Goodbyes

A lump in the throat, too heavy to gulp...
with distant thoughts and eyes that sulk...
A tinge in the heart, for what is known,
If only I could keep you home...

Every time i make a resolve
that I won't sulk nor will I whine,
Tears well up these weary eyes,
and sentiments quell the heart and mind...

It's no secret, it holds true,
I know you feel the same way too...
The stronger, deeper are the ties,
The more difficult become goodbyes...

                                                              -- T

Review: An Imperative

How often do you shoot an email all in a jiffy to hit the Send button, fully confident of its content, only to realize later that you missed mentioning something of relevance, or you had misplaced a few commas here and there because of which, your email does not convey what you intended to. Perhaps, a quick review would have saved you the mortification of having sent something which you yourself find amiss.

That is why review is important.

Any work, followed by review, results into a better and more appropriate work.

What is the purpose of review?

Review refers to ‘a formal assessment of something with the intention of instituting change if necessary’, as defined in the Oxford Dictionary.

The sole purpose of review is to make changes, if valid… and if necessary, for the betterment of the thing in context. There’s no doubt review offers grist to the mill.

Importance of review in the field of Technical Writing

‘Time moves in one direction, memory in another.’ – William Gibson.

Does this ring a bell? I bet, it does! J Therefore, it is only fitting that a proper and thorough review is awarded at every stage…right from audience profiling to content development and publishing.

Technical Writing warrants requisite information to be presented in a digestible form and language to convey the crux to the point. To envelope all the relevant matter and yet keep the communication simple and tidy demands patience and skills. However, the most important thing this demands is a proper review… without which, you run the risk of producing an untamed material which you cannot vouch for!

Review can be broadly classified into three major categories: Self review, peer review and functional/technical review.

Whatever the style, your content ought to be reviewed for language, accuracy and relevance.

Review is vastly practiced in all streams and not just Technical Writing and communications alone.

If you come to ponder, even Testing is nothing but ‘review’ of the codes, using which an application is developed…so as to ascertain its output. Isn’t it?

Dos and Don’ts

One very important thing to understand is that the purpose of review is to simply scrub clean the subject, if and where necessary. The motive of a review must NEVER be to disdain something or someone. True professionalism holds good only when you have the intent of performing all tasks entrusted with zero derision and 100% focus on the improvement of the project. In the same spirit, if the project requires amendments or major changes, it must be duly attended to and verified, without harbouring the typically false notion of ‘How can I be wrong’, because like it or not but… nobody is perfect J.

-- T

The Highways and Byways to Gold Coast :)

I often wonder at the marvel of nature's beauty...absolutely striking, unquestionably appeasing, utterly comely and assuredly divine! I become more and more certain of this fact every time i visit a scenic place. The latest additions in my list being Gold Coast, Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour :-) ...and the beautiful country side drive, all through!

The dapper blue Coral sea playing with its ebb and flow of waves along the white sands of Main Beach at Gold Coast imparts a sense of both relaxation and an adrenaline rush! Can't be more contrasting, right? Yet, you feel like spending hours and hours just watching the waves play along the tune of the sea :-) The chic wooden benches facing the beach makes it all the more comfy an experience! You could sit or lie down and partake in the revelry of lively music-filled Surfer's Paradise Boulevard on one side and nature's artistry on the other. :)

While you are in absolute appreciation of your vacation, sitting on the bench, soaking in the sun, if your tummy sets on the alarm, you could easily get your feed from the boulevard across and enjoy it while continuing with the thoughts you left at. :-) And when you feel like rejoicing the charm of calm waters, you are in luck with the river cruises that sail you to Gold Coast canals, broadwaters parked with super luxurious yatchs, multi-million waterfront houses and best of all...the sunset, with hues of pink and orange against the blue-green-grey waters and high-rises touching the sky.

If you yourself want to touch the sky, you could always ascend Skypoint and get flipped over 360° view of Gold Coast from up above the 77th floor. Better still, if you do so at sunset! That way you get to enjoy the vast expanse of sea and the city, both in light and in dark - when the entire city comes to life with a million lights! The view is just too surreal to be expressed in words!

When you drive from Gold Coast to Mt. Tamborine (...and vice versa), you tend to moon over the rustic beauty of stud farms; cattle - super busy chowing down all that they can, never bothering to look up and take a break from hogging the lush greens! Velvety fields; wineries in totally apple-pie order; beautiful little houses in the farms; rivers running along, shimmering with the golden rays...all this is so utopian!  Along the way comes Springbrook National Park where you get yet another chance to laud nature's exceptional wonder...a bridge formed naturally over very many, many, many years....built in such a magnificent way that it allows waterfall through its roof, to form into an emerald green pool beneath! The cave under this bridge gets illuminated at night with tiny little glow worms that abound this place! Just imagine its beauty. Totally breathtaking, isn't it?

