Its new years eve!!

Its been a series of long weekends and ofcourse so am glad about it! I need to utilise all the time away from work when I can. :)

New year's eve is going to be here in another few hours. And my dad's here as well. So another reason for me to be happy about.

Yesterday, I got a good news about one of my cousin brother's marriage being fixed. So this year end has given some good news, and am happy for that.

So what plans for tonight? 'The usual' might sound boring. But thats what we like and enjoy.
I am going to order food from one of our favourite restaurants, watch some of the 'best of 2009 ' programs on TV(and catch up with my dad), wait for it to turn midnight, wish each other and watch the brief fireworks display and go back to sleep. And wake up into the new year with new resolutions that eventually will either get carried over or will be forgotten :).

So you have a fun filled new year's eve, and may the new year bring some more reasons to be cheerful about.

Lovely london

Was so excited about seeing london. And finally now the trip is over :(

But I absolutely loved my stay. And looking forward to moving there sometime jan or feb.

I always thought this was the london bridge, but ofcourse i stand corrected now. This is actually the tower bridge!

It was so cold , and it snowed as well. Something wasn't considered usual in london just 2 years ago. Now I know why they like to drink so much coffee(keeps you warm !).

Travelling in london is so easy, anybody who knows to read english can easily manage on their own. Food may not give you as many choices especially if you are a vegeterian or crave for specific cuisines like Indian.
I didn't venture out much to tourist spots(as i knew I will get enough opportunities to do that later), but there are quite a lot of things to do and see I am told. So I am clear on how to spend our weekends when we move there.

It was also nice to catch up with one of my friend who lives in london. She has promised to show me places, especially indian restuarants and food stores that sell indian items. Cause I definitely cannot see myself surviving on the local food there. I mean i like cheese and bread and pastas, but am a typical indian. I definitely need masalas and rice in my system to keep me going.

Lot of things going on in my mind about things that we need to take care before we move. And sad about not being able to visit my father as often as I would like to, about missing out the good food that my mother in law cooks. Moving to london also means, a new environment , new house, new neighbours, new culture.
A little anxious about it, but happy nonetheless about this opportunity.

Another change

Few days back, we got to know that my husband has been offered a good role in london.
We were so happy about both the facts, firstly that he got selected for that role and secondly that he will need to move to london. For quite a number of days it didn't sink in really. But now with the Visa work starting and only a month or so remaining for the real move. Its started to sink in a bit.And i wonder of how life would be in london. I know its definitely not going to be the same. And in many ways it will probably be better (many will jump and say 'it will definitely be better!'). But am a little sad about leaving my home (in both sense, the house and the home town). About leaving our parents and friends.About leaving the house that we so lovingly got renovated and interiors done to our taste. About leaving the life that we had got used to so much that we didn't realise it was so good until now. And about leaving all that is indian (except ourselves ofcourse).

I don't mean to be negative about this change, infact I am quite excited about it actually. About seeing london and all that(and hopefully Europe ;)). But its a big change for both of us. In terms of location, culture and ofcourse the weather !!. Just a little anxious i suppose.

Luckily, I have a very good friend in london already. So doesn't feel completely alien. I am looking forward to some fun times with her.

Geeta learns Guitar

I love the way 'Geeta' and 'Guitar' sound similar!

So finally thanks to my Husband(and to his colleague who accompanied him to the shop), I finally own a guitar and learning to play it. I can see, its going to take a while to get the basics right. But I know thats why it will be fun. The frustration of not being able to pick up something quickly has already started. I am blaming that on the fast pace lives that we all live (whether we like to or not), that makes us want to get to the finish line as soon as possible. The only one good thing that fast lane has done is to Cricket- The T20 matches. I am not much of a cricket fan so am glad there is a shorter version of it :).


We are still on our own at the moment, but should find a good place where we can learn our instruments systematically. Many of my friends and my husbands colleage have managed to pick up instruments via self teaching- by learning through books and online videos. Am not sure I can do that. Atleast not until I get my basics right. So hopefully the classes will do me some good.
But am not too worried about it, because I know as long as I have fun doing this, am fine. Also the fact that my husband will be learning to play the flute, i will have some very good company while doing the 'Riyaz'.

