The Secret to You

Today is the beginning of my new life
I am starting over today
All good things are coming to me
I am grateful to be alive
I see beauty all around me
I live with passion and purpose
I take time to laugh and play everyday
I am awake, energized and alive
I focus on all good things in life
And give thanks for everyone of them
I am at peace and one with everything
I feel the love, the joy and the abundance
I am free to be myself
I am magnificience in human form
I am the perfection of life
I am so grateful to be ME

Today is the best day of my life.

Like any other...

Like any other day and night
Like any other dinner occasion and party
Like any other hosts and any other guests
Like any other excitement and curiosity
Like any other cultural embracing and sharing
Like any other way of life and blend
Like any other moment of laughter and joy
Yet another special experience to cherish and strengthen my cultural identity.

A Little Nonsense: Now and Then

me: Gap - 30% off online & in-store
Pal: from where do u get all the coupons re?
me: if u want to buy them
me: Borders has a new 40% off coupon DMB5387A valid for any book
me: How r u? busy i guess
Pal: I am fine kind of busy actually too much free time so my lead has stuffed others work on me stupid fellow
me: go to that Fayette mall…has great deals … this weekend
Pal: GAP?
me: yes
Pal: i dont like GAP re
me: thats also there …in every mall all these stores will generally be there… only very high def stores like gucci, louis vitton will show up in very good malls
Pal: how is old navy re?
me: its there which is giving 50% off
Pal: this is near to Meijer itself. Fayette is very far
me: http://www.oldnavy.com/
its good like aero
Pal: old navy i know
i have been there. not a great selection though
me: i like … and i don’t spend too much on one top … i like shopping in old navy… its 50% off till weekend
Pal: haha
me: i love shopping… its my fav past time… i love window shopping'… i dont buy
Pal: ok. i cant window shop
me: but if i find something very good i will pick
Pal: if i go i need to buy thts my prob
me: go and get one thing… if u comfy…go next time … that way 2 outings on shopping
Pal: hmm
me: 50% off old navy… go check out in store its fun
Pal: ok i will go this weekend
me: u can go today and have fun shopping
Pal: if i say anything u will get irritated
who will take me? how will i go? i need someone to take me
me: u said its near near na
Pal: not as near to walk it out. 4 miles
me: oh ...then go to mall na
Pal: fayette is abt 8 miles
me: oh whts near then??
Pal: its in Nicholasville. walkable is only walmart and krogger
Pal: hey mkt has suddenly gone bad very bad now re its probably not wise to quit
it might become like dhobi ka kutha na ghar ka na ghat ka
me: http://www.oldnavy.com/customerService/storeLocator.do
me: see how many are there near ur place…u can go
Pal: only 2
me: i ate chocolate :)
Pal: it is showing Louisville thats 1 hr from here by car
me: 4 almond clusters each the size of a brownie
Pal: re that day u cursed me ki if i dont ask proper state in US, i will get job in Nevada
u know yest one guy really called me for a job in Nevada
me: hmm good…will visit u in Las Vegas… u will like it
very very very very hot
hot hot girls
Pal: Las Vegas is in CA right?
me: nearest old navy is 8 min by car … cant u walk 20 min…
shut up… God! u need to learn some map
Pal: u walk in this cold re
me: its in NV
Pal: what is NE then? my US geography is very poor re
me: Nebraska and i told u Nebraska that day not Nevada
Pal: yes it is Nebraska
wahi ka call aya
sorry i got confused with Nevada as i was watching movie on Nevada yest NE is Nebraska
me: its the center of US
Pal: so u better dont curse me next time
me: see maps google central part of US
Pal: yeah i checked thts why got confused when u said Las Vegas
me: i told u Nebraska and Arkansas which are not Texas Florida as you want
they are some stupid states
Pal: u wish all such things only for me
me: yes … its not me …u urself wishing
saying anywhere in US….so u get the worst of what u wish
u should wish rightly
Pal: when i say anywhere
i mean any place like
Pal: FL TX NY NJ WA CA
me: then say it loud
me: CA is good… go there
Pal: re pehale kaam milne de
even NJ ka jou houwa tha
me: u shud specify
Pal: they said that position only is on hold now. very risky to quit now. it was for BT
me: coz there are lot of ppl who specify and are in a queue of god's mercy..so first come first served
Pal: and BT declared heavy loss
me: and if u say ‘anywhere’ u will land up in Kentucky
Pal: my first wish is to get my Visa extended here itself
me: good…then pray for that only
Pal: coz i dont want to quit in this env. u pray for me
me: dont confuse the universe into asking for a job till then
Pal: have u ever prayed for me?
me: focus on one thing
always said may u get what u want and u are wanting all rubbish
Pal: u never prayed for me i know
me: i did … then why u talking with me…did u ever pray for me? genuinely
Pal: many times
me: i do for u
Pal: thanks re
u confuse god … visa ... job anywhere in US
how will he know re what u really want
so its delaying the process
Pal: extend my visa
me: one thing at a time to fit the circumstance is what’s required
Pal: if not get a great job elsewhere
me: so focus on that
Pal: who will extend my visa themselves
me: u contradicting ur procuring ur visa
so ...focus on visa extension by tcs…don’t ever utter job now…forget it for a while
Pal: hmm
me: and stay calm…go shopping…enjoy good brands… become brand crazy and wear them
Pal: ghum phir ke shopping par hi ayegi
me: lol …time pass karo
forget that …i am just telling u
me: ke ur deeds are delaying ur visa extension process by tcs...ur search for jobs ANYWHERE in US is lil perturbing
Pal: thoughts of job came in
me: yes
Pal: coz visa not getting extended
me: those are ur fav topics
me: design ur deeds to suit the outcome
u shud say i wanna do this
and do that only till u achieve
dont contradict ur wishes by your wrong deeds
of applying to hundred jobs to ‘anywhere’
Pal: yes mam
me: ANYWHERE
i will tell u a story
Pal: if i had a college na, would have made u guidance counselor for sure
me: a man wants to become rich
prays before a god’s statue day in and day out
and says give me the grace to win the lottery
this lament goes on for months
so much he prays…
statue finally comes to life
looks down on the begging man and says to win the lottery first buy the ticket
Pal: so
me: so if u want the change but cant even be bothered to articulate what exactly ur aiming for...how will it ever occur
Pal: re
me: so be specific
Pal: i am giving god preferences
do this … if not this…this ….if not this
but please do one of these
me: lol specificity is the key
god still has to learn multitasking per one want… so his understanding is straight
u got to specify
Pal: hmm
me: u cant say this or this or this … u either end up getting all or none at all … its programming u see
Pal: hmm
me: its all written … the codes
Pal: and u programmed gods brain
me: NO…its u…giving all wrong signals each time
me: lol :)

