and made sure they don’t get dry and had enough sunlight. Rain was a great help. For two weeks, I could forget my watering duty and it rained every second day. All was well and I saw small saplings and new shoots coming out of the mud. What I forgot was to label them. I remember to have planted spinach, tomato, cabbage or cauliflower and I don’t recall the other two. So, I have to wait till they start flowering so see what vegetables come out!
I subscribe to Home Depot’s gardening magazine on line. I keep getting emails on how I can deck up my patio for a particular season. To be honest, they stay in my inbox till the size of my mail box becomes huge and then move to the trash folder. I haven’t watched much of gardening shows in US. In India, I remember the popular “Krishi Darshan” which used to be telecasted when I was kid. There was another serial that used to show how people decorated their garden. People had styled their homes with rose garden, rock garden and even hanging gardens on their terrace. All of them looked astounding.
Some people do have a green thumb. Whatever they sow grows. Few of my family members have it. Somehow, I don’t seem to have inherited it fine. Whatever I sow grows but not very well. Till now, I have generally grown flowers, foliage and croutons to give a fresh look to the patio. I have never been able to survive any of my plants during winter. That is a huge task of its own. It needs more drive and time precision to keep changing the location of plants so that they get their amount of sunlight. This summer, I was more enthusiastic and sowed few vegetable seeds in a hope to fuel my enthusiasm to last longer. When I see the results that can be eaten, I thought I would be more driven to enhance my gardening skills. I planted 5 varieties and made sure they don’t get dry and had enough sunlight. Rain was a great help. For two weeks, I could forget my watering duty and it rained every second day. All was well and I saw small saplings and new shoots coming out of the mud. What I forgot was to label them. I remember to have planted spinach, tomato, cabbage or cauliflower and I don’t recall the other two. So, I have to wait till they start flowering so see what vegetables come out!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Chasing the Darkness
Someone wisely said that only unknown induces fear. Little acquaintance makes us curious enough to discover it completely. Space has always been unknown. I am not sure whether it is humanly possible to discover it completely. Maybe not but the little doors it opens for us to reveal itself more is exhilarating.
Aug 1 2008 experienced a Solar eclipse. In recent times, this is considered a rare delight. I remember earlier and even now in some parts of the world, people take it as an omen. Rituals are performed to ward off any side effects. Years back, I read a short story "Dhoomketu"(which means comet in Hindi) about a scientist in Calcutta, India who was to present a paper in London on his research findings. On the day the comet was to be seen, he was in the terrace with his telescope while his family were performing rituals and prayers. I was very influenced by the story and liked the scientist for holding on to his beliefs and fighting against the social norms.
On 1986, Hailey's comet flew towards earth. Our science teacher had urged us to see it as we might not get another opportunity in our life time, given that the comet visits earth every 76 years. My brother stayed up late to see but I cooly dozed off. Later when space fascinated me more, I used to gaze stars every night and try to identify the constellations. I was so infatuated that I wanted to take up astronomical science and join NASA. I remember only one friend of my brother took up astronomical science. At an era, when computer science and electronics were so popular, people could not understand his choice. But those who understood would know that he made career out of his dream.
I had stayed up late many nights to catch a glimpse of comet or shooting stars. While trying to figure out falling meteors, I had mistaken planes for celestial objects. Till date, I think I have seen 1 or 2 shooting stars but no eclipse. In fact, now there is a company - Travel Quest International which helps astronomy enthusiasts to experience these rare feats. This company actually takes people on a flight across the globe to experience the solar eclipse. The owner, Aram Kaprielian, is a ardent solar eclipse fan. He is taking people over Asia, North Pole and even Antarctica to see the solar eclipse. By 2010, he plans to offer space travels to outer space. Now, that would truly be an out of the world experience.
Aug 1 2008 experienced a Solar eclipse. In recent times, this is considered a rare delight. I remember earlier and even now in some parts of the world, people take it as an omen. Rituals are performed to ward off any side effects. Years back, I read a short story "Dhoomketu"(which means comet in Hindi) about a scientist in Calcutta, India who was to present a paper in London on his research findings. On the day the comet was to be seen, he was in the terrace with his telescope while his family were performing rituals and prayers. I was very influenced by the story and liked the scientist for holding on to his beliefs and fighting against the social norms.
