Fun---->Redefined and reloaded

If you obey all the rules,then you miss all the fun - Katharine hepburn,actress.
With the exception of gravity,almost all of the rules are negotiable.Someone just make them up.
Its no longer about what you can't do.Its about what you can do.

The above is the excerpt from the presentation that I came across today.Check the eight irresistible principles of fun in life for full dose.

Plethora of emotional medley

Iam very glad to pen the first blog for this year. I never dreamt of me publishing posts until few years back.May be because of the below assumptions / predictions that I had.

1) I may not have time for writing instead I would have time to take care of my home as a home maker.

2) I might have 1000 other important things to attend, 100 bigger problems to handle.

3) My profession pays me money and not ‘My Time’.

4) I will not be in a position to scribe interesting articles.

But right now at this moment I would say, me being a responsible daughter taking care of my home (I definitely know my dad wont be reading this page), Skirted by 100’s of problems but still life moving on, My job pays me ‘My Time’ since this being the Christmas-New year fiesta, My friends say that my blogs are interesting to certain extent.

I think the greatest charm behind our living is the suspense in-store for us.Not exactly knowing - where I will be the same day next year, the slew of cozy living that I may/may not get next year, the people with whom I share my joy and sorrow next year, the friends and colleagues around me next year, my emotional status next year.

Keeping aside all that I felt like writing this because I believe it helps me to unleash my emotions.

There had always been tight spots for the past few days when I had to speak in a different tone, in a different way than normal to some of the people who are related to me.

The phenomenon is as simple as this.

Ok…Now me being the main stakeholder and when I declare my decision to some of my so-called relatives or non-stakeholders , I get various kind of reactions.Some are happy.Some are not-happy,Some get furious,Some are neutral, Some overreact.

From my past experiences this “Relative factor” had always been a not so impressive/important/trustable coefficient for me. But having brought up in a traditional background,Iam liable to announce and get the approval from these folks for some important decisions that I make for myself. So irrespective of my likes and dislikes Iam in a position to listen to their reactions.The negative reactions do trigger me & I give it back instantly making it clear that it was only to inform them and nothing more.They stop reacting online and start the batch reaction (Pls relate this to the batch jobs of mainframes technology…mainframe guys! Hope you will know what exactly are the online and batch systems).Batch reaction will process voluminous comments and will involve lots of “How dares” and ‘How come?” and “How idiotic?”…Not instantaneously but in a daily ,weekly,monthly or yearly cycles.

Rightly said… “If you cannot convince them confuse them”…!I really dunno on what context this saying was uttered…But I like this saying today.But even confusing people around you swallows your energy and time.

People differ, the environment surrounding them differ, thoughts and ideas differ,Priority differ, Expectation differ, the good-will bond that they have on me differ,The depth of knowledge and idea that they have about the future trends and society differ,Degree of exposure to the best way of living differ And so are their REACTIONS…

No one can offend us without our permission isn’t? ...

I sincerely hope and pray that things progress and shape out well soon…

I wish all my friends a very happy and prosperous new year!

Necessity is the mother of invention ! - Part 1

Date : October 12,2007. 6:30 pm

Place:On the way back to my home in my office car.


I was traveling back home observing Chennai’s traffic at dusk after a terrific Friday at office.Sundar,sitting near me wanted to break the silence.Next few moments passed on with usual enquiries about work,office, managers,discussions on the
Speed limit while driving...blah...blahs...

Next came the standard question any IT'ian would face since his first weekend of his first job..."what is the plan for the next two days...?".. I replied "No plans for Saturday. On Sunday got to supervise and transport a TV and a showcase that I had purchased from my friend's place."... After a few seconds of silence... Sundar asked...”So you will be joining someone in this transit...?"

Me-"My parents have gone to my native for a week...I have to do this On my own..."...I don’t know what made my friend to stop questioning me further...!


Date: October 13, 2007, 8:30 pm

Place: Royal Shoppe, Velachery

Picked the collection basket and started hunting the items which included edible stuffs that I might need for next day.A 500g Maggi Masala,A Nestle curd tin,Unibic Butter cookies,Dosa Batter...Cooking is my passion and when I have to do it alone for me it becomes a time pass too...

Having collected all the items in my list,I proceeded to the billing section. The biller is not new to me. I know him for 2 years.He made the usual good will enquiries.

After the purchase, asked him " Will I get a mini truck along with two load men...I have to transit goods from kodambakkam to velachery..."...Thank God!. He did gave a reply without pausing even for a second about the possibility of a lady involving herself in a transit work."There are trucks available in the bye-pass road next to Rexx fashions...If you tell the driver about the strength of load he would arrange for the load men accordingly..." Yes...Happy to know that..But it was already 8:30 at night...Even if I took another half an hour to reach that place, It was critical for me at that hour to find a suitable truck...negotiate the fare...fix the time for transit...I decided not to do that at that unearthly hour and walked back home...