Pal: i will go to walmart and come after sometime
Pal: need to buy vessels
me: abba
Pal: and photo frame
me: forget na
Pal: where else u want me to go?
me: hell
Pal: see u want me to go to hell
me: yes
do u know hell and heaven are the same
Pal: tera jaise dost ho tou dushman kyu chahiye
me: Universe is a circle…to up or to down all same at end – As above so below
Pal: all bakwas
me: its just that to go heaven u go seven levels up
Pal: hmm
me: and in hell seven levels down
but they r same
u are happy when going seven levels up…u are sad when going seven levels down
Pal: it is like telling working as chaparasi and CEO is the same
me: but hell is the same as heaven
Pal: both are working for same company
one is at the lowest post one is highest but both are same
me: i am all laughs
Pal: :-)

Food for Soul

They say, good food must be savored delicately, slowly, attentively and respectfully, in a befitting manner, with finesse and technique, with relish and appreciation and you will experience true gustatory delight. That’s essence of the Art of Eating. Eating is not just making yourself not-hungry. It is about filling your appetite by having a soul-satisfying tasty food. Why neglect the soul while we do so much so for our bodies? While exercise is good for a healthy body, good and tasty food is necessary for the soul.

And here I go keying in my list of favorite foods. Food for my soul. Enjoy…

Nanking’s Chilli Chicken – Though not an up market restaurant, Nanking is one of the oldest and most renowned of the Chinese restaurants in Hyderabad. I went there as a kid with my family and I make it a point to visit the place every time I get there, even now. We wait outside patiently till we get a table even today and quite know that every minute of that wait is worth the visit. Even to date the ‘Chilli Chicken’ wet style what’s served there is so unique and special, goes hand in hand with the hot noodles that after a fast meal you are left with nothing but incredible satiety. The taste what I experience here cannot be compared to any Chinese dish I’ve had till date.