While you are still absorbed in the simple charm of the country side with birds on a musical chatter-spree, driving past the pristine scenes, you realize, you have arrived at Byron Bay! This absolutely stunning site is in between Gold Coast and Sydney. More than a century old lighthouse at Byron Bay bears a great stance in solid white against the myriad shades of blue ...of the sky above and the sea below! The rhythm with which the milky white waves splash against the swarthy rocks is captivating and vivid! It transports you to a rather quiet space within...the space you do not get a chance to visit in the huff and puff of busy life. The feeling is both spiritual and uplifting! And yet this place cuts a dash as a categorically romantic site! Imagine the thrill it effects when you are lost in silently relishing the beauty and you suddenly spot a school of fish in the transparent waters below the cliff! And that's not all. It is said that you could even spot the whales during their spawning from May to November. Aah! That gives us a good reason to visit this place again....just to relive the cheer it offers and have a whale of a time! ;-)

Just a few hours drive from Byron Bay is Coffs Harbour. Another stunner! It presents itself as a rather mature and composed place. Not quite sure, whether it was the clouds that put forward this impression though! :) But the greens on the hills followed by another set of greens on the sea level ensuing the beige coloured shore is just as fascinating! The rocks adjacent to the parrots-filled park pose for a picture-perfect setting. Families enjoy their picnic in the park, savouring hot hot food. And particularly cute is to look at the toddlers enjoying a walk with their parents, asking a thousand questions, answers to which always preceded with a smile:-)

You could never be sure when the heavens open in this part...but who cares! Even if you get soaked, you would have still soaked in all the goodness along!

So, super duper big cheers to a vacation well spent, earning wide, wider and still yet wider smiles all the way! :)

-- T :-)

Carelessness that caused havoc

Carelessness is a synonym for disaster. There are several examples that can be recounted for utter carelessness, among which is that of British Petroleum (BP) oil spill ...an example of how mismanagement and poor decisions led to a mass spillover that led to serious issues for our natural resources. Corruption rules the very system designed to overpower it. How then, do we control the damage and make a reasonable deal with the nature?

If there could be anything hazardous to mankind, it is carelessness in all its capacity, indeed. What else could be said for the mess created by BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on the 20^th of April 2010? While this has jeopardized the marine life there, it does pose a great threat to health and environment all around. Thousands of barrels of oil leak per day has opened the Pandora’s Box of myriad problems; especially long-term psychological and stress-related health issues. The chemicals released with the crude oil and dispersant are believed to trigger such health problems. Can any amount of fines justify the plight caused by the oil spill?

While most accidents are a matter of chance, this one surely scores way above the simple ‘chance’ factor. For, it is inevitably the result of gross human carelessness at the cost of environment. The fact that BP ignored many warning signs during the drilling makes this a sad example of sheer neglect. Even if the company had no intention of neglecting things deliberately, it sure was in a jiffy for completion of well, way before it could be technically tested.

History has been witness to many such mishaps that led to major disaster. The Gulf War fought in Persian Gulf - Iraq and Kuwait in 1991 led to 6,000,000 – 8,000,000 barrels of oil spill per day, destroying the marine life completely besides jetting out colossal fumes resulting in major pollution. The Iraqi soldiers opened valves at the Sea Island oil terminal and discharged crude oil into the Persian Gulf as a war policy thus causing a total upheaval. There were nearly 700 oil wells set afire by the Iraqi forces. It has been 14 years since then; the full recovery is still a long chase. It is presumed, it would take many years before life comes back to normal there.

Lakeview Gusher is another oil spill case in Kern County, California. It is, perhaps, one of the largest in the history, after the Kuwaiti Oil/Gulf War spill. Lakeview Gusher oil spill took 1.6 years to extinguish, having poured 9 million barrels of crude oil. The explosion took place owing to the pressure developed by extremely large quantity of crude oil in the area.

In-Situ Burning (ISB):

This process refers to controlled burning of the oil where it spilled. Fire-resistant booms are placed in the water. These booms help hold the oil within, which is then set on fire to burn away (5.5 million feet of boom was used for BP oil spill to collect oil on the surface of water). With the oil vapourising after being burnt, it results in the spill clean-up. However, the authorities need to ensure whether there is enough proper channel or method to disperse the vapours/fumes that emerge owing to ISB! There are many parameters that need to be heeded upon. While ISB is considered quite an effective oil-removing technique from sea waters, it works best with fresh oil spill....because the combustible elements in the oil have their volatile property still intact. The oil can thus be burned away to fumes quickly. This method does not prove that effective for a spill which dates back. This is so because of the loss of ignition property over time...of the elements present in oil. 