More than being an instrument that we want to learn, I think these instruments symbolize a positive change in our lives. From the boring routines of our lives which usually consists office/office work for the major part of the day, we will now be concentrating on something different. And something musical at that!

So quite looking forward to the years filled with the satisfaction of attempting to learn something I always wanted to learn, and hopefully the satisfaction of actually playing some good music.

Wonderful Diwali

Every Diwali me and my husband visit my dad at his place. Dad usually purchases a packet of assorted crackers which we(rather my husband as I am scared to do it) burst it in the evening.
But this Diwali I invited my Dad to come and stay over at our place. And it was such a wonderful diwali. Must say we all 3 were in good moods. Me and Dad spent quite some time cooking in the kitchen,mangalore dishes mainly- to my Husbands dissapointment. It was fun to catch up with Dad after so long. This diwali we truely lived the 'family' life. Spending time at home, cooking, eating together etc.

In the evenings we would go out into the balcony and watch the fireworks display ( in the neighbourhood). It was more fun than bursting crackers ourselves . It was like my dad said, 'outsourced fireworks display for free'. :) We could probably do without the noise crackers , which I really wish the manufacturers stop manufacturing. I agree, we need a little noise during diwali , otherwise it doesn't feel like diwali. But i am definitely not for those long burning crackers with high decibel sounds.

Its sad that Diwali is already over and my Dad had to go back. And ofcourse that we had to end our vacation and go back to the office routines. But this diwali, am going to cherish more than any diwali.

An artist in the making- My Nephew

http://adhvan.net/2009/08/25/colors-in-the-life-of-a-4yr-old/

A young mind- no boundaries , no limitations. Free mind. Free from pre-concieved notions, free from the need to conform, free to be self.

S.U.P.W

Remember this abbreviation? No?
I know most of us won't remember what the full form is. But probably - 'some useful period wasted' may ring a bell! Frankly, even I don't remember what the original one is.
But I remember making a face each time SUPW period came. Infact I remember, I was not the only one who hated it. Everybody in my class had the same feelings. Ofcourse, I did some nice and intersting things during those but somehow they always seemed like a big waste of time. I would wonder how will this help me. Why can't they let us go play outside, that seemed more fun.

Today at office while making the poster (for an internal competition), I realised- its so much fun. You may think that the thought of having to be away from work for sometime was the reason. But no, that was not the only reason ( I won't lie, that was one of the reasons as well ). It was just so much of a pleasure to 'think' and 'create' something that finally turned out(luckily!) into something nice.It may or may not win the competition but it was a good idea. And it was also good fun. To be like a child and create a mess in the room where we did all the paper cutting etc. Although we had clear out those ourselves later, but it was worth it.

I was just thinking aloud about how this never used to be my favourite activity in school but its so much fun now. And many of my colleagues joined me in that thought as well. Made me wonder, how our definitions of fun and happiness change over time and as we grow older.

Life :Excel Sheets and Word Docs

Many a times I have blessed microsoft for coming up with such briliant applications. But as with any other tool (god given,nature given or man made) we misuse or over use it so much. That I must say, diabetes may not be so much of a problem. But multiple stress injury(injury due to repeated use of a finger or wrist while working on a computer) definitely is in this age. I have already started to feel the pain in my neck and wrists.

Somehow each project that I work on has loads of 'templates' that needs to be filled out.Which means I stare at my computer for 8 hours a day and am still not done.

It would amuse me to see all those files piled up whenever I would have to visit any Government office. To see how the whole process was so slow because the empolyees had to write and do things manually. Whereas I am given a laptop by my company to work on, which was making things so simpler for me! I would pity them. But I think I was wrong. They are probably much better off than us 'MNC workers'.
After many years of using the laptop and the applications. Its making me wonder if it is all that great. Its making things simpler for sure, by not having to calculate things in my head or on paper. But is that really a good thing? Wouldn't that mean someday ill just forget how to use my head and fail to do a simple 2 + 2. Thats exactly whats happened to me. I can't do simple calculations that I could when I was still at school (and calculators weren't allowed for exams). Now I can't seem to remember simple dates (birthdays/anniversaries) unless I add them to my calender. And the worst of all, I think I may have forgotten how to write. And I realise this each time I have to fill out a form somewhere. My hands just don't move that easily now while writting. My handwritting was never good anyways, so I can't complain about how its affected my handwritting. But all this online typing and rare use of pen and paper has made me a handicap!