Pushkarni Bhel - ‘Bhel’ is the specialty of Pune. It could be rightly called as the signature dish of the city. It's a yummy lip smacking sweet and sour zesty mixture of churmure, sevs, chiwda, nuts, chopped - tomatoes, onions, green chilies and coriander, kairee [raw mango], potatoes, sweet (tamarind) and hot (Mint) chutneys, a dash of lime mixed well in a stainless steel bowl and served fresh and eaten immediately. My mouth waters yearning for my favorite delectable Bhel in Pune!

Darjeeling Momos - A popular food in Darjeeling is the scrumptious ‘Momo’ - A simple preparation of a steamed dumpling containing chicken and vegetables cooked in a doughy wrapping and served with very hot and spicy chili sauce in the freezing cold makes it a very healthy and a satisfying energy giving dish which lingers long after you have savored it.

Shree Guru Kottureshwara Benne Dose - A small eatery in front of Bapuji Dental College entrance in Davangere serves world-class 'Benne Doses' (Butter Dosa). Goes with very basic coarsely ground 'coconut chutney' and a glob of 'aloo palya'. What comes out of that huge Dose making platform is just a thin crust of Dosa, made as criminally savory as possible with lavish portions of butter added and re-added to the batter that’s spread out on the pan to make the Dosa. The strong roasted buttery flavor coming from the Dosa as you relish each and every bit of it (you are literally feasting on butter here, only this time it has a thin crusty film underneath), makes it an amazing 'Benne Dosa' experience.

Shadab Biriyani – Being a hyderabadi and not mentioning ‘Biryani’ is something close to indigestible. I am not a diehard Biryani freak but when it comes to a good titillating Biryani teasing my taste buds, then nothing more authentic than the Chicken Biryani served in an old city Biryani specialist Shadab located near Charminar where one gets to savour Biryani in its true essence.

Local Pani-Puri Wala - Eating ‘Pani Puris’ mouthful from street side vendors, standing in a queue and waiting for my turn is something I badly miss. Very simple mouth watering snack, fun when roadside, amidst the crowds, as the vendor keeps filling the Puris with the savory Pani and then goes on dropping them one by one in your bowl even before you’ve made your attempt to force one in your already full mouth. He would just go on and on till you say stop and I’m done! Good temptation for the tongue on the same day and bad reaction on the tummy the next day!

Makki di Roti and Sarson ka Saag - Amazing combo eaten all through our unforgettable journey from Delhi to Shimla. The hot ‘Rotis’ coming from the Tandoor with a generous dollop of ‘Makkhan’ (butter) and the rich ‘Sarson ka Saag’ from roadside Dhabas on the highways lingers in my mouth till date.

PizzaPapalis Pizza -There are many tasty deep dish style pizzas - especially in Chicago - but there is only one PizzaPapalis pizza, made Chicago style! And that’s only in the Detroit area! Fresh dough to make the perfect crust, loading every pie with premium Wisconsin cheese, tomatoes for the tangy sauce come from Italy and finest vegetables cut fresh daily to generously top a wide variety of Pizzas. Definitely pleases the palette – yummy! If at all I miss Detroit, I miss it for this pizza. In all likelihood, it was by far the best pizza I have ever had to date.

Menu from my mother’s kitchen - Home cooked food is divine! I just love everything that my mother prepares. And my love for good food helps me relish every grain prepared with love. Her love infused creations of all the delightful meals and sweetmeats always unfailingly filled my heart, and later my tummy, with joy.

-Manasi

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. ~Luciano Pavarotti

The Animal Song

Love this song by Savage Garden

When superstars and cannonballs are running through your head
And television freak show cops and robbers everywhere
Subway makes me nervous, people pushing me too far
I've got to break away
So take my hand now

(Chorus):
'Cause I want to live like animals
Careless and free like animals
I want to liveI want to run through the jungle
With wind in my hair and the sand at my feet

I don't have any difficulties keeping to myself
Feelings and emotions better left up on the shelf
Animals and children tell the truth, they never lie
Which one is more human
There's a thought, now you decide

Compassion in the jungle
Compassion in your hands, yeah
Would you like to make a run for it
Would you like to take my hand, yeah

(Chorus):
'Cause I want to live like animals
Careless and free like animals
I want to liveI want to run through the jungle
With wind in my hair and the sand at my feet

Sometimes this life can get you down
It's so confusing
There's so many rules to follow
And I feel it
'Cause I just run away in my mind

Superstars and cannonballs running through your head
Television freak show cops and robbers everywhere
Animals and children tell the truth, they never lie
Which one is more human
There's a thought, now you decide

Compassion in the jungle
Compassion in your hands, yeah
Would you like to make a run for it
Would you like to take my hand, yeah

(Chorus):
'Cause I want to live like animals
Careless and free like animals
I want to liveI want to run through the jungle
With wind in my hair and the sand at my feet

Funny!