We have been exploiting nature to its every bit; it is high time all businesses have ample risk management, disaster recovery and eco-friendly policies in place. We cannot progress by surpassing nature. Global Warming, Tsunami, earthquakes, explosions – all these are critical warning signs to us – the so called superior man. Either tame your own flow or get ready to receive the blow.

-- T

A flower that has it all!

Cauliflower has its origin in the Mediterranean. But have you ever conjectured how this white wonder was named? As is the case with most of the things around, this vegetable too, derived its name from the Latin words ‘caulis’ meaning stalk, and ‘floris’ meaning flower. The intense cloud of white florets beautifully crammed in a cauliflower, well bound by the strong greens at the rear, only makes it look all the more stunning. This handsome vegetable has some equally wonderful properties too.

Health benefits of cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of the few vegetables that falls under the ‘Cruciferous’ family i.e. it has some marvelous nutrients that combat against quite a number of diseases. Here’s a list of nutrients and chemicals present in this vegetable, stated opposite the diseases they help fight against, and the benefits they provide.

Nutrients/chemicals                                                      

• Indole-3-carbinol (or 13c, as is commonly known) & photo nutrient Sulphorafane: 13c along with sulphorafane work together in reducing the risk of growth of tumor, chiefly, in the breast and prostrate glands.
• Folate (i.e. a type of Vitamin B): Folate helps blood work better. It is also responsible for the growth of cells, and its replication in a body. This is particularly helpful to women who are carrying… as this helps in the development of the foetus.
• Vitamin C: It is is an anti-oxidant that helps in developing immune system.
• Selenium: It works effectively with vitamin C to develop immunity.
• Vitamin K: It helps in maintaining the health of bones.
• Allicin: It cuts down the risk of strokes. It is thus good for the heart.
• Fibre: It helps in the improvement of bowels/colon health. It also fights cancer.

According to the research conducted at the University of Pittsburg Cancer Institute, cauliflower possesses a natural compound known as, phenethyl-ITC, which is released when this vegetable is cut or chewed. This chemical not only helps prevent the formation of cancerous cells in and around the area of a human prostrate, but it also impedes the development of the blood vessels that nourish a selected type of cancer wounds.Phenethyl-ITC, 13c and sulphorofane are the common phytochemicals that are present in all the vegetables and fruits of the cruciferous family. Some of them are broccoli, carrots, and cabbage. These vegetables, often cooked and consumed along with the quintessential cauliflower provide for a healthy meal that takes good care of the body, should any malignancy arise. It acts as an impediment to any unwanted growth in the body.

Researchers suggest that having three florets of a good-looking cauliflower a day can meet up to 67% of the daily requirement of vitamin C. Cauliflower also plays a key role in developing the health of bones in a human body. Sufficient amount of cauliflower, thus taken, twice or thrice every week can bestow upon wonders of good health and good life.

Beauty with cauliflower

Noted dermatologist, Dr. Jaishree Sharad explains that the benefits of cauliflower are bounty, “vitamin C present in the cauliflower helps prevent sun tan pigmentation, as also the anti-oxidants averts early aging”. Vitamin C is the chief source of all the goodness required by skin. The pink glow, the healthy radiance and the acne-free and pimple-free complexion are just some of the properties graced upon by it. And it is quite rightly said, ‘You are what you eat’.

Apart from the phytochemicals present in the cauliflower, this wonder-vegetable is also a cholesterol-control food. It helps in maintaining a good health by keeping the cholesterol levels in check. It is therefore, a favourite among those who have cholesterol problems. People with high cholesterol often boil cauliflower and then have it mashed. It offers a good substitute for the palatable potato!

An interesting recipe on cauliflower: Cauliflower baked in yogurt

Ingredients: 

1 full cauliflower, nicely cleaned in salt water, the green stems cut from the rear

1 cup yogurt

1 tomato

Some green chillies

1/2 tsp pepper powder

Salt to taste

Direction: Make a paste by blending together yogurt, tomato, salt and pepper powder. Oil a non-stick fry pan and heat it for about 2 minutes. Put the cauliflower (in full) upside down in the fry pan and cover the lid. Cook it till it turns golden brown. Now add the paste on top of the cauliflower and sprinkle some finely chopped green chilies at the top. Again cover the lid and let the dish cook till the water in the curd has dried thick.

There are lot many recipes available, but the best and the most nutritious way to intake cauliflower is to have it raw. It is only when you harness the richness of this super-vegetable that its goodness will actually show!