I wonder if our future generations would be worse off than us. As soon as the kid is grown enough to understand what computer means, he is 'working' on a computer. Most schools do not mind printed project reports and home works. Will this generation be able to cope up if a computer doesn't work or if the internet doesn't work. I don't think so. They may be more intelligent than us because of their exposure to more knowledge on the internet world, but will they be strong on basics? Will they know what it is to play a game which is not played on computer.Will they know whats its like to enjoy nature. I know ,I have missed out a lot because I was born in a different era. I haven't enjoyed the local festival's and the fairs like the way my mother probably did.Then life wasn't only about deadlines and earning more money.
Our previous generations probably got to see both worlds, the conventional and nature friendly as well as the technologically advanced and innovative world. And they probably thought they have a lot to catch up on because of these innovations. My father always talks about how he couldn't learn computer all that well when he was working. And how his juniors were better than him at it. But am sure when he sees the current generation always 'busy' at work. He must be wondering, if there have been great innovations, why isn't this generation have more time to do more things like spend more time with parents/family. Why isn't the latest mobile that her daughter owns, being used to keep in regular touch with him?
I know, one might say. That such innovations haven't been all that bad as I have written above. But its definitely worth a thought. Isn't it? And probably from our generation onwards, we need to bring in a new thought into our lives. On how to balance between the man made and the nature better. On how to use technology effectively to enhance our life and not handicap us. Not to let technology take over our lives so much and that we forget simple basic things- nature,health and relationships.

What makes us happy?

This thought often runs into my mind. And am sure it does for most of us. Some may say money makes one happy. Others may say the passion to do something or achieve something may make one happy.And then there are other for whom 'happy hours' make them happy :).
I have seen people, who are always trying to get what the others have. That makes them happy. To think that they are probably equal to others if not better than them.Infact I am probably one of them. Most of us probably wouldn't agree that this is right or that this is true happiness. But one has to agree that at some point or the other in our lives, we all have done that. To achieve or acquire or do things that others have done. And feel happy that they are no lesser than others now. You maybe thinking 'C'mon! Why would I do that.I am happy the way I am'. You probably don't even remember it now, but as a child you would have definitely thought of having the toy that your play mate has. And would have cried your heart out, untill your parents got you that same toy. Okay, maybe we can ignore that. Cause we were kids then, and so did not really know what we were doing. But you surely cannot disagree on the fact that in our adult lives, we live ,socialise, shop, travel and enterain in the manner that the others do. The 'cool' car or the latest mobile that we use, is all part of this human behavior that i'd like to call I-want-to-be-normal behaviour. Nobody likes to be alone and left out of the 'group', and very few of us like to be 'different'. So we all tend to do things that most of us would do, to follow the path that most of us have followed. And so we live in an illusion, that probably having a big house will make me successfull and so will make me happy. We brainwash ourselves in believing that by achieveing all that the so called 'the most successfull' people have achieved would make us happy. And then there are few who are probably configured the other way by God or nature and so choose to take a different route. And create a mark of their own. And the majority others (like myself) start to follow what such 'different' people did. For whatever reasons, whether to do something that somebody famous did. Or with a thought that, if it worked for them, am sure it will work for me as well. And then we forget that ,it maynot really work for us after all. Cause if it did, we wouldn't have had so many cultures, so many different languages, so many different ways to cook and eat an egg. And so most of us 'normal' people oblivious to this simple fact end up being caught up in a never ending search for normalcy, search for inner peace and search for inner happiness. The true happiness! I am one of those who is bitten by this bug as well. So I cannot say what one can do to stay away from such behaviour and being satisfied with 'fake' happiness. Maybe someday I will also go to an ashram and be able to achieve Nirvana. But until then ill just have to be as 'different' as the society can allow and as 'normal' as I can be.