While I was climbing the steps in my apartments to reach the first floor...An idea flashed...Walked back again to the gate and searched if the security guard is found...A hexagenerian ...He does his role perfectly...From my observations on his work I feel it is is more than what he is supposed to...Right from gate keeping till paying eb/telephone bills for the residents...He came forward when he noticed me...

I recited my requirement...whew!! Got the information that there is a mini-truck which is owned by a supplier who sells mineral water cans to the residents of my apartments...He said he could call upon the guy to discuss further about the time and cost of transit...

In another 1 hour I finished my dinner and sat in the sofa closing the eyes with cogitations ..."Am I doing anything beyond my prepatent...will it work out?...Will I be able to do it myself...?"A similar one-hundred 'If-nots??' did a role-play in my thought process...

The perception of my dad's not-so-ok reply when I discussed about this triggered a second thought about the whole plan...But it was a remonstrance to my wherewithal…

'Ding Dong...'...The tocsin nudged me out and when I opened the door I found the security guard along with the truck owner/driver...I told him about the specifications of the goods...He nodded his head positively and the time to start from my place was fixed to be exactly 9:00 am the next day...He agreed to bring two load men to unload and load the goods...It was implicit that I would be traveling along in the truck....While I was about to discuss the cost, the truck owner hesitantly told that it might cost a little more as we would need to pay the load men...My instant reply was "I should'nt see a single scratch in the goods...Careful handling is important...Don’t worry about the cost...".

Date: October 14, 2007, 9:00 am

Place: My Apartments.

All set ready for an invited adventure...The mini-truck along with the driver and two load men (Must be in the age group of 20-21 years arrived at sharp 8:55...I started locking all the leeway doors inside my house...Now it is the turn for the main flush door and grill gate...

With the main key I locked the door...'Done'...I thought...But what is this?...Iam unable to take the key out of the lock...It is locked fine...But I need the keys with me...My God! This is not the first time I face this problem of key strucking...This must be the third or fourth time this troubling me...Especially when Iam alone...!!Have I got any 'Always manage yourself..!' written in my life...I should admit that this kind of handling problem myself has pushed me up most of the times also pulled me down certain times...OR am I witnessing a practical application of Murphy’s law?

Murphy's law is something which says "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way".....Wont an inverse of this law which is something like “Whatever can go right will go right at the worst possible time, in a best possible way”…..will work for me….I don’t think any such inverse law exists!

All these 24 years of living has taught me some maxims of life...One such is "Execute what you want without excuses..."

"Enna ma yedahvathu help venumaa?..."...Hearing this I stopped my attempt to pull the key out for a moment...It was the father of my neighbor who resides in the second floor...He was passing my floor downstairs for the weekly car cleansing...Should I tell a Yes or No?...My palm had already turned pink out of the thrust that I had applied...By this time the security guard and the driver arrived wondering the reason for me not coming down to board the truck...Also he understood what was going on...He asked me for a lubricant that would make the process of pulling the key out easier...I cannot get in to my home to fetch it since the door is locked...My neighbour went back to his home and got the lubricant can...After applying the lubricant to the lock, all three of us tried one round of pulling the key out...And yes it came out in the fourth attempt....I thanked my neighbour and walked down...Load men seated back I Got in the front seat of the truck...Having traveled in all means of transport right from Bi-cycle till Boeing ,I never dreamt that I would get a chance to travel sitting in the front seat of a load truck! Here on I pridely take the ownership of this journey...I tapped my feet..!

Journey continues...

'Brass Tacks' of life

A little nitty-gritty for everyone who... is single,engaged,married, has kids, expecting kids, successful, jobless, happy, unhappy or simply looking for the betterment of the inner soul!

A professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They all agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. Again, they agreed it was. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous - - yes, there's no room for anything else...

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and proceeded to pour the entire contents in! to the jar. The students, surprised and astonished, laughed loudly."Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - - your family, your partner, your health, - - your children, your friends, your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."The pebbles are the other things that matter like - - your job, - - your house, - - your car.The sand then is everything else - - the small stuff."

"If you put the sand (The small stuff) into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18 holes of golf.There will always be time to go to work. To clean the house. To give a dinner party and fix the disposal."

"Take care of the golf balls first, they are the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked", he said ,"It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, There's always room for a couple of beers !!!!!!!!! "

Disclaimer:This blog was not written with the intention to promote the misuse of alcohol.Any reference to any liquor is purely coincidental.