-- T :-)

It's all a matter of heart :)

Just when I was about to prepare something for the supper, I realised that my kitchen was fatuously grinning at me!! As I manoeuvred to open the fridge for vegetables, the empty vegetable tray winked at me so hard I realised I had forgotten to shop for the vegetables that day! I hurriedly put on my floaters and headed straight to the market nearby. It was already fifteen past seven and so the darkness all around was religiously shunned away by lights everywhere. I got down my unit to cross the street to get to the main market place. Road-crossing is something that I have always dreaded. And I hated such moments when I had to cross the road all on my own. This is when I missed my husband the most ;-). Nevertheless I stood there waiting for the traffic to slow down so that I get the chance to move to the other side. Waiting there, on the same side was another girl, may be a little older to me. But I could sense the same traffic-phobia in her as I had within me. She met my eyes and as if we made some quietly understood deal sub-consciously known to both. We both crossed the road safely, to our relief. I kept walking with an alert mind till I reached the vegetable shop. The vendor greeted me with an extra broad smile that could have put him in direct competition with Monalisa, had she been alive. I returned his greetings with a fairly manageable so-so smile of mine...the best i could pull off :-P. I was happy to see the garden-fresh capsicums stout in shape and brilliant in colour. I quickly picked up half-a-kilo of these. Some French beans and a cauliflower also caught my attention and were therefore carefully slipped into my carry-bag. Relaxed now, thinking that my vegetable-tray inside the fridge would be happy to be honoured by these vegetables, I left the market in peace.

On my way back home, these beautiful orange orchids kept in the flower shop caught my attention. Even though my heart was almost ready to leap out of its chambers to jump over those splendid creations of nature, my mind took control of the situation. As I opened my purse to check the amount I was carrying, I realised I had only brought enough to buy the vegetables. Looking at the orchids with a profound yearning I crossed the flower shop to get to the main road where yet another crossing was due. The love-at-first-sight with the flowers went flying as soon as I bucked up to cross the road to return home. On my way, I thought the craving for those orange coloured orchids was similar to the ones that little kids have, when they see their favourite toy hanging in the shops, from a distance. It’s all a matter of heart I thought :-) :-) 

-- T :-)

Gender Equality -- an abortive issue!?

The issue of gender equality is a snafu that poses so many questions that strive to unveil the farce beneath!

When each and every one of us is unique, how can “equality” be an axis to the social structure? In my opinion, it’s a futile exercise which had yielded nothing…and which would yield nothing. Therefore, it is not "equality" but "mentality" that needs to be disciplined!

The mental, physical and emotional constitution of males is very different from the females; and that of the LGBTs. Accept it! Understand it! Because of this inherent difference (which constitutes the biological and psychological elements), males are more adept at performing certain strenuous tasks, for which women may have to really really really train themselves. Accept it! It’s a fact!

There are certain things that women are extremely skillful in accomplishing, which males find it really really incomprehensible…and it takes a great amount of training for them to follow suit.

A peaceful and conducive equilibrium can only be maintained when we UNDERSTAND, ACCEPT and CELEBRATE our DIFFERENCES.

It is only when people start abusing this innate difference that the problem arises. The root cause of all gender-related problems is undoubtedly this difference-abuse! And this holds true…notwithstanding the person’s gender! There are innumerable examples supporting this ever-existent bias. If families have a certain set of prejudices for the males and a different set for females, and are 110% illogical, then that family needs a serious conditioning of the brain(s). In my opinion, everything begins at home. If we teach our kids to respect the others and accept their differences, it goes a long way…and the kid would reflect the same learning in any and every environment. It is a given that what a child sees imprints his behaviour and consequently forms his habits/thoughts/disposition based on the visual learning. We set an example for the kids at home. It is we who are responsible for helping our kids become actually human (or a heavily skewed human-like creature …whatever our kids become, it is we who lay the foundation)! There are umpteen instances in so many families where parents have an utterly confused and sectarian concept of “parenting”.

I do not deny the fact that most people are a little too protective and concerned about their daughters due to various reasons that might become the biggest untoward incident of their kids’ lives. If the love matures towards concern, and is fairly logical, it is love indeed. However, there are cases (that can easily outnumber the positive ones) where parents feel a profound sense of shame for giving birth to a daughter because of their social beliefs (all nonsensical indeed), earning ability and a weird culture ingrained in their minds since eons! People base their theory on the one-stop-solution, which is “Education”. I don’t believe so!

You would be surprised to see the stats suggesting weird criminal offences committed by the elite educated class!! There was a case where a Mathematics Professor Father in-law, a Doctor mother in-law, a Heart Surgeon husband went crazy against their Doctor daughter in-law/wife and tried their best to kill her and her kids just because she gave birth to twin girls!! Does education has a role in scrubbing clean the mentality? Tell me? Arguments are far and few between! Why, every one of us...the so-called educated lot, know…and are very well taught in the schools about the X and Y chromosomes, isn’t it? What depends on what…we all know…and yet, the educated class, once out of their Mercs, settles into a pit of garbage axioms! This is just one example. There are many cases where the male partner sadly has to keep mum and live under the shadow of his better half (…for better or for worse) for the fear of many many things (peace is the foremost, without doubt!). Where does the balance go then? Even this is an emotional abuse… well, of course it is!