On 1986, Hailey's comet flew towards earth. Our science teacher had urged us to see it as we might not get another opportunity in our life time, given that the comet visits earth every 76 years. My brother stayed up late to see but I cooly dozed off. Later when space fascinated me more, I used to gaze stars every night and try to identify the constellations. I was so infatuated that I wanted to take up astronomical science and join NASA. I remember only one friend of my brother took up astronomical science. At an era, when computer science and electronics were so popular, people could not understand his choice. But those who understood would know that he made career out of his dream.
I had stayed up late many nights to catch a glimpse of comet or shooting stars. While trying to figure out falling meteors, I had mistaken planes for celestial objects. Till date, I think I have seen 1 or 2 shooting stars but no eclipse. In fact, now there is a company - Travel Quest International which helps astronomy enthusiasts to experience these rare feats. This company actually takes people on a flight across the globe to experience the solar eclipse. The owner, Aram Kaprielian, is a ardent solar eclipse fan. He is taking people over Asia, North Pole and even Antarctica to see the solar eclipse. By 2010, he plans to offer space travels to outer space. Now, that would truly be an out of the world experience.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Read, get inspired and take on life
Prats tagged me to list my top 10 literary characters. If it were authors, it could have been easier. I would try my best to remember the character names but there are various unnamed characters in many books that have influenced my life. Every time I read a book, I take something out of it. Sometimes I get impressed by the fictional personalities but many times it is the author’s style of writing. Here goes the list:
1. Tintin: As a kid I used to love this character and actually wanted to own up a dog lik
e Snowy. Growing up, I started to enjoy Asterix/Obelix more but I still remember my fascination for Tintin in my younger days.
2.Enid Blyton characters: Like many others, I grew up with these fictional personalities being part of my daily routine. I can't decide between George, Julian of Famous Five and Fatty in Five Founouters. I liked them all in their own ways.
e Snowy. Growing up, I started to enjoy Asterix/Obelix more but I still remember my fascination for Tintin in my younger days.2.Enid Blyton characters: Like many others, I grew up with these fictional personalities being part of my daily routine. I can't decide between George, Julian of Famous Five and Fatty in Five Founouters. I liked them all in their own ways.
3. Sherlock Holmes: Sir Arthur Canon Doyle's creation has been my all time favorite. I have read all the four novels and the short stories. As a teenager, I would eagerly look forward to Sunday for watching the tele-series. I actually cried watching "The Final Problem", in which Sherlock Holmes disappears. 3 years back, on our way to India, we had to stop over in London. You can imagine my excitement seeing a 6 feet tall statue of Sherlock Holmes on 221 B Baker Street.
4. Liz of Pride and Prejudice. I loved her independence and romance with Darcy, whom I admired too- Tall, rich and reserved. Years later, one of my friends commented why girls fall for guys who are reserved and don't look at guys who talk and make them laugh! Well, it’s not true but Darcy character is pretty attractive.
5. Tom Sawyer for his adventourous and independent spirit.
5. Tom Sawyer for his adventourous and independent spirit.
6. Anne Frank from Diary of Anne Frank: For a girl who has gone through nightmares of world's worst times, she has indeed been brave and learnt to live life even in those tough times.
7. Erma Bombeck: She is actually a humorist who has written about 15 best sellers. Her main character in all her books is in first person. So, I am assuming this is about her life as I do not know the name of the main character.
8. Jason Bourne of Bourne series by Robert Ludlum. He might not be a popular character but I admire him for his precision and presence of mind.
9. Elliott Goodman of "Match Made in Heaven": I see the life similar to how he does and liked his attitude of never giving up, even when it was a game with God. If you have not read this book, I recommend you to pick it up in your next visit to bookstore or library.
10. Amir of Kite Runner: Though he seemed to be submissive and not standing up for injustice done to his dear ones, he did gain courage and went back to face the battle and win it. There is something enigmatic about this character which draws my attention.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Work of Human
Architecture is a measure of human progress. It is human imagination personified. Each monument has a unique history of why it was created and how it was built. Any ancient civilization -Greek, Roman, Indus, Egyptian is filled with human created treasures.