Someone very close to me was reminded of his childhood chemistry teacher Kartik Tilakam, a tamilian who also filled in for some of their English lessons.
The teacher had a very peculiar way of announcing the word ‘Moon’ whenever it appeared in the text and that sounded very funny. He always went like – A ‘yum a ‘woh’ a yet another ‘woh’ and a ‘yen’ is MOON.

I was quickly reminded of a similar incident, from my post graduation days, where a lecturer teaching Industrial Microbiology was giving a lecture on Brewing. He frequently bumped into a word we hardly could make sense of… he kept saying ‘cham-pa-ge-nee’ as if it were to be some female sounding name like ‘Champakali’, only later realizing that he was referring to ‘Champagne’ – an alcoholic beverage!

It’s funny how some people are peculiar with what they say and what they do and just stick to what they believe in and never bother if things fall in general norms of acceptance.

Kind of amused me today!

-Manasi

Destiny

Eat, Pray, Love addresses so much about the human condition on so very many levels. It is a veritable gold mine of insights, sage advice, and exquisite writing. There are sentences I would read and get so lost in, I could not proceed and would instead close the book and savor every word contained in it.

I would like to share here an excerpt Liz Gilbert says about Destiny that I really like:

Destiny, I feel, is also a relationship – a play between divine grace and willful self effort. Half of it you have no control over; half of it is absolutely in your hands, and your actions will show measurable consequence. Man is neither entirely a puppet of gods, nor is he entirely the captain of his own destiny; he’s a little of both. We gallop through our lives like circus performers balancing on two speeding side-by-side horses - one foot is on the horse called “fate”, the other on the horse called “free will.” And the question you have to ask everyday is - which horse is which? Which horse do I need to stop worrying about because it’s not under my control and which do I need to steer with concentrated effort?

This makes me wonder… Ain’t it very true … that god’s timetable plays a major role in designing our destiny and your destiny is not always the one you seek, but always the one that finds you?

-Manasi

World Cheers for Change - A Living American Dream!

“It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America….

…This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: yes, we can.” democrat Barack Obama gave in Tuesday the victory speech before a crowd of 125,000 ecstatic supporters gathered in Chicago's Grant Park, after he captured the White House, defeating Republican John McCain to make history as the first African-American president and the nation’s 44th president.

Could the speech be more invigorating? I wonder!

I have never been inclined to politics per se… But last night, it was truly the first time I was witnessing such an exhilarating moment of glory on my television set. My hubby was all glued to the television as soon as he was home from work. I imagined myself being one amongst the vibrant crowd cheering for the promise of America, responding in unison that we should have been there in Chicago to feel the spirit of this nation.

I thoroughly rejoiced in the making of these historic moments. I was moved to see how many people participated in this process, coming together and wanting to be part of a change in a new direction - looking at the huge fervent crowds in emotion, touchy-feely, ecstatic, in an awestruck wonder acknowledging in obeisance what their new demigod was addressing to them on - Change has come to America, Victory for the people, The tasks ahead, Remaking the nation, One nation, one people, Role of America in the world, A history of struggle… lastly on the very moment… recapitulating on “Yes, we can.”

“There are not even words to talk about what this night means,” “Everybody keeps using the word historic — there’s never been a night like this on the planet earth… Nothing can compare to this.” She’s rarely at a loss for words on her television show, but just moments before Barack Obama was declared the President-Elect, Oprah Winfrey was almost speechless. People were speechless. The world out there was speechless. I was speechless!

Barack Obama – A Living Dream of America. The world sees Obama's victory as a new beginning for America. A new dream for the world - to change the world for a better place. Because the thing about America is - for better or worse - it doesn’t look back.

For a moment so mesmerized in this country’s victory, the next moment I was forced to visualize a scenario of my country. Whether this kind of reawakening could happen from my country too? Lots of questions just pop up in my mind - Why don’t I hear the political speakers speak in India? Why don’t we have such strength coming from India? Where and why does my nation falter? Where does all the merit and caliber that’s furnished go? I have only read about Gandhi and Nehru in my history books. I don’t see them in reality. People till date swear by their accomplishments. But why isn’t history recreated? Why do we not have notable chiefs and dynamic leaders to revolutionize my country? When will I ever experience such an awestruck, enriching, heartfelt emotion for my own country? I only wish and hope …

But for now having chosen a genuinely deserving candidate as their President … I rejoice with America, for America and from America.