How many times are you pipped by a person who shares common things with the authorities (managers, et al), such as the smoke-breaks while everybody at hand knows your credibility? Despite all the competence and substance, you lose out to the one who’s closer to the authorities! Hence the hoopla about reservations! (Though, i strongly believe against the reservation system based on gender. It is on the basis of merit and merit alone that people ought to be rewarded.) The system is everything but minus encouragement and motivation! And here, both genders play equally unfair roles, in their positions! There are numerous cases where the bosses favour their subordinates (who are certainly not very competent females) against the most able men in the team. And you guessed it right; it is these lucky dames who get easily and quite rapidly promoted to the next levels and their next. Whoever said that hard work and intelligence takes you places! Here, the only thing taking these lucky ones places is their gender (and the other things that come supplementary)! The real test of integrity is when you are totally, thoroughly fair to the people you are answerable to and for whom you bear a certain responsibility.

While you can try as much as you want to spread the education across all realms and all kinds of societies, the truth is… are you really confident of the message seeping inside the hard-shelled-nutty brains? Decide first, whether it is the brains you want to send the message to, or the HEARTs? And while you will always have people batting for the X and Y chromo theory, it would indeed count for some to bat for the more definitive − leading by example! The sarpanches, authorities at block, district, town, city, state and country levels …if they could set an example by living a biased-free life... If we, the white-collar-job-holders, can take charge and ownership of doing our best to uplift, in any which way, the mental block of people around, wouldn't it be a small yet substantial step forward? But that’s an ideal situation…too much of an expectation and mighty hard a dream! Yet, there is a word; it’s called “try”…

-- T

Eyes don't lie! :)

How many times do we come across situations where, even though we see people talking, we can absolutely FEEL the communication is totally amiss? While the other person may go full throttle on every bit of their topic, the extremely sensitive heart knows -- it just knows -- their words are not coming from the heart! True to the core -- and something i truly hold -- what doesn't come from the heart never touches the heart!

 

It is funny how even the weirdest and most incomprehensible of things become the silly mind's most definite findings! No tangible reasons -- just a strong base of incorporeality affirming and absorbing every single thing one sees, listens to and experiences. The most vehement effect, if anything has ever had, is the one concerning expressions and expressions alone! That which is left unsaid, infact says the most!

How beautiful then is the science of Kinesics! Everything that's reeling under the semblance of normalcy, affection and knowledge may indeed be scareful... deep-routed utter dislike and immaturity. Funny is, even though there's no analytics that steers the heart's inferences, it is able to read through! And EYES are one of the most apparent cues to a whole lot of emotions that may or may not depict so, on the surface, that is! After all, the heart instantly comes to know the deep-seated sentiments (or lack of it) when it finds you are not all eyes! People understand -- they really do -- under their own steam!
                                                                                                                                             -- T :-)

We are so damned great!

 

Her intestines brutally squashed with an iron rod; her face horribly battered; her vital parts monstrously lambasted; her esteem irrevocably trampled; her faith inexorably abashed ...the only thing that the assailants could not touch was her WILL...her INNER STRENGTH! Hers is the spirit to salute! Hers is the courage that sanctions a great deal of pride to the ones whose pride is heartlessly devastated at the hands of the ones who are unpardonable.

 

We are a nation of great potential...so great that we are driven by libido and lust...not exactly sure of the order though! 

We are so great that we exhibit extreme tolerance against all kinds of godawful crimes ---> be it rape, sodomy, paedophilia or numerous other kinds ----> thus, giving our treasured attackers ample opportunity to satiate their whims and fancies whenever and wherever they wish....notwithstanding the thrill of crushing an innocent in a moving vehicle...where the velocity of movements is compounded by the velocity of the vehicle....now, this is some trip!

We are a land of great saints and thus we reflect every known entity's greatness in our disposition ----> we are not moved by any amount of atrocity thrown across our face; we are not affected by the lowliest grade of wrongdoing hurled against our chest -- we practice forgiveness -- to one and all!! We are categorically so damned great!

 

Even as we see a bunch of miscreants rip us off our honour, we hail the eunuchs governing the system, we hail the law protecting the criminals...why yes! Because... such is our law that:

 

If a juvenile commits ANY crime (even if it is rape or murder or any other despicable act) he can be awarded, at the most, 3 years of imprisonment (yes! that's the MAXIMUM punishment for a delinquent according to the Juvenile Justice Act)! And, if the juvenile turns 18, he is set free...irrespective of the sentence awarded. That means, if a juvenile is 17 when he commits any barbaric act, the maximum punishment, for him, in our great nation, is 3 years... but the 17 yr old will turn 18 the very next year....so even though, his maximum punishment was 3 years, he actually serves for 1 year or even less and is then set free as soon as he turns 18!