Man can create wonders with rock, stones and even glass. The artificial islands getting created in Dubai and Italy are breathtaking. The other day I was watching Travel channel and found that every winter in Sweden, they build a hotel made of ice. They still use iron/metal pillars for some part of the framework. During fall, they get the framework in place. When enough snow has been accumulated, within a month a new building with a different architecture is constructed for people to stay. Check out the link for more information. The pictures are stunning.
Olympics is not far away and the way Beijing is getting decked up with new buildings is phenomenal. I particularly liked the egg-shaped National theatre and the water cube aquatic centre. Apart from the manufacturing industry, the travel industry in China is also set for some huge gains in future.
There are lots of other buildings that we come across daily which are marvels in their own ways. They don't get the public recognition but they hold some significance to you. As a teenager, I used to enjoy walking in Connaught Place (now known as Rajiv Chowk). I liked the architecture of the buildings and roaming around them made me feel free and independent - qualities I always aspired for. I used to visit British Council Library which helped me delve into different varieties of books genre. Libraries were not much popular in Delhi in those days and a building with two floors stacked with books was enough excite me. The other place I used to love going with my mom was "Sahitya Academy Library" in Mandi House. Much of my Indian mythological knowledge is attributed to this library. The whole area around Mandi house would be very rejuvenating for me. There was a beautiful building called "Little Flower theatre", where years later I watched a fantastic play "Love Letters" starring Rajat Kapoor and Shehnaz Patel. The Modern School round the corner would remind me of the yearly "Shankar's Drawing Competition". I would also love to walk in the North Campus of Delhi University. As a kid, I used to accompany my mom to various shows and library. Years later when I myself became a student of the University, I enjoyed attending the college festivals and chatting with friends in the sprawling lawns. The Vivekananda statue in the middle of Arts Faculty used to give a serene look to the whole atmosphere. I still remember the precious last minute preparations before exams sitting in those steps.
Almost all cities in the world are developing rapidly and getting decked up with concrete buildings and monuments. It is pure treat to see the kind of shapes they attain and the materials used to build them up. With rock, stone, glass, sand, ice already being used, can walls made of water be far behind?
BTW, do you know this building in Banglore?
Man can create wonders with rock, stones and even glass. The artificial islands getting created in Dubai and Italy are breathtaking. The other day I was watching Travel channel and found that every winter in Sweden, they build a hotel made of ice. They still use iron/metal pillars for some part of the framework. During fall, they get the framework in place. When enough snow has been accumulated, within a month a new building with a different architecture is constructed for people to stay. Check out the link for more information. The pictures are stunning.
Olympics is not far away and the way Beijing is getting decked up with new buildings is phenomenal. I particularly liked the egg-shaped National theatre and the water cube aquatic centre. Apart from the manufacturing industry, the travel industry in China is also set for some huge gains in future.
There are lots of other buildings that we come across daily which are marvels in their own ways. They don't get the public recognition but they hold some significance to you. As a teenager, I used to enjoy walking in Connaught Place (now known as Rajiv Chowk). I liked the architecture of the buildings and roaming around them made me feel free and independent - qualities I always aspired for. I used to visit British Council Library which helped me delve into different varieties of books genre. Libraries were not much popular in Delhi in those days and a building with two floors stacked with books was enough excite me. The other place I used to love going with my mom was "Sahitya Academy Library" in Mandi House. Much of my Indian mythological knowledge is attributed to this library. The whole area around Mandi house would be very rejuvenating for me. There was a beautiful building called "Little Flower theatre", where years later I watched a fantastic play "Love Letters" starring Rajat Kapoor and Shehnaz Patel. The Modern School round the corner would remind me of the yearly "Shankar's Drawing Competition". I would also love to walk in the North Campus of Delhi University. As a kid, I used to accompany my mom to various shows and library. Years later when I myself became a student of the University, I enjoyed attending the college festivals and chatting with friends in the sprawling lawns. The Vivekananda statue in the middle of Arts Faculty used to give a serene look to the whole atmosphere. I still remember the precious last minute preparations before exams sitting in those steps.
Almost all cities in the world are developing rapidly and getting decked up with concrete buildings and monuments. It is pure treat to see the kind of shapes they attain and the materials used to build them up. With rock, stone, glass, sand, ice already being used, can walls made of water be far behind?
BTW, do you know this building in Banglore?