Marilyn Monroe of Indian film

There have always been Indian films with more artistic aims and more sophisticated stories, both inside and outside the Bollywood tradition.The well acclaimed "Hero Worship had been a major gizmo for carving the political fate of states in India.

Stardom in the entertainment industry is very fickle, and Bollywood is no exception. The popularityof the stars can rise and fall rapidly. Directors compete to hire the most popular stars of the day, who are believed to guarantee the success of a movie.

I had been a watcher of Hindi movies though I dont speak/write the language.Though learning Hindi would help to enjoy the movie better it is NOT a must requirement when it comes to entertainment.

When Iam asked about my favourite Indian actors/actress my reply had always been a star from bollywood.Well...Iam not trying to insist that stars from south dont deserve it.That would be a unfair remark against legends like Sivaji Ganesan and kamalhassan who had/have an interminable thirst in their profession.When it comes to the representation of Indian Films as a wholeI would say that hindi films has got an Indian touch to it,be it the handsome /pretty looks of actors/actress,Scripts woven with musicals, catchy dances,melodramatic lyrics,family values,sync sound (Sound recorded on the location.The trend of recording in the studio was bucked in 2001 with the fim Lagaan in which producer-star Aamir Khan insisted that the sound be done on location.)

Madhubala is my favourite acterss.Popularly known as 'Marilyn Monroe' of Indian film is my favourite Indian actress.Her breathtaking beauty and performance in the 1960 blockbuster Mughal-e-Azam is simply mind-blowing.A warm and cheerful person by nature.She had undergone tremendous sufferings in her personal life.As sole support of her family, she accepted work in any film, causing her credibility as a dramatic actress to be seriously compromised.Madhubala's health conditions went worse required with long and grueling shooting schedules that made heavy physical demands on her.When nervous she suffered from uncontrolled outbursts of giggles and laughter which sometimes antagonised co-stars and directors.

In 1960, Madhubala sought treatment in London as her condition deteriorated. Complicated heart surgery was in its infancy and offered her some hope of a cure. After an examination the doctors there refused to operate, convinced her chances of surviving the procedure were minimal. Their advice was that she should rest and avoid overexertion, and predicted that she could live for another year. Knowing her death was imminent, Madhubala returned to India, but defied the predictions by living for another 9 years.

Madhubala finally succumbed to her illness and died on February 23rd, 1969, within days of her 36th birthday. In her short life, Madhubala made over 70 films. Her status and popularity has steadily grown until it has reachedawsome proportions today. She is often compared with Marilyn Monroe and has a similar position in Indian film history.

(PLEASE NOTE: This blog was written after research on Madhubala from Factual sources)

Freehand Micky :)

This was the freehand drawing that I painted using MS paint...

Thanks to Microsoft...It helped me to forget myself where

I sit and what I do for few minutes....

Delectable delite !

J - I - L - E -B -I......... "Celebration Sweet of India ".

India's most popular true classic. Once you start, can't leave them alone. Sticky & Crispy sweet you crave for. It is a hot favourite on any special occasion be it a birthday, wedding or festival. Jilebis though mostly eaten by themselves, can also be soaked in warm milk.

Pronounced Juhlaybee or Jeelaybee it is a delicious dessert. Jilebis are orange yellow in color and are about 3 inches in diameter. They are essentially deep fried batter in a coiled form soaked in sugar syrup.

This sweet is my sweetheart's favourite and of course mine too... :))

Ingredients:

2 cups All purpose flour (maida)

1 1/2 tbsp fine grained semolina or rice flour

1/4th tsp baking powder2 tbsp curd (plain yogurt)

1 1/4th cups warm water1/2 tsp saffron threads

Slowly dry-roasted and powdered 3 cups sugar

2 2/3rd cups water

1/2 tsp green cardamom seeds powder

11 /2 tbsp kewra water or rose water

Ghee or vegetable oil for frying.

How to make jilebi:

Mix the flour, semolina or rice flour, baking powder, curd and 3/4th cup of the water in a bowl (preferably a ceramic bowl).

Mix well with a whisk.

Mix well and then add remaining water and 1/8th tsp. of saffron powder, and whisk until smooth.

Set aside for about 2 hours to ferment.

Whisk thoroughly before use.

Prepare one string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water.

Just before the syrup is ready add saffron and cardamom powder.

Heat oil in a kadhai.

Pour the batter in a steady stream ( or coconut shell with a hole) into the kadhai to form coils. Make a few at a time. Deep fry them until they are golden and crisp all over but not brown. Remove from the kadhai and drain on kitchen paper and immerse in the syrup.

Appetizing ,enticing,dainty sweet is ready for you to taste!