 

If an adult surfeits his sex drive by pouncing and raping, the maximum sentence he is awarded is 10 years....and then set free. Yes! such is our law... how very convincing! How very right! How very just!

 

In the governance that protects us, the word "just" holds absolutely NO MEANING in the purview of "Justice"! No doubt, we are absolutely safe! We are totally confident of the impotent system which renders human value completely insignificant! Why should it do anything otherwise? Because, we are reigned by years of sexism left in the legacy for us to follow to the core! We are commendably an entire mass of invalid gatekeepers who cherish our baseless + illogical discriminatory views conceived at yore!

 

Young India dreams of a domain which is unbiased, pertinent, impervious to crimes (..of all sorts), fair, intelligent (we absolutely abhor the senseless, uncouth, third-class gibberish blurted by the authorities in power) and livable. We crave for a certain standard of living free from the fear of an entire nation being raped off its pride....raped by the ones who control the system, raped by the ones who follow the dictates and mercilessly raped by the ones who govern it! 

 

We are tired of confronting the continuous moral, physical and emotional assault since eons. The bruised sufferers (alive or otherwise) await justice. The entire lot is yearning for an able and robust system. All long for a fitting law against such appalling crimes.

We are searching our pride, long gashed and lost....

Where Dream Meets the Eye

Two lonely eyes gazing upright
...at the horizon, where sea meets the sky
Through the window sils it sees
a little boy combat all life's sprees

It sees food aplenty in a plate
no more leaves on which no bait
no starking den, where a dungy bed lay
no grumpy corner - his life's essay

It sees many books - all new and shining
no waste bundles, no page whining
It sees pencils, pens and papers
...Magical world with pain-erasers

It sees people smiling all around
no sadness, no heaviness abound
It sees all hues of colours bright
no shades of darkness ever abide

Just when he was to see himself there
a stern call chasing knocked at his ears
"Where are you, milinger, who would wash the plates?"
The boy just had to snap out of his pace
His dream lay there at the horizon...one teardrop apart
His longing for a normal childhood thumped in his heart

With a yearn so tearing he pulled himself away
Surrendered his short reverie to the pile of plates...
If only there was something that he could ever buy
He would buy that moment where dream meets the eye!
                                                                               
                                                                                    -- T

A peep into past

The extent to which life has become eventful is beyond comparison with the yesteryear. The much-awaited lazy Sundays, when we, as kids, would get ready and all set for the He-Man to flash his sword sky-high and proclaim, "I have the power of the universe" is etched in my memory forever. ...an elusive thing, albeit!

The zeal with which we used to patiently wait for Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana; and more than us, it was our grandparents who 'ld even bow to the supersonic echo of the conch on TV, signalling the start of a fresh episode ...it all seems so surreal now!

Our simple games -- i-spice, stone-hopping, local football and plain old doll-games...feeding doll all the leaves, pebbles and sticks i could find on our terrace garden...it's something that has a photographic image in my mind.
We were not a luxury-craving bunch running after all the hubbub, just so that we could buy an ever-illusory lifestyle. The equation is absolutely inversely proportional - it has always been so!

The most caring and thoughtful gesture of letter-writing is now replaced by online communication - E-mails. We do not want so much as to pick up a pen and write to our dear ones from our heart; pick up a phone and just dial to know how our loved ones are doing. Instead, we would rather leave a casual cliche - "How r u" on a social networking site -- and we are set! No strings attached! And yet we are attached! How cool and intelligent we have become! We stylishly run about daft, soaking in the madness of competition of any and every thing. We are so much richer by all the artificial expressions yet we are left poorer with emotions. We have come a long way, indeed!

                                                                                                                                                 -- T

Deep ...10 Under!!

Mother nature is full of breathtaking beauty both on land and under water. Having said that, the pristine charm blanketed by the Turquoise sea compares to none!
Underwater is resplendant with myriad colours, awesome creatures and virgin mass. In order to explore it with our own tiny eyes, we braved the challenge of scuba diving.
Looking at the huge, fuller oxygen cylinder/air tank (as big as me), i had 100% doubt whether i'ld be able to carry it on my back. But to my relief, the instructor made use of the buoyant force (long studied and forgotten in school) while in water, to help each one drown perfectly. And we were so up for it! The art to hold the regulator was a challenge in itself - no kidding. Every time we were asked to repeat one of the tactics, the salty water would go inside. Later, after nearly 5 dry runs, we got the method right!! (hush hush)