Monday, July 14, 2008
Et Tu?
The clothing industry survives only because of the women of the world. As long as we are there, they would remain profitable. With different clothing styles to colors to the latest fashion trend, the choices are unlimited. Unless you are wearing jeans and T-shirt, it’s hard to find a dress getting repeated on someone else. Last Friday, I was at the traffic light, waiting for the lights to turn green so that I can move on. I saw a lady from a distant appearing wearing a nice green top and a skirt. I could not see the design of the skirt clearly because of the distance and the other cars being on my line of sight. As she approached me, I could see complete dress and I liked it as it was pretty pleasing to the eyes. I recalled seeing the design of the skirt somewhere. The light turned green and I drove on, only to realize that I was also wearing the same green top and the skirt!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Ready, Set, Relax
Taking a break is always welcome. You don't need to go on a vacation but slowing down once in a while is relaxing. And if it comes unexpected, you are all the more thrilled.
Today morning, H volunteered to drop the kids. In the morning hustle bustle, he took both the car keys and left. I wanted to reach office early so that I could leave sooner than my usual time. I got ready quickly and for once had not forgotten to leave anything behind, only to realize that I have no keys to drive the car! Since H was already half way to his work, it made no sense for him to come back. So I had the only option left - work from home. I do exercise it once in a while but today was a surprise. Suddenly I felt so light at head. I don't have to drive to work today. I had my breakfast leisurely. It has been long since I relished a toast and tea as I often skip breakfast.
For a change, I really liked being stuck at home with no where to go. At 8:45 am, I heard a faint "beep beep". It sounded like the alarm of the sports watch which I thought was lost. But it stopped beeping before I could locate it. I wondered why it is beeping at 8:45. Maybe the watch was not corrected for daylight saving. Even then, the time would be 7:45 am!! Not sure who is it trying to wake up at time when we are generally out by 8 am.
I was working on my computer when I heard motor start suddenly, followed by some faint footsteps. A peek outside the window confirmed that the odd job men were doing the lawn moving but I still could not figure where the footsteps were coming from. I tried listening hard and figured out that it was coming from the roof. I got scared for a second. I remembered an incident that happened a decade back, when one of neighbor kids played a prank on me by calling in the middle of a rainy night saying that someone was on our roof top. I am much older now but the thought of the incident still sends chills down my spine. I gathered courage and stepped out of the house to see what’s going on. I saw a man fixing the roof top of one of my neighbors and a bunch of squirrels running around. That was a pleasant sight much better than what I had imagined. Now I am getting back to work with a hope that I would be able to relish this leisure day to my heart’s content.
Today morning, H volunteered to drop the kids. In the morning hustle bustle, he took both the car keys and left. I wanted to reach office early so that I could leave sooner than my usual time. I got ready quickly and for once had not forgotten to leave anything behind, only to realize that I have no keys to drive the car! Since H was already half way to his work, it made no sense for him to come back. So I had the only option left - work from home. I do exercise it once in a while but today was a surprise. Suddenly I felt so light at head. I don't have to drive to work today. I had my breakfast leisurely. It has been long since I relished a toast and tea as I often skip breakfast.
For a change, I really liked being stuck at home with no where to go. At 8:45 am, I heard a faint "beep beep". It sounded like the alarm of the sports watch which I thought was lost. But it stopped beeping before I could locate it. I wondered why it is beeping at 8:45. Maybe the watch was not corrected for daylight saving. Even then, the time would be 7:45 am!! Not sure who is it trying to wake up at time when we are generally out by 8 am.
I was working on my computer when I heard motor start suddenly, followed by some faint footsteps. A peek outside the window confirmed that the odd job men were doing the lawn moving but I still could not figure where the footsteps were coming from. I tried listening hard and figured out that it was coming from the roof. I got scared for a second. I remembered an incident that happened a decade back, when one of neighbor kids played a prank on me by calling in the middle of a rainy night saying that someone was on our roof top. I am much older now but the thought of the incident still sends chills down my spine. I gathered courage and stepped out of the house to see what’s going on. I saw a man fixing the roof top of one of my neighbors and a bunch of squirrels running around. That was a pleasant sight much better than what I had imagined. Now I am getting back to work with a hope that I would be able to relish this leisure day to my heart’s content.
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