-Manasi

Believe it or not!

'Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia' is the fear of long words.

My Favorite Sounds ...

With senses, we discover the world around us - our amplified powers of perception, expanded sense of hearing and reception, our mounted sense of touch and feeling, our distended aptitude of olfaction, our heightened gift of taste and piquancy, our increased capacity for reason, love and happiness, all of which are qualities we develop over time.

An enlightening pastime is to make a list of favorite things that impact the senses. Not only does it provide a challenging exercise for the mind and memory, but it sharpens our appreciation of these golden moments in time… Besides the sound of music there are sounds that make me exhilarated and alive or quite and calm… Let me share with you my ten favorite sounds.

Melodious singing of the Koel (Nightingale) in the dawn or at dusk in the month of May during our summer vacations.

Geet and Sangeet are the soul of any Indian wedding. We as kids always scurried to our gates to the sounds of a ‘Baraat’ – A marriage procession passing by for their loud band, dance and merry.

The shrill sound the aero plane made every time, passing over our heads when it either took off or was about to land long back when we lived very close to the airport.

The sound of a cheerful baby chuckling in amusement for something it doesn’t even know or recognize.

The sounds of the water in a running stream or a gushing waterfall or lapping by the shore.

The harmonious notes of the wind chime coming from the patio of a house on the top floor in the lane opposite to mine.

An overcrowded stadium singing the national anthem.

The gentle breeze of the wind whooshing through the trees.

Sounds of silence – utter and complete. Perfect silence while watching the moon and the stars. Absolute silence in the mountain lake at sunset.

The softness in Love calling ‘Sweeto’ when back home after work.

-Manasi

“All of nature begins to whisper its secrets to us through its sound. Sounds that were previously incomprehensible to our soul now become the meaningful language of nature.” - Rudolf Steiner

Alluring Autumn

Trees once full with the green foliage are now glimmering with colors.

Leaves by hundreds fall by. You have piles and piles of this multicolored dry leaves fallen everywhere making a bewitching carpet on the streets to walk on.

Every leaf on the street has turned into a mosaic of vibrant colors…. Foliage turned into crimson, auburn, ochre, golden, bronze … with oodles of oomph in this time of the year! In the golden light of autumn there is magic in the air. One cold current of breeze sets the leaves falling from the tree.

The leaf must wonder, as it by itself doesn’t know when the gusts of wind whooshing through the trees may mark its fall from the tree. There are fallen leaves everywhere. The wind blows them to places far off from where they were even born or were created.

I am truly overwhelmed and mesmerized by the vivid expressions of the autumn in Washington.

How fascinating it is to learn that the tree once so full with its foliage, lives a life of youthful blossom in spring where singing birds are among the branches, it bears good fruit in summer, then transcends into much more graceful attire of autumn. And later retires unrobed giving an awe-inspiring goodbye to all the beauty it once graced.

Just to say, that these trees soon will have served their purpose of their life cycle and surrender whatever they had adorned back to the nature. The leaves will now serve the purpose of becoming farmyard manure or a good compost giving good mineral rich soil for the growing plants in the spring.

Every single entity in nature has found its well defined purpose. Purpose of making a life worth living , with life the purpose itself and purpose the life.

I would like to quote a verse by Percy Bysshe Shelley

The day becomes more solemn and serene
When noon is past; there is a harmony
In autumn, and a luster in its sky,
Which through the summer is not heard or seen,
As if it could not be, as if it had not been!

-Manasi

I want to ...

Currently I’m losing or say I’ve lost my cool over an urgent want list. God! There are so many things I want to do right here and right now:

1. I want to run and run my breath out to shed the extra built up of chocolates, ice creams and all the sweet meats on me. I exist more now than I did just 3 months ago. BUT I AM NOT!

2. I want to finish the book I am reading. BUT I HAVE NOT!

3. I want to get my stamps printed to stick them in my stamp collection book. BUT I DID NOT!

4. I want to get this haircut. I am afraid losing on my long grown hair and I’m in a dilemma. BUT I AIN’T!

5. I want to call my mom. BUT I CAN’T as I am writing this.

I want to do this … I want to do that … lots of 'BUTS' in between… I want to finish these simple tasks on hand. When is that I’m ever gonna say I’m done? that I’m at peace. God! I want help … Another want!!

Whole of crappiness … sigh!

-Manasi