After all the gear-ing up and training in the sea, our PADI instructor took us deep down below. There was one instructor to each. We were four of us.
The experience is enthralling but the excitement dawns only after the intial struggle of good an hour and a half (..or so)! The pressure mounts on the lungs, ears, neck and God alone knows where and where.
The lungs start to gasp for breath. The ears start behaving crazy and their way of mutiny is by gifting a chilling, sharp pain that seems to crush the entire jaw line. While all this lasted for as long as we were under water, we constantly made an effort at equalizing pressure through the nose. Don't wonder how! Won't be able to demonstrate it in writing! :-P

The hands....they move around a bit. And then become lunatic in a longing to catch what the eyes see. The legs forget they have fins to their respective ends and that they have a purpose. Silly limbs! With all kinds of mismatch and pathetic motor skills, 10m under water, below the crushing weight of the sea, the colourful marine life is cent-percent ravishing! Truly, totally!

Sea horse, super colourful fish varieties (purple, blue, yellow, zebra stripes, green, orange, silver and even multicolored), molluscs, corals and their amazing chemistry left us bedazzled. The marvelous experience we gained underwater was completely out of this world--both literally and figuratively!

-- T :-)

On our way to Havelock

With exactly two packets of Tom-Chi Bingo, Dark Fantasy and Bisleri we set sail for the most pristine of beeches in the Andamans--at--Havelock island!
While excitement was at its peak, we both were anxious, alert, snoozy, amazed and super thrilled--experiencing a concoction of 'n' number of emotions and their very natural permutations and combinations--all at the same time.
...even one dolphin leading the ferry would have proven an added treat for us; notwithstanding the aforesaid goodies our executive engineer provided us with.
...10-15-20 minutes..and that's it. We could no longer bear to not go in the open and let the sea tease us with its ever charming blue water. To hell with all the style, hair and sunscreen! And since God takes care of everything, we left our luggage to Him and sprung out in the open on the deck. ...Lost count of minutes, hours and for that matter even our age, admiring, playing, marveling the solid blue of the sea our ferry seemed to slice through, thereby churning the white foam and cool splash- again, again and again.

While we were lost in the beauty of this vast expanse, the sun started to blush red, bidding bye for the day. The jetty appeared within sight. Yahoo! we had reached Havelock. The rich golden rays dancing in the sea gave us a grand welcome, assuring us of far greater experience that was in store for us. :-) :-)

A moment of joy that's etched in our memories forever.

-- T :-)

Fireworks Boom

Somehow, i have never been able to understand the necessity of bombarding the Universe with Aloo Bomb, Mirchi Bomb, Ladii Bomb and God-alone-knows-what-all-bombs! Come Diwali, and somewhere in my heart I dread the acoustics my poor ears (and other sensory organs) 'ld be subjected to. A sheer torture for them. Therefore, in my quest for digging logic, if any, to such an endearing ritual of this festival, I thought of actually probing the WHY factor. And here is what I collected - Nothing. Mind you, i said, i wanted to find a LOGIC behind such supersonic-types fireworks. Where the hell will ATMAN (the inner self) rise and illuminate if, with every spark, and with every Boom, the entire Nervous System ducks inside the core. Whether people do something constructive (or not) with their very Lakshmi is their own choice. No sermons intended. However, bursting Lakshmi (apply transitional logic to it--->you spend thousands/or whatever amount buying these crackers---> it indeed boils down to banging up Lakshmi) into thin air (sorry, Smoke-laden air) defies all the fervour with which people worship the same Lakshmi just a day or two before, on Dhanteras. So, is it that we first plead for wealth ...so that we can burn it all at will?

Where is the ATMAN? Still very much ducked inside the bill (...aahh.. will)!

                                                                                                                                                -- T :-)

City Market ! zzzzzzzzz

Every time I think of visiting the city market, I get cold feet! Nevertheless, today hubby and I braved this challenge and went hunting for a copper water tanker of sorts (mini version).  The umpteen meanders of an old city area are exactly like the jigsaw puzzle. You have to be really fast and aware of the gullies in order to reach a certain destination. Notwithstanding the rocketing spittle that may come from any direction on to the road. And if you are not alert enough, you may become the target of the spitting spree that comes jetting from almost every shop lining the cramped space. It takes years to become a pro at dodging these incessant showers, you see!

While the entire area seems covered in complete chaos, thick noise and heavy dirt (..in this exact order), there is some predominant laidback method to everything. For instance, even a dog enjoys all the chaos while sitting cuddled, right in the centre of the terribly crammed alley…with dreamy eyes and a steely will of not budging from that position, whatsoever! 

To complement this moony expression donning every dog (and every human being) in that market comes an old hag of a PMT bus, every 5 minutes, honking uselessly to match the thick noise in the air. Absorbing every bit of this adventure, we finally came across one small shop with exactly 2 dozen salesmen vouching for the copper tanker. By the Great God’s Grace, we did get the deal and returned home richer by a water tanker. However, we still dread this excursion. Till we get laden with yet another totally compelling need….

                                                                                                                                                      -- T :-)

Bajra Wada

At first i was about to name this recipe 'Bajra Balls' but then i refrained from doing so! hahahahaha :-D :-D
Never mind the name, rest assured the recipe is quite simple, is quick and is tasty - not the usual types we gorge on in our normal routine life. And i must give credit to my M-IL (Mother inlaw) from whom i learnt this. :-)

Ingredients:
Bajra flour - 1 bowl
Gram flour (Besan) - 1/3 bowl
Wheat flour - 1/3 bowl
Curd - 3 tablespoons
Garlic - finely chopped
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
White Sesame (Til) - 2 tablespoons
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilly/ Green chilly - 1/2 teaspoon / finely chopped (according to taste)
Salt - to taste

Directions:
Knead all ingredients into a dough with very little water. (You may even add finely chopped Methi or Palak while kneading). Make equal sized balls out of this dough and flatten them using just a drop of water. Deep fry. Serve hot hot with Dhaniya-Pudina chutney or tomato sauce. :-)
Happy Eating!!

-- T:-)

Finger Chips with a Twist

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 1/2 kg
Rava/Suji - 250 gm
Green chilly - 1
Ginger
Coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Cut even-sized potatoes into fine fingers. Wash and keep aside.
Make a thick batter of rava/suji by using very little water. Continuously keep stirring the rava batter till it reaches a thick consistency.
Mix ginger paste, salt and finely chopped green chilly to the batter. Mix well.
Now coat the potato fingers in this batter and deep fry.
Serve it hot with coriander/pudina chutney or with tomato ketchup and enjoy the delight.
:-)

Private Peaceful - heart rending!

We evolve each day with layers of history behind us, covering our primal existence. As much as the bygone era can be recounted for the simplicity of a jolly life, there were episodes as horrendous as hell. Recently, I read a novel – Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo. The story of a teenager is set in the backdrop of World War I. This story keyed me to search further for such pieces and how every single day spent by these men was a struggle for survival. That they had to bear the extreme weather serving nights after nights in trenches, without proper/suitable gear and food is just one part of their struggle. 

What appalls even more is how the young teenagers were pushed to fight for their state – not knowing what good this blood bath would bring to them, their state or to anyone else.

Those who tried to escape were executed point blank. Those who tried to defy or challenge any of their superior’s orders were subjected to court martial and were shot at dawn, without the trial being held at the least. What more, the detainees were not even awarded the slightest chance of presenting their witness, leave alone having someone to fight their case. The system was absurdly skewed towards the insanity of ruthless personnels at position. These 4 years of utter madness and blood bath resulted in 9 million lives lost. A whole generation turned to gore. Till date, the British govt. has not compensated (posthumous pardon) the families of the slain soldiers who were so callously executed.

The Birdie in the Rain

The whiff of earth rising in the air…

The vigour with which the saplings fair

Blanket of grey, pouring all around…

Kissing summers goodbye, the clouds abound

Sitting by the window, engrossed in rain

I behold every detail, though it’s all the same…

Saw a white pigeon like a ball of fur

Cocooned in its whole, it graced a corner

It seemed in no hurry for the rains to seize

...Catch forty winks with so much ease

While the white beauty was lying still

I placed some grains for its post nap fill

…guess now I should just let the bird be

Savour this moment and enjoy my reverie.
         
                                                              -- T :-)

1, 2, 3...

1, 2,….…,10,…puff, puff……….…15

I climb each stair completely determined

The longing for a flat tummy is way too high

I wouldn’t take the lift, but I ‘ld sigh

A small tyre has recently found its way

my tummy has a baggage, or so to say

I‘ve trounced all temptations to reach my floor

I climb with a sprint as if I ‘ld soar

At last when I see my desk, my screen

I catch my breath, uphold my preen

Settling down I get ready for the show

File after file, the mail box flows…

Numbed by the block in my mind

I decide to cull the mails for a while

The urge to have hot breakfast betides

Not wasting a second, I thumb a ride

Straight to the canteen, ...to an appetizing sight!

All the stair-climbing …out it flies

When I gobble up sandwiches, shakes and fries

Satiated with my feed, my batteries charged,

I return to my desk, now work should start...

At regular intervals I munch on goodies,

I hog all day, but I ‘m not a foodie

As evening sets in, I set my pace

I take to the stairs, in full grace

Everyday I religiously stick to the routine

Wobble between my tummy, the stairs and the creams.

                                                                       -- T :-)